So Close By Light-Eco-Sage Rated: Mature for language, romance, and sexuality. (InuKag) Summary: Song fic.

Kagome convinces Inuyasha to go to her school dance with her. "Huh? Dance?" Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha! Rumiko Takahashi owns him and everyone and every setting related to him. Believe me, if I owned Inuyasha, they would have started finishing the anime a long time ago. LES: Well my first Inuyasha song fic well it was crap. Evidenced by the fact that it will never see the light of day! I think that it was because it was too weird to have the characters actually singing. So now I'm only gonna make Inuyasha dance! Inuyasha: You wouldn't dare! LES: Watch me! The song is "So Close" from the movie "Enchanted." Let's just suspend belief for the sake of the story and say that the song is in Japanese instead of English. Oh! And this is a mega-long one-shot! It may even be longer than "The Care and Feeding of a Sick Hanyou"! We'll see how it turns out. Oh, and once again, I will attempt to do that impossible. Not only will there be no concept of a 'mating mark', but there WILL be a MEANINGLESS bite! (Gasp!) How could a bite be meaningless? Oh, and in case you haven't figured it out, there is a LEMON at the end. On with the story!

Kagome could quite get up the courage to ask him. He won't understand. He'll just say that it is a foolish waste of time. She was wringing a small piece of paper in her hands. It was currently the source of all her worries. It was a reminder of the last dance of the school year. Usually, it wouldn't be such a big deal. Even before her frequent trips into Feudal Era Japan, she didn't consider dances to be that important. Any dances that she had gone to found her in the corner next to the punch table. At the bottom of the flyer, below the date and time, was the small print. 'Guests welcome.' Those two words opened up a huge possibility. For other dances, the thought of inviting a hanyou from five hundred years in the past was laughable, seeing how she couldn't prove him a student. Inuyasha didn't exist on paper, so in her time, he simply did not exist at all. But, without the normal teachers checking ID's at the door, there was almost no reason not to consider inviting him.

But that hanyou that pig-headed, stubborn, selfish, sweet, protective, charming, caring hanyou he never could see the importance of events in her world. He may be capable of visiting her world, but he first and foremost belonged in his own. That was proven by the fact that she could never convince him to even attempt to blend into her modern society, at least as much as he could. A hat, nothing else. People who caught sight of him often stared. How could they not? He looked like a cross between a hard-rock punk and a Feudal Era cosplayer. Silver hair (is it bleached?) golden eyes (are they contacts?) bright red Feudal kimono ancient sword (is it real?) and no shoes. But still, better a punk with a liking for dressing in Feudal clothing than an actual living, breathing hanyou. She gazed up into the branches of the Goshinboku above her and saw the hanyou napping carefree on his favorite branch. He has been a lot more laid-back since Naraku was killed. Kagome thought to herself, admiring the view and letting a secret smile grace her features. Kami, he's so beautiful. Inuyasha's canine ear flicked in annoyance. "Would you stop staring at me? It's annoying." He growled. "Oh, sorry." Kagome quickly apologized, looking away. "You know, Inuyasha, I'm not like the others. I don't stare at you because I think you look odd." "Feh." Inuyasha snorted. "I've long given up caring what people thought of me." Kagome knew a lie when she heard it, but didn't call him out on it. "Inuyasha? What are you planning to do?" "Huh?" "You know with the rest of your life? What are you gonna do with Naraku gone?" Kagome asked. "Feh. What I've always done, I guess. Live life one day at a time. That's all we can do, innit?" "I guess." Kagome agreed. "It's just that life seems so complicated at times. I have a home and a family in my era, but I have the same things in this one" At that comment, Inuyasha dropped down from the tree and landed softly next to her. "Family? I don't understand. Are you talking about ancestors?"

"No. I'm talking about you guys. You, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and even Kaede. You are all my family." She placed a light and tender hand on Inuyasha's upper arm. "You consider me family?" Inuyasha asked, sounding shocked almost to the point of no words. "Of course, Inuyasha." Kagome said incessantly. "You are my best friend. Well with my family here and my family there, I sometimes feel" She trailed off, trying to figure out the words that described her feelings the best. "Trapped between worlds?" Inuyasha supplied. Upon hearing him say that, it occurred to Kagome that if anyone understood how it felt to belong everywhere and nowhere at once, it was Inuyasha, who had felt that way his entire life. Kagome glanced up at the bald spot on the Goshinboku where Inuyasha had been sealed for fifty years. "Before the Goshinboku before Kikyo" Inuyasha flinched at the name and Kagome paused. Kikyo may be at peace, but it was still a sore subject between them. "Were you ever lonely?" Inuyasha bowed his head and answered so softly that Kagome had to read his lips. "Every day." "You know that you have us, right? I promised that I would be with you always, and I meant it. But do you want to be with me?" "Huh?" Inuyasha asked, going red in the face. "Do you wish that Kikyo had taken you with her to Hell?" "I ain't in no hurry to die." Inuyasha said. "When Kikyo released me from my vow, I was relieved. I want to be by your side too." He blushed even more brilliantly. "Inuyasha, I want to go home." Kagome said. "Do you want to come with me?" Inuyasha stared at the human girl next to him, confused. Kagome had never invited him to her era. He always just turned up, and usually got yelled at and sat for it. "Ohokay" He said. She stood up and dusted herself off, stuffing the wrung paper into a pocket of her jeans. "All right. But you have to catch me first." She said playfully. "Huh?" Inuyasha asked as she took off at a run, laughing loudly. His Inu instincts kicked in and he gave chase as she ran for the Bone Eater's well. Kagome knew that it was a hopeless exercise. No human could hope to out-run a hanyou. But what a chase! She ran into the clearing of the Bone Eater's well before Inuyasha caught up with her. He scooped her up in his arms, bridal-style, holding her close to his body.

"Caught you." He said playfully. "Yes, you did." Kagome agreed. She expected him to set her down right away, but he didn't. He didn't want to set her down. Her body was so warm and real against his own. Kagome was the only living creature who would willingly come so close to him. Even their friends even Kikyo The only contact he had with her happened after she was resurrected. But her skin was cold and dry to the touch, her scent reeked of death, and her purpose was to drag him down to be miserable with her in Hell. Kagome was the opposite of Kikyo: pleasantly warm with soft skin that didn't feel like dirt, a wonderful floral scent that could brighten his day with one whiff, and she wanted him to be alive and happy. I want to tell her so badly that I love her. Inuyasha thought to himself. Kagome, you mean the world to me. My life would be meaningless without you. I want to become your husband your mate. Kagome was caught off-guard by the sheer intensity of Inuyasha's eyes as she stared down at her. Instead of amber, his eyes now had the hue of molten gold. "Um Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. He blinked and the intensity disappeared. "You can uh set me down now." "Huh? Oh! Sorry." Inuyasha quickly apologized, and set her down on the ground, blushing brilliantly. Kagome crossed the last of the distance to the Bone Eater's well. "Inuyasha." She called. Inuyasha was at her side in an instant, so quickly that people unfamiliar with them would assume that he was an Inugami and she was his master. It had been assumed before, especially among those villagers who had seen her sit him. Kagome giggled at the memories. The enchanted rosary aside, he was the furthest thing from a Dog Spirit that she had enslaved. He was her best friend, and the man that she was in love with. "Would you consider going somewhere with me?" Kagome asked nervously. "To your world? I already said I'd go, didn't I?" "No, there's a special even going on at school a dance." Reading the confused look on his face, and quickly explained. "It's a party where you hang out with friends and have fun." "And why do you think I'd want to go?" Inuyasha asked, a little harsher than he intended. Kagome seemed taken aback by his harsh reply. "Bebecause you're my best friend." Inuyasha stared at her. That cooled him down a little, and he managed to say why he really meant to say. "I ain't welcome at human gatherings."

"No one will know your real identity." Kagome said quickly. "Please, Inuyasha." Somehow, her please had the power to break apart all the old walls around his heart. No one else's words could do that, only Kagome had the power to affect his emotions with her emotions. When she begged, he relented; when she cried, he felt guilty; and when she was happy, it was contagious. He rolled his eyes, trying to hide the fact that he couldn't say no to her for long. "Fine. I guess it can't hurt any." Kagome smiled and embraced him, causing the hanyou to go red in the face once again. "Thank you, Inuyasha!" After a few seconds, Inuyasha awkwardly returned her embrace. But he opted to do so silently, and to simply enjoy the fact that she would embrace him so, even if she only meant it in friendship. He tightened his grip on slightly and leapt down into the well. The magic of the well opened up to receive them both, and they were deposited several seconds later on the bottom of the well in Kagome's era. Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck for support (and secretly so that she could innocently press closer to him) as he leapt, carrying them both effortlessly out of the well.

Mrs. Higurashi was simply delighted to find out that Inuyasha agreed to go to the school dance with her daughter. "I'm sure that all the young women will be jealous of your date." She said. Inuyasha, who was in the middle of finishing off his ramen broth, chocked and inhaled a large amount of the hot broth. He was aware of the modern term, 'date', thanks to the tell-e-viz-on. It was a casual word for courtship. While Inuyasha chocked and hacked until he was red in the face, Kagome went red for a different reason. "It's not like that, Mom!" Kagome half-yelled, moving over to the chocking hanyou and firmly patting his back to dislodge the liquid clogging his lungs. "We're just going as friends!" Mrs. Higurashi gave her daughter a look that she knew that her daughter was just fooling herself. Even if Inuyasha was under the impression that they were going as 'just friends', she knew that Kagome was taking him so that she could imagine, even for one night, that she was Inuyasha's girlfriend. Inuyasha finally stopped coughing and was gulping at the air like it was the most valuable thing on the planet for the moment. Only then did Mrs. Higurashi turn her attention to the young man. "I'm sorry for assuming Going as friends is just fine. But, we'll need to get you ready!"

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his skull in pure and utter dread. "Huh? Ready?" "I'm sorry, dear, but you can't go to a formal dance in that kimono." "Huh?" Inuyasha repeated. "What's wrong with my fire-rat? It's damn useful!" "But it's not very dressy, dear." Mrs. Higurashi said. She pulled out a small roll of tape measure. Kagome knew what was going to happen next. Mrs. Higurashi worked for the shrine, but she was first and foremost a stay-at-home mom. And due to years of altering clothes and making festival kimonos, she was an old hand at taking someone's measurements. So, instead of tormenting the hanyou with a shopping spree, she would discover his size and go herself. Inuyasha still gave Kagome the look of a tortured puppy as Mrs. Higurashi had him stand rigidly with his arms up at shoulder level as she took his measurements and read them out loud for Kagome to jot down. Still, he behaved rather well. That was until Mrs. Higurashi, for propriety's sake, informed him plainly that she needed to measure the inside of his leg, from the ankle all the way up so that she would get the inside hem of his pants right. He then refused to allow either Mrs. Higurashi or Kagome near him. After several fruitless attempts to explain to him that it was standard, they decided that perhaps a change of gender would help. They called Sota to come and handle the tape measure. Only then did Inuyasha reluctantly allow the boy to finish what his mother had started. So, with the hanyou's measurements in hand, Mrs. Higurashi left to get the hanyou his clothes for the dance.

The next day, everything was ready and not a moment too soon. The dance was that very night. Mrs. Higurashi urged Kagome to get ready, assuring her that she and Sota would see to the hanyou. Kagome agreed that it was for the best and she went upstairs for a shower. Meanwhile, Sota was downstairs, brushing Inuyasha's long mane of hair. Mrs. Higurashi had forced him to try on all of his clothes the day before, so that he would be better prepared for it. While they were not as comfortable as his fire-rat kimono, he said that he could stand it for one night. Next, while Kagome got ready in her room, Sota helped Inuyasha get dressed in his room. All too soon, the hanyou descended the stairs. He felt heavier than normal. The 'tux' that he was wearing was more complicated than the clothes that he was used to. And the shoes, especially,

irritated him and did not help in the slightest. He was wearing a black bandana, which Mrs. Higurashi said would 'go with' his tux, and would do the job of hiding his ears. Mrs. Higurashi noticed his unease. "Don't worry, dear, it's only for one night." "I know." Inuyasha said, steeling his resolve. After all, how many times had he told the humans in their little Naraku-hunting group to suck up and bare things that they found uncomfortable? Now it was time for him to follow his own advice. Besides, he forgot his own discomfort the moment he remembered the look on Kagome's face when he said he'd go. Inuyasha flinched when Kagome's mother yelled up the stairs. "Kagome! Are you almost ready?" "I'm done!" Kagome yelled back. "But I feel really stupid!" "I'm sure that you look beautiful." Mrs. Higurashi said. And then she gasped. "Oh wow" Inuyasha looked around just in time to see Kagome crest the stairs, and his eyes almost bugged out of his skull. He had seen Kagome in a lot of get-ups most of them strange, but none of those compared to this. Whatever it was, it was not a kimono kimonos were designed to cover things up. This dress was like liquid silver, floor-length, and strapless. It clung to her figure exactly where it needed to, and gave him a very generous view of her flawless skin. He quickly shut his mouth to stop from doing one of his more embarrassing dog-habits: drooling all over himself at the sight of something enticing. He was literally left speechless. Kagome was just as shocked by his appearance as he was at hers. She had never seen her hanyou in anything besides his fire-rat or completely buck naked. And seeing him naked aside she could get used to seeing him like this. Oh wow! He's all gold, silver, and black! The tux he sported fit him well, a testament to her mother's measurement skills. His fire-rat kimono may be 'damn useful', as he put it, but it was not exactly the best for showing off his lean and muscled body. His mane of hair was tied back with a ponytail, and a black bandana hid his ears from view. The bandana actually looked chique. Oh God! Kagome thought as a little fire of desire lit her blood. Okay One Two Three Deep breaths! If you cool it off right now, Inuyasha won't know how damn sexy you find him right now. Little did Kagome know that Inuyasha remained completely oblivious to her arousal because he was fully concentrated on mentally reciting a mantra of un-sexy thoughts in order to cool his own passionate Yokai blood. Both were blushing bright red and seemed unable to look at each other.

Mrs. Higurashi giggled to herself. It was painfully obvious to the older woman that there was an attraction between her daughter and the hanyou. If they didn't come back from the dance with their feelings resolved, or even more well it didn't seem likely. Especially not if she had her say about it! She giggled again. Nothing wrong with the mother playing the matchmaker! "Wow! Cool! Kagome! You and Inuyasha match!" Sota called out. It was some strange power that children have, but the reminder of his presence managed to cool the raging teenage libido. "Yes, they do look rather lovely together, don't they?" Mrs. Higurashi agreed. Both teens blushed. "Your ride will be here soon." "Ride?" Inuyasha asked, confused. He knew better than to ask a bunch of questions when they were in public, so he would get them all out now. "Yes, we're going to be riding in a car with some of my friends." Kagome said. "They rented a limo, so we'll all fit." "Limo?" "A big fancy car." Kagome explained. "You'll see." Inuyasha knew what cars were. He hated them. Roaring around, making far too much noise, and pumping out a terrible smell that filled the air. Kagome's family owned one, but he had rarely seen them use it and had never been in one himself. "Don't hang out the window, Inuyasha!" Sota giggled. "What?" Inuyasha asked, confused, just as Kagome drowned him out. "SOTA!" "What?" Inuyasha repeated. "Um" Kagome began uneasily, knowing how Inuyasha hated to be treated like a dog, being an Inu-hanyou aside. "It's a dog thing. Dogs like to stick their heads out of car window for some odd reason." She rounded on Sota. "Inuyasha is not a dog! He is an Inu-hanyou! There is a difference!" "Not much of a difference." Sota counted. "Half dog demon." Kagome was about to respond when a horrible loud noise blasted from the street, nearly scaring Inuyasha out of his skin. He automatically reached for the Tetsusaiga, and his hand found nothing but air. Oh yeah. Kagome's mother refused to let me take Tetsusaiga with me. Inuyasha reminded himself.

Kagome's hand on his arm calmed him down. "Okay, time to go." She took his hand and dragged him out the door. Okay why do I suddenly feel like I'm being led off to execution? Inuyasha wondered to himself. At the bottom of the shrine steps was a long white car. But still a car noisy and smelly. "Can't I just go ahead the normal way?" Inuyasha asked Kagome. "No, Inuyasha. You'll ruin your clothes. They aren't made for building hopping. Besides, it'll look weird if you somehow get there before us." "Feh." Inuyasha snorted. "Well, if something goes wrong, I'm getting ya out of there. I don't give a damn how it looks to your human friends." Kagome giggled at the brief mental image of Inuyasha tearing the door of its hinges from the inside and leaping out of the moving limo with her in his arms. "Don't worry, puppy." She said softly, calling him by her teasing pet-name for him. "I'll be with you the whole time." She petted his ears through the bandana. To those in the limo, it would look like she was patting his head. "Damnit, wench, stop that." Inuyasha hissed, jerking away from her hand. Having his ears rubbed felt good too good. He needed to have his wits about him if he was going to face the unknown in a modern High School dance. He couldn't do that if he were quivering, belly-up, legthumping pleasure mass at Kagome's feet. As they approached the long car together, the back door opened and one of Kagome's friends jumped out. Inuyasha couldn't remember her name, and she was also dressed up. But in his opinion, she was nowhere near as stunning as Kagome. "Kagome!" The girl greeted as she embraced her friend. "Good evening, Yuka! Is everyone ready to go?" Kagome asked. "Yep. You're our last stop. I'm glad that you decided to come." She finally turned and glanced at Inuyasha, who she had seen once before. "Hello, Inuyasha. Are you Kagome's date?" Kagome quickly jumped in and answered for the flustered hanyou. "We're going as friends." "Yeah." Inuyasha agreed, but he was confused mentally. Why does everyone assume that I'm courting Kagome? Is it this party thing? Is it natural to assume that two people coming together are courting? He was also trying to find the well-mannered young boy that his mother had raised him to be before years of abuse had turned him into a rude, insensitive hanyou. Yuka invited the pair to sit in the limo, and Kagome went first. Inuyasha grimaced slightly, and got in behind her. Inside the spacious interior was the two other girls in Kagome's group of modern friends, and three teenage boys, all of whom Inuyasha knew he could take in a fight in a second.

Inuyasha planted himself down by Kagome and crossed his arms over his chest in a clear signal. Stay away from me, and you'll live to see tomorrow. However, one of the boys didn't seem to get the hint. He leaned forward. "You must be this 'Inuyasha' I've heard so much of. Nice to meet you. I'm Hojo." Inuyasha blinked. The name sounded familiar was that the name of the pansy human boy who was always showering Kagome with gifts? Inuyasha's first instinct was to snarl and rip the boy's guts out for daring to attempt to court Kagome. But Kagome had told him to behave as a human. How would a mortal act in this situation? Probably not by ripping out the rival male's guts. Manners! Instead, he smiled; a smile that would have sent many of his enemies in the Feudal era running for the hills. "Nice to meet you too." His amber eyes sent promises of death if he tried anything with Kagome. Touch her and die, weakling! This time, Hojo seemed to take the hint, and looked uneasy. Kagome jumped in, discretely jabbing her elbow into Inuyasha's side as punishment. "Don't mind him. He's the strong silent type." She explained as the hanyou hissed in more surprise than actual pain. The limo began to move, and Inuyasha would have dug his claws in the leather seats if he hadn't bitten them off earlier at Mrs. Higurashi's request. Kagome sensed his discomfort and placed her hand on his knee, smiling at him. Thankfully, nothing else of real importance happened in the limo. Except for when one of the girls decided to roll down the window to let in some fresh hair. Inuyasha had a crazy urge to hang out of it by his waist. Catching the look on Kagome's face ('Don't you dare!') he quickly stopped himself.

The dance It was held in the auditorium of Kagome's school, and it was thankfully not the same auditorium that Inuyasha took a chunk out of during a school play three years ago. The music was uncomfortably loud to Inuyasha, but the bandana pinned down his ears and muffled the noise. For once, he was glad that he was being forced to wear a hat. Kagome sympathized with him because the music was loud, even for her. "Are you all right?" She called over the noise.

"I'm fine." Inuyasha called back. His senses were currently under assault. The music, the lights, and the combined smell of a couple hundred students in a single building were nearly enough to send him reeling. But he found that focusing his attention on Kagome helped. He watched the play of emotions across her face as her friends, one by one, got up to dance with their respective partners, while they remained in their chairs, alone, and in relative privacy. Suddenly, she spoke, knowing that her conversation with Inuyasha would be shielded from eavesdroppers by the music and their own excitement. "How long can we keep doing this?" "Huh?" "You know, going back and forth." Kagome said. "The jewel will be complete soon. What if the well decides to send us back to where we belong for good?" "Don't think about the future." Inuyasha said simply. "The future don't really exist. There's only the here and now." Kagome giggled. "How can you say that there is no such thing as the future?" She gestured around them, reminding him that he was a hanyou from the past visiting the future. "You know what I mean. There is no individual future. Sure, there is a future, but beyond that like our own destinies. We don't know." Inuyasha said. "Don't worry about the future. It won't do you any good, and you'll just worry yourself sick over nothing. Besides even if we do get separated by the well, you've forgotten how long I'll live. I'll wait five hundred years if I have to." Kagome had rarely been so touched by the hanyou's words. It was also the closest he had ever come to saying that he always wanted to be at her side. "Inuyasha?" "I've wanted to tell you for so long" Inuyasha said, just loud enough for her to hear. "Fifty years ago, I had never met someone as amazing as Kikyo. For most of my life, I had not had one minute of polite conversation, yet I had that from Kikyo and a lot more. I thought that the world could never produce someone as kind or kinder than Kikyo." He paused, staring at the floor. "Thank the Kami that you proved me wrong." His confession was cut short when the music stopped abruptly. The lack of noise was slightly unsettling, like it was in the midst of battle. A new song started, one that was slow and soft. The teenagers coupled up. It must be a special thing for courting couples and mates. He thought to himself. He definitely smelled a few couples close by who were definitely mates, even though humans didn't take mating as seriously as Yokai did. "Um, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "Do you want to dance?"

Inuyasha stared at her and blushed. "I've never danced before." "Here." Kagome stood and offered him her hand. He accepted it and she led him onto the dance floor. She took his arms and placed them in position at her waist. (Inuyasha's blush deepened.) Then she rested her own hands on his upper arms. Under Kagome's gentle guidance, they began to sway in time to the music as the first verse started.

You're in my arms And all the world is calm The music playing on For only two So close together And when I'm with you So close to feeling alive A life goes by Romantic dreams will stop So I bid mine goodbye and never knew So close was waiting, waiting here with you And now forever I know All that I wanted to hold you So close

Inuyasha was blushing desperately the whole time. He really had never danced before in his life, and had never even seen someone dance before. Usually, only professional geisha danced. And no geisha in her right mind would ever entertain a hanyou, even with something so simple as a dance.

But this dancing was not nearly as complicated as the theatrical dancing that required the grace, pose, ad artistic movements of a geisha. Anyone could do this! Even he could do this! He began to pick up the rhythm himself and became a bit more confident. He had even stopped staring at his feet and was now gazing at Kagome.

So close To reaching That famous happy end Almost believing This was not pretend And now you're beside me And look how far we've come So far We are So close

Kagome grinned to herself when she felt her hanyou's confidence grow. Her hands slid up his arms until they were wrapped around his neck. Previously, her hands had acted as a barrier between them, but now the barrier was gone, and she molded her body to his. Inuyasha almost froze dead in his tracks when he felt Kagome's body against his own. His mind urged him to be cautious, but his body over-rode his mind's protests as he tightened his grip on the young miko in his arms. Kagome gazed up into his eyes, and they stopped suddenly. It was like being caught in a powerful spell. Inuyasha wanted needed to confess his love for her and/or kiss her. "Kagome I" He couldn't speak past a blockage in his throat, so he quickly went to Plan B. He lowered his face to hers. Kagome's eyes widened slightly, but then closed. About an inch away from the kiss he dreamed of, he paused.

He stared down at her, eyes still closed and awaiting his next move. He cursed himself for a fool. Damnit! In a single moment, I could have ruined her life! One more inch would have destroyed her! With a pain-filled moan, he pulled away from her. Kagome opened her eyes, staring at him, confused. "II'm sorry, Kagome." Inuyasha apologized, walking off the dance floor and away from her.

Oh, how Could I face The faceless days If I should lose you now?

"Inu" Kagome gasped, and then chased after him and off the dance floor. She quickly caught up with him. "Inuyasha! Wait!" Inuyasha heard her call, and turned around just in time for Kagome to leap into his arms and press her lips to his.

We're so close To reaching that famous happy end And almost believing this was not pretend Let's go on dreaming for we know we are So close So close And still so far

Kagome pulled away before he could even begin to think about reacting to her kiss. "Ka Kagome" Inuyasha gasped. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. But I don't regret it." Kagome said. "You don't belong to me, so I shouldn't take what isn't mine to take. I just wanted to kiss you just one time." Inuyasha bowed his head to hide his indecision. He grit his fangs. He wanted with all his heart to tell Kagome that he was desperately in love with her, but his mind reminded him of the one reason she could never know of his feelings. She wanted him to remain a hanyou; so that he would possess a Yokai's strength to protect her, tempered by a human heart to keep his bloodlust in check. But she couldn't be his mate while he was merely a hanyou. She would be hunted as he was hunted. Perhaps even worse. If I lost her I would die. He quickly pulled her into an embrace. "You don't know how much I've wanted to tell you." He said brokenly. "Inuyasha" Kagome spoke into his chest. "I'm no good with words." Inuyasha said. "If I could you wouldn't have to settle for a single kiss. I would willingly give you everything that I am. I love you, Kagome." The girl gasped in his arms and stared up at him. "But it makes no difference. I can't be with you as a husband or a mate because you'll face ridicule, prejudice, and torment if you mate a hanyou. I love you, but it's because I love you that I can't be with you." He tried once again to pull away. But Kagome held onto him tighter. "You fool." She hissed. "I don't care what other people may thing or if they might disapprove. I've never cared about any of that, can't you see? All that matters to me is my love for you." That froze Inuyasha in his attempts to get away from her. "I love you, Inuyasha. Don't leave me. If you left, I would never recover." "But if you died I would never be able to forgive myself." Inuyasha said with a pleading voice. "I'll die." "I won't die. I'll have you to protect me." Kagome said, kissing him once again. Inuyasha moaned softly. And then, almost before she knew what was happening, Inuyasha was holding her bridal-style once again as rushed outside faster than any mortal could follow his movements and leapt onto the roof. Once on the roof, he set her down and knelt down with her, kissing her passionately, breathing her name softly as he began to explore her open mouth with his questing tongue. Kagome returned his wild enthusiasm with much more, exploring his mouth in return. He had set her down on the hard gravel that covered the top of the auditorium, but somehow she didn't care about the rocks poking her in the ass. All that mattered was her hanyou.

He came to rest between her thighs, and she didn't notice or care that her dress had ridden up completely to accommodate him. As he kissed her, his hand rested on her thigh and inched up her body until his fingers came in contact with the cloth of her panties. That sobered Kagome up instantly. She pushed him away slightly. "Inuyasha" He gazed at her, his eyes filled with the same intensity as before. Except she recognized it this time: love and lust. "Kagome, please. Become my mate. I've wanted you as mine for so long." Kagome bit her bottom lip nervously. She loved Inuyasha, and she knew that he had basically proposed to her in the Yokai fashion. But she knew what exactly it took for Yokai to get married. It was simple, but a big deal for a virgin girl. Was she ready to take the huge physical leap with Inuyasha? Sure, she had plenty of erotic fantasies of him, but dreaming and doing are two entirely different things. And children! While a woman Kagome's age in the Feudal era would already be married with two children, Kagome herself didn't think that she was ready for children. Inuyasha felt her tense up under his hands. Did she not want to be his mate? In her era, was it acceptable to kiss men that you had no intention of becoming bonded with? "Kagome? What's wrong?" Kagome gazed into his eyes. "I do want to be your mate." She said. "But I'm a virgin, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to have kids." Inuyasha gazed at her like he was confused. "Don't you know that your heat is over? I thought women kept track of things like that." "Mymy heat?" Kagome gasped. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but she was still shocked that he would mention something as sensitive as her monthly visit from Auntie Flo. "Your fertile cycle." Inuyasha said. "It's over. Your chances of getting pupped are slim-to-none." Kagome kissed him, and he responded eagerly. "Okay, but not here." Inuyasha nodded in agreement. The gravely roof of her auditorium wasn't exactly the ideal place for mating. He scooped up his mate-to-be in his arms. He nuzzled her neck and gave it a quick lick and a kiss. And then he was on his way back to the Higurashi shrine the normal way clothes be damned!

The house was dark. It seemed like the family had decided to go to sleep rather than wait up for Kagome and Inuyasha to get back, which suited the young adults just fine. As usual, Inuyasha took his shortcut through Kagome's window.

Once inside, Inuyasha set her down and she fell into his arms, kissing him wildly. The hanyou chuckled quietly as he nibbled on her lower lip. "You really wanna be my mate?" "Of course. I love you. To me, you are perfect. Don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise." Kagome said, kissing him. "You know, I don't really believe in all that 'dreams come true' crap. But that is what this has gotta be." Inuyasha said absentmindedly. "Now, help me outta this 'tux' thing." Kagome giggled, and began to undress him, piece by piece. All in all, she thought that getting him out of his kimono would be more fun. But she would make due with the tux for now. Plenty of time for all the other stuff later. Soon, she had him bared before her. Of course, she had seen him nude before, but this was different. It wasn't an accident and she was being given a good, long, unashamed look.

(Lemon Removed. To view the Lemon, please follow the link in my profile.)

She smiled as she ran her hand over his chest, loving the way her fingers slipped over his sweatcovered flesh. Her hand drifted lower, tracing the hard lines of his abs until her fingers came in contact with some hardened flesh and Inuyasha hissed in pleasure. Apparently, his actions had given him another hard on, one that he seemed unwilling to inform her about. "Is my puppy not satisfied?" Kagome asked quietly. "You do satisfy me." Inuyasha said. "But then I'm just hungry for more. But, it's all right. You're tired, and I'll live." "Inuyasha I'm hungry for more too." She swiftly rearranged their positions until she had strattled his waist and lowered herself into position on his erection. Kagome tossed her head back as his erection filled her up once again, this time without the pain. "Oh, yes, Inuyasha!" She gasped. She grounded herself with her hands on his hard chest as she rode her hanyou. The Yokai in Inuyasha protested heavily to being the submissive, but the human part of him was content to enjoy the show and what a show it was!

He had a front-row seat to watch every expression of blissful pleasure cross Kagome's face. Her breasts bounced with her every movement. And, being the male that he is, watching in amazement as she willingly accepted him into her body. "I love you." Inuyasha moaned. Kagome gazed down at him from having her head tilted back and eyes closed in pure ecstasy. "I love you too." She whispered before she turned her attention back to their love-making. An eternity later, they both came, one right after the other, and barely managed to stop from screaming in pleasure. Kagome collapsed against his chest, kissing the hard flesh there passionately. Then she gazed up at Inuyasha, smiled, and kissed him once again, this time on the lips. She pulled away and settled down next to him, and snuggled closer to his warm body. "All right now I'm tired." She confessed, grinning lazily. "Very well. Sleep well, my mate." Inuyasha whispered to her, kissing her forehead. Kagome was asleep almost instantly. But Inuyasha remained awake. His mate was tired and needed to recover, so he would allow her to do so by keeping watch over her all night. His mind wandered to the last few words of that song that he and Kagome danced to earlier. "So close and still so far." Inuyasha snorted. "Feh. Screw that. I'm as close as I've ever wanted to be. And nothing's gonna tear me away from my mate now!"