Jami – YES! I KNOW I KNOW! I started ANOTHER story! My other stories are all on hiatus for the time being due to serious writers block… or laziness… I don't really know which one is the real reason. BUT if you're waiting for those stories to be completed, then you could read this little story in your spare time! I like this one actually, and although it may be a bit cliché, I don't care! Ahahhahahaha! ENJOY!

Chapter One: Victory Dance

"Inuyasha."

"…What?"

"Go away."

"Don't tell me to go away! I'm here to take you back! It's been way more than just three days and now you're going on something called a date?"

"Inuyasha! I promised Hojo. He-"

"Well Hojo needs to find someone else!" Inuyasha cut her off.

"Why?" Kagome flipped around, staring him in the face as the two stood in her room.

"Because you're supposed to be back with the rest of us, so STOP lollygagging and get your backpack."

"Don't tell me what to do! You're the one who needs ME! Without me you could never find the shards on your own! I'm the only one who can see them remember?"

Inuyasha sputtered, and then regained his stature. With a smirk and a small glint in his eyes, he said, "No. You're not."

Kagome was taken aback. "Wh-what are you saying Inuyasha?" Inuyasha leaned against her wall near her desk and crossed his arms.

"I don't need you Kagome. Sure… I might not be able to find the shards on my own, but if you're not willing to come and help us then…" He paused. "Then we could always find someone else who can see them." Inuyasha peered up at her.

The words stung into Kagome's skin and pierced her chest, causing her to lose her focus on keeping their gazes locked. She turned away.

Inuyasha immediately felt bad for the words that came flying through his mouth. He realized that the topic of Kikyou was a very sensitive area on her part and that she would succumb to him because of that. Even though it was an absolutely terrible thing to do, he was desperate for her to come back.

But she hadn't said anything yet. And he was wondering just exactly what she was thinking…

Finally she spoke.

"Inuyasha. Is that how you really feel? That you would rather have Kikyou look for the shards with all of you instead of me? Do you really hate me that much?"

Inuyasha's mouth hung open as Kagome began to cry.

"Ka-Kagome! Why would you even think something like that?" Inuyasha rushed over towards her and flipped her around so she would face him, but Kagome still neglected to make eye contact and continued to cry. "Kagome, you know DAMN well that I DON'T hate you."

"Then why don't you show me that you LIKE me?" Kagome threw at him.

Inuyasha sputtered again, but grasped his fingers tightly around her shoulders. They finally made eye contact. Inuyasha's blush reddened and Kagome stood there in silence, tears streaming down her face.

Without thinking Inuyasha's face inched closer to Kagome's, still staring each other in the face. Kagome realized what was approaching and she closed her eyes.

It was at the point where their lips were so close and just centimeters apart. Losing his nerve, Inuyasha's face inched sideways and whispered into her ear.

"Because I'm afraid of hurting you."

Kagome's eyes whipped open to see…her empty room.

Inuyasha was gone. He had left her alone again.

xxxxxxxxxx

A few hours later, Kagome and Hojo were steadily walking up the stairs of the Higurashi shrine. Their date was finally over and to tell you the truth, Kagome was pretty damn exhausted from a night at the karaoke bar. That Hojo just didn't know when to stop with the dumb duet love songs!

The two reached Kagome's front door and they stood there awkwardly. Kagome smiled up at Hojo.

"Well Hojo. Thanks for a wonderful night. I really had a lot of fun." Hojo blushed a little and smiled back at her.

"No problem, Kagome. You needed a fun night out after all of those days you've been sick and caged up in your room for so long."

"Yes, I know." Kagome inwardly rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll see you at school on Monday, Hojo. It was nice seeing you." Kagome felt a light tug on the sleeve of her t-shirt and turned back around to see a red-faced Hojo. "Hojo, what is it?"

"Um. I've been wanting to ask you this all night but I figured that when I walked you home it would be better."

"What do you want to ask me?"

"Kagome… uhh… can I… can I kiss you?" Kagome blushed from his amusing question as Hojo blushed even redder.

"Heh. Sure Hojo." Kagome closed her eyes and immediately remembered earlier with Inuyasha. She quickly opened them up again as Hojo was about to lean in.

"Kagome? Is something the matter?"

"Huh? Oh, no! Nothing! I'm fine! Just forget about it!" Kagome regained her composure and closed her eyes again, blocking away the vision of Inuyasha's nervous face inching towards her out of her mind.

Hojo's lips brushed against Kagome's softly in a cute, innocent schoolboy and schoolgirl like manner. After a few seconds he released her lips and smiled down at her feeling very giddy.

"Wow. Thanks Kagome. I'll talk to you later!" Hojo chuckled and left to walk home.

Kagome smiled a sad smile and went inside, taking off her flip-flops and calling out quietly, "I'm home." before trotting to her bedroom.

She closed her bedroom door behind her and sighed heavily. She dropped her black purse to the floor immediately forgetting about it and began walking to her bed. That's when she saw him. Inuyasha sitting there on her nicely made mattress with a smirk on his face.

"How was your date, Kagome?" He got up off the bed and walked over towards her and crossed his arms.

"None of your business, Inuyasha."

"It is so my business. Everything about you is my business."

"Excuse me? Why is that?"

Inuyasha sniffed the air lightly.

"Kagome. Why is your scent different? Why do I smell… him… on you?"

"Well, I was on a date with him. Duh."

"No. I mean… I smell him… on you. Did he touch you?"

"I don't know. Probably."

"Where?"

"Inuyasha! Keep it down! My family is trying to sleep!" Kagome hissed at him.

"Kagome! Why would you let him touch you!"

"Because he asked me to!"

"What? Who cares if he asked you to! Why him of all people?"

Kagome clenched her fists.

"Because he's the only one who wants to touch me!"

Inuyasha's eyes saddened and Kagome's burned with fury and tears.

"Kagome, where did he touch you? I need to know this."

"Why do you need to know this so badly?" Kagome rolled her eyes.

"So I can prevent it from happening again."

"Wha-? Why would you go and prevent someone from touching me?"

"Because." Inuyasha grunted childishly.

Kagome groaned.

"Whatever! If you really need to know so badly…" Kagome sighed. "He… he kissed me."

Inuyasha sputtered. "He-He kissed you?" Inuyasha leaned in very closely and sniffed softly at her mouth, breathing in the scent of her and Hojo's different smells. Kagome blushed at the feeling of her mouth being sniffed at and backed away.

"Inuyasha! Don't do that!"

"Women…" He gave one last sniff and then he turned away and crossed his arms. His eyes grew pained and he didn't want Kagome to see how much he felt for her, just by looking into his eyes.

"Inuyasha… you're not… jealous, are you?"

"Feh." Inuyasha sat down on her bed cross-legged and looked off into the distance. "I'm sleeping here tonight."

"Eh?" Kagome blushed scarlet. "B-bu-but, Inuyasha!" Kagome marched over towards her bed and glared angrily and embarrassed at him. "You can't just do that! What would my family think if they saw you and me in a bed? A bed?"

"They'd think that I was protecting you."

"From what?"

"From stupid little boys that want to kiss you."

Kagome stood still. "I have a question."

"Well, then. I have an answer."

"Inuyasha. I want a completely honest answer. I want you to tell me the exact truth. Why do you want so badly for no guys other than yourself to be around me and why are you always insisting that you protect me and not anybody else? Why do you say you dislike me so much when everything you do shows that you truly care for me?"

Inuyasha sat calmly. So calmly it was making Kagome nervous and angrier by the second.

"Kagome." He spoke her name so softly and respectfully, Kagome had to gasp. "It's because… I think of you as… my other half. I think of you as mine. To me… you're my mate."

Kagome gasped again, this time her cheeks bright beet red. "Inu-Inuyasha!"

"What! You don't think I'm telling you the truth!" Inuyasha's face was equally as red as hers. "Because I meant every word, damnit!"

Kagome regained herself and smiled down at him from her standing position… which then became a sitting position. Inuyasha felt something soft and warm on his shoulder. He peered down to find Kagome sitting beside him on her bed, her head resting peacefully against him. Her eyes were closed and her lips were curved into a small smile.

Inuyasha smiled back at her, closing his own eyes and resting his head upon hers.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

"I think of you as my mate too."

"Hm." Inuyasha secretly did a victory dance in the comfort of his own thoughts.

xxxxxxxxxx

Jami – Well, what didja's think? Good? Keep going? I NEED ANSWERS! Love ya!

Jami-chan