InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Telling ❯ Regrets ( Chapter 20 )

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

She had fallen asleep there, curled into his chest, and for a few hours, he had joined her. But when the sun had begun to cross over the horizon, he had awoken. It had not been the first rays of daylight to bring him back to consciousness, but instead, the realization that the half-breed was fast approaching. Pushing his face into her hair one final time, he inhaled her scent. With that done, he gave her a gentle nudge.

“Hmmm...” she sighed. “Just a few more minutes....” And then she rolled over. He nudged her again and her eyes opened, still bleary with sleep.

“You must get up now. Inuyasha is coming” he informed her.

He was impressed with the speed at which she catapulted from his embrace. Looking down at him with wide frightened eyes, she frantically asked him “What am I going to do? I have nothing to wear! You shredded my pajamas! And he's going to smell you all over me! What am I going to tell him?”

He wished that she would tell the hanyou the truth, that she was now his, but she was most obviously unprepared for such a thing at the moment. Standing and beginning to dress he told her “I would suggest that you bathe. As for your clothes, I will take them and you can feed him whatever excuse you like as to their whereabouts.” He slipped into his kimono and gathered her things.

Heaving a sigh of relief at the suggestions, Kagome began to walk into the spring. She stopped suddenly, and lowered her head. She didn't want to have this turn out to be a one night stand. “Will I see you again?” She questioned without looking at the taiyoukai.

Apparently she did not understand that his need for her was immense. Before she could take another breath, he had gathered her in his arms. Nipping fondly at the pulse point in her neck and listening to her heart beat begin to race, Sesshomaru whispered into her ear “Indeed little miko, you will find it impossible to escape me.”

She shivered at the implications behind those words and was going to say something, but before she had the chance, the arms that had abruptly enveloped her were just as quickly gone. Turning her head, she saw what she had expected; the Lord of the West had vanished.

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When the sun had begun it's ascent, Inuyasha had woken with an unbridled joy in his heart. He immediately looked to where Kagome had been asleep, and was disturbed to find no trace of her. She and her sleeping bag were gone. He was about to call for her when he recalled her promise to him the previous evening. Maybe she had already left to have a bath?

He grinned widely at the idea that perhaps she was already at the hot spring, naked and waiting for him. With that beautiful image branded into his brain, he quickly and quietly set off, making sure not to awake or alert the others.

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She was already immersed in the warm waters, and trying to figure out what to do about the whole Sesshomaru thing when she heard Inuyasha call her name. She was unsurprised, as the taiyoukai had told her to expect the hanyou's arrival, but all the same, it was hard to feel welcoming. She had betrayed him at the deepest level, and found herself ashamed. She could no longer deny that she had feelings for both brothers, but knew that it was undeniably wrong to pit them against each other in such a way. For the first time in her life, she dreaded seeing Inuyasha.

He had nearly flung off his clothes and jumped in the water from his excitement at seeing her there. In fact, he was currently shirtless and the ties of his hakama were loosened. But the scent of salt in the air had killed his unrestrained joy. Kagome was crying. He could hear her quiet sniffles from the shore of the spring and the beast within him raised it's hackles. The thought of something or someone causing her pain was enough to get Inuyasha seriously pissed off. And if it turned out that it was Sesshomaru who had hurt her, again, there would be all kinds of hell to pay.

She didn't turn as she heard Inuyasha enter the water, nor even when he was so near that she could feel the heated puffs of his breath on her neck. She didn't want to have to tell him what she'd done; didn't know if she'd even be able to. Part of her wanted him to just leave, and the other wanted him to hold her and make her feel alright again. As it wound up, the latter part was the one that was indulged.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against a hard chest. She finally accepted her fate and gave into it with no reluctance, turning to bury her face and her tears in the hanyou's neck. He held her close to him as she sobbed harder.

“Kagome.” Inuyasha cooed as he stroked her damp locks. “What happened? Was it Sesshomaru?”

At the mere mention of the taiyoukai's name, her body stiffened, and it was all that Inuyasha needed to know.

“It was. I swear to Kami I'll kill that fucker!” He spat out as he hugged her small frame almost painfully tight to him.

“Inuyasha, no.” She whispered, her face still against his neck.

“But.... if he hurt you or did something to you....” he stuttered.

“He didn't do anything to me that I didn't want Inuyasha.”

Everything was still at those softly spoken words. The hand that had been petting her hair affectionately froze and the hanyou's body tensed up. Inuyasha couldn't breathe. He didn't understand. More accurately, he didn't WANT to understand. He knew that Sesshomaru wanted Kagome, after all that bastard had told him exactly that. But he couldn't believe that she had actually DONE anything with the taiyoukai. She was innocent, she was honest, she was his friend, goddammit, she was HIS.

But thinking about it, had he ever shown her the way he felt? Not really. He said rude things to her, treated her as though she were weak, and worst of all, had gone running off to Kikyou whenever she was around. He had certainly never TOLD her that he loved her. And although they had certainly had their fair share of tender moments, in retrospect, he realized that it wasn't enough. She had dismissed Kouga's claim of love for her, but Inuyasha was stupid to think that she would never accept another male's attentions. Kouga was a fucking mutt after all, and he lived in a cave for Kami's sake! But when someone like Sesshomaru came courting, what female wouldn't at least be interested? He is a Lord, incredibly powerful (Inuyasha hated to admit it, but it was true), intelligent, and he is good looking (again, despicable as it was, it was still true.) But he is so cold! And he hates humans!

But what the fuck? Had Inuyasha seriously thought that Kagome would stick around and wait for him even though he'd never really shown her any serious interest? He realized that's exactly what he had assumed would happen. He gave himself a mental kick in the ass. She wasn't a little girl anymore; she was a lovely woman and a powerful miko on top of that. She could have anyone she wanted and although she had spent years waiting for him, Inuyasha understood that he had fucked up. She had waited, but he had failed to show.

“I'm such a baka.” He whispered as he buried his face in her hair.

“Well, that was unexpected” Kagome thought to herself. She had anticipated his hatred, revulsion, and fury, but self-loathing? That was a new one. Pulling her face away from his neck, she cocked her head to look up at him.

“I thought that you would just wait for me, that you would never be interested in another even thought I never told you how I felt about you.” He told her without even looking at her.

“Inuyasha” she whispered sadly to him. “It's not your fault. I don't understand what's going on with me, and I certainly don't understand what's going on with Sesshomaru. I just..... I don't know. But you'll always be my first love Inuyasha, nothing can change that.”

She didn't know how she felt about Sesshomaru? Then maybe he still had a chance? Taking a deep breath of her scent, he was startled to find she was still pure. So the bastard hadn't soiled her yet? And she certainly wasn't mated to him! So, maybe, just maybe..... He looked down into her blue eyes, weighted with sadness and decided to take a chance. He lowered his head and pressed his lips firmly against her own. She didn't resist him, but met his kiss with her own.

This was where she was supposed to be, here with Inuyasha. But something deep within her urged her to recoil from his touch. She suppressed this urge and kissed him freely, happy that he wasn't angry and that he still cared for her.

When they broke apart for air, Kagome pulled away from him. “I'm going to finish bathing Inuyasha, and if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to go home for a few days.” she told him.

“Why?” He asked her suspiciously. He didn't want her leaving, he wanted her to stay with him. He wanted to fix things between them and make everything work out the way it was supposed to.

“I've just got to go and get myself together. I need a few days away from the feudal era.” she told him. “And from inu demons” her mind added on. She walked slowly out of the water.

“Keh. Fine, you get your stuff and I'll take you to the well.” He told her.

Looking around, Kagome remembered that she didn't have any clothes. “Uhh... Inuyasha? I don't have any clothes.....”

“So? Just wear your sleeping stuff and change back at the camp.”

“See.... I don't have any sleeping clothes either...... They're sort of gone.” she blushed.

He wanted to ask her what happened, but for once, he realized that it wasn't his place to question. He followed her out of the water and picked up his kimono. Without a word, he wrapped it around her.

“Thanks Inuyasha.” she told him as they headed back to camp.

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“I'll be back in a few days, ok?” Kagome told the hanyou as she climbed onto the edge of the well.

“Well, just don't be gone too long.” he responded gruffly.

“I won't be.” she tried to soothe him. She didn't need him chasing after her. After all, the whole point of going back to her time was to get away from him and Sesshomaru and get her head on straight. She jumped in and let the magic do it's work.

As Inuyasha turned to leave and head back to Edo, he was oblivious to the golden eyes that had watched the whole event.

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Kagome ascended the steps out of the well and left the shrine house, lugging her yellow pack behind her. As she walked into the cool evening air, she set the pack down and stretched. “It's good to be home.” She said to herself. Picking up her pack and heading towards her house, she too was unaware of the honey eyes that watched her.

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OK, sorry this took so long, and that this chapter didn't really have anything interesting going on, but it was another one of those things that was needed plot wise, but really not so much fun to write. As for the amount of time I spent on such a short chapter, well, I was torn on which way to go after the last one. I had a few ideas cooking, and ended up having to pick one. I really hope that I made the right decision. Anyhoo, I'm going to get right on back to typing up the next one, which should be much more fun! And, I don't think this fic will have many more chapters. I'm hoping to have it finished soon, and start work on the next one. Should I leave you for a few days without another update, then you know I'm still struggling.