InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When a door closes... ❯ The Courting-Part 1 ( Chapter 17 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Namiyo11 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 203 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 203 | Status: Completed
Chapter 17- The Courting part 1Inuyasha isn’t mine.
Recap: Inuyasha’s going to try and win back Kagome-but what are these rules?? What happens next? Read on!
***Lime Warning! Lime here-more nudity really, but just so you know***
Kagome’s teeth bared and she glared at Inuyasha, or more precisely-his neck. She was encouraged to try his patience...the rules said so, not to mention her temper. But Kagome didn’t try anything, merely frowned as she fingered the beads he’d just dropped around her neck. It couldn’t be the real ones...could it? No. No way he’d have gotten those off! They were still around his neck. He was probably trying to throw her off balance. Baka. It wasn’t going to work.
He silently took her pack and crouched, and she gulped as he was-waiting for her to climb on? Kagome looked back over her shoulder at the castle and the watchers...and did as he wanted. For now. She actually trembled as she got on and he started off. She’d never admitted it, but the feel of clinging to his back, rushing along and leaping, was thrilling. Plus...he was the first guy who’d ever touched her like he was now, hands tucked around under her thighs, while she pressed against him and clung to his shoulders. It was intimate, exciting...wonderful.
Inuyasha felt a most familiar weight on his back again as he ran. Kagome always had been easy to travel with, never grabbing him hard, her legs clasping him firmly and willing to shift her weight as needed. Though he hid it from her, he’d felt so proud when she’s permitted him, a hanyou, to touch her, much less carry her! It was strange not feeling bare thighs under his hands though, she was wearing that odd outfit. He just took a moment to enjoy it as he moved through the woods, ignoring the stitch in his side. She’d really hurt him, two days and he was barely better. Even if he knew damned well Kagome was scheming even as she seemingly relaxed into the old routine.
Neither of them mentioned it was just as-good, as it always was...then his scent spiked with excitement as she clasped him. That was it!
“You-you pig!” Kagome sputtered. “OSUWARI!! OSUWARIOSUWARIOSUWARI!” she screamed, not caring if they were moving or not!
Nothing happened.
“What?” she gasped as he stopped and she jumped off and away from him.
“Is there a problem, Lady Kagome?” Inuyasha asked her in the old, sarcastic way, standing there with unconcealed glee. He took off the beads he wore and twirled them on a finger.
“Turns out any strong Priestess can take them off...or Monk,” he told her casually as she growled, fangs bared.
“Miroku! What were you two thinking even trying this?! I’m going back now. Inuyasha, please, don’t try to follow me! I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to!” she said tightly, the Hamayami transforming in her hand as she turned to go, forcing herself not to look at him. She’d humored him long enough!
“You haven’t learned much, have you?” Inuyasha taunted, making her stiffen at the old insulting tone. He took a deep breath...kami but he was going to enjoy this...“OSUWARI!”
Kagome was suddenly wrenched forward by the neck, slamming into the ground!!
“OW!” She couldn’t move, the spell...the beads! They were real!
“Pretty dumb there, Lady Kagome.” She saw a pair of bare feet in front of her, and groaned as the spell released her. She looked up to see him holding ropes. Her ropes!! Tie her up with her own stuff, would he? Granted, she’d planned to use them on him if she’d needed to...
“Hah! Hurts, doesn’t it?” Inuyasha said with an evil grin.
“You-”
“Osuwari!”
*thud*
“OW!”
“Now, let’s go. I’m not chasing you, and that little trick was the last one. No carrying on or I‘ll say it again,” he grabbed her as the spell wore off, she struggled, but he managed to tie her hands behind her back after three more Osuwari’s, remarking gruffly,
“I’m pretty used to those and I think I could take it if I had to say it while moving and you landed on me, Lady Kagome. I had a lot of practice,” he picked up her pack and slung her over a shoulder.
“Stop calling me that! You...you son of a bitch! Let me go!!”
“My mother was a human. Sesshomaru’s, now...” he shot back as he dashed to the trees and climbed, hoping getting some height would keep her from trying anything. Kagome gritted her teeth in outrage.
“This isn’t over!”
“Hah!”
***
Three hard days of travel, a record forty-three osuwari’s, and an aching, exhausted Kagome was hauled through a small canyon to a valley.
She looked around and blinked. Where was she? Still looking for her chance, she had gone silent and watchful. All attempts at reasoning, shouting, biting, kicking and fleeing had failed thanks to the beads. Any attempt to flee? Osuwari. Any try to untie her hands or use her claws? Osuwari. Any yelling or insults? Osuwari.
She’d nearly brained him with the Hamayami yesterday, but he’d been ready for her and she was at her wit’s end. She didn’t want to kill him, but it was harder and harder to resist the urge. Kagome had never realized how much her little bespelled choke chain hurt!!
“Make yourself at home,” he told her with a grin as he set her down inside the valley. “Osuwari! Can’t have you getting any ideas yet.” She hit the ground as he took out something thin from his sleeve, wrapped in blessed and prepared cloth to keep it from reacting to it’s holder. He unfolded it, and slapped it on the rock wall over a small painted circle, careful not to touch it with his fingers.
Kagome gasped as a barrier rose to cover the entire valley. Looking up as the spell released her, she saw small lines of paper along the valley boundaries...she recalled what she knew of them and her face fell. The anchoring ofuda were inside the barrier!! That meant-it couldn’t be taken down from the outside and she’d be unable to touch them, she was youkai!
“What have you done?”
“The only way out is my Tetsusaiga,” Inuyasha said, confirming her worst fears. Miroku had outdone himself! The monk had spent days working on the magic as they set up raids, and Inuyasha silently thanked their friend as he dropped her stuff and reached out to untie her with a grin.
She slapped him as soon as her hands were free, snatching up her bow!
“Baka! You’ve gone crazy! What are you thinking, that you‘ll lock us up in a back of beyond love nest and I’ll just run into your arms? You left me, remember?? You’re nuts!!” she got her feet and yelled, months of furious anger welling up. Inuyasha sighed, might as well get this over with.
“Strip,” he ordered flatly.
“Wha-you-NO WAY!” Kagome bellowed, voice echoing off the rock walls as her bow transformed and she cracked the knuckles of her free hand, making him gulp. Her damned temper! Probably wasn’t thinking past-damn.
“Fine,” Inuyasha told her, bluffing, advancing as she retreated. He was backing her up towards the hot spring.
A sudden shove, and she was in the water!
“Hey!” she came up livid and dripping, and he flushed at the way her top clung to her as her ears flicked away water. Magnificent!
“You’ll want to get cleaned up, you‘ve been in the same clothes for days,” Inuyasha explained gruffly. She answered him by drawing back her bow and shooting it straight up.
The Hi-ya hit the barrier, shooting sparks, making it glow brightly... and rebounded, taking out an innocent tree while they both ducked.
“Nice try, maybe you'll hit yourself next time. I said, the only way in or out of here is my Tetsusaiga, Lady Kagome,” he reminded her smugly. Inuyasha took her bath bag out of her pack, tossing it to her before he strode to a bolder and shoved it aside with a grunt, revealing a cave mouth that he walked into. He came back out fast with two of her towels, and untied his haori as she was climbing out to try to escape. She flushed and spun away, slipping back into the water in case he took it into his head to say the word.
“Don’t you dare!”
“You take forever. I’m not waiting for you all day, Lady Kagome,” he informed her as she heard clothes being removed and a splash.
“You can’t keep me here, and I won’t let you touch me!”
“Oh? What makes you think I want to touch you?” he sniped.
“What? Why not?” Insulted, she turned at that and glared at him, looking silly and knowing it. Here she was standing soaked in her clothes, blushing in a hot spring with a naked guy who was getting ready to get out and soap up with a fine show of bravado. He wasn’t fooling her, though.
He was nervous too.
“I won’t lay a hand on you, until you say so, except for this,” Inuyasha promised, reaching over to undress her as she pulled away.
**Lime-ish begins**
Kagome gasped, and he frowned as he smelled-fear. Damn it!
“Take it off yourself, but it’s coming off! I’ve seen it all before, remember? Hell, you were fifteen the first time! I could’ve-done stuff with a certain mortal anytime I liked, you know! All I’d’ve needed to do is gag you!” he barked and turned around in the spring, arms folded and completely outraged.
Kagome’s lips thinned as turned away herself. Then she glared over her shoulder, remembering. He’d never gone back on a promise until the last one...and he could have easily done anything he wanted to her then. It had never even occurred to her because she‘d trusted him.
“You...ooh!” she hesitated, and slowly peeled off her clothes in the water, trembling slightly as she glanced over her shoulder and saw his ears twitch, following the splashing that accompanied her efforts. “Thanks for your concern for my virtue,” she gritted, holding onto her shirt as she placed her bow and the rest on the rocks lining the spring, still facing away.
“Eh, no problem,” he replied easily, making her scowl. She listened as he vigorously bathed, dunking his hair after he shampooed. “I missed this stuff,” Inuyasha said. “Better than the regular soap.”
He came up behind her, and she stiffened. He-he couldn’t honestly think he-
“Relax,” he began to scrub her back gently with a washcloth, the familiar scent of her soap crossing her nose. She froze, deciding...and stood still, letting him wash her, a shiver running along her spine and her hands clutching the fabric she held. He carefully washed her back in slow circles, moving up to her shoulders and neck, rinsing her with his free hand. It sent a sensual warmth through her when he bathed her, and Inuyasha barely kept his hands under control as her scent spiked with the beginnings of arousal. He gulped and she gritted her teeth, knowing his nose caught her reaction. Just as she could his.
“Better?” Inuyasha asked. His gruff, familiar voice in her ear made her knees weak, while his scent filled her nostrils and made her dizzy. It was so intimate...
He paused to fetch the shampoo.
“Let me get your hair,” he said, lathering it and carefully getting her ears. She nearly fell over when he stroked them, reaching out to clutch the edge of the spring.
“Inuyasha...” she trembled, it was the inn again, he was touching her...it was too much.
“Kagome, I-better get you arms,” he told her suddenly, not trusting himself with her so close, not with such sweet skin, her scent, her...he scrubbed her arms, ignoring her blushing gaze over her shoulder. She looked away quickly.
“Turn around,” he asked, reaching for her arm. Inuyasha sighed to himself, he had to do this properly. No matter how hard it was.
“No.”
“Turn around, Kagome. We’re-Inu,” he said tightly, it was deliciously tempting just to bend her...no! Not yet, anyway. His eyes kept going to her neck. He’d mark her right-there, he decided, sweating, and not from the heat of the water.
“Uh...oh. Yeah!” Kagome turned and trembled as she grasped what he meant, still clutching the top.
He started to clean her again and her eyes closed, feeling his hand moving along her collarbone. The cloth slid gently to the top of her shirt where she held it, and she found herself relaxing, the cloth sliding down. Kagome hated herself for it, but she had missed him so desperately...it all had gone so badly...she trembled as he worked, moving over her breasts lightly and down her belly, scrubbing her slowly. Her lips parted, and she leaned in towards him as the washcloth slid lower-
“Oh!” her eyes opened wide as he stopped just short of her-
“I told you I wouldn’t do nothing till you said I could,” Inuyasha grumbled with commendable control. “Rinse your hair. I’ll be back.”
He got out, and she frankly stared, flushing. His lean, muscular frame moved with unconscious grace as he jumped out of the hot spring.
“Oh, it’s ok for you to look, but not me?” he shot at her, making her blush and look away, ducking under the water as he‘d hoped with foam floating from her ebony hair. This was going to be hell, he knew it!
“You’re a fine one to talk! You just-just cleaned me!” Kagome yelled, eyes shut.
“Heh. Like-I mind,” he told her with a shy grin as he wrapped a towel around his hips and shook our his hair. “Don‘t bother washing that stuff you were in. I’ll get you something to wear. Hurry up,” Inuyasha ordered over his shoulder as she threw the shampoo at him.
The plastic bottle was caught absently before he headed into the lair to dress, start dinner, and review the courtship rules he’d memorized. Now that he’d gotten her home and begun with the grooming...time for the next step.
Damn! He’d have to be polite at all times now, and respectful of her Clanrank.
The initial display was done, he’d proved himself strong enough to court her, now he had to show he respected her and could provide an honorable, comfortable home for her and their children. Kids. Their kids. The thought scared him, but-he wanted to have them with her. It had taken him too much time to realize that to ever let her go. He just needed to show her, within the rules.
‘Fucking baka customs!’ he swore to himself as he prepared their first official courting supper. The barrier would at least make sure he got the chance to try without having to tie her up. Like the beads had gotten her here safely and without any serious fighting.
Outside, she glared at his clothes...and scrubbed them angrily along with her own, ignoring his orders. The rough feel of the firerat in her hands brought back so much...it hurt.
She finished by the time he came back out, hair finger combed and damp, wearing a softer version of his usual clothes a kimono of scarlet cloth richly embroidered at the sleeves and collar in matching thread. Dressed, for once, like the nobleborn he actually was. The firerat was magical armor, yes, but he looked like a peasant in it, and this was one battlefield where it wouldn’t help him.
He had to show her he wasn’t the same Inuyasha who‘d left her, and that‘s what she‘d see in his normal outfit. At least, that’s what Miroku had advised. When Kagome stared, blushed slightly, and blinked, he realized the monk had been right.
“Well? Dinner’s getting cold...my Lady,” he said uncomfortably, an emerald colored kimono over an arm and a hairbrush from her pack in his hand.
She wanted to stay in longer just to spite him-but her stomach rumbled and she was pruning. They’d hardly eaten or paused since he’d collected her. Inuyasha hadn’t wanted to risk her getting loose on the way here.
“Fine,” she stomped out of the spring, determined not to give him the satisfaction of embarrassment. Kagome blinked when he turned around again as she got out, to let her dry off with some privacy and offered the clothes on his arm without a peek. She slipped it on, impressed in spite of herself at the lovely thing. The embroidery was also the same color as the fabric, and she ran a hand along it as she closed it tightly. “Why, this is beautiful!” Kagome exclaimed, and he...blushed?
‘She likes it!’ Inuyasha thought jubilantly. He’d embellished the nicest kimonos he’d stolen for her, stoically ignoring Miroku’s teasing whenever he snuck off to work on them.
“Keep it, it’s for you.” Seeing her smile slightly, he had to stifle a grin. Women and gifts! “Sit. I’ll comb your hair, Lady,” he added grimly, making her start and she frowned, biting her lip.
“I thought dinner was getting cold,” Kagome grumbled as he stared at her, and she deliberately settled her mark pendant on the outside of the kimono. When he didn’t react, she sat on a rock as he asked.
Inuyasha brushed her hair, smiling in glee as she let him, even if it was stiffly. He’d passed the first tests completely, he’d brought her to his territory, she’d permitted him the ritual bath and grooming, then accepted his initial gift! Only a few more to go...he’d honestly expected it to take longer.
Inuyasha was all but soaking in smug satisfaction.
Kagome felt him brush out her hair...and didn’t know what to say. It would never work! No way she was letting him in again! That’s what she told herself as she let him-groom her, it was called. The initial phases of the ritual courtship. Bathing and grooming of her to relax her in a new territory and establish trust, with a gift from him to show affection and care. Where had he gotten this outfit, anyway? It was the first present she’d ever gotten from him, no way she’d give it back! And...she had admit she was desperately curious about how he’d planned to manage the rest. He steered her to the entrance and paused.
“Please enter, Lady Kagome,” Inuyasha asked suddenly, bowing and waiting for her to go first, making her stare. After a moment’s hesitation, she walked inside.
Game on.
Author’s notes-This section was surprisingly hard. Not because of the subject, but because of the plot. I had yet to decide if they were actually getting back together or not. For the sake of my new readers, I refuse to say if they do or no. But I will say I outlined it going either way. Picking which one was a difficult decision, and I think in the end I went with the one that pleased me more as a writer. No plot idea is ever wasted, though. Some things in that rejected outline managed to find their way into ‘Another Opens’ and ‘Always’.
Well, this is part one, hope you’re enjoying it! Thanks for reading!-Namiyo
Recap: Inuyasha’s going to try and win back Kagome-but what are these rules?? What happens next? Read on!
***Lime Warning! Lime here-more nudity really, but just so you know***
Kagome’s teeth bared and she glared at Inuyasha, or more precisely-his neck. She was encouraged to try his patience...the rules said so, not to mention her temper. But Kagome didn’t try anything, merely frowned as she fingered the beads he’d just dropped around her neck. It couldn’t be the real ones...could it? No. No way he’d have gotten those off! They were still around his neck. He was probably trying to throw her off balance. Baka. It wasn’t going to work.
He silently took her pack and crouched, and she gulped as he was-waiting for her to climb on? Kagome looked back over her shoulder at the castle and the watchers...and did as he wanted. For now. She actually trembled as she got on and he started off. She’d never admitted it, but the feel of clinging to his back, rushing along and leaping, was thrilling. Plus...he was the first guy who’d ever touched her like he was now, hands tucked around under her thighs, while she pressed against him and clung to his shoulders. It was intimate, exciting...wonderful.
Inuyasha felt a most familiar weight on his back again as he ran. Kagome always had been easy to travel with, never grabbing him hard, her legs clasping him firmly and willing to shift her weight as needed. Though he hid it from her, he’d felt so proud when she’s permitted him, a hanyou, to touch her, much less carry her! It was strange not feeling bare thighs under his hands though, she was wearing that odd outfit. He just took a moment to enjoy it as he moved through the woods, ignoring the stitch in his side. She’d really hurt him, two days and he was barely better. Even if he knew damned well Kagome was scheming even as she seemingly relaxed into the old routine.
Neither of them mentioned it was just as-good, as it always was...then his scent spiked with excitement as she clasped him. That was it!
“You-you pig!” Kagome sputtered. “OSUWARI!! OSUWARIOSUWARIOSUWARI!” she screamed, not caring if they were moving or not!
Nothing happened.
“What?” she gasped as he stopped and she jumped off and away from him.
“Is there a problem, Lady Kagome?” Inuyasha asked her in the old, sarcastic way, standing there with unconcealed glee. He took off the beads he wore and twirled them on a finger.
“Turns out any strong Priestess can take them off...or Monk,” he told her casually as she growled, fangs bared.
“Miroku! What were you two thinking even trying this?! I’m going back now. Inuyasha, please, don’t try to follow me! I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to!” she said tightly, the Hamayami transforming in her hand as she turned to go, forcing herself not to look at him. She’d humored him long enough!
“You haven’t learned much, have you?” Inuyasha taunted, making her stiffen at the old insulting tone. He took a deep breath...kami but he was going to enjoy this...“OSUWARI!”
Kagome was suddenly wrenched forward by the neck, slamming into the ground!!
“OW!” She couldn’t move, the spell...the beads! They were real!
“Pretty dumb there, Lady Kagome.” She saw a pair of bare feet in front of her, and groaned as the spell released her. She looked up to see him holding ropes. Her ropes!! Tie her up with her own stuff, would he? Granted, she’d planned to use them on him if she’d needed to...
“Hah! Hurts, doesn’t it?” Inuyasha said with an evil grin.
“You-”
“Osuwari!”
*thud*
“OW!”
“Now, let’s go. I’m not chasing you, and that little trick was the last one. No carrying on or I‘ll say it again,” he grabbed her as the spell wore off, she struggled, but he managed to tie her hands behind her back after three more Osuwari’s, remarking gruffly,
“I’m pretty used to those and I think I could take it if I had to say it while moving and you landed on me, Lady Kagome. I had a lot of practice,” he picked up her pack and slung her over a shoulder.
“Stop calling me that! You...you son of a bitch! Let me go!!”
“My mother was a human. Sesshomaru’s, now...” he shot back as he dashed to the trees and climbed, hoping getting some height would keep her from trying anything. Kagome gritted her teeth in outrage.
“This isn’t over!”
“Hah!”
***
Three hard days of travel, a record forty-three osuwari’s, and an aching, exhausted Kagome was hauled through a small canyon to a valley.
She looked around and blinked. Where was she? Still looking for her chance, she had gone silent and watchful. All attempts at reasoning, shouting, biting, kicking and fleeing had failed thanks to the beads. Any attempt to flee? Osuwari. Any try to untie her hands or use her claws? Osuwari. Any yelling or insults? Osuwari.
She’d nearly brained him with the Hamayami yesterday, but he’d been ready for her and she was at her wit’s end. She didn’t want to kill him, but it was harder and harder to resist the urge. Kagome had never realized how much her little bespelled choke chain hurt!!
“Make yourself at home,” he told her with a grin as he set her down inside the valley. “Osuwari! Can’t have you getting any ideas yet.” She hit the ground as he took out something thin from his sleeve, wrapped in blessed and prepared cloth to keep it from reacting to it’s holder. He unfolded it, and slapped it on the rock wall over a small painted circle, careful not to touch it with his fingers.
Kagome gasped as a barrier rose to cover the entire valley. Looking up as the spell released her, she saw small lines of paper along the valley boundaries...she recalled what she knew of them and her face fell. The anchoring ofuda were inside the barrier!! That meant-it couldn’t be taken down from the outside and she’d be unable to touch them, she was youkai!
“What have you done?”
“The only way out is my Tetsusaiga,” Inuyasha said, confirming her worst fears. Miroku had outdone himself! The monk had spent days working on the magic as they set up raids, and Inuyasha silently thanked their friend as he dropped her stuff and reached out to untie her with a grin.
She slapped him as soon as her hands were free, snatching up her bow!
“Baka! You’ve gone crazy! What are you thinking, that you‘ll lock us up in a back of beyond love nest and I’ll just run into your arms? You left me, remember?? You’re nuts!!” she got her feet and yelled, months of furious anger welling up. Inuyasha sighed, might as well get this over with.
“Strip,” he ordered flatly.
“Wha-you-NO WAY!” Kagome bellowed, voice echoing off the rock walls as her bow transformed and she cracked the knuckles of her free hand, making him gulp. Her damned temper! Probably wasn’t thinking past-damn.
“Fine,” Inuyasha told her, bluffing, advancing as she retreated. He was backing her up towards the hot spring.
A sudden shove, and she was in the water!
“Hey!” she came up livid and dripping, and he flushed at the way her top clung to her as her ears flicked away water. Magnificent!
“You’ll want to get cleaned up, you‘ve been in the same clothes for days,” Inuyasha explained gruffly. She answered him by drawing back her bow and shooting it straight up.
The Hi-ya hit the barrier, shooting sparks, making it glow brightly... and rebounded, taking out an innocent tree while they both ducked.
“Nice try, maybe you'll hit yourself next time. I said, the only way in or out of here is my Tetsusaiga, Lady Kagome,” he reminded her smugly. Inuyasha took her bath bag out of her pack, tossing it to her before he strode to a bolder and shoved it aside with a grunt, revealing a cave mouth that he walked into. He came back out fast with two of her towels, and untied his haori as she was climbing out to try to escape. She flushed and spun away, slipping back into the water in case he took it into his head to say the word.
“Don’t you dare!”
“You take forever. I’m not waiting for you all day, Lady Kagome,” he informed her as she heard clothes being removed and a splash.
“You can’t keep me here, and I won’t let you touch me!”
“Oh? What makes you think I want to touch you?” he sniped.
“What? Why not?” Insulted, she turned at that and glared at him, looking silly and knowing it. Here she was standing soaked in her clothes, blushing in a hot spring with a naked guy who was getting ready to get out and soap up with a fine show of bravado. He wasn’t fooling her, though.
He was nervous too.
“I won’t lay a hand on you, until you say so, except for this,” Inuyasha promised, reaching over to undress her as she pulled away.
**Lime-ish begins**
Kagome gasped, and he frowned as he smelled-fear. Damn it!
“Take it off yourself, but it’s coming off! I’ve seen it all before, remember? Hell, you were fifteen the first time! I could’ve-done stuff with a certain mortal anytime I liked, you know! All I’d’ve needed to do is gag you!” he barked and turned around in the spring, arms folded and completely outraged.
Kagome’s lips thinned as turned away herself. Then she glared over her shoulder, remembering. He’d never gone back on a promise until the last one...and he could have easily done anything he wanted to her then. It had never even occurred to her because she‘d trusted him.
“You...ooh!” she hesitated, and slowly peeled off her clothes in the water, trembling slightly as she glanced over her shoulder and saw his ears twitch, following the splashing that accompanied her efforts. “Thanks for your concern for my virtue,” she gritted, holding onto her shirt as she placed her bow and the rest on the rocks lining the spring, still facing away.
“Eh, no problem,” he replied easily, making her scowl. She listened as he vigorously bathed, dunking his hair after he shampooed. “I missed this stuff,” Inuyasha said. “Better than the regular soap.”
He came up behind her, and she stiffened. He-he couldn’t honestly think he-
“Relax,” he began to scrub her back gently with a washcloth, the familiar scent of her soap crossing her nose. She froze, deciding...and stood still, letting him wash her, a shiver running along her spine and her hands clutching the fabric she held. He carefully washed her back in slow circles, moving up to her shoulders and neck, rinsing her with his free hand. It sent a sensual warmth through her when he bathed her, and Inuyasha barely kept his hands under control as her scent spiked with the beginnings of arousal. He gulped and she gritted her teeth, knowing his nose caught her reaction. Just as she could his.
“Better?” Inuyasha asked. His gruff, familiar voice in her ear made her knees weak, while his scent filled her nostrils and made her dizzy. It was so intimate...
He paused to fetch the shampoo.
“Let me get your hair,” he said, lathering it and carefully getting her ears. She nearly fell over when he stroked them, reaching out to clutch the edge of the spring.
“Inuyasha...” she trembled, it was the inn again, he was touching her...it was too much.
“Kagome, I-better get you arms,” he told her suddenly, not trusting himself with her so close, not with such sweet skin, her scent, her...he scrubbed her arms, ignoring her blushing gaze over her shoulder. She looked away quickly.
“Turn around,” he asked, reaching for her arm. Inuyasha sighed to himself, he had to do this properly. No matter how hard it was.
“No.”
“Turn around, Kagome. We’re-Inu,” he said tightly, it was deliciously tempting just to bend her...no! Not yet, anyway. His eyes kept going to her neck. He’d mark her right-there, he decided, sweating, and not from the heat of the water.
“Uh...oh. Yeah!” Kagome turned and trembled as she grasped what he meant, still clutching the top.
He started to clean her again and her eyes closed, feeling his hand moving along her collarbone. The cloth slid gently to the top of her shirt where she held it, and she found herself relaxing, the cloth sliding down. Kagome hated herself for it, but she had missed him so desperately...it all had gone so badly...she trembled as he worked, moving over her breasts lightly and down her belly, scrubbing her slowly. Her lips parted, and she leaned in towards him as the washcloth slid lower-
“Oh!” her eyes opened wide as he stopped just short of her-
“I told you I wouldn’t do nothing till you said I could,” Inuyasha grumbled with commendable control. “Rinse your hair. I’ll be back.”
He got out, and she frankly stared, flushing. His lean, muscular frame moved with unconscious grace as he jumped out of the hot spring.
“Oh, it’s ok for you to look, but not me?” he shot at her, making her blush and look away, ducking under the water as he‘d hoped with foam floating from her ebony hair. This was going to be hell, he knew it!
“You’re a fine one to talk! You just-just cleaned me!” Kagome yelled, eyes shut.
“Heh. Like-I mind,” he told her with a shy grin as he wrapped a towel around his hips and shook our his hair. “Don‘t bother washing that stuff you were in. I’ll get you something to wear. Hurry up,” Inuyasha ordered over his shoulder as she threw the shampoo at him.
The plastic bottle was caught absently before he headed into the lair to dress, start dinner, and review the courtship rules he’d memorized. Now that he’d gotten her home and begun with the grooming...time for the next step.
Damn! He’d have to be polite at all times now, and respectful of her Clanrank.
The initial display was done, he’d proved himself strong enough to court her, now he had to show he respected her and could provide an honorable, comfortable home for her and their children. Kids. Their kids. The thought scared him, but-he wanted to have them with her. It had taken him too much time to realize that to ever let her go. He just needed to show her, within the rules.
‘Fucking baka customs!’ he swore to himself as he prepared their first official courting supper. The barrier would at least make sure he got the chance to try without having to tie her up. Like the beads had gotten her here safely and without any serious fighting.
Outside, she glared at his clothes...and scrubbed them angrily along with her own, ignoring his orders. The rough feel of the firerat in her hands brought back so much...it hurt.
She finished by the time he came back out, hair finger combed and damp, wearing a softer version of his usual clothes a kimono of scarlet cloth richly embroidered at the sleeves and collar in matching thread. Dressed, for once, like the nobleborn he actually was. The firerat was magical armor, yes, but he looked like a peasant in it, and this was one battlefield where it wouldn’t help him.
He had to show her he wasn’t the same Inuyasha who‘d left her, and that‘s what she‘d see in his normal outfit. At least, that’s what Miroku had advised. When Kagome stared, blushed slightly, and blinked, he realized the monk had been right.
“Well? Dinner’s getting cold...my Lady,” he said uncomfortably, an emerald colored kimono over an arm and a hairbrush from her pack in his hand.
She wanted to stay in longer just to spite him-but her stomach rumbled and she was pruning. They’d hardly eaten or paused since he’d collected her. Inuyasha hadn’t wanted to risk her getting loose on the way here.
“Fine,” she stomped out of the spring, determined not to give him the satisfaction of embarrassment. Kagome blinked when he turned around again as she got out, to let her dry off with some privacy and offered the clothes on his arm without a peek. She slipped it on, impressed in spite of herself at the lovely thing. The embroidery was also the same color as the fabric, and she ran a hand along it as she closed it tightly. “Why, this is beautiful!” Kagome exclaimed, and he...blushed?
‘She likes it!’ Inuyasha thought jubilantly. He’d embellished the nicest kimonos he’d stolen for her, stoically ignoring Miroku’s teasing whenever he snuck off to work on them.
“Keep it, it’s for you.” Seeing her smile slightly, he had to stifle a grin. Women and gifts! “Sit. I’ll comb your hair, Lady,” he added grimly, making her start and she frowned, biting her lip.
“I thought dinner was getting cold,” Kagome grumbled as he stared at her, and she deliberately settled her mark pendant on the outside of the kimono. When he didn’t react, she sat on a rock as he asked.
Inuyasha brushed her hair, smiling in glee as she let him, even if it was stiffly. He’d passed the first tests completely, he’d brought her to his territory, she’d permitted him the ritual bath and grooming, then accepted his initial gift! Only a few more to go...he’d honestly expected it to take longer.
Inuyasha was all but soaking in smug satisfaction.
Kagome felt him brush out her hair...and didn’t know what to say. It would never work! No way she was letting him in again! That’s what she told herself as she let him-groom her, it was called. The initial phases of the ritual courtship. Bathing and grooming of her to relax her in a new territory and establish trust, with a gift from him to show affection and care. Where had he gotten this outfit, anyway? It was the first present she’d ever gotten from him, no way she’d give it back! And...she had admit she was desperately curious about how he’d planned to manage the rest. He steered her to the entrance and paused.
“Please enter, Lady Kagome,” Inuyasha asked suddenly, bowing and waiting for her to go first, making her stare. After a moment’s hesitation, she walked inside.
Game on.
Author’s notes-This section was surprisingly hard. Not because of the subject, but because of the plot. I had yet to decide if they were actually getting back together or not. For the sake of my new readers, I refuse to say if they do or no. But I will say I outlined it going either way. Picking which one was a difficult decision, and I think in the end I went with the one that pleased me more as a writer. No plot idea is ever wasted, though. Some things in that rejected outline managed to find their way into ‘Another Opens’ and ‘Always’.
Well, this is part one, hope you’re enjoying it! Thanks for reading!-Namiyo