Pearls... pearls... she said she liked pearls...

What kind of engagement ring has a pearl on it?!

Inuyasha shuffled around the small jewelry shop, Kagome's note in hand. Get a large, golden ring that would draw attention to it, the note read. And remember, I like pearls~ ;). He certainly found many large, expensive rings topped with diamonds, even a few emeralds and rubies, and one lone sapphire, but no pearls. He panicked as he looked at a nice, sterling silver diamond ring that he thought would look good on his Kagome's ring finger. He wanted to buy her that one. Most men get to choose the ring they buy their fiancés because said fiancé doesn't know she's going to be proposed to. But alas, this was Kagome. This were never ordinary around Kagome. She was the one who suggested they get married, and he was to go buy the right ring to 'propose'. Inuyasha gave one last final sigh, then turned to leave the store. This was the fifth jewelry shop he had been to.

"Um, excuse me, mister, would you like some help?"

Inuyasha turned around. The speaker was a shop clerk, with long silky black hair pulled into a ponytail, and fair skin. Her onyx eyes were friendly, and she looked at him with kindness and some pity. Inuyasha blushed a little at her beauty, before inwardly shaking his head.

"I just couldn't find the ring I was looking for." He stated, somewhat embarrassed. He hated receiving help from anyone. But this lady looked nice enough, at least, she looked nicer than the fat, old, crotchety men who wandered around Walmart looking to 'help' people.

"Ah. I see." She said. "Well, what does she like?"

Inuyasha unwrinkled the note in his hand and showed it to the woman. Her dark eyes were confused for a moment, then she read it. She turned back to him. "So she knows you're proposing? That's certainly unique."

Inuyasha, embarrassed, rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, well, it was her idea... Not that I don't want to marry her!" He suddenly panicked. "She's, er, great. We're meant for each other, eheh!" Ugh, what was he doing? This woman obviously didn't care about his relationship!

But she smiled sweetly and said, "Well, if you're meant to be together, then I supposed you'd need to get more the most exquisite ring. I think we have some pearls in the back. I'll go get them."

She turned to go to the back of the store, and Inuyasha stood there awkwardly, waiting. He glanced around the shop, looking at other men buying rings and jewelry for their girls. Their probably nice, gentle, loving girls. But Inuyasha shook his head. Kagome wasn't bad, no - they were meant to be together. Sure, their relationship was a little messed up, but the marriage would help them with that. That was what marriage was all about, after all: working through your struggles together.

Eventually, the woman came back, a red velvet box in her hand. "It's not an engagement ring, but..." She opened the box, to reveal a bronze ring topped off with a magnificently shiny pearl.

Inuyasha beamed. Kagome will love this! "Ah, thank you! I'll take it!" He took the velvet box from the woman and went to the nearest cash register.

The young lady smiled at Inuyasha as he checked out (fourteen months' pay down the drain. Kagome better like this one!) and left the store.

"My, now wasn't he a cute one, Kikyou? And young too!"

Kikyou turned to the source of the voice. It was Kagura, her work-buddy. Poor Kikyou, who couldn't make friends because she was always at some job or another, was kept company by only Kagura. Growing up, Kagura was the only one that was half-decent to Kikyou and didn't bully her, and she wasn't about to flush all that down the drain. Out of Kikyou's four jobs, she shared two of her shifts with Kagura.

"Yes, and? Cute guys come in here all the time." Kikyou replied nonchalantly, pacing the open floor of the small jewelry shop.

"Yeah, but he looked so young! Maybe he's as young as you!" Kagura exclaimed, waiving her arms in the air for dramatic effect.

While Kikyou had a bit of a mature aura about her, in reality she was one month away from adulthood. Seventeen and eleven months. She quit school a year about two years ago - she wasn't irresponsible, but there was no time for school. Too many jobs, too many chances to earn money to pay rent. She worked a total of four different jobs during the week: in the mornings, she worked at a bakery; in the afternoons, she worked at a jewelry shop; in the evenings, she was a pizza delivery girl; and on weekends, she worked at a ballet studio. Each was only minimum wage, but if she worked her hardest, and continued to bring in business, she receive just enough money to pay rent in the small one-room apartment she inhabited.

Kikyou, being only seventeen, wasn't forced to live on her own. He father was a soldier, and was killed in battle. Her mother was fired from her factory job and was unemployed. Kikyou knew her poor mother couldn't take care of herself and Kikyou, so she moved out. She had decided that she was better off living on her own, anyway.

"Kagura, he was buying an engagement ring." Kikyou argued back.

"So? Plenty of charming men have mistresses~"

Kikyou sighed. She didn't know why Kagura was always trying to pair her up with people. But then again, Kagura was in her own healthy, happy relationship with Naraku. Maybe she thought she could rub some of that healthy, happy charm onto Kikyou.

Kikyou looked around the shop, and noticed yet another man that looked like he could use assistance. "Kagura, let's just get back to work, okay?" Kagura simply shrugged and walked back to her counter. Still, he was attractive... Kikyou thought, but shrugged the thought off. She would most likely never see that man in her life again, therefore he didn't matter. All the mattered is that she got her job done and received her next salary check to pay rent.

"Tsk. Where is he?" Kagome asked no one in particular. She sat alone in the penthouse, waiting for Inuyasha to come back with her engagement ring. What was taking so long? She was always complaining to Inuyasha about his slowness. Not that being second place in the state for senior year track competitions mattered to her.

Kagome stood up, and looked in the mirror, admiring her long legs. They were her best feature, at least in her opinion. Whenever she'd ask Inuyasha, he'd always say 'everything'. Ugh, what a kiss-ass! Kagome couldn't stand people like that. But, as long as Inuyasha was her Inuyasha, well, then maybe she could let it slide and forgive him.

She imagined him coming back from his shopping spree, no doubt having paid through the nose trying to get a golden engagement ring with a pearl on it. In reality, she didn't really like pearls all that much, but Inuyasha was a sucker, who's do anything for her. As long as she kept his secret, he was hers for the taking...

"Kagome! I'm home!" Kagome ran to the door with a pissy little stomp in her step, hands on hips.

She glared at Inuyasha icily. "What on Earth took you so long? You were only getting a ring; I was so sure you had run off with some other girl during the day."

As expected, guilt painted itself onto Inuyasha's face. He was easy to trick. All Kagome had to say was 'other girl' and he'd be killing himself trying to please her. But, he was hers, and he was back. That's all that mattered. She grabbed him by the chin and gave him a quick kiss before saying, "Alright! Let me see it! And don't tell me you got me some cheap silvery ring with a fake diamond~!"

Inuyasha rummaged through his bag until he pulled out a small red velvet box. Kagome grabbed it and opened it, and upon seeing just what she had asked for, she squealed. "Oh Inuyasha! This one's perfect! We'll stage the proposal tomorrow, in front of your family, and all my friends!"

Inuyasha smiled, and nodded. This was good. This was what he wanted. Him and his girl, Kagome living the 'happily-ever-after' that they wanted. He regretted thinking his doubtful thoughts earlier. Kagome wasn't bad. Sure, she might be a little hard on him sometimes, but that's what girlfriends are for. They'd work thorugh any real problems they had. Inuyasha knew it would work. Kagome was his, and he was Kagome's.

"Alright, now, I better get going."

Inuyasha turned to see Kagome undo the top button of her shirt, grab her purse, and unlock the door.

"What? Where are you going?" He asked, distressed.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "To Sango's, duh. What, you're not going to be lonely when I'm gone, are you?" She asked dryly.

Inuyasha shook his head, turned on the TV, and made himself comfortable on the couch. She had seemed so happy to be with him... oh well, it was just another night at Sango's, she would be alright. Inuyasha could order a pizza, watch TV, play online videogames with Naraku...

Everything was going to be alright. It was just another one of the many nights he spent alone.

So! Whaddya think? Personally, I like Villain!Kagome. There really isn't enough InuKyo out there, so I wrote this. If you hate Kikyou, well then good for you. But no flames. There are enough InuKag and Villain!Kikyou fics out there to add fuel to your hateful fire, so just grow up and read one of those. In fact, since this fic even says 'InuKyo' in the title, maybe you shouldn't have clicked on it in the first place! There's an idea!

But aside from my angry rant, if you like Kikyou and don't mind Villain!Kagome, well I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and will enjoy the rest~!