Note: This takes place post canon, recently after Kagome returns to the Feudal Era.

Inuyasha's ember eyes bore through her skin, anger seething from him as he inspected a red-sprinkled-purple bruise on her side, just below her ribcage, tapping it lightly with the pads of his fingers. Kagome knew he was waiting for her to wince as he palpated the thickness of the welt, but she held her breath instead, not wanting to pour gasoline on his already-furious flames. The sound from his throat was basically a growl as he moved onto the next wound, examining the depth of the decently-sized scrape flaked with dried blood at the front of her shoulder.

"You should have listened to me, Kagome." Inuyasha said, disgruntled.

"You've said that, like, twelve times already." She sighed, backing away from his calloused hands so she could wrap her torso within her kosode again. Maybe if he couldn't see the bruises and scratches decorating her upper body, he wouldn't be so angry. Out of sight, out of mind. Or so they say.

"Yeah, and you have yet to acknowledge that I'm right!"

"You're welcome for helping, by the way." She huffed, giving a heavy jerk to the knot of her kosode as she secured it before scooting her way around the hanyou on the wooden floor of their hut to prod the flickering fire in the pit. The air in the room swirled as she practically felt his irritability climb to new heights.

"Kagome, I specifically told you to stay behind for a damn good reason!" The hanyou barked, grasping her arm as he slid closer, demanding her undivided attention. "Fighting demon's isn't like what it used to be! The jewel was their primary goal the last time you shot your arrow at anything, but now it's just pure hatred fueling them! They may not come half as often as before, sure, but when they do, it's a battle for your fucking life!"

"And the more people you have on your side, the better your chances are!"

"No-"

"Besides, they were out for blood when it came to the jewel too! You'd think you'd consider that more dangerous since, you know, Naraku tried to murder us all on multiple occasions."

"It's more dangerous now because more and more are attempting to be the next Naraku! Psychopaths are coming out of the fucking woodwork to kill whoever they need to in order to gain as much power as possible in case another jewel were to forge. They don't know what they're doing, clearly, but that doesn't change what we're up against!" Inuyasha squeezed her arm between his fingers, finally bringing out a wince from Kagome, so she pulled away with an incredulous stare, immediately causing him to release his unforgiving grip.

"I stand by what I said. The more people you have on your side, the better the odds. Why doesn't that makes sense to you?"

Inuyasha could feel anger bubbling in his gut, burning the walls of his stomach as he willed the temptation to lash out down. She was stupid, so fucking stupid, for running into the middle of his and Miroku's fight after he'd deliberately told her to stay with Sango. She had good intentions, but he didn't give a damn about any of that bullshit. He gave a damn about her.

And here she was, poking the charring wood for something to do, intentionally avoiding eye contact, the bruises on her skin standing out to him as if her clothes were translucent. His dumb fucking wife got hurt in the heat of battle after he'd told her word-for-word, "Stay here. I mean it. I don't want you getting hurt."

What a surprise.

With a final growl, Inuyasha shot straight up to his feet, not even bothering to grab Tetsusaiga, which stood propped along the wall, as he marched toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Kagome asked, more confused than irritated.

"Out."

"Are you really that mad?"

"Yes, Kagome, I'm fucking pissed!" He shot, glaring back in her direction as he threw the sliding door open.

"Why is this such a big deal to you?" She stood up, following him outside, the crisp, night breeze rustling leaves in the treetops above their heads. "I used to fight at your side all the time! You used to tell me you felt stronger with me nearby! Just because we were separated for a few years doesn't mean anything's changed! I'm still-"

"Everything has changed, Kagome!" Inuyasha bellowed, stopping mid stride and turning to face her fully, not realizing how close she was actually following. Their bodies were mere inches apart, their argument leaving both of their chests heaving up and down, but her face- Oh, god, her face- had his stomach plummeting from its spot in his abdomen to the forest floor. There was no anger or resentment. It was fear. He'd startled her. Her brown eyes, shadowed by the darkened sky, were wide. Brows raised. Lips parted. Shoulders noticeably tensed.

And he hated it.

He normally loved the way his muscular frame was easily able to hide her petite body, and how she fit so perfectly into the natural curve of his own when they slept together, but suddenly it felt like he was a beast with the way he towered over her, able to consume her whole. The image of her afraid was gone as quickly as it had appeared, but her eyebrows settled and her mouth closed and she took a step back from him, and he could see it so fucking clearly. Kagome didn't understand what he was getting at. How could she? It was obvious she didn't see things the same way he did. He could only imagine, knowing her, the thoughts going through her head as she tried to figure him out. And while she was giving him an opening to elaborate on his point, he couldn't bring himself to talk anymore. It killed him that he'd caused that look to mar the beautiful features of her face, his hand naturally raising to cradle the line of her jaw as his thumb caressed a small, developing bruise at the bottom of her cheek, the wound acting as a magnet to draw his palm in, but he could still feel the underlying anger swarming through his bloodstream. He couldn't fix this right now. If he kept going, he'd say something wrong. He'd make it so much worse.

So, Inuyasha took his hand away, telling her to get inside with the gruff tone of his voice, and shot up onto the nearest tree branch, racing away to let off some steam.

Kagome turned over for the umpteenth time on her futon, bringing her blanket up to cover her head as she tried to block out the sounds of the crackling fire, the logs snapping and popping under the heat of the flames, the noises seemingly emphasized by a megaphone. The left side of her body hurt from the scratches and bruises she'd gotten from landing roughly during their battle, but that was the side that faced the door. That was the side, no matter how many times she turned over, that she found herself laying on as she waited from her grumpy hanyou to come back.

Their argument had been on repeat in her mind, his statement that everything had changed replaying like a dingy, broken record. She couldn't figure out why he was so upset. She'd been hurt so much worse than this in the past. Honestly, the bruises and scrapes just looked bad. Sure, some were a little sensitive, especially if she kept allowing her body weight to apply so much pressure to her left side, but her feet had literally been burnt in stomach acid before. So, why was this such a big deal?

He had a lot of nerve. If she hadn't have come when she did, he could have been stabbed through. This demon was large. Very large. And had quite the set of claws on his thick, dirty fingers that were flying directly at the half demon who was distracted by Miroku's crumpled form. She shot her arrow and nailed the sucker in the arm, which wasn't exactly what she was aiming for, but at least she was able to save Inuyasha. Sure, it'd been a while since Kagome had been up against any sort of enemy other than the target hung on a tree outside of Kaede's hut, and she was undeniably rusty, but how else was she supposed to get reacquainted with fighting off demons?

Everything has changed, Kagome!

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

She readjusted her position once more, settling on her back and throwing her arm above her head as she huffed in irritation, her forearm landing rough enough to tug at the long, dark strands of hair that were sprawled messily over her pillow. The wooden ceiling glowed of soft orange, red, and yellow hues, shadows dancing along to the beat of the popping logs in the pit.

Yes, their relationship had changed. Substantially. They no longer were on a quest for anything pertaining to Naraku or the jewel. That's a change. She lived in the Feudal Era now. Another change. Kagome couldn't quite bring herself to say everything had changed, though. So what in the world could he have been getting at?

There was this strangling thought in the back of her mind, one that had come up the moment he'd shouted his belief, one that brought a dull ache to her chest. With how mad he was, how badly he seemed to not want her in battle with him, it was like Inuyasha didn't want Kagome as his fighting partner anymore. She used to be the person he trusted most, the person who helped him overcome, but apparently three years has shifted everything. Right. Everything.

No.

No, no no.

She was overthinking and allowing these thoughts to make her overly sensitive.

Stop it, Kagome! Pull yourself together!

Slowly, she peeled herself off the futon, giving up on sleep for the time being while she adjusted her parted night robe over her chest and pushed the blankets from her legs, rising to pace the room just as she had done for a good forty-five minutes after he'd first left. Something Kagome could easily point out that hadn't changed, and probably never would, was that she absolutely hated when he stormed off like this. She respected that he needed space when he was angry, but time was simple to lose track of when it was based on the sun's position and they were in the dead of night.

Letting out a deep sigh, Kagome headed toward the door, opening it just enough to see the dense darkness of the surrounding woods. She wasn't great at picking up demonic energy, it was something she'd really have to hone in on in future training sessions with Kaede and Miroku, but that didn't stop her from trying. She was familiar with Inuyasha and the aura he put out. To her, it was masculine, smooth, and soothing. It washed over her like gentle tides of a calm sea, eroding the rough edges she'd developed over the years to become a soft, glistening rock of his ocean. Apparently, he had to be close enough for her to sense it. With how still and silent and unappealing the immediate world outside seemed, Inuyasha was obviously nowhere around.

With a little more aggression than intended, Kagome slammed the wooden slab shut, blocking out the forest grounds that she couldn't see anyway and slumped down next to the fire pit. The flames were dying, but instead of grabbing a new log to feed them, she used her stick to prod the charred wood, forcing pieces to fall apart, allowing the fire to find new territory to claim. She forced herself to watch the bouncing embers, ignoring the door, ignoring her thoughts, pulling her knees to her chest for as much added comfort she could provide herself.

When she'd ran out to help Miroku and Inuyasha, she hadn't done it to upset him. She wasn't doing it solely to defy the half demon. She'd only wanted to help. She'd wanted to make sure he was safe, just as he would have done for her without a second thought.

So, why was that so bad?

Slow footsteps approached the hut, alerting her at the crack of the drying leaves on the dirt, and Kagome's head shot up, waiting for the door to open. She heard a heavy sigh, one released from a clenched throat, just outside of the wooden beams before it steadily slid open with the intention of silence. His golden eyes, meshing with the glowing hues of the fire, collided with hers, his brows pinching together in question before relaxing. He stepped through the threshold, closing the door behind him.

It took a great deal of effort for Kagome to stay put. She wanted to apologize for making him so angry, but what had she done? She wanted to ask what caused him to storm off in the first place, but what if that instigated the continuation of their argument? So she remained seated, allowing her legs to fold to the side, unable to take her eyes from him as she waited for something to happen.

"Why aren't you in bed?" He asked, not moving from his place at the door.

"I couldn't sleep."

He gave a slight nod, his chest rising from beneath his firerat as he slowly sucked in an inhale, his ember eyes shifting to the floor, and then the far wall.

"I'm- uh... I'm sorry. About earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"So why did you?" Kagome asked, unable to bite back the slight confrontational tone she held. So much for not wanting to argue anymore. He looked back at her, pressing his lips in a tight line as she continued. "What's so different from before that got you all worked up?"

"Everything." He breathed, moving toward her, not willing to fight the urge that pulled him to Kagome's side. "You don't get it, do you? You don't get what's at stake here."

As he sat down beside her, terrible, horrible, unforgiving inches separating them, she felt that aura she'd been missing. Felt it warm her blood and send tingles over her skin as it radiated from his being and engulfed her. Kagome couldn't even bring herself to ask what he meant, hoping he'd fill in the gaps that he, himself, had opened, as the sensation of his spirit puddled in her chest, temporarily quelling the uncertainty that had built up over the hours. How did he do it? How did he have such an effect on her?

"Kagome," Inuyasha scooted a little closer, his knee brushing the hand she braced on the floor. "You can't just go back to your time when you're wounded or exhausted anymore. You don't have your world's powerful medicine and bandages to rely on. You can't afford to get hurt- especially now more than ever."

"We have herbs." She replied, coming out of her reverie. "Just because they aren't already ground up and processed in a tube, doesn't mean they won't work just as well. That doesn't explain why you got so mad, though."

"I got mad because none of this should've happened in the first place."

"Sometimes people fall down, it's not that big of a deal."

"You didn't fall, Kagome, you were backhanded across the field! If you had just listened to me, you would have been fine!"

"I am fine. I don't have any broken bones, or cuts, and I'm-"

"Shut up." Inuyasha drawled, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. "Consider yourself lucky."

"Okay, I'm lucky. Are you happy?" Kagome rolled her eyes, mimicking his body language by crossing her own arms.

"Next time, when I tell you to stay behind, I expect you to listen to me." He ordered.

"No! I'm not about to just wait for you to get back while you're off protecting the village when I can help! You never had a problem with that before! In fact, you used to hate when I went home!"

"That was different!"

"Because I was your jewel shard detector?" She challenged.

"What? No! You know that's not what I thought of you!"

"Then explain, because something isn't clicking here! I used to fight demons with you guys in a freaking skirt, and there was never an issue then!"

"You're missing the entire point! Things are different now!"

"You keep saying that, but it hasn't made any sense yet! I can still fight! I can still help! I didn't just come back for a domestic lifestyle; I knew what I was getting into when I crossed through the well that final time!"

"This was the first demon attack since you've been back, and you were injured! You don't see how much that-"

"I can take it!"

"Kagome-"

"No, listen to me! I'm strong! I'm really strong, and I shouldn't have to convince you of this! My spiritual powers have only grown since I've started my training as a priestess, and I want to help!"

"No!"

"Inuyasha!"

"No!"

"Why not!?"

"Because I can't lose you, Kagome!"

Any rebuttal she'd been prepared with vanished completely, her heart giving a painful thud behind her ribcage. His expression was fierce, his lips peeled back in a partial snarl, eyebrows furrowed together, twitching from how fervently the scowl pressed his features. His eyes were a brutal color, like the fire in the pit beside them burned in his irises and illuminated the room.

"Why are you so stupid? Why aren't you fucking getting this?" Inuyasha slammed his fist against the wood they sat on, using the force to push himself to his feet as he walked to the other side of the room, facing the shadowed wall, taking a few, unsteady breaths to gather his wits. He heard the gentle rustling of the night robe she wore as she rose, the airy hitch from her lungs, felt her eyes on him as she waited in his silence. Finally, he turned back to her, feeling the deadly twist of his face, but he didn't care. As long as his point got across, he didn't give a damn about how he looked. "I've lost you once already! I've experienced that pain, and it's nothing compared to anything I've ever felt before! No matter how many times I checked to see if it had opened, there was still a part of me that thought I'd never get to see you again, but I was willing to accept that because at least you were alive and safe on the other side of that goddamn well!"

He stomped back over to Kagome, grabbing her by the outer edges of her shoulders, feeling a rampant, wild, bubbling heat course through his veins, intensifying the way he suddenly wanted to pull her into his chest and never let go, solidifying his adamant refusal to ever allow her to do anything that could jeopardize her safety again. He swore to protect her years ago, and nothing would ever change that promise, but he needed her to cooperate. He needed her to stop being so frustratingly hard-headed and understand what he was trying to tell her. Kagome didn't tense at all, her brown eyes glistening with concern, a slight flush in her cheeks that he was willing to blame on the diminishing fire, dark shadows forming in the curve just above her cheekbones.

"Face it, you made the worst decision of your life by coming back! It's not safe here! I wasn't worth your well-being; nothing will ever be worth that!"

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, to dispute, but he cut her off with a thick, reverberating growl, his fingers twitching as he controlled his instinct to grip her tighter. "I know I wanted you back, but I was being a selfish fool! I know they're only scratches and bruises this time, but what if something worse were to happen? What if you're attacked while I'm away? What if I can't get to you in time? What if-" Inuyasha's argument faltered as he imagined unspeakable things, his voice fading in and out as he tried to continue, repeating what if multiple times before he gave up with a shake of his head, his chest clenching agonizingly as the thoughts flooded every corner of his mind. Her eyes were watering and her lips were turned down, her chin giving a minute quiver that was causing him to feel even weaker. "Kagome, I can't- I can't..."

"Stop." She quietly pleaded.

Inuyasha's hands moved up to cradle her jaw, her skin emanating the warmth she'd soaked in from sitting so close to the pit. "You don't understand how fucking scared I am of losing you. I can't do it. Not again."

"Stop. Please, stop." Tears seared her cheeks as they glided down, pooling where his flesh met hers, irritating her eyes as she continuously tried blinking them away, but she couldn't. They wouldn't stop. Not for a single second did she imagine this was what Inuyasha hid beneath his thick skin. It was obvious the separation was difficult on the both of them, but they'd never gone into detail about it. It was basically a taboo topic everyone knew to avoid. Invisible wounds were left behind, some healed, some scarred, some still scabbing, but she never realized how deep Inuyasha's ran. It was naive of her to think everything was perfectly fine now that they were together again. He's lost people he loved before. That's not the sort of thing that gets easier each time it happens.

Kagome watched the sincerity, the fear, flicker in the hanyou's eyes, molting with so much emotion she could hardly take it. Like a magnet drawing her in, with the pressing need to help any ailing thoughts fade away, she pushed upward on her toes to close the scant distance between them, gently pressing her lips to his, feeling the heat of the heavy, relieving sigh he exhaled from his nose against her cheek. She pulled back prematurely, still absorbing the effects of his energy colliding with hers, feeling him inch forward so that their foreheads pressed together, his hands trailing down to find her waist, tugging her a little closer.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you worry." She said, her hands curving around the sides of Inuyasha's neck, just below his jawline, fingertips threading into the silver hair at his nape. Her voice was soft and smooth, barely rising above a whisper. "You can't think like that, though. It's poisonous. You have to believe that we'll be fine, Inuyasha, because we will be. I will never regret my decision to return. The danger of this world was hardly something to worry about when faced with the choice of living a life without you. Don't forget, I lost you too. I know what that pain feels like just as well as you do."

Inuyasha gripped the cloth of the robe at her sides, the heat of her breath washing over his face and eliminating his train of thought.

"I'm not a delicate girl that needs to be looked after, but if worst comes to worst, I trust you with my life. You know that. I'm not afraid. Not with you here. I fought by your side for so long, protected you, and that's what I plan to continue doing. No matter how roughed up I get. You're just gonna have to get over it." Kagome dragged her hands down the skin of his neck and over his chest, wrapping her fingers in the thick material at the front of Inuyasha's suikan, their mouths moving closer, hovering but never touching.

"I don't like it, Kagome. I won't lose you again." There was a hint of a growl at the edge of his low voice.

"You won't."

"You're so fucking stubborn." His lips teased hers, grazing but not settling.

"You'll get over that, too."

He kissed her, slowly, softly, their lips molding so perfectly to each other's. It started a fire in his chest, one that burned brighter than the pitiful embers they sat next to, and he allowed it to take over, to transform his kiss into something more fervent, more passionate, more powerful, allowed it to sustain the warmth in their little hut away from the village, and ignite the dark thoughts he once had so that they charred into nothing, like kindling. It was easy, so goddamn easy, to forget whatever was happening around them when they touched each other, hands gliding over clothes and skin to feel, to explore, to wander aimlessly until they found an intention. He was lost in her as quickly as his infamous temper swelled on an average day.

The whimper she gave him was tiny, only detectable by ears as sensitive as his, her cheeks still wet and warm. The sound was enough to send a violent flurry through his abdomen and chest, one that he needed to quell, so he pushed her back, using his hand as his guide until he felt the wall beneath his palm, carefully pinning her between his body and the wooden borders of their home.

Inuyasha wasn't good with words. They either didn't work for him, or came out furiously. He was either emotionally stifled, or would say things horribly wrong in a release of his pent up frustration. He was better with his actions. That's how he spoke to Kagome. That's how he'd managed to relay months ago how much he'd missed her, his gratitude, and how deeply invested he still was. He still had so much to say right now, the need for her to understand how he felt growing stronger and stronger with each passing second.

He was so unfathomably glad Kagome comprehended the language he spoke. They had a bond. One that had proven to be unbreakable time and time again, and as he proceeded to crush his mouth to hers, halting their breathing, feeling her cheeks dampened with fresh tears against the tip of his nose, Inuyasha knew his message had been received loud and clear.

He loved her. So goddamn much.

He wouldn't have been so upset, so scared, if he didn't.

There was a brief moment where things began to calm, the air no longer seeming to swirl around the room along with their melodic energies, their kiss breaking as they sucked in a slow drag of breath. Inuyasha could feel Kagome's heart beating erratically against his chest, staring up at him with her big eyes, the beautiful color lost in the darkness of the room but still holding the same effect on him. It took all the strength he had not to crumble to his knees, sensing exactly how she felt through the simple graze of her palm against his cheek.

And all over again, Inuyasha was winded.

How did she do this to him? How had she managed to color his world in the most vibrant hues, making it possible to see exactly what he was faced with without an inkling of light seeping through?

"Kagome, I..."

"I know."

He kissed her again, and again, and again. Over and over. Pulling her into him as he pushed her into the wall, his hands running over her sides, arms, shoulders, neck, and resting at the crook of her jaw. He didn't understand what had come over him, why he suddenly needed Kagome more than air, but there was no chance of fighting it. Not with her fingers gripping his clothes and her teeth teasing his bottom lip. Not with her pushing him to step back but making sure to hold on for dear life, preventing any lost contact, guiding him, walking backward, stumbling slightly over her own feet until they reached the padding of their bed.

"The fire."

"Leave it." Kagome breathed, hating that he broke away.

"It's dying." He chuckled, hovering over her lips as she desperately tried to reach for them. He silenced the small mewl she gave with a simple kiss, leading her down to her knees.

"Let it die."

"It'll be pitch black in here. You don't like that dark."

"I'm with you." She kissed his jaw. "I know I'm safe."

Kagome's fingers trailed down over his clothing, stopping at the knot that secured his robes shut. She only fumbled slightly, using her nails to pull the tie loose, and pushing the red robe from his shoulders. Inuyasha moved to help her, removing his kosode quicker than she would have been able to, his scorching skin now beneath her fingertips. She wanted to touch every inch of him, wanted to reacquaint herself with the way his muscles twitched beneath her touch, and the way his breath seemed to hitch whenever her nails gently flicked over old scars that never faded, feeling as if, no matter how many times she studied him, watched him, caressed him, kissed him, it was never enough. Kagome wanted to memorize Inuyasha. She wanted to feel his thudding heartbeat when they were pressed against each other and the way his chest rose and fell when he needed to slow down for just a second, she wanted to hear his uncontrolled grunts and the breathy way he said her name, but most importantly, Kagome wanted to watch the way he let go of his worries and fears and allowed himself to forget the unforgiving world around him for just a small moment of passion and peace in her arms.

It was impossible to see him, using her hands and lips to guide her, trailing small kisses up his sternum until she arrived at the curve of his collar bone. No matter how many times she'd flicked her tongue over this spot in the recent months, it never failed to make his stomach tense or bring his fingers to grip her where ever he could. And so he did. His nails scraped along the fabric of her robe, controlled, never harming her, the sound sending a thrill to the apex of her thighs.

She reached his chin, bringing Inuyasha to tilt it downward so she could easily find his lips, not the least bit surprised when she kissed him with a feverish, desperate need because he felt the same way. How could he not? Any separation from her was anxiety inducing. It didn't matter that she was just pressed against him, touching his chest and arms, licking and nibbling at the base of his neck and in the dip of his clavicle. The second she pulled away, he was terrified, and the second she was against him again, he was satiated.

As she kissed him, dancing her lips over his quicker and harder, he found the flimsy knot that barely held her robe shut anymore, undoing it as she wriggled her shoulders and arms to allow it to fall off of her. Finally, her flesh was against his, and he wondered if it was at all possible to be so wholly intoxicated by the experience of Kagome, alone. Was he the luckiest man alive to be able to claim her as his? To be able to mark her, move inside, and make her keen? Did he actually deserve her? She'd say yes. She'd tell him he was stupid for questioning that in the first place. He could practically hear the words coming from her mouth, so powerfully and sincere.

Kagome's fingers gently swiped at the base of his abdomen, just above his pant line, tickling the exposed skin and bringing a barely-audible grunt from his throat. He knew what she wanted, but he wasn't done. He hadn't finished telling her everything he needed to say. Slowly, softly, Inuyasha skimmed the backs of his knuckles from her ribcage to her hips, wrapping his arm around the small of her back for support as he laid her down, pressing himself between her legs. She sighed, accepting his body weight, biting her lip as he rolled his hips against hers, and he thanked whatever god was out there that he had heightened senses and could see through the darkness, because fuck, he absolutely loved the way she reacted to him.

Without haste, Inuyasha kissed down her neck, not stopping at any point to pay attention to tender spots, gliding his tongue over the nipple of one breast and making a mental note that he'd pay the same favor to the other later, kissing and licking his way down the center of her tummy, over the cloth of her panties, and down the inside of one of her thighs. He'd planned to keep going, but the whimper she gave as he nibbled at the thick flesh was too painful to ignore, and there was no way he could go on without hearing it again. Slowing his pace, he moved up her thigh, closer to her core where the skin was a little more sensitive, grazing his lips and sighing out, feeling the way she shuddered beneath his breath. Then, he incorporated his tongue, gliding it over the smoothness of her inner thigh, closing his mouth on the spot and giving a gentle suck. Kagome's entire body reacted, back arching, legs tensing, her hands flying to the crown of his head, fumbling as she tried not to grip his hair.

He was achingly hard, and the more her breathing became unsteady, the more he found himself pushing away the thought to take her right then and there. Careful of his claws, Inuyasha pulled her underwear down her legs, Kagome lifting her hips and calves to make the job easier. She was bare now, no longer shying from his eyes as she did the first few times they were together, completely comfortable and so fucking beautiful. The fire burning within him became more powerful, more pressing, the blood flowing through his veins pumping faster, and he pressed himself against her once more, feeling her arch her back to mold completely against him, her arms wrapping around his neck as he kissed her hard.

It was difficult not to match her mewls with his own, letting her know just how easily she undid him. It was wonderful that no matter how many times their lips met, no matter how many times their mouths moved in total synchronicity, their tongues incorporated in smooth movements, they still kissed with so much fervent need you'd think they'd just barely been reunited from their three year gap. Inuyasha would always fear losing her again, but that's something he could live with. He would always fear something bad happening, but that just proved how much he loved her. That would never stop. Those feelings, all of them, would never die. So long as he had her at the end of the day, the burdening emotions he struggled with would be easy to bear.

"I will always protect you, Kagome. Do you hear me?" The hanyou growled, feeling breathless in his words.

She felt the vibration through his chest, the honesty in the heat of his skin, the skip of her own heart as she allowed the promise to sink in.

"I feel safer in your arms than I ever did in my own world," She admitted.

Inuyasha supported himself with an elbow next to her head, his other hand going between them to untie the knot supporting his hakama.

"And I want to keep you safe too, Inuyasha."

It was entirely impossible not to grunt as his erection was finally set free, pushing his pants down as far as he could without removing himself from Kagome's hold. Using his knuckle, he tested how wet she was, spreading the juices through her folds, going back for more, and then lightly rubbing over her clit, observing the way her mouth opened but didn't make a sound, and how her chest rose with the inhalation but had yet to fall. Steadily, Inuyasha guided his cock inside of her, completely engulfed in the molting heat she emitted that brought out this husky, deep-rooted groan he didn't have the chance to bite back. As he settled, allowing both of them to adjust, she finally exhaled, the whine she released so utterly satisfying it almost ended things then and there.

"I am safe," He slid out, and then slowly back in. "You. Here. It's all I need."

Kagome arched her back, taking him in, her thighs tensing against his hips, the friction he provided as his pace began to increase so wholly amazing. She gripped the pillow above her head, never actually fully making it all the way up their futon when they'd began, biting her lip as Inuyasha provided a tantalizing roll of his pelvis and grazed her clit. She could already feel the tingling sensations rising, intensifying, her light moans turning into whining as her muscles began to tremble around his cock.

Inuyasha was whispering in her ear, thrusting harder, pushing her bangs from her face as he planted tiny kisses to her temple. She was trying to roll her pelvis, meet his grinds, suddenly so desperate for release, wanting to beg him not to stop but her voice wouldn't work with her. She was on the ledge, so close it was antagonizing her entire body, and then he ordered her to come for him in that husky voice she never got to hear enough, forcing her to succumb to the magnificent embrace of her orgasm.

"Give me the pillow." He said, hardly allowing her a moment to recover, rising up to his knees and holding his hand out. Kagome threw it up for him to catch, lifting her hips when he tapped her side, and settling back down when he was done adjusting the pillow under her butt. Swiftly, he glided back inside of her, reaching deeper than before, and she moaned all too satisfyingly. He loved making her do that. He loved when she made any sound, really, but mostly when it was of this sort. The one where she could hardly keep it together. Where it was obvious she wanted more. Where her hands flew to any part of him, and her nails bit into his skin, and she still tried to stifle it all by biting her bottom lip but it hardly did her any favors.

Inuyasha propped himself on his hands, his long hair flowing over one of his shoulders and to the padding beneath them, bucking his hips in a smooth rhythm. Kagome was touching him however she could, fumbling over his rigid muscles, grasping down on the curve of his hips where she could feel him thrust, occasionally slowing to a teasing grind, gently shushing her as her breathing picked up. Even in the black of night, she could see the grin on his face as he watched her body respond to his. He knew exactly what effect he was having on her.

The half demon bent down, never halting his pace as he licked the curve of Kagome's neck, feeling the pebbled flesh rise beneath his tongue when she opened up, welcoming his ministrations. He wanted to feel her come again, hear those agonizingly tortured whimpers, and he'd do whatever he needed to do to get his way. Knowing he was pleasing her was all he required in order to be completely satisfied.

Kagome pushed at his shoulder, indicating she wanted him to roll over, but he shook his head. She tried again, pushing up with her hips, bringing a grunt loose from his chest as he managed to go even deeper for a split second, shuddering as she whispered a broken please into his sensitive ear, and he finally complied, wrapping his arm around the small of her back to bring her with him, never breaking their connection. She sank on top of him, adjusting her thighs over his hips as she continued the motion he'd began, only slowing for a quick moment as he pushed and kicked his pants from his legs, finally free from the semi-confining clothing. His hands immediately found her breasts, massaging and kneading, tenderly flicking a claw over her hardened nipples. Even though he was beneath her now, he still exerted control. Inuyasha swayed her pace by either clutching her hips or bucking upward. He decided if he wanted her sitting upright or bent forward so he could lick and suck and tease her breasts, switching between the two to make sure they got equal amounts of attention, taking over when she needed a small break, and then allowing her to feel in the lead when she began grinding once more.

He was getting closer. She could tell by the way his breathing changed and his stomach muscles clenched. He hardly made a sound when he was close to coming, everything so tight as she imagined the heat overwhelming his body. He was holding her waist as she sat fully up on his cock, no longer indicating whether he wanted her to roll or bounce, only watching her body as she brought him closer and closer to climax. She'd been on the brink for too long now, trying to find her release but unable to as he'd held her off, building her up inch by inch, little by little, but never enough. Inuyasha was barely in control anymore, trying to appear put together as he was crumbling to pieces, and Kagome wanted to hear him say her name.

Making sure he was watching, she reached down, parting her lips to rub her clit, the bundle of nerves so swollen and sensitive at this point, a wave of tingles climbed and splayed over every bit of her body. She couldn't help but rub herself hard, growing greedy from the sensations as she continued to thrust, and buck, and do whatever she could to reach her orgasm. Her muscles began to tremble, clamping down on Inuyasha's cock as she was overtaken, her thighs tensing against his hips as he uncontrollably slammed upward, squeezing her sides as he came, gifting her with a clenched, "Fuck!"

Close enough.

Kagome collapsed on top of him, catching her breath before rolling over on her right side, watching the way his chest rose and fell, and the way his long eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes. He looked over, propping himself on his side to face her as he recovered, kissing the scrape on her left shoulder that he'd once growled at. He sat up some more, kissing the bruise on her arm, then gently pushed it aside so he could kiss the large, speckled mark below her ribs.

"Did I hurt you when I grabbed onto it?"

"Not at all." Kagome smiled, sighing contentedly as he continued to press multiple, pleasant kisses against the marks on her body. As he brushed his lips along the little one on her cheek, she turned slightly, meeting his mouth, hoping to speak his own language as fluently as she could and express just how much she valued his affection.

She would talk to him all night and well into the morning if she could, but as he tugged the blankets over them and pulled her in close, Kagome could feel the fatigue dragging her under. He swept his lips over hers once more, slowly, lulling out the motion in a hazy effect, whispering words she'd never heard before but always knew. And surprisingly, she felt Inuyasha's body sink into a peaceful sleep before she even had the chance to respond.