251Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters mentioned in this story; that right belongs to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi. But a girl can dream though, right? Right?
-X-
Let's Play
The most beautiful sound in the whole goddamned world floated to his ears and lazy amber eyes flipped open to gaze down at the scene below him, the usual harsh planes of his face softening upon witnessing the twosome's playful game and fuzzy twin triangles atop a head of flowing white silk angled to absorb more of that wonderful, pure sound.
It was one of the more humid days in Feudal Japan, muggy and hot and near sweltering due to the sun's golden brilliance as it blazed down upon the small village in Edo, leaving its occupants thirsting for water and shedding clothes in an attempt to possibly remain cool under the giant fireball's constant waves of dry heat.
And the village's supply of water, the fresh water river that flowed along the outskirts, was serving more than its usual purpose. Children splashed happily in the water's cool depths, squeals of delight and laugher ringing throughout the village and brining a smile to the elders and parents lounging on the bank, keeping a watchful eye upon the younglings.
However, the children's merriment was of no concern to a certain half-demon lazing about in his favorite tree. No; his attention was riveted to a rather beautiful young woman being chased by an even younger fox tyke, a simply radiant smile blooming across her smooth features as gales of laughter flowed from petal soft lips, mingling with the kitsune's own happy giggles. Mocha eyes, bright and glittering with laughter, gazed over her shoulder as she dodged the kit's lunches to catch her, zigzagging away and changing her direction at the last minute.
Another bout of glorious laugher reached him and Inuyasha heaved a soft sigh, closing his eyes and just reveling in the moment. Kagome's merriment was music to his ears, a flowing melody that soothed his soul and relaxed his muscles until he was sagging against the tree trunk bonelessly. And for once, he didn't bother to reposition himself to be more alert. Today was just a lazy day to lounge around, do nothing, and simply play a game or two which was exactly what Kagome and Shippou were doing.
Ever the clever woman, Kagome had suggested they engage in a game to keep their minds off of the sweltering heat and Shippou, always exciting about and eager for games, had readily agreed. He had, of course, declined and decided to watch them from his current perch within the branches of his tree.
He couldn't exactly remember what it was called; something along the lines of "tag." It was alarmingly very simple; someone is chosen to be "it" and that individual chases the others around until "catching" a player, then that person becomes "it."
Or something?
Keh. Inuyasha was never one for games, so he didn't exactly play attention. But upon observing them for the better part of an hour and a half, all it was was the kit chasing Kagome around and vise versa when he caught her.
However, the half-demon was having a rather good time himself watching Kagome run around in nothing but a pair of very short khaki shorts and a pink wife beater. Shippou was even less clothed, donning a pair of children's swimming trunks Kagome had brought back for him from her own time five hundred years into the future. The schoolgirl had also brought back a pair for him, but Inuyasha had instantly declined, instead opting to go about with his kimono and kosode open to feel the breeze on his bare chest.
Scratching said toned chest with his claws, Inuyasha sighed again and propped his head on his hand, sunset orbs trailing the young woman as she dodged another "attack" from the kit, her laughter drifting up to him again. How could she find so much fun in such a simple, mundane game?
But, he supposed, that was probably just Kagome. She found pleasure in the most simplest of things; flowers, the sunset, the stars, a ladybug perching on her nose.
A rare smile graced his features as he recalled that day. She had been sitting under his tree with one of her textbooks, himself keeping watch from its branches, of course, when she suddenly gasped and went stock still. Inuyasha, worried something had happened, jumped down, ready to attack – when Kagome had beamed at him and pointed to her nose in which a tiny ladybug had took purchase.
"Inuyasha, look! A ladybug!" A giggle followed this statement.
Inuyasha blinked, scoffed, then dropped his hand from Tetsusaiga's hilt. "Keh. It's just a stupid bug. Flick it off already."
She'd looked appalled. "I will not! It's an innocent little insect that decided I was trustworthy enough to land on. Or in this case, my nose." She giggled again then proceeded to look pretty damned hilarious by crossing her eyes and attempting to stare down her nose at the bug.
Inuyasha snorted a laugh and looked away to hide his smile.
"Inuyasha!"
Kagome's voice interrupted the memory and said half-demon blinked his vision back into focus and returned his attention back to the object of his thoughts that was staring up at him with bright brown eyes. "What, wench?"
Kagome ignored his pet name for her and aimed a smile at him. "Why don't you come down here and play with us? It'll take your mind off the heat, I promise."
A black eyebrow cocked and swift honey eyes gave the girl an inconspicuous once over. Took in those long, lean legs. Eyed the shapely curve of her hips. Trailed the hour-glass figure of her waist and smooth, flat tummy. Lingered on the twin globes of flesh hidden behind the thin material of the shirt. Let's see. Kagome wearing next to nothing and myself chasing her. The mental image shot a surge of desire through him and he grit his teeth. Definitely not a good idea. Shaking his head, Inuyasha scoffed and closed his eyes again, leaning back against the rough bark of the tree. "Keh. I'll pass, thanks."
A soft huff of annoyance reached his ears and he resisted the urge to smirk. He couldn't exactly explain why, but he loved it when she got all huffy and irritated. Maybe it was because he looked damn fine when she did.
"C'mon, Inuyasha," she continued, pulling out her trump card and sticking her bottom lip out while blinking wide chocolate eyes up at him. "Please? It would make me feel better and I promise you'd have fun." She fluttered her eyelashes. Might as well go all out…
With an annoyed sigh, Inuyasha opened his eyes again – and froze. Ah, fuck, she didn't.
The wench fluttered those long, sooty lashes.
…She did. Sneaky wench.
And then a rather uncharacteristic idea developed in his head and that time he did smirk, but he was sure to hide it by turning his head away and grunting in defeat. Wench wants to play, does she? Fine. I'll play.
Feeling like he was the sneaky one now, Inuyasha dropped from the tree and landed heavily on his feet in front of her, slowly straightening his knees then locking gazes with her.
The small gasp that escaped that luscious mouth whispered past his ears and he allowed his eyes to trail over her once more. Up this close he could clearly see her skin, flushed from the game and glistening with perspiration. The flimsy fabric of her shirt clung to her like a second skin and those ridiculously short shorts barely reached her mid thigh. Unbeknownst to him a deep rumbled had started in his chest as he lifted his gaze back up to her face and nearly growled aloud when she darted her tongue out to wet her dry lips.
He wanted to replace her tongue with his own.
Forcing his eyes back up to her face, he noticed how her long ebony hair was tied up into a high pony tail, damp with her sweat and a few strands that had escaped plastered to her neck and forehead.
"Inuyasha…?"
Without a word, he shrugged out of his kimono and kosode, exposing the hard planes of his tanned chest which also had a light sheen of perspiration on it and then tossing the garments aside in a forgotten heap of red and white fabric before rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. He didn't miss the way Kagome's eyes darted to his chest and glowed with appreciation.
The previous smirk that he had been holding back for her benefit ever so slowly curled his lips and Kagome took an involuntary step back.
Let's play.
"Run."
Kagome ran.
One heartbeat. Two. Three.
He bunched his muscles and narrowed his eyes.
Five beats.
Inuyasha gave chase.
A forgotten kitsune stood dumbstruck, confusion writ across his face. "What just happened…?"
-X-
Heart pounding in the thrill of the game, blood racing and legs pumping across the ground, Inuyasha swiftly weaved his way through the sea of trees, the smirk never leaving his visage as he stared straight ahead of him at the figure running from his pursuit. He wasn't surprised she would head toward his forest. She probably thought she could hide from him in the many hollows and niches, or perhaps she deduced she'd be able to confuse him if she tried hard enough.
But it was fruitless. They both knew he'd win in the end. And he'd catch her.
For now, however, he'd let her think she had the upper hand in this game of theirs, that maybe she'd be able to outrun him. What's wrong, Kagome? I thought you wanted to play.
With a dark chuckle, Inuyasha took to the trees with one great leap and easily caught up to her, jumping from tree to tree right above the fleeing woman, the thick branches and wealth of green leaves camouflaging him and never taking his eyes off of his target. His prey.
A little closer…just up ahead…farther…almost there—
He dropped out of the trees right in Kagome's path and said woman shrieked in surprised before skidding to halt, her chest heaving as she caught her breath and her eyes…
Inuyasha's own sunset orbs widened a fraction upon discovering a heated excitement swimming within those mocha depths and he could catch the subtle hint of desire flirting with his nose, taunting him, goading him until a deep rumble started in his chest and worked its way up to trickle out past his lips.
Oh… The wench liked being chased.
Gazing at her through half-lidded eyes now, Inuyasha slowly advanced toward the object of his desire, stepping into rays of sunlight that filtered through the thick canopy of trees overhead and thus causing his sweat slicked chest to glisten briefly before being doused in shade once more. There was no mistaking the predatory glint in his eyes now.
Kagome's heart accelerated as he drew nearer and her scent spiked, Inuyasha's own body responding to the enticing aroma. For every backward step she took, the half-demon took one forward until her back was pressed against the rough bark of a tree and she was trapped.
Before she could escaped, his strong arms caged her in, braced on the tree on either side of her head as he leaned in close, their faces a breath away.
Neither knew how long they stayed like that, staring at each other, hot breath mingling in the condensed air between them. Noticeable shivers raced up and down Kagome's spine, heat pooling in her belly while the blood in Inuyasha's body rushed south and his muscles tensed.
"If I didn't know any better…" he suddenly rumbled, leaning forward to graze his lips across her cheek. "…I'd say you liked being chased, Kagome." His breath, hot and labored, fanned against her lips and the young woman swallowed.
"…Maybe," she breathed in reply, her lids lowering until she was peering up at him through thick, sooty lashes. Something flashed across those russet pools and something stirred in his gut.
Clawed hands dug into the bark behind her head, cracking the wood and gouging the tree. Kagome didn't flinch.
One heartbeat. Two.
Before he could blink Kagome darted forward, brushed the softest of kisses across his lips then ducked underneath his arm and hauled ass, her joyous laughter ringing out behind her and bright brown eyes gleaming with a challenge as she looked over her shoulder.
Inuyasha took a second to revel in that melodious sound before taking off after her, a grin surfacing on his features as he ran full tilt through the trees and brush. He didn't know when he had developed a playful side, but he was definitely enjoying this little game of theirs, and they both knew that this was far beyond the simple rules of Tag.
No. This was their game, their rules, their decisions.
Their playtime.
Feminine laughter echoed ahead of him and Inuyasha's own chuckle was drowned in Kagome's merriment. Oh yeah. The wench liked to be chased and damn him if he didn't like chasing her.
He allowed the game of cat and mouse to go on a little bit further, chasing her through the trees, ducking under low branches and leaping over fallen logs as she deftly dodged large boulders and streaked right through dense patches of trees. By now the lust was evident in his eyes, on his face as his eyes tracked the movement of her hips and eyed the smooth flow of her legs that disappeared into those shorts. Damn him, but what he wouldn't do to be between them right now…
Growling low, eyes narrowing on his prey and with one great bounding leap later, Inuyasha landed a few yards before her then swiftly stretched out an arm and caught her around the waist as she flew by, eliciting a gasp from the lithe woman in his arms. Without wasting another second he drew her flush against his heated body, one clawed hand at the small of her back and the other cradling the back of her neck, his finger tips disappearing into a wealth of silky black hair, damp from her exertions. It must have come lose from its tail while she was running.
Kagome, eyes wide and mouth parted as she gasped for breath, stared captivated into his amber eyes, unable and unwilling to move from his embrace. Her body trembled with anticipation, her breasts heaving against his sleek chest. Their hearts pounded rapidly until calming down after several seconds to beat in unison with each other.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kagome inhaled shakily and licked her dry lips, not missing the way his eyes tracked the movement. "Inuyasha…" She was surprised at the huskiness of her voice and wondered if it was from his close proximity or the fact that she had just ran for quite awhile without stopping. She figured it was the former. Because no amount of running could make her feel this flushed or breathless.
Inuyasha growled in response before dipping his head and burying his nose in the slick flesh of her neck, inhaling her scent and shuddering with want. God, she smelled so good. Like sweat, the woods, and himself. Like they had just finished a nice steamy round of hot sex on the forest floor.
That particular image had a certain part of him hardening and he stifled a needy groan, tightening his hold on her and pressing his lips to the crook of her neck to sample that salty flesh. God…she tasted as good as she smelled, maybe even better.
"Kagome…" he rasped, closing his eyes and dragging his tongue along her neck and to her jaw where he ended his trail with a sucking kiss to the corner of her mouth. She gasped and he sighed raggedly against her lips then finally flipped his eyes open to gaze down at the large mocha eyes staring back at him.
"Kagome," Inuyasha muttered again and he could fight it no longer.
A second later his lips were on hers, sucking, stroking, demanding entrance and Kagome obeyed, her mouth parting on a gasp which promptly morphed into a moan when he swept the recesses of her mouth, leaning nothing untouched yet still it was not enough.
With a groan, the half-demon crushed her too him and didn't waste anytime in taking control of the situation, backing her up against a tree and pinning her there with his weight. Greedily he took all that she offered to him, swallowing her moans of pleasure and reveling in the soft sounds she made for him. Her body, lithe and soft, arched against his own as his clawed hands yanked her shirt up and pressed their bare flesh together, eliciting a hiss of pleasure from him and a gasp of yearning from the woman.
"In-Inuyasha," she said breathlessly, her skin flushed and quivering at his sinful caresses against her belly and sides. Her heart was racing a mile a minute and her insides were tuning to mush as he continued his ministrations and had it not been for his weight pinned against her, Kagome would have surely collapsed by now.
Inuyasha, meanwhile, was relentless with the power he had over her, touching her with his claws, kissing her everywhere with his mouth and tongue, and his hips having developed a slight thrusting motion against her own. The feel of her against him, hot, wet, and willing, was driving him mad with want and he didn't hold himself back. It was too late for that; far too late.
The woman in his arms didn't seem to care, however. She was writhing against him, reaching out, tugging him closer with her hands and arching her body into his in blatant invitation. Those deep mocha eyes bore into his own with an intensity that had him hardening for her, growling his need and devouring her mouth with a desperation that took her breath away, as well as all coherent thought.
Her core bloomed for him, releasing more of that delicious scent, enveloping him in a cloud of pure ecstasy. More; he needed to take in more of that sinfully delectable aroma and with that thought, two sly hands slithered down her flat stomach, cured over the luscious curves of her hips and slipped clawed fingers into the waistband. With a wicked smile, Inuyasha slowly worked the shorts down her hips, mindful of his claws yet deliberately grazing her bare flesh with the deadly tips, eliciting shivers from the woman before him.
Trembling with a need so fierce, a want that nearly had her begging for more, Kagome was too far gone to realize what he was doing, to stop him before it was too late. She was ensnared, lost in a cloud of ecstasy, drowning in the palpability of this wanton need between them that went so deep it was almost as if she were burning alive, and her hanyou was the douse of cold water, the soothing touch to make the blaze go away, a balm to her frazzled nerves. It was impossible to ignore.
A whisper in the form of his name fell from her lips and she grabbed his head to pull him down to her and capture his mouth with a hungry that drove them to greater heights and Inuyasha growled, shoving her shorts down past her hips, anchoring her thigh against his hip and thrusting a hand between her legs—
"Inuyasha! Kagome! Are you there? Sango was getting worried, and she sent me off to—"
Hanyou and human froze, their hearts thundering in their heaving chests and two pairs of eyes wide as they forced themselves to remain still lest they be found by the very unwelcome visitor.
The sound of footsteps grew closer and Inuyasha cursed, dropping his forehead to Kagome's shoulder and inhaling sharply before releasing a shaky, calming sigh. "Fuck," he muttered once more and swallowed thickly as he drew back slightly to stare down at the flushed woman still pressed intimately against him.
Kagome stared back, almond eyes wide and mouth slightly parted as she fought to regain her breath and calm her racing heart. "Miroku," she whispered and swallowed the lump in her throat.
He rumbled in reply and scented the air, bypassing the aroma of sex and arousal to detect how far away the monk was. His growl grew in volume and he focused his attention back to Kagome. She could tell by the scowl on his face that he wasn't that far away and unless they wanted to get caught and endure endless nights of teasing…
With a sudden dip of his head, Inuyasha's mouth was on hers, hard and demanding, once more stealing her breath and he pulled away before she could respond, amber eyes passionate and his jaw tense.
"Don't think this is over," he rumbled before giving her one last smoldering look and bounding off into the trees, out of her sight.
Slumping against the tree, Kagome exhaled and put a hand to her chest, her breathing erratic and her knees weak. Taking a deep, calming breath, the young woman gazed up into the luscious green of the forest's trees and knew, without a doubt, that he would be back.
This game wasn't over yet.
-X-
Well, that certainly was fun to write, and might I add very refreshing. I was hoping this would make my writer's block crumble away, but I still find myself at a loss as what to do next for any of my stories. The next chapter for Wanted is half way finished…sorta, but I don't know where to go from where I am now. God, it's so frustrating…
Anyway, this little piece of citrusy fun might be a collection, but I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking about continuing this with other games they could "play" while in the process of getting into situations like the one in this one. Sound like a good idea, or should I just continue with a single sequel? I need feedback. ::deaddesk:: Any would be appreciated, for both my other fics, and this one.
Nevertheless, hope you enjoyed.
Oh, and, I wanted to give a little advice to all of you fellow authors out there: If you ever have trouble finding a decent summary for one of your fictions, just take a little, short excerpt from the first chapter or one that gets the plot rolling and use that as your summary. Believe me, it works.
Until next time,
Keiz
