Disclaimer dont own any anime characters in this fic. thanks.

Title: Wrong

Author: KB

This is wrong.

His fingers brushed her cheek, lightly touching the trails of tears. Her skin was soft and smooth, not by any means flawless with all the scars she carried, but still beautiful. She wore those scars with pride, he knew, from her battles in the past. They had ended months ago, her adventures, and still she cried over that inu hanyou. He should know, he's been watching her for the past couple years. Ever since he felt the pull of ancient power, which led him to the tree that so conveniently was within viewing distance of her window, and saw her and that hanyou. He had watched as she went from being a hopeless and helpless ningen to a fierce warrior miko. He watched as she came home time after time to seek her mother's comfort over the hanyou's constant betrayls. Yet, she had always gone back, to fullfill her duty and destiny. Now, here she lay, so calm and peacefull looking in her sleep. How had he never noticed before?

She'd never accept.

No, she was too pure for his love. Too blindingly pure. He leaned down and softly placed a small kiss to her lips, and watched with mild fascination as she smiled in her sleep. If only she knew. If only he could tell her. But, how would she react to a youkai that's been practically stalking her for two years? No, he could never show himself to her. He could never tell her of his one-sided feelings. His hand drifted down to the crook of her neck, sighing he gently touched the spot where he knew he would mark her if he could. And then what? Leave her behind as he went on those damned missions? Let her sit and suffer like Keiko did for Yusuke? No, even if she did accept his affections, he could never do that to her.

Why?

Why did he have to fall in love with her? Why had he let himself stalk her whenever he could feel her home? Why did that damned tree call him there? It was torturous, this love, much like her own for InuYasha.

Fool.

InuYasha was a utter idiot to let her go. He would have never, if he knew she were in love with him, in a million years let her go. He would cherish and hold her close, protect her from any and all harm, treasure her for the rest of her life. InuYasha didn't deserve her. He never did. Then again, he, himself, didn't deserve her. But that didn't stop him from caring for the woman, protecting her and her family from the unseen dangers that come from Makai, silently standing back and wishing he could have her. She may eventually move on, he knew, he wouldn't like it when she eventually would find comfort in a man's arms, but he'd still watch.

It's all I can do for her.

His lips fell to the crook of her neck, kissing her there as well. He might as well give her these small tokens of affection when he can, unnoticed and unseen. He slowly pulled back, straightening out her rumpled shirt before carefully covering her with the blanket she had kicked off. She mumbled a sleepy thank you, turning over onto her side and continuing with her sleep. She wouldn't even remember this moment in time, those first words she had spoken to him, but he would. His red eyes burned with love and longing as he gently tucked some stray strands of hair from her face. A rare smile graced his lips as she sleepily swatted as his hand, she was so beautiful. He chuckled to himself as he leaned over and before he realized it he was whispering in her ear.

"I will always love you, Kagome." With that he left the room, pausing only on her window sill to look back at her with a pained look of longing. He knew it was true, his last two heat cycles his body and beast refused any woman, and he would fantasize about her. Only her. A tear gem fell to her floor, landing with a small clatter just as he went back to his tree, his branch, his home. There he calmed himself and refused to let more tears come, he wouldn't be weak, he had to get stronger if he was going to be able to watch her fall in love with someone else, when the time came.

333

I will always love you, Kagome

The words repeated in her mind again, it was a voice she didn't know, yet it was oddly comforting. The very same night that she had heard the mysterious voice she had found a beautiful gem on her floor. It was black with what seemed to be a burning flame within it, and at her touch she could feel a great sorrow and longing. Someone, comforting yet a complete stranger, had come to her that night, she knew. It had been a couple days, and she had turned the gem into a necklace for herself. She'd love him through his gift, this stranger, and she could only hope he felt it.

This is so wrong.

She knew she couldn't possibly love a stranger, not knowing anything about him. She should be freaked that someone had gotten into her room, yet she still left the window open with the hopes he'd return. Maybe it was just that she wanted to feel loved? No, she already did by this stranger. Could it be she just wants him to feel loved too? Possibly. Most likely. Crossing the street towards her shrine she smiled as she clutched her gift to her heart. Maybe he'd come for this? She wasn't sure if he would, but she had to try something.

This is stupid.

She was pining over some mystery stalker. How odd. She giggled at herself as she made her way up the steps, going over to the Goshinbaku for a moment to pray that he'd get this. She turned around and ran into the house, greeting her family before going up to her room and placing the little package on her window sill. Looking down at the gift she smiled. It was wrapped in bright red so he could easily see, a note taped to the top. Of course she didn't know who he was, but she decided to address it to 'my very own shadow stalker' due to he was obviously her stalker, but she didn't know when he was there, and like her shadow, he just was. It was through this personal nickname that she had figured out what gift to by him, actually.

What if he doesn't like it?

It was a perfectly reasonable question. After all, he knew about her and she didn't know any thing about him at all. But that was ok, if he had his reasons to stay away that was fine. Maybe he was scared because she was a miko? If he's been around long enough to fall in love with her then he must know, and he had to be a youkai to get to her bedroom like that without waking her. She smiled. That was ok too, if, dare she say, a bit on the dangerous side. She'd rather have that excitement, really, than some 'safe' guy like Hojo. She sighed at the thought of her other stalker. He was creepy nice. If only he'd get mad, upset, something! However it seems all he can do is sit and smile. She sighed again. She hoped her shadow wasn't like that, she'd really regret this gift if he was!

But...its worth the risk.

For that voice to be filled with so much love and pain, he really did love her, and love is worth any risk, right? She smiled as she started to head down stairs for dinner, it was, after all, oden. She paused and looked back at the gift, only to find it was already gone.

333

My very own shadow stalker, huh?

He chuckled at her naming him something so appropriate. He sat himself above her window, opening the note that had been so carefully written.

Thank you, shadow, for telling me you loved me that night.

You must have your reasons for staying away, so I won't

ask you to come forward. I do wish for it, now, though. I

just wanted to tell you, you made me happy, telling me

that. So, here's a gift, I had it made just for you, only for

you.

Kagome

He bit his lip. He made her happy with a few simple words, very happy it would seem, if she had something specifically made for him. He wanted so badly to show himself, to wrap his arms around her and never let go. He folded the paper and tucked it away in his pocket, he'd keep it for the memories. She wouldn't be curious of him for too long, he knew, that ningen boy she always turned down was still avaliable and near desperate for her attention. Besides, if InuYasha was any indication, her tastes ran more towards Yusuke. He shook his head as he began unwrapping the present, she didn't have to go do something like this, he didn't care for things like this, but he'd wear it none the less.

He carefully picked up the delicate silver chain, and fingered the black tear drop locket. On the locked, in silver, was the word 'Shadow'. He gently opened it and was surprised to find professionally taken photographs of her. One with her looking away into the distance, and another of her sitting there smiling as if nothing bad had ever happened in her life. He put the locket on with care, tucking it under his shirt as he went back to his place in the Goshinbaku. He watched through another window down on the first floor, as she and her younger brother faught with chopsticks over the last bit of food. In the end, their grandfather snatched it up which had both siblings whining at the elderly man.

She was so happy with her family.

His eyes softened as he watched her giggle and excuse herself, taking her dishes to the sink before heading up the stairs. She was grinning ear to ear as she entered the room, grabbing her pajamas and heading into her bathroom to change as she always did. Minutes later she came out and went over to the window.

"Goodnight, my shadow." She whispered into the wind, almost purring the words out, but he doubted she realized that.

Why did this have to be so wrong?

He watched as she turned out the lights and crawled into bed, quietly moving to the roof so he could watch her sleep. He sighed, knowing she wanted to meet him, knowing she could possibly come to care. He knew he loved her, dearly, he had even talked to the fox about this strange feeling that washed over him every time he saw her. However he felt, it didn't matter, because he could share his life with her in his own way. Maybe...he could talk to her one day. That'd be alright, right? He'd always love her, he knew that, he wanted to be as close as he could without interfering with her life, without putting her in danger.

Because, he loved her, even if it was wrong.