Author's Notes: Hey, I'm back with yet another one of my more recent one-shots, and this one just came out of a random idea I had that what would happen if Inuyasha was ticklish. It may not be very original, because after I started to write it, I began to realize that a couple of stories have a plot line where Inuyasha is ticklish… but you can't blame me for coming up with an already used idea!

Sorry if this in any way comes close to the story line of your fanfic, but I promise you I did not base this off of any other story!

Disclaimer: Same old, same old. I don't own Inuyasha, and will never own Inuyasha (except in my dreams)

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Who Says Half Demon's Aren't Ticklish?

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It was yet another beautiful, peaceful morning for the Feudal Era. The sound of bird trill wavered in the cool air, the sun was a prominent object in the sky already, and a gentle breeze weaved through the jade green leaves. Everything was perfectly normal, except for…

"Sit, boy!"

A loud thud reverberated through a clearing, scaring a flock of crows from their perch in a tree. In the midst of this commotion was a young schoolgirl, her brilliantly vibrant sailor uniform conspicuous and her brown eyes, usually full of sparkle and laughter, now containing a different type of gleam entirely as she glared at the now subdued half demon.

Inuyasha rose to a pushup position, growling out incoherent words and basically cursing every living soul around him. "Wench!" he snapped, his sharp golden eyes riveting to the fuming Kagome.

"Serves you right for calling me that!" she shouted back, referring to his earlier comment. His adorable dog ears flattened miserably against his silver head and he retorted angrily, "Well you are just a stupid girl, so why shouldn't I call you that?!"

She folded her arms across her chest indignantly, inwardly hurting from his stinging comeback. Grrrr… he can be such an insensitive moron sometimes! "Jerk!" she declared and stomped off, heading for the well that could teleport her back home.

"Fine! Go home! It's not like if it makes a difference to me!" he yelled to her retreating form, then after seeing her unresponsive figure disappear from sight, he slumped to the ground in a pout.

Hoisting himself up smoothly, Inuyasha stormed off in the direction of the village, flatly refusing to chase after her. Damn woman can come back when she wants! He mentally growled.

In the back of his mind, Inuyasha felt guilty for running her off again, but he forced that thought out. He didn't have time for emotions; they just got in the way.

Kaede's hut gradually appeared before him and he stepped in, his surly attitude darkening the mood in the room. "What?" he questioned snappishly as everyone's burning gaze turned to him.

They rather hastily averted their gazes and continued on rather forcefully with their conversation. Flopping down in a corner, Inuyasha leaned back exhaustedly against the wall, groaning. This was fast becoming annoying; every time Kagome departed he would get like this, moody and impudent.

"Inuyasha, what has become of Lady Kagome? Was she not with you?" Miroku asked innocently, already realizing that they had probably picked a fight with one another. His suspicions were confirmed as Inuyasha's scowl returned to his features and he snorted, "Who wants her here anyways?"

Sango now joined them, whirling around to face the dog demon. "What did you tell her now, Inuyasha?" she sighed, glaring at him reproachfully.

Only his ear flicking told her he had heard her question, but he remained grimly silent, and Sango soon turned back around to converse with Kaede. Miroku, however, was not so quick to surrender but instead further implored, "Did it involve you getting subdued?"

Inuyasha furiously glanced to the nosy monk. "Fuck! Do you have to know everything? She left for her era, that's all!"

Miroku arched an eyebrow, knowing full well that was not all, but once Inuyasha's temper was set off, there was no way he was receiving answers.

"Inuyasha, perhaps ye should go to her and talk about it," Kaede wisely suggested, and he rolled his eyes at her hint. That's never gonna happen, he thought arrogantly. He glanced at the door, feeling uneasy suddenly, and wondered if he should indeed go after all.

Who knows what could be going through her mind right now. She could be so mad that she might not come back at all, or maybe that damn Hobo idiot would call and lavish her with his words of love and she would go with him…

His jealous mind reared at that last thought and he seethed, seeing red momentarily. Or rather, an envious shade of green. Damnit, on this side it's Koga, but there where I'm not around to stop the bastard… Possessive rage pumped through his veins, and he glanced at the door again, his gaze smoldering.

It wouldn't hurt to go check… he finally decided, and concluding that it was much safer to not inform the others of his plans, Inuyasha stood and exited the small hut to dash off towards the time portal.

Unbeknownst to him, his companions gave each other a knowing wink.

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He leapt out of the depths of the well, his silver hair flying about wildly as he sped to Kagome's balcony. Springing up, he landed nimbly on the small bar and peeked surreptitiously into her room. There was no one to be seen so, fluidly he slid open the window and slipped in, dropping soundlessly to the floor in a crouch.

His tenseness that came with traveling to this era swiftly vanished as he quietly enjoyed the presence of Kagome in every aspect of the room. Picking up the distinct footsteps of someone approaching the door, Inuyasha lifted himself out of his crouch and waited impatiently as the object of his affections entered, her aura gloomy from their earlier fight. Guilt wallowed in his chest as she sniffled, and then slowly turned around.

He seemed to have caught her off guard because, upon seeing his stiff form there in the middle of her room she yelped and jumped back quite a distance before breathing a sigh of relief and pressing a hand to her racing heart. "Inuyasha…" she groaned. "Don't scare me like that!" Slowly her rapidly palpitating heart quieted to a more normal speed and she glanced over at the frowning half demon.

Kagome felt a nagging curiousness tugging at her mind and she inquired, "Why are you here?"

"Feh." Inuyasha indifferently shoved his arms into his haori sleeves, not meeting her widened eyes. "I can come her if I want, ne?"

Kagome smiled weakly at his customary egotistical reply, but wondered if he had come to, perhaps, apologize. A glimmer of hope swelled in her bosom, but was deflated just as quickly as it had come as Inuyasha added, "And no, I ain't gonna apologize."

Sighing and not wanting to argue with Inuyasha anymore as it didn't lead anywhere except her own pain, Kagome relented. "Okay, you can stay but just don't get into too much trouble, alright?"

Somehow she felt much relieved knowing that they were once more on speaking terms, and she let her smile grow to light up her face.

Inuyasha loved the way she smiled. It was genuine and from the bottom of her heart, and never once bitter. It was similar to everything about her, pure and brilliant and capable of making Inuyasha's breathing difficult.

Scowl remaining firmly in place on his lips, his eyes roamed to the closed door and he attempted to ask casually, "Who else is here?" His senses were going into overdrive, striving to figure out if any other male was present in the house.

"Well, mom and Gramps are outside in the shrine and Sota is playing videogames, but that's about it," Kagome replied, going to her bed and sitting on the edge.

Inuyasha followed suit and sat cross legged beside her. "Videogames?" he repeated, his expression confused and lost. Kagome giggled at the adorableness of his puzzlement, stifling the urge to tweak one of his tempting ears.

"Yes, it's where you play a game inside the T.V. You remember when I explained the television to you, right?"

"Of course," Inuyasha instantly replied, proud that he remembered at least something about this perplexing time.

Kagome looked over to him, his posture the image of negligence, but she knew better. He was ready to attack at any given moment, like a spring already coiled and waiting to be set free. On very rare occasions he had relented and let his guard down, showing her the side of him that was free from doubt and worry.

He was so mature, having learned all his lessons the hard way, and being forced to fend for himself since a young age. He never really had time to be a child and play like normal children do, be carefree and lighthearted.

"What the-?" she heard Inuyasha say beside her and she was shaken out of her reverie by Inuyasha standing up and looking down suspiciously at the exact spot he had been in the second before. Digging his hand under the blankets, he resurfaced with a little blue notebook in his hands.

Kagome blanched. She had forgotten to put up her diary. Before Inuyasha had come she had been writing the details of their fight and her feelings on it. Not mentioning the other entries, all in some way relating to the subject of him.

He thoughtfully turned it over in his hand and sat down on the mattress again. "What the heck is this?" he wondered aloud and Kagome hastily replied, "Nothing. Can I have it back?"

Noting the pleading look in her eye and the word 'Diary' scripted onto the front of the notebook, Inuyasha remembered back to a time where she and Sango had been talking about this 'diary' Kagome possessed in where she revealed her most deepest thoughts. He had remembered because he had spent hours of searching through her bag trying to find it so he could find out her real feelings. Of course he had no luck in successfully finding it and the only reward he received was a big fat 'sit' from Kagome when she beheld the mess he had made.

A devilish gleam appeared in his eyes and he held the book out of her reach easily.

"Why wench? What do you have in here you're so worried about?"

"Come on, Inuyasha, please," she whined, straining to reach his outstretched hand and failing as he effortlessly moved it further away from her grasp.

"Not until you answer my question wench." He teased in a sickeningly confident voice and Kagome leaned into him as he leaned back both intent on the small notebook. She didn't even notice how dangerously close they were getting in her effort to get the book, and as she stretched out a bit farther seeing as she was right next to his hand...

Kagome collapsed onto Inuyasha, having lost her balance, and him having lost his as she dropped onto him. "Ha!" she muttered triumphantly as she took a hold of the book from his now limp grasp.

At that moment, the intensity of the situation hit her, and she swallowed as she realized just how close she was to him. The feeling of his strong, lean body underneath her smaller figure was overwhelming and she blushed profusely as she struggled to sit up.

Inuyasha had frozen the instant she had fallen on top of him, and his breathing had turned shallow as Kagome had pressed even more up against him as she reached still for the diary. At that point, his attention was far away from the thought of the diary. His guilty mind savored the heady feeling of her close to him, and the blood rushed to his face at these thoughts.

Inadvertently, Kagome's arm brushed his side and he uttered a laugh before hastily silencing it, uneasily watching her as dawning apprehension rose to her features. All thoughts of their current awkward situation vanished from her head as she ran her fingers up his side, earning herself another muffled snicker.

A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she let out a stream of giggles. "Ticklish, eh?"

The nervous expression he couldn't hold back from surfacing answered her question and with a loud war whoop, Kagome tackled him, aiming for the sensitive skin of his stomach.

"B-bitch, stop it!" he barked out between laughter, but his harsh words were ruined by the joyous sound of irrepressible laughter flowing from his throat. Kagome's grin only increased as she became aware that this was one battle she would be victorious in.

"Do you surrender?" she taunted, her fingertips unrelenting in their tickling.

Somewhere inside of him, Inuyasha's demon's instinct's dominance reared up and brought an urge to show her who was the alpha male. Before he could react to his possessiveness, Inuyasha flipped them over, so that he was leaning over her.

With a triumphant growl of satisfaction, Inuyasha took Kagome's method and proceeded to tickle her, watching with great amusement as she in turn rolled over with laughter, her pretty face flushed with lack of air.

Stopping suddenly so as to allow her time to breathe, Inuyasha clasped her wrists in his so that she wouldn't attempt to take this as an opportunity to tickle him. Her chest heaved up and down as she regained her composure, a smile prominent on her lips.

Inuyasha smirked down at the restrained priestess beneath him and for a moment something sparked between them, something so strong it shocked both of them. Momentarily surprised, they failed to notice the approaching footsteps that neared Kagome's bedroom door.

Acting on the emotion hanging heavy in the air, Inuyasha leaned his head down and Kagome's eyes fluttered shut as…

"Hey sis, have you seen my other controller? I can't find-," Souta halted his words as he saw the scene he had walked into. Making a disgusted face and sticking out his tongue, Souta yelled, "Ew! Mom!"

Inuyasha, startled, jumped off of Kagome, landing in a crouch a couple of feet from the bed. Kagome sat up straight, panic in her eyes as she instinctively commanded, "Sit!"

The half demon plummeted to the carpet as the embarrassed priestess flushed a bright shade of red.

Souta grinned impishly, mentally promising Kagome blackmail. Slamming the door closed, he could be heard shouting, "Nevermind, sis! I'll ask someone who's not so busy…" He emphasized the word 'busy', and then burst into a fit of giggles as he descended the stairs.

Silence filled the room, oppressing Kagome until she tentatively whispered, "Inuyasha?" She felt horrible for sitting him, she hadn't intentionally done it, it was kind of a subconscious reaction. Especially after such a tender display of affection.

Clawed hands rose from their limp position at his side and pushed up against the ground, lifting his head from the small dent in the floor. But instead of snapping at her for subduing him yet again, he chose to remain grimly silent, his eyes hidden from view by his thick bangs.

Kagome swallowed, shifting her legs so that they hung over the edge of her bed, her shimmering, guilty chocolate orbs never leaving the half demon in the middle of her room.

Inuyasha felt himself literally shaking from anger. For some reason, this sit he had just been ordered seemed more hurtful to him than any other thing she could've done. Even a slap in the face would've been better than this. It felt more like a betrayal, after he had opened up and revealed a more playful side of him that he had never let anyone see before.

Sliding off the bed onto the carpet below, Kagome kneeled gingerly before the unresponsive half demon, her expression one of guilt. "Hey…" she whispered softly.

"Do you have to use that damn word all the fucking time?" Inuyasha muttered quietly, but the anger was sharp in his voice, cutting through Kagome's mind like a knife. She hung her head silently; ashamed at the way she sometimes misused the privilege.

Inuyasha remained perfectly still, his golden eyes continuing to be hidden under the silver curtain of bangs.

"Goddamn wench at least let me have my pride." The hurt evident in his tone twisted her fragile heart more than any shouting could've done. He was right, and she realized that fully. But...Kagome knew she was selfish on this aspect.

She had always been frightened of the outcome of removing the necklace. It could be the only thing allowing him to pass through the well… or the sole reason he chose to stay with her rather than run off on his own. Not to mention his demon side, which could only be stopped with the cursed subduing spell.

He raised his gaze then, and Kagome gasped as well as paled to a sickly white. It was there in his face… in his expression. The hint of betrayal she never wanted to see him look at her with… it was there. It couldn't have been worse if he was crying. For once in a very long time, he allowed the barriers to weaken and her to catch a glimpse of the emotions she knew were stored somewhere in him.

Kagome couldn't allow this to resume… there was no way she would be the cause of that pain. It was too much for her caring soul to take.

Reaching out before the dog demon could react; Kagome firmly grasped the beads and lifted them over his head, the spell breaking with a slight pop of energy.

Deathly silence greeted her ears, and she turned away, uncertain of his reaction. The smooth purple beads were warm in her hand, and shone brilliantly in the fading sun. She rubbed her thumb across them absentmindedly as she anxiously awaited Inuyasha's response.

"Kagome…" she heard him murmur behind her and then a clawed hand reach out and grab the beads now resting on the palm of her hand.

Inuyasha couldn't even begin to decipher his feelings. He hadn't wanted this… he hadn't wished for her to remove them from his neck.

It seemed so… different without them there, a sure sign of their connection. Now, he wanted time to reverse, wanted to rewind the clock to before this mess. Kagome searching gaze was fixed on his expressionless face, and Inuyasha hid his emotions behind a barrier, careful not to expose them anymore.

Fingers tightening their iron grip on the beads, Inuyasha returned Kagome's stare with one just as intense. What could he say now? After his going on about her subduing him, it's no wonder she removed them from around his neck to, if nothing else, get him to stop complaining.

Kagome used her free hand to lightly touch Inuyasha's hand that was clutching the necklace. Without a word, she smoothly coaxed the subjugation beads out of his fist. He allowed her to, at a loss of what to do.

Once it was free of his grasp, Kagome tossed the necklace to the side carelessly. Surprised, Inuyasha turned his shocked gaze from the discarded heap of beads to Kagome's features.

Her eyes were sorrowful, their dark depths rich with feeling as well as a flicker of hope shining in them. A smile, tinged with sadness, lingered on her soft lips and her hair fell in waves down her neck, adorning her shoulders and framing her face.

She seemed so much like his mother, with her never ending displays and gestures of kindness and understanding, at that moment that he had to blink a couple of times.

But no… this was Kagome, a completely different human unlike any he had ever met before.

Once again, he found his earlier anger completely ebbed away just with her unexpected action of freeing himself from the accursed spell.

Yet… there was definitely something missing. Something that had been there from the beginning, that had kept the two grudging companions together, and what ultimately caused him to be able to fall for this modern priestess.

It seemed those beads were good for something after all.

"Kagome… could you…" he began, not really knowing how to string his jumbled thoughts together.

Kagome listened intently. The last few minutes had been tense ones for her as she witnessed the array of emotions that crossed Inuyasha's vulnerable expression. There had been so many of them she had not been able to determine one from another, and instead waited in growing anxiety for his response.

Perhaps… perhaps her actions had angered him? He might say she was just removing them to make him happy for sitting him earlier, as a sort of replacement for an apology.

"Do you think I could have those…?" Inuyasha finally asked, his eyes locked once again on the trashed necklace.

Stunned, Kagome could do nothing more than stare blankly at him for a moment. Sometimes he was so unfathomable. "Sure," she consented and straining, she managed to reach the beads.

"Why?" she questioned curiously, her movements hesitated as she fingered the beads. "I-I thought you despised them."

Inuyasha blushed at her probing question, but replied nonetheless, although a little guardedly. "I hated the damn incantation, that was all. The beads I don't hate." There…he thought proudly, you can't tell much from that answer…

Kagome bit her lip, hating to be so nosy, but burning for answers. "But-," she began, but Inuyasha cut her off.

"Look," he insisted, "I just… feel better with them on, okay?"

Confused but compliant, Kagome handed them slowly to the half demon, who took them from her open hands.

Inuyasha turned them over in his claws, the dull sheen of them reflected in his own eyes. He glanced up at Kagome from under the thick layer of bangs that shielded his eyes from view, and found her regarding him with an interested expression. His gaze softened as it landed on her. A reply formed in his head as he watched her subtle, graceful movements. "It doesn't feel right with them not on," he admitted, bending his fierce will slightly.

Her eyes widened, not expecting this sudden turn of events. Was he trying to tell her something personal?

"I guess I got used to having them around my neck, always a backup plan if things got out of hand…" Inuyasha cautiously raised his deep, amber gaze to meet her shimmering chocolate one.

"I always thought I hated them, would've done anything to take the stupid beads off, but now… I- I feel alone without them… because it's my link to you." He saw her lips part in shock as her eyes shone even more prominently. Maybe he had said too much…

Dread filled the pit of his stomach. Had he revealed too much? Nervously, he dug a fang into his bottom lip and tore his eyes from hers; scared of the rejection he had feared since birth. His heart beat swiftly in his chest, pounding a rhythm into his mind as his blood pumped through his veins.

Kagome lowered her eyes, her dark lashes fanning out on her cheeks, which had taken on an adorable tinge of pink. What he had just revealed… was so sweet and thoughtful, after the tactless sit she had administered to him minutes before. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her mind reeled, but she kept a grip on reality.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, her voice reassuring. Taking the necklace from his limp claws, she lifted them up and over his hair, but stopped abruptly at the crown of his head. "You should've told me this earlier." Smiling, she continued, "You don't have to worry about the spell anymore, either. It won't work now that I've broken the magic. The beads are yours, free of incantations."

She guided them down to their original place around his neck and released them, sliding her hands down the beads until they ended at the center of the necklace.

Inuyasha glanced down at the said beads, almost as if inspecting them. Then, he glanced up at Kagome's features and smiled. Not one of his usual smirks he often wore on his lips, no… an actual, genuine smile graced his mouth.

It spurred an equally beautiful one from Kagome, as she relaxed her tense muscles. "I'm glad that you decided to put it back on… it makes me feel more secure too, knowing we still have our connection." Her blush deepened, completing her innocent schoolgirl image.

His breathing came a little faster at these emotionally based words, and he gave his signature one-fanged lopsided grin. It prompted Kagome's smile to widen, changing her schoolgirl look to one of mischief.

"Besides, if I ever need to restrain you again, I can just resort to tickling."

So began another tickle war, yet this time Inuyasha made doubly sure to keep an ear trained for the brat. No use getting caught twice.

Kagome won the match hands down.

Half demons seemed to be more ticklish than they originally thought…

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The End

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Author's Notes: Hey! I thought I did pretty well on this one. Not as fluffy and romantic as my other ones, but this one-shot had more of a cute vibe to it. And I liked it! This is actually a record for me; the first actual story of mine where Inuyasha and Kagome do not kiss! (Although that would've made a nice ending, don't you think?)

As always, reviews, comments and questions are always a friendly sight in my mailbox!

kikyohater92