Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Inu Yasha
It's Only Been a Day
"Ramen wench," Inuyasha commanded shaking the cup at Kagome, its contents rattling. "NOW!"
Kagome was kneeling in the grass in front of a small fire, patiently heating up a pot of water. It was a beautiful Feudal Era day, though in Kagome's mind they were all beautiful, and even Inu Yasha's rude and persistent demands for ramen couldn't wipe the smile from her face.
Naraku was dead; the jewel complete. Surprisingly it had been the combination of Sesshomaru and Kagura that had helped turn the tides and defeat the evil tyrant once and for all.
Miroku lay in the shade of a tree, chewing a blade of grass and marveling at his hand, the cloth and prayer beads discarded, no longer of any use to him. Shippo lay alongside him, using Miroku's stomach as a pillow napping, a blade of grass hung loosely from his lips as well.
Sango sat a little ways away, a safe distance from her future husbands' wandering hands, brushing Kirara in her lap.
"Kagome," Inuyasha called, turning her attention at last to the hungry hanyou. Kagome snapped out of it and locked eyes with him over the fire. "Kagome, Ramen…NOW!"
Kagome shook her head with a small smile, "I'm sorry Inuyasha what were you saying?"
"I said, 'Could I have some ramen…please'" Inuyasha articulated each word as best he could through gritted teeth. He gave the cup of ramen a shake and plastered on his cutest puppy dog look.
Kagome doubted that he had been asking nicely but took the cup from him nonetheless. It was hard to deny him when he got that look in his eye.
Inuyasha grinned, his eyes flashing brightly at his silent victory. Kagome rolled her eyes, still smiling as she waited for the water to boil.
Almost dreamily she fingered the complete Shikon no Tama around her neck, as if to make sure there were no cracks or shards missing from it.
It had taken the combined miko energy of both her and Kikyo to put the jewel back together, but the price had been high. What was left of Kikyo's life was used up in the process.
Inuyasha had been quiet for a long time after her death and Kagome was very careful to avoid discussion of the other miko completely. After the initial shock Inuyasha had come up to Kagome and embraced her tightly but Kagome was at a loss as to what that could have meant.
Was it a lover's embrace? A hug between mutual friends? Or was it merely an expression of relief that she was safe? Perhaps, he was merely seeking some sort of comfort after the death of his true love. Even after all the time they'd spent together and the things they'd been through and she still had no idea where she stood with him. Not a clue.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed yanking her pot out of the fire, which was overflowing steaming water. "Pull your head out of the clouds idiot,"
Kagome snapped out of it, to see a grumbling Inuyasha hastily pouring the scalding water into his cup of ramen. When he had finished he sat back to let his food stand, crossed his arms over his chest and pinned Kagome with a glower that made her feel a whole lot worse.
"Care to tell share what's on your mind?" he growled frustrated though Kagome could see no plausible reason why he should be.
Kagome mulled over his question thoughtfuly, locked in a staring contest with the formidable hanyou with glowing gold eyes. She opened her mouth to answer, quite tempted to say 'You' but thought better of it at the last moment, closing her mouth without answering him. Inuyasha huffed and then sniffed the air turning his head, ears twitching peculiarly atop his mane of long white hair.
Kagome recognized the gesture of Inu Yasha's, which meant that someone was coming, and since Inuyasha made no move to reach for Tetsusaiga it was obviously a friendly being.
She followed his gaze to the edge of the trees where Kaede stumbled into the clearing. Kagome smiled warmly at the kind old figure that had become like a grandmother to her.
"Kaede! We were just making lunch why don't you join us?" Kagome offered kindly. Inuyasha stealthily moved his cup of ramen out of site possessively; as if Kaede posed a threat to his lunch.
"Ye are kind to offer Kagome, but I have come seeking Miroku." She replied. Miroku perked up at the mention of his name.
"Me?" he questioned in a cheesy tone. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
"A village nearby has asked for your assistance in the exorcism of a rather bothersome demonic spirit." Kaede explained. Miroku sat up with Shippo as well. Shippo's eyes were bright.
"Miroku can I come?" Shippo begged, tugging on the monk's robes. Miroku patted the kit on the head.
"Of course Shippo, I know you have quite a way with the young village girls. I would like to observe your technique and might even offer my own rather extensive knowledge on the subject." He praised. Sango laughed harshly, rousing Kirara who napped in her lap.
"Sango," Miroku turned to her pleasantly, "would you care to accompany us. I daresay we may find use for Japan's most beautiful and talented demon slayer."
"Come off it monk," she reprimanded with a roll of her eyes, but never the less, "...if I come do you swear to keep your hands to yourself?" Miroku stood already, his left hand over his heart his right hand held in front of him.
"I do. I swear it Sango. I vow on my cursed half life."
"Oi your not cursed anymore!" Inuyasha pointed out. Miroku continued seemingly unfazed by the hanyou's interjection.
"…That I shall not lay a finger on you or so help me…" when he showed no signs of stopping his speech, Sango grabbed his hand and led him off into the woods.
"Why don't I believe you?" She muttered, Kirara and Shippo following in step behind the monk and demon slayer.
"I'm sorry child I must be getting back to the village." Kaede told Kagome, "Farewell Lady Kagome. Inuyasha."
Inuyasha nodded and made a half hearted attempt at a goodbye around mouthfuls of steaming ramen, which made him look like a pig. Kaede left, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha alone.
Inuyasha scarfed down his ramen noisily, draining the broth and noodles from the bottom of the cup. He threw the empty cup into the embers of the dying fire and leaned back on his hands, wholly content.
"Aren't you going to eat Kagome?" he inquired in a soft rarely used tone.
Kagome shook her head as she put away the pot. As she finished she caught Inuyasha hunched over, brows furrowed, inspecting his hand.
"What are you looking at?" she asked leaning forward to peer closer. Inuyasha jerked his hand away and leaned back on it. He yelped in pain and Kagome gasped.
"Inuyasha! You're hurt"
"Am not!"
Kagome lunged forward and grabbed his wrist and turned his palm up. Inuyasha no longer fought her off, her scent and close proximity instantly lulling him into a state he never wanted to leave. He honestly no longer felt the pain on his hand.
"It's fine, I can't even feel it," Inuyasha told her gently, as she blew gently on the burn. Kagome's breath on his hand made his skin crawl pleasantly and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
"I'm so sorry its all my fault." Kagome muttered as she untied the green scarf around her neck. She held it between her teeth as she groped around for her bottle of water, her other hand tenderly holding Inuyasha's still.
She dampened the scarf with her jug of water and tied it gently around his burned hand. As she worked carefully Inuyasha asked her.
"How is it your fault?" his eyebrow raised quizzically. "I was the one who grabbed the damned burning thing."
"You wouldn't have had to if I had been paying attention. I was just thinking about you and Kikyo," she blurted stupidly. Realizing what she'd said she made to retract her hand to cover her mouth but Inuyasha latched on to her wrist, and she was unable to escape his vice-like grip.
"Me and Kikyo? What about Kikyo and me... she's dead Kagome! DEAD!" Inuyasha said his voice rising with each word. His golden eyes bore into hers, blazing with battle ready intensity, trying so desperately to get Kagome to see, to understand something that was just beyond her grasp.
"I know that! It's just after her death you were so lost and quiet and forlorn and you never talked about it and I was just thinking, that's all! I'm sorry." She said quickly not meeting his gaze.
Inuyasha waited a moment to breathe before speaking.
"I just felt so guilty." He finally admitted, neither of them looking at the other. Kagome nodded her head.
"Your promise." She mumbled sadly.
"Not the promise! There never was any stupid promise!" Inuyasha barked out forcefully, not noticing Kagome flinch. He sighed, "I felt guilty because I kept thinking… 'Thank god it wasn't Kagome.' It took both of you to complete the jewel and it could have just as easily been you that died trying to complete it and I was just glad, and confused, and sad, and that made me guilty because I should have been mourning her, and I was but I was still somewhat happy and..." he finished with a heavy sigh, that made Kagome want to reach out and embace him.
Inuyasha hadn't noticed that he'd been squeezing Kagomes hand, not hard but tight. Kagome squeezed back and Inuyasha looked up to see her smiling at him. No words were needed between them. They'd said enough already.
Inuyasha reached out slowly to touch the sacred jewel around her neck. Kagome slapped his hand away playfully.
"What do you think you're doing?" she grinned.
"I just want to see it. After all the work I did collecting the shards and defeating Naraku and all!" Inuyasha protested. Kagome pushed herself away from him eyebrows raised as her eyes shone with amusement.
"After all the work you did? I believe we were a team Inuyasha!"
"Well I did all the fighting for those shards!"
"Whose the one who tracked down those shards because she can sense them? Oh Yeah…Me!"
"From on top of my back!"
Kagome smiled and fingered the jewel on her neck. "You know what they say Inuyasha…"
"No I don't think I do."
"If you want it…" she turned slowly. "Come and get it."
Kagome took off at a sprint heading for the trees. She was almost there when she saw his shadow looming above her.
He caught her by the shoulders and spun her around roughly. His cocky smirk was infectious and made her knees wobble.
"Not even a challenge." He stated arrogantly.
"Not even fair," Kagome mocked him playfully. Inuyasha advanced slowly on her forcing her back. Kagome gasped as her back hit the solid trunk of a tree.
"Life's not fair." Inuyasha retorted calmly.
"Guess you won't be seeing this after all then." Kagome plucked at the jewel a smile on her face. Inuyasha leaned in close supporting himself with one hand on the tree trunk by her head.
"I could just take it from you." Inuyasha warned slyly. Kagome gently ran her fingertips over the beads around his neck.
"Go ahead and try." Kagome warned back, tugging lightly on the beads of subjugation.
"Just for a second Kagome, come on." He whined, ears drooping sadly and Kagome couldnt help but giggle at him.
"What's the magic word?"
"Now!"
Kagome shook her head with a small smile. Inuyasha reached out and yanked the jewel from around her neck. Kagome gasped and tried to snatch it back but Inuyasha held it high out of her reach.
"You broke it Inuyasha."
"I'll fix it."
Kagome leaned back against the tree dejected and defeated. "Fine but you have to make me two promises." She stared him hard in the eye.
"Okay. Hit me."
"You must promise me you are not going to make a wish on the jewel."
"I promise." Inuyasha said half-heartedly, one hand still in the air clutching the jewel, the otherl propping himself up on the tree. He rotated the jewel in the air watching it glint and sparkle as it caught the light.
Kagome gently wrapped her slender hand around Inuyasha's wrist that was beside her head. The slight contact made Inuyasha turn his head from the jewel to Kagome.
"Promise me you'll never lie to me." She half whispered, turning her head to rest her cheek on his wrist, which she still held. Inuyasha was taken back by the sudden softness in her voice and eyes.
Inuyasha took his hand off the tree to caress Kagome's check. She gripped his wrist tighter and leaned into his touch.
He turned her to face him as he leaned closer to her, his bangs brushing and tickling her face.
"I promise." He breathed and brought his lips down onto hers.
It was everything Kagome had waited for, yet it still took her by surprise. Inuyasha's kiss was gentle, almost hesitant and Kagome has to wonder if he was as nervous as she was.
Inuyasha stepped closer tilting Kagome's head eager to deepen the kiss, and Kagome responded immediately clutching at his chest and drawing him closer. Inuyasha almost didn't register the hot burn in his hand. Almost.
He jerked back jarring Kagome and dropped his hand that had been holding the jewel. He was too scared to open his palm as it burned intensely and another fire erupted inside his body threatening to send him to his knees.
He locked eyes with Kagome and his heart sank miserably. Kagome seemed determined to mold herself into the tree, trying to back up and push herself through the bark. She was trembling and the look of fear in her tear filled eyes just about tore Inuyasha's heart out.
Kagome was shaking her head.
"No…no, no no, you didn't…you couldn't…" her eyes were tearing up. "Inuyasha…"
Inuyasha's body pulsed suddenly and Kagome jumped back with a small gasp, able to feel the energy that was manifesting itselt inside him. He could feel his youkai blood surge. So could she.
"I didn't…Kagome…I'm sorry…you've got to run…" he rasped out trying to fight back. "The well… it'll close…"
Kagome shook her head tears falling, unable to move. Inuyasha slammed his clawed hand into the tree beside Kagome's head, disintegrating the bark. His claws were sickeningly long and deadly.
The jagged purple streaks had appeared on his face, his eyes were closed as he growled deep in his chest.
The sound of his claws splintering the wood made Kagome cringe and she took off, pushing past the demon before her.
She dodged roots and branches swiftly, running faster than she ever had before. No real thoughts were forming in her mind, all she could feel was a throbbing ache where her heart used to be.
The well appeared in her line of vision and it was glowing faintly as its magical aura faded. Should she reach the well too late there'd be no way home.
She made it, vaulted over the edge, falling fast and praying to the Gods that she wouldn't hit the bottom.
Kagome opened her eyes as her feet materialized on the dirt 500 years later. Her whole body shook violently her skin crawling with goose bumps. She breathed deep appearing calm and closed her eyes for a moment.
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. Her legs crumpled and she fell to the dirt sobbing loudly, wailing miserably.
This was it; this was how her great adventure ended? Broken hearted at the bottom of a well. No goodbyes, no farewells just a betrayal at the hands of the man she loved. What about Sango, Miroku...what had her last words to them even been? Poor little Shippo. Her Feudal Fairy tale had no happy ending.
No coherent thought formed in her mind, she sat there, utterly broken as the tears fell endlessly, crying from the unbearable pain of loss.
She didn't know how long she'd been down there or when exactly she'd passed out. She'd fallen asleep in the cold dirt, and when she opened her eyes her body was stiff from lying in the dirt and her face was sticky from her dried tears. The state she was in made her eyes water and burn unpleasantly as she tried to blink back the tears. Seems she still had some left to shed.
Using the wall as support she pulled herself slowly, painfully to her feet. Slowly she made her way to the ladder. She swiped at the tears on her face with the back of her hand, transferring dirt onto her face before gripping the rungs of he ladder. She knew she couldn't stay down in the well for the rest of her life.
She crawled up the ladder slowly, gripping each rung with white knuckles. She had to keep telling herself, commanding her body to keep climbing because it still wanted to be at the bottom. Almost three quarters of the way up she paused, utterly exhausted and completely spent.
"I don't remember the climb ever taking this long," Kagome thought wearily.
"That's because Inuyasha was always with me to get me out," she thought with a dark realization.
Kagome didn't even register she was falling until her butt connected with the hard dirt. She was crying again, partly from the pain in her heart and now partly from the pressing pain in her ass.
With renewed energy and frustration she pushed herself up, determined to make it up the ladder. Tears streamed, she slipped and stumbled on the very first rung of the ladder. With a sob she slammed her fist on the wall of the well, collapsing against it miserably.
Kagome cried, supported on the wall sobbing and sniffling. There was a soft sound behind her and a tiny breeze cooled her damp cheek. There was a breeze in the well...and that could only mean one thing. Someone or something had dropped into the well.
Kagome turned agonizingly slow. The name rolled off her tongue before she was caught up in a blur of white and gold.
'Inuyasha'
Said figure marched forward, crossing the well towards her with unabashed speed and seized Kagome, pressing his lips to hers in a fierce, desperate kiss. His kiss was hurried and primitive, driven by her scent and her taste. His hand was on her neck, his long fingers caressing the back of her neck, tangling in her hair as his thumb caressed her cheek as he ravished her mouth with his own.
His touch was much different from his impulsive kiss; it was gentle and more than made up for it. His hands set her skin ablaze with heat, made her heart flutter and set goose bumps crawling over her skin again. His one hand on her hip, gently caressing up and down, it slid up her shirt feeling the soft skin of her abdomen until it reached the material of her bra before it retreated down back to her hip where it stayed obediently.
He stumbled, refusing to break the kiss he pushed Kagome back against the wall pinning her there with his own body, pressed up against hers so close Kagome could feel his heart pound in his rib cage. He nudged her head up to deepen the kiss further delving his tongue past her lips.
Kagome could feel his aura; it was dark and thick like a black shroud that hung over him. She found herself responding to his kiss and his touch, moving her lips with his, pressing her body back against his; it was desperate and fierce driven by a passionate longing that Kagome could not understand. His lips and tongue pushed at her, demanding to be closer, closer, drawing her to him as if holding her to him like this was not close enough.
Inuyasha reluctantly drew back for a breath.
"500 years," he stated wiping a stray tear from Kagome's cheek. He leaned down to kiss her again but Kagome turned away. "Please...Kagome, I've waited 500 years, I wandered alone…waiting for you," he laid his forehead on Kagome's temple, his warm breath tickling her ear, closing his eyes sadly.
Both poor tortured souls, trying to heal eachother. Inuyasha pulled Kagome to him, wrapping his arms around her the way he used to. Kagome gripped him back tight, realizing that his scent and feel had not changed at all in 500 years.
The sad and dark feel of his aura, the desperation in his touch and kiss; as angry and confused as she was she could not bring herself to demand an explanation from him yet.
"I missed you," he murmured breathing in her scent deeply, a scent he had only been able to experience in his dreams at night over the ruthless passage of time. "Kagome…" he pulled away to look in her eyes.
Kagome put her hands on his cheeks, there was pain in his eyes, pain she could not possibly know, but she hurt as well, both their worlds had been shattered. Only he'd had 500 years to dwell on it. She kissed him softly on the lips, lingering for a moment before pulling away.
Inuyasha registered the hard expression on her face. He shook his head, begging. "Please Kagome, don't punish me. I've paid my price Kagome…please," He put his hand over hers on his cheek. A hand that still wore her green scarf, the one she had put on to soothe his burned hand 500 years ago. It was weathered and dirty but still it remained after all that time.
She took a step back, tugging her hand out of Inuyasha's grasp. She could now look at him fully for the first time.
He was not the snarling bloodthirsty full youkai she had seen a few times in the past. Nor was he her hanyou hero, the one she had spent so much time with, had fallen in love with.
His hanyou ears were gone; instead he had the pointed ears of a full youkai, the left of which was sporting a gold hoop piercing at the upper most part. His silver hair was the same, if anything a little longer. He still wore the prayer beads around his neck, as he had no way of taking them off and he looked just as youthful as when she had seen him a few short hours ago.
On his face were his jagged purple crests, inherited from his father. He wore loose blue jeans and a red tee over a white full-sleeved shirt. Suprisingly enough, Tetsusaiga hung from his hip. His eyes were still gold but did not shine as they had only a day ago as he made the promise to her he would never lie. They were dull, there was something missing in his eyes that she had taken for granted, and he didn't stand tall and proud and arrogant as he once had. He seemed...defeated.
"I thought you'd be different..." she muttered, unable to contain her curiousity. She never had been able. The corners of his lips twitched lightly, resembling a smile.
"Me too..." he agreed softly.
"Why?" Kagome whispered. Inuyasha turned his head away.
"I never meant to hurt you Kagome. I swear. I never meant to break your promise. It's just… when I'm near you, absolutely nothing else matters and that day," Inuyasha spoke with the air of someone who had a lot of time to plan and think of his words. 500 years in fact. "I- just…being with you, I forgot the jewel was in my hand and I just- for a second thought 'why the hell would I wish to be a full demon' and…"
He didn't have to finish the rest. She had been there; she had seen first hand what came next. So that was it? A mistake, poor choice of words, a simple matter of wrong place wrong time caused these two souls so much heartache and pain. What the hell did the higher powers have against them?
"I paid the price for my mistake. 500 years without you," Inuyasha told her before advancing on her, grabbing hold of her and kissing her again. Kagome molded against him, returning the kiss, matching Inu Yasha's fervor and desperation. He pinned her back against the wall, pressing his body up against hers, tasting her deeply before pulling away again.
As he looked down into her eyes, Kagome saw that they shone again and realized what had been missing in his eyes earlier. She was what had been missing. Her. Kagome. She made his eyes shone like liquid gold.
"Whatever you want me to do I'll do it. Just tell me what to do to make this right." He pleaded. He touched her cheek with the back of his hand, the green scarf tickling her cheek. Kagome grabbed his hand tightly. "Just tell me...anything..."
"You kept this," she said looking at the scarf and not at him, more of a question than a statement. Inuyasha nodded his head dully, not taking his eyes off Kagome's face.
"It's all I had of you, besides the beads," he told her simply. Kagome turned her head to look at Inuyasha.
"Do you remember the promise you made me?"
"It's been 500 years and I haven't forgotten."
"It's only been a day," Kagome responded in like. "If you remember your promise than you either can or cannot do this," Kagome placed a hand on his chest over his heart.
"Tell me you love me,"
Inuyasha stepped back in surprise, clearly shocked before summoning up his resolve and placing his hands on her waist and bringing his lips onto hers.
His kiss was soft, yet unyielding as he sought to deepen the kiss, pulling Kagome against him. His body gave off immense heat in waves, his warmth spread over her as his hands roamed her back.
In his kiss, that was slow and sensual he showed her, showed Kagome the words she knew he wanted to say but couldn't find how. He pulled away from her lips, kissing her chin and moving along her jaw line before pulling away to look into her eyes.
"I-…" he tried to say before he sighed. "you know I do."
Kagome nodded. "I know, but I need to hear it Inuyasha,"
Inuyasha slammed his palm against the well wall beside her head, out of frustration of his own incapability to comply with Kagome's request. Kagome didn't flinch, only placed her hand on his cheek to calm him and reassure him.
It worked and Inuyasha looked her in the eye. "I-I-...you…it's always been you, you Kagome..." his eyes shimmered and Kagome's eyes met his. She leaned forward to kiss his cheek softly on the point of his purple crest.
Inuyasha placed his other hand on the wall and rested his forehead on the crook of her neck. He kissed her collarbone, tasting and kissing her soft skin as he made his way up to her ear slowly. He grinned against her skin as he felt goosebumps appear and he nipped her earlobe gently.
His breath was hot on her ear and made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She could feel his lips brush her ear as he breathed.
"I…I love you," he exhaled faintly, so softly it could not have been heard unless his lips were directly on her ear. "I do…500 years without you was the price I paid. 500 years alone, without you…Kagome,"
Kagome turned her cheek brushing Inuyasha's who pulled away to look at her. Kagome crashed her lips to his, pulling him down to her as she threw her arms around him. Inuyasha caught her, his arm around her waist the other on the back of her neck deepening the kiss.
"I've only gone a day without you," Kagome breathed pulling away slightly to whisper and kiss his lips softly. "And that's far too long…"
This version has been editted, because my betas tend to miss things. :P Oh well cest la vie...
This one shot came about when I thought that if Inuyasha really did use the jewel to be full demon, he probably wouldn't be the feral one we always see, I thought it would make him more like Sesshomaru and Koga so this is what I came up with. I find him pretty goodlooking in my mind if I do say so myself.
Review and Tell me what you think,
Thanks for reading...
Deceptress