How Will I Know

Disclaimer::trip:: Oww… What's this box? Hmm… It says: Only open if you own InuYasha. Oh well. ::drop-kicks it off a cliff:: No need in keeping it, either. Hmm… maybe Rumiko wanted it. Oops.

Chapter 3: Sidetracked

InuYasha pulled Kagome out of the well, one hand on hers, his other hand on her backpack. As she landed on the ground, the sudden weight of her backpack made her stumble. She fell into InuYasha's arms, and looked back at him, embarrassed for the first second, but when she looked at his eyes, she seemed to know that it was perfectly fine. She caught her balance and started walking along the path to Kaede's village.

"Where do you think you're going?" InuYasha said incredulously, as if Kagome was walking completely the opposite way.

"Um… the mountain?" Kagome said, very flatly.

"Well, you're going the wrong way."

"No I'm not. We go through Kaede's village, then head north."

"Or we could skip the village trip and go straight there." InuYasha said, and pointed towards the mountaintop, visible just above the trees.

"Alright…" Kagome became a little suspicious and began wondering what his plan was. It's not that I don't trust him, it's just… he's been weird lately. Well, I suppose I have, too. She jogged up to him, standing at the entrance to the way to the mountain. He smiled, and began walking.

After rows and rows of trees passed in silence, Kagome's mind had come to just about every suspicion and discarded them all. She was now just walking along, once again marveling in the scenery. InuYasha watched her, and felt his chest swell with pride at having Kagome with him and being so happy. If only he could be sure he had won her heart…

They were about halfway to the mountain when they got to a small clearing of about an acre on Kagome's side of the path. InuYasha suddenly tackled her to the ground, sending her backpack off and landing about ten feet from the animal-made trail they were following in the deep grass. Kagome sat up after she realized what happened, and looked around for InuYasha, glaring. When she spotted him, he was behind her, standing proudly and grinning mischievously. Kagome couldn't help but smile.

"Oh yeah? Well, two can play at that game." She launched herself off the ground and straight at InuYasha. He hadn't expected this, and she knocked him to the ground and sat on his torso. Kagome smiled at him, triumphant. InuYasha smiled up at her, catching her gaze and making her uneasy. He sat up easily, knocking Kagome off him and, carefully, so as not to hurt her, picked her up around the waist. She was obviously not pleased with this position, and looked around for anything she could use to turn the 'fight' her way. She spotted his ears, and rubbed them, almost tickling. InuYasha dropped her on her feet and sat down, scratching his ears with his foot. Kagome smirked, and shoved him backwards before running across the clearing. She ducked into the grass and lay on her back, waiting for the Hanyou to find her.

InuYasha sat up, happily dazed. He loved fighting with Kagome, and this was the most fun he'd had yet. They'd always yelled, hurting his ears before, but this time, all he heard was the pleasant trickling of laughter from Kagome and some from himself. He stood up and looked around, and after not spotting Kagome, went down to all fours. He looked around, and found where she'd pushed the grass apart. He crawled through the grass, making no more noise than the slight breeze. He soon found Kagome and crawled around her, unnoticed; her eyes were unfocused, staring at the sky, or so he thought. Just when he moved behind a tuft of grass, Kagome got up silently and ducked into InuYasha's trail through the grass.

InuYasha came around to find Kagome had just up and vanished, it seemed. She was there one second, then gone the next…

"AH!"

"Ha! I got you!" Kagome had leapt onto his back, and he'd plowed into the ground, Kagome on top of him.

"I scared you, didn't I?" Kagome laughed as she got off him and sat up, hands on her knees, giggling. InuYasha lifted his head from the dirt and looked at her, annoyed.

"No, you didn't scare me!"

"Stop acting all tough. I know you're soft on the inside." Kagome said as she poked his side.

InuYasha sat up quickly and swatted away her hand. Kagome was about to look hurt, but then InuYasha's eyes gleamed with playfulness. He bent his head over and prepared to spring at her, then his ears shot up as well as his head. He launched himself at Kagome, pressing her to the ground. He held really still as he lay on top of her, and whispered into her ear.

"Hold still, Kagome. Someone's nearby."

Kagome had been about to protest to being tackled, but now lay as still as InuYasha, listening with all her human ears could muster. She didn't hear anything, but hardly breathed, because InuYasha's weight prevented it. He listened for another minute, then slowly scooted off her, relaxing. He still lay in the grass next to her, however. Kagome inhaled deeply, and tried to sit up. InuYasha sat up and pulled her back down gently, until her head rested in his lap. She looked up at him, smiling almost evilly. He looked at her tenderly, and took in a deep breath.

"Kagome…" He used all of his breath and had to breathe in again.

"Yes?" She said curiously and happily from his lap. She didn't care if he restricted her movement, as long as he didn't try anything--- bad. It seemed the playful romp was over.

"I was wondering… if… well…"

"Hmm?"

"If you would… umm…"

"Just say it already." Kagome said, encouraging him gently. He took a deep breath.

"I waswonderingifyouwouldliketogetkissedagain." Kagome thought for a moment, deciphering his words.

"Why are you asking me?" She said lovingly from his lap. She sat up and faced him.

"Well, if you don't I don't want to make you…" His ears drooped and he shifted his gaze from her, as if he'd known Kagome wouldn't want to be kissed again and that the last time was just the magic of the sunset and everything.

"Oh, come on… don't you know by now?"

"Know what?"

Kagome sighed. He was hopeless.

"Yes, then."

InuYasha's ears perked up on top of his head, and his whole complexion brightened.

"Really?"

"Yes."

He leaned towards her, and she tackled him to his back. She paused over him, uncertain of herself, thinking maybe she'd gone too far. InuYasha lifted his head from the ground and pressed his lips to hers. His hand snaked around to the back of her head and his other hand was on her back. All of a sudden, he was aware of Kagome's hands around his neck, and everything seemed perfectly natural, as if this clearing had been created for this and Kagome was supposed to hug him. She rolled off to the side, and InuYasha ended up with his front half over her now.

They kissed each other more truly than before, each feeling a slight surge of electricity springing from their lips to their hearts and then back to the other. InuYasha lifted his head and sighed.

"Thank you, Kagome." He breathed heavily, trying to regain his breath as Kagome was. His hands were on either side of her head, and as she smiled up at him, he couldn't help but smile back at his angel. As he caught his breath, he lifted her and sat her in his lap. He hugged her around her middle, and she leaned back into him. She felt his breath on her neck before she felt his chin on her shoulder, and it tickled. She giggled, and InuYasha lifted his head, questioningly gazing at her.

"Nothing." She chirred, and he rested his head back on her shoulder.

They sat very still for a long while, until Kagome heard a flock of birds take off. She stood and stretched, as if from a long nap, and InuYasha stood after her. He shook like a dog, and looked around languidly. He swept her up in his arms after putting her backpack over his own back. She giggled at her 'royal treatment' and looped an arm around InuYasha's neck. It was about two O'clock, and InuYasha set off the road to the mountain.

Great squiish, no? Well, by far my most romantic chapter… I'm expecting a lot of out-of-the-ordinary reviews on this one. Please, I'm advertising for a beta! Message me if you like this so much that you want to read it weeks before anyone else gets to! (ok, only days) (and give criticism)