Title: An Intruder Presents Herself

Author: SakuraRyuu

Prompt: Love Takes Shape Challenge - Heart

Genre: Angst, Comfort, Friendship, Hurt, Romance, Violence, WAFF

AU/CU: AU

Rating: T

Warnings: Language

A/N: Inuyasha and all characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Sitting in class Kagome, like every other student in the room, was diligently taking notes as her professor blew through the lecture, plowing through a chapter of the text a week. Ten minutes into the 55-minute class Inuyasha burst through the classroom door, then froze, realizing how late he actually was. Every eye was on him as he sheepishly waved, giving a slight smirk as he slunk up the isle and took his seat next to his girlfriend.

Leaning over he gave her a peck on the cheek then opened his notebook and started scribbling franticly to catch up. Kagome huffed at him in frustration as she tried to turn the page of her notebook only to have his hand shoot out, trying to keep her from doing so.

"Inuyasha!" she hissed, elbowing him in the ribs. Frustrated, she handed over her notebook and yanked a piece of notebook paper out of her binder, continuing to take notes.

He quietly whispered, "Thanks, babe."

"You're lucky I love you," she whispered back, winking at him with a small smile.

By the end of class Inuyasha had managed to get down all his notes and he was worshipping Kagome for saving his butt. Putting his arm around her waist they headed out of class. Out in the hallway he leaned in and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Thank you for saving my butt, again. I got tied up with Miroku after my last class and there wasn't anything I could do to move him along." They headed toward the university center where the cafeteria was.

"What was wrong?" Miroku usually had some kind of distress or another, and it usually involved some woman he'd crossed.

"Believe it or not, he's found someone he's taken a genuine interest in, and he wanted to know how to not offend her." He laughed at the situation.

"And he was asking you for advice on how not to offend someone? I don't know that he came to the right resource." Laughing she nudged him in the ribs again, reaching up to kiss him. As he leaned down to touch his lips to hers he heard his name called from across the courtyard.

"Inuyasha!" Both he and Kagome turned to see a raven-haired woman smiling and rushing toward them, waving her hand.

"Kikyo?" Kagome's heart stopped. She couldn't believe the luck. Of all the colleges and universities Inuyasha's high school sweetheart could have gone to she had to end up here?

Kagome had met Inuyasha at freshman orientation two years before, and was taken aback by his brassy attitude. After running into each other in class after class they became lab partners, group partners, and quick friends. By the end of their freshman year they were dating. Now in the fall semester of their senior year they had been living together for almost a year. Of course she knew about his high school sweetheart.

She knew one of the reasons they had broken up was because she was going to school out of state and he was staying local. Another reason was, in retrospect, Inuyasha had said they just weren't compatible. He was too wild and boisterous for her, who was, in contrast, very proper, cool, and reserved. Inuyasha had been taken with her because she was so different than what he knew and she was pretty, and Kikyo had been attracted to him because he was so vivacious. It was a case of opposites attract, and they had parted on good terms. Then he had met Kagome and he said she was perfect for him.

Kagome was comfortable and warm where Kikyo had been so cool and rigid. Inuyasha said that was one of the countless things he loved about her. She was non-judgmental of him and his friends. She tried to gently guide him to be a better person, not expecting anything from him but his faithful devotion. They had always worked together in their relationship, rarely butting heads, but when they did, they worked through it together. At 23 years old Inuyasha knew his relationship with Kagome, who was just a few months older than him, was grown up and responsible, and helped make him a better man. He was no fool, reminding himself to appreciate her every day they were together.

Kagome put on a smile and turned with Inuyasha to greet the approaching woman. As Kikyo walked up she threw her arms around Inuyasha for a tight hug. When she stepped back she moved to the side, effectively pushed Kagome out of the way. Kagome knew with that simple gesture this woman was going to be a problem.

"Hi, Inuyasha! I'm so glad to see you! I remember you had said you were going to come here for school but I didn't know if you would still be here. Are you a senior, in graduate school?" As she spoke to him Kikyo looked him in the eyes, and reached up to run her left hand through his black bangs. It was a little too familiar for Kagome's taste, so to remind the woman that she was still there she walked around her and put her arm around Inuyasha's waist, his arm automatically going around hers as he pulled his head out of Kikyo's reach.

"It's good to see you, too. Let me introduce to my girlfriend, Kagome. Kagome, this is Kikyo." He smiled down at his girl affectionately.

Kagome held her hand out in an offer to shake hands. "Of course! It's so nice to meet you. Inuyasha has spoken fondly of you."

Kikyo narrowed her eyes at Kagome, her smile faltering for just a moment before she replaced it with he previous beaming smile. "Did he now?" She turned her smile back on him, and he shifted uncomfortably. Kikyo took Kagome's outstretched hand and shook it lightly. It gave Kagome the impression of someone being forced to touch something they found unpleasant.

"Of course he has. He's told me much about his high school days and the people he knew." Kagome snuggled into Inuyasha's side as she retracted her hand and put her arm back around Inuyasha.

"So, what are you doing on campus? I thought you were going to school out of state?" It was a bit overwhelming to have Kikyo in front of him as he stood with Kagome. It was just awkward for him. He was so glad Kagome was so amazing. If it were anyone else he felt confident he would have a melt down of cosmic proportions on his hands.

"Well, I graduated, and am here for graduate school. What about you?" She smiled at him, back to ignoring Kagome.

"Senior year. We graduate in the spring." Kagome looked up at him and smiled when he said "we."

"You know what? We should have dinner and catch up. How does Friday night sound?" Kikyo had hold of a spot on the front of Inuyasha's shirt between her fingers.

"That sounds wonderful!" Kagome stepped in to extend her own invitation. "We were going to have friends over on Friday anyway for pizza, beer, and movies. You should join us. I'm sure everyone would be interested meeting you." Kagome pulled a piece of paper out of the binder in her hand and grabbed the pen out of Inuyasha's back pocket. Jotting down their address, Kagome handed Kikyo the piece of paper. "Here's our address. Everyone will start showing up about seven or eight o'clock so feel free to come when you're ready."

"Oh, you guys are roommates?" Kagome laughed. Surely this woman knew what she meant.

Laughing she said, "You could say that, except we share all the same space. We live together."

Feigning surprise she replied, "Really? I thought you were a confirmed bachelor, Inuyasha? I remember you telling me there was never going to be a "hoe" that could nail you down. You must be something special, Kagome! How did she manage to… trap you, Inuyasha?"

He didn't miss the snarky comment about Kagome trapping him, or the condescending tone she used. "She didn't have to trap me, Kikyo." Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer. "Moving in together was my idea, and I actually had to persuade her."

"Oh, I never would have made you have to work so hard." Kikyo playfully popped him on the arm.

"I like that she wasn't so easy. She's made me work through our entire relationship, and I love her for it." Inuyasha kissed Kagome on her nose and smiled.

"Well, isn't that adorable." Kikyo checked her watch. "I have got to go. Graduate studies are so demanding." She held up the paper with their address on it. "Thank you for the invite. I'll do my best to make it." Winking at Inuyasha she said, "Bye now!" and rushed off.

Kagome and Inuyasha stood together watching her leave. "You see the problem there?"

"Yeah. This is going to suck." Inuyasha grabbed Kagome waist length French braid and pulled, forcing her head back to look at him. "But she's nothing to me compared to you. She was my past as a child, and you are my future as a man." Inuyasha kissed her nose again. "I heart you so hard."

Kagome busted out laughing. "You sound like a 13 year old girl." She threw her arms around him for a hug. "Eww, you smell awful." She grabbed her perfume from her purse and spritzed him.

"Aww, shit, Kagome! Now I smell like a damned girl!" He waved his hand in front of his face to clear the air, his face crinkled.

"Yeah, but at least you smell like your girl instead of some random hussy."