Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this gentle adventure... especially for the one who's thrown for a loop. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess where InuYasha is concerned. All due respect is also offered to Yoshihiro Togashi, whose fervid imagination is responsible for YuYu Hakusho.

An Affinity for Time

- 7 -
Spilled Secrets

Kurama sagged against the back of his chair, mind racing. She knew? His bafflement was only outstripped by his chagrin. After their first encounter, he'd snooped around, and despite her high levels of spiritual energy, she wasn't tangled up with the Spirit World. It had taken a great deal of time and effort to make all the arrangements to transfer into Kagome's school, all to open avenues through which he could approach her naturally.

He shook his head and finally managed, "How did you know?"

"Your youki... it's distinctively foxy. I can tell now that it's very different from Shippo's, but at the time...." Kagome shrugged helplessly.

He'd never intended to tell Kagome about his dual existence, but now it was glaringly apparent that his closely guarded secret had never been one... and her reaction made no sense. In his experience, the moment the truth was known, trust was gone. The only human who welcomes the presence of a demon is one who doesn't realize they're entertaining one. It was baffling to realize that his kitsune nature was the very reason she'd clung to him in the first place. "Shippo is a kitsune?"

"Yep!"

Her easy smile boggled his mind. How can a human who grasps the nature of a kitsune not shrink from its presence?

"I won't tell," she offered. Kurama blinked and registered the concern on Kagome's face. She fiddled with the corner of her math book and said, "I'm good at keeping secrets. Are you?"

The hint was broad, and he took it graciously. "I am. Do you have secrets, Higurashi-san?" She nodded, and her hopeful expression made his next move clarion clear. Rising, Kurama inquired, "May I walk you home? It would give us the chance to talk."

Her answering smile held the promise of answers.

- 8 -
Trading Histories

They walked slowly along the sidewalk, heads bent together. "I am human, and yet I am not," Kurama patiently explained. "There was once a kitsune who ran afoul of a bounty hunter. Gravely injured, he assumed soul form and fled into the human world. Once here, he was too weak to shift into human form or even to possess a human body."

"Oooh," Kagome gasped, eyes widening. "What happened?"

"In order to survive, the fox entered the embryo of an unborn child, inextricably tangling his essence with the life of Minamino Shuuichi."

"You," she supplied.

"Me," he confirmed, smiling faintly.

"I have a friend who's neither demon nor human," she shared. "He didn't fit in very well, but he learned to trust... and earned trust. He carved out a place for himself even though he's half-and-half."

"A hanyou?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes." Her expression took on a tender quality. "His father was inu-youkai."

"My circumstances are unique, but they're probably comparable a hanyou's life," Kurama admitted. "Very few demons accept me because of my humanity, and I've kept my youkai identity a secret from everyone. Even my mother doesn't know."

Kagome made a soft sound of sympathy. "That sounds a little bit lonely."

The redhead slid his hand into his pocket and shrugged. "What about you, Higurashi-san? You're surprisingly calm in the face of otherworldly things."

"I've lived among demons," Kagome replied in tones that began to quaver. "Traveled with them, fought beside them, and trusted them with my life... and I miss them every single day."

Kurama slowly shook his head, disbelief plain on his face. "It has been centuries since demons freely roamed these lands."

She smiled sadly and said, "I know."

- 9 -
Wishing Well

Kagome lightly tugged Kurama's sleeve to keep him moving in the right direction. "This way!"

The kitsune's curiosity temporarily took a back seat to caution as she drew him across the courtyard; his instincts warned him they were being watched. Sharp green eyes flicked across the surroundings—a tile-roofed shrine, several out-buildings, a family residence, and an enormous God Tree. There was nothing suspicious about the people who were paying their respects or chatting outside the small gift shop, so he scanned the roofs of surrounding buildings. Ah... there! The briefest flicker of familiar youki brought a smile to his face.

"Minamino-kun, what was that?" Kagome had slowed to a stop, and she was staring hard in the direction of Hiei's hiding place.

"A friend," he quickly assured.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Youkai?"

"That's right," he replied bemusedly.

"Will I be able to meet them?"

"He's... shy," Kurama hedged.

Her soft sigh ably communicated her disappointment, but she beckoned for him to follow. "In here," she murmured, lifting the latch on a sliding door.

Kurama's senses quivered. The holy energy Hiei had remarked upon earlier definitely emanated from Kagome, but the deeply-anchored power that first attracted his attention was here. It thrummed through the earth beneath his feet—vibrant, ancient, and somehow tangled up with the young woman who led him down some rickety stairs and to the side of a well. As he puzzled over the tenuous connection, she reverently touched its rim and began an incredible story about a jewel, a hanyou, a quest, and a wish.

Suddenly, a shadow fell across the open door. "Kagome?"

"Mama?"

"I saw you from the window, and I thought...."

"N-no. I'm still here."

"Oh," Mrs. Higurashi managed awkwardly as she eyed Kurama. "Is this an old friend?"

"A new one," Kagome smiled.

End Note: These three drabbles were written for the Live Journal community fanfic(underscore)bakeoff and their Secret Ingredient for March 2010—Tangle. The drabbles are 300, 285, and 300 words respectively. Posted on March 11, 2010.