InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strictly Taboo ❯ 'Til the Sunrise ( Chapter 6 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: chelseatygers 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Hentai / Psychological / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.07.2014 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 719 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Hentai / Psychological / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.07.2014 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 719 | Status: Work In Progress
*Song for the chapter: Sunship Balloons by The Flaming Lips*
A week went by and they fell into a rhythm. Kagome now had a cell phone, which she used only as an alarm and an Inuyasha summoning device. Sometimes she called Kikyo, but she rarely ever answered. Since Inuyasha’s ears were so sensitive, the alarm always woke him too. They would have microwaved leftovers for breakfast and then he would drop her off and wait around until it was time to pick her up again. They’d talk about her day over dinner and she’d kiss him good night on the cheek, sometimes on the forehead, and he would always hold absolutely still and close his eyes as she did so, which made her laugh. And then Kikyo came back.
It was right after he had picked Kagome up from school. He was perusing the take-out menus, debating the pros and cons of pizza versus sandwiches, when the door opened. Kagome was doing her homework out by the Goshinboku as usual, and she always used the back door so he knew it wasn’t her. Confused, he stepped out to the entrance, wondering if it was Myoga or something. When he saw Kikyo, his heart felt like it was going to burst. There stood the first woman he had ever loved. He suddenly felt all the guilt over his desire for her daughter that he had so far managed to repress. How could he? How could he do such a thing to Kikyo?
She greeted him pleasantly, unaware of his internal struggle. “Ah, Inuyasha. Aren’t you supposed to be at work? It’s only four.”
“I took off early,” he muttered. In truth, he had not been to work the entire time Kagome had been living with him. He had dealt with everything over the phone and so far nothing bad seemed to have happened.
“Where is Kagome?” Kikyo asked, distracted. She had something on her mind.
“Out by the tree doing her homework. I enrolled her in—“
“That’s nice. Are you busy?”
“I was just about to—“
Kikyo threw her arms around him and brought her face to his. Immediately, he saw Kagome with her Christmas angel smile and pushed Kikyo away, rougher than he had intended. She stumbled back, shock on her face. Quickly, she regained her bearing, becoming even more rigid than before.
“I want this to be a real marriage, Inuyasha.”
He rolled his eyes. “You had your chance at a real marriage with me, Kikyo.”
“Perhaps… Perhaps this was not the right choice.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, eyes narrowed.
“I mean,” she hissed, “maybe it would be better if I just left. It’s been a week already and you have made no progress with finding out who is after my company.”
He winced. He had completely forgotten about that. “I’m sorry, Kikyo. Just give me a little more time—“
“I don’t have more time!” she screamed. “I am dying. I can barely manage to keep myself going with what little powers I have left. You were my last hope, but now I see I was foolish and regressing to the idiocy of my youth. I should just take Kagome and go back home. Suikotsu could convince his brothers to help me. He’s a man who gets things done.”
Inuyasha felt like he was going to have a panic attack. She wanted to take Kagome away. That couldn’t happen. He couldn’t go back to the way things were.
“Kikyo, I—“
“Save it,” she said severely, turning her back to him. “I don’t know if I’ll be back tonight.”
She went out the door and he sank into his favorite armchair. He looked down. The menu was torn to shreds in his hands, damp with the sweat from his palms. A need arose in him, a need to see Kagome, to reassure himself that she was still there. Running with inhuman speed, he made his way to the Goshinboku, Kagome’s favorite spot. She was sitting peacefully, a look of concentration on her face, and he could breathe again. The dark sunlight from the sunset was on her hair, and if he squinted it looked like a halo.
Sensing him somehow, she looked up. “Papa Yasha!” she said, surprised and pleased. The expression on her face soothed him and he sat beside her. He usually never bothered her when she did her homework, even though he really wanted to, but this was different. He needed her.
“Kagome,” he breathed, reaching a hand out to stroke her hair. He desperately wanted to feel her skin, to see if it was cool from the breeze or warm from the setting sun. He wanted to know exactly how soft she was.
“What brings you out here?” she chirped happily, closing her book.
“I—“ He stopped himself.
“You what?”
“I… I proposed to your mother under this tree,” he murmured, turning away from her to look up into the leaves.
“I know. That’s why I like it here so much.” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“I don’t love her. I don’t love her, Kagome,” he said in a rough whisper. He could no longer keep it to himself.
She was silent for a few beats. “That’s—No, that’s not true. You’re getting married!”
“She doesn’t love me either.”
She shook her head and he could smell the tears starting. “That’s not true!” she yelled, scrambling to her feet.
“Yes, it is,” he said as he stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a mild shake. He didn’t know why, but he was suddenly angry at her, at himself, at Kikyo.
“Then we’re going to leave? We’re going to go back?” she whispered, the tears finally spilling over onto her face.
“No, Kagome,” he murmured soothingly. “I’ll never send you away.”
“So you’re still getting married?”
He hesitated, then made up his mind. “Yes.”
“But—but why? If you don’t… And Mother doesn’t…” Her tears began to fall faster.
“Kagome,” he breathed again. He had somehow become so close to her he could see himself reflected in her watery, brilliant eyes. For the first time, he noticed the flecks of violet-blue in them. Without thinking, he closed the distance between them, pressing his wanting, seeking lips to her trembling ones. He saw her eyes go wide and then he closed his own, lost in the feeling of finally having her soft lips on his. Tentatively, he licked her lower lip, only coming back to his senses when he heard a soft sob come from his companion.
He pulled away quickly, hands still on her shoulders. Kagome’s eyes were big and unblinking, and although her tears had stopped she was still breathing as though she were crying. A delicate hand came up and she touched her plump lower lip with a single finger.
“Is—is it because… I look like Mother?” she questioned softly. Without waiting for an answer, she wrenched away from him and took off, running madly toward the house.
Snapping himself out of his daze, he started after her. “No, Kagome wait!”
Cursing his thoughtlessness, he ran into the house, wondering why he was so slow. He should have been able to beat her there. Hearing her door slam, he hastened his pace, tugging on the door knob only to discover it was locked.
“Kagome! Kagome, I’m sorry. Open the door, we need to talk!” He knocked, but there was no response. Inuyasha began to worry. Did she hate him now? Would she tell Kikyo? Frantically, he turned the knob and knocked again. “Kagome, open the door or I will break it down!”
Nothing. Silence.
“I’m really going to do it!” he threatened. Still nothing. Taking a deep, agitated breath, he backed up and rushed the door. Right as his shoulder made contact with the wood, he felt a rush come over him and he realized: it was the night of the new moon. He was human now. And the doors were very solid.
“Fuck!” he yelled. His shoulder throbbed painfully and he knew he’d have a nasty bruise there until he regained his demonic healing abilities.
“P-Papa Yasha? Are you okay?” he heard Kagome say from behind the door. Finally, she turned the knob, her worried expression changing into one of fear as soon as she saw him. Screaming, she slammed the door in his face.
“Wait, it’s me! Kagome, it’s me. Inuyasha.”
The door opened again, slowly this time. She was holding her phone in one hand, a lamp in the other, and dropped them to the ground with a loud bump as she stared at him. “Is it… really you?” she whispered. He nodded.
“What happened to you?” She reached a hand out toward him and stopped, quickly bringing it back to her side.
“All half-demons have their night of weakness. A night where they turn human,” he sighed. “Only you, your mom, and Myoga know about this. It’s a secret, okay? Don’t tell anyone.”
“I miss your eyes,” she whispered suddenly.
He looked at her in surprise. “I—thank you. About earlier—“
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to Mother.”
“No, that’s not it,” he insisted. “I want to apologize. I’m so, so incredibly sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he lied. He really wasn’t sorry. How could he be sorry for something he’d wanted so badly? If he was sorry about anything, it was her reaction.
“That… was my first kiss.” She touched a finger to her lip again, looking bewildered. Her eyes met his, confusion still in them. “It was nice. Thank you?”
He covered up his glee with a laugh, saying, “You’re welcome. And I’m sorry about trying to break your door down like some kind of freak. I always get kind of emotional on my human nights. So… what do you say we order pizza?”
Her lips slowly formed a smile and nodded, telling him to pick whatever and going back into her room. Kagome was obviously still confused about the whole situation and unsure of him now, but he could not for the life of him let himself feel bad. He had finally kissed her, and it was perfect. Well, not perfect, since she had kind of just been standing there shocked and unresponsive, but it was sweet and nice. And it had been her first kiss. You never forget your first kiss. Inuyasha smirked to himself.
Dialing Kikyo’s number, he made his way downstairs to his favorite chair. He hadn’t expected her to answer, but she did. He almost hung up, not having a speech prepared.
“Er, um, hey Kikyo!”
“I assume you’ve called to apologize,” she said icily.
“Uh, yeah. It’s just… things are moving really quickly between the two of us. You… you really hurt me, Kikyo. I can’t just pick up where we left off. I need time,” he murmured, trying to sound sincere.
Kikyo sighed. “I understand. But I really want this to work, Inuyasha. I need this to work. I want to make things right. Let’s have our wedding on January first.”
He froze, his tongue feeling like a rock in his mouth. That was only a few months away. “Sure. I’ve got to go now. Bye.”
She murmured her farewell and he hung up, feeling numb. It was late October. January first? The day she left him? But if he married her, he could keep Kagome. He would do anything to keep Kagome, especially now.
He ordered their usual and the pizza arrived quickly, as it always did. Inuyasha suspected he was their main client. He rarely went out and never cooked. Kagome quietly made her way downstairs, obviously having heard the doorbell. She was dressed in her pajamas although it was still early.
“I, uh, got the usual thing,” he muttered.
“Thanks.”
“I really don’t want us to be awkward,” he said desperately, his voice sounding too loud in the echoing, empty room.
“It’s not,” she said quickly. Too quickly. He gave her a look and her shoulders slumped. “Okay, it is,” she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “You’re my best friend. I’m not going to let anything ruin that.”
The emotions rushed through him so fast he didn’t even have time to identify them. “You’re my best friend, too.”
They stood just looking at each other, both wondering what to do and how to act. Finally, Kagome broke the silence. “Let’s eat!”
He nodded and turned on the TV, flipping it to a cartoon he found entertaining for some reason. Kagome sat on the couch next to him, closer than she ever had before, obviously determined not to feel awkward. They ate in silence, both pretending to be watching the goings-on of the poorly drawn characters.
“I’m uh, going to go to bed,” she announced, standing up. “Will you be up much longer?”
“I never sleep on my human night,” he muttered, mouth full of pizza.
“Oh. Do you…want me to stay up? Keep you company? It’s Friday so it won’t be a problem.”
Glancing up at her, he saw her shy sincerity. “It’s okay. I’m used to going it alone.”
She huffed and plopped back down next to him. “Saying something like that just ensures I’ll stay by your side.”
Surprised, he put down his pizza and was about to protest when she gave him a stubborn look and he knew anything he said would be useless. “Thank you,” he said quietly, placing his clawless hand on one of hers.
She stared at him, a look of wonder on her face. “You… Wow, everything’s so different but still the same.”
“How so?” he asked, genuinely curious. He had never really bothered to examine himself during this time, being angry it existed in the first place. Usually he did everything he could to forget he was experiencing it.
Kagome blushed. “Your eyes. The shape is the same and I can still see you in there, your soul, but the color... I just associated the color gold with you so much that it’s shocking. But the color you have now is still so beautiful. It’s black and gray and purple, even.”
“Go on,” he smirked, enjoying her innocent fascination.
Giggling, she ran her fingers through a lock of his hair that was now as dark as hers. “I loved the way your hair was before, but this is nice, too. I never noticed before, but your hair is so weird. I think we have almost the same haircut. Your bangs are so like mine. They’re kind of all over the place. Did you cut it yourself after seeing a Zooey Deschanel movie too?”
They both laughed, their previous awkwardness forgotten, the experience only bringing them closer. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand, and he became self-conscious, worrying that he had grease on his fingers or sauce under his nails. He wasn’t the neatest eater.
“Are your claws really, really sharp?” she murmured, the pad of her thumb running over the edge of his now flat pinky nail.
“Sharp enough,” he said hoarsely. The gentle way she cradled his hand made him ache, body and soul, for her.
“Sharp enough to what?” she asked, eyes meeting his.
“To kill,” he confessed in a whisper.
Kagome smiled. “Now you’re just trying to scare me. I don’t believe what some people do. I don’t think you’re a killer just because you’re built like one.”
Inuyasha said nothing, and eventually she drifted off to sleep, her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair in the dark, forcing himself to remember the face of every life he’d ended in order to remind himself of why he wasn’t good enough for her and never would be. He ran through them and wasn’t even half-way done when the sun came up.
A week went by and they fell into a rhythm. Kagome now had a cell phone, which she used only as an alarm and an Inuyasha summoning device. Sometimes she called Kikyo, but she rarely ever answered. Since Inuyasha’s ears were so sensitive, the alarm always woke him too. They would have microwaved leftovers for breakfast and then he would drop her off and wait around until it was time to pick her up again. They’d talk about her day over dinner and she’d kiss him good night on the cheek, sometimes on the forehead, and he would always hold absolutely still and close his eyes as she did so, which made her laugh. And then Kikyo came back.
It was right after he had picked Kagome up from school. He was perusing the take-out menus, debating the pros and cons of pizza versus sandwiches, when the door opened. Kagome was doing her homework out by the Goshinboku as usual, and she always used the back door so he knew it wasn’t her. Confused, he stepped out to the entrance, wondering if it was Myoga or something. When he saw Kikyo, his heart felt like it was going to burst. There stood the first woman he had ever loved. He suddenly felt all the guilt over his desire for her daughter that he had so far managed to repress. How could he? How could he do such a thing to Kikyo?
She greeted him pleasantly, unaware of his internal struggle. “Ah, Inuyasha. Aren’t you supposed to be at work? It’s only four.”
“I took off early,” he muttered. In truth, he had not been to work the entire time Kagome had been living with him. He had dealt with everything over the phone and so far nothing bad seemed to have happened.
“Where is Kagome?” Kikyo asked, distracted. She had something on her mind.
“Out by the tree doing her homework. I enrolled her in—“
“That’s nice. Are you busy?”
“I was just about to—“
Kikyo threw her arms around him and brought her face to his. Immediately, he saw Kagome with her Christmas angel smile and pushed Kikyo away, rougher than he had intended. She stumbled back, shock on her face. Quickly, she regained her bearing, becoming even more rigid than before.
“I want this to be a real marriage, Inuyasha.”
He rolled his eyes. “You had your chance at a real marriage with me, Kikyo.”
“Perhaps… Perhaps this was not the right choice.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, eyes narrowed.
“I mean,” she hissed, “maybe it would be better if I just left. It’s been a week already and you have made no progress with finding out who is after my company.”
He winced. He had completely forgotten about that. “I’m sorry, Kikyo. Just give me a little more time—“
“I don’t have more time!” she screamed. “I am dying. I can barely manage to keep myself going with what little powers I have left. You were my last hope, but now I see I was foolish and regressing to the idiocy of my youth. I should just take Kagome and go back home. Suikotsu could convince his brothers to help me. He’s a man who gets things done.”
Inuyasha felt like he was going to have a panic attack. She wanted to take Kagome away. That couldn’t happen. He couldn’t go back to the way things were.
“Kikyo, I—“
“Save it,” she said severely, turning her back to him. “I don’t know if I’ll be back tonight.”
She went out the door and he sank into his favorite armchair. He looked down. The menu was torn to shreds in his hands, damp with the sweat from his palms. A need arose in him, a need to see Kagome, to reassure himself that she was still there. Running with inhuman speed, he made his way to the Goshinboku, Kagome’s favorite spot. She was sitting peacefully, a look of concentration on her face, and he could breathe again. The dark sunlight from the sunset was on her hair, and if he squinted it looked like a halo.
Sensing him somehow, she looked up. “Papa Yasha!” she said, surprised and pleased. The expression on her face soothed him and he sat beside her. He usually never bothered her when she did her homework, even though he really wanted to, but this was different. He needed her.
“Kagome,” he breathed, reaching a hand out to stroke her hair. He desperately wanted to feel her skin, to see if it was cool from the breeze or warm from the setting sun. He wanted to know exactly how soft she was.
“What brings you out here?” she chirped happily, closing her book.
“I—“ He stopped himself.
“You what?”
“I… I proposed to your mother under this tree,” he murmured, turning away from her to look up into the leaves.
“I know. That’s why I like it here so much.” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“I don’t love her. I don’t love her, Kagome,” he said in a rough whisper. He could no longer keep it to himself.
She was silent for a few beats. “That’s—No, that’s not true. You’re getting married!”
“She doesn’t love me either.”
She shook her head and he could smell the tears starting. “That’s not true!” she yelled, scrambling to her feet.
“Yes, it is,” he said as he stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a mild shake. He didn’t know why, but he was suddenly angry at her, at himself, at Kikyo.
“Then we’re going to leave? We’re going to go back?” she whispered, the tears finally spilling over onto her face.
“No, Kagome,” he murmured soothingly. “I’ll never send you away.”
“So you’re still getting married?”
He hesitated, then made up his mind. “Yes.”
“But—but why? If you don’t… And Mother doesn’t…” Her tears began to fall faster.
“Kagome,” he breathed again. He had somehow become so close to her he could see himself reflected in her watery, brilliant eyes. For the first time, he noticed the flecks of violet-blue in them. Without thinking, he closed the distance between them, pressing his wanting, seeking lips to her trembling ones. He saw her eyes go wide and then he closed his own, lost in the feeling of finally having her soft lips on his. Tentatively, he licked her lower lip, only coming back to his senses when he heard a soft sob come from his companion.
He pulled away quickly, hands still on her shoulders. Kagome’s eyes were big and unblinking, and although her tears had stopped she was still breathing as though she were crying. A delicate hand came up and she touched her plump lower lip with a single finger.
“Is—is it because… I look like Mother?” she questioned softly. Without waiting for an answer, she wrenched away from him and took off, running madly toward the house.
Snapping himself out of his daze, he started after her. “No, Kagome wait!”
Cursing his thoughtlessness, he ran into the house, wondering why he was so slow. He should have been able to beat her there. Hearing her door slam, he hastened his pace, tugging on the door knob only to discover it was locked.
“Kagome! Kagome, I’m sorry. Open the door, we need to talk!” He knocked, but there was no response. Inuyasha began to worry. Did she hate him now? Would she tell Kikyo? Frantically, he turned the knob and knocked again. “Kagome, open the door or I will break it down!”
Nothing. Silence.
“I’m really going to do it!” he threatened. Still nothing. Taking a deep, agitated breath, he backed up and rushed the door. Right as his shoulder made contact with the wood, he felt a rush come over him and he realized: it was the night of the new moon. He was human now. And the doors were very solid.
“Fuck!” he yelled. His shoulder throbbed painfully and he knew he’d have a nasty bruise there until he regained his demonic healing abilities.
“P-Papa Yasha? Are you okay?” he heard Kagome say from behind the door. Finally, she turned the knob, her worried expression changing into one of fear as soon as she saw him. Screaming, she slammed the door in his face.
“Wait, it’s me! Kagome, it’s me. Inuyasha.”
The door opened again, slowly this time. She was holding her phone in one hand, a lamp in the other, and dropped them to the ground with a loud bump as she stared at him. “Is it… really you?” she whispered. He nodded.
“What happened to you?” She reached a hand out toward him and stopped, quickly bringing it back to her side.
“All half-demons have their night of weakness. A night where they turn human,” he sighed. “Only you, your mom, and Myoga know about this. It’s a secret, okay? Don’t tell anyone.”
“I miss your eyes,” she whispered suddenly.
He looked at her in surprise. “I—thank you. About earlier—“
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to Mother.”
“No, that’s not it,” he insisted. “I want to apologize. I’m so, so incredibly sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he lied. He really wasn’t sorry. How could he be sorry for something he’d wanted so badly? If he was sorry about anything, it was her reaction.
“That… was my first kiss.” She touched a finger to her lip again, looking bewildered. Her eyes met his, confusion still in them. “It was nice. Thank you?”
He covered up his glee with a laugh, saying, “You’re welcome. And I’m sorry about trying to break your door down like some kind of freak. I always get kind of emotional on my human nights. So… what do you say we order pizza?”
Her lips slowly formed a smile and nodded, telling him to pick whatever and going back into her room. Kagome was obviously still confused about the whole situation and unsure of him now, but he could not for the life of him let himself feel bad. He had finally kissed her, and it was perfect. Well, not perfect, since she had kind of just been standing there shocked and unresponsive, but it was sweet and nice. And it had been her first kiss. You never forget your first kiss. Inuyasha smirked to himself.
Dialing Kikyo’s number, he made his way downstairs to his favorite chair. He hadn’t expected her to answer, but she did. He almost hung up, not having a speech prepared.
“Er, um, hey Kikyo!”
“I assume you’ve called to apologize,” she said icily.
“Uh, yeah. It’s just… things are moving really quickly between the two of us. You… you really hurt me, Kikyo. I can’t just pick up where we left off. I need time,” he murmured, trying to sound sincere.
Kikyo sighed. “I understand. But I really want this to work, Inuyasha. I need this to work. I want to make things right. Let’s have our wedding on January first.”
He froze, his tongue feeling like a rock in his mouth. That was only a few months away. “Sure. I’ve got to go now. Bye.”
She murmured her farewell and he hung up, feeling numb. It was late October. January first? The day she left him? But if he married her, he could keep Kagome. He would do anything to keep Kagome, especially now.
He ordered their usual and the pizza arrived quickly, as it always did. Inuyasha suspected he was their main client. He rarely went out and never cooked. Kagome quietly made her way downstairs, obviously having heard the doorbell. She was dressed in her pajamas although it was still early.
“I, uh, got the usual thing,” he muttered.
“Thanks.”
“I really don’t want us to be awkward,” he said desperately, his voice sounding too loud in the echoing, empty room.
“It’s not,” she said quickly. Too quickly. He gave her a look and her shoulders slumped. “Okay, it is,” she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “You’re my best friend. I’m not going to let anything ruin that.”
The emotions rushed through him so fast he didn’t even have time to identify them. “You’re my best friend, too.”
They stood just looking at each other, both wondering what to do and how to act. Finally, Kagome broke the silence. “Let’s eat!”
He nodded and turned on the TV, flipping it to a cartoon he found entertaining for some reason. Kagome sat on the couch next to him, closer than she ever had before, obviously determined not to feel awkward. They ate in silence, both pretending to be watching the goings-on of the poorly drawn characters.
“I’m uh, going to go to bed,” she announced, standing up. “Will you be up much longer?”
“I never sleep on my human night,” he muttered, mouth full of pizza.
“Oh. Do you…want me to stay up? Keep you company? It’s Friday so it won’t be a problem.”
Glancing up at her, he saw her shy sincerity. “It’s okay. I’m used to going it alone.”
She huffed and plopped back down next to him. “Saying something like that just ensures I’ll stay by your side.”
Surprised, he put down his pizza and was about to protest when she gave him a stubborn look and he knew anything he said would be useless. “Thank you,” he said quietly, placing his clawless hand on one of hers.
She stared at him, a look of wonder on her face. “You… Wow, everything’s so different but still the same.”
“How so?” he asked, genuinely curious. He had never really bothered to examine himself during this time, being angry it existed in the first place. Usually he did everything he could to forget he was experiencing it.
Kagome blushed. “Your eyes. The shape is the same and I can still see you in there, your soul, but the color... I just associated the color gold with you so much that it’s shocking. But the color you have now is still so beautiful. It’s black and gray and purple, even.”
“Go on,” he smirked, enjoying her innocent fascination.
Giggling, she ran her fingers through a lock of his hair that was now as dark as hers. “I loved the way your hair was before, but this is nice, too. I never noticed before, but your hair is so weird. I think we have almost the same haircut. Your bangs are so like mine. They’re kind of all over the place. Did you cut it yourself after seeing a Zooey Deschanel movie too?”
They both laughed, their previous awkwardness forgotten, the experience only bringing them closer. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand, and he became self-conscious, worrying that he had grease on his fingers or sauce under his nails. He wasn’t the neatest eater.
“Are your claws really, really sharp?” she murmured, the pad of her thumb running over the edge of his now flat pinky nail.
“Sharp enough,” he said hoarsely. The gentle way she cradled his hand made him ache, body and soul, for her.
“Sharp enough to what?” she asked, eyes meeting his.
“To kill,” he confessed in a whisper.
Kagome smiled. “Now you’re just trying to scare me. I don’t believe what some people do. I don’t think you’re a killer just because you’re built like one.”
Inuyasha said nothing, and eventually she drifted off to sleep, her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair in the dark, forcing himself to remember the face of every life he’d ended in order to remind himself of why he wasn’t good enough for her and never would be. He ran through them and wasn’t even half-way done when the sun came up.