Author's Notes: I don't know if anyone will like this, but since a couple people ask for it, here it is. The continuation of "And I Will Love You." I hope you enjoy, and if I get enough reviews, I'll start on the next chapter. I need five, you heard me, FIVE more reviews before my fingers start typing out the chapter. So please review! (PS, don't hate me for this chapter. O.o)
Disclaimer: Don't own. That's that.
And I Will Love You, Chapter Two
The Mad and the Madder
Inuyasha moaned uncomfortably.
"Inuyasha?" he heard.
"Inuyasha, are you alright?" the voice asked again. He could feel something shaking him.
"Ka ... Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered.
"Oh thank the gods! You're alive!"
"What ... What are you talking about?" he asked, putting a clawed hand to his throbbing temple.
"You mean you don't remember? Inuyasha! You got hit in the head by some demon!"
"You mean ... You mean it was all a dream!"
"What was a dream, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, cocking her head.
"Uh ... Nothing," he said, slowly getting to his feet. "Whereare Miroku, Sango, and Shippo?"
"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed. "They went to go get some more supplies for you head injury."
"Right ..." Inuyasha felt kind of uncomfortable. What did that dream mean exactly? He couldn't really love her, could he? He felt the bile rise in the back of his parched throat.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah ... Yeah, why?"
"You look a little sick."
"It's, uh, nothing ... nothing." Inuyasha replied weakly.
"Oh, okay then!" Kagome softly pressed a cup of cold water into his hands. "You look a little dry," she explained.
Inuyasha couldn't help but notice her hands seemed to linger on his for a mere fraction of a second longer than need be. He shook his head to get ride of the feeling, taking a sip of the liquid.
Kagome made her way over to the fire to prepare some food. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
Inuyasha looked at her for a moment, his eyes softening. He quickly bit his lip. Don't be weak, Inuyasha. You can't really love her. You love Kikyo. You only love Kikyo.
But ... what about these feelings? The other voice in his head questioned. If you do not love Kagome, then why does your heart squeeze tight in your chest whenever she smiles? Why do your hands itch to touch her? Why do you long for her love in return? The little voice taunted.
I don't! he hissed at the voice.
"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, snap out of it." He could feel her hand on his shoulder, sense her eyes searching his face for the problem.
"Huh?" He blinked a few times then looked up at her, holding out a bowl of rice for him.
"Sorry I don't have any more ramen, Inuyasha."
Don't you love how she says you name? the voice whispered. Like it's sugar on the tip of her tongue. 'Inuyasha.' She says it so marvelously, don't you think?
No, his mind muttered, hot with aggravation. I'm not weak. Why would I love Kagome? She's nothing but a foolish human.
Because she's the only one who loves you back. The voice haunted him. Was he going mad? Only one to believe in you. Only one to stand by your side through it all. Only one who isn't truly disgusted by you! Only one to—
Shut up! Shut up shut up!
Kagome stared at him as his shook his head, pressing the palms of his head to his ears.
"Inu ... Yasha?" she whispered, holding out her hand.
There it is again. Your name ... the lusciousness of the way she says it ...
Stop it! Inuyasha was panting heavily. Kagome was kneeling beside him, a hand on the side of his face.
"Inuyasha, what's wrong!" she kept whispering. The way she said his name was a mantra, swirling over and over inside his brain.
"It's ... it's nothing, Kagome. Nothing ..."
"I don't believe that," Kagome muttered as she let her hand drop off his cheek. "But I don't think you'll tell me the truth ..." Kagome went back to sitting a few feet away from him.
"I'm just ... I'm just going to rest," Inuyasha muttered and hopped into the nearest tree, resting his eyes.
"Mm 'kay," Kagome said in her normal chirpy voice, biting into her rice ball.
Inuyasha swore he only drifted off for a moment, but he woke with a faint grunt from bellow. "Kagome ...?"
"Inu ... Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, trying to fight off an abnormally strong demon.
"Kagome! Why didn't you wake me!"
"I ... I tried!"
He jumped down, claws ready. He thrust his fist into the pit of the youkai's stomach, wrenching out his intestine in a spurt or blood. He raked his talons across the demon's face, the skin peeling off its skull like an apple. The mutilated body fell to the grassed ground, making a sickly gurgling noise as it did so.
Inuyasha flung the blood off his hand, growling. "Are you alright, Kag?"
"N-no ...," came her soft voice.
Inuyasha spun around to look at her. There she was, hunched over as she clutched at her stomach, a slow stream of blood seeping out.
"Oh, Kagome ..." Inuyasha quickly fell down to her side, ripping off a strip of cloth on his haori. He bound it around her waist, trying to stem the flow of blood. "Why are you so stupid?" he said, though there was no insult in his voice.
"I ... I tried to fight it ... fight it on my own ..."
"I noticed," he muttered, pressing his hand to her stomach to help. There was no thought in his mind, apart from the continuous Help Kagome, help Kagome, help Kagome.
Kagome pressed her forehead against Inuyasha's shoulder. "It hurts ..."
"I know, Kagome ... I know ..."
Kagome let out a whimper when she felt several drops of water on her head. "Inu ..." Her eyes gazed upward and she caught a glimpse of Inuyasha wiping at his cheek.
"Yeah, Kag?" He didn't know that she'd seen the tears brimming his eyes.
"Nothing ..." She sucked in a deep breath against the pain.
Inuyasha applied a little more pressure, when a thunder cloud let out a loud rumble.
"Shit," he whispered. "Not now. The last thing we need is rain ..." He heard the slight pitter patter of the drops on the leaves before he felt them.
Kagome pressed her body against his, trying to escape the rain. "Damn it ..." Kagome was curled up in his lap and he wrapped his haori around her, so she was up against his warm chest.
"I'm going to lift you on the count of three, okay? We need to find a dry place ..."
"O ... okay," Kagome agreed.
"One ... two ... three." He straightened his legs against he weight, keeping her tight in his arms, as if trying to shield her from the offending rain.
The fire let out a annoyed sizzle as the rain dampened it out and Inuyasha slowly began to walk, his head bowed over Kagome.
He walked for a good half an hour before they came to a big group of trees with huge leaves, large enough for them to gain shelter.
Inuyasha gently set her down on the damp ground, covering her with his haori.
"Inuyasha ..."
He grunted to show his acknowledgment.
"Inuyasha ... Thanks. For everything."
"Be quiet," he muttered with a comforting tone. "You'll strain yourself." He sat right up against her and slid her into his lap. What am I doing ...
Kagome, still blood soaked and weak, easily drifted off into slumber in the warmth of Inuyasha's arms.
Why am I letting her do this ... This is not my normal self ... I can't ... I can't really be in love with her, can I? Inuyasha's amber orbs scanned the sleeping girls face. Her ivory skin, charcoal lashes kissing her soft cheeks. Her sakura petal lips parted slightly. Yeah ... Yeah, I can.