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Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha.

Harsh Truths/ by FrustratedPhoenix/


Kouga barely suppressed a moan as Kagome dressed his wounds. If excruciating pain was the price to pay for Kagome's touch then he'd willingly be gored by a boar demon every day.

Inu Yasha growled as Kagome's soft hands gently brushed against Kouga's bare torso while she cleansed the deep gash across his chest. When Kagome turned away to reach for some more of her special medicines, Kouga stared Inu Yasha straight in the eyes and grinned his cockiest smile.

"Kagome," growled Inu Yasha, "We have shards to find; leave the Fleabag and let's go!"

"Inu Yasha, it's my fault Kouga was injured in the first place. I can't leave him to bleed to death!" Kagome dabbed some antiseptic onto a clean cloth. Turning toward the Wolf Prince she said, "Kouga-Kun, this may sting a little but will help fight infection."

Kouga couldn't prevent a small hiss of pain when Kagome applied the burning antiseptic. Seeing Inu Yasha's malicious smirk Kouga replied, "My sweet Kagome, you worry over nothing. Unlike that weak puppy, I'm all demon. Tomorrow this'll be a scratch."

Inu Yasha flexed his claws as he took a menacing step toward the injured wolf demon. Without glancing away from Kouga's wound, Kagome sweetly said, "Sit." Knowing it would have hurt like hell if he laughed, Kouga settled for a pained chuckle.

"I know you heal quickly, Kouga-Kun. But, I'd feel better if I could ease the pain."

Kouga grabbed Kagome's hands and held them against his chest. She could feel his heart beating beneath his warm, naked flesh. Kagome held her breath as Kouga's impossibly blue eyes gazed deeply into her own and pierced her very soul. Raw masculinity tinged his voice as Kouga seductively declared, "Kagome, this pain is nothing compared to your absence. You are my woman. Stay here. Please. Allow me to cherish you."

Inu Yasha furiously spit dirt out of his mouth as he stood up. The aggravated hanyou sneered, "Do you have any more of that pink stuff for upset stomachs, Kagome? I feel sick."

"How dare you mock my love for Kagome, Dog Breath!"

"Dog Breath! You mangy wolf, all you've ever desired have been the shards. When you first met Kagome you kidnapped her because she could sense fragments of the Sacred Jewel. Kagome may be dumb but she isn't that stupid. So don't sit there telling us you would choose a weak, human girl over the power of the Jewel of Four Souls!"

"Don't you dare call my woman weak and stupid! She's strong and smart and kind. You're a fool if you think otherwise, but then I always knew you had shit for brains."

In his fury, Kouga forgot his pain and jumped up to stand nose-to-nose with the half-breed. Neither incensed demon noticed the heart-broken miko crouched on the floor of the cave silently crying.

"The jewel's power is nothing compared to my Kagome's goodness. Only someone as strong and pure as she could prevent the Shikon jewel from becoming tainted. Not even the first Guardian of the Shikon no Tama could do that."

"Keep Kikyo out of this! Kikyo is twice the priestess Kagome is or ever could be!"

"You're a bigger ass than even I imagined, Dog Turd. How can you choose that walking pile of clay over my Kagome? Are you truly that stupid?"

"Shut your damn mouth, Wolf!"

"Which miko helps you gather the shards and patiently puts up with your bullshit? And which one gave your hard-won shards to Naraku and keeps trying to drag you to Hell?"

Inu Yasha's golden eyes flashed red. "I said shut up!"

"I've changed my mind. I don't think you're stupid; I think you're a greedy bastard! If you really thought my Kagome was that worthless you wouldn't care whether she stayed or not. Truth is, you need her. She's the only miko capable of detecting shards that's also willing to give them to you."

As the last shred of Inu Yasha's control snapped, the enraged Inu demon shoved Kouga and pinned the injured wolf demon against a cave wall. Too angry to be terrified, Kouga stared into the blood red eyes of a fully transformed Inu Yasha.

Fearing for Kouga's life and Inu Yasha's sanity, Kagome threw herself at Inu Yasha. The frightened miko pounded his back with her fists and yanked tufts of his hair from his scalp but nothing she did brought the enraged demon back to reality. In a desperate attempt to prevent Inu Yasha from choking Kouga to death, Kagome grabbed one of Inu Yasha's arms. Without removing his hands from Kouga's neck, Inu Yasha roughly shook her loose and Kagome fell to the ground.

Rage fueled Kouga's strength as he fought to pry Inu Yasha's hands from his throat. Forcing Inu Yasha's hands back far enough to strike, Kouga head-butted the dog demon. As Inu Yasha staggered backwards, Kagome screamed, "Sit!"

Inu Yasha crashed to the cave floor and was knocked senseless by the sheer force of the emotion behind Kagome's subduing command. The miko's anguished cries had alerted the pack to danger and several wolf demons led by Hakkaku and Ginta charged into the cave. Inu Yasha's hanyou self regained consciousness as two of Kouga's pack members hoisted him out of a deep hanyou-shaped crater.

Kouga stared at Inu Yasha in disgust. "I admit I was first attracted to Kagome because she could sense the shards. But it was her loyalty and compassion that made me love her. Who else but Kagome would risk death to spare a demon fox child? Or assist the very demons who abducted her? You don't deserve her. Neither do I."

Kouga removed the shards from his legs and threw them on the ground in front of Inu Yasha's feet. "Knowing Kagome has changed me. Take the damn shards. I hope I'm never weak enough to rely upon artificial strength again."

"Your loss, Wolf. Let's go, Kagome."

"No, Inu Yasha." Kagome handed Inu Yasha her remaining shards. "Kikyo can find the rest of the shards for you. I'm staying here, at least till I sort some things out."

Inu Yasha growled. "Kagome."

"Tell the others I'll miss them but my part in the quest is over. I'll visit as soon as I can."

"Don't be stupid, Girl."

"You heard my woman. Now get the fuck out of our den!"

Inu Yasha stared at Kagome. Resolutely, she held his gaze. Inu Yasha smirked, tossing
Kagome's shards up and down in one of his clawed hands. "Kikyo'll find them quicker."

"Inu Yasha," sweetly said Kagome.

The arrogant half-demon flinched expecting to be sat into oblivion.

"Go to Hell."

Slowly, Kagome walked away from the former love of her life and toward Kouga. Quietly she said, "Come on, your bandages have come loose."