A/N: Here's the conclusion to my little fic, hope y'all like it ^_^
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CHAPTER 3 - The Truth
Inu-Yasha didn't know what had made him stop at the field of bright yellow flowers, but the thought of surprising Kagome with a few was enough to spur his feet forward. It had been five days since the girl had fallen and forgotten everything, and though her ankle was doing better, the same could not be said for her still clouded memory. She still thought she and the hanyou had been in love before her accident and Inu-Yasha's conscience was weighing him down heavily.
"I have to tell her the truth," he whispered aloud. "She needs to know that she was never in love with me," he closed his eyes, fighting back the pain of those words. He wished that she were, more than anything, he wanted his life to be like the last few days had been with her. It was as if the prayers he never knew he uttered had been answered.
Inu-Yasha approached a cluster of flowers hesitantly, looking around to make sure he was alone. He bent to pluck a few and straightened quickly, holding them close to his chest. The frail petals were a bright, vibrant yellow and Inu-Yasha smiled down at them.
"Kagome will like you," he said pleased with himself, and didn't notice the shape step out from the woods.
"She'll like what Inu-Yasha?" Miroku grinned and quickly walked over, peering into the hanyou's cupped hands. His eyes shone with delight at the flowers and his smile grew. "I knew this plan of mine would work but I must say, the results are more than I could have hoped for. The mighty Inu-Yasha, picking buttercups." The monk chuckled to himself and Inu-Yasha scowled.
"Didn't I teach you a lesson the other day?"
Miroku shrugged. "I can live through a few bruises."
"Well, how about this time I break something?" Inu-Yasha growled.
"You take things too seriously," Miroku waved his hand dismissively and smiled again. "Do you think I'm going to rush to the nearest village and start telling everyone that you've been collecting flowers? Am I really that kind of man?"
"Yes."
"Well, maybe I am but--"
"But nothing monk. What I do with my time is none of your business and if I have to beat you into silence, I will." Inu-Yasha took a menacing step forward and Miroku's smile faded.
"What if I just tell Sango and Shippo?"
"You're a dead man!" Inu-Yasha lunged for the monk, crushing the flowers as he balled his hands into fists.
"Be reasonable! You can't blame someone for wanting to share!" Miroku turned around and ran into the trees, an angry Inu-Yasha right behind him.
* * * * * * *
Kagome could hear the hanyou before she saw him. The forest echoed with snarled curses and the girl couldn't help but laugh as the colorful language reached the line of trees and burst out into the open. Inu-Yasha stood with heaving shoulders looking cheated and Miroku gave a jaunty smile at his side.
"What's wrong Inu-Yasha? Getting slow?" The monk stuck out his tongue and took off again, winking back at the winded hanyou.
Inu-Yasha growled in frustration and was just about to follow when he saw Kagome, laughing.
"What's so funny?!" he muttered, forgetting the monk instantly and making his way towards her.
"You," she gave him an amused smile and grabbed at his robes, pulling him closer. "You're absolutely adorable."
Inu-Yasha frowned. "That's not exactly what I'm going for."
"Well you are anyway, and I love it." Kagome's smile grew and her arms went up behind his neck. "Now kiss me."
Inu-Yasha felt the familiar heat spread across his checks until his whole face burned with a crimson blush and he coughed into his hand, remembering too late the flowers still clutched in his palm. The ruined buttercups fell from between his fingers and Kagome spotted the ripped yellow petals as they tumbled down the front of his chest.
"What're these?" She asked, saving a few and bringing them up to her face.
"Uh...." Inu-Yasha's cheeks burned even more and he felt like hitting himself.
"Nothing...."
"These were flowers!" She looked up at him and the hanyou tried not to meet her gaze. "Weren't they?"
"N-No," he lied weakly.
Kagome raised an eyebrow and gave Inu-Yasha a pointed look. "Really?"
"Well.... they were for you," he mumbled, feeling foolish. "But I wrecked them....."
Kagome shook her head and smiled. "No, they're perfect. Anything you give me is perfect." She bent her head bashfully.
"Kagome I...." Inu-Yasha gazed down at her and knew now was the time, he couldn't hold it back anymore. Just looking at her smile made him feel guilty. "I have something I need to tell you."
Kagome opened her mouth to speak but Inu-Yasha gently put his finger to her lips.
"Wait, I have to just say it."
Taking a deep breath, the hanyou steeled all his courage. It was now or never.
"Kagome.... you.... you've never been in love with me." Inu-Yasha flinched at the words and closed his eyes.
Kagome smiled with amusement. "That's not--"
"No," Inu-Yasha shook his head. "It *is* true, and you deserve to hear it. The past few days have been a complete lie. Before you hit your head we argued and yelled at each other all the time and we never slept in the same tree, or kissed, or anything. You barely even liked me. Miroku made all this up so we could get your memory back and I went along with it because...." Inu-Yasha gulped. "Because I wanted it to be true. With my whole being, I wish you loved me, like.... like I love you...."
"But Inu-Yasha, I do--"
"No!" The hanyou opened his eyes and Kagome could see they were shining from restrained tears. "I have lied to you this entire time. I have been selfish and--"
Kagome's hand clamped over his mouth and she looked up at him in anger.
"I don't know where all this is coming from, but I will not let you guilt yourself. I AM in love with you."
Inu-Yasha withdrew her hand from his face and gave her a sad look.
"No, you're not. You're in love with the man I've been for the past five days, but I'm never really like this. Usually, I'm mean and violent and--"
"And foolish and loud and stubborn and rude and stand-offish and tactless and you *always* take me for granted and I know," she finished simply and Inu-Yasha's mouth fell open.
"What?"
"I remember everything, I have since the first night."
"WHAT?!?!"
"Miroku jogged me from my short term amnesia while we were talking by the tree. You know when he was supposed to have told me that I loved you and that we'd been together? Well, he was really coming up with a plan to get you to admit that you loved me. And I went along with it because.... I wanted it to be true too."
Kagome looked down self-consciously and Inu-Yasha's eyes grew wide.
"You mean, you've had your memory.... this WHOLE TIME?!"
The girl nodded meekly.
"So all those times we kissed, and you knew?"
"Yes."
"And every night when you slept with me in the tree?"
"Uh-huh."
"And when you let me put my arms around you?"
"Yep."
Inu-Yasha stood flabbergasted. "Why'd you let me?"
"Because," Kagome put her arms around his neck and pulled the hanyou's head down to her level. "I love you, you big moron."
Inu-Yasha felt the beginnings of a smile and leaned closer.
"Really?"
"Yeah, really." She looked up at him warmly and grinned
"I-I love you too, Kagome. I've always loved you." Inu-Yasha tucked some hair behind the girl's ear and bent to kiss her. As they both closed their eyes a loud crashing came from the forest and Miroku stumbled into view, pumping his arms and jumping up into the air.
"YES! I KNEW HE'D SAY IT! I KNEW IT!" The monk laughed at the pair in front of him and clapped with glee.
Inu-Yasha and Kagome both looked at each other, and then at the monk.
"I can't believe it, that's twice he's ruined you kissing me." Kagome rolled her eyes. "And after you worked up so much courage."
"Permission to attack your cohort?" Inu-Yasha pushed up the sleeves of his robe and she nodded.
"In this case, I whole-heartedly allow it."
"Prepare to meet your maker monk!" Inu-Yasha cried and raced after the corrupted priest, who laughed maniacally as he ran back into the forest.
Kagome smiled as the hanyou reached the line of trees and before darting away, turned back to look at her with his feelings open for the first time on his face.
"Thanks Miroku," she whispered.
*** THE END ***
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CHAPTER 3 - The Truth
Inu-Yasha didn't know what had made him stop at the field of bright yellow flowers, but the thought of surprising Kagome with a few was enough to spur his feet forward. It had been five days since the girl had fallen and forgotten everything, and though her ankle was doing better, the same could not be said for her still clouded memory. She still thought she and the hanyou had been in love before her accident and Inu-Yasha's conscience was weighing him down heavily.
"I have to tell her the truth," he whispered aloud. "She needs to know that she was never in love with me," he closed his eyes, fighting back the pain of those words. He wished that she were, more than anything, he wanted his life to be like the last few days had been with her. It was as if the prayers he never knew he uttered had been answered.
Inu-Yasha approached a cluster of flowers hesitantly, looking around to make sure he was alone. He bent to pluck a few and straightened quickly, holding them close to his chest. The frail petals were a bright, vibrant yellow and Inu-Yasha smiled down at them.
"Kagome will like you," he said pleased with himself, and didn't notice the shape step out from the woods.
"She'll like what Inu-Yasha?" Miroku grinned and quickly walked over, peering into the hanyou's cupped hands. His eyes shone with delight at the flowers and his smile grew. "I knew this plan of mine would work but I must say, the results are more than I could have hoped for. The mighty Inu-Yasha, picking buttercups." The monk chuckled to himself and Inu-Yasha scowled.
"Didn't I teach you a lesson the other day?"
Miroku shrugged. "I can live through a few bruises."
"Well, how about this time I break something?" Inu-Yasha growled.
"You take things too seriously," Miroku waved his hand dismissively and smiled again. "Do you think I'm going to rush to the nearest village and start telling everyone that you've been collecting flowers? Am I really that kind of man?"
"Yes."
"Well, maybe I am but--"
"But nothing monk. What I do with my time is none of your business and if I have to beat you into silence, I will." Inu-Yasha took a menacing step forward and Miroku's smile faded.
"What if I just tell Sango and Shippo?"
"You're a dead man!" Inu-Yasha lunged for the monk, crushing the flowers as he balled his hands into fists.
"Be reasonable! You can't blame someone for wanting to share!" Miroku turned around and ran into the trees, an angry Inu-Yasha right behind him.
* * * * * * *
Kagome could hear the hanyou before she saw him. The forest echoed with snarled curses and the girl couldn't help but laugh as the colorful language reached the line of trees and burst out into the open. Inu-Yasha stood with heaving shoulders looking cheated and Miroku gave a jaunty smile at his side.
"What's wrong Inu-Yasha? Getting slow?" The monk stuck out his tongue and took off again, winking back at the winded hanyou.
Inu-Yasha growled in frustration and was just about to follow when he saw Kagome, laughing.
"What's so funny?!" he muttered, forgetting the monk instantly and making his way towards her.
"You," she gave him an amused smile and grabbed at his robes, pulling him closer. "You're absolutely adorable."
Inu-Yasha frowned. "That's not exactly what I'm going for."
"Well you are anyway, and I love it." Kagome's smile grew and her arms went up behind his neck. "Now kiss me."
Inu-Yasha felt the familiar heat spread across his checks until his whole face burned with a crimson blush and he coughed into his hand, remembering too late the flowers still clutched in his palm. The ruined buttercups fell from between his fingers and Kagome spotted the ripped yellow petals as they tumbled down the front of his chest.
"What're these?" She asked, saving a few and bringing them up to her face.
"Uh...." Inu-Yasha's cheeks burned even more and he felt like hitting himself.
"Nothing...."
"These were flowers!" She looked up at him and the hanyou tried not to meet her gaze. "Weren't they?"
"N-No," he lied weakly.
Kagome raised an eyebrow and gave Inu-Yasha a pointed look. "Really?"
"Well.... they were for you," he mumbled, feeling foolish. "But I wrecked them....."
Kagome shook her head and smiled. "No, they're perfect. Anything you give me is perfect." She bent her head bashfully.
"Kagome I...." Inu-Yasha gazed down at her and knew now was the time, he couldn't hold it back anymore. Just looking at her smile made him feel guilty. "I have something I need to tell you."
Kagome opened her mouth to speak but Inu-Yasha gently put his finger to her lips.
"Wait, I have to just say it."
Taking a deep breath, the hanyou steeled all his courage. It was now or never.
"Kagome.... you.... you've never been in love with me." Inu-Yasha flinched at the words and closed his eyes.
Kagome smiled with amusement. "That's not--"
"No," Inu-Yasha shook his head. "It *is* true, and you deserve to hear it. The past few days have been a complete lie. Before you hit your head we argued and yelled at each other all the time and we never slept in the same tree, or kissed, or anything. You barely even liked me. Miroku made all this up so we could get your memory back and I went along with it because...." Inu-Yasha gulped. "Because I wanted it to be true. With my whole being, I wish you loved me, like.... like I love you...."
"But Inu-Yasha, I do--"
"No!" The hanyou opened his eyes and Kagome could see they were shining from restrained tears. "I have lied to you this entire time. I have been selfish and--"
Kagome's hand clamped over his mouth and she looked up at him in anger.
"I don't know where all this is coming from, but I will not let you guilt yourself. I AM in love with you."
Inu-Yasha withdrew her hand from his face and gave her a sad look.
"No, you're not. You're in love with the man I've been for the past five days, but I'm never really like this. Usually, I'm mean and violent and--"
"And foolish and loud and stubborn and rude and stand-offish and tactless and you *always* take me for granted and I know," she finished simply and Inu-Yasha's mouth fell open.
"What?"
"I remember everything, I have since the first night."
"WHAT?!?!"
"Miroku jogged me from my short term amnesia while we were talking by the tree. You know when he was supposed to have told me that I loved you and that we'd been together? Well, he was really coming up with a plan to get you to admit that you loved me. And I went along with it because.... I wanted it to be true too."
Kagome looked down self-consciously and Inu-Yasha's eyes grew wide.
"You mean, you've had your memory.... this WHOLE TIME?!"
The girl nodded meekly.
"So all those times we kissed, and you knew?"
"Yes."
"And every night when you slept with me in the tree?"
"Uh-huh."
"And when you let me put my arms around you?"
"Yep."
Inu-Yasha stood flabbergasted. "Why'd you let me?"
"Because," Kagome put her arms around his neck and pulled the hanyou's head down to her level. "I love you, you big moron."
Inu-Yasha felt the beginnings of a smile and leaned closer.
"Really?"
"Yeah, really." She looked up at him warmly and grinned
"I-I love you too, Kagome. I've always loved you." Inu-Yasha tucked some hair behind the girl's ear and bent to kiss her. As they both closed their eyes a loud crashing came from the forest and Miroku stumbled into view, pumping his arms and jumping up into the air.
"YES! I KNEW HE'D SAY IT! I KNEW IT!" The monk laughed at the pair in front of him and clapped with glee.
Inu-Yasha and Kagome both looked at each other, and then at the monk.
"I can't believe it, that's twice he's ruined you kissing me." Kagome rolled her eyes. "And after you worked up so much courage."
"Permission to attack your cohort?" Inu-Yasha pushed up the sleeves of his robe and she nodded.
"In this case, I whole-heartedly allow it."
"Prepare to meet your maker monk!" Inu-Yasha cried and raced after the corrupted priest, who laughed maniacally as he ran back into the forest.
Kagome smiled as the hanyou reached the line of trees and before darting away, turned back to look at her with his feelings open for the first time on his face.
"Thanks Miroku," she whispered.
*** THE END ***