InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Birthday To Remember ❯ The Morning After ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and I never will. Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and I own nothing. I make no profit off this; it is simply something I'm doing for fun, for my own enjoyment and hopefully yours.

 

IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: This USED TO BE the second chapter of this story. It was moved back when I decided I really wanted to have Inuyasha and Kagome becoming mates included in this story. Sorry if this confuses people.

 

Chapter 2 - The Morning After

 

Looking back on the last three years, Inuyasha wasn't really sure when it was that his feelings for Kagome started to change. It had all happened so gradually, that he hadn't even noticed until it was to late to try and stop it. At first, he had hated her. Or at least he had tried to hate her, that girl who he had believed to be so much like Kikyo. Even after he had realised that Kagome and Kikyo were completely different, he had still tried to dislike her, if only to stop himself from being hurt again. He hadn't wanted to let anyone else into his heart only to have them shatter it again. He had been sure he would not be able to handle yet another betrayal. So he had pushed Kagome away, told himself he didn't need her. Her shattering the Jewel had certainly helped him push her away in his own mind. But somehow, she had still managed to sneak her way into his heart, getting past two hundred years worth of defences that while partly lower during his time with Kikyo were back in full force after he was sealed to the Sacred Tree. Though he tried to deny it, even to himself, her kindness and purity of heart intrigued him while her bravery and determination impressed him. Her innocence touched his heart and her fiery temper kept him on his toes. While her naivety frustrated him at times and he often found her to be too kind and trusting, he found he couldn't truly hold that against her, and in fact actually grew to appreciate that side of her. She wasn't perfect, nor did she pretend to be as Kikyo often seemed to, but she was perfect to him. Add in the fact that she was beautiful (a fact he tried very hard for a very long time to deny, to no avail) and only grew more so over the years, it wasn't really that surprising that he ended up falling for her. Exactly when he did that he wasn't sure, but that didn't really matter now. All that mattered was that he couldn't live without her.

 

Still, Inuyasha never really thought anything would actually happen between him and Kagome. Why would he? After all, he had been told all his life that he was a filthy abomination who should never have been born. Demons hated and wanted to kill him. Humans feared and wanted to kill him. His own brother wanted to kill him, and had actually come much closer than he wanted to admit to succeeding on more than one occasion. His mother had been the only one to ever truly accept him, and she'd paid for it by being ostracised and looked down on until the day she died.

 

Even Kikyo had never truly accepted him as he was. She was only willing to be with him if he used the Jewel to become a human. While at the time Inuyasha had been lonely enough, desperate enough for some kind of compassion in his life, that he would have done it, he now knew that wasn't really a viable option. What Miroku had said once, so long ago was true. Everyone who tried to use the Jewel ended up unhappy, and usually dead. People could claim it could be used for good all they wanted, but the truth was it never had, and Inuyasha doubted it ever would. It was cursed and hungry for blood, and if Inuyasha did try to use the Jewel to become human, he had no doubt the same would happen to him. Besides, the simple truth was that he hated being human, hated being weak and especially hated being unable to protect Kagome. No, he had to protect Kagome, it was his only real mission in life. He would die to keep her safe, and he would never give up the power he needed to do so. Even if it meant he could never be with her the way he secretly wanted with all his heart.

 

Inuyasha truly believed that the only way he would ever truly be able to be with Kagome, was in his dreams. And dream of being with her he did, the dreams becoming more vivid and coming all the more frequently as the years went by and they slowly grew closer. Especially in the last five months, ever since Kikyo finally passed on and Naraku was defeated, when they had become an almost nightly occurrence. Not all of these dreams were sexual in nature either, though he did have his fair share of those too. No, he didn't just want to mate with her he wanted to be mated to her, and his dreams refected that. Sometimes they were hot and heavy dreams of passion that had him sneaking off into the woods before the others woke up in order to `fix' the problem. Others were soft and tender, with him and Kagome being together simply enjoying each other's company as they went through the chores of everyday life. A few, extra special ones in Inuyasha's opinion, even showed Inuyasha a future with Kagome including a few pups running around. Inuyasha would never admit it to anyone, but the one thing he truly wanted more than anything, was in fact a family like he was shown in those dreams. As precious as those dreams were however, he didn't dare dwell on them, for he was certain they would never happen, and they only served to break his heart every time he woke from one of those dreams and realised this.

 

So it was, when Inuyasha first began to stir from his slumber the morning after Kagome's birthday celebration, at first he thought it was just another dream. This one had been even more wonderful than most. Kagome telling him she loved him, agreeing to be his mate and to share his lifespan, the tender lovemaking that lasted long into the night… something so perfect could only be a dream. Inuyasha knew that and it saddened him to no end. He didn't want to wake up and admit to himself that Kagome still was and always would be out of his reach, but he knew he had no choice.

 

Not yet opening his eyes, Inuyasha took a deep breath through his nose, trying to prepare himself for the reality of still being alone… when suddenly a combination of smells he had only ever encountered in his dreams assaulted his nose all at once. Kagome, sweat, arousal, his seed and a small amount of blood.

 

Not truly allowing himself to believe what his nose was telling him, Inuyasha's eyes shot open to see the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Kagome, completely naked, snuggled into his side and using his chest of a pillow. The early morning sun flittered down through the trees and gave her already beautiful face an angelic glow. Both their clothes were shattered around the clearing, the only covering either of them had was Inuyasha's fire-rat Haori which they had apparently been sharing as a blanket during the night, though it had at some point been pushed down and was now covering only their lower halves. What immediately caught Inuyasha's attention, however, was the silver sheen on Kagome shoulder. A Mating Mark, still in the Trial Stage.

 

It wasn't a dream, she's really my mate. Inuyasha thought in shock. Slowly a huge smile started to present itself on Inuyasha's face. It wasn't a dream! She's really my mate! IT WASN'T A DREAM! SHE'S REALLY MY MATE! All at once, the excitement a pure joy coursing through Inuyasha became too much, and he threw back his head and let out a victory howl that could probably be heard for miles.

 

With a start, Kagome awoke, wondering for a second whether something was attacking, before she realised it was Inuyasha making that noise.

 

“Ha? Inuyasha, what?” Kagome mumbled in confusion. She still wasn't truly awake, and the fact that they were both lying naked on the forest floor hadn't yet sunk into her sleep-clouded mind.

 

Inuyasha instantly quietened down and became apologetic at the realisation that he had awakened his new mate.

 

“Oh, Kagome, I'm sorry.” He said softly, leaning over to nuzzle at her mark in apology (the fact that he had been wanting to do that ever since he first saw the mark had nothing to do with that decision, of course). “I didn't mean to wake you. It's just, when I realised that last night was real and not another dream, I just couldn't help myself, I was so happy.”

 

“Last night?” Kagome asked, confused. Suddenly her eyes widened in shock and she bolted into a sitting upright position, as she realised they were both naked and everything came rushing back to her “Last night?! Oh Kami, it was real? It really happened? Oh Kami I don't believe this. I can't believe I… I can't believe we…” she trailed off in shock.

 

For a long moment, Inuyasha just stared at her in silence, horrified by her reaction. Didn't she want to be his mate? Last night she said she did. Hell, she'd been the one to insist they join then and there! Why did she seem to regret it now? Had she maybe had too much sake at the celebration yesterday and not been in her right mind when they mated or something?

 

This was like something out of Inuyasha's worst nightmare. For one glorious moment it seemed he was getting everything he had ever wanted, and now it looked like it was all about to be snatched away. Inuyasha didn't know how he could survive that, but if it was what Kagome truly wanted, he would tell her how to break their bond. He wouldn't hold her against her will.

 

“Kagome.” Inuyasha said softly, staring at the ground between them, unable to met her eyes and trying to keep the unshed tears out of his voice. “If you're really not happy with this and want to break our bond, there is a way. There's a twenty-four hour opportunity with new matings to break a bond. There's a special herb potion that if brewed and spread on the mating mark during that time, the mark will fade and the bond will break. If you want I can tell you how to…”

 

Inuyasha never got to finish. As what he was saying slowly entered Kagome's happy-shock filled brain, she snapped out of her apparent trance to throw herself on Inuyasha with a cry of “NO!”

 

Inuyasha stared down at the young woman in his arms, a tiny hope once again entering his heart. “No?” he repeated

 

Kagome pulled back slightly to look him in the eyes. “No.” She said, putting all her conviction behind that one word. “No, I don't want to break my bond with you. I'm sorry I made you think that for even a second, but I for a minute there I just couldn't believe it was all real. But I do want to be your mate Inuyasha, more than anything. Unless…” Kagome broke off, tears filling her eyes as a horrible thought entered her mind. “Unless, you want to break the bond? Don't you want me as your mate?”

 

Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror, before pulling her into a bone crushing embrace.

 

“Gods, Kagome, that's not it at all!” Inuyasha insisted. “I want you more than anything. I just didn't think you wanted me, and I didn't want to hold you against your will.”

 

“Well, trust me, that's not ever going to be a problem.” Kagome said with a smile, returning the hug. She was so happy at that moment she could burst. If this was how Inuyasha had felt when he had howled, she couldn't blame him in the least.

 

A few minutes later, Kagome finally noticed the silver mark on Inuyasha's shoulder, in the same place she had bitten him last night.

 

“Is this your mark?” Kagome asked, rubbing it slightly with the heel of her hand.

 

“Not exactly, but it will be.” Inuyasha said with a smile. “The silver sheen is what's known as a `Trial Mark'. It lasts for the first twenty-fours after a mating. If the pair don't treat it with the herbal potion I mentioned before, after that time is up it will change into the kanji that is a Mating Mark.”

 

Kagome nodded to show she was following. “And what does that look like?”

 

“It depends, each mark is different.” Inuyasha answered. “Each mark is a reflection on a mate's deepest feelings. Matings made for love usually end up with Marks that say things like `beloved' `beautiful' or something like that. Political Mating can end up with Marks that are far less flattering.”

 

The two of them once again feel silent after that, simply enjoying the feel of each other in their arms. This was truly a dream come true for both of them. Suddenly though, the wind changed bringing with it the scent of something Inuyasha felt he certainly didn't need right now.

 

“Shit.” Inuyasha snapped, jumping to his feet annoyed. “Kagome, get up and get dressed.”

 

“Why?” Kagome asked, confused by his sudden change in attitude.

 

Inuyasha paused in pulling his pants up to meet his mate's eyes briefly. “Miroku, Sango and the runt are on their way here. They probably heard me howling before. They'll be here in just a minute.”

 

Kagome stared at Inuyasha for about half a second before jumping to her feet herself and scrabbling for her clothes. No, seeing them naked definitely wasn't the way she wanted to break the news of their mating to their friends. Not to mention what Miroku would say if he saw them like that. Thank Kami for Inuyasha's nose.

 

Author's Note: I realise Mating Marks have more or less been done to death, but it's my story and I wanted to add them in. What's more, as far as I know, the whole `Trial Mark' and the `herbal potion' thing are entirely my ideas and I'm rather proud of them. Still lots more to come. I intend to bring Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kaede into the next chapter. Will they approve of Kagome and Inuyasha's union? You'll just have to wait and see.