Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Alpha-Beta	By : SplendentGoddess Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > InuYasha/Kagome Views: 14857 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi or VIZ Productions, and I do not gain financially from my fanfic in any way.

Chapter List
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Winner! Tie for 1st Place, Best Characterization (Inuyasha), Inuyasha Fanguild, 3rd Quarter 2008

Winner! 3rd Place, Best Romance (Inu/Kag), Inuyasha Fanguild, 3rd Quarter 2008
A/N:
Alpha-Beta...of no relation to the now closed supermarket chain! (For those of you who live in California.)
This story was originally a gift-fic for the wonderful author and poet Knittingknots. She requested something sweet, with a bit of angst, but with a happy, 'love conquers all' type of conclusion. Of course, she didn't specify what rating she wanted the story, but come on! I'm writing it...so you know it's gonna get good. But patience is a virtue, my friends. In my world, PWP stands for Porn With Plot. Enjoy!
~ * ~ * ~ Alpha-Beta ~ * ~ * ~
It was a relatively warm late summer's day, a light breeze indicating that autumn would soon be making its appearance, which made the temperature bearable as most of the world's creatures used the refuge of shade trees to sleep away the day's warmest hours. It was not too hot for travel, and one dirt road in particular was experiencing this for itself as its surface was kicked up into clouds of dust by four sets of feet, as six traveling companions - the smallest two currently hitching rides - marched onward towards their next destination. But all was not tranquil among the group, if one took careful note of how four of the six companions deliberately lagged behind their other two friends, friends who were currently too engaged in each other to notice much of anything else around them.
"I said 'no' and that's final, bitch!"
"But Inuyasha!" Kagome protested valiantly, unfazed by the 'bitch' remark. "I have to study for my math test!"
"Here we go again." muttered Shippou from his perch on Miroku's shoulder, earning a silent nod of agreement from the monk while Sango, who was for once willingly walking next to letch in order to avoid the fight in motion currently walking six paces in front of them, released an exasperated sigh that caused the dozing neko in her arms to glance up at her in curiosity.
"Feh! What part of 'no' don't you understand, stupid? We've got to find the rest of the jewel shards! That's more important than some stupid sensei judging your knowledge of numbers!"
Yes, Inuyasha understood perfectly well what a 'math test' was, Kagome had long ago explained the concept of her modern 'school' to all of her friends from the past, but what Inuyasha couldn't grasp was how Kagome had gotten it into her thick skull that something as trivial as 'school' was actually more important than finding the last of the shards before Naraku got his tentacles on them. It infuriated the hanyou to no end that she didn't seem to have her priorities in order, but try as he might, he just couldn't hate her for it. Not any longer. The fact of the matter was that over the last few months, he and Kagome had grown much closer. Sure, they argued all the time, but there was no genuine fire behind his insults any longer. Usually, their bickering was all in good fun, to see who would back down first, and sometimes (when he felt like it) Inuyasha would even allow Kagome to think that she'd gotten her way. But when it came to something like the miko up and deciding that she wanted to go home for a few days, that was where he put his foot down. He actually liked the occasional act of defiance she'd show him, as he admired her spunk, but when it really boiled down to it, she needed to learn who was boss, damn it! They weren't even low on supplies at the moment, so she couldn't use the need to get more medicines or ramen as an excuse, either. No, she'd made it perfectly clear that the only reason she wanted to leave was to study for that stupid, pointless math test. What difference did it make how smart the humans of her time thought she was, when her place was in the past with him? Didn't she understand that?
"How many times do I have to tell you that that 'stupid sensei' is in charge of deciding my future?!"
"Feh!" Ain't nobody decides your future but you-"
Kagome was just about to open her mouth to protest that 'she' had decided that she wanted to go home for the next three days, but sensing her retort, Inuyasha was quick to interrupt with "-and I decide when you can and can't go home!"
"You aren't the boss of me!" she shouted, face red with anger as she turned to face him, stomping her foot for emphasis as she came to a halt in her stride.
"Wanna bet?" he replied smugly as he too stopped where he stood, arms crossed in front of his chest. As far as Inuyasha was concerned, the subject was closed, although he would admit that she was awfully cute when she was angry.
She doesn't have any idea how beautiful she is, does she? Of course not, with as often as I tell her otherwise, but that's my right. Ain't nobody allowed to compliment her but me.

A quiet "uh-oh" muttered by the small kitsune who currently still sat upon Miroku's shoulder quickly reminded Inuyasha that he and Kagome hadn't been alone for their little display. A quick glance in the miko's direction also indicated what had Shippou so nervous, as he too saw the fire burning behind Kagome's eyes. Maybe he'd pushed her a little too far...
Ah hell...
"Osuwari!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Usually, a part of her always regretted being reduced to using the subduing spell to get her way, but he'd just made her so angry!
"Osuwari! Osuwari! Osuwari!"
"Gah!"
Even though Inuyasha had been expecting it, it was never pleasant getting his face slammed into the ground. Not that the spell actually hurt him, per se; nothing could hurt him! He was a tough inu-youkai, after all. But it was just the principle of the thing. She had no right to attempt to subdue him in such a manner!
After her seemingly unending string of 'osuwaris' finally came to a close, Inuyasha did his best to fight the spell. He would be lying if he said he didn't hate the gods awful rosary, but even he knew the thing could prove necessary at times. What if he transformed? What if he was reduced to some mindless beast and Kagome, or anyone else for that matter, was in danger as a result? No, she definitely needed the rosary for times like those, so it was because of that reason that he put up with her use of it during times like these. Still, that didn't mean he had to like it.
Prying his face from the dirt, Inuyasha was just inhaling to let her have a barrage of every curse word he could think of, so he missed Kagome also taking in a large gulp of air, realizing too late that she had only grown silent due to her need for breath.
"OSUWARI!"
As the loudest 'osuwari' yet came soaring out of her mouth, she caught him mid-curse, and it was with an unquestionably painful *yelp* that Inuyasha's face went crashing back down once more, his tongue getting pierced by a fang in the process.
Kagome turned on her heel as the final command left her lips, just about to stomp away in her anger when the sudden, loud, and unmistakably canine yelp of pain instantly drew her attention back to the prone form of her half-inu friend.
Everyone came to a stop at the sound, and even the birds in the trees seemed to grow quiet. No one had ever heard Inuyasha make such a noise before. Even when he'd been gravely injured in battle, he had only ever yelled or groaned in the human fashion. To make such a noise as a result of Kagome's subjugation spell...it was unfathomable.
Ignoring the looks of shock she was receiving from their other companions, Kagome's only thought was Oh gods...I didn't...hurt him...did I? as she slowly approached where he still lied stone still upon his stomach. "Inu...yasha?" she voiced hesitantly.
An unrecognizable gurgle was his only response, as the hanyou in question slowly struggled against the magic of the subduing spell once more, prying his face from the ground far enough to spit out a large mouthful of blood. It was the sound of Kagome's shocked gasp that truly brought her presence to his attention, as he craned his eyes upward to meet the terrified expression in her own chocolate orbs. Of course, that wasn't the only thing he noticed from his current position, as the hanyou was quick to realize that with her standing so closely to his head, he had an excellent view up her... Hey, he was a male, damn it! Though Inuyasha was also quick to realize that should Kagome realize the view she was currently granting him, she was sure to 'osuwari' him again for it, so it was with haste that the prone hanyou averted his eyes, before the miko could notice his rising blush. The look of worry she had been showing him was instantly forgotten as he grumbled something colorful that was so quiet, even Kirara probably hadn't heard him.
Kagome, remaining oblivious to her temporary wardrobe malfunction, carefully crouched down by Inuyasha's head, completely shell-shocked. Oh gods...she'd never meant to actually hurt him. The subduing command had never injured him before. Hell, she hadn't even thought that Inuyasha was capable of injury except when it came to fighting against another youkai.
"Inuyasha...?" she whispered. "Are you-"
"Feh, go ahead and go, bitch." he grumbled without looking at her, interrupting her inquiry as to whether or not he was okay. How was he supposed to answer something like that?
Kagome wasn't sure, but she thought she also heard the quiet mutter of "Stupid school." under his breath, which she probably wasn't supposed to hear, but would let slide under the circumstances. She couldn't stop staring at the red patch of dirt that rested between herself and her dearest friend. That was her fault. Her doing.
Oh, Inuyasha...
He could have turned to face her, the current angle at which she was kneeling preserved her modesty in that regard, but the fact of the matter was...he just couldn't look at her for the moment. It was so...humiliating...what had just happened between them, and the ever-functioning twin sonar dishes on his head only proved to remind him that it had been witnessed by his...by the entire pack.
Shippou was snickering, and Miroku's attempt at getting the kitsune to settle down was short-lived as he made an inappropriate comment that Inuyasha knew guaranteed at least one other person besides himself had noticed Kagome's short-skirt faux pas. Sango was remaining quiet for the time being, but if Inuyasha knew the slayer, she was probably shooting Miroku a nasty look for his perverted mouth. At least his comment had been muttered quietly enough that Kagome seemingly hadn't heard, as she still knelt by Inuyasha's head, apparently needing to make sure that he was okay before heading home for her oh-so-important studying. Honestly, what was more important to her, him or her schoolwork? She really needed to make up her mind, damn it.
Rising to his feet with as much dignity as he could muster under the circumstances, Inuyasha wiped the back of his hand across his mouth with a look of disgust as he said: "Well, what're ya still waiting 'round here for? Thought you had studying to do."
Apparently taking his ire to mean that he was in fact all right, Kagome's anger was quick to return, as she sprung to her feet and started to retort with "Look-" but the moment the first, harshly spoken word left her lips, Inuyasha's ears lowered upon his head, as his expression instantly morphed from one of indignation to...what Kagome would almost call the look of a dog cringing at a rolled up newspaper. She hated to use such an analogy, knowing that he hated it when she treated him like a dog, even though she'd only ever done so in teasing, but it was seriously almost as if he'd cowered at the sound of her voice. He wasn't...afraid of her...was he? Oh gods, what had she done?
But before she could even think of what to say, of how to form her apology, he was the one to speak up again with, "There ain't nothing for us to do right now anyway, what with that bastard gone in hiding 'n' all."
The way he'd said it, in a much softer, defeated tone of voice, coupled by what he'd actually said, Kagome knew was the closest she was going to get to an apology. Under the circumstances, she would take what she could get, and she did feel as though he deserved an apology too, all things considered.
"I'll be back in three days." she assured him then, her own voice much softer as well. "And even though I know we're not really low on supplies, I'll stock up on a bunch more ramen and medicine anyway, so that way, I won't have to go home again until my next test."
His ears seemed to perk up a little at that, and Kagome knew that her own version of a 'hanyou-apology' had been recognized. She was afraid that if she got all mushy on him, started gushing apologies as she swore how sorry she was, that he'd only toughen up again, brush it off, and snap at her for 'blubbering' as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He was tough like that, so keeping that in mind, Kagome figured it'd be best to just try and put this incident behind them. His thoughts must have been running along similar lines, as his eyes only met hers for the briefest of moments as he gave a curt nod of acknowledgement to her statement, before promptly looking away once more. Taking her cue, Kagome then asked Sango if she could borrow Kirara. It was probably the first time the futuristic miko had ever asked her friend for the neko's assistance in a calm, quiet manner.
Snapping to attention, Sango did her best to pretend that she had not just been dragged into one of the most awkward moments she'd ever witnessed between those two, as she politely answered, "Sure, Kagome-chan." as she gently shook the still snoozing neko in her arms.
"Kirara..." she addressed her nekomata companion, smiling at the way a set of red eyes blinked up at her in inquiry.
"Mrrow?
"Will you please give Kagome-chan a ride to the well?"
"Mrrrrrow" the feline youkai purred in acknowledgment, apparently unfazed by all that had happened in the last few minutes, as she gracefully leapt from the slayer's arms and trotted up the road to an area where she could safely transform.
As the fire-cat's true form roared to life, Kagome swung her yellow backpack over one shoulder, her quiver of arrows hoisted on the other, bow in hand, as she waved her goodbyes to the group, swearing her return in three days' time. Inuyasha didn't say anything else as he watched her go, his usual scowl back in place and arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Well then..." Miroku finally spoke up, nervously breaking the awkward silence between them.
It was apparent that Inuyasha had not been seriously injured, so if he knew what was best for him, the monk would do his best to pretend that what he'd just witnessed had never happened. Especially since the moment he opened his mouth, Inuyasha shot him a challenging glare, as if daring the holy man to say the wrong thing.
Flinching at the intensity of Inuyasha's gaze, Miroku quickly reigned in his original line of thought, deciding that now was most definitely not the time to test his luck. Switching gears, then, the monk quickly adlibbed with, "Do you suggest we continue onward towards Kaede-sama's, finding a place to make camp come nightfall, or shall we still stop for the evening in the upcoming village, getting an early start in the morning?"
He phrased the question very carefully, deliberately making sure his hanyou companion knew that he was asking his opinion, and would abide by his decision. Of course, he wanted to stop in the upcoming village, which was where they had all been heading for the evening before Kagome had suddenly announced her need to return home, but at the same time, Miroku also knew how badly Inuyasha truly loathed staying within foreign villages.
While Inuyasha was still stewing over what had just taken place, he was truly giving the monk's question some serious thought. Yes, he hated staying at random villages, greatly preferring the open space of the wild forest, but that wasn't to say that he didn't understand how a night in proper bedding would benefit his human companions. Before he could open his mouth to announce his decision, however, Shippou decided in that moment to leap down from his perch of relative safety upon the monk's shoulder.
Great, just what I need... the hanyou thought in annoyance, moments before the kit chimed in with what he thought they should do.
"I wanna go back to Kaede's!" the kit all but demanded. "That's where Kagome went and we should follow her!"
"Kagome-chan did say she would be gone for three days, Shippou." Sango tried to point out, explaining how even if they did rush back to Kaede's village, Kagome wouldn't be there.
"Keh, can't make it back to her village before nightfall anyway, and to keep marching through the night isn't an option." Inuyasha told the kitsune, for once acknowledging his consideration for the mortals in their group as he explained, "That's too long of a journey for humans to travel without rest."
"You just wanna delay because you're mad she beat you!" Shippou accused, sticking out his tongue when Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the comment.
Miroku and Sango both visibly cringed at the kit's thoughtless words, and were expecting their hanyou companion to immediately give chase of the foolhardy child, so they were undoubtedly surprised when Inuyasha's shoulders seemed to slump, as though genuinely taking Shippou's taunting to heart, as his head lowered to hide his eyes behind his bangs. But whatever had momentarily passed through Inuyasha's mind was short-lived, as he quickly snapped his head back up, and Shippou gulped at the look of death promised in his amber gaze. Before Shippou even knew what was happening, he found himself pinned on his back, a very serious, and seriously pissed off inu-hanyou crouching over him, holding his body to the ground with a single wide, deadly hand gripped firmly around his throat. Shippou would have gulped in his nervousness a second time, but the pressure from Inuyasha's hand was too tight to allow it.
The slayer and monk were both taken completely by surprise by the hanyou's quick movements, and more than ever, Miroku was grateful that he had managed to keep his own thoughts to himself. Even so, Miroku felt bad for the kitsune, and was nervous and uncertain regarding what to do about the current situation. On the one hand, he did not believe that Inuyasha would seriously injure the child, but on the other hand, they couldn't very well stand back and do nothing. Kagome would never stand for such mistreatment of the boy, but since she wasn't present at the moment...
"Inuyasha..." Miroku spoke up hesitantly, only to instantly be silenced by a half-growled snarl of "Stay out of it!"

Shippou was beginning to cry, and both humans could easily hear the child's whimpers, but when Miroku regretfully began reaching inside his robes for a sutra, he was surprised to find Sango's hand gently gripping his wrist, as she whispered "Don't" in a quiet, yet confident tone.
Having been raised in a taijiya village, Sango had grown up learning several things about many different species of youkai, and she was fairly certain that Inuyasha would not truly hurt Shippou as she recognized the way in which he was holding him down. Because Kagome had won that argument, Shippou, being the bratty child that he could sometimes be, had apparently decided to test his own ability to get his way, so Inuyasha had to make him submit. It was a canine thing, pure and simple, the slayer smiled to herself in acknowledgment. Though, while Sango was correct in her belief, to a point, the true nature of what had, and what was still taking place, was completely lost on the woman who was still very human, regardless of her training. Sango was under the assumption that the 'canine thing' was just between Inuyasha and Shippou.
The hanyou didn't say anything to the fox-kit as he continued to hold him down, a low rumbling growl vibrating in his throat meant to portray his dominance. Shippou whimpered, but he also refused to submit, as he began clawing at the hanyou's hand, desperately trying to get free. Inuyasha ignored the kitsune's tiny claws that barely cut into his flesh, the wounds healing as quickly as they appeared, as Shippou's youki was simply too young and weak to pose a genuine threat to the mature hanyou, despite the fact that Shippou was a full-blooded youkai. Taking things up a level, Inuyasha closed his fingers more forcefully around Shippos's neck as he gently shook the boy, 'gently' being a relative term for an action so rough, it would have killed a human child. Finally, the emerald gaze that had been glaring daggers at the hanyou was extinguished, as Shippou closed his eyes and fought as much as he could against Inuyasha's hold in order to turn his head slightly to the side. He went completely quiet and completely still, and it felt like an eternity before Inuyasha finally let him up, but when he felt the pressure around his neck disappear, Shippou slowly rose to his feet, being sure to keep his eyes averted. Inuyasha knew it was only a temporary fix, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about the kit being a pest for the next three days.
"We're stopping at the next village." Inuyasha suddenly announced, as he rose to his feet and turned to face his human companions.
His expression was hard yet unreadable, but Miroku knew the last thing he wanted to do was piss Inuyasha off, so it was with a thankful smile that the monk nodded his understanding and agreement, as he silently began following behind the hanyou who had already resumed heading up the dirt road. Sango opted for taking up the rear, so as to avoid the houshi's temptation regarding her own, and as she came upon the sullen kitsune that still stood where he'd been pinned, she offered Shippou a warm smile as she silently held her arms open in invitation.
Rubbing his hands around his sore neck, Shippou offered Sango his own thankful smile as he leapt up into her embrace. She wasn't Kagome, but she was nice, she smelled good, and riding in her arms was a heck of a lot better than walking.
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Sitting at her desk, Kagome stared blankly at her calculus book, all the little mathematical squiggles and formulas reminding the girl of when, as a young child, she had first started to learn Kanji.
"How am I supposed to remember all of this?" she groaned to herself out loud, a quiet "Meow" that sounded an awful lot like a hummed 'I dunno' to her warped mind pulling her from her thoughts, as she turned and offered Buyo a brief smile.
"Thanks for the support." she muttered sarcastically, the mortal feline offering its mistress another "Meow" before jumping down from the bed and heading out the door.
Slowly pushing her chair away from her desk, Kagome groaned in time with her chair's legs as they creaked with the movement, as she forced her exhausted body to rise in a standing position. Glancing at the clock, her eyes widened momentarily to discover that it was already after eleven. How had it gotten so late, so quickly? No wonder she was tired! Stretching her cramped body and grimacing at all the cracks and pops her various joints all made to realign themselves, Kagome muttered something under her breath about growing old too quickly, as she made her way downstairs to give Buyo an early midnight snack.
The teenage miko was surprised to find the television still on in the living room, and thought for a moment that her brother had fallen asleep while watching an earlier program until she discovered that Souta was in fact still awake.
"Hey Sis." he greeted quietly, not wanting to disturb their mother or grandfather, who had both already retired for the night.
"Hey squirt." she whispered in turn, surprised to find the TV turned to a nature channel. "What on Earth are you watching?"
"Oh, this is so awesome!" the boy whispered loudly, as he explained to his sister that he was currently studying evolution in school, and how he'd stumbled upon a program listing for a documentary on how modern dogs were an example of controlled evolution, as everything from a Great Dane to the tiniest Teacup Poodle alive today are all direct descendants of wolves, their characteristics altered over time through selective breeding.
Dogs are descendent from wolves, eh? Don't tell Inuyasha that... Kagome snickered in her mind, just imagining the chaos that was sure to ensue should anyone dare attempt to tell the hanyou that he and Kouga were distant cousins.
Thinking of Inuyasha quickly brought Kagome's mind back around to what had been continually interrupting her study attempts all day. She just couldn't get it out of her head, the sound of Inuyasha's painful yelp, the sight of him spitting blood; it was all just too much. If it hadn't been for the fact that she genuinely needed to return home, needed to study for her upcoming math test, then Kagome never would have left the Feudal era under such conditions. He'd been acting funny, the way he hardly even looked at her, and Kagome was terrified that inside, Inuyasha's anger was boiling. Was returning to the past after taking her test an explosion waiting to happen? Even so, it was hardly as if she could avoid such a confrontation. She couldn't very well never return, after all. Kagome was convinced that if she were late by even one minute, he would be pounding on her door to drag her back through the well by her hair. But what good did leaving do in the first place if she couldn't even concentrate on studying for her pending exam? If she was just going to flunk the test anyway, then she might as well have just stayed in the past, so with a new spirit of determination, Kagome convinced herself that she would temporarily put all thoughts of what was or wasn't waiting for her in the Feudal era aside, crossing the proverbial bridge when she came to it, as the saying went.
Maybe a little bit of television will do me some good... Kagome reasoned then, feeling as if she needed to completely clear her mind so she could get a fresh start in the morning. Her test was the day after tomorrow, after all.
After giving Buyo a small dish of some left over tuna, Kagome decided to join her brother on the couch. Souta didn't mind, as he scooted himself over enough to make room, fully engrossed in what he was watching once more.
"Wolves are pack animals, and live in a hierarchy society ruled by a single alpha-male, or in some cases, an alpha-female. Wolves typically mate for life, and as leader, the alpha-male earns the right to breed with the strongest female of the pack. No other male in the pack may breed with this female, and any challenge to do so would indicate a challenge for leadership of the entire pack. The alpha-female's position in the pack is higher in status than the beta-male, and in some cases, especially where cubs are involved, she will even dominate her alpha-male. In the rare case of the alpha-male's death, his alpha-female may presume leadership of the pack in his stead if no other males rise to challenge her authority. She may also refuse another mate and challenge any male who attempts domination, and she may even leave the pack before willingly submitting to another."
Hmm...interesting... Kagome thought, all the information on wolves detouring her mind to Kouga once more. So he sees me as a strong female, huh? she mused, recalling all the times Inuyasha had called her weak. Then she snickered as she thought of their first encounter with Ayame. Now there was an alpha-female if she'd ever seen one.
"While domesticated dogs still possess the instinct for pack and pecking order, those raised in solitude often come to associate themselves with their human families, treating all other dogs as members of foreign packs. Domesticated dogs are polygamous by nature, and will seek out any female in-heat for mating before returning to his human family. In the case of unaltered dogs kept for breeding, strong bonds can be formed between mated pairs, just as any two or more dogs kept in close quarters will develop a pack familiarity, but the common use of 'studding' services show how human interference has changed the concept of canine mating. Most of these behaviors are environmentally influenced, as there have been many cases of packs of wild dogs, the offspring of strays and runaways, who have behaved more closely to their wolf cousins."
I bet that explains a lot, Kagome thought, almost fearful of her thoughts as if a certain somebody could read her mind, and all the way through the well, no less. She knew Inuyasha hated being compared to a dog, but sometimes he really did act like one. Kagome also wondered how many of his 'behavior' problems were truly just a result of how he was raised. She refused to think poorly of him merely because he was hanyou, as was clearly the general viewpoint of most people in the Sengoku jidai, but if she were to be perfectly honest with herself, maybe some of the ways he acted really were do to the fact that he was half inu-youkai.
I've always thought of Inuyasha as a regular boy, but...he really isn't a normal boy, is he?
Not that that was a bad thing, by any means. Kagome absolutely loved Inuyasha as a hanyou. Yes, in the quiet of her own thoughts, she could admit such a thing, at least to herself. She loved Inuyasha.
Being a hanyou is a good thing. It makes him strong.
Of course, Inuyasha didn't think of himself as a human who was stronger for being half youkai. He thought of himself as a youkai who was weaker for being half human. But regardless of whether or not you called the glass half empty or half full, the fact of the matter was that it was both, in equal parts, half and half, just like Inuyasha. Kagome wasn't about to debate whether or not his human blood was a good thing or a bad thing. Inuyasha was balanced, like Yin and Yang, and with both of his sides he possessed positive and negative aspects. While his human blood gave him an insight into human emotions that other youkai wouldn't necessarily comprehend, Kagome would relent that the night of the new moon was a definite weakness, at least while they were out on a treacherous mission where enemies hunted them at every turn. She could certainly see his view point for how his human blood made him weaker, but his human blood also made him stronger, in the sense that it made him more determined to win and less likely to give up, no matter how greatly the odds were stacked against him. He had even admitted as much on rare occasion. On the other hand, his youkai blood made him magical, enabled him to use energy based attacks and powers that the people of her time thought were merely the stuff of legends. Yet, at the same time, his youkai blood could over power him, turning him into a killing machine that enjoyed death and felt no pain. There was a positive and negative side to each of his halves, but that was only to be expected, wasn't it? Kagome most certainly didn't want Inuyasha to use the jewel to become a full youkai, but she didn't want him to use it to become a full human, either. He was perfect just the way he was, balanced.
Thinking of Inuyasha using the jewel to turn human reminded Kagome of her predecessor's desires. How could Kikyou have asked for such a thing? But truthfully, as she thought about it, Kagome supposed a tiny part of her did understand. Kikyou had hoped that such a use of the jewel would purify it to the point of nonexistence, which would have freed her from her responsibility to protect it. At the same time, there was no way her miko upbringing would have allowed her to become the wife of a hanyou, so with the jewel gone, and Inuyasha human, they would have been able to live together as husband and wife. It would've been a win/win situation, when thought of from that view point. While thoughts of Inuyasha's past relationship with Kikyou still stung, Kagome wasn't as jealous as she used to be, although that comment the narrator of the documentary had made about dogs being 'polygamous' hadn't helped her self-esteem any. Oh sure, Inuyasha was half human, and more often than not seemed to possess human emotions, but thinking about the other adult male in their rag-tag group did little to persuade Kagome of the monogamous nature of humans.
That's it! I'm supposed to be clearing my mind, not giving myself a headache with such thoughts.

Announcing that she was going to bed, Kagome rose from the couch and quietly headed upstairs, her little brother's whisper of "Night Nee-chan." trailing up behind her.

Great, it's almost midnight, and thanks to that stupid documentary, I'm wide-awake.

"I wonder what Inuyasha's thinking right now." she mumbled quietly to herself as she stared out her bedroom window, her gaze falling on the shadowed form of the Goshinboku, illuminated by the light of the Chrysanthemum Moon.
I hope he can forgive me.
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For all appearances, he was asleep, but those who knew him knew he didn't sleep in foreign villages. Inuyasha sat perfectly still, leaning against the back wall of the room they had been granted by the village headman, eyes closed, Tetsusaiga gently propped against his shoulder. How coincidental it was that the nicest house in the village also happened to be haunted. The sheer level of gullibility in the average human never failed to amaze him.
Inuyasha hadn't protested Miroku starting up his song and dance, knowing that they didn't have any money and that unless the village happened to be suffering from a genuine youkai infestation, there was no other way they could acquire a room for the night. The monk had seemed more nervous than usual, which Inuyasha was quick to realize was because he was worried over potentially angering him, so while feeling pleased that the monk seemed to know his place without question, Inuyasha had given his consent to use the deception.
His words had been, "Feh, do whatcha gotta do, monk."
Miroku had immediately nodded his understanding and proceeded to exclaim loud enough that he drew the attention of the entire village that he felt an unsettling aura from within their community. A phony exorcism and genuine blessing later, and here they were, free room and board.
The kit was behaving himself so far, so for a reward, and to remind the runt that he was in fact still a part of their group, Inuyasha had let the brat eat dinner in peace, without attempting to steal any of his food. Not that that meant the kit could steal any of his food in return, but the runt hadn't even tried. Good thing, too. He really didn't feel like dealing with any more issues for the time being. All Inuyasha wanted to do was sit and wait for the sun to rise, so that they could get the hell out of that village and back on the road to Kaede's. Hopefully, now that they'd have an entire day of travel ahead of them, they could make it back to the miko's village before nightfall.
He was both eagerly awaiting and dreading Kagome's return. So many things were different now, but yet, as he truly thought about it, Inuyasha realized that not all that much had really changed. It would just be an...adjustment...that he would have to get used to, that's all. But really, would things truly be so different? As he thought about it, Inuyasha knew that Kagome had always ended up getting her way when it came to going home. He couldn't honestly think of a single time that he'd ever successfully prevented the miko from leaving once she'd declared her need to return to the future. While it was true that in the past, their arguments had always been more of a draw, Kagome had still always gotten her way one way or the other. He would either eventually concede to her desire to go home, provided that she met a specific list of demands that usually extended to the length of her stay and what she must bring back with her upon return, or if he refused to bend then she would merely 'osuwari' him and run away while he was temporarily immobile. Those times of course didn't count as genuine consent on his part, and as if realizing that for herself, Kagome always seemed a little nicer, a little apologetic, whenever she returned after one of those fights. Maybe Kagome would be submissive when she returned this time as well?
Stop it, don't think of such things... Inuyasha scolded himself. This time was different and he knew it.
Kagome had drawn blood.
Oh sure, he knew she hadn't meant to, and yes, he knew she'd instantly regretted the action, but still...she'd hardly done anything to make up for it as she'd towered over him. Even when she'd crouched down by his head, quietly asking him if he was all right, she hadn't been gushing with tears and apologies, or begging for forgiveness. Nothing that would indicate she'd felt as though she'd overstepped her bounds in any way. The final test had been when he'd dared to open his mouth with more attitude than he knew he should have given her at the moment, and instead of cowering in fear of his anger, she'd shot right back at him with more anger of her own. Kagome's reaction had made her position on things explicitly clear. That was why he had relented so quickly, ceasing the argument before it could start anew. They'd already reached the summit in their clash of the Titans. Kagome had drawn blood, so what, exactly, was he supposed to do now, draw her blood in return? Absolutely, he could have continued the fight, if he'd wanted to destroy the only decent thing that'd ever happened to him in his entire life. The only reason Kagome could get one-up on him was because of the damn rosary, and they both knew it, but even so, there wasn't anything that he could, or would do about it. If he really wanted to, he could grab Kagome and slap his hand over her mouth before she'd even have time to realize what'd happened. He could shake her like a rag doll until she agreed to remove the beads, or better yet, he could grab somebody like the brat or the old hag and use them like a hostage to gain her compliance. But what would that prove? It would prove he was the monster that nearly everyone feared him to be is what it'd prove. No, fighting back at that level was definitely out of the question when his adversary was Kagome. He'd rather gift-wrap the Tetsusaiga for his brother's next birthday than cause her physical harm. So where did that leave him? It left him precisely where he was.
Dawn came much too slowly as far as he was concerned, but when Inuyasha finally started to notice the shadows behind his eyelids taking on more definition, he cracked an eye open to discover that it was in fact finally morning.
"'Bout damn time." he muttered under his breath, though not quietly enough for the other demonic member remaining in their group to miss, as Shippou groggily awoke from his slumber.
The kit had taken up residence within Sango's sleeping roll for the night. While the slayer wasn't Kagome, she was still pleasant to sleep against.
"Is the sun up yet?" he asked in a tired whisper, the Feudal era equivalent of asking what time it was.
"Very soon." was Inuyasha's response, as the hanyou peaked out the door at the rapidly brightening horizon.
"Do you want me to wake the others?" Shippou asked next, his subdued nature not going unnoticed by the elder canine.
Glancing back at his slumbering humans, Inuyasha then took a moment to sniff the air, and finally said, "Nah, let them sleep a little longer. Breakfast ain't ready yet anyway."
It might have appeared as though he was being unusually generous, but Inuyasha knew that once they got on the road, he'd be pushing the humans to travel as far as they could without stopping in the hopes of reaching Kaede's before dark. If a few extra minutes of sleep now meant that they would have that much more energy later, then let them rest.
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Breakfast was a quiet affair. Inuyasha could feel the eyes of every member of the household boring into his flesh, but he did his best to completely ignore them as he ate the food offered him along side his companions. Inuyasha knew better than to appear too domineering while in the headman's home. They were only humans, after all, and his presence was unsettling enough as it was without him barking orders to the others in his group. He knew the headman likely thought Miroku to be their leader, as was the unofficial assumption they'd always let others presume whenever the monk performed his bogus exorcisms for free room and board. Just something about his robes made people trust him, made them turn to him for guidance. Everyone was nervous enough that there was a hanyou in their living quarters, so may as well allow them whatever false comfort they found in the belief that Miroku had everything under control, Inuyasha included.
Once breakfast was complete, Inuyasha waited at the edge of the village impatiently for Miroku and Sango to finish their rounds of thanks with the headman and his family, as each party expressed gratitude for the services rendered by the other. The villagers had no idea that they'd just been bamboozled, but Miroku always justified his actions in his mind with the rationalization that the blessings he had performed on the house were quite genuine, and so they were now protected from future mishaps of a demonic or spiritual nature. The fact that the house had never been haunted to begin with was a petty detail best left forgotten.
As soon as Miroku and Sango finally joined where Inuyasha and Shippou had been waiting by the edge of the road, the hanyou didn't hesitate to start barking commands again.
"Let's get a move on already." he snapped impatiently. "The whole idea of resting for the night was that starting from early morning, we can make it to the village in one day. At this rate, it'll be past sunset by the time we arrive."
Miroku, still wary of inadvertently upsetting the angrier than usual inu-hanyou, was quick to chime up with, "Our apologies, my friend. Please, lead the way."
He was relieved to see Inuyasha merely nod his agreement and turn to head down the road without another word, though he was mildly puzzled as to why Shippou would choose to ride upon Inuyasha's shoulder after the turmoil of yesterday afternoon. The monk had been on edge ever since that glare Inuyasha had shot him moments after Kagome's departure. He'd never seen the hanyou look at him with such genuine hostility before. Sometimes it was easy to forget that their hanyou companion was in fact a hanyou, meaning he was half youkai and not fully human, but yesterday had most certainly reminded Miroku of that fact. He did not truly fear Inuyasha, personally, but it was clear that the hanyou was a lot moodier than normal, and Miroku did have quite an efficient sense of self-preservation. Teasing or taunting Inuyasha regarding his fight with Kagome was literally the farthest thing from his mind at the moment. No, it was definitely best to keep his thoughts to himself, and let Inuyasha cool off on his own time.
Sango, on the other hand, wasn't confused as to why Shippou was riding with Inuyasha, although she was getting a little tired of the hanyou's attitude. Ever since his fight with Kagome yesterday afternoon he had been barking at them as though they had been the ones he'd been fighting with, when both she and Miroku had done absolutely nothing to provoke the hanyou in any way. Sango had to keep reminding herself that Inuyasha was always moodier than usual after a fight with Kagome, especially the fights that ended in Kagome leaving through the well, and that considering the intensity of their latest quarrel, it only made since that his residual anger would also be stronger than normal. Plus that stunt Shippou had pulled hadn't helped matters any, she was sure. What had the kit been thinking, honestly? He was lucky Inuyasha hadn't torn into him for such a comment, merely pinning him down until the fox-child conceded defeat. In Sango's opinion, the boy had gotten off easy. She'd seen the look of murder in the inu-hanyou's piercing gaze, a look which Miroku had received as well, which was why Sango didn't blame the houshi one bit for his current walking-on-eggshells routine. One could never be too careful when your half-youkai companion suddenly grew uncharacteristically hostile, which was why the exterminator was also putting up with his attitude. She might not be as good as Miroku when it came to displaying passive aloofness, but at the same time, Sango was no fool.
"Hurry it up already." Inuyasha snapped from a few paces in front of them, as both she and Miroku had gradually been lagging behind due to fatigue.
Rolling her eyes, Sango adjusted Hiraikotsu's position as she picked up her pace a little. Coming up to walk beside Miroku, Sango readjusted the giant boomerang on her back to offer herself moderate protection from her walking companion's wandering hands, as she quietly whispered, "How much more of this are we supposed to take?"
She wasn't sure if she'd whispered it quietly enough to avoid Inuyasha overhearing, but she also knew from personal experience that the hanyou usually ignored what he overheard, waiting to give his opinion once they addressed him directly.
Miroku's response of "Our friend does appear to be in quite the hurry." indicated to Sango that while Miroku apparently didn't have any intention of complaining, the brisk pace they had been forced to keep for the last few hours was getting to him as well.
Releasing a tired huff of breath, Sango finally decided to chance Inuyasha's ire as she spoke up with, "Inuyasha, Houshi-sama and I need to rest." He immediately stopped and turned to glare at them both, but before he could comment, Sango skillfully added, "We are only human, you know."
Inuyasha opened his mouth as if he was about to argue but then promptly shut it again, the look in his eyes clearly indicating that he was none to happy, but at the same time had decided to give the matter some genuine thought. "Fine." he finally agreed after a moment, although his tone was somewhat harsh. "We'll stop for ten minutes. Get your second wind."
Before Sango could argue that ten minutes of rest hardly seemed fair he was gone, bounding away with his hanyou speed to undoubtedly scout the immediate area for danger. Sango knew he was eager to return to Kaede's, but honestly, what was the hurry? She appreciated it if he was trying to spare them another night under the stars, but if the exchange was that they pushed themselves to the point of collapse with non-stop marching, the slayer would rather walk at an easier pace and camp for another night before completing their journey. Kagome still wasn't due back until the day after tomorrow, after all. Then again, Sango knew perfectly well that Inuyasha preferred to be near the well while Kagome was away, probably because the time portal gave him at least a mild sense of connection to their futuristic friend. He often peered into its depths during her absences when he thought nobody was looking. A brief glance from Miroku told the slayer that he was currently thinking along similar lines. The look Inuyasha had given Sango at her request to stop for a moment spoke volumes for his current unease in and of itself. She was sure he'd come close to snapping her head off before some part of him had reminded himself that humans did need the occasional rest. With that thought in mind, Sango took full advantage of leaning against a shade tree, even if it was only for ten minutes, as she dug a leather canteen out of her small traveling pack and took a drink. Miroku was quick to follow her example as he took a drink from his own water pouch as well, the looks shared between them stating all they dared not voice aloud.
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� (x) = { x3 - 6x, if x > -2
Huh???
"Oh, this is hopeless!" Kagome groaned as she flopped herself over her calculus book. Learning how to channel her spiritual energy into a purifying arrow hadn't been anywhere near as difficult as learning this mathematical Klingon!
She had a way out, she knew, as her hand itched to reach for the cordless phone that sat oh-so-innocently not six inches away on her desk, but after everything that had happened the day before, Kagome just couldn't bring herself to call Hojo. Earlier that morning at school the boy had tracked her down, despite her best efforts to stay hidden. Having three 'friends' stand behind her shouting out "She's over here, Hojo-kun!" certainly hadn't aided her in her attempts at invisibility. The polite yet gullible schoolboy had then proceeded to ask 'Higurashi' not only how she was feeling, but if she needed any help studying for their upcoming math test. She had politely declined his offer, of course, despite her three girlfriends and her own subconscious all practically screaming at her to accept, but now, as Kagome once again found herself staring blankly at the pages of her math book, Hojo's offer was sounding very tempting.
Inuyasha would never know... she found herself thinking for a moment, before quickly scolding herself for such thoughts.
Just the very fact that she felt as though she'd be sneaking around behind his back proved that to call Hojo would be doing precisely that. If having the boy over to help her study were truly no big deal, then she wouldn't be so worried about it, or fear Inuyasha's reaction should he find out. Kagome knew she wouldn't care if she and Inuyasha had parted on bad terms, if she'd fled the Feudal era fuming mad, and her only thoughts of the hanyou currently centered on how obnoxious and annoying he could be. But the circumstances surrounding how she'd gone home this time were...unique...and Kagome didn't want to risk upsetting Inuyasha any more than she was sure she already had. Knowing her luck, if she did invite Hojo over to help her study, Inuyasha would show up for her tomorrow right after she got out of school, and would pick up Hojo's scent in her room. It would cause a huge fight, and Kagome knew she would feel too guilty to 'osuwari' him, which would mean that he'd probably get way out of control, yelling and cussing up a storm. Kagome's mother had so far never been privy to the true nature of Inuyasha's temper, but the miko was sure that after witnessing, or at the very least overhearing such a display, her mother would have second thoughts about allowing her only daughter to travel back and forth between the timelines. That uncertainty would undoubtedly lead to yet another fight, as Inuyasha insisted Kagome was needed in the past, regardless of whether or not he admitted at the time that he wanted her there or if she was only needed because of the jewel shards. Being faced with Inuyasha demanding that Kagome be allowed to return to the past would undoubtedly make her mother refuse to comply, which would then force Inuyasha to basically kidnap her, dragging her back into the past against her will. He'd then proceed to destroy the well to prevent her from ever returning, which would cause a temporal paradox in the space-time continuum as the well needed to remain intact for her past-self to fall into on her fifteenth birthday. If everything she'd ever read about paradoxes were true, then that meant the very fabric of time would shatter, thus destroying the known universe.
No, she'd better not call Hojo, no matter how badly she wanted to pass her calculus test. Kagome was sure that if she really put her mind to it, she could retain enough information to at least get a passing grade, even if an A were out of the question. If she could remember what she'd learned about the 'butterfly effect' then she could remember a few equations...
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The day of her test came and went, and Kagome had never been so happy to see a C- staring back at her in red. Honestly, she'd been hoping for a D, so she was relatively pleased with herself at the moment. She still didn't have a clue how calculus worked, but apparently her powers of memorization were better than she'd thought, as she'd been fortunate enough to recognize some of the problems on the test as being exactly the same as the ones that appeared in her math book. As Kagome ate dinner with her family, she wondered if Inuyasha and the others were expecting her back that night, or if they knew she'd meant three days from the day she left, meaning she planned on returning tomorrow morning. Well, regardless of how they'd taken her statement of three days, Kagome didn't have any plans for returning that night, unless of course Inuyasha came to get her. She really didn't want to argue with him for a while, still feeling incredibly guilty over what had happened, so if he showed up for her some time that evening, then she'd go with him without complaint. Otherwise, she planned on getting one more night of decent sleep in a soft bed.
Kagome had already stocked up on all the supplies she'd said she'd bring back with her, so that was one less thing to worry about, at least. A trip to the store hadn't been necessary as lately, her mother kept a stockpile of the basics on hand at all times. All Kagome'd had to do was raid the cupboards and medicine cabinets. Getting ready for bed was a slow affair, as the miko kept glancing at her bedroom window every few minutes, wondering if...almost hoping...she would see a flash of red. Maybe Inuyasha was still angry with her, and was in no hurry to see her again. Then again, maybe he just knew she was planning on returning the following day, and was allowing her the time she'd requested. Kagome knew she was making herself crazy with worrying over whether or not Inuyasha was still angry with her, whether or not he could ever forgive her, but she couldn't help it. Still, the game plan for tomorrow was to play things by ear. If he seemed upset with her then she wouldn't hesitate to apologize, but at the same time Kagome knew that Inuyasha's usual way of dealing with troubling issues was to pretend that they didn't exist, so if she sensed from him that he was attempting to act as though nothing had happened, then she wouldn't bring it up either, allowing him the dignity of just putting it all behind them. That said, she still couldn't help feeling anxious about tomorrow. Part of her was dreading the moment she returned to the past, hoping for the best yet fearing the worst. Another part of her just wanted to hurry up and get it over with to finally put an end to her uncertainties. She seriously contemplated returning that night, for a moment, before reluctantly deciding that she really did want another night of comfort in her bed. Besides, it'd gotten rather late by that point, and Kagome knew that Inuyasha didn't like her to return in the middle of the night. It was more dangerous. That wasn't paranoia when you lived in an era where things really did go 'bump' in the night, and monsters truly lurked in every shadow. Maybe if she had her bow and arrows with her, but she'd left those with Kaede before jumping through the well, which meant that on her return trip to the village, she'd be unarmed. No, returning tonight, especially since she was 'defenseless', would almost guarantee incurring his wrath, even if he would otherwise be happy to see her.
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If anyone had been awake in the village and happened to walk past a certain tree that sat near a certain well, they would've sworn that the hanyou sitting within its branches was brooding, but the truth was, Inuyasha had never felt more anxious in his entire life. What nobody could see from the way his crossed arms each rested within the opposite sleeve of his suikan was that he was gripping each arm with his claws so tightly that he'd drawn ten beads of blood.
He was a nervous wreck.
Part of him desperately wanted to jump into the well, to emerge on Kagome's side of time and leap in a single bound up to her bedroom window. Open said window, immediately immersing himself in her scent, grab her sleeping form, and burry his nose in her hair while holding her as close as possible as he assured himself she was real. Another part of him wanted to bolt, wanted to run as far and as fast as he possibly could, so that when she finally decided to return on her own, he wouldn't even be within range of that cursed command. Back in the beginning, had it not been for the importance of the sacred jewel, Inuyasha never would have stayed around a human wench who'd held that much power over him. After getting collared with the rosary, he would've realized she wasn't worth the trouble, said "Later bitch" and been done with it. Even when he'd first decided to stick around, and he had decided to stick around, it was only because he'd hoped for an opportunity to steal the jewel. Even when she'd caught him peeping at her bathing in the river, he truly had only been looking for a moment to steal her shard...at least at first.
Those types of thoughts aren't helping... Inuyasha chastised himself as his nails dug just a little bit deeper.
While the old him may have bolted had it not been for his desire for the jewel, the truth of the matter was that he really didn't care about the jewel all that much any more. Oh, he definitely wanted to find the rest of the shards, and fast, but that was only because he wanted to keep them from Naraku. He wanted to see the jewel put back together again and see that bastard finally destroyed once and for all. And it wasn't just about what Naraku had done to himself and Kikyou, either...not any longer. Thanks to Kagome, Inuyasha had finally learned to trust in others, which led to having friends, which led to his group of traveling companions, and Naraku was their enemy as well. He wanted revenge for everybody against the dark hanyou, even those he hadn't met, because he'd finally learned to care about the world he lived in. Even if certain things had changed now, even if the dynamic of their little group was slightly altered, that still didn't change the fact that he was part of a pack, something that, as a hanyou, he'd never thought he'd ever have. He wouldn't change that for the world.
A twig snapping in the distance quickly brought Inuyasha back from his wandering thoughts, as he honed his ears in on the well. Nothing. It was just an animal. Damn wench better not come back by herself this late at night, either, or he'd have a thing or two to say about...well...actually, he couldn't really scold her for something like that, could he? Not any longer. She'd made it perfectly clear that he wasn't 'the boss of her' as she'd so eloquently put it. Retraining his thinking along such lines was going to take time, he knew, but at least Inuyasha could console himself with the fact that he was still everyone else's boss. Nobody but the brat had even attempted to challenge his authority during Kagome's absence, which was a good thing since he really didn't want to fight with anybody else. He knew he'd been a little more assertive in his authority with the humans than was probably necessary, but making sure the monk and slayer both knew their places was essential. Just because Inuyasha wasn't their leader any more, didn't mean he was willing to be pushed around by anyone other than Kagome. He would defend himself against anyone else. Kagome was special, Kagome was...Kagome, and she was the only one who could dominate him and get away with it. With her, he knew it had nothing to do with the fact that he was a hanyou. He knew Kagome didn't think little of him for his mixed blood, believing pure and simply that, as a half-breed, he had no business being alpha. Kagome wasn't like that. No, as a matter of fact, she was very, very different from anyone else he'd ever met, which was the main reason why he was so drawn to her. She wasn't some subservient human female that bowed and did as she was told. He'd always admired her independent nature, so like a youkai female, so he should have realized that it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.
She is awfully independent...what if she decides to come back tonight after all, despite the danger?
Maybe he'd better just go to her, in case she was planning on returning that night, so that that way, she wouldn't be alone. No! That was stupid. If she'd planed on returning that night she would have done so already, and besides, if she did return, he'd feel her presence in the well long before she finished climbing out of it. He had her aura and scent permanently engraved in his brain, not to mention that the well itself gave off a weak aura of magic whenever it was in use that he could sense if he was close enough. He just needed to be patient, he was sure she'd return in the morning...he hoped.
Maybe I could just check in on her, make sure she's sleeping all right. No! She said she would return in three days, and if I show up early it'll look like I don't trust her. I'm in no position to doubt her word.

Cursing the dilatory night yet again, Inuyasha slowly managed to pry his claws from his flesh, grimacing at the noticeably 'damp' sensation he felt on each arm as a result.
Won't do to have bloodstains on the kosode... he thought, figuring he'd better go rinse out his white inner robe before the stains set in. At least it'd give him something to do for a while; he could use any distraction he could get.
Silently leaping down from his perch in the Goshinboku, Inuyasha quickly made his way down to the nearby river. The same one Kagome had been bathing in the first time he'd ever seen her...
Naked. She was completely, totally, and utterly naked... he finally allowed himself to think as he pealed himself out of his own robes. That hadn't been the only time he'd ever seen her naked, either, as months of traveling the countryside during the hottest part of the year ensured Kagome's need for the occasional dip in water. Even though he wasn't perverted like the monk, and had never intentionally sought her out to peep, there had been a few times that a chance accident on somebody's part had granted him quite the show. Not to mention the time she was captured by that false sage...
Of course, she's seen me naked, too... he remembered as he washed out his kosode, thinking of the time her little brother had damn near boiled him alive. Baths were supposed to be that hot...ha! He'd been in plenty of 'hot' springs in his day, and the most sulphuric, volcanic hot spring in existence wasn't anywhere near as hot as Souta had made that water. He was half youkai, for crying out loud! He didn't even feel pain the same way mortals did, and that water had burned him. How the hell could the boy tolerate it? Thoughts of heat-resistant little brothers aside, Inuyasha couldn't help but blush as he remembered the way he'd unthinkingly charged into Kagome's bedroom stark naked, as if unconsciously seeking her very presence for comfort. The face value reality of a naked man barging into his female companion's personal sleeping chamber hadn't fully registered at the time. His natural instinct simply wasn't to think of things from a human's point of view. He wasn't a fool, and had been perfectly aware that he was still naked, but he'd thought of Kagome's room as a sanctuary of sorts. A place he would be safe during his moment of vulnerability. He hadn't been embarrassed by the notion of Kagome bearing witness to his nudity, nor had he given himself a moment to contemplate what her reaction would be. He was safe in Kagome's room. Of course, that line of thinking had quickly been shot to hell as she'd shrieked and proceeded to throw half of her possessions at him, ordering him to get out. At the time he'd actually been a little upset, believing her reaction was only because he'd interrupted her studying yet again, when she'd told him specifically that she needed to concentrate on her schoolwork. It was only as he sat dressed once more, as Souta dried his hair, that he'd recognized things from the human girl's point of view and finally felt embarrassment for what he'd done. Just because his human emotions were usually suppressed by his youkai instincts didn't mean he didn't have them. He was a hanyou, after all, which meant that loath as he was to admit it, he was just as much human as he was youkai. Once his sense of things from the perspective of a human male had finally caught up with him, he couldn't believe what he'd done!
Oh well, fair's fair... Inuyasha shrugged off as he rang out his kosode, before wrapping the damp garment back around his person. Given his current line of thoughts, he actually welcomed the frigid sensation of the wet fabric against his skin. He honestly didn't mind the fact that Kagome had seen him without his clothing. It was only fair considering the number of times he'd seen her in the buff, and at least Kagome had seen him naked during a time at which his thoughts hadn't been revolving around the miko in a...less than appropriate manner. There've been quite a few times that Inuyasha had left camp in the middle of the night for a cold bath that'd had nothing to do with the fact that he'd felt dirty...or at least...not the kind of dirty one usually associated with bathing. It'd also happened more than once that a dip in frigid water wasn't available, and he'd wound up 'taking care of' his problem in another way.
If she ever saw me do that...
He shuddered at the thought of what would happen were Kagome ever made aware of his less than pure thoughts regarding her person. Humiliation aside, he was quite convinced that she wouldn't stop 'osuwari-ing' him until she really did some serious damage, and then, while he was down, she would hit him over the head with a large rock just for good measure. She'd done it before. He clearly remembered how she'd clobbered him one for telling her to take off the miko robes Kaede had dressed her in, and that had been a genuine misunderstanding because he had only meant that he'd wanted her to put her own clothing back on. If she got that defensive when she just thought he was being a pervert, he didn't even want to imagine how she'd react if she saw for herself just how 'indecent' he could truly be.
"Not that I wouldn't deserve it." Inuyasha muttered to himself as he retied his suikan, walking back towards the Goshinboku at a much slower pace than normal. Taking a moment to pause at the well along the way, he released a shuddering breath.
His entire body literally twitched, as though he was a junkie addicted to the well and he was itching for his next fix. Maybe that was true, in a way, but it wasn't the well itself that he craved, but rather, the raven-haired beauty that resided on the other side of it. Inuyasha literally had to force himself to remain on his side of time, as every fiber of his being was screaming at him to go get Kagome. She was right there, right on the other side of the well. With as fast as he was, he could literally be within Kagome's presence in a matter of seconds, yet he was powerless to make it happen. He couldn't go get Kagome...she had said that she would return in three days, and he had to wait for her.

She said three days, she said three days... he repeated over and over in his mind. He would give her until tomorrow, but then, if she was late...then he could go get her without worrying about the consequences. If she were late, then it'd fall under his duty to make sure that nothing had happened to her, for the good of the entire pack. It would have to be his duty, since he was the only one who could travel through the well, which meant that neither of the humans could go check on her themselves. That thought brought a brief smile to his lips as his chest puffed in marginal importance.
In the silence of his own thoughts he could still be as arrogant as he wanted, so it was with conviction that Inuyasha mentally scolded, You'd better return tomorrow, wench, or I will come get you.
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