InuYasha managed to consume 10 hotdogs in one breath. Marathon cringed.

"You really are an animal, you know that?" She grumbled as she tended to the messy kitchen. Unfortunately for her, the messy kitchen was the cleanest part of the house, all of their fighting and rolling about had knocked over everything there was to knock over, and the rugs were all squished up under the couch. The catgirl surveyed this and shook her head. "Now I have to clean everything up."

"Im so sorry, Marathon." InuYasha mocked her as he swallowed the last of the hotdog. "That you had to just sit there while I totaled the house just so you can clean it up. Stop complaining, you were just as responsible."

Marathon opened her mouth to protest, but when she couldn't think of anything witty to say shut her mouth. She ventured out to where the mess began and started to pick up, while InuYasha propped his feet up and watched her.

"You were the one who started all the fighting anyway." InuYasha noted, but not loud enough for Marathon to hear. He propped his feet up and started to watch her clean. Slight fatigue got to him and his eyes began to close and for a moment he thought Marathon was Kagome. With his vision blurred they had about the same figure, she and Kagome, especially when they bent over to reach for something.

Just as quickly as his thoughts wandered he snapped back into complete consciousness. A single bead of sweat worked its way from his brow to his lip. What the hell was I thinking? They look nothing alike. He bit his lip frustrated, knowing that he was lying to himself. Marathon and Kagome did have a similar figure, except Marathon was a little taller, different hair color, and those..ears. He wasn't sure what to make of those ears. They make her look good..no, no they don't! Ah damn, I ate too many of those hot dogs. All that cooking made it warm in here. He sat up just enough to take his haori off, then his undershirt. Yeah, thats better.

Marathon had just set the last pillow back in place when she caught a glimpse of InuYasha. The light had hit him in just the right way, and though he wasn't overly muscular, his toned body put a lump in her throat. Her hand remained on the pillow as her eyes zoomed in and locked on the target.

InuYasha turned and looked at her, "What are you staring at?"

Marathon shook her head and glared at him, "What are you staring at?"

"You were staring at me."

"No I wasn't. You were staring at me, weren't you?"

"Why in the hell would I look at someone like you."

"I never said you were looking at me, just like you were staring at me."

"Well would you look elsewhere."

"I'd be glad to. Even though I wasn't in the first place."

"Yeah right."'

Marathon sat down and brought the pillow to her face to stifle a yell, then threw it at InuYasha. "I wish there was something on television so I wouldn't have to hang out with you."

"Then don't."

"If you hate it here so much, go back to your own time."

"I will then." InuYasha stood up. Why haven't I left? Ms. Higurashi isnt around to give me those sad looks, and Souta doesn't want to hang out. I should just go. He took a step to the door, and the pain crept his way back into his side, thsi cime quickly. He put his hand over his side and squinted his eyes.

Marathon watched InuYasha almost double over in pain, and she instantly went to his side. "What's wrong?"

"Maybe Ms. Higurashi is right. I don't belong in that time anymore."

"I thought you hated it here."

"I ..don't care. Every time I go back there I think about her. Is that what you want to hear? I'll go when I want to."

"To tell you the truth, I thought this place would be worse. Considering this is where Kagome lived."

"That is what I thought too." InuYasha sat down and let his ivory hair hang over his face. "Miroku and Sango have their own lives, and here I can just...try to forget it. There is definately enough distractions around here."

"So you are never going to go back?"

"Of course I will. This isn't my home. Never will be. Just don't feel like going just yet." Besides, what if one of those demons comes back. If I leave, they will be defenseless. I can't rely on the cat-girl, she's been pampered in this time so much she wouldn't know what to do.

Marathon's eyes softened as she looked at InuYasha, trapped in his own thoughts. Her hand settled on his shoulder."If you have to split soon, I'll understand."

"I can't leave with the chance of this family being attacked. We can't just forget what happened to you. Remember, Souta and Ms. Higurashi won't be able to "handle" it as well as you. If I know Miroku and Sango, they are probably finding out all they need to know from their end."

"Do you think this has to do with Kagome?"

"Im almost certain." InuYasha sharpened one of his claws against the other. "Miroku told me earlier that he was planning on coming back as soon as he figure out some things. When they return we'll figure out something."

"Sounds fair. Now.." Marathon cracked her knuckles. "How about a little fun?" She ran up the stairs leaving the dog-boy totally clueless. He looked at Buyo. Buyo simply turned around and found another place to nap.

"Thats it, cats ARE completly useless."

Marathon skipped down the stairs and with a mischievious grin on her face, placed a small box right in front of InuYasha.

InuYasha rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm "And what is this supposed to be?"

"Its a home kit for piercing your ears. I know Kagome wasn't much for earrings, but I've always wanted to get one and finally I'm gonna do it." She takes out what looks like a hole puncher, loads it with a stud earring, and puts it up to her left ear. "All I have to do is press this together and I have an earring."

InuYasha paled slightly watching her. "You are going to shoot a piece of metal through your ear?"

"Yep." She winked. "Haven't you ever seen a piercing before?"

"Yeah but.." InuYasha thought back to all the times people pinched his ears. Sesshomaru used to do that all the time to me when I was little. Just to annoy me. She must be nuts to cause her own self injury. He shuddered as Marathon shot the stud through her ear. A drop of blood weaved its way down, and he just shook his head at it. "You aren't very bright. I may have been in a lot of battles but I never caused myself injury like that. Our ears are a hell of a lot more sensitive than other people's."

Marathon quickly blinked back a tear and put on her game face. "I'm fine. That didn't hurt at all."

"You are a horrible liar."

"If you are so brave.." She shoved the device in his hand, "Go ahead and give yourself one." She reloads a black earring into it and pulls back, that same smile on her face. "I was hoping this would be something we can do together."

"Forget it." InuYasha started to drop it but Marathon prevented him, clasping her hands around his so it would stay in his hand.

"Nope. Do it."

"You're whacked. I said no."

"Then you are chicken."

"I never said I was afraid."

"You were the one going on and on about how painful it was, weren't you? I guess Kagome was wrong about you, InuYasha, you are not brave at all."

"What..e..d..gr...I'm not afraid of a stupid earring!"

"Then prove it!."

"I will!" InuYasha brought it up to his ear and snapped it in with one fluid motion. A stream of tears flooded his face and he ground his teeth together. Why the h- HOW DID SHE MAKE ME DO THAT?

Marathon crossed her arms. "I control you, dog boy. You do whatever I say. " She smirked at him.

"You..." InuYasha hissed, snaking his way closer, "You've been a thorn in my side for way too long."

He stared right through her, with an intensity that made even Marathon nervous.

The smile on her face disappeared and she began to back away. "Now..InuYasha..lets not do anything stupid."

"Looks like I'm going to have to kill you.."

"Kill..me.." He sounds serious..."You don't mean that, do you?"

InuYasha's eyes returned to normal. "No. I'd never hear the end of it from Souta." His scowl turned into a smile, and he laughed, pointing at her. "Pathetic. Who's the dumb one now?"

"Don't scare me like that. " She smacked him in the back of the head. "At least someone didn't trick me into putting a hole in my ear.

A low growl escaped InuYasha's throat. He touched the ear gently that he had recently pierced and pulled it back in pain. This is going to be a long weekend.