Work Text:
"He's never coming to save you..." The eerie voice of the Shikon Jewel taunted. Kagome shut her eyes tight and held her hands over her ears to try and block it out.
"Stop it! You don't know Inuyasha! He promised to protect me with his life!" She cried back.
"Oh, but I do. He lost the woman he really loves. You're just sloppy seconds. Someone he simply deigns to protect now that SHE is gone!" She flinched at the tightness in her chest. She didn't want to believe it but the thought hurt so much. "Does that sadden you? Does it hurt? Simply make a wish and you shall be free of this pain!" Kagome felt a numbness spread at the words. What if the jewel was right? What if he really wasn't going to save her?
"I..." She began in a hollow voice, her eyes distant. "I wish..."
__________
Kagome's body flew upwards with a gasp. She tried to calm her shallow breathing to no avail. Her bangs stuck to her forehead from sweat and she shivered with cold. That's when she realized she was naked with just a comforter covering her body. As her eyes adjusted, she saw a fire going in the corner of the small hut. "Kagome?!" She heard a panicked voice exclaim next to her. "Are you okay?!" She turned to see eyes of liquid gold peering at her.
"Inuyasha!" She gasped before throwing her arms around his middle. "It's really you!" After the shock wore off, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck.
"Yeah, I'm right here. Was it a nightmare?" Kagome nodded.
"It reminded me of things I hadn't thought about in a long time."
"What kinda things?" She sighed and laid herself back down.
"It's pretty dark. I don't know if you wanna hear about it."
"It's fine. Go ahead." He replied as he joined her to lay on his side, propped up against elbow and palm. She nodded again.
"During my darkest moments, specifically right after Kikyo passed, I had these thoughts," She felt his fingers intertwine through hers and give a light squeeze of encouragement. "About how you almost followed her, how you wanted to follow her in death. That moment was without a doubt the most scared I've ever felt in my life." He felt a pang of guilt, knowing he was the cause of such suffering. "I would lay in bed and wonder if it were reversed, would you do the same for me?"
"Idiot!" He scoffed in indignation. "Course I would have! Why do you think I saved and protected you in every fight?!"
"Yeah, you're right about that. I realized something though, when you promised to protect me with your life. In that moment, I realized the difference between wanting to die WITH someone, and wanting to die FOR someone." Inuyasha lightly brushed the pad of his thumb against her palm.
"The thing is, when I was willing to follow Kikyo in death, it was because of obligation and guilt. I felt responsible for what happened and the only way I knew I could make amends was that way. But you helped me see I had a life worth living. That I had someone to die for, but it also didn't mean I couldn't live too. I'm..." He took a breath before his emotions got the better one of him. "I'm forever grateful to you for that, Kagome." His voice was soft and his eyes gentle as he gazed her.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed as tears formed in her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her sweetly. It quickly turned more heated as it went on. Inuyasha rolled on top of her, Kagome's arms went around his neck, and her legs rubbed against his thighs as her desire grew. He planted chaste kisses against the skin of her neck and shoulders, causing Kagome to gasp and squirm.
"Kagome, can we do it again?" Inuyasha asked her tentatively. Their newfound relationship was still so fresh, they had only done it once earlier that night. Kagome herself hadn't even been back for a full twenty four hours yet. She was still a little sore from the experience but more than willing to continue. He checked to make sure she was wet enough with his hand, then got on his knees to rub his tip against her slit, and pushed forward until his shaft was fully encased inside of her walls. Kagome winced from the mild stinging sensation, and he instantly stopped.
"I'm okay!" She quickly tried to reassure him. "Just a little sore that's all!"
"You sure? I don't wanna hurt ya, Kagome!" She put a hand on his cheek with a comforting smile.
"I promise I'm okay. I want to keep going!" Inuyasha began to make small motions with his hips. It didn't take long for what little discomfort she had to disappear, leaving ony pleasure in its wake.
"How's this? Feel okay?" Her arms moved to loop themselves under his shoulder.
"Yes! It feels amazing! You can go harder!" His speed grew, and her gasps and mews turned into full moans, which were only increasing in volume as her legs wrapped around his waist. It spurred him on to go even harder. Her spicy scent enveloped him, and that made his inner demon surge with a need he had to push back. It made him want to dominate her, mate with her, fill her with his seed and mark her with his own scent until every man, demon and human alike, knew who she belonged to. That she was his.
"Kagome, I -" He gasped as his orgasm crept closer. "I can't last much longer! I'm gonna -!"
"It's okay! Just cum! I want you to!" With one last groan and hard buck, he emptied himself inside of her. It sent Kagome over the edge into her own glorious ecstasy. She cried out in the most delicious pleasure she had ever experienced.
After several seconds, they relaxed, covered in sweat and breathing heavy. Inuyasha pulled out of her and fell onto his back while coming down from his high, when the sound of sniffles immediately put him in alarm mode. Shit, what if he actually did hurt her?! But the noises she was making definitely weren't painful ones!
"Kagome?!" She shook her head while wiping her tears.
"I'm okay, I swear! I'm just so, incredibly happy!" He let out a breath of relief.
"Crying cause you're happy? Humans are so weird." He mumbled with amusement while his thumbs wiped away the stray tears that fell then gently kissed her cheeks. He covered her with his haori, laid down beside her, and pulled her close. "I'm happy too," He whispered, moving to nuzzle his nose in her hair and inhale her scent that had now returned to it's usual sweet, floral state. "I love you, Kagome." He breathed into her hair, making her heart skip a beat.
"I love you too, Inuyasha." She whispered back. Kagome smiled lovingly at the sound of his peaceful, even breathing. How long had she yearned for these moments? How many times had she dreamed of this? It still didn't seem real. She would do absolutely anything to keep him so at peace, and so happy. He was her life, and vice versa.
It was just like he said, they would die for each other, but they both knew they didn't have to. Her words all those years ago still rang true. She wanted him to laugh, to smile, she wanted him to live. It was an honor to watch him do that by his side, as the woman he chose, the woman he loves. Kagome cuddles up to his side and quickly joined him a dreamless sleep.