Inuyasha 1. 1

=Chapter One=  
  
"Look out! It's right behind you!" Kagome cried to her half-demon companion.  
  
An enormous serpentine demon dove downward to strike at Inu-yasha again. His silvery white dog-ears twitched. "Do you think I'm blind?" He took his eyes off the beast long enough to shoot Kagome a hateful glare. "Now get out of here!"  
  
"You stupid dog! What if you get hurt?"  
  
"You-just tell me where the shard is!"  
  
"The globe on the tail!" Kagome pointed to the small spherical form on the tail-end tip of the demon's long snakelike body. "Be careful..." She added quietly.  
  
"Don't tell me to be care-ah!" Inu-yasha ducked, nearly having his head wiped off his shoulders by the demon. He took a forceful swing at it with the Tetsusaiga. "Stupid worm!" He cleaved a long gash into the beast, only to have it retaliate threefold.  
  
The demon dove at Inu-yasha, needle-fangs flashing in wide-open jaws. Inu- yasha rolled sideways to dodge the strike, but was immediately clubbed in the head by the crystal-carrying orb. Inu-yasha flinched, swaying back and forth unsteadily. His vision blurred and he could only find the strength to make two more weak swings of his fang-forged sword before stumbling backwards and tripping. He fell backwards, staring upwards at what he could only assume was the demon-his vision was too shot to say with complete certainty. He felt a singeing, terrible pain in his arm. It...It bit me...  
  
"Inu-yasha!" Kagome cried. Oh no...It's going to tear him to shreds if I don't do something! Without stopping to think, she charged at the monster, waving her bow and arrow madly. "Hey! Hey, you stupid snake! Over here!" No time for hesitation...and no time for concocting any kind of a plan... She swallowed hard.  
  
"Ka...Kagome..." Weakened as he was, Inu-yasha managed to analyze the situation-and still get angry. "Kagome, you stupid girl!"  
  
When she looked over at him, her eyes didn't reflect his fury as they usually did. They held something else. Fear of the demon she'd just stupidly taken on, worry for him, and something Inu-yasha never thought he'd see: trust; trust that he was going to get her out of this if she distracted the serpent long enough. "Inu-yasha- "  
  
"Just stay there!" He pulled himself completely to his feet, only to fall back seconds later. He felt dizzy, sick, fatigued...and every other feeling that directly opposed his current situation. Damn, He thought. Venom poisoning.  
  
"Inu-yasha!" Her cry was more panicked now. An arrow zoomed by, striking the demon in it's side but missing the globe completely.  
  
"Good move, Kagome! Now it's pissed off!" He wasn't sure if she even heard his fading voice until he caught her reaction out of the corner of his golden eyes. She flinched. Physically flinched because of his words. Inu- yasha felt an inexplicable inner pain that was most certainly not caused by the venom. She took another shot at the creature before Inu-yasha even got to his feet again.  
  
This time, she shot the orb straight through.  
  
It shattered, revealing a large jewel shard, at least four melded together. "No wonder it hit me so hard." Inu-yasha muttered. "Ka...Kagome?" He looked around. Where had she gone?  
  
"It's all right, I'm here." Inu-yasha struggled to focus his vision, finally noticing that Kagome was already at his side, tending to the huge bite on his arm.  
  
After what I said to her...she's still here. She's still trying to help me. He closed his eyes. "Stupid girl." He mumbled before fading into unconsciousness. 


	2. 2

=Chapter Two=  
  
Kagome heaved a sigh. What a jerk. Here I am trying to help and all he can do is call me stupid. She gave him a light shake. "Inu-yasha, come on." She started to turn but froze suddenly. He wasn't responding. The bite...it must have been poisonous. "Inu-yasha! Inu-yasha, please say something!"  
  
His golden eyes, dulled with weakness, half-opened. "You couldn't just stay out of the way, could you? You had to jump in to it."  
  
"But I..."  
  
"I don't care." His eyes flashed angrily. "You could have gotten yourself killed."  
  
"You mean...I thought..." Kagome's head spun. He was angry because she had put herself in danger? And not him? She blushed slightly. "That's sweet of you to care about me so much."  
  
"Care about you?" He spat the words disgustedly. "I don't even like you. You just happen to be able to see the jewel shards. That's still what this is about, remember?"  
  
Kagome felt her cheeks grow hot. "Of course. I know that." She rolled her eyes, hiding her worry. He was still injured, after all-whether that dampened his bad attitude or not. "Come on. We need to get you to a healer or something. You've clearly been poisoned."  
  
"It's not that bad." Mustering all his bravado, along with what little strength he had left, Inu-yasha pulled himself to his feet and started walking ahead of Kagome. "Are you coming or not? Stupid girl."  
  
"Are you crazy? You're gonna kill yourself! Stop being such an idiot and at least let me help you walk."  
  
Inu-yasha turned back to face her-a move that sent such dizziness through him that he nearly fell over again. Kagome clearly saw this because she dashed forward to steady him with that there-will-be-no-more-arguing look. She slipped an arm around his waist and let him lean on her a little. She could just barely feel the tips of his claws as he grasped her shoulder for balance. "Fine, you can help me. But only so you'll shut up." Inu-yasha muttered.  
  
"That and so you don't fall on your stupid dog face!"  
  
"You see where my claws are, smartass? I could tear out your throat in one swipe where I stand!"  
  
"You wouldn't do that. You need me to find the jewels, remember?"  
  
"Lucky for you, you stupid girl."  
  
Kagome only grumbled something incomprehensible and kept walking. Inu-yasha stumbled slightly and Kagome shifted her weight to compensate and keep him on his feet. "Are you all right?"  
  
Caught off guard, Inu-yasha paused to search for words before simply nodding. "I...yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"No you're not." Kagome stepped in front of him, keeping a steadying arm on him. "You're really pale, Inu-yasha." Her large brown eyes studied him carefully. "I think you should rest. Sit here for a while and let me take nother look at the bite." She reached out to put a hand to his forehead. "You're burning up."  
  
"I said I'm fine..." But his wavering voice and near-collapse as he sat did nothing to reinforce this claim.  
  
"This would be so much easier if you'd cut the act, Inu-yasha." Kagome grumbled, half to herself.  
  
"What? What's that supposed to..."  
  
"I wish you'd stop acting like you don't need help." She shook her head. "You don't have to be so strong all the time. I guess it's the way you've always lived, but if someone offers you help, it wouldn't hurt to take it once in a while." For the briefest second, their eyes locked, and in that second Inu-yasha almost could have broken down and taken her advice to the fullest.  
  
Almost.  
  
"Whatever." He muttered, averting his gaze from hers.  
  
"You are so...predictable." Inu-yasha did not respond. After a few minutes of Kagome silently redressing the wound, the two spotted Sango, Miroku, and Shippou approaching on Kirara. "The others are here." Kagome said, making a final check of the bandage. "We can take you to get some better care for the poison now. The wound doesn't look too bad...at least I did what I could." She stood and helped Inu-yasha to his feet as the others landed.  
  
Before turning towards the others, Inu-yasha placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, looking her straight in the eyes. Looking more than a little embarrassed, but keeping her gaze, he flashed her a small smile. "...Thanks, Kagome." Before Kagome could respond, Inu-yasha had stumbled over to where the others landed and-with assistance from Sango and Miroku- was climbing on to Kirara next to them.  
  
Kagome blushed. If he hadn't looked so honest she would have screamed at him for being a liar.  
  
Maybe, she thought, That is kind of stupid. 


	3. 3

=Chapter Three=  
  
The entire group climbed onto Kirara to head off for the nearest village. Kagome wrapped her arms around Inu-yasha's waist. "Lean back against me."  
  
"Get your hands off me, stupid."  
  
"Inu-yasha, you're not steady. I don't want you to fall."  
  
There was silence and an exchange of glances between Sango and Miroku. Finally, Inu-yasha wriggled completely out of Kagome's grasp. Shippou quickly took his place in her arms. "Stubborn half-breed jerk." He muttered mockingly, cuddling against Kagome.  
  
"Be nice, Shippou," She chided.  
  
Inu-yasha growled but did not turn to look at her. "I didn't ask for your damn defense, stupid."  
  
"Shut up and rest, you dumb dog." He's lucky he's so sick, Kagome thought, or it would be raining sit commands. "Are we close, Sango?"  
  
She nodded. "There's a town right up a head. They say a great healer lives here."  
  
Miroku, obnoxious as ever, leaned over and laid his head on Sango's shoulder. "Are WE close, Sango dear?"  
  
"Not if I push you off into the woods to be devoured by insects."  
  
Miroku twitched slightly and backed away, somehow still grinning. "Ah, I see how it is. Playing hard to get." He poked Sango gently in the arm and in return received a significant knot on his head. If he had a comeback from it brewing in his (now injured) mind, he was smart enough to keep it to himself.  
  
Inu-yasha rolled his eyes, muttering, "Humans."  
  
Kirara landed in the village near the healer's temple. As they walked, Kagome still kept an arm around Inu-yasha and helped him alongside the others. Despite their conflict-or perhaps due to it-he seemed to be leaning on her more than before. As they approached, the healer stepped out to meet them. She looked over the ragtag band and quickly spotted Inu-yasha, analyzing visible symptoms even as she spoke. "Oh, my!" She gasped. "Bring him inside, quickly."  
  
She led them to a modest set up in the rear of the temple, with a small cot and a wide array of medical supplies. "My name is Seika, by the way." The healer added. She turned to Kagome. "What happened?"  
  
"He was bitten by a serpent demon." Kagome said, surprised to find her voice shaky and uneven with emotion. "I...I cleaned up the bite a little but I didn't know what I was doing and..."  
  
"It's not the wound that worries me, it's the venom." She studied the half- demon who now lay on the cot before her. "He's very pale, and has a high fever. You were helping him walk also, were you not?" Kagome nodded. "How weak has he been? Any dizziness?"  
  
"You know, I can speak for myself lady!" Inu-yasha snarled. "I don't need HER of all people trying to help me anymore! Last time she 'tried to help' I ended up with a serpent bite!"  
  
Kagome swallowed hard and looked away from him. Seika disregarded the outburst and went on: "I'm afraid I do not have a cure on hand, but I know where to find one. This is a rare kind of bite, with a rare kind of cure, but I'm almost certain there are some of the flowers we need out in the woods." She bit her lip, looking to Sango and Miroku. "Did you happen to see any large red and black flowers on your way here?"  
  
"I think I may have seen some, actually." Sango said. "I bet Kirara can get us there in no time."  
  
"It's already getting dark." Miroku said. "We should go as quickly as possible."  
  
"We?" Sango asked.  
  
"Well of course I'm going with you!"  
  
Sango rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let's just get moving. We have to get the cure in time to help Inu-yasha."  
  
"Kagome, take this and clean the wound. But a fresh bandage on it." Seika passed her a large bowl of water and a cloth along with a clean bandage. Kagome only nodded, still not looking up.  
  
"Shippou-stay and help out." Sango said.  
  
"Of course!" Shippou bubbled. "I'm the strongest demon here, after all."  
  
Seika nodded. "We will return as soon as we possibly can." With that, the three were off, leaving Kagome to tend to Inu-yasha.  
  
"Kagome?" Shippou said quietly, poking her on the back a few times. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." Her voice caught on a sob, forcing Inu-yasha to open his eyes and look over at her.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" He asked harshly. "What're you whimpering about?"  
  
"Nothing." She answered. She turned around, revealing her tear-stained face. "Nothing. Forget about it."  
  
"Shippou, go get some water." Inu-yasha ordered.  
  
Shippou stared at him. "But there's a big bowl right there-"  
  
"Just GO." Inu-yasha barked through clenched teeth. "Fill up, uh...that pitcher." He gestured to one that sat on the counter.  
  
"But where-"  
  
"I dunno. Go find it. Be an adventurous demon."  
  
Shippou scowled but went to fill the jug. "Half-breed jerk."  
  
"Inu-yasha!" Kagome exclaimed. "He didn't do anything to you! You didn't have to send him away!"  
  
"Geez, you're as dense as him! I want to TALK to you, stupid!" He sat up suddenly and fell back even more quickly, struck with dizziness.  
  
"Stop it. You're supposed to be resting."  
  
"Would you at least listen?"  
  
Kagome sighed. "Fine."  
  
"You-you were crying."  
  
"Thanks, I know. Now-"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why do you THINK, you big jerk? You blamed this whole thing on me!"  
  
Inu-yasha blinked several times as if trying to remember. "I did, didn't I?"  
  
"Playing stupid is not going to save you! If you weren't so weak you'd be 'sat' so many times that-"  
  
"I don't mean to say those things, Kagome." His amber eyes didn't quite meet her own. "Just like I don't mean to call you stupid. Or say I hate you. Or all the other horrible things I say to you."  
  
"Inu-yasha..." She reached out to feel his forehead. He must be getting worse, she thought. He's delusional. Before she could check his temperature, though, he caught her hand and threaded his fingers through hers.  
  
"I know what you're thinking. You think I'm saying this because I'm sick and delusional, don't you?"  
  
She stared at him. "No!" She said indignantly. "I think you're a big jerk that's trying to kiss up to me so I'll find you the rest of the jewel!"  
  
He shook his head sadly. Using his grasp on Kagome's hand for leverage, Inu- yasha pulled himself upright and, much to Kagome's shock, pulled her into a tight embrace. "You don't have to believe me." He mumbled.  
  
What the hell is he doing...? Kagome thought. And why in the world is my heart pounding so loudly? It took her almost a full minute to realize that she'd involuntarily put her arms around him and returned the hug-and this sent her into such a panic that she could only think of one thing to say.  
  
"SIT BOY!"  
  
Inu-yasha went smashing back to the cot, groaning in pain. "That...seemed...unnecessary..." He grumbled.  
  
"So did grabbing me out of nowhere! And acting all creepy!"  
  
"I was trying to BE NICE TO YOU!" He shouted, with such anger that it brought the same unwelcome and unexpected tears back to Kagome's eyes.  
  
"I...I'm..."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Inu-yasha." Her voice was just barely above a whisper as she squeezed her eyes shut against the tears.  
  
"What did you say?" All the anger had vanished from his tone as he pushed himself up to sit again.  
  
"I said I'm sorry." She repeated, a single tear escaping from her eye.  
  
"Kagome...I..." He wobbled back and forth slightly. He squinted as if trying to focus his vision, and then fell back again, unconscious.  
  
"Poor thing." Kagome whispered. She rolled up his sleeve to do what meager cleaning of the wound she could, redressing it after. Soon Shippou returned, carrying the large pitcher, which probably weighed more than him. Kagome took it from him and set it down. She took a cloth from the supplies and dampened it in the cool water.  
  
"How is he?" Shippou asked.  
  
Kagome laid the cloth on Inu-yasha's forehead, and a small smile crossed her features as she brushed a piece of silvery-white hair away from his face. "I have a feeling he's way too strong to let something like this get him down." 


	4. 4

=Chapter Four=  
  
You used to captivate me By your resonating life Now I'm bound by the life you left behind -Evanescence, 'My Immortal'  
  
When Inu-yasha began to drift back into consciousness, he felt an inexplicable sense of peace through his entire body. Was the poison numbing him, drugging him? Was it some bizarre medicine Seika had concocted? Or was it...that strange, pleasant feeling in his hand...what was that? He turned his head and opened his eyes slightly. He saw Kagome, and she was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear her, or even focus enough to really see her. But he knew she was there. She held his hand in both of hers, running one of her thumbs gently across his palm. The sensation made him crazy. He wanted to wake up and tell her to stop, or perhaps just wake up... His eyes fell completely closed again although Kagome didn't seem to notice they'd ever been open.  
  
"Inu-yasha." He heard her whisper. "I'm so sorry." He heard her breath hitch in her throat and then a sob, followed quickly by quiet crying that might as well have been screaming. Inu-yasha felt his dog-ears twitch. It always seemed so loud when she cried. He heard her speak again. "Inu- yasha...this is all my fault."  
  
No, Kagome. This isn't your fault. This is my fault. Completely. Not only is my pain of my own doing, but I take the blame for your pain now as well. Not just today, not just this week...ever since I met you. For every single time I was insensitive and dismissive and rude and downright cruel, for every insult...for every time I called you 'stupid girl', I apologize, Kagome. I know you will probably never forgive me, and hey, I can't blame you. Then again...you are a forgiving person, and I can always hope. But for now, I should be concentrating on waking up and living so I can actually say these words to you instead of hearing them ringing around in my head...such an empty sound. I probably won't ever even get up the guts to tell you. Or maybe I'll just die, 'cause I was too damn stupid to listen to you and rest, and let you help me.  
  
"Inu-yasha..." She whispered again. "You have to wake up."  
  
I want to, I swear I do.  
  
"Please."  
  
When I do, it'll be for you.  
  
"I just wish you could know." She leaned over and hugged him, sending such a jolt through his body that his eyes flew open, staring straight into Kagome's.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" He exclaimed, nearly on a reflex. He cringed inwardly. That was not the way to start things off.  
  
"I...I'm sorry." She turned away from him, ashamed of her tears, which had started flowing anew at his outburst. "I didn't know...I...I'm just sorry."  
  
Inu-yasha squeezed his eyes shut. Why did he always have to be such a jerk? "Kagome...please turn around. I'd move but...I can't." Well your big dumb mouth is moving well enough, you jackass.  
  
Surprisingly, she did turn around, and leaned down closer to him. "This is all my fault." She whispered hoarsely.  
  
"No it's not." He said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"But you said..."  
  
"What? You're listening to me now?"  
  
A minute attempt at a smile crossed her face, turning quickly indignant. "Of course not."  
  
He smiled up at her. "I guess I didn't get a chance to thank you."  
  
"...What?"  
  
"For saving me. And for trying to help me even though I'm too thickheaded to take it when I need it. And for cleaning up my arm, too."  
  
"I didn't really know what I was doing..."  
  
"It's fine. You did a good job, Kagome."  
  
She stared at him in shock. "Why are you being so nice to me all the sudden?"  
  
"Well I almost died, I owe you my life, I blamed you for my injuries, I screamed at you for nothing, I made you cry..." He closed his eyes sadly. "I'd say it's about time I tried to be on the good side of things."  
  
"Inu-yasha..." She closed her eyes against a fresh flow of tears. "I thought you were gonna die!" She cried, almost falling right into his arms. She curled up into a tiny ball next to him and laid her head on his chest, still sobbing.  
  
With his uninjured arm, Inu-yasha pulled her closer and held her while she cried. "You should know you couldn't get rid of me that easily."  
  
She forced a laugh. "I know." Her body still trembled with her sobs. "But...I'd never seen you like this before." She thought about this for a moment. "But I guess that's why you pretended to be okay, wasn't it? You didn't want me to worry about you...and freak you out trying to help...and...and...end up a pathetic little girl crying next to you." She reached up to wipe her eyes. "Stupid, isn't it?"  
  
"It's not stupid." He reached over to take her hand again, still trying to push from his mind the memory of her reaction the first time he'd done this. "But I didn't know you worried about me so much."  
  
"Of course I do." She whispered. "How could I not? After all we've been through together...I don't know about you but all that means a lot to me. You're my friend, Inu-yasha. I love you."  
  
"You..." I did not hear that second part right. It's my imagination, or the poison, or blood loss, or something else speaking to me. Has to be. "You...consider me a friend, Kagome?" I better not bring it up. She'll think I'm crazy.  
  
"Yes. I do." She squeezed his hand for a moment. "I know you probably don't feel that way about me." She forced an obviously fake laugh, hiding her sadness. "I'm just the jewel detector, after all."  
  
"I hope you don't really think that."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"I treat you that way, don't I?" He whispered, half to himself. A terrible realization seemed to cross his face. "I'm cruel to you, all the time. Not just mean, not just rude...I treat you horribly." His eyes closed, unable to look at her. "Why? Why would I do that? Why do I have to act so stupid and unkind?" Kagome startled at the wavering in his voice as he went on. "I don't have to be this way you know...I can change. I can."  
  
"I don't think you being kind to me would be a change, Inu-yasha."  
  
"What are you talking about? I treat you like an object that I keep around for one purpose alone, otherwise garbage."  
  
"No you don't. You do sometimes-but I don't think that's really what you're like. Do you think I don't notice when you stick up for me? Remember when we first found Tetsusaiga?" Inu-yasha mumbled a quiet positive. "You said you would protect me. And ever since then, you've been protecting me, whether it's from youkai or just Miroku's...enthusiasm."  
  
"That still holds true, by the way. If he touches you again I'll cut his head off." Inu-yasha sounded suddenly agitated.  
  
"See? You're doing it now. You're so protective of me! Miroku hasn't come near me since you threatened him the first time...uh, well the third or fourth anyway." She bit her lip, wondering how much she could say without offending him. "And...I remember when you almost kissed me." She suddenly flinched at the pain of her own thoughts. "Of course, when you looked at me like that...I guess you weren't really looking at me."  
  
"Maybe then I wasn't." His amber eyes swung up to lock with hers. "But right now I see you. And maybe for once...you see me." 


	5. 5

=Chapter Five=  
  
Kagome could only stare into his golden eyes for several seconds. 'He's right.' She thought to herself. 'You can tell he's sincere. Just look at him.' "...Inu-yasha, I don't know what to say."  
  
"I didn't ask you to say anything. I'm just telling you what I'm feeling right now. ...I guess I can't blame you for not being used to that." His eyes saddened. "I used to be able talk to Kikyo all the time."  
  
Kagome only nodded. "You...you really love her."  
  
"Well of course I did." Inu-yasha rolled his eyes but caught himself. "I mean...she's gone now."  
  
"I...I shouldn't have brought it up."  
  
"It's okay. I guess." He looked away from her.  
  
"I think you should rest," Kagome advised, placing a hand on his forehead. "Seika and the others will be back soon." She stopped and looked around. "Where did Shippou run off to?" She let out an exasperated sigh. "I guess I better go find him. You stay here." She seemed to consider something deeply for a moment. She started to stand but stopped. She turned around, still kneeling close next to him, and shocked Inu-yasha to no end with both her words and even more so with her next action. "I hope you feel better." She whispered, then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before she headed quickly out of the room.  
  
Inu-yasha put a hand to his cheek. She hadn't. Had she? Inu-yasha felt an overwhelming wave of emotions come over him. Although it had been a peck on the cheek too fast to time, she had kissed him. Kagome Higurashi kissed him.  
  
This was all the time he had to contemplate this bizarre turn of events before fading once more out of consciousness.  
  
~*~  
  
"Shippou? Where are you?" Kagome has her question swiftly answered when she stepped out of the door and immediately tripped over the little kitsune, falling face fist on the floor next to him. "Great choice of a resting place, Shippou."  
  
"What were you two doing?"  
  
"What? What are you talking about?"  
  
"You and Inu-yasha. You were...looking at each other all weird. And talking like you didn't want me to hear you." He scowled. "Then Inu-yasha started yelling-as usual-and you started crying, and he grabbed your hand..." He looked suddenly worried. "Did you two get in another fight? I don't like it when Inu-yasha is angry..." He swallowed hard. "If he tries to hurt you, don't forget that I'm still a demon! A full demon, too!"  
  
Kagome had to laugh. "Shippou, it's okay. I appreciate it...but...we're not fighting. Actually," She looked hesitant but continued. "I don't think we'll be fighting for a while."  
  
Shippou looked at her for a minute. "Do you love him or something?"  
  
Kagome's eyes went wide and she felt her face flush bright red. "Of course not!" She exclaimed. "That's silly, Shippou." She forced a laugh and scooped him up into her arms. "Do you want to go see Inu-yasha now?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
Kagome ruffled his hair and carried him into the adjoining room. The minute she saw him, a thousand alarms rang in her mind. He had passed out again- but this was somehow different. He was paler than before. His breathing was clearly shallower. Shippou gasped and dove out of Kagome's arms, which was just as well since she probably would have dropped him anyway as she raced to Inu-yasha's side. She grabbed his limp hand, feeling her fear realized. He was so cold...deathly cold. But he wasn't dead. He...couldn't be.  
  
Kagome made a quick check of his pulse and leaned close to check his breathing. 'Just barely', she thought. She swallowed hard. 'We don't have much time'. With the thought, she felt tears spring to her eyes. What if the others were too late? She closed her eyes. She couldn't break down now, not with Shippou watching with fear, and not when Inu-yasha needed her most.  
  
"Ka...Kagome...what's wrong with Inu-yasha?"  
  
"I just don't know, Shippou." Kagome whispered miserably. "I don't know." She took Inu-yasha's hand again, now more for her own comfort than to keep any kind of check on Inu-yasha. Whether it was reflexive or by some stray bit of consciousness, his hand closed over hers and a shiver ran through her body. "Shippou...go take a look outside. See if the others are on their way."  
  
"Aren't you coming?"  
  
"I can't leave him, Shippou."  
  
Shippou sighed. "I'll look." He dashed out of the room again, leaving Kagome to deal with Inu-yasha and her own resulting emotions.  
  
"Inu-yasha," She whispered again. "Please hold on."  
  
Now Kagome knew he must have been fighting to awaken, because even as the words left her lips she could feel his grip on her hand tightening. He expression twisted in agony. His lips parted slightly and he tried to force himself to speak but couldn't.  
  
"Inu-yasha...stop." Kagome pleaded. "You're going to hurt yourself."  
  
"No..." He managed weakly. "If it...gets me now...I won't make it back."  
  
Kagome's blood ran cold. "Inu-yasha...Seika will have the cure soon...please stay with me."  
  
His eyes opened just enough to look up at her. His eyes had darkened to a dull bronze color, the whites tinted sickly gray. "Why did you do that before?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You...you kissed me."  
  
Kagome blushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think about it."  
  
"Yes you did. I could tell." He blinked slowly. "Didn't you?"  
  
"I guess I...I wanted to." She bit her lip. "I guess it was a bit out of line, wasn't it?"  
  
"No." He said simply. His eyes widened for a moment, sharply as if in painful shock. They then drifted shut again and his grip on Kagome's hand loosened and went lifeless.  
  
"Inu-yasha? Inu-yasha?!" Her voice was rising with panic. "Inu-yasha, please say something!"  
  
Shippou burst back into the room. "They're back! They're here! Seika has the cure!"  
  
Seika stormed in quickly after. "I'm sorry it took so long." She noted Kagome's tear-stained face even before Inu-yasha's horrible condition. "We...we are not too late, are we?"  
  
Kagome swallowed. "You...you just..." she squeezed her eyes shut. "If you'd been here just a few moments sooner..." She could not hold back her tears any longer, burying herself in Inu-yasha's chest and sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
Shippou gasped, looking back and Sango and Miroku. "Is he...?"  
  
"I don't know, Shippou." Sango answered. Miroku put an arm around her, much more comforting than his usual perverse grabs at her.  
  
"Why doesn't anybody know what's going on?" Shippou exclaimed.  
  
Miroku gasped suddenly. "Look!" He said, pointing.  
  
Inu-yasha's hand had stirred slightly. He only had the energy to reach over a few inches, but it was enough to rest on Kagome's outstretched arm. "Please..." he pleaded weakly. "Please stop crying."  
  
Kagome sat up, frantically wiping tears away from her eyes. "You're...alive?!"  
  
He frowned. "I have a lot of jewel shards left to get." He croaked. He closed his hands gently around Kagome's wrist. "And...people to protect."  
  
Kagome, too surprised for much of a reaction anyway, moved aside to allow Seika room to inject an antidote into the scarred flesh around the bite left by the youkai. "You'll be weak for a few days, Inu-yasha, but you should be just fine now."  
  
Kagome threw her arms around him again. "I knew it."  
  
Sango and Miroku exchanged glances. Shippou stared at all of them, confused as ever. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?!"  
  
"Nothing for you to be gawking at," Miroku assured him. Sango narrowed her eyes at him. In his mind, Miroku seemed to be reliving his first smack on the head and thought better of his comment. "Maybe we should all leave for a few minutes."  
  
"I think that would be appropriate." Sango said with a smile. "But I wasn't going to hit you, Miroku." Miroku blushed and they walked out of the room, trailed by Seika and Shippou.  
  
Inu-yasha stared at them as they left. How did they know? How would they-a bunch of clueless humans (except for Shippou, who still qualified as clueless as far as Inu-yasha was concerned) know that he wanted to be alone with her?  
  
Was he THAT obvious?  
  
The thought suddenly struck him that Kagome was still lying half on top of him. "Uh, Ka-Kagome?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I want to thank you again. You really did save me."  
  
"I got you into this mess." She said, the smile leaving her face.  
  
"You did not."  
  
"Well Seika and Sango and Miroku were the ones that went for the antidote. I stayed here."  
  
"You stayed here." He repeated back to her. "You wouldn't leave me. If you hadn't been here, I would have died, Kagome." He pulled himself to sit up, and this time did not fall back nor waver at all. He still cradled Kagome in his arms as he spoke. "That venom-I know what it is. I've seen it do its damage before. It's commonly known as the Black Curtain, because the first thing to go is sight, and then you get trapped in your mind, in a useless shell of a body. You can't feel anything or see anything; you can't move. But it's agonizing...because you are still fully conscious, and you can still hear clearly. Once you fall in, your breathing slows so much that those around you presume you're dead. And for all purposes, you are dead." He looked her straight in the eyes. "Unless you still have something trying to pull you back."  
  
"You mean you lived because..."  
  
"You were holding my hand, Kagome. It was the only thing I could feel, so I knew I wasn't dead. I could fight back against it because you were with me." His squeezed his eyes shut. "You wouldn't let it kill me."  
  
Kagome studied his expression. 'Was he...no.' Kagome decided. 'He couldn't be...crying?' "Did you think I would let you die?"  
  
"I knew you were too good of a person to stand by and do nothing, Kagome, but at the back of my mind, there was that voice telling me I SHOULD have died, that you SHOULD have watched and laughed while I gasped for my last breath, after all I've put you through." He swallowed hard. "But you didn't."  
  
'He cannot be crying!' Kagome thought in wonder. No tears had escaped his golden eyes, but it looked as if they were just barely being held back. "Inu-yasha..." She whispered softly. "Are you...are you crying?"  
  
"No!" He snapped indignantly. "Demons don't cry."  
  
"You cried when Kikyo died, didn't you?" Silence. "Didn't you?"  
  
"That was...different."  
  
"Because you loved her." Kagome said quietly. "Right?"  
  
Inu-yasha looked down at Kagome's soft brown eyes looking back at him. 'She looks so stunning, even when she's been crying,' he thought to himself. But for the first time, he truly understood her beauty: she was not attractive to him because she looked like Kikyo. She was beautiful because she was Kagome...and he'd fallen in love with her. "Yes." He said. "That's right." It was half-right, anyway. He had cried when Kikyo died. He just didn't mention that he was crying now...and that being in love was the reason behind both.  
  
"You were lucky to have that, you know, even though it ended...so...tragically." She averted her gaze from him. "At least you can say you were in love with someone that loved you back." She bit her lip.  
  
"What? And you haven't?" He asked, rolling his eyes. Stupid girl-she probably got attacked by every male in her era when she went home. Why not?  
  
"Well...no." She looked down. "Actually, I've only ever loved one person, but..." She shook her head. "It doesn't really matter."  
  
"I didn't know...I'm sorry Kagome."  
  
"It's nothing, really." She laughed. "It's silly to think that he'd ever like me anyway."  
  
"What is he, stupid?" Inu-yasha barked. "I mean, he's gotta be pretty dumb to not be happy that someone like you loves him. Maybe he's just one of those stupid human males that can't even tell when..." He stopped, noting the look of more than a little amusement being directed at him by Kagome. "...when somebody..." She leaned closer to him. "...when somebody loves him." Their lips came together slowly, almost before either realized it fully. After a few seconds, they pulled apart again, each staring at the other with shock.  
  
"Inu...Inu-yasha?"  
  
He blinked several times before managing to put together any kind of coherent thought. "I...I guess I'm pretty stupid sometimes." 


End file.

Inuyasha, Romance