InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Knight Errant ❯ Chapter Eleven ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the other inhabitants of the fine story of Rumiko's that we all know and love. Kiyoshi, Aikiko, and Sashiko are mine, and I hope you enjoy them as they are encountered. The last paragraphs fall under the M rating for this story but nothing is less than tasteful.

 

 

 

“Geez Kagome when did you meet a neko?”

 

 

 

InuYasha's laughter had only increased at the look on Kouga's face while Kagome told him of meeting the neko youkai that called himself Kiyoshi. Kagome for her part found Kouga's mutterings over it absolutely adorable and had rewarded him with a kiss. Kouga was a bit confused by that but was hardly one to pass up a chance to kiss his woman, or steal an extra while she tried to tell him everything that had happened while they were apart. He puzzled with her over the meaning of both Kiyoshi's cryptic warning and why he'd felt moved to give it in the first place, Kouga content after awhile to just write it off to `neko contrariness' which made InuYasha snicker.

 

 

 

Ginta and Hakkaku for their part were glad to take the rest offered by this interlude, they never had a chance of keeping up with Kouga but they always had to make that effort no matter what. He was their Prince of course, but more than that to those two, he was their friend and they never wanted him to be taken from them again as he had whilst bound to that tree in InuYasha's place. They were playing a game with Shippou while Kouga discussed with Kagome how long she'd be at the den this time, InuYasha feigning disinterest though of course he did have a keen interest in the outcome. He minded the Yourouzoku far less than he'd expected that he might after actually being among them, they treated him decently and they made Kagome smile.

 

 

 

In the end, that was what was really important. He was perhaps a bit more sensitive about what might make her happy considering how hurt she had been over his lack of trust over his secret, they'd yet to truly talk about it but he did know that her hurt had not been feigned to get her something from him but a genuine emotion. Kagome was so open and giving that she found it hard to understand that sometimes experience didn't allow others to be so. His own tactic to win her affections had actually worked against him in this case, him being open even the bit that he was and willing to talk to her might have led her to think she knew more about the dog eared boy than she really did. The thing was, she truly did know more about him than anyone than perhaps Kaede herself, but there were things that he'd held secret even from her. So until he could sit down alone with Kagome and explain to her in as clear a words as he could that the fault had lain within himself and not her he was afraid that would just have to lay unfixed between them.

 

 

 

She felt that she'd failed him as a friend, he knew her well enough to know that, golden eyes tracking her as she moved around their impromptu camp and when her deep chocolate gaze met his he saw that in her, that hint of hurt and failure and it was killing him to know he put that there. It killed him almost as much as the way she blossomed into smiles when her eyes were on Kouga, and he didn't know if his honesty could repair the damage that his old habits had caused. But he'd try, she was worth it.

 

 

 

Shippou was very pleased that they'd chosen to take the land route to the den rather than continue via boat down the river, though he had managed to restrain himself after a good whoop and a little dance. Kagome kept shooting him little proud smiles as he walked ahead with InuYasha, `scouting' with the half demon to make sure nothing attacked the party as they made their progress. A blush scattered over her cheekbones as she looked across to Kouga then, the tips of her fingers brushing his as they walked and her blush deepened when he casually slid his fingers between her own, taking her hand. She wasn't sure what prompted her to start telling him about it, but she told him quietly how she'd felt when Nazuna had said such horrible things about InuYasha and Shippou, how she'd scooped up the kit like he was her own child and how she'd wanted to bare her teeth and snarl at the girl. Her shy glance caught Kouga's expression, she wasn't sure she understood it but something about the warmth in that look made her heart do funny little skips.

 

 

 

Those vivid blue eyes of his held more than just the warmth of his expression, in that glance they shared she saw want, and not just the sort of want for physical expression of affection that she expected from boys of his age. It came to her like a lightning bolt that when she had been telling him about how protective she'd felt about Shippou that he had been thinking about how she would be if that had been her own cub, with him. She was awestruck, because she knew she was right and in her mind she mentally went through that memory again and she knew that had Nazuna or anyone else maligned her cub she would have reacted just as she had with Shippou and if anyone ever tried to hurt her cub … that train of thought was broken by a slight growling sound and then the sudden glory of Kouga's full throated laughter ringing out as they walked. The rest of the party looked at them a bit oddly and Kagome blushed a bright crimson as she realized that the growling she had heard had come from her throat.

 

 

 

“Just like a real Yourouzoku mother.”

 

 

 

His gentle amusement was colored with his own love of her, fierce and true and she knew it as she looked up at him without a doubt. They should wait of course to think about cubs until her search was over and the Jewel complete, shouldn't they? A doubt wriggled within her though as she thought that, considering how long it had taken for them to gather what little they already had, how long could it possibly take for them to complete it, if they even could? Sure, she was young, too young to think of children at least back in her own time. Hardly ready to think of a family of her own, yet in this time as she often reminded herself she was already two years older than many girls who had already married and begun families of their own, had places of their own. She knew her Mother would most likely not approve of her even thinking like this, but Kagome was trying to be practical here.

 

 

 

She'd already taken steps that were not something she could just take back. She had been warned every step of the way by Kouga about what she was doing and what it meant to him, and she knew that she had to be sure and that she was sure of how she really felt about him. It was a little daunting at times to know how deeply each of those small acceptances of hers affected him, that he was utterly sure of how he felt for her and that should she at some point decide to change her mind that he was lost to her anyway. Her fingers suddenly squeezed his tighter and her chocolate eyes took in every detail of his face. She could never hurt him that way, cripple his heart, not when she felt like this towards him. There was trust in her, of course. Perhaps it was true that Kagome might be said to trust too easily, too quickly. But there was something about Kouga that let her know that he would never hurt her, no matter what. When she had tightened her fingers on his he had glanced over, blue eyes widening a touch at whatever he saw in her expression, but it was her quiet whisper of love that made him suddenly pull her to his chest and just stand there in the path while the others kept moving, his arms around her like he'd never let her go.

 

 

 

“I love you Kouga. I really love you.”

 

 

 

“Forever, Kagome. I love you.”

 

 

 

His breath stirred the fine dark hairs behind her ear as her arms slid around his waist and she closed her eyes because she didn't want this perfect moment to end. She'd made a decision that she was sure would not go over well with others, but then in the end it was her decision. Not her mother's, as much as she loved her mother, or her friends at school, or her grandfather or brother. There would most likely be tears over it later, things she wasn't taking into account yet. She would however deal with all of those things as she went, and trust that her family back in the time she came from would eventually understand why she had done as she had done. It was time that had got her thinking of it, and what Kouga had told her. He really would love her for as long as he lived, not just as long as she did. It was a little daunting to think of, the stretch of time that her love would be without her, and that was what made her make the decision that she had. It was going to be bad enough to be separated from him while the search for the Jewel Shards went on, along with the periods of time in which she would have to go home to make sure that things on that side were all in order. Had she only known, would she have made the promise she did to InuYasha?

 

 

 

Slight melancholy glance given towards that worthy where he walked up front with Shippou, barely within sight since she and Kouga were standing still, and she knew that she most likely would have still made the promise because it came from the heart and was the right thing to do after all. She would not have been the girl she was had she done anything differently. InuYasha was her best friend, even after knowing that he was holding secrets from her and maybe he didn't trust her as much as she did him. But then, she'd been thinking about that too. To be fair, should she really expect him to be so open with her considering some of the things he had told her about how he'd grown up? That he'd opened up at all should really be something she cherished, not mourned that he had not opened up more. It made her smile a little and she wiggled in Kouga's embrace until he set her down. Looking up at him, she whispered.

 

 

 

“Tonight, I'm going to ask you for something. Promise you won't say no.”

 

 

 

She grinned up at him, loving that startled yet wary expression that came to his face as she pulled him into motion, walking after the others. Shippou came to them then to see where they had gotten to, giving them both a strange look before scampering back up front where the others were and it made Kagome laugh all over again. She'd made the biggest decision of her young life and the day felt just the same, sunny and slightly breezy, and that made her smile even more.

 

 

 

As for Kouga he felt his heart anticipate what his woman wanted to tell him, he couldn't be sure of course, she was human after all and her scent didn't quite hold the same cues that a Yourouzoku female's would, but there was something about how she was looking at him that was telling him to just tell her what she wanted to hear. So he chuckled, that deep sound rich as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

 

 

 

“I really don't think I could ever tell you no, if you asked me for something.”

 

 

 

Of course he mentally restricted that to things that wouldn't hurt her or put her in harms way, but he imagined that she would expect him to be protective like that. Something had lightened her heart somehow, and while he wasn't sure what it was he was glad of it nonetheless. Just being with Kagome soothed his mind and he knew that after the almost panicked way he'd come up to meet her here that it would be particularly hard for him to let her go again this time. If he only knew what she was thinking of, he would have raised that hard to let go to nearly impossible, but he was as unaware of what Kagome had decided as everyone else was.

 

 

 

Late that afternoon they were finally relaxing back at the den, Kagome had to admit the joyful welcome of the pack had almost made her shed tears. She was wanted here, and they were so happy to see her. She couldn't compare it to her friends back home, it was just different, but it was clear to her that she meant something to the wolves that she just didn't to the girls she'd gone to school with. Sashiko had taken her immediately to bathe and share gossip, and Kagome was beginning to feel that the wolf demon was more like a sister she never had before. So it was that Sashiko knew of Kagome's decision before anyone else did and her yip of excitement had more than one head turning toward where the females were drying off. Aikiko was waiting for Shippou, he'd brought her a slightly wilted flower but she put it in her pale hair as if it were a precious ornament to be shown off proudly to the other cubs of the pack.

 

 

 

Kagome had talked to Kouga and this time Shippou would be staying with the pack while Kagome and InuYasha went on a short search for shards on her way home to visit her own time. There were supplies she wanted of course and school work she needed to turn in and then do, she might even take a test or two while she was there but she knew she didn't want to stay too long in the future. She'd talk to her mother while she was there, but by then it would be done and nothing her mother could change.

 

 

 

Dinner was a warm experience as well, Sashiko kept smiling over at Kagome who blushed each time and Kouga noticed. His mind was racing, what could Kagome have told her friend that would make her blush that way, and did it have anything to do with him? He felt that it did and it added a wolfish element to his smiles at Kagome. This to him was so right, how things should be. His pack surrounding him and his woman safe at home where she belonged. Even the presence of the slightly broody half dog demon didn't detract from the feeling, Kouga could put up with anything as long as Kagome looked at him the way she was looking at him now. Finally the remnants of the food were cleared away and the cubs were being laid down for the night, and he was watching as his woman told Shippou and by default the rest of the cubs a bed time story. It was another of those moments that he wanted to remember forever, no matter how fleeting it would be, a memory to pull up in the future as he thought of the ningen that had stolen his heart.

 

 

 

She tucked Shippou in and kissed his brow, her slim hand stroking back his russet hair back from his forehead with such a look of affection. Kouga was watching her still, the warmth in his chest expanding to the point that he just had to walk away lest he do something to embarrass her in front of the others. Sashiko had given him a rather knowing look as he left, and he wandered aimlessly for a bit around the den. He finally found himself in front of his own sleeping furs with a raised ebon brow, someone had left a basket of fruits and other treats next to it without a sign of who. There were too many mingled scents in the den for him to be sure, perhaps it was something Kagome had asked for and one of the Yourouzoku females had left there for her.

 

 

 

He removed his armor and then set about the task of caring for it, and once that was done set it aside with a slight huff. He couldn't get that image of Kagome out of his mind, her gentle hands soothing the kit to sleep, her soft voice telling stories to the cubs, she was just so perfect. His thoughts were so full of her that he could swear her sweet scent curled in his nose even now. Sweet and clean, smelling only of Kagome and the barest hints of Kitsune without the normal overlay of wolf and dog demon and that realization had his head jerking up to see the vision that stood before him. She had gone and bathed again, pale skin lightly pinked from the warmth of the water and the ends of her raven locks damp which made them curl just that extra bit. She was wearing a deep blue yukata embroidered with flower petals in lighter peach and pink, the color a vivid contrast to her skin and Kouga felt his breath catch in his throat before he spoke, deep voice saying in her name in questioning tone.

 

 

 

“Kagome …?”

 

 

 

She gave him a gentle smile, lifting her chocolate gaze so that he could see the emotions that moved in her eyes. He watched her eyes move as her gaze took in his form, his bare chest, the deep tan of his limbs, that almost afraid to hope expression on his handsome face, and her lips curved into a gentle smile as she took a step forward, and then another before sinking to her knees in front of him. His hands rose to take hers as she extended them to him, and then she spoke, low and for his ears only.

 

 

 

“I said I was going to ask you for something, but I figured it out. I just have to tell you. Kouga, I thought it all out. I mean I really thought about it, the future and all that means. So here it is. You … you've been so patient, when really time is so … I mean, what I want to say …”

 

 

 

She took a deep breath, then moved forward so that her knees touched his crossed shins where he sat. She leaned forward, fingers tightening on his as she half closed her eyes and inhaled deeply of his scent from near his ear, then her lips were there to press against his cheek, then down his throat, the pulse beating wildly beneath his skin and her lips smiling as they moved.

 

 

 

“I know who I am, and that is Kouga's Woman, Kagome of the Yourouzoku. Now you have to make it permanent, however it is done, but tonight I'm giving you what I would give to my husband, because in my heart you already are. Even if we never do any ceremony, I want you to know I am ready.”

 

 

 

His pulse increased threefold, had he heard her right? She couldn't be ready, could she? His hands had no doubts as he slid them around her, moving without his conscious volition to smooth down her silk clad back, the feel of her bath warm skin under that silk bringing his gaze to sharply focus on her own. There was such sincerity and love in her gaze that he almost felt humbled by it, and he knew that any arguments he had for waiting had gone out the window with her words. She was always more articulate than he was, but he knew she was afraid he'd push her back, make her wait and second guess, but he didn't. He could no more refuse Kagome this than he could anything, just as he'd told her earlier that day. His warm calloused hands worshiped the lines of her, from her shoulders to her hips as his lips moved with hers, and before long it was far too late for there to be any changing of minds.

 

 

 

If she was embarrassed by the sounds he brought from her he would match them with growls and moans of his own to let her know that she was affecting him as deeply as he did her, and his deep voice was there in her ear to talk her through that pain of claiming, when she gave her maidenhead up to him he did his best to be gentle as he possibly could. What was more he did all it took to make sure that before she slept in the circle of his arms that she knew what pleasure there could be in the act as well. Kouga would never leave her without that, though as she curled against his chest to drift off to sleep he found himself wide awake, blue eyes staring off into the darkness. She was finally his, no one else could make a claim on her that meant more than the one he had, given to him freely and with all her heart.

 

 

 

Tomorrow, he would wake the entire pack with his howl and let them share the good news as well. Tomorrow he would convince her to stay another day before heading off for home, and he promised himself that he would not second guess her decisions on that either. As much as his instincts now demanded that he keep her here with him until she was bearing his cub and then not letting her far out of his sight after that, he knew that her choice of him did not absolve her of her promise and obligation to InuYasha. All that would be dealt with tomorrow, for tonight he could hold her and pretend that she would never be away from him.

 

 

 

“Dream of me, Kagome.”

 

 

 

AN: I know, I promised Miroku this chapter, but some things happened that gave us this chapter instead. Those of you that follow my story know I try very hard to update once a week, but I was unfortunately in the hospital for five days after surgery and I missed my regular update day. I hope you enjoy the chapter I came up with while I was recovering and Miroku will make his appearance in chapter twelve along with Kiyoshi's next bit of enigmatic nekoness.