Hey everyone!! I'm back again!!! Only 3 weeks or so, right? Better than a full month!! Right? I'd've updated sooner, but I got that stupid msblast.exe worm. It's all fixed now, but it bugged the hell out of me for 2 days! Plus I started college last Tuesday.

*Hands Rain a Sesshou plushie* it'll be okay...

Hika-chan reviewed my story?! And liked it?! *goes into shock* One of my fav authors... *twitches* likes my story... *twitches again* I'm okay...

And I don't own them!!

~~~~~~~~~~

Ch. 13 Fight for the Right... to Date??

The bathroom door snapped shut behind Kagome as she left the two of us alone. Immediately, both our scents became heavily laced with adrenaline, which always served to bring out the animals in all youkai. It's always the adrenaline scent that drives us to attack. Especially demons with a strong sense of smell. And since dogs and wolves both have very powerful noses, it's no wonder that the fool wolf attacked me only seconds after the scent reached him.

Kouga rushed at me, claws extended. I let my own claws lengthen and fill with the same poison I had been wanting to use on the idiot prince since we had both silently announced our intentions to court Kagome.

I dodged his attack, but his arm followed me enough to scratch the back of my hand with one of his claws. I spun around angrily and threw my fist directly into his face. He toppled back for a second, but was quickly caught by another wolf demon, who had practically appeared from nowhere. A quick glance around us told me that we each had two or three people standing near us, watching as we fought. And they all had at least some youkai blood.

Scents mingled in the air. My blood and Kouga's pain, our anger as well as our own normal scents, and the smell of adrenaline coming from myself and my opponent, along with every other demon in the area.

Growls resounded around us, and I could tell apart the wolves behind Kouga, and the cat and dog behind myself. As well as a snake youkai who seemed to be waiting to cheer for whomever won. I growled deep in my throat at the youkai before me, letting my markings become just visible enough to draw one's attention to them. If anything, my position as Taiyoukai demanded respect and allegiance. The wolf prince merely smirked at me, and lunged forward again.

Rather than dodge this time, I lifted my hand, with the poisonous claws facing him as I slashed down and across, tearing his shirt and the flesh beneath it. But he had already aimed for my face, claws ready to rip and rend. I tilted my head slightly, as well as moved my hand, so that his claws barely scratched my cheek, leaving only a thin line of blood, while my claws moved with my hand and threatened to open wounds across his stomach as well. And all animals know that once the abdomen or throat is injured, the fight is over.

Kouga immediately leapt away, his hand reaching up to press against his new wound, blood flowing steadily through his fingers. I hadn't cut deep enough to kill him, but well enough that he might very well pass out from the blood loss if he didn't take care of it soon.

The stench of blood and adrenaline, and not to mention the fight itself, had drawn even more youkai to the area, until I counted the cat from earlier, two dogs, the snake, and a pair of foxes that weren't Shippou's standing behind me. Kouga had mostly wolves on his side, although I could make out a bird demon standing among the group, glaring daggers at one of the foxes supporting me.

I heard a door open in the direction Kagome had gone, but either the prince didn't hear it, or ignored it, as he rushed at me, one set of claws aimed at my chest, and another, I knew, that would be in the shadow of the first, hoping to strike my belly. I countered it by grabbing his hands in my own, the wrist hold reminding me of when I had used my poison on Inuyasha's wrist in my attempt to get the Tetsusaiga.

Before I could do the same to the cocky pack leader, he delivered a kick to my chest in order to free his hands. I faltered slightly, feeling one of my feet move back to help brace me and keep me balanced as I released him. When he landed across from me with a glare aimed in my direction, preparing, no doubt to try and jump, in hopes of attacking from above, a voice cut through the tension and anxiety that had built around us and the other youkai.

"What. The. HELL. Is going on?!"

I turned to look at Kagome, knowing that though she may have forgiven me for following her tonight, she would never forgive me for fighting and injuring her friend. No matter how annoying he was.

A few of the demons around us fled, knowing that anyone who could yell at both the Leader of the Wolf Demons, and the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands, and still live, was someone not to be trifled with. A few of the idiots left actually growled at her, too low and soft to be noticed by human ears, only to have a look turned on them that rivaled my own cold mask, her eyes narrowed in a glare that would probably make a person feel like nothing more than an insignificant annoyance, followed by a fierce stare that startled even myself. Her eyes narrowed and filled with rage, her jaw clenching as some of her miko energy made itself known to the other youkai in the area.

Kouga took a step back in shock, and I felt my own eyes widen at her sudden display, only to watch as she calmed slightly after the others had left.

"You have. 10 seconds. To explain to me. Why you were fighting." Then again, the fact that she was gulping down air as though to calm herself didn't seem too reassuring. Wisely, I kept my mouth shut. After all, how do you explain that you were in a fight because of pride, and instincts too deeply imbedded to ignore, which had been invoked by a young woman who had been in love with your brother?

"You."

I should have killed the damn wolf while I had the chance.

The anger in her eyes was immediately replaced by shock, and she stared at us, apparently dumbfounded.

"Me?" She looked back and forth between us, no doubt wanting, and needing, an explanation. I decided that since the wolf had already opened his mouth once, I might as well stay silent, and watch him dig his own grave. I remembered how strong she could be when angry. I would not like to have to wait another ten years to grow an arm back. True, it's not that long a time, but it seems like it when you only have one hand to do everything with.

"Yeah. Just like his brother, the Dog Lord can't seem to understand that you're MY woman. Go ahead, tell him. Tell him you're MY mate, since I laid claim on you 500 years ago." I had to bite back the amused snort that I wanted to make when I heard the pleading tone his voice had started to take at the end of his statement. It was like a child whining to his mother that his brother had stolen his piece of candy. Pathetic. I had thought the youkai would have at least matured in the past 5 centuries, but apparently remaining a bachelor for so long kills off brain cells.

Somehow, though, this announcement and plea of the ookami prince's angered Kagome once again. I had thought she was angry before, but this made her previous outburst seem like a mildly annoyed question.

"KOUGA!! GET IT THROUGH YOUR *THICK* SKULL!! I NEVER WAS YOUR 'WOMAN'! I NEVER WILL BE! SO STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I'M A PIECE OF FUCKING PROPERTY, YOU STUPID YASEOKAMI!"

Needless to say, the recipient of the verbal lashing looked hurt. After all, the woman he had wanted as a mate had just screamed at him, cursing and calling him a name that only one other person had called him, that person being his past rival that he had seen as below him. Then again, I had seen Inuyasha as below me, as well. At least she hadn't turned on me.

"AND YOU, SESSHOUMARU!!" Ignore my last statement.

"I THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE MATURE THAN THIS!!! AFTER 500 YEARS, I FIGURED YOU WERE MORE RELAXED! SCREW THAT IDEA!" She glared at me angrily as she said this, but I could see a faint sheen of tears taking over, and actually lowered my head in guilt and shame. She was right. I should've been mature enough to just ignore the stupid wolf, but my pride had been injured, and as Taiyoukai, I had to defend it. I worked to steel up my nerves in order to look at her and apologize, then try to explain what happened. But things never go as planned when Kagome's involved.

"I'm truly sorry, Kagome..." I looked back up at her, apologizing as I did so, but before I could continue my explanation, she snorted angrily, and straightened her back.

"So am I." And with that, the one woman I wanted as my mate turned around, and, without another word or glance to the wolf or myself, walked away.

~~*~~

I couldn't believe it. They had fought, in public, endangering themselves and who knows how many others, over me like I was some piece of fucking property. Sure, I may have overreacted, but I was shocked, upset, annoyed, and pissed. After having Inuyasha and Kouga fight over me, plus everything that's happened lately, it finally just made me snap, and I took it out on them.

With a sigh, I looked over to the answering machine, which was blinking at me almost insistently. I knew what would happen if I pushed that button. I would hear one of them, or both of them, apologizing and trying to make up for it, and then I would end up forgiving them. That's how it always went. Even with Inuyasha, although he didn't apologize much.

I don't know why I'm ignoring them. Why I'm refusing to answer their calls, or even leaving the house unless I have to. I just don't want to see or talk to them for a while. In less than 2 weeks, I learned that Sesshoumaru and Kouga are still very much alive, and that, for some reason, Kouga still wants me as his woman, though I'm actually falling for Sesshoumaru.

What is it about him and Inuyasha that draws me to them? They both have silver hair and gold eyes, as well as nice bodies... But I'm not so shallow that I base my fondness on their looks. Let's see, what else do they both have in common? Hm... well, they both try to hide what they're feeling. Inuyasha's ears usually gave him away, and now it's Sesshoumaru's eyes that ruin his hope of hiding things.

They're both strong, and confident. Neither ever doubted that he would emerge the victor, no matter how dark the situation was. They were both proud and determined, and both seemed to have had that "I really do care, but I'm gonna pretend I don't give a damn" attitude.

With a muttered curse I had learned from Inuyasha and Shippou, I looked back towards the mirror, noticing with some surprise how... sad... I looked. I walked over to it, studying my face intently. In the two days I've gone without speaking to any demons besides Shippou and his family, I've become lonelier than I had been in a while. Sure, one of the two idiots would come over now and then, checking on me every couple of hours, but I never spoke to them. I never even looked at them.

In a desperate attempt to get away from my house, and the wolf and dog demons guarding it, I did what I never thought I'd do. I called Hojou, and asked him to go with me to the mall, just to shop and have lunch together. He called it a date, I called it a chance to walk out my door without being hounded by persistent youkai.

Less than a hour later, he was ringing my doorbell, a big smile plastered onto his face, and a wrapped package in his hands. I winced and hoped that it wasn't some kind of cure for some disease I didn't have. But I might as well have wished Inuyasha back to life, for all the good it did, since when I opened it, I was greeted by the sight of aromatherapy candles, guaranteed to boost the immune system. Well, it could have been worse. Could have been shoes for my supposed bunions again.

Determinedly ignoring the tingling in the back of mind that told me that a certain inu-youkai was nearby, I walked with Hojou down to the bus stop and waited for the ride to the mall. After a long and boring ride, filled with Hojou's stories of his grandmother and her little pet cats, I was ready to just scream for Sesshoumaru to get over there and save me, and let me tell him that I forgave him already.

Wait. When had I decided to forgive him? And Kouga too, I suppose. But what had pushed me to think that, anyway? I'm supposed to be mad at them, aren't I? But they're my friends. And I guess that's why I can't stay angry. That, and I can't help but remember the way Sesshoumaru looked when he bowed his head in shame. Nor the way his eyes actually looked pained and apologetic, but still determined when he had apologized to me.

I sighed, and tried to focus on what was going on now, only to realize that Hojou had been speaking to me. After assuring him I was okay, I made my way towards the crowded building, pausing long enough by a tree where I knew a silver-haired demon lord was sitting to whisper, "I forgive you," and look up into a pair of deep golden eyes.

Before he could reply, though, or I could say anything else, Hojou grabbed my hand and pulled me through the doors, excitedly jabbering away about this shop or that one, and how he had gone to this store for that one gift, and how that one was too dark and depressing for his tastes. I began to point out that I happened to like that store, thank you very much, but he cut me off with a new stream of pointless talking.

I was near tears by the time we got to the food court, wishing so badly that someone, anyone, would save me from the idiocy. It didn't have to be Sesshoumaru. Hell, I think I'd have thanked and hugged Naraku if he showed up, simply because he gave me a reason to ditch Hojou. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I was that desperate.

But the fates were cruel to me. Not only did I get to learn that his mother also had a cat, but I got to hear about how there was this 'adorable kitten' down at the pet store at the opposite end of the mall. Of course, this led up to him dragging me there the moment lunch was over.

When we passed through the entrance, I was ready for anything to distract him so I could make a break for it, and run back outside in hopes that Sesshoumaru would still be there. But that never happened, even though he almost forgot me in his hurry to see the precious little kitty. I would have run, believe me, if I wasn't busy staring at a person who was sending off VERY strong "I'm a demon" vibes. She was staring back at me, a dog nestled in her arms, looking like he wanted nothing more than to chew on one of her fingers. The cat Hojou was occupied with, though, had no problems with purring and rubbing itself against the young woman when he brought the 'sweet little thing' back over to us.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against cats. Hell, look at Buyo. But after spending so much time around canine demons, and falling in love with a pair of them, well... you can't blame me for wanting to pet the adorable white puppy with the floppy ears and blue eyes instead of the calico kitten purring against what I'm guessing was a cat demon.

I took the dog from her arms so she could pet the kitty that Hojou was rambling incessantly about. Immediately, the pup turned to me and began to lick my face in sheer delight, as though I was his own mother. I smiled and growled playfully at him, having learned to make weak imitations of a dog's growl from listening to Inuyasha all those times he would do it. The pup growled back happily, then yipped and began to lick my face again, his small legs kicking in the air to get closer to my face.

I was so busy laughing at the puppy's antics, I didn't even register the fact that the two kitty-lovers had turned and were staring at me like I had grown a third head. When I finally DID realize it, I was a little surprised at the looks, but then I noticed they weren't looking AT me, they were looking... behind me...

(Hm... to stop here, or not to stop here? NAH!! I made ya wait long enough!)

"Hello, Kagome." Spinning around, I found myself staring into a pair of cool gold eyes, one eyebrow raised in curiosity as his lips twitched in an attempt to keep from grinning. At least, I'm guessing that's why. Let's see, girl holding little white doggy with the cutest floppy ears, and has saliva all over her face from where said puppy had decided she needed to be kissed. Oh yeah, I can see why he would be trying not to laugh.

"Heh heh... Hi Sesshoumaru." I smiled back at him, though I could feel my face burning as the pup squirmed in my arms, trying to lick me, then turned to the Taiyoukai and tried to leap onto him. I was trying to keep my grip on the excited puppy, but Sesshoumaru merely reached out and tapped the dog on his nose, stilling the mass of fur, before leaning in and looking him directly in the eyes, a low growl ending in a quiet yip from the tiny pup.

As I stared in shock at the pair of dogs, Hojou and the neko youkai came over to us, my self-proclaimed 'date' moving right up next to me, ignoring the screeching feline in his arms as it protested being kept so close to a now-dozing puppy, and blank-faced dog-demon.

Or, at least Sesshoumaru's face WAS blank, until Hojou made the mistake of placing his arm around my shoulders, asking me who my "friend" was, while the cat demon stared at the silver-haired youkai in awe and admiration. It was kind of scary to see. Such huge, starry eyes directed toward someone who was known for his cold stare that could drive off even the most avid of fan-girls.

Then Hojou made the mistake of getting that cold glare directed toward him.

"Hello again! Sorry that we can't stay and talk long, but Kagome and I have to get back to our date. I still have to show her the new store that just opened up, you know, the one with the - " He was cut off by the sight of light magenta lines beginning to appear on pale cheeks, and narrowing gold eyes. Even the near-drooling cat demon knew to move back a step or two.

Hojou had no idea what it meant to annoy a demon lord. But I could tell, he was about to find out. And fast, if I didn't find some way to calm Sesshoumaru back down. After all, with how much damage he did to Kouga, I don't want to know what he'd do to Hojou.

And I couldn't help but think that Inuyasha would be so proud of his brother.

Though I'm still trying to decide if that's a good thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm SO SORRY this took so long to post!!!! I had to baby-sit a couple of girls this weekend, only to have them start asking about InuYasha. They said Sesshoumaru looked like a girl, and the elder of the two girls said Inu was cute. Although she still can't say his name right. Lol... well, Ja ne for now!! Off to chat some more on animelab . com! Hope to see you in channel #inu_Yasha! Ja!