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InuYasha rolled his shoulders, attempting to loosen the tense and twitching muscles, but to no avail. Shifting his weight slightly, his sword balanced across his folded lap, he sighed in irritation at the insomnia that continued to plague him. It seemed that old habits died hard, he thought rather bitterly before glancing over his shoulder at Kagome's slumbering form. She was resting peacefully on her side facing him, her beautiful features calm and serene in her slumber, her skin a honeyed hue by the light of the dying fire while her chest rose and fell with her deep and even breathing. He would like nothing more than to join her, but it doesn’t appear to be in his future anytime soon, unfortunately.
It was late at night, or extremely early in the morning (depending on how you looked at it) and he still had what felt like a few hours before daylight would reach him. He huffed in impatient irritation at himself and tilted his neck to alleviate the stiffness settling in along his spine. Why couldn’t he just fall asleep, already? There was no need for him to keep vigil, yet here he was- far from rest and angry at himself and his past because of it. He looked down at his hands resting upon the Tetsusaiga's sheathe and couldn't help but scowl at how nervously they clutched at the sword's dull blade.
Oh, for fuck's sake. This was just getting pathetic. He growled in irritation and glanced out of the window and up at the dark and cloudless sky, frowning in frustration at the stars winking down at him. The hours seemed to be dragging by even slower than he ever remembered. Was the moonless night always this long in the past?
"InuYasha?"
His human eyes glanced over his shoulder at the small sound that had startled him, twisting his torso in order to face his sleepy mate who was struggling to groggily sit up while rubbing the sleep out of her chocolate brown eyes. A small and unguarded smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he softly murmured to her, "What's the matter? Can't sleep?"
Kagome's eyebrows furrowed slightly in concern a split second before covering her mouth with the back of her hand, a yawn claiming her voice as her eyes closed momentarily. She offered him a drowsy smile at last as she pushed the covers off of herself, draping a familiar red fabric around her shoulders to ward off the night chill seeping through her white robe as she shuffled over to him on her knees. Pausing to land a kiss upon his head, she placed one of her small hands upon his shoulder to steady herself as she settled down beside him.
InuYasha returned his gaze to the dim fire before him before closing his eyes briefly in contentment as Kagome rested her head against his shoulder. Nostalgia swept over him thickly at the feel of her leaning and pressing against him, warm and familiar. He couldn't keep himself from nuzzling the top of her head a little, smiling at the small sigh of pleasure that reached his ears. He loved that sound. And the smell of her hair. And the feel of her skin.
Ugh- stupid human emotions. Mushy goop was best left repressed. Weakness had no place in his life and it could pack its shit and leave at any time.
Kagome's hand had found one of his, prying his tight grip away from the worn hilt of Tetsusaiga, her fingers tangling gently with his as she nuzzled her cheek against his stiff shoulder. Her voice was soft as she spoke, "InuYasha, what’s the matter? Can't you sleep?"
He sighed a little, relaxing the smallest bit and resting his head against hers a little more before lifting their entwined hands up to his mouth in order to plant a small kiss upon her knuckles. "Just restless," he murmured against her soft skin. "Didn't mean to wake you."
She focused on the glowing embers as she nestled into him that much more tightly. His breath was warm against her skin as his lips brushed against the back of her hand. "You didn't." His absence had, but that wasn’t the issue at hand. She wasn't a moron. She knew what was wrong. The night of the new moon was always the same with him and she knew that it may never be different. Kagome drew lazy circles along his knuckles as she studied the fingers twisted tightly with her own, resting in her lap so comfortably; they were so familiar, and yet so disturbingly different. She wondered if that was how he had felt when he first saw her face and remembered Kikyo's.
InuYasha straightened up slightly, trying to will his other fingers to relax from around his sword. He felt incredibly ridiculous as he removed the weapon from his lap and placed it upon the floor next to him. He couldn't seem to get his muscles to just lighten up, having spent his entire life (up until the past few years, anyway) living in fear and apprehension of this cursed night.
He always became more uptight the closer it came to the new moon. It made him feel uneasy and filled him with juvenile jitters that were deeply ingrained into the very fiber of his being. There was no need for him to be nervous these days; no enemies to be wary of (that he knew of), no dangerous predicaments to send adrenaline coursing through his system at the fucked up state of his genetics; and yet he could never seem to cease the flutters and flurries of unease that always bubbled up to the surface whenever this night appeared. If anything, they'd reproduced and intensified. Call him overprotective, but he was painfully aware that his weak human state left him utterly helpless when it came to defending the one person that he simply could not allow to come to harm. His normally sharp senses dulled to staggering depths as the cursed night drew near and the constant what-ifs that cycled through his overactive imagination never ceased their torments.
Kagome would always pick up on his agitated state and placate him with soothing tones and promises of not straying too far from the village or doing anything reckless. She was always so tolerant of him during this time, understanding that not only was he still trying to get used to the fact that others knew about his vulnerability, but that they were ready and willing to protect him without a moment's hesitation. Relying on others wasn't exactly his strong suit, but he liked to delude himself with the idea that maybe he was getting better. Only time would tell.
Kagome yawned again and guilt began to eat away at him. She had difficulty sleeping without him (a fact that never ceased to make him deliriously and selfishly happy) and the fact that his unease was keeping her awake made him all the more irritated with himself. Fuck him and his stupid nerves. How did humans deal with this type of anxiety?
He lifted his head as he felt her stir, removing herself from his side. He half turned toward her in protest, his brow furrowed in question and a protest upon the tip of his tongue, but quieted as she settled up onto her knees behind him, her thighs pressing into his back to help her maintain her balance. Just as he was about to ask her what she was doing, her nimble fingers fluttered against him, her hands massaging the tight muscles in his shoulders.
She smiled as InuYasha groaned long and low, lips parting, his head tilting back to rest against her breasts as he closed his eyes in bliss. Brushing his ebony hair out of her way, she pressed her thumbs into the tense tissue, feeling the muscles tighten and then release under her ministrations. She took the time to study his human features as he continued to sigh and groan beneath her.
He looked utterly exhausted. It was written deeply all over his face. She knew that he had spent almost his entire life taking care of himself, and that getting used to the idea of letting others protect him would undoubtedly take a long time. Not only that, but he hated not being able to guard those around him. If there was one thing that both scared and frustrated her mate, it was his inability to keep her safe these twelve times a year. She knew that in his mind, it was twelve too many. His mind was racing and his body was taut; he was far from rest.
Only once had Kagome witnessed him actually doze off of his own free will while in his mortal form. During their long ago hunt for the Shikkon jewel shards, they had covered a lot of ground in one day with InuYasha's desire to reach an area where Naraku had last been spotted, walking well past sundown until Shippo had spoken up, whining and crying with fatigue as he insisted that they stop for the night. They were all exhausted as they'd set up camp that evening, with Miroku warning the half demon to take it easy upon the females of the group. InuYasha had scoffed, stating that they were fine- they hadn't walked that far...
That night, as Kagome came awake with a small start from a stressful dream, she'd sat up and stretched lightly, disoriented for a brief moment as she sought the snowy haired protector that she'd come to know all too well, only to find an inky black head as a replacement.
Right.
She'd been so accustomed to his half-demon appearance and so far gone in her delirious state of sleep deprivation that she'd forgotten that he'd transformed earlier in the evening. She'd blinked at the sight of InuYasha's human form slumped against a tree in deep slumber, his mortal body having succumbed to fatigue and his handsome face so unguarded and relaxed. She couldn't remember how long she'd watched him sleep, the glow from the fire casting shadows across his skin. He'd looked so unbelievably peaceful.
It all seemed so long ago. The trip down memory lane must've had her too lost in her thoughts, because the feeling of being watched was too close for comfort, and as she regained her focus upon the present, she came to the startling realization that a pair of rather unfamiliar eyes were staring up at her.
Kagome peered into the murky depths of the inky midnight orbs below her; his human eyes just as unique and beautiful as his half-demon ones. The look on his face was one of almost slight irritation at her (what had to be) unnerving staring. InuYasha continued to gaze up at her, the light of the dying fire casting shadows upon his face.
She smiled sweetly down at him in response, her hands reaching up to cup his face as she bent over to place a somewhat endearingly awkward upside down kiss upon his slight frown, fingertips lightly tracing his strong jaw. He sighed against her mouth, parting his lips as her tongue ran along his bottom lip as a silent request. Just as he could feel himself melting against her, she straightened enough to whisper breathlessly down at him, "Come to bed."
His cheeks warmed slightly at the huskiness in her voice, the thinly veiled meaning behind her words hanging heavily in the air. He turned, his eyes following her as she scooted backwards onto the soft bedding, shrugging out of his robe in the process and flashing him a sultry smile as she crooked a finger at him.
Who was he to deny her?
He followed obediently, his blood warming as he reached her feet first, placing a tender kiss upon the top of her right foot before crawling up her body. Strong arms supported his weight as he reached her face, almost touching her lips before she began to lean back, pulling him with her. InuYasha followed her dutifully down onto the blankets, sighing against her mouth at the blissful feeling of her wrapping her long legs around his waist-
He couldn't contain the startled yelp that escaped him as she pushed at his shoulders, rolling him onto his back before he had the chance to process exactly what was happening. He blinked rather stupidly at the sight of Kagome perched upon his lap above him, smirking rather triumphantly down at him at the change in their positions and the somewhat shell-shocked look upon his face.
It was priceless.
Kagome just couldn't help herself and burst into a fit of giggles. She took a few deep breathes to calm herself, but his cursing and grumbling only seemed to add fuel to the fire, making it even worse as he barked a threat at her, stating that he would leave. Getting herself under control at last, she almost began to slip under another wave of laughter at the sight of him pouting below her, his gaze off to the side as he valiantly tried to fight the blush creeping its way across his cheeks. She bit her lip as she pried his folded arms loose from his firm chest, snorting a little at the way he batted his hands at her, how he huffed at her to 'get off of him if she was just gonna make fun of him.'
Her smile softened as she cupped his cheek, her palm pressing against heated skin as she turned his face to meet hers, his disgruntled gaze reaching hers at last. His frown all but melted beneath the warm and tender quirk of her lips, his hands reaching for her almost (dare she say timidly?) hesitantly, pleading eyes reaching to the very depth of her soul as he pulled her down to him for a kiss.
He breathed her name against her lips before stealing the breath right out of her chest, his mouth a mind boggling contrast of soft and unyielding as one of his hands cupped the back of her neck, holding her captive as he continued to steal her thoughts. Each one of her senses was drowning in him; the feel of his other hand resting heavily upon her hip, the sound of his breath catching in his chest as she squirmed in his lap slightly, the floral taste of the tea they'd shared earlier as he plunged his tongue into her mouth to stroke alongside hers, the uniquely earthy scent of the forest that always clung to him permeating her lungs as she broke the kiss to catch her breath, and the sight of his chest heaving as she moved to rid him of his clothing.
InuYasha sat up on his forearms, lifting his hips slightly as she persistently tugged the fabric down his toned thighs, her hands brushing his kimono to either side of his defined hips as he sat up a bit further, resting his weight upon his hands to allow the sleeves to slide down his arms, pooling at his wrists as he helped her kick the rest of the fabric away.
A gentle push against his bare chest was the only instruction he received, allowing himself to fall back upon the bedding as his mate's fingertips trailed down the muscular expanse of his abdomen, fingers tracing the tense muscles in teasing circles, her nails finally raking against his warm skin, closing his eyes and pulling a low hiss from his throat at the sensation.
He felt exposed in so many ways as his eyes met hers at last, her unwavering gaze causing him to swallow his unease as she sat, unmoving and silent, above him.
Kagome's lips parted as she drank in the luscious sight of the love of her life sprawled out naked beneath her, the black beads of his subjugation glinting in the low light of the fire's dim glow, every inch of his tan and toned skin made bare and available to her. Nothing was left hidden from her, her gaze roving and appreciative as she sighed in anticipation, causing him to groan lightly and pulling her attention back to his face to allow herself to finally gaze into his eyes. She could see the intensely heated desperation and vulnerability swirling in the midnight shade of his piercing stare, seeming almost shy and insecure as she continued to remain still in his lap.
She reached out and cupped his cheek once more, her pulse quickening at the feeling of him leaning into her palm, his eyes closing and an almost relieved expression lighting his features as she ran her thumb along his lips. Leaning down and pressing her forehead against his, she whispered his name as she tucked his onyx hair behind his human ear. She waited until she felt his hum of response vibrate against her chest, then whispered that she loved him.
"I love you, Kagome." His whisper was thick as he attempted to swallow the unfamiliar and unbridled human emotions that were pressing against his throat. His battle-roughened hands cupped her own face as he kissed her, sitting up and bringing her with him as he angled his head enough to deepen the kiss, feeling her melt against him as she gripped his shoulders firmly. His hands traveled between them to pull at the sash holding her robes closed, tugging on the loosening fabric hastily as she lifted herself up onto her knees. He refused to unlatch his mouth from hers for even an instant as his hands delved beneath the parted fabric to settle upon her slender waist, groaning into her mouth at the delicious skin-on-skin contact that he was so desperately craving, swallowing her own gasp as she tossed her discarded clothing aside to land on top of his.
InuYasha mimicked her own actions earlier, his soft fingers tracing swirling circles along her hips as he kissed her again, trailing his lips to her jaw with feathery brushes as his touch drew lower. His fingers parted her slick folds and he fastened his mouth to hers again to swallow her gasps, actually allowing himself to feel thankful for the departure of his sharp claws for once. The moisture coating his fingers was tearing his sanity to shreds, and he had no one to blame but himself for his lack of composure as he sank a digit into her intense heat, groaning against her neck at the feel of her bucking against his palm and digging her nails into his arms. He shouldn't be adding another finger, but he allows himself the indulgence for a few minutes more, committing the wet feel of her to his memory for all eternity as she continued to grind and gasp. He's prolonging his agony and her bliss, and it's mind-numbing madness.
His lips attached themselves to her throat as he removed his fingers from her silken depths at last, catching his own breath as she whimpered at the sudden loss of him. He breathlessly whispered his apology, but it's soon forgotten as his hands grip her hips and guide her against him.
Her mouth opened in a silent cry against his parted lips as she came into contact with the hot and hard length of him, her eyebrows furrowed in pleasure at the feel of him sliding against her, his tip bumping up against her clit a form of sanity-shattering torture. She gripped his shoulders even more tightly as she bit her lip.
InuYasha leaned back a bit, his eyelids heavy and half lidded with lust as he panted, fighting to keep any semblance of control at the feel of her slick heat rubbing against the length of him. He clenched his stomach muscles to fight the pleasure threatening to overtake him at any moment, his thoughts trying to occupy his attention with other things when his gaze settled upon the scar from his fangs upon the juncture of where her throat met her shoulder. The shiny and pale new skin was almost invisible in the disappearing light of the once vibrant fire. He leaned forward again to brush his lips against his mark, his tongue circling the sensitive puncture marks with firm strokes, his pulse thundering loudly in his ears at the sound of her heady gasp.
His hands slid from her waist to her hips, one detaching itself from her skin to hold his length still to allow her to swallow him inch by inch, her muscles quivering and tightening around him as he slid into her slowly. InuYasha gasped in air greedily as she cried out, wrapping her arms around his neck as his strong arms encircled her, his hands light as his rough palms smoothed across the pale and creamy skin of her back.
They remained still in one another's arms for a few moments, connected in the most intimate of ways, the half-demon savoring the feel of her as his mate rested her chin upon his shoulder, her fingers threading through his raven tresses as she stroked the back of his head lovingly. What felt like hours (but was probably only seconds) ticked by as InuYasha allowed his irrational fears and unbridled nerves to be washed away by the tender caresses and soft kisses Kagome showered upon him. She leaned back to cup his face once more, his fingertips pressing into the soft skin of her back in an effort to keep her as close to him as possible, and InuYasha could've sworn he witnessed a startled expression as her thumbs stroked his cheeks, but any thoughts on the matter were swept away swiftly as she arched her back slightly, nudging her hips forward gently.
He moaned her name as his hands returned to her hips, his eyes closing as she captured his lips again for more kisses, allowing him to support her as she raised herself up onto her knees to enable him to sink into her again and again. She abandoned the movement in no time as his fingers pressed against the bud of nerves his mouth had tasted once before, his blood boiling at the way she began to grind and rock into him. His touch increased its pace as she cried out broken words that he was sure that he once knew, but the blood roaring in his ears was distracting him from such trivial things: all that mattered was Kagome.
He couldn't think, couldn't even form a coherent word as she ground down upon him and rocked her hips back and forth over and over, the world ceasing to exist beyond the woman writhing in his arms. His grip on her hips was the only thing anchoring him to the ground, her teeth nipping at his bottom lip before attaching themselves to his neck, her lips wrapping around the corded flesh and sucking lightly as she swirled her tongue around the slightly salty taste of him, his head tilting to the side of its own accord to allow her more access.
He felt delirious with pleasure as he moaned, her cries throaty and euphoric as she buried her face into his neck, her panting breath hot and almost oppressive against his skin, searing his nerves. Her hips began to pick up speed, the edges of his vision beginning to swim with bursts of white as he clutched her to him, his fingers continuing to caress the puckered flesh above where they were joined, her muscles spasming around him and pulling him deeper within her. His release burned through him all at once in a white-hot flash, clearing away everything and leaving no traces behind as he threw his head back and let out an unintelligible shout of ecstasy. His spine felt as if it were disappearing, almost liquefying as he gave in to his urge; falling to his back with a small grunt and a groan, he clutched Kagome to him, and with the last of his strength, rolled them both to their sides.
Kagome tried to catch her breath, sweeping her lover's damp bangs off of his forehead as his arm rested heavily in the dip of her waist. She tucked his hair behind his mortal ear once more, her fingers trailing along the shell as he huffed and sighed, trying to regain his own breath.
She leaned toward him to press a small kiss against his lips, her thumbs continuing to swipe away the moisture from his face that had slid down his flushed cheeks. It was a secret that she would carry with her to the grave, and a loving reminder of just how fiercely he loved her. Human emotions were something that InuYasha just couldn't control, and Kagome prayed that she would never take for granted the fact that it was she alone who would share these with him. She could feel his once tense muscles now lax beneath her stroking hand, petting and caressing his rapidly cooling skin.
Kagome couldn't help but smile at the heavy-lidded gaze blinking blearily and dazedly back at her. It was taking everything within him to stay awake; the release had been too much, and she fought her own tears of relief as she watched InuYasha finally close his eyes in surrender, sleep claiming him at long last. She continued to watch him for a few more minutes, only sitting up to cover them with blankets and his red robe once she was certain that he was asleep.
She giggled lightly as she realized that an earthquake probably wouldn't wake him now as she settled down beside him once more. She trailed her fingers along his jaw, her touch light as she fingered the enchanted beads draped across his chest. She knew that she should remove them, but it was her only leverage in their relationship, and she realized that they were so very much a part of him now.
She was running his glossy black strands through her fingers and admiring the way that they shone when she stilled, noticing how much lighter they looked now than they had mere seconds ago. Lifting her head enough to see the small window by the doorway, she could just make out the early rays of the approaching dawn painting the sky in pastel hues.
By the time she returned her gaze to her hand, she was startled to see that it was completely white. She settled back down amongst the rumpled bedding and watched the demon blood re-ignite in his veins, his ethereal characteristics that she was so fond of returning at last. He continued to sleep, his face relaxed and peaceful, one of his furry ears twitching while he slumbered.
She brushed his long hair over his tan shoulders, suppressing her startled cry as he snuggled into her briefly before rolling her onto her back. He situated himself between her thighs easily, using her abdomen as a pillow as his arms wound themselves around her possesively in his sleep. It was her karmic retribution for her earlier actions, she supposed.
Kagome smiled as she carded her hands through the silver tufts, scratching his furry appendages ever so lightly, her voice little more than a breathless whisper that would only reach immortal ears, "Don't worry- I'll protect you."