Disclaimer : Nobody has lent me that $300, so I will reside in my cell and plot evil things that I will do to the Government. Who wants to be my campaign manager ?!

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" HEY ! Hands off ! " The squirming half demon protested, as he fought the urge to either punch the girl poking him, or poke her back. But the latter just sounded wrong.

" Admit it, " The ebony-haired girl giggled, jabbing her short nails into the hanyou's sides, " You're TICKLISH ! "

" I .. am .. " The dog-eared boy tried to sound as unaffected as possible, but his ribcages were starting to react. " NOTTICKLISHGETOFFME ! "

" Sure you aren't, " The girl teased, laughing at the sight, even though Inuyasha found anything but this funny. He just couldn't admit that he was ticklish in front of this girl ! It was like showing a weakness that Kagome didn't even know about yet ! Even if she did, Inuyasha could bet Kagome wouldn't tease him too harsh about it .. but this girl ..

JUST WON'T GIVE UP !

" LEMMESHOWYOUTICKLISH ! " Inuyasha exploded and starting poking the young girl in HER ribcages, as well as blocking her flailing hands that tried to poke him.

The girl squealed and scrambled away from the half demon, who wasn't going to give up so easily. " Hey, COME BACK HERE ! "

" To you ?! NO WAY ! " She exclaimed before screaming and bolting out the door.

" You're not getting away THAT EASILY ! " Inuyasha smirked and jumped off the bed, running after the girl. He definitly getting carried away with this little game, but strangely, didn't seem to mind.

Kumiko squealed again when she saw the hanyou dash out of his temporary room and picked up her speed. " Stay away from me ! "

Inuyasha smirked, " After I poke you to DEATH ! "

" That's not fair ! " she wailed, and to her utter surprise, tripped over a rumpled spot in the hallway carpet, sending her sprawling onto the ground, face first.

Seeing this, Inuyasha tried to stop in time before he crashed into her .. before she had turned herself to lay on her back, and had stuck her feet out, then tripping him.

So, to both Kumiko and Inuyasha's horror, Kumiko could only watch as Inuyasha fell smack dab right on top of her.

And just when things seemed it couldn't get any worser ..

They realized, a beat too late, that they were at the edge of the staircase. Which meant only one thing ..

" EEEEEEEEE !! " the 15-year-old shrieked as she and the horrified Inuyasha tumbled down the stairs, rolling at a fast speed over each other .. all the way to the bottom. Talk about a rough ride.

It was a short flight, but to Inuyasha .. it was just too long.

Before the embarrassed half demon could leap off the girl, who he was laying on top of, Kumiko immediately grabbed onto his red kimono, tears streaming down her face while she laughed uncontrollably.

Inuyasha blushed fifteen shades of red, which Kumiko failed to notice, but continue to laugh.

" Um .. " This was just too much for our half demon. When was he ever so chummy with a girl that he just met ?

" Hey ! Can't you laugh LATER ?! "

Inuyasha tried to sound gruff, but there was an evident soft spot in his tone. He couldn't help but relax a bit as he listened to the young girl laugh, and for a second, almost forgot what position they were both in.

Kumiko didn't answer him but continue to laugh, laugh like she just heard the funniest joke ever, with the fresh tears pouring out of her eyes. Inuyasha swallowed. This was starting to get real creepy ..

" My leg, " she suddenly said, in between her stream of giggles. " M-my leg, it .. HAHAHA .. h-hurts .. "

Inuyasha looked at her, confused, then understanding dawned upon his flushed features.

Quickly, he jumped off the girl, though it was hard because Kumiko was still clinging onto him. Somehow, Inuyasha had managed to pry her fingers off, and scooted over to her legs.

" Which one hurts ? " he asked, then blushed when he realized how it sounded, like he cared, he immediately added, " You should've been more careful. "

Inuyasha had expected a retort or a backhanded comment, but none came and the girl's choked laughter continued. That's when Inuyasha realized she wasn't laughing .. she was laughing and crying.

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AHH ! SHE'S CRYING !

Inuyasha winced. He hated when girls cried. Quickly, he lifted both of her pant's leg, and noticed that the left leg was much more bloated than the right. Inuyasha carefully placed a claw on her skin, and immediately felt her tense. He grimaced. It was swollen pretty badly.

" Hey, I think you either sprained it real bad or you broke it. Either way, you're gonna haf'ta stay in bed for several days. " Inuyasha instructed matter-of-factly, and frowned when she didn't respond, but continued her laughing .. crying .. laucryghing.

After waiting till she calmed down and stopped her weird choked sounds, Inuyasha called." Eh, you, get up. "

He scowled when there was no reply, and almost felt worried. But he brushed it away and scooted over next to her head and peered at her hair covered face. As carefully as he could, he clawed the locks of hair out of the way, and immediately paled up.

Gods.

She looked so much like Kagome.

Argh ! The half demon fretted. Why does this feels exactly like when I compared Kagome and Kikyou ? Dammit ..

" Inu .. yasha .. " a small voice broke into his thoughts.

" Huh, what ? " Inuyasha quickly replied, darting up from his position.

" I'm sleepy. "

" What the .. ! How can you just fall asleep on the floor ?! "

" Cause runnin' around and rollin' down the stairs is pretty tiring. Especially when it's a school night, and it's almost midnight, and today in PE right ? We had this stupid .."

" Okay, so you want to sleep. Then shut up and sleep. " he interrupted rudely, annoyed at her said-to-be-sleepy state and was still so talkative.

" You just said I shouldn't just fall asleep on the floor though ! "

" No I didn't. Even if I did, what's your .. "

Inuyasha dribbled off and looked thoughtful. Before ..

" ARE YOU SUGGESTING I SHOULD CARRY YOU ?! "

" Yes, and you don't have to yell so loud. "

" I am NOT yelling. "

" Well, then you're doing a pretty bad job of not. "

" ARGH !! I just .. ARGH ! "

" H-hey ! Where you going ?! You can't just .. walk away ! How cruel are you to, to let me rot here with a broken ankle, cold and sleepy and .."

" OKAY ! I'll carry you ! Just shut up ! "

" Okay. "

" Stop sounding so pleased. "

" I'm trying to. "

" Okay. I mean .. WHAT ?! "

Before the girl could reply, Inuyasha scooped up the girl, bridal style, in a blink of the eye. That's exactly what Kumiko did. Just blink.

" Wah .. ? "

" I'm half demon, whaddya expect ? I'm no useless human so I don't take five minutes, grunting and trying to lift you three centimeters off the .. OUCH ! HEY ! Whaddya do THAT for !? "

" For calling humans useless. Now .. WALK ! "

" Why should I after you .. "

" What's going on in here ? " a voice interrupted them.

Whoa.

Déjà vu.

Inuyasha and Kumiko both turned their heads, to face a suspicious looking Kagome, and immediately, Kumiko lost all composure." Oh we um .. "

" She, " Inuyasha pointed at Kumiko, laid curled up in his arms. " tripped down the stairs, and sprained her ankle. She couldn't get up so she forced, " Inuyasha gave her a hard look, while she returned a hard look of her own, " me to carry her upstairs then you walked in .. on .. us. "

Both Kumiko and Inuyasha flushed at how it sounded and looked away from each other.

The old woman in front of them nodded, looking as if she did not notice. " Well, carry her upstairs then, and get to sleep. It's late and tomorrow you have school, Kumiko. And Inuyasha, I'll have to talk to you tomorrow. "

Nodding, the hanyou ascended up the stairs, careful not to drop the girl .. knowing if he did, who would get a hell of a beating. And by the looks of this girl, though she resembled much like Kagome, Inuyasha had a feeling she was much more stronger. And more ferocious. The half demon shuddered.

The hanyou quietly slipped through the door to Kumiko's room, surprised she had already fallen asleep in his arms. Carefully, he laid her on her bed, and draped a thin blanket over her that was hanging on her desk chair, the one Kagome use to sit on when she studied for those ' tests '.

When she was tucked in and snoring away, Inuyasha prepared to leave. But something told him to stay a little longer and watch her.

Inuyasha shooked his head. She looks just like Kagome.

Quietly, without waking her up, the hanyou reached over to her and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, watching her intently. He was about to drift off into his thoughts when ..

" YEOOWCH ! " Inuyasha couldn't help but cry out. A hand had suddenly shot out, grabbing onto one of his bangs and gave them a very hard yank.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to yell at the girl, whose eyes were closed and wasn't moving, but she beat him to it. " Don't look at me when I sleep. It's creepy. "

Inuyasha snorted, glad her eyes weren't hoping, or she'd see the blush on his face. " I wasn't looking. " He then stood up, and prepared to leave.

Inuyasha had started to go out the door, when a small voice reached his sensitive dog ears.

" Thank you. "

He couldn't help but grin. Quietly, he mumbled, " Don't mention it. "

Before anything could distract him to stay, Inuyasha slipped out the door, and into his room, closing the door behind him quietly.

Unaware of the sad eyes, who had been watching him .. all along.

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A/N : Thank you all who supported me against that lilangel1253. I don't think she'll come back up again, but if she does, in no way AT ALL will THAT get in the way of my writing .. you can breathe now, Ducky76 HEHE Again, credits go to Red-Rain69, my editor, that no one will diss or feel my wrath. Which I got none but it just sounded scary. Kinda. – Sigh – I have no life -.-