A/N: I between anxiety, migraine, aching teeth and toddler nazgul I almost forgot I had this one planned. I planned on doing a regular steamy chase thing, but there are already some good ones, so I went and tried a different approach. Hope it's enjoyable anyway.
For MeTheAnimeLover7.
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He wouldn't lie, he liked to run. There was something in feeling the ground under his feet flying back, his own strength pushing his forward with every bound and leap, faster and faster. Insults couldn't be heard in the wind whistling around him as he ran, tangling his mane. Fears, insecurities and doubts had no place in his mind as he ran, for he was focusing on the elation that was the speed and freedom. The knowledge of his strength and agility was always blazing and he never felt worthless or a half of what he should've been when he was running.
Whenever he ran his mind was clean, open and speeding forward, never lingering on what had been or what could have been. There was only the present and the future towards which he was running.
There were many reasons to run - as a kid he had ran from danger, then also from his own loneliness and emptiness in his heart. Then, when he had met Kagome and the others he had learned to run for different reasons - to playfully chase,to mock bicker with humans who barely could keep up with him jogging beside them, to protect and support others, to be on the head of their pack, leading them. After meeting Kagome he was never a stray dog running alone.
But above all other reasons he loved the runs that ended with a certain bizarre miko wrapped in his arms, laughing like crazy and trying in vain to push away his tickling fingers. As she laughed and squealed, never for a second fearing the abomination hanyou, his soul felt as if it was healing. Eventually, when it lasted for a while, he would join her, laughing with all his heart, his fangs on the display, his body practically tingling with that easy feeling he could name.
Inuyasha smirked when he thought about the poor victim of his deft hands. She was somewhere in the forest ahead of him, running and tripping over tree roots and ditches as she jumped from a meadow to a meadow, following animal paths and - he could already hear it - giggling. His ears perked up and he increased the pace of his steps.
He could smell her too, the whole forest seemed to be full of the scent of the girl he chased. It was making him feel alive and light as never before. At the same time he wanted to speed up and slow down to prolong the game.
He approached the spot where she hid, behind a thick tree. He almost called out to her, telling her that hiding was stupid. But instead he decided to stalk forward, circling the tree, slowly advancing. The corner of his mouth twitched when he saw her sleeve. Without wasting another minute he pounced...
...And pulled the thick outer shirt Kagome had had on when they had started the game off of a branch. He blinked at the garment. The next moment his ears twitched and he was tackled to the ground by an assault from the side. He rolled a few times with the attacker and landed on his back, the giggling girl straddling his waist. Without a preamble she reached towards his ribs.
It didn't take long for Inuyasha's booming laughter to fill the forest, followed by happy giggles of a girl who refused to be the youkai's prey today.