InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Something to Protect - Echoes ❯ Guilty Pleasure ( Chapter 6 )

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

Chapter Six

*~*~Guilty Pleasure~*~*

Kagome awoke to a cup of half eaten ramen being shoved under her nose. She looked into Inuyasha's eyes questioningly.

"I couldn't finish it," he mumbled, never making eye contact with the girl.

When has Inuyasha ever not been able to finish ramen? She'd seen him eat an entire pot- full upon occasion.

She accepted the lie and the steaming bowl for what it was: his pitiful yet heartfelt attempt to be nice to her. She gifted him with a small smile before carefully sitting up and digging in.

She pretended to ignore his longing look at the cup and the small pout that came over his features as he sat down next to her. Taking in his cross-legged stance and the stubborn look on his face Kagome had to struggle not to laugh at him.

"I yelled out for you earlier," she admitted reluctantly, attempting to take the focus off of his gift. She watched a look of confusion pass over his face. "When you were sleeping," she clarified, "I yelled out for you."

"I didn't hear you," Inuyasha said, shrugging indifferently.

"You always hear me," Kagome whispered, slightly surprised.

"Keh, how the hell was I supposed to hear you?" he exclaimed. "You can barely talk!"

Maybe changing the subject had been a bad idea? She thought with a sigh. Why was he so defensive? He won't even look at me! She decided to let it go for the moment.

His veiled glances at the bowl had her rolling her eyes at his antics. Dipping her chopsticks into the ramen again, she wrapped a sufficient amount of noodles around them then extended them to the pouting hanyou with a smirk.

The look he shot her gave her the impression that he thought she was crazy.

Okay, be stubborn. Impaling a tasty shrimp on the end of the chopsticks, she offered it to him again with a knowing look.

The small growl only lasted a moment before he leaned over quickly and captured the mouthful between his lips.

Kagome smiled at the indignant look he was obviously forcing on his face. Quickly eating another bite, she nonchalantly made one for him then waited.

"I'm not a pup!" Inuyasha grumbled, but she couldn't help but notice the small flush that crept up his chest onto his face.

"I never called you a pup," Kagome answered quietly, struggling not to look at his not-so- "pup"-like chest that had taken on a pink tinge momentarily.

"You're trying to feed me like one!" Inuyasha declared, never taking his eyes off of the ramen as he spoke.

"If you don't want it," Kagome started snatching the chopsticks away.

"I didn't say that!" he declared, gobbling the mouthful before she could react.

Kami, he's difficult! Kagome thought with a sigh. She hurriedly finished the ramen, attempting to avoid any other conflict.

The pronounced silence lingered in the air around them as she set the empty bowl aside.

"Where are we?" she finally asked quietly.

"The village of the demon slayers," he answered, stretching his arms over his head in an attempt to soothe his aching muscles.

Kagome willed her eyes not to follow his every movement and lost the battle. The girl couldn't locate an ounce of fat on the boy's lean body. Is it because he's hanyou? Or is he like this in his human form too?

She felt a twinge of shame for the direction her mind had taken, but her curiosity won out in the end. Her lingering gaze took in the tightly honed muscles that moved so effortlessly beneath his flawless skin. Being youkai did have its advantages. No scars.

Every movement was executed with a kind of lazy grace she couldn't help but marvel at. His shimmering silver hair and honey colored eyes were probably the envy of women worldwide, but somehow the aura he managed to exude was purely masculine and she couldn't help but wonder if he effected all women this way. Or just her.

Maybe I shouldn't look? Kagome thought as she felt her heartbeat accelerate. I mean he's bound to catch me sooner or later and . . .

"Wench, what the hell is wrong with you?" Inuyasha practically yelled in her ear as he pinned her with a confused look.

A blush as red as his haori colored her face.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her flushed form. "You getting sick again?" he asked studying her ruddy complexion, slapping his hand to her forehead with a grimace.

"No!" she exclaimed pushing his hand away in an attempt to cover her embarrassment.

The quick look that crossed his face made her wince. Great, I hurt his feelings!

"Keh, well I couldn't tell," Inuyasha said snidely, "not with the way you look right now."

The way I look?

Eyeing his gaze, Kagome's fingers shot to her hair.

She let out a cry of pain as her bruised ribs made themselves known for a second time, but not before she felt the leaves and grass twined through her locks. Oh Kami, I must look horrible!

She'd secretly been appreciating the way the boy looked, while sitting there looking as if she'd been dragged through the woods. For once she was glad she did not have a mirror.

Snatching her book-bag that lay beside the futon and placing it in her lap into her lap, Kagome quickly rummaged around before her hand closed around what she was looking for. First things first. Yanking the brush from the bag with a flourish, Kagome attempted to run the brush through her disheveled hair.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she watched as leaves tumbled from her tangled tresses. About six strokes later she stopped for a rest. This was not going to work.

Her eyes lighted on Inuyasha, who was watching her with a smirk a few feet away. "Inuyasha," she whispered her voice pleading.

The hanyou read the question in her eyes and backed away as if frightened by the very idea.

"Please, Inuyasha!" she asked, not caring that she was begging and that he'd be sure to mention it later.

"Hell no!" Inuyasha growled scooting away from the brush as if it were somehow infected.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Kagome decided not to ask again. Lifting her arm with a groan, she completed three more tortuous strokes before the brush was wrenched from her fingertips.

He gave her a look that dared her to speak as he scooted behind her and ran the brush roughly through her hair. She flinched but didn't complain. He obviously realized his mistake on his own, because the next few strokes were softer.

She felt his claws sifting through her locks removing leaves, twigs, and a few things she pretended not to see. As the minutes passed Kagome felt herself being lulled into a state of numbness.

The rhythmic strokes of the brush began to feel magical after a while to her recently abused body. She felt her eyes drifting shut, but struggled to stay awake just to feel the heavenly sensation a few moments longer.

Leaning back into the brush, she felt Inuyasha jerk as her hair grazed his chest. The noise he made sounded suspiciously like a snicker, but he flopped down onto the futon before she could explore it any further.

Kagome smiled at the way he pretended to ignore her presence, eyes closed as if she was no longer worth his effort. Letting her hair fall over her shoulders, she admired the job he'd done. Her hair felt soft and shone in a way that it hadn't in weeks. She'd been neglecting it, she realized with a sigh. It hasn't helped that I've been unconscious for almost half of the time I've been back here.

Scooting next to the grumpy young man, she examined him more closely. Had he fallen asleep? The stubborn look on his face gave him away. Just being obnoxious, she concluded easily.

Her wandering gaze landed on his unique silver tresses. They easily reached his waist. Had he ever cut his hair? Her eyes narrowed at the obvious tangles she spotted with distaste. Or brushed it?!

Knowing Inuyasha, she could already guess the answer to that question.

She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He did fight a lot. It could easily be due to that.

"Do you even comb your hair?" she asked as she reached out to untangle a particularly annoying knot.

The last thing she was prepared for was Inuyasha bolting away as if she had shocked him. The musculed chest she had just admired was heaving as though he was frantically trying to catch his breath. The momentary look of fear in his eyes was unnatural, and it made her heart race. Why'd he react like that? It's not as if I've never touched his hair before.

Her paranoid mind got the best of her as she wracked her brain for an instance where she'd touched the hanyou's hair. When she'd first met him and he'd been pinned to the tree. But we were being attacked. Should I count that?

The only other time she could remember is when he'd been injured on the new moon. But can I really count that either? He doesn't even remember half of things he said to me that night.

Kagome released a sigh as an embarrassed look crossed Inuyasha's face. He obviously realized how ridiculous he must look, because he flopped back down as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

His eyes strayed from hers as they always did when he was hiding something. The obvious warning in his gaze caused her to consider keeping her mouth shut on the issue.

I've ignored enough of his secrets today, she decided. "Inuyasha?" she prodded gently, urging him to answer her earlier question.

"I brush it when I feel like it!" he snapped, annoyed that she had chosen to continue the conversation.

"Do you ever feel like it?" she shot back, irritated by the tone he'd taken. The look he gave her as he absorbed her comment caused her to shudder.

Whoa, if looks could kill! I must be getting to him.

This isn't getting me anywhere. It was then she decided to switch tactics.

Her voice grew soft with what almost sounded like regret. "But it's so. . . pretty," she admitted, for a lack of a better term.

"Keh! It's just hair, wench," he muttered, but the earlier venom she'd heard in his voice had disappeared. Leaning back on his elbows lazily, he allowed a few strands of his silver hair to dance over her haori covered legs.

"You had a little knot in your hair," Kagome explained quietly.

Rolling his eyes at her concern, Inuyasha sighed as he let his head fall back slightly, hair creating a soft pile on her lap.

Her hand reached out hesitantly and grasped a few of the tangled strands between her nimble fingers. Working them apart carefully she watched his face for signs of irritation.

His amber eyes weren't looking at anything particular, but seemed unfocused as if he were deep in thought.

Since he didn't seem to be overly annoyed by her attention any longer, she risked reaching for another clump of tangles and waited. Nothing. Kagome eased those apart as well, careful not to tug harder than she needed as he seemed to be extra sensitive about it.

Starting on the next one she realized that she might need to brush them apart. Would he mind? She separated a few strands between her fingers and laid them in the palm of her hand.

Brushing them gently, she held her breath when he tensed, but she saw his muscles relax as he resigned himself to her attention.

Dragging her eyes from his chest that somehow kept drawing her gaze, she turned her attention to the mass of silvery locks in front of her.

It only took a few minutes to pry the stubborn strands apart, and a few more after that to get them tangle-free. She didn't pause in her ministrations, though. The one time she'd attempted to lower the brush she couldn't help but notice how he'd leaned backwards a bit, as if he wished her to continue.

He was enjoying this, she realized with a small start of surprise. Though he'd never admit it. Not that he needed to. The small sigh that escaped his mouth a few moments before had been adequate proof. She didn't think he realized that he'd made the noise, as she knew the hanyou would never consciously make the sound.

Kagome continued the rhythmic motion until her battered ribs screamed in protest. This realization only caused her to switch the brush from her right hand to her left. The action was slightly awkward, but she adjusted quickly.

The dying firelight flickered over the pair, and Kagome couldn't help but reflect on the intimacy of the situation. How many times had they rested like this? Alone together. Sometimes in contented silence. Other times the very air charged with the words they dare not say.

Her wandering mind reminded her of the decision she'd made earlier. She'd held her silence long enough. Hating to break the rare moment between them. But the truth gnawed at her.

She'd been determined this morning that she would no longer be a liability to the group. The events of this afternoon had done nothing but assure her that she'd made the right choice.

Now came the truly difficult part.

Explaining her revelations to the hot tempered hanyou in front of her.

The sigh she released did nothing to relieve her growing anxiety.

"Inuyasha," she started quietly. Kagome wasn't surprised when Inuyasha failed to reply. "Inuyasha?" she repeated as she waited for his curious amber eyes to light on her.

Positive she had his attention she continued her hastily thrown together speech. "I spoke to Kaede-sama today and. . ."

"Oi, Wench I know what this is about," Inuyasha interrupted quickly.

"You do?" Kagome asked, confusion showing clearly on her face.

"Look, I'll clean up the stupid field when I damn well feel like it," Inuyasha said with a weary sigh.

"Inuyasha I . . ."

"I smelled that son of a bitch!" Inuyasha growled, "I don't care what any of you say."

"Miroku didn't sense anything," Kagome pointed out with a sigh.

"The only thing Miroku senses is . . ."

Kagome's clamped her hand over his mouth with a giggle before he could utter another word. "Are you quite finished?" she asked letting her laughter escape.

His lips felt hot beneath her fingers and she had the unexplainable urge to run her fingertips across them. Startled by how often her thoughts were beginning to focus on Inuyasha as of late, she struggled to remember what had even prompted the conversation.

Meeting his mutinous eyes, she let out a sigh. "I wasn't talking about the field Inuyasha," Kagome blurted, "I asked Kaede to train me."

Not exactly the way I planned saying it, but it was straight to the point. He of all people should appreciate that.

He cocked a dark eyebrow in confusion as she released her hold on his face. "You're already a miko, woman," he said irritably, dismissing her previous statement.

"I've never been trained Inuyasha," she said forcefully, "and since I'm graduating soon I thought it would be a perfect time."

"A perfect time for what?"

Kami, he`s gonna make this hard isn`t he. "To be trained formally as a miko," she finished quickly.

Sitting up quickly as if afraid he hadn't heard her correctly, Inuyasha tried to ignore the sinking feeling that was slowly coming over him. "You mean be trained to exterminate demons?!" Inuyasha clarified.

"Well yes, but. .."

That was as far as she got.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Inuyasha yelled leaping to his feet in a fluid motion Kagome couldn't help but admire.

Even if she was slowly growing angrier with every word that came out of his insensitive mouth.

"You can barely handle making ramen for yourself!"

"I'm injured, you baka!" she defended in annoyance.

"Injured by a low level forest youkai," Inuyasha reminded her, "how the hell do you think you can handle anything else?"

"I've helped before," she reminded him impatiently, "stop acting as if I were helpless." Kagome's eyes followed the irate hanyou as he paced the floor in a pattern that only got more illogical as she watched. It was as if he was searching the very room for an answer that would satisfy her.

"So you can shoot a few arrows," Inuyasha spat, "that won't save you if you become a miko"

"Save me?"

"Yes, save you, you little idiot!" he said grabbing her shoulders, as if he wanted to shake some sense into her. "Miko's are targets!"

"Targeted by youkai?" Kagome scoffed, "I'm already a target because of the jewel."

"But they don't view you as a threat!" Inuyasha yelled, giving in to the urge to shake the irrational woman.

He regretted it almost immediately as he saw her pained wince. Releasing her quickly, he continued his tirade in a much quieter voice.

"You're just a girl to them."

He sighed as if he was explaining a fact that she should already know. "I'm the reason they don't attack you. They do not fear you."

Kagome absorbed this information quietly, surprised by the serious tone of the usually immature boy. This information served only to strengthen her resolve.

"That's why I need to train!" she exclaimed.

"Train my ass!" he muttered, "You need to help get the jewels shards and that's it."

"What about after that?!" she exclaimed without thinking.

Turning her head away quickly, Kagome was astonished at her own stupidity. I didn't just say that! I didn't!

One glance at Inuyasha's shocked expression confirmed it.

Their feelings were an unspoken arrangement. Keyword, 'unspoken,' baka! They never spoke of the future beyond the purification of the jewel. Ever. Inuyasha had not reconciled his feelings of the past. How could I expect him to think about the future?

Her hastily blurted words had insinuated that she planned on remaining in the feudal era.

Is that what I really want? To stay here? With him?

Kagome pushed her confusing thoughts aside. It doesn't matter what I want if he doesn't want me to remain here.

The prolonged silence was slowly eating away at the girl's dwindling confidence.

His golden orbs were looking at everything in the dark hut besides her. She recognized the look immediately. He's thinking of Kikyou. The realization didn't bring the pain that normally accompanied that knowledge. I brought this on myself.

A determined expression came over his ashen face as he finally met her gaze.

His direct gaze frightened her somehow. As though she could literally feel his rejection. Oh, Kami he's going to hurt me! Moments after that irrational thought penetrated her brain, she scooted as far away as possible from him as the small hut would allow.

He didn't remark on her actions as a hardened look entered his eyes.

Inuyasha took a deep breath, gave her a rare wistful smile, and then proceeded to break her heart.

"They do not need mikos in your time," he explained simply, as he strode from the hut and into the night.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

Miroku sighed up at the dismal night sky. Though the clouds covered most of the brilliant stars, Miroku somehow still felt at peace.

It's this place, he realized. The demon slayers' village had always caused him to react this way. The comforting feeling had been with him from the moment he'd entered the village's ramshackle gates.

Almost at the exact moment that look of regret had entered Sango's eyes.

The taijiya had been nearly silent since she'd been back. Miroku could not understand the way the girl's mind worked. It had been her idea to return, and yet when they had, she'd seemed as if the very air was choking the life from her.

She had disappeared shortly after arriving, and while Miroku was content on giving her some time alone, he was beginning to believe that she'd had more time alone than one person could ever need.

Rising from the ground with a lazy stretch, the monk went in search of the wayward taijiya. The loud clanging of metal captured his attention and steered him towards the weapon's shed.

A streak of motion to his left caught him off guard. Inuyasha? The hanyou was moving at an insane speed towards the road they'd used to enter the village. Miroku nodded knowingly as he entered the dark hut in which Sango worked.

Remaining quietly by the door, he watched her heft the heavy Hiraikotsu from the flames and proceed to hammer at a small crack in the bone boomerang. The ease with which Sango handled the weapon always astonished Miroku. The thing was larger than she was, and had to weigh a staggering amount.

The girl had caught him gawking, he realized as the rhythmic clanging ceased. "Houshi-sama," she exclaimed in surprise, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

That look is still in her eyes, he realized sadly.

"What are you doing awake?" she asked in confusion, as she set Hiraikotsu aside to cool.

"I was worried," he answered honestly, moving further into the hut to inspect his surroundings.

"Worried about me?" she asked laughing softly. "I don't need protection."

Miroku watched the hardened gleam enter her gaze as she proceeded to inspect the weapons lining the walls. That was not the root of my worry.

He watched as she picked up each one, and placed it back in its proper spot with a sigh. "What are you doing?" he asked, her actions confusing him more with each passing moment.

"I'm looking for a weapon for Kagome," she said simply, "her bow was broken in the battle earlier." Miroku watched her pick up another bow, deem it unworthy, and settle it back in it's space.

"Sango," he urged gently, "isn't this a task that could be handled in the morning?"

The look she shot him made him regret that he'd even opened his mouth. Apparently not.

Minutes later he watched the girl sigh in obvious defeat. "None of these suit her," she explained quietly. The array of weapons all looked the same to him. But he was not a trained warrior like the woman standing before him. If she said there was nothing here that Kagome could use, then there wasn't.

Miroku shot Sango a curious look as her hands reached slowly for a small short sword hanging above the line of bows. Why would she look at that? Kagome does not know how to handle such a weapon.

The ornate sheath caught his attention. Designs of bright blue and silver crisscrossed its surface, giving it an almost delicate appearance.

Delicate? That's an odd characteristic for a sword. His curiosity soon got the best of him, as he watched Sango trace the deadly blade with her fingertips. "Who did that sword belong to?" he asked cautiously.

Sango smiled for the first time since she'd entered the fated village gates. Miroku couldn't help smiling as well as the joy in her face proved contagious.

"It was my mother's," she whispered quietly.

Her mother's?

That had been the last thing he'd expected her to say.

In all the time he'd known her, Sango had never referred to her mother. He knew of her ill-fated father and brother, but her mother had never been mentioned. Miroku realized why a moment later.

"This was her sword," Sango explained softly, "she could use it to defeat any youkai. Or at least I believed she could," she amended with a smile. Slipping the small gleaming sword back into its small sheath, she met his confused gaze. "First she defeated the village, then she defeated the youkai."

"Defeated the village?" Miroku asked his confusion rising.

"My father loved to tell me the story of the incredible woman who was one of the first women in centuries to become a taijiya in our village," Sango elaborated. "She took on the council who'd always said that she should know her place, and showed them that she could uphold the name of the village."

"Back then, our village's reputation was everything," Sango explained. "Extermination jobs were assigned to only the most worthy villages, and our village's survival depended on those assignments."

Miroku knew that the money from these jobs were what put food into the villagers' mouths.

"They didn't think she was good enough," Sango finished softly with a smile, "she proved them all wrong."

He felt a smile appear on his face at the pride he heard in the woman's voice. No wonder she doesn't speak of her mother. It was her only untainted memory. It's the only memory that hasn't been infected by the hate she has for Naraku.

Miroku watched her place the sword reluctantly back on the shelf. "What did your mother name the sword?" he asked quickly, as he recognized the signs of her mental barrier falling back into place.

A look of regret played upon her face momentarily. "I don't know," she admitted quietly. "She always said that it didn't belong to her so she couldn't name it. She claimed she borrowed it."

"Borrowed it?" Miroku asked thoughtfully, "Borrowed it from whom?"

"She never said," Sango said quietly, returning to her Hiraikotsu, which was ready for another round in the fire.

Miroku was slightly confused by the determined look that had entered the taijiya's eyes as she'd held the sword.

The monk's waning attention was drawn to the woman's pert backside as she dropped Hiraikotsu back into the flames. His hand snaked out as if it had a mind of its own, stealing a lengthy stroke down Sango's rear.

Sango jerked the glowing weapon from the fire and turned towards him with a glare.

The flaming boomerang was nothing compared to the fire in her eyes.

Not my smartest move, Miroku admitted as he ducked the smoldering weapon with a startled yelp.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

Why am I trembling?

Inuyasha reflected on his shaking body, as he watched the sun creep over the horizon.

He hadn't returned to the village immediately after his journey. He'd chosen to recline in a tree on the outskirts of the village until daybreak.

You're avoiding her, a voice that sounded suspiciously like his own accused him.

I'm not! I just don't feel like dealing with her tears. Inuyasha almost accepted this unsatisfactory answer, but he couldn't help the guilt that overwhelmed him.

He had basically told the girl that he wanted her to leave after they purified the jewel.

Why not just talk to her? Tell her you didn't mean it, the voice countered.

But I did mean it! Didn't I? Great, now I'm talking to myself!

The boy struggled to understand his own increasingly confusing logic. Do I even know what I want?

You don't want her to leave, the voice tossed out.

Maybe I do want her to leave.

Who are you fooling? No you don't.

Hey, wait a minute!

You don't and you know it! Admit it!

Damnit!

Admit it!

Fine, so I don't! Wait, I don't?

As that revelation settled into Inuyasha's mind, he tried to make sense of this new development.

He couldn't just keep her here. The girl had a family in her own time. Besides, she was bound and determined to become the one thing that was guaranteed to keep them apart.

A miko.

Did Kagome think he was a complete idiot? That he would make the same mistake twice?

He could not care for another priestess. Could not take the rejection and the loss of self that went along with it.

It was Kagome's own fault.

Her words echoed through his mind confirming his decision. "I like you as a hanyou, Inuyasha." She had taught him to begin to accept himself for what he was.

He would not turn into a human for anyone. Not anymore.

And a hanyou could not be with a miko. Kikyou had taught him that much.

He realized that he'd been selfish earlier when he'd declared her too weak to become a priestess. He hadn't wanted her to become something he would have to avoid, but she'd already chosen. It didn't matter to Inuyasha that she had no idea of the implications of her choice.

The hanyou leapt from the branches of the towering tree and landed nimbly on the ground. Slinging his gift over his shoulder he made his way back to the hut where he'd left Kagome.

Pushing the tatami mat aside, he wasn't surprised to find Sango, Shippou, Miroku, and Kirara sprawled around the room. People tended to flock to the girl's side. Lost souls looking for a little guidance.

She'd make a great miko, he realized with a sigh.

Not that I'd ever tell the wench that!

Tossing his burden to the side, he wasn't surprised that Sango was already awake. Her accusing glare had pinned him the moment he'd re-entered the hut.

So Kagome had been crying, he realized guiltily. The taijiya probably didn't know the reason for the girl's upset, but it was obvious that she blamed him for whatever it was. She was giving him the look she always gave him when she knew he'd talked to Kikyou.

Kami, that woman could be scary! Good luck, Miroku!

He didn't avoid her gaze as he usually did when he was ashamed of himself. This action obviously surprised her, and the shock showed on her face.

He motioned to the snake youkai's carcass he'd tossed into the corner of the hut. "Make her something to protect herself," he requested quietly.

The snake youkai's scales were difficult to penetrate unless the weapon attacking it had considerable youki or purification energy. They were not as hard as a dragon's, but they would do.

The startled woman just nodded her head in agreement. She watched as the hanyou crossed the room, quietly stepping over the sleeping kitsune, and stopped in front of a sleeping Kagome.

Bending down beside her, he reached around his neck and removed the jewel shards he'd recovered.

"You found the shards!" Sango exclaimed with a loud gasp.

He tied the cord loosely around her slender neck. It wasn't much of an apology, but it was the best he could do.

Inuyasha walked to the entrance of the hut as quietly as he'd entered it.

Her time might not need mikos, Inuyasha thought with a sigh, but mine sure as hell does.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the stormy blue eyes, that filled with tears as they absorbed the words that he couldn't say.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

The West was a vast place.

The little girl was learning that lesson quite quickly. She'd covered an amazing distance in the short time she'd been traveling. But now the tiring journey was catching up to her.

Her already small strides were getting smaller and smaller, and the fear that she would be caught was growing stronger by the moment.

Her waning vision blurred before her as she gave into the overwhelming exhaustion. Collapsing into the grass where she stood, the girl valiantly tried to catch her breath.

Sleep. That rebellious thought kept entering her mind every time she decided to pause, even for a moment.

She tried to push herself off of the ground, but this time her body refused. There was only so much one could take. Even her. She felt her traitorous body giving in. No! Her eyes fluttered shut of their own volition.

She had no idea how long she remained like that, too frightened to sleep, but too exhausted to stand.

The startling presence of a strong youki had the poor girl scrambling to her bruised feet. Kami, it was enormous! The sheer presence of its power had her frozen in terror. She felt it flow over her sweat soaked skin, raising the hairs on her tiny arms.

She expected to feel its claws around her neck at any moment.

When nothing happened the girl braved a look at the amazing youkai that stood in the clearing, completely ignoring her presence. Her eyes widened in surprise and wonder.

I'm saved! The girl's relief was a tangible thing as she used the last of her remaining energy to propel herself towards the clearing.

Towards the silver haired, one-armed youkai that looked so much like the hanyou of her dreams.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

Author's Note

I only added a little bit to these chapters because I pretty much liked them I just wanted to add a little heat to the fluff. Plus a little more detail to flesh out the characters. Hope it worked.

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who has reviewed my fic. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Special thanks goes out to Sueric who gave me so many excellent tips on how to improve my fic that I don't even know where to start. I hope you guys enjoy the new format and the edited version. Hugs for Mmoirai, Inufan625, and RadioNmyhead! My Amazing Betas! And extra thanks to Ivloongoddess83 and Darknessfallsdragon. My Awesome illustrators!

* * * Blanket Disclaimer: Inuyasha's mine? Keh! I wish! I'm just borrowing `em. * * *