Kiss 'N Make Up

By: Senko Tenrou (Used to be Nikumu Chan)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

A/n: Sorry, sorry… just don't kill me…

Review Responses: S'pose I'll do this since it's the last chapter….

Rekouri Sentusu: Sorry, blame the lazy gene… But, actually, when you think about it… I wasn't lazy – just busy with other things…

Junyortrakr: I hope that's spelled correctly—I can never spell your name right! -_-" I'll assure you, though, that he will make a sincere apology ^^

ChristyKay: Heh… I forgot…? At least you're better than me…

Kasazona: I hope you haven't stopped reading… ^^" I'm sorry I haven't been updating regularly but – if I did – this thing would'a been over in three days… How would that been fun? So ^_^""" I turned it into an—um, a five month thing!! ^^'' Sorry if you've lost faith in me… Look into Rekouri Sentusu for my pitiful excuse so I don't have to repeat it, ehee.

See? There it is again!!!

Anonymous: Mrrydinowl: Erm, hope I got the name right – gotta love the spelling, lol. ^_^ Love your compliments, and I really appreciate 'em. If you're still reading, thanks a bunch!

Sara1664: Thanks! Awesome chattin' with you!

Authoress Pendragon: O, you changed your penname! Me too!! Yayayayayay!! Lol. –Coughs– Okay, now, I'm serious when I say that you're, like, the best! ^^ You're cool – awesome to chat with – and give the best comments ^^'' Thanks for reading (If you're still willing, that is, heehee… Understandable if you're not, of course…) Tell Kicharo I said hi!!

LadyKoneko: Thankies!

Divine-Heart: Thanks!

Sabishii-sama: Got it here's more! Thanks, by the way!

Pua Lahi Lahi: Thanks a lot!

Okay, whoa. That was a lot of writing… Heehee, see how lazy I can be? Ouch, my hands…

O my god! I watched a really cool mo—

Toshiro: Okay, now, Senko, you're off subject! –bops me over the head– Focus!!

–Rubs head– Ouch, okay. Happy? I'm on subject… Lem'me start this chapter now…

Toshiro: That's what I was thinking…

Shush, I'm absorbing…

Chapter 3: Deciding and Rescuing

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Inuyasha sat in his perch for hours, staring straight ahead at the tree diagonal from him. He'd picked at the side of the limb with his claws for just as long. It was long past the evening hours but he found that he wasn't tired in the least. He had long past made his decision, but he wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing. Nor did he know how to go about doing it – he was shaking like a leaf in the wind inside.

He knew how to get there…

He knew how to act…

He'd trained himself with his words – they were plastered in his mind now…

Hell, he'd even recited them aloud once or twice and received an applause from the unknown listeners below. Of course, he was furious that they would dare eavesdrop on "The Great Inuyasha" but he couldn't help the pride and confidence that had bubbled in his chest even when he shouted down to them to "Pipe down!"

He had everything ready, but, the truth was, he was afraid.

He wasn't afraid in the face of death. He wasn't afraid when Naraku stood up to him and challenged him to fight. He wasn't afraid when his older, full youkai brother tried to kill him and claim the Tetsusagia as his own. He wasn't afraid when Kouga challenged him, trying to take away Kagome. Okay, so maybe he was nervous then, but, what the hell! He was afraid this time, though; he was afraid to face the wrath of Mrs. Higurashi…

That woman was scary when she was angry!

Inuyasha suddenly blinked out of instinct, realizing he'd been staring into the transverse forest without blinking. He looked down at the tree where he'd been scraping his nails. There was a shape forming there. He tilted his head for a better look. His ears drooped with depression when he recognized the sketch.

It was a picture of Kagome…and himself.

Kagome had a scowl on her face, but her wide and innocent eyes were as normal as ever – and a beautifully curved and perfect body. Beside her was the object in which the scowl was directed – Inuyasha. It was only his head, but he could tell what he was planning to make. In truth, it was a disgrace of his handsome looks – the way he downgraded himself to some lesser and ugly being. It was hardly distinguishable, sketchy and imperfect unlike the drawing of the girl. At the bottom – below the two figures, were only five words: "Kagome loves Inuyasha no more"

Inuyasha's brow lowered dangerously, wondering what in all Hells convinced him to draw that—think that!! It wasn't over yet…

He had the urge to scratch out the whole, stupid sketch, but something invisible seemed to stop him. He shrugged and decided it better to stay for keep's sake. Jaw set, he finally rose from his perch, standing tall on the branch, and… hit his head on the branch above him. He howled in both surprise and pain.

The hanyou shook his head to clear his vision of the spots that danced in his vision, and took off for the Well. This night, he was going to fix this; he was going to tell Kagome—tell Kagome that he was sorry, that he wanted her to come back. This night, he was going to express his feelings for her by being with her, tell her how he'd felt for such a long time. Tonight, and every other night for the rest of his and her life...

He made it to the Bone Eaters Well at record speed and wasted no time in jumping – headfirst – into the well, a battle cry in his throat. But, sadly, he hit solid ground… headfirst. Ouch.

Okay, maybe he wouldn't be seeing Kagome tonight.

There went his enthusiasm…

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Inuyasha was pouting in the bottom of the Well, arms and legs crossed in a sulk with his head ducked down grudgingly, the next morning when the rest of the Inuyasha-tachi found him They had to nearly haul him out of the Well and force-feed him breakfast.

By noon, Inuyasha seemed to have returned to his normal "Inuyasha" self. He was stalking around, grumbling all afternoon about a "Stupid Well" until Kaede finally became weary of he murmuring and pacing and finally threw him out of the house for the rest of the evening.

Inuyasha wandered back on over to the place where Inuyasha and Kagome had fought, where he'd sketched that stupid, meaningless drawing, and where Kagome had thrown the Shikon Jewel down in a final fit of anger before stalking away. He really had hoped that one of the others had picked up the Jewel, but, of course, Kaede had to kick him out before he could ask them of it. Let alone was he able to tell them that he'd attempted to go see Kagome and failed – though he found that the observation they'd witnessed this morning with him in the Bone Eater's Well and pouting… he thought it was pretty obvious. But, then again, that was just his group…

Kagome would have realized it…

His heart tightened at the mere thought of her name – "bad sign" Father had always teased whenever he tried to explain "the birds and the bees" to Inuyasha, which unfortunately had went in one ear and out the other.

Inuyasha shook his head to clear the thoughts that were drifting off subject. Then, clearing his head, he began his search for the Shikon no Tama…

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He'd searched and searched but was so far unsuccessful. The only thing he'd succeeded in was giving himself a headache and becoming tired. Worry was starting to build in his stomach. If he couldn't find that Jewel or if someone else found it, Kagome was as good as stuck in her time, and him in his own. He had to find that stupid Jewel! He scaled the same tree that he'd sketched on and decided to finish the stupid drawing while he thought of another plan.

His eyes wandered around to take in the scenery. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack – a very wanted and sought after needle.

A glint caught his eye as his yellow orbs cast a look over at the path again. He was up in an instant and diving out of the tree before he could even register where he'd seen what he expected to be the jewel. He flipped midair to land on his feet and assumed himself to have landed deftly… until he felt extreme pain in the ball of his right foot. He fell backwards off his feet with a yelp and pulled to cradle his foot when he found that something round and shiny was indented in it – painful. But, he found with wide eyes, wonderful… The Shikon no Tama!! He wedged it from his foot with a suppressed growl of pain and stood, feeling a strange static-like feeling in the palm that held the Shikon Jewel.

He plainly passed it off as the purifying power that the Jewel held within, shrugging.

Inuyasha whooped and pumped a triumphant fist in the air before hurrying back to Kaede's house to tell the gang.

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"Ya know, we haven't seen Inuyasha all day…" Shippou declared suddenly, finding it rarely quiet now that both Kagome and Inuyasha were gone. The cramped room seemed so… empty without her… And so quiet without the hanyou – though he was rather thankful for that. Miroku was jumpy and temperamental. But, thankful, Sango and Kirara seemed to be able to keep up a cool act.

"Well, that would be quite noticeable, Shippou-chan, since Inuyasha was kicked out earlier today." Miroku replied, patting Shippou on the head harder than called for because of his edgy temper

"Don't call me that, Miroku!" Shippou's squeaky retort came from below the houshi's hand, "And stop trying to squish me!!" he cried, squirming out of Miroku's reach only to find himself scooped up into Sango's arms. She stood and went to the doorway, shooing him out.

"C'mon, Shippou, I think Houshi-sama needs some time alone…" the taijiya advised knowledgably, casting a glance back at Miroku. He'd been a stiff ever since Kagome threw down the Jewel and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why he was being that way.

Sango and Shippou had just made it off the raised floor when Inuyasha nearly barreled into them, excited beyond belief. "I got it!" he exclaimed, "I found it, I found it! Now I can get there!!" he laughed loudly – happily, and hurried inside, still yelling and shouting in ecstasy. Both Shippou and Sango, numb with surprise, trailed behind him and into Kaede's. What had gotten into him?

They found Inuyasha jumping up and down in excitement, trying to explain something, but to no avail, to the houshi – who seemed to be in the same daze that Sango and the kitsune had fallen into.

"I found it, I found it, I found it!! Now, um, now I have to go there and… and I, uh, I have to say," he paused and turned away, muttering, "What was it that I needed to say?" he asked himself.

Miroku's jaw dropped in sheer surprise while Sango and Shippou lost their balance, falling on their bottoms, in outrage and confusion. They didn't understand how much more idiocy Inuyasha's brain could take; they'd thought it'd already reached its capacity. Sadly, they found they were wrong. Recovering first, Miroku began calmly, "Inuyasha—" only to be cut off by a snort of laughter.

"I was kidding!! Jeez, can't you guys take a joke?" He laughed again, nearly on the ground in amusement, while Sango had to refrain from attempting to strangle the hanyou.

"Inuyasha," Sango began strangely, trying to suppress the shout in her throat, "would you like explaining, calmly, what it was you were so excited about before or after I strangle you?" she growled through clenched teeth, raising a fisted hand threateningly.

Inuyasha sobered immediately, a grin still on his face. "I found the Jewel!"

The rest of the group – Miroku, Sango, and Shippou – blinked. "It was… missing?" The taijiya ventured.

"Yes, it was missing!!" Inuyasha exploded, on his feet, "Kagome threw it down, don't you remember?!" He held out a hand, palm up, "But I found it and I'm going to see Kagome!"

"Oooh…" the group chorused and Inuyasha sat down with satisfaction. Then endless reprimanding and threats started…

"Make sure to give her a few pats for me, 'kay?" Miroku requested with a lecherous brow rose. Inuyasha's eyes widened and cheeks reddened with embarrassment and he bopped Miroku on the head.

"Don't be a jerk, okay?" Shippou admonished wisely, hopping on his knee. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and shoved the kit out of his lap.

"If you hurt Kagome any more than you already have, you do understand that I'll be forced to kick your ass, right?" Sango threatened with fire in her eyes and Inuyasha gulped, nodding uncertainly.

"You had better apologize!" they finally declared simultaneously.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes again, muttering a "Duh!" under his breath. He stood defiantly and marched out of the house. He stopped once he was across the risen floor. He blinked – wait a second… – and looked up at the sky. It was… dark.

He cursed.

All day – it took him all day to find that stupid Jewel. He snarled and about threw the Jewel in the dirt but the remembered all the trouble he'd gone through to find the stupid thing and instead stuffed it in his pocket. He clenched his fists in anger once the Jewel was out of sight and took a deep, calming breath. "Stupid Jewel!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, causing a few birds in the forest to flock away from their nests in fear of danger.

Inuyasha marched back inside, grumbling about "stupid days" and "not enough time in the world" this time, and rolled his eyes and the deadpanned looks that his three companions sent him.

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Inuyasha woke bright and early the next morning and stretched widely. He wanted to be out of there before any one else woke up to stop him. He snuck from the house and crept through the village. He dashed from behind the last clothesline to the forest's edge and clawed up a tree for quicker time. He leapt from branch to branch, quiet as possible so he didn't disturb the sleeping animals, until he reached the Bone Eaters Well. Jewel in hand, he took a deep breath and dived into the Well, eyes clenched shut.

Inuyasha cursed when he hit hard dirt, thinking the portal hadn't worked. But, instead of headfirst again, like last time, he found himself upright. He blinked his eyes open and looked up.

No forest.

Yes!! It was the Higurashi's well house!

Inuyasha merely leapt out of the deep well in favor of climbing up and looked at the closed well doors. Well, it looks like she wasn't planning to try and come back for a while… Inuyasha thought grimly before grinning. "Well, that's just too bad… She's coming back today!" he promised himself aloud.

Inuyasha heaved at the doors, but they were locked. Shit… who locked the doors? Dammit! He pushed harder but the doors only seemed to push back. He cursed again – stupid human contraptions...

Now, he really didn't want to do this, but… he charged the doors at full strength.

A crash exploded and dirt and dust exploded near the well house. Inuyasha coughed, looking back with a sheepish look on his face at the hanyou shaped hole in the doors. A cry of surprise emitted from the house and he suspected that he'd woken someone up, cursing again. Inuyasha took cover in the trees as a groggy-looking Mrs. Higurashi raced outside in her bathrobe. Inuyasha frowned in worry – just the person he didn't want to meet. 

Kagome's mother took one look at the well doors and sighed wearily. "You can come out, Inuyasha; I won't bite, I swear…" she called tiredly.

Inuyasha's claws instinctively went to his ears. "You'll tweak, though," he grumbled, reluctantly dropping out of the tree guiltily.

Mrs. Higurashi managed a sleepy smile. "Now, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" she asked pleasantly – surprising Inuyasha, and ushered him inside for breakfast.

"I, err, I came to see… Kagome…" he answered awkwardly.

"Ah. To apologize, I suggest?" Mrs. Higurashi looked over at the hanyou, eyebrow arched in question. Her eyes flicked to his ears, which he'd uncovered, as if to dare him to say "no". She smiled all the same, though, as she led Inuyasha to a seat at the low table.

Inuyasha gulped, "Uh, yeah, I guess…" he shrugged uncomfortably, eyes downcast.

"Good boy, Inuyasha…" Mrs. Higurashi cooed.

Inuyasha groaned and covered his ears again.

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Kagome yawned and stretched in her bed, sitting up. She rubbed her eyes and went to get out of bed when she sensed a presence at the foot of her bed. Her head whirled around to see Inuyasha sitting there… cross-legged… on her bed.

Wait a second…

Kagome… Modern Japan…

Kagome's bed… Modern Japan…

Inuyasha… Senjoku Jidai…

Wait a second!!

What was Inuyasha doing here!?! Who let him in?! How'd he get in her room?!! In her era, for that matter!!

Her face blanked and she fell back in bed.

I'm dreaming… I am… I'm just—I'm gonna close my eyes and wake up and Inuyasha's not gonna be there and I'm gonna mope around all da because I can't get back to his era and I'm just gonna be a lazy ass…

Kagome closed her eyes, opened them, and sat up again.

Goddamnit… He's still there…

She fell back in her pillows again.

Inuyasha watched this process with the utmost curiosity. Did she do this every morning?

Getting out of bed, Kagome closed her eyes for the last time and took a deep breath. "Inuyasha, what are you doing in my room?!?! Get out, get out, get outtttt!!! Who let you in here?! I'll kill 'em! What if I hadn't worn anything to bed!?!! O my god you pervert!!!"

Inuyasha scampered out of the room, dodging the various objects that Kagome chucked at him. The door slammed closed behind her and he winced when it almost clipped his ear. He placed the ear to the door to listen for anything she said about him. Thankfully, she didn't – just random grumbling about "over-divulging mothers"… whatever the hell divulging meant. When she finished dressing and brushing her hair, Inuyasha heard Kagome approach the door and he scrambled away to slide down beside the door and look dejected.

"Sorry," she apologized softly when she opened the door. Inuyasha, to help his chances, brushed it off for nothing.

He waited patiently for Kagome to complete her morning activities and eat a full plate of breakfast – she seemed rather quiet but he, again, brushed it off as nothing – before he asked for her to go walk with him, as Mrs. Higurashi had suggested, saying something about the atmosphere being better. Kagome accepted, again quietly. She seemed… shy to him… Could it be for the fact of how she left – in such a huff? Maybe she was feeling bad about it…

Inuyasha took her outside and, pointedly leading away form the well house to let her know that he didn't just want her back in the Warring States Era (another tip from Mrs. Higurashi), showed her to the Sacred tree that they both liked so much (Mrs. Higurashi had mentioned something about her spending a lot of time at that tree) and set her down on the wooden bench that rounded the tree. She smiled slightly, looking around at where he'd taken her, and her smile brightened.

Yes!! Good choice Mrs. Higurashi!! Inuyasha smiled back and he sat down beside her. First of all, he took her hand, holding it palm up, and placed the pieces of the Shikon no Tama that she'd thrown away in her hand.

Kagome looked up in surprise; she'd been expecting him to take and keep them. Her smile broadened more. "Thank you…"

Inuyasha tried to smile back but he just couldn't get it. "I, uh, I wanted to say that… that I'm—I'm, uh… sorry. I'm sorry, Kagome. I never meant what I said. You're not a wench, you're not lousy—you're resourceful, you're not a nuisance, either—okay, I take that back… you can be a nuisance sometimes," He joked so not to sound so formal and trained. "I, err, I'm really—I didn't mean to be so harsh, really. I was just—just worried, I guess, and, um, I guess I'm not used to people not listening to me… I'm so—" Inuyasha was cut off when Kagome covered his mouth mid-word. He pulled back in confusion.

She simply shook her head, smiling. "It's okay…" she forgave gently. "I don't care – you had your reasons and I had mine… It's over with. I just—I guess I overreacted." She grinned. "But that's just how I am, ne?" she laughed at her own joke but it soon faded when she realized that she was the only one laughing, "Yeah, I must be… I mean—"

"Nope! My turn. You're no ditz, you're not stupid, you're not cowardly—you're brave, and… No, you don't overreact…I do. I get angry and frustrated too quickly. I don't listen to proper instinct and I say the wrong things and mess up—"

"I don't care…" Kagome said again, "Inuyasha, I don't care. I don't care what you say. I just wanna go back—"

"No! Not until I say this!" Inuyasha interrupted. "I'm sorry that I never said this before. I know what you think—that I keep you around for the shards—but Kagome, even if it weren't for the shard, you know what? You'd still be with me; you'd still be in my era even if we didn't have t chase around Naraku and hunt down shards… because—because I guess I enjoy your company, you—you just—I don't understand how you do it but… you just… you brighten my day, I guess. Whenever someone's down, namely me, you know how to cheer them up. I look forward to our fights sometimes, just to be able to make up with you… I—I don't know, but you, err, I guess you just make me feel…good. Happy, almost."

Kagome opened her mouth to say something, astonished at his words.

"No, no, no, I'm not finished." He shushed her, placing one finger across her lips, "Just let me say this one last thing. I don't know how you did it, Kagome, but, somehow, you've gotten me to care more about you than anyone in my entire life… I don't—I don't want to fight with you anymore…"

Kagome opened her mouth again to say the words she intended, but she found that she'd forgotten them. She closed her mouth again. All she could think to say was "thanks" and "me either" … what was she to say about him? She bit her lip and Inuyasha grinned at her reaction. That's it! She thought suddenly.

"You really don't have to say anything, Kag—" he was amazed when her lips cut him off, covering his own. His surprise faded and his eyes drifted closed, kissing her back.

When she broke away, he blinked to register his brain. "Well, those were powerful words if I've ever heard them…" he grinned slyly, "Maybe we should fight like this more often…"

Kagome's jaw dropped and she slapped Inuyasha across the face. "Pervert! You really are turning into Miroku!" she huffed off playfully, and went to pack her bags for Senjoku Jidai.

Inuyasha smiled again, rubbing his cheek. Damn, he hadn't missed her slap, though… At least he didn't get sat.

"Oh Inuyasha!!" Kagome sang from across the courtyard.

"Yeah, what?"

"Sit!"

Thump!

Goddamned wench…

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A/n: That was like the most cliché ending I've pretty much ever written… heehee… at least I think it's cliché… I dunno…

Review!!! Senko Tenrou P.s: Sorry about the spacing mess-ups..