InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Only to be Distracted ❯ You Come Closest ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

The baby lay on his baboon skin, propped slightly with a silvery metallic-looking object in his hands. Kagura approached cautiously as he had become increasingly difficult to talk to as time wore on.

'Naraku has communicated.' the baby flicked his eyes at her although there was no way she could avoid his silent speech. 'Kouga has taken the bait and will be at the village within the hour. Go and observe but do not interfere. The hanyou will prevail surely. Take the shards if the opportunity presents itself but do not concern yourself otherwise. As long as the shards are in location the rest will fall into place.'

Kagura shifted restlessly and seemed ready to speak.

Naraku is coming soon. Best to go now.'

Kagura stifled any questions she had in the face of this news and left on a gust of wind.

The baby returned to his activity, tinny music sounding from his lap. Yes, another world. The baby smiled. The box on his lap sounded a victory tune.

Kagome had busied herself with collecting her first aid supplies and emptying slop buckets full of bloody water. Her mind roiled blankly, confused by the intensity of her feelings for the hanyou. 'Damn,' she had almost put her hands up to grab his hair and pull his head down so she could kiss him. That's how little self-control she had. Just get close to him and all good intentions of letting him have his space and not being a bother just went right out the window.

'He doesn't want you.' She reminded herself bitterly. Suddenly she felt an almost overwhelming sense of impending doom. Her face paled and she turned unerringly to the west.

"Kagome?" Sango spoke behind her.

"Shikon shards!" Kagome started to turn towards the house.

"I see a lot of dust in the air." Sango moved with her.

"It must be Kouga." Kagome muttered anxiously. She spotted something leaning by the fence, "The Tetsusaiga! How could Inuyasha walk off without it?" She trotted over to it and picked the old katana up. Just then the distant echo of an angry roar sounded over the hill.

Sango reappeared out of the house, Hiraikotsu over her shoulder followed by Miroku. "Kirara, circle and if anyone else is coming."

The fire cat transformed and leaped easily up into the air circling once and quickly disappearing from sight.

Water surged about him as he twisted to get his assailant under him. A pair of feet kicked upwards into his chest sending him up out of the water bringing his opponent up with him.

It was Kouga, snarling and already in a full battle rage. Inuyasha slammed a fist into his chest while retaining a clawed grip on his right arm. Kouga was driven backwards with Inuyasha's claws drawing long deep furrows into the flesh of his arm.

Inuyasha barked a laugh. First blood was his. "What the hell do you want Kouga? Come all this way for a friendly visit?"

Kouga ignored his bleeding arm and snarled, "Where is it, Dogface?"

Inuyasha shook water from his hair flexing his claws angrily. "Where's what you wimp?"

Kouga roared and leaped at him. Inuyasha jumped clear and laughed again.

"The Shikon-no-Tama! You've got it all Dogface! I'm taking that and Kagome too!"

"You even try touching her and I'll break both your arms!"

Kouga made a spinning attack ending in a high kick to Inuyasha's jaw. Inuyasha was flung backwards to land under the trees among some rocks. "Fat chance, Dogface! Why should she stay with a weakling like you? She's mine and she'll give me the shards too! You can't protect her." Kouga straddled Inuyasha's prone body as he shouted, bending down towards his face.

Inuyasha punched him straight in the jaw sending Kouga tumbling end over end to land face down in the stream. "Get up and fight!

Let's finish this now--Ka-go-me--stays--with--me!!!"

Miroku, Sango and Kagome reached the glade in time to witness the taunts and threats exchanged between the two demons. They watched in dismay as Inuyasha distained all the more effective attacks and plunged headlong after the wolf youkai knocking him back into the stream.

Another flashing slash of claws and a flurry of confused movement was all that was visible of the two as they fought surrounded by huge sheets of kicked up water. The roaring seemed to get louder and the water was as much as in the air as in the watercourse.

"Errm, I really wish he wouldn't bait Inuyasha about Kagome just now." Miroku muttered.

Sango looked at him in silent surmise.

The combatants separated momentarily, each in a similar pose of fury. Inuyasha was very still and hunched over, his face shadowed. Kouga saw the waiting group out of the corner of his eye and leaped towards them with his unnatural speed. He caught a surprised Kagome's hand "She's coming with me!" He called triumphantly and pulled her towards him.

"FORGET IT!" Boomed a terrible voice. Kouga looked back at Inuyasha to find a fully transformed hanyou all too close. A slashing blow cuffed him helplessly away from Kagome and then he was grabbed; upper arms crushed mercilessly in the cruel grip of the demon. Inuyasha lifted him above his head and threw him to be all but impaled on the trees some forty feet away.

Kouga slid tonelessly down to land hard at the foot of a live oak. Inuyasha watched him fall. Growling continuously, he started to approach stiff legged, sniffing to catch hints of how close to death his foe was. Another far more enticing scent was very close to him, pulling his attention away from the task at hand as nothing else could.

Kagome bit her lips; she had to get this under control somehow. Inuyasha in this state was a danger to friend and foe alike. That was the true purpose of the sword, to control Inuyasha's youkai blood and prevent these ghastly transformations. Something had to be done.

He paused, eyes gleaming red, with the livid stripes plain to see, hands clenched loosely into clawed fists. Kagome took her chance and ran straight up to him, the Tetsusaiga clenched in both her hands. Inuyasha reacted with a deep snarl and a hand shot out hooking at the back of Kagome's neck and pulling her against his chest. Before she could gather enough wind even to make a sound his other arm was around her imprisoning her against his body as he leaped off.

Miroku and Sango started forward in horror. Inuyasha was gone, in full youkai form with Kagome in his grasp.

. Kouga stirred weakly and looked up to see Miroku and Sango standing with their backs to him talking excitedly. A footfall sounded next to his head and he felt the brush of silk upon his arm. Kagura was bent above him.

"It's time, you poor wreck. Youfve had the use of these long enough." Her hand flicked out bearing a bone-bladed knife, a few moments, and it was done. Both shards were gone. Pain and loss rolled over Kouga and he blacked out.

Sango looked back at a sound and saw Kagura rising from Kouga's side. She had a knife and both of her hands were bloody. Sango's gasp brought Miroku's shocked attention.

Kagura smiled and shrugged, "He's not dead you know; Inuyasha must have become distracted before he finished the job. I'd say he's definitely out of the competition for that little miko though." With a laugh she plucked a feather from her hair and leaped upon it's expanded form.

"Damn you!" Sango shook herself from her torpor. "Hiraikotsu!" The boomerang followed the feather in its flight but Kagura was ready for it. She flicked it aside using her fan. Sango ran to retrieve it on its return spin and immediately threw again but Kagura was well out of range. A tinkling laugh floated back on the breeze.

"Where do you think Inuyasha has taken Kagome?" Sango asked, spinning to confront Miroku.

"I don't know." He replied, "But I think Kouga might just bleed to death if we don't do something about it pretty quickly."

Miroku and Sango had considerable difficulty moving Kouga's inert body. The villagers weren't about to approach this unknown combatant and his injuries were severe.

Kaede did what she could at the scene splinting both arms, which were broken just below the shoulder joints, and padding and bandaging all the assorted gouges and wounds. Not least the bone-deep gashes in both legs. These were the most troublesome, requiring both Miroku and Sango to put pressure to each thigh for considerable periods.

Shippou made an absolute pest of himself. Repeatedly breaking away from the group to study the trees and sniff the air he kept demanding where Inuyasha and Kagome had gone.

"Enough Shippou!" Kaede finally snapped. "Inuyasha is incapable of harming Kogome."

Shippou swiped angry tears away. "Yes, but when he's a brainless youkai does he know that?"

Kaede grunted absently as she tied off some catgut. "Just as well as when he is a brainless hanyou. Now hold Kouga steady. I must stitch this."

Throughout Kouga remained limp and unresponsive. 'But,' Sango thought, 'not unconscious.'

"Perhaps it's better if we discuss this after we get him moved." she said.

Kagome was so crushed against Inuyasha's chest that she could barely breathe. Never had she been carried so high or so fast. He suddenly dropped to land with only a slight jar.

Almost fainting Kagome was supported only by his arm as he loosened his grip just enough to swipe a clawed hand between them knocking the Tetsusaiga out of her grasp. A swift kick sent the old katana several feet away.

'Might as well be on the moon.' Kagome thought, gulping fearfully and raising her eyes to the demonic face so close above hers. He was continuing to growl on a low note and was casting his red glowing eyes about for any sign of intruders.

Kagome licked her lips attempting to ready herself to speak. She had to get his attention; he had to hear her.

"I-Inu-yasha." The growl intensified and scarlet eyes flashed back to her face. She gulped and tried again her voice shaking uncontrollably. "Inu-" She gasped as the growl changed to a snarl. She could feel his claws flexing into her back causing her to arch involuntarily against him. "Osw-"

The word was lost, caught between them as his mouth clamped firmly down on hers.

'Kagome' the name drifted across his overheated mind. 'Kagome is mine.' He ran his hands down her slender back his senses swimming in her intoxicating scent, the feel of her pliant young body under his hands. He gentled the kiss, allowing her a breath before shifting his grip to cradle her head. With his fingers sliding into her hair he plundered her sweet mouth.

The wind swirled the leaves around them, twining their hair, silvery-white against raven black. If there had been any observers the couple would have seemed transfixed in a moving cathedral of light and shadow as the sunlight flickered with the branches dancing in the wind.

Kagome was swept away by the deluge of sensations. He tasted of forest pools and the heat of the summer sun and some wild tang that told her it was he, her Inuyasha that was kissing her. Her whole body was tingling from the vibration of what seemed to be-- her eyes flashed open gazing up at the autumn trees above her head as Inuyasha nuzzled her neck. 'He's purring!' She managed to think before he caught her earlobe in his mouth.

He smiled into her hair as he felt her melt against him in such complete surrender. He clasped her to him as they stumbled and he brought them down into a seated position

Kagome sucked in a breath and gazed into his face. His golden eyes were smoky with desire but clear of any flicker of scarlet. His face was as even and perfect in feature as that of some sullen angel.

"Kagome," he drew a claw down the side of her cheek, then caught her chin between thumb and forefinger. "Kagome, when are you going to come to me? When are you going to stay?" His expression held more than a little of the poignant longing with which he had waited for her every time she went away. Kagome had never seen such a look from him and could no more resist it than she could refuse to let her heart beat

She drew her fingers up his side. The skin was an even, golden ivory. Healed now of all injuries by the youkai blood of his transformations. He shivered and gathered her closer.

"I'm right here." She turned her face and kissed his palm. "I'm not going anywhere."

The hanyou felt a surge of elation and caught her to him as they collapsed together in a tangle of limbs, Kagome responding ardently to his every move.

"YOU TOLD HIM WHAT?!!" Sango wanted to know at the top of her lungs approximately one minute into their discussion. They had left Kouga sleeping under Shippou's watchful eye and walked up the stairs to the shrine precinct.

"Sango-sama," Miroku replied, "all I indicated was that he should stop struggling and follow his heart solely in such matters. Indeed, that his entire problem stemmed from an oppositional tendency hidden in his character. You may have noticed it as a tendency to be an 'overbearing pig' if I remember the phrase correctly. In fact, if you take all of Inuyasha's comments upon their first meeting and assumed the reverse to be the true meaning, then all of his subsequent actions make sense. Given his ghost problems of course."

Kaede sighed and made him sit down. "That may be perfectly true about Inuyasha but this is a very young couple. Early commitment may be very good for him since he operates in all ways better when Kagome-sama is here. But what of her? She stands to lose a great deal by this."

Sango blinked. "That's nothing like I ever heard."

"How do you mean?"

"Well," Sango said, "no matter what we may think of his behavior at times, the fact remains that Inuyasha is a member of one of the greatest youkai houses. And, if my information is correct, his family connections to the Ono clan are nothing to be sneezed at either. Nobility on both sides. Almost to the point of royalty." She shrugged, "As his wife, Kagome certainly won't starve but I cannot believe that you take Inuyasha kidnapping Kagome in full youkai form so calmly. What if he kills her?"

"We would have heard by now." Kaede looked into the forest. "See how calm it is out there. Not a ravening youkai lord to be heard."

Miroku raised his eyebrows and laughed softly, "Precisely."

Inuyasha rested with his head pillowed on Kagome's breast tracing the blue veins inside of one of her wrists. "Keisai-" he began casually.

"Keisai... Does this make me your wife, Inuyasha?"

"Hai, very much so." He lifted his head to peer up at her through his hair then rolled over to settle himself comfortably on her torso.

"Too late for regrets little girl. Yourfre my mate now and any demon we meet is going to know it. On both sides of the well." He emphasized his point with a couple of pokes from a clawed fingertip.

"Oww."

"Gomen, anyway don't we have some unfinished business to settle? I seem to recall I was beating the life out of Kouga when you showed up."

"Oh! What they must be thinking!"

His smug grin was alarming. "I'll tell them what we've been doing to avoid any confusion."

"You can't do that!" she squeaked.

He sat up. "I don't see why not." He glanced at her expression and amended things a bit, "It's not like I'd go into any real detail," he said, studying her face for her reactions. "Just enough to make sure that jerk Kouga never has the wrong idea again." By the time he was finished he was down to a mumble and they were both blushing. Kagome leaned forward and kissed Inuyasha gently on the lips.

"Inuyasha, trust me, he won't get the wrong idea ever again." They sat, gazing into each other's eyes for a space out of time, their smiles changing subtly as desire stirred again. A particularly chill gust of evening wind brought them back to themselves with a shiver. Time was passing and they could not make it stop.

They began casting about rather self-consciously for their scattered clothes and eventually collected them all except for one of Kagome's shoes. This was nowhere to be found and as a result Kagome rode to the streamside on Inuyasha's back.

He set her down carefully and walked over to collect his suikan and kosode from where he had dropped them several hours ago. Kagome walked over to the shattered tree where Kouga had landed and exclaimed in consternation.

"Inuyasha, are you sure you didn't kill him?"

Inuyasha turned and looked at her as he finished dressing in his rather tattered clothes."I doubt it; I gave him a good few gashes, beat him up and broke both his arms. Just like I said I would." He finished in some satisfaction.

"There just seems to be an awful lot of blood here."

He followed her over to look. "Keh didn't to that. That was inflicted after that wimp landed here. Damn, stinks like Kagura." He paced around a bit, picking something up from the ground, and wound up behind a nearby tree. "She must have been standing here watching us fight."

He stared around for a few moments frowning. "Kagome," he announced finally, "something tells me we're in for it." He handed her the missing shoe and they headed off for Kaede's house at a jog.