InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shrine Prostitute ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 16 )

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

 

~ ~ ~

 

Chapter 15: Reunion

-----the act of coming together again

 

~ ~ ~

 

In the train Kagome fidgeted non-stop: she walked the length of the car, took down her bag and rearranged the contents, counted her money, and then got up to do it all again. She thought she might even be more nervous than the first time she'd gone to the Bacana Shrine because now there was significantly more at stake for her.

 

At the thought she stiffened. After Inuyasha's reaction - or non-reaction - to her and her declaration he really didn't deserve her worrying over him like this or wondering how he'd take to seeing her again. He'd just have to deal with it since she was his client and tough luck if he didn't want to see her. So what if she didn't want to be like all his other clients? If they could do whatever they wanted then why did she have to tiptoe around things, especially when he was the one who'd walked out on her, the one who'd ignored her, the one who'd stepped all over her feelings until they resembled little piles of goo on the floor.

 

The anger started to pour through her and felt plain good. She hadn't allowed herself to feel that way, knowing that she couldn't blame him fully since she probably didn't know all the circumstances and considering she did know how damaged he was by his past. She was cursed with a conscionable mind that saw the situation couldn't be easy for him either. More than that, she'd been scared of what she might do if mad. Would she write him off and avoid him altogether as the offended party? She knew herself well enough to admit it was a possibility if she'd let herself get riled up enough and likewise knew that he was worth more than that to her.

 

But now she was on her way and there was nothing to stop her from reveling in it as the red-hot feeling pulsed through her. She'd held it back for so long and now relished how empowered it made her feel. Not only that but it lit a fire inside her that would carry her through her nerves at seeing Inuyasha again and maybe even the gumption to give him what-for as soon as she came within his hearing range.

 

As the train came to a stop Kagome stepped off the platform, suitcase in hand, and strode straight for the Bacana Shrine, not pausing even a moment to take in the splendor of the city at dusk as the lamps began to light.

 

No, she was determined. It had taken her too much conscious will to screw up her courage and come see someone who'd all but ignored her existence for the last ten months. If she hesitated the slightest bit she worried her cowardice or fear would take over and she wouldn't stand for that, not tonight.

 

Entering the Shrine she breezed right past Ryu's desk, not stopping at his voice calling out to her, just holding her hand aloft to acknowledge that she'd heard and trusting him to take care of her check-in paperwork.

 

Now she stood in the exact spot she had a year earlier outside Inuyasha's door, trying to still the dizzying sensations stirring in her gut. She felt an odd sense of déjà vu, like it was the very first time she'd stepped foot on the property and she didn't know what to expect on the other side of the door - only all her memories of exactly what already had happened inside that room tugged at her at the same time.

 

This time things would be different though…they would have to be. Taking a deep breath she stood up tall, squared her shoulders, then shoved open the door without bothering to knock. She was careful not to look up until she was completely in the room, the door closed securely behind her. Then, finally, after so many long months, she focused on his face again.

 

He hadn't made a sound since she'd entered and now she realized he didn't need to: his expression said it all. His jaw had dropped, mouth hanging open, his eyes were all but bugging out of his head, and he had paused, frozen, in the middle of twisting around on his bed to see who had dared to barge into his room like that.

 

Inside she raged again - she couldn't believe him! The jerk actually had the gall to be surprised at her appearance. It was clear from the way he was looking at her like she was a ghost that he'd never expected to see her again - despite her letters and her continued phone calls. It was clear that, even in the face of all her actions, he didn't believe a word she'd said.

 

“Kagome,” Inuyasha choked out, his voice rife with shock, “you're here.”

 

That was the last straw for her. She marched right up to him and slapped him across the face. “How, how could you do that to me? How could you just walk out on your son and I like that?”

 

As soon as the words left her mouth she froze, eyes wide and muscles tense. Where in the world did that come from? Son?! How much of an idiot can I be?!

 

After a moment of mentally hyperventilating she finally calmed and then shrugged it off. She'd already dug her hole so she may as well continue in the same vein. Besides, he really did deserve some kind of riling with all he'd put her through the last year, what with her being so nice and all to give him periodic updates on her life so he was never wondering and gnawing away with guilt. Prick.

 

She almost recanted her words once she saw the purple shade his face had taken on but just as she opened her mouth he cut her off.

 

“My…son?” he asked. It was too much; she couldn't stand the look on his face, but she'd look like too much of an idiot if she gave up now without making her point first.

 

She crossed her arms over her chest, turned her head to the side, and thrust her nose up in the air. “Yes, something you might know about if you bothered to answers your calls once in a while or reply to a letter. What was with the whole `sudden-avoidance' bit anyhow?”

 

He ignored the latter part of her reply and went straight on the offensive. “What do you mean I'd know if I wrote back? I read every one of those damn letters,” he caught himself as he almost pointed to the closet where they were still stashed, “and not one mentioned a child. Don't you think that's a mighty big secret to keep from his own father?!”

 

Kagome winced at the rising decibel level but didn't back down. “That's not the kind of thing you can tell someone in such an impersonal manner; it's supposed to be in person. Besides, why would I write such news to someone who'd taken extremes to avoid me and for all I knew burned the letters instead of reading them? Answer me that!”

 

The two squared off, glaring at each other, each in their own stewed feelings of righteous indignation. Knowing she was being silly in drawing something like this out - let alone pulling out such a whopper of a story in the first place, Kagome sighed and finally caved. “Alright, alright, you're not a father.”

 

“Then who is?” he snapped.

 

Head jerking up she only managed to prevent herself from laughing when she caught the deadly look on his face. Sighing again she knew her doom was upon her. “No one. I made the baby up.”

 

Inuyasha just started for a moment, aghast. “Why on earth would you do that, wench?” he near bellowed. “My heart's somewhere near my stomach right about now. What kind of fucking ridiculous practical joke is that?”

 

“It's not like I meant to do it or had it planned, I was just so…so mad when you were surprised to see me here. Honestly, does my word mean nothing to you? Does the fact that I tried to keep contact with you all along count for nothing? Anything could have happened in the last year, Inuyasha, and you'd have no idea.”

 

“What the hell do you mean? I told you I read all those letters of yours-”

 

“-And I,” she cut him off, “already told you that I had no idea you were actually reading the things!”

 

“So that justifies making up a baby and giving me a heart attack?!” he wanted to know. “How childish is that?”

 

“Oh, that's rich,” she cajoled. “This coming from the guy who's soooo mature he avoids someone for ten months.”

 

“Well, if I'm so immature then,” he mocked her voice and mimicked her movements at the word, “then why bother coming back to me? You could've just stayed away.”

 

Kagome clenched her teeth and screamed in frustration. “You don't get a single thing I've said, have you, you baka!”

 

“Hey!” he barked at her. “Who you calling `baka' you stupid wench!”

 

“Baka!”

 

“Wench!”

 

“Baka!”

 

“Wench!”

 

Without warning he lunged at her, taking her to the floor with him. In a flurry of movement, of grasping fingers and nipping teeth they were writhing and panting on the cold cement floor. Inuyasha couldn't stand even a second of further separation so he shredded their clothes in quick, precise movements. He couldn't repress a chuckle, however, at finding that by the time he got to his own clothes Kagome had already half-stripped him without him even noticing.

 

They were at each other as if they were starving, kissing, licking, and stroking whatever they could without breaking full body contact. Inuyasha didn't have it in him to withstand much of such splendid torture though and without preamble he reared back and filled her. Their coming together lasted only mere seconds; he was burning too hot, too fast to wait for her. With a resounding cry he burst, his peripheral vision gone from the intensity of the sensation.

 

It hadn't been his finest moment ever, especially in a business-client perspective, but it had felt damn good, so he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. He collapsed on top of her, pleased to hear her breath coming short and hissing in his ear, gradually slowing.

 

Kagome didn't seem to mind in the least though that she'd been left behind. She just held him closely to her, hands running across his back and through his hair, relishing having him with her, against her again.

 

He rolled to his back and pulled her with him, not wanting her exposed to the cold floor any longer despite the voice in the back of his head still telling him that he was getting too close, too comfortable with her. Unable to keep the silly, satisfied grin from his face he was glad Kagome couldn't see it with her head buried in his chest as it was.

 

He reveled in the feel of her, luxuriating in her warmth, the weight of her against him, the feel of her skin where his fingers brushed across it. It had been too long since he'd held her like this. Kami, but he'd missed her.

 

Suddenly he froze, realizing just what he was doing. He was getting drugged by her effect on him, forgetting who he was and what he had to do. All his sacrifice for those long, dragging months would be for naught if he gave in now. If he didn't keep distancing himself she might continue deluding herself about this made up infatuation - and she deserved better than that.

 

Stiffly he pulled away from her slightly and in the most condescending voice he could muster said, “Alright, you got what you paid for, now get out of here so I can sleep.” Internally he couldn't help but wince since in every way that was a lie, most especially since she was paying to get hers, which he hadn't exactly delivered on.

 

To his consternation she didn't yell, she didn't slap him, she didn't even go rigid with shock. In fact, she didn't react at all except to throw him an odd, skeptical sideways glance.

 

“You know, I'd have found that much more believable before you threw me to the ground and had your way with me.” She snuggled deeper into his chest. “…Rather passionately, I might add.”

 

Inuyasha spluttered but couldn't come up with a suitable reply.

 

“Besides, do you really think I'd come all the way here for a measly hour? No siree - full nights all the way. So I'm yours all my nights and as many of my days as you want for the next two weeks.”

 

The words `I'm yours' echoed repeatedly in his head and the impish grin she threw at him made him realize he'd probably been a bit too slow in replying. “Days?” he inquired.

 

“Well, I wouldn't object to any overtime activity if you're game.” She wouldn't tell him she hadn't bothered renting a place and hoped she wouldn't have to leave his side during her short stay. Besides, if he had a problem with it there were plenty of no-notice hotels around. “After all, it's not like I'll get to come out here all that often…” She trailed off leadingly.

 

At the mixed look of confusion and frustration that flitted across his face she laid her head back down and closed her eyes. They still had a long way to go.

 

She wrapped her arms back around him and squeezed him tightly a moment, taking the time to choose her words carefully. “Look Inuyasha, I do…care about you.”

 

Despite softening her words she still felt him jerk in reaction to her declaration. “Don't worry, I know I pushed you too far too quickly before. I can't change the way I feel, honestly I wouldn't want to, but I'll be patient. I'm willing to wait until you're ready to accept it.”

 

She was quiet, giving him the time to mull that over, and found herself being lulled into slumber by the warmth of him, the comfort of having him near.

 

“Kagome,” he said slowly, “did you mean what you said?”

 

“Every word,” she replied quickly, not even needing to think.

 

Noticing that she was half-gone already he went ahead with a question he probably couldn't have gotten away with otherwise. “Even the part where you said you are - or at least your time is - mine?”

 

She yawned deeply against his chest and he had to suppress the urge to twitch at the movement of her mouth against him. “Of course,” she mumbled. With that she fell asleep against him, leaving Inuyasha to study the conundrum that was Kagome.

 

His mind was immediately spinning. Entirely too much had just happened within the course of a few hours and now he didn't know how to react or even what to do with himself. Earlier that day he'd been contemplating how he was going to try to move on and forget Kagome forever, thinking that ignoring the anniversary of their meeting would cement her in the past permanently. Now not only did she show up when he didn't expect her to, with no warning, but she'd made so many bold declarations he couldn't even begin to comprehend it all.

 

And on top of all that she'd said she was his - not that he was hers to do with as she pleased since she was the one paying - but she belonged to him. He may not understand anything else that had happened that night but he understood that much and he wasn't about to be fool enough to not take advantage of such a situation.

 

So as Kagome slept blissfully unaware on his chest he cracked a smirk full of mischief. After all, he had to make up for his goof that night somehow, right? Glad Kagome had already fallen asleep, knowing she'd be suspicious of the new feral light in his eyes, he began planning.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Kagome woke slowly, coming into blissful awareness as she felt Inuyasha's body heat next to her, knowing it was his hands slowly stroking the skin of her stomach. She was glad he'd carried her to the bed after she'd fallen asleep - she did not fancy the idea of waking with a crick in her back from the cold cement. Yawning, more from contentment than any residual tiredness, she stretched her arms overhead only to hear clanging.

 

Her eyes shot open, acutely aware that she recognized that sound but hoping she was wrong. She shook her arms again and there it was, tried to yank them down and they wouldn't budge.

 

Inuyasha had put her in his manacles.

 

His mouth was already on her flesh, making it even harder to comprehend the situation. “Inuyasha? What are you doing? Why am I locked up?”

 

Her breath hitched as he covered her body with his, his delicious warmth soaking into her. “Inuyasha?” Was he really that set on ignoring her? “Inuyasha!” Apparently he was. “Wait…I need you to wait…stop…”

 

He quirked an eyebrow at her and she could all but hear him questioning how sure she was about his stopping. Problem was, she wasn't sure at all, but there were other things they needed to deal with before losing themselves again.

 

“Look, we need to talk, okay?” His facial expression didn't change at all and that damned eyebrow of his was making her frustrated.

 

“C'mon, it's been ten months. Don't you think there are some things we probably need to get straight?” Still no reaction from him but his hands started moving across her legs again.

 

“Please?” she said, putting on the most exaggerated, over-the-top pout she could manage.

 

With a sense of gleeful triumph she knew she'd broken him when a little snigger escaped his mouth. Upon seeing she noticed it though he immediately clammed up, put on a face of mock frustration, sat up, and all but growled at her. “Fine, get on with it. There are other things I want to get to here,” he nodded, indicating his lap and just what activity he'd prefer to be doing…as if she wasn't aware already.

 

Besides, it's not like I don't want to be doing that myself, she groused inwardly. It's just some things take precedence - especially when a certain stingy hanyou refuses to communicate with me for almost a year!

 

“Okay, fine.” She glared at him for emphasis. “First I want to talk about…” …your reasoning for walking out on me? No…probably not the safest topic to start out on. “Well, how about…” she started again but trailed off at the distracting noise the manacles made; she couldn't help it, she'd just always talked with her hands. “Fine. What I really need to tell you is that I'm not giving up and that - ” She cut off with a muffled scream at the annoying racket from the cuffs and she pulled violently against them.

 

“Gah, Inuyasha, can we lose these for now? There's no way I can talk like this.” Like it's not distracting enough that you're staring at me like you want to eat me.

 

“No can do,” he replied snidely. “You aren't getting out of those cuffs until I've had my way with you.” …And made up for being a bastard and leaving you behind last time, he added mentally, unwilling to fess up to that particular bit of guilt.

 

“But - ” she started to argue but Inuyasha cut her off before she could get any further.

 

“Hey, you said that your time was mine, right?” He snorted. “So you going back on that now, are ya?”

 

She groaned in exasperation. “Of course not, but it's not like I want to do something that's only for my benefit. It's not like talking would be bad for your health or anything.”

 

“I dunno, if my balls turn any bluer it might be.”

 

To keep from laughing, and from looking to see just how accurate the statement was, she glared at him.

 

“Look,” he said, leaning down into her face. “Like I said, you ain't getting out of those `til we're through and both passed out from satisfaction.” He noticed her pupils dilate slightly and had to fight back a smirk. “So your choices are either to talk now as we are or leave it until tomorrow…at the earliest.”

 

He shot a cocky grin at her reaction to his words - her flushed complexion and slightly faster breathing - though he supposed that could have something to do with the way his fingers were stroking her stomach as well. After all, he never claimed to play fair.

 

“So what'll it be, Kagome?” He breathed her name across her throat, skimming his lips against the skin without actually touching her. “Yapping the night away or me licking my way all across your body?”

 

He heard the clink of metal and knew she was trying to wrap her arms around him to pull him down to her.

 

“Now, now, be patient,” he chided her, absolutely reveling in the feeling of power he got from being with her again, not to mention in such a situation. “We've got a lot of time to make up for so there's no sense in our rushing.”

 

At her low groan of frustration he couldn't help but chuckle. “I take it that means I won?” he gloated.

 

“No,” she panted out. “We'll still talk, make no mistake about that.” She arched beneath him, trying to create more contact between his hand and her quickly overheating skin. “I just decided that with you being a jerk and all and leaving me hanging for so many months by myself I'd let you start to make it up to me first.”

 

Inuyasha slowly pulled himself up, fisting his hands on his knees and severing all contact with her. “Really?” he drawled, and Kagome didn't like the mischief in his voice. “I'm a jerk, am I?”

 

“Yes you are!” she snapped. “And you know it too, what with the way you're dragging on and everything.” Seriously, first the guy doesn't want to talk and got me all hot and now he won't shut his trap and focus! Apparently she just couldn't understand males at all, full or partial human.

 

“Well if I'm so obnoxious why do you keep on comin' back to me?” he countered.

 

She wanted to open her eyes and glower at him but just couldn't take the smug expression she was sure he was wearing at that moment. “That's because you're my jerk, you…you jerk!”

 

Inuyasha couldn't help himself, he full on laughed and Kagome stared in wonder. She didn't think she'd ever seen him like this before. If that was the case she didn't even mind that she - or at least her momentary discomfort - was the source of his amusement.

 

The sound abruptly cut off and she was pulled from her musings at the same time that her head fell back against the bed, Inuyasha having yanked the pillow right out from under her. He also took the pillow next to her, stacked them both together, then raised her up and slid them under her hips. She felt incredibly self-conscious having herself hanging out in the air like that and tried to cross her legs but the position made doing so incredibly awkward and she almost lost her balance.

 

Confused and more than a trifle embarrassed she looked at Inuyasha to explain but in the blink of an eye his face was only inches from her own, the smell of him driving her crazy. He opened his mouth a couple times, as if to say something, but then settled slightly to the side and pressed his lips against her collarbone. That calmed her immediately, bringing her awareness back to different matters, and she breathed out, “Inuyasha?”

 

It had been too long since he'd tasted her, felt the texture of her skin, breathed her in, and honestly he'd given up hope she was coming back for seconds. He rearranged himself, kneeling above her with knees on either side of hers, but not touching for the time being, and laid his forehead against her chest, just allowing himself the realization that she was truly, actually there with him.

 

Yes, he'd blown it the first time but that wasn't anything he couldn't make up for now and he intended to do his absolute best until she was hoarse from all the screaming she'd be doing. Of course, to do so would mean more self-control than he personally wanted to inflict on himself at the moment, but he both knew he definitely was capable and that it would be worth it in the end. Besides, didn't she say…two full weeks?

 

He grinned at the thought, planted his palms firmly on the bed, and blew gently on one breast, just enough to perk her attention, before raising his head away. Looking at her he wished he'd thought to blindfold her but couldn't bring himself to move away from her in that moment, not for anything.

 

The short little eternity that followed was an exercise in relearning her body, in teasing and tormenting every frayed nerve she had. He brought one finger to brush against her navel, twirling it around and then pulling it off before his warmth really got the chance to seep into her. He followed with his tongue and was gratified when she bucked up against him, obviously trying to draw his attention down, but he pulled back after only seconds. Ghosting his breath across her ear and cheek he marveled at the whimper he drew but that was nothing compared to the sharp gasp she made when he finally brushed his lips against the curve of her breast.

 

She was panting hard by then, her eyes sightlessly staring at the ceiling, and when he knew she was only seconds away he pressed the pad of one finger against the source of sensation, the core of her world that he'd avoided all along, and she shattered before him. He wanted to smirk, to gloat in the power he had over the woman writhing under him but honestly he couldn't do anything other than marvel at her. He was in complete control of the situation yet she exuded more power and strength than any being he could imagine. He was in awe of her, of who she was and the fact that - for whatever reason - she chose to be with him, and damn but the things she could make him do. In that moment he felt enthralled and completely under her spell and he knew that later it would claw at him but he couldn't bring himself to care right then, staring down at her glowing, sweat-drenched skin.

 

He leaned down next to her ear and all but purred, “Was that good for ya, darlin'?” She was still panting so all she could do was nod her head, to which he bit her ear contentedly. “Well that ain't nothing yet. You aren't getting out of those chains until I've made you shudder at least 7 different ways.”

 

She smiled at him, telling him she got the joke, but he just shook his head and smiled back. “I should probably warn ya that I'm being serious, even if it takes until tomorrow night.”

 

She came out of her stupor just a little bit. “You can't be - that'd kill me.”

 

He puffed up at the little round-a-bout compliment she'd just given his skills. “Well then you'll be just about the happiest spirit in the afterlife, won't ya?”

 

Seeing he was serious she opened her mouth to contradict him but he just slowly circled a clawed finger around her lips before slipping it into her mouth to quiet her. “Now, now, we agreed no more talking `til later, right?” She glared but he just gave her a lopsided grin showing he wasn't the least bit fazed and started in that same unending torture he'd used on her last time.

 

She was squirming beneath him in minutes, cursing him in frustration as he refused to do anything more than his fleeting touches and brief feathering of lips. Eventually he gave up his position and moved to kneel next to her chest, slowly working his way in open mouthed kisses along her arm. When he paused to give special attention to the inside of her elbow Kagome swore she could climax just from the feel of his lips finally fully against her.

 

Working his way up her forearm he tapped on her hand and her fist crumbled completely under his touch, her body melting fully when he began to nibble and suck on a single finger. He only moved to the next one when the skin on the tip of her index finger began to wrinkle and she was surprised at how arousing she found that fact. Slowly, methodically, he worked his way through all of her fingers before beginning the same treatment on her other arm, leaning his chest across her to do so but keeping himself infuriatingly out of reach.

 

Inuyasha had needed to staunch his control to keep his touch regulated, to keep from ravishing her all at once, over and over again. He knew that if he did any more than he currently was there was no possible way he'd be able to reach his 7-goal in even a 24 hour period just because she'd become so over-sensitized she'd become raw and everything would grate and hurt. So he clenched his teeth against the unbearable softness of her skin, against the amazingly seductive sounds she was making in the back of her throat, and told himself that he was strong enough to do this, both for her and his own pride.

 

Kagome was getting worked up into a frenzy of frustration. He wouldn't bring his body against hers no matter what she appealed to him by or threatened him with, and by the time he'd taken her over the edge twice more in - she'd lost track of the time actually - she couldn't bring herself to care about anything anymore other than what he was denying her. She was sick of silly games and wanted him against her, in her, but he still studiously stuck to his plan. If she hadn't been so annoyed at him she might have been in awe of his control.

 

At the end of her fourth time she was ready to scream at him to leave her alone, to keep going, to go away, to touch her properly, anything but what he continued to do as she collapsed against the pillows, a quivering heap of over-stimulated nerves - except I'm not because the jerk refuses to touch me anywhere for more than 3 seconds! His head came up and Kagome just willed her thoughts to him. Yeah, I'm thinking about you, Mr. I'm-so-rad-I-don't-have-to-really-touch-a-girl jerk man. But really, who else could she be thinking about at a time like that?

 

Oh, don't you look at me like that because you forget that I'll have my turn with you in chains and then we'll see who's laughing…and…stop smirking! she finished, mentally shouting the last at him. She didn't bother to glare as it had proven throughout the night to only amuse him further. Instead she decided to start a mantra in her head. Jerk, jerk, jerk, JERK, jerk… When he looked up she added music to the little ditty. Jerk, jerk jerk jerk, jeeeeerrrrk, je-je-jerk -

 

And that's when he put his mouth on her. She rose up on the balls of her feet, screaming to the rafters, and just reveling in the fact that he hadn't taken his beautifully divine touch away from her yet. He didn't give her any break at all as he started to drive his fingers into her and she was panting so hard she was having trouble breathing. She began to plead incoherently, just knowing this one was going to make her pass out as her muscles clenched spastically at him after being neglected for so long.

 

She came to as she realized the annoying insect she was ineptly trying to bat away was actually Inuyasha's hand gently slapping her back into the world of the living. Leveling her gaze at him she asked, “I really did black out didn't I?”

 

Her vision was still a bit fuzzy so she couldn't be sure whether his smile was a bit shy or fully self-congratulatory. Only slowly was she starting to register that he was stretched out fully against her, and oh did it feel heavenly. Her body was still completely worked up though and her mouth twisted wryly. “Let me guess, you let me sleep for all of 30 seconds, did you?”

 

He huffed and looked away from her, leaving his hair draping across her face. Knowing he was either starting a sulk or a brood Kagome determined to break him of it and - hands currently incapacitated - pretended to gag on the all-encompassing-hair-of-doom. He swung back to her anxiously and when she smiled he knew he'd been had. He'd intended to grouse about it - after all, wouldn't do to let the wench know she could get away with things like that on a regular basis - but then she moved against him and all rational thought fled his mind. His gaze locked on her face and her eyes seemed to draw him in, in some sort of stupor, until he was a mere inch away from her. With a jolt he realized he was about to kiss her and he quickly changed the angle of his head so he wound up kissing his way across her jaw line.

 

The suddenly harsh rattling told him she was trying to fight the chains again, whether to club him or pull him more tightly to her he could only guess. But it had been a long night for him trying to live up to his promise. (What was it - morning? Afternoon? The following evening even? He wasn't sure what time it was anymore but he knew that a good many hours had passed.)

 

Gah, why'd he have to be such an idiot. 7 times?! Sure, he could do it no problem but he didn't like having to inflict blue-balls on himself unless a client specifically ordered it - and even then he didn't like it. He should have said 5, no 4, because then he could have been inside her hours ago and they'd both be sleeping in bliss by now…then they could get up in a couple hours…start over again…

 

He shook his head. The way he was going he'd be lucky if Kagome didn't clobber him as soon as she had her strength back, which - by the looks of her - might take a while. But then he gazed at her, at the silly, dazed look in her eyes, and he knew that this was a night she would never forget, ever, and when he finally had to let her go that one little piece of him would always be there.

 

He was inside her without another thought and she moaned against his neck, arms straining taut and he knew without a doubt this time it was to wrap herself around him. His hands were everywhere but he didn't allow an inch of space between his body and hers, merely grinding himself deeper and deeper inside her, fighting against the warm, wet heat of her. Her muscles, which had been searching for something substantial to grab onto all night, went into overdrive and they both paused and gasped at the incredibly tight fit.

 

“Why?” she managed to whisper.

 

Inuyasha had to bring every ounce of focus he could muster to register what she just said. “You been with anyone else since me?” he asked.

 

“Of course not,” she said vehemently, and the look on her face was so powerful that Inuyasha had to shut his eyes and clench his teeth to keep his control and not explode that very second.

 

“Then that's why,” he rasped out. “Your muscles are outta use,” he paused another moment, panting, “so I get to break you back in.”

 

Not the most romantic way he could've said it but Kagome got the idea. Besides, she much preferred to focus on what he was doing with other parts of his body right then, not what was coming out of his mouth.

 

He moved his hands then, slowly down her back, leaving little tingling trails in their wake, then fastened onto her hips, tilting them up toward him as his came flush against hers. She cried out at the invasion, the feeling of being filled so completely, then nearly whimpered when he began to pull away. Apparently he felt the same because he only left the scantest amount of distance between them before sinuously sliding his way back in place.

 

Her muscles, over-taxed and under-used, only put up token resistance before succumbing, and Kagome wished for nothing more than use of her arms right then while Inuyasha was blessing the fortune of their being tied back, knowing her touching him would drive him into a frenzy. As it was he didn't change his pace one iota even as she shuddered beneath him, enjoying the way she was pressing her body up against his with each passing heartbeat.

 

One more, he only had one more to go and then he could let go and allow oblivion to take them both.

 

He changed his grip on her hips and the angle to them slightly again as he wasn't able to bring himself to leave her heat, to deny any of his skin the right to rub against hers. Her eyes were drooping again and he knew she was close, both to ultimate achievement and to completely falling asleep before he was done, so he nipped her shoulder. She started and stared at him, and when her surprise began to wear off he did it again; her neck, her jaw, her chest, her breasts - he covered them all with little bites.

 

The chains were clanging again and when he looked into her eyes he saw them blazing hot and staring at him like she wanted to attack him, even turn the tables and tackle him to the bed and have her way with him right then. He honestly couldn't think of anything he'd prefer more so he pushed into her body a little harder, a little faster, carefully gauging her reaction. Head tilted back she hissed and he picked up the tempo, slowly at first, but then with more speed until he was slamming into her, their skin sliding from sweat as he somehow managed to keep their bodies entwined despite the nearly frantic pace he set.

 

He was lost and he knew it, so he moved one hand between them and started pressing against her. She was gone within seconds, yelling and screaming loud enough his ears turned back slightly, her hands clenched into fists tight enough to leave imprints of her fingernails in her palms. As soon as he felt her succumb he finally let himself go and experienced the most dramatic sense of elation, relief, and freedom he could ever remember feeling.

 

She was his, she was here with him, and he was sure he'd just given her something that could never be repeated by anyone else in her whole life.

 

He just managed to not collapse against her and heaved himself off to the side against the wall, already missing her warmth. Still, he knew how uncomfortable it was to be kept overlong in those manacles and for her weak human arms it had probably already been too much time, especially with as much as she'd been straining against it. She'd feel it for sure when she woke up.

 

Reaching up he released the latch on her right hand and watched as her arm fell limply to the pillow, not a movement from her. Rolling his eyes he pulled himself up to sit at the head of the bed and leaned across her to release her other hand, catching it in his before it could fall. Gently he tugged on her arm, pulling her on her side until she faced him. He wriggled his way back down until he was lying in the bed next to her, curling her body up into his.

 

The covers were a roiling mess beneath them and Inuyasha couldn't care less for himself, but he cursed himself for being so soft when he realized he didn't want Kagome sleeping uncovered. Stupid, weak ningen bodies…He didn't care if he was being lazy; he was comfortable and he didn't want to get up. Still, that's exactly what he kept the blanket at the foot of his bed for. So, grumbling, he moved away from Kagome's warm, inviting body, carefully detaching himself as she clung to him and mumbled her grievances. Seeing her he suddenly remembered the pillows and pulled them from where they'd been shoved behind her, tossing them to the head of the bed. Without leaving the mattress he then leaned down and snatched up the blanket, laying it around her and tucking it behind her back and shoulders before grabbing her to him once again.

 

Then, finally satisfied, he drifted off into an exhausted slumber.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Kagome woke up abruptly, crossing her legs with her sudden need to go to the bathroom. She grimaced but she knew she had to wake Inuyasha up as she had no idea where a single toilet in the building was.

 

“Oh shoot,” she hissed as she pushed herself to a sitting position, wincing at the soreness and stiffness of her arms. She'd surely be feeling that for a couple days. “Inuyasha?” she said softly, nudging his arm with her hand. She hated to disturb him when he looked so peaceful, especially for this of all things. Putting a hand to her face she felt for heat, wondering if she was blushing.

 

Making a lazy groan he turned away from her slightly, swatting at her hand. Aggravated, she began to shake him. “Inuyasha!” she called again, louder.

 

Finally he cracked an eye to look at her, then rubbed his face and looked again to make sure she was really there and waking him up. For cripes sake, they couldn't have been asleep more than an hour or two! “What is it, you wanna go again?” he asked semi-incredulously even as his words slurred.

 

She slapped his shoulder. “Of course not. I'm so sore I can barely move.” She had to restrain herself from hitting him again at the look of smug satisfaction that came over his features at that little revelation, so instead she decided to take the wind out of his sails just a bit. “And for future reference you're never getting to chain me up for that long again. I'm lucky my arms didn't get pulled from their sockets.”

 

“Well if you'd relaxed instead of straining against them they wouldn't have pulled now, would they?” he mocked.

 

She snorted. “Oh yeah, because what you were doing to me was the most relaxing thing in the world. Hey, maybe next time I should restrain myself and not react at all. Think you'd like that?”

 

His face scrunched and he started to reply but she held up a hand to forestall him, her other pinching the bridge of her nose as she sighed. “Not right now, okay? I woke you up because I've gotta go - so where do I go?”

 

He wondered why she wouldn't look at him straight but was a bit intrigued by the light dusting of red across her nose and cheeks. Now if he could only figure out what she was talking about, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that his brain was still sleep-fogged. His brow creased in confusion. “Uh, Kagome, where you need to go? If you're headed somewhere shouldn't you know ahead of time?”

 

“No, that's not what I meant. I mean - I gotta go!” She was looking at him so imploringly that he sat up and tried to shake himself awake, finally noticing from his new seat how her legs were clenched together and she was shaking slightly. So that's what she meant. He shook his head; this was why he'd never understand women. The two of them had been as intimate as they could get, had been all over each other's bodies, and she was embarrassed about something as natural as going to the bathroom.

 

“Okay, okay, gotcha,” he groused as she hit him again for taking too long to respond. “You got your choice - either the chamber pot,” he pointed to a little bronze pot against the wall, “or the drain.” He pointed again to a hole in the corner of the room covered by a grill and she paled. “Personally I suggest the drain as that's just where the pot gets dumped anyhow, but your call.”

 

“You…but…” she stuttered, “…isn't there a bathroom around here or anything? What do all the clients use?”

 

He shrugged. “Bathrooms are in each of the rooms so if someone needs to go he or she just does their business then. No one really hangs around that much. Besides, have you seen how primped up the female tetsudai get? I'd hate to be around any bathroom that they had to share, although it might be kinda funny to watch them fight it out about who spent too long in there.” He snickered, then waved his hand, as if to dismiss everything he'd just said. “I'm sure Ryu has a proper one that he'd let you use but considering how relatively far away his apartments are, what with how tightly you're holding your legs together, I'd say you're out of luck.”

 

He chuckled again when she tried to shift her legs out of his sight. “C'mon, haven't you at least ever been camping or anything? Sure, it ain't the most glamorous thing in the world but it ain't gonna kill you either. So just go before your bladder ruptures or something.”

 

She glared at him but got off the bed and headed toward the other side of the room, glad he kept his room warm considering her unclothed state. She paused a moment, glancing back and forth between the 8-inch hold in the corner and the pot sitting next to it. Desperately wishing to save any modicum of dignity she had left, plus knowing her propensity for being clumsy at the most inopportune times, she opted for the hole and turned around, grimacing. Then she saw Inuyasha staring at her, a bemused expression on his face.

 

“What in the world do you think you're doing!” she exploded. Quickly she walked the two steps to her bundle of clothes, picked up one of her shoes, and lobbed it at him. He looked affronted when it bounced off his arm.

 

“What you think? You're wandering around my room naked and you expect me to not be looking? You do realize I'm male, right?”

 

“Well, yeah,” she spluttered, “but not now. You are not watching me pee and I doubt that even you could find anything sexy about that.”

 

He opened his mouth and she cringed at what he might say. “No! I don't care what you're going to say, just turn around already so I can go!”

 

Seeing her legs trembling even while she was standing Inuyasha gave up the argument with a huff and did as she asked. “Fine, I'm not looking. Happy?”

 

The hole was too close to the wall to face the corner so she turned her back to it; plus that way she could watch him and make sure he didn't peek just to annoy her. “Okay, now cover your ears and hum.”

 

“What?!” He couldn't believe how big of a deal she was making out of this. Maybe if he shocked her or embarrassed her she'd just get over it already and do it so she could come hit him. “Look Kagome, I have tasted and been covered in some of your body fluids, so I don't think that hearing one more is going to be the end of the world.”

 

At her gasp he smirked. “Why you…you…you…”

 

“Yes, yes,” he said wearily. “We already covered this, I'm a jerk. So why are you letting a jerk keep you from doing something that'll relieve all that pain and pressure building up inside you -” He cut off because he could finally hear her going behind him. That girl just never stopped astonishing him. Besides, it wasn't like he got some perverse sort of pleasure out of watching or hearing a girl piss, he just wanted her to stop being so stupid about it and being so self-conscious around him.

 

Kagome sighed in bliss even as she kept a wary eye on him. Making sure to always keep him in the corner of her vision she glanced around her, hoping against hope there'd be some form of toilet paper stashed somewhere. There was a tiny little cabinet on the other side of the chamber pot - she made a mental note to ask Inuyasha about that; she hadn't even known chamber pots still existed or that anyone, let alone he, would use that term to describe it - and she was delighted to see a roll in there, even if it was that thin, scratchy, paper stuff.

 

Done with her business she used the hand-sanitizer out of her bag to clean herself up a bit from the night before then went back to the corner to put everything back in order. Putting the toilet paper back in the cabinet she was puzzled at the only three other items in there. “Inuyasha, why do you have a rag, a paintbrush, and is that…whitewash?”

 

He didn't bother to turn around as he answered. “To cover all the red on the walls.”

 

She looked around her. “What red is that?”

 

He sighed, annoyed that he had to spell it out to her. Being around him this long he'd have thought she'd catch on a bit more. “That's where I clean up after my clients leave. Washing the blood off stuff tends to slosh around and it gets all over the walls. None of my clients would appreciate coming into a room already covered in bloody splatters.” No, the sickos like admiring the patterns of their own handiwork.

 

Kagome took a moment to absorb what he was telling her. She didn't know how she could be so stupid; when they were together it was just so easy to forget what his reality was really like, or maybe she just wanted to forget as it was easier that way.

 

Earlier her mind had been focused solely on her bladder but now that her mind was clear she could hear again what he said about how every other tetsudai had a private bathroom while he…had a hole in the floor. Did he have to bathe himself there as well? Did he ever get access to a shower, or maybe only on occasion when Ryu could sneak him to his place?

 

She couldn't stand it; she was such an idiot. Nothing she could say would make it better, she'd probably only aggravate him and scrape at his pride. Instead she did the only thing she could: she crawled onto the bed behind him and wrapped herself around him as tightly as she could, her legs outside of his, her arms around his chest molding her to his back, and her cheek laying against his scapula. She didn't make a sound, just held him, and was relieved when one of his hands came up to cover hers.

 

After a good long while Kagome finally screwed up her courage. “Look, Inuyasha, I…I hate this place. I mean, I know it's been relatively good to you for what hanyou normally get, but no one deserves to be treated like this, ostracized like this…especially not you.”

 

Pausing, she waited to see whether in her blunt words his pride was angered or he chose to ignore her altogether. Since he seemed to be going the ignoring route, despite the tension she felt in the muscles coiled against her, she decided to take advantage of his silence and plunge ahead. “You know I want you with me. If you ever decide you want out of here, are willing to risk everything else the world can throw at you, you're welcome at my home with my family and I. My family would love to have you there just as much as I would - well, maybe not quite as much since there are some rather obvious benefits to our relationship that I should hope don't extend out to them.” Letting the smile into her voice she squeezed him for emphasis.

 

“You know how much Souta adored you, how he loved having another guy in the house to be all `manly' with. And mama doted on you and enjoyed having someone else to take care of.” She chuckled lightly, the vibration of it pulsing through Inuyasha's body. “Then there's jii-chan. Don't worry about him, he's just crazy and picks on all of us. He actually just makes me laugh now more than anything else.” She'd say all of this as many times as he'd listen, as many times as he needed to hear it to believe it.

 

He still hadn't responded and Kagome knew she wasn't lucky enough for that to be because he was overcome with joy and was just waiting for her to stop so he could say yes. She dropped her forehead against the middle of his back. “I know this might not be the ideal solution for you, but would being with me really be all that bad? Especially in comparison with this place?”

 

He tensed even more and she sighed, feeling defeated. “Fine, just know that even if you say `no' now the offer stands open for as long as I'm alive.”

 

She was torn as to what to do now. Part of her wanted to hold him even more tightly to her, as if by osmosis she could will her thoughts and feelings to him, but the bigger part wanted to just run away and hide from him in her stupidity and embarrassment and many other despicable things she could call herself at the moment. Couldn't she have at least said it in a better way, one that wouldn't so totally crush his pride and rub his face in his predicament?

 

Inside she figuratively pulled herself up by her bootstraps - which she'd always found an odd phrase, especially considering she was naked at the moment. Breathing deeply she forced herself calm and controlled her urge to flee. Sure, she lacked tact, it wasn't exactly something she'd ever before claimed to have, but she'd said something that she'd needed to say at one point or another during this visit. Perhaps it was best she said it now; if she was a paying customer he couldn't very well walk out on her this time…could he?

 

Inuyasha had so many thoughts roiling through his head he had no idea which to follow first. Kami but this girl is stubborn! He'd have thought she'd take the hint the first time he left. After all, he'd told her the reality of the situation square in her face! She was still living in la-la land even now and he hated the feeling that he was having a carrot dangled in front of his face. Even if he already knew for sure it'd only be snatched away later it was still damn tempting. Couldn't she see that?

 

He groaned inwardly. This was going to be long and messy, he could feel it. He'd almost prefer a session with one of his other clients to this drudgery of talking and feelings and shit he didn't want to get into. He thought longingly about the door but knew it was pointless. This was inevitable and there was nothing he could do to escape it, so he may as well just face it now, be blunt, and take it like a full-blood, since heaven knew that was the only way he'd escape this night with any dignity intact.

 

He shifted and Kagome loosened her death grip on him slightly but he still didn't turn to face her. This was going to be difficult enough without seeing her expression. “You done yet?” he asked, more gruffly than he'd intended.

 

He felt her head move up and down against his back. “Look,” he said, forcing himself to calm down and not make any more a fool of himself than he had to, “do you really think I'm that selfish?”

 

Kagome pulled away from him. “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean forcin' myself on your family and such. No matter what you say and how you sugar coat it no one really wants to take on a hanyou. I ain't leaving this place just so I can become a burden to you all when at least here I'm earning my keep.”

 

“But…Inuyasha - ” she tried to argue.

 

“C'mon,” he cut her off. “You really gonna sit there and tell me you think their lives, your life wouldn't be made harder just by having me around?”

 

She blushed, knowing what he said was true, but she refused to back down. Instead she pulled on his forelock until he turned his head around to face her.

 

“Yes, some things would be harder,” she conceded.

 

“Aha!” he yelled, as if gratified at confirming that harsh fact.

 

“But…” She pulled on his face again when he looked away from her, finally maneuvering herself around the bed until she was facing him when he refused to budge. “But,” she emphasized again, “so what? First off, no I don't think you're selfish, so could you really think I'm that stupid? Of course I know there would be some hard times having you with us, but do you think it's any easier knowing you're here suffering when I want to help you, want to be with you, and the only thing stopping us is your damn stubbornness?”

 

He glared at her last comment but she ignored him. “I don't care that there would be hardships because tell me one person's life that doesn't have them? Tell me about one thing worth doing that doesn't have challenges, one relationship in the world that doesn't have its hard times. I wouldn't care about the crummy times because you'd be with me and that'd be worth it all, would cancel everything else out. Don't you get it yet? My family adores you and I love you so it's worth anything to get you out of here and with us where you belong.”

 

Inuyasha crossed his arms and looked away, feigning irritation and indignation, but she saw the light pink across his cheekbones as the give away it was. “Didn't we already have this conversation?”

 

“No,” she said, sick of running around the topic. “You walked out. Conversation implies two people…well, unless you're talking to yourself, but then you'd be crazy.” She shook her head, getting back on track.

 

“No, we did talk, and I told you it was impossible, or did you just oh so conveniently decide to forget that part?”

 

She looked at him, hurt, and he immediately regretted his choice of words. “Of course I didn't forget. You think I haven't wondered if the reason you didn't contact me at all was because you hated me? Because I'd somehow offended you? Do you have any idea how scared I was that you would only see me when I came because I was paying this damn Shrine?”

 

“Kagome,” he said softly, touching her face with the backs of his fingers, hoping to quell any urge she had to cry and knowing he'd be at a complete loss if she did. “You know that wasn't it.” Shit, why did he always have to stick his foot in it like this. She was a good girl; she didn't deserve to be in a place like this, upset by an ass like him.

 

She gripped his hand tightly and looked directly at him, her eyes pleading. “Then what? Why?”

 

He sighed. And here it was, the crux of the matter. There was no way in hell she was going to take this well. “Because you're not really in love with me. I know you say you are but believe me, no one falls in love with hanyou, I have plenty of experience to know.”

 

Indignation crept into her face this time and she huffed at him, “What, so now I'm an idiot who doesn't know her own mind? Is that it? You think you know me better than I know myself?”

 

“Shit, no, that's not it.” Agitated, he ran his free hand through his hair. “Okay, so you like me right now, maybe even think you love me, but that's just it. You only think you do. Trust me when I say that not only is it plain just impossible, but you still have a lot to experience. I'm the first guy you slept, not to mention the first one you had any kind of feelings for - you think that kind of stuff is all that unique or that it lasts forever? Maybe you think so but you're not in the business I am. You really think you could tell me you'll still be around in 10 years? 20? Could you tell me you know you'll still think you're in love with a hanyou scum then?”

 

Kagome sucked in a deep breath, collected herself, then let him have it. “First of all, don't ever let me hear you call yourself that - or any other derogatory term - ever again! You got that?! I don't care that you're half youkai, half human. What does that have to do with anything? It's not your genetics that I like - although they are quite nice I must say,” she said, glancing up and down his body to let him know she appreciated how nicely he was put together, “it's what's inside, you dummy. And if I ever hear you put yourself down again I will…well…I'll think of something really nasty - and before you have the chance let me just say that you better not even think it. You know I'd never treat you like one of your doms. I'd just…tie you down and tickle you or something like that.

 

“And as far as my level of `experience' - did you, or did you not, hold me as I cried here last year about feeling dirty from all the other guys I `experienced.' Aside from that, believe it or not but you don't have to actually sleep with someone to know you're in love. What about unrequited love? Or people who fall in love at first sight? Or a couple that waits to have sex until they get married? There's no way you can really think all of these people are deluded.”

 

Then, in the middle of her tirade, that's when it hit her. She wasn't sure it was about whether or not she wanted him with her, but whether that would be forever. Hadn't that been the point of his talking about the future in such a way? He wanted a guarantee that she wouldn't drop him for someone else, and though it aggravated her and even hurt a bit, there was no way she could really blame him.

 

“Inuyasha, I'm still only human. I can't give you a clad-iron guarantee. I believe in my heart that I'll love you more every day until I die but I have no proof for that aside from feelings and words. I'm not perfect either; I'm sure there'd be times when I'd annoy you or make you so angry with me you'd want to throttle me. With as much as we fight I suppose that's a given.

 

“Still, I can tell you this: if I was given the ability to go back in time and choose whether or not to meet you, to connect with you like this again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. If I was given complete control over my heart and could choose anyone in the world to fall in love with I'd still pick you, hanyou, stubbornness, hardships and all.”

 

He scoffed at her and she started to get desperate. “Gah, what can I do to convince you? I can promise that no matter what you'll always be welcome in my home, and that's even irregardless of what you choose to allow to happen between us.”

 

“What I choose,” he asked incredulously.

 

“Yes, you,” she nearly shouted. “Who else is refusing to believe a single word I say? Who else is stubbornly refusing to leave a god-awful situation because he's scared of what might happen to him in the unknown.”

 

He winced, almost imperceptibly, and Kagome could have hit herself. Of all things, why did she have to call him afraid?

 

“Scared?!” he railed. “Hell if I am. I go through more shit every night than some Chinese torture victims and you wanna call me a fucking pansy? I just don't want to rest my life and entire future on the whims of some little girl who could be flighty as a bird for all I know! That's called survival skills, bitch!”

 

Kagome had to clamp down on her instincts to dig into him for calling her that. She knew he had a point but seriously, did he have to be so defensive all the time? She remained quiet as he continued to rail at her.

 

“I've done better than any other hanyou out there and I am earning my own way. I survived just fine on my own before you and I'll keep doing just fine by myself so just keep your fucking pity to yourself.”

 

She sighed deeply. This really wasn't going well at all. “But that's all you're doing here, Inuyasha, just surviving. I want to give you the chance to truly live, even if it's not as free as either of us would wish for you. Won't you even give me a chance? What do I need to do to prove myself to you, to get you to trust me and believe in me? Tell me and whatever it is I'll do it.”

 

He looked away again but his posture softened and his muscles relaxed. “I dunno. There's nothing I can think of.”

 

Sighing, she collapsed against him and buried her face in his chest, his arms coming up to absently rub her back. “I'll give you all the time you need, you know. I can be patient and…” …and that's it!

 

She shot up suddenly and he looked at her askew, wondering what could have her so suddenly giddy she was almost bouncing. “I've got it! I know what to do to prove it!”

 

Seeing she wasn't going to give anymore until he participated, he bit. “Okay, shoot.”

 

“Time!” she exclaimed, as if that word summed it all up.

 

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “What?”

 

“It's simple! All I've got to do is keep coming back and then you'll have to believe me, right?” He looked at her skeptically but she could see his interest was peaked. “So let's make a deal. If I keep coming for, say, a year and claim the same things that I do now then you'll have to admit me that I'm telling the truth and believe me. Hah!” she finished with a smug look.

 

“A year?” he mocked, laughing derisively. “That's nothing. It's only been a year since I met ya! You really think you'll experience that much more about life in that measly amount of time? Yeah right. Make it ten and you got yourself a deal.”

 

“Ten years!” she exclaimed. “You've gotta be kidding me. I'll be almost thirty years old by then!”

 

Inuyasha just shrugged at her. “So what? You said yourself that you'll wait as long as you need to. Was that just a line?” he asked suspiciously.

 

“Of course not! It's just…ten years, Inuyasha! That's just too long. You've got to remember that I'm human. I don't know how long hanyou live but I'd bet you it's a goodly deal longer than I'll be around. I want to be with you for as long as I can. Plus middle age for us is 40 - can you imagine how wrinkly and old looking I'll be getting already? Say…” she suddenly looked at him speculatively, “just how fast do you age? Are you still going to look like this when I'm 60? I'd kinda feel like I was robbing the cradle…”

 

He crossed his arms and glared at her - man, is he the master of silent communication or what! - and she held up her hands placatingly. “Okay, okay, I get it. You don't know any more than I do. So how about three years?”

 

“Seven,” he shot back instantly.

 

She crossed her arms, mimicking his mood and posture, even his tone of voice. “Three and a half.”

 

“Seven.”

 

Throwing up her hands she cried, “Fine, I give! Five, and that's my last offer.”

 

He stared at her, contemplating, and she had to fight not to squirm under his gaze. Inuyasha was struggling within himself. He was sorely tempted to give in; if he had to be honest with himself he'd admit that he wanted this damn badly. Yet he knew there was not a chance in hell she'd actually last through the five years and felt he'd only be setting himself up for disappointment. After all, why bother going along with this agreement if there was no modicum of hope?

 

He knew it was doomed to failure and that he'd just be hurting himself in the long run with it, but looking at her face and the nervousness she was trying to hard not to show he knew that he couldn't crush her like this. Damn him, but he couldn't bring himself to hurt her at any cost. Looked like the only thing he could do to save himself was try to keep his heart as hard as possible.

 

“Okay,” he said, and when she smiled he swore the room got brighter. Then without warning she threw herself at him and flung her arms around his neck, laying him flat out on the bed.

 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she repeated over and over into his throat. Her obviously emotional reaction to such a concession from him had him at a loss, so not knowing what to say he just followed up with his usual: “Keh!”

 

She pulled back and gave him a watery grin before schooling her features into mock seriousness. “Just so you know, if you decide anytime during those five years that you believe me and want to tell me you love me back,” she grinned at his fierce blush and loss of composure, “you just go ahead and let me know and we can cut short those loooooong five years.”

 

He wasn't looking at her anymore so she just laughed, her giddiness bubbling over at finally having some possible conclusion to all this drama. “Don't worry,” she said, dropping a kiss on his nose, “you'll love it at the shrine with us.” He blustered but she was pleased that he didn't deny that one day he'd be living there with her.

 

Reaching up she stretched her arms above her head and gave an ear-cracking yawn. “Now that that's all set I say we go back to sleep, since we did have all of what - an hour to rest?” She leaned up on one elbow over him and gave him a lascivious smirk. “Or do you think you're ready to go again, cowboy?”

 

Inuyasha wasn't a hanyou who had to be propositioned twice so when he leaped on her she collapsed in a fit of giggles. “Maybe I should play the cowgirl instead so that I get to ride.”

 

He held her down and nipped her throat. “Oh no, you don't. You already laid that title on me and I ain't letting you wrest it from me - at least not at the moment.” Then he actually winked at her, which nearly set Kagome off again.

 

“Well then,” she purred, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her, “what are you waiting for?” He didn't bother replying as he was already working against her and no more words were needed.

 

~ ~ ~

 

~Owari~

 

~ ~ ~

 

A/N: Erm…well…it's been a while, ne? *sweatdrops* Well the basic gist of it goes like this: I've been diagnosed with some pretty major medical problems and am even facing brain surgery to further define what's going on. Needless to say my life has been reorganized and reprioritized and, as much as I love writing, it's been forcefully relegated to a back burner. This isn't to say I'll be discontinuing the story; in fact it's not even going on hiatus. I just ask your patience in knowing it'll most likely continue to be updated at just about a snail's pace. Sorries.

 

As always, much thanks to Akihana for doing beta and being a sounding board. Also thanks to all who have continued to support this fic, both in reading and reviewing, in iyfg, and especially during my two and a half month absence. If no one had pushed me during that time I honestly don't know that I'd have had the persistence to continue writing, (well, besides maybe my perverse stubbornness in just saying that I'd finish this danged monstrosity), so yay all ya'll!