InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Memories of Us ❯ Delay ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. And I do not intent to gain any kind of retribution for this work of fanfiction.

Memories of Us

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5. Delay

Miroku looked at his friend through his bangs pretending to be asleep. Between them the yellowish-orange flames danced, illuminating the strange movements of his hanyou friend.

Inuyasha stared at his hands as they moved in front of him, cupping and flattening against air as if his hands were touching something before him, his golden eyes closed and a longing sigh left his lips as he let his hands fall into his lap and his head fell back resting on the wooden wall, even in the dim light Miroku saw the red blush in the man's cheeks. After a few deep breaths his hands would raise again to repeat the movement. Sometimes he would stop mid-motion to slap himself and mutter something that sounded suspiciously close to "fucking pervert" as he let his hands fall again.

They had been traveling for more than a week now. And this trip had been particularly insightful for the young monk, even as his friends temper had been getting worse by the day. More so as the rainy season finally caught up to them forcing their three days trip to the troubled village into a 5 days long. Making his temper even worst as the so called monster turned out to be only a fairly intelligent oni that found the way to kidnap humans without being noticed.

It took only one hit of Tessaiga to disintegrate the oni. Miroku bit back a chuckle remembering the hanyou's shocked face as the sword hit the ground with no more enemies to defeat, he stayed there blinking and staring into the nothing before sheathing his sword, he had cursed repeatedly as he walked to the monk and declared with no further explanation “I want my payment with money, not useless shit” and then Inuyasha ran away from the village to vent his anger with the unlucky vegetation.

After the almost nonexistent battle the villagers came to the monk to thank him profusely about how his servant had help them. Miroku was fast to clarify, as he did every time they visited a new town, that their relationship was of equals. The villagers didnt like that but asked them to help with construction of a hut that been destroyed with a thunder on the last storm.

The young monk declined the offer as he wanted to comeback as fast as possible to the village and avoid another storm before reaching home but the villagers offered him to double the pay if they help. It was obvious they wanted Inuyasha's strength for the job. At the end of the day Miroku had agreed to help with the additional arrangement of the double pay and a sack of rice.

When the hanyou came back to the village and the new job was explained to him Miroku expected great resistance and was prepared to explain the reasons why he had accepted, but the hanyou only nodded and declared they were starting with the sun the next day. Another day and a half was spent at the village before departing with the rice and more money they expected.

That little scene happened two days ago, so they've been in the road for exactly 9 days, and yet again before the nightfall of the first returning day the stubborn rain made them stop at an abandoned hut. Inuyasha had complained endlessly about how it was Miroku's fault they were stuck there, the hanyou kept saying he would leave him and his stupid rice there and walk alone, remarking how the monk's stupid decision of asking for rice kept them inside.

Even so, Miroku thought that being trapped with his half demon friend was really entertaining, he would do or ask the most interesting things. For example he had asked the night before if the monk knew why men had nipples if they didn't nurse pups. It had taken a lot of will power from the monk not to laugh at the randomness of the question as they were inspecting the hut for dangerous animals. At the end he had responded that because Kami wanted them to resemble the perfection of the woman's body as much as possible. Inuyasha called him a pervert and they resumed their cleaning.

Since that morning the hanyou had been sitting at his wall and he looked to be thinking hard about something when he wasn't playing with his hands.

“Miroku…” Inuyasha called with hesitant voice.

“Yes my friend?” He responded with seriousness as the change in his friend meant the hanyou wanted to talk about an important matter.

“Do you think the village would change” he cleared his throat as his head tilted back hitting the wall as he stared at the ceiling. “If things are different between us?”

The monk smiled sadly at his friend, he knew that there was not many things that could scare or hurt his hanyou friend, but if it was related with the young miko in a negative way, it meant his friend suffered with her and he would do anything possible to avoid any kind of pain on her part.

“I imagine you are talking about Kagome and you?” The hanyou groaned in response.

“And by different you mean…?”

Inuyasha let out a high pitched sound that in the monk's ears sounded more like a whine than groan. After some tense moments the hanyou answered hurriedly.

“I mean make her my mate… do you think they would treat her differently?”

Miroku tilted his head to the side trying to understand the word. Mates… he was sure it meant something close to marrying, but things with youkai were never that simple.

“Mates… as in husband and wife?”

The hanyou finally looked at him with an upset expression. “Keh! Of course not!”

Miroku's shocked and disgusted expression was immediately noted by Inuyasha.

“Oi! I'm not talking about that either, you pervert!”

Miroku raised both hands apologetically but remained silent, waiting for Inuyasha's explanation.

“Human marriage is just plain weird. The nightly visits are stupid…” He raised his clawed hands in front of his face and threaded his fingers tightly “…and only being truly bonded when a pup is birthed, that's more stupid.” He was staring hard at his hands, “What if they can't have a pup fast? What if they don't want a pup right away? What if…” His hands fell to his lap and slowly separated “…what if the female dies during childbirth? For youkai it's not like that…” He let out a tired sigh as his hands fisted and relaxed repeatedly “Youkai court the female, sometimes the male is courted, and if they feel the connection between them deep and strong enough they mate. They don't do that flimsy, stupid, marriage thing, they bond to be together for life.”

“Humans marry for life too…”

The golden eyes that appeared lost darted to Miroku's violet ones, for a moment Miroku was acutely reminded about the abysmal difference of strength between his friend and him. The molten gold was burning him, keeping him immobile.

“Khe! No, they don't…” Inuyasha's voice was calm and steeled as he delivered his answer as a fact.

For a moment Miroku's breathing halted under the intensity of those golden eyes and words. His hanyou friend was battling internally with a deep emotion, his eyes told the monk about the conflict that fact caused him. The golden eyes blinked and the moment was over as the golden eyes found another focus point.

“You humans marry for the life you get together. You bond for the life you live together, and when one of you dies, the surviving one can search for a new partner… That kind of incomplete bonding is not what I'm talking about…”

The priest looked at the hanyou as he took a deep breath and opened and closed his mouth for a few times as if he was looking for the right words to go on.

“I mean youkai mate for the rest of their lives, the rest of both of their lives, if one of them is to die young, the other honors the bond for the rest of its life, is not something forced on the surviving mate, but even as one mate is gone the bond stays with them… for life.”

Inuyasha scratched his head and looked at the monk for a moment without saying something. Whatever he saw on his friend face made him change his position to lay on his side propping his head with his arm as he continued in a relaxed manner.

“If they never birth pup, they never do and that's that.” The hanyou clicked jus tongue “That has nothing to do with the mating or the validation of the bond”.

Miroku stared as his friend and his different emotions, understanding what was really being discussed here, not only the fact he wanted to mate Kagome, but that after her death, hopefully in many, many, years to come, he would always be faithful to his mate. The monk chest ached as the thought of Inuyasha being alone after their deaths came to him.

“Oi! Monk! You didn't answer my question”

Miroku shook his head to focus on his friend's gruff voice “huh?”

“You didn't answer…”

“Oh! You are right my friend. About the village after you umm… mate Kagome?”

Inuyasha nodded once and kept his eyes on the monk expectantly with his raised brows and one of his puppy ears turned to the monk and the other to the door.

“I think… the village will have to get used to the changes.” He shrugged “Most of the villagers see you as their protector and even if you're part demon, you are accepted as long as you take your responsibilities seriously. And they know that you came along and stayed because of Kagome.” His brow furrowed “But a miko, one of the strongest to ever exist, to mate a hanyou… for them that is beyond what they are able to accept easily. And honestly I think they will let you both know how wrong they think your mating is...”

Inuyasha turned on his back closing his eyes grunting his agreement. “A holy miko mating a hanyou is not something that should happen…”

Miroku stared at his friend not believing his answer and spoke in a hurried deep voice “Then you would stop courting her, and leave her alone? Would you walk away from her and let her spend her life only as a shrine maiden? Is that your plan? To leave her alone?”

The only warning the monk had was the crack sound of the wood behind his head as the snarling hanyou pushed him by the collar. If he wasn't in pain and pinned to the wall by the hovering hanyou, he would marveled at the speed he had developed in the last three years. But at that moment with the hanyou fangs close to his face.

“Never…” The hanyou spat on his face before going back to his place on the other side of the cabin as the monk rubbed his abused head.

“I didn't mean you should… I was just asking… You should know I think that you two being together is meant to be.”

“And you should know, I would never leave her side…” Inuyasha said as he went back to the floor.

“I guess you're right. Stupid question.”

“Khe!”

Silence installed around them as the cracking sound of the burning wood was the only noise inside the hut.

“Inuyasha…”

The hanyou hummed his answer

“That means you are courting Kagome?”

Inuyasha didn't stop looking at the ceiling as his cheeks turned red and his heart started pounding in his chest.

“You have a problem with that?”

Miroku hid his smiled as the question was delivered without the bite he expected.

“I'm happy for both of you”

The hanyou huffed as his face turned to the opposite wall.

“And may I ask my friend, how are you courting her?”

“Whadda you mean by how?”

Suddenly the silver haired man looked really uncomfortable, with his ears flattened on his head and his nails where rhythmically taping the wooden floor.

“I mean how did you propose to her? Or how did you let her know your intentions? What is different now than then? Have you presented any gifts?

Miroku saw the increasingly uncomfortable face his friend was making and continued making questions.

“You have a special name for her? Does she have one for you? When are you going to start building your house?... That's what I mean.”

Inuyasha's eyes where wide opened looking at the monk in shock after the last couple of questions. He didn't know that all this was needed, he had done some of those things, but not all. The hanyou blinked and realized the amused face the monk had and his own expression became guarded.

“There you go again Miroku...” The hanyou waved his hand dismissively. “This is human courting, not youkai, all this is no-” His words were interrupted by an exasperated monk.

“Alright! Tell me about youkai courting then!”

Inuyasha frowned thinking how youkai courted. It was difficult to express with human words what he was doing. Most of the time he didn't even know why he needed to do what he did. The hanyou took a long breath before sitting against the wall again.

“The youkai courting is more instinctive…” His golden eyes narrowed focusing on the fires in front “it does not need that much words. Most of the important things are easy to read through smell. If the female accepts the courting, if she likes what you're doing. And even if things are not discussed, the fact that the courting mates are marked with each other's scents…”

For a moment Inuyasha lost track of his words as he blushed deeply.

“… It means she is being courted and others males won't try to take her away.” His brow furrowed in concentration “…Is about showing your capabilities and potential as a mate, taking care of the other one, providing, protecting, supporting… for the mate and offspring…” His voice faded as he kept his eyes in the fire.

Miroku's eyebrows shot up under his bangs. Inuyasha was saying something he didn't expect the hanyou to willingly share, it was something he needed to confirm. He wouldn't mean THAT right? And then the monk remembered the weird hand movements and the insults he had been calling himself and he gasped. This was more than he asked for. He hid his sly smile and controlled his voice to avoid sounding as excited as he felt.

“Does the scent marking mean you and Kagome are…” He waited for the golden eyes to fall on him and he wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully “…making the relationship physically deeper?”

The monk half expected to be pinned to the wall again as his words sounded inappropriate even in his ears. Maybe the hanyou would throw him a log and put him to sleep. Maybe Inuyasha would deny everything and tell him to shut up. But he did not expect to see him freeze in his place blushing deeply before looking down to study the wooden floor.

THAT was a reaction that screamed Miroku was right, he chuckled, and that must had done something to the hanyou because he was no longer looking guilty and staring to the floor.

Inuyasha looked back at the priest with red hot cheeks as he babbled his way out “I can't believe… that you… to say something like that… about Kagome… that's ridiculous… is stupid… Don't say things like that!... Just shut up and go to sleep before I make you!” He finished with a Khe as he turned his head to the side grumpily and hid his twitching hands inside the haori.

One of the monk's eyebrows curved as he realized the hanyou had not once said No. He smiled genuinely happy for his friends. They were finally doing what they should have done three years ago. An idea came to mind.

“When you finally decide on where you want to start building your house, I will happy to help you.”

The other man didn't move or made any sign of listening.. The monk thought his friend was not going to acknowledge his offer when the deep whisper of the hanyou sounded inside the hut.

“I already started building the hut”

Moroku's violet eyes darted to his friend again.

“You did? On your own? Where are you building it? Are you close to finish it?” Miroku couldn't stop the questions after the surprise. He knew that Inuyasha wanted to live with Kagome as… mates… the sooner possible, but he was working really fast.

The monk would be eternally grateful for the hanyou's help for his help during the construction of his home. Instead of waiting for two or three moons as the humans prepared the ground, the wood and finish building, his hanyou friend did most of the work and in less than a moon his home was finished.

“I… chose a place close to the forest, away from the village.”

“I see. It must be a beautiful place.”

“Yeah…”

For a long time the only sound was once again the contrasting cracking of the wood and the lighting outside.

“Let's stop with the merchants on the way home.”

“As you wish, my friend”

“Now, sleep monk!”

Inuyasha listened to his friend breathing as it became slow and rhythmic, hoping it could distract him from his thoughts and lulled to sleep. But there were many things calling for his attention inside his head. And the one that kept popping in his head intrusively, besides Kagome luscious forms and the knowledge he now had about them, was in fact his own reactions to her presence.

He let out a tired sound remembering how many times he had called Kagome Koi, it was something so different from what he was. She was his Kagome, his wench, his bitch. The latest not so much because for some unfathomable reason she really hated that one, something about dignity and whatnot. Anyway, those names reflected their relationship and the way everything had always been. She was her only wench, his only bitch, his only Kagome… and now he called her Koi.

He groaned. That sounded so… not-manly. It sounded sappy, unoriginal” his lips curled up in a secret smile “and… and… so tender and cute. It was a beautiful word.

It was tender as Kagome's words, it was soft as Kagome's embrace, it was beautiful as Kagome's existence.

And he was being completely ridiculous again…

The hanyou shook his head trying to dislodge the sappy ideas again.

Maybe… Maybe if that part of him was only known to Kagome he could live with that. Suddenly Kagome's beaming face with her bright eyes and flushed cheeks came to his mind. He was sure that it was worth it if he could see his Koi make that expression again.

-.-.-.-

Kagome had quietly waited for 12 days before losing her patience and accepting she was really worried about her hanyou and friend. The trip was supposed to last seven and this was the twelfth day of their absence.

Sango kept telling her that this was normal, that sometimes they took more time to comeback. Her friend spend too much of her time trying to comfort her and explain different reasons for their absence.

But it was not enough for the young miko, and it wasn't Sango's fault. It was hers, it was Inuyasha's, it was… it was nobody's fault.

Her restlessness began in that first night he was gone. She missed his hand in hers, she missed the sound of his breathing as he slept, his soft snoring. She noticed that night how accustomed she had grown to his youki around her, the reassuring fire of his energy by her side as she slept. That night she had found herself extending her awareness of the surroundings as she unconsciously looked for him. Aside from the hollow sensation in her chest as her powers didn't find him, the unnerving feeling something was observing came back. That not-natural presence came back for a moment, disappearing before the miko was able to investigate it.

That night was the first time since she came back sleep evaded her. It was a feeling she was familiar with, staying up through the nigh staring at the ceiling as her mind traveled back to the moments she wanted to live again, emotions she wanted to feel again.

After the well closed Kagome couldn't sleep. Even after her grief let her eat again, even after her tears lessened enough for her mother to see her face without puffiness around the eyes. Even after her mother did not have to force her to go to school. Even after she became able to stand in front of the Goshimboku without crying. Even after three years went by, sleeping through the night was impossible. Even then, the only way for her to sleep was taking the pills her mother gave her with every dinner.

Nights had always been the silent witness of most of their important moments. It was in that moments that she had been able to know a part of Inuyasha that he never showed to somebody else. It was at nights when she met her Inuyasha, the one that talked to her about himself, his past and on those last weeks before the final battle and after Kikyou's final good bye, her beloved hanyou had started to talk about his dreams of the future. His hesitant dreams of a place where he belonged, even as he didn't elaborate about them she knew just what he didn't dare to expect.

That first night without him she was scared to close her eyes and when the morning came stare at a different ceiling 500 years in the future. Every night since she came back it was Inuyasha's hand and youki what anchored to the present so she could confidently close her eyes knowing this life wasn't going to disappear.

Unknowingly to her tears rolled from her eyes and her breathing became ragged. Certain little fox noticed and walked closer from his place closer to the fire. Her vision clouded with orange as the kit moved closer and touched her cheeks with his little hands.

“Kagome, why are you scared?”

Kagome only blinked at him for a moment. “I'm not scared Shippou,..”

His locks danced as he shook his head, “You smell scared.” he clarified, his head tilted as he studied her face, “Is it because the dog is gone?” without letting her answer his question he kept talking, “He's fine, they go to his exorcisms and they always come back fine.” The little hands on her cheeks moved as he walked to her side and took one of his hands.

“The stupid dog is going to comeback fine, don't worry. But now I'm going to hold your hand so you can stop being scared”

He hold her hand against his small chest as his green eyes drilled hers with determination. A broken sob was her response as she turned to the side and cradled Shippou against her chest.

Kagome closed her eyes as she held the child, now that she payed attention to him, she was able to feel the brush of his youki, it was different from Inuyasha's, it wasn't close to the presence he irradiates, and it was more like a warm presence than Inuyasha's fire-like energy. Focusing on his presence she was able to sleep a few hours.

Holding Shippou helped her to fall sleep but the rest kept eluding her as every night a different nightmare appeared on her dreams. Most of the time the theme of those dreams was being alone surrounded in blackness, it was a powerful feeling as it came from her memories and not from her imagination. Other times it was her chasing Inuyasha as he run getting farther and farther away. Every night after the nightmare woke her up it was impossible to go back to sleep.

And the lack of sleep made her grumpy. Even on this morning as she was picking herbs for Kaede with Rin and Shippou she just wanted a little quiet instead of the happy chirping of both kids, she wanted some peace and quiet. She wanted to be alone for a while.

Rin asked something about an herb for the untempt time that that and Kagome had to bite back her rude remark before taking a deep breath and plaster a smile on her face before turning to her, “yes, Rin?”

The girl showed a root and asked her if it was the one they were looking for, when she said yes and Shippou confirmed it with a fast sniffing and they finally finished with the their errand. She felt bad to be so annoyed with the kids, they weren't doing anything bad, and nothing out of the ordinary.

She was the one behaving differently, her patience levels were almost inexistent and what she needed was some time alone. Some time alone to brood without some of her friends feeling the need to do or say something, they really didn't need to do say a thing, she knew her friends only wanted to ease her mind. But it didn't work.

They finished with the herbs and went to Kaede's house and cook their meal as the old miko woke up feeling indisposed, Rin and Shippou tried to asked her if she needed something but after asking her a few times and not getting a response, the shrugged and went outside.

Kagome knew she was dealing with his absence in a way she didn't like it. She was detaching from the surroundings, from her friends, from her responsibilities, even from her own feelings.

Kagome took a long breath closing her eyes as she turned her head to the sides to crack her tense neck. Pushing back raging fear that whispered every moment of her waking day that he was not to come back tended to do that, and also and give her headaches.

She stirred the pot with a hand as the other massaged her shoulder, her eyes staring longingly at the mat that worked as a door, wishing it would swing open revealing a red cladded hanyou. The soft whisper of the old lady separated her from her musings.

“Child, I think the food is ready. No need for more stirring”

Her eyes darted to the pot, Kaede was right, it was ready. Hiding her embarrassed blush, she walked outside and called the children. They were waiting for her call and soon the four of them were eating.

Rin volunteered to take care of the dishes and Shippou went to check on Sango's family. Kagome put a smile in her face and turned to Kaede.

“I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back before dinner.” She announced at the same time she grabbed her bow and arrows.

The sympathetic look on Kaede's eyes and her sad smile, made clear the old miko was not being fooled by her strong act. She felt incapable of pretending anymore.

As fast as Kaede said “Go”, the grey eyed miko started to walk towards the forest.

It was the only place she could breathe normally, the only place where the need to run and scream seamed to lessen to a manageable level. As she reached the forest her eyes looked up, observing the green leaves swaying with the soft wind letting light through, it was a cloudy day, a day in between storms, and the soft light was casted on her face, warming her as she kept walking towards her favorite part of the forest. The Goshimboku… Their tree.

When the ancient tree appeared before her the first real smile of the entire day beamed in her face. This was the place she wanted to be, the place she felt closer to him. She climbed on the roots and reached the mark of the arrow, her fingers traced the place he waited for her those 50 years, as he now liked to say.

Placing her back on the tree and sitting on the root she had stepped to touch his ears 4 years ago she waited… waited for the peace that she always found there. Breathing in the clear air, and breathing out as the slow burning fear in her chest kept growing weaker with each heartbeat. She let her head fall back as a soft smile slowly pulled the corner of her lips.

It was time to do something. During this twelve days, the only thing she deemed productive was her work with the barriers. Now she was fairly happy with the results, her best barrier yet had been on for almost an hour before disappearing. In that hour it had remained unchanged and stable, at that time Shippou was with her inside the kekkai and said he felt some kind of tingling on his skin, and not the good kind. She suspected that her barrier was slightly purifying and that affected the little Kistune.

Kagome straightened her back and positioned herself in her favorite meditation position, one that resembled her hanyou defensive stance, her legs crossed and her hands in front of her chest.

Keeping Miroku's words in mind she repeated what she wanted to create over and over as she called for her powers. The pink light enveloped casting soft light around her. “Enveloping me and expanding, like a bubble of protection, a border between me and the rest, a barrier nobody can cross. A barrier that prevails against the exterior forces, a division invisible to the eyes, a barrier to stand until I will it gone.” She kept her eyes closed as her instructions repeated in her head, making the image clearer with each repetition, when the image she had was clear in her head she finally opened her eyes.

She could feel the faint energy field, even if it was no visible. She would have to wait for a creature to pass and be repelled by her barrier. She relaxed her stance and reclined on the tree, waiting for the proof of her success or failure.

Suddenly that weird presence was there, just beyond or where she thought her barrier ended. Just for a moment it existed, that animal-not-only-animal presence, every time it appeared and disappeared, the miko sensed a lingering wrongness in the place. It felt like unnatural and forced. Inside her barrier the feeling ended rapidly, she was beginning to suspect some kind of youkai was watching her, reason why she never left the hut without her weapons.

She looked around, searching for some kind of signal from the habitants of the forest, but they seemed undisturbed, besides no getting close to her or her barrier, their noises and movement looked normal. She went back to rest on the tree, waiting for the unsuspecting creature.

Kagome opened her eyes as she jumped awake, something had awaken her. The grey eyes looked around searching for wrongness, everything looked normal. She stood up and slowly reached for her bow… Her head shot to the side as her bow fell to the ground.

Her eyes got misty as she realized what had woken her up, it was his youki brushing close.

He was back.

Her eyes closed as she searched for his location, he was coming from the same path she followed before, and for the amount of natural light, for few hours at least, she had been in sleeping in the forest.

-.-.-.-

Inuyasha finally reached the village, after twelve fucking days he had come back.

And she wasn't there… he had left the monk in his house along with his payment for the work, a sack of rice. The hanyou had hoped to find his miko with Sango and her kids, but she was not there, and by the smell she had not been there recently. That was odd but maybe she had been busy. After the usual greetings that were mostly a short `here is your husband, alive and complete' he left them alone for their own private greeting.

Next stop was the old hag's hut. Running as fast as he could towards the hut something began to upset him. The hanyou stopped for a second and took a big sniff and snarled, the villagers around looked at him with fear as the silver haired man looked around accusingly. He had found what was bothering him, it was Kagome's scent, and her unique scent was laced with sadness. That he understood, his scent had the same acrid component right now, but hers was laced with the sickening component of fear. He looked around hunting for the responsible of her fear. Was it the elder he hated? He had better not touched or said anything rude to Kagome. Was it the outsider? Either way he was going to get rid of the little rude man, he was not going to let the stupid human live close to his mate.

Shaking his head to clear the myriad of reasons why she could be scared, he decided to find her and ask her what he should get rid of. His legs started moving again, as he got closer to the hut the smell got stronger, she'd been afraid for some time, it was not a simple moment. He pushed the mat to the side and stepped inside.

The old miko, his brother pet and the kit were the only ones inside. They turned and smiled before noticing his expression. He took another sniff not caring if he looked like a dog at that moment. Her scent hit him hard and a slow growling started to reverberate in his chest. Kagome's scent was impregnated in the hut, her sweet aroma along with the acrid smell of sadness and fear. Her normal scent was no longer present in the hut.

The old miko nodded at his presence “Welcome home Inu—“ He didn't let her finish before asking for the only thing he cared at that moment.

“Where's Kagome?”

Shippou looked at him at the same time his scent reached his nose. Inuyasha was upset, the little Kitsune smelled anger and fear coming out of him at the same time his youki flared around them. Actually, Shippou took a quick sniff again, Inuyasha was almost terrified. The best they could do was send him to Kagome, it was clear he was reacting to what he picked up from the miko inside the hut and thought she was in some kind of danger.

“She's in the forest.” Answered a calm Rin from the kit's side. Without a word he turned and pushed open the door.

Shippou got up and followed outside “She's alright Inuyasha!” shouted the Kitsune as Inuyasha started to run.

Before the hanyou disappeared into the forest his voice reached the child ears, “The fuck she is alright,” Shippou looked at the forest for a moment wishing for them to find each other quickly. It looked like it had been a bad separation for both of them. Even if Inuyasha didn't like it, he too smelled like fear, and it was an old stench he had. The red haired kit looked at the sky thinking it was going to rain soon as he came back to the hut to finish his supper.

Inuyasha followed her trail as he entered the forest, once he knew where it was heading he ran towards their sacred place. The Goshimboku.

He slowed down slowly as the sacred tree came into view. She was there, she was standing inside the clearing, turned to him. With her bright eyes watery, a beaming smile, that smile that was only his, and her arms parted and raised waiting for him to get inside her embrace.

He couldn't help smiling back to her, she was here and she was safe, and that was all it mat— he didn't finish that thought as his head banged with something.

Their shocked expressions mirrored each other's before Kagome's head fell back and she started laughing. In a weird way it had been funny, Inuyasha with his cute smiling face crashing into something invisible, and his instant shocked expression.

“Oi! Wench put that down!”

Kagome looked at him through unshed tears as he hit the barrier with his fists.

“Huh?”

“Take the barrier down!” A deep rumble sounded around her and instead of scaring her or making her nervous, she felt an exhilarating joy. He came back, her grumpy, rude hanyou was back, and that was all that mattered.

Inuyasha was banging the barrier as she laughed on the other side. The hand stopped hitting as he observed her fight back her laughter and tried to concentrate. She looked beautiful with her blushed cheeks and her playful beaming eyes. And that laugh was not mocking, it was a laughter from sheer joy. The silver haired man found himself smiling back as he tried to master a gruff voice to tell her to hurry.

She answered with a waving hand and taking a deep breath. With her eyes closed she seemed to whisper “I will the barrier gone…”, and it instantly disappeared.

Kagome giggled as she was tossed and held by the hanyou the second the barrier was down. He had picked her up circling her thighs with his arms and pulling her up, putting her chest at the same level as his face.

Her laugh enveloped them as they stared into the other's eyes, finding in that simple contact the peace that had eluded them all those days, feeling the heavy weight in their chest disappear. Unable to stop herself she hugged him the best she could, using her arms to push his face to her chest, he nuzzled her softly as the deep rumble that he used to calm her came out of him. She felt her chest warm with the soft rumble and flow to the rest of her body.

Slowly she retreated and moved her hands to cup his cheeks as he looked up. “Hi…” she said softly.

Inuyasha nodded slightly. “Wench”

Kagome smiled playfully as her hands moved to stroke his soft ears, gaining a short purring sound from him before he stopped and frowned.

She frowned too “Wench? I thought my pet name had changed, dog-boy.” She laughed good heartily before adding. “You go out of town and suddenly I'm back to wench?”

The hanyou only grunted and started to walk towards the sacred tree with her still on his arms and sat on the same root he had occupied earlier, his hands accommodated her legs around his torso and rose his legs so she could have somewhere to rest her back.

Kagome felt somewhat nervous for the easiness he had arranged their position, it was incredible intimate and he looked like he had no problem with the closeness. Inuyasha was not embarrassed because she was too close, not even blushing, that sent shivers across her body.

“You will always be my wench” he said with a shrug.

His hands were back at her hips, not moving, only pressing softly at her sides and she was having problems thinking of a comfortable place to put hers. Trying to not feel intimidated by his presence she swiftly put her hands over his and held them tightly at the same time she moved their joined hands to rest over her belly.

Inuyasha followed her movement with his eyes, his ears perked to listen to the beat of her heart, waiting for it to slow down to a calmer rhythm.

“The other two are for special occasions…” he continued as if the conversation hadn't stopped.

Kagome tilted her head “two? Special occasions?”

The man made a blank expression and just blinked at her.

“Wait… Are you telling me `bitch' is one of them?” her eyebrows went low as her voice dropped a note.

Inuyasha shrugged again and looked at the side feeling heat flow to his cheeks “What if it is?” he asked defiantly.

Kagome hit one of his hands and looked at his profile accusingly “What kind of special occasion could there be for you to call me bitch?”

Without looking back at her Inuyasha used the hold she had on his hands to pull her to his chest with a `thud'. He let go of her hands so his arms where free to snake around Kagome's waist and keep her close to his chest.

The hanyou took a deep breath taking in her scent as he dipped his nose into the curve between neck and shoulder, nuzzled her keeping his face hidden from her.

She fisted part of his fire rat as he caressed there, barely registering his voice, it sounded deeper and breathy “Occasions like this, when we are doing something only mates do… things I will only do with my bitch…Things I can only do with you.”

His nose started to go up her neck, giving her time to accept or deny his advances. Her response was clear when she exposed her neck to him and moaned on his ears. With a cocky grin he peck her jaw line, moving up slowly to her chin.

Inuyasha was taking his time nuzzling, kissing and lapping her neck, reaching her chin and going back to the neck. Kagome made a whimpering sound when he reached her chin and went back for the third time.

Her small hands raised to the sides of his head and with a swift motion she pulled his parted lips to hers for a kiss. Kagome felt him smile before he adjusted angle of his head and kissed like she wanted him to, her whimpering transforming into moans as he deepened the kiss, nipping and lapping in the way she had been waiting for all these days.

She felt the deep rumble she liked so much coming from his chest when she nipped at his lower lip, pulling softly at the same time he growled, letting go of his lip she stared at him, their breathings crashing rapidly in the small space between them. He looked at her with his bright golden eyes, almost as if they didn't reflect light but emitted it, looking at her with an intensity that brought goosebumps throughout her body as she held his golden stare.

“Kagome…” was all he said before assaulting her lips again. The sensation of his lips on hers, his tongue investigating the inside of her mouth at the same time his fangs grazed her skin from time to time made her lose track of what was happening with the rest of her body.

When he separated from her, she noticed that her hanyou was on top of her and she did not rest her back on his legs anymore, now the root was beneath her and as she looked into the golden eyes, he was looking all too proud on his accomplishment with his smug grin and his raised eyebrow.

She also noted how her robes where untied and her breasts where starting to show as the edges slided to her sides. Her hand shot to her chest to close it in a sudden display of modesty.

Kagome yelp when she felt the heat of Inuyasha's mouth on her palm, he was nipping the hand that held both sides, the pressure of his fangs was barely there as he looked up to her face with pleading eyes. The young miko knew exactly what he wanted.

Slowly she let go of her robes leaving her chest exposed. Inuyasha released her hand and licked where his fangs had rested. As soon as her hand was free from the hanyou she moved it up to cover her forehead.

Without breaking eye contact he lowered his head to her belly, slowly tracing with his tongue from her navel to the center of her chest. She was the one to close her eyes and arch her back giving him better access, his hands caressed her sides from the border of her hakama slowly until he was caressing her breasts, the feeling of her soft creamy breast filling his hands as she made those sweet sounds told him she was enjoying this as much as him.

One of his clawed hands left her breast a trailed down a single claw to the knot of her hakama, when the knot was undone a delicate hand stopped his movements and her body became stiff. His golden eyes shot up to encounter hers.

His breathing halted as he expected to see some kind of rejection in her eyes. Instead of finding her eyes focusing on his face or hands, her chocolate eyes stared at the edge of the clearing. His ears swiveled around searching for any sound, finding only the normal sounds of the forest.

Kagome tightened her hold on his hand, “There is something watching us…” her voice was above the sound of her breath, intended to be heard only by him. He lowered his head to the crook of her neck, nuzzling there as if he wasn't aware of where Kagome's attention was focused.

“Do you know what it is?” he whispered on her neck.

With her body now partially covered by his, he slowly knotted back her hakama and reached down on both sides to pull her clothes close.

“Not really…”

Her answer was enough to make him jump from her into the edge of the clearing Kagome stared, showing his claws and snarling.

“Show yourself!”

Nothing out of the ordinary presented before him, there on the edge of the forest only a grey owl stared back at him. Even as he jumped close to the bird, it didn't move from its place, didn't stop staring at him either. Something about the animal set him off. It smelled normal, it looked normal, and it didn't have any kind of youki. But he felt the need to keep it away for Kagome and him.

Inuyasha prepared his claws to strike, glowing yellow as his youki concentrate in them.

“Don't kill it!” Kagome voice shout at him.

His silver head turned to her and noticed she had moved closer to him and held her kosode closed clasping it with both hands as her eyes looked at him nervously.

Inuyasha didn't move “Why?”

“Just don't. Please…”

After a long sight Inuyasha lowered his claws but instead of attacking the bird he slashed through the branch it was resting on, making the bird fly away from them and the presence disappeared along with the bird.

The hanyou jumped down of the tree and landed near Kagome.

The miko knew he needed an explanation and that offering one before he demanded it the way he usually did would save them a fight. With that in mind she walked the distance between them and spoke under his piercing gaze.

“That presence has been appearing around, is the same I felt the night before you left.” His gaze softened and tilted his head to the side waiting for her to continue.

She cleared her throat and averted her gaze. “A few days ago it appeared when I was walking alone in the forest.” She let out a dry laugh.

That sound was so uncharacteristic of her he found his hands raising to touch her cheeks and turning her head to his, her eyes where full with unshed tears. He moved forward and pressed his forehead over hers.

“I felt it close, so I took my bow and shot… At the same moment the arrow left my hand the presence disappeared.” Kagome caressed one of his hands as she met his eyes again. “I ran to search, and the only thing I found there was a dying badger, a pregnant dying badger with my arrow buried in it.” Her tears started to flow down her cheeks, tears that were quickly licked away by him before resting his chin on the top of her head and held her.

He knew how Kagome hated the fact that animals had to die in order for them to eat meat. And that was when she knew there was an actual purpose to their actions. Even then she refused to do the killing or the skinning of the animal. He also knew how taking the life or an animal without real reason would make her feel.

“It died quickly after I found it, and then I buried”.

She separated from him enough to look into his golden eyes with burning determination “That's why I didn't want you to kill the owl. I suspect that whatever that has been observing us is using the animals, but the animals are only its tool”.

Inuyasha stared at her solemnly before nodding. “I won't kill them…” She smiled at him and hugged him by the waist. His arms moved naturally around her and pulled her close. He chuckled softly thinking how the sensation of her body relaxing and molding against him was incredible, it made him feel powerful, and capable of doing whatever she needed him to do. Deep down, he had to accept, a small fear for the power she had over him also appear along.

“I… I have something that can make it feel better” He wanted to kick himself by the quivering in his voice and the raised questioning tone it took at the end.

Kagome threw her head back and looked at him. Inuyasha wanted to hit himself again as his cheeks became hot again.

“You do?” Her voice sounded gleeful and sweet.

“Um… Yeah, to make you forget that you killed a pregnant animal, and… and to make you feel better about yourself”

The hanyou knew he had said something wrong when she went stiff in his arms and her eyes changed from warm chocolate, to dark fire.

“Oh! That means I should be feeling bad for what I did?”

Kagome took a step back and put her arms on her hips.

“No!, Wench! Is not like you should” he stretched the word “But, I mean, you did killed and you hate to kill things…”

By the way she was glaring at him, his explanation was not helping.

“… and! And you have no real need to kill it…”

She was now tapping his foot rapidly. That was never a good sign.

“So, you thing I should not only feel bad about making that mistake, but I should feel terrible because I killed with no real reason?” Her voice escalated in volume with each word at the same time it became higher in pitch too.

He groaned and this time it was not internally. “That is NOT what I meant!” He walked closer “I wanted to say that I know that It would affect you more that it should…”

She opened her mouth to talk when his hands cupped both sides of her face and pushed softly until her lips looked like a fish gaping out of the water.

“Inysha..”

“Wait! Wait!...” She narrowed her eyes but didn't make any other sound.

“I know that it would make you feel bad, because you have this big, soft heart that makes you feel more things that you should. And the gift I want to give you is not because of that. Is… is… something I liked and wanted you to have it…”

She was no longer glaring at her, her eyes were now warm again and her raised eyebrow meant she was intrigued by what he said. He smiled proud at his prowess, admiring the changes in her face. She looked really cute with her lips. Before overthinking it he reached down and pecked her before retrieving his hands.

Kagome could only blink as she observed the changes on her hanyou, from nervous, to smug and proud, to sweet as he kissed her lightly before he handed her a wrapped package.

“This is your gift!” he declared proud once again as he crossed his arms and hid his hands inside the haori.

“…Thank you, Inuyasha”

Carefully she took the wrapping and uncovered a beautiful wooden fan. She opened and revealed the images in it. It had branches full of pink sakura blooms on a red background. It reminded her of the kimono she used on her welcome celebration.

The miko closed the fan and looked at him with a bright smile on her lips. “Thank you, Inuyasha”

“Khe!”

She opened again and caressed the delicate-looking flowers.

“You like it?... if you don't I can get you another one…”

He was scratching behind of one of his ears and looking away from her with his blush extending all the way to his neck.

“I really like it… Is perfect. Thank you!”

Standing on her toes she stretched her body to peck his cheek.

At the moment her lips touched his skin he turned to face her at the same time his arm pulled her close to his chest and she giggled.

Sometimes she wondered if the shyness he showed was there only to make things easier for her, but other times like this one, she just enjoyed them and giggled.

She was expecting a kiss when his head came closer, instead he closed the distance between them and just rested his forehead on hers and inhaled deep.

“I missed you…I wished you were…”

The rain that stared to pour on them interrupted his words and made her giggle again.

“Shippou said it was going to rain…” She commented.

His haori fell on her and he kneeled before her.

Inuyasha took them to the village jumping through the tree tops. The cold wind on her face and hair contrasting with the warm she held on to was familiar and made her feel safe.

The rest of the evening flowed uneventful, the only thing that mattered to both of them was that when everyone went to bed, her hand was in his and his aura brushing hers lulled her to sleep.

Little did they know that their next problem was at that moment walking towards the village, towards their home.

~~~~0o0o0o0o~~~~

A/N: Here is the fifth chapter. Thank you for waiting for it. I know I said I'd like to update the story weekly, sorry.

About the story so far, this is the last chapter about their somewhat normal/daily life. From here the problems will arise and things will change.

As always I would love to hear about your ideas, impressions and everything else about the story and chapter. Ideas, questions or constructive criticism are always welcome.

Thank you for reading and for the reviews, favoriting and following. Thank you very much.

I hope to update soon, but even if I don't, I would never leave this unfinished.

Love,

Nanna.