"... It was so crazy, you should've seen it!" Kagome cried, then laughed as she cracked another smile on Inu Yasha's face. She melted in those smiles, and right now, she was trying everything to keep that luscious smile on his face.

            Inu Yasha swore he'd never smiled so much for one person in his life. But as Kagome laughed happily after every grin, he couldn't help it. The girl's smiles were what fueled his with a endless energy and he wasn't sure he disliked it. He sighed and wondered what the school would think of him if they saw him smiling and laughing so easily; with a girl, no less. He could almost see the gaping faces and speechless expressions, and grinned in mirth.

            "...Your smiles are so much cuter than your frowns," Kagome said, "Why don't you smile more often?" Inu Yasha glanced at her in surprise then let his gaze fall. You should never have to know... He turned away, trying desperately to hide his regretful eyes from her view. Instead he changed the subject.

            "Did you just say that I'm cute?" he replied, grinning. Kagome's lips parted, but she couldn't find words to counter him. So she stuttered horribly.

            "No, I, it's just, you..." Her cheeks soon developed a gentle shade of rose.

            Inu Yasha laughed, reaching an arm behind Kagome and squeezing her shoulder lightly. "Only teasing," he chuckled.

            Kagome gave a nervous sidelong glance at his fingertips, which were closed around her upper arm protectively. Her pulse quickened and she couldn't rip her gaze from the ground in front of her, fearing to meet Inu Yasha's eyes. To let him see how uneasy she felt, that would be no less similar than to confess to him her feelings. At least, that was the logic her mind was functioning on at the moment.

            A butterfly flew about Inu Yasha's own abdomen as his fingers grasped Kagome's shoulder. He didn't know what had driven his hand to wander as it did, but once he realized what he'd done, he did not draw his hand back. A shocking notion breached his mind that perhaps he enjoyed the felt of her warmth against his. He felt her now, her body fitting snugly at his side. To his horror (really now?), he pulled her closer to him, his nerves delighting in the sparks that dispersed along his spine as he did so.

            Kagome's cheeks continued to grow a deeper shade of crimson. Heat erupted in her face as her skin brushed delicately against Inu Yasha's (very manly) chest.

*********

meow-chan: I'm sorry!!! I had to add that in!!! I'm laughing hysterically right not and I keep on repeating the word "manly" again and again.

Manly masculine pectoral muscles!!! XD

*wheezes* ok ok, I'm ok now......

Inuyasha: my chest IS quite manly isn't it? ::looks down his haori:: pauses *goes off to show Kagome* oh yeah, feast your eyes on my sexy man chest!!! ::beams proudly::

Meow-chan: pfft...BWAHAHAAHAHAAAA!!!!! XD

Kagome: ¬____¬;;;;; art thou mentally unstable??

But neways, back to story. ^^;;;

Damn, I just lost the lovey-dovey mood. Ah well.

*********

            The scent of warm cinnamon fluttered from his shirt into her nose. She melted, basking in the scent like a kitten with catnip. She rested her head gently upon his chest and sighed involuntarily. Inu Yasha blinked in surprise, as she accepted his one-arm embrace more willingly then he'd thought.

            Drunk in his enthralling smell, her common logic buried itself deep within her mind. She grinned and fingered a wrinkle on his shirt while she listened the music of his heartbeat. (VERY uncharacteristic of her. Just so you readers know...)

            Inu Yasha's skin tingled sharply as he gazed at Kagome's raven-haired head in astonishment. Wha-What's she doing? He raised his glance away from her, his mind a swirl of confusion. His flustered amber eyes spied the familiar gate of his apartment.

            "Kagome?" he nudged her shoulder slightly.

            "Hmm?" she mumbled and gazed into his eyes wearily. She dove deeply in those pools of amber, her own gray-orbs glittering. Inu Yasha's throat constricted, cutting off his words.

            "You know, you're really...really...what's that word..." she muttered, her gaze unwavering.

            "What are you trying to say, Kagome?" Inu Yasha replied in alarm, the tingles in his skin converting into electrical surges. "We're at my place, I have to go Kagome—"

            "Inu Yasha!" she cried gripping his shirt tightly. He halted in shock. Her eyes were wide and afraid and she released him, abruptly lowering her gaze.

            "I-I'm sorry, I just..." she returned her eyes to his. "Inu Yasha, I..."

            "Love you?" A mocking snicker sounded from behind the heavy apartment gates.

            "How pathetic," Kikyou smirked, stepping into full sight, revealing herself fully to the eyes of her victims. Inu Yasha's face was riddled with a swirl of emotions as he stared unblinkingly at the sleek young woman, as if gazing upon the walking dead.

            "Really, a girl mustn't get so emotional when confessing her feelings," Kikyou commented casually, sauntering up to the two shocked persons, delighting in their astonishment. She snaked her fingers around Inu Yasha's neck and through his hair.

            "Especially if the man's taken," she whispered, trailing her tongue along his cheek. The amber-eyed boy shoved Kikyou away in disgust, wiping fervently at his face. Kagome stared in speechless horror, her hands trembling in shock.

            "Who are you, what are you doing?" He yelled, his voice shaking. Kikyou smiled.

            "Asking questions in which you already know the answers? It's only been two years, Inu-kun." She leaned her face into his. "Or have you forgotten already?" she whispered.

            "Kikyou, you..." he muttered in horrific realization. She smirked, satisfied. Wrapping her delicate arms around him, she embraced him tightly, burying her face into his hair.

            "I knew you wouldn't forget me..." She inhaled his scent in ecstasy. "After you said you loved me, I knew you'd never forget me." She cast a glance at Kagome. The girl sat frozen in trauma on the hard concrete below, her shuddering fingers hovering over her open mouth. Kikyou delighted in her horrified expression, tasting it and wishing for more.

            Kagome's mind drowned itself in confusion. She knew Kikyou begrudged hatred for her, but until now, Kagome hadn't guessed as to why. As the misty-eyed girl stared in stupefaction at the Kikyou's intimate lock around Kagome's own love interest, her brain reeled in turmoil. It was obvious that her raven-haired double had an attraction for Inu Yasha, but Kikyou's words confused her: "...after you said you loved me...it's only been two years...". Had there really been something between them that Kagome didn't know of? Her mind screamed no, but then again, Inu Yasha didn't refuse Kikyou's brave advances. Kagome knew that to Inu Yasha, she meant nothing, even if she herself took a liking to him. But for some reason, the prospect of someone else taking his heart so easily made her own heart constrict painfully.

            "Inu Yasha..." Kikyou cooed, "Tell me you love me. Tell me you love me just like how you did two years ago..." Inu Yasha's body tensed and he shook loose of her lock abruptly. Hurt riddled the features of his usually stoic face. Kagome's heart bled, longing to whisk away whatever pained him so much.

            "What's happened to you, Kikyou?" he asked, his voice faint and broken. Kikyou stared back, expressionless.

            "What do you mean, what's happened? Nothing has changed, Inu-kun," Kikyou said. "I still love you and I always will." She threaded her hands around his middle and rested her head upon his shoulders. "Please tell me you still love me, Inu Yasha."

            Kagome felt an unknown emotion of anger well up inside her. Anger blended with sadness. It was an indescribable feeling that enveloped her heart and it made her shoot Kikyou a blood-curdling glare. This threatening action surprised her; Kagome always regarded herself as a more mild character, never the one to wish anyone with death (at least not seriously). But in that moment, she detested Kikyou with her entire soul and swore she could feel her fingers grow excited with idea of strangling the sleek girl's pale neck.

            Kikyou watched Kagome's eyes glare at her in passion and mentally balked. Perhaps this girl wasn't going to be easy prey after all, Kikyou mused. She smirked to herself. The more she resists the better it gets.

            Kagome's legs propped her body upright in a single swift motion, the gravel grinding on the concrete beneath her shoes. Inu Yasha's head snapped to the side, as if awoken from a dream. Kagome glared at both of their embracing figures and gave a smile, although inside of her, she felt like collapsing onto the ground from the pain of her constricting chest.

            "Thanks for walking me, Inu Yasha. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Kagome tried hard not to catch a glimpse of Kikyou's sneering lips; the blood red lips that had presumably touched Inu Yasha's lips. Kagome's body shuddered and her legs nearly gave way, but she held her posture. Turning away, she began to walk home, afraid to walk slowly so that Inu Yasha could easily catch her, but afraid of ambling at too rapid a pace so that Kikyou could sense her distraught.

            "Kagome, wait!" Inu Yasha ripped himself away from Kikyou's embrace, his eyes only on Kagome's raven-black hair. Kikyou glared ferociously and gripped his wrist to restrain him. "You will not go after her," she hissed. Inu Yasha stared back, annoyed and snatched his arm away from her grasp. She cursed foully at him as he raced after the fading girl, his teeth gritted in frustration. Perhaps that girl has made her way deeper into his heart than I thought, she grimaced. It's going to be more arduous to win him back than I thought.

            By this time, Kagome had already begun to sprint along the road, quickening her pace as she went. Outweighing her choices, she'd decided allowing Inu Yasha to glimpse the hurt on her face was far worse than Kikyou's silent snickering. Her ears told her that Inu Yasha was after her in hot pursuit and she pumped her arms harder in the attempt to gain more speed. The air rushed through her lungs and scathed her throat, as her body began to fail her and her velocity slowed. The tapping of Inu Yasha's feet against the sidewalk drove her onward however, and she rushed on. The familiar driveway of her house came into view (I guess Inu Yasha's house IS pretty close to hers after all...^^;;). If only she could reach the door before Inu Yasha caught her, then he wouldn't have to see her tearing face...

            "Stop!" An unbelievable force tackled her to the ground. Her elbows skimmed the ground roughly in the attempt to hide her shameful red-blotched cheeks (no matter what, she was determined to shield her tears from him). Inu Yasha, panting furiously, had his hands planted firmly near each of her shoulders. He glared angrily at Kagome's pathetic form.

            "Why do you run away?" he demanded. She remained silent, turning herself over onto her stomach, her wounds numbing her limbs.

            "Answer me!" he commanded once more.

            "No!" she cried defiantly, attempting to crawl away from under him.

            Inu Yasha tugged her shoulder roughly to face her to him. "Why do you keep on running—"

            "...away..." He exhaled in shock as Kagome's angry, tear-filled orbs faced him. Dust stuck to her moist cheeks, her lips red with exertion. Her eyebrows narrowed in defiant rage, but her eyes portrayed the hurt she'd tried desperately to hide. Inu Yasha's features softened and his fingers reached up to stroke her splotched face.

            Kagome batted his hand away angrily and straightened herself rigorously, standing so that only her back was visible to him. She cursed at herself severely, raking herself repetitively for letting Inu Yasha'a amber eyes gaze upon her own pitiful ones. She gave an aggravated wipe at her face as a sniffle escaped from her nose. Inu Yasha looked on with regret riddling his features.

            "You...why are you..." Inu Yasha asked, the words slipping away from his tongue.

            "I don't have to answer your questions," she replied brusquely, trying to sound as firm as she could. Unfortunately, her broken voice gave her away and she felt her vision blur with tears once more.

            "But why?" Inu Yasha questioned softly, ignoring Kagome's previous response.

            "You want to know why?" Kagome said, her fingers curling into small fists and her jaw tightening. "It's because you—"

            Only inches away from her, Kagome was faced with Inu Yasha's intense amber-eyed gaze. Her heart skipped a beat as she sunk into his sad mellow pools. Never had she seen so much earnest in his face that it alarmed her and she ripped her eyes from his. She was now speechless, cursing herself for falling for his lovely features every time she glimpsed them.

            "Kagome," he whispered, grazing a thumb against her chin. She slowly turned her head to face his, her barrier finally breaking as her eyes crinkled and a tear fell down her cheek. His soft fingers delicately brushed them away, his face forming into a sorrowful smile. The hand slid behind her head as he pulled her to him in the gentlest embrace.

            "I'm sorry, Kagome," he muttered tenderly in her ear. Kagome blinked in surprise, unable to digest the fact that he was, in truth, holding her. The warmth of his body so soothing, so pleasant, like a dream. And if it was a dream, she prayed that she could sleep forever. Closing her eyes, more tears streamed down her skin, but for a rather different reason than sadness. A weak smile tugged at her lips as her breath shortened into sobs.

            "Why are you still crying?" he asked, pulling away from her. Kagome suddenly felt cold once his warmth left her, and she longed for it in dismay. Kagome wiped her face with the back of her hand sheepishly.

            "Heh, I don't know. The tears just keep coming, I guess," she laughed weakly. Soon, a bright smile erupted in her face as she giggled uncontrollably.

            "Is there something funny?" Inu Yasha asked, worriedly.

            "No, it's just, I'm so weird...crying when your not sad..." she laughed, reaching a palm up to smudge away at her red eyes. "God, I must look so ugly right now...I always look so stupid when I cry..."

            Inu Yasha smiled and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "That's okay, I'm sure compared to everyone else, you're very pretty when you cry."

            Kagome looked up at his soft face and snorted with laughter. "That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard!"

            "That's the least you'll hear when you're with me," he grinned.

            "You're so cute when you smile like that," she commented absentmindedly. "Oh by the way, my house is right across the street, would you like to come in?" She started walking toward her residence without him, waving a hand for him to catch her pace. But Inu Yasha was standing there, slack-mouthed and shocked. Had she seriously said he was attractive? She didn't sound like she even noticed. He sent a sidelong glance at her skipping along the road, humming a favorite tune. Perhaps it was just his imagination...

************************************************************************

AN: ACK!!!! Need...to...stop...*dies from exhaustion* DAMN this was long. Well, it was jam-packed with Inu-Kag fluff so I hope you reviewers out there are quite satisfied. ^_^ I'm sorry if the story is beginning to become plotless, but due to the numerous chapters that I've wrote toiling through writer's blocks, I think it's okay. I don't really know where it's headed though...damn.

Um, special thanks, yes, special thanks... (had temporary amnesia):

Lilkagievixen: Okay, here's the story: I was gonna make it a lovey dovey, oh-so-mushy ficcy, but that's when I STARTED. Yeah, cuz I made Inu Yasha the ultimate sweetie and well, it's nice and all but after the first few chapters, I totally ran out of stuff to write. So I changed the story so that Inu Yasha turned into the reserved brooding type. I love those kind of characters cuz it's so fun to develop them throughout the story. ^_^ And so the story became more and more um, serious I guess and now it's kinda dramatic and yeah. I think I need to change my summary but I like my summary, so I dunno what to do. That summary was good summary!! (well, kind of) I like it cuz it's cute and catchy, but it doesn't really summarize the story very well. Argh, decisions, decisions.......

eX Driver Liz: you have quite the high expectations. ^^;;;; I think I should've read your review before I started the chappie......maybe I'd have tried to make it better...but ah well, I'm trying to reduce the time it takes me to update so I have completely ignored proofreading my work. Once I finish typing it, I post it. And yet, I still do not update often enough...*sigh*

simplisticself: Why thank you. You flatter me. ^.^ I'm such a sucker for flattery. *hehehe* ^^;;;

Inuyasha: I like your shoes *nudge nudge*

Meow-chan: I'm not wearing any, dumbass. ¬__¬++++

Inuyasha: um, you got a new haircut?

Meow-chan: no.

Inuyasha: nails done?

Meow-chan: no.

Inuyasha: facial?

Meow-chan: what do you want???? =____=++++

Inuyasha: *whisper whisper*

Meow-chan: OH MY GAAAAAAWD!!! I'm not writing THAT for the next chapter!!!! *runs away screaming* *spies Kagome* *pats Kagome sympathetically* *continues to run away screaming*

Kagome: what did you do this time, Inuyasha? -___-;;;

Inuyasha: nothing!!!!

Kagome: oswari!!!!

~BAM~

Inuyasha: *dramatically (think military movies. Y'know.)* I'll never tell! For the pride of my...pride, I will never tell!!!

Kagome: ¬______¬;;;;;;;; ...os—

Inuyasha: OK OK OK OK!!!!! T______T

Kagome: jeez, you succumbed pretty easily.

Inuyasha: oh shut up.

Kagome: Oswari.

~BAM~

Inuyasha: I hate you.

Kagome: yeah, I love you too. So what did you say to meow-chan?

Inuyasha: er...

Kagome: does it have to do with me?

Inuyasha: er...

Kagome: is it clean of foul language?

Inuyasha: er...

Kagome: is it appropriate for children to hear?

Inuyasha: er...

*Shoos children out and gives them all a cookie*

Kagome: now, what'd you say?

Inuyasha: *whisper whisper*

Kagome: *slaps him*

~WHACK~

Inuyasha: what!?!?

Kagome: You perv!! Have you been hanging around Miroku for too long???? I swear...that is absolutely VILE!!!

Inuyasha: What?? Wishing that the next chappie be a citrusy one??

Kagome: yes...

Inuyasha: How is that so wrong??? She set herself up for it!!! In the story, you just invited me to your HOUSE, and meow-chan (secretly) told me that your PARENTS aren't gonna be there, so that means—

Kagome: OK OK!!!! No more!!! T_____T

*Meow-chan returns from her random running and screaming*

meow-chan: Ok, Mind once again pure and untainted. *sighs*

Inuyasha: for now... =)

Meow-chan: ¬_____¬;;;;;;

R&R!!!! ^_^

Ja ne!!!

~meow-chan~