We're back! I'm so glad everyone liked the last chapter. I really wanted to do it justice, considering it's been so long (both in the story, and in real life lol) since we got an intimate scene between our pairing. Thanks as always for all your reviews.

Without further ado, please enjoy Chapter 6 :)

The birds were still tweeting even though it was already late morning. The air was light and warm.

Kagome stepped outside of the shrine and breathed it in.

It was as if the day was inviting the villagers to venture out again, in spite of what had happened the day before. Almost like it was reminding them that not everything had to be feared. She shut her eyes and let the sunlight wash over her.

She sensed a familiar presence and smiled, looking to her right.

"Good morning, Inuyasha," she said merrily.

He landed next to her lightly, presumably leaping off the shrine roof.

"Hey," he said. "You seem... cheerful." He looked wary, as though he'd been braced for the opposite.

"I finally slept so well. And it's such a nice day, wouldn't anyone be?" she said.

"I guess," he said. "I just figured you'd be more upset this morning, since... well, y'know. After yesterday."

Kagome smiled at him. She could understand that: she'd been quite distraught when he saw her, after all.

"Well, I had been," she said. "But after we talked yesterday, I felt much better. Before going to bed, I thought a lot about what happened, and the things you said. I realized that you were probably right. And then... well, then I as good as got confirmation that you were, somehow."

She paused, hoping she wasn't being too cryptic that he'd ask her to clarify. Tsuya had clearly not wanted anyone to discover him there, so she couldn't reveal all. But though Inuyasha did look mystified, he didn't say anything. She took a deep breath and continued.

"Anyway. I've decided to try and move forward instead of being hung up on the past," Kagome went on.

When she'd woken up in the morning to Tsuya being gone again, she'd expected to feel much like she had the first time he'd disappeared. But, as she waited in bed for the disappointment and heartbreak, staring at the spot where he'd been lying next to her, it didn't come. Strange, she'd thought. Only, was it really strange? All she could think of now was how he'd said that he'd never stopped looking for her. That he'd never forgotten her. Kagome had wondered for so long why he'd never come back, and now he had. Now that she knew he knew where she was, he might even return again. She couldn't be certain. But what mattered was that Inuyasha had been right, and she could only feel content and grateful for that.

Kagome wasn't finished. "I'm really glad you're here," she said, and Inuyasha looked more taken aback than ever. "I knew you'd come today, because you said you would. But I hoped I'd see you this morning. I have something to give you."

He did a double take. "You wanna give me something?"

Kagome nodded eagerly. Reaching inside her sleeve, she pulled out something that looked like a necklace made of thick, purplish-black pearls. They were segmented by white beads that seemed rather like fangs. Inuyasha was intrigued.

"That's for me?" he said, hesitantly.

Kagome nodded again, looking sheepish. "Yeah. I'd started making it a while ago, but then I decided to put them back in the supply room, or throw them out. I changed my mind because I thought it might look good on you."

"So, you wanted to give me something you were gonna throw out?"

Kagome's eager expression faltered, and her face turned beet-red. "Oh, my gosh... it sounds so bad when you say it like that!" she stammered. Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh. Kagome shook her head wildly. "That's not it at all," she protested. She took a deep breath. "The thing is, it was supposed to be for something else. Something that would have made it easier for me to... to handle you. But then I realized I... don't want that. So all I did was finish making it into a necklace. I only got the idea this morning."

As Inuyasha watched, in awe of what she was saying, she held it out to him with both hands. "It's really not much, but I wanted a way to thank you for all the things you've done to help us."

He reached for the beads and held them up. They glistened in the sun. They felt smooth and heavier than they looked; valuable. He couldn't deny that he found their aesthetic pleasing.

"Neat," he said. He looked at her and grinned.

"Do you want to try them on?" she said, anxiously.

He did so, slipping the necklace over his head and letting it rest around his neck. The white, opal-like magatama almost reached his shoulders, with the way they were spread out. Inuyasha couldn't deny that it suited him.

He looked at her again, appreciation in his eyes. "It must've taken you a long time to make," he said. "Thanks. Ya didn't have to do that."

Kagome's eyes sparkled. Catching sight of something, she gave a laugh. "You didn't get your hair out," she said. "It's stuck. Here," she stepped closer. Reaching out, she gently took hold of his long, silver hair and pulled it out of the necklace, letting it settle back into place as usual. His hair was so thick, and surprisingly soft to the touch. She felt a bit conscious: should she have asked before doing that? She was relieved he didn't seem to mind.

Inuyasha swallowed, and his heart began to race at her being so close to him. She smelled as sweet as always. It felt so wrong, her not knowing that it was he whom she'd shared the night with. He was lucky enough that she didn't begrudge her lover for leaving her yet again. He didn't deserve a gift from her on top of that.

"Oh, they look great on you," Kagome was saying, clasping her hands excitedly. "I'm so glad." And she looked it, too. Inuyasha was almost lost for words.

Presently, the two of them were sitting on the grass, in the calm of the morning. The birds were still twittering, and a calm silence settled in. [A/N: Inuyasha OST: Kagome and Inuyasha plays. The second half, which begins at around 2:00 min, and which we all know and love.]

There was so much he wanted to say to her still. What could she be thinking?

"Kagome... you really aren't upset?"

She shook her head, looking reflective. "It might sound strange, but I've finally got closure," she said. "And in a lot of ways, I have you to thank for that, Inuyasha."

His amber eyes were blinking rapidly. "Well," he said at last. "Glad to hear it."

Kagome smiled again. That was why, when she'd woken up and seen the beads still on her desk, the idea of gifting them to Inuyasha anyway had just come to her. Tsuya had made it clear that he couldn't stay for long. He'd done what he'd said he'd come to do. She couldn't mourn the loss of something she'd already lost months ago, something she'd already resolved to make her peace with last night before he showed up. His return had been a bonus, a gift she wasn't expecting. Tsuya wasn't the only one responsible for that, Inuyasha's words had helped her see it that way, too.

"Sure is quiet," Inuyasha said.

"Yeah. The villagers must all be nervous to come out. I hope they will soon, though. It's such a lovely day."

It was, but it was hard for him to keep his eyes off her. There was such color in her cheeks, such warmth and brightness in her eyes. She'd looked much like this the morning of their first night together, too, her skin flushed over, her expression so peaceful. It had been torture for him to leave her that morning, and today was no different. He hadn't slept all night. He'd held her until she fell asleep. Then at the first sign of sunrise, he left the shrine, taking care not to wake her. Then he'd stayed up, in a tree nearby the village, waiting for the first sign of Kagome, just to make sure she didn't spend too long alone. He didn't want her to feel abandoned again.

It was miraculous, learning that he'd actually accomplished what he'd set out to do last night, giving her closure and allowing her to move on, despite how hard he'd fumbled that task in the end.

"Hey," he said abruptly, as something occurred to him. "I got an idea. I know a whole lot about you, right?"

Kagome nodded, looking mildly nonplussed.

"Why don't we tell you more about me, instead? Think I could stand to answer a few of your questions now. It's been long enough."

Kagome's eyes lit up, and it made his heart jolt. He was glad he'd said the right thing. "Oh! Really?"

"Sure."

"Well, okay," she said eagerly. "So, who are you trying to repay by staying in the village?"

"Except that."

Kagome tittered. "All right, I knew you wouldn't give that up so easily. Hmm. Well, you said you had a family once. Who was in your family?"

"My mom. She was the one who took care of me. That was the last time I had a home."

"Oh," Kagome said softly. "What happened to her?"

"Died a long time ago," Inuyasha said, staring at the morning sun. It painted his eyes a beautiful red-gold. He looked nostalgic. "I was still a kid. Been on my own since then."

"I'm so sorry," Kagome said in a hushed voice. She felt like this shouldn't have surprised her, but it was no less upsetting to hear. "It must have been so hard." She couldn't imagine having to grow up alone.

"It was," he said after a pause. "I didn't have a home anymore. So I just keep it moving."

"What about your father?"

"Can't say I remember him too well. He died even before that, so I didn't really know him. He did leave behind stuff for me though, to make it easier to survive. This robe for instance," he unfolded his arms for a moment just to tug on his sleeve. "It's made from the fur of the fire rat. Real protective stuff. It's resistant to fire, most poisons, and even if it's damaged it just grows back."

No wonder it looks so rich and fine, Kagome thought. He really is a daiyokai after all. She was staring at him, wide-eyed. There was so much more she wanted to ask, but she was afraid of interrupting him.

He was looking at her now, as though expectant. She realized, happily, that he was waiting for her to ask another question.

"So," she ventured, "what about siblings? Do you have any?"

To her surprise, he rolled her eyes. "You could say that, I guess. One. But it's nothing like what you have with your brother, I can tell ya that."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle. Inuyasha grinned. To even his surprise, he didn't mind that he was sharing so much about himself. It was making her happy, and on some level, he felt like he was righting a wrong. If she couldn't know who he really was, at least she could know other things he'd never shared before.

"I've been wondering," she said. "I've heard humanoid yokai's forms usually derive from animals. So... what kind of a demon are you?"

"Wanna guess?" he asked, his eyes looking mischievous now. Funnily enough, Kagome was hoping he'd ask that.

"I think I already know," she said proudly. "You're a dog demon! An akita inu, right?"

"Not bad."

She clapped her hands, triumphant. "I knew it! The ears are a dead giveaway." Inuyasha snickered. It was cute how pleased this made her. Her face grew serious again. "Um. I want to ask something else."

"Shoot."

"Well. It's something I've been wanting to do. But, you can say no if you want!" she added hurriedly. "It's probably really weird, or rude. You might get mad at me for even asking."

"I doubt that," he said, intrigued now. "Go ahead and ask."

Kagome fumbled with her hands, her face growing pink again. "Um. Can I... can I touch 'em?" she burst out finally.

Inuyasha blinked. She was pointing at his ears. His arms were folded into his sleeves. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to take her hand and guide it or not. He suddenly felt conscious. She'd never asked to touch him anywhere before. But now that she had, he realized he'd like her to.

"Uh, sure," he said after a pause. "I'm okay with that."

Kagome beamed. Nervously, she inched closer to him. He bent his head down slightly, so that she'd know for sure that he had no qualms about this. Slowly, carefully, she reached up with both hands. She took hold of his triangular, pointy ears and rubbed her thumbs over them.

She gasped. "Oh!" They were fluffy and furry, the skin was soft and sinewy, and when she gently squeezed them into her palms, they felt exactly like how they looked like they'd feel. "They really do feel just like dog ears!"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said gingerly, a bit embarrassed, but finding it hard not to be amused by how awed she was. "Glad you're enjoying yourself there."

"It doesn't hurt, does it?"

"Nope."

"Can I keep doing it?"

"Knock yourself out."

"Thank you!" she trilled, and Inuyasha snickered again. He could get used to this. She was within arm's reach of him, smelling as sweet as she did. It was all he could do to not seize her in his arms like he had mere hours before. She continued running her fingers over them, even scratching behind them, to the point that she was almost petting him. It felt quite nice, come to think of it.

"Okay," she said breathlessly, "I should probably stop now." She giggled, letting go of his ears and settling back in her spot. "Thanks for that," she said, her pretty brown eyes twinkling merrily. "And for sharing all that just now," she went on. "You didn't have to, but I'm honored that you did."

"No problem," Inuyasha said.

She stared at him silently for a few seconds. "Your eyes sure are beautiful," she mused.

"You're always sayin' that," he said absently.

"Am I? I didn't think I had."

Shit. She'd only done that when he was Tsuya. He'd realized that too late. "Uhh, right. It must've been someone else, my bad."

"Oh, okay." She looked away, back at the sun again. Well, that made sense. He was very attractive, so she was sure that any number of girls had paid him compliments like that before. It was only normal. But for some reason this irked her. Had he told them all about himself, too?

"Inuyasha, what was your mother like? You make it sound like she really loved you a lot."

"She did. It's why I can tell your family loves you, too. It makes me think of her more than I usually do, seeing you guys together."

"I'm really sorry you lost her," she said sincerely. It must have been so hard for him, being an orphan so young. It tugged at her heartstrings. She tried to imagine him as a child.

"Don't sweat it. It was nobody's fault, it was bound to happen. She was-" he caught himself, as though realizing he was about to say something he shouldn't.

"Was what?' Kagome asked curiously. Sick? To her knowledge, that didn't tend to happen to daiyokai, hence why they didn't die easily.

"...weak," he murmured slowly. But it was peculiar, the way he'd said that. It was as if he'd already been intending to say it, but doubted the word just as he spoke it. As though realizing that it was wrong. His brow was furrowed.

Kagome didn't know what to say, seeing how he'd suddenly gotten lost in thought.

"I'll bet she was really beautiful, too."

"What makes you say that?" Inuyasha said, to her relief, looking up at her. She suddenly felt sheepish.

"Well. You know." She cleared her throat, ducking her head and looking away as she started to feel herself blush. Gosh, this is embarrassing.

Inuyasha cleared his throat, too. He'd obviously figured out where she was going with that. "Speaking of family. Are you going to see yours today?"

"Yeah, I'm going to try to check on them," she said, relieved he'd changed the subject. "It'll probably have to be after I finish everything else for today."

"Lemme know if you need any help."

"I will," she said gratefully. She looked at his chest, liking how the necklace looked there. It was like the beads belonged on him; she was surprised at how well they matched with the rest of his attire.

"So, what about your father?"

Kagome looked up at his face again. She couldn't deny that she'd been expecting this question. It was a good thing she'd already decided that she wouldn't mind answering it for him now. She gave a heavy sigh and looked back at the sun again.

"As you've probably guessed, he passed away, too. He was a really kind and loving person. I remember him being gentle and wise. One night, I was sick. It wasn't anything serious. But my father didn't want to wait until morning to get me medicine. So he left that night to get herbs from the shrine. He never came back."

Inuyasha watched, wordlessly, as she told the story. He had a feeling it wasn't over.

"Mama grew worried and alerted the neighbors. They started looking for him, but it was hard to see anything because it was so dark. Especially because there was a thunderstorm that night."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Inuyasha. But he didn't say anything. He wanted her to continue.

"Hours later, his body was finally found. He was lying facedown in the grass. There were gashes like bite marks on him. Because he'd been killed by a yokai."

A look of horror crossed Inuyasha's features. He sat still, looking stricken.

"Which... which yokai..." his voice trailed off, contricted.

"It was a snake demon." Kagome smiled wistfully. "That's what the wounds suggested. I know because I was the one who found him."

Inuyasha let out a startled gasp. "You... what?"

"I knew what was going on, even though I was sick. I grew frantic, I just wanted him home. So, while no one was looking, I slipped away and ran outside to find him myself. It didn't take me long. I was nine."

She paused, but Inuyasha didn't say anything.

"I could sense where he was, and that the wounds weren't caused by an ordinary animal because of youki. Kaede sensed it, too. That's how she was able to figure out that I had spiritual powers. My miko training began soon after that."

Inuyasha was looking away again. His face was almost distraught. "I... had no idea."

"I know," Kagome said, watching him intently. "It really was awful. Sota was still just a baby back then. But, you don't have to be so upset, Inuyasha. It was a long time ago."

He shook his head. "It was stupid of me to say what I said," he said finally, sounding abashed. "That day when the bandits first came. I'd no idea what you'd been through with demons before, I was a moron for just assuming-"

"No, no, Inuyasha," Kagome insisted gently. "You weren't wrong, that's the thing. You're the one who showed me that it doesn't have to be that way. Just because that one demon ruined my family, it doesn't mean they're all the same. If anything, you've helped me fear demons even less than I did. I'm actually glad you didn't know. You wouldn't have spoken so frankly if you did."

"You didn't have to tell me that," he murmured. "I'm sorry if-"

"No." Kagome was already shaking her head. "I wanted to tell you. I really did, Inuyasha." He looked at her and saw that she was smiling kindly. She meant it.

"That's why you don't like rainy nights," Inuyasha said, as though in wonder. "Why you're afraid of storms."

"How did you know that?" Kagome asked, surprised.

Inuyasha's ear twitched. He looked away again. Damn it. I gotta stop giving myself away. "The villagers gossip a lot."

Kagome nodded. "That makes sense." It was likely that nothing got past those ears of his. "It's not all bad, you know," Kagome reassured him. "When it happened, I thought it was the end of the world. But, I still have Mama and Sota. And Kaede. And I love this village. I can use my powers for good now. If I can protect who I have left, if I can prevent what happened to me from happening to anyone else, then it was all for the better."

From the corner of her eye, she could see that Inuyasha was listening intently as his head was bent, as if contemplating her words.

"Kagome," he said at last. "It wasn't your fault. You know that, right? The night that it happened. No one with half a brain would blame you."

Kagome's face grew warm again, and her heartrate quickened. To her surprise, her eyes began feeling moist. Just how much had she been craving to hear these words, without even knowing it...? "Thank you," she whispered.

She turned to him and beamed. He was looking at her with understanding, and maybe... fondness? She would have said more to him. But at that moment, they were interrupted.

"Kagome."

It was a familiar voice. Inuyasha and Kagome broke eye contact.

"Oh, Kaede baa-chan!" Kagome exclaimed, hurriedly getting to her feet. "I didn't hear you coming." She tried not to look guilty. If Kaede had known what had transpired in her room just hours ago... well, she didn't want to imagine how horrified the old woman would be.

"I was looking for ye," Kaede said calmly. "Have ye begun your duties for today yet? The villagefolk are still wary after last night, but I have seen some of them begin to emerge from their homes."

"Yes, yes, of course," Kagome said. "Inuyasha and I were just talking. But I was just about to do the morning rounds, and then head over to the Jewel-"

"Is that so? Good, then I will take over the rounds this morning," Kaede said. "Ye had a tough day yesterday. It's the least I can do to lessen your load for today."

"Oh," Kagome said, feeling somewhat crestfallen. "The thing is, I won't be able to keep an eye on Inuyasha otherwise... I thought we'd go together, you see." Strangely enough, Inuyasha wasn't offering any protest. He hadn't even moved from his spot.

"No matter, he can accompany me," said Kaede, in a serene tone. "I'll relieve ye of that for now, too. It gives ye more time to purify the Jewel, will it not? I daresay it could use it, to make sure the onslaught yesterday did not corrupt it any."

To her surprise, Inuyasha said, "Yeah, go ahead, Kagome. I'll see ya after the rounds at some point."

Kagome swallowed. "Sure," she said. "I'll see you two later." As she turned away, she caught sight of a grim look pass between Kaede and Inuyasha. Were they still not getting along, she wondered? She was so sure that Kaede would have softened towards him some more after what he'd done yesterday. In any case, she felt a little nettled. She'd wanted to spend more time with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha and Kaede walked through the village in silence. Contrary to what she'd said, no one was out and about yet. But he'd suspected that she was lying, anyway. He'd fully expected this confrontation.

"So." The knuckles on the hand gripping her bow were white. "I don't recall ye leaving the shrine last night. Ye didn't return to the shed while I was there."

He cleared his throat. "Right. That's because I left this morning, right before daybreak."

Kaede rounded on him at once. "I thought so," she said, her voice furious. "After all your grand claims last night... ye took advantage of Kagome again!"

"Would you stop?" he hissed, looking around to make sure they were alone. "I wasn't lying. I really did wanna give her closure, and I did."

"I was not aware that closure required the entire night," Kaede said hotly. "Likelier that ye saw an opportunity to feed your own selfish desires, and grabbed it."

"I already told you, it's not like that," Inuyasha said, ruffled. "It's... it's her, Kaede. Anyone else and I could've held back. But when it's Kagome... I just can't refuse her. Not when she wanted it so much. What was I supposed to do?"

"A likely story," Kaede said stubbornly.

Inuyasha suddenly stopped in his tracks, and turned his flashing gold eyes on her. "You suggestin' I'd ever force Kagome into anything like that?" he said coldly, his voice sharp and rough.

Kaede swallowed, rattled by his sudden change of demeanor. "No," she said begrudgingly at last. "I do not believe it of you." His eyes lingered on her for a few seconds. Then, seemingly satisfied, he continued to walk on. Kaede noted that he seemed to know the path quite well: clearly, he'd accompanied Kagome often enough. She quickened her pace to keep up.

"Still, Inuyasha, your behavior is sinful," she insisted. "She knows not what she is asking for, not if she has no inkling of who ye truly are. Ye deceive her!"

"It's not like I planned it, Kaede," Inuyasha fumed.

"That is immaterial. Ye swore to me that ye would never again approach her with such intent-"

"And I didn't. I'd no intention of doing anything but talking. But Kagome had other plans."

To Kaede's indignation, she could see a smirk tugging the corner of his lips. He was looking back on the memory with fondness!

"Ye are shameless! Instead of being repentant, ye dare to make merry about the whole affair-"

"Oh, that reminds me," Inuyasha said suddenly. "I put the clothes you gave me back in the shed when I got out. Thanks a bunch, old lady. Listen, think of something you need me to do, and let me know, alright? I owe ya a solid. No rush, either."

Kaede swelled, going red in mortification.

"Do not imply that I am party to such... such impropriety!" she sputtered. "That was for... I merely... ye had me take pity on ye for one clouded minute, 'tis all!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Pipe down. I get it, okay." He took a deep breath, frowning as he stared down at their moving feet. "I dunno, Kaede. Maybe I should just tell her."

At least that way, he wouldn't be deceiving her anymore.

Kaede's eyes bulged.

"Are ye mad?" she said hoarsely. "What happened to all your resolutions last night? About what such knowledge would do to her?"

"She said she isn't upset. She got what she needed to move on. And after talking to her today... I just feel like she wouldn't be mad. I feel like she'd understand why I had to do it-"

"'Tis not merely about ye, Inuyasha," Kaede said forcefully. "Ye tell Kagome the truth, and then what? Even if she were to forgive ye, it does not stop there. What would she do next? Are ye expecting that the two of ye can go on as though ye were indeed the human she believes ye to be?"

Inuyasha swallowed and looked away. Perhaps not that, but he hadn't really thought that far. The thing was that, as incredible as last night had been, it wasn't on his mind just now. This morning, he'd really liked talking to her. They'd spent time together today, for no other reason than to spend time with each other. They'd never really done that before. It had always been under the pretext of her keeping an eye on him, or him helping her with her duties, all ostensibly for the Jewel's protection. Today, she'd even given him a present. She'd given it to him for the sole purpose of giving it to him, Inuyasha, as himself.

"Ye have to understand the predicament it would place her in," Kaede said in a low voice, watching him intently. "She has the village to think about. This village has now been attacked by demons multiple times in a matter of weeks. And, perhaps ye are too confident in how understanding she would be. When Kagome was younger, her honored father-"

"I know," Inuyasha sighed. He shut his eyes. "She told me what happened to him. But I still feel like she wouldn't hate me for it. She deserves to know..."

Kaede shook her head in dismay. "Hatred is not the issue. Even if she accepted it, imagine the pain it would cause her, knowing the two of ye could never act on your shared feelings. Even friendship would be torture."

As much as he could see that she had a point, Inuyasha began to smart from her irksome certainty. "It's not like humans and demons haven't been together before, y'know," he said stubbornly. "In case you forgot, I'm proof of that."

"She is the Shikon Miko," Kaede said, her voice hard. "She is bound by more rules than whichever your parents faced. Leave aside you being a hanyo. Even loving an ordinary man is frowned upon. She can never indulge in anything that may conflict with her duties to the Jewel, and as a priestess."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Been thinking of that, actually," he said. "Has any of you ever considered that she didn't just enter this world, ready-made as the Shikon Miko? Before she was entrusted with it, didn't she have a life, hopes, or dreams? Doesn't she have a family? Is she supposed to just treat them like they don't exist now?"

"It is a sacrifice all miko make, to leave behind their former lives in order to devote themselves to their greater cause," Kaede said resolutely. "I have done my best to help her feel as though her family are still in her life. It can never be the way that it was, however. Kagome herself knew that when she made the choice."

"Made the choice at what, age ten?" Inuyasha said scornfully. "She was a kid, Kaede. You're comin' down on me because she doesn't fully understand what she's doing with me. How is it any different from what you did? She couldn't've fully understood what she was agreeing to then, either."

Kaede's face went red. "You dare suggest that I did wrong by Kagome?" she said, not only dropping her usual dialect, but forgetting keep her voice down as well. Some birds on a nearby branch took flight out of startlement. "If that is how you think, then why not ask Kagome herself whether that is true? We'll see if she truly feels that this role was thrust upon her, or if she would remain a priestess if given the choice!"

"That's exactly my point," Inuyasha said calmly, unperturbed by her outburst. "She knows what it is to be a priestess now. She'd know everything else she'd be choosing along with it. So if she knew everything about me, she'd properly know what she wanted, too."

Kaede took a moment to compose herself, breathing heavily. "That is a choice ye would selfishly present her with," she said finally. "Are ye yourself prepared to choose to do that, Inuyasha?" Her eyes lingered on the necklace he now wore. Even when she'd first seen them, she could sense that despite the care and effort that had gone into its creation, not a single enchantment had been placed upon the beads. She'd already gathered what this meant.

Inuyasha turned his head back to the shrine, where he knew Kagome was. He gazed at it, a longing look in his eyes, and did not answer.

Kagome was leaving the room where the Shikon no Tama was held when she saw Kaede coming back into the shrine.

"Hello, baa-chan," she said brightly. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"He'll be along," Kaede said. "Is the Jewel faring well?"

"Yes, especially since I spent longer on it today," Kagome said.

"Why don't I go and check," Kaede said unexpectedly. "Ye have had so much burdening you lately, it would be natural to overlook things."

"Um... sure," Kagome said, a bit fazed. It seemed a bit odd, since Kaede hadn't done anything like this in a while, certainly not since the first month that Kagome had received the Jewel. Just as Kaede disappeared in the back, Inuyasha landed in front of the door with a load of firewood on his shoulder. As he was unloading them, Kagome ventured to the door to talk to him, but a man from the village approached at the same time.

"Greetings, Kagome-sama," he said. "I've come to request another protective talisman for my household. After the recent yokai attack, we can never be too careful."

"It's good to see you, Juro-san," Kagome said. "Of course, I'll pick some herbs and make some right away. I'll make enough for several households while I'm at it. They should be ready for you to pick up by evening."

Juro-san gave a short bow in thanks. As he did so, he cast a furtive glance at Inuyasha, who had finished unloading the logs. "Miko-sama," he said in low tones. "Given what has happened, shouldn't it be time for this yokai to leave the village, too? It can't be a coincidence that the attack happened not long after he appeared here."

"I wouldn't say that, Juro-san," Kagome said calmly. "If you recall, attacks started happening months ago. The worst one was just before he arrived, not after. And the Holy Council themselves had said that it was only a matter of time before demons caught wind of the Jewel's whereabouts, anyhow."

Straightening up, Inuyasha stood quite still where he was, eyeing the man with mild contempt, but said nothing. Kagome felt sympathy for him then. It couldn't be easy, hearing things like this about yourself all the time.

"Still, Kagome-sama," Juro-san insisted. "Even if he weren't the cause. It's just inviting trouble. All he would need is a distraction to make off with the Jewel himself. If he hasn't done it already, it must be because he wants us to lower our guard, so that he can wolf us down for a meal, first."

"Then he would have done that already, too, Juro-san," Kagome said, bristling. He was the father of Chiaki. It came as no surprise that this was where the boy was getting his fears from. "In case you've forgotten, Inuyasha saved Sota yesterday. Why go to the trouble if all he wanted was to eat us?"

"Because it's your guard he wants to lower, miko-sama!" Juro-san said vehemently. "Just because it was your brother he saved, it doesn't mean you should turn your back on the villagers' safety!"

"Keh." Inuyasha folded his arms, giving the man a withering look. "Shut your trap, already, moron," he said coolly. "There's no need for you to bug Kagome with all this. I was heading off, anyway. You and the rest of the village cowards won't have to see me for a few days, at least."

He turned his back and made to leave.

"Hold on, Inuyasha."

He turned back, and gave a start. Though Kagome had spoken to him, it was Juro whom she was looking at. And she wasn't merely looking at him: her eyes were narrowed, and her features were contorted in a frown. She was practically glaring at him.

"Juro-san," Kagome said levelly, "it wasn't just my brother that Inuyasha saved. It was a child of the village. Sota's no less valuable to our village than your own Chiaki. And you're giving no regard to the fact that he's saved me as well. If he hadn't done that, where would this village and the Jewel be now? I'm your protector. I understand if you can't view me as human as the other villagers because of my role. But don't do that to Sota. Related to me or not, my family's just as human as the rest of you."

Pausing, she turned to Inuyasha, who'd stood silently the whole time, and smiled. "Inuyasha doesn't have to go anywhere. He's abided by everything Kaede and I have told him. He's kept his word every time, and he's made no pretense of who he is. I trust him to stay here. And that trust won't be broken simply because the villagers can't look past the fact that he's a yokai."

Inuyasha swallowed, trying not to look incredulous. To his left, Juro looked ashen-faced, as well. Kagome faced the man again.

"I can understand your worries, Juro-san. You know my own father was killed by a yokai. It should mean even more to you, then, that I trust Inuyasha in spite of that. He's welcome here, and I won't let anyone cast him out for no good reason."

Juro-san, lost for words, backed away, and retreated into the village without another sound. Inuyasha and Kagome were left there, each looking at the other and unsure of what to say next. Finally, it was Inuyasha who broke the silence.

"You're gonna go see your family today, right? I'll walk you there. It looks like rain later on."

Blinking, Kagome beamed at him. He wants to accompany me because he knows I don't like the rain, she thought, feeling a rush of affection for him. She nodded in agreement.

Just then, Kaede emerged from within the shrine, a somewhat perplexed look on her face.

Ah, she must have heard what happened, Kagome thought anxiously. "Baa-chan, I'll be visiting Mother and Sota today," she said hurriedly. "Inuyasha says he'll walk there with me, so you don't have to watch him or anything. Is that okay?"

It was as though Kaede hadn't heard. Her brow was furrowed and she was looking only at Inuyasha. Kagome wondered if she should repeat the question, but thankfully, Kaede cleared her throat a moment later.

"Yes, I don't see why not," she said. Kagome was relieved.

"I should go and gather herbs to make those talismans then," she said brightly. "I'll see you two later." She hurried into her room to fetch a basket.

Inuyasha and Kaede stood in silence as she vanished. Staring down at the necklace he wore, Inuyasha touched it with a hand. He didn't know much about it, but it was clear that Kagome could have chosen to restrict him somehow, but didn't. She let him be free to make choices, trusted him enough to make the right ones. If he chose wrong, who knew how many incidents like the one with the village man would repeat themselves? Could Inuyasha be selfish enough to take that chance?

Finally, he tore his eyes away and up at Kaede. She was watching him.

"Alright," he said, his voice heavy and rough. "You have my word. I won't tell her."

The sun had begun to set. Inuyasha had been waiting by the front of the shrine as expected. Kagome hurried out.

"Thanks for waiting," she said breathlessly. "I just finished making the talismans. Kaede said she'll hand them off herself."

He nodded, and they set off. Presently, as Inuyasha had predicted, drops of rain began landing on their clothes.

"Ah, it's started," Kagome said, her face falling. "I was hoping we'd beat it. It's not a short walk."

"Y'know, I could get us there faster, if..."

His voice trailed off, and Kagome wasn't sure why. Then it came to her: he was referring to how he'd carried her on his back that one time.

"Oh, right," she said awkwardly. "Well...". She thought back to the incident with Juro-san. No doubt it was weighing on his mind, too. There were still people out and about. A few of them cast nervous glances at the two of them walking together. Looking at Inuyasha, she could tell he felt awkward about it too. "I'm sure we'll make it there ok," she said finally. Inuyasha seemed to know enough not to insist.

It started sprinkling down more steadily before long. Kagome hugged herself as they walked. She really didn't like the rain. Granted, it wasn't really dark yet, and it wasn't a storm, at least not yet, but it always brought back bad memories. Memories of slipping away at night as a child, running barefoot in the mud, calling out for her father, shivering both from the cold and from fear...

Something heavy and warm was suddenly draped over her head and shoulders. Heavy, warm, and pleasant smelling, like...

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said, stopping in her tracks.

He had covered her with his robe, the deep red fabric shielding her from the rain. He was just in his pale kosode now. She was taken aback. Hadn't she smelled this recently? Of course, that made sense, since she'd thrown herself at him just yesterday. But there was something even more familiar about it somehow.

"What about you?" she asked, gratitude filling her chest.

"Rain doesn't bother me much."

Funny. Had he said that before? She felt like he might have, but there was no way. It had never rained while he was here until now.

They walked on, Kagome clad in the velvety protection of his robe. Inuyasha was a few paces ahead of her. This was kind of him, though it shouldn't have surprised her. Really, Inuyasha was so nice. Why on earth did any of the villagers doubt him? He'd been nothing but good to them. She felt a bit disgruntled on his behalf. It wasn't fair.

"Oh, no," she muttered, as her sandals started getting muddy. The rain was growing more abundant.

"Almost there," Inuyasha said. She gave a sneeze, and he stopped. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, rubbing her nose. "Your robe is helping, but I guess it's coming down harder now. It's getting on my face."

Inuyasha exhaled. He walked up to her and straightened the robe over her head more securely. Kagome's cheeks warmed, and she felt suddenly shy.

"It's messed up your hair and everything," he murmured. "How'd you manage that." Kagome couldn't help but giggle. Reaching out with a finger, Inuyasha carefully brushed some damp hair from her cheek, and moved it out of the way.

Huh?

That motion, the gesture, the feeling of her hair being brushed away from her face so gently... only one person had ever done that before, and he'd done it both times that they'd met. Even as Inuyasha withdrew his hand and continued walking, a chill encased Kaome's body.

No way... Inuyasha... Could you be...?

She did her best to keep walking without trembling. But how? Inuyasha was a demon. She knew that some demons, especially daiyokai, had the ability to shapeshift, but not usually the ones who had animal forms. Besides, even in that case, there could be no mistaking their youki no matter what appearance they took.

Her heart racing, Kagome approached him hesitantly. If so, there must be a way to tell, she thought deliberately. With no plan in mind at all, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

A warm, firm hand, quite a bit larger than hers but with slender fingers. Looking at them hard, there were the claws, clear as day, pointy, thick and sharp. There was no way that this was the same hand from last night, the same hand from many moons ago. He'd laced his fingers with hers repeatedly, with careless abandon. Doing so recklessly with these fingers could have easily hurt her. And last night... well, only she and Tsuya knew where his fingers had been.

She raised her head up to see Inuyasha looking back at her, a questioning look on his face. His amber eyes were even more startling with the sun-setting sky behind him. They were warm and deep, the complete opposite of Tsuya's silver.

Flushing, she dropped his hand. "Sorry," she said. "You were moving too fast."

The questioning look went away. "My bad. I'll slow down."

They continued on. Right, Kagome thought. I was being silly for a minute. I already know I was wrong, it doesn't make sense.

Ba-dump.

What was that just now? Something had pulsed in her, which seemed uncomfortably close to sadness. Was she... disappointed?

Do I... wish that Inuyasha was Tsuya? she thought in wonder. That was absurd. They... weren't alike... were they? Even if his gestures just now reminded her of him? Even if, now that she thought of it, their manner of speaking wasn't all that different?

But Inuyasha is Inuyasha, Kagome thought firmly, feeling guilty for her thoughts. Tsuya is Tsuya. This isn't fair to him. He doesn't have to be anyone but himself. I need to get a grip before I start wishing Inuyasha was anyone else.

Thus resolved, they made it in front of her house. Kagome handed his robe back to him.

"Glad we got you here safe," he said, pulling it back on.

"Yeah," Kagome answered, still a bit rattled. "Thanks again."

He nodded. "Well, I'll be off. Seeya."

Kagome turned and put her hand on the door. Suddenly, she paused. She turned back just as he was mid-crouch to jump away.

"Wait, Inuyasha," she said, realizing she should have asked him this all along. "Do you want to come inside?"

Inuyasha blinked, frozen in place. "Inside... your house?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Why not? You've been in here before."

"Well yeah, but that was just..." he mumbled, looking away at the ground. "It's not like I was there to hang out or anything."

Kagome tittered. For some reason, this made all the sense in the world. Ever since he'd told her today that he didn't have a home, that he'd lost both his parents so young, that he had no family... she hadn't been able to shake off wanting to make up for it somehow. It was the least she could do after all he'd done for them. They were friends, weren't they?

"I'm sure my family won't mind," she said cheerfully. "Come on, let's go."

Inuyasha lingered. "I dunno. Maybe it's not a good idea. I'll just come back tomorrow." It almost seemed like he didn't believe she really wanted him there.

Turning away from the door, Kagome planted her hands firmly on her hips and glared at him in mock affront.

"Now listen here, Inuyasha. I said to come in and I meant it," she said severely. "I'm not gonna say it again, so you better stop being so stubborn, understand?"

Inuyasha's mouth fell open slightly as she spoke. A few seconds later, a smile crossed his features, and Kagome was elated that she'd said the right thing.

"Okay already," he grinned.

Kagome giggled again. She watched as he took a few tentative steps to stand behind her. Smiling at him, she pushed open the door.

Thanks for reading, y'all! See you in the next one :)