Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or its characters. Those are Rumiko Takahashis.

"Woah. Well, that's a new one."

Kouga stared at InuYasha, interest sparkling from the man's eyes as he sat crouched opposite from the half-were. InuYasha fidgeted under the scrutinizing gaze, suddenly feeling much more naked than when he had actually been nude before the boy.

Kouga reached forward and, to InuYasha's dismay, flicked the now curled tail resting on the half-were's back. He suppressed a growl at the action; after all, what kind of thanks would it be if he bit the hand that had saved him, although that very same hand belonged to the person who was looking at him like InuYasha was a scientific abnormality.

Smiling and sporting another flash of fang Kouga chuckled. "Don' ya worry, mutt; I ain't gonna do nothin' to you."

'I damn well hope so,' Inuyasha growled at him.

Kouga made a growl of his own. 'Not as if I wanna touch you, mutt.'

InuYasha blinked and tilted his head, his ears slightly perked forward. It wasn't often he met another being that could understand him in this vulnerable form; heck, Sesshomaru had trouble understanding when InuYasha could only yip and bark at him – and they were practically the same species!

The boy before him grinned cockily as he scratched his elfin ears absentmindedly. "So, yeah. Not often meting a half of anything these days – you're the first in about… fifty years? Yeah, that's about right. Been around here long?"

InuYasha merely licked his nose. Was it really a good idea to tell this 'Kouga' anything at all? Heck, sure, he had saved him – but that didn't give much points in InuYasha's favor. Being hurt too often because of his half-blood, he wasn't going to take any chances.

"You're no fun!" Kouga exclaimed, rolled his eyes and made a pout. "Care to tell why you're a boy one minute an' a dog the next?"

InuYasha gave him a long look.

"Okay, right, sure. Whatever." Kouga sighed and threw his hands up in exasperation, then climbed to his feet. Stretching his body and popping his neck, Kouga glanced at InuYasha who stard right back at him warily. "What? It's not like I'm gonna eat ya, a'right? Dog makes ma' stomach sour."

The white dog growled at him, but Kouga only laughed. "Joking, joking. Chill, will ya?"

They stood quiet for a while; Kouga seeming thoughtful and distant, while InuYasha did what all dogs do when they grow tired of the situation – he started scratching his muzzle with one backpaw. Thinking back, were had this Kouga come from? InuYasha eyed the boy warily, momentarily stopping his scratching. Before, when the man with a snail-arm had grabbed him and attempted to drop him over the roof, Kouga had appeared out of nowhere and frightened the fiend off.

As he picked up with the scratching again, he couldn't help but think; what was it about this grinning and irritating boy – although not human – that could frighten off someone with an malicious aura such as that man?

Noticing Kouga's eyes upon him, he raised an invisible eyebrow.

Kouga laughed. "You know what? It's quite weird to see ya as a human, and then as a dog. But the most weird part is that you're behaving like one!" The boy leaned closer to the dog, eyes raised mischievously. "Ever felt the need to wag your tail when ya see a cute girl walk by? Or running after a nice-smelling bitch?"

InuYasha growled menacingly, which Kouga tock the wrong way seeing as he started laughing again, harder than before. "Still playing around with ya! Sorry, sorry." The dog frowned darkly, teeth still showing – making it quite clear that he didn't believe the boy before him one bit.

Giving another growl before he was satisfied, InuYasha turned tail and trotted up to the low wall. There he put his front paws on top of it and then resumed his careful watch over Kagome's apartment. Sighing in frustration – the sun was up and she still wasn't home! – he laid his head on the wall and whined softly. He could feel his stomach make nervous flip-flopping as if bouncing on a trampoline while having drunk ten cans of soda. Staring worriedly and somewhat angry, due to his worries, InuYasha had to admit it now.

He was quite a stalker.

-ooo-

"Thank you, Ayumi," Kagome mumbled in embarrassment. "And sorry for bawling so much; you must think I'm such a baby."

Ayumi shock her head with a smile and scrutinized Kagome with sympathy. "Not at all; I can relate. My ex was such an ass to me too. I was crying for weeks, not knowing what I had done wrong for him to behave as if I had suddenly thrown dung at him. Then I caught him cheating on me in broad daylight." Kagome must have had a shocked expression on her face, since Ayumi hurried to give another reassuring smile and a quick hug. "If he's not there today to apologize, then he's not worth you. You know that, right?"

'Well, not like he's, or was, my boyfriend.' Hugging her friend back she said, "I know. Thank you, again, for letting me stay here tonight."

Ayumi pulled back first, shining a close-eyed smile at her depressed friend. "Anytime, Kagome."

Kagome smiled back, bowed and said goodbye. Then she hurried on her way home; to her apartment, to her room to her bed, to cry. Happy tears this time. She could already feel them assembling at her eyes corners, and quickened her pace. Soon she was half-jogging down the narrow street, passerby's giving her glares and raised eyebrows but otherwise not bothering the hurrying girl.

Minutes later Kagome was on a bus on her way home. Taking a seat in the far back, she scooted into one of the corners. There she picked up her feet from the floor, put her arms around her knees and leaned her head against them. Then she cried for the millionth time in four days.

-o-

Dabbing at her puffy eyes half an hour later Kagome jumped off the bus by her house. At the sight of the old building with lose bricks she felt the tears building up again. Apprehension fluttered in her stomach as she imagined walking up those stone steps, that she had walked over since she was five, opening the door and met her mother. This time her mom would known where she had been; Ayumi had taken it upon herself, seeing as Kagome couldn't speak due to hiccups and sobs, to tell her mother about the daughter's whereabouts. But Kagome was sure, had no doubt, that she would see the same worry, the questions that her mother had yet to ask, but never seemed able to voice out loud.

Kagome sighed deeply. What she wouldn't give for something to take her mind of things, for something to actually happen...

Reaching out to open the gate leading to the front door, Kagome suddenly found herself trapped. Two lean and rough hands were tightly gripping the hand she had extended. Startled she looked up, prepared to start fighting back; kicking, hitting and screaming would this figure show any signs of hostile towards her.

Electric blue eyes gazed intently into her night blue ones. "Kagome, right?" the boy gripping her hand asked.

"Y-yes?"

The dark haired boy grinned and snickered lightly. "Good, good. Well, up you go." Suddenly she found herself slung over one muscular shoulder, hoisted up by one tanned arm. Kagome let out a small shriek, but quieted and clung to him for dear life as he took off running. Fear rolled in her stomach as a hamster in a wheel, but soon it subsided for the force of the girl's crackling anger. How dared he kidnap her? And what was it with males and their kidnapping of young maidens?

"H-hey! What are you doing? Let me down!" Kagome pounced at him in much the same manner as she had done against the harpy only a few days ago. Quickly letting the memory go, she hissed at him angrily, "Are you seriously kidnapping me?"

He shot her a glance. "Not really, no. Borrowing, yes. Can't say that I complain though," he added, and grinned toothily at her flushed cheeks. She huffed angrily and turned her head, feeling the sudden and strong wind caressing her face nearly making her loose her breath.

The stinging of sudden tears at her eyes made her gasp and clung tighter to him. The blurriness around her could impossibly have anything to do with her crying her eyes out earlier, could it? No, impossible; having cried for almost a year over her little brother and then her grandfather she knew a lot about tears – this simply couldn't match up.

"Are you a supernatural being?" The moment the words left her mouth Kagome wanted to slap herself – preferably with the kind of thick newspaper her grandfather used to read. Of course he was supernatural! Who could run at this speed, not breaking a sweat or panting heavily, while carrying a person on his shoulder, without being otherworldly? Scrutinizing him, she now noticed his pointed ears and the fang that playfully appeared under his lip as he grinned.

"Name's Kouga, and sure – I'm, as you say, 'supernatural'. Did my otherworldly handsomeness

She didn't return his smile. Kagome preferred to kick and hiss when being abducted. "Sure, Kouga – whatever. Let me down now!"

Kouga merely raised an eyebrow, but didn't lessen his speed. Kagome was sure she even heard him snort.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Well," he laughed, "considerin' the speed we are goin' by now, me letting you down would end in quite a few bruises – maybe even a broken bone or two." Electric blue clashed with twilight blue. "Now, that would hurt, wouldn't it?"

Kagome didn't care to answer that question. "Care to tell why I'm suddenly a sack of potatoes then, jerk?"

"Ouch," the boy said, feigning hurt as he turned a pouted lip at her. Kagome imagined dragging out that lip with a fork and then letting it sizzle in a fry pan for a few minutes. "You'll see," he concluded with a mysterious rising of his eyebrows. Kagome frowned darkly, imagining running a grass clipper over his face.

-oo-

Sesshomaru wasn't really surprised to not find his half-brother at home when the full-blooded werewolf woke up. The Sesshomaru never let himself reduce to the simple matter of being "surprised". That was a ningen term; wolfs of his kind never even let themselves be found in the same meaning. Having accurate senses, you simply wasn't made to be taken by surprise.

Yawning delicately, with a hand hiding his fangs and curling tongue, he padded into the chaotic living room. Silently gazing at the lack of femininity he had somehow become accustomed to, he narrowed his eyes. Dropping into the old armchair, he leant back and closed his eyes. Then he took a deep breath, held it for as long as he could and then let it all out in one deep exhale, letting his tenseness and worry leak out of him in that outtake.

This was good. Being alone, in his own heaven, without anyone to share it with – that was good. His brother had spent half his life trying to run away from Sesshomaru, although the werewolf wasn't entirely sure why that was. Perhaps his interference with the boy's memory had triggered something account to fear. On the other hand, perhaps Sesshomaru's werewolf-training sessions weren't all that kind to the Halfling.

Rolling his shoulders he sat up slowly, still with his eyes closed. Turning his head slightly he opened his eyes lazily to half open golden slits. "Why have you come?"

From the shadows of the hall a titter floated into the lounge. It could have been a pleasing feminine sound, had it not been laced with a deep bitterness and sarcastic edge. "Hoping I would leave you alone, Sesshomaru?"

Feeling a headache coming, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, making the already small slits of gold even smaller. "What is the cause of you being here, Kagura?"

The woman, Kagura, stepped into the room, a cruel smile hidden behind a delicate fan. Sesshomaru wrinkled his brow at the pretty woman; feeling the stench of decay radiating from the attractive woman could bring any being with a higher sense of smell to his knees in disgust. The traditional kimono's complicated patterns did nothing to soften her appearance.

"Do I need a reason to visit you now, Sesshomaru-sama?" she purred, snapped the fan shut and revealed tantalizing red lips. "I didn't have to before."

He growled, but had yet to leave the armchair. "State your business, or I will show you just how I feel about your appearance in my home."

Kagura laughed, the sound reminding him of thick oil dripping and sliding only to land flat. "Is this how low you've stepped, Sesshomaru-sama? To live like a ningen, with your half-brother mutt-"

Cutting of whatever the woman was about to tell, Sesshomaru pinned Kagura to the wall, one clawed hand planted firmly around her swanlike throat. He snarled menacingly, eyes bleeding red – the sight was enough to send a grown man into a fit of fright. Yet Kagura merely smiled teasingly up at him, her own red eyes hazy with mirth.

"You will not speak of my brother with that filthy mouth of yours," he snapped, baring his sharp teeth at her.

"Only filthy for you," she retorted.

He growled again, but let her go after a ´no-nonsense-shove' against the wall. Sesshomaru was across the room in a flash, as far away from her as he could. "Your business?" he murmured dangerously.

Kagura straightened her kimono absently, watching him with a superior look that made his werewolf blood boil with rage. "Know that your brother and his human are not safe from him," she murmured, voice suddenly serious.

Sesshomaru huffed. "That is not something you need to tell me."

Kagura shrugged, a wan smile grazing her lips. "Sesshomaru-sama sure can care for him and his pack, for he knows everything of importance. But you can't protect them – not from him."

The werewolf snarled, showing teeth. "Are you questioning my abilities, daughter of Füjin?"

The woman made an exasperated sound, though her eyes betrayed her merriment over the situation. "Going as far as using my heritage against me, Sesshomaru-sama? That is not very honorable of you."

Sesshomaru whirled, slashing at the woman, but she had already flown out of the hall and out into the fading daylight. Only the tittering laughter trailed behind.

"You can't protect them, Sesshomaru-sama."

-oo-

Her stomach hurt, her arms hurt, her head hurt and she was fairly sure her rear had fallen asleep, due to being the highest point of her body for the moment. Kagome also knew that when this Kouga finally would let her down, she wouldn't be able to stand due to heavy limbs and a spinning head.

Bracing herself against his torso and shoulder she had attempted to steady herself, but found it quite tiring after two minutes. Thus the cause of her current state.

Blushing was bad in itself; making your skin grow scalding hot that you got the impression of being in an oven in mid-august, in a desert. Probably Africa. In the middle of the day. But then, being carried bride-style, was enough cause to feel embarrassed and get the impression of having grown an extra head.

"I appreciate the thought," she muttered, cheeks colored dark red, "but I would appreciate it more if you would let me down. Preferably at home."

Kouga looked down at her, eyes sparkling, as they seemed to laugh at her silently. 'Jerk.'

"But then the surprise would be ruined." Pouting lip and puppy eyes – ah, jeez. Which bastard had learned these supernaturals to look so damn cute and vulnerable? She gritted her teeth, and looked down at her closed hands near her chest, trying not to think of Kouga's hand supporting her weight at her thighs. Only one other man had ever carried her like this, one hand at her back, the other at her thighs… and he had thrown her away, with the excuse of protecting her. She frowned. At least, the note that Sesshomaru had written had said so. But was that really how InuYasha felt?

"Hey, if ya don' stop your face will stay like that," Kouga murmured, suddenly sounding very much too close to her liking. Looking up startled, she recoiled slightly at how close he was, even though he was still running. He frowned down at her, neck craned so he could stare at her more closely, but as she stared back up at him, she saw the corner of his mouth twitch in amusement.

"No need to make such an expression," Kouga murmured kindly. At her nonpussled expression, he winked and looked ahead of them. Soon she felt their speed dropping, until Kouga was only half-jogging – human-style.

Following his gaze she saw that they had left the city and small valleys behind them, only some cottages and farms spread out around them – far between and impossible to get help from. Ahead of them were a collection of young trees; willows and cedars stood side by side, almost as if they were soldiers standing guard over something within them.

Kagome said nothing, only stared stupefied as Kouga brushed away groping branches tickling leaves, thus protecting them from irritating caresses from nature, but also allowing them entrance through the patronizing trees. The boy walked through, still holding her bridal style.

Staring in awe, Kagome gasped softly at the picture before her, the dying sun filtering through the greenery created a beautiful coloring of red and emerald, glistening of the grass in the glade that the young trees had been watching over. Kouga walked to the middle of it, and only then did he let Kagome stand.

Wobbling at first – heck, her legs had fallen asleep – she stood and drank in the scenery for a moment, before whirling around and letting a resounding slap echo throughout the glade.

Kouga stood shocked, face still turned before he chanced a glance at the girl. She was fuming, although awe was still clear in her eyes. Red cheeked and dangerously sparkling eyes accompanied by the irate stomping of her left foot.

"W-what did you do that for?" he stuttered, slowly touching his burning cheek.

She frowned darkly at him, and Kouga was a hair's breadth from taking a step back. "Why? Well, mister, this is why; more than a week ago I was kidnapped, in the same manner as today-"

"I told you, I didn't-"

Kagome growled warningly. "-and my mother was beyond herself with worry. It has taken three days to get her to let me go to school! Now you-"she pointed a trembling finger at him, "-dare to kidnap me again! For what? To let me sniff the flowers of Mother Nature? How dare you? Such a low reason, I ought to-!"

Kouga scuffed backwards, holding his hands up in defense. "If you would just let me-"

"Oh, no, you little weasel! I won't let you do anything! While those who kidnapped me the last time were kind enough to me, how would I know that you are the same?" She advanced on him, each step ending in a heavy stomp. "How would I know that you aren't just here to rape me, kill me, or Kami knows what! You supernaturals are maybe still selling people off as slaves?"

Now it was Kouga's turn to frown. "Now, that was a bit too-"

"See if I care!" Kagome snarled, very impressive for being human. Then she quieted down, gritting her jaws together as her lips thinned to a ghastly bleached color. The only sound in the glade was that of her angry breathing, and – though she didn't know – the beating of her scared heart. Deep inside of her Kagome wondered if she had gone too far. Sure, this Kouga seemed like a kind – if not a little crazed – person, but that's what everyone said about someone who had ended up killing his entire family too. People said they couldn't understand why – he had always been so kind.

Fists tightly clenched at her sides, she gave a final stomp. "Take me home," she ground out.

Kouga's brilliant blue eyes scrutinized hers for a moment, before heaving a loud sigh. "Calm down, girl. If you could only wait for a few more-"

"No!" she yelled, quite embarrassed at the loud shriek. "I'm not going to stay around just so you can chop me up, sell me as a slave or just outright leave me in the middle of nowhere!" Never had she lost her temper quite like this before – not even when little brother Souta had taken her dolls and played bonfire. Then again, this blockhead just couldn't take no for an answer! 'What's with him?'

She lunged for him, begging for that pink light to come to her aid once more. Hurling a clumsy punch, which he easily sidestepped, she ground her teeth when no such light came. Fine then – getting up on her tiptoes she decided to make this the hard way.

Lunging forward and seeing Kouga do the inevitable – sidestepping – she whirled around and dashed for the exit. Kagome heard him shout after her, but she didn't dare to glance back; she had experienced just how fast he was, so she would need all her luck and power to outrun him. Besides, what with the fading light and her already clumsy self, she needed all the light she could get while attempting to run in a forest.

Stumbling over a stone, and hissing over the pain that followed her sore toe, Kagome managed to stay on her feet. She reached out with her hands in front of her, felt the leaves and twigs brush over her skin – before she suddenly was whisked back by strong arms.

Futile as it was, Kagome kicked and swore, hissed and clawed. She would not let this beast in the shape of a man do anything to her! Before he could even attempt to she would have-

"Kagome! Dammit, calm down!" The growl, so familiar that she felt like breaking down crying, yet so forlorn that she didn't know how to fathom her reactions to it, resounded behind her.

Whipping her head around she took in the long silver hair, the twitching and slightly layback puppy ears, 'til her twilight blue eyes met his brilliant golden gaze that stared back at her.

For a moment, no one moved; not even Kouga, though he crossed his arms and put on a satisfied smirk. Kagome didn't dare to move or to blink – what if this was yet another daydream and he wasn't really there? What if, when she closed her eyes and opened them again, he would be gone? Having walked away from her like in all those dreams?

Then the inevitable came; her eyes started to itch, and before she could stop herself she felt her eyelids flutter shut. Horrified at what she had done Kagome didn't open her eyes. Her heart started beating faster, in both fear and anticipation. Slowly she let her eyelids draw back. Then she blinked just to be safe.

Golden orbs looked back at her.

Another moment passed.

Then she opened her mouth.

"You stupid idiot!"

Hah~ - loud exhale.

So. I have a cold right now. Head feels all fluffy and throat hurts. So, yeah. Nothing too explaining this time.

Kagura though; Füjin is a Japanese wind God. So there you have it. Ain't I clever?

Please review!