Author's notes~ Hey everyone! I'm back, after like months of you all thinking I'm dead. Anyways, this is another story written by me. Good times, ne? Anyways, this is the condensed and edited version of the real story. This story will contain a lemon but ONLY ON ADULTFANFICTION.NET. Ok? So, for those of you who want to read the story, but don't want to poison your minds, fear not! For there shall be no lemon in the ff.net version of the story. So sit back, read, enjoy and review and tell me what you think!

And one note: In no way, shape or form did I mean for the title of this story to be similar to Sleepy's one shot. In fact, they're nothing alike! Good times.


warning: May contain spoilers

Quiet Temptations

Chapter One




The sun dawned brightly, just as it seemed to do every day since the death of Naraku. It had been a long, hard battle but the evil hanyou had finally fallen and the once bleak future seemed bright and hopeful. It had been a week since the death and everyone's wounds were finally beginning to heal. Sango and Miroku were already planning their future together and Kagome was able to go back to her time more frequently as long as the Shikon no tama was around her neck. The completed jewel was purified and looked like any normal piece of jewelry from her time. Shippou had been the least affected, Naraku having no real direct pain in his life, but now that their traveling days were over, the little kitsune was able to make friends in the village. Inu yasha did the same thing he always did: sit in a tree or in other various places.


As the sun rose completely a familiar yellow backpack was thrown out of the well and the black haired schoolgirl pulled her self out of the well with a heave. She stretched and soaked in the summer sun, the warm brisk air and the beautiful scenery that she loved about the past Japan.


Kagome leaned down and picked up her yellow backpack, not as stuffed to the brim as it used to be, but was large enough to crush Shippou. She was about to sling it over her back when the familiar blur of red came zipping by and plucked the knapsack out of Kagome's hands and instead slung it over his shoulder. He nodded his hello, his golden eyes peering at her.


"Hello, Inu yasha," Kagome said with a smile. "Thanks."


"Feh," came Inu yasha's typical response. Kagome's smile widened and they began walking back to Kaede's hut.


Now that the hunt for jewel shards was over, Sango and Miroku had begun building a hut in the village and Kaede's hut was no longer really an inn to the travelers but more of a meeting place. Shippou slept near Kaede's fire pit and Sango and Miroku often visited for herbs and to just check in on the old miko. She was growing old and a new village miko had yet to be found.


Kagome felt the same cold, empty feeling growing in her heart. She had always humored the notion that perhaps after everything was said and done, that perhaps Inu yasha would open up to her, tell her what he felt, but he was silent as ever. His same quiet, distant self and it made her feel worthless. Of course, now that the jewel was complete, she was surprised that she hadn't been whisked back to her time as Inu yasha gobbled down the jewel.


Now that she thought of it, the hanyou hadn't even asked for the jewel yet. She gave the hanyou an odd look and he noticed the gaze on him. He turned his head to look at her and raised one of his dark eyebrows. "What?"


"…Nothing…" she said finally, feeling too unsure to truly ask him what she was thinking. He shrugged and continued down the path towards the village.


"Feh, stupid wench," he muttered and entered the hut. He threw the backpack to the side and flopped down against the wall, his sword held gently in his arms, leaning against his shoulder. His ears twitched towards Kagome as she entered.


"Kaede-bachan!" Kagome called happily as the old miko emerged from the back of her hut. The old woman smiled.


"Ah, Kagome, hello," she greeted and watched as Kagome dug around through her backpack. "What are ye doing?"


"I made you some food, since I know how much you love the future food," Kagome said and pulled out a small container of various foods.


Inu yasha's ears perked up and his eyes glued to Kagome. Kagome giggled, "Yes, I have one for you too, Inu yasha."


"Feh," he said once again, the only word he seemed capable of saying today.


Kagome pulled out another container of food and handed it to Inu yasha, who quickly stuffed it down.


"What do you think?" Kagome asked hesitantly.


It's always good… he thought to himself. But instead of voicing his thoughts he gave her a sideways look, "Ramen is better."


Kagome sighed and sagged in disappointment, he often said that…that the ramen was better then the food she cooked. But he had said it far too many times for her to be really affected by it now. Instead, she forced a smile and turned to Kaede. "Where are Sango and Miroku?"


"Out working on their home," Kaede said as she sat on her futon and began eating the food Kagome had brought her. "This is delicious, child, I thank ye."


"Thank you, bachan," Kagome said with a smile. She then picked up her backpack and headed to the door. "I'm going to go see Sango and Miroku, ok?" Kaede nodded and Inu yasha scoffed. Taking that as a yes, she left.


Kaede watched the young teenager walk away and gave the hanyou a one eyed glare. The hanyou crossed his arms behind his head and looked at the ceiling, his golden eyes peering at the wooden beams. After a moment he turned his head and met the gaze of the miko. "What do you want?"


"Nothing, don't ye concern one's self," Kaede said as she stood, quiet slowly and painfully. "But yet this old hag wonders if ye truly care for the lady Kagome…or if ye are simply pushing away what ye already have."


"I don't know what you're talking about, hag," Inu yasha snapped and left the intense gave of the old woman. "There's nothing between me and Kagome."


"Exactly…"


Inu yasha's eyes widened.


~*~*~*~


It was a few days later, and Kagome was happily hanging up laundry on a small string attached to a tree and the back of Kaede's hut. Inu yasha sat in a tree as he watched the future girl due the work. The words that Kaede had spoken not to long ago still haunted his mind. The quest was over, the jewel was complete, Naraku was dead, Kikyo was dead (by Naraku's hand), and Sango and Miroku were settling down. Why wasn't he opening up to her?


Because she'll leave me… he told himself and his ears drooped at the thought. She would leave him eventually, she was from the future, and she couldn't stay here.


Kagome hung up the last of the kimonos she'd been washing and turned to the tree the hanyou was in. "Inu yasha?"


Upon hearing his name, the said hanyou jumped from his tree and landed in front of her, his ears still slightly drooped. Kagome gave him a warm smile and motioned towards the sun. "It's such a nice day, would you like to go for a walk with me?"


"Walk?"


"Yeah," Kagome said and smiled. Inu yasha thought for a moment before nodding.


They began to walk in silence, enjoying the presence of the other and the feel of the warm sun beating down on their backs