InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Care and Feeding of a Sick Hanyou ❯ Chapter 1

The Care and Feeding of a Sick Hanyou

By Light-Eco-Sage

 

Rated: X (Mature) for language, and borderline porn with plot. (InuKag)

 

Summary: On his human night, Inuyasha catches a cold, and it carries over into his hanyou form. Can a stubborn hanyou learn to let others care for him for once… and maybe get a little something from the deal?

 

Disclaimer: I make no money for this fanfiction. Inuyasha and everything related to him is property of Rumiko Takahashi. (Bows) Also, this fic uses passages from Shakespeare's play “Twelfth Night”. But Shakespeare is public domain, so I can use it! LOL!

 

LES: Okay, I believe that Inuyasha is capable of getting sick. In the Inuyasha Profiles book, Takahashi states that Inuyasha's nose is always damp like a dog's. But when he catches a cold, it dries out. Also, there's the fact that he remembered his mother's cure for colds. If he never got sick, why would he remember such a thing? Also, during the same episode, he gently pats/rubs Kagome's legs to help her sleep. And he says “My mother used to do this.” So, I believe that Inuyasha has gotten sick at least once in his life, when he was with his mother. So, there are my arguments. Please, no reviews saying that Inuyasha can't get sick without backing it up. Constructive criticism, however, is always most welcome! There will be no translations of Japanese words. Sorry. On with the very long one-shot!

 

It was winter in the Feudal Era. Winters were never comfortable in medieval Japan, but when an impatient hanyou is driving you through knee-deep snow like a slave-driver; it is even less uncomfortable.

Kagome pulled her winter jacket around herself tighter and shivered. She couldn't understand Inuyasha's stamina! Out of their whole group, the hanyou was the least dressed. Rain, snow, or sleet, he always wore his customary red fire-rat kimono… with bare feet!

No matter his dress, he managed to navigate the snow like it wasn't even there. He was graceful enough to move across the top of the snow without having to trudge through it like his human companions.

He paused at the crest of the next hill and turned back. “Hurry up! We ain't got all day!” He called.

Sango sighed as she hefted her Hiraikotsu, which was partially responsible for her being unable to walk on top of the snow. “Kagome, if you sit him right now, I'll back you up.” She said sourly.

“Indeed.” Miroku said, carrying the kitsune Shippo. “He should be made to trudge through the snow with the rest of us mortals.”

Kagome sighed, watching the breath rise from her lips in a visible stream. “It's tempting.” But, tempting or not, she did not activate Inuyasha's Beads of Subjugation. When she caught up to the hanyou, she sighed loudly. “We can't keep going on like this. We're gonna end up catching something.”

“Feh. Pathetic humans. It's just a little snow.” Inuyasha growled.

“Perhaps, but travelling too long in the snow can make humans very sick.” Miroku pointed out, having caught up. “Do you remember how long Kagome put our last shard hunt on hold the last time she was sick?”

“Hey!” Kagome protested. “It wasn't like I asked to be sick!”

“I wasn't implying that you were.” Miroku quickly amended.

“Inuyasha, if stopping for the night will stop us from getting sick, is that really such a large price to pay?” Sango asked.

“You should be weary too, Inuyasha, for tonight is the first day of the lunar cycle.” Miroku pointed out.

Oh! The New Moon! Kagome thought to herself.

Inuyasha snorted. “I don't just get sick!” He glared at the other three, and then realized that he was out-numbered and out-voted. “Fine, we'll stop for the night.”

“Thanks, Inuyasha.” Kagome said, moving with Miroku and Sango to set up camp.

“Feh! I just don't need you pathetic humans getting ill on me and delaying our trip anymore.” The angry hanyou said, stalking off to find some game before the night of the New Moon began.

Kagome smiled fondly at Inuyasha's retreating back. Are you really just concerned about the Quest, or are you really concerned about our health?

She, alone, had seen the care that Inuyasha was capable of giving when she got sick. How he had made his mother's cold cure, horrible-tasting though it was, and how he had kept vigil over her all night, giving her comfort with the soft pressure of his hand against her thigh.

It had been one of his rare tender moments, and she treasured the memory. And she dared to think that perhaps the crude hanyou cared about her more than he would admit.

Camp was set up, and Inuyasha returned with some small game already prepared for cooking. Just as he tossed the unidentifiable small animals to Miroku to put over the flames, the moonless night began and his hanyou features quickly disappeared.

Kagome watched, fascinated, as his hair turned black like someone had dumped a bucket of ink over his head. His cute dog ears morphed and slid down to the side of his head until he had purely human ears. His golden eyes turned into a deep violet. His fangs and claws shrank to nothing and completed his physical transformation into a mortal. Kagome noticed his nose working overtime, trying to smell with his human nose. He finally gave up with a snort.

He settled down at the base of a tree, some distance from the others around the fire with the Tetsusaiga held against his chest.

“Don't you want to be closer to the fire?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha turned away. “Feh. A little snow is nothing. I've lived through worse on my human night.”

Kagome sighed. She had long ago accepted the unavoidable angst that came with the hanyou's human night. But she still wished that he would open up a little more. Yes, he was more emotional, but those emotions scared him and he refused to face them.

The night was spent like many other moonless nights: Inuyasha and Miroku remained awake. Inuyasha never slept on his human nights on pure habit, and Miroku stayed awake so that someone powerful could protect the group if something assaulted them during the night. Shippo slept curled up with Kagome in her sleeping back while Kirara did the same with Sango.

Miroku noticed that Inuyasha had curled into himself, shivering and coughing from time to time. Miroku offered the mortal hanyou one of Kagome's blankets, but the stubborn hanyou refused.

~~~~~~~~~

Morning came, and Kagome awoke refreshed. Her sleeping bag kept her nice and warm. She knew that the air outside would be frigid cold, and she was in no rush to let the others know of her state of wakefulness.

Someone in the camp coughed rather violently, and then she heard the monk's voice. “I don't like the sound of that cough, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha snorted, his voice gruff and rusty. “And I'm telling you, I'm fine!” He coughed again, even more violently than last time.

“That cough has persisted through the night and even after the sunrise.” Miroku pointed out. “Perhaps you are incapable of getting sick as a hanyou, but as a mortal, you'd be as vulnerable as the rest of us.”

“I'm fine. Leave me alone.” Inuyasha growled.

Kagome felt that she could no longer pretend to be asleep. So she sat up and made a show of stretching the last of the sleep out of her body. “Good morning.” She glanced at Inuyasha.

He looked miserable. His skin was pale and flushed, his eyes looked dead, his ears were drooped, and he was shivering violently. If he wasn't sick, then Naraku is the kindest creature in Japan.

“Inuyasha! You look terrible!” Kagome said worriedly.

“Feh.” Inuyasha snorted.

Kagome stood and moved over to him. Before he could protest, he pressed her hand to his forehead. His skin was slick with cold sweat and he was extremely hot to her touch.

Inuyasha jerked away from her. “Damnit, wench! I said I'm fine!”

“No! You're not! You're burning up!” She felt his kimono, ignoring the blush that formed on his pale face. “Your clothes are soaking wet! No wonder you're sick!”

“I told you: I don't get sick like you stupid humans!”

“Well, you were a `stupid human' last night, weren't you?” Kagome demanded.

Inuyasha got to his feet to appear more threatening. But, instead of having the desired effect, the sudden change of position almost caused him to swoon. Miroku and Kagome barely managed to catch the hanyou before he passed out on the ground.

It took several seconds for the dizzy spell to pass, and Inuyasha slowly pushed himself up-right and leaned against a tree, holding his head. “Damnit!” He growled.

Kagome moved closer to him worriedly. She had never seen Inuyasha sick before. Hanyou obviously almost never got sick, but when they did, it probably would feel a hundred times worse than it really was because they were not used to it.

“You should… probably come back to my era.” Kagome said slowly. “The Feudal era in the winter is a bad place to get sick.”

“Wench, I ain't sick.” Inuyasha hissed, but there was no real fight in is voice.

Sango, who had woken up with the commotion, stared at the three in confusion. “What's going on?” She asked.

“Sango, can Inuyasha and I borrow Kirara?” Kagome asked. “He hasn't recovered well from his human night.”

Sango instantly knew that something was wrong. Inuyasha had only traveled on Kirara a few times, and that had been when he was either human or when she caught him in a fall. Usually he preferred to travel on foot. “Sure, Kagome, are you heading to the well?”

“Yes. It'll probably be a few days. And watch Shippo for me?”

“Of course. Kirara.” Sango addressed her pet fire-cat Yokai. The cat work from her cat-nap, yawned, and stared up at Sango with large, intelligent red eyes. “Can you take Kagome and Inuyasha to the Bone Eater's well?”

Kirara glanced at Inuyasha as if she too were confused by the change. She mewed, and Inuyasha managed to make a weak throaty growl. Kirara seemed to think nothing of Inuyasha's threat, and transformed into her larger size.

Kagome petted the fire-cat Yokai. “Thanks Kirara.” The Yokai purred. She gently helped Inuyasha over and onto the Yokai. Kagome got on in front of him so that he could lean on her, which he did.

Perhaps he was too sick to notice the way Kagome flushed when he buried his face against the back of her neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. He didn't notice, but Miroku and Sango did.

Kagome blushed even more when she realized that her friends were watching. “Okay, Kirara, slowly, please.”

Kirara mewed in affirmation and then smoothly took to the air. Kagome's blush deepened to beet-red as Inuyasha's grip tightened on her waist.

Her hand met his. “You are sick, aren't you?”

“Damnit!” Inuyasha hissed into the back of her neck. This close, she could hear the phlegm in his lungs.

Seems like nothing more than the Common Cold. Kagome thought. Even we don't have a cure, but if Inuyasha were human in this time, he could die. Even still, being sick has to be horrible for him.

Kirara was the only one in the group that could make the trip to the Well as quickly as Inuyasha could, so the trip was over pretty quickly.

Kirara landed softly and helped Kagome with Inuyasha. “Inuyasha, do you think you can go through the well?”

“Yeah.” Inuyasha said.

Kagome helped Inuyasha over the lip of the well and, together, they dropped into the time-slip.

As soon as they were deposited in the well in Kagome's era, she knew that Inuyasha's illness had made him motion-sick. And Kagome always knew that the trip through time was not for someone who got motion-sick easily.

The hanyou retched, trying valiantly to keep the food in his stomach where it belonged. But Kagome knew that it was a losing battle that he was fighting. She barely had time to pull his mane of hair back from his face before he leaned over and vomited on the ground on the bottom of the well.

Kagome awkwardly rubbed his back as he retched and chocked. It took a while for the wave of sickness to pass, and Inuyasha straightened, shaking rather violently. “Sorry.” He muttered.

“Don't be.” Kagome tried to comfort him. “You can't help being sick. Can you wait here for a moment?”

“Don't leave me.” Inuyasha pleaded.

Kagome froze, staring at the ill hanyou. “I'm not leaving. It's just that I thought I should go get you a ladder. You're not fit to leap out of here, and I don't think you can climb these vines either.”

Inuyasha leaned against the inner wall of the well. “Don't forget me down here, wench.”

Kagome knew that he was trying to recover his self-image from his verbal slip-up after being sick on the well bottom. And she forgave him for his calling her a wench for the millionth time because she knew that he was ill and irritable. “I'll never forget you, Inuyasha.” She began to scale the vines with practiced ease.

She moved over the top and quickly rushed out and found the ladder. She maneuvered it into the well-house somehow, and got it down the well.

She kept an eye on Inuyasha as he climbed the ladder. He managed it without incident, and she instantly gave him support as he crested the top of the well.

As he allowed himself to be held close to her, she wondered if him being sick had caused him to become more affectionate than normal. Only rarely had the hanyou shown her any amount of affection. And, as much as she loved to think that it was possible that he loved her as much as she loved him, it hurt her even more.

I wish that he would stop playing with my heart. She nearly cried, but kept her tears on the inside. Because if she cried, he would know it and ask her why she was crying. Our fairy tale is going to end with my Prince going to hell with his undead lover. Why, Inuyasha? Why do you have to make this harder for me to accept? Have I fallen in love with you just to lose you?

She entered the house and found it strangely empty. Inuyasha sniffed the air. “Ain't no one's been here for at least two days.” He mumbled.

“You can take a break from being my protector, you know.” Kagome said. “We're safe in my era, and you're sick.”

“Feh. Being your protector is a full-time job! You're a handful.” Inuyasha said as Kagome moved him over to the couch.

Last year, her mother had bought a couch with a hide-away bed, in case relatives visited. At first, she thought that the purchase had been a stupid one, but now she was grateful for it.

Inuyasha watched as she struggled with the contraption for a minute or two before folding out the hidden futon. She readjusted the sheets and grabbed some pillows and blankets for him.

She quickly felt Inuyasha's temperature again by hand. He was still burning. “How do you feel? Hot or cold?”

Inuyasha continued to shake. “Cold.”

“You have chills? Okay. I know that you'll want to bundle up, but don't. You have a fever. It's a sign that your body is trying to fight your illness as quickly as possible. But we can't let you get too hot either.” Kagome handed him one of the blankets. “Mom always leaves a note. I'll find it, and I'll get you some medicine.” She left Inuyasha to make himself comfortable.

She quickly found the note, taped to the front of the refrigerator. It was dated two days previously.

`Kagome,

Your grandfather, Sota, and I will be

Visiting a shrine out of town for

Business. We'll be gone a week.

I bought your supplies and if

You need more, there is money

On the counter.

Mom.'

Five days! Kagome thought to herself. Inuyasha and I will be alone for five whole days! But she quickly pushed the thought aside. Inuyasha was sick. And even if he wasn't, he would be too noble to take advantage of the situation, and too dense to realize that she wanted him to take advantage of the situation.

She sighed hopelessly and then went to check on her sick hanyou. To her shock, she found that he was already asleep.

She still wanted Inuyasha to take some medicine, but she couldn't bring herself to wake him up. She secretly loved to watch him sleep. He didn't look as peaceful as normal, and his breathing was rougher and more phlegm-y. But she still found him incredibly handsome. And it reminded her of the first time she had ever set eyes on the strange hanyou from the past: when he was pinned to the Goshinboku under a peaceful enchanted sleep.

His last moments in his first life were tainted with betrayal and hate, so why did he look so peaceful? Kaede had asked that question before, and Inuyasha had simply shrugged in answer.

She gently sat down on the bed and ran her fingers through his silky hair. She could have sworn that the hanyou nuzzled into her hand and begin to growl contentedly, but she decided to brush it off as a fluke.

Still, fluke or not, she could not help herself. Her fingers closed on one of his soft ears, and she rubbed the canine appendage. She loved the feeling of the fine silver fur under her fingers. Her gentle caress apparently tickled him, because his ear flicked automatically in annoyance.

She gave up on his ear, and leaned closer to his face. She hesitated, and then pressed her lips to his sweat-dampened forehead. “Get better, Inuyasha.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Inuyasha slept, Kagome settled down in a near-by chair with a book that she had to read for her senior year English class. She couldn't believe that her sensei would assign such a complicated work. William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night!

Even the foreign-exchange students for whom English was a first language still complained about the complexity of Shakespeare. It was written in Old English and Shakespeare had a bad habit of making up words off the top of his head.

Her English sensei had said that it was a romantic comedy, but how was she supposed to `get it' if she couldn't even understand it?

She jumped into Duke Orsino's first line and quickly drowned in a sea of thee's and thou's.

She decided that she wouldn't be able to concentrate on this mumbo-jumbo while Inuyasha was sick. Damn sensei for making this dumb play the subject of our final! Kagome allowed herself a moment of bitterness and tossed Twelfth Night aside.

“Kagome?” She jumped slightly. Inuyasha was leaning up on his elbows, staring at her with tired eyes. “What's wrong?”

Kagome sighed. “Nothing. It's just a play that I have to read for my English class.”

“What's it about?”

Kagome sighed again. “I wish I could tell you.”

“But I thought you could read… even those weird In-gliss symbols.” Inuyasha said.

“I can read!” Kagome said. “But it's written differently. It's like the difference between how I speak and how Kaede speaks.”

“You can understand Kaede, can't you?”

“Okay, Mr. Smarty-pants, let's see how you do.” Kagome retrieved the book and flipped to the beginning. She did a rough, but accurate translation into Japanese because Inuyasha couldn't understand English.

Duke Orsino:

“If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! It had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:

`Tis not so sweet now as it was before.

O spirit of love! How quick and fresh art thou,

That, notwithstanding they capacity

Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,

Of what validity and pitch soe'er

But falls into abatement and low price

Even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy

That it alone is high fantasitical.”

Curio:

“Will you go hunt, my lord?”

Duke Orsino:

“What, Curio?”

Curio:

“The hart.”

Duke Orsino:

“Why, so I do, the noblest that I have:

O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first,

Methought she purged the air of pestilence!

That instant was I turn'd into a hart;

And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,

E'er since pursue me.”

“Well, ain't it obvious?” Inuyasha asked. “This Duke guy thinks he's in love with this Olivia wench. But he ain't really in love with her. He's in love with the idea of being in love.”

“How—how did you know that?” Kagome asked, realizing that his words made a lot of sense.

“Feh. I ain't as stupid as you all think I am.” Inuyasha grumbled. “I'm hungry.”

Kagome smiled; glad to have her hanyou-with-an-attitude back. “Okay. I'll get your medicine too.”

~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the day was spent with Kagome reading Twelfth Night out loud to Inuyasha to keep him company while he was bed-ridden.

Kagome was surprised that Inuyasha listened quietly, and only spoke when she asked him for clarification. He was really taking in the story and seemed to be enjoying it.

Soon, she began to ask for his help less and less as she found it easier to understand the mumbo-jumbo. Soon, the only interruptions were when they laughed themselves silly over Olivia falling in love with Viola dressed as a man, and how the maid tricked the tight-ass Malvolio into wearing tights and prancing around like a love-dazed idiot.

Kagome found herself growing sympathetic towards the character Viola. She was so in love with Duke Orsino that she would disguise herself as a man in order to be near him. And she tried to woo Olivia on her Duke's behalf so that he would be happy.

Isn't that how I feel about Inuyasha? I love him so much that I'll let him go to Hell with Kikyo if that will make him happy.

Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the pause in her reading. “What's the matter? You don't get something?”

“Why? Why would she just stand aside and let the man she loves woo after someone else? And, not only that, actually help try to get them together!” Kagome demanded.

Inuyasha stared at her. “Sometimes… you want the person you love to be happy. Even if it removes you from the picture.”

“Inuyasha…” Kagome paused. “How did you know that you were in love with Kikyo?”

Inuyasha went red and buried his face against his pillow to try and hide his face from view. All she could see was the top of his head and his ears pinned back. “I don't wanna talk about it.”

Kagome sighed. I guess it's hard for him to talk about his love life… even with me. His best friend.

But then Inuyasha jarred her from her thoughts. “Kikyo was one of the most amazing people I've ever met. I had spent almost a hundred and fifty years being hunted like common game by Yokai, and hunted and feared by humans. I fought for my life every day, and I got about as strong as a rogue hanyou could get. Kikyo was the first one to best me in battle with no hope of escape. I really thought that she was going to kill me… but she didn't.” Inuyasha sighed. “I knew that she was different from everyone else. And, as I got closer to her, I realized what her life was like… she was loved greatly, but she was really as alone as I was. She sat near me, spoke to me, and we fought Yokai together. She turned her back on me many times… she trusted me not to use my claws on her. She was the first person since my mother to touch me and allow me to hold her.”

Kagome stared at the wall blankly. Inuyasha, if you ask it, I will do more than touch you and let you hold me. I would give you everything I am… body and soul. I love you, Inuyasha… She began to cry.

“Ka—Kagome!?” Inuyasha coughed slightly.

“Can we finish this tomorrow?” She set Twelfth Night aside. “Try to get some more sleep, Inuyasha.”

The hanyou looked like he wanted to press the issue, but then was stopped by a violent coughing fit.

Kagome got on the futon next to him, rubbing his back. “Could you tell me the ingredients to your mother's cold cure?” Kagome asked. “It will probably help you get better much faster.”

Inuyasha shook his head. “Sota made me swear never to tell you what was in it.”

“Come on. It certainly didn't taste like Oden, but it can't be that bad!”

Inuyasha hesitated, and then decided that he could do with some of his mother's cold cure. “Okay… get me a paper and something to write with.”

Kagome did as she was told. When she returned, Inuyasha began to write a long, shopping list of items.

“Wow. It takes a lot of stuff.” Kagome commented.

“Yeah. But it makes a very good cure.” He hesitated before handing Kagome the list.

She glanced over the list, and her eyes widened. “Liver?!? There was liver in that potion!” Kagome suddenly felt sick again.

“What? Liver's very good for you.” Inuyasha said.

“I hate liver!” Kagome groaned. “I think I'm gonna be sick!”

“It worked, didn't it?” Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome sighed. “I… I think we have most of this stuff. Grandfather loves liver…” She shuttered at the thought and went to get the gross liver potion ready.

~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha greedily drank the cure without even pulling a face, and then swiftly fell asleep again.

Kagome allowed herself a chance to soak in the tub. Her romantic mind began to compare Inuyasha to Duke Orsino. Duke Orsino did not know very much about love, which was why he sent Viola-disguised-as-a-man to woo Olivia in his place. She sometimes wondered if what Inuyasha felt for Kikyo was love rather than a mutual need to end their loneliness.

He often needed others to express his feeling for him. How many times had she been forced to explain the true meaning behind his cruel words?

She got out and dried off her damp body, and collapsed on her bed and slipped into a wonderful dream when Inuyasha kissed her, touched her intimately, and told her that he loved her.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Inuyasha had improved greatly, thanks to his mother's miracle cure. But Kagome insisted on him staying bed-ridden. He had removed his haori and undershirt sometime during the night as his fever worsened, but was already starting to cool down. The next afternoon found them sitting together on the futon, Inuyasha flat on his stomach and Kagome next to him.

Kagome was brushing his hair, as she had been allowed to do several times before.

His breathing was a lot calmer now and, for that, she was glad. He still had a slight fever, but it was nothing to get worried over. Suddenly, Inuyasha spoke. “Uh… Kagome? Could you stop grooming me?”

“Huh? Why?” Kagome asked.

“It's just… it's something that mates do, is all.” Inuyasha said.

Would he… rather have Kikyo grooming him? Kagome wondered to herself. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

She got up and made him some homemade soup, (“What? No ramen?”) and then picked up Twelfth Night again.

While Inuyasha finished his soup, she finished reading out loud the last few scenes of Shakespeare's play.

Deceptions were revealed, masks came off, and the couples were rearranged more logically. Duke Orsino decided to marry Viola despite her cross-dressing. And Olivia fell in love with Viola's twin brother Sebastian.

“He made the right choice.” Inuyasha said as she closed the book.

“What?”

“That Duke guy.” Inuyasha said. “He was right to choose Viola.”

Kagome froze. After all, she had been comparing herself and Inuyasha to Viola and Orsino the whole time. “Why?”

“Well… he knew Viola better… even if he knew her as a man. He was probably…” He laughed. “Very relieved when he found out that she was a woman. He admitted that he didn't know Olivia that well.”

“Well… I guess.” Kagome admitted.

An awkward silence passed between the two, and Inuyasha desperately broke it. “I'm kind of tired.”

“Oh. Would you like something else to eat before going to sleep?” Kagome asked, expecting him to be a glutton, like usual.

Instead, Inuyasha shook his head. “I'm not hungry.” Kami… He thought desperately. I'm love-sick for you, Kagome! Why do you give me false hope by caring for me as a mate would?

Kagome smiled at him at him and walked out of the room. Inuyasha pressed his face against the pillows and flattened his ears against his head as he tried to sort out his confused feelings.

She's a human, a human who doesn't know a lot about Yokai culture. She probably doesn't know how arousing it is when she grooms and cares for me. A pure-hearted woman like Kagome would never love a hanyou. A beast… no, worse than a beast. And, even if she did care for me that way, she would never become my mate. We could have a relationship in the human ways, but she would never accept the Soul-Exchange ceremony. Even my own mother did not bind her soul to my father. Very few humans choose that path. Inuyasha felt as if he had been shot through his chest again. The pain was unbearable and he groaned. We could become husband and wife by human customs, but she will only live for a few more decades, while I will live for centuries. Without the Soul-Exchange ceremony… I would end up losing her… He felt tears coming at the sheer thought of losing Kagome to her inevitable death at the hands of time, but he quickly held them in. I'm not strong enough to be able to love her for a few decades only to lose her. I want her at my side forever as my Soul-Mate.

~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome watched Inuyasha from around the corner. She could see the unshed tears in his amber eyes and could tell from his aura that he was extremely depressed.

Oh, Inuyasha, I wish you could tell me what is wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~

That night, Kagome carefully snuck downstairs, and stood in the doorway in order to stare at her beautiful, sleeping hanyou.

He was on his side, curled up as he had been when he first fell asleep on her bed.

God, that seems like ages ago. Kagome moved closer. She knelt down and gently brushed his unruly bangs out of his face. He was peacefully asleep, snoring lightly, and his ears were in the `at ease' position.

“Inuyasha…” She spoke softly, having no intention of waking him up. He showed no signs of being roused. “I wish I could say this to your face, but I—I can't. I'm too afraid. And I'm probably screwing myself by saying this now, but… I love you, Inuyasha.”

She kissed him once again on his forehead, and then left. Little did the human girl know that Inuyasha was very good at pretending to be asleep, thanks to his years of defending himself in the wilds of Feudal Japan.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. “Kagome… I would give everything I am to hear you say that one more time.”

Coming to his decision, he got unsteadily to his feet, having been forced to stay in bed for a couple of days. He found Kagome in her room, staring absent-mindedly out the window.

“Say it again, Kagome.” Inuyasha said softly.

Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin. This was not a mere coincidence! Inuyasha had to have been awake for her confession. She spun around to face him, dreadfully embarrassed. “Inuyasha! I…”

Inuyasha moved closer to her, and embraced her. “Please. Tell me you love me again.”

“Inu…”

“Please, Kagome! Say three little words, and I'll be free to give you everything I've ever wanted to give.” Inuyasha pleaded. “I'll give you everything you ask for… my heart… my body… my soul. I'll be your familiar, protector, lover, husband, mate… anything you want!”

Kagome stood frozen in his embrace, slightly over-whelmed by Inuyasha's sudden tidal wave of emotions. She wondered for a moment if he were possessed by some Cupid-like Yokai. But, judging by his aura, he was not possessed. He was simply over-whelmed with so many emotions that he could no longer contain them.

“Inuyasha… do you… really mean all that?” She asked.

Inuyasha's expression changed, like he suddenly decided that this wasn't such a good idea after all. “I'm… I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean to be so—so forward. If you sat me right now, I would understand.” He braced himself for the coming impact, but it never did come.

Instead, he felt her delicate hands slipping under the collars of his haori and undershirt. Her smooth fingers slid across his heated flesh as she pushed the cloth from his shoulders.

“Ka—Kagome!”

“I don't want you as an Inugami.” Kagome said. “An Inugami is like a slave.”

“I'm already your familiar Dog Spirit.” Inuyasha said, pointing out the rosary around his neck. “You subdue me with your kotodama.”

Kagome smiled, lifted her hands from his bare shoulders, and touched the rosary. There was a flash of pink light, and the prayer beads turned to dust. Inuyasha stared, wide-eyed. “Sit.” Kagome whispered. Inuyasha flinched out of habit, but nothing happened. “Then, from now on, I'll have to subdue my Inugami with pleasure instead of pain.” Inuyasha's eyes grew wider. “I want you as my protector… but I want it to go both ways. I'll protect you too. And in those other ways… as a love, husband, and mate… yes, Inuyasha. I do love you. I just want to know that you know what it means to be a lover and husband.”

“Feh. I should be saying the same. Do you really know what it means to be mates?” Inuyasha asked.

“Isn't it like a marriage?” Kagome asked.

“Not at all. Yokai don't believe in a formal wedding ceremony like you humans.” Inuyasha said. “Yokai perform something called a Soul-Exchange ceremony. I'll take a piece of your soul into my body, and place a piece of my soul in yours. It cannot be undone. It will bind us as mates forever. But few humans choose it. You'll gain my lifespan. Most humans find the concept of outliving all their friend and family disturbing. Besides, a piece of my soul could taint the purity of your soul and you might lose your miko powers. Kagome… I love you, and I know that it's selfish of me to say… but I want more than a couple decades with you. I love you, Kagome! I can't lose you…”

“Inuyasha…” Kagome embraced him. “I don't ever want you to be alone. And when my family and friends are dead, I'll have you. I love you. Make me your mate.”

“Um…” Inuyasha began, blushing. “The ceremony is usually done… after our physical joining. But I guess I could do it now if you're… uncomfortable.”

“I'm not a child anymore, both in your time and mine.” Kagome said. “I know what I want, just… be gentle.”

“I will.” Inuyasha whispered and Kagome pressed her lips to his. Inuyasha froze, as if unsure of what to do. But with Kagome's gentle encouragement, he relaxed and gently returned her passion.

“Mmm… Inuyasha…” Kagome moaned, trailing her fingers over the smooth, hard muscles of his chest.

“Damn, bitch. You have no idea what you do to me.” He ground his hips against hers, and gave her a pretty good idea of what she did to him, judging by the rapidly hardening object that she felt against her body.

Kagome reached down between them and Inuyasha hissed through his teeth as she gripped his erection through the fabric of his hakama. “This is all mine?” Kagome asked playfully.

“Kami, yes.” Inuyasha hissed, using his sharp claws to cut away the fabric of her clothing, leaving her undressed in record time. Kagome gasped. “Just as you are mine!”

He bent down slightly and began to kiss lightly at the soft flesh on the upper boundary of her left breast, and Kagome's breathing turned into ragged gasps for breath. At first, he stayed at the safety zone away from the peaks of her breasts for he was unsure if Kagome would allow him to suckle her like a pup. The part of him that was Inu-Yokai did not see what the big deal was. After all, a female's breasts were to feed pups. But his human side was fascinated by them, and he desperately longed to taste her.

Kagome solved his inner dilemma by arching her back until his mouth covered the peak of her breast. She moaned loudly gripping his head on both sides to keep him where he was.

Once he was there, nipping lightly with his fangs and teasing with his tongue, the Yokai in him decided that a human fascination of breasts wasn't such a bad thing after all.

“Oh! Inu—Ahh!” Kagome moaned, gasping loudly when he quickly switched to the opposite breast and gave it the same treatment, while making sure the one he just left didn't feel neglected by massaging it gently with his right hand.

During this, they somehow managed to maneuver to Kagome's bed and fell down on the surface. Inuyasha instantly claimed the place of dominance, kissing her passionately.

His deadly clawed hand sought the junction between her legs and he cupped her womanhood. Kagome moaned again, grinding herself against his hand.

God damn! She's so hot! Inuyasha shuttered, and his erection practically begged to be released from the restraints of his hakama. He wanted to explore her, but was afraid to do so blindly with deadly claws. It would be only too easy for him to cut her when he was punch-drunk.

He quickly swallowed his pride, and whispered in Kagome's ear. “Where, Kagome? Show me.”

Due to a few masturbation sessions when she was alone with a hot spring and years of tampon use, Kagome knew perfectly well where. She also knew that Inuyasha must've felt extremely embarrassed about having to ask, and she knew that he was inexperienced when it came to women. As a hanyou, it must've been hard enough for him to get close to women, let alone becoming intimately familiar with a woman's body. He had probably never endured a `birds and the bees' lecture. When his mother had died, he was too young. And she couldn't imagine Kikyo, even the kind-hearted Kikyo of Inuyasha's memories, sitting him down and explaining the mechanics of sex. And instinct could only take you so far.

Her hand drifted down until it met his hand. She gently guided him through her folds until she led him to her concealed opening. “Right there.” She gasped.

Inuyasha was fighting a desperate inner battle. From here, she was even hotter, and her moisture was clinging to his fingers. Not to mention the fact that the scent of her arousal suddenly permeated the room. He wanted to pump in and out of her with his fingers, but feared injuring her with his claws. Perhaps, on his human night, he would be free to let go. And then when he built up his confidence, he could try to pleasure her fully as a hanyou.

So, he contented himself with exploring the outside of her womanhood. He treasured her gasp of pleasure when he found a bundle of nerves that seemed to give her the most pleasure.

“Kagome…?”

“What?” Kagome gasped as his wondrous hand stopped its tortures.

“As an Inu-Yokai, I want to take you from behind. But as a human, I wanna take you like this.” Inuyasha said, blushing again.

Kagome gazed lovingly into his eyes and kissed him. “I wanna see your face.”

“Heh. Human side wins again.” Inuyasha kissed her while blindly untying his hakama with Kagome's aid. “But… I guess that's what happens when a hanyou mates a human.”

“No regrets, Inuyasha.” Kagome breathed as she released his erection. “I'll love you for all time.”

“No regrets, I promise.” Inuyasha agreed.

Aided once again by Kagome, his tip found her entrance and he gently pressed into her, expanding her, and filling her.

Kagome dug her fingers into his shoulders because of the discomfort of being stretched in a way that she had never been stretched before.

She felt no resistance from her hymen as Inuyasha penetrated her. She wasn't all that surprised that it was gone, given all the things that happened to her in Feudal Japan. It must've broken while she was fighting a Yokai or some similar activity.

Before she knew it, her hanyou was fully sheathed within her. Kagome gazed up into her lover's face and gasped with shock. Light purple markings were beginning to bleed onto his cheeks, and his clenched fangs had grown longer. “Inuyasha?” Kagome spoke fearfully.

“I'm—I'm fine.” Inuyasha shuttered, opening his eyes. His irises were amber, but the whites had bleed red, so much like the time when they got trapped in the Stone Ogre's stomach. “Are you okay, Kagome?”

Kagome simply nodded. She pressed her hips against his, pushing him in deeper. Inuyasha hissed. “I love you.” She whispered.

“Kagome…” Inuyasha breathed. He readjusted himself to allow more support, slowly withdrew from her willing body, and pressing back in. The friction felt wonderful, but the slow pace felt more like torture than pleasure.

She growled in annoyance, and Inuyasha froze. “For the love of Kami, harder! Faster!”

“But… I'm a hanyou… and a lot stronger than a human male.” Inuyasha said.

“Damnit, Inuyasha! I'm not made of glass! If you hurt me, I'll tell you! But this slow pace is going to kill me!” Kagome hissed.

“Uh… okay.” Inuyasha said reluctantly. He repeated the motion, except with a quick snapping movement.

“Ugh! Just like that!” Kagome moaned, wrapping her legs around his hips to encourage him to keep that pace.

The Inu-hanyou finally let go and did as his instincts demanded: to take his mate hard and fast. He desperately pounded into her willing body for a few minutes while they both grunted and moaned in pleasure.

It wasn't very long before Inuyasha felt the tell-tale burning of coming release.

“Damnit, `Gome, I'm not gonna…” The Inu-hanyou spat out brokenly, but didn't finish his sentence. Every muscle in his body froze and locked in place, and he howled loudly as he came, planting his seed within her waiting womb.

Kagome, to be honest, was a little disappointed at his premature ejaculation. After all, as far as she was concerned, they had only just started when he had finished. But she realized that it was probably because of his inexperience.

Inuyasha gulped at the air like a fish out of water, trying to regain his breath. “Ka… gome…” He gasped.

She kissed his nose. “It's all right, Inuyasha.” She said. “I know you didn't mean to finish so soon.”

“Huh? Finish?” Inuyasha breathed softly, looking her in the face. “Who said I was finished?” He rolled his hips into hers, revealing to a surprised Kagome that he was still hard within her. “I told you before; I'm not like a human male. You ain't getting off the hook that easily, bitch.”

Almost as if Inuyasha hadn't already found release, they picked up where they had left off. It seemed that all he needed was to get one release out of his system before the fun could really start.

Their second time making love lasted a lot longer than the first, and she finally got a taste of Inuyasha's true sexual stamina. She wouldn't have been surprised if they ended up making love all night.

The tightly-wound coil in her abdomen tightened and she could feel her climax just beyond her reach.

“Inu—just… a little… more… please!” Kagome begged, gripping tightly onto his sweat-slicked shoulders for even the tiniest amount of grounding. The pleasure-drunk hanyou had no will to refuse her, and stepped up his pace one more notch, and ruthlessly drove her over the edge into ecstasy.

Kagome let loose an uninhibited scream of pleasure as the coil snapped and her body and mind blew up in an explosion of pleasure and ecstasy.

The tightening of her inner muscles around him triggered his own release, and for the second time, he howled and filled her with his seed.

Once Kagome caught her breath, she realized that Inuyasha had a hand on each side of her face, supporting his weight on his elbows.

“Kagome… Love… This is the Soul-Exchange ceremony.” He breathed. “You'll probably feel a little light-headed during it, but trust me and don't pull away.”

Kagome stared up into his amber eyes, still clouded with lust. “I trust you. Take me as your mate.”

Inuyasha grinned lazily, and then leaned down and kissed her. Unsure of what to do, Kagome returned the kiss.

As soon as her mouth opened to invite him in further, he began to suck. Something was being drawn from her body, and she began to feel light-headed and a little sick. Oh Kami! He's sucking out my soul! She realized, having had her soul sucked out of her body on a number of occasions before.

Her immediate instinct was to pull away. But Inuyasha had warned her not to do that, so she simply put her trust in him and clung to him tighter.

Inuyasha stopped sucking when only a small piece of her soul had entered his body.

For a moment, they trembled in each other's arms, still locked at the lips.

And then Inuyasha began to blow into her body, and something was pushed into her body, something wild and untamable, but at the same time full of love and tenderness. It's a piece of Inuyasha's soul!

The piece of Inuyasha joined with her soul and filled the hole that was left by the piece that he had taken within himself. She instantly felt better. She felt better than better! She had a piece of Inuyasha inside her! It warmed her from the inside and gave her comfort.

Inuyasha gently kissed her, and then pulled away from her slightly. “It's official now. You are mine… and I am yours.”

Kagome smiled lovingly into Inuyasha's chest. “I love you, Inuyasha. I love you.” She kissed him; he tasted like masculinity, dog, and sex and sweat.

Inuyasha held her closer to himself. “Kagome… your soul… it feels wonderful. You really are an amazing person.” Inuyasha had seen what could happen to bonded mates who weren't compatible. The souls would not mix together well, and it could lead to rejection. And rejection was an extremely painful process that could lead to death for both involved. But Kagome's pure soul had settled within his own, and filled him with warmth, contentment, and life. “How does my soul feel within you?” He asked.

Kagome smiled lazily and kissed him. “Like a warm summer day.”

“Good.” Inuyasha said, lapping gently at the flesh of her throat.

Kagome moaned, turning her head to give him better access to her skin. “Does that mean… Mmm… that we are… good mates?”

“Yes. We're perfect mates.” Inuyasha said.

“Do we have to go back to your era that you're recovered?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha grinned slightly. “We have until your family gets back.”

 

LES: Well, that's it! Yes, I wanted to take a different take on mate-bonding. I borrowed the concept from the manga “Her Majesty's Dog” when one of the main characters is an Inugami that takes the life-force from his owner by kissing her. I evolved the Soul-Exchange ceremony from that. Turns out, Inuyasha's illness doesn't become as big a deal as I originally wanted it to be. It turned into a story about Shakespeare and sex, oh, and Inuyasha happened to get sick. LOL! If you are interested in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, but you don't want to read it, watch the movie called “She's the Man”. It's Twelfth Night down to the names of the characters. So… a twenty-one page one-shot? Not bad.