Hello my lovelies! It has been far too long! LoL. Yeah, if some of you are a little concerned about how this story seems a bit slow, that's just because I need to build up the tension before the actual plotline kicks into action. The last chapter was sort of an interlude from when they were kids and best friends and all that jazz...and plus the bow and arrow come into effect later on. In this chapter, they fight a lot, but that's just cause they're dealing with feelings inside that they don't know what to make of. Ever have that problem? I know I do. This chapter is short, but the next chapter will be long, because that will be the festival etc. Okie dokie, read and review n stuff.

Chapter Three

Mediocrity

"Wake up, stupid," Inuyasha whispered, nudging the sleeping Kagome with the back of his hand, "You're sleeping in a tree."

Kagome's deep brown eyes flickered open. "Huh?"

"You're in a tree."

Kagome's face took on a pained look and she nodded.

The eighteen-year-old boy in front of her crossed his arms and gave her a look that demanded an explanation. Inuyasha, over the years, had grown tall and muscular, with tanned skin and the same silver hair and golden eyes he'd always had. Kagome refused to admit it, but sometimes the way he looked at her made her heart thump loudly in her chest, which she wasn't used to.

"Koga," she said simply, hugging her knees.

Inuyasha's face darkened. "He's been bothering you again?" Koga was the self-proclaimed 'tough guy' of the village, and particularly delighted in tormenting poor, weak, different Kagome.

Kagome nodded and brushed a strand of long black hair from her face. "He took my favorite sash this time." Sure enough, her outer kimono hung loosely, showing the pure white inner robe underneath. Her body was thin and wiry, and her skin lightly tanned and even.

"What!" Inuyasha's face reddened with fury, and more than a small amount of embarrassment.

"I should have let you know where I was. I'm sorry if I worried you," Kagome said, a weak smile on her face.

"Koga messed with you like that!" said Inuyasha, "I'll kick his mangy ass!" He turned to run back toward the village to beat the hell out of the bully, but a hand over his wrist stopped him.

Kagome stood up and shook her head. "I don't want any trouble on my account. Please, just drop it."

"Drop it! Like hell I will!" Inuyasha growled.

The fifteen-year-old girl glared at him. "If you're going to snap at me, then you're just as bad as Koga! Go away." She turned away in a huff.

Inuyasha looked at her blankly, then, comprehending finally what she'd said, snarled. "I am NOT just as bad as Koga and I will NOT go away! Besides, you're supposed to be in the village! You're so much trouble to deal with sometimes!"

Kagome said nothing, but pushed past him and ran into the gates, tears of fury springing to her eyes.

Sixteen-year-old Koga leaned back on his elbows and grinned. His cronies sat nearby, snickering at the hilarity of the scheme he'd just come up with to humiliate the black-haired weakling girl.

"This is gonna be great!" said one of them, picking his nose with a long finger, "I can't wait to see the look on her face when we put the—"

"Shut up!" Koga snapped, blue eyes darting left and right, his smile turning to a scowl, "If anyone hears us, it'll get around to Sesshomaru and that stupid little whelp of a half-breed, and then we'll be on sentry duty for a week! They treat that little human girl like their pet or something!"

"Yeah," said the nose-picker to the guy sitting next to him, "and they treat her like their pet or something."

Koga put a hand over his eyes and sighed.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha called, banging on her door with a fist, "Open the door!"

Kagome looked up angrily. "Go away! I don't want to talk to you!"

Inuyasha growled. "Open the damn door! Or I'll break it down!"

And then Kagome grew tired of the racket he was causing, rolled off her bed, and went to the door to open it.

Inuyasha stormed in, obviously ticked at having to bang on her door for five minutes straight.

"Whether you like it or not, you have to do what I tell you! I'm responsible for you!"

Kagome smirked. "Sure. You're only three years older than me, so quit acting like you're so high and mighty, you butthead!"

"Butthead! You can't think of any better insult!" Inuyasha snapped, avoiding her comment.

Kagome glared at him for a moment before plopping down on the bed, facing away from him. "Go away! You never let me solve anything for myself!"

"What are you talking about! Is that why you're mad?" He grabbed her hand. She blushed, but avoided his eyes, her face set stubbornly.

"Fine!" Inuyasha snapped, throwing her arm down and getting up to leave, "Forget it!"

He flung open the door and was about to walk out when Kagome sat up.

"Wait," she said softly, "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha turned and smirked at her. "Whatever."

"I think what's really bothering me is that you treat me like a little kid still. I'm fourteen years old. I can solve stuff on my own now."

Inuyasha scowled. "Then explain why Koga keeps picking on you. Why haven't you solved that by now, if you're so capable?"

"Koga's just in love with me."

Inuyasha choked on a breath of air. "What!"

"Yeah. I know all about it. Ayame told me. She sounded kinda jealous, actually. I mean, I'll be marrying age in a year, right?" Kagome grinned, her eyes sparkling.

Inuyasha blinked. Marrying age. The words sounded almost foreign. He was going to have to tell her somehow soon…

"Kagome…" he trailed off, sitting down next to her again. Should I tell her there are other humans she can marry? That's out of the question. She'd leave me! And then I couldn't ever live with myself, because I'd never have told her I love her.

"Yeah?" she asked, eyes softening when they met his. Her hand came to rest on top of his, and both faces reddened slightly as she pulled it away quickly.

"It's getting late," he said finally, standing up, "You better get ready for tonight."

Kagome looked at him, confused. "What's happening tonight?"

Inuyasha stared at her. "The festival!" he said emphatically, "The one you've been gushing about for weeks?"

"Shit!" she swore, jumping up and running to her mirror, frantically pulling leaves and flowers out of her long black curls.

Inuyasha smirked. "Meet me outside when you finish."

He left the room.

How did everyone like the nose-picking dude in Koga's gang? I dunno what the hell he was supposed to be, that was just me being stupid, but if you guys kinda like his stupidity, let me know and I'll give him a name and a spot in the story for comic relief.

Next chapter will have the festival and also quite a bit of InuKag fluff! I know I'm going to enjoy it!

Review or Kagome ends up with the nose-picker!