Few notes to reviewers:

InuYasha doesn't have a dog nose in the manga. In the first several volumes of manga she put a shadow on his nose, but she actually did the same thing to Ranma at times. However- by this point in the manga even that shadow is completely gone.

And InuYasha knowing that Kagome takes care Onigumo will have no effect on the plot at all.

And so with that- read, review, and enjoy.

"In More Ways Than One"

Chapter Three

In Which the Boy Learns to Believe

By Kelly O'Connor

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He followed her.

He didn't leave the area around the village and spent everyday with her. Although his bashful nature and cautiousness often prevented him from directly approaching her, InuYasha was always with Kagome when she was out during the day performing her duties as guardian of the Shikon no Tama.

His own behavior confused him, for he could not conceive as to why he was seeking company in the young Miko's presence.

And yet… he simply could not pull himself away from her side.

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With a light yawn, Kagome stretched her arms, situating her arrow quiver to a more comfortable position after doing so. The sun was shrinking below the horizon as the Miko made her way back to her home after an exhausting day warding a hoard of youkai out of a nearby village.

He'd been there, as he always had been for the past week or so. Following behind her, InuYasha even found himself assisting from the sidelines at times. When she'd gone to the Taijiya village several days before was the first afternoon he followed her on a mission, treading deftly behind to a certain point and then staying out of the village for fear of being noticed by the youkai exterminators. It was as if he was still hesitant to make himself known.

Kagome treasured this, his presence, his bashfulness, his hidden concern for her. She could see it, although he was never open with it.

But Kagome also longed for more, for InuYasha to come out of the shadows and walk beside her, to converse with her, and battle alongside her instead of out of sight.

So that day, as she continued her journey home, she called to him.

"InuYasha?" She took a glance behind her at the red clad figure standing several meters away. There was a moment's silence before the Hanyou spoke up.

"Huh?"

"Would you…" Kagome paused, "Would you walk with me?"

"Keh, I am walking with you," InuYasha crossed his arms and replied.

"No, I mean… at my side," her voice trailed to almost a whisper. InuYasha made a small sound in the back of his throat, and Kagome could have sworn she saw a light blush make its way across his cheeks. "Why do you keep following me?"

"Hmph, is that a problem?" He snapped, nerves getting the best of him. Kagome shook her head in the negative.

"No, no! Not at all," looking down she smiled softly. "I like it… I like having you around."

Almost as if his feet were moving on their own, InuYasha found himself closing the gap between him and Kagome, until he stood only feet away.

"That's better."

"I still don't understand… Kagome," InuYasha frowned as his eyes met hers. "Why would you want to be seen with someone like…like me?" He managed, as if he'd been trying to stammer out that question for days. Giving him a sharp glare, Kagome pursed her lips.

"Why wouldn't I? Does it really matter?"

"Keh," he glanced over and noticed her insistent glare. Mumbling, he continued. "I… guess not."

"Can I ask you again… why you follow me?

"I don't know…" He began, a blush becoming apparent on his face. "Because I… like being around you," he paused, then snapped slightly, "That's all, okay!" Looking away, immediately, InuYasha then scowled as if attempting to hide his embarrassment.

"InuYasha…" Kagome felt her cheeks tinge pink as well. "Then I just have one request."

"Oi, what is it?"

"Stop following me!" She leveled him a look. InuYasha's eyes widened and he backed up a bit, obviously upset by her request. "I mean… walk alongside me, talk to me. Just be there, not trailing behind me."

"Kagome…" The Hanyou could only manage her name, until Kagome let out a rather unceremonious yawn. "You seem tired."

"I'll be fine. I'm just… a bit exhausted from today." She shrugged and stretched her arms in display of said fatigue. You could carry her… InuYasha brushed away that fleeting suggestion his mind had conjured and nodded.

"Well you're not that far from your village are you?"

"Not really…"

"Hmph, then don't complain."

"I wasn't complaining InuYasha," she grumbled in irritation at his accusation. "Besides you're the one who pointed out that I was tired." Turning around, InuYasha let out an embarrassed "Keh," caught red-handed at showing concern for the girl. Annoyance, ebbing a bit, Kagome gave him a small smile as they continued back towards the place she called home.

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InuYasha sighed under his breath as the rooftops of the village came into sight. This is where he'd leave her behind, he always did. Although tonight was the first night he was walking directly beside her when they reached their destination. Being near her when we're on our own is one thing but…

"InuYasha?" Kagome ventured as the Hanyou turned his back in preparation to leave.

"Huh?"

"Where are you going?"

"Bah, I'm leaving!"

"Why?"

"Because I have to!"

"Why, do you have somewhere to go?" InuYasha stared down at his feet and shook his head in the negative. "I thought we'd resolved this. Sheesh InuYasha, I told you I didn't mind if I'm…"

"A Miko can't be seen with a Hanyou!" He shouted in anger, his eyes flashing resentment. Grabbing onto the sleeve of his fire-rat and pulling him to face her Kagome took a deep breath in attempt to keep her temper in check.

"I can be seen with whoever I want!" She snapped, frustration getting the best of her. Calming her nerves, she loosed her grip on InuYasha's sleeve, moving it up to his forearm gently. "I want you to come back with me..."

"Why would you want to get yourself in trouble?" He stammered, attempting to cover uneasiness with irritation. Kagome's eyes narrowed and she gripped his arm tighter, using her strength to bring his face down to meet hers. Looking directly at him, she leveled him a steely glare.

"Stupid! Stop avoiding it and just come with me!" The Miko commanded resolutely. Eyes widening at her audacity, InuYasha was too shocked by her firm actions to pull away. "We've been through this once before. I know you're afraid! But you can't let that stop you from what you want to do… you want to come right?"

InuYasha gulped. "It doesn't matter if I want to or not…"

"It does!" She let go of his sleeve and he stood up to full height once more. "I don't care what they think. As long as I continue guarding this village and protecting it and the Shikon no Tama, I can be with whomever I want. And it's just too bad if they have a problem with it." Sighing in resignation, InuYasha let the smallest of half-smiles cross his lips.

"How the hell did you get to be such a powerful Miko anyway?" He inquired in an almost amused manner. Kagome put her hands on her hips and gave him a sheepish grin, as if she was oddly flattered by his comment.

"Lots and lots of training, and… patience, which is something you're somehow able to make me lose."

"Keh!" Pausing for a moment he placed his arms in his sleeves and looked down, lowering his voice and proceeding in hardly more than a whisper. "I just… didn't think there could be Miko like you…"

"Like me?"

"Hmph, any other Miko would have gone after me on sight."

"Well then," Kagome reached up her hand and placed it assuredly on his shoulder. "They're not doing their job right." Grabbing his arm she began to venture forward. "Now come on InuYasha… but after we eat dinner I have to go check on Onigumo," she noted. The bandit she'd found half dead a week before was currently residing in the small cave under said cliff, where Kagome went to give him food and water as well as to tend to his wounds in the morning and the evening.

Her kindness still very overwhelming to him, InuYasha found himself just nodding wordlessly and following along… following her, like he had been since he first encountered her, but now into very unfamiliar territory.

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A small part of Kagome did idly speculate if inviting InuYasha was the best idea once they'd entered the village. Holding her head up proudly, she ignored the stares and hushed whispers the Hanyou received. But she knew InuYasha couldn't. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his frightened expression, his paled complexion, and the fact that his fists were clenched so tightly, that she wondered if his claws were piercing the palms of his hands. Was I so intent on proving that I didn't mind that I forgot how much it would scare him to do this? Taking a deep breath, she made a decision. "Neh InuYasha?" Snapping his head up he looked at her.

"Huh?"

"I… well if you want, you can leave… I'm sorry," Kagome murmured with regret.

"You… you want me to leave?" The Hanyou reiterated, hurt clear in his voice. Gesturing wildly, Kagome shook her head.

"No, no not at all InuYasha! I don't want you to leave… I just, you seem scared and …"

"You're right," he interrupted.

"What?"

"I gotta stop running, huh?" InuYasha glanced up at the now starlit sky. "I have to keep going because if I keep avoiding stuff…"

"You'll be alone for the rest of your life you idiot," Kagome reached over and tentatively linked her arm with his, eyes widening when she realized that they were still in the sights of the villagers. Embarrassed, and although she berated herself for it, deep down somewhat subconscious of their feelings despite her acceptance of the half youkai boy, she moved to pull away.

However, InuYasha halted her movement, holding her arm in place with his free hand. In surprise, she let her arm go lax linked with his once more.

"Yah, I will be," he muttered. Kagome blinked in surprise.

"As long as you let me, I won't let you be alone."

"You…you really mean that don't you?" The boy glanced to her, for once unable to scowl.

"Of course I do," Kagome's eyes met with his, "Just trust me." Startled, InuYasha broke his gaze away from the Miko's.

Trust… Have I ever done that before? The word slipped into his thoughts as if it were a foreign concept. What the hell does it mean to trust anyway? To believe in… He suspended his thoughts and gave the girl in question a fleeting look. She returned it, all smiles and acceptance despite the whispers that surrounded them. As they came upon the fire-lit hut Kagome and her sister shared and called home, InuYasha picked up on his train of thought, somewhat in awe of it. To believe in Kagome… why do I feel like… I can?

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