Summary: Tell me babe, how many tears do you see me shed? Every heart, especially mine, is something to be gentle with. You ask if I shall share my loneliness with you, but I don't know what to say or what to do... I was scared of the darkness because I felt alone, so I prayed to the distant million stars and am still waiting for their answer. The planets still go round and round even as my world slowly crumbles from watching you flaunt her around. Us humans are always seemingly seeking the love and peace we desire, is it the same for you demons? Though we've grown more apart, I'm still clinging to the hope that we can work it out.

Disclaimer: Kinda wish I owned Inuyasha, but I don't ;3;

So, this is an Inuyasha story I've been thinking about a lot since... *looks through journal for date* January ninth :D I posted this hoping to get some kind of feedback on how I'm doing. So if you're reading this and like it give me a little time to update please. R&R/favorite/alert. Pressure when writing makes it... difficult, and I don't want to stop writing mid-story like I did on my last one. Thank you(:

I continued to massage lotion on Izayoi's smooth feet as she sobbed. She's actually done a lot of crying this past year. The things varied: from miscarriages, to deaths of close friends, and the stress of finding another job. Any normal being would have felt a natural sense of obligation to soothe the close one tragedy had touched, especially if that close one willingly welcomed you into their home after you'd lost everything, but in all honesty I felt more awful for my lack of concern. Her tears were falling on a waterproof shoulder.

Despite my inability to care, I still tried to console her by rubbing lotion on her feet; it wasn't much but it was something. Plus, it was the only way I knew how to respond without making matters worse. I loved to state my mind and voice my opinion even if no one asked to hear it. Opening my big mouth now to yell for Izayoi to suck it up wasn't going to get her off this rocky road any faster.

Before she got laid off, Izayoi was always busy with work in America. I often longed for her presence when I was younger, and I told her as much the next time I saw her. Though no amount of begging would let her even consider taking me along. "You're too cute, and them Americans will snatch you right up," she had put it. So, for the most part, I was left to be raised by males without so much as women's influence. It was just me, Mr. Taisho, Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha. A typical day in an all guy house consisted of: wrestling, cursing, a gathering of friends for a backyard sport, or bored to tears while studying with Sesshomaru when Inuyasha wouldn't let me join in. Not only did that shape me into who I was now, my past before that has a lot to do with it, too. But I shook my head in aggravation to avoid going back to that blood stain on my past.

Izayoi's face contorted as if realization had dawned on her, "Oh, sweetheart," she folded the reclined chair back into its place, her feet leaving my hands empty. "You don't have to do this any longer, but thank you." She'd mistaken my head shaking action as something that she caused. Yet despite the misunderstanding, I got up from my place and left without reassuring her.

In the kitchen Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were glaring at another from across the table, neither one touching the steaming food thoughtfully set out for them. I took my usual chair in the middle and began eating.

…

Their dead silence had my temper restlessly stirring and I felt my hands shaking. Yes, this may be their typical behavior, but I was not in the mood to feel the tension. After just returning from America last night— back from attending one of Mr. Taisho's close business partners funeral— I had some major jet lag to muddle through. Demon or not, I knew that they too were suffering from lack of sleep and it was no doubt going to manifest itself through extended and very violent fights.

"So whose team am I on?" I questioned, stuffing a fork full of eggs inside my greedy mouth.

Sesshomaru threw a confused look at me, but kept his thoughts quiet; however they were voiced by Inuyasha, "What are you going on about Kagome?"

"Well," I loudly swallowed before reaching for my glass of OJ. "We might as well get one good fight in before school. I don't want to deal with you cranky nanny's all day, so I'm simply asking who wants the wrestling champ on their team." I pointed to myself as I took swig of the tangy juice.

Inuyasha smirked, and then reached across the table to wrap an arm around my shoulders. I gave Sesshomaru a merciless grin over the rim of my cup. He stared back with little interest and his lack of motivation seemed to put a flame to Inuyasha's and my battle fuel tank. In a matter of seconds we both dropped what we were doing to lung at the youkai. But Sesshomaru cheated, I guess since I was playing against him, and used his speediness to move out of the way so that all me an Inuyasha tackled was an empty wooden chair.

"Keh," Inuyasha crossed his arms, turning his defeated expression away from my view. "What a coward."

My eyes glinted with an open advantage. Don't ever let the enemy see your backside, I thought with a victorious laugh as I pounced on the hanyou's back. We started throwing punches at each other then. With our bodies tangled on the floor, me on top, I had one of his arms pinned above his head while he reached out with his other free limb to keep my awaiting fist from pounding him in the face.

"Foolish half-breed," Sesshomaru muttered as he walked by to place his dishes in the sink. He rolled his sleeves up and began washing.

Upon hearing those words, though, Inuyasha completely froze. Half-breed…

During sensitive moments like these, I tend to look the other way — not that I could do much else. Inuyasha's older brother knew that insulting label was taboo, at least in this household; but I suppose that by time the usage of the word was banned it had already been flowing instinctively through Sesshomaru's lips and therefore came as an automatic retort. Yeah, maybe the hanyou's ego needed to be knocked down, but that was taking it too far.

Seeing Sesshomaru clean made me quickly finish off my food so that I could contribute to his work. I dried and he washed. That was usually how it worked. Inuyasha, like now, customarily left out of boredom to do what big headed Inuyasha's do best and disappeared. Although I'm pretty sure he's gone to sulk with the remaining time we have left till we leave for school.

"You don't want to walk to school together?" I questioned Sesshomaru. He'd finished the dishes awfully quick and was now drying his hands off. He gave me a side-ways glance, prompting with his eyes that I should continue if I wanted an answer. I narrowed my eyes. "I'm about to knock your ass off that fancy high horse you got there if you don't answer me; save your intimidation for those who fear you." I could feel my face soften; my fury for him dissolving the moment I realized we'd break the tradition of always walking to and from school together. "Besides, it's our first day back. So why don't you apologize to Inu—"

My words were falling on deaf ears as Sesshomaru brushed past me. I shivered from his unnaturally well contained anger and turned to stare as he bypassed. The back door swung closed before I could catch a fleeting glance at his back. I returned to my drying duty seconds later, feeling more than a little offended.

- x -

"What the hell Kagome? I thought you were a girl." Inuyasha gave me a skeptical look. "And isn't that myshirt?"

"I am!" I retorted hotly, running a hand through my mesh bangs to keep them out of my face. I'd straightened my hair nicely this morning so that it fell straight down my back— now in small waves considering the humidity. What else did he want me to do? Okay, I'll admit that I more than liked wearing my potato shoes paired with my grey sweatpants and Mario characters T-shirt. Did that make me any less of a girl? No, so shut the hell up you stupid dog! "And even if this was your shirt it wouldn't fit over your body anyway!"

"Are you calling me fat?"

I threw my head back and laughed. Inuyasha gave a small smile. "No comment," and like that his slight look of amusement dropped into a frown.

"I am not fat!"

"No, of course not." I waved my hand at him, finding a skip in my step as I did. "Laying off on the instant ramen wouldn't hurt though."

Inuyasha glared daggers at me. "When Hell freezes over maybe I'll think about it."

"Whatever tubby two by four," I pinched the area in which his love handles would be had he had them. "Just don't come running to me when you can't fit through the bathroom door."

"Ha," he threw me an irritated stared, swatting away my hand in the process, but otherwise kept a blank face. "Very funny, now shut up."

"Someone's touchy about their weight," I muttered, but Inuyasha paid no mind.

- x -

"So," I started, propping my feet up on the desk. "Did anything interesting happen while I was away?"

Shippo stared blankly for a moment, his wide green eyes almost haunting, and his pursed lips caused one of his cheeks to dimple. Outside Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, Shippo was my only friend. Unlike the boys, his listened and responded. "Well," he finally broke my gaze to run a hand through his auburn locks, the wavy curls instantly folded back to their original places. "We got a new student."

"That's not so bad."

"Yeah, but…"

I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"She's friends with Sango."

"Oh," I immediately felt my face fall.

Sango and I weren't exactly on a friendship level anymore. We never really were; we both just so happened to be the only two from our middle school to attend this hunter/demon school. So freshman year of high school was a fresh start for the both of us; we knew no one but each other. Sango was always more on the girly side, so naturally the guys were drawn to her. As she gained attention, from both male and female parties, I began to fade. In a heartbeat and like a heartbeat was how I put it. I had made Sango's heart race with excitement without so much as saying good morning, she used to be that bubbly, but as more people started to file in her life, the heartbeats, I quickly went away like one. No one remembered their old flame when they've obviously got a new one that burns brighter than the last. Sango eventually stopped speaking to me all together once she heard some nasty rumors of me messing around. She never even came to me to ask whether they were true or not. Later she would just walk past and stare at me like I was the scum of the earth. I didn't bother making friends after that.

Then sweet ole Shippo came along with his boyish looks and a childish behavior that matched perfectly with mine. I knew he'd cracked my hard exterior when it didn't take long for us to bond.

"Don't sweat it Kagome," he put a hand on my shoulder now, giving me a juvenile grin. "You got still got me, Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha." The way he made a face at the last name caused me to burst out laughing. Inuyasha and Shippo seemed to be at each other's necks more than I was with him at home.

"Hey Kagome!"

Shippo turned around instantly at the approaching voice. "Speak of the devil," he murmured disdainfully.

I snickered, looking up at the panting hanyou with a smile on my face. "What?"

He seemed stunned for a moment, taking in my face, before he too smiled. My heart stuttered in my chest and I momentarily lost my breath. "Did you check out that new student?" I shook my head. "God," He looked up, closed his eyes, and shook his head too, grinning more largely now. "She's hot!"

"Oh," I even heard Shippo sigh with me. He was the only one who knew how I felt towards Inuyasha— not that I had anyone else to tell —Shippo knew how much I loved that hanyou. "Is she a demon?"

"High priestess," He corrected. I swear his face will split in two if he smiles any wider. "Her family's really big in the town she came from."

"So why the hell didn't they stay there?"

Inuyasha didn't seem to notice my tight voice and clenched fist. "Her big shot parents were forced by the government to come here. Apparently demon attacks are on the rise and there aren't enough people here to protect you defenseless humans."

Humans… he said it as if it were something insignificant we chose to be. I got up in the cocky hanyou's face. "Say that again and the next time I see you standing fifty feet away I'll take out my bow and pierce your heart with my arrows."

It was only then that Inuyasha noticed my violently trembling hands. I wasn't aware until then either and I hide them under my thighs as I sat back down.

He reached a hand out, looking guilty."Kag—"

"Inuyasha," some girl sighed in relief as she spoke his name. "Why didn't you tell me we had the same class?"

"You never told me your room number," even though I was completely pissed with him, he still had the audacity to be able to throw out a smile? "Um…" I could feel his hesitant eyes on me. "This is Kagome, my friend. Kagome this is Kikyo."

I peeked at her from the corner of my eye and regretted it, looking away at once. She was tall, matching the height of Inuyasha's 5'11 foot self, and slender. Her naturally straight hair that fell down her back made mine look like a total tumble weed! As she walked around the desk to better look at me I saw her walk with the grace of a high-class angel and the confidence of a lucky gambler. When I compared her to myself it's no wonder I don't catch the eye of anyone. Hanging out with me would be like being with your brother. Hanging with Kikyo, on the other hand, seemed like it could make you feel like friendship was just the boarder of something more.

"Shikon no Tama," I caught her almost silent comment, the familiar words pulling me out of my pity party.

I know the name rang a bell somewhere. "Excuse me?"

Before Kikyo had seemed to be interested in other things that mostly likely had nothing to do with me, but now she was shooting a full out glare my way.

"What?" I snapped.

"Humpf," she brushed past me, much like Sango had those long years ago. "I've heard things about you Kagome Higurashi and I don't need your bad record ruining my family's good name."

I scoffed when I noticed that she'd only taken the seat behind me. After that seemingly dramatically leave she didn't go far. "Jungle freak," I retorted quietly as the teacher came in. I've never known a girl to be almost six foot in Japan. It was unheard of.

"Sausage meatball," she hissed back.

"At least being 5 foot three is normal, so shut the hell you up you stupid miko!"

"Kagome," Sesshomaru, who also happened to share this wonderful class with us, sternly warned from behind his notes.

I flung Inuyasha a frown instead of responding.

"I know that look." He fixed me with an irritated stare of his own. "Why the hell are you mad at me for?"

Ballsy Shippo actually turned in his seat to face the hanyou, looking as if he were answering a child's question. "Because you're an idiot."