Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, or the anime/manga that is Inuyasha. These are just my free-flow ideas with borrowed characters.

I'll Be Your Friend

Chapter One: Their Beginning Friendship

Tokyo 2012
It was not long after he flipped off his television to surrender to the sleep that beckoned him before he heard his roommate exiting her own room, treading into their shared living area. She tapped on his door lightly and waited for his permission before entering.

"I can't sleep," she admitted shamefully, dodging piles of clothes, clean and dirty alike, on her way to his bed that stood center in his room.

This was not the first time she had said this, and it would not be the last. He pushed himself into a seated position, resting his back against his headboard. Reaching for his cigarettes that sat on his nightstand, he flipped the switch on the lamp to illuminate the room with its dim light. He lit the end of his smoke and took a long drag, watching her as she hopped onto his bed and sat beside him.

She crossed her legs, resting her hands on her lap and watched him release the plumes of smoke he had held in his lungs. "Inuyasha, you really need to stop smoking inside," she lectured.

"The door's open," he answered nonchalantly, motioning towards the open sliding glass door. He took another long drag and blew the toxic fumes toward the outside world as if proving his point. "What's got you all riled up tonight?" he asked, flicking his cigarette toward the ash tray that sat beside the lamp.

The dark haired woman moved to lean back, resting her own back on the headboard of the bed. She wanted to tell him how her heart ached when she was alone at night; how she yearned to be by his side. Instead, she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them and said, "The rain."

How easily he saw through those lies. He knew this girl, inside and out. He watched her grow up from an innocent child to the strong-headed woman she had become. Nothing scared her – apart from earth worms. He chuckled at his own thoughts, taking another drag of his cigarette. Though it was true he knew she was lying about the weather, he always invited her into his bed to sleep innocently with him.

"Can I turn on the TV?" she asked, reaching for the remote before even receiving an answer. She crawled over him, grabbing the device from the stand opposite her side of the bed.

Inuyasha was extremely aware of their closeness. He felt the heat of her skin; caught the smell of her hair. She was intoxicating, he mused. They had indeed been close before, wrapped up in each other's embrace in moments of weakness. It never went farther than that, both too scared to complicate their relationship further.

The fact of the matter was, Inuyasha was already claimed. He was stamped property to none other than Kagome's older sister, Kikyou.

* . * . * . * .* . * . * . *

Tokyo 1999
"Can't I come?" Kagome inquired to her sister. She was eleven years old, seven years younger than Kikyou. She watched in envy as her sister carefully applied a small layer of blush to highlight her cheeks, looking into the mirror that sat attached to the vanity desk her mother had bought them to share.

Kikyou smiled, setting down her make-up brush and turning to the young girl. Her brilliant blue eyes met Kagome's grey ones as she said, "This is a very special night for me."

Placing her hands on her hips, the young girl furrowed her eyebrows saying defiantly, "It's just Inuyasha, how special could it be?"

"You'll understand when you're older," Kikyou responded gently, returning her attention to the mirror.

Sighing in defeat, Kagome exited the room with her head hung low, her gaze at the floor. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and made her way to the front door, slipping on her sandals before exiting into the twilight that hung over their home.

She wanted to be involved in the unknown world that her sister was in. Sometimes she was allowed to tag along and go shopping, or hang out at the local WacDonalds with Kikyou and her boyfriend; but it only left her wanting more. Being grown up and exploring life without a hand guiding her every step – that is what she yearned for; to make her own decisions on her own whim.

In frustration, she kicked a pebble as hard as she could, and missed. A blush of fury spread across her cheeks and she kicked again, watching it bounce a few feet in front of her.

"What's eating at you?"

The familiar voice caused Kagome to raise her head up. Her grey orbs caught that of a dark-haired boy, dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a white shirt, complimented by a business-casual coat. He walked over to her, a smirk on his face as he ruffled her hair with his large hand.

She fought him, waving his touch away and scowled, "What's got you guys all dressed up?" she demanded an answer.

His smirk widened and he had knelt to her level, peering at her with his familiar brown eyes, "Answer my question first," he retorted.

"It's not fair!" she yelled, her hands balled at her sides, "I want to go out, too!"

Laughing, the boy stood tall and stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. "You're too young. It'll be bed time soon," he mocked playfully.

"Inuyasha," Kikyou's voice caused both of them to turn their attention away from one another. She stood by the front door, her hair curled and her body dressed in a lovely black evening dress, "You're early."

It was that gaze that changed Kagome's life. The teenage boy's eyes were fixed lovingly on her sister; a small pink tint adorned his cheeks. She wanted that look for herself.

It took many years and a few serious relationships before she discovered that it was not just the look she wanted. She wanted that look to be cast onto her by that same boy that had eyes only for her sister.

* . * . * . * .* . * . * . *

Tokyo 2010
Kagome was twenty-two years old when she got her first apartment. It was not the fanciest complex available in Tokyo, but she was proud none-the-less of the tiny two-bedroom space she called her home. She decorated in shades of light blue and green with nick-knacks she found at garage sales. Almost everything she owned was used and bought from strangers, except for what she kept inside her room.

She bought her bed brand new, feeling that she deserved the plush mattress and fancy bed frame from cutting costs in every other department of her living space. The vanity desk she had that sat across from her bed was the very same she had in her room when she was a child, along with the dresser that matched.

It was an ugly night when a knock sounded at her front door, only a few months after moving in. She was asleep peacefully, lulled by the rain against her window when she had woke from the noise. She rubbed her eyes and waited until she heard it again before crawling out of bed wearily.

Shock ran through her, her heart racing at the sight beyond her door. Soaking wet, seemingly unfazed by the cold, stood a man she had not seen in many years. His eyes held sadness, yet he managed a very familiar smirk, "Hey stranger," he said.

"Inuyasha," she struggled to say his name, her eyes wide in confusion as he dropped the duffel he had in his hand and gathered her into his arms, holding on a little too tight.

It was his embrace that spoke all the words that needed to be said. What else could have brought him there other than Kikyou.

She ushered him inside, taking his luggage and finding him a towel. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, eyes cast on the television that they were not really watching, before Inuyasha turned his sad gaze to the girl that sat with her legs folded beside him.

He finally spoke, "Kagome-," he cut himself short as if he was at a loss for words.

Kagome could feel her emotions stirring, ones that she thought she had tucked away long ago. She turned her attention away from the glow of the television, and returned his eye contact. She gave him a reassuring smile, "It's alright," she said, "you can stay as long as you need."

Inuyasha shook his head, "That's not it," he said. He stared into her eyes for a moment before he moved closer to her, bringing his face inches from hers to test her response.

It was in his chocolate-colored orbs that she saw it all: the lust, the want, the hurt, the loneliness. She wondered what he saw reflecting back at him, for her own emotions were conflicting. She did not move toward him nor away. Her lip quivered as she felt his breath tickle the soft skin around her mouth.

There was only a second's hesitation as they stayed in the same position, watching each other's gaze as if wordlessly pleading for the other to stop what their bodies were doing, before his lips gently touched hers. A few softer, patient kisses were planted, their lids lowered to silence the doubts their eyes tried to portray to one another.

Once both their eyes closed completely, lost in the moment, the kisses became hungrier. She parted her lips to leave room for his tongue to explore her mouth, while she tasted his. Both their chests pounded from their ferocious heartbeats. Her head was cloudy, unable to think of anything but him.

Inuyasha began to ease the younger girl back so she lay beneath him on the couch. He felt her hands on his chest, keeping his body from pressing into hers. Using his own grip, he gathered her hands into his and led her arms above her head, pinning them so he could feel her covered breasts against his bare chest, his wet shirt long since discarded.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Kagome could feel his hard member pressing to the sweet spot in between her legs. His hips drove into hers as she arched into him. She was lost in him, every teenage fantasy crossing her mind as she longed for him to come deeper into her. "Inuyasha," she moaned softly, her movements pleading for more.

Suddenly, leaving her breathless and shocked, he jerked away and stood, taking a few steps back from the couch. He cast his eyes to the ground, running his hands through his long dark hair. Silence filled the room, as he could not think of anything he could say to ease the tension that had formed rapidly between them the moment he pulled away.

He knew what he was doing was wrong. He had always looked to Kagome like he would a younger sister. The last he had seen her before then, she was a budding teenager; but the moment she opened the door and looked at him with those grey eyes, he saw the radiant woman she had become right before his eyes.

It was the heartbreak of Kikyou leaving him that drove his actions. He had been wounded and lonely, with no one he trusted to turn to in that large city. Kagome crossed his mind, the young girl smiling in his mental image. He had always found comfort in her, so her arms were the first place he thought to look to mend his broken heart. However, he did not expect to find a woman at that door.

She was too precious to him. He could not think to use her in that way. It was wrong, and he hated himself for letting his weakness get the best of his judgment. What he needed was to correct his mistake, so he turned his sad gaze to her once again, searching for words.

"Kagome," he paused on her name as he saw the hurt on her face. It struck his heart even harder than the break up, the idea of the pain he had just caused her. "I am so sorry, Kagome," he said, looking back down at the floor. He stood oblivious to the real cause of the pain. He thought for sure that she felt taken advantage of, scared of him coming into her home after all these years and assaulting her.

"It's... okay," Kagome said, bringing her gaze up and forcing a smile. When he did not return her gaze, she decided the best method for the event to go away was to pretend like it never happened. "Please, take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

They never spoke of that night again, and Kagome regretted having it end there ever since.

* . * . * . * .* . * . * . *

Tokyo 2012
She laid her tired eyes on him, a soft smile gracing her supple pink lips. The happiness she felt upon gazing into his brown orbs in the early hours of the morning was unlike any other feeling. She wondered how long he had been awake before her, watching her stir into consciousness, leaving the world of dreams she had been in only moments before.

A smirk crossed his lips when their eyes met. He had lain on his side next to her, head propped onto his hand with his elbow resting on his soft pillow.

"What?" the dark-haired beauty asked playfully, pulling the blanket over her head to hide her "morning face," as she called it, a habit she formed.

"You snore like a little hog," Inuyasha teased, sitting up and grabbing a cigarette, cherishing the nicotine that his body called for. The truth was, he had made it a habit to wake up before her when she was in his bed. He enjoyed watching her peaceful stature. Although he played dumb, he could often see the sadness in her gaze when she looked at him. He did not know what to make of it, and it caused him his own grief. Though he noticed the days after the nights they spent together, she seemed her happiest.

"Shut up!" Kagome countered from under the covers. She grabbed the pillow from under her head without taking her face out and blindly swung it at him.

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled, saving his cigarette from her attack by raising it above his head.

Peeking from the covers some-what apologetically, Kagome smiled at him. It was that angry look he had on his face that caused her to giggle. He had to always be the tough-guy, no matter who the audience was. The exception being her sister. The thought made her chest tighten and her smile fade. She sat up and brought her knees to her chest, staring down at the blankets.

Kikyou was very surprised to learn that Kagome was still rooming with her ex boyfriend. She was not bitter nor upset, and often asked about him. The questions her sister would ask would leave Kagome wondering if she still had feelings for him. Though her older sister had moved on since the break, the younger woman was worried she would try to come back into Inuyasha's life to cause grief and heartbreak all over again.

Every time the subject of Kikyou came up, Inuyasha often got upset, anger his defense. He pressed that he did not care for her any longer, but Kagome could see that the hurt Kikyou had left with him was still there. He had stopped moping around the house, gotten a job, thanks to her, at the same bar she had worked at for the last several years. He made friends with a regular at the bar, and even went on dates fairly regularly - to her own dismay.

The entire situation had left the young woman feeling trapped within her emotions. She loved her sister, very much. She also found a wonderful friend in her room-mate, and cared for him deeply as well. Though she was not swayed from either party to abandon the other, she still felt like she betrayed Kikyou for having such feelings for her high school sweet heart, and she felt she caused Inuyasha anguish over any mentioning of her family.

"What's that look?" Inuyasha questioned, dragging hard on his cigarette.

"Just thinking about the family reunion," Kagome answered, "My mother would like to see you." How she prayed that he would smile and accept the invitation. It would be the sign that he finally had gotten over it all; but she had no such luck.

Inuyasha took another long, hard drag of his smoke and angrily exhaled. "Not interested," he shot, turning his head away from her. What would make her think he was remotely interested in bringing up such horrible feelings? There was only one way to deal with the uncontrollable, and that was to avoid it. This is what had gotten him through the first couple months. The anger he harbored was to keep the callouses on his mended heart, so he did not have to suffer like that again.

Author's Note: It has been so long since I have written. I was recently reading some fanfiction during my boredom at work and my heart yearns to write another piece. I'm not sure exactly where I am going with this, so I am open for ideas. What would you like to see?