AN: My first attempt at a Yaoi fic, so please be nice. I've had this fic written for a while, but it got lost amidst the folders and docs on my comp. Please review and tell me what you think.

My Rival

"How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth" - Sophocles

It wasn't suppose to be this way. Nothing was suppose to happen. It was all a rivalry. A never ending rivalry. Right? Just a rivalry for a girl. A rivalry that kept me on my toes. Kept my heart pumping with adrenaline. I loved the rivalry. It added some normal drama to the death situations you were always in. I was usually running. Running after someone who couldn't be found unless he wanted to be found.

I ran and you searched. We crossed paths from time to time. I fought to win over the heart of the girl, but I knew it would never work. She would never see my intentions. But I didn't care. I loved pissing you off. I loved ruffling your fur. It was a good way to ease my boredom.

I misread her intentions on purpose. I knew she was only being kind. That she couldn't help but help me when she saw me wounded. I'm not the idiot you think I am. My nose knows what's what. I choose to follow it or not. I hated how I looked desperate for her. Hated how she was so falsely kind. She never said no. couldn't find it in herself to say so. Why do you think I never went farther then just pledging my love for her? If I asked her to mate me I have a feeling she wouldn't refuse.

I wasn't a monster that way. I wouldn't do that to her. Plus if I did. I'm positive you would kill me. You love her I can see that. I see it every time your eyes light up with rage when I hold her hand. A simple thing as holding her hand is enough to send you in a rage. I would never do more then that. I was an honorable person.

Yes I know I have a past. I know I use to allow them to kill humans. I know I use to kill and eat humans myself. But…something changed. I changed one day. I was in denial to admit it back then. I didn't want anyone knowing who made the change within me happen. It would humiliate me. I would never live it down. I couldn't face them anymore if anyone knew. I would be the laughing stock.

So I put it on the girl. The girl changed me. The girl and her kindness. The human girl and her smile. Yes that's what changed me you see? I shake my head sadly. Even now I try and convince myself it was her. I can't help it. I needed something stable to lean on. I needed support.

I couldn't understand why suddenly bickering with you became my favorite thing to do. I didn't want to understand why my heart raced when we would get in each others faces. I should have stopped going to see her when I noticed the change. I should have ignored her scent completely when I came across it, but it was always mixed with yours. Coiling around each other. Almost making a whole new being. I couldn't help but follow it. I needed to see you.

"Kouga?" Ginta asked me wearily crouching below me. Submissively. I am the pack leader. They follow my orders. Always. I nod for him to go on. Your scent is strong. You were here mere hours before. "Are we going?" his question piques my interest. Were we going to see you? Was that where I was running until a few minutes ago?

"Going where?" I question realizing that he had caught up. They were always at least a few miles behind me. How long had I been standing in this spot? Standing over the still smoldering fire pit.

"To see sister Kagome of course!" his answer brings a smile to my face. He was still oblivious. Good. Hakkaku skidded to stop on my other side. The wolves jogged in a few seconds later.

"We're going to see sister Kagome! I wonder if she has those dried potato's." I nearly roll my eyes. If only you could see me with them. I was a kind leader. You never knew this side of me. All you ever saw was the intruder.

"I don't know guys. It might be a waste of time to see Kagome today." I answer hoping they'll complain, knowing they won't. I nearly sigh when they sink their shoulders in. They would listen to me no matter what. "Well…maybe. They only seem to be a few miles up. Alright let's go!" I hear their whoops of joy as I begin to run. The tornado forming effortlessly around me. They don't even complain that I'm running fast. They think I want her weird food. They have no clue that I wanted to see you. I shouldn't want that, but I do.

"Hey Kagome!" I smile widely at her. "Half-breed." I growl sounding angry. I couldn't be nice to you. No matter how much I wanted to. It would destroy everything.

"Hello Kouga! What brings you up this way?" her smile is sweet like always. Her eyes though were weary of my actions. I had noticed it before. She was afraid of full blooded demons deep down. It was a fear so instinctual that I wasn't sure if she even knew about it.

"I was just running when I smelled the half breed and figured paying you a visit." I chuckle at my own joke. I had to insult you.

"Look who's talking you mangy wolf! I could smell you from miles away!" you yell defensively. I smirk knowing I did small a bit. But I was a wolf. I knew it wasn't a bad smell. I took baths. I just naturally had a thicker scent. I was pack leader. I had to mark my territory.

"Be nice Inuyasha!" Kagome chastise. "Are Ginta and Hakkaku with you?"

"Yaa their just a bit slower then me." I smiled warmly at the thought of my most trusted friends. I know you can tell something's different. I haven't even made an attempt to touch Kagome. I'm not even flirting with the girl. I didn't want to. I wasn't in the mood to fight with you. It felt wrong now. How could that be? I loved fighting with you. But I didn't. I loved being near you. That's why I liked pissing you off. What had caused me to feel these things? I didn't know.

"Ahh well I bet they'll catch up soon. Sango and Miroku are in the next village. I just got back." I ignore her weird sentence. She always spoke like that. She came back. But from where? Where had she gone in the first place? I learned a while back to leave those questions unanswered.

I feel your stare. I know your wondering what my motives are. You would never trust me. I was your enemy still. In your eyes I was a possible challenger. You thought I wanted to take Kagome away. I never really wanted her. She was a human girl. I might have changed, but still I didn't want to mate with one. It was disgraceful to breed a half breed.

But I would never hate you. I wouldn't look down at you. Not really. You were an extremely strong half breed. You earned the respect. I would give it to you in small portions. No one needed to know my intentions. I hated you didn't I? We were enemies from the start. But I couldn't actually hate you. Hating you in theory was different then reality.

"Kouga are you alright? You seem a little lost." Kagome's deep brown eyes are wide with worry. I smile at her taking one of her hands in my own. A blush spreads across her face as she gets that uncomfortably nice look.

"I'm fine Kagome, but thanks for worrying." I grin at you before placing a chaste kiss on the top of her hand. She eeps her blush intensifying. I don't think I've ever been that nice. Never showed her that side of me. I could court a women if I wanted to. Well she was a girl, but still.

"Get your filthy hands off her!" I hear you growl. My smirk is a satisfied one. I jump away an instant before your blade crashes to the ground. Let the game begin. I am too fast for you. As usual. Each swing of your mighty sword hit's the ground where I was not even a millisecond ago. The game is deadly, but I couldn't be happier.

You stop your assault to catch your breath. The mighty sword dug into the earth. My breathing is shortened into pants. I'm excited. I look around noticing the scenery is different. How far had we moved from Kagome? How long have we been fighting? You growl and begin to ready for another attack. Did this have to happen again? In a few moments we will stop. You will back off growling your whatever and go back to Kagome. I would follow behind tell her goodbye and be on my way. Leaving yet again with the truth heavy in my heart.

Something needed to change. I couldn't stand to see that happen once more. It was you who changed me you know. Your pride in who you were even though you were a disgraceful creature. I couldn't stand to hurt the same creatures that were half your being. Growling low in my throat I charge you. You get ready for an attack, but are caught off guard when I pin you to the tree.

"What are you doing wolf?" you snarl at me. Your sword changed back to the rusty thing a few feet behind me. Your amber eyes wide with anger, confusion, and…no it couldn't be could it?

"What do you think I'm doing?" I growl back baring my fangs. I knew that it was now or never. I had a choice to make. Finally act upon to odd feelings I had or let you go and never think of them again. I needed to choose. Your lips part slightly with your breathing. I inhale through my nose relishing in your scent. So unlike the wolves, yet so similar.

"What's wrong with you wolf?" you question more gently. The growl is gone, but the annoyance is still clear. I close my eyes before leaning the short distance to your lips. I needed you to know. I couldn't help it anymore. I expect you to push me away, I expect you to hit me, I expect you to do anything to get me off of you.

But instead I feel you clawed hands tug me closer. Your mouth willingly opens. Our tongues clash. Resuming the battle for power. But it's different. My body is heating up. I knew what was to come. I knew what was to happen if we continued on this path. I couldn't be more glad. I push you harder into the tree grinding our arousals together in the process. Your hiss of pleasure makes me growl.

It wasn't suppose to be this way. Nothing was suppose to happen. It was all a rivalry. A never ending rivalry. A rivalry that lasted throughout our time chasing a creature in circles. A rivalry for a girl. A young teenage girl that talked about weird places. A girl who was falsely kind to me, and hopelessly in love with you. A rivalry for dominance. To show who was the strongest, the fastest, the best. Wasn't this all just a rivalry?

We leave that clearly hours later, returning to the girl you are so protective over. She doesn't ask what took us so long, she probably assumed we were fighting the whole time. Ginta and Hakkaku are sitting with her eating her odd food. You growl telling her it's time to leave. I cup her hand in mine and smile. Stating it was nice seeing her, promising I would see her soon. She blushed smiling plastically at me.

We part ways with nothing more then insults. This is how it's suppose to be right? Fighting over a girl neither of us truly cared about? Calling each other mangy, smelly, idiotic was how life worked right? We would chase after the creature and meet up everyone once in a while. Like nothing happened on that forest floor? As if we never shared that intimate moment? We never did anything because that's not how we were?

We hated one other…didn't we?

AN: Please review and tell me what you think.