InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forget Me Not ❯ Memories ( Chapter 2 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SplendentGoddess 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.23.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 3.5K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.23.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 3.5K | Status: Completed
Blanket Disclaimer:
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
========================
Chapter 2 – Memories
Kagome watched as the sun dipped below sight, and suddenly, her daughter was changing right before her eyes. Izayoi didn’t like her transformations very much, but had learned to live with them, considering she didn’t have a choice in the matter. Never having experienced her father’s razor sharp night-vision, she didn’t know what she was missing in that department, and complained mostly about losing her sense of smell, and hearing…mostly smell.
Kagome secretly relented that she was grateful her daughter looked human on a nightly basis. Though her hanyou days meant that they would be forced to enroll her in home-schooling, Izayoi would at least be able to go out into the world around her after sunset, and experience most things a normal child could experience growing up. Already she’d eaten in restaurants, gone to the movies, and played at the park. This next Halloween she would even get to go Trick-or-Treating for the first time, though ironically, that was probably the one night when she could’ve looked like her hanyou-self and gotten away with it.
Kagome had only ever taken Izayoi out in public during the day when absolutely necessary, and it was never a happy experience, for either of them. Besides the fact that Izayoi would always complain about all the smells and the noise, she had to wear a hat over her ears, and usually earned herself questioning stares regarding her hair color. Kagome was worried that one day, somebody would discover that her daughter was not entirely human, and as a result, more often than not, the poor child was restricted to the shrine grounds during daylight hours.
It didn’t take long for them to discover that her hanyou aspects weren’t limited to her physical appearance, either. She could lift at least two hundred pounds (they hadn’t tried heavier yet), and she could effortlessly jump up onto the roof, or into the branches of the Goshinboku. She could already rip a fairly large chunk out of any tree with those claws of hers, and that was without using any sort of demonic energy attack, which she apparently hadn’t harnessed the ability for yet. Kagome knew that, because she’d had Izayoi practicing. She wasn’t about to let her daughter grow up weak. Who was to say that there weren’t actually any other youkai still around? But even if there weren’t, she should still know how to defend herself. It was also important for Izayoi to know how powerful she really was so that she never ended up hurting anybody on accident. She had to learn her power, so she could then learn to control her power. After all, inu-youkai were, according to legend, one of the most powerful of all the youkai. Yes, Izayoi knew what she was. She knew exactly what she was. She knew what and whom her father had been, and when he was from. Kagome had told her the entire story.
As if reading her mother’s thoughts, Izayoi suddenly said, “Tell me again Mama.”
Glancing down at her now human daughter, she asked, “Tell you what, sweetie?”
“Tell me how Daddy gave Iza to Mama.”
“Baby, you know that story…”
“Please?”
Kagome sighed. She’d been telling stories all day, but looking into those deep, chocolate eyes, she caved.
“Okay, just real quickly, then we have to go down for dinner, all right?”
The child nodded her head vigorously, and Kagome couldn’t help but to chuckle. Though she always kept her stories more G-rated when she relayed them to her daughter, she remembered every detail of that night with vivid accuracy. She remembered every tear, every scream of passion…
Approximately four years earlier, or five hundred years earlier, depending on your perspective…
Their victory was bittersweet. Naraku’s defeat meant that those who sought it had achieved their revenge, but it also meant that their time journeying together had come to an end.
Sango and Miroku had plans to settle down together in Kaede’s village, the houshi having finally answered yes to Sango’s question of “And you’ll never cheat on me, right?”
Miraculously, Kohaku’s life had been spared, and the young taijiya planned on doing whatever he could to make amends for all his previous wrongdoings while under Naraku’s control.
Kouga had also moved on, he and Ayame finally getting together to rebuild their lost tribes.
Kikyou had assisted with purifying the jewel, and Naraku, and now, the undead miko stood awkwardly by as Inuyasha checked her reincarnation for injuries.
“I’m fine.” Kagome assured him, her scrapes and bruises being nothing serious. But the tone of her voice suggested she was anything but fine.
“Kagome…” he sighed, unsure of where to start, unsure of how to end. He knew she loved him, and a part of him loved her as well, but he had an obligation to uphold, a vow to fulfill, a duty to perform. He had to join Kikyou in Hell.
“Inuyasha…” she spoke, her voice soft and steady, a few rogue tears managing to fall past her eyes, “I want you to live.” she whispered.
Kikyou heard her reincarnation’s plea but chose to ignore it. Inuyasha had vowed his life to her; she owned him. She had died, and he had not, and now, it was time to correct that error.
“You don’t deserve to die.” Kagome continued, while Inuyasha hugged her gently, stroking her hair.
“I gave my word.” he answered. She merely shook her head ‘no’ a few times, trying to deny the inevitable. “Kikyou didn’t deserve to die, either.” he murmured, hoping she’d understand.
“What if…” Kagome sniffled. “What if she were to live once more?”
Kikyou couldn’t ignore that comment, and with genuine surprise, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Could you not use the jewel to restore yourself to the flesh?” her ‘copy’ asked her.
Kikyou just stared at her reincarnation, shocked. Why she would even suggest such a thing? It was obvious that they were rivals for the hanyou’s affection, and yet…to suggest such a thing… It clearly wasn’t for herself, but for Inuyasha, Kikyou realized. If Kikyou could have her life restored to her, then there would be no need for Inuyasha to die on her behalf.
“But such a wish would encompass the jewel, and you would forever be trapped in your own time.” she pointed out, wondering if the girl had truly thought everything through.
At that point, little Shippou chimed in with, “No! Kagome don’t leave!” but she motioned to shush Shippou’s frantic bellowing, mouthing the words “I’m sorry” in his direction.
“I would rather stay on my side of the well, knowing that Inuyasha was alive and safe in this time, than to maintain my ability to visit here, only to be reminded upon each visit that Inuyasha had perished.”
Inuyasha just stared at her, mouth agape, his eyes shimmering with the awe he felt towards Kagome’s statement.
When did she get so fucking selfless?
A year ago she had been a scrawny, clumsy, obnoxious fifteen-year-old. Now, she was a self-giving, self-sacrificing woman. A powerful miko, full of endless compassion and love, most of which was aimed directly towards an unworthy and undeserving half-breed.
“You would do that?” he asked her, his voice betraying his utter amazement, as well as his gratitude.
“There was never a question.” she answered, handing him the jewel before turning towards the well.
May as well get this over with, she thought.
She wasn’t so sure she could stay and watch her preincarnation become human, watch the man she loved embrace living flesh that was not her own. She loved Inuyasha, and she wanted him to be happy, but that didn’t mean she had to watch.
Inuyasha, oblivious to the true depth of her turmoil, turned and smiled towards Kikyou. The clay woman gazed at him momentarily, as unemotional as ever, before turning away. No one was the wiser to her thoughts at the moment.
Why would she give up so much for a mere hanyou? Does she truly love him that much?
Tearfully, the miko hugged each and every one of her friends goodbye. Shippou took it especially hard, vowing to never forget her. Inuyasha, suddenly realizing that Kagome was about to drop out of his world…forever…right then and there, quickly gave Kikyou the jewel for safe keeping before proceeding to escort Kagome through the time portal. His excuse was that he wished to make sure that she arrived in her time safely, but the truth was, a part of him wanted to delay the inevitable.
Thinking along similar lines, as they stood awkwardly in the well-house Kagome mumbled, “I suppose you should say goodbye to everyone.”
The tone of her voice clearly indicated that depression was setting in, but when he caught a glimpse of her face, she flashed him a reassuring smile. Somehow, though, he knew her smile was fake. Wordlessly, Inuyasha followed her into her family’s home.
“Mama?” she called, wondering why the lights were all out. Being evening, it was rather dark in the house.
Making her way into the shadowed kitchen, she clicked on the light, and found a note on the table. Kagome’s family was out visiting with relatives, and wouldn’t be back until the following evening.
“They’re gone…” she whispered, “They won’t be back until tomorrow night.”
“I guess you’ll have to say goodbye for me, then.” Inuyasha mumbled, as he moved to head toward the door.
“You’re leaving so soon?”
“Kagome,” he nearly pleaded, “It’ll only make it harder if I stay; you know that.”
“I know…but,” she eyed him thoughtfully, “Maybe stay for some ramen? To say goodbye to your favorite food?”
He sighed again, but reluctantly agreed. He didn’t really want to leave, either.
Dinner was silent, eerily silent, neither of them knowing what to say to the other. Kagome had long ago stopped crying, but she seemed so lifeless now, almost like Kikyou in her melancholy disposition. When it was time for him to finally depart, she managed to maneuver herself into a wordless hug, smiling against his chest when she felt him return the embrace, his arms snaking securely around her back, holding her so tightly it was clear that he didn’t ever want to let her go. Unashamed, each took in deep breaths of the other’s scent, knowing that they were smelling each other, committing each other to memory.
When she felt him start to pull away, she unconsciously tightened her grip on him, until hearing his voice finally broke her from her daze.
“Kagome, you have to let me go.”
Even Inuyasha didn’t know if he was merely referring to the physical way in which she held him, or if his words went deeper than that. He was saying the words to himself just as strongly, and found that he could obey them no more easily.
“I know…” she sniffled, and she watched helplessly as he moved from his position by her side, towards the door. When he disappeared, sliding the door closed behind him, Kagome’s mind began racing a mile a minute.
That was the last time she would ever see him, they shouldn’t just part like that. She should tell him that she loved him! But surely he already knew, right? She knew he loved her, after all. He just loved Kikyou more. Was she being selfish for wanting a few more moments with him, when he’d have the rest of his life with Kikyou? Then something else struck her. She was alone in the house, until the following evening. He could stay with her, that night, alone. Should she? Would she dare? What was there to lose, but what remained of her heart? Then again, would she regret it even more if she let this one and only opportunity slip through her fingers, forever?
Running toward the door and flinging it open, she ran outside as quickly as her sock clad feet would carry her, while crying out “Inuyasha!” She was relieved to find that he was still there, having been dragging his feet towards the well rather slowly.
Frantically turning around at her call, all thoughts of leaving disappearing from his mind in the panic that something bad had happened to her, he was by her side in an instant, asking, “What is it? Are you okay?”
“Stay the night with me?” she asked then, panting a little from her run, and he stared at her with a baffled expression.
“Kagome…” he tried, his voice sounding strict, almost scolding even.
“I know, I know!” she cried out, and then calming her voice she continued. “I’m only making things worse, I’m only delaying the inevitable, I know that. It won’t hurt any less to see you leave tomorrow morning, but I want this night, this one night, with you, alone.” She pleaded with her eyes for him to understand.
“What?” he asked, suddenly a little nervous. Did she mean what he thought she meant?
“My family is not here.” she reminded him. “There aren’t any hentai monks or young kitsune to interfere.” She blushed tremendously, but managed to add, “I want one night, with you, to keep with me always.”
“Kagome…” he started hesitantly, unsure of how to respond.
“Please?” she asked, her eyes tearing up again. “Tomorrow you can fall through that well, and out of my life forever. Please do this for me. I love you, I’ve always loved you; please give me this one gift.”
“Are you asking what I think you’re asking?” he stammered, embarrassed and blushing as red as his fire-rat robes. Her confession of love had not gone unnoticed, either.
“I want you, all of you, even if only for one night.” she said, and despite the color rising on her own cheeks, she emphasized her words by stretching herself up onto her tiptoes and planting a chaste kiss on his lips.
“You’ll regret it in the morning.” he tried to express, even as he gently placed his hands to rest on her shoulders. She disagreed.
“I’ll regret it if we don’t.” Her blush darkened. Then she thought of something. “If you…if you really don’t want to-”
He quickly cut her off.
“That’s not it, I’m just…surprised.” Managing a brief chuckle, he fumbled nervously for his next words. “I’ve…I’ve never…” Though he couldn’t finish his thoughts aloud, Kagome understood his meaning.
“Oh…” she said, her depression slowly returning. She’d forgotten how different things were in his time period. “I understand…” She had to bite back her tears. “If you’re…if you’re saving yourself for…” She couldn’t complete that thought. “I had only hoped-”
That time, her words were cut short by powerful lips being pressed firmly against her own. That time, the kiss was more than chaste, as she felt his tongue edge her lips, asking for permission to enter, which she granted.
After he finally pulled away, allowing her to breathe once again, he assured her, “It ain’t like that.” He paused, but then added, “It’s just that nobody’s ever wanted to…you know. I mean look at me, I’m a hanyou.” he said in disbelief.
Of course he was a virgin. Who the hell would have been willing to let him touch them? Now, not only was Kagome willing, but she was practically begging him to mate with her. He knew it would only make parting that much worse the following day, for the both of them, but he also knew he’d broken her heart too many times in the past to turn down her request.
“You…” he asked, disbelief still apparent in his voice, “You really want me? You really love me?” The concept was unfathomable.
“I do.”
“I’ll…I’ll come see you.” he said suddenly. “I’ll come visit you all the time.” he insisted.
“No, you won’t.” she said, saddened by voicing this belief out loud.
“Shut up with that. Of course I will!” he snapped.
“I’m sure you’ll try, but the well won’t work, not even for you. Not without the jewel.” She sounded frighteningly positive.
“How can you be so sure?” he asked her skeptically, one eyebrow raised.
“Because, whenever you traveled through the well by yourself in the past, I was already on this side, and I had the jewel with me, or at least a shard of it. Its presence here is what allowed the time portal to open for you, and during this trip, you were allowed passage because you can through the well with me, and it opened for me because I belong in this time. Now, the jewel will no longer exist. You will be allowed to return to your own time, as that is where you belong, but then the well will be closed, to both of us.”
He just stood there, staring at her blankly. He couldn’t do this with her, and then disappear from her life forever! Could he? He’d miss her too damn much. But hell, he’d already miss her too damn much as it was, so what difference did it make, really? And like Kagome had said, was it possible that he would end up regretting it even worse if they didn’t? Even though Shippou might very well live until Kagome’s time, that didn’t mean that he would. Oh, he was pretty sure that he could live that long, in theory, but without Kagome’s presence by his side, he might very well end up getting himself killed in battle somewhere along the way. He always had fought better whenever she was near him. So this was very probably the last time he would ever see her, for the rest of his life. Neither of them had ever been with another person before. They would be each other’s firsts, and it would give them something of the other person to keep in their hearts for the rest of time.
“All right…” he suddenly whispered, leaning his forehead against her own, as he once again took in her scent, discretely noting that there was no hint of fertility. He refused to be that careless.
“Inuyasha?”
“I’ll stay the night.”
Taking in a shaky breath, he continued his thoughts out loud.
“I hope you’re wrong about the well, Kagome. I’ll pray to every kami I can think of that you’re wrong about the well, but…either way…we’ll have this one night.”
Fighting back tears, Kagome reached down and gripped his hand tightly in hers. She then proceeded to seek out his lips with her own, and once again what had started as a chaste kiss escalated into something much more. It was a Hello, it was a Goodbye, it was an I Love You, I’ll Miss You, and I’ll Never Forget You.
Allowing her body to collapse against him, he effortlessly scooped her up in his arms, and reentered the house through the front door she’d left open in her haste to reach him.
Kagome was trembling, though she wasn’t sure if it was from nervousness, sadness, happiness, or all of the above. Inuyasha seemed to understand her position, though, as he found himself trembling as well.
Neither of them were truthfully sure where to begin. Though they’d both already seen each other naked on a few occasions, those times were mostly accidental, and hardly romantic. For the longest time they simply held each other. Inuyasha had laid Kagome gently down upon her bed, and had followed suit climbing upon the furnishing himself, wrapping a protective arm around her, and then growing bolder, a leg, as he burrowed his face into her hair.
It was actually going to happen, he’d dreamed of this moment for so many countless, restless nights, and it was actually going to happen. Though granted, not under the best of circumstances, but he quickly decided to not let his mind go there, at least for the moment. This needed to be handled one instant to the next, one minute at a time, living in this single moment in time only, and no others. This was for himself as much as it was for Kagome. Tonight, they would share forever.
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Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 2 – Memories
Kagome watched as the sun dipped below sight, and suddenly, her daughter was changing right before her eyes. Izayoi didn’t like her transformations very much, but had learned to live with them, considering she didn’t have a choice in the matter. Never having experienced her father’s razor sharp night-vision, she didn’t know what she was missing in that department, and complained mostly about losing her sense of smell, and hearing…mostly smell.
Kagome secretly relented that she was grateful her daughter looked human on a nightly basis. Though her hanyou days meant that they would be forced to enroll her in home-schooling, Izayoi would at least be able to go out into the world around her after sunset, and experience most things a normal child could experience growing up. Already she’d eaten in restaurants, gone to the movies, and played at the park. This next Halloween she would even get to go Trick-or-Treating for the first time, though ironically, that was probably the one night when she could’ve looked like her hanyou-self and gotten away with it.
Kagome had only ever taken Izayoi out in public during the day when absolutely necessary, and it was never a happy experience, for either of them. Besides the fact that Izayoi would always complain about all the smells and the noise, she had to wear a hat over her ears, and usually earned herself questioning stares regarding her hair color. Kagome was worried that one day, somebody would discover that her daughter was not entirely human, and as a result, more often than not, the poor child was restricted to the shrine grounds during daylight hours.
It didn’t take long for them to discover that her hanyou aspects weren’t limited to her physical appearance, either. She could lift at least two hundred pounds (they hadn’t tried heavier yet), and she could effortlessly jump up onto the roof, or into the branches of the Goshinboku. She could already rip a fairly large chunk out of any tree with those claws of hers, and that was without using any sort of demonic energy attack, which she apparently hadn’t harnessed the ability for yet. Kagome knew that, because she’d had Izayoi practicing. She wasn’t about to let her daughter grow up weak. Who was to say that there weren’t actually any other youkai still around? But even if there weren’t, she should still know how to defend herself. It was also important for Izayoi to know how powerful she really was so that she never ended up hurting anybody on accident. She had to learn her power, so she could then learn to control her power. After all, inu-youkai were, according to legend, one of the most powerful of all the youkai. Yes, Izayoi knew what she was. She knew exactly what she was. She knew what and whom her father had been, and when he was from. Kagome had told her the entire story.
As if reading her mother’s thoughts, Izayoi suddenly said, “Tell me again Mama.”
Glancing down at her now human daughter, she asked, “Tell you what, sweetie?”
“Tell me how Daddy gave Iza to Mama.”
“Baby, you know that story…”
“Please?”
Kagome sighed. She’d been telling stories all day, but looking into those deep, chocolate eyes, she caved.
“Okay, just real quickly, then we have to go down for dinner, all right?”
The child nodded her head vigorously, and Kagome couldn’t help but to chuckle. Though she always kept her stories more G-rated when she relayed them to her daughter, she remembered every detail of that night with vivid accuracy. She remembered every tear, every scream of passion…
Approximately four years earlier, or five hundred years earlier, depending on your perspective…
Their victory was bittersweet. Naraku’s defeat meant that those who sought it had achieved their revenge, but it also meant that their time journeying together had come to an end.
Sango and Miroku had plans to settle down together in Kaede’s village, the houshi having finally answered yes to Sango’s question of “And you’ll never cheat on me, right?”
Miraculously, Kohaku’s life had been spared, and the young taijiya planned on doing whatever he could to make amends for all his previous wrongdoings while under Naraku’s control.
Kouga had also moved on, he and Ayame finally getting together to rebuild their lost tribes.
Kikyou had assisted with purifying the jewel, and Naraku, and now, the undead miko stood awkwardly by as Inuyasha checked her reincarnation for injuries.
“I’m fine.” Kagome assured him, her scrapes and bruises being nothing serious. But the tone of her voice suggested she was anything but fine.
“Kagome…” he sighed, unsure of where to start, unsure of how to end. He knew she loved him, and a part of him loved her as well, but he had an obligation to uphold, a vow to fulfill, a duty to perform. He had to join Kikyou in Hell.
“Inuyasha…” she spoke, her voice soft and steady, a few rogue tears managing to fall past her eyes, “I want you to live.” she whispered.
Kikyou heard her reincarnation’s plea but chose to ignore it. Inuyasha had vowed his life to her; she owned him. She had died, and he had not, and now, it was time to correct that error.
“You don’t deserve to die.” Kagome continued, while Inuyasha hugged her gently, stroking her hair.
“I gave my word.” he answered. She merely shook her head ‘no’ a few times, trying to deny the inevitable. “Kikyou didn’t deserve to die, either.” he murmured, hoping she’d understand.
“What if…” Kagome sniffled. “What if she were to live once more?”
Kikyou couldn’t ignore that comment, and with genuine surprise, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Could you not use the jewel to restore yourself to the flesh?” her ‘copy’ asked her.
Kikyou just stared at her reincarnation, shocked. Why she would even suggest such a thing? It was obvious that they were rivals for the hanyou’s affection, and yet…to suggest such a thing… It clearly wasn’t for herself, but for Inuyasha, Kikyou realized. If Kikyou could have her life restored to her, then there would be no need for Inuyasha to die on her behalf.
“But such a wish would encompass the jewel, and you would forever be trapped in your own time.” she pointed out, wondering if the girl had truly thought everything through.
At that point, little Shippou chimed in with, “No! Kagome don’t leave!” but she motioned to shush Shippou’s frantic bellowing, mouthing the words “I’m sorry” in his direction.
“I would rather stay on my side of the well, knowing that Inuyasha was alive and safe in this time, than to maintain my ability to visit here, only to be reminded upon each visit that Inuyasha had perished.”
Inuyasha just stared at her, mouth agape, his eyes shimmering with the awe he felt towards Kagome’s statement.
When did she get so fucking selfless?
A year ago she had been a scrawny, clumsy, obnoxious fifteen-year-old. Now, she was a self-giving, self-sacrificing woman. A powerful miko, full of endless compassion and love, most of which was aimed directly towards an unworthy and undeserving half-breed.
“You would do that?” he asked her, his voice betraying his utter amazement, as well as his gratitude.
“There was never a question.” she answered, handing him the jewel before turning towards the well.
May as well get this over with, she thought.
She wasn’t so sure she could stay and watch her preincarnation become human, watch the man she loved embrace living flesh that was not her own. She loved Inuyasha, and she wanted him to be happy, but that didn’t mean she had to watch.
Inuyasha, oblivious to the true depth of her turmoil, turned and smiled towards Kikyou. The clay woman gazed at him momentarily, as unemotional as ever, before turning away. No one was the wiser to her thoughts at the moment.
Why would she give up so much for a mere hanyou? Does she truly love him that much?
Tearfully, the miko hugged each and every one of her friends goodbye. Shippou took it especially hard, vowing to never forget her. Inuyasha, suddenly realizing that Kagome was about to drop out of his world…forever…right then and there, quickly gave Kikyou the jewel for safe keeping before proceeding to escort Kagome through the time portal. His excuse was that he wished to make sure that she arrived in her time safely, but the truth was, a part of him wanted to delay the inevitable.
Thinking along similar lines, as they stood awkwardly in the well-house Kagome mumbled, “I suppose you should say goodbye to everyone.”
The tone of her voice clearly indicated that depression was setting in, but when he caught a glimpse of her face, she flashed him a reassuring smile. Somehow, though, he knew her smile was fake. Wordlessly, Inuyasha followed her into her family’s home.
“Mama?” she called, wondering why the lights were all out. Being evening, it was rather dark in the house.
Making her way into the shadowed kitchen, she clicked on the light, and found a note on the table. Kagome’s family was out visiting with relatives, and wouldn’t be back until the following evening.
“They’re gone…” she whispered, “They won’t be back until tomorrow night.”
“I guess you’ll have to say goodbye for me, then.” Inuyasha mumbled, as he moved to head toward the door.
“You’re leaving so soon?”
“Kagome,” he nearly pleaded, “It’ll only make it harder if I stay; you know that.”
“I know…but,” she eyed him thoughtfully, “Maybe stay for some ramen? To say goodbye to your favorite food?”
He sighed again, but reluctantly agreed. He didn’t really want to leave, either.
Dinner was silent, eerily silent, neither of them knowing what to say to the other. Kagome had long ago stopped crying, but she seemed so lifeless now, almost like Kikyou in her melancholy disposition. When it was time for him to finally depart, she managed to maneuver herself into a wordless hug, smiling against his chest when she felt him return the embrace, his arms snaking securely around her back, holding her so tightly it was clear that he didn’t ever want to let her go. Unashamed, each took in deep breaths of the other’s scent, knowing that they were smelling each other, committing each other to memory.
When she felt him start to pull away, she unconsciously tightened her grip on him, until hearing his voice finally broke her from her daze.
“Kagome, you have to let me go.”
Even Inuyasha didn’t know if he was merely referring to the physical way in which she held him, or if his words went deeper than that. He was saying the words to himself just as strongly, and found that he could obey them no more easily.
“I know…” she sniffled, and she watched helplessly as he moved from his position by her side, towards the door. When he disappeared, sliding the door closed behind him, Kagome’s mind began racing a mile a minute.
That was the last time she would ever see him, they shouldn’t just part like that. She should tell him that she loved him! But surely he already knew, right? She knew he loved her, after all. He just loved Kikyou more. Was she being selfish for wanting a few more moments with him, when he’d have the rest of his life with Kikyou? Then something else struck her. She was alone in the house, until the following evening. He could stay with her, that night, alone. Should she? Would she dare? What was there to lose, but what remained of her heart? Then again, would she regret it even more if she let this one and only opportunity slip through her fingers, forever?
Running toward the door and flinging it open, she ran outside as quickly as her sock clad feet would carry her, while crying out “Inuyasha!” She was relieved to find that he was still there, having been dragging his feet towards the well rather slowly.
Frantically turning around at her call, all thoughts of leaving disappearing from his mind in the panic that something bad had happened to her, he was by her side in an instant, asking, “What is it? Are you okay?”
“Stay the night with me?” she asked then, panting a little from her run, and he stared at her with a baffled expression.
“Kagome…” he tried, his voice sounding strict, almost scolding even.
“I know, I know!” she cried out, and then calming her voice she continued. “I’m only making things worse, I’m only delaying the inevitable, I know that. It won’t hurt any less to see you leave tomorrow morning, but I want this night, this one night, with you, alone.” She pleaded with her eyes for him to understand.
“What?” he asked, suddenly a little nervous. Did she mean what he thought she meant?
“My family is not here.” she reminded him. “There aren’t any hentai monks or young kitsune to interfere.” She blushed tremendously, but managed to add, “I want one night, with you, to keep with me always.”
“Kagome…” he started hesitantly, unsure of how to respond.
“Please?” she asked, her eyes tearing up again. “Tomorrow you can fall through that well, and out of my life forever. Please do this for me. I love you, I’ve always loved you; please give me this one gift.”
“Are you asking what I think you’re asking?” he stammered, embarrassed and blushing as red as his fire-rat robes. Her confession of love had not gone unnoticed, either.
“I want you, all of you, even if only for one night.” she said, and despite the color rising on her own cheeks, she emphasized her words by stretching herself up onto her tiptoes and planting a chaste kiss on his lips.
“You’ll regret it in the morning.” he tried to express, even as he gently placed his hands to rest on her shoulders. She disagreed.
“I’ll regret it if we don’t.” Her blush darkened. Then she thought of something. “If you…if you really don’t want to-”
He quickly cut her off.
“That’s not it, I’m just…surprised.” Managing a brief chuckle, he fumbled nervously for his next words. “I’ve…I’ve never…” Though he couldn’t finish his thoughts aloud, Kagome understood his meaning.
“Oh…” she said, her depression slowly returning. She’d forgotten how different things were in his time period. “I understand…” She had to bite back her tears. “If you’re…if you’re saving yourself for…” She couldn’t complete that thought. “I had only hoped-”
That time, her words were cut short by powerful lips being pressed firmly against her own. That time, the kiss was more than chaste, as she felt his tongue edge her lips, asking for permission to enter, which she granted.
After he finally pulled away, allowing her to breathe once again, he assured her, “It ain’t like that.” He paused, but then added, “It’s just that nobody’s ever wanted to…you know. I mean look at me, I’m a hanyou.” he said in disbelief.
Of course he was a virgin. Who the hell would have been willing to let him touch them? Now, not only was Kagome willing, but she was practically begging him to mate with her. He knew it would only make parting that much worse the following day, for the both of them, but he also knew he’d broken her heart too many times in the past to turn down her request.
“You…” he asked, disbelief still apparent in his voice, “You really want me? You really love me?” The concept was unfathomable.
“I do.”
“I’ll…I’ll come see you.” he said suddenly. “I’ll come visit you all the time.” he insisted.
“No, you won’t.” she said, saddened by voicing this belief out loud.
“Shut up with that. Of course I will!” he snapped.
“I’m sure you’ll try, but the well won’t work, not even for you. Not without the jewel.” She sounded frighteningly positive.
“How can you be so sure?” he asked her skeptically, one eyebrow raised.
“Because, whenever you traveled through the well by yourself in the past, I was already on this side, and I had the jewel with me, or at least a shard of it. Its presence here is what allowed the time portal to open for you, and during this trip, you were allowed passage because you can through the well with me, and it opened for me because I belong in this time. Now, the jewel will no longer exist. You will be allowed to return to your own time, as that is where you belong, but then the well will be closed, to both of us.”
He just stood there, staring at her blankly. He couldn’t do this with her, and then disappear from her life forever! Could he? He’d miss her too damn much. But hell, he’d already miss her too damn much as it was, so what difference did it make, really? And like Kagome had said, was it possible that he would end up regretting it even worse if they didn’t? Even though Shippou might very well live until Kagome’s time, that didn’t mean that he would. Oh, he was pretty sure that he could live that long, in theory, but without Kagome’s presence by his side, he might very well end up getting himself killed in battle somewhere along the way. He always had fought better whenever she was near him. So this was very probably the last time he would ever see her, for the rest of his life. Neither of them had ever been with another person before. They would be each other’s firsts, and it would give them something of the other person to keep in their hearts for the rest of time.
“All right…” he suddenly whispered, leaning his forehead against her own, as he once again took in her scent, discretely noting that there was no hint of fertility. He refused to be that careless.
“Inuyasha?”
“I’ll stay the night.”
Taking in a shaky breath, he continued his thoughts out loud.
“I hope you’re wrong about the well, Kagome. I’ll pray to every kami I can think of that you’re wrong about the well, but…either way…we’ll have this one night.”
Fighting back tears, Kagome reached down and gripped his hand tightly in hers. She then proceeded to seek out his lips with her own, and once again what had started as a chaste kiss escalated into something much more. It was a Hello, it was a Goodbye, it was an I Love You, I’ll Miss You, and I’ll Never Forget You.
Allowing her body to collapse against him, he effortlessly scooped her up in his arms, and reentered the house through the front door she’d left open in her haste to reach him.
Kagome was trembling, though she wasn’t sure if it was from nervousness, sadness, happiness, or all of the above. Inuyasha seemed to understand her position, though, as he found himself trembling as well.
Neither of them were truthfully sure where to begin. Though they’d both already seen each other naked on a few occasions, those times were mostly accidental, and hardly romantic. For the longest time they simply held each other. Inuyasha had laid Kagome gently down upon her bed, and had followed suit climbing upon the furnishing himself, wrapping a protective arm around her, and then growing bolder, a leg, as he burrowed his face into her hair.
It was actually going to happen, he’d dreamed of this moment for so many countless, restless nights, and it was actually going to happen. Though granted, not under the best of circumstances, but he quickly decided to not let his mind go there, at least for the moment. This needed to be handled one instant to the next, one minute at a time, living in this single moment in time only, and no others. This was for himself as much as it was for Kagome. Tonight, they would share forever.
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