A Dog's Love

A fateful encounter when she needed it the most leaves Higurashi Kagome in the care of Sohma Shigure. Soon becoming aware of the Sohmas' curse, she gives it her all to show her gratitude – but soon she begins to realize maybe she isn't doing it out of simply "gratitude".

Prologue

"Please! Only one more month, and then I'll have the money needed!" Higurashi Kagome begged as she gripped the telephone in her hands. "I know this month has been tough and that I'm late with the bills, but-!"

"Higurashi-san. We had a deal; either pay the bills before the year is over, or move out." The voice on the other end sounded kind and reassuring, but there was no warmth behind it. Professional. "I'm terribly sorry, but after New Year you have to move out."

Kagome hiccuped as tears began to form. "Please... it's my home."

"I hope you have a good New Year," the banker said, ignoring her words. After a pause he added, "I'm sorry."

The other end clicked as he hung up. Kagome stood there, phone in hand and trembling terribly.

Outside dark clouds moved closer.

-ooo-

"A~ah," Sohma Shigure sighed as he trudged on his way home. The New Years Banquette at the Sohma's estate had been as every other year; the whole family of Sohma gathering together, the annual dance, this year performed by Momiji.

In other words, it had been the same as every other year, and thus boring. Hadn't it been for Ayame and Hatori he would probably have had to associate with Akito himself for the whole week. He shivered at the thought. Akito may be 'God', but he was one hell of a scary one.

Yuki and Kyo hadn't even come this year, instead staying at home with Tohru-kun. The lucky scoundrels.

Shigure smiled. Maybe he only had himself to blame – after all he had pretty much pushed them back to her, though it hadn't required much to get them to turn tail.

Mah, no matter! Now it was over and he could return home, where little Tohru-kun would greet him with a wonderful meal and-

He paused. Somewhere he could hear someone crying. Looking left he noticed a long alleyway that seemed to lead to several apartment-complexes. The crying was coming from further down the street.

Should he go there and check? But then, maybe it was just false alarm and it was simply a child? Maybe he should just be on his way...

Shigure took a step away from the alley, but as the sobbing continued he groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"Hello?" he shouted, tentatively walking down the alley as he looked left and right at the gates he passed. "Excuse me?"

Damn, maybe it had just been the wind. Shigure looked around and sniffed the air delicately – the curse of the dog could come in handy sometimes, he had to admit. Ah, but the pain of never being able to hug a girl from outside the zodiak was painful!

"Moshi-moshi?" he called again. There! A light scent, human, and speckled with salt...

A woman!

His heart soared as he traipsed to where he could scent the female.

Shigure had a silly grin on his face as he found her, a petite little thing sitting on the porch to a modest looking building, but it soon fell as the little woman shook and sobbed.

I'm such a bad person, he sighed. "Excuse me, lady?"

She tensed at the sound of his voice. "Y-yes?" she mumbled into the fabric of her dark-green shirt.

Shigure tilted his head at her. "Um, are you alright? I heard you crying so..." He trailed off as he took in two large bags beside her.

The woman sniffled and lifted her head to look at him.

His heart stopped for a moment.

Royal-blue eyes, tinted with red either from lack of sleep or from crying, gazed at him through thick lashes. A little button nose and a delicate-looking mouth that was turned down in a sad frown. She looked like she was in her late teens or in her early twenties, but with her dark hair worn in a messy bun and bruises under her eyes she managed to look older.

Shigure swallowed thickly.

"I'm sorry," the woman said, rubbed her eyes and smiled wanly at Shigure. "But I'm fine."

Shigure shook his head and crouched down in front of her. He smiled kindly and tilted his head. "Forgive me, but that was a li~e," Shigure sing-sang as he flicked her nose.

The woman blinked and then tears began to fall again. She shook and sobbed. "I-I'm sorry, what am I..?" She sniffled and tried to rub the tears away, but new ones just kept falling. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Something in Shigure gave a painful twist, urging him to do something. If he could he would have hugged her, and not only because she was such a cute little thing, but because she seemed like she desperately needed a hug right that moment.

With a sigh he sufficed with gently patting her head. "What happened?" He asked quietly.

She sobbed again and looked into his warm eyes.

-ooo-

I can't believe I just told my sad story to a complete stranger. Kagome twiddled her fingers as she sat there on the porch. Beside her sat the man – Sohma Shigure, he had said – and was looking up at the darkening sky.

"So, Higurashi-san. You've been thrown out and have nowhere to go? What about your family then – shouldn't your parents help you with this?"

Kagome shook her head and rubbed the corner of her eye. "Mom and my little brother live in Tokyo, at my childhoodhome. I'm studying here to become a veterinarian, and since I found a decent job early on I promised her I would take care of everything.

"But then, I got fired, bills started piling up and now..." Kagome sniffed again. What would her mother say? And Ouji-san, Kami bless his soul, he would have been so sad and disappointed...

Sohma-san hummed beside her. "Hooh. Well, I would really like to help you, Higurashi-san, but I don't know that many places that hire people right now."

Kagome gasped and turned toward him. "You mustn't! You have done more than enough, listening to me ramble about my problems. Really, it was very kind of you." She smiled then. "Thank you for listening, Sohma-san."

He held up a hand and smiled goofily. "No, no, Higurashi-san, call me Shigure. Being called Sohma-san makes me sound... old."

Unexpectedly she laughed. "Then, Shigure-san, you have to call me Kagome!"

"Ka-go-me-chan!" He hummed and his grin widened as he caught the sudden blush on Kagome's cheeks.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while and Kagome mulled over the man sitting by her side. He was such a kind man to have listened to her and comforted her when she cried. And, she had to admit, she hadn't really noticed it at first, but Shigure-san was a handsome man; dark eyes, a strong, masculine chin and hair that looked as soft as fur. Her fingers itched with the need to drag her hands through it.

What are you thinking?! She screeched in her mind and shook her head. Her cheeks were burning.

"I have it!" Shigure-san's outburst was so sudden that Kagome jumped, heart in her throat. Shigure-san turned to her, stars practically glittering in his eyes. "How about you move in with me, Kagome-san?"

She froze. He waited, head tilted to the side. Kagome struggled against her sudden lame tongue. "Eh?"

His eyes widened and Kagome noticed a slight pink sheen take form on the bridge of his nose. "Ah-! That- that wasn't how I meant it! You see, I live with two of my cousins and another girl that also needed somewhere to live, so it wouldn't just be only the two of us!" He sighed dramatically. "Though I wouldn't mind that," he continued and leaned closer to her, eyes narrowing and his lips turning into a sly smirk, "Kagome-chan."

Kagome stared at him and from the look in Shigure's eyes he was getting unsure as the quietness drew out. He looked back up at the sky and let out a sigh. "You don't have to – it was only a suggestion."

Kagome shook her head and grabbed hold of his elbow. "Do you mean it, Shigure-san? Can I live with you? At least, until I have found a job and can find another apartment?"

Her heart was thudding and she felt her cheeks heat up. Shigure seemed like such a nice man and so far he had only flirted with her for fun, no real seriousness behind it. And if it meant that she could have somewhere to live..!

"Un, Kagome-san," he said. "If you want it, that-"

"Yes! Oh, kami, thank you so much!" Without much thought behind the action, she jumped him.

-ooo-

Shigure managed to think two things. One, he was being hugged by the cute girl and he felt quite happy. This thought was quickly followed by that he, cursed with being turned into a dog every time a person of the opposite sex hugged him, was getting hugged by said opposite sex.

On instinct he tried moving away at the last second, but it was too late as the soft feminine body was already on his. He closed his eyes tightly and waited for the scream of horror.

But nothing happened; not even the customary little puff of smoke whenever anyone from the zodiac transformed was heard. Shigure opened his eyes slowly, looking down at the dark crown of Kagome-san's head snuggled against his chest.

If anything, he felt a little warmer.

And a lot more confused.

"Kagome... san?" He asked tentatively. Why hadn't he transformed yet?

The girl gasped and pushed away from him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" She gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of her head, further messing up her hair-bun.

He sat, dumbfounded, and looked at the girl as her cheeks reddened more and she looked at him with a smile in her eyes. Shigure smiled back.

"Ne, ne, can't we hug some more?" he asked playfully and reached out for her. "I don't nearly get enough love to last me a life time, can't you be an angel and bestow some upon me?"

Kagome-san immediately backed up, the red now spreading down her neck. Shigure found himself curious as to how far that red color could go.

"No! Pervert!" she screeched, though she had a smile on her lips.

If only she knew how right she were...

I know, I know! Another one! And there's another just poking at me, wanting to be uploaded as well, and there there's all of the other's that I need to update! *hides under bed and peeks at reader* Forgive me!