InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waiting on a Wish ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Inu is not mine. Inu is hers (Rumiko Takahashi). So are the others. *sniff* There, are you happy? You made me cry. *sniff*

Chapter 3

He hadn’t shown up today for a follow-up.

Sighing, Kagome signed herself out at the front desk and waved her goodbyes to Miso. She was annoyed with herself for the disappointment that had plagued her all day. The hunter had probably healed fine. He didn’t really have any need for a doctor anymore. She just wished she could rid her thoughts of him. Tucking her sweater in the crook of her elbow and swinging her heavy bag of medical supplies over her shoulder, Kagome walked out of the clinic and into the late afternoon sunshine. It was warm now, but the air was getting cooler every night as winter approached.

Such nice weather. Maybe, after she was done with her next stop, she would go out and--

“Doctor Higurashi.”

The familiar voice, rough yet gentle, rasped along her nerves, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to spot him lounging against the wall by the doors, hands stuffed into his pockets, expression….indecipherable. Her pulse jumped. He was dressed casually today, in worn jeans and a close-fitting, black knit t-shirt. His long hair was loose around his shoulders, spilling down his back almost to his waist, and a pair of high-brand shoes were on his feet.

The contrast to his attire from their first meeting was striking. These clothes were comfortable and informal, fitting well around his body, revealing lines of muscle that the hakama had hidden. The jeans weren’t tight but snug, and as he straightened from his position on the wall, they stretched briefly, outlining well-shaped thigh and calf muscles. His bare arms flexed slightly, smooth skin poured over compact, unyielding muscle. Kagome groaned silently at the light, fluttery tingle that slid down her throat and settled in her stomach as she watched the graceful, fluid movements of his body.

“InuYasha.” She heard the slightly breathless tone, and fought to keep a wince of embarrassment from her face. His golden eyes watched her knowingly, and she could swear she saw humor and the smallest glimpse of the satisfaction she’d seen the other night flash briefly in the amber depths. She cleared her throat. “Please don’t worry about formalities--my name is Kagome.” She studied him briefly. “You seem to be feeling better. Shall I check your progress?”

“No need. I’m fine. My wound is completely healed over. I’m a youkai, remember? I recover fast.” He hesitated, his eyes intent on her face. “I came to thank you--for helping me the other night. You…probably saved my life.”

Kagome couldn’t help the warm smile that spread in response to the soft words. “You’re very welcome.”

He surprised her by returning the smile with a small one of his own. “I guess now I owe you for helping me. How does dinner sound?”

Surprised again, she studied him for a moment. “Well, you don’t really owe me anything, but…” Dinner? With him? As in a…date? Her eyes widened at the thought, and her heart gave tiny thump of…something. Her gaze dropped to his chest.

Was it a good idea? He was a patient. Of course, he seemed fine. She could detect no hint of bandages under his shirt, and his movements held no hesitation, no indication of pain or discomfort. She wished he’d let her check him to make sure everything was okay. Still… “When?”

“Tonight.” He said it firmly, almost demandingly--as if he’d already decided what her answer would be.

Something inside of her responded to his tone, and a tiny, rebellious part of her mind immediately objected. For a split second, she considered telling him no…but a much larger part of her eagerly overruled the notion as pure insanity. Her interest in this patient of hers had grown ridiculous in the intervening day since the emergency. Maybe this would be a chance to exorcise him from her thoughts. “Dinner sounds good.”

Besides, she wanted to know more about him. The little that Sango had told her had only served to spark her curiosity, and the insistent, irrational pull she’d been feeling all day had been driving her crazy.

One dinner won’t hurt. It’ll be a good way to find out more about him.

She couldn’t deny the tiny thrill of excitement at the prospect, either. “It’ll have to wait until I’m finished though.”

His eyes turned quizzical. “I thought you were done for the day.”

She indicated her bag with a nod of her head. “I’m done at the clinic. I have one more place to go before I’m done with my shift.”

His eyes glanced over her heavy bag before he reached out and snagged it from her shoulder. “Fine. I’ll drive you and we’ll go from there.” He slung the medical supplies over his shoulder effortlessly.

She stared at him in momentary surprise. “Oh…well, ok…no need to drive, though. It’s only a few blocks away, and I enjoy the walk.”

InuYasha paused, then nodded, turning to fall in next to her as they walked under the trees lining the sidewalk.

“You don’t drive?”

Kagome shook her head. “Why bother? I can get anywhere I need to go by bus or train. If I need to go outside the city, I’ll either fly, or rent a car.” She smiled. “Besides, I like walking. When I was younger, I used to ride my bike to school every morning. I guess I just got used to traveling outdoors.”

InuYasha looked dubious. “Do you even know how to drive?”

She nodded, her smile growing fond. “My Jii-chan insisted that I learn when I moved out to live closer to Tokyo U. He wanted me to know, just in case.” She tilted her head up to smile at the trees lining the streets as they passed beneath them. “My younger brother Souta is just starting to study for his license. He insists he’s going to get a car, even though no one in our family has had a car since my father died when he was just a baby.”

“Sounds like you and your family are close.”

Kagome nodded again. “Very close. We kind of had to be, I think, because my father’s death left a void that we all had to rush in to fill. Souta, Mama, and I all had to work in the family shrine to help keep it running. Of all the things in my life, they’re the most important.” Recalling what Sango had told her about InuYasha’s family, she cast him a sidelong glance, wondering if she was treading on sensitive territory. His expression had grown distant, his eyes preoccupied.

They were quiet for a while, walking in companionable silence. Kagome was amazed at how easy she felt in his presence. He was a virtual stranger to her, and yet she didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with nonsensical chatter. The stillness between them was comfortable, curiously lacking in the awkwardness that should have been there.

She glanced over at him again. He was still carrying her bag over his shoulder. It was heavy, but he carried it easily with just two fingers. Her eyes focused curiously on their claws, prominently displayed as they curled overtop the strap. Not nails. Dangerous-looking weapons, probably more than capable of slicing flesh and bone. She wondered if he ever cut himself with them. “How long have you been a hunter?”

His ears twitched, drawing her attention, and his head turned as he focused on her. “For the Alliance? About ten years.”

Ten years sounded like a long time, but Kagome knew that Sango had been hunting for almost as long. “Do you get hurt like that often?”

He scowled briefly, and she caught the soft sound of an actual, literal growl. “Trust me, what happened the other night wasn’t normal. The rogues that we usually fight are low-level nothings.”

She gave a slight smile. “So you don’t usually make a habit of pulling people out of bed in the middle of the night to fix you up.”

Her comment seemed to surprise him for a moment. Then, for some reason, he seemed almost amused, and she thought he smiled again, although she couldn’t tell from her angle. “Heh. I don’t usually make a habit of letting people fix me up.”

It was her turn to be surprised. “You don’t mean that you never get hurt?”

He snorted. “Not enough to need help healing.”

She rolled her eyes. “And the other night?”

“Tch.” He glanced away, ears twisting with agitation. “That was a fluke.”

Kagome had a hard time suppressing a smile at the obstinate tone. Male pride was universal across species. Although, she had to admit, she found it utterly fascinating when he growled like that. She looked him over again, still rather impressed that she couldn’t detect any lingering effects. “Do you like it?”

“Hn?” Those golden eyes of his had turned back to her. “What?”

“Being a hunter. Do you like it?”

He stopped for a minute to give her a blank look. “Do I like it?” He started walking again, looking thoughtful. “Maybe.” A quick golden glance slanted her way. “Do you?”

“Like what I do?” She smiled. “Very much. But you’ll probably understand when we get there.”

He considered her for a minute, then took in their surroundings. “Where are we going, anyway?”

She led him around a corner, and they found themselves in residential area. Walls lined the street on both sides, broken only by the occasional entrance to the private houses hidden behind them. Kagome nodded her head at the lone house sitting behind a high gate at the end of the street. “That’s where we’re going.”

InuYasha blinked as he read the sign, surprised. “An orphanage? You’re making a house-call to an orphanage?”

Kagome smiled again. “The Makiguchi Home for Children in Need of Care is funded by the same group that funds the clinic. They prefer the children’s care to be given in-home, so the caretaker of the establishment doesn’t have to cart twenty young children with her whenever one of them gets sick. Since the clinic wouldn’t exist without the Makiguchi group, we are more than willing to help.”

He looked at her speculatively. “You do this often?”

“Every week.” She wasn’t sure whether to be amused or concerned with his reaction--a strange mix of skepticism and curiosity.

“Why?”

“Because I want to. I love the children, and I love making sure they stay well. It brightens up my whole week to see them.” He seemed to have a hard time grasping the concept. The doctor punched in a code and pushed open the gate. She grinned, wondering what he’d think when he actually met the children.

Inside, the courtyard was filled with greenery--trees, shrubs, and flowering bushes grew along multiple paths in a barely controlled chaos. Somewhere within the grounds, the faint trickle of running water mixed with the laughter of little children at play. The house itself had two stories and multiple wings that spread out in a maze over the grounds. It seemed more the getaway of a rich old retiree than the home of parentless children.

They started up the main path to the house, a long, curving walkway with several sets of short, shallow steps leading up to the main door. Kagome glanced at InuYasha. “You might find it interesting what this particular orphanage--”

“KAGOME!”

The excited shriek rang through the yard. Kagome turned to face the source of the noise, a smile blooming on her face. A tiny ball of orange and blonde fur barreled down the walkway at a blur, on a collision course with Kagome. InuYasha leaped in front of her, shoving the surprised physician safely behind him as he raised a hand.

He reached out and plucked it from the air, mid-jump.

Bringing it level to his face, he frowned at the miniature bundle hanging frozen in his hand. A small kitsune--no more than five years old, with orange hair, pointy ears, an oversized puff of a tail and enormous blue eyes--stared in shock at the hanyou responsible for halting his mad dash.

Both youkai sniffed cautiously.

Then the small demon-child began to wail, kicking his fox-feet, flailing his arms, and wriggling about in an attempt to get free.

“Hey! Let me go! Let me go! Waaaah! Help, Kagome, help me!” His screech was deafening.

“InuYasha, put him down.” Kagome struggled to hold in a laugh as the hanyou scowled at the volume, turning his head away and flattening his ears. She stepped forward and grabbed the kitsune out of InuYasha’s grasp. Immediately, the tiny fox-demon scampered up her arms and clung to her back, glaring suspiciously at InuYasha from behind her hair.

“Who the hell is the little fur-ball?” InuYasha returned the glare with a glower of his own.

The little fox crawled forward and turned big, overly innocent blue eyes on Kagome. “Kagome, did you get a pet?”

InuYasha rumbled warningly.

“Shippou, InuYasha is a patient of mine, just like you.” Kagome looked at InuYasha reproachfully. “InuYasha, you should be more gentle. Shippou’s only a child.”

He snarled. “That child needs to be more careful. He almost knocked you over flat. We’re on stairs, in case you haven’t noticed.” He looked away, mumbling. “You could’ve been hurt.”

Shippou studied the hanyou with shrewd blue eyes, his nose twitching. Then he turned to Kagome. “I would never hurt you, would I Kagome?” A sly gaze settled on InuYasha. “Besides, since when are you her protector? You’re just a hanyou, aren’t you?”

“Shippou!”

“Listen here, brat!”

Shippou squealed and ducked behind Kagome, away from the threatening swipe InuYasha took at him. “EEEK! Kagome, save me!”

Kagome fought to keep the grin from showing on her face, her midnight eyes dancing. “InuYasha, be nice. He really didn’t mean anything by it. Shippou is one of the children who live here, you see. He’s also my favorite patient, aren’t you Shippou?”

Shippou nodded, throwing InuYasha a look of self-importance. “Of course I am. I‘m Kagome‘s helper when she comes to make sure everyone here is well. Sometimes, we even go out for ice cream after we’re done, because I’m such a big help.” His eyes brightened as they fell on Kagome’s bag. “What did you bring me this week, Kagome?”

Kagome laughed, pulling him from her shoulders and hugging him in her arms. “We’ll have to see after your check-up, won’t we? Where is Mrs. Hashimoto?”

“Oh, her?” Shippou shook his head sadly, his face solemn. “Poor thing. She’s been busy with Kina all day. I’m pretty sure she might be sick.”

“Oh dear. Sounds like I came just in time. Can you show me where Mrs. Hashimoto and Kina are?”

Shippou nodded and sprang lightly to the ground. He looked up at Kagome and pounded his chest with a little fist. “Just leave it to me, Kagome. I’ll take you to them.”

He turned and marched up the next level of steps, pausing on the next landing to assure they were following.

The doctor turned to smile at InuYasha. “Hurry up, InuYasha. I’m going to need my bag.”

InuYasha watched her hurry to catch up with Shippou, listening closely to the story he was telling her. Together they climbed the steps ahead of him, following the winding path to the house. He studied the pair intently as the kitsune jumped back into Kagome’s arms and she laughed at something he said.

His expression softened. A ghost of a smile passed over his features. Then he frowned--a swift, dark shadow that overwhelmed the smile before they both died away, leaving his expression resolute.

He followed them slowly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < p>InuYasha sat wedged in the open window, one arm propped on a drawn-up knee, one foot on the floor, head resting against the sill. His velvet ears twitched regularly, listening to the calm resonance of nature outside while he gazed at the chaos within.

Young children had swarmed them as soon as they entered the small mansion. Kagome had taken one look at the mass of young ones and gone into super-efficient mode--sending Shippou off to get Mrs. Hashimoto without her while she set up her examination room, and began checking each child, youngest to oldest. His golden gaze roamed the room, skimming briefly over the children milling in and out of the room as they waited for their turn. His eyes settled on the Kagome, training steadily on the young doctor’s movements, taking in the genuine care and gentleness she treated every child with.

Every hanyou child.

That had been a bit of a surprise. He’d been expecting a bunch of human or demon pups. Actually, he’d only seen about four full-blooded children. Besides that annoying brat Shippou--who seemed overly attached to Kagome, refusing to leave her side as she finished with each child and gave them a treat--a little kitten girl and two humans, sibling boys. They stuck very close to an older hanyou boy, who kept a watchful eye on them as they played.

They made him want to smile, those three. It reminded him of the early days at the Alliance, back when he hadn’t been given anything but trouble until a mischievous human boy had stuck up for him--his scent completely devoid of the hostility a young hanyou was so used to getting from the children around him. Even more incredible, the new boy had stuck around. To him it had been a small miracle.

The children here had no such problems. Hostility of the kind he had dealt with didn’t exist here. They played together without thought, the pure fun of childhood undiluted by differences. The fights they had were normal ones, over who had whose toy, and who got to stand in line first--not who had the dirty blood, or who should die first. The insults that occasionally flew here were devoid of any real hate. The air was clean here.

He’d never seen anything like it.

Kagome was impressive, handling it all with supreme patience and a warm sense of humor. He felt the smile break through, curving the corners of his mouth just slightly. She really was a good doctor.

An orange ball of fur plopped on the windowsill beside his sneaker, and bright blue eyes observed him astutely from behind a large pink lollipop. One white ear flicked, and a wary amber gaze turned on the little fox-pup.

“What do you want, brat?”

The lollipop came out of his mouth with a small pop. “Why are you with Kagome? She’s never brought anybody with her before.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “You like her, don’t you?”

Golden eyes drifted back to Kagome as she lifted a toddler onto her little table. He snorted quietly at the phrase. “Like her? Maybe. You got a problem with that?”

Shippou stilled, briefly surprised.

“Hmmmmmmm.”

InuYasha turned his head swiftly to find the small body perched lightly on his shoulder, small face close, the arch expression now exchanged for a speculative one. “What?!”

“Well, it’s just that I didn’t expect you to admit it, is all. I thought you’d tell me to mind my own business.”

“Fine. Mind your own business.”

Shippou made a face. “Kagome is my business. Anyone who wants to be with her has to go through me first.” His look was unimpressed. “I don’t know why she would want to be with you. You don’t even look all that smart.”

He growled menacingly.

A quick retreat, and the kitsune perched on the windowsill again. A brief silence. “InuYasha?”

He blew out an impatient breath. “What, runt?”

“You’re not going to…ummm…could you not…please don’t take Kagome away from me.” The conversational tone didn‘t change, but his head was bent, and his bangs had fallen into his eyes, covering his expression. “She’s the only one who talks to me…the way…my mother used to.”

The smell of salty tears reached InuYasha’s nose; he saw the tiny drop fall onto the lollipop in the kit’s hands. Golden eyes widened, and for a moment, he panicked. Why do I get to be the lucky one to hear the kid’s worst nightmares?

Then his eyes softened slightly. Right. An orphan. Damn.

He sighed, and reached out to rap his knuckles lightly on thick orange hair. “Baka. Don’t worry about Kagome leaving you. Even I can see how much she loves you. I don’t think anyone could get her away from you--not even her mate.” The little fox sniffed. He briefly glanced askance at the ceiling. “You shouldn’t cry, runt. Men should be strong. Be strong and protect those you care about. That’s what we do.”

The young kitsune stared at his lollipop.

“Someone took my mother away,” he said quietly. Another tear dropped onto his treat. “My father couldn’t protect her…and he was strong. Two big youkai burned them alive with lightning, and I could only watch. I couldn’t do anything to protect the ones I loved then.”

Amber eyes widened. Lightning? Shit. The Thunder Brothers.

InuYasha remembered them--the badass, two-man gang of brothers who had terrorized parts of the city a few months ago, indiscriminately killing both humans and youkai. Of course he remembered them. He’d exterminated them. Those hard-ass bastards had made Shippou an orphan? They’d killed his parents in front of his eyes?

SHIT.

He looked from the leaking kit over to Kagome, who had noticed them and was sending concerned glances to the two in the window. Great. “Tch! A little pup like you couldn’t have done anything against the Thunder Brothers.” He shook his head. “And Kagome…like I said, don’t worry about her. I’m protecting Kagome from now on.”

Damp blue eyes peaked out from behind orange strands. “But what if the Thunder Brothers come back?”

A sneer curled his lip, revealing a fang. “They’re long gone, squirt. They won’t be coming back.”

“How do you know?” He was skeptical, but the tears were drying.

“Because I’m the one who killed them.”

The little fox-kit fell silent for a moment, absorbing InuYasha’s quiet, confident tone.

Blue eyes widened with awe. “You’re a hunter?” He breathed.

“Keh! Only the best there is.”

The fox-kit hesitated, then looked suspicious. “You’re not lying, are you? Sometimes grown-ups lie.”

InuYasha rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Oh I’m a hunter all right. I don’t lie. Trust me, they’re dead. Now stop crying, brat. I promise you, I won’t let anything happen to Kagome.” An orange head bobbed, and a small hand came up to brush underneath his bangs.

“InuYasha, are you being mean to Shippou again?” Kagome walked up to them, the makings of a royal temper brewing in her face. “Didn’t I tell you to be gentle with him?”

InuYasha sighed, truly put out now. I try to do something nice, and this is what I get. Dammit. He had no doubt the little rat-face would milk the situation for all it was worth.

Shippou was shaking his head. “Don’t worry Kagome. We were just having a conversation--man-to-man. It’s nothing for you to be concerned about.” InuYasha’s eyebrows shot up.

Kagome looked surprised. She blinked. “Really?”

She looked at InuYasha, who quickly schooled his astonished features and looked away. “Feh.”

Kagome looked uncertainly between the two, not quite sure what to believe. “Gomen, InuYasha. My mistake. I thought…I thought Shippou was crying.” She peered suspiciously at the kitsune, trying to discern evidence of recent waterworks.

Mrs. Hashimoto finally walked into the room, looking extremely harried. “Dr. Higurashi! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m sorry it took me so long to find you, but Kina’s needed all of my attention for the past few minutes. She’s been running a high fever all day, and I’m very concerned about her. Please come see to her right away.”

Kagome threw one last glance at the two on the window before she turned and walked out of the room with Mrs. Hashimoto.

InuYasha glanced down at the little kitsune sitting next to his foot, licking contentedly at his lollipop, all signs of trauma vanished. What the hell?

“No need to thank me, InuYasha. I figured I owed you, since you avenged my father and all.” He darted a narrow look at the hanyou. “But don’t think this lets you off the hook about Kagome.”

“WHAT?!” He stared at the furball in disbelief.

“I know you’re up to something with her, and I won’t let you do anything to hurt her. I will protect her from you if I have to.” The little fox studied him critically. “You might not be good enough for Kagome. I still don’t think you’re very smart. I‘ll be watching you very closely from now on, and if you try anything funny...” He nodded, a serious frown on his face. “You better watch out--we foxes can be very dangerous opponents.”

With an irritated snort, InuYasha kicked him off the windowsill.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

“I’m so sorry about dinner, InuYasha. Kina was much worse than I thought she’d be. I had to bring down her fever and get her quarantined away from the other children. I just didn’t expect to be so long. I can’t believe you waited for me.”

InuYasha grunted. “What did you expect me to do, just leave you there? It’s late, you idiot. It’s dangerous to walk alone at night.” The street they walked on was dark, with a few streetlights spaced far in between, and only the silvery half-moon lighting the way in the interval. The apartment complexes on either side were silent, most people having gone to bed long before now.

Kagome yawned and stretched, pulling her sweater closer around her to ward off the chill. Somewhere in the back of her mind was a little note of surprise that she hadn’t taken his insult seriously. “Well, thank you for walking me home anyway.” She looked around the deserted street, grateful that she wasn’t alone. Normally she didn’t think twice about walking home in the dark, but InuYasha’s presence made her feel safe--something she’d never noticed not feeling before.

She yawned again, a jaw-cracking one, and rubbed at her eyes with tired hands. Damn. And I have an early shift tomorrow. How does this always happen?

She heard InuYasha blow out an irritated breath, and suddenly, her feet were no longer on the ground, and her body was no longer vertical. Her arms went around his shoulders automatically, and she blinked, peering through the darkness at his features, trying to see his expression. “Uhhh…”

“Just…be quiet about it, will ya? You’re practically falling asleep on your feet. Baka. Don’t you ever sleep?” His rough voice was low and irritated, but the curiously tender undertone took the sting from his words. He pressed her close. Butterflies took flight in her stomach.

“I sleep,” she defended. “I’ve just been…” she fought another yawn, “…very busy the past couple of days.”

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up, Dr. Higurashi.” It was that same tone again, the scratchy, gentle one that played havoc with her internal systems. She was reacting to that voice. Oh man. I think…I might be in trouble.

She pulled herself closer to his warm body, resting her head where it had been once before on his shoulder. He didn’t have a jacket, and his arms were still bare. They wrapped underneath her body, pulling her securely against him, trapping her in a cage of heat. So…his body was this hot all the time, huh? She closed her eyes, snuggling close.

Now how in the world did this happen?

He shrugged his shoulder. “Hey, don’t fall asleep on me. I still don’t know where I’m taking you.”

“Two blocks down, and take a right,” she mumbled against his shirt. “My apartment is on the second floor, last one on the right.”

Her eyes remained closed, and he didn’t bother her again. But she didn’t sleep.

She was too aware of him to sleep. His body was pressed against hers--AGAIN, for Kami’s sake!--and of the smooth, efficient way his muscles moved beneath his clothes. His chest rose and fell in an even cadence, and his heart beat steadily against her ear. The warm, rigid strength of his arms supported her against him--the only things separating her from the ground--and she felt like she was floating. His claws pressed into her thigh through her skirt, and into her sweater, just above her breast--not hurting her, just making her sensitive to their presence. She felt safe and secure in his arms.

She liked the way he smelled, too. Earthy. Faintly spicy. Just a little wild.

Her heartbeat was picking up, and the butterflies in her belly had started a current of tingling sensations rushing through her. She squeezed her closed eyes, embarrassingly aware of her body, of how her breathing became shallow, and a liquid ache had formed between her thighs. Her flush no longer had anything to do with embarrassment.

Sex. Even her thoughts were breathless, almost awed. Unbelievable. This is sex, pure and simple. Physical attraction, nothing more. She bit at her lip. Ok…so I find the guy attractive. So what? I find lots of guys attractive.

Her conscience gave a whispery peal of laughter. Liar.

She bit into her cheek, trying to break out of whatever lunacy had taken control of her body. Her attention focused on the even movements of his body against hers as he carried her through the night, desperately trying to ignore the excitement tugging sharply at her insides. The excitement that grew more and more insistent by the moment.

She was almost disappointed when his movements stopped. A few moments of charged silence followed.

“I don’t…have…the keys.” His voice was uneven--harsher than normal.

Her eyes snapped open. For the first time, she became aware of the accelerated pounding in his chest, of the ragged breath that nearly matched her own. For an instant, her heart ceased beating. Her breath caught, and every sensation she’d been fighting for the past few minutes rose up, overwhelming her mind. Oh, my…. Had he noticed her reaction to him? Had she somehow triggered a similar reaction to her?

Wide-eyed, she lifted her head from his shoulders, bringing her face very close to his. The dark obscured his features, but she could feel his irregular breath on her face, caressing her skin, mixing with her own.

He released her legs, letting her body slide slowly along his until her feet touched the ground. She stood motionless, leaning against him. Her hands on his chest rose and fell with each breath he took. She should step back. She really should.

She could see the outline of his mouth, and she watched, utterly captivated, as his lips parted. “Kagome….” Her eyes widened even further. It was the first time she had heard her name from his lips, and the rasp of the word washed over her senses like a drug, drawing her towards him, blurring what thoughts she had left.

She shook her head, trying to clear it, unsure if she really wanted to. “I…I don’t…” The air between them was magnetic, pulling her closer. Her body pressed against his as she leaned forward. “InuYasha…” She whispered his name helplessly, some black-magic spell to save her from insanity.

Too bad it didn’t work.

With a deep growl, his hand slid up her back to her neck, and he tugged her to him, his mouth crushing hers in a fierce kiss that she returned wholeheartedly. Her arms wrapped themselves tightly around his neck, her hands clutching at the silk of his hair. She felt his hand return the gesture, weaving into her blue-black strands, cupping the back of her head to better cradle her mouth against his.

His lips ravaged, probing, opening her mouth. His tongue slipped inside to coax at hers with raspy little strokes. She couldn’t help but respond, angling her head slightly as the kiss deepened.

When that wasn’t enough, he backed her against the wall, pressing their hips together firmly so his hands could wander her body. She gasped into his mouth when his fingers grazed along the curve of one breast, the feeling deliciously real even through the thick material of her sweater. Her back arched, pressing against his hand, and he responded in kind, fully cupping around the curve, long digits giving gentle little strokes. She could feel him pressed against her hip, noted how aroused he was becoming, was vaguely aware of where they were heading.

Didn’t care.

Impatiently, his hands skirted the untucked hem of her blouse, sliding underneath to find the smooth expanse of her back and stomach. Claws abraded her skin, so gentle they almost tickled. Hot hands flattened, smoothing upward along her spine.

Her body temperature skyrocketed.

She moaned loudly, her head falling back against the wall, struggling for breath. InuYasha released her lips, but not her skin, his mouth trailing down along her jaw to taste her neck, licking and kissing his way to her ear, nibbling. He reached her ear and drew the soft lobe into his mouth, sucking gently before scraping his teeth along the sensitive lower part.

Her arms gripped around his neck, her fingers pressing into his shoulders. At the small bite, she dug her nails into the corner of his jaw, and a tiny sob left her throat. He groaned deeply, and the vibrations scattered through her whole body. For a few moments, she was utterly lost, her mind caught in a haze of sensation.

It was the mouth moistening her bra that brought a brief return of sanity. She had no idea how he’d gotten her blouse unbuttoned, but the shock of his warm mouth through the silk brought her out of her haze.

Oh, God!

She brought her hands to his shoulders and pushed, edging him away from her. “InuYasha, stop.” Her voice was weak, uncertain, soft. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to stop, but…”Please, InuYasha, it’s too fast.”

He froze, trembling for an instant in her arms before his mouth left her breast. Slowly, his hands pulled away from her body, claws scraping briefly as they left her skin. She shivered. His hands hit the wall on either side of her head, pressing firmly in an effort to keep them still, and they stood together, bodies still molded, struggling for breath, desperate to regain composure.

His head bent to hers, his mouth grazed her ear once again as he whispered. “Are you sure?”

Kagome closed her eyes briefly and clutched her blouse together with one hand. Drawing a deep breath, she nodded. “I’m sorry,” she whispered back. “It’s too fast. We just met. I can’t…”

With a deep, frustrated growl, he drew back, crossing the hallway to lean against the railing, wrapping his hands around it, digging into the metal.

Kagome blinked, shocked to find herself standing bereft on rubbery legs in the hallway outside her door. She hesitated, staring at him, surprised by the hollow feeling of loss, her heart racing, skin heated by a flush. She wasn’t sure what to do.

After a few moments, he sighed. “Your keys...?” His voice had a gritty undertone--almost like gravel.

She blinked again. Keys? Her eyes widened slightly. We’re right outside my apartment. Please don’t let anyone have seen us!

She looked around frantically, finally spotting her discarded bag on the floor next to the door. Bending over, she rummaged for her keys with shaking hands.

She had a hard time getting the key in the lock, and she struggled for a minute. Then, with another put-upon sigh, he was behind her, his hands closing over hers, placing the key, and turning the lock. It swung inward, and they stared into her dark apartment.

InuYasha reached around her, found the wall switch, and the lights went on. He tossed her bag inside by the door and gently turned her to face him. They stared at each other in the light, at features ravaged by passion, and eyes miserable from the loss of it. His gaze had darkened to the deepest shade of gold she’d ever seen, giving them a bronze-like sheen.

The passion was still there, lying just below the surface. She could still the feel the magnetic pull. An insane half of her wanted to jump at him, to just give in and let the threatening storm consume her. The other half was more cautious, scared of such an overpowering attraction to someone she barely knew. She swallowed.

“Do you have to visit the children tomorrow?”

Confused, Kagome shook her head.

“Do you have a late shift?”

Another negative.

“Do you have any other obligations to fulfill tomorrow?”

No.

Satisfaction swept over his features. “Good. I’m taking you to dinner tomorrow night. I’ll meet you at work.”

Stunned, she shook her head. “Wait…”

He growled, and grabbed her by the shoulders. “I won’t let you pretend this didn’t happen, Kagome.” He stepped close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body, but stopped short of touching her. Releasing her shoulders, he brought a finger up to drag down her face. She suppressed a whimper. That claw of his--he knew what it did to her, damn him.

“Kagome.”

There it was again, her name in that tone. Oh, gods. Make him stop.

She swallowed. His face was intense--packed with so many different emotions she couldn’t sort them all out. The claw drew forward--slowly, meticulously, outlining her lips. “I can smell you. Your scent tells me how much you want me. You can’t run away, and I won’t let you be a coward.” He paused. “Tomorrow.”

Kagome nodded.

He glanced around the entryway, sniffing to ensure the apartment was safe, then gave a gruff parting order. “Get some sleep.”

The door clicked behind him.

Utterly stunned, Kagome just stood for a long time, staring at the door, allowing her body to cool down. Finally, she turned and headed for the nearest mirror. Her reflection shocked her--the swollen lips, the wildly mussed hair, the flush all over her body. The look in her eyes was new, too.

Kagome knew about sex. She knew all the mechanics of sex--she was a doctor. She’d thought she’d known what it would be like, what it would feel like. She’d had experience. She’d kissed boys, allowed them to touch her.

She’d never been kissed like this before.

Not even Houjo, her boyfriend through most of high school, had ever had this effect before. Even the young men she’d allowed the privilege of kissing her in college hadn’t had this sweeping, irresistible impact. She’d thought kissing was fun before, an enjoyable pastime. Now…

But it had felt so intense, so emotion-driven. How could it be? She barely knew InuYasha, yet she had come within a hair’s breadth of giving him her body. And they were still there--all the feelings, all the emotions. She had to deal with it. He wouldn’t let it go. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to.

Reaching a decision, she left the bathroom and picked up the phone. It was extremely late, but Kagome didn’t spare a thought for remorse. This was payback for countless nights with little or no sleep during university.

The phone rang for a while. A sleepy voice finally answered.

“Sango. I have a few questions I need you to answer.”

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A/N: Ok, so this chapter gave me a conniption fit. I started out writing one thing, and I ended up with this. It’s not what I originally envisioned, but hey, sometimes writing works that way. I’m not sure about this one, so please let me know what you think--what you liked, what you disliked. I’m still perfecting my timing on the citrus, so I need all the help I can get. Again: Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, to all of you who have been giving me such warm reviews. I appreciate every single one of them. You have no idea how much they help. Keep them coming! ‘Till next chapter, Quill.