Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and company, nor am I making profit from this story.

Kagome stared at the display of chocolate and molds in front of her. Yuka, on her right, and Eri, on her left, were busily discussing which molds they should get, and if any of the colored chocolate pens were worth picking up at this store.

Maybe they should run to a different one down the street.

The selection of colors was poor here – too picked over.

There was a bag of shredded coconut at the other store – Eri wanted that.

Kagome, for her part, wasn't too interested in making Valentine's chocolate this year. Sure, she had done it in the past with her friends and given it around, but that was way back before she had complicated feelings for a complicated boy. Back then, she innocently believed that love was black and white. You either loved someone or you didn't.

Now she knew it was much more than just that.

Making chocolate for someone seemed so simple back then. Now she had to wonder if she was willing to put the effort in for a boy who most likely had no idea what it meant.

"Can he even eat it?" she wondered out loud. In her head, she thought about his dog heritage.

"Who?" Yuka asked her, pleased she had joined their conversation at last. "Who could eat it?"

Eri leaned her body forward, twisting slightly to get a good look at her friend's face. "I heard dark chocolate is better for you. Should we get some dark chocolate?" She paused slightly before mouthing to Yuka, 'Hojo said his favorite chocolate is dark.'

"Oh…" Yuka nodded, understanding what Eri was hinting at. "I think dark chocolate is the best option."

Kagome had no idea what they were talking about and looked back and forth between them. She hadn't realized she had said anything out loud, either, so the sudden change in topic was confusing to her.

"I mean," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "you guys can use dark chocolate if you want. I don't think I'll be making any this year."

Eri stood up tall, Yuka gasped in horror, and each girl grabbed one of her shoulders. "Kagome!" Eri shouted, causing other customers to look over at them in dismay.

Yuka shook Kagome hard, crying out, "You can't mean that!"

Kagome, taken fully aback by the sudden outburst from both of her friends, stepped back to get away from their grips. She forgot, however, that a teenage girl's grip can be stronger than anything, so she wound up just dragging them a good meter or two away from the chocolate display.

Yuka cried out again, this time in absolute dismay, "I thought you had moved on from the two-timer, Kagome! I thought you had moved on!"

'Well,' Kagome thought, 'at least she's stopped shaking me.'

Eri let go of Kagome finally and stepped back to look her friend up and down. Kagome could almost hear the squealing of the wheels in her head. She knew, she just knew, her friend was plotting something, but she couldn't tell what it was.

Eri looked very pointedly at her for a long moment. Kagome looked back, turning her head to look sideways at her friend and to get a glance at Yuka, still handing onto her shoulder.

"Kagome," Eri's voice was softer than before, but the looks from the passing people were still harsh and full of judgement. "For old time's sake, please make chocolate with us."

Yuka chimed in. "You don't have to give them to anyone; you can just make them!"

Kagome looked back and forth between her friends. Seeing the hopefulness in their eyes, she couldn't turn them down.

"Fine," she sighed out. "I'll make chocolates with you."

Home, finally, after her shopping mishap with her oldest friends, Kagome sat at the family computer. It was rarely used by anyone, especially now that Souta had a laptop of his own – a gift from their late father's side of the family to celebrate him entering junior high school.

The browser was slow, but Kagome was in no hurry. All that awaited her was homework upstairs, and honestly, she wasn't too keen on getting started on that.

Eventually, after what felt like forever, Kagome was able to open a search engine to start her inquiry.

Valentine's Day Treats for Dogs she typed into the search bar.

Results slowly filtered in and she clicked the first link – a link to somebody's blog that had made 'chocolates' for her dogs. The ingredients were pretty straight forward, as it was a mixture of yogurt, oats, coconut, and strawberries.

Kagome wasn't sure they would taste the best, but hey, it was something. Better than giving Inuyasha nothing.

Kagome cross checked the ingredients with an article about food safe for foxes, knowing that Shippo might steal some of Inuyasha's treats just to annoy him.

"What are you looking at?" Kagome's mother placed a cup of tea for her on the computer desk. Kagome nodded her thanks before taking a sip.

"Eri and Yuka want to make chocolates together. I figured I could give them to Miroku and Sango, but I would need something else for Inuyasha and Shippo." Kagome pulled up the list of ingredients for the dog safe valentine's treats. "What do you think?"

Mama Higurashi looked over the list, humming slightly. "Shouldn't be too hard to get the ingredients," she said. "I wonder how they'll taste."

Kagome agreed before tacking on, "I just don't know if Inuyasha can eat chocolates, you know? He is part dog, but it's dog demon…. Does that make a difference?"

"I don't know, dear."

Kagome took another drink from her tea cup. "If he hates them, I'll just give them to Souta. He eats anything."

Kagome's mother smiled and chuckled to herself slightly at the comment, patted Kagome's shoulder and turned to leave. "I'll pick up the ingredients at the store tomorrow. Do you want me to get anything for making chocolates?"

"Nah," Kagome wrote down what they needed and a quickly copied the directions for making the treats, "I think we got everything today."

Her mother nodded, but didn't verbally respond as she left the room. Kagome powered off the computer once she was done with her notes and went upstairs to finish her homework and wait for Inuyasha's inevitable arrival.

Sure enough, Inuyasha pushed open her window that evening, just after supper and sat on her bed.

"We agreed a day and a half."

"Yes, but I need more time."

Inuyasha huffed. "I gave you two days."

Kagome continued to write, working on her best subject – Japanese history – while Inuyasha was there wasn't much a problem for her. In fact, sometimes it was helpful because he was a pit of knowledge himself given the right circumstances.

"Have you made a shovel before?"

Inuyasha grunted, "No. Don't change the topic."

Kagome paused and thought. "I wonder if Miroku has."

"Stop changing the topic. We go back tomorrow morning."

Kagome jotted a little note to herself to ask Miroku about shovel making. "My thesis for this paper is that everyone made things by hand as required which indicates a communal-based living environment. You've carved Kaede bowls and spoons right?"

"Kaede's stuff sucked. I hated eating out of it. I made her better ones." Inuyasha returned to his subject. "I want breakfast first. Then we leave."

Kagome spun in her chair to look at Inuyasha, contemplating how to get him to budge on his plan of leaving in the morning. She used to yell and tell him no, but that always backfired. It was Valentine's season, she figured, she should keep him happy.

The perfect idea sprung into her head.

"Mom's making ramen for dinner tomorrow night, though." Kagome rocked back to stretch out her legs and look at him. "Just for you."

Inuyasha squinted his eyes and regarded her sourly. Kagome knew she had won this round.

"Fine," Inuyasha snorted out, "one more day."

"Okay," Kagome smiled at him, but he crossed his arms and flopped down onto her bed in protest at his plan being changed.

Kagome turned back to her paper and textbook, mentally noting to tell her mother about tomorrow's dinner menu.

A few moments later, Kagome heard the tell-tale sign of Inuyasha's slight rumble of a snore, and she knew he had fallen asleep without having to look at him. So much for picking his brain.

Eri and Yuka were eager to come over after school the next day and start work on their chocolates. They didn't seem too surprised at what they were having for dinner, but they were intrigued by the different type of sweets that Kagome was making.

"Who are they for?" Eri asked Kagome, picking up the yogurt and oats on the counter.

Kagome paused, trying to think up a good excuse for why she was making chocolate-free Valentine's treats. She floundered for a moment before, exclaiming, loudly because of her excitement from coming up with an excuse, "Inuyasha is allergic to chocolate!"

Yuka crinkled her face and leaned on the counter towards Kagome. "Come again?"

"Well," Kagome stuck a finger in the air for emphasis, "Inuyasha is allergic to chocolate, and since I'm giving everyone else some chocolates, I figured I should make something else for him!"

"You're giving Inuyasha something for Valentine's Day?" Eri picked up the coconut flakes, and tried to figure out how these sweets would taste.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Yuka sighed. "Kagome," she said while she walked around the countertop to place an apathetic hand on her friend's shoulder. "You're hopeless."

Kagome wanted to protest, not liking the implications her friends were giving about not giving Inuyasha something for Valentine's Day, but she bit her tongue. No point in speaking to a brick wall, she reasoned with herself. There was no way they could ever understand her and Inuyasha's relationship.

Kagome chose, instead to pull out all the molds her mother had, as well as the new ones they had bought the day before so they could each choose their favorite one to fill. Yuka chose a very simple heart mold, not too eager in trying to fill in a more elaborately decorate mold with colored chocolate. Eri knew she wanted a bear one, although the selection of them was vast. Kagome, for her part, picked a flower mold for her chocolates and a bunny and cat one for Shippo and Inuyasha's 'chocolates'.

Soon, the double boiler was out, Yuka was melting the chocolate bars while Kagome and Eri worked with their colored chocolate pens to fill in details.

They put on some music, a radio station Kagome didn't recognize that played music Kagome didn't know, and had a good time together.

It briefly made Kagome feel nostalgic for the time before the well opened. But remembering her friends from the Feudal Era chased that thought away. She wouldn't trade them for the world.

Kagome's mother peeked in every once in a while, praising their progress and their talent, but otherwise left the teenagers to their own devices.

Inuyasha had been in the courtyard, helping Grandpa move around yard ornaments and cleaning up the fallen foliage. It was brisk outside, but not too cold. Snow was predicted for the weekend, but for the time being, the ground was clean enough for Grandpa to feel confident walking around.

Inuyasha wished Grandpa didn't feel so confident. He wanted to be inside, bothering Buyo.

Or Kagome. Either one was free game to him.

As soon as Grandpa indicated that there was a chance they were finished for the day, Inuyasha was beelining to the house, ready to find out if Kagome was home. Maybe he could negotiate for an early dinner.

Taking a moment to rub his feet on the rug by the door like Kagome had told him to, Inuyasha followed the sound of music and Kagome's scent to the kitchen.

He saw three girls all standing in the room, busy over some odd-looking plastic things. He walked to stand directly behind Kagome and look over her shoulder at what she was doing. It smelled sweet in the room, a distinct smell he was unfamiliar with.

He rested his chin on Kagome's shoulder for a little bit, watching her work with mild fascination. Kagome didn't acknowledge his proximity, but the other girls noticed.

Yuka shot Eri a look of disbelief.

Eri's wide eyes told her she felt the same.

Kagome noticed her friends staring at Inuyasha once she felt Inuyasha's stare back at them. Her hand swung up to feel the top of Inuyasha's head.

Sighing internally from relief when she felt the fabric of a bandana under her fingers, Kagome asked Inuyasha, "Can I help you?"

"What are you doing?" He continued to stare back at Eri and Yuka, glowering to hopefully get them to stop looking at him.

They had such accusations in their eyes… They had met him before; what was with the sudden attitude change?

Yuka was the first to snap out of it and nudged Eri to do the same.

Kagome sprinkled in some puffed rice into some of the molds. "I'm making chocolates."

"Chocolates."

"Yep."

Inuyasha looked down, please the other two people had returned to their own work. "What's that?"

Kagome paused. Inuyasha didn't know what chocolates were. She could have just given her brother the chocolates and been done with it.

Well too late now. Inuyasha was getting some dog friendly Valentine treats whether he liked it or not.

Kagome pointed to the chocolate bars that hadn't yet been melted. "It's a type of sweet. They look like those, so we melt them and put them in molds. The molds give them a shape that's cute."

Inuyasha grunted he was listening.

"Valentine's day is tomorrow, so girls make these chocolates to give to the special people in their lives. Friends, family, teachers…"

Eri added, "Boyfriends…"

Inuyasha looked at Eri. "Boyfriends?"

Eri nodded, still working on her molds and not looking up. "Yeah, the special boy in your life."

Yuka did look up at Inuyasha, and waggled an eyebrow. "Or the boy you want to become your special boy."

Inuyasha squinted his eyes in confusion at Yuka. He didn't understand what she was saying or why she was moving her eyebrows.

Kagome, immune to just about anything at this point, cleaned up the edges of her mold with a paper towel and blew on Inuyasha's face so he'd step back from her. She opened the fridge, ignored the red sleeved arm that snagged a yogurt of it, and put the mold to chill.

She did, however, nearly choke on air when Inuyasha asked, "So, you've got a boyfriend, Kagome?"

The way he said the word told Kagome he had no idea what it meant, and was trying to poke fun at her. Well, two could play that game.

"Yeah, Koga."

Inuyasha paused in pulling off the yogurt lid. "Koga?"

Kagome opened the silverware drawer and handed him a spoon.

"Koga?" he repeated, pushing his face close to hers. "He's your special boy?"

Kagome tried to hold in her laugh, but her entire upper body jerked from keeping it down and her face puffed up from holding back the sound. Inuyasha leaned back on his heels and took the spoon from her. He figured out she was messing with him, and wasn't going to bother with picking the fight.

"You don't see him enough for him to be your special friend. Besides," Inuyasha pulled up a large spoonful of the yogurt, "he smells bad."

Eri was too confused to not say something. "Who's Koga? I thought you were making chocolates for Hojo."

Kagome turned her head to look over her shoulder at her friend. Inuyasha paused at the sound of Hojo's name.

Kagome thought for a moment, realizing what was going on. "Oh," she pulled for any language skills, but found none. "Um, no."

"No?" Yuka was in disbelief.

"No," Kagome confirmed. "I wasn't planning on making him any."

"Why not? Are you two dating?"

Inuyasha repeated the new word. "Dating."

Kagome, out of habit, translated for him. "Courting."

Inuyasha glared at her. "The hell you are."

Kagome didn't respond to him, making a point to turn her head in defiance from him and saying to her friends, "We're not dating."

Eri put her hands on the counter in exasperation. "Why not?" she asked.

"I'm not into him like that. He's a good friend, that's all."

Inuyasha was not about to let it go, loudly proclaiming. "You're not dating Hojo!"

Kagome didn't look back at him, but internally snickered at how comical his outburst was. "No, I'm not," she agreed.

"Kagome!" Eri and Yuka cried out in unison.

Kagome pointed to the door and told Inuyasha, "You. Out. Girls only in here. Dinner's in an hour."

Inuyasha must have been satisfied with how the conversation went, or with the fact he had food, because he made no protest as he left to watch TV with Grandpa.

He was back quickly though, as Grandpa instructed Inuyasha to grab him a yogurt as well. Kagome stared down the intruder, who give her not even a passing glance during his quick reentry and exit from the kitchen.

The non-chocolate treats looked pretty good when all was said and done. Kagome smoothed out the top of them in the mold as best as she could. It wasn't perfect, but Kagome knew that the boys she was giving it to probably wouldn't even notice the candy's appearance.

They were probably going to eat it without even looking at it. She'd be lucky to even get a thank you.

But she knew it was worth it.

It always was.

Kagome put the last of the molds in the fridge to harden during dinner. Eri and Yuka were finishing up the dishes and helping Mama cook ramen for dinner.

"While you're in there, can you grab the fish cake and vegetables to cut up, Kagome?" her mother asked.

Kagome nodded in understanding and confirmation, opening up the crisper drawer to pull out the vegetables and the fish cake.

Kagome heard Buyo talking from the other room, shouting the way he always did at Inuyasha. He was a tolerant cat, albeit a bit of a dramatic one, so Inuyasha was still preoccupied at least. They wouldn't have the ever inquisitive and bothersome extra pair of hands trying to speed things along.

The bowls were prepared with the broth, noodles being added in as they finished their quick cook in the rolling boil. Kagome was in charge of garnishing the bowls once the noodles were added with the meat and other toppings.

Inuyasha, smelling that dinner was close, had made an appearance, but was stealthily watching from the doorway.

Just because Kagome hadn't yelled at him yet, didn't mean she wouldn't if he continued to bother her.

Kagome saw him lurking from the corner of her eye, so she put on extra meat on the bowl she was working on, omitted the nori sheet, and held the bowl out to Inuyasha.

"Here you go," she told him.

Inuyasha took the bowl in both hands, nodding his thanks to the four chefs in the kitchen.

Mama Higurashi asked Inuyasha to come back and grab a bowl for Grandpa once he had set his down.

Inuyasha returned shortly to get the requested bowl, Souta close behind. By the time the boys had entered the kitchen, all of the portions had been separated out, so everyone sat at the table in the other room to enjoy dinner together.

Once dinner was done and the dishes cleaned and put away, the girls removed their chocolates from the molds. Yuka was pleased with how her very plain roses came out, only two of them sticking to the mold and splitting when removed. Eri's bears were brightly decorated and cute.

Kagome's chocolates came out decent, the flowers of different shades of pink and red. The cat and bunny mold looked a little strange, being completely pink from the strawberries.

The packaged up their treats for their various friends, writing names as fancily as they could on the small tags to go on the bags.

Kagome was far to curious to not eat one of the dog and fox safe treats and bit one in half.

Eri and Yuka watched her face as she chewed.

"I mean," Kagome covered her mouth while she was speaking, "it isn't chocolate, but it isn't bad."

Eri bit off half of the portion Kagome hadn't eaten and gave the remainder to Yuka. The two girls chewed the sweet slowly, trying to figure out if they liked it or not.

Yuka shrugged, looking at Eri. She didn't mind it. Eri shook her hand to indicate 'so so', but she swallowed it.

"Hopefully, he likes it," Kagome mused aloud. "Or at least one of them likes it…" she muttered under her breath.

The girls departed with warm hugs and well wishes. They said they would see Kagome at school the next day, but Kagome knew better. Inuyasha would make sure she was back to shard hunting first thing in the morning.

If she was lucky, Buyo would be enough of a distraction that she could sleep in for a little bit, though.

The next morning, Kagome woke to Inuyasha crouched next to bed, poking her in the face repeatedly.

"Wake up."

"Inuyasha, let me sleep."

"Your mom made hot cakes. Got to eat them while they're hot."

"Eat my share."

Inuyasha stood up. "You asked for it."

Kagome shook a hand at him while he left her room. She'd eat cereal or something.

Kagome bumbled down the stairs, still in her pajamas about a half an hour later. Souta had already gone to school for the day, and Grandpa and Inuyasha were watching the morning news. Mama Higurashi was in the kitchen, putting dishes away.

"Good morning!" she beamed at her daughter. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough. Inuyasha woke me up."

Mama Higurashi nodded. "He was very concerned you wouldn't eat breakfast."

"Did he save me any?"

Mama smiled to herself before giving her daughter a sheepish look. "Do you want me to make you some?"

Kagome laughed, shaking her head no. "I'll just have cereal. I did tell him to eat my share."

Mama chuckled a little bit, before moving out into the laundry room to start her next household chore.

Kagome poured herself some cereal for breakfast, taking it into the same room as Inuyasha and her grandfather to eat it. She tucked her knees by her chest and balanced the bowl on top of them, watching the morning news with little interest.

When she was finished and had cleaned up her dishes, she began to walk upstairs to get ready to go. Inuyasha followed her into her bedroom, squawking loudly enough to give Buyo a run for his money when he was chased out so Kagome could get dressed.

Less than an hour later, they were hopping down the well, Inuyasha carrying her large yellow backpack on his shoulders. Mama had given them both a hug and a kiss goodbye, waving at them when they descended.

Kagome pulled out her Valentine chocolates when they arrived at Kaede's hut. Miroku, Sango, and Kaede were pleased with their chocolate flowers, complimenting Kagome on her hard work and impressive skills.

Kagome opted to not tell them it wasn't that hard, taking the praise warmly and with a big smile.

Shippo was also excited to receive a treat from Kagome, eagerly putting one in his mouth and announcing it was delicious.

Inuyasha had watched her with a cautious stare, as if he didn't want to get his hopes up that he would get a bag as well. Kagome plopped his Valentine bag in his lap unceremoniously, fighting the blush that crossed her features when she did.

If anyone noticed her sudden color, no one commented.

Inuyasha tucked the sweets into his sleeves, looking around the hut to have anything but Kagome to focus on.

If anyone noticed how Inuyasha was trying to play off the interaction, no one commented on that either.

They could have headed out that day, but enough sighs and groans from Kaede about there being just 'so much work to do' was enough to get Inuyasha to do chores for Kaede for the day and not rally them up to head out.

Miroku told Kagome privately he was thankful for another day of rest. Kagome whole heartily agreed.

As evening fell, the last of the Valentine's chocolates were eaten after dinner, and more nods and whispers of thanks were given to Kagome.

"I'm just happy you guys like them!" Kagome smiled at her friends. In the back of her mind, a little voice nagged her that Inuyasha hadn't eaten his yet.

Kagome stepped outside to get a little fresh air before bed. She was also hoping to see Inuyasha outside, since he wasn't in the hut with them, to ask him if he had eaten the chocolates. As she moved to sit on the little log bench Kaede kept just outside her house, Inuyasha materialized and sat next to her. He pulled the bag of treats out of sleeves.

"Special boy, huh?" Inuyasha repeated what he had learned the day before. Apparently, he had made some mental connections since then.

Kagome leaned her head on his shoulder, enjoying his warmth. "Yeah, special boy."

"Am I your special boy or do you want me to be your special boy?"

Kagome thought about what he was saying for a few moments. "Both."

Inuyasha nodded, finally taking a piece of dog friendly chocolate and chewing it slowly. "Tastes good," he told her.

"I'm glad," she responded. "Happy Valentine's Day, Inuyasha."

"Happy bale twine day to you too."