InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mating Season ❯ I Love You ( Chapter 10 )

WOW! Chapter 10! This is my longest chapter so far! I'm really happy with this story and I hope you are too. Please, let me know how it is so far. 😊

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Inuyasha, but sadly, I do NOT.

Chapter 9 recap:

"Mate. Mine. Love."

'Love? Is he telling me he loves me? Why now? Why couldn't he tell me when I poured my heart out to him!' Kagome decides to do the one thing she feels is the best thing to do right now. She grabs Inuyasha by the back of the neck and pulls him into a deep kiss. He is suprised at first but his eyes filled with the color blood fade back to his normal amber pearls. 'Ka-go-me.' He shuts his eyes and leans into the sweet and gentle kiss.

When they pull apart, they just stare deep into each others eyes for a moment.

"Can we go back to my time? I really need a bath."

"Whatever you want."

And they jump into the well, yet again, hand in hand.

Chapter 10: I Love You

When Kagome and Inuyasha are in the well house, Kagome stops.

"What's wrong Kagome?"

"I don't know if I can do this. My family has to be home by now and as soon as they see me they will ask tons of questions. Then there is Eri, Yuka and Ayumi. I just don't know how to explain why I feel this way. They will definitely notice." She looks deep into Inuyasha's caring and amazingly amber eyes. She's taken aback when his first response is to pull her into a hug. 'Inuyasha. Thank you.' She hugs him tighter then ever before.

"Hey, you don't have to tell them anything yet. I'll sneak you into your bedroom window and you can get your bath or whatever. I'll wait for you in your room."

'He's never been so understanding before.' Kagome just nods and smiles as Inuyasha quickly puts her onto his back and jumps into her bedroom window. Kagome grabbed some clothes from her dresser and snuck herself into the bathroom right next to her bedroom.

Inuyasha sits on her bed and takes a deep breath. The smell of vanilla and cherries hits his nose like a burst of excitement. Suddenly he feels it, his instincs as a demon start to take over. 'No, why is this happening?' His eyes are flashing red and he holds tight onto his Tetsusaiga. 'I don't want to change. I want to protect Kagome. My Kagome..' Suddenly he relaxes his hands and his eyes stop flashing the crimson that frightens most. 'I really need to talk to that damn flee.'

Suddenly the bedroom door opens but it's not Kagome, her mom walks in humming a random nursery rhyme. She has what appears to be freshly done laundry in her hands.

"Oh! Inuyasha, welcome back dear. Where is Kagome?"

Inuyasha was too deep in thought to sense the presence of anyone coming. He just stares at her with confusion. 'How did I not notice her coming!? I need to be on high alert from now on. I can't keep thinking of Kagome this way, atleast not yet.' "Ummm, bath."

"Oh, why don't you tell Kagome that dinner is ready when she comes out?"

Inuyasha gets excited, "Is it ramen!?"

Ms. Higurashi just smiles and says, "no dear, I made Kare-Raisu. But if you would like some ramen, I can make some real fast for you."

'I never noticed how nice Kagome's mother is to me, a mere half-demon.' He looks up at his 'mother in-law' and smiles. Not just Inuyasha's smile he has when he hears the word ramen, but a true, happy smile because he feels like he has a real family. "Thank you."

Ms. Higurashi walks out of the room at the same time Kagome walks out of the bathroom. "Oh, Kagome! I was just telling Inuyasha that dinner is about ready. Come down when you are ready, okay?" Kagome just smiles and nods and quickly runs into the bedroom and shuts the door.

When Inuyasha looks at her standing there, in those clothes, he can't focus on anything else.

She is wearing a light blue, long sleeve, button down, silky pajama top. Perfectly fitted to her wonderful figure. Her pajama bottoms are the same light blue and silk, and her hair is left down, just the way Inuyasha likes it.

Without meaning to, Inuyasha walks up to Kagome while she is still standing by her bedroom door. She sees the look in his eyes but doesn't get scared. He is still his half demon self, but he is looking at her differently.

"Inu-yasha? What are you doing?"

He doesn't answer. Instead he walks right up to her and she backs up against the door. His face is now just inches from hers.

"Ka-gome." 'I still feel these urges. But I'm still me. Why is it still so hard to control myself?'

"Yes, Inuyasha?"
"You .. smell .. nice." He surprised even himself with his straight-forwardness.

"Ummm." Her face turns red and she remembers the last time he said this. The day of the spiderheads. It was the first time she saw him as a human. It was just his human feelings taking over last time though. 'He is still himself. Not human, not demon. Is he going to tell me those three words I so desprately need to hear from him?'

He puts his hands up against the door, on each side of her shoulders. "Ka-gome. I .."

He was cut off by Kagome's little brother banging on the door of her bedroom. Kagome and Inuyasha jump away from the door in surprise and that's when Sota runs in excitedly.

"Inuyasha! You're here! Why was the door stuck?"

Inuyasha and Kagome glance at each other, blush and look away.

"Nevermind. Mom says it's time for dinner. Come on!" Sota runs out of the bedroom.

"Inuyasha?"

"What."

'He sounds more like his normal self now.' "It's nothing really but, what were you going to tell me?"

"Keh, nothin'." 'Not now. I have to know what is actually going on first.'

Kagome is disappointed but not suprised. He never was good with words. 'Inuyasha. I don't think you understand just how much I love you.'

..

Back in the Hōken Jidai, the rest of the gang are sitting by a fire, still worried for their friends. Shippo and Kirara are cuddled up together, fast asleep.

"Sango?" This time it was her kid brother, Kohaku. She's been allowing him space, knowing in her heart of hearts that is what he needed. She was surprised to hear him speak up, he's been so quite. He usually just sits alone by a tree, looking at nature, or helps the village people with their daily chores.

"Yes Kohaku. What is it?"

"Why can't I remember? .. I mean, you're face is so familier. But I can't remember anything else. Just you, your name, and the word 'sister'." He looks down at the grass. Suddenly it seems very interesting to him.

"It's okay, we will help you remember. Some things were very painful, very heartbreaking. It's not suprising that you can't remember. But you are here now, and once Kagome is feeling better, she will help us help you. You said she spoke to you when you were ordered by Naraku to take her, right?"

He just nods.

"So, you must have subconsiously remembered something. Don't try too hard. It will be okay." Sango puts her arm around her little brother and hugs him tight.

"Sango, may I speak with you please?" Miroku said with a pretty serious look on his face.

"Sure, Miroku." She looks down at Kohaku and says, "why don't you try and get some rest. I'll talk to you in the morning, okay?"

He nods and lays down in the makeshift bed by the fire. Then suddenly he hears a voice and his eyes go cold, soul-less, empty. 'Kohaku. You are ready. You're next mission is ready for you. You will get Kagome and come back to me. Kagura will be waiting for you by the temple to the west. You must do this, Kohaku.' Then suddenly his eyes are back to normal and he shakes his head. 'I don't feel so good.' He falls to sleep as if nothing happened.

..

"What is it Miroku?" She gasps when he suddenly grabs her into a swift hug. "Miroku."

"Sango, I can't hide these feelings anymore." He pulls away and looks her into her deep brown eyes.

Her cheeks are a rosy pink, partly from being chilly and partly from embarrasement at his sudden administrations.

"I know I flirt a lot, and with more women then I should." He notices the look in her face change to anger. Jealousy? "But I don't want them Sango. I mean, I used to. I wanted a child to continue my legacy after I am gone. To defeat Naraku and end the curse on my family. But when I look into your eyes .. " He pauses and stares deep into her eyes. "I can't help but feel different. I want you, Sango. When Naraku is defeated, and the windtunnel is no more, will you .." He grabs her hands and holds them up to his chest, just inches from her face now.

'Is he serious? He is going to ask me to .. '

"Will you, bare my children? It's only you, Sango. I want to marry you and have children with you. I need you. Sango, I love you. When this is all over, will you be mine?"

There is a long pause and it starts to worry him. Sango has tears in her eyes and she is trying to hold them back. She realizes she hasn't even given an answer so she jumps into his warm embrace and exclaims, "YES! Miroku, I will. I will marry you and have your children. I love you too!"

They pull away from the embrace and look deep into each others eyes. That's when they both leaned in, and for the first time, their lips met in a warm sensation of passion. Their kiss was soft, yet passionate. It lasted for what seemed like an eternity but neither of them wanted it to stop. When they finally did break apart, they looked at each other and just smiled in understanding. They decided to stay away from the others for the night. They fell asleep in each others arms. For the first time in weeks, they both felt truly happy. Like there was no where else they would rather be, then the arms of the other, forever.

..

Kagome and Inuyasha are eating dinner with her family, Ms. Higurashi, gramps and Sota. Of course the cat Buyo is there too, waiting under the table for some food to drop.

"Mom, you didn't have to make ramen for Inuyasha. He would have been just fine with what everyone else is having." She gives him a dirty look and he just slurps up his noodles.

"Non sense dear, Inuyasha is our guest. It was no trouble at all."

Inuyasha just smirks and looks at Kagome as if to say 'haha I win.'

Then suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"That's odd, who would be here this late in the evening?" Ms. Higurashi asked no one in particular.

"It's that friend, Kagome. The one I told you about before."

Kagome is confused at first but then remembers the conversation they had when they were here last.

Flashback:

"Hey, Kagome?"

"Hmm?"

"About your friend."

"Which one, Inuyasha?"

"The weird one with the yellow band thingy in her hair."

"What about her?" Kagome is putting bath supplies in her bag now.

"She .."

"What?"

"She looked at me funny."

"Is that all? Come on, stop being weird."

"I'M NOT THE ONE BEING WEIRD KAGOME!" Theres an awkward pause. "I think she saw my ears.." He says quietly while looking away from Kagome.

End flashback

Kagome gets red in the face and goes to look for a cap.

Sota, without thinking yelled, "If no one else is gonna get it, I will!"

"No, wait Sota!" Kagome tried to get the cap onto Inuyasha but just as the door opens, Eri walks in and sees them right before the cap was fully over his ears.

'Please tell me she didn't see Inuyasha's ears.'

Ms. Higurashi says, "Welcome dear, make yourself at home. Gramps, Sota, let's go get ready for bed."

Gramps mumbles something about demons and treating him like a child. The three of them head upstairs leaving a worried Kagome, confused Eri and indifferent Inuyasha alone in the dining room.

"Kagome? I need to ask you something that has been bothering me." Eri looks up at her bestfriend and bestfriends 'boyfriend' and notices something has changed. Kagome looks sad. She has a sadness in her eyes that wasn't there before. Not only that, she was holding onto Inuyasha's arm, as if she could lose him at any moment. Eri realizes something must have happened, something bad. Somehow she knows Inuyasha wasn't the cause, but the solution. She smiles at that thought. 'Kagome really loves him.'

"Eri, I know what this is about."

"Are you sure about this Kagome?" Inuyasha is confused. Kagome never wants him in her time because of this exact reason. His identity being revealed. 'This girl better be trustworthy.' He lightly growls to himself.

"Take off your hat Inuyasha."

Both Eri and Inuyasha are suprised by this. Kagome is just willing to show her friend who Inuyasha is without an argument or lie to hide what's really going on.

Inuyasha looks at Kagome, then at Eri. He reaches his clawed hand up slowly, which Eri then notices he has claws, and takes the cap off, revealing triangle shaped doggie ears.

The room was silent for two minutes.

"Well, don't just stand there! Say something woman!"

"Inuyasha! SIT!" He plumets to the floor. With everything that Eri has seen, this doesn't even surprise her, then she finally speaks up.

"Cat ears?" She says in a very quiet manner.

For the first time since Kagome's encounter with Kouga, she laughed. A genuine and happy laugh.

Inuyasha would be annoyed but when he turned to look at the woman he loves, he realized, 'She's smiling. Truly smiling.' Without even caring that there was a small audience, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and hugged her. This surprised Kagome because not only was Inuyasha bad with showing his emotions, but he definitely never showed this kind of effection in front of others. Especially others that he barely even knows.

"Inu-yasha." Kagome wraps her arms around him and says, "Thank you."

"For what?" They look each other in the eyes.

"Just. Thanks."

*Cough* Eri tries to get their attention.

They pull apart and blush at the sight of Kagome's friend staring at them.

"Dog ears. They are dog ears." Inuyasha says in a slightly irritated tone.

"Can I .. touch them?" Eri walks closer and waits for Inuyasha to nod.

Kagome giggles slightly.

Eri slowly reaches up to his ears and gives one a tweak, then the other. Then she looks down at his hands and grabs the one that isn't being occupied by Kagome. She examines his claws and asks, "What are you?"

Inuyasha looks away, unsure if this should really be happening.

Kagome notices his uncomfortable demeanor so she speaks up for him. "He's a dog demon. precisely, half human, half dog demon."

They look at Eri, waiting for a response. Then something surprising happened. Eri jumped at both Inuaysha and Kagome and gave them both a hug.

"Kagome, you're my best friend! Why couldn't you tell me about who your boyfriend really is?"

Kagome's cheeks grew red, as red as Inuyasha's Haori. Sure they have kissed a few times now and she told him once that she loves him, but they haven't actually said what their relationship is.

"Can you stop saying that, please?" She whispers to Eri but that doesn't get passed Inuyasha's super hearing.

"Sometimes I wonder if you forget I'm a demon. I can hear you." He looks at Eri, "you mentioned me being Kagome's boyfriend last time we were here. If you can tell, I'm not from around here. What exactly is a boy .. friend?"

Eri is confused. 'Are they not actually together? What's going on?'

Kagome just blushes and thinks to herself, 'I guess I better get it over with.' "A boyfriend is when a girl and boy are .. together. Like a relationship."

Inuyasha thinks for a moment and his eyes flash red.

Eri backs up, not realizing what that means.

"So, like a mate. You told them I was your mate?"

Kagome is truly embarrased now. "What! No, I .. uh .. they assumed! And I .. didn't deny it." Kagome looks away in embarrasment.

"Stupid girl."

Both Eri and Kagome notice the change in his voice. When they look up at Inuyasha, his nails are longer, purple marks on his face, his bangs are covering his eyes but Kagome knows they aren't amber anymore.

"Eri, I'm gonna need you to go over there. Stay away, okay?"

"Kagome, what's happening? I thought he was safe to be around!"

"He is, for me. He may see you as a threat when he is in his full demon state. Now, just go over to the other side of the room." Eri does as she is told and watches from behind the couch in the living room.

This transformation was different. Inuyasha is speaking in full sentences instead of how he usually speaks as a demon. He is completely coherent but looks and acts slightly different.

"Inuyasha. Why am I stupid?"

"You knew."

"Knew what?"

"You instinctively knew. Just like me. I know, I have always known. You are my mate. The human part didn't realize. He's not smart enough to realize."

"Inuyasha, humans don't have those types of instincs like you do. I didn't have an instinct that I am your mate, or whatever, I just .."

Inuyasha grabs Kagome by the wrist and startled her. Eri gasps from the other room.

"You ARE mine." He moves her hair from her shoulder and looks at the bite mark on her neck. "That wolf. He tried to steal you from me. The stupid half demon doesn't know what to do, but I know."

"What do you know?"

"The bite needs to be replaced."

"Replaced?" Kagome glances over at her scared friend and mouths 'Don't move. I'm fine. Promise.'

"If your true mate replaces the mark, you will be free. You will be my mate instead. I will protect you from anything and everything that tries to harm you. Any demon or .. human .. that gets in my way."

"So, you can replace the mark?"

"Yes. I will bite you on your throat. We will finish the mating ritual another time. But I need to get rid of the stench of the wolf all over you." He leans in and kisses and nibbles on her throat, right where he is going to bite down.

"Kagome." 

'His demon just said my name.' "Inuyasha, do it. I want to be with you. I want to be your mate."

"But you only love him. The half demon. You don't love me, a full demon. With eyes that could kill."

"Inuyasha, I love you. I love all of you. I love you as a human, I love you as a demon, and I love you as a half demon."

That's when he pulled her in for a deap and passionate kiss. Eri covers her face and blushes. Kagome and Inuyasha pull away and stare into each others eyes.

"Please, Inuyasha. I can't stop thinking about what he did to me. I need it to stop. Make his mark go away and replace it with your own."

In that moment he pulls her close and bites down on her neck. This felt different to Kagome, it felt good and welcoming. She lighly moaned and it felt as though he was licking up her blood. He started to breathe heavily then the breathing changed. She moved his face to look at her and noticed his eyes were back to her hanyou again. She smiled and pulled him in for another passionate kiss. This surprises him at first but welcomes it with open arms. He wraps his hands around her back and the kiss grew deeper. When they finally came up for air, Inuyasha looks at her neck and realizes he can taste her blood on his tongue.

"Kagome, I hurt you."

Hearing his voice back to normal, Eri peaked over from behind the couch and walked over slowly.

"Inuyasha, you didn't hurt me. You saved me. You don't remember?"

He thinks hard and memories start to flow back to him as if they never left. He blushes a bright pink and looks at Eri, realizing she was there the whole time.

"So we are mates. .. We just have to finish the mating ritual." Kagome said to him.

"We don't have to do anything until you are ready, Kagome." Then he turns her face slowly to look at his and says, "I'm sorry I haven't been completely straight forward."

This worries her at first but then she finally hears it. The three words she has been waiting for her Inuyasha to say.

"I .. Love .. you, Kagome. I love you." They both lean in for another warm and passionate kiss. Their first kiss since he admitted his love. Their first kiss that starts their future together. Together, as mates.

Authors Notes: Well that was a long one! I kept writing and just couldn't stop! So, how was it? How will Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship change from here? And what about Eri? She knows everything! We'll just have to wait and see, I don't even know yet. hahahaha ... But I do have one thing I definitely plan on adding to the story. It will be a big surprise and you'll just have to keep reading to find out!