Chapter 31

"NO!" Kagome cried out.

A sickening crack rang out and blood spurted from the jock's nose as he was hit. Cries rang out, 'ooh's and 'aah's made their way from the thick ring around the six people as they watched the well known Jokku stumble back, blood running over his lips and down his chin as he raised a hand to touch his cheekbone. He stumbled, tripped, and fell backwards, his buddies rushing to his side.

"Oooh! My face! My cheek, my nose! I think you broke my cheekbone! You stupid hippie!" Jokku called out, shocked on the inside at the confrontation of the first boy in school who had stood up to him and won a fight against him.

Inuyasha crouched down, his kimono rustling slightly as he leaned forward and took a firm hold of the boy's shirt, bringing him closer so they could see eye to eye.

"What'd you call me?" He asked, daringly. This time, Jokku took the hint.

"N-Nothing!"

"Yeah, it was something alright!" Inuyasha snorted, his fist raising high again, readying for the final punch to take the jock out.

"Inuyasha-no! Sit!" Kagome cried just in the nick of time. Everybody watched as Inuyasha plowed to the ground. Was it even possible to trip like that? Kagome could only hope that the students surrounding wouldn't catch on.

"I think he gets the point!" She added, running to his side and taking hold of his shoulder, touching him gently as if to say sorry for using the command.

"I was helping you, by the way!" He informed her, mainly questioning her why she would do such a thing to him while he was trying to save her hide.

"You've proved your point, let's go! Please.." She pleaded, her eyes shining with concern and hurt.

"F…Fine, alright…" Inuyasha said, giving in as he turned back to Jokku for but a moment.

"Listen to me. Touch her again and see what happens. If I ever catch you near Kagome again, if you touch one hair on her head, It'll be your funeral." The hanyou threatened, straightening up and turning to leave the boy laying helplessly and foolishly on the ground.

"Damnit! Next time I just won't help you then!" He whispered when they had pushed through the tight circle of wide eyed students.

"Well, you almost killed the guy!" Kagome said, turning slightly to face him.

"That would have been the end of his tormenting you." Inuyasha defended.

"He wasn't tor-…Inuyasha, you just can't go around killing people in my era like you can yours. It's considered a crime and you can get in serious trouble!" Kagome told him, her face lined with worry. Where were all the teachers when that had happened?

"It would have been a death that benefited! He was bad, I take care of him, it's all good! That's what we do in my era, remember!"

"Well…it's just different, alright?"

"Whatever."

"Hey, Inuyasha?"

"What?"

"Thanks." She said, pushing aside his last statement

"Don't mention it. Hey. Did he hurt you?" The hanyou asked with a suddenly concerned gaze. His features twisted as soon as the expression gave way. He would never let her know how much he really did care.

"No. He always does that. I'm pretty used to it." Kagome replied, moving an inch away from Inuyasha. Knowing him, he wouldn't take her word for it.

"Show me. I want to see it." He demanded, his steps stopping short in the middle of the hallway.

"No, Inuyasha. We'll be late." The miko protested, stopping for only a moment to turn around and speak to him before trotting off to continue her route to class.

"Does it look like I care?" Inuyasha cracked, moving up behind her and taking her by the shoulder that Jokku had clenched in his grip.

"Ow!" Kagome exclaimed, giving it all away, her little white lie about it being fine and all.

"Heh. I barely touched you. He did hurt you." The hanyou concluded, leading her to on of the two walls on either side of them. He gently pulled down the part of her shirt that covered her shoulder to expose the pale skin underneath.

"I-Inuyasha?" He murmured his name, her heart pounding and a pink shade spreading over her cheeks as he touched her skin gently.

People whistled and stared as they passed, watching as Kagome let Inuyasha pull away more of her shirt to see the injury the bully had created.

"It's already starting to bruise." Inuyasha stated, more of to himself than anyone else.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha!" Kagome stated firmly, her voice wavering only slightly as she lied to his face. People were staring, watching, whispering, and pointing as her cheeks reddened even more and the urge to hold him, throw her arms around him and hold him close, strengthened.

'She's blushing. She's lying and changing right in front of me.' Inuyasha thought, his fingers moving across the swelling bruise on her shoulder. The feel of her soft skin was driving him insane.

Kagome didn't utter another word. Her jaw clenched. Was he trying to drive her over the edge with the way he touched her like that? It was working only too well. Her arms found their way around his neck in no time and her face buried into his chest.

"Kagome.." He murmured her name, blocking out the rest of the people around him. They didn't matter anymore. Only Kagome. She was the only person who mattered in this entire building.

The miko breathed slowly, letting in the empty feeling of the lack of Inuyasha's arms around her. Why wouldn't he hug her back? He almost always did. But this was only one of the very few embraces they were locked in. Wasn't he used to it? They never hugged after a long few days of not seeing each other. Simply a short smile or something of the sort. But when they did hug, he almost always wrapped his arms around her.

"Inuyasha?" She spoke his named questioningly.

"We should get you to your class." The hanyou suggested, his head hanging and his chin gently resting against the top of her head.

Why did she act so sad and unwanted? Didn't she knew how much he wanted to hold her right now. There was just something about the way she touched him, about the way the people stared at him as if he were some kind of hideous creatures about to rip the delicate mortal to shreds that forced his arms to stay at his sides.

Later, he promised, he would make it up to her.

"Yeah, I guess we should get going." She sighed back, her arms dropping quickly from around him, her eyes dark and solemn from her failed attempt at a sweet embrace.

Inuyasha nodded, a pale hand moving up to pull the miko's shirt back over her shoulder.

"Thanks...uhm...come on, I'll show you my next class." Kagome said, forcing her mind back into focus. She was in school, not in the feudal realm. She couldn't keep thinking about Inuyasha, about how her friends were doing or about how they were ever going to defeat Naraku. But now that Inuyasha was here, in the one place she thought she was safe from him, her thoughts always lingered back to him and the life he had lured her into.

Inuyasha grunted. So far, the day had been eventful but now he was going to be dragged through some boring class? He didn't know if he'd be able to take it. Though he could always spice it up if he wanted to.

Slowly, Kagome could feel warm fingers slip through her own. A tiny gasp left her parted lips as she moved her gaze downward. Her eyes fixed on their intertwined fingers. This time Inuyasha had made the move. He had moved his hand into hers. He had shown her affection, sweet, loving affection for once. Who was this hanyou and what had they done to the inconsiderate jerk she knew?

"Don't flatter yourself…It's just so we don't get separated…" The hanyou grumbled, explaining his reason of holding her hand. It didn't convince her. Not by the least bit.

Suddenly, she wanted to admit it all. She wanted to confess every feeling for him that she had ever felt. Right then and there as she held his hand and walked through the crowded, empty in her mind, halls of a school that really didn't matter anymore.

..:-----.--.------:..

Sorry. This one got messed up. I had to delete it and reupload it.

That's not even a word, is it?

PSH!

Well. As I said before, I'll probably add another MirokuXSango paragraph or so. Ya think?

Just for all those MirokuxSango lovers out there. I will please ya soon enough!

And remember: REVIEWS! Just to let me know how much you loved/liked/disliked/hated my ff!

I think you know which one I prefer...

-sings- L.O.L.O.L.O.L.O.V.E!

Stay tuned for my next update!