InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Caught Between Lust and Love ❯ Ramen ( Chapter 5 )

It was impossible for him to move, although his senses still took in his surroundings with great care. He saw her so close if he could only move he could touch her, her glistening eyes reflected the glorious beauty of the moon as her attention shifted from the elderly woman to him. He saw what she so desperately tried to hide from him, from her friends, and even from herself-affection, possibly even love for the creature she should hate. But hate is an emotion that Kagome could never truly harbor against any soul, especially when her miko powers allowed her to see the goodness that resided in the depths of ones soul, no matter how darkened their outward appearance seemed. The innocents of her beauty and her very nature was one of the founding reasons for Sesshomaru's undying infatuation with the miko.

As the woman and the monk carried away the motionless body of his wretched half-brother, control over his body returned, beginning with the ability to blink. He continued to watch as Kagome started down the hill after her companions, stopping momentarily to look back at him. Such concern danced across her face as no other creature had shown for him, any doubt Sesshomaru felt concerning his love for the miko was now obliterated by a total acceptance of the emotions. Slowly, Kagome started her decent again, quickening her pace suddenly, as if she knew he was awakening from her spell.

Only after Sesshomaru could no longer sense Kagome's sweet scent was he in full use of his capacities. With a deep growl, he marked the beyond coincidence nature of it. It was as if she released him from the enchantment whether it was conscious or not, despite what the old woman said. Rolling his shoulders, Sesshomaru began to loosen his stiff joints, without much effort his body returned to it's original relaxed state. "So, it appears you contain many more surprises than just any human; but, perhaps that it is because you are the one, my Kagome. However, I cannot let you interfere with any more confrontations between my brother and I. You will be mine, and if dueling with my young rival is the only way, I will be more than happy to exterminate the half-breed." He said to himself a wicked smile stretched across his face as his amber eyes narrowed.

---***---

(A short time later, in a forest aways from Lady Kaede's village)

"What the hell did you think you were doing, Kagome?" Inuyasha yelled as his body began to completely fall out of the spell. Kagome was not at all surprised by his anger and only looked down to the ground and smiled to herself while Inuyasha continued to rant. He was safe, at least for now, so she would happily endure his anger. After Inuyasha had said everything there was on his mind Kagome looked up, his face was twisted with rage, his eyes wide, his fangs very visible.

"Are you done?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. "'cause if you are done, I think we should continue to put distance between Sesshomaru and ourselves. Kirara only let us off here to go back for Sango and Miroku." Kagome explained as she lifted her yellow backpack up and over he shoulder. Inuyasha stood, shocked by Kagome's calm behavior, normally she would be screaming right back at him. Kagome only shrugged her shoulders in response and started walking away, without him.

"Wait just a second! You aren't going to explain that thing you just did? You aren't going to apologies for getting in between a matter that is only for men to reconcile?" Inuyasha asked furiously, walking quickly to catch up with the miko that seemed to be ignoring him.

"Okay, Inuyasha, I will indulge this if you continue to walk with me. So, when I petrified you and Sesshomaru it was purely by accident. I didn't want to see either of you hurt and I guess it just come out of me, that power, it just sprang from my body and then shoot over to you and Sesshomaru. As for that little squabble being a matter for 'men only' I know that it was over me and that makes it MY business, Inuyasha!" Kagome said in an abnormally stern tone. Inuyasha knew there was no way Kagome was going to apologize and that he should drop the argument, but the fact that she said she petrified them not only to save him but his incessant brother Sesshomaru stuck out in his mind.

"What do you mean you didn't want to se EITHER of us hurt? Do you actually CARE about Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked, more than afraid of the answer.

Kagome instantly blushed; she had unknowingly slipped out her feeling for Sesshomaru. "Inuyasha, I just didn't care to see a fight! Alright!" She snapped, loosing her calm façade.

"Kagome, that's bullshit and you know it! You see fights all the time, nearly everyday! And it wasn't the first time you've seen me fight that bastard!" Inuyasha scoffed, trying unseemingly hard to contain his utter rage and contempt. Kagome did not know how to respond, anything she said to refute it would be a lie and she knew it. Her only solution was to walk faster. "Kagome, STOP!" Inuyasha yelled as he grabbed her shoulders and swung her around to face him. Tears began to fill her eyes and trickle down her ivory cheeks. Kagome could not hurt Inuyasha with the truth; she would sooner kill herself than cause emotional harm to her ever-faithful protector. "Kagome, please don't cry. Just tell me what the hell has been going on in your head ever since I found in that cave! Please just tell me, I must know." He said as if begging her to relinquish her secrets to him.

"Inuyasha...I...don't know how it happened. But I do want you to know that whenever it feels that my heart is beginning to cave into his will the thought of you automatically pushes him away again. It's just...not enough sometimes." She tried to explain, small sobs causing her words to break up faintly.

"I don't understand what you are saying, Kagome." Inuyasha said, obviously confused at what Kagome was hinting at.

"I'm sorry! Inuyasha, I guess I just don't know what's going on." Kagome said exasperated at her lack of words to describe what was gong on. Inuyasha felt his body tense at his own annoyance, she was still hiding something. In a situation, such as this, Inuyasha reacted with violence whenever he could think of nothing else to remedy the circumstances, as he was a man more skilled in combat than with words. But something stirred within him to use another course of action to convey his feelings.

With a gentle hand he wiped away Kagome's tears, leaning slightly to look deeper into her sorrow-filled eyes. "Wha..what are you doing, Inuyasha?" Kagome stuttered, her heart starting to pound loudly in her ears. Inuyasha's only answer was his lips lightly pressed against hers. Kagome's body stiffened as she reached up as if to embrace him, but then left her hands only inches above his shoulders, unsure of how to position herself. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close against his body, forcing her into the embrace that she hesitated to initiate.

Kagome pulled away as a dark aura filled her senses, almost jerking her away from Inuyasha. Her face filled with horror as her stomach twisted into knots. Inuyasha's face appeared confused and slightly hurt at Kagome's actions until he too felt his presence-Naraku. Turning quickly, Inuyasha unsheathed the great Fang while Kagome drew her bow and sacred arrows. The wind rustled through the trees, whispering secrets of death and darkness. A maniacal laughter sounded, birds flew hastily out of the nests and into the night the sky at the cackle as a shadowy figure emerged from the foliage.

"You have some gall to come face me, Naraku! Or, is this just one of your damn puppets?" Inuyasha spat at the figure. He came into the light of the moon, his raven hair shining, his purple and blue robes waving in the wind behind him. Kagome gasped slightly as his red eyes narrowed on her.

"My apologies Inuyasha, I am afraid I spoiled a tender moment between you and your replacement for Kikyo. I do wonder, how that tragic priestess will take such news of your betrayal. I will probably have to comfort the poor thing." Naraku said tauntingly, a half-smile stretching across his face. Inuyasha growled as he stepped closer to his sworn enemy.

"YOU WON'T LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO TOUCH HER!" He yelled as he heaved himself at Naraku, the Tetsusaiga held above his head, ready to slash down his opponent. Naraku merely waved his hand casually to send a dark blast of power, knocking Inuyasha to the ground. Naraku distracted with Inuyasha, Kagome shot her arrow piercing his arm. Pink light radiated from the wound, Naraku grabbed his injured arm as he glared at the young miko.

"If you wish to die now just keep standing there!" Kagome hissed, another arrow pointed straight for Naraku's heart.

"It doesn't matter if he wishes to die, he will DIE!" A familiar female voice called out as Kirara swooped down to the ground, Sango and Miroku leaping of the fire cat's back.

"Temper, Temper, I only wished to deliver a message from the Lady Kikyo. 'Kagome, you live on borrowed time. Either leave Inuyasha or face the wrath of an undying fury'" Unable to keep still, Sango threw her weapon at the killer of her family, slicing him in half. The body dissolved leaving the remains of a wooden puppet.

"Damn it!" Sango said under her breath.

"You really thought Naraku would leave his compound to just deliver a message, feh." Inuyasha muttered as he wobbly rose to his feet leaning against the Tetsusaiga. Kagome rushed to his side, slipping his free arm over her shoulder to steady him. He hesitantly accepted her help as they walked over the Demon Exterminator and Monk.

"I guess I just hoped it was him." Sango said, her eyes cast down to the ground.

---***---

Solemnly, Kagome, Sango and Miroku sat around the crackling fire while Inuyasha perched in the overhanging branch of a tree. Inuyasha leaned back against the trunk of the tree and closed his eyes releasing slight sigh, 'Gods, what the hell was Naraku talking about, a message from Kikyo, feh...surly Kikyo wouldn't try to kill Kagome...but, what if she did?...what would I do?...would I kill Kikyo to protect Kagome?' Inuyasha shook his head, 'That doesn't seem right, but I still can't let any harm befall Kagome. I have to protect her!' A voice interrupted his thoughts, opening his eyes and looking down at the camp her yelled, "What are you hollering on about now?"

Kagome looked up at him, her eyes wide, "I was just wondering if you wanted some ramen." She said holding up a cup of the instant noodles. Inuyasha leaped down out of the tree practically landing in Kagome's lap, he grabbed the cup out of her hand and began to down his favorite food. "Gosh! Inuyasha you can be such a barbarian sometimes!" the schoolgirl hissed as she smacked the hanyou in his shoulder.

"What!" he muttered in between slurps.

"I call up to you and I call up to you about dinner and you ignore me, then all of the sudden you decide to respond to me and jump down, almost crushing me! I swear Inuyasha, this is your last cup of ramen!" She yelled storming away. After finishing his dinner, Inuyasha quickly ran to catch up to his jewel detector.

"Kagome don't say that! You cannot deny me my ramen!" he growled grabbing her shoulder and whipping her around. Infuriated with his brash behavior Kagome opened up her a mouth about to say the feared subduing word only to have her mouth covered by a clawed hand. "No! Don't say it, I'll let you go if you don't say it... but, you have to promise that you will bring me more ramen." He said, his face inches from hers. Powerless, Kagome only nodded to his request. Slowly, he let her go and removed his hand from her mouth, "Good, now that was easier than fighting and using that word, wasn't it?"

Kagome glared and bit her bottom lip, her mind in intense debate, 'should I say it? I did promise not to, but he is asking for it!' As if reading the thoughts behind her eyes. "Ah, now you promised, don't even think about saying!" he instructed, turning back to camp.

"And what would you do if I did say it?" Kagome asked, testing him. Inuyasha growled and grabbed her once again, so quickly Kagome found her breath caught in her throat, she was unable to speak, as she looked deep into his amber eyes.

"Kagome, you promised! And something I remember from my mother is that a promise should never be broken, especially if it's a promise to someone you..." he trailed off, unable to finish his proverb.

Kagome blinked and asked in a whisper, "someone you..." beckoning him to say what she thought he was going to say.

"Feh, never mind! If you wanna say the damn word, just say it!" he cursed as he let her go. Kagome balled up her small hands into fists and stomped her foot.

"You are so stupid Inuyasha! I swear it would have been just easier for you to finish what you were going to say, or are you scared?"

"I'm not scared of nothin'!" he barked.

"I think you are, and I think that's why you act like this, all bossy and overbearing! The moment you act civil you just put up those good old defenses and push me away. The only thing I can't wrap my head around is why you kissed me?" Inuyasha's jaw dropped, he didn't expect to ever speak of it. "Yeah, that's right, we're gonna talk about it! You only want me when some other guy starts showing interest and I'm sick of it, first Koga and now Sesshomaru. If you like me just say so, if not stop toying with my feelings!"

"Kagome, you don't have to throw a fit! You know that I love you!"