A/N: Well, I'm still obsessing over Pirates of the Caribbean. I only saw it on Friday, and yet I'm going to see it again next weekend. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen, in hilariaty and action, and thus, it makes me a rabid fan for a while, at least. (And if you read my profile, then you perhaps noticed I am slightly obsessed with Jack's Jar of Dirt.)

Apparently, Pirates broke the opening day record as well. I'm not suprised. My ten bucks (to see it at 10PM, the ONLY time they had tickets left), added to the $55.5 million, I suppose. PotC 3 comes out on Memorial Day weekened next year (Only ten more months!) and I don't know if I'll EVER be able to get tickets for that one. I'll be dying by the time that one comes out of wanting to know how its going to end.

In honor of Pirates, I decided that after I see it next, I'll do a oneshot drabble based upon one of the moments of the film. It's not an OMG!SPOILER! moment, but just a moment I really thought deserved a oneshot. Look out for it soon!


Chapter 15: Aftershock

Kagome's eyes were wide open as Inuyasha suddenly grabbed her and smashed her lips into an electrifying kiss. She couldn't move, completely stunned by his sudden action. What was only seconds seem to stretch into eternity, and soon, the blushes grew on both of their faces before Inuyasha's eyes popped open, shoving her away and scooting as far away from her as possible in the small hollow.

They stared at each other in utter shock, unable to pull away. Besides their blushes, both in the small cave became aware of how fast their heart was racing, and wondering if it would ever slow down.

Inuyasha felt he urge to bolt, but he could not, something in her stare made him stay were we was, all four feet away from her. It the cave was bigger, he would have gone even farther. Then it hit him. He had done it, completely lost himself and probably made the biggest mistake of his life. He had kissed her. He had kissed her. It didn't matter how good the kiss felt or about how he was nearly unable to pull away once his lips met her soft, warm ones…Oh Hell, he was in danger of doing it again!

But he knew by the way she slowly lifted trembling fingers to her lips, as if wondering what had happened, that he had completely shattered their relationship. The hanyou had practically pounced on her, and she was unable to do anything but let it happen. He knew Kagome would be too afraid to be around him now, thinking that he might do something again, when she was disgusted by it.

In that one, long moment, he wanted nothing more but to rip himself to shreds for his stupidity. Kagome wouldn't ever trust to be near him again, and worst of all…she now knew how he felt about her, or at least, got a general idea of it. If he had been planning at all to tell her, this was completely not the way he had imagined it.

He cursed at himself, still unable to tear his gaze away from her. Baka! Of all the ignorant, dammed, stupid, baka, you are the worst! If I could have just kept control instead of…of…Damn it!

"Inuyasha…" Her shaky, surprised voice drew him from his thoughts. She slowly lowered her fingers, still trembling, from her lips, her brown eyes still wide in shock. "You…you…" Kagome's hands shook more as she whispered, "Kissed me…"

That did it. Those words made Inuyasha do what any other sensible man in his position would do; he ran.

He jumped out of the hollow, back down on the ground, before realizing Kagome needed to get out of the cave as well. Cursing a few more very profane words that Shippou probably should not have heard, and confusing his friends, he jumped back up to the cave. Instead of letting Kagome climb on his back, he wrapped an arm around her waist, jumping back down without a word to her.

The instant they both hit the ground, they placed quite a bit of distance between each other, refusing to even turn towards the other's gaze.

Miroku, Sango, and Shippou wondered about their suddenly cold behavior. Miroku most of all noticed their sudden desire to turn away, and the blushes on both of their faces. With a grin, he asked, "Did something happen, up there?"

"No!" They both yelled, blushes increasing, afraid at any moment that either of their friends would guess what happened. But luck appeared to be on their side as neither of them questioned, though they gave a few curious looks.

Finally unable to take this uncomfortable situation any longer, Inuyasha yelled, "Well, what are we sitting around here for? Let's go back and tell that village that the worthless youkai has been killed." With a slight growl of annoyance, Inuyasha led the way back to the village, the others following behind, not daring to guess what had happened.

Kagome, on the other hand, tried desperately not to look at him, but what failing miserably. When no one was looking, she reached one hand back to her lips, still tingling from the first impact, thinking. Inuyasha…he…kissed me…


Sango was unable to keep from laughter while Kagome's face grew redder than redder. "I see. So that's what happened between the Hanyou and the Miko in the cave."

"Sango-chan!" Kagome turned away, hoping her son wasn't noticing how much she was fully blushing.

Inuko, thankfully hadn't but he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That's gross!" he told Kagome.

Her blush was beginning to fade as she saw how her child dealt with it. "It wasn't that gross at the time, Inuko. Remember, grown ups like that stuff."

Inuko looked up at her with wide eyes. "You mean you and daddy to?"

Kagome chuckled despite the slight redness in her cheeks at the mention of this in front of her friend. Then again, Sango had seen how many times Inuyasha had kissed her only in public, and Inuyasha was not what you would call a public person. "Yes, Inuko, us too."

The boy looked away as if to give it some thought, before giving another disgusted noise.

"What happened next, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, before Kagome dove into the story once more.


It had been days since he had kissed her, and once again, Kagome had returned home after they got back to the village, hoping she could at least get more time in school this year then the last.

She had tried not to think about that kiss, and instead tried to focus on school, but once the subject turned to math, Kagome couldn't help but stare out the window and recall what had happened between her and him in the cave.

A shiver went down her spine as she recalled even now, the feeling of electricity that went through her the minute his lips touched hers. She had to focus on keeping her breathing regular, because she could feel her heart began to race once more.

He…kissed me…he actually kissed me…Kagome remembered well the look in his eyes right before he had kissed her. It was something that she could recognize from things like romance novels and daytime television, but never had she expected to see that look on him…desire.

Beginning to blush, she leaned forward, as if over her paper, her dark hair hiding her reddening cheeks. That certainly…complicates things…

Kagome knew Inuyasha. She had been worried before about what he had meant by no longer being bound to Kikyou. She wondered why he told her he could not stop thinking about her. But that kiss…no, she knew he would do no such thing unless he had really wanted to, which meant…

Her hand shook around her pencil while her eyes got wider. Oh, my…

Inuyasha he…loves me…or…Again with the blushing. Desires me, at least.

Kagome was sure her face was as red as a tomato now. She felt like letting the floor just open up and swallow her, that's how embarrassed she was. So…Inuyasha likes me, I guess…she thought, not wanting to contemplate her previous conclusion.

And if he likes me, than I should be happy right? It's what I've wanted for so long…sighing as her blush finally began to fall, she glanced back out at the view of modern Tokyo. Yet, why am I not suddenly jumping for joy?

It's because of that kiss, the reasonable part of her mind told her. That kiss is what made this mess.

And back to that moment again. True, it was their first kiss, but first kisses were to be something special, not something like that that happened by accident, or rather, something she didn't agree to first.

And its not like we're officially together or anything…Inuyasha didn't come back with me, he's hardly spoken since we've returned! If he likes me as much as his kiss put on, then why doesn't he come out like a man and say so?

Autumn leaves blew past the window while Kagome sighed, knowing the answer to her question. Because that's not the kind of person he is. She knew Inuyasha never voiced his feelings easily. It had taken him a long time to voice the fact that he wanted her near him, hinting at that he might like her as in more than a friend.

And, knowing Inuyasha, it was more because of his own self-consciousness that was holding him back. Kagome knew, deep down, that he was afraid of rejection because of him being a hanyou, and it seemed to make sense if she thought he was afraid her rejecting his feelings because of what he was.

Kagome lowered her eyes, feeling sadness and pity rush to her emotions. Inuyasha…I'm sorry…I'm sorry that you have to think that way and believe that I wouldn't think of you like this…

She would have to tell him of her own feelings to help the barriers around his heart melt. But that was easier said than done. Even if she knew that he loved her, it was still hard to come out and admit such a thing. After all, she couldn't exactly say, "Inuyasha, I love you!" right there to his face without any warning.

In fact, since she had believed Inuyasha would never come to love her, she had never really thought over how to say it to him, in the event that he did. But that thought would have to be put aside for the moment. For now, the focus between them was getting them to speak comfortably with each other again. Then she could think of that, and other problems.

As she heard her teacher speak and announce that there would be a pop quiz sometime soon, she decided that even with her personal problems, at the moment, schoolwork would have to come first.


Inuyasha leaned against Goshinboku, his eyes closed, but not at all sleeping. The leaves in the forest around them had begun to turn colors with the seasons. Soon, all the leaves would be off and it would be winter, and then to spring again, the seasons always rotating in an endless cycle…

His thoughts lay on one person; Kagome. The last time he had seen her, right when they arrived at the village, she had hardly said goodbye before jumping into the well. She didn't even bother to look back at him. They had only spoken a few words when nearly forced ever since the kiss, and it seemed that he had permanently ruined his relationship with her now.

He sighed, wishing there was a way he could destroy this tree without falling to the ground. Damn it, I really screwed up this time…

However, "really" didn't begin to cover it. More like "horribly", "irreversibly", "unable to ever talk to her comfortably again without her being disgusted by him" screwed it up.

Inuyasha's fuzzy silver ears lowered on his head at the thought. Never talk to her comfortably again…Kagome never thinking of him the same…The prospect didn't look great…but what other choice did he have? He had let go of himself for once and this is what he got.

In fact, he deserved it. He deserved what he got this time, and the hanyou knew it. He had been thinking lustful thoughts about her, a human, a miko, something he constantly had to remind himself that was not within his reach. And for acting upon his desires, he ended up with her uncomfortable with him.

So this is all I get…he thought, his amber eyes opening to look up at the sky, beginning to look overcast. This is what I deserve for being born a hanyou…

Damn it! It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair! For him to love and want a woman this badly and know he could never have her. Life had given him the worst of circumstances just by being born, and he wasn't allowed anything in return for being granted such a life.

Kagome will never speak to me again now…He closed his eyes once more, resigned to his thoughts.

But he didn't want to stop speaking to her. Inuyasha wanted nothing more then to turn back the wheels of time, go back to that moment in the cave, and stop himself from doing it. It would be for the best; Kagome would never know about his feelings, and she would continue to speak to him as before.

He regretted the forbidden kiss for what rifts it drove through them, but he had never regretted the kiss for the feeling that was sent through them. Kikyou had kissed him before, and he had felt nothing. But when he had kissed Kagome…he had felt Heaven.

And when he had kissed her, Inuyasha realized what his life could be like, if she loved him back. Despite his belief that hanyous were resigned to lonliness, if Kagome loved him back, he wouldn't care. It wouldn't matter to him what others said. He could live a life with Kagome, both of them in their own hut, their own home, feeling happy and loved each day, forever. Oh, and perhaps a couple children too…

But that fantasy was being torn apart each second now. It was irretrievable, now that the damage was done. He had lost his only chance at perhaps making her love him by advancing far too quickly…Inuyasha had lost her.

All of a sudden, his amber eyes popped open as he suddenly had an idea. Maybe…there still was a chance. He knew when he did something wrong, he had to apologize. Maybe if he went to her and apologized…and begged…and pleaded…and groveled a bit too, then she would forgive him. It was a long shot, but she did sometimes forgive him if he really begged.

Would she forgive him for what he had done? For being the one to steal her first kiss, through a pure accident?

Maybe he could make it seem like he had just slipped and…No, she had seen the look of desire in his eyes, and she wasn't stupid. Inuyasha knew she could read him like a book.

Sighing, he jumped down from the tree, landing firmly on the ground. Whatever he told her, it would have to be convincing. Above all, he needed to really act like he was sorry for all of it, not just the part that meant she was upset that he did it. The subject of women was not his strong point, but if he had to learn everything about females just so he could perhaps win her heart again, then he would do it!

The hanyou glanced at the sky. Since he was a hanyou and had been hunted all his life for what he was, he had never really given any thought to religion. He didn't even know if there was anybody up there at all, but if there was, it was worth a shot. If any god or what have you is up there, then please…just help me make Kagome understand…I can't live without her…

Perhaps it was his own mind, perhaps it was "divine influence" he didn't know, but suddenly an idea hit him. I'll have to tell her I love her…

His face turned bright red as he walked towards the well, the portal to Kagome's time. He couldn't do that. Not now. He couldn't just walk up to her and tell her he loved her, he would probably drown himself before he said that to her, especially now.

Sighing, he added, All right…I'll add that detail if I'm desperate, but not right away. With that in mind, he jumped into the well, and to whatever fate came to him after his talk with Kagome.