Author's Note

What? Two chapters in one month? Who am I? lol. This chapter basically wrote itself. I have a sneaking suspicion you all will enjoy this one. I really enjoyed writing it.

Please read and review!

Lead Me Down the Garden Path

Scar Tissue

Heaviness. Warmth. These were the two sensations that accosted Kagome as her eyelashes fluttered with wakefulness.

Peeking out into the bright rays of light, Kagome shriveled her nose. The heavy, dull lingering of what was once a monstrous headache sat noticeably behind her eyes. Her sight having slowly adjusted to the brightness of the space around her, she allowed her eyes the tedious task of opening further. An overwhelming confusion wrenched in her gut and mind upon noticing she was in her room.

Well, the room Inuyasha had given her at Sengoku Manor.

She was back.

Willing her body to move, Kagome's eyes turned to observe her lower torso, covered with the heftiness of the down duvet. The sheets devoured her figure below her breasts, which were prominent and protruding in her hunter green t-shirt.

When had she changed into pajamas?

Her cheeks flushed.

Who had changed her into pajamas?

Her body was screaming from heat. Forcing her legs to move, Kagome tried to climb out of the covers; however, she stopped just as soon as she started. Her entire body thudded with a monotonous heartbeat from the pain. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Her senses felt slow, delayed, lagging, almost as if she had been drugged. Turning her eyes lazily across the ceiling, Kagome allowed several moments to pass in silence, waiting for the drumming in her body to fade to stillness.

She released a pent up breath. Then, she stifled a cry of gratitude in her throat.

She had been rescued from Jakotsu. She really was back.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Kagome opened her eyes with a new resolve, determined to cool down her increasing body temperature. Lowering her eyes, as her arms mimicked the gesture and lowered the sheets, Kagome's coffee orbs widened with surprise: it wasn't the duvet making her feel warm and weighted-down, it was an arm casually draped across her mid-section, rising with each of her breaths.

Kagome's rounded eyes admired the sheer masculinity of the limb. The rigid, broad-knuckled digits of the hand. The crossroads of pronounced veins that ran the length of the forearm. The almost-gold, fine hairs barely visible against the peachiness of the flesh.

Her eyes climbed to the elbow, then the bicep, and then the shoulder. When her sights finally landed on the sleeping face of Inuyasha, Kagome's senses and heart softened.

How were they back at the house? When did they return?

The last thing Kagome remembered was leaning against the trunk of the large tree while Inuyasha and Jakotsu tried to dominate the other. She remembered the all-consuming gravity of her feelings: her resolve to accept Inuyasha. Accept his past. Accept how she felt for him.

Her eyes slowly drifted over his facial features, and she smiled.

He really had come for her after all. He really had saved her from Jakotsu.

Forcing her mind to forget the grotesque words Jakotsu had thrown at her viciously, Kagome willed her mind to focus on the present. Her eyes couldn't bear to leave the sight of him, taking in the shape of his eyes, the curve of his nose.

She studied his features with an intimacy never previously granted to her.

His eyelashes fluttered delicately against defined cheekbones. Dark eyebrows contrasted the languid silver tresses that framed his face. His lips, slightly dampened from drool, parted as barely audible breaths passed through them.

Kagome's stomach tightened with the sudden desire to kiss him.

There had never been a time Kagome recalled seeing him so at peace. Her eyes observed lines in his forehead and between his eyebrows, ragged from years of frowning. Smiling, she took notice of the fainter lines around his eyes, signalling years of grinning.

Her heart yearned for him more in that moment than it ever had. His body didn't feel close enough to hers. The words her mind used to comprehend her feelings for him were inadequate.

Her body cluing in to how tremendously warm she was, Kagome grimaced. She slowly wiggled her leg until it emerged from the sheets, at the side of the bed. Feeling Inuyasha's arm move across her stomach, Kagome flinched and turned her head towards him.

Half-lidded golden spheres confronted her questioningly.

"You're awake," his groggy voice uttered.

"Did I wake you?" She asked with wide, apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry."

His jaw extended in a wide yawn he concluded with a smack of his lips. He rolled more prominently onto his side to face her, his arm never leaving her stomach.

"Nah, I just didn't feel like sleepin' anymore."

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Kagome's brain observed that Inuyasha was shirtless beside her. The duvet casually draped across his waist, and her heart pounded at the unanswered question of what he was wearing—if anything—on his lower torso.

"How are you feeling, Kagome?"

Hearing her name drew her out of her asinine thoughts. A soft pink coated her cheeks.

"Headachy," she responded with a sigh. "Tired. My body just generally hurts."

"Your wrist?"

That's right. Jakotsu's nasty prank of pushing her down that hill had caused her to break her wrist. For the first time, Kagome thought to scour her body to inspect herself. Her eyes widened and teared-up when she noticed the off-white plaster cast surrounding her hand and wrist. Rubbing her fingertips along the coarse material, Kagome closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing and her increasing heartbeat.

"I didn't want to believe I'd actually broken it," she exhaled. "I don't even remember getting the cast put on." She turned her eyes expectantly to Inuyasha for answers.

"Miroku arranged for Kaede and a medic to be ready for us when we got back," he offered willingly. "Kaede set you straight—" Kagome winced at the words. "—and the medic casted you."

Feeling a tingle in her dry throat, Kagome turned her face away from him to cough, raising her un-casted hand to her lips. As her neck met Inuyasha's gaze, his arm lifted from her belly to caress the bruises on her neck from where Jakotsu had choked her.

"I'd fucking kill him again if I could," Inuyasha hissed. The comment drew Kagome's eyes to his, a softness and a fearful understanding meeting his haggard gaze.

A part of her knew Inuyasha had killed him. It was an unneeded thing to say, a simple truth Kagome could have willingly accepted but never needed him to voice in confirmation.

Raising her hand to her own neck, Kagome winced as clumsy fingers poked the mauve-tinted welts.

"I—" she paused, "—I don't remember—"

Why couldn't she remember Jakotsu choking her? Jakotsu dying? Was her mind trying to protect her from those memories?

"—Do you remember what happened, Kagome? At the tree? When I found you?"

I don't…

Her eyebrows furrowed with an alarmed, questioning gaze given in response.

Inuyasha nodded. "When I first found you, you had stabbed that asshole in the arm with a twig because he was…He had his hands around…"

Inuyasha left the words unspoken as he continued to lavish gentle caresses across her neck. He hated how some of the discolouration looked like a handprint, fingerprints.

Kagome nodded best she could despite her headache and the battered muscles in her neck. "That explains why my throat is so sore."

Inuyasha's face grew dim, his lips tightly drawn. His fingers continued their ministrations on her neck in an attempt to comfort her.

"Why aren't—" Inuyasha began after a moment's silence. He retracted his hand from her so quickly it almost startled her. His tone darkened with furrowed eyebrows. "I'm surprised you're not throwing me out of here."

She shot him an incredulous look. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's my fault that bastard took you, hurt you," he spat. "I will never for—"

Inuyasha's words disappeared at the feel of Kagome's palm cupping his cheek, her thumb lazily caressing his cheekbone. She was grateful her action silenced him. She didn't want the gentleness that existed between them to disappear because of Inuyasha's swayable temperament.

"I don't," she paused to lick her lips, "I don't want to hear you talk like that, okay, Inuyasha?"

His heart beat feverishly in his chest, his eyes playing tennis between her scrutiny and the growing flush on her cheeks.

"I don't want to talk about it. Okay?" Her poignant gaze turned downwards to the sheets. Her palm remained in place on his cheek, her face still flushed. "Not a single thing that happened was your fault, and I don't want to hear you blame yourself."

He nodded dumbly, mentally cursing himself for feeling his resolve melt away childishly.

Sighing, Inuyasha removed her bangs from her forehead, running his knuckles across her temples and down the side of her face. Kagome closed her eyes and relished the feel of his touch against her skin.

"I'm just so fucking relieved you're okay," he whispered hotly, his eyes turned away from hers. "I keep," he paused, "I keep seeing it—him trying to hurt you. And I just—fuck! I can't stand it, Kagome. Thinkin' that I almost never saw you again."

"Please don't talk like that, Inuyasha," Kagome begged, shuffling her body closer to his. Her hand left his cheek to rest on his shoulder. His skin scorched her palm on contact. "I don't want to think about him," she whimpered, tears coating her eyelashes but not shedding. "I don't want to think about what happened, what he said about you."

Her voice caught in her throat as unsaid words bottlenecked inside her. Inuyasha understood the pleading tone of her voice and he reached for her in response. Wrapping clumsy arms around her, careful not to aggravate her injuries, Inuyasha pulled her into his chest. Closing his eyes, he squeezed her as softly as he could, wanting her to feel the embrace, to understand the words he wanted to say but couldn't phrase.

He could feel her breath against his sternum. Her hair tickled his chin. Her nose indented just below his collarbone. He could feel the graininess of her cast against his pecs; the reminder of her injury reignited the antagonizing guilt he felt and tried to contain.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she mouthed into his skin. Her breath burnt into his flesh. "I don't even know what to say."

He could hear in her voice the tears she was trying to withhold. As she whispered another thank you, tears found a way to escape from the ducts in her eyes and she was quick to raise her uninjured hand, swiping them away.

"I'm sorry," she choked out in a small laugh. "I didn't mean to cry on you."

With gawky fingers, she tried to wipe away the tears that had dripped onto Inuyasha and glistened against his chest. Inuyasha exhaled gruffly, catching her fingers in his and bringing them to his lips. Kagome flushed as she felt his breath and then his lips against her fingertips. She closed her eyes and felt her tense body slowly unwind as Inuyasha released her hand and drew her into his chest, into a hug, once more.

"You don't need to apologize, stupid," he chastised. His tone was warm and Kagome smiled, hearing the endearment and the smirk in his voice.

She sighed and allowed herself to be held, enjoying the feel of his heat and his arms, enjoying the feel of his skin against her cheek.

"I really needed this," she said softly almost inaudibly, tucking her hands underneath her chin.

"Whatever you need, Kagome," he responded, bringing his hand to rest on the back of her neck. "I'll give you whatever you need. Just ask."

She shook her head, smiling, blushing. "This is good for now."

For now, his mind echoed, resting his chin on her head, his eyes bearing into the wall in front of him.

Closing his eyes, he tried to quell the emotions and the arousal pooling in his stomach. He hated how easily his fear melded into excitement. Mentally warning his body to nip his growing erection in the bud, Inuyasha knew it wasn't about what he wanted right now. If she gave the word, he would do anything for her. Even if that meant holding her like this until she had enough of him.

"You're really warm, Inuyasha," she exhaled with a small chuckle. "It's like hugging a furnace."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, well, you're so tiny I feel like I'm about to break you."

Kagome snorted back at him. "I'm not that tiny."

"Compared to me you are," he retorted. "Even your hands are dainty little things."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't necessarily say they're dainty."

"Sure they are," he quipped. "Look at them compared to mine."

Lifting his hand from her back, Inuyasha implored her arm from its cradle underneath her chin. Kagome watched with bashful eyes as her palm met the coarseness of Inuyasha's palm. Her eyes took stock of how fragile her thin digits seemed in the shadow of his calloused fingers.

"See? Like little twigs."

"They're not twigs," she cried indignantly, laughing.

Gesturing to move her hand away, she stopped when Inuyasha's fingers bent to clasp onto hers. Kagome licked her lips as she watched their fingers slowly intertwine before her eyes.

She suddenly grew very self-conscious of how vividly her heart was pounding in her chest.

"I don't remember coming home," Kagome muttered. She couldn't take her eyes off their conjoined hands.

Home, Inuyasha's mind echoed. He could feel his heart thumping wildly. He couldn't recall a time in his life where he felt so at ease, and simultaneously so fragile.

"You passed out pretty quick," he replied. "Don't really blame you after the day you had."

"Did I put myself to bed?"

There it was. The question she felt nervous, scared, and yet bold to ask. She waited hungrily for the answer to her suspicions.

"No," he answered, drawing a thud from her heart. "You were out-cold so I had to carry you in here. Sango got you into bed though."

"Sango," Kagome mimicked, her mind racing. "But, um—" she licked her lips. How should she put this? "But, how did you—I mean, you and me in—That's to say, when did you get in bed with—"

Kagome's face was beet red watching Inuyasha lower their joined hands onto the duvet.

"You—you don't remember?" he stuttered. He was grateful her forehead rested against his chest so she couldn't see the embarrassment on his face. "Sango said you asked for me."

"I did?"

He nodded dumbly. "She said you were scared to go to bed alone. She said—" he paused to lick his lips. "—She said you wanted me to sleep with you."

Kagome's heart leapt into her throat.

"That's embarrassing," she murmured into his chest.

He laughed at her words, feeling his emotions steel themselves with a sudden boldness. "You know nothing happened, right?"

She raised her head to look him in the eye. He felt his heart drop into his stomach at her combined look of discomfiture, vulnerability, and arousal. He swallowed.

"I would never do anything to make you uncomfortable, Kagome."

"I know that," she breathed, turning her eyes away.

Inuyasha caught her cheek in his palm and urged her gaze to meet his. "I mean it. I would never do anything to hurt you, Kagome."

"I know that," she repeated. "It's just," she paused, her cheeks flushed. "Did I really phrase it that way?"

Inuyasha laughed through his nose at her, unable to hide the smirk on his face. "Why? Does it embarrass you that you told Sango you wanted to sleep with me?"

Kagome gulped. The insinuation of his words caused her Kegel muscles to contract.

"Sleep-sleep with me," Kagome pressed, her face flushed in a pout.

Inuyasha smirked. "You don't remember going to bed at all. How would you remember what you meant?"

Kagome looked at him with alarm in her eyes. "I didn't try to—Oh God, please tell me I didn't—"

Inuyasha interrupted her words with a laugh and he placed a reassuring kiss against her forehead.

"Relax, stupid," he coaxed with a smirk. "You didn't do anything. I didn't do anything. We just slept."

Why do I wish that something had happened? Her mind questioned. She turned her eyes to trace the veins in his bicep while her thoughts turned inward.

Closing her eyes, her mind was assaulted with unwanted thoughts; concepts Kagome didn't want to endure came to the forefront of her mind. Sharing a bed with Inuyasha made her question how many women he really had slept with, been with in the same intimate embrace he now held her. Jakotsu's words about Inuyasha and Kikyou formed a knot in her stomach. She felt overwhelmed at the notion he and Kikyou had been together for years and not even Kikyou had been able to change Inuyasha.

Change Inuyasha.

Was Jakotsu right? Did she really intend to change him?

Kagome felt so out of her depth it made her quiver with insecurity.

Mistaking her shivering for feeling cold, Inuyasha released her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders. In response, Kagome's eyes fell to inspect the abandoned palm, her skin itching for his warmth again.

"Do you need me to get you anything, Kagome? Are you hungry?"

His words made her sigh and she offered him an appreciative smile. She knew she needed to keep her distance from those depression-inducing thoughts. She needed that. Inuyasha needed that.

"No," she replied softly, turning her eyes downwards in embarrassment. "I'm okay. I don't want you to go. This," she paused, her cheeks flaming, "this is nice."

Inuyasha swallowed, becoming suddenly aware of how warm his own face felt.

"You really should eat soon," he chastised to hide his nervousness. "You slept for a really long time."

"How long?"

"A day and a bit."

"What?" she cried, turning puzzled eyes to look at him. "You're joking—there's no way I could have slept for more than a day!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her. "Why would I joke about that?"

"And you—" she blushed, "—You stayed that whole time?"

"Well, yeah," he replied huffily, scratching at his cheek. "You told me you wanted me to stay with you."

"But—but," she blubbered, "What about food? And you know," she blushed, "other stuff?"

Inuyasha shrugged lazily. "I pretty much dozed the whole time. Didn't really think about it."

She relaxed within his arms and rested her blushing cheek against his chest once more. Her body was starting to warm, but feeling his body so close to hers made her want to endure the heat some more.

As silence lingered between them, Kagome tried to wrap her mind around the idea that she had been asleep for a whole day.

Why couldn't she remember coming back? Sango putting her bed? Her asking for Inuyasha? As Kagome furrowed her brows in an effort to focus her mind on the previous days' events, her eyes widened with clarity as faint bouts of consciousness and memories teased their way to the present.

She remembered looking out through groggy eyelashes, bearing witness to Miroku with his arm in a tourniquet, directing men who placed corpses in the back of the van. Kagome remembered the feeling of arms wrapped around her shoulders and under the backs of her knees, keeping her in place as the van shook from the weight of bodies eased into the trunk. She remembered Sango's bloody lip coming into view as the girl kissed Kagome's forehead in gratitude she was alive. Kagome recalled hearing the soft hisses and groans escaping Inuyasha's mouth and throat as a man stitched Inuyasha's hand closed while in the van.

"I think I remember the car ride home," she said suddenly, turning her eyes to his face.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her in response. "I'm not really surprised. You seemed to have your eyes open for a while there."

Her cheeks instantly warmed at the recollection of Inuyasha holding Kagome within his arms, keeping her stationary on his lap during the ride. She thought she remembered hearing Inuyasha growl someone away at the mention of taking Kagome away from him.

"You aggravated your injury," she chastised softly, reaching behind her in search of his hand. She spoke to force her mind from her embarrassing thoughts.

Inuyasha watched her grip his wrist and raise the limb to her vision. He rotated his hand to observe the coarse, black, barbed-wire-looking lining in his skin. "It looks worse than it feels," he remarked. "Can barely feel the damn thing."

"What about Sango and Miroku?" she asked, releasing his arm. "Are they okay?"

Inuyasha's eyes darkened in memory. "A kobun went after Sango; she put up a good enough fight for a while."

Sango was physically fighting? Kagome's mind lurched, her stomach turning with nausea at the idea.

"The asshole knocked her around, I guess, splitting her lip. Miroku was there to see it and punched him out cold." Inuyasha snorted. "That idiot injured his already gimp hand in the process."

Kagome's eyes watered for her friends. "But everybody's okay?"

Inuyasha nodded. "We're fine, Kagome. You got the worst of it."

Kagome cringed as her eyes turned to survey her casted hand again.

"I don't even know how to say thank you," she whispered, her eyes stinging from withheld tears. "You guys came for me. I don't even know what would have happened if—"

"—If I'm not allowed to go there, Kagome, neither are you." He turned his face away from her angrily. "I don't want to hear about what that fucker did you. All's I know is he's dead and good-fucking-riddance to him."

Kagome leaned away from Inuyasha, her palm resting against his chest. She wanted to see his whole face.

"Other than my wrist, I really am okay, Inuyasha—you don't need to worry."

Inuyasha growled and loosened his grip on her until his left arm lay under her pillow and his right dangled around her waist.

"You don't get it though," he cursed. "I do need to worry. This shit is far from over, Kagome. There's still two of them left—three if you count Naraku."

"We'll be safe if we stay here, won't we? I won't leave again. We can—"

"—Damn straight you won't leave again," Inuyasha snapped, interrupting her. "Do you have any idea what you fucking did to me when you left like that? To find out that motherfucker took you because you left?"

Kagome scoffed. "That's some selective memory you got there, Inuyasha. Don't you remember why I left? Sure, you had every right to be pissed at Souta—I mean, I was pissed at him—but to get physical with him like that? It was completely unnecessary!"

"Unnecessary?" He barked. "Slapping me was unnecessary!"

Her cheeks reddened. "Yeah, well, you made me angry. And if it makes you feel any better, I didn't enjoy hitting you." Her demeanour softened as she withdrew into herself. "I really regret doing that."

Inuyasha raised his arm from her waist and covered her hand where it rested on his chest. Kagome's eyes bore into the gesture.

"Can you forgive me, Inuyasha?" she muttered softly.

Inuyasha sighed. "There's nothing to forgive, Kagome. We both acted like idiots."

"I still feel badly," she sighed. "I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I shouldn't have run like that."

"Just shut up about it," he scolded, pulling her into his chest once more. She blushed at the feeling of his breath against her scalp from where his lips rested. "Why do you keep having to remind me you chose to leave?"

"I don't want to leave," Kagome flushed, her heart drumming rampantly from his word choice. "I could—" she paused, closing her eyes as his scent overran her senses and left her momentarily speechless. "—I could stay like this all day if I was able to."

"Nothing's stopping us," Inuyasha offered. Kagome shivered as he ran his fingers up and down her arm.

"We've been in bed for a day," Kagome objected with red cheeks.

"It's actually been more than day," he corrected.

Kagome snorted. "All the more reason we should get up and go check on the others."

"You don't enjoy being in bed with me, Kagome?"

She swallowed. "I didn't say that."

"Then why are you in such a rush to leave?"

"I'm not in a rush." She could feel her heart vibrating against her sternum, echoing through her stomach.

"Feh—you sure sound like it."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Stop trying to pick a fight, Inuyasha."

"I'm not!"

She laughed and allowed herself to snuggle closer into his chest. She closed her eyes relishing the feel of Inuyasha's palm stroking her back. She inhaled and sighed as she released the breath. She didn't realize how comforting Inuyasha's scent was.

"That feels really nice," she sighed contently.

"If you roll over I can give you a better back rub."

He didn't need to tell her twice. Wincing slightly as she turned over, Kagome couldn't fight back the smile on her face as she felt the mattress indent from Inuyasha's movements behind her. She felt his arm slither away from under her pillow so he could sit up on his elbow. Her throat released a satisfied moan when she felt his large, warm hands bend around the back of her neck and roll his thumbs into her shoulders.

Inuyasha chuckled at her. "You should watch those noises," he warned with an aroused glint in his eye. "You may give people in the hall the wrong impression."

Kagome's body cringed causing Inuyasha to laugh and he patted her shoulder comfortingly, assuring her he was teasing her.

"You shouldn't joke about things like that," Kagome groaned, burrowing her face partly into her pillow in embarrassment. Inuyasha continued to massage his hands across her back.

"Why not?"

It's embarrassing, she thought. Why does he keep teasing me about sexual stuff?

Leaving his question unanswered, Kagome allowed her body to sway with the pressure of his actions. Inuyasha didn't feel like pushing the matter.

"Am I applying too much pressure, Kagome?"

She shook her head. "No, your hands feel amazing." She flushed afterwards at her own choice of words. Inuyasha smirked with reddened cheeks, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself.

Pushing the duvet below Kagome's tailbone, he felt her jump when his hand brushed skin revealed by her upraised t-shirt.

"Did I scare you?" he smirked.

She didn't respond, not sure what she could say other than she liked the feeling of his hands on her naked skin. She debated asking him to do it again.

"I don't know how you girls sleep in things like this," he queried, picking at her t-shirt. "The thing is so damn tight I don't know how it can possibly be comfortable to sleep in."

Kagome half-heartedly shrugged. "It varies, I guess. T-shirts, nightgowns, nothing—"

The word was already out of her mouth and propelled into the universe before Kagome could catch herself. She hid her face in the pillow, her face burning with shame. She didn't want to imagine the look on his face right now. A part of her wished he maybe hadn't heard her.

"I remember the nightgown," he said, his husky tone causing her stomach to clench. "I see the t-shirt," he continued, rubbing his hand up her tricep, pushing his fingers up her sleeve to caress her shoulder. "But nothing," he teased, his warm tone heightened with amusement. "I can't say I've seen that one yet."

A laugh flew from Inuyasha's mouth upon hearing Kagome groan with mortification.

"You make it too easy, Kagome."

"You enjoy teasing me too much," she accused, rolling over to peek at him over her shoulder.

"I thought you liked being teased."

Kagome didn't know when the seduction enraptured them both, but it was inclosing them now. It was all she could see, all she could think, all she could feel.

Inuyasha retracted his hands from her as he watched her roll over to face him. She clutched her hands together underneath her chin, her eyes dancing between his.

Closing the distance between them, Inuyasha's thumb caressed the red-scabbed inflammation on Kagome's chin. He became suddenly overwhelmed with nostalgic feelings of incompetence and hopelessness. He hadn't before known that fear could be paralyzing. Yet, he had been immobilized. His mind had reached the worst assumptions of where Kagome had been taken, what had been done to her.

"Does it hurt?"

Kagome withdrew from her own internal thoughts to understand that Inuyasha was referring to the scratch on her chin.

"Not especially," she responded.

Inuyasha's fingers languidly wandered from her chin to trace his thumb across her lips. "What about here?"

She shook her head. She could only feel her heart ravaging itself in expectation.

"And here?" he asked, tracing his fingers across her cheekbones.

"No," she exhaled. Her eyes continued to pulse between his.

"Good," he breathed, straining his neck forward to place a gentle kiss on her chin.

Kagome opened her mouth to gasp, but before a sound could escape, Inuyasha's lips found hers and placed the gentlest kiss upon them. Not giving her enough time to pucker her own lips in response, Inuyasha deserted her lips to caress his own across her cheek. She could feel the warmth and softness of his kiss on her cheekbone.

"Inuyasha, I—"

What began as her turning to address him—to stumble her way through a confession of her feelings—quickly turned into a delicate kiss, instigated by Inuyasha. His hand landed on the small of her back, goading her towards him until there was nowhere left for her body to go. Her breasts kneaded into the firmness of his chest, and Kagome's hand shot up to the back of his neck, pulling his lips into hers.

She was desperate to feel him.

His fingers tickled and massaged the skin of her back underneath her t-shirt. His tongue gently lapped at her entrance, softly persuading her to let him inside. Her tongue thrust at his, meeting him in the middle, stroking the tip of his tongue, the sides of it, the buds atop it.

He smiled and laughed against her mouth, raising his arm to affectionately rub her shoulder.

"Why are you laughing?" she accused, a smile drifting across her own features. Her reddened cheeks and glazing eyes sought his for an answer.

"What? I can't be happy?"

She smiled at him. "I didn't say that."

"Then shut up."

His lips were on hers again. While rolling onto his back, he simultaneously tugged on her bicep so she was partially on top of him. Feeling her wince against his mouth he immediately stopped and opened his eyes with concern.

"Kagome?"

"I'm fine," she answered immediately. "Bouncing across a truckbed was hard on my hips."

She tried to make the comment amusing, but she watched his face transform into a pained expression.

"I'm sorry," she spoke quickly with creased brows, "I shouldn't have said that."

Inuyasha withdrew from her nippily. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his back facing her. Kagome's eyes surveyed the newfound flesh of his back, taking note of the waistband of his sweatpants.

"Inuyasha?"

"When I first found that truck—saw the doors open, trunk open, those fucking bindings," he cursed, "I didn't know what to make of it. Honestly, I don't really think I thought too much about it at first. I was just pissed that he tied you up."

Kagome's eyes dropped to her wrist, observing the purple indentation encircling the flesh from where she was bound. Her thoughts then jumped to think about her ankles, knowing that she had made herself bleed in her efforts to kick open the trunk or draw attention to herself. She suddenly grew very self-conscious about her body.

"But hearing you acknowledge that you were in the trunk, like," he paused, "like fucking luggage—"

His words trailed off, leaving the room in an intense silence that gave Kagome goosebumps.

"Inuyasha," she called. Her heart was pounding. "Look at me."

He turned to look over his shoulder at the same time her reaching fingers made contact with his spine.

"I don't want you to think of me like that," she uttered quietly with descending eyes. "I don't want you see me as some useless, weak, pathetic girl." She could feel the tears spooling within her chest.

I want you to look at me with longing, like I'm sexy, desirable, confident enough to give you what you want. I want you to see me as a woman who can please a man.

"Please don't look at me like that," she cried, turning her face away from his wounded eyes. She inwardly growled at feeling a tear succumb down her cheek. She wiped at it viciously.

"Don't cry, Kagome," Inuyasha begged, turning back towards her, leaving one foot planted on the floor. "You don't know what the sight of your tears does to me."

"Yeah, well, it's not really the greatest feeling when one second I feel wanted and the next I'm self-conscious because I feel like I'm just this little weakling to you."

Inuyasha widened his eyes at her. He hadn't expected to hear such honesty from her lips. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"You listen to me, Kagome," he commanded, turning his body so he was fully on the bed. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

Kagome felt him reach for her uninjured hand, forcing her to face him. He reached forward to wipe a tear from her cheek.

"You have no idea how much you are wanted; don't you dare think otherwise." Cupping her cheek in his palm, he sighed. "I don't think of you as a weakling, Kagome. If anything, it's the opposite. You make me feel like a fucking pup. When you're here, I can protect you. But, when Jakotsu took you away from me, and we didn't know where you were—I was scared."

"Inuyasha," she spoke with astonishment, her watery eyes rounded.

He paused, searching the duvet for answers. "I hate feeling weak," he griped. "I hate feeling need and desperation. And you do that to me, Kagome. You just fucking look at me with your eyes and I'm—I'm fucking done."

What the hell am I doing? His mind reeled. How is any of this coming out? What am I saying? Am I trying to scare her off? Inuyasha, you fucking wuss.

Kagome's feelings and impulses craved Inuyasha so corporeally in that moment, her body acted on autopilot. She was immediately on her knees, facing him. She reached for him, entwining her fingers in his hair, drawing him into her lips in such a heated kiss she thought her emotions would cause her heart to burst from her body.

"Fuck, Kagome," he hissed into her mouth.

His hands ravaged her back, underneath her shirt. His hands burned from the touch of her skin, drawing him back to when the two of them were submerged in his Jacuzzi.

He wanted to be one with her more in that moment than he had ever desired anything in his whole life. He wanted to make love to her more than he had ever wanted revenge, wanted peace from his warring life.

Biting down on her bottom lip and suckling it with his tongue and teeth, Kagome winced, uttering "ow" into his mouth. Withdrawing from her, his aroused, emotive golden orbs affixed on hers, and he sighed against her face, resting his forehead against hers.

"Sorry," he mumbled with pink cheeks. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She laughed softly, nuzzling his nose with hers. "There're worse ways to hurt me. You just got a little carried away."

Inuyasha smirked at her before his brows dipped upwards questioningly, watching her turn to look at the door behind them.

Her cheeks flushed as her eyes then turned to gaze at her fidgeting fingers. "In all the excitement, I don't think I realized until now I need to use the facilities."

Inuyasha nodded in understanding. He stood quickly from the bed and rounded the mattress, standing in front of Kagome and offering his hands out to her to help her stand.

Grimacing as her feet made contact with the floor, Kagome took a limping couple of steps before turning her gaze to Inuyasha.

"As much as I've enjoyed hiding away in here with you," she paused to blush, "I really do think it's about time I readied myself to join the rest of humanity. Do you," she paused again, "do you think you could help me run a bath?"

Inuyasha smiled warmly at her before nodding.

Before he could even speak, a flush overtook Kagome's face and she was quick to add, "I should be fine to bathe myself. I just need some help with—"

"—Don't worry, Kagome," Inuyasha smirked. "I wasn't planning on imposing.

"Come on," he offered, unlocking the door and holding it open to her.

Kagome passed through the threshold with a pink face, her mind circling the fact that she had been inside a locked bedroom with Inuyasha for over a day.

As Kagome entered the hallway, she could hear the sounds of an active household. Somewhere below her, she could hear a vacuum, and conversations amongst a group of people. The light around her was so bright as she made her way down the hall towards the bathroom that Kagome suspected it had to be midday. When she and Jakotsu had been standing at the side of the road, it had just been daybreak. Kagome realized this to mean that she had been in bed for just over a day and a half. The thought was astounding.

Limping into the bathroom, Kagome could sense Inuyasha behind her. Turning slowly, her eyes widened to see his arms full of clothing. She could especially make out a pair of blue jeans and a creamsicle-coloured bra. Watching a bare-chested Inuyasha storm past her into the bathroom, her cheeks flushed at the idea he had been rooting around in her underwear drawer to find that particular item of clothing.

The sound of rushing water drew her thoughts out of her introspection. Watching Inuyasha leaning over the bathtub, running his fingers through the water and adjusting the temperature as necessary, caused her Kegel muscles to pulse wantonly. She so desperately craved him, wanted to feel him, like she had only a few days ago in his Jacuzzi tub. But, she knew the current circumstances were different. Getting into the bathtub, Kagome realized having Inuyasha with her wasn't a good idea. She wouldn't be able to focus her attentions on acting demure, sensuous, or seductive. She'd be wincing, washing her wounds, preoccupied to keep her cast out of the water while washing herself with a cloth.

That was not how Kagome wanted Inuyasha to actually and legitimately see her naked for the first time.

"Water's ready," Inuyasha called, pulling Kagome out of her contemplations.

"Thank you," she sighed with a smile. She turned to see her clothes piled on the vanity counter, a towel and a small washcloth perched on the corner of the porcelain tub.

"You sure you're okay on your own?" he asked, a pink hue on his cheeks while his eyes turned to scour her cast.

Kagome mimicked his blush, but nodded her head. "I'll be fine."

Inuyasha nodded in response. "I'll be downstairs when you're done."

"Downstairs?" she echoed with a tilt of her head.

Inuyasha stared thoughtfully at the ceramic tile. "I need to go find Miroku. We need to figure out our next plan of attack."

Kagome's eyes widened at his words, but he shook his head at her, and urged her closer to the bathtub.

"We can talk about it later. You look after yourself, Kagome."

Nodding at him, Kagome turned her eyes to the welcoming sight of steaming bath water. Looking down at her feet, Kagome felt her eyes prickle with angry tears at the bloodied wounds orbiting her ankles.

With a heightened resolve, Kagome gripped the hem of her t-shirt with her uninjured hand, lifting it to her midsection, and pausing in a moment of panic to debate how she would raise the garment over her head without the use of her other hand.

Hearing a snorted laugh behind her, Kagome turned with widened eyes to see Inuyasha reclose the bathroom door and approach her.

"Need help?"

Kagome shook her head with enflamed cheeks. "I can get it."

"You sure?" he goaded. "You look like you're struggling."

Licking her lips as she weighed her options, Kagome found that her biggest reservation was Inuyasha seeing her in her bra.

You moron, she thought. He's seen you in a bathing suit before. What's the difference?

Feeling her heart flutter in her stomach, Kagome shyly nodded, stating his help would be appreciated.

Instructing her to raise her arms above her head, Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat as he grabbed the hem of Kagome's shirt and raised it above her midriff, her breasts, her shoulders, her elbows, and carefully finagled the material around her cast.

Feeling his member harden in his sweatpants, Inuyasha was quick to relinquish her discarded shirt to her, which Kagome held onto in front of her. Her eyes lowered and her body felt heated from his gaze.

Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to grab onto her waist and pull her to him. But, he needed to demonstrate discretion and get himself under control. He couldn't allow his loins to determine his actions.

"Good?" he asked. Inuyasha was just grateful he didn't stutter.

Kagome nodded bashfully, thanking him with a quiet voice.

Turning her back to him, Kagome kept her t-shirt in front of her, reaching around her with her good hand with the intent to unclasp her bra.

Fidgeting with her thumb and forefinger, Kagome hadn't realized she had muttered under her breath, "How the hell do guys do this with one hand?"

A boisterous laugh from Inuyasha caused Kagome to turn with a start. His warm, smiling eyes met hers and he shook his head at her.

"Need some more help?"

Kagome flushed. This was so embarrassing.

"Can you unclasp my bra for me?" she licked her lips and tried to swallow simultaneously.

Inuyasha took a deep breath to steel himself, to force himself to keep his eyes open. He couldn't allow her to see just how much her words affected him.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he nodded, taking hesitant steps towards her. His eyes examined her belly button and all the skin he was able to see around her t-shirt. Watching her turn her back to him, Inuyasha felt wordless at the allure of her long black tresses drawn over one shoulder, and her creamy, ashen skin and white bra straps. It took all of his willpower not to run his hands down her arms and fondle every bit of skin visible to him.

Smirking from the side of his mouth, Inuyasha raised one hand and, masterfully, unclasped her bra.

"It's easy to do it with one hand with a little practice, Kagome."

Even though he couldn't see her face, he could feel her rolling her eyes at him, causing him to laugh.

"Thanks—er—for your help, Inuyasha."

Turning from her quickly, before his hands developed a mind of their own, Inuyasha sought sanctuary by the bathroom door. Opening the door and reiterating that he'd see her downstairs when she was done, Inuyasha was quick to close the door behind him. Releasing a heavy exhale, he leaned his back against the closed door.

Closing his eyes and licking his lips, he didn't want to have to emerge from this moment with Kagome. But, he knew the next steps were necessary, especially for Kagome's sake. Taking off towards the stairs, Inuyasha decided he needed a few minutes alone before heading downstairs to find Miroku. Leaping up the stairs two and a time, Inuyasha headed for his room, his mind on Kagome.

He knew for the rest of his life, that image would forever be scarred into his memory. Kagome's beautifully defined spine—her naked back—emerging from the loose ends of her unfastened bra, and her slowly, painfully slowly, lowering the straps down her bare arms.

Author's Note

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to take a second to let you know that I actually started another fic that will truly be a short story (like...5 to 10 chapters at most). It's called Madame Masseuse. I just had this idea and it brought such joy I couldn't resist. I hope you'll take some time out of your day to check it out and let me know what you think. I wanted to write a story that was absolutely dedicated to the fluff we love between Inuyasha and Kagome.

Thanks everyone! Your feedback is so beyond appreciated!