InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between Darkness and Light ❯ Consumed ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does.

Warning: Remember, this R rating isn't for nothing. Use good judgment!

Between Darkness and Light

Chapter 17: Consumed

By Cataluna

Drip

Drop

Drip

Drop

The random splatter of red began to connect with each other, forming a small puddle that was growing with each passing second. He watched with deep fascination as ripples spread continuously across the surface, forbidding him from seeing his own reflection.

*No!*

His head snapped up at the voice inside his head, saturated with sadness and despair. "Kagome…" Instead of meeting his gaze, her trance-like eyes were fixated on the area around his midsection. Afraid of what awaited his sight, he followed her eyes with slight hesitation.

Dark blood stretched from the left side of his torso, forming an intriguing pattern on the front of his white shirt.

Inuyasha stared at the bloodstain tip of metal protruding from his torso blankly with disbelief, hoping that it would somehow disappear and the overwhelming smell of blood was not his. He looked to Kagome for reassurance, but all he saw was her vacant eyes and Kouga's smug smile as he nuzzled intimately at the side of her slender neck.

The same slender neck he had kissed this morning, the same slender neck he had kissed every night.

`How dare he…' Blind rage spread through him, pushing away the numbness, threatening to consume his being. The boiling molten reawakened his senses, along with the excruciating pain of having a sword pushed all the way through his body. He clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth to hold back a cry, as the cold metal was pulled out of him in one swift motion.

Acting purely on instinct, he twisted his body around and caught the blade between the palms of his hands as it came crashing down on him, ready to taste his flesh again. He grabbed at the end in a match of strength, not caring that the sharp edges were now cutting into his hands. One yank, and the sword was his. The vampire's eyes barely had time to widen before his head was cleanly sliced off.

Picking up on the sound of air being ripped apart, Inuyasha spun around just in time to deflect another blow from behind. Metals screeched, and sparks flew where the two swords crashed heavily into each other.

"Yo," the corners of Kouga's cold eyes crinkled with amusement as though they had just shared a private joke.

Inuyasha's lips pulled back into a snare, baring his elongated fangs. He could smell her scent on him. `Fucking bastard.'

Despite Inuyasha's injury, he was still the stronger opponent. But Kouga was faster; able to dodge his heavy blows with the help of his speed and agility. Inuyasha was also having trouble concentrating. His eyes kept flickering back and forth between Kouga and Kagome, who was standing with her eyes gazed over like a porcelain doll.

Kouga charged at him again. "Keep your eyes off MY woman and concentrate on me."

Inuyasha growled and pushed his sword down on him, so that their blades were a mere inch from each of their faces. "You have no claims to her," Inuyasha hissed.

"What makes you so sure? You know, we were having quite a fun time before you decided to show up." Kouga licked his lips suggestively and tossed his head in Kagome's direction. "Weren't we, my Kagome?"

She didn't even blink, but her eyes seemed to be watching Inuyasha's every swing, every move.

"She tasted like-"

"Shut the fuck up and fight." Not wanting to hear anything else he had to say, Inuyasha pushed as hard as he could, ignoring the fierce pain on his side and the river of blood that continued to flow. The movement caused Kouga to stumble back, and his sword to clatter noisily across the length of the room. Not giving him time to recover, Inuyasha swung at him again and again until Kouga was lying still on the floor with the pointed end of his blade piercing the side of his neck.

Breathing hard, Inuyasha glared at him, and pressed down hard enough to draw blood, but not enough to end the fight yet. "Kagome will never be yours. She is mine," each word was spoken slowly and deliberately, with added pressure to the sword to emphasize. He wanted this to be an example to all who dared.

He briefly took his eyes off his opponent to check up on Kagome, something he had vowed never to do. It took only one second of distraction for Kouga to kick directly at his wound. Inuyasha fell backward, skidding on the slick blood he had previously shredded.

"What was that you were saying?" Kouga said smugly while grinding his heel into his torso.

Inuyasha threw his head back in pain, and grabbed at Kouga's foot, trying to force him off. "Fuck you," he hissed between clenched teeth, blood spluttering from his mouth.

"Thanks." Kouga kicked him once more, smiling at his suffering. "But no thanks, I much rather fuck your EX-girlfriend instead." He pulled a small dagger from the side of pants and grabbed a fistful of Inuyasha's hair, exposing his neck. "I'm going to enjoy cutting you open hany-"

An explosion of light.

His vision was blinded, and the painful tug at his hair was released. "Kagome," Inuyasha cried out, stretching out his arm in her direction, where the light was coming from.

Then it was over. The room was dark again.

The spots in front of his eyes faded. Kagome was crumpled to the floor, and Kouga was lying unconscious on the other side. He didn't even bother to question where that powerful blast of energy had come from. Picking up on the sound of footsteps approaching rapidly, he lifted Kagome off the floor. She was unconscious, but her vitals were strong.

He would have to come back and kill them all later. Fighting them right now, with him worrying about her safety would end badly. What had just happened with Kouga proved it. Using adrenaline to block away the pain, he ran at full speed toward the closest window, hugging her close to protect her fragile skin from the oncoming debris.

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She watched from above as wood splintered and glass shattered. Glimmering crystals exploded in different directions, some chose to cling to his beautiful hair, while others sprinkled to the ground. She noted that fragments of glass were not the only things following his path. Her mouth twisted into a frown at the sight. The plan had not gone the way she wanted. He was not supposed to show up. And he was not supposed to be harmed. `That idiot, I practically handed the girl over to him on a silver platter and he blew it!'

She continued to observe the hanyou, giving a small sigh of relief when his feet made contact with one of the nearby roofs. He paused to better secure the girl, before resuming his flight. She glared at her with pure hatred and contempt. `She doesn't deserve him… this was supposed to be my life, if I had lived.'

Unlike most slayers, she had learned of her destiny at a young age. She was foretold to be the most powerful slayer there ever was, even more powerful than the first. She was not intimidated but intrigued by that fact. It meant that she was the best. Her parents had trained her vigorously, waiting for the day when she would be called, when she would receive her mark of the phoenix. So eager to prove her skills and abilities that she had even wished secretly that the slayer before her would die soon.

When that day had finally arrived, she welcomed it with all her being. Truth be told, she was one of the strongest slayer yet, but…

~ Flashback ~

She leaned alongside the door, her ears picking up on every word that was spoken by her watcher in the other room.

"Yes, she is very strong and skillful… "

Her lips curled into a rare smile at the compliment.

Kaede sighed. "No… she's not the one. She is not the supposed slayer," her voice was low, but Kikyo had no trouble picking them up.

Her eyes widened in surprise. `All my hard work… all my sacrifice, and I'm not the best?' her hands fisting so hard that her knuckles turned white.

~ End Flashback ~

It was then that for the first time in her life, she began to envy what other girls her age had. She no longer saw her role as the slayer as a gift or a privilege, but a curse. Unknown to her watcher, she had wanted that jewel for herself, to become the best and to wish away the burden.

She knew that she was playing a dangerous game with Naraku, but she didn't care. With every encounter, she was tempted to let him win, to be taken into his embrace, his darkness. She snorted. He had thought that he won because she was weaker. `No, you were my ticket out… `

Just like with the slaying, she had adapted fairly quickly to the life of an undead. Naraku had even praised her as more bloodthirsty than anyone besides him of course. To her, it was a good life, without conscience or responsibilities. She did whatever she wanted and killed anyone that crossed her. She eventually ended up in Naraku's bed, fucking the man who killed and freed her. But still, he left her cold with only a brief moment of heat.

She wanted someone to care for her and love her. She wanted to feel warmth. Tinted red tears trailed down her face. She wiped them away in surprise. `When was the last time I've cried?'

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His bleeding had slowed down to a small trickle, but he was still leaving a trail of blood behind with each agonizing step. Deciding that he couldn't take the chance on Kouga and his gang sniffing them down, he headed toward a wooden cabin that he would sometime stay in after a night of hunting. It was the safest place he could think of. The smell of the wilderness should filter out most of his and her scent.

Inuyasha looked down at the girl in his arms, drawing her in closer as he stumbled toward the cabin. She was still out cold. Perhaps some of that powerful energy that had saved him had shocked her, causing her to lose consciousness. `But why was I spared?' He shook his head. Now was not the time to count his blessings. He would have to thank whomever or whatever it was later.

He blinked rapidly as the vision before his eyes blurred, letting him see two doors instead of one. The ground below him sway from side to side, seemingly threatening to give away. He fumbled for the knob and managed to carry her inside before his legs collapsed from beneath him.

*Kagome*

He struggled in vain to keep from falling on top of her, not wanting to crush her tiny frame. He pressed a soft kiss on her lips before his body made painful contact with the hard floor, leaving her half sprawling on top of him.

Her eyes fluttered open in confusion just as his eyes slid close.

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She leaned forward and gently wiped his forehead with a damp cloth. His usually bronze skin had taken a shade of deathly white. The only indication of life was the shallow intake of breaths, and almost unnoticeable rise and fall of his chest. Tears threatened to spill again as she watched him grimace slightly in pain.

This was all her fault.

He was hurt because of her.

And because of some stupid magic, she had almost forgotten about him.

She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled deeply, trying to control her wavering emotion. The last thing she wanted to do was to disturb him with her sobbing. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to both herself and the injured hanyou. He had been fighting to save her, and all she did was- Her brows furrowed, trying to coax her brain into remembrance. `What was I doing?' She shook her head. It didn't matter, she should have been helping him, then none of this would have happened.

"Here." He handed her a mug filled with dark liquid.

She held the container carefully in her hand, and stared at her reflection in the liquid. It was very warm. Her nose winkled with curiosity. "What's this?"

"Blood." Seeing the look on her face, Miroku quickly added, "Animal blood. It'll help him heal faster."

She gave him a small grateful smile, and set it down carefully on the nightstand. "Thank you. For everything," she tiptoed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

She had been hysterical upon seeing Inuyasha's condition. There was so much blood; even his silver-white hair had turned scarlet. By some remnant of sanity she was able to contact Miroku and Sango. She did not know what she would have done if they had not come along.

"He's going to be fine. You really should get some rest. We can all take turn watching him."

Her eyes flickered shortly to the hand resting on her shoulder. "No." Sleep was the very last on her list of priority. She refused to close her eyes until he was up and moving again.

"He's a fighter. Believe me, he's been through worse than this-"

"But this time it's because of me," she interrupted, her voice filled with guilt and sadness. She did not want or need to feel better about all this.

"You know that-" He sighed and shook his head. "Sango and I will go patrol now. We should be back in a couple of hours. Call me on my cell if you need anything."

She nodded, not really hearing what he was saying.

He sighed again and closed the door softly behind him.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, shifting until her back was aligned with the backboard. She then carefully lifted his head from the pillow, and raised him half way up so that he was leaning against her. He moaned softly but remained in deep slumber. She took the mug from the table and held it to his lips. She could see his nose twitching with recognition to the distinct smell.

His mind went autopilot. He drowned the mug quickly and hungrily, even taking it from her and holding it on his own at one point. By the time the mug was emptied and he was once again resting comfortably on her chest, a faint shade of pink had appeared on his cheeks.

The corner of her mouth lifted at the sight. Still, she refused to sleep and wake up again without being in his eyes. Until then she would watch over him.

Waiting.

Hoping.

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Sango stood up in anticipation at the sound of the door opening and closing. "How is she?" she asked quietly.

"The same. We should get going."

"Still blaming herself?"

He examined the staff in his hands, checking for nicks and cracks. "She's just as stubborn as Inuyasha. Maybe you should try and talk to her again."

"I don't know… I don't think she'll listen. And I feel like I'm intruding."

"I don't think anyone can ever be in the same room those two without feeling like a third wheel." He took his jacket off and held it in front of her. "You should wear this. It's starting to get a bit chilly."

"Thank you." It was only the middle of August, but the weather in Japan was cooling down sooner than usual. She fitted her arms inside the sleeves. It felt so big on her, even though she was not considered "petite" by standard. She closed her eyes and hugged her arms to her chest, loving the feel of the soft leather and the idea of wearing something that was his. Her nose picked up on the faint trace of his cologne lingering on the jacket.

She looked up to see that he had been watching her with those steady violet eyes of his, and blushed. Out of nervous practice, she broke eye contact with him and studied the floor pattern instead. The all too familiar feel of butterflies fluttering in her stomach returned. She found that no matter how many times they had talked or sat in the same room, he always managed to get her heart racing with a simple glance.

"Ready?" He held the staff in one hand and the door open with the other.

She walked past him, enjoying the brief moment of close proximity that the narrow doorframe was offering. That was until he decided to bestow one of his favorite habits on her rear end. She gave a heavy sigh before the flat of her palm connected loudly with his face. "Damn pervert."

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For two nights he laid there motionless as his body rapidly healed itself.

And for two nights she stationed herself in a chair next to his bed, watching as an ugly pink scar formed in place of the gashing hole in his torso.

Miroku and Sango had completely taken over the task of patrolling, stopping by occasionally to check up on his condition. These visits barely registered on her mind. If they had conversed, she did not remember. If they had called, she did not hear. The only thing she could concentrate on was helping him get better.

Stress and exhaustion finally consumed her on the third night. She found that she could no longer keep her eyes open, let alone see clearly out of them. Her mind shut down and she slept for the first time in days.

When she finally awakened, she found herself tucked snuggly in bed. The occupant by her side was gone. Panic flared but quickly settled with the sound of water running coming from the adjacent room. She jumped out of bed and opened the bathroom door, not even bothering to knock. "Inu- yasha…" her voice trailed off. Her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

A very naked and wet Inuyasha greeted her sight. Lacking modesty, he turned around, giving her a full frontal look. His lips curled into an arrogant smirk as he caught her eyes drifting downward, following the droplets of water. "Yes?" he replied innocently, ducking under the showerhead at the same time to rinse away the suds.

She blushed hotly, half mumbling and half squeaking an apology as she left the bathroom. Her feet took her in several circles around the room, while she tried her hardest to get the red off her face and the image of how perfectly male his body had looked out of her mind. This was not the first time he had been naked around her…

~ Flashback ~

She approached the bed hesitantly. This would be their first night to share a bed together, and her first time to "sleep" this closely with a guy. She glanced down at the oversize t-shirt she was wearing that only came down to a few inches above her knees, then at the shirtless hanyou watching her movement. Not that she didn't trust him; she just didn't trust herself. He noticed her uncertainty and stretched his arm across her side of the bed in an inviting manner.

Her throat made a deep swallowing sound before she cautiously climbed in, turning off the light and scooting to the far side of the bed. She let out a yelp at the feel of his hand snaking underneath her, grabbing hold of her waist.

Chuckling at her shyness, he pulled her in until the side of her body was pressed adjacent to his.

She squirmed around a bit before deciding it was more comfortable to rest her head on his chest. `It feels nice,' she decided. `Not at all awkward or weird.' She absentmindedly stroked at the side of his stomach. Her hand froze with realization as it accidentally ventured out further than it should. "Inuyasha?"

His eyes cracked open lazily. "Yea."

"A-are you… naked?" The last word ended in a very high note.

He grinned.

She screamed.

~ End Flashback ~

But it was dark that night, and he was under the cover. She had touched, but didn't see. `This time…' He sure didn't have any problem with nudity. `Why should he? He's perfect.' She closed her eyes and pressed her hand against the side of her increasingly warm face. `Great, I'm turning into the female version of Miroku.'

"Thinking about something?" Inuyasha stood before her with a towel wrapped around his waist, arms folded over his chest, and a cocky smile plastered on his face.

She replied with a halfhearted "shut up" before leaping up from the bed and into his arms. Wet limbs circled her tiny waist, and the familiar feel of warm lips grazed the side of her temple. Any awkwardness concerning the previous event was gone, replaced only by absolute relief. She pressed her face on the left side of his chest, listening to his heart thumping strongly and steadily for her. Her hand drifted downward to gently brush the outer edge of his newly formed scar. "Does it still hurt?"

"No." He ran his fingers lightly through her silky manes. "Just a bit tender."

She shut her eyes. "I was s-so scared. You lost so much blood. I thought you were going to die and leave me…"

"Keh, didn't I tell you? I'm like a cat. I don't die easily, especially not from that wuss," he said jokingly, trying to make light of the situation.

Kagome lifted her chin, eyes already starting to glimmer with tears. "Don't joke! For god's sake, don't fucking joke with me like that." Her lips trembled uncontrollably at the thought. "If it wasn't for his obsession for me than you wouldn't have been hurt."

He wiped the spilled droplets away with the pad of his thumb. "Really, I've had worse than this. You can ask-" Before he could finish reassuring her, he was cut off by a push of her hands on the back of his head, and the pressure of her soft lips meeting his. Her mouth captured him again and again in a frenzy of kisses, as though each one could be the last.

The hanyou was caught off guard for only a second by her desperation before reacting. Every kiss she presented was returned in full, and with much more. His hands slipped under her shirt, tracing and retracing the hollow of her back. Their emotions fed off of each other, creating a wildfire that left both of them breathless and wanting more.

The ache in her lungs caused her to pull back suddenly. They both nearly toppled over from the momentum. Her hands clenched at his biceps while her chest heaved up and down as she took deep breaths. She was burning up.

He held her steady by the arms and attempted to catch his breath. His head was swimming, dizzy with her scent, dizzy with her. He pressed his forehead against hers, and trailed his index finger down her cheek. "Kagome…" She smelled so good, so sweet. A thought nagged at him, refusing to be push back. He remembered Kouga's taunting voice that suggested something more had gone on before he had arrived, and her scent on him. "He didn't touch you… did he?" he asked carefully.

She shook her head. Kouga never got the chance to "touch" her, but if he had? "Would it matter?"

The corner of his lips lifted in relief. "No." He would go back and kill him either way for trying to take her away. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, before rubbing her cheek with his affectionately.

Pleased with his response, Kagome sighed softly and nuzzled him back. He was so warm, as it should be. She never wanted him to be cold again. She cupped his face in her hands. Her thumbs flickered gently across his cheekbones, feeling the strong bone structure. `Gods, he's beautiful.' Chiseled jaw, eyes of liquid gold, full lips… She closed her eyes, wanting to engrave his face into memory by her touch alone.

Inuyasha smiled and watched with amusement as she continued to trace at his features, like she was noticing them for the first time. He playfully nipped at her thumb when it lightly stroked his lower lip, startling her into reopening her eyes.

At first sight, she saw her reflection in them; those orbs of amber she could not live without. It was then that she knew, perhaps it was something she had known all along.

He was her darkness, and he was her light.

And she loved him, more than life itself.

She wanted to cry.

Love was beautiful, and incredibly frightening.

It had the power to consume her, so that her every thought was filled with him, and every step she took was to bring him nearer.

It also had the power to destroy her. The first time she had tried to show her feelings for him; he had turned his back on her, claiming a moment of weakness. The pain was more than she could bear. Now that her heart was completely his, he could crush her soul.

But would he?

Seeing that tears were starting to form at the corners of her eyes again, he tenderly touched her face, noting how hot she was. "Kagome, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Trying her hardest to keep her voice from breaking, she buried her face in his chest, arms limp at the side. "Hold me."

He complied and crossed his arms behind her back, his brows knitting in confusion at her sudden shift in mood.

She bit hard on the inside of her cheeks to hold back a sob. They were so happy, and everything was so perfect. She had just gotten him back, and now these three simple words that were ready to explode from her lungs could end up driving him away. Maybe she could ignore this realization until she was sure that he felt the same way.

~Flashback~

"Because I'm a hanyou…I am scorned by both sides… My father was killed because other vampires did not approve of their relationship, much less its creation, me. They thought father had tainted the demon bloodline with the pathetic blood of a human."

A look of sadness came upon Kagome's face

"My mother, the only person who had accepted and cared for me, died a few years later from broken heart…"

~End Flashback~

Love and acceptance.

It was all he had ever wanted.

And she wanted him to know. She wanted the whole world to know that he was the keeper of her heart, her soul, her entire being.

"Kagome?" He moved a few strands of hair that were blocking her face from view, and gently raised her chin. "Tell me," he pleaded. "Did I do something wrong? Was it something I said? Is it because-"

She covered his mouth in order to keep her heart from further breaking at being the source of his confusion and utter despair. Shaking her head violently, "No, no, no, not you. I…" A lump squeezed at her throat, preventing words from forming. Her hand fell to the side, joining the other in becoming a tight fist as she gathered the courage needed. "I love you," she whispered.

The muscles on his chest contracted with a sharp intake of air, and the flesh enclosing her body stiffened. A million emotions flickered across his face. He leaned down closer to make sure he wasn't hearing things. "W-what did you just say?"

Seeing that he was not pushing her away and he did not appeared to be angry, she gazed up steadily at him with sudden strength. "I love you," she repeated, a little more boldly this time. "I love you. I love-"

His mouth slammed down on her savagely, swallowing the remaining word and making it his, while his hold on her strengthened, trapping her arms at the side to leave her helpless towards his passionate assault. She gasped out loud as his tongue ran across her lips, before slipping inside. This kiss was completely unrestrained, and unlike any of the ones they had previously shared. It was as though he was pouring his soul into every kiss, every caress.

The raw heat of passion coursing through her was exciting, and even terrifying. His touch was unbridled, setting a blazing fire with every contact, and all she could do was flex her fingers and whimper in protest at the unfairness of the situation. She needed to feel him, to make him feel as lightheaded as she was. She began to plead, and wiggle in between kisses to loosen his iron-tight grasp on her, not realizing what the movement was doing to him.

With a growl so low that was only realized by the vibration steaming from the back of his throat, he picked her up off her feet, releasing her arms in the process. Her hands ran greedily down his body, and at the same time locked her ankles behind his back, the hem of her dress hiked up to her waist. She involuntarily shuddered for the source of her heat was pressed directly at his hard stomach. The movement caused the towel around his waist to unravel. Her face reddened at the telling thud of material hitting the floor, alerting her to his state of undress and bring a little back of her senses. "Inuyasha, your tow-"

His mouth captured hers again, mumbling something that sounded awfully like "screw my towel." He continued to consume her, stealing her breath away and replacing it with his. One hand squeezed gently on her bottom, while the other buried itself within her hair. She threw her head back, mouth parted in a silent cry as he raked his fangs against her throat. They fell on the bed, his body covering hers, their limbs tangled.

Needing to feel more of her, he grabbed the bottom of her blouse and lifted it halfway up her chest. Her back arched at the delicious sensation created by the feel of his tongue lapping between her breasts, and his pelvis throbbing directly on top of hers. He was well aware of how dangerous this situation was and how close he was to losing it. She tasted so sweet, her scent spiced with an enticing dark flavor, making his blood boiled with lust and desire.

Ignoring his instinct and her cry of protest, he suddenly pulled away. He had to bite hard on his tongue to regain a little control over his body. Panting, he laid his head on the soft pillows of curve and pressed several open-mouth kisses on the almost completely uncovered skin. "Kagome…" he gasped in an apologetic tone, placing some much needed distance between them with shaky elbows.

He stared down at her, hypnotized by the rising and falling of her chest. She looked so beautiful, with hair tussled, skin flushed, and her swollen lips parted sensually to draw in air. "Inuyasha…" Wanting him to continue, she rubbed the side of his hip using her inner thigh. He nearly snapped, and had to clench tightly at the bed sheet as a last ditch effort to keep himself from loosing it. He ran one hand through his hair, almost tugging at it in frustration. "Tell me to stop, before…"

"No, please…" She pressed her finger to his lips to silent him. "I almost lost you. We almost lost each other… I don't know what I'll do. I don't want to lose the chance of getting close to you." She wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him back down upon her. "Love me… show me."

"Kagome…" Her name was the last audible word that was spoken for the rest of the night.

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A/N:

I know you all wanted to kick me for taking so long to update. Well, I want to kick me too. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take 2 months. A big thank you and a hug to all my reviewers. I wish that I could thank each one of you separately, but it's just too much. So if I didn't get to answer your questions, just email me.

For those of you who's also reading "Our Love Affair." Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it. I'll get right on typing.

Would anyone be interested in a fanart contest? I haven't worked out the full detail yet but prizes would range from picking out my next fic to cowriting a fic with me or maybe even getting animes.

Does anyone know what happened to "Tetsusaiga's Curse" by Liquidcell?