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mandirox89 · 3 years ago

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Monster - Chapter 11

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Inuyasha had decided it would be best to wait to tell Kaede. When they’d left, she was still incredibly swamped, and while he was sure she would have put it all down to hear his update, it just wasn’t pressing enough to turn around and interrupt her business. While the information was, in fact, important, it wasn’t important enough to potentially throw her out of rhythm. Not to mention, as selfish as it seemed, Inuyasha didn’t want to chance seeing the ferocious woman break. Not yet. Not when she would have to swallow it all a small moment later only to store it in the back of her mind to process at another time. It could wait until their next visit. If business was still up then, tough. She’d have to take a break so they could talk.

It had been four days since. He should have seen it coming, but he dropped the ball. Something as huge as finding out you’ve got roughly around seventy-percent of a legendary priestess’s soul inside of you was going to take a while to sink in properly, and of course Kagome would end up crashing under the weight of the pressure in the midsts of it.

She’d gotten in her own head, lost sleep, and struggled not to feel inferior. Kagome felt like she needed to be stronger, like she needed to be better than she currently was given who her predecessor is, and Inuyasha had repeated over and over that for being less than a month into this journey, she’d already improved at an incredible rate. Nothing was able to get through to her, though. It was all in one ear and out the other, and despite him warning her that she was acting as Kikyo had been, she didn’t hear him. Inuyasha was unbelievably frustrated with her restless attitude, how she’d give up on trying to sleep in the middle of the night and shoot her arrows at trees for hours on end. The flesh of her fingers were cracked and rough, red, callouses beginning to form thicker once her broken skin stopped bleeding. He’d never seen an archer’s calloused skin form. He didn’t know it could be so rough on the hands, but she powered through every hiss and wince her body inadvertently reacted with. Inuyasha had even witnessed Kagome apparently practicing to channel her powers through her fingertips or even between her palms, which to him looked like nothing more than her holding her hands up before her while she stared intently. It didn’t come easy to her, and that agitated her further. She said she was able to bundle up her power and move it about, make it swirl, but it always faded too quickly.

He was glad she’d reasoned with herself on that one. It was like starting from square one, or the comparison she used was learning a foreign language. It was possible, but best to start young, and since she did the exact opposite from childhood and learned how to shut it off, it was more like she was starting at a negative number than from base. Given their pressing circumstances and how everything seemed uncertain - because she was right, something could happen at any given moment - it just wasn’t a good idea to try and reach for a brand new skill. So, Kagome decided to stick with her weapons and the channels she’d learned.

Inuyasha had wanted her to exhaust herself. If she wasn’t going to listen to him, then he was going to wait her ass out. Sleeping was difficult because she’d gotten so riled up, but that wouldn’t last forever. She was just extraordinarily anxious, which he honestly shouldn’t have been surprised about. He could see how she felt pressured, but sooner or later she was bound to hear him say that she was doing much better than great. And, she would believe him. Because this, what he was witnessing, wasn’t Kagome. He may still be getting to know her on deeper levels, but he could tell this was clearly uncharacteristic. Kagome had her freak outs, but overall, had a good head on her shoulders. More importantly, she normally listened to him when he leveled with her. She took what he had to say, his opinions and view points, into account.

So, he stopped trying and decided to wait, but this wasn’t what he’d had in mind.

A demon had appeared. It wasn’t Kagome’s fault. She didn’t do anything crazy. She didn’t overestimate herself or willingly exert too much power. She didn’t even shoot an arrow. Kagome was bathing, and her vulnerability was exacerbated as a large, half-monster, half- human leapt for her in the pool of water. She’d been reaching the limit where she was finally beginning to falter from her excessive energy usage and lack of sleep, so she hadn’t sensed it coming. And, Inuyasha hadn’t either. He felt something off, but his sense of smell didn’t catch it since it came from the depths beneath. By the time he’d realized it was close, Kagome had let out a scream.

She’d kicked herself free and waded to the edge of the bank where her clothes were, quickly snagging her knife just before the monster grabbed Kagome once more, dragged her to the deep, and pulled her under. In her panic, she’d channeled too much power into her blade. She was terrified, compromised, and only going deeper below the surface, and as she slashed at the demon’s slimy arms around her naked waist, she’d immediately felt the mistake she’d committed.

Inuyasha had made it just in time. He’d dove into the water without shedding any clothing, swimming after Kagome, and he watched as even she seemed shocked by her attack. Maybe because it wasn’t shot from an arrow but held right within her fingertips, but she yelped and recoiled, large bubbles blowing from her mouth as she accidentally let go of her knife. The monster screamed and disintegrated, and Inuyasha wasn’t even fazed by the fact that he could hear the damned creature clearly under the volume of liquid. The hanyou pumped his legs as quickly as he could, caught Kagome’s father’s knife, and then grabbed her to aid her back up to the surface.

She’d gasped deeply as soon as her lungs knew oxygen was available, sputtering and coughing while Inuyasha pulled her to shore. He was extremely cautious with how he handled her, and the moment he crawled backwards onto the bank, Kagome almost leapt from his grip to dive right back in.

“No! No! Kid, I’ve got it!” He’d declared, fighting her attempts to detangle herself from his arms.

“Papa’s knife!” She’d cried.

“Baby, I’ve got it! It’s right here! Look!”

Kagome had stopped, twisting around to see her father’s blade in his right hand, and instantly her earthy eyes brimmed with tears. She crumbled in his arms, the soft sound of water rippling as she turned completely around and clung to Inuyasha, her trembling arms snaking around his waist. He’d caught a glimpse. He’d seen how pale her skin already was, but it was hidden after she buried her face in Inuyasha’s chest, crying and apologizing.

“C’mon.” He’d breathed, carefully setting her knife in the mud as he wrapped an arm behind her back. He’d clean the knife off later. At that moment, he needed to get her dry and clothed. “Let’s get out of the water so I can wrap something around you.”

“I don’t care.” Her sobs caused a painful twinge within his chest. “I don’t care. Just - please.”

He didn’t need further convincing. If she didn’t care, then neither did he. If she needed comfort, then he wouldn’t deny her. Inuyasha pulled her closer, Kagome’s raw body pressed firmly to him, hoping his body heat would calm some of the shivering she was doing as he held her tight.

“Are you okay?” He’d whispered, but she couldn’t get a word out. Kagome had just wanted to be held, wanted to hide herself away in his chest, in his arms, and by the time she’d seemingly calmed enough to say she was fine, she’d had to frantically push him away to vomit.

Now, he was watching her. Closely. He was glad that he’d purchased a few extra shirts when they’d visited the market district in Kaede’s town, because it would have been hard for Kagome to constrict herself in her bodice, and he was quick to throw the idea away completely. She was dressed in her pants but she donned one of his tops, and she was curled up with her back against a tree because laying down emphasized her discomfort at the moment. Her hair waved more than usual since she never had a chance to brush it, rogue tendrils sticking to her temple and the sides of her cheek where she was slick with sweat. Trembles wracked her body, her arms wrapped around her waistline, and she was fidgeting uncontrollably. Inuyasha could tell she was trying to rest, at least. A fire burned in the center of their chosen campsite, flickering oranges and reds reflecting off of her listless skin, creating bouncing shadows and dancing embers, but he could clearly see her eyes were closed and her breathing was sort of even.

It wasn’t as bad as last time. That was evident, and they were both grateful, but it didn’t change the fact that she was still uncomfortable right now. His shirt was baggy on her, but he could still clearly see how badly she was shaking. For a while, he was convinced she was just having a nervous response and couldn’t settle her muscles down, but as he noticed her lips trembling and how she wasn’t only hugging her stomach, but herself, he realized she was fighting off chills.

Her fingers were poking out of the ends of his long, black sleeves, and Inuyasha observed them twitching slightly before they curled into a fist. Her eyes blinked open, and the furrow in her brow told him she was concentrating. He already knew what was coming, even though he’d hoped, for her sake, the feeling would subside. When he realized it wouldn’t, he was up a split second before she was, hastily following Kagome as she scurried away from her spot, scampering as far as she could before she stopped behind a tree to puke.

Inuyasha kneeled beside her without a word, scooping her hair back and away as he gently rubbed her back with his free hand. The repercussions of her powers honestly weren’t too bad. This was only the third time she’d needed to vomit since she’d accidentally thrusted too much power into her blade, and her fever was mild. He could feel the heat soaking through her shirt, but given the amount of sweat she was already drenched in, the fever only appeared to break shortly thereafter.

“Better?” The hanyou asked soothingly as her heaving calmed.

“So gross.” Kagome nearly sobbed as she made sure her mouth was clean, her voice slightly rusty.

“Who cares? It’s fine, kid.”

Her head was a little light, but the cramps in her stomach had subsided for the moment. Kagome sat back on her legs, closing her eyes as Inuyasha’s gentle hand pushed her bangs aside to test her fever.

“Go on. Go back. I’ll bury it.” He whispered.

“I’ll do it.”

“Now.” His tone held no hostility, and really wasn’t gruff at all, but it was still clear he was serious. Kagome sighed out, picking herself up to her feet and walking back over to camp.

The half demon rejoined her shortly, finding her sitting against a different tree, a little closer to where he’d been sitting before; across from where she’d initially been. Crouching down beside the bag, he pulled out his robe of the fire rat, unfolding it and opening it up for Kagome to slip her arms into. She looked at it for a moment with doe-like eyes, then shook her head politely.

“I don’t want to chance getting vomit on it if I have to make a run for it again.” She said, her voice small.

“You’re freezing, and I don’t care about that. Come on, Kagome.” He moved a little closer, still holding it open and it was only another second later before she relented and slipped her nearest arm through. Inuyasha wrapped it around her back, helping her push her other arm in, and then pulled it closed around her front, tying the bands to keep her body heat locked in. “That should help a little. How are you feeling?”

“Stupid.” She murmured, cuddling into his thick, large garment. “I’ve been acting stupid lately and it’s catching up to me. Thanks for putting up with it.”

“I knew you’d stop sooner or later. If you didn’t, I’d have to kick your ass.” Inuyasha chuckled, taking a seat beside her.

“I’m really sorry.”

“It’s fine. As long as you’re alright, it’s fine. You’re gonna slow down now, right? You’re not gonna be so hard on yourself?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I still feel the pressure that I’m supposed to be different somehow, but I know, logically, that’s not the case. It’s just kind of hard to understand still.”

“You want to know what I think?”

“Yes, please.”

“You’ll fucking listen this time?” He asked lightheartedly.

“Promise.”

“Alright. I think you’re a fucking idiot for believing you need to be any different than what or who you are. You need to realize that just because you have Midoriko inside of you, it doesn’t mean you have to try and be her. That’s not how it works. Look, when I was younger, I was convinced I wasn’t good enough as a half demon. It only created more problems for myself and my mother, but no one fucked with us when my old man was alive. I figured the solution was to find a way to change myself; become full demon just like him and all of our problems would disappear. How realistic was that, though? Long story short, I gave it up because it wasn’t possible and I was only hurting myself by thinking it was. You see what I’m saying? I don’t want you hurting yourself by thinking being Kagome isn’t good enough. Because, if you were anybody else, I wouldn’t have stayed. Not to mention, if you think about it, you don’t technically just have Midoriko in there. Your soul’s made up of you, her, and what? Eleven others? Talk about a multiple personality disorder.”

Kagome laughed, the sound sweet to his ears. It was lethargic, but that didn’t mean her smile wasn’t there. “God, I must have looked so crazy to you these past four days.”

“Only when you stared at your hands for an hour at a time.” He chuckled.

“I told you I was playing with the flexibility of my powers.”

“Yes, but I can’t see your powers like you can. So, to me it just looked like -“ Inuyasha lifted his hands before him, palms facing each other as he stared with fierce dedication at the empty space between.

Kagome felt a furious rush of heat flood to her face, rivaling her fever, and her jaw dropped in embarrassment. The laughter spilled from her mouth involuntarily, but she hid her face in the long, baggy sleeves of Inuyasha’s crimson robe.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” She mumbled into the cloth.

“So, is Kagome back now?” He asked, glancing over at her. He was trying not to allow his eyes to linger, to stare, especially while she was coming out of her little ball of shame, but somehow in the firelight, beneath the moon, even with her sweat-soaked cheeks and messy hair, even with pale skin and under eye circles that pleaded for rest, she was still so beautiful. She looked like hell, but could still bring him to his knees. It was her smile. It was her giggles. It was that no matter how unwell she felt, her deep eyes never lost their glimmer. Truthfully, it was unfair. Kagome could look beat the fuck up, and he truly believed, at this point in time, that he would still be in complete awe of her.

“Kagome’s back.” She finally said, breathing out and relaxing her shoulders. “Kagome never left. She was just having a little meltdown is all.”

“Little?”

Kagome hushed him, relaxing back against the tree.

Gently, he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek, feeling the warmth of her mild fever once more. He wished she’d have agreed to traveling back to Kaede’s, but she was adamant on staying put. Because it wasn’t so bad, she was positive she could power through it, but he didn’t like watching her suffer. At least if he’d have carried her back to the inn, she would have had a comfortable bed to sleep in. And, Kaede’s medicine would have for sure fixed her up in no time. But, because she wanted to be strong in her own way, and it wasn’t vital they rush back, Inuyasha respected that wish. She’d just have to deal with him vigilantly watching over her instead.

“You should lay down. Get some sleep.” Inuyasha suggested.

Kagome responded with a minor shake of her head. “I’m still kind of… I don’t know.”

“What’s wrong? You feel like you’re gonna puke?”

“No. I’m just -“ Her eyes focused on the bouncing shadows along the trees across from them, the light of the fire flickering over the texture of the bark. “That demon. It came out of nowhere, and because I barely felt it, it really shook me up.”

“Just because it snuck up on you?” He asked, his tone low and calm.

“That and being dragged so deep underwater wasn’t very fun.” She admitted, shrugging deeper into the robe.

Inuyasha understood. When you’re startled like that, it’s not always something you can brush off and move on from once it’s over and done with. He noticed now that while she still shivered a bit from her chills, she was slightly less fidgety. Maybe vomiting released some of whatever was causing that adverse affect. Or, maybe it was because she felt a little less anxious. Before, they sat across from each other. Now, he was sitting beside her.

“Mind if I - uh - stay here? Next to you? Or would you prefer space?” He asked, feeling a little awkward but not entirely uncomfortable. He wanted to stay. Even before his loose guess, he hadn’t much planned on moving. But, he found it important to make sure it was something she wanted, as well.

“You don’t have to ask.” Kagome grinned, glancing at him. “You know that.”

“Just making sure. Feel free to use my shoulder as a pillow if you get tired. I wont shrug you off or anything.” Inuyasha stated, not really able to look at her anymore. He could feel himself growing shy, his heart pounding just a little harder than normal. For crying out loud, he’d seen her naked just a few hours ago and didn’t feel the least bit out of sorts, but this was what was going to do him in?

Honestly, she was hoping he wouldn’t move from her side. It was interesting, but whenever he was near, and especially when he was touching her, she felt substantially less unsteady. Her problems didn’t magically go away, but everything seemed just a bit more manageable. Everything she felt right now was uncomfortable and unsettling, but with Inuyasha so close, his body heat drifting over her, nothing seemed quite as bad. Of course, he didn’t have to ask to stay beside her. Kagome welcomed it. Wished for it, really.

Fatigue had been calling her name for a while now, but she wasn’t lying when she’d told him going to sleep didn’t sound appealing. She hadn’t even gotten a good look at the damned monster that grabbed her, but she could still feel its arms around her abdomen, and she could still hear the scream it released in her ears. But, its slimy skin, its bulky muscles, that was what she couldn’t shake right now. What it was about it, Kagome couldn’t exactly pinpoint. She was clean, no marks were left on her aside from a tiny scratch Inuyasha had accidentally bequeathed in trying to get her to settle down and stop jumping back in, but she still couldn’t stop thinking of the monster’s arm wrapped around her and dragging her below.

With the invitation set, Kagome didn’t stop herself from tilting into it. Her own voice in her mind said, just do it, and before she knew it, her head was softly resting on Inuyasha’s shoulder. She wished she knew what, exactly, it was about him that created such a calming effect within her. Outwardly, Inuyasha was a storm. He was the thunder that blared threats, the lightning that crashed upon you. He was the dark clouds that brought both the ominous feel and the gorgeous smell of moisture. But, maybe it was because he was also the heavy rain that cleansed her skin of dirt and soot, he was the water that soddened her hair and clothing, that rejuvenated the earth, that washed the darkness from her worries so that she could clearly see they weren’t as difficult to work through as she’d made herself believe they were. With that analogy, she could see why she was so drawn to him in every sense of the word. She’d always loved storms. She preferred a cloudy day over a sunny one. The smell of rain brought her peace. The roaring thunder was exhilarating. So was Inuyasha.

Instantly, Kagome felt herself relax against him. The demon’s arm was still pressing in her thoughts, but it wasn’t so loud now. She could still see it, but the visual was faded.

“Is it okay if I lay my head in your lap?” She softly asked.

Inuyasha had felt her grow a little heavier. So fast. If she’d asked him to take her to Kaede’s, he would have packed up camp immediately. Fuck, if she’d asked for any nearby inn, he’d have complied in a heartbeat. All she was asking for were his thighs? What a stupid question. She could have all of him for all he fucking cared.

He straightened his legs out so she’d have a comfier pillow than if his legs remained crossed, giving a small grunt in acknowledgement so she knew she was welcome to lay down on him now. Kagome slowly made her way down, minding her body’s aches and shakiness until she was able to lay her head on his leg. She’d only needed to adjust her hips and arms slightly so they weren’t completely digging into the earth, but once she was settled, she basically sank against him.

“I can’t imagine you as a full demon.” Kagome mentioned quietly, moments of comfortable silence having passed.

“It’s not a pretty picture.” Inuyasha stated, shrugging his brows.

“I thought you’d said it wasn’t possible.”

“For indefinite transformation, it’s not. As a hanyou, I have both human and demon in me. Just like my human side takes over every new moon, my demon side will take control if I’m in mortal danger. In fact, you almost saw it that time you rushed in while I was being ambushed. I’m glad you came when you did. I have little-to-no control in that state. I could have turned on you.”

“And, that’s what you wanted once upon a time?”

“Not exactly. I can’t control that sort of power. I’m not built for it. Didn’t know that until I finally got a taste of what was on the other side, you know? I thought it was as easy as simply transforming, but it’s not. Because I essentially have a human heart, the demon in me will easily overpower that, and I’d basically turn into this mindless, killing machine.”

Kagome tenderly dragged her nails over the texture of Inuyasha’s pants, her finger blurry with how close it was to her face. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you decided to stay a half demon. If things were different, we may have never met.”

There was an unfamiliar hitch in his chest. It affected both his lungs and heart, it both stung and soothed, it caused his breathing to falter and his blood to rush, and Inuyasha intentionally clenched his own breath in his throat as soon as his body’s inadvertent reaction yielded at an attempt for a semblance of control. Was she saying she was happy she’d met him? It’s like she was making it her personal mission to be his undoing. For anyone else, it’d be damn near impossible, but for Kagome it seemed to come almost too easily. He had a hard time determining if what he felt now was dangerous or elating. Hell, he couldn’t even tell if this was harmful or innocuous. The more he thought on it, the more he felt it was all of the above. The timing was all off, but fuck timing. The world wont stop for anyone. The more time he spent with her, including the seconds where she’d spare him side glances with that twitch of a smile she thought he never noticed, the deeper he felt himself drifting below the surface of sanity. Kagome had quickly become a beacon of hope for him. She was warmth and joy, and the simplest of eye contact had his swirling mind backing off for a reprieve. He’d pushed himself to believe it was because she was a conjurer and he was a demon. That they were opposites, and the good in her would naturally provide this sensation to anyone, but now he was beginning to think that wasn’t entirely true. If that were the case, demons would never be able to face her because one look in the eye would have them understanding they’d made a mistake before they turned around and went home. That effect was for him and him alone, and it simultaneously scared him and alleviated that same exact fear. Most treacherous of all was he was beginning to think his pining wasn’t just one-sided anymore. She’d said that too effortlessly, she touched him like he currently found himself wanting to touch her, she grabbed hold of his heart with the simplest of statements but cupped it securely in her palms so he knew it was safe and treasured.

He was so glad she wasn’t able to see his face right now, because he feared it showed exactly what he felt. Was he stupid for wanting this? Was he stupid for believing that maybe she felt it, too? Maybe she was just being sweet and he was overthinking the sentiment. Maybe she hadn’t thought of the implications of her words. Maybe his hand was moving on its own accord, and by the time he’d realized it, he was already brushing the hair out of her face to smooth back. Inuyasha had flinched as he’d caught himself, but so long as he didn’t get carried away, so long as Kagome didn’t tense or appear uncomfortable, he’d allow himself to gently rake his nails through her soft locks until he got his fill.

Almost instantly, Kagome’s eyes fluttered closed, her hand stopping its own ministrations to rest on his thigh as she progressively melted against him. It was the most soothing thing to have her hair played with, combed back, and the tender touches along her scalp caused an unconditional response of her losing all train of thought and just giving into that tranquilizing sensation. Even her chills began to subside with each stroke of his claws through her hair. Something so lethal, so dangerous, and all they did was protect and pacify her. How lucky she was to have Inuyasha by her side in more ways than one. How lucky she was that he trusted her well enough to allow her so close, to care about her, for her.

“I never thanked you for earlier.” She whispered, turning her head to look up at him. Inuyasha’s eyes were on her, hooded tenderly, but still the fire caught the golden irises.

“For what?”

“Running in after me. Pulling me out. Grabbing my dad’s knife. Thank you, Inuyasha.”

“Like I’d ever let anything take you.” It came out as more of a murmur, but she’d heard him just the same. “And, I know what that blade means to you.”

“Thank you.” She repeated with the softest smile.

“Thank me by going to sleep.” He said.

Kagome turned back the way she’d been, closing her eyes once more. He’d stopped petting her, but his other hand was resting gently on her waist.

“Are you comfortable? Do you need anything?” Inuyasha asked.

Kagome raised her hand for his without opening her eyes, wiggling her fingers until Inuyasha placed his larger hand in her grasp. He seemed unsure, a little slower than she’d expected, but when she finally had it in her hold, she delicately placed it where it had been on the side of her head.

The hanyou released a small chuckle, taking the hint and resuming his gentle caresses, throwing little, massaging rubs against her temple that matched the rhythm of his fingers. It wasn’t long before Kagome drifted to sleep, and all fidgeting, trembles, and general discomfort seemed to dwindle away from her body. She seemed at peace, perfectly comfortable under his touch and protection. If it kept her this way, he’d keep this up all night. If it kept her uneasiness at bay, Inuyasha would happily stroke her hair until the sun brought in their new day.

—

“You’re sure you’re fine now?” Inuyasha pondered. They’d walked a few miles, and he’d been observing her carefully. Color had returned to her face like it’d never left, she didn’t appear the least bit lethargic, and Kagome seemed just about back to herself.

“Inuyasha, I promise.” She giggled, looking up at him from his side. “We took it easy for the majority of the day to be sure, but I feel totally fine.”

“Yeah, but it was a little too quick.” He mentioned.

“I know, and it’s weird to me, too, but it’s not like it’s an actual illness, you know? It’s just a side effect from over exertion, and I didn’t use as much power as I did the last time this happened. Sure, I woke up a bit groggy, I will admit that, but overall, especially now, I feel so much better.”

“You’ll tell me if that changes?”

“Not that I’ll have to.” Kagome mumbled, though it was intentionally clear enough for him to hear. “You’ve been watching me like a hawk.”

“Allow me to rephrase that: You’ll tell me if that changes.”

“What’s the difference?”

“It’s not a request.”

Kagome had almost stopped walking, shocked from his firm instruction. It was both audacious and invigorating. For someone who’d initially said he wasn’t interested in being her bodyguard, he sure was outwardly expressing just how protective he’d grown to be over her. She’d second guess herself, but honestly, what was the point? Kagome would come to the same conclusion every time; it was so obvious. It was like Inuyasha was knowingly articulating his unadulterated, protective nature. While it might have had something to do with her, Kagome more figured that this was just Inuyasha. If you managed to get through his walls, he’d willingly stand in front of you to take every hit so you remained unharmed - whether you liked it or not.

This was Inuyasha. This was who he was. He was strong, and fierce, and protective. But, every time their knuckles grazed as they walked, every time she felt the warmth of his exposed forearm because he was so close to her, every time he said or did something to keep her feeling safe and sound, she hoped there was a small part of the cause that involved her.

“Wow.” She managed to say, playfully yet mockingly.

Inuyasha glanced at her, a small grimace crossing his face. “What?”

“Nothing.” Kagome smirked, looking off to the side.

“What?” He asked more sternly.

“Nothing.”

The hanyou stopped, reaching over and grabbing her jaw with a firm grip of his hand. “You’ve got this stupid, coy smile and I don’t like it.” He said, moving her head left and right as she laughed. “What’s it about?”

“Nothing!” Kagome didn’t even try to pull herself free from his hold, giggling gleefully.

“Don’t pretend like you make that face for nothing.” He demanded, squeezing her cheeks.

“I just think it was bold!”

“Like that’s anything new to you.”

“It’s not, but -“ She’d stopped as Inuyasha’s attitude instantly faded, his head turning to the right and his fingers loosening their grasp. His brows pinched together, gradually setting deeper as a frown curled his lips downward. His jawline was clear and visible, and Kagome could see the way he bit his teeth down, clenching the muscles.

He’d known they were close to a village, and had even debated traveling through it to see what was there. What he hadn’t expected was for the demonic energies he now felt closing in on it, the sounds of anxious women and scared children humming in his ears. Fuck. It had to be an inspection. It had to be Naraku’s men. They were too close for comfort.

Typically, Inuyasha would take the opportunity to break it up. Rub his name in their faces so his notoriety would become further permanent. Save the women and children from their incessant abuse. Typically, there would be no hesitation from him to intervene. Now, he had Kagome. An actual conjurer. An actual being they wouldn’t hesitate to kill if she was found out. Jumping in there would put Kagome at risk. Neither he nor she would procrastinate to try and end them all, and that would just be too fucking dangerous.

Kagome was his priority.

But, when she flinched a second later, her jaw freeing itself from his now-meager hold as she turned her head in the same direction, he knew she sensed them too.

“Come on. We’ve gotta go.” He said, and he made sure he came out dominant.

“Inuyasha, wait. What is that? There’s a good number of them.” Kagome spoke, grabbing his forearm to keep him from following the path.

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.”

“I do.” She said, without peeling her eyes away from the direction. She stepped forward, pushing a leg through a small gap in shrubbery, but Inuyasha’s hand snagged her bicep, pulling her back.

“No.” The hanyou said, almost too lowly. It was damn near a growl. “We’re leaving. We can’t stay here.”

“What’s up?” Kagome tried, attempting to read him but it was too difficult. What was he acting up for? He almost seemed scared of something. So scared, he was angry. Since when was Inuyasha apprehensive to check a situation out? Especially when so many demons were involved. Did he pick up on something that she couldn’t and that was why he already knew he’d prefer to stay away from it?

“Don’t get stubborn with me. I’m telling you, now isn’t the time to be curious. Let’s go.”

“You’re only making me more curious.” She mentioned.

“Oh well. Deal with it. Come on.”

“What’s going on? Is it Naraku’s men? Is it Naraku?”

“It’s not Naraku, but yes, it is his men. There’s too -”

A terrified scream reached both of their ears, causing Inuyasha’s to pin back momentarily to block the harmful sound out. Kagome’s attention snapped back in the direction, and as her brown eyes widened, she tore her arm out of Inuyasha’s grip and ran in the direction of the town, toward any breakage in the trees where she’d have a vantage point to see something.

Finally, she saw a small village ahead, and a little further down, she could see the commotion clearly. Everyone in the village was on the main street, and the men were kneeled on the ground - execution style. Even young boys were on their knees, hands behind their heads, sobbing as they crouched next to their older brothers and fathers. The women were watching on, crying, screaming, held back by dangerous villains that taunted them with their family’s lives. Kagome couldn’t hear them very well; everything out of their mouths, unless yelled, reached her as nothing more than a murmur, but having lived through similar incidents, she knew very well that Naraku’s men were manipulating them with fear to try and find a conjurer.

Inuyasha clapped his hand over Kagome’s mouth, pulling her back firmly against his chest as he twisted them behind a tree for cover. She only squirmed slightly, her gasp muted, but she relaxed against him after the startle dwindled away.

“Kagome, when I fucking say no, I mean no. What don’t you get about that? Are you insane? You don’t run toward screams when you don’t know what’s causing them, and especially when you can’t tell how close they are. You could have been seen, you fucking idiot!” Inuyasha whispered in her ear, harsh and gruff. “You know better than anyone that they’re looking for a conjurer. What the fuck are you? These aren’t the same demons as the ones your village dealt with; we killed them all. These are different, and I know firsthand that each group under different leadership conducts their inspections as they so please. You running out there? That’s suicide. We’re leaving. Now.”

Kagome lightly tapped his hand, progressively growing harder until he released her mouth to speak. She spun around, pushing his hands away as he reflexively went to hold her shoulders. Her expression was severe, upset, her brow crinkled and eyes slanted in a warning glare.

“First of all, who are you talking to like that? I know it’s not me.” She, too, kept her voice quiet, but the venom in her tone was well conveyed.

“It’s you.” He quickly rebutted, matching her vehemency.

“Well, don’t. You do not have the right to treat me like I’m stupid. I feel their presence too, remember? I could tell the demons were further away, so clearly I wasn’t going to run in there blindly. Second, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving them to fend for themselves when I’m right here to help. Yes, I’m a conjurer, and that’s exactly why I should step in.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No! Kagome, no!”

“You don’t get to dictate what I do! They need help!”

“They’ve been through this multiple times! They can handle it!”

“Did you see what I saw? I don’t think this is routine, Inuyasha! The men are in trouble!”

“I don’t give a fuck about their men!”

“You told me you interrupt inspections all the time! You have a reputation for doing so! So, why do you suddenly not care!?”

“Because, I’m not going to risk your life! You! I give a fuck about you! Your life means more to me than theirs!”

Kagome wanted to acknowledge the way her heart skipped a beat, wanted to relish in the butterflies igniting in a flurry in her stomach, wanted to admire the warmth that attempted to calm her due to his words, but couldn’t. The energy of the inspection was turbulent, and she could feel it jabbing her abdomen like little needles that pricked painfully along her flesh. Another scream flooded the air, and it was blood-curdling. Kagome’s stomach twisted and churned violently, her heart sinking, a toxic flame bubbling to kill away the short-lived butterflies that fluttered so sweetly. There was no preventing the way her entire body jolted out of fear, or the way her hands immediately reached for Inuyasha’s chest and clutched onto the loose cloth of his black shirt. He was quick to plant his palms against her ears, trying to block out the horrid sound, but it was already in her mind. It was ringing clear. She could see the little girl’s mother watching the small conjurer of her village being stabbed in the gut. She could feel that pain again, that terror, see the inflicted pain in the mother’s eyes. There were little ones on their knees in this village. Mothers had to stand by and do nothing but hope for the best so their child remained unharmed. Kagome couldn’t leave. History wouldn’t repeat itself.

Inuyasha cupped her jaw, pulling the conjurer to look up at him. Her eyes were wide, but he could see the embers of determination sparking within their dark hue. A compromise. Because, she was right. As much as he wanted to protect her, it would be absolutely cowardice and shitty of them to walk away now.

“I’ll go.” He said softly, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “You stay here. Promise?”

“But, I -“

“Kagome, please. I’ll stop this, but I can’t have them finding you out. Stay here. I’ll come back. You’ve gotta trust me on this.”

“Okay.” She agreed. It was no mystery that she’d rather run into action, herself, but Inuyasha was right. This was extremely dangerous. One wrong step, and she could be killed on the spot. As long as someone was intervening, that was all that mattered. There was no time for further arguments. Inuyasha was offering a solution that fitted the both of them. The village people would be spared, and Kagome would remain safe.

“Okay? Promise me you’ll stay here.” Inuyasha requested, holding his pinky out.

She wrapped hers around his, grasping his finger tightly as he nodded, untangled them, and slipped out from between she and the tree, running toward the people who needed help.

Kagome wished she could hear clearly from where she stood. She wanted to know exactly what was happening as it took place, but she was still just a bit too far to even read their lips. Only screams and wails would reach her ears, and belligerent demands from boisterous voices. She was holding her breath, watching demons tease children with their sharp nails, yanking back the hairs on grown men’s scalps to extend their throats and make their faces red and blistery. Teenage boys were kicked and pushed over, pulled back up to their knees by their hair, wash, rinse, and repeat. It wasn’t until she noticed Inuyasha’s silver ponytail enter the scene that she finally exhaled her captive oxygen, feeling an early sense of relief.

“Ew! It’s a half breed!” One of the demons croaked, guffawing in a sense that sparked the rest of his comrades to laugh and jeer mockingly.

“You done?” Inuyasha asked, unfazed.

“What’s a rodent like you doing here? You just begging for trouble or something?”

“I wouldn’t say begging. I don’t beg. I am, on the other hand, here to let you know that it’d be wise of you to leave. Otherwise, you all can go against me and you’ll be begging for your lives.”

“Hah! I’d admire your arrogance, but I guess it’s just compensation for your inferior existence.”

“And, I’d admire yours, but I guess it’s just compensation for your tiny dick.” Inuyasha smirked. It was almost too easy to insult these fuckers. No matter what, they still went wild with the smallest of offenses. Without fail, the demon he’d been going back and forth with grimaced with anger, fuming out the ears.

“What did you say!?”

“You’ve got a little penis.” Inuyasha shrugged, almost as if this were common knowledge. “Are we done here? Or, did you want me to keep talking shit?”

“I want you to shut the fuck up! I’ll make you if you don’t!”

“So, make me.” Inuyasha challenged, grinning.

All of the demons either already had their weapons in hand or were pulling their swords out of their sheaths. In a quick assessment, Inuyasha could see there was about fifteen of them. Excessive for such a small town, but not surprising. They were all equally around the same stature; about six-foot, thick with muscle, broad shoulders, ugly faces. It was simple to see they thought their builds were more than enough to take down anyone “lesser” than them.

Good. This should be fun for him, then.

Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga, feeling the power of his sword as it enlarged with each inch it was freed. Instantly, he could see - with some of their widened gazes and dropped jaws - that there were a few of them who’d figured out who he was. He smirked in response, holding Tessaiga out before him.

“If I were you guys,” He said, looking over to the innocent bystanders. “I’d get out of the way.”

“Don’t move!” One of the demons ordered.

“What? Gonna be a coward and use them as a shield?” Inuyasha quipped.

“You forget half breed. We call the shots around here. Not you.”

“So, that’s a yes. Mom’s least favorite, huh?”

“Is that all you have up your sleeve? Sarcastic insults and a daring grin? None of us fear you, you fucking mutt.”

“Hey, man…” One of the demons muttered quietly, inching closer to the demon who spoke. “I think that’s Inuyasha. You’ve heard of Inuyasha.”

“I don’t give a fuck who he is.”

“No, no, you’re missing his point.” Inuyasha chuckled, speaking up. “You said no one’s afraid of me. I think he’s admitting he is.”

“Shut up!”

“Alright, alright. If you aren’t afraid of me, come at me.”

The challenge was accepted immediately, some of them running at him with no regard to their own safety, their arms in the air as they carried their sword above their heads to slash at him, leaving their cores right open. Inuyasha whipped his own blade horizontally, the force stopping the demons as it sliced their torsos. Blood seeped from their stomachs, and they stumbled backwards to the ground. Those that weren’t killed instantly were bleeding out at an alarming rate, and all amusement on Inuyasha’s face vanished.

“Everyone, get up! Now! Get out of here!” He instructed, and the men on their knees picked up the children at their sides, rushing to meet up with their women and scurry to safety. In a matter of seconds, the street was cleared and it was just Inuyasha against Naraku’s henchmen.

Kagome was clawing her fingers into the bark of the tree, watching swords swing and listening to the subtle clank of the metal against metal. Each hit against Inuyasha had her cringing, flinching, holding the tree tighter as she resisted everything in her to run out and help.

Something was off. There was an ominous feel in the air unrelated to the battle she watched going on. It was like a dreadful sense of doom was looming over them, hovering, waiting on the outskirts until the right moment, but Kagome couldn’t pinpoint the direction the cause of this horrible sensation was coming from. Maybe from a different position. I higher vantage point. The tree she currently clung to wasn’t great for climbing, but one not too far to her right had the perfect leverage to get her feet up.

Her hands gripped the ragged bark as firmly as they could as she pushed herself to climb, slipping one of her feet between a branch and the trunk before rough, calloused hands grabbed her hips and yanked her to the ground, her palms scraping the tree on the way. Kagome landed with a thud, the air pushed from her lungs violently as she stared up at a jarring, grinning demon. His skin was tan, and a large gash of a scar over his left eye told her he no longer had it. His teeth were sharp and pointed, bandits attire clothing his body, and dark hair held up in a top knot finished him off.

“You’ve got that half breed’s scent all over you.” He spoke, his voice deep.

“Gee, I wonder why.” Kagome retorted semi-breathlessly, rolling over quickly as he stomped his boot down where she’d been laying. She landed on her hands and knees and hastily pushed herself up to stand, facing the demon with challenging eyes.

“Why aren’t you down there with him, wench? You too chicken? Or, are you maybe the whore he’s protecting?”

“Neither.” She said with a minor cock of her brow. “I’m the archer. My specialty isn’t necessarily close combat, you see.”

“Great. Then this should be easy.” He chuckled, slowly stepping toward her. “You two should have never shown up in the first place. I’m going to make sure you regret it.”

He was larger. Almost a foot larger than she stood, but his muscles really weren’t intimidating. Kagome would consider him lean, at best. Of course, being a demon, his muscles aren’t typically presented as a human’s would be, but he still wasn’t very daunting. She knew there was strength she couldn’t see hiding beneath his thick, tan skin, but considering the non-frightening aura she could feel radiating from him, it didn’t change much. Aside from the height, his frame reminded her of Miroku’s, and though this demon would be a tougher challenger, she felt she could take him.

Kagome needed space, though. Arrows really weren’t a close combat weapon, and the closer he got to her, the more impossible her chances of pulling one were. She was already pressed against the tree. He was closing the gap, making it seem like it would be as simple as merely grabbing her to end things, so she’d just have to make the room herself.

She leaned to her right, eyes shifting in that same direction so he’d read her body, and as he veered his own to block her from escaping that way, Kagome pulled left through the opening and swiftly dodged his arms. She spun on the balls of her feet as she went to pull an arrow from her quiver, but jerked in reaction when large arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind. He’d followed quickly, not at all stunned by her quick movements, and seemingly compensated with his own speed instead of allowing himself to pause and wonder how she’d outsmarted him. Kagome always sort of banked on these sorts of demons being idiots. This one was a quick thinker. So, she’d have to be, too.

The demon yanked her off of her feet, leaning himself back, so she threw her upper body forward to fold over his forearms, reaching for her boots, for the ground, throwing his balance off with her own force and weight. Ignoring the sound of every arrow falling from the quiver on her shoulder, as soon as Kagome’s heels touched the dirt once more, she reached between her legs, grabbed a firm hold around one of the man’s calves, and pulled it upward with everything she had. The demon released her waist as he fell backwards to the ground, his footing literally ripped from beneath him, and Kagome took the opportunity to run a few steps away from him.

This was it, though. Her arrows were scattered on the floor right next to him, so that idea was out. Her bow was hereby deemed useless. With a heavy shrug, Kagome tossed her bow, quiver, and bag to the floor, freeing herself of the unnecessary weight, feeling the hot blood coursing through her veins at a fast rate. The pulse in her neck was pounding, her chest was heaving air in and out, and her resolve was steady as could be.

Kagome could still feel that ominous aura in the air, and it was only getting closer. Alarmingly closer. Truthfully, she’d forgotten all about it once this guy came around, and she was lucky he wasn’t the one giving off the terrifying energy. So badly, she wanted to figure out where it was coming from, discover who or what was watching them, impending on them, but she couldn’t do that as this demon pushed himself to his feet now. So, she’d just have to wrap this up as quickly as she could.

“Think you’re tough?” The demon sneered in a raspy tone.

She didn’t respond. She was telling the truth when she’d mentioned close combat wasn’t her specialty. That didn’t mean she couldn’t do it, though. When it came down to it, Kagome was a bit of a scrapper, and her poor cousin could attest to that.

“You aren’t actually planning on fighting me, are you?”

Pridefully, Kagome arched a brow in reply, a small smirk developing on her lips. “Don’t really have much of a choice, now do I?”

He chuckled, swiping his slimy tongue over the front of his teeth. “Cute. That’s cute.”

He was about to come at her. She could feel it. See it. His body language was all offense, no defense. Good.

As the demon charged, Kagome took two large steps back to brace her frame against the trunk of a tree, lifting her leg with her foot flexed upward to push kick the man away. Her boot landed at his diaphragm, and her grunt was nearly muted by his gasp for air, spittle flying out onto her shin. She utilized the moment in her favor. He was bent forward, so Kagome lunged his way and threw her fist at his cheek. Unfortunately, she didn’t put nearly enough force behind it, underestimating how much it would take to cause actual damage to the demon.

“You dumb bitch!” He growled, lurching to grab her face.

His entire hand covered it as he caused her to stumble back into the tree, Kagome’s head slamming into the bark as she yelped. Instinctually, her hands were on his wrist, his thick fingers, trying to pull his grasp away, but in a split second decision, while he was wide open, she reached down and took a dangerously tight grip on his genitals. She made sure she ground her nails through the fabric of his trousers, that she squeezed her hand closed around his testicles and pulled, shuddering as the demon released an involuntary, high-pitched scream before the breath left his lungs entirely.

Her face was freed as he pulled away and fell to his knees, and Kagome didn’t waste time in using the heel of her boot to kick his forehead back and away so he would topple to the ground. While his scarred hands still covered his damaged goods, she stepped on it all, gradually applying more and more weight that even his palms couldn’t protect the sensitive area from.

The energy in the air grew darker in an instant. It was thick and sinister, and pulled her attention in the direction Inuyasha was in. Whatever it was, it was there. It was with him. She could feel its vile and rotten aura through the earth as it landed, and the imminent threat of danger grew massively.

As if to jolt her back to the present, the demon she’d been stepping on, grabbed her ankle and paid back her previous favor, jerking her footing from beneath her and bringing her back crashing to the ground. Again, her head hit hard, and there was no time to process what to do before the heavy-breathing demon was on top of her.

Inuyasha stared at the huge being that flew down to the ground. It was impossible to tell who it was, what it was, given its misshapen, disproportionate body and bulging characteristics. The scent coming off of it was strangely familiar, but Inuyasha couldn’t pin where he’d smelled it before. It was yanking at his mind, the familiarity, but not a single memory came forward.

It stared at him with a small, interested smile, its purple eyes slanted with amusement. It had shoulder-length, unruly, lavender hair and blue markings that painted over the right side of its pale face. No clothing dressed the monster. All over, it was merely the same shade of deathly pearl with the only color being additional, random, blue markings on its left side. Little horns poked out around its long arms, curved torso, wide hips, and thick legs, as if at one point it was wearing a full body of armor that its flesh absorbed to sheath itself in an indestructible coating that wouldn’t get in the way. On its back protruded a matching pair of huge wings, a rusted brown color that softly resembled the shape of a bat’s.

“And, you are?” It asked, holding the deep voice of a well-spoken male.

“I could ask you the same fucking thing.” Inuyasha said, stabilizing his heavy breathing. He’d come very close to ending the fight entirely, only a few henchmen left standing, but now they backed away smiling, leaving their dead comrades sprawled on the floor.

“Well, I’m not the one that barged into a setting that had nothing to do with them, am I?”

“Aren’t you?”

It grinned, the tail-end of a chuckle reaching Inuyasha’s ears. “No. Though, if you insist, I am Moryomaru. Created -“ It paused as the right corner of its lips inched even higher, almost in dramatic effect. “By the hands of Naraku.”

It worked. That was the furthest thing from what Inuyasha could have ever expected. He felt the involuntary tense of his muscles, the way his amber eyes widened in shock, the way a prickle of chill ran down his spine. That was the scent. It was Naraku. He was smelling Naraku. He didn’t recognize it at first because it had been about six years since his last, in-person encounter with the fucker. This monstrosity was made from the flesh and blood, the sacrificed demons, and whatever dark power Naraku contained. How? How the fuck did he make this? What could it do? Was it just a fraction of Naraku’s strength, or was it its own entity, entirely?

“Naraku?”

“You heard me correctly. I was made by Naraku. Now, who are you?” Moryomaru responded, amusement holding strong.

“Name’s Inuyasha.” He ground out, feeling that fire of determination ignite. Though this entity wasn’t Naraku, just smelling the bastard made him feel like his enemy was standing directly before him. Now was his chance to prove a fucking point. He was coming for Naraku, and he wanted that putrid being to know. Whether that be by word of mouth, or by results of action, he didn’t care. One way or another, meeting a creation of that monster defined this moment as a turning point.

“Ah. The hanyou who’s been nothing but a nuisance. I’ve heard a thing or two about you. My men find you quite annoying.”

“Good.” Inuyasha remarked, though his tone and expression didn’t change in the least.

“Truthfully, I couldn’t have been bothered to seek you out and get rid of you. You see, I’m the commander in charge of the branches of inspectors, so with my hands as full as they’ve been, I wasn’t about to break a sweat looking for something like you. I figured, being the weak, disgusting filth that you are, one of my men would eventually get the job done. You’re like a bug. Annoying with a bit of a sting, but still squish-able. Unfortunately for you, it seems you’ve stumbled upon me on your way.”

“I don’t really feel like you have room to talk shit about me when you’re flying around looking something like Frankenstein’s Monster.”

“Eh, what can you do.” It shrugged deeply. “Naraku’s creative, I’ll give him that. I’m still dangerous, lethal, and unlike Frankenstein’s Monster, I’m quite intelligent and strategic. Care to find out?”

“Love to.” Inuyasha scoffed, taking a firmer grip on the hilt of Tessaiga.

Kagome squirmed beneath the demon, his hands pinning her wrists to the floor. He went from furious to tauntingly laughing in her face, fueling her rage and tenacity. She needed to free herself before he could hurt her, crush her, do anything to potentially incapacitate her. And, the last person she would allow herself to be defeated by was someone who laughed cruelly.

Quickly and powerfully, she bucked her hips upward into his own while simultaneously swiping her wrists down toward her feet. The man lost his balance as he jolted upward, and his hands went to catch his body before his face hit the ground above her head. Kagome was swift to cling to his torso like a tree to gain proper footing, and once her knees were spread properly and her feet were firmly planted, she entangled her left arm around his nearest one to trap it, weakening its brace against the floor, and then pushed her entire weight in that very direction to swoop him beneath her own body so she now had the higher ground. Before he could retaliate, Kagome climbed over his legs to straddle his waist and threw her elbow into his face as hard as she could, then dove that very same elbow into his stomach.

“You want to get rough, wench? We can get fucking rough!” He shouted, grabbing a tight hold on her hair and jerking her over to the side. He tumbled over her frame, pinning her harder, giving her minimal room for movement until he forcefully rolled her over to her stomach, and pressed her cheek into the dirt.

He had a hand in her hair and a hand pinning one of her wrists behind her back, while his knee was pressed across her tailbone, immobilizing her no matter how violently she kicked and squirmed. It was only resulting in her own pain, her temple, cheek, and jaw scraping against the unforgiving earth.

“Stay still, you fucking bitch!”

“Let go of me!”

“Yeah, right.” He scoffed teasingly, pushing her face further into the ground. “I can do this all fucking day. I’ll never let you go. In fact, I’ll drag you kicking and screaming all the way down to the village so that your lover boy can watch me rip you apart.”

“No!”

“Oh, is that panic I hear? Do it again. Yell. Scream. It’s music to my ears.”

Kagome was shaking uncontrollably, biting down hard on her bottom lip to regain an ounce of control over herself. Her brain kept telling her to freak out because she was trapped, to flail around in an attempt to free herself, while this dreadful sensation of doom washed over. It was like her lips were shivering, her teeth rattling, her fingers quaking, and she had limited control over her larger muscles while she tried to escape. The demon was laughing, begging her to scream, but Kagome had to fight with herself, demand her ears to tune him out as she took difficult but steadying breaths to calm herself.

“Okay.” She shuddered. “Okay.”

“Atta girl.” He grinned. “You gonna be good for me? Tell me you give up.”

“I give up.” Kagome relented, her voice almost a whine.

The demon pulled her to her knees by her hair, keeping a hold on her wrist as well, even going so far as to jerk it upward slightly to hurt her shoulder. Kagome released a small gasp of pain, but tried with all of her might to ignore it. She had to act now while he, too, was on his knees. She had to act fast.

With excessive force, Kagome threw the back of her skull into the monster’s face, feeling, hearing the crunch of his nose. He shouted in pain, releasing her just enough so she could pull free, crawl one step away, turn back to face him, then pounce. She put her entire weight into her attack, grunting wildly as she forced his back to the ground, straddled his waist once more, and punched his face as hard as she could muster. Her middle knuckle collided with one of his sharp teeth, slicing the skin, but she hardly felt anything more than a tingling burn.

Blood was dripping down his lips, over his scraggly and sparse facial hair, following gravity, and she curved her arm to throw her elbow into his face again, knowing the impact was far greater. The demon cursed, clutching her arm with force as he tossed her aside at the same time he bucked his hips, once more taking top as he pinned her to the floor.

“I’m going to make sure you bleed out slowly now.” He promised, holding her neck as he crouched low to her face.

“Too bad you waste too much time with your petty threats.” Kagome stated through ground teeth. With an influx of power, she jabbed her small blade she’d hastily weaseled out of her boot in between the demon’s ribs, watching his breath suddenly halt, eyes going bloodshot and wide. “I got you first.”

The light, the life, faded from the demon’s eyes as the knife killed him just as it would a human. Kagome could feel the hot blood dripping from his wound to her arm and side. His grip on her neck slackened, his muscles gave out, and all too quickly, the man crumbled over her body, crushing her beneath his dead weight.

Kagome gasped and shuddered, trembling, terrified. The panic she felt before had returned as she fumbled and struggled to get the man off of her. She’d seen the dead before, she’d killed before, but never had she had to be in the immediate presence of it while it laid on top of her, and it was too real to process. Whines and grunts escaped her mouth as she pushed his heavy weight, trying to squeeze herself from beneath him at the same time, and finally, when she was able to roll him completely off of her, Kagome scampered away, taking her father’s blade with her.

For a moment, she found herself on her hands and knees, staring at the dead demon in disbelief. She’d almost wished she’d applied a little more power into her stab so he’d have disintegrated altogether and she wouldn’t have to stare at his opened, lifeless gaze. Tears burned at her eyes, her breath shivered from her lips, and her fingers squeezed into the handle of her weapon while her free hand crunched into the earth. All at once, feeling came back to her flesh. She could feel the pain of her split knuckle, feel the soddened stain of his blood on her shirt, causing the cloth to cling to her abdomen and arm, she could feel the sweat on her brow, and the soreness of her shoulder and cheek.

It was like she was waiting for the body to move. She was scared it was still alive and her fight wasn’t over. After minutes of nothing, Kagome had to force herself to believe that she had successfully brought him down. She’d defended herself. She was safe.

But, was Inuyasha? That dark feeling was heavier than ever now, and after wiping as much blood off of her knife as she could, she dropped it back into her boot, quickly scooped up all of her arrows, her quiver, her bow, and ran to the very tree she was torn away from.

Inuyasha was breathless, exhausted, and bleeding from his right arm - so bad, it was almost rendered useless. He could feel hot liquid pouring from a wound he’d received on his forehead from being tossed aside like a rag doll, he could feel the fatigue in his muscles, in his power, but overall, he could still notice the damage he’d managed to apply in return. Moryomaru wasn’t unscathed. He was grinning like he had the upper hand, and while that worried Inuyasha some, it didn’t mean the monster was right. Inuyasha was still standing. Tessaiga was still in his grip, demonic energy swirling rampantly.

The monster was nearly unpredictable with its attacks. Not only had Inuyasha never encountered something like this, but his instincts weren’t much of a help against it either. Its arms could outstretch like limbs of a tree, were flexible and light, and would surprise him with their speed and false turns. They’d come way too close to piercing him than was comfortable, and they were the very weapon that had sliced his arm.

He couldn’t give up, though. No way in hell was he rolling over for this fucker. Over his pride, though, sat Kagome’s safety. If this thing won, Kagome was just up the hill. If it didn’t already know she was there, it wouldn’t take long to discover once Inuyasha wasn’t in the way. And, he couldn’t allow that to happen. He had to protect Kagome. No one would touch Kagome. Ever.

“What’s wrong? You look tired, Inuyasha.” Moryomaru commented.

“You’re not looking too hot, yourself.” Inuyasha returned, gesturing to the monstrosity’s bleeding shoulder. Crimson seeped from the deep gash, dressing its naked torso, but the thing seemed almost unfazed. Inuyasha could see the limited use of its left arm thanks to the infliction, the wince of pain here and there, but it was arrogant. Much like he imagined its master to be.

“Don’t you worry about me. I’m much better off than you are. I may be wounded, but I’ll still be the one left standing.”

“Not if I have any say!” Inuyasha shouted, pulling his sword up and over his head and slashing it downward in a powerful wind scar.

The hanyou ran right behind the force of his attack, watching the path of Moryomaru as it dodged in the nick of time. Inuyasha was on it then, throwing the heavy blade against it only to be blocked by strong, armor-like arms. It seemed he could only inflict damage when Moryomaru was unsuspecting of it. Otherwise, if they could see Inuyasha’s attacks coming, they could strengthen their flesh in the exact spot Inuyasha was about to strike against. He needed to figure out a way to distract it. He got lucky with the attack along his shoulder, but something told him that same technique wouldn’t work twice.

How could he do it? Moryomaru was vigilant and agile. His sword was repeatedly clashing against what felt like steel, clanking against arms that should have been sliced off clean by now.

Because, the use of his sword was expected. The heavy weapon was predictable and futile. Of course.

Inuyasha surrendered his right hand with his next swing, holding the hilt of Tessaiga with his left as it smack against Moryomaru’s strong bicep while he drove the hardened claws of his now-free fingers straight into the monster’s abdomen. He pushed them deeper, feeling the searing innards of the thing’s gut as it gasped. Then, laughed.

Inuyasha gaped up at it, shocked by the humor presented as his guffaw grew stronger.

“Tit for tat, my friend.” Moryomaru said, driving twisted tendrils straight through Inuyasha’s stomach.

He was sent flying, Moryomaru’s arms remaining impaled until his body collided with the floor. Inuyasha was struggling to inhale, the breath trapped in his throat from the blinding pain he was now in. He was shaking profusely, a flash of cold flooding over him. He felt the urge to cough, to clutch himself, to sputter, but it was too fucking much. His body was in shock.

Kagome had almost fallen from the high branch she perched on from the horror of watching Inuyasha stabbed through. She watched. She watched the thing, the demon, pierce his abdomen, and she watched its bloodied arms come out the other end, only leaving Inuyasha’s body as soon as he was motionless on the floor.

No.

“No!” She cried brokenly, tears burning at her eyes as they quickly breached the brim and stained her face.

Not him.

Not Inuyasha.

Kagome cursed herself for being stunned stiff, one hand braced against the trunk of the tree she should have been making her way down from. She desperately wanted to be by his side, to make sure he was alright, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away from him motionless on the ground. He was so small from where she stood, so she couldn’t make out tiny movements if there were any, but she stared so intently, not blinking, holding her breath while she focused on him.

“Move. Come on, get up. Please. Get up.” She pleaded quietly, biting her fingernails into the bark as her legs fidgeted in place. “Be okay. Tell me you’re okay. Get up, Inuyasha. Inuyasha, get up!”

He had to move. Inuyasha had zoned momentarily, but he could still hear everything going on. He could hear the triumphant laughter, Moryomaru walking away, swiping his hands on his legs, the few remaining demons coming out from hiding. He was still conscious, still alive. He was weak, he was in a horrible, debilitating amount of pain, but he was still here. He hadn’t lost yet.

“Where the fuck did Takeshi go?” One of the surviving henchmen asked another.

“I know about as much as you do. He said he smelled someone and then took off.”

The first man laughed. “Don’t tell me he got his ass beat. I’ll never let him live it down if he comes back with a black eye and no trophy.”

Kagome. No. He was chanting to himself, demanding himself to get up. No one was allowed to touch her. No one would hurt her with him around. So long as he was still breathing, he could fucking fight. He could still protect her.

For Kagome, he would fight until his last breath.

With everything he had, Inuyasha pushed himself to a sitting position, catching the attention of the few henchmen and Moryomaru. He swallowed his wheeze, his struggled groan, the blood that rose up his esophagus, maneuvering his legs beneath him as he slowly, sloppily, navigated himself to stand.

“How the hell are you not dead?” Moryomaru inquired, both impressed and upset.

“Tell Naraku,” Inuyasha growled. “He must be a little bitch to have you fighting his battles.”

Kagome was so relieved, but knew to not let the feeling get the better of her. Inuyasha was mortally wounded, and the battle needed to end now. Just knowing he was currently alive, he was moving, he was breathing, was all she needed to regain usage of her muscles and lungs again.

With a harsh swipe of her sleeve over her eyes, she cleared the bleary tears that messed with her vision. Over the fear sat a thick, dense layer of fury. Inuyasha was hurt. Inuyasha was hurt and she had to save him. In this moment, in any, it didn’t matter how much spiritual power she’d have to use in order to bring the enemy down. Gladly, she’d deal with the repercussions if it meant Inuyasha would survive.

Kagome stole an arrow from her quiver, lining it up with her bow as she aimed. She had to be steady, take her time with this one while holding her awkward balance on the branch. They were at a distance, and while her target was rather large, she still had to make sure she was on the mark.

She gave herself a moment to really analyze the energy coming from the monster opposing Inuyasha. It was dark, menacing, and strong. As willing as she was to give it her all, she didn’t feel the necessity to. Her intuition told her she could handle this. Bring it to fifty percent - wherever the hell that stood. Kagome didn’t have time to overthink, to question. All she could do was allow herself to feel what was right and go with it.

There was no doubting her fear, though. The last time she did something like this, she cleared the field of every target. She figured Inuyasha was spared because he was literally right below her; she hadn’t thought much about it then. But, now he was so close to her target and she couldn’t help but consider the potential danger her attack would bring him. She’d realized a few days ago that she could manipulate the sway of her power, but could she do that in action? Could she do that when she released an arrow?

A voice in her ear told her to trust herself, but it was so risky that she couldn’t help but hold back and doubt.

Trust yourself.

“Not Inuyasha.” She trembled.

Trust yourself.

“Please.” Kagome begged, crying again, scared of herself, of the outcome.

Trust yourself.

“I need to save him. I have to protect Inuyasha.”

Now, Kagome. Shoot.

Kagome felt her power soar, and when it was right where she felt it should be, despite the crippling hold on her heart and the fear that rang with doubt, she held her breath and focused on that bubbling anger, using it as her tool to release her arrow.

Inuyasha couldn’t speak, his breaths coming in and out raggedly as Moryomaru taunted him with a smile, arms outstretching in threat. It was too bad the fucker didn’t use energetic attacks, because the backlash wave would have been fucking handy right about now. His best bet was using the wind scar and aiming for his maimed shoulder and the gaping hole in his stomach. If he could hit, if Moryomaru fumbled, that was the only opening Inuyasha needed to strike in immediate succession and end this.

The hanyou raised Tessaiga over his head, bringing forward as much power as he physically could, but a split second before he swung, he felt an amazing rush of purification as a blindingly fast arrow shot through the air with a loud whizz, hitting Moryomaru directly in the chest. Being mid-swing, Inuyasha couldn’t stop himself. Nor did he want to. He sliced his blade downward, creating a wild frenzy of tumultuous wind that cut through the surrounding area and brought the unsuspecting monster to their knees.

It wasn’t dead. But, it was no longer smiling, blood pouring from his thick, deep gashes and to the ground as it struggled to keep itself upright.

“A… A conjurer?” Moryomaru gasped.

Inuyasha noted the few surviving henchmen had completely vanished, their auras no longer felt, and he could only guess the purification he’d detected was from Kagome, and she’d taken them out, too. So, how hadn’t it touched him?

Not wanting to think about what wasn’t important and focusing on what was, Inuyasha once more raised his sword above his head, quickly striking to obliterate the resilient being. This time, it crumbled down, half of its body from the shoulder to the hip split diagonally. It was gruesome, gory, but over. He felt the life-force fade away, he felt its demonic aura dwindle to nothing, and he felt the imminent threat deplete completely.

As it all processed, Inuyasha found his legs growing wobbly. His breathing became progressively unsteadier, and it wasn’t even a minute later that he was falling with a thud to his knees, too weak to hold himself up any longer.

But, Kagome. He needed to get back to her. She was waiting for him. He couldn’t keep her waiting any longer. Kagome.

Kagome.

“Inuyasha!” He heard her scream, and although slightly sluggish, he turned to see her running from the bushes, stumbling slightly as she tripped.

The village people were emerging, concerned, awe-struck, terrified, curious. A quiet murmur was humming, causing his sensitive ears to flick, and he caught the question of a conjurer multiple times. They’d heard Moryomaru. They’d seen the arrow from their windows and hiding spaces. And, Kagome was coming through with her quiver on her shoulder and a bow in her hand.

No.

“Kagome, go back!” He shouted, trying to get up and run to her but stumbling on the palms of his bloodied hands as he turned around.

She dropped the bag she’d loosely thrown over her free shoulder to the ground, her bow right next to it as she skidded to her knees when she was near enough. “Don’t move, don’t move.” Kagome urged, her hands hovering around the sides of his face.

“Listen to me, okay?” Inuyasha started, his tone hushed and hurried. “You need to run. I’ll catch up.”

“No.” Kagome cried.

“Baby, please.” He reached for her, his dirty fingers tremblingly wrapping around the back of her neck. “You have to.”

“No! I’m not leaving you!”

He couldn’t prevent the frustrated growl that bubbled up as he grew frantic. “Are you fucking stupid!? I said go!”

The townspeople grew nearer, staring, gawking, and Inuyasha became furiously protective, pushing himself to hastily crawl in front of Kagome no matter how fucking painful it was. Tessaiga was too heavy to wield properly, but he still clung to it to prove a point, and his fangs were bared as he growled at the approaching people. They couldn’t have her.

Kagome was frozen. She didn’t know what to do. She desperately wanted to protect Inuyasha, to help him, but she’d just outed herself to numerous villagers and she was struck with apprehension. Her fear over Inuyasha’s condition was more pressing, though. He could barely keep himself up, yet here he was putting himself before her. All she could do was stare at the perilous amount of blood causing his shirt to cling to his back, the wound driving straight through his abdomen, and she wanted to cry. She was so scared about losing him that she didn’t even care if everyone knew who or what she was.

She reached forward, softly rubbing his upper back, his shoulder. “Inuyasha, it’s okay.” Kagome soothed.

A burly man squeezed through the crowd, bringing himself to the forefront of the attention. He treaded carefully, hands raised before him in precaution. He then kneeled in front of Inuyasha, a fist planted to the ground as he bowed his head.

“Thank you. Thank you.” He looked up into the hanyou’s amber scowl. “Thank you. You saved my people without blinking an eye. You fought a battle that wasn’t yours to fight. Sir, as the headman of this village, I give you my deepest gratitude.”

Inuyasha didn’t know how to respond. He could feel himself relaxing slightly, but gratitude was never a promise not to harm someone. As the headman’s eyes redirected to the woman over Inuyasha’s shoulder, he felt a defensive rumble coat his throat.

“Mayu, no! Mayu!” A little boy called out, stumbling as he lost his grasp on an identical little girl when she ran forward to stand next to the headman.

“Are you a conjurer?” She enthusiastically asked, completely unfazed by the glaring hanyou. She was both excited and scared, it seemed. Nervous, too.

“Mayu!” The headman snagged her to take a few steps back, forcing her into a small bow.

“No, no, it’s okay!” Kagome insisted, crawling out from the shield Inuyasha offered.

“Kagome.” Inuyasha growled, snatching her arm.

“Shh.” She returned, extremely gentle as she swiped the backs of her knuckled over his cheek. “It’s okay. You’ve done enough. We’re safe now.”

“I promise you, no one here wishes to bring you harm. Conjurer, half demon, what have you.” The headman swore with another bow of his head.

“We should go. I’m glad your people are safe.” Inuyasha grunted. “Kagome, come on.”

“Hey, no! Are you serious?” Kagome gasped as he pushed himself to an unsteady standing, surprisingly bringing her up with him. “Inuyasha, you can’t walk in this condition!”

“Yes, please! You’re more than welcome to stay for a few of nights! My home is large! I have plenty of room and food, and the weather is taking a turn! I know you demons have regenerative abilities, but you can’t tell me sleeping in the rain wont be troublesome while you’re on the mend.” The headman urged, following them up.

“No.” Inuyasha said.

“Yes.” Kagome quickly nodded, pulling her arm free from Inuyasha’s grasp. “Thank you. We’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Kagome!”

“Stop, Inuyasha! Now’s not the time to act tough!”

The hanyou froze, finally getting a good glimpse at Kagome. He’d somehow, miraculously cleared his blurred vision, adrenaline aiding in his final attempt at saving her and getting them away. He could feel he was on his last leg, but that last leg was like a backup generator, making him feel semi-normal until they were in the clear. With that clarity came his realization, though.

Kagome was covered in blood. Her green shirt was stained deep red, sticking to her stomach beneath. Her cheek was scraped, and he could see an angry, red bump poking out from the side of her bangs on her temple. Her hair was tangled and wild, and a green leaf was ensnared in the length toward the ends. Her eyes were puffy, but post-tears gave the earthy browns this shimmering glow that brought his heart rate down.

“You - you’re hurt.” He mumbled.

“What? No, I’m fine. I’m fine.” Kagome promised, realizing what he was looking at as she glanced down. “It’s not mine. The blood’s not mine.”

“Whose…”

“Some demon from this group.”

The one that was missing, Inuyasha figured.

“Are you okay?” Inuyasha’s tone was low, unsure, fearful.

“Look at me.” She said, taking his hand. His eyes were frozen on the blood of her sleeve, of her torso. Kagome curved her head down to attain his eye contact, making sure the glowing ambers followed her back up as she stood straight. “I’m okay. But, we’re staying, alright?”

“I - We…”

He was fading, she could see it. The golden irises that looked at her were now looking through her, dulling as the seconds passed. Kagome muttered a curse and closed the minimal space between them, doing the only thing she could think to do as he lost his balance. She caught him, struggling with his weight as she lowered herself to her knees, thankful he hadn’t lost consciousness entirely as he helped support some of himself on the way down.

“Kagome,” He whispered, breathing raggedly as he tried to muster up any strength he could to lift his arm, to cradle her face. With her help, he’d turned over, and she held him possessively. “Tell me you’re okay again.”

“Worry about yourself for a change.” She giggled wetly, terrified over his condition.

“Say it.”

“I’m okay.” Kagome cried, and he closed his eyes, drifting into darkness.

—

When the headman had said he had a large home, he meant he had a large home, and it surprised Kagome. From the hillside in the trees, the village looked extremely small. Turns out, there were a few more homes hiding around the corner of another hill she’d have never been able to see from where she stood, and behind them all sat the headman’s mansion.

The village men helped carry Inuyasha in, and the women of the house tended to his wounds. In doing so, they separated Kagome from him. She’d demanded to stay, instructed them that her own wounds could wait until he was finished, nearly fought to remain by his side, but in the end was removed from the room by logic, rationality, and a male guard that scooped her right up and over his shoulder. She’d even gone so far as to threaten to kick his ass too, but the guard didn’t take her the least bit seriously - which was justified given her condition. He chuckled, carrying her along the halls wherever the housemaids guided.

They bathed her, patched her up, dressed her in a nightgown, fed her a practical feast that her stomach wasn’t nearly large enough for, and then got her settled for bed. But, she found herself incapable of sleeping. All Kagome could think about was Inuyasha. The guard who’d removed her from the room, introducing himself as Shinosuke, came with multiple updates of her companion’s condition to keep her concern down to a manageable level. First, he’d informed her that he was bandaged and stable, but hadn’t regained consciousness. Shinosuke was kind enough to be honest about the amount of blood Inuyasha had lost and how that affects things, but also reminded her that his demonic lineage was strong and he was more than likely to recover. The second, he’d said Inuyasha had woken up looking for her, but her scent, alone, calmed him and he was able to take some medication to help with the pain and healing process. Third, he said Inuyasha was asleep and finally seemed remotely at peace - meaning the medicine had fully kicked in. But, it didn’t help her any. She wanted to see him. She wanted to see for herself that he was okay.

She wanted to see Inuyasha. Period.

Kagome had no way of knowing a certain someone was parked right outside of her room, though. She slowly opened her door, not a creak to be heard, but as she tiptoed out, she froze, clapping her hands over her mouth to prevent her startled gasp from being audible.

“Of course.” Shinosuke rolled his eyes, the smallest laugh heard slipping from his tongue. It was the dead of night, and the shaded blue hues complimented his olive skin tone. His dark brown hair was held in a messy ponytail, short with rogue hairs framing the sides of his face. “‘Sup, Tiny Might?”

“T-tiny Might?” Kagome whispered incredulously.

“You here to kick my ass?” He quietly mocked.

“What are you doing out here? Why are you the only person I’ve seen for hours?”

“Gee, I wonder.” He chuckled. “Maybe it’s because the headman assigned me to you.”

Kagome blinked, perplexed. “Huh?”

“He noticed your buddy is extremely attached to you. Thought it’d make him feel better if you had someone watching over.”

“Oh.” Kagome relented, relaxing her shoulders. “Well, stand down.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” Shinosuke grinned. “But, I’m not in the mood to wrestle with you again, so get going.”

She looked up at him, noticing he’d notched his head not in the direction back into her room, but down the path Inuyasha was in. She was hopeful she hadn’t misunderstood, but then the guard did it again, a little more obviously that time with a playful nudge of his boot to her bare foot.

“Head all the way down the hall until you cant go anymore. You’ll take a right, then the third left and come across a small garden. Keep going. He’s in the second door on the left from there. And, be careful. It’s raining. There’s a small splatter from the koi pond that tends to get the walkway a little wet, and if you slip and fall, that thud will cause your friend to jolt up and get you, and then his wounds will reopen. Don’t want that on your hands, now do you?”

“That was oddly specific.” Kagome grimaced sarcastically. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He smiled. “Now, get out of here.”

There was a little scamper from the pads of her feet at first, but then she found herself tiptoeing along, careful not to wake anyone. The last thing she wanted was to be turned away or told she couldn’t see him. She could see it now; the hissy fit she’d throw. The tears that would spring to her eyes. It’s why she treaded so carefully down the halls now; so she didn’t risk catching anyone’s attention or waking anyone up. Kagome didn’t want to take the chance of meeting someone audacious enough to deny her access to Inuyasha.

Briefly, she paused at the garden opening. She could imagine its serenity during the daytime, and even during evening visits. But, seeing it now, the petals of flowers dotted with raindrops, dripping at the ends, the trickle of water soothing every agitated nerve in her system, the heavy droplets disturbing the koi in the pond, it was the definition of peaceful. It was easy to get sidetracked in that spot, just watching the wonders of nature, witnessing the cleansing and renewal. In the distance, over the far mansion’s walls, she saw a dull flash of lightning brighten the dark clouds, followed by a soft rumble of thunder. For a moment, Kagome’s heart steadied. For a moment, everything felt okay.

She wasn’t as scared or worried.

Turning back down the hall, Kagome softly walked her way toward the second door on the left. There was no one in sight, and after pressing her ear close to the door, she heard no movement inside either. Slowly, she opened it, peeking in to find Inuyasha laying on a rather large futon, the lower half of his body covered by a blanket.

Just seeing him made her heart sputter, made her release a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Kagome gently pushed herself inside, shutting the door behind her as she padded her way over to his side. She sat beside him, but her brown eyes stared at his heavily-bandaged torso. It wasn’t the subtle stain of red poking through that she paid attention to, but the steady rise and fall while his lungs inhaled and exhaled properly. God, she was so grateful he was alive. She could have cried right there from the relief.

Her fingers were trembling from anxiety, and she clutched the loose length of the gown she wore over her legs, finding her own breathing matching the rhythm of his while she had yet to pull her attention away. Finally, she gazed up to his face. His brow was creaseless, his lips were relaxed and straight-set, the smallest part in the center. There was a little bandage on his forehead peeking from the part in his bangs, and she couldn’t help but reach forward. With a small bit of hesitation slowing her for a second, Kagome gently swept his hair out of the way, careful not to touch the bandaged wound, but instead dragged the pads of her fingers around his temple and down his cheek in a whisper of a touch.

Inuyasha’s eyes blinked open then, startling her into thinking she’d woken him or hurt him, and she yanked her hand back.

“There you are.” He softly hummed, gazing at her.

“Sorry.” She whispered. “Did I wake you?”

“It’s okay. I’d rather see you.” Inuyasha smiled lethargically. “I was worried.”

Kagome couldn’t help the giggle that left her mouth as she bobbed her head back exasperatedly. “You’re hurt, and you’re worried about me. Inuyasha, you should be more concerned about yourself.”

He gave a small shake of his head, seemingly the only energy he could muster. “Never.”

“Well, I was worried about you.” Kagome said, inching herself a little closer to him as her fingers found his hand, pulling it into her lap so she could play with it. He let her do as she pleased, his hand not entirely limp, but welcoming as she lightly rubbed and moved his fingers. “They wouldn’t let me stay with you for some reason. Almost punched a chick in the face for pulling me away, but that didn’t make a difference. They put me in a room on the opposite side of this place. But, I couldn’t sleep so I snuck over.”

“Good.” He whispered, a husky chuckle leaving his soft grin. “I want you here with me.”

Kagome caught onto the hazed look in his eyes, his hooded lids, his heavy limbs, his undisguised sweetness. With an amused smirk, she asked, “You’re high, aren’t you?”

“No.” He grimaced with a lazy shake of his head, turning away in denial. But, he quickly dropped the facade, smiling and closing his eyes. “Yeah. A little.”

“A lot.” She laughed quietly.

“They gave me a fuck ton of shit, Kagome. For a human, it’d knock you guys out for a day and a half. For me, it makes me drowsy and light headed as fuck.”

“And, a little loopy?”

“Shut up.”

“Stupid question, but how are you feeling?” Kagome tried, swallowing her remaining laughter.

“Heavy. Very heavy.”

“No, I meant your wounds.” She couldn’t help her giggle that time.

He paused, blinking his eyes open again as he gazed softly at her, lightly curling his fingers around her own. “I love the sound of your laughter.” Inuyasha whispered.

“Stop it.” Kagome’s words came out more hushed than she’d anticipated, a shyness taking over as she tried to hide it. “Don’t evade the question.”

“Alright, alright.” He rumbled. “I feel a little sore, but the herbs are doing their part. It’s tingly and fucking weird, and I’ll be worse off in a little while, but believe it or not, this isn’t my first time being struck through the gut.”

“What?” She gasped.

“I told you my brother and I don’t get along. He’s got a strange way of greeting people.” Inuyasha chuckled.

“That’s not funny.”

“It’s a little funny.”

“Inuyasha.”

“Kagome,” Inuyasha’s tone was husky then, his hand gripping hers to pull her down to him. He couldn’t lift his cursed right arm thanks to the gash in it, but god he wished he could. He wanted to hold her and make sure she couldn’t pull away. The use of his left arm would have to suffice, and as soon as her face hovered above his, he released her palm to cup her cheek, caressing his thumb over her soft skin. “I’m okay. Is that what you want to hear? I’m okay. I promise.”

Her look of awe shifted to a grateful and sad crinkle as her face contorted with the tears that washed to her eyes. Every reaction thereafter was involuntary but not fought, leaning into his hand, trembling slightly, nodding.

“You’re such a crybaby.” He laughed, wiping her tears.

“Be nice.” She giggled wetly. “I was really scared.”

“Well, stay with me. Stay here tonight. You’ll see that I’m still breathing in the morning.”

“What if they try to kick me out?”

“They’ll have to do it over my dead body.”

Kagome recoiled with a shuddering gasp, and Inuyasha reacted quickly, apologetically, realizing what he’d said and grabbing her to keep her close.

“Bad joke. Bad joke. I didn’t mean that, I’m sorry.” He comforted, swallowing any amusement. “I’m sorry. Stay with me. It doesn’t matter if they tell you to leave later, just stay with me for now. Please.”

The hanyou pulled her closer so their foreheads grazed. She felt warm, her aroma sweet, meshing with the smell of rain beautifully.

“Stay.”

Kagome nodded against his forehead, finally relaxing slightly.

“God, you were really shaken up by this, huh?” He remarked as she sat back up, a small pout marring her face.

Another nod as she pulled his hand back into hers to fidget with again. “It’s - um - I don’t like this. Watching you get hurt like that, seeing you wrapped up this way, being separated from you…”

“Come here.” He rasped with the gentlest curl of his fingers around hers. Kagome hesitated, clearly wondering exactly what he’d meant, so he said it again, this time with a gesture toward his shoulder for her to lay next to him. “Come here.”

“Are you - are you wearing clothes beneath the blanket?” Kagome asked, biting her bottom lip to prevent the shy smile.

Inuyasha released her hand to lift the cover and take a peek, “Yeah.” He chuckled, opening it up for her to slide within. He relished in the sound of her laugh, as wet as it was, welcoming her warmth and the surprisingly ice cold feet he could feel through the thick pajama bottoms he donned.

He’d wanted her to lay on his chest, but understood that she was looking out for him when she declined, opting to lay on the outside of his arm. She used one of her own as a pillow as she snuggled up to his shoulder, tucking herself close, and he reached for her free hand, entwining their fingers to keep her to him.

“Go to sleep, Kagome. Get some rest. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

As heavy as his eyes were, as forcefully as the medication was jerking him down into slumber, he fought it back for a little while. Feeling Kagome breathing against him, her eyelashes fluttering against his skin as it seemed she, too, was fighting off her own exhaustion, soaking in her body heat, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb - this was heaven for him. He could see himself getting used to this, having her. Hell, he already was.

It wasn’t long until she gave into the pull and drifted off. Her hold on his hand slackened, her arm on top of his grew heavy, and her breathing was steady. Inuyasha leaned her way, cursing the soreness of his muscles and silencing their protest so her could softly kiss her head. He continued to stroke her hand, closing his eyes, the scent of her clean hair washing into his nose, and soon thereafter, the world faded away.

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