InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Courtship ❯ Chapter two ( Chapter 2 )

The moonlight reflected off the dark pools of her eyes, giving her a more majestic look. Her skin was pale and the light from the stars gave her a more ghostly appearance. There was a soft blush coloring her cheeks as she stared up at him. It was a blush Inuyasha felt wasn't needed but he had expected it anyway. Her hair was wet from the lake water and it clung to her face and shoulders. Inuyasha watched as one drop of water ran down her collarbone to be caught under her arm that she had modestly crossed over her breast.

Both of them were naked and standing in the lake but Inuyasha couldn't remember becoming that way. He remembered standing before the lake watching the gentle waterfall spill from the rocks. This place seemed to have a sense of magic about it and it wasn't just the water. The bank was covered in soft grass and small white flowers. To the far right there was a large clearing covered in the same plants and both it and the lake were surrounded by trees, sheltering both from the outside world.

Inuyasha had been watching the waterfall, admiring its beauty and then he saw Kagome in the water. Next thing he knew, he was next to her, so close he could feel her breath on his face. He didn't understand why he was here or why Kagome wasn't drowning him with the subduing spell but he knew he didn't want it to end.

"Inuyasha."

He heard her whisper, so softly he almost didn't catch it. He didn't respond but slowly reached for her with his right hand and touched her cheek. Kagome's eyes closed and she leaned into his touch before placing a kiss on the center of his palm. Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat at the gentle press of her lips and he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. It wasn't a chaste, first kiss. It was a kiss filled with all the passion he felt for her. He held her completely in his arms, so tightly that her feet no longer touched the grown. Their skin was pressed together so tightly the water could not ease between them.

She was so warm. Her skin was baby soft against his and she tasted so sweet. The way she melted against him made his heart pound loudly in his ears and the way her mouth moved against his was driving him mad. Her delicate fingers traced little patterns on his chest before moving up into his hair. Her tongue shyly danced with his and her body trembled against him. Inuyasha tighten his arms around her before lowering her to the ground. He moved one hand to her hair so he could tilt her head to make the kiss deeper and the other pressed her to his arousal. Kagome gasped against his mouth and she clung to his head from the action.

Inuyasha then found himself on the bank with Kagome beneath him. She was so small compared to him but she willing accepted the weight he gave her. She felt so right pressed against him like this. Their bodies fit together as if made from the same puzzle. Inuyasha lifted his mouth from hers and their eyes met. Kagome shyly smile as she traced her fingers along the muscles of his back before lifting her legs and arched against him. Inuyasha ground when he felt her heat against his arousal and he clawed the ground in an effort to keep his control.

"Inuyasha."

Inuyasha opened his eyes and looked down at her. She was staring at him with her moon filled eyes and he immediately relaxed despite his need. He wouldn't hurt her. He couldn't hurt her. Even his youki blood did not want to risk hurting her. Kagome smiled at him and grabbed a dragon's tail and gently pulled him down.

~~~~

"Dammit." Inuyasha wanted to shout his frustration out loud or at least tear something apart but fear and pride kept him quiet and he settled for whispered curses. That was the third time this week he hadn't been able to finish the dream and the problem was, nothing had woken him except over excitement. His arousal throbbed painfully and Inuyasha took deep breaths to calm his racing heart and cool his heated blood. It normally didn't work and he would end up having to pleasure himself but thankfully, this night it did.

Inuyasha continued to sit as he waited for his arousal to go away and tried to force the dream out of his head. It was the same one. The same clearing, the same lake, even the flowers were in the same spot. The only thing that ever changed was the positions. Sometimes he was on top, sometimes she was, sometimes he was behind her, even had her up against a tree once.

Inuyasha shook his head to try and erase the images and sighed as he glanced to the horizon. It was barely dawn, not too early for him to be up but it would be a few more hours before Kagome would be up, the same for Miroku or Sango, though he usually avoided Sango since her temper had been much shorter. He could wake up either Kagome or Miroku but he didn't want to listen to their complaining. Correction, Miroku's complaining. Kagome would get up without protest and watch the sun rise with him.

Inuyasha heard Kagome shift from within the hut and he shook his head. He couldn't just wake her because he was board. He would let her sleep but he needed to do, something to take care of his boredom and clear his head. A run. He would go for a run. That always helped, besides, it had been awhile since he felt the wind in his hair as the world passed by in a blur.

Making up his mind, Inuyasha stood and scanned the area, just to be certain that all was safe. He didn't want Kagome getting attacked while he was gone. Satisfied Inuyasha jumped to the ground. As he straightened, he looked to the doorway to the hut. Again he was tempted to go and wake her but he resisted the desire and sped off the trees, taking pleasure in the rush.

Inuyasha ran through the woods, enjoying the rush of adrenaline in his veins. He loved the running. It gave him the sense of freedom and gave him the feeling of being invincible. He took that delight right now but he missed the feel of Kagome on his back. During their travels, Kagome had either ridden her bike or his back; mostly she rode his back, especially after the bike had gotten destroyed during an attack. In the beginning he had thought of it as just a way to get from one place to another without having to wait for her but as time progressed he had started noticing certain things. Like how her legs easily wrapped around his waist. The way her heart beat against this back in excitement instead of fear. The way her breath tickled the back of his neck and how soft the skin of her thighs was in his hands.

Inuyasha cursed as he stumbled over a rock and had to catch his balance and ended up running into a tree in the process. Rubbing his head, he glared up at the tree, debating whether or not he should rip it apart. His claws could use a good sharpening and the villagers could use the firewood but after shaking his head, he decided against it. There was no point to it. The tree hadn't made him think of the softness of Kagome's skin or how all he had to do was trail his hand up too…

Inuyasha shook his head to clear the image but it was too late, his erection was back. Inuyasha growled low in his throat and leapt up the tree. He sat up in the higher branches, watching the sunrise though he paid no attention to the colors. Inuyasha couldn't be certain when he started wanting Kagome but by that time, it hadn't really mattered. It had been unsafe to claim her as his mate, with Naraku always trying to kill them, along with every other demon they came across, but things were different now.

Naraku was dead, the jewel was complete and Kikyo had been put to rest. It was safe to claim her and it had been for a while, but Inuyasha didn't want to force a claim on her like that wimpy wolf, Koga had tried to do. He was a lord by blood after all and he was above that. But then he had come to a problem. He had no idea how to prove to her he wanted her without just coming out and saying it and he wasn't going to do that and for two reasons. One, he was no good with words and two, he wasn't sure of Kagome's feelings for him. That's where Sesshoumaru had come in.

"Court her," he had said.

After seeing the blank expression on Inuyasha's face, Sesshoumaru had gone into the details of the courtship. Some of it was no different than human traditions. Baring gifts was the main technique for both races but where humans gave flowers and other pretty things to show that they were affectionate, youki brought meat or other types of food to show they were good providers. He was also told to spend time with her and rarely leave her side, which was more of his sake than hers. It was to keep other males away. Those lessons had been easy but the third had brought a blush to Inuyasha's cheeks.

"Touch her." Sesshoumaru had told him, "Touch her and watch her reactions. Hold her hand, graze her arm or back but keep it simple and light. A firm touch in the wrong place at the wrong time will scare her and you will most likely lose your chance."

Inuyasha cracked a smile at the memory of his lesson. It had been the first time they had a brother-to-brother talk. It had been strained at first but as the lesson continued, they relaxed around each other until they found themselves seated under the stars, talking about women and memories. They even shared a good laugh. It was nice to have a brother again and hopefully Sesshoumaru's information would work.

So far, Inuyasha couldn't really tell. Kagome always excepted the food form him, Sesshoumaru had told him that was a good thing, and her eyes would always light up at the sight of what he brought but Inuyasha wasn't sure if she was accepting him by accepting the gifts or if she was just being nice. She always invited him to join her but he often declined. He would sit in a tree instead and watch her prepare and eat the food. He always gave her more than enough and he knew he did, after all, she had a kit and he was pretty sure she would want to feed the old woman and that was fine with him. There was plenty of game and it showed that he could provide for a large family.

Inuyasha tapped his fingers on his knee. Maybe he would join her next time but he wasn't quiet sure of what to say or how to act and Inuyasha couldn't help but growl at that fact. He had been traveling with her for years yet he had trouble eating a simple dinner with her. Maybe he should wait until he was more positive of her feelings for him. That sounded better. Yes, he would wait. That settled, he thought about the other advice Sesshoumaru had given him; touching her.

Now that had been difficult. Inuyasha had blushed for weeks at the thought of touching Kagome when he wasn't pulling her out of danger and when he had finally gained enough courage it had only been a brush of fingertips against her hand. And Kagome had responded. It had only been a blush but it was better than being plummeted to the ground.

After that one touch, he had gotten over his fear. He was still gentle with his touches and he was always careful not to frighten her and her responses had all been similar.

Inuyasha knew that Kagome was probably confused about the attention he was giving her but Inuyasha refused to explain anything. Instead, he continued his advances, even giving slightly bolder ones. One time, he even thought he had gone to far.

He hadn't meant to. He was always careful to keep his claws away from her skin but he had slipped and Kagome had responded beautifully.

Kagome had been reaching into a branch and it had caused her shirt to rise up and reveal the soft skin of her lower back and stomach. It had been a perfect opportunity. He acted as if he wanted to pass her and as he did so, he lightly dragged his fingers across the skin of her back but three of his claws had touched her and had followed the movement. Inuyasha thought he had blown his chances. He had expected to be slapped, yelled at, and subdued. If he didn't get that, then he thought that there would be at least a look of disgust in her eyes. He received none but what he did receive had eased his fears and gave him newfound courage.

Kagome had frozen in her stretched position and her breath had caught in her throat. Her checks had grown a deep shade of red and shortly after, Inuyasha smelt her arousal. Inuyasha probably would have howled in victory if he hadn't been so shocked at her reaction and ever since then, he would occasionally let his claws touch her skin and every time he got the same reaction.

But even with that big clue, Inuyasha was uncertain about her feelings for her him. He now knew she lusted after him but did she want him as a mate.

Inuyasha wasn't stupid. He knew he was handsome and even though he was feared do to his youki heritage women still wanted him. More than once, a woman had offered her bed to him and some female youki had even offered to mate with him. It even happened when he was traveling with Kagome and the others, they just didn't know it and hopefully, never would. But all those females had only wanted a single night, none of them wanted him as a permanent mate and he wondered if Kagome felt the same as they did.

Inuyasha cupped his chin in his palm. This courtship thing was taking much longer than he thought and after months, he was still uncertain. He would have to do something different but what. Other than the advise Sesshoumaru had given him, Inuyasha was clueless and as he began to think about it, he realized that the main reason was that Sesshoumaru advise was for courting female youki, not humans. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. The bastard also didn't have a mate. Either Sesshoumaru had yet to chose a mate or had been unsuccessful. It better not be the later.

Then whom could he go to? He usually went to Kaede with his problems but he felt uncomfortable about asking her. Not to mention, if Kagome wasn't with Miroku or Sango, she was with Kaede, or at least the kit was and that meant that Kagome could find out what he was up to. Sango was defiantly out of the question. His head still hurt from the latest lump she gave him. Shippo wouldn't be any help. That left only one person, Miroku.

Inuyasha didn't like the idea but Miroku was probably his best chance and the lecher was experienced with women. It was decided then. He would ask Miroku but first things first. Inuyasha thought as he turned his gaze to the trees. He needed to get some food for Kagome, he couldn't smell any fresh tracks but he could smell a fruit tree. Kagome liked fruit and she might welcome the change, after that, he would wait to get Miroku alone and ask him for his advise on courting women.

Nodding his decision, Inuyasha stood and sped off through the trees, heading for the fruit tree, completely missing the faint scent if water and white flowers.

AN: Five reviews. Wow, and Courtship has only been on the site for a day. Word of warning. The next chapter will take a little longer. I already had these two written, I just needed to get them typed but the next chapter isn't even close to getting done and the only time I have to write is during school when we're going over homework and during my breaks and work. That's just a little over an hour if I'm luck. So please be patient. Next chapter, Kagome seeks information from Sango but somebody is listening in and hopefully it will be up by this weekend. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming.

I also have a favor. I try to edit my work but it's easier to edit others than my own. If you see anything that's wrong, please let me know. And if anyone knows what kind of fruit and flowers they grow in Japan, could you please let me know?