InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Allies with Benefits ❯ The Proposition ( Chapter 5 )

Allies with Benefits

Chapter 5: The Proposition

Kagome turned impatient eyes on the hanyou across the clearing. Come on! Hurry up already!

She'd spotted the soul collectors twenty minutes earlier, now she just had to wait for Inuyasha to follow. Kikyo had become very helpful over the past few months. Inuyasha was so much easier to fool when he was busy with his own lover. It was only a matter of time before he snuck off, claiming to go hunting. All she had to do was wait.

But, fifteen minutes later, she was still waiting. And although it seemed Kikyo was willing to wait, her particular taiyoukai normally was not. If the hanyou waited much longer, she'd have to wait another week to see Sesshoumaru, and that wasn't something she particularly wanted.

Finally, almost an hour after she'd first noticed the soul collectors, Inuyasha finally jumped down from his perch.

“I'm going for a walk,” he mumbled.

About damn time! Kagome waited for Inuyasha to disappear into the trees before beginning the act she'd perfected since she'd begun seeing Sesshoumaru. Standing from her sleeping bag, Kagome looked off in the direction the hanyou had gone, trying to look as forlorn as possible. “Inu…” she mumbled.

Sango rose on queue and came to Kagome's side. She hated how gullible her friends were sometimes. “Don't be sad Kagome.”

“I'm…fine.” She sobbed, squeezing out a single tear before pulling away from her friend. “I just…I think I need to be alone.”

She made a deliberate exit in the opposite direction Inuyasha had gone, making sure to voice the occasional sob until she was out of earshot. Then, she took off, trying to get as much distance as possible between her and camp in case they decided to look for her. She found a small clearing a ways off and sat down to wait, she just hoped she wasn't too late. But she should have known he couldn't resist seeing her. Almost as soon as she sat down, she felt his arm embrace her from behind.

“I was beginning to think you were not coming.”

“I had to wait for the moron to run off to his zombie.”

“What?”

“Oh, sorry. That reference is post feudal. Let's just say it took Inuyasha a while to leave.”

“Soul collectors not being obvious enough?”

“Apparently not.” She leaned back against his firm chest, her fingers coming to rest on his arm around her shoulders. “Do you really have to go?”

“Yes. The other lords will begin arriving tomorrow. I will go back to the west this night.”

“So, what you're saying is, I better take advantage of you while I can.” She languidly brushed her fingers against his arm, loving how it jerked minutely against her. She would have never guessed Sesshoumaru to be the ticklish type, but over the past few weeks, as she grew bolder in their encounters, Kagome had discovered quite a few sensitive areas on his body.

He grunted, his lips coming to caress the back of her neck, right between her shoulder blades. She moaned in response, dropping her head forward to allow him better access. She wasn't the only one to have discovered secret pleasure spots. She reached around to stroke his hair and was just about to turn around and kiss him when Inuyasha's voice rose over the trees, angrily calling out her name.

“Damn it!” She hissed. “He's relentless! We're never going to get a chance to fully enjoy ourselves with him constantly interrupting.”

He `hnn'd' and she turned around to look up at him. She could see the frustration in his eyes, but there wasn't anything they could do about it now. She could already hear Inuyasha crashing through the trees. Soon, Sesshoumaru would have to go or they'd be caught. She kissed him one final time before reluctantly untangling herself from him. She began walking back the way she had come, but she only made it a few feet before his hand caught her wrist.

“Meet me by your well in one hour.”

She spun around, intending to question him, but he was already gone. I wonder what he's up to…

Inuyasha's continued shouting brought her swiftly back to the present and she quickly schooled her features as Inuyasha leapt into the clearing.

“Wow, back already?” She said angrily. “What's the matter, Kikyo didn't have time to cuddle after you were spent?”

Her hanyou companion gaped at her and Kagome took that opportunity to quickly fizzle out the traces of Sesshoumaru's scent on her as the taiyoukai had taught her to. Inuyasha didn't seem to have noticed and Kagome walked briskly past him, being sure to hold her body tensely as if she were truly upset—which wasn't that difficult since she was peeved at having once again been interrupted. She tried to think of how she could make it back to the well in an hour. They were a fair distance away from the village; she'd never make it on foot.

Spying Kirara through the trees, she saw her chance. Deciding she'd just go home for a few days after meeting with Sesshoumaru, she silently entered the campsite and quickly packed her bag before turning to Sango.

“Sango, may I borrow Kirara? I think I'm going to go home for a few days.”

“Kagome, don't let him…” her friend started, but Kagome held up her hand.

“Please,” she murmured, trying to sound like she was holding back tears. “Just let me go. I just need a break.” She held her breath as her friend stared at her, but after a moment, Sango nodded her head.

“Alright, but be careful.”

“I will,” Kagome said as she walked to Kirara. As she swung her leg over the fire neko, she glanced at the hanyou who was finally slinking into the clearing, his metaphorical tail between his legs. She didn't give him a chance to say anything though as she urged Kirara forward. As the fire neko rose into the ski, she heard Miroku lay into Inuyasha with an angry “Well, now you've done it!” Content that her friends would be tormenting for the poor hanyou for hours, thus ensuring her safe escape to the well, Kagome closed her eyes and wondered what her lover could be planning.

When Kirara landed in front of the well forty minutes later, Kagome gave the fluffy kitty a hug and then watched as she took off and headed back to her friends. Then, once she was sure she was gone, Kagome made a quick run down to Kaede's for a little safeguarding against premature hanyou interruptions. She stopped just outside the village to school her features into her standard `Inuyasha is a meanie' face and then walked briskly into the village.

“Kaede?” She said, as she pushed aside the grass mat that sheltered the old woman's home. “Are you home?”

“Kagome, what's wrong child?”

“It's nothing,” she said, being sure to sniffle just enough to be believable. “But I'm going home for a few days. Can you stall Inuyasha when they get here? I need some time alone and I don't want him to follow me.”

“Of course my child. But what happened?”

“It's nothing. I'll tell you when I get back.”

“I understand. Rest well.”

“Thanks.”

She gave the old woman a hug and then made her way back to the well. Sesshoumaru was already there, standing just out of sight on the far edge of the clearing. But she could feel his youki wrap around her in a gentle caress. He walked into the clearing to meet her, his hair blowing gently in the breeze.

“Well,” she said softly when they were side by side. “I'm here. What did you have in mind?”

“A proposition.”

“Oh really? Do tell.”

“You requested a better meeting place. One where interruptions would be less likely.”

“Yeah, it would be nice not to have to rush, but that doesn't see likely. I'd also like to have a bed every once in a while, but that doesn't seem likely either.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” He walked casually past the well, brushing his fingers along the side.

“What are you getting at? I thought you were leaving tonight for that meeting of the lords.”

He came to stand behind her, his arm coming to embrace her as his head dropped to the crook of her neck. “Come with me.”

It was whisper, so quiet she would have missed it if he hadn't been right by her ear, and it completely floored her. Turning to look at him, she tried to hide her shock.

“Are you serious? You want me to come to your home?”

“I believe that is what I said, yes.”

“But—but, you have that thing…with the lords. Wouldn't I be in the way?”

“No, my presence is only required for a short time. These events bore me were it not vital to keep peace, I would do away with the entire mess.”

Kagome couldn't believe her ears. Was this really Sesshoumaru? She was tempted to ask if he'd lost his mind, but that might end up with her having a slight case of the deads. So, instead, she threw caution to the wind and nodded her head.

“Alright,”

“Then, I will wait here while you go gather whatever you need from your home. We shall leave when you return.”

He motioned to the well and Kagome nodded, blushing as she disappeared into the void. On the other side, the gravity of what she was about to do hit her like a freight train.

She was about to go home with Sesshoumaru. To the Western fortress….where he live. This was a big step. Once she wasn't quite sure she was ready for. But at the same time, she didn't feel she could pass up such a once in a lifetime opportunity. “I just hope it doesn't blow up in my face.”

Half an hour later, she jumped back through the well, surprised to find Sesshoumaru already seated on the well floor, waiting for her.

“Ready?”

She nodded, smiling when he lifted her into his arm and took to the skies.