InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shivering Sands ❯ Flicker ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: This is my very first fanfic, and I hope you all enjoy. Forgive any spelling errors or anything as I go through the learning process. I am a huge InuYasha fan and I am always intrigued by the play of time and relationships in this manga. I do not profit from this as this is Rumiko Takahashi’s property, but I am having fun.

~*~

It was an unforgivably beautiful evening, long ago in the Sengoku Jidai. The night air hummed with the sounds of the deep forrest, uniting with the crackle of a nearby campfire. It was the sound of waiting, a sound of expectation.

The moon’s silvery glow fell upon the five-person tableau, among which a beautiful dark-haired girl sat quietly stroking a young fox kitsune. Kagome Higurashi sat quietly, her legs pulled beneath her as she absently contemplated the tiny creature in her lap.

She brushed the baby soft fur of the little fox kitsune softly as she watched him blink back slumber. 'Shippo,' she thought tenderly. 'How sweet you are.' She continued stroking the soft red fur as she lifted her eyes to see Miroku across the campfire.

A knowing smile came to her lips as she watched him intently gazing at the demon slayer as she lay curled up on her side, staring at her with such a longing. Her smile deepened as she realized her friend wasn't sleeping either, the tense way she held her body giving her away. 'I know she's thinking about him too,' she thought. She nodded slowly. 'It is good,' she thought.

The shikkon jewel had been completed, and Naraku destroyed. No longer would he murder and terrify others across the land, or hurt people she loved. She looked down at Shippo, who was now snoring softly and murmuring in his sleep.

She slid into her sleeping bag and gently laid him beside her. As the long lashes fluttered in near slumber, she thought vaguely, 'Where did InuYasha get off too,' before succumbing to exhaustion.

She floated out of blissful dreams to a strange feeling of weightlessness. The dark eyes opened slowly to a head full of silver hair and a bright red haori near her cheek. She turned her head slightly to gaze at him.

Beguiling golden eyes peered at her as he looked over her shoulder. "InuYasha," she murmured sleepily with a soft smile, her heart thumping madly. Ever since Naraku's defeat of a few weeks previously, InuYasha's behavior towards her had grown far more sure.

He turned his head once again to the front, with a playful smile upon his face. "Where are you taking me," she said with a soft laugh. He slide stepped a tree and he said loftily. "You'll see."

She gasped, playfully indignant and reached up to the soft dog ears and tweaked them gently. He flinched and almost dropped her. "Aww, Hell Kagome , what did I tell you about that," he shouted as her tinkering laugh filled the dark forest.

"That's what you get," she said petulantly, as he tightened his grip about her and continued running and gliding through the night. After a few minutes, they reached the midnight dark lake that shone with the glow of moon as it sat upon the water. I

InuYasha reached the tree that hung over those dark waters and leapt into it. Upon reaching the top, he slid her off of his back and sat with his back against the tree.

She sat opposite him, her legs pulled beneath her, watching his movements. He had never acted this way toward her before. He gazed at her contemplatively with a slow grin spreading across his face.

He began removing his haori and her eyes widened slightly. He reached out, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him. She sighed contentedly as he wrapped her within the warmth of the fire rat robe, and laid her head against his chest.

She felt so warm as she listened to the strong steady thump of his heart beating against her ear. She wrapped her arms about his taut waist, and he smiled his joy at being with her.

He thought back to the last battle with Naraku, when he feared he would lose her. And then came help from an unexpected source. Sesshomaru...although it shouldn't be so unexpected now, seeing as how he had begrudgingly come to their assistance in the most trying of times.

But Kagome was much stronger than anyone had ever expected, and just when he feared the worst, when her battered and bruised body lay before him and came nearest to sobbing as he ever had before, her slim hand caressed his cheek and she murmured, “InuYasha...”

Her voice came, quietly then, "How did you leave Sango and Miroku and Shippo," she asked. He gave a soft chuckle. "With Miroku offering to be her pillow," he said shaking his head. Kagome giggled.

InuYasha grimaced. "She didn't say no this time either." Kagome nodded her head slowly. "I knew it." They grew silent, and as she lay against his warm body listening to the soothing sounds of his heart, she fell asleep.

InuYasha cradled her in his arms protectively, as he placed a kiss at the top of her fragrant hair. He then closed his own eyes and slept. Just before the dawn, he awoke to the blue sky and the red glow of the sun peeping upon the horizon.

He peered down at the girl sleeping against him, and the barest trace of a smile came to his lips. He slid his hand to her soft tresses picking up a lock of her hair. He brushed the ends across the tip of her nose, his smile deepening as her nose twitched. "Kagome," he said softly as he stroked his finger beneath his chin.

Her lashes fluttered and she awakened slowly, startled a bit when she realized where she was and who she was with. 'The sun is about to come up," he said quietly. She gazed at him wondrously, and then she looked toward the sun, which was beginning to rise off of the horizons.

She lay silently against his chest, her nose absolutely enveloped by the scent of him. After some moments, she asked quietly, "InuYasha? Why did you bring me here," she said as she lifted her eyes to his.

He was silent for a moment. "I just felt like coming here,” he said gratingly, and he grimaced slightly. He still had difficulty saying what he felt, but he had to tell her.

The silence pervaded for a few more moments before he spoke again. “And," he said quietly, "I had some things to tell you, but I never got the chance before. The others," he trailed off.

"Yeah," she said nodding as she thought of how he always seemed on the verge of telling her something, yet the others would interrupt, and he would scowl, irritated. "Naraku is gone, and the jewel is complete," he pensively. "There is nothing holding you here," he continued, looking out in the distance.

Her heart pounded in her chest fearfully, and she looked down. ‘InuYasha dont...dont send me away...’ "I don't want you to go," he said quietly in a near whisper. Her eyes flew up to his, her heart constricting painfully.

He was looking at her, his eyes completely open, the golden pools shining. 'I've never seen InuYasha like this,' she thought.

"I wont," she said brokenly. "I promise." The two of them gazed into each other's eyes intently for a long moment, their mouth's but inches from one another.

It was InuYasha who made the first move. He moved toward her slightly as he lowered his eyes. Kagome moved hesitantly, the dark lashes trailing downward until her eyes were but slightly open. Their mouths met in the middle, softly and tenderly, their lips parted and explored one another.

InuYasha tightened his grip about her as he leaned back against the tree, his heart thumping madly as his mouth delved against hers. An exotic fluttering began just above her belly as InuYasha slid his hands to the small of her back as they broke the kiss.

She opened her eyes slowly as he did the same and they remained looking at each other, unable to look away. Finally, she lay her head against his chest and he cradled her within his embrace as the two of them stared pensively at the morning sun.

~*~

A tear fell, landing in the gently flowing surf with a soft splashing sound and was quickly followed after another as she looked into the setting sun and sighed.