Free Love by KiaraKitten

Chapter One

Author's note: Song is noted with : Inner thoughts are noted with ::

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyahsa in any way shape or form

: If you've been hiding from love

If you've been hiding from love:

Kagome

Kagome sighed softly as she soaked in the warmth of the hot spring. Her body ached from the latest youkai battle and it was the first time she had been able to relax all day. She closed her eyes as the heat slowly drained away the tension in her neck and back.

"Oh Kami thank you for hot springs. I don't know how people can stand not being clean."

: I can understand where you're coming from

I can understand where you're coming from:

Sesshoumaru

Sesshoumaru stood in the shadows, silently watching the young miko. Her normally pale skin was flushed rosy red from the heat of the water. He watched her in fascination. ::Why can't I stop thinking of this human?:: He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled her scent, that sweet scent of lilies, jasmine, something else...something that was simply her. He had been thinking of her for months now. Finally the urge to understand this obsession had driven him from his castle to this spring, following her scent the whole time. ::Why do I feel this way? Every time I've seen her in battle, it's been as if I could feel a kinship with her. With her courage, her strength... but that's impossible. She's a human.::

His ears perked up as he heard her speak. He repressed an urge to growl as she started to mention his brother's name. ::Control yourself, she does not need to know you're here::

: If you've suffered enough

If you've suffered enough:

Kagome

She reached into her bag and pulled out her soap. She carefully cleaned herself.

"Hopefully Inuyasha won't make me wait three days till the next spring ever again. I hate feeling that filthy."

"Baka Inuyasha," she grumbled softly. "When are you going to realize that I just want you to make a choice? All you need to do is make a choice. Her or me. Kikyo or Kagome. I can handle it if he doesn't pick me. I just need to know. We have almost all the shards. I can't stay here forever waiting for him. If he doesn't want me, they why can't he just tell me so I can go home?"

She sighed softly.

"I'm tired of being alone all the time while he sneaks off in the night to see Kikyo. Don't I deserve to have someone to hold me at least for just one night?"

: I can understand what you're thinking of

I can see the pain that you're frightened of:

Sesshoumaru

No wonder she didn't disgust him like most humans. He had never seen one pay so much attention to personal cleanliness before. He watched as she soaped herself up, hands running over breasts and stomach. His manhood twitched between his legs and he suppressed a groan. This little human was doing to him what dozens of demon women had not been able to accomplish... he was losing control. He started to leave but heard her speak again. He stopped hypnotized by her wishes of freedom from his brother's indecision. He felt his heart stop for moment she spoke of being lonely. ::Tired of being lonely? All I've ever known was loneliness. Is there anything else?::

Kagome

"Dozens of men where I'm from and from here, but what do you do Kagome? You have to become obsessed with the one that will never see you for you. All he will ever see Kikyo."

She grabbed her shampoo bottle and used a generous amount to clean the dirt and blood out of her hair.

"Well that's it!" She ducked under the water to rinse the shampoo and then stood up proudly.

"From this day, I, Higurashi Kagome, will no longer wait for him. I will live my life as if he had never even looked at me that way!"

She threw her arms in the air and whirled around in the water proudly.

: I've been running like you

I've been running like you:

Sesshoumaru

He could no longer take it. He had arrived because of a physical calling, but her words called to something deeper within him. He rushed forward and seized her up, one arm around her waist, the other over her throat with his hand over her mouth. He could feel her body rigid with fear against him. He turned her around with his tail, being careful to keep his hand over her mouth.

"I will ask you questions woman, and if you answer them to my satisfaction I will let you live. Nod if you understand me."

She nodded, her eyes wide with fear and something else, something he couldn't place.

: Now you understand why I'm running scared

Now you understand why I'm running scared:

Kagome

She stared up at him as he moved his hand away from her mouth. How long had he been watching her? She was painfully aware of the fact that she was wet, naked, and being held by one of Inuyasha's greatest enemies. ::OK, he's going to asked where Inuyasha is or where the Tetsuiga is::

"Why is it that you feel you should not have to be lonely?" He demanded.

Her mouth dropped open. Of everything he could have asked that was the last thing she had expected. She frowned slightly as she searched for an answer.

"Answer me woman!"

"My name is not woman, it's Kagome and I will answer you if you give me a moment." She paused for a second. "I can't think like this I need to put my clothes on."

He stood there for a second and nodded his consent. He released her from his grip. She scrambled for her clothes and quickly dressed. She stood there for a moment.

"No one deserves to be lonely. It happens and sometimes it's unstoppable, but no one deserves it. Everyone deserves some kind of love in their life."

: I've been searching for truth

I've been searching for truth:

Sesshoumaru

He stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded. The idea of deserving love was unthinkable to him.

"You speak foolishness woman. No one deserves anything. Everything must be worked for and earned."

"I told you my name is Kagome! And yes everyone deserves love. If we didn't why would it hurt so much when it isn't there?"

Her eyes welled up with tears.

"I know that I deserve love." Her voice cracked slightly as she began to cry. "I deserve to have someone hold me and make me feel comforted, just like you and everyone else in the world."

: And I haven't been getting anywhere

No I haven't been getting anywhere:

Kagome

She watched him stare at her, his eyes unreadable. His face seemed frozen as if the thought of love was hurtful to him. He lowered his head as if too escape her gaze. ::Maybe I can shock him enough to gain an advantage and run:: She pressed forward.

"Haven't you ever wanted to be held by someone? Even for just a little while? All I ever wanted from Inuyasha was to be loved. To be made to feel as though I was important enough to be loved and held and kissed and comforted. Haven't you ever felt that way ?"

He raised his head and stared at her. The mask had cracked and he stared at her with such pain and longing in his eyes that it made her heart ache in response.

"Yes," he whispered. "I have."

She stared at him for a moment, too surprised to speak. Without being aware that she was going to do it, she moved forward and took his hand, while letting her other hand rest on his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru

He sat there, feeling her hand gently holding his, trying to offer him comfort. :: No one has ever touched me this way. I've been touched in anger, pain, lust... but never gentleness and comfort.::

"Why are you trying to comfort me?"

"Because I think that right now, you're just like me. We both just want someone to love us."

He stared at her for a moment.

"Yes we do, don't we?"

Before she could respond, he pulled her close to him holding her against his chest. He reveled in the feeling of having someone close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and began to stroke her hair.

: Hey girl

You've got to take this moment

Don't let it slip away:

Kagome

She stood in the circle of his arms for a moment, completely shocked. This was Sesshoumaru. He had tried to kill her and her friends on several occasions, yet here he was holding her. But at the same time, it felt so good. To know that someone else was there. To know that someone else cared. She slipped her arms around him and snuggled into the embrace. After a moment of just standing there he swept her up into his arms and the two of them lay in the grass, not saying a word. Her head lay cradled on his chest and his tail wrapped around them, keeping the night's chill away.

: Let go of complicated feelings

Then there's no price to pay :

Sesshoumaru

After some time had passed, he tilted her chin up to look at her. Her gently stroked her cheek with claw tipped fingers. She smiled softly, a contented look on her face.

"You know that this cannot last?" he asked her.

"I know. After I go back to the camp, you will continue to hunt Inuyasha."

"Yes. I must have the Tetsuiga."

"I understand. But for now..."

"Yes for now..."

He trailed off but continued to stare at her. He had not felt this contented ever before and did not want it to end.

: We've been running from love

We've been running from love:

Kagome

She stared back at him, not caring how much was passing, not caring that only this afternoon she had cried over Inuyasha. She wasn't alone. For this moment, she had all that she could ask for.

"I don't care what happens later," she told him. "You have given me one of the happiest moments that I have had since I came here. And that's more than I dreamed of getting tonight. Tonight was going to be another lonely night. And now...it's special."

: And we don't know what we're doing here

No we don't know what we're doing here:

Sesshoumaru

"You mentioned before wanting to be loved, hugged, comforted, and kissed. Do you still wish that?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer. After a moment, she shyly nodded. He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. The kiss was soft and sweet. He had never felt anything like it in his life. It expressed all of the love that the two of them were sharing in that moment.

: And we're only here

Sharing our free love:

"Will you stay with me tonight and hold me while I sleep, Sesshoumaru?"

"I will have to be gone by morning."

: Let's make it clear

That this is free love:

"I know. But we deserve this. Just one night to be held."

"One night to be loved the way we deserve..."

"For this night I won't be lonely."

"For this night you Kagome will be my companion."

: No hidden catch

No strings attached

Just free love:

"And then in the morning..."

"Yes in the morning..."

"I will never forget this night Sesshoumaru."

"Nor will I Kagome."

: No hidden catch

No strings attached

Just free love:

Kagome

Kagome woke up in the morning. He had awakened before her and left. She felt something tickling her cheek and turned to see a single perfect rose lying next to her. She picked it up and smelled the sweet fragrance. He might have left, but she knew that she would never truly be alone again.

: No hidden catch

No strings attached

Just free love: