Love?

-Skweek

Disclaimer: If I actually owned Inuyasha, do you seriously think I would be wasting my time here??

Guide:

Thought

"Speech"

Inner-youkai

Ch. 7: Sesshomaru?

Kagome leaned her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Thanks again, Yasha. After hearing my ENTIRE family fighting like that, I don't know if I would have been welcome. Sorry if I'm a burden." (A/N: Yes, she gave him a nickname. I've seen it used multiple times before in FanFics, and I thought it was kinda cute."

A slight blush threatened to creep up the hanyou's neck, but he quickly squashed it. "It's fine. Really." He smirked. "You know, you apologize a lot." Is that all I can say? 'You apologize too much'? Why do I always say such stupid things to her? I don't mean to be mean, because she sure is nice to me, but all I can think about is how much I want her...then she goes and breaks my thoughts, and I guess I just snap at her. At least I can get her name right, though.

"Oh. I'm s--... I apo—" Kagome couldn't find the right words. Damn! She sat up and looked away from him. "Sorry..." she breathed, not realizing he still heard her.

Inuyasha leaned in, right next to her ear. "You don't need to be so nervous around me," he whispered, making her gasp. Damn, why does she have to smell so good? Why does she look so beautiful? How could I ever think she was like Kikyo? I'll never make that mistake again. She's MUCH better than Kikyo.

Kagome stood up, a bit too uncomfortable to stay there with Inuyasha so close. Calm down, Kagome. Calm down. Now would be a wonderful time to leave, so just ask for a ride home. NOW!

Inuyasha felt guilty. Horrible. How could he have acted like that? He isn't Miroku, after all. But, not even Miroku would have done. His chin dropped to his chest, ears drooping. "Kagome... I—" He cut off, not knowing what to say. He walked forward. Kagome backed up into a wall. He sat down on the floor, trying to show her that he wasn't going to do anything to her. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I really don't know what just came over me. It's just...that..." He paused. "You're just so...nice. Everything about you is... nice. You came to breakfast with me, you came back here with me, we hung out... I just never realized how great you were."

Kagome stood there, mouth open.

"And not only that...but...you're beautiful, too. Sure, I think Kikyo's hot, and Sango's cute, but...there's just something about the way you hold yourself. Most girls are insecure about the way they look, and they freak out about what other people think about them, but you...you're more dignified than that." He sighed, not wanting to do what he knew he had to do. "Come on. Let's go."

"Huh?"

"I'm taking you home. I don't want you to do something you'll regret." He was serious, but his inner-youkai was disagreeing.

NO! Take her! NOW!

No, not Kagome. Not yet at least. Humans aren't like youkai. They need love, not instincts.

Who cares?!

Kagome. She's more important.

"Yasha?" the miko asked, waving a hand before him. "Did you hear me?"

"Sorry. No."

"I was asking why."

"Why what?" Inuyasha had been so lost in his inner-battle that he had forgotten what he was taking to Kagome about.

Kagome sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "Why would I go home? I like being here." She shot a torturous smile at him, almost making his jaw drop.

"I'm not going to let you." He licked his lips nervously. "You can't stay here."

Kagome was offended. Tears welled up in her eyes and her voice quaked slightly. "Why not?"

Inuyasha gasped. "It's not like that! It's just...my youkai side. My inner-youkai is always looking for a mate. It can get dangerous for women to get too close to me." Kagome opened her mouth to protest, but Inuyasha was not done yet. "I'm serious. Like, right now, my inner-youkai is screaming at me to take you as my mate." He closed his eyes, and Kagome could see the war going on inside him. "It's really hard to resist, and I couldn't live with myself if I did something to you. Please, just let me take you home."

He must really...care about me. Kagome looked at the ground and replied. "Fine. I'll go. But at least promise to hang out with Miroku-sama, Sango-sama, and me more, ok? You're a lot of fun, you know! I don't know why you don't hang with us, even though Miroku does. Do you want to?"

Inuyasha grinned. "Of course! The only reason I didn't was because of you and Sango-sama. I didn't think you guys wanted me. But if you'll let me, then yeah, I'll hang with you guys."

Kagome's face lit up. "YAY!" She ran over and hugged him, her arms wrapped tight around him.

Inuyasha stood there for a moment, shocked at how forward this girl was, but then he put his arms around her small frame, his chin resting on top of her head. "Thank you, Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled into his chest. He smiled.

"Anytime."

Next Day

"It's such a wonderful day," Kagome said, dazed, walking with Sango to school.

"It sure is," Sango replied. Suddenly, she stopped.

"Wha--?" Kagome started.

"Shh..." Sango whispered, listening to everything around them. I thought I heard... he thought trailed off.

Then, Kagome's eyes grew to the size of plates as she watched the person behind Sango. Sango gasped, feeling someone grab her ass.

"Hentai!" she yelled, though not as loud as she used to.

Miroku smirked. "Yes, dear Sango?" He wrapped his arms gently the slayers waist. Hehe! She doesn't get so mad anymore! I just had to test how she would react to me around others.

Sango sighed, frustrated. "Miroku," she began, but he stopped her, gently squeezing the butterflies out of her stomach in a genuine hug.

Satisfied, he released her, instead beginning to walk beside her with his arm around her waist, as usual. "Hey, Kagome."

"Hey, Miroku. Have you talked to Yasha recently?"

"Yasha?" Miroku asked, giving the miko girl a strange look.

"Sorry. I meant Inuyasha." He smirked, finding the nickname funny. She continued. "Anyway, you seen him?"

"I saw him yesterday evening. Him and Sesshomaru where fighting a bit more than normal, so he crashed at my place. He was gone when I got up."

Kagome frowned. Where'd he go? The young girl's eyes grew wide. WAIT! Sesshomaru?