InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity ❯ Clash of the Titans ( Chapter 53 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kagome peeked around the doorframe, scanning the hallway for any signs of InuYasha's presence. She thought she'd heard the door close a few minutes ago. If he caught her out of bed, he would have a fit.

She made a face. For the last four months, this was how it had been. In the beginning, that had been fine. She'd been able to hold nothing down, especially in the mornings, and hadn't even tried to argue when InuYasha had told her that she would be staying in bed until after the pup was born. It had been horrible, actually, she had to admit. The very next morning, she'd awakened with the insane need to throw up. She'd barely made it into the bathroom, and InuYasha had been beside himself, worrying that they'd made a huge mistake.

But for the last couple of weeks, she'd felt so much better. She wanted to start resuming some of her normal tasks, and he, stubborn hanyou that he was, adamantly refused to allow it. When she'd suggested taking a few courses to keep herself occupied until the baby came, InuYasha had thrown a tantrum, telling her that she wasn't going back to school until well after the baby came because she wasn't up to leaving the house.

She sighed and headed toward the kitchen. She was starving. True, InuYasha had brought her a breakfast tray this morning. But she was too irritated that he wouldn't let her eat at the table like an adult that she hadn't touched the food. He'd brought her things that would be easy on her stomach, toast and a block of tofu. She made a face. Just remembering that was enough to make her ill for completely different reasons.

Cherry jell-o and some fruit salad sounded good. Kagome peeked around the edge of the refrigerator door. `Still no sign of InuYasha.' She served herself a small dish of both then put them away. `Maybe he went for a walk with the dogs or something, long enough for me to—'

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

Kagome squeaked as she whirled around to face her very irritated husband. Arms crossed stubbornly over his chest, InuYasha looked like he didn't care to hear her reasons nearly as much as he wanted her to march right back in their room and get in bed. She frowned. "I'm hungry," she explained a little sharply. "And before you say anything, I'm eating it at the table."

He didn't try to stop her as she stomped past him but he did follow her to the table. "Fine, then you're going back to bed, no arguments."

She made another face as she took her time eating.

The doorbell rang. Kagome started to get up only to have InuYasha stay her with a firm hand on her shoulder. "No."

She stifled a sigh but didn't argue. The food was far more interesting than who was at the door, anyway.

Rin waved InuYasha away as she hurried into the room and came to greet Kagome. "Congratulations! I've been by before but someone—" she shot InuYasha a significant glance, "wouldn't let me in. He said that I'd make you sick or some bit of nonsense. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, now. Good enough to get back to doing a few things instead of just laying around in bed."

"Keh. If you're done, you need to—"

"She looks great, InuYasha."

"See?" Kagome argued. "Rin says I look great!"

"You do, but—"

"Kagome needs exercise, too, you know." Rin's eyes widened and she grabbed Kagome's hands. "Why don't you come with me? I needed to get some new clothes for Nori. Seems like that girl's growing out of everything she has."

Kagome hopped up, snatching her empty bowl. InuYasha swiped it out of her hands. "Let me go change, and I'll be right with you."

"No, you won't!" InuYasha insisted. "You need to get back in bed or you'll—"

"—Go insane!" she cut in, making a face at the very idea of getting back in bed just yet. "Come on, InuYasha! I'm fine, really! I've never felt better! Anyway, the doctor said that I should get out and go walking or do something to get some exercise, like Rin said. I can't lie in bed anymore!"

He wasn't done arguing. Glower in place and his back stiff, she could tell he was digging in for the long haul. "What if you fall? Kagome, you've got to be careful."

"I got pregnant, not clumsy!" she shot back. She turned on her heel to make a grand exit and promptly stumbled.

InuYasha grabbed her and steadied her, his glower disturbingly smug. "See?"

Rin interrupted before the argument could escalate. "Why don't you come with us, InuYasha? You guys haven't shopped for the nursery yet, right? Then you can keep an eye on Kagome, and Kagome can get out of the house for awhile. Everyone wins."

"Kagome—"

She cut him off with a heavy sigh. "I want to go, InuYasha. I can't just sit around for the next five months because you're afraid I'll slip. I'm fine!"

He looked like he wanted to argue. He looked like he was ready to pick her up and carry her off. He didn't. Instead he stomped into the kitchen and dropped the bowl in the sink with a loud clatter. "Will you lay down when we get back?" he asked grudgingly.

Kagome grinned. "Will you lay down with me?"

InuYasha finally smiled. "All right." Kagome turned to go get dressed.

"InuYasha . . ."

He turned to glance at Rin before his glower returned to the hallway that Kagome had just run down. "What?"

Rin sighed, brushing back her long black hair with her slim hand. "We all know how protective you are of Kagome, and you're right, sometimes pregnancies can be difficult. But she's young, healthy, and smart. She wouldn't do anything to endanger herself or the baby. Trust her, will you? You're driving her crazy."

He made a face. "It's not that I don't trust her. I just worry."

"It'd be pretty sad if you didn't worry. Just try to let her do some things. She's not going to break."

"I know."

The click of Kagome's sandals drifted to him before she stepped out of the bedroom. She made a face as she stopped in the hallway, covering her slightly protruding belly with her hands. "Losing the figure is a humbling experience," she commented, making a rueful face.

InuYasha shook his head. "Always were too skinny," he muttered. Kagome blushed but smiled.

"Shall we go?" Rin piped up.


"Loo king at baby things makes me want another," Rin said with a sigh as she pulled a tiny sundress off the rack and showed Kagome.

"That's so cute!"

"Keh!" InuYasha remarked. "That'd look terrible on my son."

Kagome rolled her eyes as she stood on tip-toe to grab a comforter off the shelf. "And how would you know we're having a son?" she asked.

"Fathers know these things."

"Ri-i-i-ight."

"Sounds like Papa when okaa-san was pregnant with Toga," Rin observed.

InuYasha snorted again, disliking any mention of any perceived similarities between himself and Sesshoumaru.

"What do you think?"

He turned to look at what Kagome wanted to show him. She held open a deep red comforter with a picture of two puppies embroidered on it. He grinned. "I suppose you want that?"

Kagome kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

He took the blanket while she continued browsing. As she and Rin giggled over more baby clothes and other necessities, InuYasha stared at the small comforter again. `This'll do,' he thought as he stared at it.

Kagome didn't miss the soft sparkle in his eyes as he gazed at the blanket. She smiled to herself and turned back to the baby items again.


"Why don't you put that stuff away tomorrow? You look tired. I knew it was a mistake, agreeing to go shopping."

Kagome glanced up from the bag she was emptying and grinned. "All right." She took the hand he offered to help her stand up. Bracing the small of her back with her free hand, Kagome stretched. "I could really use a hot bath," she mused. "But you're right, I'm exhausted."

He led her into their bedroom. She crawled onto the bed and sighed happily. "What do you want for dinner?"

"You take a nap. I'll wake you up when dinner's ready."

She opened an eye and stared at him. "You're going to make dinner?"

"Don't look so shocked, wench. I can cook . . . some."

He started out of the bedroom. Kagome called after him. "InuYasha?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

He didn't answer, but he came back and sat beside her. "I guess that's fair. I used that line on you, didn't I?"

She smiled. He could tell she was nearly asleep. "What would you have done if I hadn't stayed that night?"

He chuckled softly, stroking her hair, "I think I would have begged, if I thought it would have kept you here."

Her smile was vague. He smelled the change in her scent as she drifted off to sleep. Gently, he kissed her forehead and stood, careful not to wake her. Kanaye padded into the room and lay down on the floor beside the bed. InuYasha hunkered down beside the dog. "Watch over her for me, will you?"

Kanaye growled his acknowledgement. InuYasha patted his head and headed out to the kitchen.

"Now," he muttered to himself as he rubbed his hands together. "What should I make her for dinner?"


Some thing light, tickling, rubbed her cheek. Kagome wrinkled her nose and tried to bury her face deeper in the pillow. The tickling persisted. "Come on, Kagome. I know you're hungry."

Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked a few times to clear her vision. InuYasha sat beside her with a smile on his face. His hair was black. She blinked in surprise then grinned. She'd forgotten. It was the night of the new moon. He held a long white feather in his hands, obviously having just used it on her to wake her. She yawned and pushed herself to sit up as she drew in a deep breath. Something smelled delicious . . .

"What's that?"

He reached over and held out a plate. Kagome stared in surprise at the food. "You made this?"

"No. Your mother stopped by just after you went to sleep. She took pity on me."

Kagome didn't answer. She made quick work of her food and sighed happily as InuYasha took the empty plate and set it aside again. "You want that bath now?"

"Bath?"

"You said earlier you wanted a bath."

"You drew my bath?"

He tweaked her nose then kissed it. "Don't look so surprised. I do nice things, sometimes."

Kagome leaned forward and quickly kissed his cheek before scrambling off the bed. She stopped in the doorway and glanced back at him. "Come with me?"

"You go on. I'm going to straighten up the kitchen."

She frowned. "You're going to what?"

"Go on," he grumbled. She didn't miss the reddening in his cheeks.

She stared at him another moment then scampered off toward the bathroom. She could smell the bubble bath he'd added to the water before she got into the room, but it was the mountain of bubbles made her smile. He hadn't added enough to overflow the huge garden tub but it was a close thing. `Something about InuYasha and bubbles . . .'

With a soft giggle, she pinned up her hair and settled back in the tub. "Nice," she breathed. Her eyes widened suddenly as her arms flew up to cover her belly. It was nothing more than an odd fluttering in her abdomen. Still . . . It happened again. "InuYasha!" she yelled. "InuYasha!"

Kagome flinched as InuYasha threw open the bathroom door with a resounding crash. He ran to her and knelt beside the tub, the alarm on his features raw, unhidden. "Kagome? What's wrong?"

She shook her head slowly, eyes still wide. "The baby moved," she whispered. She gasped and grabbed InuYasha's hand, pressing it against the movement. "Here . . . There! Did you feel it?"

He started to smile then gasped and jerked his hand back, as though whatever he'd felt had hurt him. "Was that—? Did that . . .? It didn't hurt, did it?" he demanded, his tone fierce, no nonsense.

Kagome giggled and pushed his hair out of his face. "Nope, it didn't hurt in the least. It just surprised me, that's all, I promise."

He still looked suspicious. "And you'd tell me if it hurt?"

"Yes, I would." She gasped as the baby moved again, and her smile was bright. Another thought occurred to her, and her grin turned a little devilish. She dragged her fingertips over his forearm slowly, deliberately. "You know, InuYasha . . . there's room in here for you."

He shook his head quickly. "I . . . err, don't think that's a good idea."

"Scared?"

" . . . No."

"Then get in here."

He stared down with a scowl, as though trying to decide if he should tell her what was really on his mind. At last he sighed and shook his head as he said, "I don't want to hurt the pup."

She grinned at his sweet show of concern. "The doctor assured me, InuYasha . . . you won't hurt the baby."

He pondered that a few minutes then sighed. "I'm human," he remarked with a dose of disgust.

She leaned out of the tub, capturing his lips in a nibbling kiss. "You're going to tell me that your human side is going to give up this chance to be with me?"

His eyes were lit with a burning intensity, gaze falling to her slightly swollen breasts. "Well, if you put it that way . . . and you're sure it won't hurt the pup?"

"Do you think I'd do anything that would hurt our child?"

She hid her smile and looked away as InuYasha stripped off his clothes but not before noticing that the hair on her hanyou's head wasn't the only hair on his body that was affected by the new moon changes . . .

This was definitely going to be interesting.


InuY asha sank back in the tub with a soft hiss. The water wasn't exactly hot, but it wasn't nearly as cool as the pond, either. But Kagome settled back against him happily, and he supposed that was the only thing that truly mattered. Hesitantly, he placed his hands on her belly, marveling at the taut skin that stuck out noticeably enough on her small frame. She wasn't big yet, and her size didn't seem to bother her so much. To him, though, he'd never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. Her skin glowed with an inner happiness, so much so that she seemed to radiate a warm light. The soft hollows of her body were a little less pronounced yet she was still as wondrous to him now as she had been the first time he'd claimed her.

The pup fluttered under his fingers. Kagome giggled softly. InuYasha could only swallow hard. The ability to show the torrent of emotions was something that defied him. Too many feelings warred for dominance in him: the pride of being able to call Kagome his, the wonder at the gift of life she carried, the humbling knowledge that she wanted this—his pup—more than anything in the world . . . The absolute desire for the woman he held in his arms . . .

He'd ached for her so badly lately that it was a miracle he was still able to move. Night after night was spent dousing himself in the pond, ruefully reminding himself that it was only for a little while before he could make love to her again. So frightened that he'd hurt her or the pup, InuYasha had been too frightened to reach for her even when she nearly drove him mad with desire.

"The doctor assured me, InuYasha . . . you won't hurt the baby."

He grinned, letting his hand brush gently over one of her engorged breasts. She gasped softly, pushing against his palm. The instant heat that ignited under her skin made him moan softly. Kagome turned, drawing his head down, kissing him, toying with his lips, murmuring nonsense that he didn't hear. The taste of her overwhelmed him. Tactile feelings fused together with pure emotion, twisted into something wild and wanton, something gentle and lovely.

His hands on her flesh, he drew back from her to ask her once more, "You're sure?"

Her answer was a brilliant smile, lips trembling as her eyes took on that seductive slant that he knew so well, the one that promised him everything that couldn't be spoken, the melding of their souls, their hearts, their lives. "I've always been sure, InuYasha."

A subtle shift in the rippling water. She touched him, brushed against him only to return with a more solid pressure, an unmistakable caress. He groaned, head falling back. Her lips on his neck, nestled against him, drew him in, let him go only to return again.

His hands roamed over her, learning the newly created curves, the gentle slopes, the planes of her body. She molded herself to him, wrapped her arms around him, her soft gasps filling his ears, her sighs tickling his flesh. He'd wanted her too long, too desperately, and her touch was enough to destroy him. Dragging her hand away from him with a rough growl, he kissed her fiercely. Kagome giggled. The giggle melted into a groan as he let go of her wrist and pulled her closer.

Lips meeting, burning, he willed himself to be slow, gentle with her, tempering his desire to take her with the need to protect her. More precious to him than anything he'd ever known, he wanted to show her in every way, how much he adored her, loved her, needed her. Her body understood what his mouth couldn't speak, his fingers dancing over her until he found the heart of her, the part of her that exploded in heat as he touched her. She cried out, his name echoing off the bathroom walls in the stillness.

She rose up only to gasp as he pulled her back. His hands on her hips fused them together. Her head fell back as she felt him, the cries that he wrenched from her both soothed and excited him, goading him further, pushing her harder. She surged against him, finding her rhythm, and he let her go. "I can't . . ." she whimpered as she arched against him, drew him deeper.

"You can," he reassured her. His caresses on her back were meant to soothe her. Her skin burned under his touch. Everywhere they connected existed an intensity, a viable thing that lived and breathed. The woman he knew so well was changed yet her heart remained the same. She took less than she gave; he accepted her gift and returned it to her. He worshipped her. She saved him.

She shivered in his arms, her heart thundering against his chest. He could feel her quiver, hear her moan, feel the power of her release as it came. Slowly, her gentle spasms engulfed him, and he pulled her close to kiss her. Softly at first and then with a growing intensity, her body trembled as pleasure took over. She collapsed against him as he gave her his heart all over again.

His own racing pulse pounded in his ears. He held her close as her stuttered breaths slowly calmed. The aftermath of what had passed seemed too beautiful a thing, too perfect a moment for words or for sound. He kissed her forehead, her temple, kissed her hand, front and back, and in the silence of the understanding, the stillness of the moment, InuYasha whispered in her ear. "I'd give you the moon, if you asked me to."

He could feel her smile without seeing her face. "But you just did," she said. "The moon, the stars . . . everything I've always wanted . . . It was always you, InuYasha. Just you."