InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Courtship ❯ Chapter fifteen ( Chapter 15 )

Inuyasha was confused when he woke after noon. He didn't know where he was and he couldn't remember anything. The last thing he could remember was fighting Koga but he couldn't remember the outcome of the fight. He couldn't even remember most of the fight. The only thing he could really remember was Koga saying that Kagome would bare the wolf a pup next summer. That was only ten months away. Did the wolf actually expect Kagome to fall for him so soon? The thought still pissed Inuyasha off but he was too confused for the emotion to take over.

What the hell happened after that? Inuyasha thought as he raised a hand to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He couldn't remember anything and that caused him to grow slightly scared. Was the reason he couldn't remember anything was because he had been knocked unconscious? If that were what happened, then Kagome would belong to the wolf now.

Inuyasha's eyes snapped opened. No! He wouldn't let that happen.

Inuyasha made a motion to get up but something tightened on his under kimono, drawing his attention. It was a hand, Kagome's hand. Inuyasha sighed in relief. He hadn't lost the fight. Kagome was safe and with him and sleeping rather comfortably by his side.

Inuyasha cracked a smile as he watched her. She was curled around his side, her legs tangled in his and using his shoulder as a pillow. He himself had an arm wrapped tightly around her, pinning her to him but by the total look of content on her face, it wasn't something she minded. Inuyasha wished he could remember what happened. He would like to know what he had said or did that would allow him to sleep next to Kagome but as he stared at her, he decided that it didn't really matter since he got to wake next to her.

Tenderly, so he wouldn't wake her, Inuyasha reached for her with his free hand and pushed the stands that had fallen over her face behind her ear. His smile disappeared and his eyes darkened when he saw the black and blue bump on her right temple. There was also a small cut on it and though Inuyasha didn't know how she got it, he knew she had a concussion. Almost afraid that he would hurt her, Inuyasha gently rolled Kagome onto her back and leaned over her. She moaned at the motion but he was relieved to recognize it as a moan of disturbed sleep and not a moan of pain.

Inuyasha cupped the uninjured side of her face in his palm, which she leaned into, and gently moved her hair farther away from the bruise so he could better study it. It wasn't too serious but Inuyasha knew she would be in pain when she woke. How did this happen? Did Koga hurt her in retaliation for losing the fight? If he had, Inuyasha would track the wolf down and rip him apart, one limb at a time, no matter what he promised. But what if she was injured because of him? He would throw himself off the first cliff he would find.

Inuyasha trailed the hand from her hair down to her shoulder and grew confused when his skin met coarse fabric instead of smooth silk. She was wearing his hoari. Inuyasha didn't panic. He couldn't smell himself on her other than the contact scents so there was no reason to panic. But why was she wearing his hoari? Was she injured in other places and her shirt had been too bloody to be comfortable? If so, where else was she hurt?

Inuyasha couldn't wait for her to wake and gently shook her shoulder. Kagome stirred but didn't wake. She even tried to turn on her side, away from him but after grimacing in pain, she remained on her back. Inuyasha tried again a little harder and this time, Kagome did respond.

She moaned in awareness before stretching, which judging by the expression on her face, she instantly regretted, and slowly opening her eyes, though they were only half way.

"Inuyasha."

She sounded weak. He prayed that it was only because she just woke up.

"What happened?"

Kagome yawned and nuzzled his closest shoulder. Inuyasha would have been both surprised by the show of affection and proud that it was him Kagome was nuzzling but right now he was too concern and afraid to even notice the contact.

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked after she yawned again.

Inuyasha lifted a hand to her forehead and gently touched the area around the bruise. Kagome's eyes filled with understanding but there was no anger or fear. In fact, she looked even more affectionate.

"After you got mad at whatever Koga said, you transformed. I don't really know what happened after that, but next thing I know-"

"I transformed?" Inuyasha cupped Kagome's face in his palms. He was practically trembling in fear. Every time he had transformed he had been gone on a killing spree. If he had transformed then not only would he have killed Koga but he would have gone after Kagome too. "Did I hurt you? Dear God what did I do? Kagome I-"

Kagome pressed her fingers against Inuyasha's lips to stop his rambling before smiling up at him.

"You didn't hurt me Inuyasha. You did just the opposite. You took care of me."

Inuyasha gave her a confused look but he kept quiet when she removed her hand from his mouth. He even closed his eyes in pleasure when she raised her hand to his ears and softly scratched one. Normally, he would have yelled at her or pulled away but this time he decided to allow them both the pleasure. Besides, she would hopefully be his mate soon and most likely she would want to scratch his ears regularly so might as well get used to it. Never mind that he loved it.

"I wasn't paying attention to the fight after you transformed." Kagome continued, "I was too scared to. I was afraid that you would kill Koga then come after me, plus, both of you were moving too fast for me to really see anything. All I know is that when Koga tried to hurt you, he accidentally cut down the tree I was hiding behind. You saved me but a limb or something still hit me."

Inuyasha sighed in relief and gently laid down on top of her, his ear pressed against her heart. Kagome blushed at the embarrassing position but didn't force him to move. She found it sweet if she could over look the fact that he was lying on her breasts and she noticed that he was making no move to grope her. He was barely even touching her and he had even shifted his weight off to the side so he wasn't crushing her. Kagome smiled and soothed his hair.

Inuyasha made a sound of contentment, almost like a purr, and he raised a hand to play with the edge of the hoari she was wearing.

"Why are you wearing my hoari?"

Kagome's blush got even brighter.

"Well, umm," she cleared her throat that suddenly went dry and looked away from Inuyasha to keep her blush from getting any brighter. "After you took care of my head injury you apparently still smelt blood on me and went in search of it. You cut my shirt in the process." Kagome chuckled. "It was only a scrap too. I would have thought you were trying to see me naked if you hadn't of let me hold the fabric together."

Inuyasha frowned and lifted his head to look at where the ruined shirt had been discarded by the water. It was one of the shirts that Inuyasha had made for her. It was the blue one with a wavy pattern that brought out her eyes. Inuyasha didn't particularly care that the shirt was ruined since it had been done so to care for Kagome, even though that was one of his favorites, but he wondered how Taka would take it. Inuyasha shook his head at the thought. He doubted she even remembered making it.

Kagome started scratching his ear again and Inuyasha relaxed against her.

"Inuyasha, do you love me?"

Inuyasha lifted his head and looked down at Kagome. He had been surprised by her question. Usually she was much shyer than that. It must have been the bump that caused her to ask but still he expected to see fear in her eyes but her eyes weren't even open and the look on her face was a mixture of happiness and fatigue.

"Kagome…I…uh…"

Inuyasha did love her. He knew that for a while now but he had never admitted it to Kagome. The thought of doing so scared the hell out of him. What if she refused him or was disgusted? What if she was only asking so she could laugh in his face?

Kagome sensed his hesitation and opened her eyes to look up at him. They looked bluer now. Maybe it was do to the light or maybe it was the contented happiness that was swimming in them but Inuyasha could have sworn that he had never seen them that blue before. How did women manage that look? The look that said they knew all the secrets to the world. It was a look of power and Inuyasha couldn't help but be caught in it.

Kagome smiled at him.

"I know the answer," she told him, "but I want to hear it from your lips before I give you my answer."

Inuyasha bit his lip. He had been afraid of that. But he wanted that answer. More than he wanted his next breath, even if it was the answer he didn't want. After a few hesitant moments, Inuyasha finally gained up his courage to answer.

"Yes, Kagome."

It was lame and he sounded stupid but it was all he could manage.

Kagome smiled up at him.

"You have to do better than that."

Inuyasha glared down at her.

"Better than that." He wanted to yell but kept his voice at a tolerant level since he knew that her head was hurting. "Dammit wench, if I hadn't been able to find the courage to tell you I love you in the time span of three years ago and I won't be able to find it in a matter of ten seconds. What do you want me to do, write a poem and announce my undying love like the monk did for Sango?"

Kagome giggled before lifting her head to briefly touch her lips to Inuyasha's. She wanted to extend the kiss but her head hurt too much that even lifting her head was agony but she managed it but it was impossible to hold it there. Besides, that breath of a touch did do what she intended to do. Inuyasha was silent, staring down at her with both surprise and want.

Kagome traced his lips with her finger and her lazy smile was soft and full of emotion as she stared up at him.

"How `bout you just tell me you love me."

Never mind that he just did tell her but she wanted to hear those words again and not in the middle of a bunch of babble.

The surprise left Inuyasha's eyes and was once again replaced with fear but there was more confidence there thanks to that hint of a kiss. Cracking a smile, Inuyasha pressed a tender kiss to her uninjured temple before lowering his lips to where they barely touched hers.

"I love you, Kagome."

His words were soft and barely audible but Kagome heard them as well as felt them and she was sure her smile would have blinded the sun if Inuyasha hadn't chosen that moment to catch her lips in a soft, passionate kiss that she met in full.

The kiss was passionate but brief since Inuyasha wanted to hear her answer and when he did separate his lips from hers, it was just enough so he could look in her eyes. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be incoherent but slowly, her eyes opened to be half lidded pools of emotion.

She smiled at him when she saw his anticipation and she affectionately cupped his cheek in her palm.

"I love you too," she told him before whispering, "and my answer is yes. I will be yours."

Now Inuyasha's smile was blinding and Kagome couldn't help but laugh at the pure happiness she saw in his eyes before his mouth all but crushed hers. It hurt her head but Kagome ignored it in favor of feeling his mouth moving against hers and losing himself in his taste when his tongue entered her mouth.

Inuyasha wasn't holding anything back. Now that he had his answer, there was no need for hesitation or fear and he let all his emotion spill into the kiss and into his touch. He even pressed his hips against hers, which made her gasp in his mouth. But even though this kiss lasted longer than the last, Inuyasha still cut it short and Kagome would have protested the loss if she hadn't felt herself getting more and more tired.

That was why he stopped. She wasn't in any condition to go farther and wouldn't be fore a while and he was respecting that. Kagome made a sound of appreciation as she turned her head into Inuyasha shirt to breath in his sent. She knew that some guys wouldn't have cared that their girl was hurt and because Inuyasha was putting taking care of her in front of his needs made her love and respect for him grow.

Inuyasha nuzzled his nose in her hair, all the while purring in happiness.

"What do you want to eat?"

Kagome yawned, "No food. Too tired for food."

Inuyasha chuckled.

"You need to eat."

"I'll eat later."

Then she was asleep.

Inuyasha smiled down at her and pressed a soft kiss to her temple, which had her turning to him again, before removing himself from her and rising to his feet. As much as he hated to leave her, he had to get Tetsusaiga before some human found it and took it as their own or worse, sell it. Besides, he had either killed or driven away all the youkai in his forest and by the smell of the area around him, Kagome was the only human to ever be in this part of the forest. She was safe; besides, he would only be gone for a minute at least. Plus, he needed to get her some food.

Content with his decision Inuyasha turned from Kagome but didn't take another step as he took in the scenery around him.

It couldn't be. This place, this lake, this clearing, it was the same place as his dream only bathed in sunlight instead of moonlight or twilight. Even the placement of the flowers seemed to be the same and the water was just as crystal clear. Even the sounds were the same.

Slowly, Inuyasha walked to the water and leapt onto the boulder beside the waterfall. He knelt on it as he stared down at the water. Despite the ripples, he could still see down to the bottom and his distorted reflection. He could see fish as well but they were small. They probably wouldn't even fill Shippo but that didn't matter. What mattered was that this was the same place as his dream and the fact that it was in his forest unnerved him a little. Why hadn't he noticed this place before? True, he didn't really explore his forest except when looking for potential trouble. Even when he had first came here over fifty years ago, he didn't really explore it but why did he dream it if he had never seen this place before.

Inuyasha bit his lip in thought before sighing and smiling. He turned to regard the girl sleeping in the sun, curled in his hoari, and surrounded by grass and white flowers. It seemed that fate had been telling him all along that they were meant for each other and that they were meant to be here.

A look that usually only came into Inuyasha's eyes when he was going into battle filled his eyes now as he studied the clearing. It was big enough and he already knew from the sent and feel of the soil that it was rich in minerals and water was close by so it would they wouldn't have to go far to bath or to fetch water for cooking and watering. And the trees and dense undergrowth protected the area though he would probably create a clearing so they could leave more easily and so Miroku and Sango could find them.

A smile full of masculine pride spread upon his face as he pictured what his house would look like. Not as big as Miroku and Sango's but bigger than most with a herb and vegetable garden that Kagome seemed to like growing so much and a couple of pups playing in the grass or water or helping their mother while he and Shippo returned with dinner. The smile vanished at the thought. Did he just picture him and Shippo bringing food to feed his family? Inuyasha chuckled and looked affectionately at Kagome as he thought about the kit. Yes, he did. Looks like he was starting to think about Shippo as his own son and he had no protest against it. He was pleased with the thought and he wondered if Shippo would think as him as his father someday. Inuyasha hoped so.

With a new goal in mind, Inuyasha quickly left the forest in search of his sword and food with the full intent of getting back to Kagome as quick as possible. He wanted to build the house quickly so he would need help, especially since he was no carpenter. He would ask Miroku but they alone wouldn't be able to get it done as quickly as Inuyasha hoped for it to get done. They were going to have to ask the village men. Inuyasha didn't like that but as he thought longer about it, he decided it might be a good idea. Someday the village might need his help and they would be doomed if none of them knew where he lived. Plus, from what he had seen when Montaro kissed Kagome, the villagers thought very highly of Kagome and probably want to make her happy for all the things she had done for them, especially since she had save some lives with her knowledge of improved medicine. Inuyasha could trust the villagers, he knew that now but he would still have Miroku do the asking. Inuyasha just wasn't any good at that sort of thing.

Smiling with his decision, Inuyasha followed his nose back to his sword.

AN: Wow, two chapters in two days. That's a record for me. Seems like my muse is working overtime. I'm not complaining since this story is coming out much better than I thought it would despite it being longer than I originally intended it to be. It also helps when I've received over a hundred reviews. I love you guys so much (wants to hug reviewers but can't so settles for hugging computer). Keep the reviews coming. I seem to work faster the more reviews I get. I'm even thinking about redoing Hope but that's still up to debate. I also have two other stories that I'll definitely do but I'm going to let them be a surprise. No promises on when the next chapter will be out. I might have it done tomorrow. I might have it done next Sunday but I don't know since I have a bad feeling that this is going to be a busy week since my brother is turning eighteen (looks at wallet and realizes she has no money for stripper or party. Baby brother's going to be so disappointed). Don't you hate how time flies. I swear, yesterday he was only ten, when I could still beat him up and was still shorter then me. Now he's six foot and I'm only a couple inches over five. (Starts crying) It's not far. Little brothers should never be taller than their older sisters (finds fate and starts beating her over the head with a baseball bat).

Next chapter: Inuyasha and Miroku have another talk and Sesshoumaru stops by for a visit.