Hello! I'm back!
Hehe… well, I have to say, I liked the response I got for last chapter. Thank you very much!
Just one thing before we start, I have something to say to friend of shippo. And that it: "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! Finally, someone besides me who dislikes lemons! Thank you! I'm not alone in the world! My faith in humanity is restored! Yippee!" *Jumps up and clicks heals together.*
Anywho, there is a bit more fluff in this chapter, but that's all it is, fluff. Nothing graphic, or anything like that, so DON'T GET YOU'RE HOPES UP, YA'LL PERVETS! Hehe. Just kidding. I know my readers aren't perverts… exept for that trinuviel fella… ;) (Just kidding, Again.) Here ya go.
Oh, and just for the record, Kagome's offer was not a "Bribe," It was an acknowledgment of InuYasha's feelings, and she was pretty much telling him that if he did, then she wouldn't hate him for it. I do agree, Kagome "Offering" herself like that would in fact be very out of character.
~~
InuYasha's eyes widened in shock. Was this Kagome who was speaking to him? What was she saying? Did she just offer what he thought she did?
He blinked once… then again. "Kagome…" he whispered.
The miko looked up at him, still crying. She was on her knees, now, buried deep in the snow. Dimly, InuYasha was aware that the wind was picking up, and snow was beginning to fall. His senses still worked even in this state.
Did she really care about him that much? She was willing to do… that to keep him alive. Deep in his body his heart did a little flip. She was willing to give herself to him?
Then, slowly, at the back of his mind, a familiar voice stirred. 'she is willing.' It hissed at him. 'but what will you do? Will you take advantage of her… when all she wants is you're well being?'
InuYasha's heart did another flip, and the hanyou looked up again. Kagome had stopped crying, and was avoiding looking at his face, her head turned to the side, averting her gaze.
Slowly, InuYasha took a step forward. He could see Kagome wince. His sensitive nose easily picked up the heavy scent of fear radiating off her. InuYasha drew in a deep breath. She was scared stiff. Now even closer, he could see her trembling like a cornered rabbit. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was scrunched forth resolutely.
InuYasha slowly stepped over to her, and in one, smooth, easy motion, lifted her into his arms, cradling her gently. Slowly, in his warm arms she relaxed, the tears on her cheeks thawed, and ran down her cheeks, and splashed onto his haori.
The hanyou gently ruffled Kagome's hair, and carried her into the mouth of the cave.
~~
Atma opened her eyes, tears brimming in them, and turned to Tiamet. "Didja see?" She asked desperately, clasping her hands together, and grinning at her. "It's so cute!"
Tiamet nodded impatiently, and closed her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah, real cute." She agreed. "I wanna see what happens now!"
Atma glared at her, and for a split second, her eyes glowed slightly.
Tiamet blinked, and let out an angry sigh. "Hey, you blocked my vision!" She whined. "I wanna see!"
Atma glared at her, and promptly hit her in the head. "Don't you dare peek!" She said angrily. "They need their privacy." She sniffed, and rubbed her chin. "Besides, I have great respect for InuYasha. He's not gonna lose control jus like that!"
Tiamet looked at her, aghast. "What?" She gasped. "You mean after all that, their not gonna…" She left the phrase hanging.
Atma sighed, and rubbed her temples. "Listen, you raging little scaly pile of hormones." She sighed. "There is a whole lot more to love than…" She gave an embarrassed glance to Miroku and Sango, "…that." She said. "As a matter of fact… that is a very small, and insignificant part of love."
Tiamet looked at her suspiciously, and pursed her lips. "Only if you do it the boring way." She said defiantly.
Atma stared at her a moment, then sighed, muttering under her breath.
Sango looked from Tiamet to Atma, then back again. She had a sneaking suspicion of what they were talking about, and wasn't liking the subject. She got more than enough of that with Miroku.
Slowly, Miroku rose to his feet, trying to hold in a laugh. "I understand now." He said, chuckling.
Atma looked over at him. "Oh?" She asked.
Miroku nodded slowly. "Why you went through all the trouble to split us up."
Atma smiled sweetly at him. "Continue."
"You're simply playing matchmaker." Miroku said evenly.
Atma cocked an eyebrow at him, and snapped her fingers. "Aww, poop." She said. "I'm all out of cookies."
Miroku nodded in satisfaction. "But why InuYasha and Kagome?" HE posed. "You seem to know a considerable amount about all of us… I want to know why you are interested in us."
Atma smiled sweetly. "Well…" She said. "As for InuYasha, I knew his father… rather well." She said carefully.
Miroku's eyes twinkled in understanding, and Atma nodded almost imperceptibly to him.
Shrugging, she continued on. "As for Kagome, she travels in time. That interests me. I'll have to keep tabs on her in her own time…" She mused.
Miroku gasped. "You can travel in time as well?" He asked.
Atma looked at him oddly, then laughed. "No!' She said. "Of coarse not!" She shrugged. "However, by the same token, five hundred years truly isn't that long." She said dismissively. "I'll have to mark it on my calendar, so I won't forget though." She looked up. Miroku was giving her an odd look.
Atma coughed slightly, and continued. "And as for you and Sango, we like to keep tabs on what you so foolishly call the Shikon no Tama. You people are among the most powerful searchers for it… so I naturally know about you."
Miroku nodded slightly.
Atma gave him an odd look. "But how did you know that it was me that split you up."
Miroku shrugged. "You mentioned Kohaku being you're dragoon. You must have ordered him to kidnap…" His voice trailed off, both him and Sango remembering at the same time.
"Shippo!" They both gasped in unison.
~~
Kagome mentally cursed herself as she was carried gently into the cave. What had she been thinking, pouring her guts out like that? InuYasha probably thought she was a total idiot now… but at least in worked.
But then again… now InuYasha would… She couldn't finish the thought. Would it hurt, she wondered. Would he be rough?
Slowly, InuYasha set her down next to the warm quilt, shivering slightly in the cold himself.
Slowly, and almost numbly, Kagome's hand went to the front of her blouse. However, a gentle, clawed hand caught hers.
She glanced up at InuYasha. He was smiling warmly at her… although it was slightly forced. She could still see traces of lust in his eyes…
He shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you…" He whispered. "Kagome, promise me… If I lose control, us the S-word on me, as much as you need to."
Kagome gaped at him, astonished.
His expression hardened. "Promise me, Kagome!" He rasped, his grip on her hand tightening.
Kagome swallowed slowly, and nodded, half shocked, and half grateful.
InuYasha nodded slightly, and forced a smile.
Kagome looked in his eyes, and saw with shock that they were shaking wildly. His hands fell to his sides, clenched into fists so hard that his claws dug into his palms, and his knuckles turned white.
Kagome blinked. Oh, god, even now he was fighting himself… and he doesn't even have the Tetsusaiga!
Quickly, she slipped down under the warm, heavy quilt, sighing despite herself as the warmth enveloped her. Then, the rustling beside her, and the sudden heavy presence of another body next to hers brought her crashing down to earth.
Once again, a tiny shred of fear emerged. What if he did break down? What would happen. Would she be able to "sit" him in time? What if she wasn't?
Slowly, she rotated to her belly, and tried to get comfortable, wrapping herself in the quilt. It really was warm… and soft… it was the kind of quilt you'd want to go home to after a hard days work. The kind that you could just fall into and be asleep in seconds.
Slowly Kagome began to relax, and began to drift.
And InuYasha is right next to me trying practically physically restraining himself from raping me!
Kagome's eyes shot open, and she shivered. So much for sleep… at least for a while.
She laid awake, trying to dispel her own tension, shivering from time to time.
Then, slowly, a deep bass rumble sounded from next to her. Kagome had resolved not to look at InuYasha. But her head turned.
The hanyou was on his back, mouth set in a snarl, and sweat on his forehead. His eyes were beginning to turn pinkish around the edges, and glow dangerously. Kagome gasped as she looked on down and saw his fists. They were like balls of steel, clenched like vices. In between his fingers, she could see red oozing. He was cutting himself with his own claws!
"InuYasha…" She whispered, shocked as blood dripped down and stained the blanket. Her voice triggered something, and his eyes widened more, glowing even brighter. His hands unclenched, and briefly she could see his red stained palms before his hands wrenched up to his arms, hugging around his chest.
Almost instantly his claws slashed through the outer fire-rat Haori, and she could see the inner white one blossom crimson. Her eyes widened in horror as the deep bass growl continually got louder.
"InuYasha!" She said, slightly louder this time.
His eyes flashed and the growl turned halfway into an anguished cry. Kagome gaped at him, her eyes widening in horror as His claws grew longer.
Then, he started to scratch. His claws raked along his arms, and chest, the haori lasting mere seconds. Crimson blossomed out of the deep slashes.
Kagome's eyes widened further. Oh, god, he was going to kill himself… And it's all for you... Her mind whispered at her. He's doing it all for you.
Oh, god!
In desperation, she reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "InuYasha!" She yelled.
The scratching stopped, and suddenly his eyes shifted fixedly on her. They were glowing, and slightly pink.
There was a sudden flurry of movement, and Kagome attempted to gasp as two almost vice-like arms locked around her. The gasp, however, was stifled as the hanyou's warm lips locked her own firmly in place.
Kagome's eyes widened, and crossed slightly, staring at InuYasha's. Tiny little bolts of lighting ran across her body, and she trembled slightly.
InuYasha hugged her tighter, pressing her against him. Oh, god, this wasn't happening!
One of InuYasha's hands traced up to the miko's hair, running the bloody claws through it, pulling at the tangled curls, while the other gently crushed her to him.
In panic, the cried out her only defense… but it wouldn't go past her mouth. Somehow, something went wrong, and all that emerged from her mouth was a pitiful whimper.
Yet… that was enough. Instantly, InuYasha's hands jerked away from her like she was burning hot.
She emmediately fell away from him, seeking the precious inches the quilt provided as a divider, and then dived, seeking the deep warmth and comfort of the quilt, curling into a fetal position. Did that really just happen? How? Why?
A tear oozed out of her eye, and down the side of her face. Slowly, he body began to rack with silent sobs, tears rolling down her face.
Coming from the sides, tow warm, strong, gentle arms enveloped her, drawing her back up to the dim light of the cave, turning her around, and giving her shoulder to cry on. Briefly, she looked up, and through her blurred eyes saw two glowing, golden eyes staring at her warmly.
Her arms wrapped around his, and She cried into his shoulder, her tears mingling with the blood on his haori.
Gently, InuYasha ruffled her hair.
He leaned down, his lips right next her ear. "I'm sorry…" He whispered, his own voice broken.
Eventually, the Miko's sobs slowed, and stopped. Her breathing slowed, then began drawing in and our rhythmically. InuYasha glanced at her. She was fast asleep, tearstains fresh on her cheeks.
Slowly, the hanyou looked up, and clutched her to him. He shivered slightly, not only from the biting cold that still radiated out from his very bones. He was scared. It was hard to admit it, even to himself, but he had to. The youkai blood was still there, rushing in his veins. He could feel it, screaming just behind his eyes. But that wasn't the worst. Deep down, he could feel his human blood screaming too, screaming for him to give in.
So it had come to this… InuYasha, since first becoming full youkai, had always taken refuge in the fact that he had human blood to counteract that… but now… now the human was just as bad. He was alone, assailed from both sides.
And yet… something was helping him. HE had no chance of resisting on his own. Slowly, his gaze shifted down to the warm miko.
No… not alone… never alone.
