Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Happy Ending	By : SplendentGoddess Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > InuYasha/Kagome Views: 5221 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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
- 1-Happy Ending
- 1
Nominated for Best Inu/Kag Romance, Inuyasha Fanguild, 4th Quarter 2009
A/N:
This one-shot takes place earlier in the storyline, so it's a slightly 'off-canon' canon. They are currently still searching for jewel shards as well as hunting Naraku, which means that Kikyou is of course still alive, and that Kouga is still showing up at random to proclaim his love for Kagome. Also, I feel it important to note that for the purposes of this story, I am making Inuyasha only seventeen years old, not counting the fifty years he was pinned to the tree. I know there is a lot of debate up in the air as to the hanyou's true age, especially when the third movie clearly indicates one thing, yet most hard-core fans do not consider the information in the movies to be canon. I make Inuyasha a hundred and fifty in a lot of my stories, but it's my intention to spread my wings, so to speak, and not limit myself to only one side of the fence. Besides, what I have in mind for this particular story works a lot better if he's only seventeen. So for everyone who prefers believing that Inuyasha is really much older, please do your best to suspend disbelief for the purposes of this story, and for those of you who actually do prefer believing he was just a teenager at the time of his encounter with Kikyou, then this one's for you!
~*~*~ Happy Ending ~*~*~
Finally, after what seemed like hour after unending hour of relentless battling, Inuyasha was victorious over the shard-enhanced snake-youkai. Of course he was victorious. He was always victorious, although that wasn't to say he wasn't feeling it. That serpent had given him a run for his money, literally. Who knew a Shikon-powered grass snake could slither so freakin' fast?
When the inu-tachi had first entered the farming village looking for a safe place to rest for the moonless night, they'd had no idea that the sanctuary they had chosen had actually fallen victim to numerous youkai attacks in recent weeks, and they had not been expecting the way the locals had immediately begged for their assistance. What were they supposed to do, say no? At least they had been promised a free room and food in exchange for their services, which was better than spending what little money they had.

There had been a total of three snake-youkai, though only the big one had been in possession of a Shikon shard. When it had suddenly darted off as if to make its escape, Inuyasha had known that he'd had to go after it, calling back to Sango and Miroku, whom he'd also known could easily handle the last two, normal snake-youkai without him, that if he and Kagome didn't make it back in time to just wait there at the village until they returned for them in the morning. That said, he'd grabbed the miko and taken off like a bat out of hell.
It was just as well that the slayer and monk had had to stay behind to finish off those two other youkai, because even Kirara would've had no chance of keeping up with the immeasurable distance Inuyasha had been forced to run at his top speed just in order to catch up with the fucking thing. It had almost been more than he could handle. Of course, he probably could've made the journey a little easier on himself had it not been for the fact that he'd been carrying Kagome on his back the entire time, meaning he'd had to be conscientious of her comfort level as well as her weight distribution every time he jumped. But he'd needed to bring her along; she was the only one who could see where the scaly beast was hiding its jewel shard. Where the scaly beast had been hiding its jewel shard, as both the shard, as well as the hebi's life, were now theirs.
The battle had definitely taken its toll, though. Hanyou didn't get tired out very easily, but even Inuyasha had his limits. He'd torn a leg muscle or two, he was sure. He could feel it.
"Are you all right, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly.
"I'm fine, wench! Quit askin'!"
So okay, it wasn't like he was going to admit he'd pushed himself too far. Getting injured in battle by the enemy's hand was one thing, but merely straining something from overexertion? Feh! He'd be fine within the hour.
* one hour later *
Fucking damn it all to hell! the soon-to-be ex-hanyou cursed inside his head, doing his best to walk without limping as he used what was left of his youkai senses to scent out a safe place to make camp for the night.
His original goal had been to allow his muscles a little time to recuperate, walking back in the direction of the village at a steady pace until he felt able to once again grab Kagome and make a run for it. Unfortunately, it looked like the rapidly approaching moonless night was hindering his muscles' ability to heal themselves, and that fact was not putting him in the best of moods.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome spoke up hesitantly after a moment, having silently observed her companion for the last hour during their slow trek back through the forest. "I'm feeling kind of tired, plus it'll be sunset before too much longer. Could we please stop to make camp soon?" she asked, lying through her teeth with regard to how tired she felt, herself. But she wasn't about to tell him that she could plainly see how he was the one who needed to stop for the night. There was clearly no way he was going to be running her back to the others before sunset, not now, not with the way he was gritting his teeth just to keep from walking with a limp.
For a moment, Kagome didn't think he was even going to acknowledge her question. Then with shoulders slumping in defeat, she heard his fatigued mutter of "Fine, whatever."
``
Inuyasha's disposition was greatly improved after a nice, heaping cup of ramen. For a moment, Kagome contemplated suggesting that he see if he could sniff out a hot spring nearby, because a nice soak in warm water would certainly do his aching muscles some good, but she knew better than to acknowledge the fact that he was in any sort of pain to begin with, and quickly decided to keep her mouth shut. Besides, she had no idea how rapidly his youkai senses actually diminished during the evening before a new moon. It was certainly clear to her that he was weaker than usual, considering his legs had yet to heal themselves properly, and the miko was sure that mentioning him sniffing out a hot spring if his sense of smell was currently too weak to accomplish such a task would only throw his mood back down into the spiraling pits of hostility.
It was with that last thought in mind that Kagome remained silent, meticulously tending to their fire. About twenty minutes later, she did an admirable job not commenting on the unmistakable grunt of pain that slipped past her companion's lips the same moment the sun slipped past the horizon.
It's going to be a long night... she thought despondently, pulling her math book from her backpack.
``
"Would you like some more aspirin?" Kagome asked quietly.
After turning human, Inuyasha had been less able to conceal the fact that he was in a fair amount of pain, and eventually unable to take it any more, Kagome had offered him some of the pain medicine she carried with her from her time, fully prepared to argue her case when he refused. He surprised her by agreeing without a fight, muttering something under his breath about how much he hated being a weak human. Without commenting on the 'weak human' barb, the miko had given him two tablets, and had silently vowed to observe their apparent effectiveness, offering him more when she felt he probably needed it, knowing he would never ask.
"Keh."
Taking that as a 'yes', she pulled her backpack closer and reached inside. Finding the little bottle without looking, which wasn't hard since it was right where she had left it, she removed two more tablets and handed them to him along with her bottle of water.
Kagome absolutely refused to fall asleep since it was only the two of them tonight, so she had been doing her best to take advantage of the opportunity to study some of her schoolwork. Still, the way Inuyasha kept silently shifting and flexing on the other side of the fire let Kagome know that his muscles were still cramping up on him, and she couldn't help but to lack a certain amount of concentration on her studies as her thoughts filled instead with concern and compassion for her friend. He had definitely run a lot faster, and for a lot longer, than she could ever recall him doing in a single shot before. Then, immediately upon catching up with the hebi-youkai, he'd had to jump and dodge and dodge and jump, remaining in constant motion to avoid getting chomped on by three-inch fangs. Some of his maneuvers had definitely looked unnatural, and Kagome had felt a small measure of pain just watching it, when she had been observing the fight from the safety of the hiding place Inuyasha had put her in, waiting for a chance to get a shot in with her bow. All in all, she would say his leg muscles had been in constant, strenuous motion for at least four hours, and he had definitely pulled a thing or two during that time if the distinctive limp he'd possessed immediately following the battle had been any indication.
Chugging the aspirin with a large swig of water, Inuyasha mentally cursed his rotten luck. Under normal circumstances, he really would've been back to normal in under an hour, but thanks to the new moon, his youkai powers had gradually started draining from his body as the night grew nearer.
Things could be a hell of a lot worse... the hanyou-turned-human tried to reason with himself in that moment.
At least he wasn't poisoned, feverish and dissolving from the inside out. An involuntary shudder ran through him at the memory. And at least he had successfully managed to kill the snake-youkai prior to sunset. They would've been royally fucked if it had taken him any longer to catch up to the snake than it had, placing them closer to sunset during the battle itself. So the serpent was dead and its jewel shard purified, that was a good thing, wasn't it? And Kagome's little magic pills from her world did seem to be helping with his discomfort. It wasn't really like he was in excruciating pain or anything, but his legs were definitely more than just sore from overexertion. He was sure he'd torn a muscle or two during one of his less conventional escape maneuvers, and now he had a whole night of feeling cramped and achy to look forward to. He absolutely hated being human!
Feeling sorry for her companion, but truly at a loss for how else she could help, Kagome accepted her water bottle back from Inuyasha when he handed it her way, taking a quick drink herself before replacing it in her backpack. The hanyou-turned-human watched her every move, silent amazement shining in his eyes that she would act so carefree about drinking from the same vessel that he himself had just drank from. It was little things like that that proved to him how she truly didn't think differently of him simply for his youkai blood. Sure, anyone could say they accepted someone just the way they were, but it was actions that mattered to Inuyasha, and Kagome was always doing little things to prove how deeply she truly cared for him, without even realizing what she was doing. That was what made her actions all the more special in his eyes, because she was doing it all subconsciously. It wasn't an act.
Stupid fucking human emotions... he mentally cursed in that moment, shaking his head free of such nonsense, while still doing his best not to think about the ache in his legs.
As for the future-born-miko, she remained completely oblivious to the glances the temporarily human Inuyasha had been sending her way, as she put her math book aside and began digging in her backpack for her history book. Something thin and glossy caught her attention instead, and as Kagome pulled out whatever her fingers had brushed against, she found herself looking at a tri-folded brochure on Shiatsu massage.
Huh...? Where on Earth...Oh!
That's right, she had completely forgotten. Houjou had given it to her last week after school, in response to her grandfather's latest fabrication about her health. Wasn't she too young to suffer from chronic muscle pain? Rolling her eyes, Kagome clearly remembered now how Houjou had gone on and on about what a wonderful facility that particular establishment was, and how renown their practitioners were. Sighing under her breath over what a sweet, yet completely naive boy Houjou really was, she moved to toss the pamphlet back into her knapsack before a sudden idea struck her, and she found herself unfolding it instead, reading up on the nature of the technical procedure.
I know I'm not a licensed medical therapist, but I am a miko, and in the Sengoku jidai that's pretty much the same thing... Kagome told herself after a moment. But would he even go for such a thing? she wondered then. Only one way to find out.
"Inuyasha...?" Kagome spoke up quietly, waiting until he glanced her way and their eyes locked before she continued. "I have...a small medical scroll from my time..." she started, holding up the brochure. There was no point in frustrating him by using words he had never heard of, so being cautious of her vocabulary, she continued. "It explains a technique used by healers in my time to help sore or injured muscles, by focusing on pressure points and releasing the flow of blood."
He just stared at her, so blushing a little under the scrutiny of his gaze, she continued with a somewhat weaker voice, "It's...uh...it's called 'finger-pressure', and um...well, it involves touching...with the fingers." she finished lamely.
Stupid stupid stupid! the miko chanted in her head. Like Inuyasha would really go for an idea like that. What had she been thinking? She was sure he was silently stewing over what an idiotic suggestion that had been. Even if it really would help him, like he would be willing to let her do something like that. He was probably at least disgusted by the idea of appearing so weak and vulnerable, if not disgusted by the very notion of her pawing all over his legs.
Tossing the pamphlet aside, Kagome couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze in that moment, not wanting to see his disgusted scowl at her asinine suggestion.
The hanyou-turned-human's mind, however, had taken him in a completely different direction, as he silently picked up the brochure from where it had landed.
She...she would be willing to touch me...just to make me feel better?
No one had ever wanted to touch him for any reason other than inflicting injury and pain, before the day he'd met Kagome. That girl was constantly catching him off guard with the way she would throw herself into his embrace whenever she had been worried for his life, or the way she would willingly hold his hand, even while in public, even while in her own time. She had even let him rest his head on her lap, he remembered, a light dusting of pink appearing on his cheeks and nose at the memory, which he was thankful she couldn't see in the low light of their campfire. Hell, he shouldn't be so shocked, Inuyasha realized after a moment. Kagome was constantly touching him, either riding on his back or applying bandages and medicines. Hers were the only hands he found he did not fear or disdain. Even Kikyou, who had somewhat accepted him and had possessed no desire to kill him, had never once touched him except for the time she had stumbled and fallen into his arms on accident. Now, after being resurrected, Kikyou had embraced him of her own volition, but then what? She'd drawn a knife on him, and had tried to drag him into hell.
No...there was truly no comparison. While Inuyasha knew he had compared Kagome to Kikyou in the past with regard to her prowess with the bow, Kagome was the only one besides his mother to ever show him any form of kindness with her hands. She was the only one to ever show him any form of kindness, period. Even when she was angry with him, it was only over something he had said or done, not because she was disgusted by his youkai half. She wasn't disgusted by his youkai half, and slowly but surely, he was realizing that for himself.
"Do you..." he started hesitantly after a moment, belatedly realizing the girl had probably thought he was offended by her suggestion since he'd taken so long to answer, "Do you really think it would help?" he finally managed to ask her.
Inuyasha was sure he would curse his human weakness once the sun came up in the morning, but right now he honestly didn't care. The idea of making his legs feel better was somewhat appealing, but the idea of having Kagome touch him so intimately was even more so. He wasn't about to let that opportunity pass him by. After all, it was just the two of them for the night, and he was sure she would never tell their friends what had happened.
Surprised by his words, Kagome's head snapped back up to meet Inuyasha's gaze in that moment, a look of pleased relief shining in her eyes.
"Yes..." she started, then biting her lip she admitted "Well, I mean, I've never done it before, but if it hurts just tell me to stop."
He nodded at her condition, truly touched - no pun intended - that she was willing to do such a thing merely for his own physical comfort.
Rising to her feet, Kagome grabbed the sleeping bag she had been using rolled up as her sitting cushion, and unrolled the bag so that he had some place other than the cold dirt to lie down. Kagome's 'weak human ears' were still powerful enough to hear the grunt that escaped him as he rose to his own feet, and her heart panged at the way he didn't even attempt to mask how his legs were clearly bothering him, as he hobbled over to where she had laid out her sleeping bag before plopping himself back down with an "Oomph", sitting cross-legged for the time being.
"Umm..." she started hesitantly, doing her best to damp down her blush as she tried to think of this no differently from any other time she had treated him for an injury. This was just like rubbing medicine into an open gash, Kagome tried to convince herself. No different than applying a healing salve.
"What hurts the worst?" she asked him then, "Thighs or calves?"
"Both."
"Oh, well..." Kagome decided in that moment, "Why don't you lay down on your stomach, first, and I'll work on your calves, all right?"
Shrugging, Inuyasha unfolded his legs before maneuvering himself so that he was stretched out on his stomach over her sleeping bag, his head pillowed on his folded arms. Kagome's heart fluttered in her chest at the sight of him lying on his stomach before her for some reason other than the cursed subduing spell, and she was thankful in that moment that his dulled human senses were unable to pick up just how nervous she really was. Not that she was worried she might do something wrong and accidentally hurt him. While she knew she wasn't really an expert at Shiatsu, specifically, a massage was a massage, and Kagome had decided in that moment that she simply wasn't going to worry about the specifics. It was mainly just the idea of touching Inuyasha in such an intimate way that had her heart threatening to fly right out of her chest. She didn't dare point out the fact that the recipient of a massage was supposed to undress...she was fairly sure she could still help to open up some blood flow into his cramped leg muscles over his clothing.
Slowly, carefully, Kagome reached forward and began first with his left leg, as that was the one closest to her, kneading his cramped muscles with both hands through the baggy fabric of his hakama. The material really was a hindrance, but she would do her best.
As for Inuyasha, he was currently in heaven. He had wanted to massage his leg muscles himself, but hadn't wanted to advertise how much discomfort he was truly in, which she had apparently been aware of all along, anyway. But in the end it had worked out in his favor, because now his leg muscles were still getting worked, but it wasn't by his own hand. It was such a different sensation to stretch out in a relaxed posture and allow somebody else to touch him in such a way. If it were anyone other than Kagome he would be utterly terrified to find himself in such a vulnerable position, especially during his night of weakness, but he trusted her. He trusted her more than he would probably ever be able to express to her in words, although he hoped the miko could read it for herself with his current action.
Kagome wasn't stupid; she knew how significant it was for Inuyasha to have submitted to such a thing, and she wasn't about to let any of her usual and somewhat foolish insecurities ruin this moment for her.
Take that, Kikyou! she thought with a triumphant smirk as she continued to work his calves, switching from the left leg to right as she leaned her body a little further over his.
It was too bad the friction from rubbing against the rough fire-rat fur of his hakama was beginning to make her fingertips numb and tingly.
"Hey, K'gome..." Inuyasha murmured lazily in that moment, his voice startling the miko out of her revere, which he noticed by the way her fingers jerked against his leg, a secret smirk forming on his lips.
"Yes, Inuyasha?" she asked after a moment, resuming her work.
"D'you think you could press a bit harder?" he asked her then, deciding not to tease her about having startled her with his question. "Hakama are rubbing my skin, it feels weird."
"I'm sorry, I'll try to press a bit harder so the fabric doesn't slide." Kagome replied then, doing just that. His next question blew her away.
"I'm supposed to undress, aren't I?" he asked, holding up the brochure as evidence, every full-color photo printed in the thing showing bare hands touching bare skin.
"I..." she started, unsure of what to say. Her face felt like it was going to catch on fire.
"That's all right..." she heard him mutter quietly, and hearing his dejected tone of voice immediately had her ignoring her own embarrassment in favor of setting him straight. He really is more emotional during his human night...
"I just didn't want to embarrass you, or you have thinking...other things...if I'd asked you to disrobe." Kagome explained. Then thinking of something she wondered why she hadn't thought of before, she added, "I can untie your ankle bands and roll your hakama legs up, if you'd like. It really would be better to have skin on skin contact."
Cheeks turning bright red as he realized her explanation actually made perfect sense, especially since he knew damn well how he would have reacted had she just up and asked him to undress prior to him having glanced through the medical pamphlet, Inuyasha's quiet reply of "Keh." in that moment let Kagome know that she had his permission to untie the strings holding his hakama legs closed around his ankles.
Doing her best not to blush at the thought of undressing Inuyasha even in this small way, Kagome made quick work of the knots tying off his ankle strings, then working the fabric open until his hakama legs were as billowy as the untied sleeves of his suikan, she pushed the fabric up both legs to above the knees, getting back to work on his left calf first, again, now that she could apply proper skin on skin pressure. As she worked, feeling his skin molding beneath her touch, feeling the hidden power of his muscles resting just below the surface, it dawned on the miko that she had never before seen Inuyasha's bare legs. She had seen him shirtless on several occasions, most of which involved her applying either a poultice or bandage of some sort, but his legs had never been injured before now, and therefore had never before required any sort of treatment.
Well, okay, there was that one time... Kagome remembered then, a horrible blush rushing to her cheeks as she recalled the time he had run into her bedroom wearing nothing but bubbles. But she'd hardly been in a position to admire the view at that time. Now, she felt no shame in looking as she touched him. She needed to see where her hands were going, after all.
Finishing with the left leg, she once again leaned over him to resume her earlier work on his right calf, not noticing how her hair draped down to tickle his skin.

When Kagome had first started touching his bare leg, Inuyasha had convinced himself that there was nothing special about the act. After all, it was skin on skin contact whenever she held his hand, wasn't it? If she wasn't disgusted by the idea of sharing the same bottle of water with him, then of course she wouldn't be disgusted by the idea of touching his bare legs. Besides, this was a medical procedure, and Kagome was acting for the moment as a professional healer. She would do this for whoever needed it, as a miko treating the injured. Truly, it was nothing remarkable. Or so he'd tried to convince himself, at least.
When Kagome leaned over him to reach his right leg, her hair delicately brushing against his overly sensitized skin, he couldn't stop the sudden, sharp intake of breath that overcame him at the sensation.
Kagome immediately paused in her work, easily catching the sound and wondering for a moment if she had accidentally hurt him.
"Are you all right?" she asked him quietly.
"K-keh..." was his only reply.
Puzzled, Kagome looked back over what she was doing, the light from their campfire low, but bright enough to see by. Finally noticing the way her hair was brushing against his legs, she sat up a little straighter, a renewed feeling of warmth rushing to her cheeks.
Get a grip on yourself! Kagome mentally chastised herself, realizing that she had probably only tickled him, and that there was nothing more to read into anything.
Coming up with the easiest solution, then, Kagome merely scooted herself around him until she was kneeling by his other side, able to reach his right leg without needing to drape herself over him at all. She then proceeded to continue where she had left off, working his right calf muscle as loose as she had worked his left.

Another few minutes of her delicate ministrations, and Inuyasha was sure he would've ended up falling asleep, a monumental feat considering he never slept on the night of the new moon - unconciousness due to injury not included. He was thankfully pulled from his drowsy state, however, when her delicate voice rang out in that moment, asking him "How does that feel?"
Blinking, it took Inuyasha a minute to realize how much better his lower legs actually felt. She could probably leave it at that, but he had previously told her that his thighs were bothering him as well, hadn't he? Hey, it was the truth! But that didn't mean he wasn't above taking advantage of the situation, even if it hadn't been.
"Much better..." he answered her honestly in that moment, before proceeding to roll himself over onto his back.
Okay, time for the thighs... Kagome already knew, although she realized in that moment that she had a new problem.
Pushing up the legs of his hakama enough to reach his calves hadn't been an issue, but his thighs were another matter entirely. From the low-slung nature of men's hakama pants, which weren't really pants at all but more like a split-legged skirt, there was simply no realistic way to push the fabric up that far. She could do it, but it would mean bunching up both the legs as well as the open body of the hakama above the in-seam, rumpling up his kosode in the process. It would be much more practical for the garment to just come down rather than being shoved that far up.
"Umm..." she started hesitantly in that moment. "How do you want to do this?"
Inuyasha blinked at her in confusion, so rolling her eyes, Kagome elaborated in that moment with "Hakama up, or down? Or over the fabric?"
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing outright as his eyes widened in sudden understanding.
Well, Inuyasha thought after a moment, over the fabric is too uncomfortable, and having my hakama shoved that far up would be too uncomfortable, too. So I guess I don't really have a choice...it's either this, or no more massage.

Again, he was sure he would probably be cursing himself once his youkai side returned with the sun, but for the time being he was too far gone to care. All that mattered was that Kagome wanted to continue touching him, and he wasn't about to tell her no.
Eyes widening in surprise as she realized she had her answer by the way Inuyasha's hands rose to tackle the knot of his hakama's himo, Kagome was unsure of what to say or do, so she said and did nothing, silently watching him work.
Should I offer to help him? she wondered idly, before quickly realizing No, that's just stupid. He's a grown man. Well, okay, so he's really only a couple of years older than I am, but he's old enough to undress himself!
By the time Kagome realized she should probably turn her head to offer Inuyasha at least some small measure of privacy, he already had the straps of his hakama unfastened. Eyes widening even further at the sight of him unabashedly tugging down his pants, giving his hips a little raise to make it easier, Kagome quickly spun around before she saw something she shouldn't.
Chuckling at her obvious embarrassment, Inuyasha couldn't help but to chime in with "Relax, I'm wearing a fundoshi."
Turning back around to face him with her cheeks the same color as the pants he had just discarded, a genuine smile began forming on her lips as Kagome took note of the way he was grinning up at her in return. His suikan and kosode were both still tied in place, the white under robe hanging longer than his fire-rat to rest at about mid-thigh. She could tuck her fingers underneath without needing to displace the robe at all.
"Okay then, back to business." she said in that moment, moving forward to begin placing the gentle pressure of her fingertips along his left thigh first.
He hissed a few times as she worked loose a particularly nasty knot of muscle, but every time she asked him if he wanted her to stop he told her not to, that he could tell her ministrations were actually helping. She wondered if he knew just how much his words really meant to her. After a few minutes of working on his left leg, Kagome moved back around him to where she had first been kneeling to start work on his right thigh. Continuing with her steady, rotational pattern of pressure, Kagome smirked to herself at the way Inuyasha had his eyes closed in relaxation.
The hanyou was currently lost in sensation. Sure, he'd rubbed his own achy muscles before, but that was entirely different from what Kagome was doing to him now, with her specific patterns and pressure techniques. And she said she had never done this before? She was a natural, just like at everything else she tried to do. So okay, she wasn't an expert with the bow, yet, but her skills were improving almost too rapidly for somebody who'd never fired a bow before in their life. In reality, Inuyasha knew she was picking it up a hell of a lot faster than say...he would be able to, for example. Lost in thought as he currently was, it didn't take long for his thoughts of Kagome to wander away from her more innocuous talents, and into the forbidden territory of wondering just what else she might be good at.
The direction his semi-conscious thoughts began taking him, coupled by the meticulous care of the girl massaging his thighs, proved to be a deadly combination when he felt the telltale tingles of arousal wash over his groin.
Oh no! Not now! he thought in panic, his eyes snapping open.
Kagome didn't notice Inuyasha's sudden agitation, concentrating as she was on the task quite literally at hand, as she too lost herself in the moment, but only as a professional masseuse, striving to do her best with regard to helping his aching legs. Gone was her embarrassment over seeing him partially unclothed. When she noticed from the corner of her eye the way his hand started clinching into a fist, the miko believed she had hit a particularly tender spot in his muscle, and glancing up to catch the strained expression on his face only seemed to confirm her belief.
"You still doing all right?" she asked him gently, lightening up her pressure a little bit as she inquired next, "Is this leg worse than the other one?"
It's not my legs I'm worried about... Inuyasha groaned in his mind, managing to grind out a clipped "I'm fine." without meeting her eyes. Go away go away go away! he thought in panic, but not about the girl.
It wasn't working, he realized with dread, as he felt his shaft continue to harden and lengthen, the distinctive convexity of his sudden arousal only partially concealed by its restraint within his fundoshi. If she thought to look in that particular area, Kagome would have no trouble noticing the telltale bulge of an erection from underneath his lightweight kosode.
As it was, Kagome thought the sudden harshness of his tone, coupled by his shallow, breathy pants were all a result of the pain in his thigh. The poor guy must have really torn something bad, especially with the way he couldn't even hold still any longer, shifting ever so slightly as she continued her ministrations. It wasn't until his hips rotated, only a minimal amount, that it really dawned on the miko that he wasn't so much 'shifting' as he was 'writhing'.
Does it really hurt that bad...? she thought in worry, taking a moment to note how the strained expression on his face only seemed to have gotten worse.
But then Inuyasha did something odd.
With his eyes once again pinched shut as they were, he didn't realize she was currently looking at him, nor did the thought cross his mind that it was even a possibility, as his tongue unconsciously poked its way out from between his tightly sealed lips, before retracting once again as his upper lip pulled itself back slightly to reveal a row of teeth that took that moment to bite down on his lower lip.
He...actually doesn't look like he's in pain at all...the girl realized slowly, her eyes unconsciously following his body's movements when his hips chose that moment to rotate again.
It was then that Kagome's eyes popped wide open in disbelief, the miko unable to suppress the tiny gasp of surprise that escaped her at the sight of just what effect her massage actually had on him.
Oh boy! Oh yes, he's definitely a boy! she thought in frantic embarrassment, her instincts suddenly at war with one another over whether she should be offended or flattered.
Of course, while Inuyasha's ears were currently only at human strength, that didn't mean he was actually hard of hearing, by our standards. He easily caught Kagome's tiny gasp, and cringing as he dared peak an eye open to observe her reaction, he was only mildly assuaged by the way the girl was silently staring at his crotch.
She's probably so disgusted she's in shock...he thought with dread, convinced she would be launching into a tirade about what a filthy hentai he was at any moment.
Instead, after finding her voice, it was a hesitantly pronounced "Inuyasha...?" that left her lips first.
Glancing back up to meet his gaze, Kagome realized she would have felt mortified at being caught staring at his concealed erection were it not for the dark splash of crimson staining his own cheeks as well. The light from their campfire was low, but she would've had to be blind to miss noticing a blush that dark. Somehow, knowing that he was embarrassed too instantly made her feel better, as a mild sigh of relief left her body at the realization that he at least wasn't being a womanizing pervert. As if the entire thing could have possibly been a ploy on his end. She knew damn well that she had been the one to first suggest the massage, and she also knew that there was no way he had been faking his sore legs the entire time. So getting aroused by her ministrations was clearly unplanned, she realized in that moment, which definitely had the miko leaning more towards flattered.
Unsure of what to say to break through the thick layer of ice that had developed between them during the prolonged moment of silence, Kagome was caught off guard when Inuyasha spoke up himself in that moment, a softly uttered "I'm sorry..." escaping his lips at just above a whisper.
There was no getting around who was to blame this time, the hanyou-turned-human knew. Kagome hadn't been doing anything wrong; he was the disgusting pervert who'd allowed his mind to wander in ways that he should never have allowed. At least not when he was awake and had measurable control over what he was thinking, not that he ever planned on letting the miko know just what he sometimes dreamt about, but that was another issue entirely. This never should've happened, and maybe if he apologized right away then she wouldn't be quite so angry with him. One could only hope.
Of course, the possibility that Kagome wasn't angry with him at all had never once entered his mind, so it was with an understandable amount of confusion shining in his gaze that he stared back up at her unblinkingly in response to her reply of, "There's nothing to apologize for."
Propping himself up on his elbows to not feel quite so vulnerable, knowing he didn't dare sit cross-legged in his current state of dress, Inuyasha started at Kagome for a moment longer before finally asking in utter bewilderment, "You're not mad?"
"Why would I be mad?"
He just stared at her in a way that let the miko know exactly how stupid he thought her question really was. With the rosy hue to her cheeks intensifying under the scrutiny of his disbelieving gaze, Kagome somehow found the courage to point out, "If you were like...peeping at me in a hot spring, on purpose, then yeah, but just reacting to my touch...?" She felt her face get even warmer just saying the words aloud. "I can't blame you for that, if your body decided to react the way it did."
Eyes softening marginally as he found himself daring to hope she really meant what she said, Inuyasha asked for clarity, "Even if I was...thinking things...and that's why my body did what it did?"
Convinced her face could start a forest fire in that moment, the miko tried to act maturely but only managed to squeak out "You..." Clearing her throat to try again, she finally added "...can think whatever you want. Thoughts are private."
He snorted. "Apparently not." he muttered in a tone of voice she could tell was heavily laced with humiliation.
She could see his point...er, bad choice of words. But Kagome definitely understood what Inuyasha meant, since his private thoughts certainly hadn't remained very private. While she didn't know exactly what he'd been thinking, she didn't really need the specifics. Although...that nasty little green monster that lived in the back of her mind did manage to get her wondering... He was thinking about me, right?
A somewhat nauseated feeling began bubbling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of him having become aroused by her touch coupled with thoughts of her preincarnation.
I don't think I could take it...but then again, never knowing will eat me alive, too.

"I just want to know one thing..." she spoke quietly in that moment, doing her best to keep her tone of voice soft and understanding, and not accusing in any way.
He eyed her warily, having no idea what she was about to ask him, though he was sure he wasn't going to like it, whatever it was.
"Was it me?" she asked timidly, her voice almost sounding hopeful.
What the fuck kind of question...oh, wait...

As realization dawned, Inuyasha's eyes softened the rest of the way, a warm feeling of amazement beginning to build in his chest. She isn't upset. She wants it to be her.

He knew Kagome felt insecure when it came to Kikyou, and he knew her feelings in that regard were solely his own doing. He knew he hurt her by constantly being a jerk to her, and by his remaining loyalty to the undead miko; he would not hurt her further by lying to her about something like this.
"Kagome..." he sighed, the word almost sounding more like a prayer as it left his lips. Closing his eyes, Inuyasha's entire posture seemed to lose some of its rigidness as he confessed, "It was you."
The future-born-miko almost wanted to squeal for joy at the realization that he had been fantasizing about her during the massage, and she probably would've, too, had she not still been so embarrassed over the realization that he had been fantasizing about her during the massage.
Make up your mind, Kagome... she scolded herself.
Inuyasha seemed to be able to read the warring emotions in her eyes, as he remained somewhat wary of what her final reaction was going to be. He was not expecting the girl to reach forward and start massaging his thigh again.
"Ka-Kagome...?"
Mind made up, the miko once again had her embarrassment under control as she met his gaze and replied with, "I'm sure I didn't get all of the knots out yet, considering we were sort of interrupted. Just lie back down and enjoy it."
Whoa... the miko thought with a mild snicker in her mind. No double-meaning there.

Eyes wide in disbelief, Inuyasha remained propped up on his elbows for a minute or two longer, before the sensation of her pressing hard to work out the last few knots in his muscles started sending shivers throughout his entire body. She really hadn't finished with his right leg when she'd discovered his arousal, but he couldn't believe she was willing to continue after that.
Just lie back down and enjoy it... he repeated in his mind, deciding in that moment not to question the strange girl from the future as he silently obeyed her command.
Of course, it didn't take long for Inuyasha's mind to once again wander down the forbidden path it had taken earlier, especially considering that that path was apparently not quite as forbidden as he'd previously believed. It also didn't help that his erection had never faded during his brief conversation with Kagome about it, so it wasn't long at all before they were back where they'd started. Her talented hands were sending tingles through his entire body, and he couldn't help it when his hips shifted of their own accord, his body subconsciously wishing her hands would detour to a different aching muscle. It was when a low moan of pleasure somehow found its way out of his throat without his consent that Kagome could no longer pretend she was oblivious to his condition.
This is so wrong, and yet...why should it be? she questioned herself. The next most obvious thought finally refused to stay unconsidered as she found herself wondering in that moment, Should I...? Do I dare?
What would he say? What would he do? So far, he seemed pretty cooperative, Kagome realized, but wouldn't something like that be pushing the boundaries of their friendship too far? Not that she really wanted them to stay 'just friends' indefinitely, and apparently, he had those kinds of thoughts about her, too.
Just go for it... she decided in that moment, knowing that such an opportunity would never arise again.
Ugh...bad pun...
"Inuyasha...?"
"Hmmm...?" he responded lazily.
Well, that was a good sign, she supposed.
"Would you like me to...?" Please don't make me say it!
Eyes flying open, he bolted upright into a sitting position.
"WHAT?!"
"I'm sorry!" Kagome blurted on instinct, terrified she had really angered him. "It was just...I had just thought...nothing! Never mind!"
Scrambling to get his erratic heartbeat back under control, Inuyasha stared at Kagome with a bizarre combination of fear and elation burning in his eyes, not daring to believe he had actually heard her right.
"You want to..." He let his words fade at the sight of her, the girl clearly awaiting a tongue-lashing.
Okay...that image isn't helping... Inuyasha mentally argued with himself as a vision of him giving Kagome a very different type of tongue-lashing entered his mind's eye unbidden.
Kagome was going to say...something...in her own defense, but her words caught in her throat at the look in Inuyasha's eyes, his gaze almost longing, and in no way disgusted or hostile. Immediately feeling a new kind of heat ignite within her at his expression, and one that had nothing to do with feeling embarrassed, Kagome lost all trepidation in that moment as she said in an almost inviting tone of voice, "If you would like me to."
Oh fuck me... the hanyou internally groaned, even as he mentally grimaced at his poor choice of words. That would be asking far too much of her, and carried with it far too many consequences, but what she was suggesting, on the other hand...
She was suggesting what he thought she was, right?
"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?"
That's not a 'no'... Kagome told herself, as she decided to make her intentions explicitly clear.
Slowly, delicately, the miko silently moved her hand higher up his thigh, Inuyasha studying her face the entire time, even as he had to suppress a shudder of anticipation as he felt her hand drawing closer and closer to his...
Why is she looking at me like that?
Her expression wasn't one of hesitant curiosity, or of a servant girl merely wishing to please her client. If the hanyou didn't know better, he would swear Kagome was gazing at him with love burning in her chocolate depths, as her delicate fingers finally came into direct contact with his bulging fundoshi.
He moaned.
She gave an experimental squeeze.
He gasped.
When she did her best to close her fingers around his clad stiffness, giving a few solid tugs, he lost his ability to stay upright and collapsed back upon the sleeping bag, his hips writhing of their own accord.
If he had been in his right frame of mind, then Inuyasha would have remembered why he had always known in the past that doing...what she was doing...was dangerous, possibly even deadly. The hanyou knew that he could never afford such distractions when he was alone, and tonight of all nights, when he was only a weak human, and his only line of defense was a novice miko, they both really needed to keep their heads about them. Especially since any number of random youkai could theoretically be drawn to their position at any time thanks to Kagome's jewel shards.
Still, those were all concerns that Inuyasha would have remembered, had he been in his right frame of mind.
"Oh fuck..." he groaned in a raspy whisper, his hips moving in time with her faint strokes.
Kagome was amazed, not really having expected such a strong reaction from him so quickly. Still, if skin on skin contact was what was best for massaging his leg muscles, then that fundoshi really needed to go.
Plus, I want to see him...all of him... she told herself in that moment, pausing in her delicate ministrations in order to start working loose the knot of his obi.
"Kagome...?" he murmured after a moment, propping himself back up on his elbows slightly in order to see what she was doing, confusion and uncertainty the two most prominent emotions she could pick out amongst the sea of conflicting emotions that were currently swirling in his eyes.
"You've gotten several good eyefuls of me since I first started coming here, and don't even try to deny it." she answered playfully in response to his unfinished question, smirking at the light dusting of pink that graced his nose. "Fair is fair, and besides, I would say you're still coming out ahead, so just lie back down and enjoy it." she finished with a wink.
Inuyasha had no idea where this bold new Kagome had come from, not that he was complaining, as he once again decided to obey her command without protest, silently lying back down. He offered no resistance as she continued to work his robes free, and feeling first his suikan and then his kosode come loose, his stomach and chest suddenly exposed to the air, he felt a wave of excitement rush over him instead of embarrassment. When he felt her fingers start to work loose the wrapping of his fundoshi, he found himself feeling all sorts of emotions, but the most powerful one was anticipation, and when she apparently gave up on the knot as he felt her begin to slide the garment down, he raised his hips up off the sleeping bag in order to assist her.
Pulling his fundoshi all the way off and tossing it on top of his discarded hakama, Kagome gazed back at the man lying naked before her, save for his robes which were now splayed open, fully exposing his front. Somewhere in the back of her mind, the miko found herself questioning reality. Would she wake up tomorrow only to discover this had all been a dream? It didn't feel like she was dreaming, but how often do you actually know it's a dream while you're dreaming it? Still, dream or reality, she planned on enjoying this moment to the fullest.
I wonder if all his hair turns silver at dawn... she snickered in her mind, making sure not to show any such amusement on her face, lest he misunderstand her thoughts. Instead, it was with a gaze of pure love and devotion that she met his eyes, holding his stare as she reached for him down below.
Wrapping her fingers around his naked shaft, Kagome observed as Inuyasha's entire body reacted to her touch, the man taking in a long, slow breath through his nose while his hips shifted position, subconsciously pushing his erection further into her hand. After a few good solid moves up and down his length, his face began contorting in that way that someone could almost mistake for pain, except it was slightly different.
Inuyasha couldn't think, and it was only staring into Kagome's eyes that kept him even partially grounded. It was beyond his comprehension that she was actually touching him in such an intimate way, that she actually wanted to touch him in such an intimate way, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized that all his previous thoughts about how Kagome was special for her desire to touch him in friendly ways were in serious need of an overhaul. This went way beyond friendly.
Not that he was complaining.
"Mmmm..." he moaned aloud, moving his hips in time with her gentle, rhythmic stroking.
Nope. Not complaining at all.
I had no idea... he thought lazily, in regard to the intensity of the sensations washing through him.
Never once in his seventeen years had he dared to go as far as Kagome had taken him on this night. Sure, he knew what sex was; he knew what an erection was and what it was for. All the good that did him, being a freak, living in exile, with no hope of ever having a female to call his own. When he'd gone through puberty, his body deciding against his will that he was ready to mate, female or no female, he'd known better than to give into his carnal desires to relieve the tension by his own hand. He'd learned that lesson the hard way, no pun intended. A few times, when he was around thirteen or fourteen, he'd found his hand traveling down below, seemingly of its own accord. He'd still known better than to undress, but the slits at the side of hakama could really come in handy, no pun intended. He'd done enough to feel a few waves of pleasure, done enough to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was something wonderful he was missing out on in life, but a beast's roar from somewhere far too close for comfort had always pulled him out of his stupor at those times, and he'd also quickly learned that being a hanyou on the run meant that he couldn't afford any such distractions, or it could very easily be the last thing he ever did. Not quite how he wanted to die.
Ever since then, he'd always done his best to ignore his throbbing erections whenever the nuisances sprang up seemingly at random. Even when they weren't random, even when they developed slowly and as a direct result of his thoughts instead of surprising him in the morning, he'd still never dared acting on his desires. A quick dunk in a freezing river usually did the trick, or tracking down some low-level youkai he could torment as a means of distraction. Hmmm...maybe that was why his brother was always such a prick...
Don't need to be thinking of the bastard right now... he told himself, closing his eyes and fully losing himself to the sensations washing through him. Everyone always wanted him to suffer, and here was a girl going out of her way to riddle his body with immeasurable pleasure. He was going to enjoy every minute of it.
Kagome was mesmerized, watching the way his skin rolled as she stroked him up and down. His hips' gyrations and his low throaty moans were sending tingles through her entire body, and Kagome found her panties suddenly getting damp. She supposed it was a good thing he was currently in his human form, otherwise she was sure his powerful hanyou nose would be able to smell it. Then again, were he currently in his hanyou form then none of this would've happened in the first place. His legs would've healed quickly enough to not need a massage, for one thing, and even if they hadn't, he never would've submitted to such a thing while still his gruff hanyou-self, or at least not without a fight. Even then, basically forcing him into it would have almost definitely put him in a sour enough mood that her ministrations wouldn't have led to him fantasizing about...whatever it was he had started fantasizing about. Kagome still didn't know any of the details, but that was all right with the miko.
It was me...he was thinking about me, she repeated in her head as she put a little more effort into her current task. Taking a cue from something she had overheard a few girls discussing at school once, Kagome paused in her strokes for a moment in order to spit in her hand.
When Inuyasha first felt Kagome's hand leave him, he wondered if perhaps she was merely switching hands, if she was getting tired. Cracking an eye open, he wasn't expecting to see Kagome spit into her palm.
"What on Earth are you...Oh fuck!"
Kagome had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at his expression, a combination of surprise and utter joy. Running her lubricated right hand up and down his shaft felt a little weird, but she could only imagine how much better it probably made things feel for the man currently writhing below her. Actually, Kagome had a rather intimate knowledge of how a little lubrication could go a long way, but they weren't exploring her sexual fantasies that night.
Then again, I've fantasized about doing this before...
Noticing a bead of precum gathering at his tip, she rolled it around with her thumb, paying extra attention to the sensitive head of his shaft as she gave him a few shallow and rapid strokes, the squishy sound of her fingers almost completely drown out by his sudden gasps.
"Oh holy shit! What the ffffffff-" he moaned in only semi-coherence, his curse turning into a sound effect as he bit his lower lip with his teeth and prolonged the f sound into a sort of closed-mouth hiss.
His body started shaking almost like he was having a seizure, and the way he was clutching the sleeping bag at both sides with white-knuckled fists told Kagome that were he not desperately trying to anchor himself, he would be thrashing around even more violently than he already was.
"Are you close?" she asked him quietly, thoroughly into the excitement of her own actions and not thinking about how he might feel about being asked such a question.
Whatever few thoughts had gone through her mind as she'd asked it, she certainly wasn't expecting the answer she got.
"C-close to w-what? Oh! Mmmmm...."
Confused, she slowed her strokes a little bit, though she didn't stop completely. His body seemed to appreciate the less direct assault as his writhing slowed down...a little...a look of pure happiness splashing across his face before it contorted once again into that look of pleasure/pain.
"You know..." she hinted, having thought her meaning was obvious.
That's right... the hanyou remembered in that moment, thinking back on the few times he had braved observing humans, as well as other large animals, mating out in the forest. There did seem to be some sort of ending for the males. Well, that made sense. It couldn't just go on forever, now could it?
Not that I would mind... he thought next, with no small measure of lust creeping into his internal voice. But trying to drag his wandering thoughts back into line in that moment, Inuyasha did know that the actual puropose of sex, beyond enjoyment, was to impregnate the female, and that that was accomplished by the male releasing his seed inside of her. He'd never really been briefed on the specifics, but some of his knowledge came from instinct thanks to his youkai half, and the rest he had picked up over the years of his exile by sneaking close to human villages or bandits in the woods, and listening in on conversations.
Even with that knowledge, he was somewhat embarrassed to realize that he had no way of answering Kagome's question, except by being completely honest and confessing...
"I...I don't know. I've never...Mmmm...never really done...uhnn...this...ah!...before."
Her strokes unconsciously coming to a slow crawl as she processed his words, Inuyasha's eyes flew open as he registered the lack of sensation washing through him, terrified he had said something wrong. But the look she was giving him was not one of disbelief or shock. She looked mildly surprised, but also understanding. Then, realizing she had nearly stopped what she was doing, Kagome released him only to spit into her hand a second time, gripping him firmly with renewed lubrication, and as she began stroking him slowly but rhythmically, she replied softly..."I understand."
The future-born-miko was being completely honest.
"It's not exactly like you have a bedroom or bathroom you can lock yourself away in with no thoughts to the outside world, and out here in the woods, it might seem like you have plenty of privacy, but what about rouge youkai, right?"
Uh-oh...why didn't I think of that sooner? Kagome worried suddenly, biting her lower lip as she took that moment to glance around their campsite nervously. But closing her eyes and concentrating as Miroku had taught her to do, she found she couldn't sense any youki anywhere nearby, so it appeared that they were still safe, for the time being.
"Well," she added quickly then, giving him a few rapidly increased strokes that thoroughly erased any concerns of youkai he might have started developing himself at her words. "You're safe right now, you're not alone, and you're in for one hell of a surprise."
As she immediately began speeding up her strokes, his hips once again raising off the sleeping bag in an attempt to meet her thrusts as the rest of his body shook and convulsed, the only thought running through the hanyou-turned-human's head was Please kami don't stop!
Something was definitely building within him, he could feel it, and he was sure that it was whatever Kagome had been talking about.
"Ka...Kago...gome..." he started panting, though he wasn't trying to get her attention or ask her anything. A renewed wave of tingles washed over the miko at the realization that not only was she the one to bring him such pleasure, but he knew it was her, and he was moaning her name.
"Yes, Inuyasha...yes..." she replied, hastening her strokes to her arm's capacity.
"Ah...ah...Mmm...Sh-shit...I...oh fuck...Ka...Kago...AHHHHHH!!!"
His entire body locked up like he was being electrocuted, as spurts of white-hot passion began streaming from his cock, coating his chest and belly as well as her hand.
Dang... she thought in typical teenage-girl fashion. He's lucky he didn't get any in his mouth.

Any giggles she might have wanted to release at such random thoughts were completely wiped from her system as she shifted her gaze to his face, only to catch sight of the way he was glancing up at her in return, his dark human eyes holding the most pure look of love she had ever seen. Would his amber hanyou eyes ever gaze at her so passionately?
No time to get depressed, girl. Kagome told herself as she smiled warmly at him before releasing his softening member in order to fetch them both a towel of some sort. She carried a supply of paper towel-type napkins for their meals, so a couple of those would work just fine, she realized. Pulling a few of them out of her backpack with her left hand, Kagome quickly wiped her right hand clean before also moving to clean up Inuyasha, who gave her a languid grin as she worked. Tossing the 'evidence' into their campfire, she asked him, "How do you feel?"
"That was un-fucking-believable." he stated in complete sincerity. "I never...I never would've known what it could be like. Thank you."
Truly touched by his words, Kagome felt the sting of tears hit the back of her eyes, but fearing he would misunderstand, since he never quite got why girls could cry over 'gushy emotional junk', she quickly thought to lighten the mood by commenting offhandedly, "And just think, actual sex is even better."
Instead of his eyes widening in amazement or disbelief, as she had been expecting at her revelation that it could still get even better than what he had just experienced, the hanyou-turned-human's eyes actually seemed to sadden a tiny bit, as he mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "That'll never happen."

Okay, wasn't really where I was expecting this conversation to go... Kagome thought, even as she realized there could be a lot worse, more awkward choices for the 'afterwards' conversation. Reassuring the half-youkai man of his sexual desirability was something she could handle.
She needed to act fast, though, before he completely reverted himself back into his standoffish persona. Seeing the way Inuyasha sat up in that moment, tucking his legs under himself off to the side as he concentrated on refastening his robes before reaching for his fundoshi, Kagome sighed in that moment in sympathy for his misguided thoughts.
"Inuyasha...don't think like that. Sex is not a forbidden path for you."
"Takes a willing female." he muttered without looking up, his kosode already retied and providing his groin with a small measure of privacy as he moved to work on his shorter suikan.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said again, slower that time, as she reached forward and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Her touch had him stilling in place, his hands unmoving in the middle of tying the final knot. Cautiously, he raised his head to meet her gaze, his mouth opening in silent awe at the unmistakable look in her eyes.
"You...you would be willing to...?" he uttered in total bafflement. "With me? Really?"
"Not for no reason." Kagome felt she better specify, her tone of voice as gentle as her smile, continuing with her explanation as she gave his shoulder a little squeeze.

"I really...care about you, Inuyasha, more than I've ever cared about anyone. It doesn't bother me that you're hanyou. What does bother me, though, is the idea of having sex just for the sake of sex. What I just did for you..." she blushed despite herself, "...is different. I didn't mind bringing you pleasure like that, again, because I care for you. But sex is..."
"Special." he finished for her, nodding his agreement to her unspoken sentiment.
She felt relieved that he seemed to understand.
"I ain't some letch like the bouzu, Kagome. You know that." he said in that moment, even as he reached for his fundoshi and hakama.
Kagome politely turned her head to offer him some privacy as he stood up in order to finish dressing. Then, once he was fully clothed, Inuyasha plopped himself back down on her sleeping bag cross-legged and continued with his thoughts. Except he didn't really think about it before he said it.
"Sex is s'pposed to be between two people who love each other."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as he realized what he'd just said, while Kagome seemed to be staring at him in shock.
"Uhh...er, that is...well..."
Way to go, baka! You know you still have unresolved issues with Kikyou, and Kagome knows it, too, which is why that's always such a touchy subject! Baka!
"It's complicated. I understand." the miko said in that moment, and Inuyasha felt a sigh of relief leave his body when he gazed back up into her eyes only to see that she really did understand, her look of shock gone to be replaced by one of love yet again.
Kagome did know, in fact, that Inuyasha undoubtedly still had feelings of some sort for Kikyou. But it had also become clear to her that evening that he had feelings for her as well. Which one of them he loved more she couldn't say, nor would she ask him such a foolish, hurtful question. Odds were good that he didn't honestly know the answer, himself. Still, just to know that he really did care about her, at least in some way, really meant a lot to her.
"Just know that no matter what, I will always stay by your side, if you will have me."
That said, she dared creeping forward, moving from sitting on her legs to more of a crawling position as her knees pushed her forward, while she extended her left hand to rest flatly on the ground so she wouldn't lose her balance. Quickly, tenderly, Kagome placed a chaste kiss upon his lips, pulling back to resume sitting on her legs before he had much time to react at all. Staring back at her with wide eyes that quickly shifted into more of a hooded gaze, Inuyasha made sure he made his feelings for her clear in that moment as he leaned himself forward to return the gesture, his kiss still chaste though it was unmistakably longer. Yes, he still had unresolved issues regarding Kikyou, which would remain unmentioned in that moment to preserve the mood between them, since they both knew it anyway. But in that moment, Kagome also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he did love her, and that was good enough for the future-born-miko, at least for now.
Realizing that there were still a few hours left before sunrise, and also knowing that the stubborn girl sitting across from him would absolutely refuse if he told her to get some sleep, Inuyasha spoke up in that moment with, "Well, may as well get back to your studying. We've still got a few hours before we can get a move on, so you should take advantage while you can."
Smirking, Kagome chose not to make any jokes about their recent activities at his words of 'taking advantage' of something while she could, but she did answer his statement with, "Only if you also let me take advantage of the rest of our night together in another way."
Quirking a brow, he didn't ask her what she meant as he saw her shifting around in that moment, grabbing her books and backpack to be within closer reach before turning to lean herself snuggled against him. Smiling a small, genuine smile, Inuyasha stretched an arm around the miko, welcoming her proximity.
````````````````````````````
Kagome awoke to the sound of chirping birds, and slowly blinking the sleep out of her eyes, it took her a moment to realize she was sitting propped up, and a moment longer to remember just what...or more accurately whom...she was propped up against.
I can't believe I fell asleep! Bad Kagome!
Thankfully, nothing had come for them in the middle of the night. Shifting to move away from Inuyasha's inviting warmth proved most difficult in that moment, when she realized that he had both of his arms wrapped tenderly around her, the billowy sleeves of his suikan draped across her like a blanket.
Why did I need to move away, again? He's awful warm and comfy.

Kagome could hear nature calling her quietly in the back of her mind, but decided in that moment that she could wait another few minutes. A quick glance off towards the east revealed that sunrise would only be another minute or two, tops. The miko couldn't help but to worry a little over how he would react to everything that had happened between them once he turned hanyou again, but the fact that he was still holding her even after she had made her state of wakefulness clear was a good thing, she decided.
"Good morning." the soon-to-be hanyou whispered gently into her right ear.

While he knew they logically had a mission they needed to get back to, and friends they needed to retrieve, part of Inuyasha really never wanted that night to end. Still, as the eastern sky grew brighter and brighter, it quickly became apparent that time had not decided to stand still on their behalf.
"Morning." Kagome replied a little guiltily, followed by a softly spoken, "Sorry I fell asleep."
He chuckled quietly, the gentle sound music to her ears.
"I coulda woke ya, but chose not to, so don't go beating yourself up over it. We made it through the night just fine, the two of us."
"Yeah," she agreed, turning in his grasp a bit to gaze up into his eyes. "We did, didn't we?"
Her double-meaning wasn't lost on Inuyasha, although it was unfortunately at that exact moment that the sun began peaking above the horizon, and Kagome could easily sense the waves of youki that started rushing through Inuyasha's entire being, even as she watched the changes overtake him. The moonless night was over.
Almost immediately, she felt Inuyasha stiffen, and not in a good way. Granted, while that would most certainly have been a bit awkward, she would've much rather dealt with that type of awkwardness than what she apparently had to face instead. Unbidden, her mind took her back to the time when she had first learned of his monthly transformation. The night he had nearly died from Spiderhead poison. More specifically, Kagome recalled the way he'd acted afterwards, as if nothing out of the ordinary had taken place at all. But what they'd shared last night would be much harder to pretend had never happened, and she for one had no intention of doing such a thing.
Still gazing up at him as she was, Kagome immediately caught sight of the way he turned his head, facing away from her, and a sense of dread began spreading from deep within her stomach.
"Please..." she whispered faintly, unsure of what exactly she was asking of him.
He met her eyes in that moment, his expression seemingly asking her 'Please what?' with a sense of fear that her request would be something he couldn't grant.
"Please don't act like it never happened."
It never should have happened... the hanyou thought forlornly, although he figured she probably wouldn't like hearing that opinion out loud.
Then again, Kagome seemed to be able to read it in his eyes, as she cringed under the scrutiny of his gaze.
Do I ever do anything other than hurt her...? he asked himself as Kagome was the then one to turn her head away, as if she thought she could actually hide her tears from him now that he had his hanyou nose back.
And speaking of his hanyou nose, Inuyasha could also pick up the lingering traces of 'other' scents, which certainly wasn't helping him to think clearly in that moment.
"I'm more emotional in my human form...you know that..." he started slowly, observing as the girl nodded, still silently refusing to face him. But she also wasn't struggling to get out of his grasp, as he still had his arms wrapped loosely around her, the baggy sleeves of his suikan blanketing her from the morning chill as she sat with her body leaning against his side. He wondered if it occurred to Kagome how he hadn't yet made a move to release her, either.
"I..." Shit...how do I say this?
Swallowing the Shikon-sized lump in his throat, Inuyasha tightened his arms around Kagome until her body was pressed flush against his own. He both heard and felt her intake of breath at the action, but she still made no move to get away.
Emboldened by her continued willingness to remain in his embrace, the restored inu-hanyou somehow found the courage to admit... "I know I don't really show it, but...even when...I'm not human...my feelings don't change."
Kagome had begun feeling her heart breaking a little bit more and more as the awkwardness of the morning wore on, especially after that look he'd given her which had clearly spoken of how he regretted last night's impromptu intimacy. At least he was still holding her, and seemed remorseful enough for causing her pain that he appeared to be apologizing. It would hurt her for a little while, but Kagome knew she would forgive him. She always did...
So it understandably took her by surprise when she realized that he wasn't actually apologizing for losing control over his emotions the night before. Her breath hitching in her throat, Kagome quickly turned her head back around to face him, but what the miko didn't know was that Inuyasha had unconsciously started moving his own head closer to hers when she'd first turned away. As she spun her face back around to meet his own, her face literally met his own in the form of an accidental kiss.
For one almost comical second in time, Kagome and Inuyasha stared into each other's eyes with equal expressions of shock, then they both let their eyelids grow heavy as the miko and hanyou each gave into their desire for the contact. The kiss was slow, tender, and bespoke of the shared emotions between them that neither of them fully had the courage to express with words. Acting completely in synch with one another, they both backed away from the kiss at the same time, then slowly, cautiously, Inuyasha lifted one of his hands to cup Kagome's face, his thumb gently wiping away a rouge tear as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes.
"Once things are no longer so complicated..." he stated, deliberately leaving the sentence unfinished. She knew exactly what he was referring to.
"I'll be here." she replied, turning her face slightly to nuzzle into the warmth of his palm on her cheek.
"We better get a move on, I suppose." Kagome added after a moment, when it became apparent that Inuyasha had no intention of moving from his spot.
"Yeah..." he sighed, finally letting his hand fall. Gazing off towards the sun he added... "The sooner we finish our mission..." He turned back to meet her eyes. "...the better."
Smiling warmly, Kagome leaned her face closer and offered him one final peck on the lips before moving to stand up. Inuyasha assisted the miko to her feet, and made quick work of dousing their campfire and packing up their belongings while Kagome took care of that call from nature. Once they were both ready to go, they stood facing each other in silence for a moment. Inuyasha's lips slowly turned up into a peaceful smile, and Kagome grinned in return before finally moving to climb onto his back, giving his shoulders a little squeeze of encouragement once she was in place. Things were too complicated right now, and Kagome understood that, but after all that had been shared and revealed both last night and that morning, the miko also knew that her heart would never again be filled with any feelings of doubt or inadequacy. The road before them was long and hard, and there would undoubtedly be moments of pain in the future, both figuratively and literally, but through it all, she knew there would be a happy ending.
~*~*~ Fin ~*~*~
- 1
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Happy Ending