A warm breeze picked up her long, dark hair as she wrote down the next equation. The problem wasn't too difficult, she decided, it'd just take a long time to do, like the rest of them. She sighed, and pressed her palm firmly against her paper when the wind really began to pick up; she wasn't going to lose another one. Three of her homework assignments already flew away into the mid-day breeze, and she didn't want to do another one.

It was math homework, and no calculator. She couldn't think of a more tedious assignment to do, and do four times in the same week at that. The due date for the assignment was near, so she requested that she and her team stop while there was still daylight, so she could get it done. It may have been in the middle of the forest, but there was less distraction that way. InuYasha claimed that there'd be demons about, but from what she learned, there were demons just about everywhere, so it didn't matter. Something about trees put her mind at ease, and she she needed that more than anything to get the assignment done.

"Are you finished with that yet?" an impatient voice from close behind her bellowed out. It was such a beautiful day, and she was stuck doing homework. Granted, she was nearly done, but InuYasha glaring at her didn't make doing the last few problems any easier. Kagome figured she could get a little peace while her companions Miroku, Sango, and Shippou all went into the next; she also assumed that the half-demon would be accompanying them. She assumed wrong; he didn't want to leave her by herself. It was a thoughtful gesture, but still, he could stand to be a bit less distracting.

"Soon," she dully responded, and finally finished another nerve racking equation. She wished her calculator didn't get smashed when she fell over backward the other day. A flying demon decided that she looked tasty, so it dove right in front of her, causing her to stumble over. Sango was able to prevent it from attacking, but Kagome still fell, and her calculator got crushed in her bag. Three more came after that, and she was able to shoot down one of them with her arrow, which satisfied her, a little. That didn't help her with her current situation very much, though.

"Come on, Kagome. It doesn't usually take you THIS long!"

Kagome turned to face him, and calmly said, "I'll get it done a lot faster if you quit pestering me."

"Keh, whatever." InuYasha rested his chin on his palm, and tapped his fingers against the ground. Miroku and the others were already in the next village, finding them a place to rest for the night, but Kagome wanted to stay behind to get her homework done. He wanted to stay behind with Kagome, so she wouldn't be lonely, or get lost. Her being alone anywhere didn't sit right with him.

Her and her "homework" disturbed him, too. Why is it so important to her? he wondered.

"Finished... finally," she said, with a tone of exasperation. There was a cyclone going on in her head, she just knew it. Too much math for one day. She was definitely getting a new calculator after this.

InuYasha crawled closer and peered over her shoulder, trying to make out what the hell she'd been doing for such a long time. Before he could observe the paper, Kagome closed her book and leant her head back against his shoulder. Twenty long equations, and no calculator. Her head was screaming at her. She needed a serious rest.

"Kagome?" A small blush crept across his face, as she buried her head into his neck and shoulder. Homework couldn't have been that tough to do, could it? Fighting off demons and lugging around a book bag five times the size of Shippou was hardly a chore, yet scribbling a piece of wood, or pencil, as she called it, against a piece of paper was so tiring to her. It didn't add up, to him, but finishing it sure made her happy. The satisfaction she had after putting down her writing utensil always made her happy, and that's all that mattered. Still, he wished it didn't take such a long time.

"Thanks for being patient," Kagome said, while reaching into her massive back-pack. "I think you've earned these."

The delight that spread across InuYasha's features brightened her day. As soon as she pulled the potato chip bag out, the guy dove right into them. She hadn't expected him to let her finish; math wasn't one of her better subjects, and it took her quite a while to complete it. He never ceased to amaze her, though, and she giggled when the wind began blowing potato chip crumbs into his hair. At least it was better than her homework flying into the air again.

End