She had a plan. Yes. Was it a good plan? Not really. But it was a plan. All she wanted was to hear how Inuyasha felt about her. And he would tell her something. She didn't care if it was rejection; she'd already prepared herself for the worst. It was better than being stuck in this limbo of uncertainty. Her heart fluttered at the thought of him saying something good. Oh dear! She thought. What if this turned out to be a big mistake and she was just opening her own personal Pandora's Box? No. She couldn't think like that. She needed to know. No matter what the answer was. She just had to put the plan in motion.
"I'm leaving, right now," Kagome said suddenly, everyone's eyes popping up to meet hers as she glanced around quickly, then grabbed her things and ran from the hut.
"What was that?" Sango asked, voicing everyone's thoughts as Inuyasha growled in confusion and got up to follow her.
He turned toward her scent; she wasn't moving very fast. His brows furrowed together as her scent lead away from the direction of the well and instead went toward the dark forest. "Damn her," he snarled as a million thoughts of the danger that was probably enveloping her assaulted his mind.
He followed her slowly for a few minutes, deciding that a little danger might do her some good, before he realized how much danger she was usually in. He darted after her, only to come to a complete stop at the edge of a small clearing. She was standing with her back to him, hands bracing her form against the trunk of a large tree. She didn't move, but he was sure she knew he was there.
He stomped over to her. "What the hell is your problem, woman?" he bit out.
Kagome whipped around, grabbed the front of his haori, and shoved him against the tree. The only reason she'd been able to move him at all was the disgruntling look on her face. Her eyes were set in a determined glare, her lips a firm line. He looked down at her tiny hands that were balled into fist around the red fabric at his chest.
"I'm going to ask you this one time, Inuyasha," she started, her voice dangerously low. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the question. "What are your feelings for me?"
It felt like the world had been ripped from under his feet at her inquiry. Why couldn't she have asked him to do something outrageous? Why couldn't she have asked him to scour the world for something impossible? Anything would have been easier than answering that question.
"Answer me!" she screamed in his face.
He'd never seen her as worked up before. He stared at her in mild horror. What had he done? He wracked his brain for any indication as to what might have brought this on, but he came up short. He watched her eyes, hoping to see an answer there, like he had so many times before. A brief moment of fear flashed through them and he understood. She wasn't angry. She didn't want to be forceful. She just wanted an answer, whatever it may be. Could he give it to her?
Her eyes softened, "I need to know or I can't stay here."
His eyes widened, his heart stopped. "You…" She would leave him if he didn't tell her?
"You heard me," she said, actually angry this time. Yeah, she felt guilty after the look of shock and sadness had reached his gaze, but she couldn't back down. Her heart needed its answer. "Tell me." She frowned. Rejection was never something that could be dulled. It would twang at her heart with each word.
"Don't promises mean a damn thing to you?" he growled in her face. He pushed into her fists with his chest, moving her just a little. She pushed him back roughly, her face contorting in absolute rage, but she stuttered and couldn't come up with an answer.
"Do you want me to tell you how much I love you?" he screamed. "Do you want me to tell you how I never stop thinking about you? Do you want me to tell you about how I dream about you? About how I have to hold my breath when I'm around you because you smell so good, too good. About how I can't do anything without seeing your face? Damn it!"
He forced her away, only enough to send her back a few steps. He'd told her what she wanted to hear, and now he didn't know if he was angry because of that or because he was embarrassed. Before he could say anything else that would upset either of them, he bounded toward the Tree of Ages.
Kagome stood, hands still in fists, eyes wide, mouth open. Had she really heard him say all those things? She turned on her heal and ran in the direction Inuyasha did. The sun was setting as she glanced up into the ancient branches. "Tell me what you said is true," she said, still not able to pinpoint her sullen hanyou. She heard him sigh and he landed behind her. Kagome rested her forehead against the tree, waiting for him to speak.
His voice was rough, low and calculated. Inuyasha had spent the last few minutes debating what to say to her when she came running. He knew she would. "You heard me. And I meant every word." She turned around, but he couldn't meet her eyes. What would she say?
"I thought you were going to tell me you didn't want to lose my friendship, but that there was nothing more," she confessed.
"Why would you ever think that?" he asked. "I swore to protect you and I'd die for you, Kagome. Yes, I would do that for my friends, but it's…" He stopped. Did he really have to explain it all with words? He was terrible at it. That's why he showed her everyday by protecting her and keeping her safe.
She stepped forward, a hesitant motion. "When you asked me to stay with you, how long did you mean?"
He was watching his feet and her question made him stop and consider if she'd really like to hear his answer. He didn't expect her to want to live a life of being shunned because of who she associated herself with. Could he be a curse in his beautiful Kagome's life? No, he shook his head. He couldn't do that to her. She deserved so much more, even if the thought of her being with someone else made his skin tingle with rage.
He looked up at her; his amber eyes smoldering in the sun. When he met her gaze with one of his own, she knew that she was going to get her answer. He whispered, "Forever."
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I thought this was a cute oneshot. I was bored on my lunch break and threw this together. Heh, just something out of nowhere. But, a story nonetheless. So drop me a review and tell me what you think!