Inuyasha, "Under the Beltane Moon" Kouga/Kagome, rated G

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Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: Under the Beltane Moon
Characters/Pairings: Kouga/Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Hakkaku, Ginta, leaning Kikyou/Inuyasha
Universe: Manga canon
Word Count: 2,052
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance
Spoilers: early Manga canon
Notes: Written for cricket_aria for the waybackexchange. One-shot.

Links: AO3 | FFnet

Summary: Kagome is spirited away to a wolf youkai festival while Inuyasha is away with Kikyou, and she learns that at least Kouga is willing to cherish her cold, saddened heart.

The campfire crackled through the silence, and the fire was the only warmth Kagome felt from the chill in her bones. Sango and Miroku said nothing as she stared into the fire, her thoughts in turmoil at yet another night where Inuyasha had wandered off toward Kikyou’s beckoning.

Whatever thoughts Kagome had began to sour, as she was sorely becoming tired of this constant push and pull from Inuyasha as long as Kikyou was around, whether she was dead or alive.

She followed the movement on the other side of the campfire and watched as Sango and Miroku settled into their bedding. They didn’t even give her a sympathetic glance this time. They knew that the situation was hopeless as well, and Kagome knew they each had their own demons to deal with.

Kagome rubbed her arms feeling the chill of the night tingle against her skin. She planned on going to bed too, as there could be nothing done about Inuyasha’s disappearance. He’ll come back when he wants to, and she didn’t really have anything to say about it.

First, she wanted to visit the nearby brook and get some water as well as clean her face. Maybe a cold splash of water would do her some good.

“I’ll be back. I’m going for water,” she told her sleepy companions, and Miroku mumbled an affirmation as they both settled back into sleep. Shippou was already asleep, curled up within Kirara’s fluffy tail. Kagome watched the demon cat’s ears twitch, and then she was sound asleep as well.

She made her way through a small thicket of trees and came into the clearing by the brook. It’s melodic sounds soothed her, and she wished that it would carry her worries away, down the brook to the unknown. She saw light reflecting on the water, and she looked up into the inky sky of stars, seeing a waning moon looming over her. Kagome had to count the days, but she remembered it being the beginning of May - a cool spring day that urged her to feel at peace.

Letting out a sigh, she bent down to the water and scooped up some into her hands, seeing her tired saddened self staring back at her in the reflection. She let the cool water wash over her face before she heard movement behind her. She froze, wondering what danger was about befall her. She knew that her friends were not even a few steps away, so she wasn’t too worried, but she almost wished she had brought her bow and arrows.

She heard some rustling in the bushes and then a chatter of whispers before a heavy weight bore down on her. They came at her with an incredible speed, picking her up and silencing her scream as they carried her off. The world around her bottomed out, and she could see nothing but a blur of colors and shadows. A person held her against his warm chest as he carried her, almost delicately, but in his speed away from her friends, Kagome knew that she was being kidnapped.

*

Before Kagome’s feet settled on the ground, she was hearing a barrage of apologies from her kidnappers.

“We’re so sorry, Nee-chan! Please forgive us! We didn’t mean to scare you! We had to take you at the right moment as not to alert your friends,” Ginta said, and he and Hakkaku were bowing and crying profusely at her, hoping they wouldn’t risk being out of her favor after what they did - and in essence, be out of Kouga’s favor.

She held up her hand and smiled. “It’s alright! I was a little shocked but… why did you take me away like that, and where…?” She looked around, and she could hear music and see other wolf demons dancing. They were dressed in flowers and other bright colors. In the center of their camp, she saw a high pole in the ground with colorful ribbons being wound around it by various people. They were smiling and laughing, and behind the crowd, some wolves were even play-fighting and horsing around, snarling loudly and trading barbs.

“What is this?” she asked, realizing that they had brought her to their wolf tribe, though everyone seemed to be celebrating.

“Ah, it’s a fertility festival and a good opportunity to expand the pack,” Hakkaku said.

“It’s the beginning of our mating season. Everyone looks for a partner, and it’s a joyous time,” Ginta added.

Kagome saw them look wistfully at everyone enjoying themselves. She wondered if these two had partners waiting for them, and in all the splendor and fun, she wished they did. But why would they bring her here?

Then, it dawned on her. “No, no…” she whispered.

“Nee-chan?” Ginta said, a single eyebrow quirking upward on his forehead.

“You didn’t bring me here to...I mean, for…” she stammered.

“We wanted to include you in our festival,” Hakkaku said. “You’re family.”

“Yeah, Nee-chan, it wouldn’t be the same without you. You’re one of us,” Ginta told her with a grin.

Kagome was speechless, but she was sure they had an ulterior motive. As she stood still, many of the wolf youkai tribe members brought her over flowers and spring-themed adornments. She wore a crown of daisies on her head, and there was a lei of wild violets around her neck. Some of the women brought her fruits and homemade pastries of breads and sweet buns. When they left her, they went back into the circle as the maypole was completed, and then they continued to dance and laugh.

Kagome stared in awe, but feeling nervous at their expectations toward her.

Ginta and Hakkaku still hovered behind her as if they were waiting, and then as she turned around, they had sped off. Kouga was walking toward her, adorned in a pine green cape with an array of green leaves and white flowers. He too had a crown upon his head, made of twigs and looking like horns. His blue eyes pierced through her, and he actually looked surprised at her presence.

“Kagome, what are you doing here?” he asked her, and if she wasn’t mistaken, his voice sounded low and sultry, different from when he normally yelled and teased Inuyasha.

“Well, I don’t know much myself. It seemed I was spirited away from my camp to here,” she said with a light chuckle. Immediately he came close to her, taking her hands into his. His rough hands felt warm, and suddenly she remembered that earlier she had complained about being cold. Now, she was warm all over, her blood rushing to her face as he looked down at her and his black hair drifted in the breeze.

He snorted, almost crushing the illusion of a handsome prince that spirited her away to his realm. “Those two. I told him not to disturb you.”

“So you wanted me here?” she asked with a giggle. “They were just following your orders.”

He pulled her closer to him, so close she felt the fur of his clothes against her chest. “I always want you here. Today is a special day, but to be honest, I always want you by my side. I admit I am selfish.”

It’s not selfish to want someone you like to be near you, Kagome thought. She understood Kouga’s feelings, and she wished she felt as much for him as he did for her. She wished things weren’t complicated with Inuyasha and Kikyou.

Before she could sink deeper into her thoughts, she saw Kouga watching her, leaning in close. The background noise of the pack in their celebrations seem to drown out around her, and for a moment she could only hear her own heartbeat and quickening pulse.

She knew what he wanted. Kouga didn’t have to say anything, and in a time and place such as this, the mood was very appealing. Kagome could get sucked into herself. She only wished she didn’t have Inuyasha and Kikyou on her mind. What were they doing now under this same moon? Was he kissing her? Or were they doing more?

“Kagome…” Kouga whispered, and his breath ghosted against her lips. On reflex, she parted them, and she knew on some level, that was an invitation.

When his lips meet hers, she first noticed how soft they are, and he was cautious for a beat before seeking more from her, teasing her lips to open her mouth, exploring and tasting her. She also tasted him, and wondered if he’d eaten a tart fruit pastry bun before he knew that she was there.

Her heart thudded in her chest, and she heard him moan as she succumbed to him, allowing his tongue to find hers. She was ready to give him more, sink deeper into that sweet heat until she heard a voice calling her name.

“KAGOME!” It was Inuyasha’s voice, which startled her enough to draw her out of the kiss and away from Kouga’s warm chest. Her face felt hot, and she couldn’t even imagine how she looked to him. All she knew was that she felt very embarrassed, confused and a little aroused.

She really hoped that wolf youkai did not smell that.

Within mere seconds, all of her friends had come charging toward her looking alarmed and worried. When they laid eyes on her in Kouga’s company, they looked relaxed -- well, all of them except Inuyasha. He appeared hurt and angry.

Kagome tried not to feel some satisfaction in that look. Maybe he would now know how she felt every time Kikyou called for him and he went willingly without another passing thought toward Kagome’s feelings.

“Kagome-chan, we were so worried!” Shippou cried at her, and he jumped into her waiting arms and squeezed her into a tight hug. She stroked his hair lovingly and smiled.

“It’s alright. The wolf youkai found me in the forest and invited me to their festival. I was really well taken care of,” Kagome explained.

“Keh! It sounds like a certain wolf had lured you away with other intentions.” Inuyasha assumed glaring at Kouga, and Kagome gave him a withering look.

Well, he wasn’t wrong, but he didn’t need to know that. He didn’t need to know about the kiss either, the kiss that still burned on Kagome’s lips and simmered in her body, desperate for something more.

“Well, I’ll be going back now,” Kagome said, and she bowed to Kouga and all the wolf youkai who had stopped their festivities to gawk at the newcomers. “Thank you very much for your hospitality.”

“It’s no problem, Kagome,” said Kouga, and he snatched her hands in his again as Inuyasha growled loudly at the gesture. Kagome felt her cheeks warm up again.

“You’re welcome any time at our festivals,” he said, and he squeezed her hands lightly and his blue eyes pierced into hers again. “Or in my arms.”

He let go of Kagome’s hands before Inuyasha could pounce on him, and he waved at them as he headed back to the village, never taking his eyes of Kagome until she was out of his sight.

As they headed back, Inuyasha grumbled at her, but Kagome didn’t exactly hear anything. Her heart was still pounding as she thought of Kouga’s kiss. Miroku and Sango chided Inuyasha for being rude, as they too, knew where he had been that night, so it was really not his place to criticize Kagome of her choices.

She appreciated her friends support, and it was nice for once to see Inuyasha experience what she was always feeling, but it didn’t help the warmth that she was feeling in her chest. She never really considered Kouga as more than a friend, and her love of Inuyasha had always overshadowed Kouga’s advances.

But still… that kiss, that devotion… Any girl would appreciate such things. She wanted those things too, but she never really wanted them from Kouga. If he kissed her again would she be more certain, or more confused? Could she really have feelings for him if Inuyasha clearly was more interested in Kikyou?

Kagome wasn’t so sure anymore. She wondered if any decision like that could be so simple. Not after a kiss like that, and not after the cherished way Kouga had made her feel.

END

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