To say he was shocked would have been a gross understatement.

If Inuyasha had expected anything when Kagome's hand latched onto his haori, it was NOT this. The soft pucker was an echo of the kiss they'd shared ten years ago. Gentle, innocent, pure. He'd expected yelling, he'd expected hatred and anger and insults.

What he was receiving was anything but.

Slowly, Inuyasha's hands found Kagome's shoulders and he sighed softly against her mouth, ten years of frustration and anger draining out of him in an instant. Weeks of fear and walking on eggshells so that Kagome wouldn't know the truth. It was like the soft kiss was purifying his heart completely. It was something he'd thought about ever since they'd met. This feeling that he didn't know how to express, that made him feel like a teenager once again. Like when they'd made the promise.

She was pulling back, and there were still tears on her face. Her lips, however were turned up into a slight smile. Her hands relaxed their grip and she sniffled a bit, backing away a bit, looking incredibly shy. She gasped softly in surprise when Inuyasha moved quickly towards her and she felt the rasp of his tongue against her cheeks, following the trail her tears had taken. A soft blush colored her cheeks and she watched his eyes open slowly, an unnameable look on his face.

"Kagome..." He whispered. Their breaths mingled between them and he tried to find the words to ask her why she had done that. His lips tingled from the contact with hers, and he unconsciously licked his lips, tasting her on them. A faint blush painted his cheeks when Kagome smiled at his action. Suddenly, he didn't want to know why. He just wanted to do it again.

Kagome looked down shyly under the intensity of his gaze. "I'd better not hear something so stupid come out of your pig-head ever again." She whispered, glancing up at his face. "You're not tainted. You're perfect just the way you are." She yelped softly when he suddenly crushed her to his chest. One of his hands was threaded through her hair, resting against her scalp, holding her head against his chest. The other rested lightly at the small of her back.

Desperately, he clung to her, burying his nose into her hair. The warm, welcome tingle from the scar on the palm of his hand throbbed slightly and he closed his eyes. "You're going to drive me insane." He whispered softly, laughter in his voice. "How could there be someone like you in this world?" He nosed his way down to her ear, nuzzling her jaw lightly. "What did I ever do to deserve...?" Suddenly, a warm hand caressed his ear and lightning shot down his spine, wrenching a sharp gasp from him.

"People aren't born pure or wicked." She whispered, unaware that she'd clasped the soft appendage and was turning the hanyou to putty in her arms. "The choices they make and how they act make them so. Your heart is pure, Inuyasha. You're untainted. Because you were loved, because you loved." She felt the rumbling growl in his chest and glanced up at his face.

He stared down into her trusting face and bent down, capturing her lips with his own. He heard her soft gasp and took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth, tasting her fully. A moan rumbled out of his throat and he pulled her tighter to his chest, feeling one of her hands still gently caressing his ear. Her other rested lightly on his chest and he could feel her flexing it, relaxing it. His pure little miko felt like a ball of pure fire, and he wanted nothing more than to let her burn him.

Kagome let him kiss her for long, drugging minutes, a willing participant in the scalding kiss. This was not like their first kiss. This was fierce, passionate, an echo of the feelings of the man holding her. His tongue caressed hers, traced her teeth. Finally, she decided, enough was enough. She fisted her hands in his hair and moved fluidly to her knees, raising slightly above him, becoming the dominant one in the kiss.

Inuyasha was floored by the motion, but he found as her tongue chased his back into his mouth, he didn't mind one little bit. He rested his hands lightly on her hips, shuddering slightly when he felt her tongue caress a fang and the faint tang of her blood filled his mouth. He flexed his hands slightly, and lightly caressed the cut on her tongue, sucking it lightly. He felt his control starting to slip and he ripped his lips from hers, burying his face into her shoulder.

It took both of them several minutes to regain their breath, so they simply spent the time clinging desperately to each other, breath fanning across the other's neck, Inuyasha's arms tight around her waist, Kagome's around his neck, one still tenderly stroking one of his ears.

When his breath finally returned to him. "Dammit, woman, I warned you about my ears..." He whispered, fiercely. He didn't release her, in fact, he was fighting the urge to leave a love bite on her shoulder. He heard her hum in agreement and pulled back a bit to look up at her.

Kagome looked down at him with a dazed expression. They stayed like that for a long time, neither of them really moving or saying anything. Her face was flushed, her eyes glazed, her lips slightly bruised from the pressure he'd placed on them.

Guilt pricked him a bit and he lifted a hand and tenderly caressed the swollen lower lip with a thumb. He was shocked when her eyes fell closed and a breath sighed out of her. He was even more shocked when she gently bit down on the finger, sinking her teeth lovingly into his skin. "Kagome?"

Then, it was like all of her strength left her and she flopped down onto his lap, falling against his chest.

Worry ran through him and he caught her arms, examining her closely. "Oi! Oi, are you okay?" He asked, his breath catching when she looked up at him and gave him a slightly wicked, tired smirk. It caused all the blood to drain from his head.

Was she okay? The little idiot. She stretched her arms over her head, noting how tense he got at the innocent brushing of her chest against his. "If I'd known that playing with your ears would make you kiss me like that..." she began, looking up at him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I would have done it a lot sooner."

His eyes snapped wide at the candid comment and he sniffed her discretely. His eyes widened further. "Kagome!" The idea of kissing her like that more often was distinctly pleasing, but what if someone else found out. When priestesses had affairs like this with demons, they were usually stripped of their powers. Or that was the rumor. Yet, he could still smell the scent of magic heavily around her.

"Hmm?" She looked towards the bowls and frowned slightly. "Shoot. I forgot those..." She looked at him shyly and lightly kissed his lips again, then crawled back towards them, finishing the washing.

Inuyasha stared at her, stunned. She had kissed him again. That meant neither time was her trying to make him feel better, so did that mean...

He moved up behind her as she did the dishes and gently wrapped his arms around her from behind. Pleasure filled him when she paused and leaned into the embrace before she resumed. He rested his head on her shoulder and breathed in her scent deeply. When the bowls were clean and stacked neatly beside her, he moved around her, looking deeply into her eyes. A million questions ran through his brain, all begging to be asked, but he couldn't spit them out.

Kagome looked up into his eyes, her own smiling. She leaned up, about to kiss him lightly once again, when suddenly a voice spoke up.

"Dinner's ready-oh, sorry Inuyasha!"

The pair jerked apart quickly at the sound of Miroku's voice, both blushing furiously. The pervert was eying them with a broad grin. "Looks like you two are getting on better, eh?" He teased as Kagome quickly gathered the bowls and stood.

Kagome almost ran back to camp, but she hesitated, seeing Inuyasha still sitting there, a slightly lost look in his eyes. She felt a slight smile turn up her lips and she extended her hand to him. "Ikuzo, Inuyasha." She said.

He looked up at her, seeing her hand offered to him and he felt warmth spread rapidly through his chest. He slipped his hand into hers, and stood beside her.

They walked back to camp together, hands wrapped around each others.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Lady Kikyou! Lady Kaede! They return!"

The priestesses looked up from the herbs they were gathering and one of the pair smiled. The other one frowned deeply. Why would the hanyou return if he failed?

Which could only mean that he succeeded in bringing the dead girl back to life.

Kaede moved as quickly as her old bones would let her, surprised at the turnout. It seemed more than half the village had arrived and more were arriving every moment. In the distance, she could see four distinct forms walking towards the village. Her smile broadened.

Inuyasha looked towards his companions. "I would appreciate it if you didn't gab to everyone you come across what's happened over the past week." He said evenly. He heard several murmurs of agreement and glanced towards Kagome. The pair hadn't had a chance to speak alone since that night almost four days ago, and he knew that tonight wasn't looking good either. Her hand squeezed his gently and he looked towards the crowd of onlookers. He squeezed back, then extracted his hand from her grasp.

Better that the villagers didn't see.

Kagome looked at him in confusion, a small frown turning down her lips. "Inuyasha...?"

"We'll talk about it later." He said softly. There wasn't time now. Sango and Miroku were right there, and when they reached the crowd, they'd envelope Kagome into their bosom and he'd be left on the outside, looking in. He didn't mind too much. It was something he'd have to accept if he wanted to be with Kagome.

Upon reaching the edge of the village, Kaede moved towards them and embraced Kagome gently. "Welcome back, child..." Kaede said softly.

Kagome returned the embrace. "It was thanks to Inuyasha." She said softly as they parted. "Inuyasha is the reason I am alive again."

Kaede looked towards the hanyou and saw he was looking away, a tinge of pink on his cheeks. The red string around that joined their fingers had become stronger. "Indeed, it would appear so. Did the jewels power return to you?"

Her face saddened. "No, Kaede-sama. It has returned to the jewel. I sense it is not yet tainted, though." She saw the older woman staring at Inuyasha.

"No, I imagine it wouldn't be..." She said, smiling a bit. She turned towards the villagers. "There will be time for your blessing and questions later. For now, get a hut prepared for them. They have all earned their rest." Her gaze focused on the hanyou, who was heading towards the edge of the forest. "You as well, Inuyasha."

He paused, looking towards the villagers, seeing their discomfort. Then his gaze moved towards Kagome, who was looking at him expectantly. Could he really say no to her? "Keh..." He huffed, following behind the girl as their small band was led to a good sized hut. Once inside, he found a quiet corner and sat himself in it, rigid and uncomfortable in the human dwelling. Though he'd spent most of his life in human dwellings, that didn't make them particularly comfortable.

His eyes went to the small venting window and he was unsurprised to hear the sounds of whispers outside.

"Is that creature in there with Kagome-sama?" One whispered.

"Shhh! It might hear you..."

He wasn't even aware he was growling until Miroku looked at him and arched an eyebrow. That was when he realized that everyone in the hut was looking at him with something akin concern. "Keh, I'm going to sleep in the forest..." He grumbled, standing.

"If you're going that way, would you mind walking me to the well?" Kagome asked softly, digging through her bag. "I would like to see my mother." She looked up and saw he'd frozen in the doorway. "And we are low on supplies."

He glanced back at her and took a steadying breath. "Fine." He agreed.

He tried to ignore the slight grins on Miroku and Sango's faces. Of course they would have noticed the change in emotional friction between the pair. They were their best friends. People they had known for years.

When Kagome stood, he took the bag from her and they walked from the hut, heading for the tree line. They were 'greeted' by Kikyou, standing there with a hateful look on her face. "Do the village a favor, keep your pet in the forest." She snapped, glaring at the hanyou and then at the girl beside him.

Kagome felt Inuyasha tense and looked at the older Miko. "Inuyasha isn't a pet." She said softly, and rested a soothing hand on his arm. "He is a friend, and he is as worthy of the hospitality my friend and I have received as Miroku is. He saved my life. He is my protector, and he is not going to be cast aside by me. If you would have him stay in the forest, I suppose I shall stay there as well." Then, she swept past the woman, her gentle hand leading Inuyasha into the forest as well.

He lowered his head, his fangs deeply biting into his lip. "You don't have to defend me from that bitch..." He bit out, his face angry. "I'm not a child anymore, Kagome."

A wry smile turned up the corners of her lips. "Believe me, Inuyasha, I do not liken you to a child." She said, looking up at him and slipping her hand in his. "As I'm sure you remember, we did not kiss as we did the other day when we were children." She blushed faintly at the memory.

He blushed as well, glancing towards her. His eyes found her lips and he quickly looked away, before she caught him. "Kagome, aren't you worried you'll lose your magic?" He asked, licking his lips slightly.

She stopped, looking at him. "Why would I?"

He pointed at his ears. "I always heard that having...relations with demons tainted miko's and their powers would be stripped from them..." He didn't want that to happen to her.

She frowned. "Even if that were true, no, I don't." She said softly. "I am not going to just let you go again."

He blinked at the conviction in her voice. "I don't think we should let the villagers know, then. I don't want them to attack you because of me."

"Why would they do that?"

He stopped, pulling her to a halt. "Are you really that naive?" He saw the confusion on her face and grabbed her shoulders, looking into her eyes. "Do you know what they tried to do to my mother? She was a noble, and they didn't just beat her, they drove her from the village I lived in. She caught a cough and died weeks later. That wasn't long before I met you. People do NOT like it when people who are different have a relationship..." He lowered his gaze, letting his hands drop from her shoulders. "I would not have your reputation ruined..."

Her hand on his cheek silenced him.

"I don't give a damn about my reputation." She whispered, then slipped her hand into his hair, pushing onto her toes and lightly pressing her lips to his. He relaxed and smiled when she pulled back.

"Let's get you home, wench..." He growled softly. He timidly slipped his hand around hers and led her to the well.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The hanyou hadn't returned.

Kaede hid a smile, noting the girl had left as well. Gone to escape from a time where they had little privacy. No, she wasn't surprised the jewel wasn't tainted yet. The remaining power that existed outside the jewel was inside that boy, and as long as he was in close proximity to Kagome, the demon who'd stolen the jewel would be unable to taint it.

Funny how fate can throw a kink in the best laid plans.

She caught sight of Kikyou returning and saw a deep fury in the miko's eyes. It was a good thing she'd separated the jewel and it's power. Kikyou had grown dark in her later years, fear of being eclipsed by a younger miko over-powering her own goodness. Goodness that had been unparalleled when she was a young maiden. Until a small child arrived, revealing a depth of innocence and purity that few had seen before. An innocence that wouldn't let her hate, not even one who had been called by everyone unnatural and evil.

Oddly appropriate, that the result was the blood bond that had prevented the jewel from being completely tainted. Their close proximity had caused the bond of affection they'd shared from when they were children to grow into a bond of love as adults. A bond that continued to purify the jewel even from a distance.

The older woman's eyes saddened. It was a bond few would understand and almost none would condone. A bond that would continue to grow in strength, a bond that would be their greatest strength if it wasn't turned into a weakness by those who conspired against them.

They could not spend too much time in this village. It could poison the relationship that was already too new and raw. That poison would turn into the seeds that would sow their destruction, and she didn't want that. The girl showed too much potential, and the boy was only hanging on the cusp of goodness. Any friction could throw the entire situation into chaos and push the demon over that last edge that kept him from being truly evil.

For awhile, everyone would be walking a knife's edge, a fine line that was the true measure that balanced good and evil.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kagome stared up at the night sky, finding that picking out the stars was difficult in this era she'd been born into. She could sense Inuyasha nearby, hesitating to approach her. A slight smile turned up the corners of her mouth. His constant concern, that slight edge of shyness he displayed around her, the passion that he displayed were all things that made her heart jump a bit when they were together.

Lightly, she touched her lips, laying back on the cement, resting one hand on her heart. A happy sigh escaped her and she turned to look where the hanyou was lurking, half in shadows, half in light. Much like him. "Inuyasha." She called, extending a hand towards him.

He moved towards her, looking down into her trusting eyes. Her fingertips brushed his. Slowly, he sank to the ground, stretching out beside her. "It's chilly." He said softly. "You could get sick."

"I wont if you keep me warm." She said softly, rolling towards him, gently embracing him. She felt his sigh and his arms stole around her, pulling her closer. "What's been bothering you?"

He looked towards her in surprise and saw a patient expression on her face. He pondered the question and sighed. "I feel like something is trying to taint me. I've felt it for awhile. It doesn't help that I'm so...uncertain...about our relationship..." He glanced towards her and saw a slight frown on her face.

"What's there to be confused about?" She asked softly.

He hesitated, then plunged in head first. "I don't understand why you kiss me. I've told you how I feel. How I've felt since we were children and I was relying on instinct..." He saw her expression turn into a smile and the scar on his palm throbbed as though in answer. "I know why I kiss you. But I don't understand why you kiss me..." He trailed off when her scarred hand cupped his cheek in a definite expression of affection.

She came up onto her elbow, her black hair creating a curtain around them, shielding them from the outside world. "When I first set eyes on you, I was taken by how beautiful you were. Even wounded and beaten, you had this pride, this bearing." She watched him flush slightly and smiled. "In the past ten years, I've been asked several times to marry different men in different places. I always said no. I've been hoping, remembering, for ten years. Remembering your promise, hoping you'd come find me one day..."

He held his breath. The same feelings he'd had. That same deep desperate desire kept closely guarded, never spoken aloud.

Kagome stroked his cheek gently. "I've loved you for a long time, Inuyasha. That's why it hurt so bad...that time." She didn't say more. She didn't need to. She could see the understanding and the grief in his eyes. "It's why I wasn't willing to live afterwards."

He held her hand to his face with his own scarred one. He stared up at her through pain filled eyes and bit his lip. "I'm sorry." He whispered, his other hand moving up to cup her face. "I didn't want her." He reiterated. "I wanted to die when you were gone. It was like half of my soul had been torn away. The scar didn't burn, didn't tingle, it was just like any other scar. The part of you that was part of me had died, too. It...hurt." He admitted, seeing the sadness on her face.

"That's why you asked that demon to kill you..." She realized sadly.

He glanced away. "Yeah." He agreed. "He wouldn't do it though. He kept asking me...why he should dirty his hands with my tainted blood..." He laughed. It wasn't a happy sound. "So I told him the truth. It was my fault you were dead. My fault, and you died before I got to tell you..." He looked back up at her and saw she'd leaned down, closer to him.

"Tell me what?" She whispered, her other hand lightly stroking his ear. She heard a desperate sound escape his throat and she brushed her nose lightly against his. "Tell me what, Inuyasha?"

He gripped her biceps, massaging them lightly in his hands. "How much I love you." He whispered, broken. The eyes gazing down at him warmed to a bright blue and he closed his eyes, his breath ripped from his lungs. Two lips lightly brushed against his and her hand continued to trace the edge of his ear. Her other hand slipped down his face, caressing his neck lightly. He shuddered below her as her lips moved from his to his forehead, sweeping across, then to his eye lids. They bussed over his cheeks, his lips, his chin, and she teasingly nipped his throat.

A strangled sound escaped his throat and she pulled back, peering up at him. "Thank you." She whispered. She glanced around, noting how open, how unprotected they were and slowly sat fully. She could see the confusion on his face and rested a finger against his lips. "Come with me."

She stood and holding his hand, led him to the house, then up the stairs and into her bedroom. She locked the door behind them and drew the curtains shut, looking towards the confused hanyou. Slowly, she moved towards him, drawing him down into a tender, yearning kiss. She loved him, was loved by him. She didn't care if she may lose her miko powers. She'd gladly be a normal woman if she could stay by his side.

Inuyasha set his hands lightly on her back, drawing a shuddering breath against her lips. There was a surrender in that kiss. An offering to him that he was both terrified and longing to accept. The kiss remained gentle, neither pushing, just lips meeting slowly, languidly, over and over. Her hands rested against the side of his face, where a humans ears would be, lightly running over his jaw, making him tremble. "Kagome..." He whispered between kisses. "What if you lose your powers?"

She paused, looking up at him. "Would making love be any more likely to strip them than being forcibly raped?" She asked, curiously.

He paled at her question and buried his face into her neck. "I don't know."

She cupped his ear lightly in her fingers. "I don't want my only memory of sex to be that, Inuyasha. I want this, and I want it with you." She met his gaze when he lifted his face enough to look down into her eyes. "If it means I lose my powers...at least I still have you."

His gaze softened and he smiled a bit. "Yeah, you'll always have me." He agreed, lowering his lips to hers for another drugging kiss, drawing her closer against him. He wanted it to, wanted it with her. He wanted to hear her cry his name, feel her lips beneath his, feel her body against his, for the first, but probably not the last time.

"I love you." She whispered against his lips.

He closed his eyes as the words washed over him and he pulled her closer still. He telegraphed every feeling he'd ever felt for her with lips and hands and heart. Not another word was spoken between them as they shed layers of clothing and explored each other for the first time. When it was over, they lay side-by-side, curled around each other beneath her blankets, one of Kagome's hands gently rubbing one of Inuyasha's ears as they slowly drifted into an exhausted sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0

AN: Another chapter done. Yeah. Inuyasha and Kagome had sex. Le gasp! I tried to write it tastefully and discretely, so that it wouldn't have to get bumped up too far in ratings. I think I've seen PG-13 movies with more explicit kissing/sex scenes than this, but who knows...Anyways, you know the drill, love it or hate it, let me know. Just press the little button at the bottom and drop me a line. C&C more than welcome! Love, peace and waffly kissing scenes! -DemonSaya-