Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are not mine.

Author’s Note:  Having realised the number of Inuyasha one-shots I’ve been writing, this is the first of a few one-shots that I want to collect together into a chronological, ‘snapshots-in-time’ set of stories that focus on Inuyasha and Kagome’s relationship.  Therefore, events and progression from each story still stands in the next.  I hope this makes sense!

Okay, this first one was very much a spur-of-the-moment thing.  I quite like it: I hope you do too.  ^_^ And by the way, before anyone asks: I deliberately didn’t describe what preceded the events/conversation of this little story.  I purposely left that up to your own imagination.  Okay?  I meant that as part of the fic itself.  Hope that’s all clear and okay!  ^_^  (Oh, and the title comes from an amazing song from an amazing band, ie the Smashing Pumpkins.  ^_^)

 To Forgive

  Kagome leant her slight body into the rough bark of a huge old sakura tree, letting her shoulder bump harshly against the wood.

  She felt the skin of her arm sting with a graze from the tree trunk, and winced, even as she welcomed the pain that distracted her from the wrenching hurt that clutched at her heart.

  Rain fell all around, surrounding Kagome with its rustling, constant sound, and dripping through the leaves above to trickle into her hair and down her face.

  “Kagome!”

  She heard Inuyasha calling from somewhere nearby.  The sound of the rain muffled his voice, making him sound more distant.

  Kagome flinched at the sound of his cry, almost falling: she struck the ground with a flattened hand to support her shaking body.  Tears coursed down her face.

  “Kagome!”

  Inuyasha again. 

  He appeared suddenly, a bright red, rain-blurred figure of hope in the dull, melancholy downpour.  Kagome whipped her head round to stare him down, but the misery inside her welled up to pull her under. 

  “Leave me alone, Inuyasha!  Go away!” she cried, her voice breaking as the strained cry tried to leave her tight throat.

  He paused at her shout, watching her through the sheets of falling rain.  The grass and trees seemed too green, too fresh in the sad grey light.

  Then he started walking towards her.  Slowly, purposefully.

  “Please, just leave!” cried Kagome again, her hot tears mingling with the cold raindrops on her face.  She shivered with cold and misery.

  He didn’t stop.  Kagome’s sight of him became clearer as he got slightly closer: she could see his silvery hair was plastered to his head and body, and she could see the way his eyes watched her.  There was a calm, resolute look in his gaze.

  “I’m not going, Kagome.”  His voice reached to her through the sound of the falling rain.

  She turned her head away again, gasping for breath as sobs shuddered through her body.  She coughed, almost choking on the lump in her throat.  Her dark, wet hair fell forward in front of her face.  The arm that pushed her away from the ground trembled uncertainly.

  As the coughing fit passed, she turned to look at Inuyasha again.  He was still walking slowly towards her.  She couldn’t think of any other way to stop him.

  “Inuyasha, sit!”

  He flashed her one bright amber glance before he fell to the ground.

  Kagome breathed heavily, blinking hard.  The tears still ran down her face.

  She looked up at him again.  “I’m sorry,” she started to say.  But he was already up, pulling himself up from the ground and taking another step towards her.

  “No, Inuyasha!  Sit!” she yelled again.

  He fell again.

  The look in his eyes was one of pure determination, as he pushed himself up from the wet grass again, taking a crouching step forwards.

  Kagome watched, her chest tight with pain, as he rose and took another step.

  “Sit!”

  As he rose that time, he staggered and fell to a limp crouch.  He moved forward through the rain, his eyes never leaving her face.

  “Sit!” she cried, desperation in her eyes and voice.

  He crawled along the ground towards her.  He was only a few feet away.

  “Sit, sit, sit…” she sobbed, her voice finally succumbing to her wracking breathing and jarring lungs.  She coughed again, choking on the sobs.

  Inuyasha had still inched forward, dragging himself over the ground.

  As Kagome’s arm gave, and she fell to the rain-soaked grass, Inuyasha threw out an arm to break her fall.

  She let her hands grip his arm tightly, sobbing as he finally reached her, and his other arm reached up to stroke her back.

  Her slight body shuddered painfully, and Inuyasha drew her dripping frame close against him.

  She instinctively slipped her arms around him, clinging to him like a frightened child.  He could feel her heart beating too fast against his chest, and smell her tears through the rain.

  “You’ll be fine, Kagome.  It’ll be fine,” he said quietly.

  Kagome just kept sobbing into his chest, her fingers clutching the material on his back, as if to pull him even closer.  Inuyasha let her do so, supporting her with both of his arms, letting her lean into his body. 

  “How can you say that?” she gasped in a broken voice.

  He dropped his face into her dark hair, breathing in her scent.

  “Because I lied to you.  I was lying, Kagome,” he murmured.

  “What?” she whispered.  She pulled away to gaze into his eyes with a heartbroken look that made Inuyasha’s chest tighten painfully.

  He winced at his own treatment of her.  “You know me,” he said, shaking his head, looking down.  “You know what I’m like.  I’m no good at talking about… feelings.”

  He could feel Kagome’s eyes still trying to catch his own.

  “Why did you have to be so hurtful, though?  Why did you have to say those things?” she asked, tears in her voice.  “Can’t you see how much you hurt me?”

  He braved her gaze then, and the pain in her eyes was too much to bear.  He blinked unsteadily.

  Still with a troubled expression, he leant his head forward to nuzzle her neck gently, comfortingly, repentantly. 

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured, in the lowest of tones, right by her ear.

  He felt her hands reach up to touch his head, felt her fingers move tentatively through the long strands of his wet, tangled hair.  One of her hands moved up to stroke one of his rain-soaked ears, smoothing his pale fur.  A strange feeling moved through Inuyasha at the simple touch.

  A tingle rushed through him as he felt her lips meet the bared skin of his neck with a soft kiss.

  Her words sounded too small and quiet for the amount of meaning they held.

  “I forgive you.”

Author’s note:  Hope you liked it- I know, it’s short and kinda angsty, and I’ve been at the rain machine again… What can I say?  I like rain.  ^_^  Well, I’d muchly appreciate it if you left your thoughts!  Thanks!