In the Twilight

A/N:  Thank you to everyone who reviewed!  I really appreciate all of your positive comments!  Here it is, Chapter 4.  This is the final chapter, sorry to say.  I have posted a new fic and want to focus on it, but I am making this chapter a little longer than the others.  Enjoy, and please remember to review!

Disclaimer:  Once again, I do not own Kagome and Inu Yasha.  They belong to each other and Rumiko Takahashi!

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He squinted his eyes against the brightness of the sun as he leaped from the well house, up the shrine stairs, and to the tree outside her window.  His white hair, heavy with rainwater, stuck to his back and face.  The long sleeves of his haori flapped noisily, water drops spraying the air with each bound and leap he made.  As he reached the Go Shinboku Tree, he took one final jump to land gracefully on the bough that lay level to her bedroom window.

Balanced on all fours on the sturdy limb, he shook himself vigorously.  Wild strands of hair flew chaotically about him as mud and water flew in every direction.  When he was satisfied that he was no longer dripping wet, he climbed to the ledge and slid open the window. 

He paused briefly as her scent assailed his senses.  A corner of his mouth curved upward as he recognized the smell of honey, sweet herbs, and her own natural scent.  The aroma of her shampoo was strong, and he knew she had recently bathed.  His smile broadened.  He loved how sweet she smelled after bathing.  An image of her skin glowing rosy, her hair damp as it flowed down her back filled his mind.  Without further hesitation he entered her room.

She lay on the bed, dressed in a white bathrobe.  Her thick black hair, curling slightly from moisture, fanned out over her pillow.  One small, delicate hand curled over her stomach while the other was hidden, buried deep beneath her pillow.  Her chest rose and fell gently with each breath she took.  The soft sound of her steady breathing filled the stillness of the room.  His canine ears twitched as they caught the rhythmic sound, his golden eyes gazing at her sleeping form.

She stirred, her lashes fluttering as she slowly awoke.  Catching sight of him, she gasped as the vision of her dreams stood before her.  She shook herself mentally, trying to shake the image of him from her sleep-blurred mind.  Blinking, she nearly bolted upright as she realized he was still standing there, turned away from her. 

"Inu Yasha?"  The sound was no more than a breath escaping her lips.

Side glancing at her, "Feh!  Is that all you do here is take tests and sleep?"  He refused to face her.  His cheeks flamed red at the embarrassment of her waking to his scrutinizing gaze.

Rising to a sitting position, her eyes widened.  The soft haze of sleep quickly left her hazel depths as they raked up and down him.  A frown, followed by an angry scowl hardened her feminine features.  Her glare settled on his bare feet and the muddy puddle surrounding them.

Seeing her sudden change, he whirled around, "Huh?  What's your problem?"  He barked out.

"Look at my carpet!"  Kagome yelled, her voice rising with each word she spoke.  "Don't you know how to wipe your feet?  Or how about trying the front door for once!" 

His ears flattened to his skull at her rising anger.  Glancing down at where her eyes stared, he gulped audibly.  Mud crusted footprints stained the cream colored rug.  He cringed as he anticipated her next word.

"Osuwari!"

A groan followed by a growl escaped him as he slammed face first into the now damaged carpet.  "What the hell was that for?"  He ground out as he lifted himself from the floor.

"Get out!" The rosy glow of her cheeks turned flaming as she pointed to the window.  Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Kagome said, "I will meet you outside." 

"Feh!' He snorted as he leaped through the window.

Staring down at the mud on her floor, Kagome frowned.  "I'll have to clean this up before Mamma sees it."

She grabbed one of her school uniforms from her closet, checked out the window to ensure the hanyou wasn't in the tree, then quickly dressed.  She grabbed the towel from the floor she had discarded earlier and began to sop up some of the dampness from the carpet.  "Agh!  He is so rude!  Why can't he just think before he does things?"

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Inu Yasha plopped down on the top of the shrine steps, one hand rubbing his sore nose.  He arched his back, cracking the vertebrae that had been jarred from her 'sit'.  His golden eyes flashed anger then softened.  'I deserved it.  But she didn't have to 'sit' me, damn it!'  Inu Yasha snorted to himself.  His back still ached, but at least she had given him only one 'sit' this time.  The last time he had really angered her she had slammed him down so many times he thought his back would break. 

Staring off into the strange horizon of the city, ears laid back against his head, Inu Yasha pouted.  Now he had to stay outside to wait for her.  He felt like a reprimanded child.  'This must be what Shippou feels like when she scolds him.'  He thought. 

Sniffing indignantly, he suddenly sneezed, carpet fuzz flying from his healing nose.  "Keh!"  He snorted once again.  "I should have stayed with those idiots on the other side.  At least they can't 'sit' me!"  Rising to his feet, he stared down to the well house, his mind warring with itself.  He thought about going back, lifting a foot to step down he suddenly whirled and headed to the God Tree.  He would stay and wait for her.  At least here, he wouldn't have to listen to the taijiya and the hentai hoshi constantly fighting or deal with an irritating kitsune cub.  

Sitting cross-legged at the base of the tree, the hanyou leaned his back against the bark.  His eyes closed and he bowed his head.  His ears swiveled toward the muffled sound of her voice as it drifted down to him.  Inu Yasha looked up at Kagome's window, straining against the loud noises of the city beyond the shrine walls.  Her voice trailed off, her words indiscernible.  Again he closed his eyes, glad for the distance that now separated them.  She could be very vicious with her 'sit' commands.  He would stay there and wait for her, something he was quite used to doing.

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The cupboard door creaked as she opened it.  Hastily grabbing the bucket from under the sink, some cleaning solution, and a scrub brush, Kagome headed to the bathroom.  She poured a generous amount of the pine smelling cleaner into the bucket then added warm water before returning to her room. 

'I should make him do this,' she thought.  She suddenly snorted at the idea.  'He'd only say it was woman's work and I'd still end up doing it,' a sly grin lit up her face at another thought.  'Then again, I could osuwari him into doing it.'  Again she frowned.  'Yeah, right, and have him make a bigger mess?'

She leaned over the stain, scrubbing at it furiously with the bristled brush.  To her surprise the mud came completely out.  She relaxed, glad that it had not been permanent.  "What's he doing here, anyway?"  She spoke the thought out loud.  "I told him this morning I would be back tomorrow."  Once again her anger flared.  He never allowed her any time with her family.

Grabbing her backpack, she began stuffing clothes, books, and whatever else she needed for the trip back to the Sengoku Jidai.  Once again Kagome headed for the kitchen.  Several packs of ramen sat on the table.  She shoved them into her bag then began to raid the refrigerator.  "Bottles of water, cans of tea, some diet soda…" She mumbled to herself. 

When at last she could not fill it anymore, Kagome hefted the heavy bag over her shoulder and left to meet Inu Yasha by the well.  She was still angry at the dog demon, but her crimson cheeks had faded to a paler shade of pink.  'At least he'll be happy I'm leaving early.'  Earlier that morning she had been happy at her decision to leave a day early, now she had doubts if she should.

"Where do you think you're going?"  He growled at her.

"Huh?  Where do you think, baka!"  She snapped back.

"It's pouring rain on the other side.  No sense in going back now."  He smirked at her surprised look.

"Er…then why are you here, Inu Yasha?" She gave him a skeptical look.

"I was bored, okay.  If I'd stayed in that hut with that old hag and that lecherous bouzu any longer," Cracking his knuckles he gave her a pointed look.  His next words were said in a lower tone, and Kagome had to strain her ears to hear him.  "And it wasn't raining when I left here this morning."

The anger in her subsided as she took in the slight blush he tried to hide under his shaggy bangs.  "Come on in."  Then pausing, "but you're taking a bath and I'm washing those dirty things."  She pointed a finger at his soiled clothes.

"Fine!"  He growled through clenched teeth, but lowered his head to hide his smile of satisfaction.  He could deal with a bath if it meant staying with her. 

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He sat on the floor at the foot of her bed, his ears pressed flat.  The hair dryer she insisted using on him was loud, but the warm air did feel good.  She sat on the edge of her bed brushing the knots and tangles from his hair as she waved the hair dryer back and forth.  An occasional curse escaped him when she would hit a particularly difficult tangle.  The conditioner she insisted he use had helped, but his hair had been so matted and tangled she insisted he use a lot of the goopy stuff.  The scent had filled his nostrils and he realized it was the same smell of Kagome's hair.  He had seen her use it before in his time but until now never thought much about it.

"There, all done."  Turning off the hair dryer, Kagome ran her fingers through the silky tresses.  She watched as the light shimmered off the white strands, gliding down their length like liquid silver.

"Finally."  Inu Yasha snorted, his ears relieved to have the noisy machine off.

"It wasn't that bad.  And feel how soft your hair is."  For emphasis Kagome ran her fingers once more through his thick mane.

A shiver went through him at her touch.  He jumped to his feet, putting distance between him and the girl.  "Arigato."  He mumbled.

"I'm sure jii-chan won't mind you barrowing his yukata until your clothes are dry."  She said absently.  She suppressed a giggle at his exposed ankles.  Her grandfather was shorter than Inu Yasha and the bottom rose a few inches above his ankles.

His ears suddenly swiveled toward her open door.  "Your family's back." 

A smile lit her face as she rose from her seat on the bed.  "Come on, let's go greet them."  He silently followed her down the stairs.

"Inu niichan!"  Souta exclaimed as he saw Inu Yasha following behind his sister.  He ran toward the stunned dog demon as he embraced him in a brotherly hug.  "Are you going to stay a while?"

"Yeah."  Was Inu Yasha's only reply as he peeled the boy from him.

"Kagome, you can help with dinner while Souta visits with Inu Yasha."

Souta's face split into a wide smile as he grabbed Inu Yasha's hand.  "I got a great new video game!  You'll like it.  Mortal Kombat Annihilation!" 

Kagome gave Inu Yasha a final look, humor sparkling in her hazel eyes, before he and Souta disappeared from sight.

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Inu Yasha devoured the meal before him as Kagome and her family talked about their day.  Her grandfather kept offering various wards and spells to assist them in the warring states era.  He rolled his eyes at the old man.  He had told him before his wards were worthless.  If they couldn't stop him from entering the well, then they certainly would have no power against a full-blooded youkai. 

"We have Miroku for that, jii-chan."  Kagome looked over at the hanyou.  "He makes very powerful ofuda."

"For a pervert."  Inu Yasha murmured through a mouth full of food.  He cringed at the all too familiar look Kagome was giving him.

"Is he the one with the hole in his hand, ne-chan?"  Souta asked.

"Uh-huh.  The kazaana, but he also has spiritual power, too." Kagome explained to her awed brother.  "I think your clothes should be ready now, Inu Yasha."  She turned her attention to the annoyed half demon.

Inu Yasha pushed the rest of his food aside, "Great, I can finally get out of this thing."  He pointed to the borrowed robe.

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"You clean up pretty good." Kagome smiled at him after he appeared from the bathroom wearing a now clean red kimono. 

"I don't see what the big deal was.  I could have washed it in the river when we got back."  He replied.

"Stop complaining!  Can't you be nice for just once?  Besides, Mamma would have never let you in the house with mud all over you."  She rolled her eyes at him.  "Come on," she said grabbing his hand.

"Where we going?"  A warmth spread across his fingers at her light touch.  Resisting the urge to pull away Inu Yasha grasped her hand tightly.

"To see the stars.  Tonight's the full moon and the only time the stars are really bright here."  She led him outside.

The sun was just beginning it's decent from the sky.  Flames of orange, gold, pink and purple blazed through the clouds that skimmed by on the deep azure sea of heaven.  The pale white orb of the moon already shone, rising slowly as the day ended. 

Kagome sat down on a bench pulling Inu Yasha down next to her.  She let go of his hand and suddenly felt the loss of his warmth.  Keeping a respectful distance from him, she watched the sunset.

"Inu Yasha?"  Her voice was whisper soft.

"Huh?"  He asked his eyes focused on the setting sun.

"We could have gone back today if you wanted.  I had planned on returning anyway, when I got home from school."  She lowered her head, her gaze on her hands folded in her lap.

"I told you, it was raining."  He still did not look at her.

"We've searched for the Shikon no Kakera and Naraku in rain before." She countered, her eyes once more watching the brilliant colors flash across the sky.

"I-I didn't want you to come today."  He stammered.

"Why?"  Kagome didn't know why she was asking him for his reasons.

"B-because the last time we were caught in the rain," he paused as he finally turned to look at her.  His words caught in his throat.  The now scarlet horizon glowed across her face.  It reflected off the pools of her eyes, radiated the life that always sparkled there.  She turned to face him, her eyes picking up the shadows of the twilight and stars beginning to twinkle above the last of the sun's light.  Gods, she was beautiful.  Looking into her eyes as they searched his, he lost all train of thought.

"Because?"  Her heart pounded in her chest as she fell into his liquid gold eyes.  She felt as if she were losing her soul and yet finding it all at once.

"The last time you got sick," He turned once again to the twilight.  "I didn't want that to happen to you again."  His ear swiveled at her small gasp and a blush crept across his cheeks.

"Thank you, Inu Yasha."  Kagome whispered as she leaned her head against him, snuggling into the warmth of his body.

Tentatively he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer as they watched the twilight darken and the stars gleam in all their glory by the light of the full moon.

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A/N:  Final chapter completed!  YAY!  I hope you liked it.  As always, please review!  I love hearing from all of you!  Sorry to end this, especially since I like it so much, but I have other fics I want to start working on.  I have posted chapter 1 of Between Friends – it will be much longer than this one with tons more waff and humor!  Reviews keep me happy and will help encourage the next fic!