Love Like Fire by SesshysRose

Love Like Fire

Happy V Day Kagome Yuki Niwa!!! Hope you enjoy! BTW I do not own Inuyasha and Co. 

It wasn’t the first time Kagome had pictured nothing more than a hot bath and a good book before bed as she pulled the mess of keys from her coat pocket and slipped the appropriate one in the lock before her. Swinging the door wide on its hinges, she sighed as she allowed her shoulders to slump under the weight of the grocery bags, dropping them unceremoniously on the kitchen counter. Milk, juice, yogurt, and eggs found their way into a spaciously emptied fridge, while boxes of cereal and other such things were found homes in the cabinets.

Collapsing in a chair, her coat still hanging from her lithe frame, Kagome stared tiredly at the apartment before her, inwardly proud of her extremely productive day. Kicking her heels off, she wiggled her way out of her coat before making her way to the bathroom; now it was time to enjoy a nice hot bath…after all she had done that day, she thought it was the least she deserved.

Fifteen minutes later, Kagome lay contently in the large tub, reveling in the feel of heated water lapping at her tired skin and the scent of lavender tickling her nose. Resting her neck against the lip of the tub, she shivered as the cold ceramic pressed against flesh normally protected by her thick shower of black hair, which was now pulled up haphazardly in a thick plastic clip. Drying her hands on the towel she kept close to the tub, she reached for the worn book that sat ready for her on the lid of the toilet. It had been read many times, and if anyone had been there t that moment they would have seen how lovingly, albeit quickly, she ran her hands over the title.

It wasn’t often these days that she found time to read, much less to revel in the vivid memories of the past. Without thought, Kagome placed the book back on the toilet seat before looking down at her naked form. Her hand traced the scar that adorned her side; the previous resting place of a jewel with no purchasable price. The scar, small, and only a shade lighter than the rest of her skin, was the price she had paid for being the miko she was- for having the power needed to protect.

“Did it hurt?”

Kagome was surprised at the worry in his voice as he ran his clawed fingers over the gnarled tissue. She opened her eyes as he stopped his explorations of her naked body. Suddenly feeling self-conscious; she pulled the soft pelt over her body to shield the scar from his sight.

“No. Not really.” She answered softly. “I think I was in shock…so much happened that day. I met your brother- and he wanted the jewel.”

“Hn. Half brother.”

Kagome smiled at the correction on his part, gasping in surprise as Sesshoumaru pulled away the covers she had thrown over herself in attempt to hide her scar. Kagome watched as he kissed the line of discolored skin, before continuing his previous route to the junction between her legs. Lost in a wave of love and passion, Kagome closed her eyes, unaware of the tears that tracked down her cheeks.

The memory the scar evoked caused Kagome’s breath to catch in her throat. So much love had never been felt by another, she was sure of this. Of course, their love had not been accepted easily. In fact, Inuyasha had forbidden it; had left her, alone, to think on her actions, to give her time to make a choice- only one brother could have her. In his heart, he knew she would choose him. Inuyasha feared nothing; certainly not losing Kagome to his ass of a brother.

“Go to the hot springs, Kagome. Take your time, and really think about this.” Inuyasha didn’t look away as he handed her the yellow satchel, worn and dirty from so much use. “Make a decision, Kagome, because I can’t share you with the one being in this world I despise. I’m sorry, Kagome, but I just can’t.”

Kagome watched, tears blurring her vision, as the red clad hanyou turned tail and walked away without so much a glance back in her direction.

How could she choose her best friend over the one she loved? How could she choose the one she loved over the one who had been her closest friend and protector for so long?

Gathering her clothes by the heated pool, Kagome stumbled into the water. Her mind was nowhere near the present, but the snap of a twig quickly brought her back and within a few seconds the bow and an arrow from her quiver she had sitting at the nearest bank was in her hands and aimed at the direction of the sound.

Kagome was certainly surprised when Sesshoumaru came into the clearing, his amber orbs stared at her, emotionless if she had not known him so well.

“You are not as graceful as you might think, milord; I heard you coming.” Kagome attempted to joke, but her smile and voice fell flat. She watched as the demon lord closed in, shedding his clothes as he neared, but never glancing away as he did so.

“If I had wished, you would have never known I was here.” He replied as he stepped into the heated waters, gliding Kagome’s way.

The air around them felt stiff and Kagome heart, heavy, with the threat in Inuyasha’s promise. She stared off into the distance as the demon before her pulled her close in a comforting manner.

“I wanted to hold you one last time.” The words were gruffly spoken, and Kagome’s head snapped up in confusion at the words.

“Last time…?” the question in her mind was evident, even though the two words were the only ones she could choke out, her throat was closing, her breathing quick, and her heart, fearful.

“I will not make you choose, Kagome. Inuyasha has been your protector and your friend. I will not force you to choose me over the half-breed. It would not be…right.” Kagome knew he was struggling with the idea of never holding her again, even if it was not in his nature to say so. She felt it; the same way she felt she would die should she never feel him under her fingers again or hear his voice, the way only she heard it, ever again.

She turned to face him, craning her neck to look him in the eyes. Her mouth open to speak, but a clawed finger pressed against her lips.

“I will, however, my miko, request this time with you, before you go.” Kagome felt her eyes involuntarily close as he brushed his fingers against her breast, plucking at the nipple gently as he lowered his head for a kiss.

Kagome complied with the disparity of one who knows they are kissing their lover for the final time. After this she would have to quash these feelings for Inuyasha could never know the decisions of her heart.

Kagome sat up, the water was quickly cooling and she was not yet ready to get out. Reaching forward, she turned on the hot water and reveled in the feel of the water as it readjusted to the perfect temperature.

The current problem fixed for the time being, Kagome sat back once gain, allowing herself to revel in the feelings of the past. Nothing had felt better then when she had been with Sesshoumaru. He had made her feel loved, cherished, and beautiful. Inuyasha had been clueless to what he had asked of her. Their friendship had become strained; it was obvious Kagome blamed him for her misery. Their usual quarrels became something more and one day Kagome snapped for good. It hadn’t been long after her visit with Sesshoumaru at thehot springs, but long enough for Kagome to realize what she had given up; even though Inuyasha seemed oblivious to her pain. He didn’t understand what Kagome had given up, but more than that, he didn’t care.

It was a quiet night, the crackling of the fire and the chirping of the crickets in the distance were the only sound at the moment. Kagome heard neither as she stared out over the meadow they had made camp in, her hand caressing the small, class jar secured around her neck that held the shards they currently had in their possession. She recognized the person coming up behind her immediately as Sango, and turned to smile at her friend as she sat beside her.

“Kagome…” The worry in her voice almost brought Kagome to tears. She knew she wasn’t being fair. She had kept to herself since making her decision, and while Inuyasha had known better then to bring it up, she couldn’t get Sesshoumaru out of her mind.

“I’m fine, Sango; just tired from all the travel. We’ll be back at Kaede’s soon enough, then we’ll all have time to get some proper rest.” She didn’t look over to see her friend nod, knowing she wasn’t fooling anyone. It was for this reason she sighed in exasperation as she heard Sango coming back a few minutes later.

“Look, Sango…” she didn’t finish the sentence as she turned around, unable to face the hanyou that was there in Sango’s place.

“Please, Inuyasha, I’m not in the mood right now. Tonight I don’t want to fight. I just want to be left alone.” She said tiredly, barely over a whisper.

Kagome heard his sigh as he dropped something heavily at her feet. She looked up at him in surprise and confusion when she saw it was her bag.

“Inuyasha…”

“Sesshoumaru is camping right across the meadow, just past the treeline.” He said quietly as he joined her on the grass. “I can smell him. He’s been following us ever since you came back from the hot springs.”

Kagome’s heart jumped at the sound of his name, but she cringed, expecting anger from her companion, but was shocked to discover he just seemed sad.

“Go to him, Kagome.” He said before he stood up.

Kagome watched him closely as he turned around to return to the group.

“I was wrong to make you choose, because if I had thought for just one second that it wouldn’t be me, I wouldn’t have asked that of you. I’m always here if you need me.” He said gruffly, without facing her. Kagome knew how hard this had to be on him.

“Thank you, Inuyasha.” Kagome said, standing up, bag loosely grasped in her hand, she watched as he began back towards the group, shoulders slumped.

Kagome toweled herself off as she stepped out of the bath. He had known so much more than she had given him credit for. He would never have love for his brother, nor his brother for him, but they both loved her and for that, when necessary, they had tolerated one another. It was more than Kagome could have ever asked of them.

Kagome grabbed the book off the toilet and held it lovingly to her chest as she settled in on her plush bed. She didn’t need the book to remind her of the past. She knew and cherished, even mourned for the loss of her life in the past. She had loved Sesshoumaru and she had lost Sesshoumaru, the same of his brother, though the love was one you would expect of siblings in Inuyasha’s case.

It was nights like these when she would open up the book to remind herself how it all began, so she wouldn’t focus on how it all ended, for the ending was still all to fresh within her heart. The jewel had been wished upon, and she had been the unlikely casualty in it all. Sesshoumaru did not frequent this world; no demons or hanyou alike did. She was just a woman, an author to a barely known book.

Taking a deep breath, her hand caressed the cover of the book as she scanned the title page. Love like Fire was the perfect title for this romantic tragedy. Like a flame, her love had been lost in the blink of an eye; it was strange that something so strong could be extinguished so quickly.

Kagome steadied her breathing as she laid back upon the pillows, flipping the worn binding to the first page of the first chapter and began to read, focusing on how everything started.

“It all began with a girl and a well… and a boy long asleep without a promise of awakening…”