InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter ThirtyEight ( Chapter 38 )

Chapter ThirtyEight

 

 

Many, many years in the past...

 

"My father is dead."

 

Naota closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. He'd felt and known that Inutaisho had passed from this world, but still the human portion of his heart had tried to deny it. Born of a full demon mother and Inutaisho's own hanyou brother, Naota was unique in many ways. Despite his three quarter demon blood he looked like an ordinary human, no fangs, no claws, no demon aura to signal his heritage. Youkai didn't grieve. Demons didn't shed tears for the dead.

 

But Naota did.

 

His cousin had just calmly acknowledged the death of his own father with hardly more emotion than he'd spare for discussing the weather. Standing silently nearby, Jano and Namichi made no comment either. Naota felt the hot tears streaking his face and stubbornly refused to wipe them away or feel ashamed of them. If the three youkai who stood in the room with him couldn't mourn for the man who'd been so much to them for all their lives, he would himself shed the tears they denied.

 

"Are you sure, Sessh?" Namichi asked quietly.

 

"Of course."

 

Sesshomaru turned away from them, suddenly appearing very interested in the texture of the stone wall. "We do not have much time," he said. "We must move quickly to secure the territory."

 

Jano nodded sharply, agreeing with their new lord. Of course Sesshomaru would think of that first, Naota decided bitterly. He'd been waiting for this chance for years, to step out of his father's shadow and prove to everyone, clanlords and vassals alike, that he was every bit the leader Inutaisho had been. The relationship between father and son had never been close, but in recent years it had become somewhat strained.

 

In recent months it had become more than just strained. It had become antagonistic to the point that Naota hated being the same room with the both of them. The shouting was mainly on Inutaisho's part; the bitter sarcasm belonged to Sesshomaru. Now and then he'd think they were ready to come to blows over it and Naota had given up a long time ago on the idea of trying to make peace between them.

 

Inutaisho was critical, sometimes harshly, unnecessarily critical of everything Sesshomaru did. Sometimes Naota had wondered if the Daimyo could ever see his now adult son as anything other than a child. You didn't contradict Inutaisho, you didn't challenge him. And his own cold, emotionless way, Sesshomaru always did just that every chance he got. It was a contest of wills, it was a continuing family drama, and it was a hellish fight looking to happen.

 

It was just the way it had always been.

 

"How did he die?" Naota asked, suddenly needing to know. He knew that Inutaisho had been challenged by a dragon-youkai and knew that he'd taken a bad wound. But youkai didn't just die of bad wounds. Death usually needed utter destruction, either of the body or of the soul. And daiyoukai on Inutaisho and Sesshomaru's level didn't just break easily. He needed to know.

 

Sesshomaru's lip curled in a sneer, unusual for him to show much expression at all. Naota rather thought it was a sign that his cousin was more affected than he cared admit.

 

"He fell defending that woman. What a fool to die at the hands of humans."

 

Namichi gave a soft gasp at the bitter recrimination in Sesshomaru's tone. "That can't be," she murmured, glancing at Jano with her large, copper colored eyes. "The Daimyo wouldn't fall to a human in battle. It's impossible."

 

"It was his decision," Sesshomaru answered coldly. With a sweeping movement, he gestured outside, where sunset was fading into twilight over the valley. "He chose to die in such an inglorious way. He knew he was badly injured. Yet like an impetuous fool he chose to go to that mortal instead of returning to the fortress."

 

Naota flushed, angry at his cousin's cold, factual dismissal of Inutaisho's decision. "He couldn't just abandon her, Sessh!"

 

Sesshomaru whirled around, backing his hanyou cousin against the wall with his claws. "And why not?" he sneered. "Because he loved her? I thought you knew him better than that, Naota. If he chose to sacrifice his life that way, we are all better rid of him."

 

"You don't mean that," Naota said through clenched teeth.

 

"Don't I?" Sesshomaru whispered. "I would never be such a weakling that I would find myself sacrificing everything for a pregnant human bitch!"

 

"Hey," Jano said, slipping between the angry cousins. "Like you said, Sessh, we don't have time for this. Once the word gets out that the Daimyo is dead, every enemy he ever made is going to come clawing for a piece of this territory. If we don't hold it together..."

 

"If I don't hold it together, you mean," Sesshomaru answered caustically. "The only chance we have of avoiding a civil war among the clanlords of the West is for me to step in. They'll tear each other to pieces and be easy prey for any invaders. My father couldn't have chosen a more inopportune time to die."

 

"I doubt if it was on purpose, Sessh," Jano said mildly. "He didn't have a choice about answering that challenge from Ryuukossei."

 

"It matters not if it was on purpose," Sesshomaru said in a soft, vengeful voice. "What matters is that in choosing that human over his responsibilities as Daimyo, he has left his territory vulnerable and his people open to civil war."

 

Sesshomaru shook his hair back from his face, assuming an air of unreachable superiority. "I will hold this territory together by force if I must. Unlike my father, I will not abandon my duty."

 

"What about Izayoi?" Naota asked. His tongue tasted bitter, his mouth was dry as ash. "What about the baby? Are you just going to abandon them?"

 

The look in Sesshomaru's eyes gave him a chill. For all they'd known each other for all their lives, he didn't think he'd ever seen such a hateful expression on his cousin's usually implacable face. The air seemed too thick in the room.

 

Naota let out a soft hiss of disbelief. "You are going to abandon them, aren't you? Damn it, Sessh! That baby is your own flesh and blood!"

 

"I don't have time to worry about some half breed whelp!" Sesshomaru suddenly roared, driven to rage by the cousin who was the only one other than Inutaisho who could make him lose his composure. Naota had always had that ability, since they were children he'd always known exactly what to do or say that would drive Sesshomaru right over the edge. They were opposites in so many ways, in looks and also in temperaments.

 

Naota was easygoing and affable, with a ready smile and open demeanor that encouraged the most wary persons to trust him implicitly. Sesshomaru was distant, cold and aloof even to those who knew him well. He had a habit of putting people on their guard, skewering the hapless on the icy point of his razor sharp tongue. It didn't endear him to his father's people, but no one ever failed to respect the young lord either.

 

Ignoring the matter again, Sesshomaru turned to Jano and Namichi. "I have already sent Ari and Izitaki to the south and west to secure the borders. I will need you two to take reinforcements to meet them. Along the northern borders the mountains are impassable this time of year so we need not be concerned with them."

 

"What about the east?" Jano asked, his voice sober. They were going to be spread thin enough to protect the territory from invaders at this point. Foreign youkai were a constant problem, always trying to take pieces of inuyoukai territory. As Daimyo, Inutaisho had needed to maintain his forces in order to support the lords that were loyal to him. They were certain to be under attack when word leaked beyond the borders that Inutaisho was dead.

 

And the clanlords themselves weren't much better. Sesshomaru openly estimated that at least half of them would try to band together and rebel. It was only natural for them to try and attain dominance over each other. The death of Inutaisho would create a vacuum and a power struggle to fill that emptiness.

 

From that expected shifting of loyalties, old alliances might be fractured and bitter rivalries renewed. If there was no one to fill the void, chaos would advance and civil war between the clans would be inevitable.

 

"I will protect the east myself," Sesshomaru said quietly. "Go now, you have to be ready to leave before dawn. No one in this fortress will sleep tonight."

 

As Jano and Namichi turned and left the room, Naota made to follow them. He wasn't part of the household guard or the border patrols. Inutaisho had deliberately steered him away from any interest in battles. It suited Naota well, he did not like warfare. He hated the waste of lives and the misery that followed. Particularly, he hated what youkai conflicts did to the innocent humans that got caught between them.

 

"Naota. Stay a moment."

 

"Cousin." Naota waited quietly, wondering what Sesshomaru meant to say. It would be unlike him to suddenly express grief or pain over Inutaisho's death. And it was equally unlikely that he would ask advice of his cousin. Or share any simple emotion on such a comfortless night.

 

As much as he would never expect Sesshomaru to confide in him, Naota still never expected the words that came next from his icicle of a cousin's mouth.

 

"I will need your help."

 

Naota stared at him, frankly shocked. Sesshomaru never asked for anyone's help. Demanded their obedience maybe, ordered them to do his bidding. But ask? For help? It was enough to rock the young hanyou back on his heels, bring one hand up to his forehead to feel for a fever.

 

"What did you just say?"

 

Sesshomaru looked annoyed. "I will need your help, Naota. There is no one else I can trust with something this important."

 

"Since when do you trust me with anything important?" Naota asked suspiciously. It was true; ever since they were children Sesshomaru had always been a law unto himself and discounted Naota for his human blood and his complete lack of youkai characteristics.

 

Then there was the fact that as a child Naota had played every nasty, funny, dignity-stealing trick he could think of on his serious minded cousin.

 

What kind of help could he need now?

 

"I need you to go to our allies," Sesshomaru said simply. "There is very little chance of our being able to secure the borders and keep the clans quiet and obedient. When I say that my father chose an inopportune time to die, I'm not being facetious. The situation is far more grave than you may have understood."

 

"How?" Naota wanted to know.

 

"The Daimyo knew that some of the clans were plotting to betray him and rebel. He believes they may have joined forces with foreign youkai as well as human warlords, promising them part of the Western territories in exchange for their support. Barou is absolutely certain of it; he's been quietly tracking their movements for the past few months."

 

"And uncle simply allowed this?" Naota demanded.

 

Sesshomaru's smile was bitter. "You saw for yourself, he had been distracted of late."

 

"Shit." Naota ran his hand through his thick black hair. This was much worse than he'd imagined. "How can I help?"

 

"I know which of the clanlords are trustworthy. If you go to them, explain what is truly happening, they will come to our aid. A few of my father's most powerful allies at my side will encourage others to remain loyal and not be misled by the lies of the ones who would betray him."

 

Sesshomaru hesitated for a moment, watching Naota's face. "They know they can trust you, Naota. As my father always trusted you and sent you as his personal representative. They know you as honest and know that you would not betray either my father or myself."

 

It made a strange kind of sense. He was the only close kin that Sesshomaru had, the only one that his cousin might trust to carry such damaging information. The clans wouldn't like knowing that some of their comrades had betrayed them to foreign youkai and human armies. They probably wouldn't even believe it, unless it came from a source they could trust.

 

"I'll do it," he said.

 

"Be swift," Sesshomaru advised. "Don't get caught. It might mean we can avoid a vicious war if you can persuade them to support me instead of getting caught up in a meaningless conflict between the clans."

 

Naota didn't need to be told that, he knew what was at stake. He also knew that his life would be in danger the minute he left the valley. Those who were plotting against them wouldn't hesitate to kill him on sight. If only to cause more confusion, more restlessness and intrigue.

 

This was going to be very ugly, he thought with a grim sort of determination.

 

"Sessh," he said, stopping at the door. One thing was nagging him, it wouldn't leave him alone. He'd been thinking about her all day, ever since the first moments of the dawn when a nameless dread had stirred in his heart and he had known that his uncle was gone.

 

"Will you send anyone to protect the human woman? If any of our enemies know about her, they might try to use her baby against you."

 

Sesshomaru snorted in amusement. "They would be mistaken."

 

He felt his stomach drop to his knees like a frozen ball of lead. He couldn't believe that even Sesshomaru would be so heartless as to let their enemies get their hands on a defenseless woman and child.

 

"She's all alone now, Sesshomaru. It's not right; you can't just throw her away like she's nothing. The Daimyo wouldn't want that."

 

"The Daimyo is dead because of her," Sesshomaru said coldly. "He chose to protect her and her child instead of protecting his territory. For all I know, she is dead herself and her brat as well. How could she survive if my father died trying to protect her?"

 

"You don't know for sure," Naota argued. "You could send someone to find out, see if she needs help. At least make sure she's safe with her own people."

 

"Her own people tried to kill her," Sessh hissed angrily. "Pity that they failed before my father was rash enough to destroy himself for her sake."

 

Horrified, Naota stared at him. "He's your brother, that baby," he said at last. "How can that mean nothing to you?"

 

"I have enough to concern myself with," Sesshomaru muttered, the barest hint of guilt in his voice as he brushed past his cousin, stalking to the door. "How can I protect an infant when I don't even know if any of us will live much longer? If the human and her child have survived, she will need to protect them both herself."

 

Left alone in his uncle's study, Naota struggled with himself. He knew how important it was for him to complete his mission for his cousin. Hundreds or thousands of youkai and human lives hung in the balance. It wasn't only the warriors that suffered and died, it was the peasants who tried to run away and weren't fast enough; it was the children who starved and died because their parents couldn't find food. There would be bloodshed and death, brutality without mercy, in an inuyoukai civil war. That was what his cousin was striving to prevent. It was the honorable thing to do.

 

What did the lives of a single mortal girl and her hanyou son matter in comparison?

 

Naota closed his eyes. He knew what Inutaisho would have said. Like his uncle, he really had no choices left.

 

oOo

 

"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha wanted to know.

 

Sango smiled. "She was here a few minutes before you," the exterminator told him. "Then she said she wanted to go wash her face so she was going back to the spring."

 

Oh well, he'd apologize to her later. Inuyasha actually grinned to himself, thinking of all the ways he could show Kagome that he was sorry for being such an ass. "That's fine," he said at last, getting to his feet. "I've got something important to say."

 

Sango and Miroku looked curious, the monk having survived his unwilling experiment with youkai cooking. Miroku had managed to choke down exactly three bites before he gagged and had nearly thrown up on Jano's feet. The inuyoukai had relented at that point, muttering something about feeling under appreciated. It seemed humans had different tastes when it came to certain combinations of herbs.

 

"What's on your mind, Inuyasha?" Jano asked. He was busy scraping the remains of his concoction into the bushes. Shippou had refused to even try the stew after he'd seen Miroku's reaction, but at least Kirara had seemed to like it. The petite cat demon had daintily nibbled on the remains of Sango's bowlful and purred contentedly afterwards. Jano was somewhat mollified and hoped that the story wouldn't make it back to Makiko any time soon. He was fairly certain she'd roast him for making Miroku sick with his attempt at creative cooking.

 

"I ain't talking to you, bastard," Inuyasha snarled. "I got nothing to tell you at all."

 

"Then what is it you wish to tell us?" Sango asked. Was Inuyasha blushing? She couldn't be entirely sure; he moved his head and ducked away from her questioning look. "Please tell us what's so important."

 

Inuyasha mumbled something, staring at the ground with his fists clenched. Miroku and Sango exchanged glances. "What was that?" Miroku asked.

 

"I said, I'm sorry."

 

Now he knew he was hearing things, Miroku scratched his head. Inuyasha almost never apologized, at least not without being forced into it. "What exactly are you apologizing for?"

 

"Whattya think I'm apologizing for?" Inuyasha snapped, his face burning red. "I'm trying to say I'm sorry for being an asshole!"

 

Shippou shrugged, looking at Sango and Miroku in confusion. "I haven't noticed him acting any differently."

 

Miroku nodded. "I have to agree with you, Shippou. Tell us, Inuyasha," he smiled pleasantly. "Which time are you apologizing for?"

 

"As if you don't know," Inuyasha replied hotly. Just as he'd thought, he tried to do the right thing and they were mocking him. He expected it from Miroku and Shippou; they never lost a chance to jibe at him. "Oh forget it," he grunted, turning away.

 

Sango stood up and went to Inuyasha's side, laying her hand on his shoulder. "I accept your apology," she said simply.

 

He turned and met her eyes reluctantly. "Really? You aren't making fun of me?"

 

"Of course not," Sango said softly. "You have every right to be angry with me, Inuyasha. But I also know you don't mean the things you say when you're angry. I am sorry, not for my own actions, but for putting you in the middle of this. It can't be easy for you to try and accept your brother."

 

He flushed and leaned closer to her. "I don't like seeing my friends hurt." Slowly, he raised his hand and placed it over hers. "I won't let your baby go through what I went through growing up. You don't know what it's like, not being human or demon. And I don't trust Sesshomaru."

 

She nodded understandingly. "You're right; I can't know what you feel. And I'm not entirely certain of Sesshomaru either. But as long as I have friends like you and Kagome, like Miroku and Shippou, I won't be afraid for the future."

 

Something in his eyes softened. "All right, Sango. I should have said this before. I don't trust Sesshomaru, but I do trust you. As long as I'm alive, your baby will never be without protection. He or she won't grow up alone."

 

Inuyasha turned when he heard a muffled sob behind them. Kagome was standing there, tears in her eyes. "Inuyasha," she said, her voice rough. "That was beautiful."

 

There was a moment of silence as they looked at each other, a tenderness passing between the two that could be felt in the air. "Kagome," he whispered.

 

Jano chuckled. "Beautiful and touching, I never would have guessed you to be a poet, Inuyasha."

 

Growling, he turned to face the inuyoukai. "Who asked your opinion, asshole?"

 

Laughing, Jano waved his hands in mock surrender. "Oh, don't carry on so much. You shouldn't be ashamed of your feelings."

 

"Whatever," Inuyasha grunted. He was mortally embarrassed now. Bad enough he'd had to apologize; now they all probably thought he was weak because of it. His heart felt lighter, he felt more at ease, but Jano's knowing grin was really grating on his nerves. Then he felt the warmth of Kagome's hand, slipping into his and his anger started to fade.

 

Maybe apologizing wasn't such a bad thing after all.

 

oOo

 

Kagome woke to the sound of muffled argument going on over her head. Part of her just wanted to stay asleep, she was so tired. It seemed like Kikyou's revelation had just sapped the strength out of her. She was worried now, honestly worried, about how useful she could be to her friends.

 

If she couldn't sense the jewel, hell, if she couldn't purify a demon or two when needed, what use was she? She might as well go home and wait for the outcome like a good little girl. She loved her friends too much to hold them back.

 

She wasn't a powerful hanyou like Inuyasha; she wasn't a strong fighter like Sango. Even pregnant, Sango had proved that she could still fight with the best. And she didn't have spiritual abilities like Miroku anymore either. She'd always felt kind of useless when it came to an all out brawl, relying on her friends to protect her. Even Shippou could defend himself better than she could.

 

The only thing that had made sense for her in trying to stay, stick out this sometimes grim and gory task of stopping Naraku, was the fact that she could sense and purify the sacred jewel. She really wasn't much of an archer, she did practice and her arms had gotten much stronger since the first time she'd fired a bow. How her arms had ached from that at first, the truth was she only shot really well when there was some kind of demon aura for her sacred arrows to home in on. The rest of time, she was lucky to hit what she aimed at.

 

There was a reason she was never sent to hunt for their dinner, and it wasn't just that she was still a little squeamish and preferred not to look her supper in the eyes.

 

She should confess. She should tell them that she wasn't able to do what she had been doing. Her usefulness was at an end if she'd lost her spiritual abilities, wasn't it? Better to be truthful and not hold them back. Inuyasha would probably be happier if he knew she was safe at home anyway. They could still see each other whenever he had time to come through the well.

 

Kagome caught her breath. Could she even use the well anymore? She knew she needed a piece of the Shikon no Tama for her to pass from her time to this one, but she'd never before had a problem using the well to go home. Was that because of her priestess abilities or was it something else. That might be the worst possible scenario, that she was stuck here until someone else completed the jewel.

 

It wasn't pleasant to hope for the worst.

 

"Move it," a voice hissed above her head.

 

"Make me!"

 

"Shippou," he growled and she heard the sound of knuckles being cracked in a threatening manner. "Get out of there and don't you wake her up!"

 

Kagome pretended to still be asleep when a hand suddenly plunged into her half open sleeping bag, rooting for a kitsune tail. Now what were they fighting over? She was almost curious enough to sit up and ask what the ruckus was about, but something told her to stay still and listen.

 

"There's not enough room in here for you," Shippou's voice was hardly more than a whisper but she could hear the defiant edge to it.

 

"There is if you move your ass!"

 

She heard the sound of hand connecting with a fuzzy head and a muffled yelp as something scurried away from her. Kagome had to bite her lips hard to keep from laughing. How those two thought she could sleep through something like this, a fistfight in her sleeping bag of all things, she couldn't know. She hoped that Shippou was okay, but she figured Inuyasha couldn't have hit him that hard or he really would have squalled about it.

 

She heard the zipper being pulled down, opening her sleeping bag even more. A cool breeze chilled the back of her legs for a moment before it was blocked. He carefully pressed in next to her, his warm body fitting against hers perfectly and his arm curled around her waist. She felt silky hair brush over her cheek as he pressed his face into the back of her neck and sighed in contentment.

 

Kagome's sigh echoed his; she couldn't keep on pretending to be asleep with him curled against her. A warm feeling of happiness flooded her and washed away all the self-doubts she'd been thinking. Of course this was where she belonged, this was where Inuyasha was. Her place was in his arms, how could she have forgotten?

 

"You're awake, aren't you?" he whispered.

 

"Like I could sleep through that," she whispered back, amused. His hand slipped under her shirt and he playfully dragged his claws across her bare belly, making her hiss softly and arch against him.

 

"If I disturbed you, I must apologize," he grinned into her hair.

 

"Again with the apologizing," she answered, twisting slightly so she could look at him. He had his head propped up on his hand now and his eyes were sparkling at her by the light of the waning moon. Kagome smiled and reached up to trace his cheek with her finger.

 

"What's with you, anyway? You used to hate saying you're sorry."

 

Inuyasha looked serious, but she didn't miss the way his hand had wandered up to her chest. "I had some time to think about how I was acting," he confessed, starting to play with one of her nipples. "I didn't like it very much."

 

Kagome's tongue was caught between her teeth as she tried to keep from gasping aloud at the lovely sensations he was evoking in her body. Inuyasha seemed completely unaware of the havoc he was causing just by rolling that sensitive skin between callous fingertips.

 

No, she thought to herself. That wasn't right. He knew exactly what he was doing.

 

"W...what did you think about?" she asked, trying to distract him. Inuyasha snorted lightly and moved his hand to her other breast. Kagome shivered and clenched her jaw against the overwhelming urge to whimper.

 

"I thought about how it wasn't fair of me to take it out on Sango," he said at last, his voice soft and intimate. "She's got enough problems without my ripping into her for it. Then I decided that if I was ashamed of the way I treated her, I might make you ashamed of me too."

 

She shook her head, reaching up again to caress his face. "You could never make me ashamed of you," she murmured, her fingers winding in his hair until she found the tips of his ears. Inuyasha closed his eyes as she stroked the unbelievably soft fur, massaging them from the base to the tip. A soft sound came from the back of his throat, somewhere between a whine and a growl.

 

"Does that bother you?" she asked, knowing it didn't. It was good that she had some power over him too, a way to make him crazy with desire the way his hand under her shirt was driving all reason from her mind.

 

"Doesn't...bother...me," he husked, seeming to have a hard time finding words.

 

Kagome grinned to herself and rubbed harder until he was making soft whimpering sounds. This was fun; she wondered how far she could go with just the ear scratching. His hand on her breast had stopped playing with her; she could feel him starting to tremble all over his body.

 

She leaned closer until she could reach him, flicking her tongue out over his lower lip. His eyes were half open, glazed almost, and his lips were parted with his heavy breathing. She'd never realized that he'd react so strongly to having his ears rubbed like this. No wonder he'd always been so sensitive about them, getting easily irritated when anyone tried to tweak them.

 

Inuyasha growled softly and suddenly pushed her back, moving on top of her with an intense expression while his knee pressed her thighs apart. Kagome gasped, her hands braced against his shoulders even as he started to work his hands under her skirt.

 

"No," she hissed urgently, hoping she could get through to him. "Not in front of everybody!"

 

He blinked; coming out of the daze she'd put him into with her ear massage. He glanced over at their companions. "They're asleep," he muttered.

 

"Not for long," Kagome answered quickly. "They'll hear us, Inuyasha. We can't."

 

He glared down at her as if she'd challenged him. "The hell," he said shortly and got up, yanking Kagome up along with him. She just had time to catch her balance before he swept her up in his arms and bounded off into the forest.

 

Kagome hid her face against his shoulder as he ran, shielding herself from the leaves and twigs that whipped against his body and tore in his hair. He never seemed to notice them, but Kagome had learned a long time ago how to keep herself from getting scratched when he ran.

 

She gasped when he jumped for the high branches, flying through the air with almost no effort. Inuyasha settled them on a branch, leaning his back against the tree trunk as he positioned Kagome in his lap. Tenderly, he brushed the hair back from her face and looked into her eyes.

 

"Private enough for you, Kagome?" he asked.

 

"Yeah," she breathed, leaning forward so she could press her mouth against his. Inuyasha's hands rolled her hips forward, bringing her closer to him as her legs dangled on either side of his. His tongue searched for hers hungrily. Kagome barely recognized herself as she bit down lightly on his lower lip. He pulled away from her so suddenly that she nearly snagged the skin with her teeth.

 

"I need you," he said, gasping as he broke their kiss. Kagome felt his hands go under her skirt again and jerked away as she realized he was about to use his claws to slice away her undergarments.

 

She slapped at his hands. "Don't you dare!" Inuyasha dropped his hands and openly smirked at her as she got to her feet on the thick branch, cursing softly under her breath and trying to free herself from her panties.

 

"Do you have any idea how silly you look?" he demanded as she put her hand on the top of his head to balance herself.

 

Kagome gave him a stern look and then stripped off her shirt and knelt before him. She pulled his hands to her, holding them tight as they cupped her breasts. "Still think I look silly?" she challenged.

 

He met her eyes with a sly grin. "Don't make me start apologizing again. We'll be here all night."

 

Inuyasha slipped his hand out from under hers so he could reach around her waist and yank her close to him again. His nose found her throat, nibbling lightly along her collarbone. She tasted delicious, everything he ever wanted or needed all at once. Her hips rubbed against his until he groaned and shoved his own clothing out of the way.

 

She whispered his name as he pulled her to him; skin sliding against skin and Kagome shuddered against his chest. She gripped his shoulders with her fingers, trying to find a comfortable way of resting against him. In this position, she felt almost impaled upon him and with her legs over his; she couldn't find a way to ease the strain in her thighs.

 

He seemed to understand that she wasn't comfortable and slipped his hands under her rear to support her, whispering something intelligible into her neck as he tilted her forward and started to move her. Kagome gasped and arched her back, her fingers digging hard in his shoulders. Stars were shooting before her eyes; his breathing became ragged in her ear as he moved her faster, grinding her hips into his. Pleasure so intense it was almost pain was shooting through her body, making her skin electric.

 

"Kagome," she heard her name said in a harsh whisper. She was trying to move herself now, finding the right way to curve her spine and the fabric of his haori seemed rough against the sensitive skin of her chest. Her chin was on his shoulder, her face buried in his hair and still she strained against his hands toward what she needed.

 

"Gods, Kagome!" he gasped, his voice lifting into a shout as his hands clamped onto her hips and forced her against him, shaking under her until she wondered if they'd fall from the tree. She cried out his name once, throwing her arms over her head and trusting that he'd keep her safe, abandoning herself to her body's response. Finally, she fell forward again, leaning into him as he held her tight.

 

"I love you so much," he whispered, nuzzling her hair.

 

Her arms wound around his neck, holding him tight against her. "I love you too," she answered. "Tell me something, Inuyasha."

 

"Anything," he murmured, kissing her neck and ear over and over, his tongue flicking out for her taste.

 

"Would you still want me to be with you, even if I couldn't sense where the jewel was?" Now that she said it, it sounded stupid and petty. Kagome felt him slowly press her away so that he could look at her face.

 

"Why would you even ask me something like that?" Inuyasha asked her seriously. "Don't you trust me, don't you believe me when I say I love you?"

 

Kagome flushed. "Of course I trust you," she said softly. "But if I couldn't sense the jewel, there wouldn't be any reason for me to be here. I couldn't help you against Naraku."

 

Inuyasha leaned his head back and looked at her. "You're a funny girl, Kagome," he said at last. "I'm not in love with you because you can sense the damn jewel."

 

"I didn't say you were," she said quickly, toying with his hair to buy herself some time to think. "I just...don't think I'm all that useful to you and the others sometimes. I'm not that good at fighting, I'm really not much good at hitting anything with an arrow unless there's a demonic aura to purify. I've just been thinking that maybe I...hold you back."

 

Strong fingers took her chin and she found herself staring into sober golden eyes. "Dummy," he said.

 

She twisted her face out of his grip. "Who are you calling dummy?"

 

"You, dummy. You thinking that you hold us back." He pulled her close until his face was against her neck again, her chin in his hair. Inuyasha stroked her back slowly, trailing his claws along her skin without scratching her and inhaling deeply of her delicate scent. What a dummy.

 

"You don't hold us back," he muttered, his lips brushing against the hollow of her throat. "You're the glue the holds us together."