Banzai! I finally did it! This is the final chapter I had up before they were erased! We're officially caught up! Good, so now all I have to do is reread my entire story, figure out all the plot I am yet to reveal/fully explain, and then try to pick it up again… .:sob:. Eh, this could take awhile. Of course .:mischievous smile:. I would be more likely to get it done quickly if I new I had support… mayhaps in the form of reviews? Wow, that was subtle.
Disclaimer: Oy, Inuyasha is not mine. Y'all should know that by now. .:wags finger:.
…
Kagome woke up that morning with a yawn that was hardly lady-like. She stretched and scratched and rubbed her eyes – her usual morning routine. It wasn't until she was almost burned by the dying embers of their campfire while on her way to the 'bathroom' that she realized where she was.
The dark-haired girl blinked dazedly and did a double take. She saw green forest trees, heard chirping birds, felt the heat from the campfire… and nearly screamed her head off. When did I come back to the feudal era! She wondered furiously, spotting the mane of white hair hanging down from a nearby branch that would offer her answers.
Kagome stalked over the low-hanging branch and reached forward with nimble fingers to wind a lock of snow white hair around her slender hand. The girl smiled sweetly at the sleepy grunt that came from the sleeping hanyou whose hair she held, right before she yanked savagely and watched him plummet to the ground.
"What the hell was that for, kisama baka!" The half demon howled irritably as he picked himself up from the ground. His words froze in his throat, however, when he caught sight of the fuming female before him. Granted, he towered a good half dozen inches above her, but the stormy look in the young woman's eyes made the dog want to cower regardless.
"INUYASHA! WHY AM I IN THE SENGOKU JIDA!" Inuyasha flinched and glanced around at their sleeping companions, looking to see if Kagome's furious screech had woken any of them. Inuyasha didn't like to think about what Miroku and Shippo would say later if they caught him sniveling before Kagome like an errant puppy.
Fortunately, by some small act of God, his companions had managed to sleep through Kagome's battle cry. Inuyasha breathed a small sigh of relief, but knew the worst was yet to come. "I brought you here last night. I would've woken you up, but you looked like you could use some sleep with all those bags under your eyes…"
"Inuyasha, osuwari!"
The white-haired male had just enough time to let out a surprised yelp before he was sent sprawling into the sun-baked earth at Kagome's feet.
"One of these days you're gonna break my neck and…"
"You still haven't answered my question. Why am I back in your time!"
Inuyasha picked himself up off the ground and let out a soft growl of anger at having been interrupted twice in a row. "I was getting to that, wench. I haven't been sensing much of Naraku lately. I'm sure he's up to something and I need you nearby in case that something has jewel shards."
"That's all I ever am to you, Inuyasha! Just a means to an end! If I couldn't see the jewel shards, you…"
Kagome was suddenly interrupted when a serious gleam came into Inuyasha's golden eyes. The hanyou reached forward almost tentatively and took her small hands in his. "You know that's not how I feel about you, Kagome," he whispered, an earnest look shinning in his bright eyes.
Kagome bit her lip nervously. She wasn't used to Inuyasha acting so openly to her. As much as she loved the little bouts of honesty he gave her, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the change in his attitude. He'd been acting more and more affectionate to her of late, and the high school girl was at a loss to explain why.
"I know, Inuyasha, it's just…" She was again interrupted as the white-haired hanyou suddenly leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
The kiss was soft and short, but amazingly deep, and Kagome felt her breath hitching in her throat. This wasn't the first time Inuyasha had kissed her, but it was the first time he'd dared to do it with their companions so near. She sometimes wondered if he was ashamed of his feelings for her, since it went against everything in his demon nature, but every now and then Inuyasha surprised her with his openness.
The hanyou pulled away, and Kagome immediately wished he hadn't. "Inuyasha, please don't…"
"Shh." He watched her eyes closely. "We can't do this here. I don't want to have to worry about one of them waking up." He nodded in the direction of their nearby friends and Kagome immediately saw he was right.
She allowed herself to be pulled into Inuyasha's arms as the half demon moved them out of the circle of trees surrounding their campsite. Kagome felt her heart rate nearly triple in anticipation as Inuyasha led her into the forest and away from their companions. As the sound of snoring faded away behind them, the dark-haired girl's ears were filled with the sound of her own quickened breathing.
Though Inuyasha had certainly led her away like this before, something in the hanyou's eyes told her this time was completely different.
They stopped under the boughs of a large oak tree some distance from their campsite. The wind rustled warmly through the tree's summer leaves, as if greeting the two lovers in its whispered voice. Kagome opened her mouth to ask why they'd stopped, but cut off as Inuyasha turned to her and fixed her in his gaze. His eyes held hidden sorrow in them that she couldn't begin to explain.
Kagome made no attempt to stop him when Inuyasha leaned forward and caught her lips with his, showing none of the gentleness he'd displayed before. His kiss was raw and deep, drawing at the white-hot flames coursing throughout Kagome's veins.
"Inuyasha," she whispered against his mouth, though her voice could barely be heard over the urgency with which he kissed her, "why are you doing this? What's bothering you?"
Inuyasha replied by kissing a hot line down her throat to her collarbone. Kagome gasped as the hanyou began to slide his hands under her clothing, leaving trails of fire wherever he touched.
"I've been worried about you, Kagome." The girl started as she heard Inuyasha whisper against her skin. "I haven't been sensing Naraku for months now. There's something more going on here; I can feel it. I'm just afraid of whatever it might be. If I ever lost you…"
Inuyasha trailed off as he met Kagome's eyes, worry showing plainly in his shimmering golden depths. He started to pull away from her, ashamed by his actions, but she surprised him by leaning forward and kissing him gently.
"I know what you mean, Inuyasha. I don't want to lose you either. I especially don't want to have any regrets should Naraku get the best of us."
Inuyasha quirked one eyebrow. "Are you saying… you want to…?" Kagome smiled softly in response. "Hai." The hanyou's mouth fell open for one brief moment of shock before he smiled wickedly. "As you wish."
…
Inuyasha was broken from his light sleep by a sudden shift in the air. He bolted upright and peered around warily, taking in the land around him. Night had fallen a few hours earlier, and he rested under the bows of a familiar oak tree. He looked to his side and saw Kagome lying next to him, covered in the top of his red fire-rat coat. He smiled slightly as he recalled the last hour or so, still able to remember the taste of his new lover's body.
It had certainly been an interesting afternoon. Despite the fact that she was a virgin, Kagome had surprised him with her passionate response to his lovemaking, showing no signs of uncertainty or embarrassment. The hanyou stretched leisurely and pulled his white undergarments back on, leaving his outer protection for Kagome until she awoke.
They needed to get back to camp soon, or the others would begin to worry. Inuyasha was halfway through the motion of waking Kagome up, when he suddenly remembered why he'd woken up in the first place. He'd sensed a strange aura on the breeze – one that was distinctly familiar, yet completely different from anything he could readily identify.
Inuyasha's golden eyes scanned the trees around him, searching for the owner of this mystery aura, and suddenly came to rest on something that chilled his very soul. A pair of golden eyes much like his own stared back from the shadows, as cold and calculating as ever.
"S-Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha yelped in surprise, climbing to his feet and reaching for the place where Tetsusaiga leaned against the oak tree. "What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha's surprise suddenly turned to anger at the sight of his brother. As if we don't have enough problems already; now we have to deal with this bastard!
The inu youkai left Inuyasha's question unanswered as he stepped forward from the shadows, allowing himself to be bathed in the moon's waning light.
"Calm yourself, Inuyasha, I mean you no harm."
"The hell you don't! The only times you ever show up are when you want information or want my blood!"
Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and leveled the transformed blade at his brother, trying to move in front of Kagome without showing that's what he was doing. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru seemed to read his thoughts and his cold gaze shifted to the girl lying in the soft grass, amazingly still sleeping peacefully.
"You have taken a mate, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru whispered quietly; and Inuyasha was surprised to hear the coldness flee from his brother's voice.
"You wanna make something of it! If you come near her, I swear I'll…"
"Do not worry, my brother. I will not touch your mate. In truth, I'm very grateful to her. She makes my case that much easier to present."
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"
Sesshoumaru drew his gaze away from Kagome and met Inuyasha's guarded glance dead on. "You and I have something in common aside from our father's blood. We have both taken a mate recently." Inuyasha couldn't stop his eyes from widening in shock.
Sesshoumaru has taken a mate? Who could it be? Before Inuyasha could vocalize his questions, Sesshoumaru answered them. "I know you will not approve of my mating your sworn enemy, but I have taken Naraku as mine."
This time, Inuyasha really could not contain his shock. If it were anatomically possible, his jaw may very well have dropped to the ground.
"You… You can't be serious, Sesshoumaru!"
"When am I ever not serious?" Inuyasha nearly choked with surprised as he wondered if his stoic brother had just made an attempt at humor.
Okay, this is officially the weirdest day ever. Kagome's acting agreeable, my worst enemy's fallen for my brother, and Sesshoumaru is actually talking to me as an equal. Is there something in the water around here? Inuyasha shook his head violently to clear the ridiculous thoughts from his head. This had to be some kind of trick.
Inuyasha told himself that over and over, but the sincerity in his brother's eyes refused to let him believe it.
"Are you..." he began haltingly, "are you in love with him?" The hanyou could hardly believe the question had come from his mouth, but Sesshoumaru answered before he had time to feel properly embarrassed.
"I am in love with him. I love him more than anything in the world. That's why I have come seeking you, Inuyasha. I need your help."
"What for? What could I possibly do to help you?"
Sesshoumaru bit his lip nervously, the first sign of real emotion Inuyasha had ever seen from him. "My lover is dying. A priestess we encountered and killed has infected him with some kind of curse. There is only one cure for him… and it requires the blood of Naraku's greatest love and… his greatest enemy."
Inuyasha gasped. "So, you mean to say…"
Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "You, Inuyasha. He needs you. If Naraku is to have any chance of survival, he must have your blood."
"Why didn't you just kill me while I slept? You could have taken my blood without ever having to admit any of this." Sesshoumaru's gaze again turned to the human girl sleeping on the ground, and suddenly Inuyasha understood.
His brother had planned on doing just that, right up until he'd tracked Inuyasha down and found him lying with a lover of his own. Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat as he realized Sesshoumaru was finally beginning to understand what love really was. He'd spared his brother for the sake of the love growing between the hanyou and the human girl, which wasn't so different from the love that had grown between himself and Naraku.
Inuyasha felt his guard soften slightly as he realized Sesshoumaru had come to him out of love for Naraku, not out of a need for vengeance or a thirst for his impure blood. It must be killing his pride to come to me like this, even if he has found someone to care for. Seeking the help of a hanyou was something he never could have done had it not been for his lover… Still, how can I even consider saving the life of one I've only ever sought to kill…?
"Please, Inuyasha," the soft voice of his brother called. "Please save him. I'll beg you if I have to." Sesshoumaru started to drop to his knees, but Inuyasha raised a hand to stop him. "You needn't continue with your false act of humility, Sesshoumaru. Your pride's taken a big enough blow as it is. I won't ask you for anymore docility when you're really doing me a favor."
Sesshoumaru raised a fine eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Well, if Naraku dies from this disease or whatever it is, I'll never get a chance to kill him myself, and we can't have that. I'm saving him for the sole purpose of getting another crack at him once he's healed."
Sesshoumaru quite nearly broke into a grin at Inuyasha's agreement, but figured he'd been acting out of character enough already.
Inuyasha smiled. Kagome's gonna be pissed I left her behind, but there's little I can do about it. My brother needs me… I guess it's time we let our grudge go… but only until this whole thing's over, and then I'll show no mercy, just as I expect him to.
"Alright, Fluffy, lead the way." Inuyasha grinned.
The youkai lord looked mildly confused, "Fluffy? I suggest you do not get accustomed to referring to me as such. I will not let that slide for long."
"Then I guess I'd best take advantage while I can."
"Punk."
To be continued…
Yeah, I know, I cheated you guys out of a lemon. My original chapter had the lemon between Kag and Inu in it… but then I remember this is supposed to be a yaoi fic, so this is hardly the place for a hetero lemon scene. And it made the chapter about fourteen pages long… If you really miss it that badly, feel free to review and say so and I'll go back and add it in. Actually, feel free to review regardless, because I doubt I'll be writing much more until the reviews start up again.