A/N: Konnichi-wa, minna-san! This is a fluffy chapter! And a really long one too...
Disclaimer: All right here it goes again. The Disclaimer in all of its glory. :takes a deep breath: I do not own any of the characters that are in this story, except the ones that I specify. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Viz, Sunrise, Yomiuri TV, and any other companies that I might have missed. They own them. Not me. Period. I own the plot and, in this chapter, Teinin. End of Story.
Consent: One of the people that reviewed was deeply saddened that she could not torture me for how short my last chapter was... Because I love you all so much, I will allow you, starting with elementalobsession, to poke me with her weapon of choice: a spork.
Thank you: A special thanks to the following people for reviewing thus far: Shaq, Linaofthelight, chickichicki, InuFan4life, tomariella222, spotzplaya888, elementalobsession, Black Betty, InnocentDarkSassyCat, Dark Daimon Fate, Innocent Hope, dreamz-of-hope, azn-modern-miko, Lady Dark Angel, GohanzGirl, Schezerade7, Ria-chan, Shokora no Sakuhen, Embury, lyn, inuschopstiks, Silver Rain Drops, kawaii-arula, inu-kaglover45, Malitia, AzaraRubie, dragrdr, and Alarnia. Thank you for sticking with me so far and I sincerely hope you continue to do so. Your words mean more to me than you-or I- may ever know. "Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Theresa
Dedication: This fanfiction is dedicated to Ria-chan, my little sister and best friend. She proof read the first two chapters of this story and has given me the inspiration to begin my story anew. But most important of all, she believes in me, which is why I posted this fic and for that I am eternally grateful. She has been my constant anchor and support when my world seems like it is turning upside down and inside out. She has been there for me and listened to my complaints and I thank every star at night for leading me to her. Thank you Ria-chan! Love you lots, sweetie!
Chapter 6: Lightened Hearts
"You stupid piece of shit!" Naraku's angry obscenities echoed throughout the castle. He was surrounded by failures! Teinin's already battered form was slammed repeatedly into the wall in punishment with Naraku using only a fraction of his power. Always in the past, Teinin had been the scapegoat to be used to lessen Naraku's fury. Always through violence. But in the past he had a chance at survival. Not this time. This time Teinin would surely slip into the after life. Pain shot through Teinin's back like millions of needles, the blood only running faster adding to the massive quantity he had lost transporting himself here. A mistake he would add to the growing list of items that he would-and had- come to regret.
"How dare you fail me! I send you to do one simple task: bring to me Inuyasha's wench and you are defeated." Teinin coughed, the blood dribbling down his chin and felt his whole body numb. The pain was too great to bear, so he allowed his body's functions to shut down as he bore the brunt of his master's rage. If he had been wise, he would never have returned to Falconaria, but years of loyalty to his demon master drew him back constantly. Even when he knew he would die at his master's hand, the thought of seeing him once more was enough to satisfy him. There were times, however, when Teinin would much rather die than remain under his master's tutelage. Those times were now. Naraku's powerful hand made contact with the side of Teinin's head, the long fingernails biting into his neck and cheeks. He fought back the rising screams in his throat that were threatening to burst from his mouth, determined to face the blazing agony without weakness until the bitter end. The way that Naraku was attacking him, Teinin thought that bitter death must be close upon him.
"He was a half-breed! With your extensive skills he should have been easy to defeat and bring back to me along with the girl." Teinin looked away, eyes downcast in shame; if only he knew the truth. But telling him could cost Teinin a torturous death that he wished to avoid. Naraku, angered at this gesture, reached down to grasp him by the neck and dragged him roughly to his feet. He had had just about enough of this foolish game, nothing able to stop him from killing the apprentice right where he stood.
"Answer me, Teinin!" he snarled giving him a hard shake. All he heard was inaudible words and he raised him higher off the ground so that his feet dangled haphazardly a foot above the floor.
"What did you just say?" he hissed dangerously. The fire burned in his eyes and Teinin knew the extent in which he would go to make him break his resolve. Naraku's fury was not to be tampered with or crossed. If he did not answer soon, he would have to fight him. Teinin was in no condition to fight, his lack of confidence would surely be his downfall.
The apprentice choked out hoarsely for Naraku's hand had tightened bruisingly around his throat, "It...was..the girl..." The blood red eyes that had been so full of hatred widened in disbelief. Silence screamed in the ears for long moments, before Teinin was thrown to the ground, falling into the large slick puddle of blood that had formed underneath them. Naraku took long steps backward, the shock of the information dawning on him. He whirled around, coming face to face with the glass-less window, staring into the dark depths of nightfall with increasing concentration. His mind ran over every detail of having that girl possess the considerable powers of the gods with infinite care, the thoughts of what this might mean for his plan unfolding before him.
While his master was distracted, Teinin took the liberty of beginning the slow process of healing his ravaged body. With the rest of the energy he had left in his body, as little as it was, he allowed it to seep through the wounds and abrasions at an agonizing pace. Under any other circumstances, the healing would have been faster and less painful, but with the extensive blood loss he was pulling energy from his spirit and converting it into something that he could use. He kept his eyes locked on Naraku's back, could almost see the quick calculations going through his mind. In a corner of his mind, Teinin prayed that Naraku would kill him now so that he may rest at last.
He released a gusty breath, his lungs tightening painfully as gravity ripped across them, healing the damages that that demon had done to him. Even now, there in a different world, thoughts of her had him shuddering violently. She would haunt him for the rest of his life, unable to stop picturing that girl's eyes, brilliantly fear evoking. A movement from Naraku brought Teinin away from his musings and he turned his attention to watch him.
A smile had settled on the master's face, twisting it cruelly. It was stiff from a lifetime of evil, almost sarcastic as if it mocked life by its existence. And indeed it did. Something as pure as a smile was reserved for the blessed of heart, the ones that saw life as a jewel to be treasured. It was not meant for the likes of them. That was most likely the reason that Naraku and Teinin were meant to stay with one another, work together for the same goal. Their similarities started there- and ended at that very starting point. At least to Teinin's eyes they did. According to Naraku, they shared nothing. Not even a desire to destroy life. Placing himself at another's level was something that Naraku despised, thinking himself superior to any other being that lived and breathed no matter where they inhabited the universe.
Teinin eyed Naraku suspiciously as he stooped down until they were at equal height, an unusual action for the demon. The notion that Naraku had developed sympathy for him quickly vanished when his fist wrenched his apprentice's long hair painfully so that Teinin's throat was exposed to his smoldering gaze. So it was time. He would die there by Naraku's hand and that would be the end of his puny life span for if you were not remembered by someone in the world, then you never existed. And there was no chance in all of Heaven, Hell, or Earth that his memory would live on in his master's mind. He laughed bitterly at the thought, the irony weaved through it. What a dreamer he had become.
A flash of pearly teeth caught the psychic's eye as he swallowed, the Adam's apple in his throat sliding visibly up and down. But what Teinin felt was not at all what he had expected. Or what he had been partially hoping for. Naraku's tongue ran from the bottom of his jaw to the tip of his collarbone in erotic circles, the wounded nerve endings of his skin intensifying the pleasure of the caress. Against his better judgment, Teinin moaned deep in his throat, lost in the temporary bliss of his paradise.
"Teinin," Naraku purred in that hauntingly gentle voice, "I believe I will spare your life. You just might be of some use to me, after all." Teinin seemed not to hear him, enthralled by Naraku's advances, no matter how false they were. He could afford to enjoy this moment for his master's touch had an electrifying spark that helped him forget the dangerous situation he was placing himself in. He reveled in it for as long as it lasted, then forced back to reality when the biting sting of Naraku's fingernails pierced his flesh. His dream world was shattered.
His master inquired almost casually, "Do you know what this little development means, my loyal apprentice?" Like he expected, Teinin shook his head. But little did Naraku know that Teinin did see the bigger picture. If he had answered in the affirmative that would mean gaining his master's anger once more. It was best for his health if Teinin played the ignorant fool, showing that he knew nothing of what went on in the world. The perfect slave.
Naraku grinned smugly, he had pieced together all of the keys to his kingdom. And all of them were just in his grasp. The girl being the most important, the most vital. For she must be the Maiden of Twilight.
Kagome had no idea who that man was, but she wondered why he had brought her to her own home. When she had opened her eyes, the one thing she had seen was the narrow hallway of her house, quiet as usual except for the muffled hum of the television upstairs. How could he leave her here! Inuyasha needed a hospital, a doctor! She couldn't do anything for him here.
Kagome shakily rose to her feet, bearing the burden of Inuyasha's weight on her own. Slowly she stepped forward, one unsteady foot at a time, trying to take Inuyasha to her bedroom. At least there she would be able to see what had to be done. The distance to the staircase stretched longer and longer, Kagome's legs buckling underneath the weight on her shoulder. She pitched forward suddenly, knees slamming into the hardwood floors. Wincing, she sat there for a moment, too exhausted to move. The powers she had used drained her every ounce of strength, making her weak with fatigue.
Pounding reached her ears and, for a moment, Kagome thought it had to be the terrible headache creeping into her mind. Souta appeared, flying down the stairs, eyes wild with worry when he took in Kagome and Inuyasha.
"Kagome! What happened? Who-!" he sputtered, moving to Kagome's side to shoulder the burden with her. She smiled gratefully at him and together they managed to lift the injured hanyou up the stairs, their muscles straining. Kagome nearly sagged with relief when her bedroom door stood in front of her, beckoning with its silent call.
While Souta held Inuyasha, Kagome stripped her bed of the covers until the soft mattress was exposed, providing something that would help him heal more quickly. They rested his body on it, propping his head with as many pillows as they could find.
While she worked on examining the purpling injuries, Kagome commanded, "Souta bring me warm water, towels, and the first aid kit." He nodded, moving rapidly to do what was asked of him. He didn't know what was happening but he would do all he could to help his older sister.
She sat at the corner of the bed by Inuyasha's side, relieved to be seated on a soft surface. Kagome peeled away Inuyasha's shirt, probing the gashes with a critical eye and gentle fingers. The wounds had stopped bleeding, his body working to clot the injuries. But they were open and oozing a clear liquid that Kagome knew would leave scars. In her mind, Kagome tried to recall what they had taught her in first aid: the procedures, the examinations for injuries and how to treat them. But as hard as she concentrated, what she had learned was coming as a blank. If she didn't relax, Inuyasha wouldn't survive the night. She drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes slowly in meditation.
Souta ran in, lugging all of the supplies she had asked for. He piled them on the bed stand as Kagome carefully placed the bowl of steaming water on the floor beside her and dipped a clean towel in it. She gently cleansed the wounds of the dried blood, focusing all of her attention on the matter at hand. Souta was soon forgotten; one after the other the pile of towels dwindled until Kagome had managed to wash Inuyasha's body thoroughly.
She removed a bottle of disinfectant from the small kit, pouring it onto a cotton ball. Delicately she pressed the solution to one of the injuries and Inuyasha hissed under his breath. Kagome looked at him, but he was still unconscious, lost in the fever that was breaking over his forehead. She would have to act fast seeing the potential danger if the fever spread to his other wounds. Souta stood nearby, watching nervously as Kagome withdrew a needle and thread from the white box.
He swallowed before asking in a small voice, "Kagome? What are you going to do with that?" Kagome glanced at him, almost surprised that he was still in her bedroom.
He paled visibly at her quick answer, "I'm going to stitch up his wounds, Souta so that they heal better." From the corner of her eye, she saw the color leave her little brother's face and she added hurriedly, "I will need you to leave, onii-chan so I can concentrate. This is something I don't think you'd like to see." He nodded vigorously and ran out of the room, determined to check up on her later when she was done. Kagome smiled at him before turning back to Inuyasha. She threaded the large needle, cutting the string with her teeth.
She began the slow process of sewing the largest wounds together, trying as hard as she could to spare Inuyasha as little pain as she was able. Inuyasha seemed to feel every pull of the string, stirring under the pain. What she was doing must have been unfamiliar to him, unable to dampen what his body felt throughout. Kagome, realizing that she couldn't work effectively when he was moving, hummed a small lullaby that her father had used to sooth her and, in turn, she sang to Souta when he had nightmares. It seemed to calm him, his muscles relaxing until he was still once more. She smiled softly and continued with the stitching until the wounds on his stomach had been securely closed up. Seeing the sweat trickle down Inuyasha's forehead, Kagome blotted them away with a damp towel.
Kagome quickly cleaned up, throwing the stained towels into a basket in a corner to be burned later. She retrieved another cloth, soaking it in the now-cool water. She tenderly laid it on his forehead and pressed it down softly. Inuyasha's eyes were gently closed in a sweet sleep. She had seen him before in such a rage that his childlike face looked out of place, but she found that she loved the innocence that played across his features, untouched for moments by what reality had ravaged on his soul. Pulling over his bare chest a thin white sheet, she tucked him in gently before sitting upon a low stool to watch over him. She changed the cloth on his forehead several times over the passing hour, washing his body of sweat and then sitting down once more. Kagome yawned and shook her head a bit, trying to cast aside her sleepiness. Inuyasha was resting peacefully now, his thrashing about had stopped. She could close her eyes for a minute, just a minute...
She felt the call of slumber ring in her ears but Kagome tried to fight it. Slowly, running a hand across Inuyasha's hair to smooth the tangled mop, she felt a sweep of tenderness overcome her. She rested her head on the cool sheets, finding the warmth of Inuyasha and the gently lit room too hard to resist. Her deep velvet blue eyes soon closed and her soul relaxed with Inuyasha's.
When Inuyasha finally opened his eyes the world around him was dark, darker than he had remembered it being. This was not what he had expected. Seeing the unfamiliar plaster ceiling, Inuyasha shot up but didn't make it very far before falling back into the plush pillows. Groaning lightly, he felt the stinging run of pain pulse throughout. He glanced around him instantly recognizing Kagome's room. He shifted his head to the side; seated on a low stool was Kagome. She slept with her head cradled on her arms, her hair spilling over onto the bed sheets. Medical supplies lay strewn around her feet in disarray. Medical supplies...? He lifted his arms in front of his face, studying the long gashes that crawled up them. His eyes glanced lower, touching the stitches gingerly. So he had been more injured than he had thought. Kagome had helped him heal, had saved him when he should have been dead at that very moment. How ironic. Kagome had been the one to protect him when he was supposed to be her savior.
But his thoughts were far away from his injuries. They lingered on Kagome, the powers she had revealed to them. Such awesome energy concealed in a small body, a mortal body no less. But how? It was the same powers that he had detected in their first encounter, the one that had seeped back into her body before he could allow his mind to comprehend it. Inuyasha had only heard of powers she had wielded in legends and mythology. They told of ones that could torture the mind with the darkest fears that a person held in their hearts. They could drive a person to insanity, to mutilate themselves until suicide was the only way to escape their fears. The prophecy of Twilight. If what he was thinking was true then Kagome was the chosen one, the one that would save Madrien from the evil grasp of Naraku. Or destroy it.
Inuyasha swept a hand across his eyes in weariness, his body not fully recovered from the last battle. He fingered the cloth on his forehead, pulling it off. He already felt weak not needing a reminder. He sighed, looking around him once more. His eyes settled on Kagome, seeing clearly the exhaustion finely carved into her features. He couldn't disturb her, not after everything she had done for him. Everything he had done to her. His barbaric words still echoed clearly in his mind, slashing at his heart. He owed her his life, an apology for if he had not been so cruel then she would never have left his side. But how could he convince her that the words he had dared say to her were a way to protect her from him? He was not worthy of her; she needed someone that would treat her like she was meant to be treated. Not a lowly hanyou like himself.
He stroked the hair from Kagome's closed eyes with the back of his finger, his eyes distant and searching for something that was just beyond his reach. There was that feeling again. Every time that he looked at Kagome, he was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with emotions that he had never experienced in his life. Whenever he was with her, he became self-conscious, afraid of doing something wrong. So unlike himself in Madrien. With the women there he was able to satisfy his lust without doubts, an empty void in his heart that he could not seem to fill afterwards. But it never bothered him before because he never knew anything else. That was until Kagome walked into his life. He found himself craving what she only she could give to him, the way she completed his soul whenever he saw her.
"Inuyasha?" a small voice whispered from the darkness. Kagome had awakened to the rustle of bed sheets, the shifting of a body. Afraid that Inuyasha's fever had become worse she had woken quickly. Kagome's eyes widened with disbelief, welling with tears that threatened to spill over. His luminous eyes turned to meet hers in an amused grin, completely unaware of what she had just been through. He struggled to sit up as Kagome launched herself into his arms, winding her own arms around his neck in a tight grip. He winced slightly as she brushed up against his wounds, but he held her close to his body. She was his anchor, his strength that kept him going. The realization made his heart soar amongst the clouds without an end in sight.
A tear of joy ran down her cheek as she embraced him. He was all right! Her shoulders heaved with the force of her sobbing, the sound crushing Inuyasha's heart. He had found that the one thing that destroyed him was Kagome crying. It was something he could not prevent, something that he didn't know how to deal with. Especially when he was the cause of it.
Caressing the back of her head he laughed, "Why the tears, Kagome? Me being hurt couldn't warrant such a response from you because it doesn't matter." Kagome stiffened in his arms, outraged at what he had just dared to joke about. She wrenched her face away from his neck to glare at him with teary ferocity.
"How could you say that! You scared me to death, you idiot! I saw you lying on this bed for an hour, fighting for your life, and it reminded me of dad and I thought... I thought..." she cried at him, unable to find the words to describe just how afraid she had been. Inuyasha gently drew her back to him, enclosing her in the safety of his arms. He regretted his words yet again, seeing that he wasn't able to do or say anything right when he was around her.
He asked gently, "What did you think, Kagome?" In truth he didn't want to know what she had thought. It was clear to him that it was destroying her from the inside out and not just now. It had been lurking in her soul for too long, perhaps months, perhaps years. But he would do his best to comfort her, hold her for as long as it took.
She sniffled, her voice barely above a choked whisper, "I thought you were going to die, Inuyasha. I thought I was going to have to watch another person I care about die." She fisted her hands into the sheets, finally facing the words that she had held back since returning to her home. She had been terrified to realize that maybe she wouldn't be able to save him, no matter how strong he was or how much she tried. Kagome's shoulders shook with the pent up grief, finally able to release what she had kept hidden from the world for so long. Inuyasha's hands tightened around her waist, shifting his body with a pain filled grimace so that Kagome laid across his lap, her ebony head cradled in the crook of his shoulder. His heart was crushed with an invisible hand at how violently her crying racked her slender form.
Inuyasha tried to offer what was left of his heart to comfort her, "Ssshh, I wouldn't have died. I would never leave you, my sweetling." Against his chest, Kagome drew in a shuddering breath to calm herself.
When he was sure that she could speak Inuyasha pleaded simply, "Tell me." There was something that Kagome was hiding deep within her. It was causing her this pain and he wanted to know what it was.
Kagome withdrew slightly. She sat there, silently pondering whether to tell him. Something primitive in her wanted Kagome to reach out to Inuyasha. It wanted her to open up to the one person that seemed to care, to allow him to soothe away years and years of hurt. But the other half screamed refusal at her.
To her own amazement her mouth opened to speak, "They told me that my father died in a car accident, but I don't remember it having happened that way. It has haunted me for a long time now because it couldn't have been an accident. On that day I had asked my dad if he would take me to a new amusement park that had just opened. Naturally he agreed and took me. We had so much fun. Dad went on every ride I wanted to go on no matter how scary it seemed. But I never became frightened because I knew that he was there with me and that he would protect me from my fear." Inuyasha watched as a small smile spread across her face as she lost herself in the happy memory.
"When it was closing time my dad and I got into his car. Before we drove off he handed me a package. I decided I wouldn't open it until I got home. I was trembling all over. While we were on the road I couldn't stand it any longer so I unwrapped it. What I found inside was the best present I ever got. There was a golden locket inside. When my little hands opened the small compartment I saw that he had engraved a message on it. I still don't understand what that message meant, but being eight years old I yelped with glee. My dad took his eyes from the road and looked at me with one of his charming smiles. We were driving at night so, of course, he noticed a bright light coming towards us. He tore his eyes from me and swerved off the road. By that time I had already covered my face with my arms. The last thing I remember were the tires screeching and the windshield exploding.
"When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a large and strange smelling room. Everything was white and it frightened me. My mother, who was seated at my side, saw my eyes open and she started to weep and kiss me. I immediately recalled the accident and demanded to know where my father was. She answered me in a small voice telling me he was in critical care. Before I could say anything, a doctor walked in. He told my mother that I had minor scrapes and bruises, but should stay in the hospital for another week for further examination. So for seven long days I endured the nurses that came and went, fussing over me. But each day I would ask them about Dad and if I could see him. The answers were always the same. Either they said that it wasn't their department or it was no to seeing my dad. Even my own mom refused to let me see him. After that horrible week was over I got to go home.
"I finally got to see my dad two weeks later. A nurse that was looking after his healing process took my hand and lead me to critical care. When I walked through that door what I saw terrified me. My dad was lying on the bed motionless attached to machines. His face that used to be filled with so much color, now was ashen and gray. I ran over to his side. I took his large hand into my tiny ones. The warmth that had circulated through them had been replaced by frigid, unwelcoming ice. For the next three months the only place the nurses, doctors, or my mom could find me was by my dad's side. During those months I carried the hope that if I were near my dad he would feel my presence and wake up. Then, one night, I had gone to the gift shop to buy my dad his favorite flowers." Kagome's voice became a whisper chocked by emotion. Inuyasha strained his ears to hear what she was saying, swallowing at the words that came next.
"As I walked to the door I heard muffled crying. When I took a peek inside I saw my mom kneeling beside my dad's bed sobbing into the sheets. As I started inside the truth hit me suddenly like a truck. My dad had passed away while I had been gone. He had left me without saying goodbye. The flowers slipped from my fingers and drifted to the floor silently. I didn't cry, but merely stood there trembling. The funeral was two weeks later. At the funeral I watched them lower the casket into the ground and that's when my defenses crumbled. Reality abruptly burst into my mind. This all wasn't a dream. dad was dead and he was never coming back. I burst into tears and ran away from the cemetery. No one bothered to come after me. They didn't really care what happened to me.
"I kept running until I stumbled and fell sobbing uncontrollably. I laid on that ground for hours weeping, until my heart hurt too much to go on. As I looked up I found myself surrounded by cherry blossom trees. They seized my pain and grief somehow. I later found out that I was in the Tsugunai Garden. Even though the garden brought me to peace with my emotions, from that day forward I completely closed out the world. I gave up everything that I once loved. Fate captured my dad and held him prisoner. It made him suffer, until it took his last breath. My father, who had been so full of life a few hours before the accident, left me to walk this long journey by myself. And do you know who is to blame for all this? Me. It was all my fault. If I hadn't yelped my dad would never have taken his eyes from the road and we wouldn't have crashed! It's a-all my f-fault!" Kagome gave herself up to the tears. She merely sat there with her hands in her lap, sobbing uncontrollably.
Panic washed over Inuyasha. He was horrified at how violently she was shaking as if she would fall apart at any moment. Not caring to think what he was doing, Inuyasha pulled her face into his chest to muffle her crying. Kagome came without a struggle, leaned against him and cried her heart out in his silky mane, which she clutched with all her might, while his arm wrapped itself around her waist soothingly. He lay there next to her, rubbing her back in small circles in an attempt to comfort her, all the while cursing himself for asking her to tell him.
It ached so much to remember that day. Kagome's heart swelled with the grief. It had become stronger over the years, building up until it threatened to consume her. Inuyasha's brush with death only made that feeling increase, drowning her. Hot tears streaked down Inuyasha's neck, burning him with their anguish. He held her closer to his body, whispering to her in hushed tones.
"It's not your fault, Kagome. You couldn't have done anything. He died to save you and if your father could, I know he'd have done it again. If you're sad, his sacrifice will be in vain." Her crying slowly came to an end. Now that Kagome had revealed her sorrow to someone, her heart did not ache as much. Had Inuyasha really made the difference? For long moments she kept her face buried in his neck, trying to control her hiccups.
Inuyasha's senses filled with the fragrance of the warm, playful tumble of white blossoms that came from Kagome's body. It was like a shy smile across a crowded room... He held her body closer inhaling more of her. When she looked up, he found that her tear-streaked face only enhanced her beauty. One last tear trickled down her cheek. Inuyasha's hand reached out and softly brushed it away. He bent his head to kiss away the trailing shine on her cheeks, the salty flavor causing his own heart to wrench from his chest.
Kagome searched his face for accusations, but there were none. There only reflected understanding in his golden eyes. Without thinking, Kagome reached up to trace Inuyasha's jaw line with exploring fingers. Kagome thought she felt Inuyasha stiffen underneath her touch, but it passed so quickly that she thought she had imagined it. Inuyasha's eyelids closed, reveling in her feathery caress as if that was all that mattered in the universe.
It was all he could do to keep from pushing into her caress. Inuyasha had never known how genuine a woman's touch could be, so full of compassion and sincerity. Inuyasha realized that it could only be a hesitant caress between friends, but the mere softness of it was enough to let him believe that something could blossom out of what they shared. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and pulled her down with him onto the bed. She snuggled into his chest, falling into a deep dreamless sleep. Inuyasha watched her baby-like slumber, marveling at her ethereal beauty, which lit a room that was eternally plagued by darkness. Slowly he, too, drifted off to sleep, but not before tucking Kagome closer to his body to protect her from the sadness that had now seeped into her life once more.
A/N: Well, sorry that is has taken me so long to update. But I made this chapter really long to make up for the last one. It is also really informative and you get to see more of Kagome's past. I don't know if this chapter was really confusing, but it explained a little but of things that are going to happen. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and now, if you please, press the tempting purple button and review!
Translation:
hanyou: half demon