Okay sorry for not updating sooner. Thanks to all ma reviewers . I love you all. And a huge thanx 2 InfiniteAffinity for being my editor.

ALSO. i dont own the song i used in here. it belongs to aerosmith "i dont wanna miss a thing"

Realization

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing

Bankotsu sighed as he walked through the forests, with his precious halberd resting on his shoulder. He was thinking. Thinking about, like always, that girl.

That girl...

No. Not that girl. Her name's Kagome. Kagome, such a sweet name to him. He didn't need to wonder every two seconds on how she was like he did when she was with dog shit, now that she was traveling with them...Well as their captive. But even so, he still felt that rush of emotion, the need to protect, the want, the desire flowing through him. And whenever another guy made a move on her, no mentioning names, Renkotsu, he would feel the jealousy rise in his chest to the top, threatening to burst out.

That girl was his!

Two seconds later, the young leader realized what he had just thought.

"Ah!" he screamed as he punched a tree with his fist, making a huge hole in it. She is not mine! She is not mine!

Panting, he drew his fist back out of the tree and sat down, leaning against it. He growled. Why the hell did his brain always think that Kagome was his? She wasn't!

But you know you want her to be yours. The little voice in the back of his head came back and started annoying the shit out of him again.

No I don't.

Yes you do.

No I don't

You do. You want everything about her. And now you want to go and snuggle up with your koishii. Think about it. Your arms wrapped around her sm-

"Shut up! And no I do not!" Bankotsu yelled as he jumped up.

"Do not what Bankotsu no o aniki?" said a voice from behind him, succeeding in making him jump a foot off the ground. Growling again and turning around, he saw Suikotsu standing there with a funny expression on his face.

Watch you smile while you are sleeping

"You...you're the one that brought Kagome back!" said Kagura to the man underneath the bamboo pelt, her eyes with open with disbelief. "But why did you bring her back? Didn't you want her dead?"

Naraku turned away from her. "I have my plans Kagura."

Kagura too, turned the other way, knowing that she was dismissed. But not before she heard that annoying hanyou's voice and her anger rose slightly. "Well then Naraku, maybe you should tell those helping you of them so they actually know what's going on?"

Big mistake.

At once, her heart felt like invisible hands were clutching it; with no signs that they were going to stop anytime soon. The wind witch was soon on the ground, her own hands over her chest in a feeble attempt to stop the growing pain.

"Do not forget that I hold your heart Kagura. Do not question my orders unless you wish to suffer even more."

She couldn't respond. Only writhe on the ground in total agony.

"You are dismissed. Go to Mount Hakurei and wait for the Inutachi to show up." and released the woman on the floor from her pain while disappearing into the darkness himself.

"Damn you Naraku. Damn you."

A sound from the other side of the room made the wind witch turn around, only to see Kanna and her mirror standing there. Kanna, her sister, her older sister spoke in her quiet eerie voice.

"Kagura, Naraku revived Kagome because he could easily control her."

"Control her? But how? She is a strong soul and can not easily be tampered with."

"She died with hatred and love in her heart. She can easily be corrupted because the hatred she died with overpowers her love."

"What?"

"There is a light at her lower back. That is what sustains her life, not to mention her love. Naraku has the matching orb. If you take the orb there out of her body, or use the other one in the pair, she will be consumed by darkness and under our control."

"So what does Naraku try to gain out of this?"

"I do not know. In time, I'm sure he'll tell us."

Watching her older sister leave without any sound, Kagura slowly cursed everything in her life under her breath. That damn Kanna. She's too trusting in Naraku. It'll be the death of her one day...one day.

While you're far away and dreaming

Bankotsu and Suikotsu sat across from each other in a small clearing they had found. The leader, with his head down and eyes closed, and the doctor, looking curiously at him. Though Suikotsu had said to the younger man that he needed to talk to him, none of them were saying anything at that moment.

So it was the older man that decided to break the silence with a question. "Bankotsu no o aniki? I want to ask you something."

The younger guy looked up to show that he was listening.

"Do you like her?"

Bankotsu felt the blood rush to his face as his other eye snapped open as well. "This is what you wanted to talk about?" he asked with much amazement.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with it?"

The leader quickly snapped his jaws shut when he noticed that they were hanging open a foot off the ground. He made a noise of disbelief, but other than that, he gave no other answer.

"So, do you like her?"

The younger man's face turned an even darker shade of red. Please don't let Suikotsu be talking about Kagome. Please don't let him be talking about her..." Who?" he asked the doctor uncertainly.

"Judging from the color of your face, I think you know who I'm talking about." A smile was slowly making its way onto Suikotsu's face at the sight of his embarrassed leader.

"No I don't! That's why I'm asking you!"

The older of the two shook his head while letting out a deep breath and said "To tell you the truth, I think she's the nicest girl I've met in a very long time. So selfless and caring, plus o aniki, there's nothing wrong with loving someone like her. I would if I had the chance to."

"Shut up! Who said I loved Kagome?" Bankotsu jumped up off the ground and glared at the doctor, who burst out laughing.

"Who said I was talking about Kagome?"

The Shichinintai leader's face turned the darkest shade of red possible as he huffed and sat back down, determined to look anywhere except for his companion.

"You do like her don't you o aniki? It's rather obvious..."

"It's obvious?" stammered Bankotsu. "I-I mean- I don't like her! What're you talking about!"

Suikotsu laughed even harder. "Itis obvious. Just admit it. It'll save you from more embarrassment."

His leader said nothing, only looked down with a small sound halfway between a growl and a sigh.

"Something wrong?"

"No."

"You need to work on your skills at denying the obvious o aniki."

"Shut up. I just don't know if..."

"If she loves you back?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't worry about it just yet. Just as long as you're sure about your feelings towards Kagome it's okay. Don't doubt yourself before you actually tell her right? I mean, there's a chance that she will love you back. But then again, there's also a chance that she won't but-"

"Thanks Suikotsu, but your last comments really aren't helping."

"Oh. Right, gomen nasai. But at least you got it out that you love her."

"Shut up! And don't tell anyone that I like her, you hear me?" yelled the leader, realizing that he wasn't ready to share his feelings with anyone yet. Well other than Suikotsu who figured it out.

"Sure o aniki. Whatever you say." said a laughing Suikotsu.

"Suikotsu, domo arigatou."

His companion nodded. "Dou itashimashite."

A comfortable silence fell onto the two, while they were off in their thoughts. Bankotsu, obviously thinking about his Kagome, and Suikotsu, thinking about what the miko would say in response to his leader's confession of love.

After a little while, the younger man decided to break the silence. "Hm... Do you think we should head back to the cave now?"

The doctor looked up with a small smile. "Scared your koishii hasn't come back yet?" he said enjoying the sight of the faint blush that made its way onto the other man's face at his words.

"Shut up. And remember to keep your trap shut if she's in there."

"Hai. I will. But only if she's in there?"

"No. Just keep it shut in general."

"Okay. Let's go back then."

The two men got up and started walking back to the cave. While walking, Bankotsu replayed what he had just admitted to his companion in his head. He found no lie in his words or thoughts. He closed his eyes as one last thought took over his mind.

I...I love her...I love Kagome...

I could spend my life in this sweet surrender

Bankotsu and Suikotsu made it back to their cave with no further interruptions other than a rustle in the bush that happened to be a boar. The two mercenaries had looked at each other and dived for the animal at once, thus successfully catching their meal for the night.

Dinner was made and eaten in absolute silence, except for the fire's crackling. Late afternoon turned to night, the sun was replaced by the moon, and the stars came out to sight.

And still, Jakotsu and Kagome didn't return.

The shichinintai in the cave slowly went to sleep one by one until only Bankotsu was left sitting there, staring into the flames and wondering where his love was.

He sighed and wondered if she would be back in time to sleep tonight. When she was sleeping was a time when he could admire her beauty without anyone getting suspicious or risk her finding out. A time when she would not raise questions about him staring at her. There would always be some sort of smile on her sleeping face that made him smile even when they knew she was sad and remembering the past. And... She was so beautiful. Why didn't Inutrasha love her? And...And why did he, a person that he knew Kagome wasn't going to accept love her? Why could he make every girl fall at his feet but the one he wanted? Why was life so unfair?

Why did she have to love a guy that didn't love her, but not want a guy that loves her? Inutrasha's two timing her with that dead priestess that he came upon a few days ago right? And Kagome knows that, but why won't she leave him? What was so important to her about him that she would stay by his side no matter what?

He was just as good looking! He carried around a big ass sword as well! He had the long hair that the mutt had as well! And in terms of strength, they were matched equal! What was the difference? Why does it have to be Trasha?

Trasha that owns her heart, trasha that can do what he wants to her, trasha that can tell her anytime that he loves her and be sure a hundred percent that she'll accept him?

A mental picture suddenly came into his head where Inutrasha and Kagome were sitting together under the stars. He squirmed in disgust and shook the picture out of his head. But then, Kagome was in it was she not?

Modifying his earlier mental image, he kicked trasha out of the picture and replaced it with himself. Himself that Kagome was leaning on, him that Kagome was with, him that Kagome loved. The stars and the night was theirs alone, a place together where no one else can go to.

If there really was such a place, and they really could go there and be alone, he would have agreed 150 percentto go with her. He would go anywhere with her, even if he knew it would cost him his life.

He gasped at what he just thought. He would die for her, her happiness. Did he already love her that much? It had just been almost a day since he had realized his love. Besides, if he hadn't admitted to Suikotsu and to himself that he loved her, then he would still be lying to himself about his feelings towards the modern miko.

Miko...no Kagome. He should start using her name more. Okay Kagome. That black haired beauty was the thing that kept him going now. Wake up everyday to know that he needed to protect her. Know that when he wakes up he'll see her. Know that she'll be by his side, or somewhere near him until he goes back to sleep at the end of the day.

His Kagome. His-

"O aniki?"

Snapping out of his daydreaming, he spun around annoyed and ready to punch the shit out of the person that dared interrupt him, but it was only Suikotsu ...again. "This is the second fuckin' time! What the hell do you want?"

The doctor held up his hands, obviously startled by the venom in his leader's voice. "It's..It's nothing..."

"Well then-"

"Who the hell is yelling in the middle of the night?"

The doctor and leader turned to see a pissed off Renkotsu rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Suikotsu said nothing, but turned to look slightly at Bankotsu, and that was all pyro needed to get his answer. "So o aniki, please explain the reason you're yelling in the middle of the night!"

"It's nothing! Suikotsu was just disturbing me when I was-"

"But you weren't doing anything. All you were doing was sitting there. I was going to ask you if you wanted to get some sleep and I'll take over watch for the rest of the night."

"You think? You think I was keeping watch?"

"Well...yeah it certainly looked like it. You were turning around every few seconds to look out the cave entrance you know."

"I wasn't looking out for enemies! I was just looking out for Ka-...never mind" and his voice faded away on the last word.

"Oo..So you were watching for when your beloved Kagome returned?"

A gagging noise was heard from the opposite side of the cave which turned out to be the fire shichinintai mentioned before. "Beloved Kagome?"

Bankotsu shot Suikotsu a murderous look that didn't help him at all in the situation he had just been put into.

"Well you're not denying it so I'll take saint doctor's word here to be true."

"Okay fine! I like her okay? Now shut up about it!" growled Bankotsu as he got up and moved himself deeper into the cave, purposely facing himself away from the others so that no one could see how red his face had become.

"Well then! Get to sleep o aniki! And I'll watch for your Kagome's return and you dream of her!" said Renkotsu, his voice heavy with laughter. Good. Bankotsu has fallen for her. That will make my plan hurt him more, since he would do anything for Kagome now.

"Shut up!" And the youngest of them came back as quick as possible out the back of the cave and sat in the spot he had been in just a few seconds before. "I'm watching for her. Not you. Not Suikotsu. I am!"

"Whoa. Calm down o aniki. I'm sure you're just worried for her and how long she's taking to come back. It's okay. I'm sure she will."

"Whatever. Just go back to sleep."

Renkotsu looked rather grumpy as he muttered under his breath "And get woken up with yelling again. Great." But fortunately for him, his leader didn't hear him. Bankotsu had already gone back to thinking.

He wondered where she was right now. And he hoped that Jakotsu hadn't done anything to hurt her, but his hopes weren't that high since the slasher supposedly hated Kagome. And if she didn't come within a few hours, he would go out and look for her himself.

He wondered if Kagome was as cute or even cuter as a kid then now. Of course, on the cute-o-meter, to him, she had already maxed out but he wouldn't put it past her to be even more adorable younger. He wondered if she ever had someone court her before, love her before. Not like Inutrasha's type of I'm-using-you-right-now-love, but real love. Or was he her first?

Her first. Her lips telling him that he was her first and only. Her lips for him to kiss, her lips for him to ravish. All his.

Her body, her soul. And no one else can touch her, of flirt with her, or show interest in her in anyway, all because she belonged to him, Bankotsu and Bankotsu only. The only one that can touch her. The only one that can have her in that special way. What he wouldn't give to be that man...

With a snap, he snapped himself out of the daydream he had just been in for the past two seconds. Not good. Thinking perverted thoughts about that girl was not good. The last thing he needed was for his friends to find out just how much he loved her. Then he would be committed to their teasing, and possibly Kagome's anger if they told her, and nothing was worth making her hate him.

But maybe she doesn't hate him! Maybe she wants to be with him as much as he wants to be with her.

Well, I just wanna be with you

She would smile at him. She didn't mind if he woke her up with a smile on his face. She didn't care if he purposely walked slower just so that he could be near her.

Right here with you, just like this

So maybe, she had gotten rid of the hate factor that used to run through her when she saw him.

I just wanna hold you close

Maybe she was starting to accept him as someone who would protect her from all harm.

Feel your heart so close to mine

Maybe she would soon accept him as even more than that.

And just stay here in this moment

As her love.

For all the rest of time

And..and...maybe he should stop lying to himself. She would never accept a person like him, a person that murders. A person that takes another's life to make their own. And now a person that kills just because of a hanyou's orders.

But...no matter what was true and what was false, there was always one thing that he would never lie about.

He loved her with all his heart.

But little did said leader know, behind his back and in the shadows, Renkotsu had given an evil smirk. I know you want to see her again, o aniki. And now I know just how much you love her and want her to love you back. I will do anything in my power to stop it from happening. Oh, and that, I can promise you.

Okay and the chappies over. Bankotsu's finally realized that he loves Kagome and had admitted it to 2 of his brothers. Renkotsu upon hearing this, has an evil plan in the back of his mind already. His plan won't be a big part of the stroy till later though

NEXT CHAPPIE: the band remember that Jakotsu and Kagome had been gone for about a day now, and they set out to look for them. Will they find them, or lose a brother and a love forever?