InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I Choose You ❯ Embers ( Chapter 6 )

No real author’s notes here…they’re on vacation…with my betrothed…sigh.   Chapter Six: Embers  

Morning came much too early. Inu-Yasha grunted in annoyance as Kagome began to stir in his arms. He didn’t want her to wake up yet. He didn’t want to have to face her when she woke up. He didn’t want her to shout at him for holding her the way he was. Inu-Yasha had dreaded this moment all night. He didn’t want to stop holding her.

Kagome still lay on top of him as she had been last night, head resting on his chest. Inu-Yasha had been worried that she might get cold, so he had wrapped his arms about her, utilizing his abundant sleeves as blankets for the little girl. It had been strange laying there like that. Kagome was such a strong girl, strong-willed and brave, but she was so small and delicate. It had been a surprising reminder, feeling her body against his. She was so soft. How could anything be that soft and yet so strong?

Inu-Yasha hadn’t been cold at all during the night. Kagome’s body was not only soft, but very, very warm. He had quickly become very comfortable the way he was. It was a comfort he truly did not wish to lose. Somehow, it felt right, Kagome’s body against his like that. All of her soft curves and warmth…He had noticed her curves possibly a little too much as she slept. How he had never noticed how beautiful Kagome was, Inu-Yasha had no idea. He had known she was beautiful already, but he had never realized just how beautiful until now. How had he been so blind before? Kagome was perfect.

In a few minutes more, she was going to be perfectly furious, though. Inu-Yasha sighed, resigning himself to a round of sits, determined to enjoy the last few moments he held her. At least she could never take this away. He would always have this moment. If only it wouldn’t end. This was all Inu-Yasha wanted.

Inu-Yasha could feel her waking up. It was a gradual thing…Kagome was not a morning person, he gathered. She fidgeted in his arms, slowly coming aware that something was different this morning. She burrowed her head into his chest, trying to reclaim sleep, but unfortunately, she seemed to be awake. After a moment she realized that her pillow was not nearly as soft as it normally was…It was still comfortable, but different. Her whole bed was different…harder, but warmer, safer, and somehow more comfortable. It just felt right.

Kagome grudgingly opened her eyes, curiosity overcoming her desire for sleep. Red blankets? She angled her head up, still blinking her bleary eyes. Inu-Yasha stared back at her, eyes shining a bright golden. His silver hair was shining brightly with the morning light coming in the window. It was as if he were framed in light. His face was strangely peaceful, though a little anxious. What was he worried about? Kagome blinked confusedly. Wait a minute…

Kagome shot up, nearly falling backwards over the side of the bed. She was laying on top of Inu-Yasha! She scrambled off of him, angry with the burning blush that had turned her face bright red. Embarrassment welled in her. Anger was quick upon its heels…a hot flash of anger, at nothing in particular, but it did not last long.

Inu-Yasha stood immediately after her, face anxious and…and sad? Why did he seem so full of regret? Kagome opened her mouth, but she had no words. She didn’t really know what to ask. Too many things were swirling about inside her. She couldn’t concentrate on forming a coherent sentence. Throughout the chaos inside her, the thought kept creeping past the others…It had felt right laying in his arms…

Kagome shook her head, trying to clear it. When she faced Inu-Yasha again, his face was confused. Good! That made two of them! Kagome was having trouble keeping her mind set on anything. It was completely fogged, like she’d just woken up…She may not be a morning person, but even she wasn’t this bad! Finally, her mind seemed to find one thought that would stay in her grasp. She turned her eyes back on the hesitant hanyou and voiced it. “Inu-Yasha, what was I doing laying on top of you?”

Inu-Yasha nearly choked when she finally spoke. He’d been dreading answering this question all night and had been hoping that she’d forgotten about it in the confusion of the fruit’s after-effects. She hadn’t…great. “Um…laying…on top…of me?” Embarrassingly, his voice cracked a bit at the end, and his own lack of strength of will made Kagome’s stronger.

She put her hands on her hips and hardened her face. “Inu-Yasha, WHAT was I doing laying on top of you?”

“I didn’t do it, Kagome! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Inu-Yasha panicked. Why did he always do that when she was involved…oh yeah…she liked to sit him at the drop of a hat…and he loved her…Where in the hell did that come from?!

Kagome eyed him suspiciously for a second, then relaxed, sitting down beside him on the bed. “Would you mind telling me what is going on, Inu-Yasha? The last thing I remember clearly is coming home and looking for something to eat. Then I kind of remember you coming into the kitchen…or something…and…you said…you said…” Her eyes widened and she backed away from him a little. “Inu-Yasha, you said…”

“It was the fruit, Kagome…they made us both act strangely.”

“Fruit? What fruit? What do you mean I acted strangely? All I remember is you saying…What did I do?”

“Hehe…well…you sort of…”

“I what?”

Inu-Yasha swallowed. “You sort of…tried to seduce me. At least I think that is what you were trying to…Kagome? Kagome?”

Kagome was just staring at him. She looked shocked. “I…did…that?” Inu-Yasha nodded. “I…this fruit made us act different?” He nodded again. “What fruit?”

Inu-Yasha rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I got it from that god that we were looking for…he told me that it would make my wish come true. He tricked me! I don’t know what he was trying to do, but he told me to take one for you, too. Maybe he was trying to poison us…”

“What wish?”

Inu-Yasha thought for a second. “He said what I most wanted would be mine, but he was lying…” Inu-Yasha’s eyes widened. Had the god been lying? He didn’t really have what he wanted…Kagome hadn’t…no, it wasn’t true. The god had been tricking him!

Kagome studied Inu-Yasha as he silently pondered the wish he hadn’t been granted. What could that wish have been? The jewel maybe? But that didn’t make sense. The fruit hadn’t done anything about the jewel. It had just made Inu-Yasha act, well, horny. Kagome blushed slightly, happy that Inu-Yasha was too busy thinking to notice.

Maybe what Inu-Yasha wanted most wasn’t the jewel…Other than the girl, the only thing Kagome knew that he cared about was Kikyou. That might be it…maybe it was supposed to make him finally go to her and…well, whatever it had been meant to do, it had made Inu-Yasha very…excited. It had done the same to her, according to Inu-Yasha. So maybe he had supposed to have gone to Kikyou and…but that didn’t make any sense either. Inu-Yasha had said the god specifically said one of the fruits was for Kagome…why…Oh, god. Was it really true?

“Inu-Yasha…” The hanyou startled out of his own thoughts and faced her again, surprised at her suddenly serious face. “Inu-Yasha, why did you come to me when you ate that fruit?”

Inu-Yasha blushed. He wasn’t sure he wanted to answer that…he knew he didn’t want to answer it…and he didn’t think Kagome wanted the answer, either. “Well, I dunno…I just…”

“Inu-Yasha, answer honestly. I really need to know.”

She was serious…was it really that important to her? Fine…He’d take the sits if he had to. He didn’t know if he could hide it well anyways, now that he knew just how he felt. “I came to you, Kagome…because you were the only thing I could think about after I ate that fruit. I wanted you more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life. I wanted to have you so badly…right up until I was holding you…then I didn’t need to have you anymore.” Kagome caught her breath in her throat, but he kept going. “I didn’t need to have you anymore, because I already had all I wanted right then…I don’t know how to describe it…but I was as happy as I’ve ever been…”

Inu-Yasha was caught completely by surprise when Kagome’s lips met his own. His arms came about her reflexively, and he held her to him. She broke the kiss quickly, but held onto him, resting her head against his chest. “Inu-Yasha…”

“Kagome…why?”

&ldq uo;Do you really care that much about me, Inu-Yasha? Am I really what you want?”

Inu-Yasha knew the answer instantly, and he hesitated only a moment. “Yes, you are what I most want.” Maybe the fruit was still affecting him? Or maybe it was just feeling her close to him again…”I’ve never wanted anything the way I do you.”

Tears escaped from Kagome’s eyes as she tried to keep herself from simply crying out of sheer happiness. She sobbed twice, and Inu-Yasha loosened his arms around her. “Kagome, are you all right? You’re crying…I’m sorry…”

“No, you don’t have to be sorry, Inu-Yasha. You haven’t done anything wrong…I’m just really happy. I didn’t even dare to let myself hope that you felt that way about me. I never thought that you would.”

Inu-Yasha pulled her back to his breast. “Kagome, you’re the one I want…the one I’ve always wanted. I only figured it out now, but it was always true. That fruit may not have given me what I wanted…but it did help me figure out exactly what it was I wanted. Out of everything else…I choose you.”

Kagome smiled up at him and kissed his jaw lightly. “Somehow, I don’t think that the fruit was meant to make me happy, but it did. But I want to know who this god is, and why he gave us that fruit.”

Inu-Yasha smiled grimly. “Yeah, so do I. I think we need to pay another visit to him, soon.”

End of Chapter Six

Oh yeah, I usually post the title of the next chapter…it’s called Rotten. It’s a horrible pun for the fruit references…but I like horrible puns. Usually they’re doggie references though [all throughout Hanyou’s Heart].

-Chevalier Mal Fet