Mistakes- Part 1
By: Emiko

Disclaimer: What am I bothering for? You all know who already owns this stuff, and... Well... I don't. Get on with the story already. Although I *am* getting myself an Inu-chan plushie...

Note: This is my first ficcie for Inuyasha, and I've only read up to vol. 9 in the manga. So, I apologize to all the Sango fans, but I don't know the character well enough to write her in to the story.

~~~

"What?!? No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"I don't care what you say, I have another exam coming up and I need to study!"

It was always like this. Kagome would announce some sort of important academic activity; it being a make-up test or practice exam, it wouldn't matter. Inuyasha would stomp around behind her, ranting about why she couldn't go, all the way back to the well where Kagome traveled back to her own "realm"- the present-day Tokyo- and leave the fussy half-demon back in feudal Japan. And right before she dove into the old, dry well, the two would engage in an even sharper-tempered (and thankfully brief) verbal duel before Kagome ended it all with a shout of "OSUWARI!" and a disappearing act.

Of course, every time this happened, Miroku and Shippou only had a few opportunities to get their thoughts in edgewise, but could rarely be heard over Kagome and Inuyasha's screaming.

Everyone seemed used to this routine. In fact, the peaceful country and forest scenes were beginning to feel odd if the air wasn't filled with the raging sounds of an argument.

This time, however, it was different. The undertones of their voices were so harsh, that the young monk and fox-demon were afraid to even be in the area of the fight. Miroku and Shippou chose to simply sit back under cover of some nearby bushes and watch the fur fly.

"What's so important about these 'exams' of yours, anyway!?!" Inuyasha demanded, beginning to turn red in the face.

"No big deal. It's only my *future!*" Kagome glared up at him. He was taller than she was. At least a head taller, in fact. He wasn't *huge,* but he seemed that way when he was angry. Kagome, however, wasn't intimidated.

"Isn't finding the rest of the Shikon no Tama important, too?!?" He was practically hovering over her now, he was so close. They could clearly see the flames of anguish burning in each other's eyes. "Whatever happens in this world will eventually happen in yours!"

"Inuyasha! It's only for a few days!" Kagome turned a cold shoulder to his frustrated expressionisms as that of a five-year-old boy. Of course, she knew that there was much more hiding behind that tough pout of his, but Inuyasha always covered it up with a severe attitude and a lot of yelling.

"It doesn't matter!"

"What do I need permission from *you* for?" Kagome had stopped hollering now, speaking slowly and deliberately. It *never* got this bad. "You can't control what I do."

"Why do you always decide to up and leave whenever things get a little dangerous?" Inuyasha's voice lowered, as well. His eyes narrowed in anger, and the furrow in his brow deepened. "Tonight's the new moon.'

"Why do yo need me here for *that?*"

He only scowled at her in reply. She scowled back. They held their staring contest for a little while, until Inuyasha spun around with a "Humph!" and started pacing around the well. "Well, what if something happens I your *own* realm?" he demanded. "It's happened before! What if I'm not there to--"

"*Nothing* will happen!"

"You don't know that!"

"It's not like I can't hold out on my own until the next morning!"

"Oh, I see how it is," Inuyasha took a brief pause from his pacing. "I can't protect you during the new moon. I'm *useless* while in my human form!"

"That has absolutely nothing to do with it!"

The gruff façade all but melted away as he approached Kagome. "Then what is it?" he asked quietly, his expression turning serious and the golden light in his eyes dimming down into a different sort of glow; just as intense as the one that came before and making something in the girl's heart flutter around like a crazed butterfly.

"I..." Kagome blushed and stared at her shoes. How could she say anything to him when he was looking at her like that? If she did, she was afraid she'd do something insane, but exactly what was unclear. "Look, I really have to go..." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, then back again. "It's really important. Just... Try to stay out of trouble, okay?" She turned to lug her and her gargantuan backpack into the well, but Inuyasha grabbed her wrist.

"Kagome..." He stared into her eyes. There was no escaping him now, not as they were so close to...

The bushes rustled loudly, and Shippou jumped out in expiration. "Just *KISS* her already!!!" the little demon yelled. Miroku promptly yanked him back down, but it was too late. The interruption gave Kagome enough time to wrench her hand out of Inuyasha's grasp and leap into the well. She was too quick to notice the light shade of pink her would-be captor's cheeks turned before she left.

~~~

Okay, that's it for part one... Let me know what you think, please!