Okay, so I lied. THIS is the last chapter. I discussed it with my friend…
You can quit with the knife threats Shinkon, thank you…
Ahem
Oh and by the way, props to the reviewer who called me a "lazy fat author". Had me laughing out loud with that one.
And I decided that I needed to wrap up a few things before ending the story; Epilogue or not. So this is the REAL last chapter.
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Chapter 9: Going Home
Kagome squealed with delight and squirmed on the futon, unaware of the rough rub of the old material on her bare back. Her senses were otherwise occupied at the moment. She licked her lips, trying to catch her breath as she felt the light trace of claws making an agonizingly slow journey across her ribs. Trying to kick her feet, she attempted in vain to escape from the teasing hand that played across her body. It was no use, her arms were pinned above her head by another hand, and a firm weight pressed down on her legs.
A cascade of what felt like cool silk flowed over her side, pooling in the curve of her hip and sliding over her stomach to brush against the futon. Soft warm lips pressed against her skin, low on her belly, making her muscles jump and a gasp escape her mouth. After a few moments of playing at her skin with lips, a warm, slick tongue darted out, tasting her. Kagome squealed again as that deliciously talented tongue made its way up her body, tasting whatever part of her it chose to, pulling that cool silk across her as it went. As that mouth came upon her neck, it latched on with such ferocious passion; Kagome couldn't help the cry that escaped her lips.
"InuYasha!"
That heavy weight moved, settling comfortable above her, the hands that had had her at their mercy, moved, one grasping her hip firmly, the other entangling itself in her hair.
Releasing a throaty growl that rumbled from his chest to hers, InuYasha nibbled lightly on the mark he had left on Kagome's neck the day before. The melding of their auras had left the both of them a bit drained, so after spending a wondrous night in each other's arms, InuYasha had decided that this was as perfect a time as any for him and Kagome to get to know each other. There were no distractions here, no jewel shards, and no magic well.
The act of marking a mate was usually followed by the act of mating. This not only strengthened the mark and the bond between the two, it also gave the two "newlyweds" a chance to get to know one another's bodies; what excited them, what pleasured them, and what soothed and comforted them. Since he and Kagome had decided they weren't going to take that step in their relationship yet, they opted instead to explore something Kagome referred to as "third base".
Kagome ran her hands up and down InuYasha's bare back, feeling the form and strength of him under her fingers. Somewhere in their fun she had lost her slip and was now only clad in her bra and underwear. InuYasha similarly sported only his pants, his top half completely bare. She openly raked her eyes across his toned form. As he bent and moved over her, she watched with appreciation how each muscle moved under tan skin. His form felt like hard rubber under her hands; solid with the slightest give. Giggling as his breath tickled across her shoulder, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. When the hand that was lightly massaging her hip began to tug on her underwear, she let out a sigh, pushing him away. InuYasha growled, nipping at her chin, but let her push him away.
"Don't growl at me dog boy. You know what you were doing. We decided not to go there."
InuYasha whimpered lightly, pinning his ears back against his head, and licked her bottom lip.
"Are you sure that's what you want? I mean, we did kind of decide that fast and…"
"Inu," Kagome almost laughed at the pitifully pleading look on the hanyou's face. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his cheek in an attempt to soothe him. "I would love little more than to physically express my love for you right here, right now…"
InuYasha took that as an affirmative, drawing her close and ravishing her mouth with a soul searing kiss. With a moan heavy laden with regret, Kagome pulled away; placing her fingers against his lips to still his questing mouth.
"But."
InuYasha relented at the word, resigning to listen to what she had to say.
"We can't, not yet."
InuYasha moved his head against her hand, nuzzling her palm. Closing his eyes, his response came out as a breathy whisper, belling the passion and urgency she knew was boiling within his veins.
"Soon?"
The longing, love and lust she heard barely contained in that one word sent her heart racing.
"Soon."
…………………………………..
The following morning, InuYasha and Kagome packed up and prepared to head home. After confirming the barrier over the estate had lifted, the two decided it was best they head home quickly, knowing that a monk, exterminator, priestess and kitsune would be wondering what had become of them by now.
Sitting back from where she was leaning over her pack, Kagome smiled up at the sun. Standing and pressing on her lower back with both hands, she stretched her back up, pulling her shoulders behind her until she felt a few satisfying pops. She had been going through her things, making sure she wasn't leaving anything behind. She felt a warm thrill run through her moments before strong arms enveloped her, pulling her back against a firm chest.
"Are you ready to go?"
Smiling, she nodded.
"Yeah, where were you?"
"Just looking around."
She giggled as he nuzzled her neck, licking the mate mark. After a moment he stopped, resting his forehead against the back of her neck.
"Kagome..."
"Hmm?"
Releasing a sigh, he turned her in his arms to face him.
Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes and just held her for a moment.
"I love you Kagome."
Smiling sweetly, Kagome closed her eyes as well. She had been afraid he was going to tell her something terrible. Like that he had to take back the mark or he had to leave her.
"And I love you, InuYasha."
"When we get back to the others, this… we… everyone…"
Opening her eyes, Kagome pulled her forehead away from his a bit so that she could see his face.
"InuYasha?"
Opening his eyes as well, InuYasha held her gaze with a firm one of his own.
"Things can't change between us, Kagome. They can't be different."
"I don't want things to change InuYasha. Well, granted I don't want you to turn into a full demon or go to hell, and I'm glad that we know each other's feelings; but other than that, I like things just the way they are."
"I mean I can't… we… the others can't know; not yet. If Naraku found out…"
InuYasha's brow furrowed as a frown tugged on his mouth.
I can't lose her to carelessness. Not now, not after all we've worked through.
"InuYasha, I understand. And you're right. Besides, It's not anyone else's business until we say it is, right?"
Smiling, InuYasha pulled her close, kissing her on the forehead.
"Right. Come on, let's get out of here."
Kagome lifted her bag onto her back as InuYasha lifted her onto his.
They hadn't gotten very far from the estate before they were stopped by a familiar figure in a green yukata. InuYasha growled and reached for his sword while Kagome slid from his back and moved a safe distance away.
"What do you want fur ball?"
Shifting her hips to the side and crossing her arms, the cat demon glared at InuYasha.
"I didn't come here to start trouble with you mutt, but if you want to start it, I'll be much obliged to finish it."
Baring his fangs, InuYasha otherwise released his death grip on his sword.
"Then what do you want?"
"I'm here for the miko."
Kagome peeked her head around InuYasha's arm. InuYasha growled again.
"Me?"
"You can't have her…"
The cat waved a dismissive hand at their assumptions.
"No, no; that's not what I meant."
All at once she dropped her haughty demeanor and assumed a look that Kagome could only describe as apprehensively apologetic. Her hands behind her back, she peered up at Kagome through her bangs.
"I want to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have treated you that way and I'm sorry."
InuYasha frowned indignantly.
"Hey! I'm the one you insulted! You should be apologizing to me!"
The cat glared at InuYasha before turning her attention back to Kagome, ignoring him.
"Anyway, I wanted to start off by formally introducing myself. The name's Hime. I also noticed your… attire… or rather lack there of… and I brought you an extra yukata."
Hime gestured to Kagome's slip and Kagome blushed lightly. InuYasha growled.
"What about me!"
Hime growled back at him, but otherwise ignored him.
"I also have a bit of dried meat and fruit for your trip. It's not much, but it should last you at least till the next village."
She handed Kagome a folded baby blue yukata and a small bundle wrapped in cloth. Kagome accepted them with a grateful bow.
"My name is Kagome. Thank you Hime-chan, but you really didn't have to."
Hime smiled realizing that Kagome added "chan" to her name as a sign that all was forgiven.
"Us girls got to stick together, right? Besides, it's nothing Kagome-chan; just keep the mutt in line."
"Hey!"
Hime stuck her tongue out at him before jumping off into the trees.
…………………………………….
After enthusiastically helping Kagome into the yukata, InuYasha placed her on his back and they were off once more. They arrived home about midmorning the next day. The others had been concerned when the couple had not shown up after Kagome's allotted time; already assuming that InuYasha's early absence had meant him going sooner than he has promised to retrieve her. Kagome explained (much to InuYasha's relief) that InuYasha had heard of a jewel shard rumor, had gone to her time early to tell her, and when her leave time was up, they had headed out in search immediately. Although a few members of the group, namely Shippou, were disappointed to be left out, they accepted Kagome's excuse.
Things went back to a normal pace soon after. If Kaede gave them an occasional knowing smile, no one noticed. Kagome hid her mark from Sango and Shippou, InuYasha treated her with the same distance, if not a bit more warmth, and no one seemed to be the wiser.
On their next trip back to modern Japan, the couple explained the mating to Mrs. Hirigashi, whom took it as a sort of engagement, and in wake of her insistence, they began planning a post-quest wedding.
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"Ah, the stars shine brightly tonight, Buddha is happy."
"Are you sure about that? Your performance with those village girls didn't seem quite like something he would endorse."
The monk and demon exterminator were taking a nightly patrol around the borders of a village the group had paused in. InuYasha and Kagome were presumed to be back at the inn asleep with Kirara and Shippou.
"But Lady Sango, the duty of a humble Buddhist monk is to reach enlightenment…"
"Save me the excuses, bouzu."
Sango waved the conversation off and the two continued on in companionable silence. Though after a while, Sango decided to speak about something that had been on her mind lately.
"Hoshi-sama, have you noticed… anything… different about InuYasha lately?"
Miroku's expression took on one of contemplative confusion.
"I'm not sure I understand, Lady Sango."
"It's nothing I can pinpoint, really, but in regards to Kagome, anything… unusual?"
Miroku stroked his chin as he considered his demi demon friend's behavior over the last few weeks concerning their futuristic miko.
"You know, now that you mention it, there is something that seems to be… different about him in regards to Kagome-sama. I just can't seem to put my finger on it."
"Eeek!"
SLAM
"No one asked you to put a finger on me!"
Miroku lifted his head from the dirt in time to see Sango's retreating form pass through the trees.
Sigh
Getting up, he pursued her, catching up to her a couple of meters away from the outskirts of the village. He was about to open his mouth and make amends when a very feminine giggle floated over to him from beyond the bushes Sango had stopped in front of. Now that he took notice, Sango had not just stopped there, she was frozen there; with a fiery blush staining her cheeks and her lips parted in a silent "Oh". Turning to see what had her so flustered (and where the giggle had come from) Miroku's jaw hit the forest floor at what he found.
……………………………..
InuYasha had never given Kagome a more pleasant surprise in all the time she had known him. After Shippou and Kirara had dosed off and Miroku and Sango had left on patrol, InuYasha had invited Kagome out on a moonlight stroll. They had eventually ended up at their current spot: a quiet clearing in the forest, a few meters off the outskirts of the village.
Kagome never expected her relationship with InuYasha to be anywhere near ordinary. What with time travel, a sadistic mad scientist on crack after her "jewel", cursed friends left and right, bitter siblings, and the occasional horror movie themed battle, it was a miracle they had found time to discover their feelings for each other.
Setting aside the fact that they were in feudal Japan, he was a half demon, she a miko, and they had killed a giant cockroach that afternoon; to Kagome, that evening seemed normal. The sneaking out, playful banter and random conversation, and the spontaneous "making out", were all things Kagome expected of normal dating teens from her time. The fact that she and InuYasha could enjoy something as sweet, simple, and normal as a "date" in the midst of their lives made that evening precious to Kagome.
InuYasha growled in approval as Kagome tilted her head back, allowing him access to her neck and shoulder. He felt and heard her sigh as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. Somewhere in the middle of their non essential conversation, he had ended up on top of her, pinning her lithe form to the soft grass surrounding them and kissing her. Not that he was about to complain. As much as his human heart loved talking to Kagome about anything and everything, his demon body thoroughly enjoyed this kind of "communication".
When he felt her hands move to his chest, he was afraid that he had pushed too far and she was now in turn pushing him away. He released a near audible sigh of relief to discover her nimble fingers merely tugging at the ties of his haori. When the fire rat cloak and white undershirt fell open, a thrill of anticipated pleasure ran down his spine, followed by a shiver racing up from the brush of cool air against his newly bared back.
Kagome's uniform top soon followed InuYasha's shirts to the forest floor. InuYasha marveled at the beauty and magnificence that lay before him. Her darks locks a pool of silky ink that spilled through the grass, her smooth skin aglow as the moonlight caressed it. Bending down, InuYasha kissed and nipped at her belly, eliciting a light giggle from Kagome that tickled his ears in return.
Pausing in his ministrations, InuYasha rested his chin in the valley of her breasts, gazing into her love filled eyes.
"I love you, Kagome."
Kagome's face lit up with joy and a sweet smile graced her kiss swollen lips as the fingers of one of her hands came up to gently rub his ear.
"I love you, InuYasha."
Turning his head to the side, InuYasha began to kiss one of Kagome's breasts. Parting his lips, he licked the mound, biting it firmly, yet gently; never breaking the delicate skin on his fangs.
Kagome gasped in unrepressed pleasure as her back instinctively arched her sensitive chest closer to his hot mouth. Her other hand came up to join the first as they tangled themselves in the hair at the base of his ears.
InuYasha growled low and deep, feeling it vibrate from his mouth into her chest. He was rewarded with a throaty moan that vibrated right back through in response. When his attentions were hindered by her bra, he had to take mental pause. He was determined to abide by Kagome's rules for their "playtime", which meant the underwear always stayed. He knew the damage his lack of respect for her had done in other areas of their relationship, therefore he was determined not to fail the trust she put in him in regards to her body. As much as his demon blood bucked and raged against the decision, he was determined to save true intimacy with her until after the completion of the quest.
Speaking of keeping the "inner demon" in check, we had better call it a night before my blood decides that taking what's here and now is better than waiting for later.
Leaving her breasts with one last lick, InuYasha trailed feather light kisses up her neck to her ear.
"Kagome."
"Hmm…" Kagome was having a difficult time with coherent thought at the moment.
"We should head back. It's late and we have a long way to travel tomorrow."
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she nuzzled his cheek.
"Ok. Will you sleep with me tonight, after Sango and Miroku are asleep?"
InuYasha smiled at her as he lifted her into a sitting position, kissing her cheek as he handed her shirt to her.
"Sure, I'd love to."
After redressing, the couple headed back to the inn, never expecting the welcome that awaited their return.
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It was an image that would forever be etched into the back of Sango's mind. A half naked Kagome, her head thrown back and her body arched up against InuYasha's form as he lay atop her, ravishing her nearly bare chest.
After the monk had snapped her out of her shock, the two had returned to the inn in silence, only speaking when they had reached the hall outside their room.
"Was that really…"
"Uh huh…"
"And they were… "
"It would appear so…"
"They have a LOT of explaining to do!"
"Indeed."
The two interrogators awaited the couple in the hall outside the "boy's room", where they planned on holding the trial. This was to hinder waking the two sleeping demons, who were currently occupying "girl's room". Upon arrival, Kagome and InuYasha found their return hindered by a pair of glowering faces.
"You two, in there, lots of talking, now."
Miroku open the door Sango had indicated and they ushered the two teens in. Once the door was shut behind them, the couple found themselves cornered.
"Kagome! What… when… how!"
"InuYasha I know I get a bitdescriptive in my suggestions of your treatment of Lady Kagome, but I didn't think you would go so far as to…"
InuYasha raised his hands and interrupted the flow of questions.
"Whoa, whoa, time out. What the hell are you two rambling about?"
"You two… the field… we…"
"What Lady Sango is trying to convey is that we happened upon the two of you during your little tryst in the forest."
The faces of both Kagome and InuYasha simultaneously combusted into roaring blushes. While InuYasha resembled a drowning man, Kagome's voice had been kicked up to supersonic levels.
"You SAW us?"
"Indeed."
InuYasha at that time found his voice and set upon the monk a most vicious glare.
"It wasn't what it looked like, bouzu."
"Then that was most definitely the most convincing forgery I have ever seen."
"Sango, it wasn't! I mean, we didn't…"
"Then what IS going on, Kagome-chan?"
After glancing at each other and heaving a collective sigh, the couple sat down their friends and began to relay to them the truth of what had transpired on their private trip a month back.
"So you two are, mated?"
"Yup!" Kagome swept back her hair from the side of her neck and proudly displayed the mark to her friend.
"Although I must admit that I was previously aware of your feelings for Kagome-sama, I had not anticipated this course in your actions towards her, InuYasha."
"It's not like I planned it or anything. It just happened to be… THE time."
InuYasha shrugged and placed an unconscious arm around Kagome's shoulders. Kagome in turn leaned into her hanyou. Although the couple was unaware of their actions, said actions had not gone unnoticed by their observing friends.
"Well, unexpected or not, this is certainty not an unwelcome change."
"Oh Kagome-chan, I am so happy for you."
As the two teary girls embraced, Miroku good-naturedly slapped his hanyou companion on the shoulder.
"Congratulations my good friend."
"Thanks."
Smiling, InuYasha returned the pat, sending Miroku into a light coughing fit.
"Y'know, at first I was afraid that this would all blow up if everyone found out about Kagome and me. But now that it's out in the open, I feel kind of relieved."
"The truth certainly can be liberating. "
The End.
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Woo Hoo! The end has finally come!
I hope you all have enjoyed this long awaited last chapter.
But guess what, I STILL have an epilogue planned!
Muahaha, the torture never ends!
But since you've all been so good, I'll give you a few hints as to the events of the epilogue:
A return to the Enchanted Mansion
Reappearance of Hime the cat demon
Someone else gets stuck this time.
Well I hope you have enjoyed my work thus far, tune in again in about a month for the epilogue.
Until then… who knows?