Disclaimer: Apart from merchandise with his logo, I do not own Inu-Yasha.

Author's Note: After finding myself hooked on them, I've decided to start my own little ficlet corner (600 words or less in each installment) for my baby ideas that I don't have time to nurse into full blown plot lines. They will have no rhyme or reason or order- some may be AU, others not. I just felt like this would be fun to try.

Please enjoy!

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"SOLITAIRE"

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Life, he decided, was quite a bit like solitaire. One had to concentrate to do well. No sudden moves, either- lest you miss a better play by jumping to conclusions and rushing into rash action. Strategies must be acquired and used. Life's little players must learn to plan ahead, try to make the pieces fit together with your own power alone; working against the cards and fate.

Yes, life was a lot like solitaire.

No wonder he hated solitaire so much.

Sighing and looking up from his cards, Inutashio allowed himself a glance in her direction. She was so beautiful, even in a place as drab and dingy as this sticky old diner. Politely sharing a strawberry milkshake with that Takemaru idiot from class B, she unbound her yards of glossy locks- which brushed the floor even after being propped up on the plastic-padded bar stool. He unbuttoned the top snaps of his navy uniform, waggling an eyebrow suggestively. She obviously shot him down, but in a kind, playful, blushing fashion that only encouraged that fool.

. . . But like he should be talking about fools. He was the King of Fools. He must have been- he was loosing to Takemaru, wasn't he? And he was supposed to be the suave, handsome, influential jock of the two- the one that could sweep any member of the sweeter sex off their feet. That's what the rest of the school thought, anyway. So why couldn't he muster the courage to talk to the girl of his dreams?

Inutashio smiled slightly as her heart-warming giggled echoed through the student-packed café, watching her from the corner of his golden eye. Then he sighed, reshuffled his deck of worn cards, and hid his gaze with his curtain of silver hair.

'Iyazoi. . .'

As soon as he won- when he won- if he won. . . Won just one game of solitaire- he'd ask her out. 'Just one.' After all. . . If he could win at the card game, maybe. . . Just maybe. . . he could win at life- - - and with her- - - too.

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(Note: A lot of third movie references, so if you haven't seen it, here's a brief explanation- Inu no Tashio (which is usually shortened to Inutashio), is Inu-Yasha's dad, Iyazoi is his mother, and Takemaru is this guard that silently loved Iyazoi and tried to turn himself against her after Inu-Yasha was born. But he failed, even in death. I guess you have to see the movie, but I hope you liked this ficlet anyway!)