I wrote this chapter forever ago but it's still my absolute favorite of the entire story. It's named after the song "Wild Heart" by Mumford and Sons.
Chapter 9: Wild Heart
The day after they checked into the inn, Inuyasha frowned as he stood in front of the window, his thoughts drifting to the woman on the other side of the bathroom door across the room.
The bathroom door opened and shut quietly as Kagome came back into the room. Inuyasha didn't turn around; he just kept his gaze on the view outside the window.
He heard Kagome bustling around for a moment before she sat down on her bed.
He glanced at her to find her knitting the red...whatever-it-was that she'd been working on for a while. He'd been curious about it, but he didn't feel like he had the privilege to even ask her something as small as that.
She was so beautiful it hurt. Just looking at her hurt. Her blue yukata matched her eyes, and he recognized the red obi as the one she'd worn at hanami so long ago.
Everything hurt.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, finally turning around to face her.
Kagome shook her head. "Not right now, but if you want to get something, I'll be fine here while you're gone."
Inuyasha hesitated.
"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked. Inuyasha frowned.
"Keh," he scoffed. "Doesn't make much difference to me."
Kagome scowled before resuming her task.
"Then just go, Inuyasha," she said wearily. "I'll stay here while you're gone."
"I'll be back in a little while then," he said as he grabbed his cloak. He tossed the hood up and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
O.o.O.o.O
When Kagome was alone, she took a deep breath and shook her head.
"He's so stupid," she muttered. "Pushing me away and then acting like a wounded puppy when I say I don't want to go somewhere with him."
She couldn't help but chuckle at the comparison. He really lives up to his inu heritage sometimes. If only he weren't so emotionally-constipated. I think we could be really happy together...if he would just stop being so hesitant about his feelings.
Kagome continued her knitting, deciding to stop focusing on the issue. The hat she was making for him was almost done, which was why she'd opted to stay behind in the inn room; she hoped she'd be able to finish it within the hour.
Inuyasha returned a while later with a few pieces of bread and some water.
"I figured you'd be hungry by now," he said as he handed a piece of bread to Kagome. "So...here."
"Thanks," Kagome replied as she took the food. She set her knitting down and took a few bites. He was right; she'd started to get hungry shortly before he returned.
Luckily, the hat was almost done, so when she was finished eating, she resumed her knitting while Inuyasha stood in front of the window once more. She could practically see his brooding mood on his back.
"I can go hunting later if you want," Inuyasha offered. "I know bread isn't much of a meal."
Kagome nodded. "Okay."
She finished up the last bit of the hat and tied up the final thread, pleased with her work.
She looked up at Inuyasha, whose back was still to her.
"Hey," she said. "Here."
Inuyasha turned around to look at her, his gaze dropping to her hands as she held out the hat.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's a hat," Kagome explained. "I figured you might like wearing it better than always having your hood up. I made it a little big so it won't crush your ears and you can hide your hair, too, if you need to go that far."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as he took it and ran his fingers over the fabric.
When he didn't speak for a moment, Kagome shifted awkwardly.
"Well, try it on," she said. "Let's see if it's comfortable."
Inuyasha put it on, making sure his ears were covered.
Kagome couldn't help but smile. "It looks good on you. Does it feel alright?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, it's perfect. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Kagome replied as she put her knitting items away. "I hope the color is okay. It made me think of your Robe of the Fire Rat, so…"
"It's nice," Inuyasha replied. "I appreciate it."
They fell into a silence, so Kagome looked away and finished packing up her knitting.
"So what should we do today?" Kagome asked. "We still have one more day before the sage returns."
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know. I might go do some stuff in the town."
"Oh, are you going to be psychic today?" Kagome teased. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
"I don't see you complaining about it when I use the money I make to buy actual food," Inuyasha pointed out. Kagome couldn't hide her amused smile.
"You've got me there," she said. "I'll come with you into town now. I just wanted to get the hat done first."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Okay."
"Let's go," Kagome said as she got up from the bed.
o.O.o
It was always amusing to see Inuyasha read people's palms and "give fortunes." He actually sounded pretty believable, and with his golden eyes and sly smirk, he was also pretty popular with women.
It made Kagome a little jealous, but she tampered it down. If Inuyasha refused to act on his feelings for her, she doubted he would do anything with any of the townswomen.
Once Inuyasha had made a good bit of money, he put it all in his bag and nodded at Kagome.
"We should be good for a while," he informed her. "I think the hat really helped. I don't look as unapproachable without the hood."
Kagome nodded. "That's great. Do you need any supplies?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "Nope. This is in case the sage requires payment for...helping. Do you need anything?"
"No," Kagome replied. "I should probably purify the jewel, though, since we're seeing the sage tomorrow. Do you know if there's a body of water nearby?"
Inuyasha took a moment to sniff the air before he nodded.
"Yeah. You and those waterfalls. Do you need to go get the jewel or do you have it with you?"
"Um, I have it with me," Kagome replied.
They set off with Inuyasha leading the way. When they got close enough, Inuyasha lingered behind while Kagome walked toward the lake he'd pointed out. There was a nice-sized waterfall, so she was eager to get the purification done.
When it was completed, she let herself air dry for a few moments before redressing.
Inuyasha was still standing where she'd left him, but his hat was off and his ears were pointed in her direction.
As soon as she reached him, he put the hat back on.
He must have been listening for me, she realized. In case I needed him for something.
Kagome nearly sighed. Why is he holding back?
"Are you done?" Inuyasha asked.
Kagome nodded. "Yeah."
They began walking back toward the town.
Kagome lost herself in her thoughts of Inuyasha, so much so that she didn't notice a large root in the path they were taking.
As soon as she tripped, Inuyasha moved to catch her before she could fall.
His hands were firm on her waist, and when she looked up at him, his eyes were trained intensely on her.
"Are you okay?" he asked. Kagome nodded and set her hands on his upper arms.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.
She felt Inuyasha's thumbs gently caress her waist as he kept his grip on her.
She could see it in his eyes: his affection for her.
He pulled her closer as if on instinct rather than on purpose, and near enough that she could catch the woodsy scent that always clung to him.
His eyes drifted to her lips for a moment, and she could see how hard he was fighting himself to keep that distance between them.
She wanted that distance to be erased. She didn't want anything else to come between her and Inuyasha.
She just...she couldn't.
"Inuyasha…"
She trailed off as she slid her hands up his shoulders.
Her fingers had just brushed his cheeks when his eyes widened and he pulled away.
Kagome's hands fell from his face, and that's when she realized she was at her wit's end with him.
O.o.O.o.O
"What are you so afraid of?" Kagome asked when Inuyasha pulled away from her. "What could scare you so much that you refuse to allow yourself to feel?"
He'd gotten too close to her, had been too close to giving in to his feelings.
And it was obvious that Kagome had enough of it.
Inuyasha growled and looked away from her.
"Stop it," he said. "I'm not doing this with you."
"Doing what?" she shot back. "Breaking your own heart? Because that's exactly what you're doing. I can see how much it's been eating away at you, Inuyasha. I can see how much you're trying to deny it. Just...just stop. You're breaking my heart, too."
Inuyasha's eyes widened at her words.
I'm breaking her heart?
He shook himself from the thought. He couldn't give in to this.
"Just leave it alone," he ordered, turning around and starting to walk away.
"I won't leave it alone," Kagome shot back. "Maybe...maybe I would if it didn't involve me, but the way you're acting directly affects me. I think I should know what's going on!"
Inuyasha whirled on her, his gaze clashing with hers.
"Shut up!" he shouted. "I already told you I wouldn't make the stupid mistake of falling in love and yet here I am! I hate that it already happened and I couldn't stop it. This is all your fault, you stupid woman!"
He expected her to yell back at him. Hell, he wouldn't even be surprised if she slapped him.
But she did neither of those things.
She just looked at him with wide eyes and an awestruck expression on her face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Inuyasha demanded. "What is it now?"
Kagome's eyes widened. "You...you said that it already happened..."
Inuyasha huffed. "What already happened? I didn't-"
Then he froze, remembering his words.
"I hate that it already happened and I couldn't stop it."
He nearly choked. He'd just admitted that he loved her.
"You love me?" she asked incredulously.
No, no, no, no...this can't be happening.
"No, I don't," he lied. "That's not what I meant."
In an instant, Kagome was right in front of him with her hands drifting up to his cheeks.
"Don't lie to me anymore," she chided, her voice soft but firm. "It's okay. I love you, too, Inuyasha."
The way she said his name when she said that...it made him ache.
She smiled as if it were supposed to make him feel better.
It just made him feel worse.
Because what he planned to do...her touch was making him not want to do it.
And that couldn't happen.
He wanted to fall into her, to wrap her in his arms, to hold her and touch her and kiss her until he couldn't breathe, but he didn't.
She was leaning up, obviously to kiss him, and as much as he was physically aching to crush her against him, he pulled back.
"Why do you keep pulling away from me?" Kagome asked. "You're hurting bothof us by doing this."
He looked into her eyes, feeling a pain tightening his chest.
Is it even worth fighting it anymore? Could I have really kept myself from her after everything that's happened between us? In the end, was this all inevitable?
He saw the hurt in her eyes, the confusion, the lingering desire…
The desire for him.
Keeping himself from her...it wasn't just making a mess of his heart; he could see now that it had just as big an effect on Kagome. She'd been hurting that whole time, just as he had.
Because...she loved him just as much as he loved her.
Her eyes searched his, and he wondered what she was looking for.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said gently. "Please. What's holding you back? Just...tell me. Talk to me."
And it was like a dam broke.
"I don't want to talk," Inuyasha replied. Before Kagome could respond, he reached out, pulling her into his arms, and kissed her.
Kagome didn't waste any time.
Feeling him break against her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with just as much fervor as he showed.
He was giving in.
Inuyasha allowed himself to feel, to finally feel, unbridled and unlimited.
He kept his arms around Kagome and pulled her as tightly against him as possible, locking his arms around her waist to hold her firmly against him.
It was fast and desperate and passionate and it seemed to only intensify as more time went on.
Kagome's chocolate-cherry scent filled his nose and her body was soft as he ran his hands up and down her back. He felt her pull his hat off so she could tangle her fingers in his hair in an obvious attempt to keep his lips on hers.
He could tell she was afraid he would pull away.
But he wouldn't. Not this time.
He continued to kiss her, trying to put every single feeling he had for her in each press of their lips.
His breath caught when he felt Kagome trace his fangs with her tongue. She breathed a pleased sigh as she did before whispering against his lips.
"I like your fangs. I didn't get to do this before."
A whine escaped Inuyasha as she went back to exploring and tasting every inch of his mouth.
He soon took over the kiss, returning the favor.
Inuyasha moved his lips down to place hot, deep kisses on her neck. Kagome sighed as he worked his way down her throat and then back up a few times.
Her skin was soft and fresh and her. He alternated between kissing her neck and breathing in deeply, surrounding himself in her scent, allowing it to provoke happiness rather than the sadness he'd been feeling since the first time they'd done this.
Once he'd paid enough attention to her neck, he moved up to crush his mouth against hers again.
She kept him close despite the fact that he knew she was probably more breathless than he had yet to see her, but he couldn't bear to think of parting from her yet.
He didn't know how long they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, kissing like the world was falling apart, but eventually the heat mellowed out to a comforting warmth. Their kisses slowed and soon turned to lingering brushes of lips.
Kagome took a deep inhale when they finally parted. Her eyes remained closed as she heaved for breath.
Inuyasha softened and reached out to cup her chin in his hand, lifting her face up to meet his gaze.
Her eyes opened, and when blue met gold, she smiled at him, a happy and wholly satisfied smile.
He slid his hand down to rest against the side of her neck, staring down at her in wonder, basking in the intimacy between them and the taste of her on his tongue, the same as the last time they kissed but somehow better.
Her pulse was racing against his palm, and he stroked the skin, unable to resist leaning down to kiss her once more.
It was soft and slow, smooth and steady.
The kiss lasted only a moment before Inuyasha pulled away again, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning his forehead against hers.
"I love you," Kagome said breathlessly.
Inuyasha took in a trembling breath.
"I..." It was stuck in his throat. He felt what Kagome felt, but…
"I'll say it for both of us for now," Kagome murmured affectionately. "Okay?"
Inuyasha nodded, allowing Kagome to wrap her arms tighter around him and hold him close.
He hugged her fervently, knowing that he'd just made a dangerous decision.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little scared.
Despite all that, Miroku's words drifted into his mind.
He was right, Inuyasha realized. I do understand.
He buried his face in Kagome's hair, wishing they could just stay in that moment.
It felt so good to finally let go of his hesitance and let every feeling he had for her wash over him.
His arms tightened around her, holding her as close as he dared without hurting her.
He felt her hands rub up and down his back, occasionally trailing up into his hair to brush her fingers through the locks. It was like she could tell that he needed her touch, needed her to ground him with the warmth of her body.
Eventually, Kagome murmured that they should get back to the inn, but Inuyasha only held her tighter and shook his head against her.
Kagome laughed and kissed his cheek before gently untangling herself from him.
When they parted, he wrapped his arm around her, keeping her close to his side as they began walking back.
For the rest of the day, Inuyasha kept her as close to him as she would allow.
It would be a small smile as they looked over their map at their room in the inn, a glide of his hand along her back as they walked through town to get whatever they were in the mood to eat for lunch and dinner, or the brief moments of stupidly missing her whenever they were apart for more than a few minutes, like if she simply just went to the bathroom.
It was more than a little pathetic, but now that he had her, finally, he would never let her go.
They hadn't kissed again since they'd been outside, which was starting to etch little lines of worry in his mind. He kept trying to work up the nerve to kiss her again, which made him feel stupid that he was suddenly so shy, of all things, but…
The insecurities of his past were coming back, making him doubt if she would really want to stay with him or if she meant she'd said outside. He felt guilty for doubting her, but he couldn't help it.
He tried to not focus on it too much, which became much easier to do since Kagome talked him into letting her comb his hair.
It was just like she had at hanami. The difference, though, was that Kagome grabbed a pillow and put it on her lap, patting it in invitation for Inuyasha to lay his head down.
He blushed a bit but did as she wanted. Once he was laying with his head on her lap, she smiled down at him and carefully pulled all of the hair out from under him before she began running her comb through the locks.
Inuyasha kept his eyes on her as she went about the task.
He finally allowed his eyes to drift shut when she switched to running her fingers through his hair, allowing her nails to glide along his scalp every so often. Inuyasha stifled a shiver at her motions.
He reached up to set a hand on one of her arms, sliding it under her sleeve to stroke the skin as she worked, craving the small additional contact from her. He didn't think he'd ever get over how soft her skin was or how warm it was under his palm. She didn't shy away from his touch, not ever, and he marveled at that.
He continued running his hand up and down her arm, keeping his eyes closed as he focused on her hands in his hair and his claws on her body.
Kagome continued her motions for another moment before she stilled, causing Inuyasha to open his eyes in confusion.
Her eyes were on him, an intensity pooling in them unlike anything Inuyasha had ever seen.
They moved at the same time, Inuyasha slowly moving up and Kagome slowly moving down, before their lips gently touched.
Inuyasha slid his hand out of her sleeve to hold her by the back of her head, burying his claws in her hair and keeping her close.
Kagome sighed against his mouth as she cupped his cheeks, angling her head for better contact.
When they pulled away, Kagome opened her eyes and smiled down at him.
"I'm so happy I can do that now," she said softly. Inuyasha moved the hand he had in her hair down to her cheek.
"Me, too," he murmured. Kagome kissed him quickly a final time before resuming her task of combing his hair.
All doubts vanished from his heart and from his mind as he looked into Kagome's eyes and saw nothing but the truth.
o.O.o
Eventually, they realized how late it had gotten, so Kagome got up to go about doing her nightly routine in the bathroom. When she was finished, Inuyasha kissed her quickly in passing before he went to do his own routine.
As he went through the motions, he reflected on the day they'd had.
Despite their newfound intimacy, they hadn't talked much.
They'd said so much that morning, and relishing the peaceful quiet between them had been comforting and more than welcome. He couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before he said something stupid to annoy her, to ruin what had finally blossomed between them.
He shook his head. That won't happen. I won't let it.
When Inuyasha finished up and came out of the bathroom, he found Kagome already curled up in her bed.
When their eyes locked, she smiled and patted the space next to her, silently inviting him to lay down with her.
He didn't waste any time.
Inuyasha lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms purposefully for the first time. He wanted to wake up against her again like the first time they'd shared a bed, but he also wanted to fall asleep against her.
He never wanted to let her go.
Inuyasha hugged her close, enveloping her in his warmth and receiving just as much back from her.
He ran his claws through her hair, gently smoothing through the locks and brushing his fingers against the back of her neck. Kagome held him just as tightly and sighed contentedly.
He figured they would spend the time up until they fell asleep in a quiet that was similar to what they'd had that day, but Kagome broke the silence a few moments later.
"Inuyasha?" she murmured.
"Yeah?" he replied softly.
She paused for a moment.
"I don't want to say it too much because, well, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything, but…" She leaned back to meet his gaze. "I love you."
Inuaysha brought his hand up to cup her cheek, brushing his nose against hers.
"Don't worry about saying it too much. Everything you feel...I feel the exact same way, just as much."
Kagome smiled. "Okay."
He lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb, admiring the softness of the skin on her face, so similar to the skin of her neck that he'd covered in kisses.
And planned to kiss again, over and over, for as long as she'd let him.
When she glanced down at his lips before meeting his eyes again, Inuyasha didn't hesitate to lean in and kiss her.
He kept it light. There was no need for desperation. There was no need for fast-paced kisses.
This was slow and sensual, soft and sweet.
There was something so beautiful about being able to kiss her so freely. He didn't need to hide how he felt anymore. He didn't need to try and keep himself from her.
Inuyasha found himself rolling on top of her, hovering over her until she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down flush against her body.
He felt her tangle her fingers in his hair, much like she'd done outside, but this time it was gentle. He could tell she wasn't doing it out of fear that he'd pull away.
She was just...feeling him.
Touching him.
Tasting him.
Inuyasha moved his kisses to her neck, peppering them on the sensitive skin. Whenever her breath caught a little extra at one spot, he would allow his mouth to linger there, kissing deeply and pulling the skin lightly between his lips, alternating between those specific areas as well as the rest of her throat.
He finally moved up from her neck to press a line of long, slow kisses across her cheek.
One kiss. Another. Another.
"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed. "You're going to make me go crazy."
"Kagome," he murmured against her cheek. "You've already done the same to me. I've been wanting to do this again for so long..."
Inuyasha pulled back to look down at her, taking in the sight below him.
Her eyes were bright as she looked up at him, desire pooling in her irises and her hands continuing a smooth stroke up and down his back. He mimicked those motions on her cheek, gently sliding his hand down to her neck before sliding it back up to the soft skin of her face.
Inuyasha took a moment to look at Kagome, just taking in the sight of her. She looked so perfect lying there covered by his body, her desirous eyes taking on a hint of affection as well.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked softly.
Inuyasha shook his head. "I just...I've never felt…" His words trailed off as he brushed the hair off her forehead before kissing it and pressing his own there.
He sighed. "I wish we could stay here...just like this. I don't ever want to move."
Kagome's hands ceased their movement as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, keeping their bodies molded together.
"Me, too," she murmured. "There's nothing I want more in this world. I just want to be with you, Inuyasha. Always."
Inuyasha pulled back to look at her, wondering how the woman beneath him had managed to sneak her way so ridiculously deep in his heart, the wild heart he thought was too damaged to ever love or be loved by anyone in return.
"Kagome, I…"
She shook her head. "You don't have to say it. I know how you feel."
But that wasn't enough. He wanted to say it, he wanted her to know, he wanted her to be certain of how he felt so that she would never have to question any of his touches.
He moved a hand up to gently hold her by the jaw, keeping their eyes locked.
"I love you."
Kagome's eyes widened. "You didn't have to…" Inuyasha cut her off with a shake of his head.
"I love you," he repeated before kissing her softly for a moment.
Kagome smiled and wrapped her arms around him again, pulling him down so he rested against her neck.
Inuyasha lay down against the soft skin, slightly moving to the side, wrapping his arm tightly around her waist and settling one of his legs over hers to keep their bodies entwined.
"What were you afraid of?" Kagome asked quietly after a few quiet moments. "What kept you from...this...after the first time we…" He could sense her embarrassment; the heat of her blush had spread to her chest.
"Do you remember my first human night?" he asked quietly. "When you asked me what my worst fear is?"
At Kagome's nod, Inuyasha allowed his eyes to close.
"That was my worst fear," Inuyasha replied. "Falling in love...it was always something that scared me. Love is like a weakness."
Kagome hummed. "It can be sometimes, maybe a little, but I hope I can show you that it can also be a strength."
Her words sent him into a silence.
He didn't know what to say, so he just held her tighter.
For a few moments, they were both silent as Kagome rubbed his back.
Eventually, Inuyasha spoke again.
"I couldn't keep myself from you anymore," he murmured. "It would kill me to have to do it again."
Now that he knew how it felt to fully lose himself in her without hesitation or fear of what could come next, he didn't want to give it up. It was a privilege, a luxury, to be able to love her and allow himself to do so.
"You won't have to now," Kagome replied softly. "I'm right here. I'll always be right here. I won't ever leave you...I promise."
And he believed her.
"I'm sorry," he continued quietly. "For hurting you and for taking so long to stop being an idiot."
Kagome laughed lightly. "It's okay. That doesn't matter now."
"I'm not afraid anymore," he whispered. "Not with you."
Kagome's fingers moved into his hair to come through the locks.
"Good," she replied softly. "Looks like we both yanked each other out of our comfort zones, huh? You dragged me into a tree and I dragged you into this."
Inuyasha hummed. "Don't say it like that, woman."
He felt her laugh beneath him.
"You know what I mean," she chided lightly. "Now...I feel the same way. Nothing feels scary anymore. As long as I have you with me, I know I'll be okay."
His heart panged at her words.
She yawned. "Good night, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha closed his eyes. "Good night."
The hanyo lay motionless, clutching Kagome tightly as her breathing eventually evened out.
As Inuyasha held the slumbering woman in his arms, the feeling of how much he loved her, how deeply he loved her, surrounding him just like her scent, he felt a massive wave of dread wash over him.
Because there was still so much he was hiding from her.
Now what?
O.o.O.o.O
When Kagome woke up the next morning, she felt a pleasant weight on her body.
Opening her eyes, she got that familiar view of silver hair and felt more content than she'd been in a long time. The hanyo was still sound asleep with his face against her neck, so Kagome took a few private moments to reflect on their new...development.
Memories of their kisses from the previous night had her heartbeat picking up and her cheeks warming.
I never expected him to be so...affectionate. I've never felt so ravaged before.
Trying to make romantic connections had always been a bit difficult for Kagome since she was always on the run, but she'd certainly had her fair share of time with men, and during those instances, she had felt overwhelmed by some of the feelings they'd provoked in her.
But this...with Inuyasha...it was unlike anything she'd ever experienced.
Inuyasha lit a fire in her that she'd never felt before, one she knew could never be extinguished. Her soul was buzzing with the sensations she could still feel spreading throughout her body, and the aftermath of such passionate kisses, such passionate touches, made Kagome feel more alive than she'd felt in solong.
She could still taste the lingering traces of him on her tongue, could still feel the ghost of his hands on her body.
The feeling of him finally letting go of his hesitance and allowing himself to touch her...it was like a wave of pent up emotions had finally hit her, and it sent shivers up her spine and caused a warmth to spread throughout her body.
She sighed contentedly and buried her nose in his hair, breathing in his woodsy scent before glancing at the window to see that the sun had already risen. She was surprised that Inuyasha had slept so late; he was usually the one always waking her up aside from just one other time during their stay at the inn.
Kagome tilted her head to kiss his ears before gently rubbing his back.
"Inuyasha?" she said gently. Inuyasha stirred a bit, the arm around her waist tightening before he nuzzled her neck.
"Hey," he muttered against her skin, the gentle feeling of his lips making goosebumps rise on her skin.
"Hi," Kagome replied, suddenly feeling a bit shy.
"Let's stay in bed," Inuyasha said. "Let's just...not do anything."
Kagome laughed. "The sage will be back today so I want to be ready to go right away."
Inuyasha didn't answer her. Kagome frowned at his silence.
"Are you okay?" she asked. A flash of insecurity came over her.
"Do you...regret anything from last night?" Kagome asked sheepishly.
Inuyasha lifted his head up to look at her.
"No," he replied, his voice sincere. "I could never." He brought a hand up to cup her cheek. "Don't ever think that, okay?"
Kagome nodded. "Okay. Is something else bothering you?"
Inuyasha paused before finally shaking his head. "Lay here with me. One extra day of just us...please? Besides...don't you think the sage will want to rest a bit after returning?"
Kagome ran her hands through his hair and hummed. "That's a good point. I didn't think about that." She smiled. "Okay. One more day."
Inuyasha lay his head back down on her, keeping her close to him as they fell back into a comfortable silence.
She could feel his heartbeat start to race against where he was laying on her; concern came over her as she lifted her head.
"Hey," she murmured. "What's wrong? Are you-"
Inuyasha cut her off by suddenly moving up to kiss her.
Kagome thought about pulling away to press him for an answer, but he was kissing her so sweetly...she couldn't bring herself to do it.
So she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, loving the freedom she had to do so.
She couldn't help but feel like something was wrong, but she knew him well enough by then to know he probably wouldn't tell her, at least not right away.
So she let him take what he needed, returning his kisses with equal enthusiasm, tangling her fingers in his hair as they kissed the morning away.
Eventually, they parted when Kagome's stomach started to rumble.
She laughed as Inuyasha kissed her cheek a final time before getting off of her.
"Breakfast?" he asked as he stretched a bit before standing up.
"Definitely," she replied.
The rest of the morning was spent in pure bliss.
Being able to touch Inuyasha...to feel him hold her so tightly...to kiss him freely...it was everything she could have dreamt it would be.
Later on after breakfast when they'd returned to their room in the inn, they were curled up in Kagome's bed.
Kagome's back was pressed against his chest as he held her against him, his face alternating between burying in her hair and nuzzling her neck.
There was a sweetness in his touch, one she'd never realized she had craved until she felt it from him. Based on the way he gently ran his hand up and down her side, letting his claws linger as he did so, she knew he felt it, too.
Finally knowing, finally hearing that he loved her from his own mouth, was a sheer relief.
She didn't have to feel the lingering sadness that developed after their first kiss. He was finally hers, just as she was his, and the freedom that gave her…
It was indescribable.
She was still bound to the jewel, but the hope of meeting with the sage the next day was enough to lift her spirits.
It also made her realize what the date was…
"Hey, Inuyasha?" she said softly.
He held her a little tighter. "Yeah?"
"You said your birthday is in the summer, right?"
Inuyasha nuzzled his nose against the skin of her neck. "Yeah."
Kagome smiled. "I would've thought the winter. Maybe a day when it was snowing, since your hair is such a light color."
Inuyasha chuckled. "My brother has the same hair and he was born in the winter, so close enough. When is yours?"
"Well, it's in a few days."
Inuyasha paused. "Really?"
Kagome nodded. "Yeah. I'll be twenty-one." Inuyasha was quiet for a moment.
"What do you want to do for it?" he asked.
Kagome laughed. "Nothing. It's just a birthday."
Inuyasha hummed. "We should do something, woman."
Kagome rolled over in the bed to face him, raising a hand up to touch his cheek.
"The best thing I could do for my birthday," she began softly, "is be with you. That's all I need."
Inuyasha's eyes widened at her words.
Kagome smiled. "Why do you look so surprised?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "It's just...hard to believe that someone wants to be with me so much…" He blushed. "Um…that sounded stupid. Just forget I said that."
His words made Kagome's heart clench.
I wish I could take all of that doubt from him.
"Why is it so hard to believe?" she asked, searching his eyes.
Inuyasha looked away. "I don't know. I guess after being alone…" He trailed off and didn't finish his thought, but he didn't need to. Kagome understood.
"You're not alone anymore," Kagome reminded him, stroking her thumb over his cheek. "I'm here. Meeting you...being with you...it was annoying at first." She couldn't help the teasing tone she'd put in her voice. Inuyasha chuckled and rolled his eyes.
Kagome smiled before growing serious again. "But now, having... this. It's the best thing I could've ever hoped for. Okay?"
Their eyes met for a moment; she saw him swallow thickly before he nodded. Inuyasha pulled her against him again, burying his face in her hair.
Kagome wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close, realizing that her words had a deeper effect on him than she'd been expecting, if the way he was holding her were any indication.
She felt him murmur in her ear, a soft thank you, so she nodded and closed her eyes, trying to convey everything she felt for him in the embrace.
"We're still gonna do something for your birthday," he said a few moments later, his voice muffled by her hair. Kagome burst out laughing and shook her head against him.
One day, Inuyasha, I hope to erase any doubt in your heart. I'll make it easy for you to believe that you'll never be alone again.
To be continued...
If you haven't read the rest of this story on AO3, let me say a couple of things to get you caught up! I finished writing this story with no intention to ever post it, so I added a few things in later chapters that I've never done before in stuff I've posted in the past because I've been too nervous. So...self-indulgence, yes yes. There are also some big twists and surprises that I had fun writing, so I hope you guys enjoy!