Disclaimer:P-twang! I don't own Inuyasha, equipped with a cock ring or not. Wish I did, but I don't.

A/N:This fic started out as spur-of-the-moment silliness, inspired by an 'Adult Giftware' client I was working with in my RL job. The first part (up to Stalemate. Damn.), along with a funny accompanying sketch by KrisCynical, made its debut at the InuErotica Porn Party in July, 2007. However, since I ended the ficlet before the 'good stuff' (and was cheerfully razzed for that), I decided I'd have a swing at finishing it.

Bouquets: Many thanks and much appreciation to Forthright for cleaning up and improving my sloppy syntax, and to Ranuel and Nokomarie for their good humour. I will admit to being shamelessly influenced by Aquariel's colour-drenched artwork for Alterfano's fic 'Sunshower'; al fresco romping on a fine summer day is highly appealing!

Warnings: High lime and lemon content. Randomly-attacking cock rings. Hazardous sweat-drops. If you're too young to know what a cock ring is, then you're too young to read this!

First posted on 29 February, 2008 on MediaMiner and on LJ's InuErotica community.

With This Ring…

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I know it's in here somewhere… I can smell it! Inuyasha dug a little deeper into Kagome's overflowing yellow backpack, his nose twitching as he chased down the scent of his favourite flavour of ramen. Got it! However, instead of closing on the expected food, his claws instead snagged in flimsy material. With an irritated growl, he yanked upward, but the item came with him and turned out to be a shimmering pink drawstring bag filled with odd, lumpy shapes. Intrigued, his larcenous intentions briefly abandoned, he sniffed cautiously at the obviously feminine thing. Wonder what this is? Glancing briefly at the doorway of Kaede's hut to make sure the backpack's owner was nowhere nearby, he carefully worked the neck of the bag open and dumped the contents into his hand.

A number of small, square, flat, brightly-coloured packages tumbled out as well as a ring-shaped item. The ring intrigued him; its shape tugged on a corner of his mind, but he couldn't quite place it. After a cursory look, the small packages were returned to the pink bag and then tossed into the larger yellow one while he contemplated the purple item in the palm of his hand. It was smooth and gave slightly when he pressed on it; there was a thicker section embossed with a pattern. Is that a butterfly? This area seemed to encase something small and cylindrical that was much harder than the purple material. Cocking his head to one side, his brow furrowed, he ran the pad of his thumb over the decoration and tapped one end… and promptly dropped the ring when it began to vibrate insistently. What the hell? He scooted backwards, eyeing the ring as it hummed against the floorboards. When it didn't do anything else, he inched forward on his hands and knees and cautiously sniffed at it.

"Inuyasha? What's… oh my gods… where did you find THAT?"

The hanyou shot back against the wall, completely caught off guard by Kagome's abrupt appearance in the doorway, and he knew he was thoroughly busted for snooping through her backpack when he was supposed to be patrolling. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the inevitable 'sit'… or seven… but when nothing happened he peered through his lashes in time to see a brilliant-red Kagome dive for the ring and drop it again when it vibrated against her fingers. It rolled and bumped across the floor until it lost its momentum in his trailing sleeve, still humming away.

Inuyasha looked at the ring and back at Kagome. She was frozen in place, her eyes wide in horror, the flush on her cheeks spreading down her throat and up into her ears until he wondered offhand if they might burst into flame. What's going on here? She's acting like it's gonna bite her or something. He arched a dark eyebrow, his ears flattening as the humming changed tempo when the ring found a tiny bit of grit on the floor. "Can ya make it stop doin' that, wench?" he finally asked, flattening his ears when the tiny noise began making his fangs hurt and Kagome showed no signs of moving. She turned even brighter, if that was possible, and gulped. Averting her eyes, she shuffled just close enough to stretch out shaking fingers… and yelped when his hand pinned hers to the floor, the ring buzzing happily against her palm.

He carefully curled his fingers under and brought both trapped items into his lap, his golden eyes never leaving Kagome's face, which was turning some very interesting shades of pink and red, her expression one of complete dismay. Turning over her hand, he curiously prodded the merrily vibrating purple ring with a long claw. "What is this thing, Kagome?" When she gasped and tried to yank her hand away, he hooked the ring from her palm and twirled it around his finger, smirking a bit when the girl appeared utterly mortified.

"Inuyasha… give that to me! Don't let the others see it!" she spluttered as she lunged for his hand and promptly landed face-first in his lap. That made his cheeks burn as red as his suikan, but while he grabbed her by the scruff of her uniform and bodily hauled her upright, he didn't give up his grip on the purple ring. They both avoided looking each other in the eye for a couple of moments while their mutual embarrassment reduced to manageable levels. Kagome spoke first. "Inuyasha, would you please give that to me? I'd really appreciate it if Miroku and Sango didn't find out about it…"

The hanyou's mouth began to twitch as the possibility of blackmail and the sheer tonnage of ramen it might earn briefly crossed his mind. Might be able to get in a couple of free shots at Shippo, too, depending on how badly she wants it back! "Tell me what it is first, and I'll think about it," he suggested, trying not to grin as she squirmed. Finally, Kagome sighed and scooted a little closer to him.

"It's a cock ring," she mumbled, a lovely shade of rose flooding her cheeks. Inuyasha blinked.

"What the fuck does a chicken need something like this for?" he demanded suspiciously as the ring continued to hum inside his fist. "Does it stop the bird from crowing or something?"

Kagome choked, ducked her head, and was unable to speak for a few moments while he glared at her shaking form. When she lifted her chin, he was astonished to realize that she was silently laughing… on the verge of hysterics, if he was any judge. "N-n-no, youb-b-baka," she finally gasped out, wiping at her cheeks with the hem of her shirt. "N-n-not that k-k-kind of c-c-cock!"

"What other kind is there? Oh… uh… never mind," he muttered in acute embarrassment. He was about to toss the ring into her lap when that tiny fragment of tugging memory became a full-blown image. "I remember… once, when I was a pup… one of my mother's ladies dropped one of these in the garden and I found it among the flowers," he murmured, caught in the grip of the past. "It was an ivory ring carved with the image of a dragon and had red silk cords…" He held up the vibrating purple ring and scowled at it for a moment before waving it at the wide-eyed girl. "This thing is too small to fit any normal male! Are males in your time stunted in their growth?"

Kagome stared, and then she keeled over, her feet kicking as she giggled helplessly. Oblivious to his frown, she finally managed to squeak out, "It s-s-stretches…!" before dissolving again.

"Keh… I still don't get why it's buzzing; shoulda been a bee, not a butterfly," he grumbled, but nevertheless he took hold of the ring between his fingers and thumbs and pulled it this way and that, proving to his satisfaction that yes, it would stretch to accommodate a variety of thicknesses. Just then, an unsettling thought crossed his mind and he pinned the mirthful girl with a furious look. "What the hell is something like this doin' in your backpack, wench?" he growled, imagining his Kagome enjoying the advantages of a lover wearing this newfangled cock ring and not liking that idea one bit.

Before she could answer, the ring popped off his claw tips and hurtled across the room with an audible p-twang… striking Miroku right in the centre of his chest as he entered the hut one step in front of the slayer. The monk reacted in time to catch the object as it fell away, and his eyebrow arched up into his hairline while a knowing smirk crossed his lips as he jumped to the obvious conclusion. "Come Lady Sango; I believe Lady Kaede requires our assistance." As he smoothly backed out of the door, neatly blocking Sango's view, he tossed the ring to the blushing hanyou and gave the mortified couple an approving thumbs-up. Kagome snatched the ring out of mid-air in a lightning lunge and then dove for the door. Inuyasha was faster.

Blocking the exit, he trapped her in his arms, holding her firmly against his chest. "Now, wench… explain to me how a cock ring happened to be in your backpack, and make it good…"

Her head came up, her eyes flashing. "Explain to me what you were doing in my backpack in the first place, and then I'll tell you!"

Stalemate. Damn.

They remained like that for several long moments, locked in a ferocious glaring contest, until Kagome uncurled her fists, flattened her hands on his chest and shoved. Sensing an immediate 'sit' if he let her escape, Inuyasha tightened his grip, pulling her hips flush against him… and twitched slightly as a familiar shape hummed against his thigh. Shit! She has it in her pocket? He was too distracted to notice the shift in her weight until the heel of her loafer slammed down on his foot, mashing his toes into the floor boards.

"Owww! Dammit, wench… what the hell?" he yelped, hopping a little. Kagome growled, twisting violently, and it was too much for his tottering balance. Inuyasha did manage to cushion her head with his hand just before they crashed to the floor, but he doubted she appreciated the gesture since he flattened the rest of her rather thoroughly.

While the young woman struggled to catch her breath from the impact of a full-grown hanyou landing on her, the hanyou in question was busy calculating his life expectancy until a buzzing against his pubis penetrated the cloud of panic… and parts of his anatomy reactedvery emphatically to the stimulus. Swallowing hard, Inuyasha tried to ignore the interesting effect of the pleasant little vibration dangerously near his groin and abruptly understood why the infernal thing had that as a built-in feature in the first place. He noticed, almost as an afterthought, that his knee was between Kagome's thighs and her breasts felt very nice squashed up against his chest and then had another revelation. She can't put me through the floorboards right now!

For her part, Kagome regained her breath rather quickly, and while having Inuyasha draped over her in an intimate fashion fulfilled any number of libidinous fantasies involving considerably less clothing, he washeavy and her skirt had twisted, putting the humming cock ring right over a very sensitive part of her body. His weight pressed the toy into her… right there… and the erotic sensations were steadily weakening her resolve to stay angry at him. Oh, no… he'll smell that I'm excited… gotta get him off me!

The hanyou could smell her arousal all right, and the sheer pleasure of having her beneath him in such a blatantly sexual position was a tempting hint of what it would be like if he… if they…

"Inuyasha…" His ears flattened at the promise of painful retribution in Kagome's tone, but instead of rolling off those nice curves, he bared his fangs warningly. Her expression instantly changed from anger to surprise, but before she could verbally react, he went on the offensive.

"Wench, did your lover give you that cock ring?" he demanded roughly. While her nipples hardened from the vibrations of his voice and her girly bits practically shimmied with glee from the other vibration, Kagome's reaction to his accusation was instant fury; Inuyasha was glad that he was already horizontal.

"No! He didn't give it to me!" she hissed.

A menacing growl vibrated right through her and white canines again flashed. "So you do have a lover!" the hanyou snarled, struggling to cover his shock with aggression, his eyes flickering red at the fear that Kagome had chosen another. The girl 'eeped' when Inuyasha abruptly buried his face in the side of her neck, where his moist, warm breath on her bare skin almost instantly raised goose bumps and made her even more aware of her body's growing arousal. She tried very hard not to squirm as Inuyasha deeply inhaled and exhaled several times, his eyelashes fluttering against her jaw.

Strangely, all other sounds seemed muted, even the loud chirring of the cicadas and the squeals of the children playing outside in the warm afternoon. Everything was blotted out, the world centring on the sound of his breathing and the pounding of her heart, until they blended into a throbbing hum. When Inuyasha finally lifted his head, Kagome found herself curling her fingers into his suikan to follow him up, until she realized she was one heartbeat away from committing indecent acts with him right on Kaede's nicely swept floor… until she saw his expression.

Confusion and hurt made his ears droop as he searched her face. "Who is he, Kagome? I can't smell anyone."

She had to think for a minute about what he was asking, because her entire body was melting under his and she had to exert considerable effort to stop herself from rubbing against the muscled leg currently between her thighs. "There isn't…. I'm not… I don't have a lover," she insisted, trying to twist her hips just a little to ease the effects of the vibrating silicone ring on her concentration and missing the way he gulped because her movement shifted the ring just enough so that it was in contact with the head of his incredibly aroused shaft. "Inuyasha, why were you looking in my…?"

"Then why did you say 'he didn't give it to you'?" he quickly cut in, just as his hips instinctively rocked a little and drove the vibrator even deeper into her cleft.

Beneath him, Kagome stiffened, her eyes going wide and dark as she inhaled sharply. Gods… doesn't he realize what this is doing to me? She dug her fingers into his robes, fighting to keep her eyes open when all they wanted to do was close so that she could enjoy the party going on between her thighs.

"M-my friend Hojo g-gives me g-gifts from his f-family's health s-store b-because he th-thinks I'm r-really s-suffering from all those weird d-diseases Ojii-chan c-claims I have," she managed to stammer out, choking back a needy whimper by biting her lip hard and breathing rapidly through her nose. "H-he certainly d-didn't give me the ring… he isn't my lover either!" Through the haze of her arousal, Kagome managed to again dredge up some haphazard annoyance until she saw Inuyasha's crestfallen look. Gritting her teeth against the distracting buzz, she focussed on the rafters beyond his flickering ear and quietly said, "We need to talk…."

"What the…? Get off her, Inuyasha!"

Kagome wasn't sure how he did it, but she swore that the hanyou vertically levitated when Sango whacked him in the rump with a basket, sending fragrant sprigs scattering around the room. He was gone so fast that the slayer's hair whipped in the slipstream; she glared after him as the door matting fell to the floorboards with a clatter, then bustled forward to lend Kagome a hand. "Do you want me to go after him?" she asked, cracking her knuckles menacingly as she looked out the door. "Move along, kids… go and play!" she called, flipping her hand at the gawking children before turning back to the dishevelled but strangely calm young woman.

"N-no, Sango," Kagome murmured, slipping a hand into her pocket to finally silence the humming ring before straightening her skirt and mentally wincing over the very damp state of her panties. "It was a simple misunderstanding…"

"A misunderstanding… over what?" Sango asked curiously, distinctly puzzled over the extremely compromising situation in which she'd discovered her friends and at Kagome's less-than-outraged response.

"Ah… er… um… he thought I had a lover…" Kagome muttered, avoiding any mention of the real instigator of the whole incident just as realization dawned. Sango drew back slightly as her friend's eyebrows lowered into a thunderous scowl. "Ooo… that brat! He never answered my question!"

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About twenty minutes had elapsed since Sango interrupted their conversation with her handily-swung basket, twenty minutes Kagome filled with cleaning up the haphazard herbal decoration of Kaede's hut while avoiding the slayer's increasingly pointed questions as to how she had ended up in an intimate clinch with Inuyasha. The hanyou spent most of those same twenty minutes submerged waist-deep in the river, trying to cool off his raging libido the hard way, but as soon as he climbed out, the memory of Kagome's warm body beneath his had him standing at attention yet again.

Dammit, just settle down already! Inuyasha grumbled at his throbbing crotch as he slumped on his favourite branch of the Goshinboku. That river's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey! She's gonna come after me as soon as she realizes I didn't answer her, and being 'sat' with a hard-on really sucks. Waitaminute… it's safer on the ground than up here… oh shit. Too fucking late. When the young woman stepped into the glade and made a bee-line for the venerable tree, he assumed the worst. Taking a firm grip on the branch, he flattened his ears in a fruitless attempt to block out the hated word he was sure would be directed his way any second.

Kagome came to a stop underneath and looked up; Inuyasha was a brilliant slash of red and silver against the green of the leaves. She couldn't see his face, but did notice his hunched, defensive posture; just the sight of him set her stomach to fluttering, much to her annoyance. How am I supposed to find out what he was doing in my backpack if all I can think of is 'doing' him? Argh! With an effort, she walked quietly over to a mossy tangle of roots and demurely seated herself, smoothing her skirt over her knees, aware of the hard round shape lying quietly in her pocket.

After a few long minutes of listening to the leaves rustle in the wind while she tried to valiantly ignore the sensuous suggestions of her gleeful libido, she heard him land on the grass behind her. When she shot a quick glance over her shoulder, he was fussily arranging his sleeves so that they overlapped on the front of his body. Inuyasha caught her puzzled look and immediately went on the attack. "All right, wench… start talkin'," he growled and she bristled.

"Don't interrogate me, Inuyasha!" she snapped. "I've done nothing wrong! If anyone should be answering awkward questions, it's you! What were you…eep!" In a rush of fire-rat, he was crouched right in front of her, his eyes so intense she had to drop her own gaze to compose herself before groping after her scattered thoughts. His breath ruffled over her throat and made her nipples harden; she licked her lips and began, "My girlfriends ordered some things from an online store…"

"On-line…?"

She shook her head impatiently. "You can buy things from far away without leaving home. For example, my mother orders incense from Kyoto and it is delivered right to the shrine." He nodded, and she briefly lost herself in his golden depths, which again derailed her mental train before she collected herself. "The girls brought their purchases to class the last time I was home, mainly to show off. They must have stuffed the bag in my backpack when I went to the toilet."

"Why would they give you a cock ring?" he demanded, leaning closer and then nearly groaned as her enticing scent filled his nose.

"Uh… er… because they knew it would embarrass me?" she squeaked as his proximity turned her internal butterflies into a high-kicking chorus line.

"Some friends," he harrumphed. "Messing with your stuff like that…"Oops. Fuck! Just as Kagome's eyes narrowed and he knew what her next question was going to be, he resorted to desperate measures. As she opened her mouth, he recklessly closed the distance, planning to stave off the 'sit' for a few more moments and at least be punished for doing something worthwhile.

So… soft… Instead of the quick peck and hasty retreat he'd intended, he lost himself in her warmth, her taste and the amazing sensations of this first kiss… until he realized what he was doing.She's gonna fucking crater me! Inuyasha pulled back, but the expression on her face arrested his movement. Instead of the sparkling fury he expected, Kagome was sweetly flustered, her eyes wide and liquid. Her hand came up, but not to slap him or push him away; instead her trembling fingertips rested lightly on her lips as if she was holding onto the sensation of his touch. "I-Inu-y-yasha…?" she breathed in a tone of wonder. His ears twitched. She isn't mad? Keh. If I'd known how easy it is to sidetrack her by doing that, I would have kissed her a long time ago! Shit… now what?

Despite her less-than-angry reaction to his kiss, Inuyasha was astonished when Kagome practically threw herself into his arms and knocked both of them over backward onto the grass. Straddling his waist, she kissed him furiously, one hand fisted in his hair while the other gripped his shoulder as if afraid he'd try to escape. He had no intention of that, but he didn't quite dare to take advantage of the situation either, so he clenched his fists beside his hips instead. The hanyou winced a bit when Kagome's tongue invaded his mouth with something akin to desperation and their teeth collided with an audible 'click' The slight pain must have brought the girl out of her lust-induced haze, because her aggressive movements quickly slowed until they stopped completely. She sat up on his midsection and studied his face, framed by satiny silver tangles spread out over the grass and shining brightly where shafts of sunlight penetrated the tree's thick canopy.

Wondering what was going to happen next, because with Kagome he could never be too sure, Inuyasha was captured by the way her dark head appeared haloed by the green-gold light filtering through the Goshinboku's leaves far above them… until she scowled darkly. I know that look! Fuck! The girl pushed herself off him with obvious intentions of storming away, probably after she'd 'sat' him into bedrock, but she didn't stand a chance against a hanyou intent on self-preservation.

Putting his survival-honed reflexes to good use, he sat up, snapped one arm around her waist and tangled a handful of hair to immobilize her. Yanking her hard into him, his eyes nearly crossed when her aroused scent filled the space between them and brought his youki closer to the surface. He closed his eyes and breathed through his mouth in an attempt to control the overwhelming urge to pin her beneath him and investigate every sweet inch of her skin.

For her part, Kagome wasn't too sure how to take this new development, but the firm grip Inuyasha had on her hip and her hair indicated he wasn't in the mood to be gentle. Darn it! He's the one who was snooping where he shouldn't have been… he's the one who kissed me and made me think that he might… "Ow! Leggo!" Glaring ferociously, she pried at the fingers twisted in her hair with one hand, while reaching for his sidelock with the other to visit some retribution, but another sharp tug warned her off and brought tears to her eyes just as the expression on his face stopped her cold.

She tried to duck her head, but his fingers tightened in warning, so she instead focussed on the unusable rosary beads rising and falling on his chest with his rapid breathing. "Look at me," he growled, and she was so surprised by the sharp tone of his voice that she obeyed, then was caught by his burning gaze. "You get embarrassed, or pissed off, and I end up eating dirt; no more." His voice dropped a notch, making her heart jump in her chest. "From now on,this thing…" he dipped his chin to indicate the rosary, "… better not be used for anything less than a life-or-death situation. I mean it, Kagome. If I'd let you run just now, I'd be spitting rocks for days, and I don't deserve it."

Kagome's temper rose even as she flinched from the discomfort of his grip and she shot him a blistering look. "So it's okay for you to kiss me without meaning it, and to poke around in my backpack?" He looked away, apparently proving her suspicion, and her posture became absolutely rigid before she snarled, "Are you finished with the humiliation? Let me go, Inuyasha!" She tried to yank herself free, choking back angry tears, then yelped in pain when he refused to release her hair.

"Not on your life," he growled, his expression unnervingly stern.

"What're you trying to prove? That you're a jerk?" she demanded as she redoubled her efforts to escape. However, her gyrations only emphasized the fact that her crotch was jammed right up against his and his youki was practically howling in his ears to do something to prolong the contact by distracting the young woman.

"Proving you wrong," he muttered, and twisted her hair to bring her mouth to his.

Kagome instantly clamped her lips tightly together, since she couldn't do the same with her legs, and braced her hands against his chest. Pushing as hard as she could, one thing became abundantly clear; he had absolutely no intention of backing off. In response to her struggles, Inuyasha's arm tightened around her waist, his claws digging into her hip through the pleated fabric as he attacked her mouth.

Not being terribly experienced in kissing anyone, the hanyou's technique could have used some finesse, but he was not only a fast learner but also absolutely determined to show her that he'd been holding back earlier. Kagome remained tense, her fingers digging into his chest as she stubbornly resisted his overtures, until he shifted his grip to cradle her head in the palm of his hand and began pressing lingering, tender kisses to her lips. She registered the change and relaxed slightly, until his calloused hand moved from her hip up under her shirt to flatten on her back. He rumbled deeply as he pulled her against his chest, and the vibrations travelled directly into her body, causing her to gasp a little as her breasts began tingling in a very pleasant manner and that sensation travelled straight down between her legs.

Carried away by her resurgent arousal, Inuyasha took advantage of her surprised gasp to slide the tip of his tongue along the sensitive skin just inside her lips and was rewarded with a delicate shiver. Kagome forgot she was supposed to be annoyed and stretched upward to wrap her arms around his neck, a move that accidentally ground her bundle of nerves against his hakama knot and tore a moan out of her throat. The hanyou pressed his advantage, growling heatedly as the kiss became more intense until they were plastered against each other in the summer-warmed shade between the Goshinboku's twisted roots.

They finally came up for air; Kagome was flushed and wide-eyed, her fingers twining into the hair at the nape of his neck. Inuyasha smirked at her expression as he admired her kiss-swollen lips. "Convinced yet?" he murmured, his voice deeply intimate. Kagome nodded, moistening her lips; he eagerly followed her slick pink tongue back inside her mouth and the world narrowed again to the heated contact between their bodies. Inuyasha hazily wondered if there was any feeling more wonderful than having Kagome in his arms, her tongue sensually duelling with his as his hands roamed under her clothes.

The next time that the necessity for breathing intruded, he nibbled along her jaw until he reached her ear. Lightly nipping the earlobe, he was electrified by the way she gasped and her scent spiked, so he did it again before tracing a line down her throat with his tongue. Kagome's hips rocked against the knot; the resulting sensations made her legs tremble. Inuyasha slid his hands down over the curve of her behind, then pulled her hard against his erection. The contact stilled both of them for a moment until he groaned into her ear, "See what you do to me? I've been wanting this… wanting you for so long…"

Kagome's heart stalled, then surged into a more rapid tempo as his words sank into her consciousness, but any possible response scrambled when his lips grazed her neck as he purred, "Sometimes… when I'm riled up from battle, and then you come to me, wanting to check my injuries… you like to watch me fight, don't you?" All she could do was nod dumbly; he laughed softly and again gathered a handful of her hair, but this time he was gentle as he tilted up her face and kissed her softly.

"When you touch me, you smell so fucking good… do you know how hard it's been sometimes?" Inuyasha barely halted himself before he added to stop myself from tearing open your clothes and fucking you senseless,but after a pause to collect his scattering thoughts, he continued, "I don't want to wait any more… I want to be yours… and you to be mine." The girl in his arms whispered something; it might have been his name, but he didn't care when she wrapped herself around him while fervently kissing his throat until he took them both down onto the grass.

Kagome panicked momentarily when a fully-aroused hanyou's weight bore her down, but it was hard to hang onto that concern because the soft fur of his hakama tickled her inner thighs in a highly sensuous manner. I can hardly remember a time when I didn't want him… and I don't want to wait any more, either. Who knows what will happen to us once the Jewel is completed? Even if I can't stay with him, at least we'll have had some happiness together… Inuyasha sensed her inner conflict from the way she went perfectly still beneath him, her muscles tense; before he could pull away, however, Kagome whispered, "I want you, too, Inuyasha… please."

The blood roared into his ears at her soft entreaty, and he trapped her face between his palms, kissing her slowly and deeply. So lost in the sounds and sensations of finally having Kagome beneath him and welcoming his caresses, he almost missed the far-off jingle of a metal-topped staff as its owner crested the top of the stairs leading from the village into the forest. Dammit, Sango must have sent him after us! Breaking the kiss with a low, feral growl, he snapped his head in the direction of the sound, rapidly gauging how much time they had.

"What is it?" Kagome breathed, watching his ears perk and the muscles in his jaw clench.

"The houshi's heading this way," Inuyasha snarled, mentally eviscerating a certain monk for his unwelcome interruption. He reluctantly began to sit up, but she caught hold of his robes.

"Let's go somewhere else," she suggested, the words tumbling over themselves as she was suddenly afraid that he might change his mind, and she didn't want this unexpected encounter to end. The hanyou stared down at her for a long moment, and then he gave her a heartbreakingly genuine smile just before sitting back on his heels and scooping her into his arms. A moment after that, they were airborne, racing through the sun-dappled foliage.

Neither of them noticed a round, purple object falling from her pocket to bounce and then nestle into the long grass next to a tree root.

Kagome hid her face in Inuyasha's throat as her hair whipped wildly from the wind of their passage. He seemed to be travelling much faster than normal; she wondered where he was taking her as they soared between the trees, and then his pace slowed until they arrived in a sunny clearing. "Where are we?" she asked, glancing around from the vantage point of his embrace, since he didn't seem inclined to put her down.

"Far enough that the runt can't sniff us out and Kirara can't track us," he replied, carrying her towards the shady base of a spreading elm. The sun's heat was trapped by the grass of the meadow and the very air in the enclosed space seemed to vibrate with the drowsy hum of bees moving among the flowers. Reaching the tree, he carefully set her down and steadied her until she found her balance.

She watched how his ears perked and swivelled as they listened for signs of danger, then admired his chest expanding as he inhaled deeply for the same reason, his eyes narrowly scanning the vicinity as he analyzed the scents. "Everything seems all right, but I'll just do a quick perimeter check," he said, then proceeded to strip off his suikan and kosode. Kagome swallowed hard at the sight of his loosened hakama riding dangerously low on his narrow hips, not to mention his lean, muscled torso now on full display.

For once I can admire him without deciding how to best bandage a gaping wound! She stepped forward and began lightly running her fingers over his chest and down his abdomen. He watched her steadily bolder caresses with hooded eyes, breathing in her aroused scent in slow, even inhalations, until he dropped his head and shrouded them both in a silver veil as he nuzzled her ear.

"I'll be back in a minute," he purred huskily, then backed away to spread out his robes on the shaded grass. Holding her with a steady, smouldering gaze for several moments, he turned and stalked away with predatory grace. Kagome stared after him, mesmerized by the sun gilding his hair and bared skin as he crossed the meadow. When he disappeared into the undergrowth on the other side, she shook herself and considered the blatant invitation of his discarded clothing.

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"Are you quite certain this is the location, Shippo-kun?" Miroku asked sceptically, watching the kit dash about the base of the Goshinboku, his bushy tail quivering as he snuffled here and there among the roots.

"Absolutely; Kagome's trail is as straight as an arrow from the top of the stairs to here," the kitsune replied, darting to another knobbly upgrowth and sniffing intently before shaking his head and moving to the next. "Dog-breath always heads for the Goshinboku when he's in trouble with her… eeeyyyeeewww!" he yipped as he recoiled, grabbing his nose.

Miroku hurried over. "What is the matter?"

"Gross… it reeks like… uh-oh… crap," Shippo grumbled, glaring at the patch of flattened grass at their feet, his hands fisted on his hips.

"Care to enlighten me?" asked Miroku, crossing his arms over his chest and regarding the bristling kit with interest.

"Inuyasha smells the same way as my dad did when he and my mom wanted some 'alone time'," growled the kit, petulantly kicking at a root.

The monk blinked, then a lopsided smirk curved his lips. "Truly? Our hanyou has finally made his move on the lovely Lady Kagome?"

Shippo gave a disgusted snort. "Don't sound so happy, Miroku. From now on, if you so much as even think of looking up her skirt, he'll take your head off… and I don't mean the one on your shoulders." Miroku instantly sobered as the kit sighed heavily, "I'm gonna need a new place to sleep, 'cause dog-breath ain't gonna share…"

"I see your point; ah, well, I am sure that we can all make the necessary adjustments to live with this change. Perhaps Inuyasha's notoriously sharp temper will mellow now that he has gained his heart's desire? That can only be an improvement." The monk shook out his sleeves, shouldered his staff and began turning away until the kit let out a happy yelp.

"Hey! What's this?" Something gleaming in the long grass caught his eye and he pounced. Holding up the circular purple object, he crowed, "All right! One of the gummy treats Kagome brings for me! It must have fallen out of her pocket!" Bringing it close to his face, he squinted at the embossed butterfly design covering a small, hard bulge on one side of the ring and tapped it speculatively. "Hmm. I'll bet that lump is a piece of gum!"

As he opened his mouth, small fangs glinting, the purple ring was whisked out of danger and instantly vanished into the depths of Miroku's robes. The kit glared ferociously up at the serene monk even as his head rang from the force of his jaws snapping shut. "Too many sweets aren't good for you, Shippo," Miroku smoothly intoned. "Besides, this is an adult treat… definitely not for children!"

Shippo pulled an impressive pout that didn't faze the monk in the least. "You just want to enjoy it yourself," he accused darkly.

"Not at all; I intend on sharing this with a lady," Miroku retorted absently, mentally plotting his umpteenth approach to a certain curvaceous slayer and gleefully anticipating the lascivious activities he hoped would result.

"You're gonna let Kaede in on the action, but not me?" Shippo demanded, appalled at this gross inequality, and wondered why the monk turned a sickly shade of green.

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Am I out of my mind? No planning, no protection… I can't risk a pregnancy right now! Oh, this is bad… I can't say no… of course I can… the question is, do I really not want this to happen? Chewing her lip, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other while she thought very hard about the option suddenly presented her as well as the possible results. He is my choice, and has been for a very long time. A small smile curved her lips. Having his child wouldn't be so bad, but I wonder if he's considered what it could mean for our quest, or if he's thinking only with his 'other' head? Sighing a little, she removed her shoes and knelt on the layers of soft, well-worn linen and fire-rat fur. I wonder if he's expecting me to be naked by the time he comes back? Imagining the hanyou's probable reaction instantly flustered her; she was oblivious to Inuyasha's arrival a few moments later because her face was buried in her hands.

He dropped out of the tree overhead, landing soundlessly behind her a few feet away and carefully watched the young woman, his eyes narrowing again as he attempted to dissect her scent for clues. She's still dressed, and she's extremely nervous. Crap. She's probably changed her mind, even though her scent is practically screaming 'take me now'. "Kagome?" he asked quietly, circling into her peripheral vision. Her head snapped up, and he glimpsed the deep pink staining her cheeks just before she again hid behind her hair.

Shit. He resignedly blew his bangs out of his eyes and crouched in front of her. Making no attempt to hide the hard evidence of the arousal tenting the front of his hakama, he reached out and gently caught her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Having second thoughts?" he inquired, stroking his thumb along her jaw as he tried to keep the disappointment from his voice. "I won't force you to do this."

Her much smaller hand instantly covered his, as shock drained some of the colour from her face. "I know that you would never… it isn't that I'm having second thoughts about… h-h-having s-s-sex with y-y-you…" She broke off when he snorted lightly at her nervous stutter, but when she saw the blush dusting his cheekbones, she found the courage to continue, "I'm worried about getting pregnant right now, before we're finished with the quest." Her voice trailed off to a whisper, and she clutched his hand tightly; then she noticed the pink lining of his ears practically glowing as he muttered something under his breath. "P-pardon?" she asked.

Inuyasha turned nearly as red as his fire-rat, but gamely repeated, "Your scent is normal."

"N-normal?" she asked, then clued in. "Oh! You mean… you can tell when I'm…?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, briefly glancing away. "When your scent changes, I try to make myself scarce, since I seem to eat dirt more often just before you bleed."

"Oh… er… um… sorry?" she mumbled, squirming. "I, er, didn't realize… um…."

An odd little quirk to his lip, and the softness that infused his expression brought her nattering to a full stop. "You mean… you would bear my child? Once we're free of Naraku?" he asked in a hushed, reverent tone, which instantly squelched the nervous giggle tickling her throat at his use of Miroku's favourite come-on, and gave her to understand that she was possibly agreeing to something more important than just a roll in the summer-scented grass.

Am I ready for this? After three years of wanting…? She mentally shook her head at herself. Do I really need to ask? Turning her face into his hand, she pressed a kiss to his calloused palm, then squarely met his hopeful amber gaze. "Yes," she said simply. Inuyasha stared at her for a moment longer before tipping forward onto his knees and crushing her against his chest, holding the young woman so tightly that she could barely breathe. Conscious of his long fingers fanning over her back and his heartbeat thundering against her ear, she slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him just as close.

"Kagome… I swear you won't regret choosing me," he rasped, before loosening his grip enough to tilt up her face and take her mouth in a near-desperate kiss. "I'll stand by you… always." When they parted, Kagome was undone by the intense emotion in his eyes. Unable to speak, she nodded, and the pact was sealed with another kiss.

When his hands began exploring under the hem of her shirt while his tongue slowly danced with hers, she took the next step by pulling up on the garment herself until he realized what she was about and released her slightly so she could pull it off over her head. She felt very self-conscious while freeing her hands from the cuffs as he openly admired the pale pink lace framing her cleavage. Brushing the backs of his knuckles along the scalloped edges, he murmured, "This is pretty," and repeated the light touch until her nipples budded beneath the thin fabric. "I've always wondered… what's it for?"

"To stop me from, uh, jiggling… and bouncing…" she stammered, watching the movements of his hand as it sent tingling sensations all over her skin.

The hanyou chuckled deep in his throat. "A little bouncing isn't necessarily a bad thing, ya know".

"I, er, suppose not," Kagome grinned, until he traced the ribbon straps up over her shoulders and down her back to the band securing the garment around her ribs. Pulling her into his chest, he felt her sharp inhalation, but she didn't either resist or assist while he fumbled with the unfamiliar closures. Inuyasha resisted the urge to slice right through the obstacle because he rather liked how the delicate colour of the lace complemented Kagome's creamy-golden skin and he definitely hoped for another chance to pop her out of the flimsy thing. Finally, the stubborn fastenings cooperated, allowing him to pull the straps down her slender arms. Tossing the garment aside, he stared at her luscious curves, adorned with dusky velvet tips. "Gods, Kagome…" he whispered, swallowing hard, feeling both hot and cold at the same time as his body veered wildly between disbelief that this was really happening and fiercely wanting this girl who had given him her friendship first, then her love… and would now share her body with him as well.

Nervously biting her lip as she waited for his reaction, Kagome twisted her fingers into the fabric of her skirt. Inuyasha closed his hands around her restless digits and gently squeezed before releasing them to search for the fastening of her skirt. Ducking her head, she reached back to take over, not willing to risk explaining either a broken zipper or torn clothing until she was ready to discuss the step she and Inuyasha had taken with her mother. While she unhooked the clasps, he brought up his hands to lightly stroke up and down her sides, the heels of his palms brushing against the swell of her breasts with each pass.

Just as she was about to slide the pleated material over her hips, she trembled all over with the realization that she was about to completely expose herself to a man for the first time ever on purpose, and she suddenly worried that she wouldn't measure up to Inuyasha's expectations. He's seen me naked a couple of times, but that isn't the same as this… "I, um, have to stand up," she muttered, avoiding looking him in the eye.

Warm hands instantly cupped her face, and he kissed her deeply before his fingers skated down and wrapped around her ribs. As he slowly lifted her to her feet, he pressed open-mouthed kisses to the bare skin moving upward, lingering on the curves of her breasts and then on the soft contours of her belly. Kagome braced her suddenly-weak knees against his chest while resting her hands on his shoulders as Inuyasha swirled his tongue over the silky skin below her navel. That made her shiver and curl in on herself, but his strength kept her upright.

Inuyasha felt Kagome's soft panting breaths ruffling the fur on his ears as he hooked his claws into her skirt and pulled it off her hips, allowing it to drop around her ankles. He was delighted to discover that the pink bra had an equally attractive matching pair of ribbon-trimmed panties. Leaving the scrap of lace in place for the moment, he stroked his hands down the length of her legs, pushing her socks down over her slim ankles. Steadying her with an arm around her thighs, he encouraged her to raise each dainty foot in turn while he removed the socks and then added both them and her skirt to the pile of discarded clothing.

Caressing her legs, he watched carefully for her reaction as he began working the ribbons off her hips. She's nervous, but willing. Hisyouki eagerly suggested that he simply slice away the thin barrier, but he ignored that in favour of slowly guiding the skimpy garment lightly down her legs and off before admiring the sleek skin he'd only ever dreamed of touching.

His kneeling position put him at the right height to kiss the long-healed Jewel scar, as well as lick the delicate skin at the jointure of her hip and thigh. When her trembling fingertips dug into his shoulders, he encouraged her knees to bend and part. Inuyasha supported Kagome's weight with one arm under her buttocks and the other around her waist as he slowly pulled her down to straddle his thighs. She gasped and arched backwards when he lingered over her breasts, his tongue teasing her nipples into hard peaks, just before he lowered her onto his robes and stretched out on top of her.

Kagome tensed slightly as Inuyasha's warm body came to rest against hers, his hair spilling over his shoulders to surround them in a gleaming curtain as they kissed. The enclosed space quickly became too hot; the hanyou impatiently swept his silver mane to one side and continued to investigate the sweetness of her mouth until she sighed softly, her legs relaxing and allowing him to fully settle between her thighs. As she slid her arms up around his neck, Inuyasha gently palmed her breasts until she was squirming.

Working his way down her throat to her breasts, pausing to nibble along her collarbone, he groaned deeply into her skin when her fingers slid through his hair to circle the bases of his ears. When Kagome began to slowly stroke the sensitive flesh, sending waves of pleasure directly to his groin, Inuyasha found it very hard to concentrate. Lightly nibbling one of her hardened nipples, he grinned when her pleasant torment of his ears faltered momentarily. Moving further down her body, he kissed a path across her warm, slightly salty skin to her navel, and noticed that she had gone very still.

Hoping that she understood what he desired, he slowly licked her hipbone, then trailed his tongue-tip down over the sensitive skin along her inner thigh and back up towards her short curls. The scent of her arousal made his head spin and hardened his erection even more as the slick moisture beckoned alluringly. As he spread her thighs a little wider, the muscles under his hands tensed and he glanced up the length of her body to see a highly embarrassed Kagome nervously biting her knuckle, while her other hand attempted to block his intent. Inuyasha quickly caught hold of her wrist and pulled her hand aside. "All of you, Kagome… I want all of you," he rumbled, his golden eyes dark and smouldering.

She blinked rapidly, taken a little aback at his demand, but after a long moment, she lay back down and exhaled slowly, clasping her hands over her stomach. The tension in her body was still screamingly obvious, from the way her muscles quivered and her fingers nervously twitched; Inuyasha whuffed softly to acknowledge her compliance before sliding his hands underneath her behind and up around her hips, then began exploring her most intimate flesh.

I can't believe he's doing this… this is so… so… "Oh!" Kagome stiffened in shock when her sensitive nub received a long, slow lick, but the amazing sensations caused by his lips and tongue soon took over her consciousness. Her hands unclasped and jerkily sought out his fingers where they wrapped up over her hips, but he refused to loosen his grasp as she cried out and twisted helplessly in the grip of pleasure. Kagome held onto his wrists instead, anchoring herself while her hips undulated, her body wound tighter and tighter with every nibble and sensuous stroke. When his hands let go of her hips and slid up to cup her breasts, his clever fingers rubbing her nipples in time with his busy tongue, her senses blanked as her back arched and her toes curled, her blunt fingernails digging into his skin while powerful tremours shook her body. Gasping out a broken version of his name, she shuddered as the aftershocks ricocheted up and down her spine, but he didn't stop his erotic torment until she pleaded, "Please… too much…"

Inuyasha wiped his mouth on Kagome's soft belly before kneeling upright between her thighs. While untying his hakama, he couldn't suppress a thoroughly arrogant smirk as he surveyed the satiated girl, her slender body gleaming with sweat, her sweet face wearing an expression of complete contentment… and all of her delectable disarray brought about by his masculine attentions. From now on, I'm the only one who will ever see her this way… or touch her or taste her… she's mine. His youki purred loudly in agreement as he quickly tossed his hakama to the side and leaned over her.

"Kagome? You all right?" he asked, drawing a claw tip delicately along her cheek. Grey eyes slowly opened; she blinked several times in an attempt to focus, but gave up in favour of a crooked smile and a weak nod. "Good, because I ain't done with you just yet," Inuyasha purred before kissing her thoroughly and ardently, letting her taste herself in his mouth as he guided his erection into her slick heat. He intended to be gentle for this first entry, to go slow and savour the experience, but his youki wrested control for a brief moment and he took her in one swift thrust.

Kagome's eyes flew wide open at his abrupt invasion, her body flinching in surprise, but all she could see was Inuyasha's shoulder and hair because he'd pulled her tightly against him. A fine tremour shook his entire frame; wondering even as her inner muscles complained while they accommodated, she slipped her arms up around him and softly asked, "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, his face buried in her hair, and continued to hold her close. "Nothing… nothing's wrong… I just… you're… this…so good." Smiling a little at his gasped reassurance, Kagome kissed the damp skin next to her lips, then turned her head to bump her nose against his jaw. Inuyasha pulled back slightly to look down at her, sweat rolling down his temples and dripping off his cheekbone. A drop landed squarely in Kagome's eye.

"Ow!" As she squeezed her eye shut against the sudden sting and tried to wiggle a hand free to rub at it, the hanyou leaned down and licked away the tear forming at the corner of her lashes. Extracting one arm from beneath her to again send the mass of his hair cascading over one shoulder, he wiped his face, then carefully stroked the pad of his thumb over her injured eye until she stopped wincing.

When she squinted cautiously up at him, he chuckled a little before asking, "Can I love you now, Kagome?" while brushing her damp bangs away from her forehead and sprinkling kisses over her brow. His use of the four-letter 'l' word snapped both of her eyes wide open regardless of the risk; the tenderness of his expression caught and held her fast. Inuyasha gazed at the face of the woman he had sworn to defend with his life, who had again affirmed her promise to stay at his side by becoming the mother of his children, and was overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. Kissing the corner of her lips and then her cheek, he breathed, "Koishii..."

Kagome understood the meaning behind the endearment. "I love you, too, Inuyasha," she whispered and was answered by a deep, wordless sound of happiness. After a few moments, he pushed himself up onto his elbows; intently watching her face for signs of discomfort, he pulled out slightly and slowly pushed back in. Kagome's eyes became impossibly huge just before they closed as her head tilted back, a soft moan of pleasure escaping her lips.

The hanyou struggled to keep his eyes open as he repeated the motion until she was mewling, her fingers tangling in his hair as she tried to grip his sweat-slicked skin, her legs coming up to wrap around his hips. Rising up onto his hands, he rocked into her faster and faster, the sweet friction tensing every muscle and electrifying every nerve ending until white light exploded behind his eyes as he crashed into her one final time. Slowly collapsing onto her warm body with a deep groan, his hips pulsed rhythmically as he shuddered violently from the force of his orgasm.

After a few moments, he withdrew and rolled to the side, the sweat coating their bodies quickly drying in the heat of the afternoon. When he had caught his breath, he brought up a hand to caress her cheek, marvelling at what had just happened between them. Kagome sighed softly just before her lashes fluttered open. She looked at him with smoky, heavy-lidded eyes, then smiled so beautifully that he simply had to kiss her. It was long, slow and languorous, promising more deliciously intimate activity in the immediate future… once they'd rested a bit.

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and pulled the pliant young woman on top of him as he rolled onto his back. Kagome sighed again, laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, listening to the steady thumping beneath her ear while his hands moved up and down her back in long, lulling strokes. This is wonderful… The sounds of the summer forest were all around; the drone of winged insects, the calls of birds, the whispering of foliage and the delicately puffing breeze tickling over her bare skin. Thoroughly enjoying the feel of the hard body of the hanyou she loved beneath her, she nestled into him while his calloused hands alternately wandered up to massage the nape of her neck or slid down to splay over her bottom and pull her firmly against his groin. Running his claws through her hair, he was delighted when she practically began purring; he liked her obvious contentment so much that he continued the gentle motions until she became boneless. Grinning cockily up at the canopy of leaves, he preened over his first success as a lover.

"N'yasha?" she slurred, shifting in his loose embrace.

"Hmm?" he replied drowsily, his fingertips lazily circling on the small of her back as she lifted her head to give him a sleepy, but very cheeky smile.

"I forgive you for snooping in my backpack."

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