Between The Lines
By: Maggz
Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi... That's all I have to say...
Note: Am I complicating things? I know it's getting harder to decide who sheshould choose... Yeah, I AM complicating things... on purpose MWAHAHAHAHA Enjoy this new chapter and don't forget to review. Til the next update!

Chapter 21

Kagome yawned and stretched her arms over her head.

"NO!", Kouga growled, his head under the blankets already.

"Ummm?", she frowned, looking down at the lump in bed next to her.

"I said NO. I'm sleepy. You wore me out. Go back to sleep, Kagome.", he grumbled.

"I wore YOU- I wore YOU out?", she yawned, sitting up in bed and reaching for the blanket to flip off his head. This done, she giggled and pressed a kiss to his temple.

"Good morning, sweetness and light!", she cooed, dropping kisses on each of his eyelids and a quick one to the tip of his nose.

"I don't do morning's, Kagome.", he grunted and turned onto his belly to hide from her. She huffed out a breath and frowned once again. Pulling the blanket from her own body, she got to her knees and slinging her leg over his back, straddled him and sank down onto his bottom.

"You gotta NICE cushion here, Kouga. I like it, so firm and bouncy!", she giggled as she lightly bounced up and down on his bum.

"DAMN, Kagome!", he said and grabbed her thighs, squeezing until she let out a little yelp and quit jumping round on him. "OFF!", he said and turned his head, opening one eye to look at her.

"You ARE grumpy.", she said and slung her other leg over him to scoot off the bed.

"Where you going?", he asked her.

"I've got class in an hour, Kouga. Gotta get moving, see you this evening?", she asked as she started to walk out of the room and toward her own.

"Get back here, NOW!", he frowned, flipping himself over in the bed and giving her one of his stern expressions that did nothing but delight her.

"Yes, Daddy.", she pouted prettily and ran back to him.

He smiled and just looked at her a few brief seconds until she tilted her head and cleared her throat.

"What?", he asked, looking into her eyes.

"I have to go, Kouga. I mean, I REALLY have to GO!", she squealed, pressing her knees together and crossing her feet.

"You're SO melodramatic! Drama Queen!", he accused with a wink.

"I have to GO and then I have to get to class! No lie!", she said, her eyes wide.

"Then give us a kiss and be off with you.", he said with a sigh and held out his arms. She went willingly into his arms and hugged him first, depositing a soft kiss to his neck and then pressed one to his lips. He swatted her bottom and laughed when she jumped, clearly not expecting it at all.

"I'm NOT into spanking, Kouga!", she said as her hand gripped the doorknob.

"Never say never, baby.", he chuckled and turned back over onto his tummy, pulling the blankets back up over his head to get a few more hours of sleep.

InuYasha sat at the table, drinking coffee and eating a piece of toast. He could hear Kouga and Kagome's muted voices down the hallway and his stomach fluttered. He had been thinking about what Sango had said to him the night before; it had made sense to him but some of it, he still just couldn't accept. There was no way he could ever think of letting Kagome just slip thru his grasp… yet, his life would be a hell of a lot easier, his heart a lot less heavy if he could just learn to give her the space she seemed to want. Still…

Kagome walked into the kitchen, fresh from a quick shower, her hair still slightly damp, pulled back behind her ears. She was wearing an aqua t-shirt with an old pair of jeans.

"Morning.", she said as she ducked past him on her way to grab a coffee. On impulse, he reached over and grabbed her hand, sliding his chair back from the table at the same instant he pulled her down into his lap.

"Morning, Kagome." , he grinned and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"InuYasha!", she complained, twisting in his lap.

"What? Since when did you stop giving me good morning kisses?", he laughed. She looked into his eyes, trying to read what was there and seeing only happiness, she smiled back and ducked her head, the thoughts of her dream sliding into her conscious mind. Just thinking of how he had kissed her in the dream was enough to send her into hiding forever!

"Kagome? What's up with you? You've never acted like this with me. I swear to the gods that you're blushing, are you?", he asked, tipping a finger underneath her chin.

"No, not- not blushing, just in a hurry, InuYasha… late… class...", she said as she scrambled to get out of his lap. He let her go, holding her hand when she got to her feet, looking down at him. A look crossed her face and then was just as suddenly gone replaced by something he couldn't quite understand. She looked sad, yet happy at the same time, was it even possible?

"You OK, Kagome?", he asked, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Yeah, InuYasha… I'm… I don't know… I'm sorry?", she said uncertainly and he shrugged but pulled her back to him, wrapping his arm around the backs of her thighs and hugging her to him. He pressed his cheek against her tummy and felt her move her hand to his head, fingers sliding into his hair to comb thru raven silkiness like she'd always done when she felt lost and alone when she'd needed comfort or felt as if he might need it from her.

"I hear your tummy growling, you should eat.", he said as he moved reluctantly away from her and smiled.

"I know, I'll grab one of my pop tarts.", she grinned.

"Kagome, I was thinking, why don't we go up the coast this weekend? Just me and you, we can talk things out, spend some time- just us. Maybe go sailing or to that amusement park we went to when we were kids, what do you say? Can you spare a few days to be with me?", he asked, tugging on her hand.

"OH, InuYasha, that would be… it would be... I'd love… ohhhh, InuYasha…", she sighed, big tears shining in her eyes.

"What's wrong?", he asked, pulling her back down onto his lap and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I wish you didn't love me so much.", she mumbled into his hair. "I wish I'd never moved in here with you then I'd never ever have to hurt YOU or anybody ever. I love you so much, InuYasha. I'm scared to death of losing you and I don't know how I'd go on without you but is that being fair to you? Aww FUCK!", she said softly and he felt a little sob work it's way out of her mouth.

"Kagome? Are you saying you can't go then?", he asked and started to laugh.

"What?", she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes and looking down at him. His heart was breaking… breaking for her, for him, for everything that could be, and for everything that WAS.

"It's OK, we'll do it another time. I forgot you've got to work on your final this weekend. I might just go up the coast myself, give you two some quiet time.", he said.

"We're not gonna be here anyway, InuYasha. Kouga's taking me to Sendai, he has to pick up his car, visit his folks, and we're finding a spot there to work on the sketches.", she said, tucking a loose fringe back into place for him.

"Oh, OK. That should be fun.", he said. Taking a deep breath, he plunged….

"What would you think if I took Sango with me for the weekend to the coast? Would you mind?", he asked her, studying her eyes for any reaction.

"Sango?", she asked.

"Yeah, YOUR Sango.", he nodded. "We always get on good and we were talking last night. I kinda like her, what do you think? Would she go?", he asked.

"She'd go, no question, InuYasha. She likes you a lot.", Kagome said softly. "I think she'd love it."

"You don't mind?", he asked.

"Mind? Me? How could I mind, InuYasha? You're free to do what you want to. Sango's a great girl. I love you both.", she said.

"…and it wouldn't bother you at all… for me, for her, for US to get away for a few days?", he asked.

"Are you asking me if I'm jealous, InuYasha?", she asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Are you?", he grinned.

"Yeah and isn't it mad? I'm jealous! I swear, this is all so fucked.", she shook her head, starting to get up from his lap.

"Kiss me, Kagome, will you? Just… well, just once like you mean it.", he said.

"InuYasha?", she murmured, her eyes going to his mouth.

"Please? Just a kiss…", he said, gazing at hers.

"But Kouga-", she said weakly.

"I won't take you from him, Kagome. I won't bother you again, I won't ask you again. I just… I want YOU to kiss ME and then maybe I can put this behind me.", he said.

"…I don't know…", she said, her eyes moving up to his.

"Please?", he asked once more.

"Don't beg me, InuYasha. My kisses aren't all that great to begin with, remember? You're the one that taught me how to kiss!", she teased and he laughed, watching as her smile faded and her eyes went back to his mouth once again.

Slowly, so slowly it seemed to be an eternity he felt her move, saw her lean into his body and he closed his eyes, lifting his chin, feeling her little hand cup it and raise it a bit more.

She sighed right before she allowed her mouth to meet his and he felt his tummy flip forward then back. Her lips met his… soft, very gentle, almost like a whisper and he moved his hands to her waist holding her there. He felt her lips grow warmer, wetter as she moved them across his own. He took a chance and sucked her lower lip into his mouth, hearing her gasp softly and push her fingers to his neck, holding on tight.

He moved underneath her, settling her and himself more comfortably because he'd realized he wasn't very comfortable any more. All he could think of was taking her to his bed and loving every square inch of her body with his own. His cock throbbed painfully against the snug jeans he wore and when she moved just slightly, not meaning to but DOING it just the same, he moaned softly into her mouth.

She broke the kiss then slowly; her eyes closed and her forehead resting against his. He sighed, stroking his big hands over her back. It had been just as he'd thought it would be, it had been perfect.

"Kagome?", he whispered and she made a little noise in the back of her throat, not lifting her head.

"If I do say so myself, I did a damned fine job of teaching you to kiss. Thanks for that. I mean it from the bottom of my heart.", he said and she smiled, lifted her head and got up from his lap.

"I gotta run, InuYasha. Late for class again. Thanks.", she said, her eyes lifting to his slowly.

"Kagome? Don't let this screw you up. I didn't want to do that, I only needed… wanted… had to have this from you, OK? Don't freak on me, I'd never hurt you… please…", he said, his eyes worried.

"I know you wouldn't. I'd never hurt you either, InuYasha. Quit worrying, I'm fine.", she said and he watched her reach for her back pack by the kitchen door as she walked out of the kitchen.