Disclaimer: As we all know, Inuyasha is not mine.

wk: Yeahhh... Haha, sorry it took so long to update. Merry late Christmas, and Happy early New Year's!

Chapter Four
Experimentation

Kagome idly plucked at her short school skirt the next morning. She began to braid her hair back, frowning when she began to think about the deal that she had made with Inuyasha.

What on Earth had possessed her? Did she have a masochistic need?

They had, in short, agreed to go out for a week. Including hand-holding, hugging, walking each other to class… Kissing was up for possible options. Then again, Kagome thought, it wasn't too bad considering Inuyasha wasn't the type to hold her hand. Throw his arm around her, sure, but holding hands? It seemed too intimate.

But then again, the man had taken her first kiss quite splendidly. If that wasn't intimate…

Kagome was blushing. Angry, she tied the end of her braid, and nearly tore out a chunk of her own hair.

"Kagome! Souta! Breakfast!" Kagome's mother called from downstairs. Kagome sighed, picked up her book bag, and went downstairs.

"Good morning, Mama," Kagome said. Mrs. Higurashi looked at her daughter quizzically.

"Kagome? Dear? What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a social problem at school. I'll handle it."

"Kagome, are you being bullied?" Kagome's mother asked. Before Kagome could answer, Souta came in snickering.

"Why wouldn't she be bullied? She's ugly and not too bright."

"Why, you--!" Kagome snarled as she started after Souta. However, Mrs. Higurashi caught the back of Kagome's shirt and pulled her into a chair, while single-handedly catching the running Souta and depositing him in another chair.

"Here are some pancakes," Mrs. Higurashi stated calmly, putting the plates on the table.

"Thanks, Mama!" they both said before digging in, their animosities forgotten for the moment. Giving a satisfied smile, Mrs. Higurashi walked out of the kitchen into her own room, to resume unpacking.

When they were done eating, Kagome and Souta started down the stairs together. When they got to the bottom, Souta and Kagome were both floored to see Inuyasha there with his motorcycle.

"Come on Kagome! You don't want to be late, do you?" he asked. Souta pulled on Kagome's sleeve excitedly.

"Who's that, Sis? Oh, man, look at that motorcycle! That's so awesome!" Souta was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

Kagome ignored her little brother. "What are you doing here?" Kagome saw him blink behind the helmet.

"Here to take you to school… duh." Inuyasha patted the seat behind him. Before Souta could jump, Kagome grabbed the back of his shirt, very much like what Mrs. Higurashi did that morning, and hauled him off the side.

"All right, Squirt. Off to school with you. No! No arguments. I'll tell you who that is later. I'll even ask him if he'll give you a ride. But if he says no, it's no! Now, go to school!" With the possibility of riding the motorcycle, Souta dashed off to school, now more eager to tell his friends what he might be doing in the future.

Kagome walked back to Inuyasha, taking a helmet and getting on behind him. "So why are you picking me up?"

"Um… Why are you asking such an obvious question? Hello, we're going out, stupid!" Inuyasha said. Kagome stiffened behind him.

"Well, I was just making sure!" she shouted as he revved up the engine and sped off down the street.

The rest of the ride to school was silent, mostly because nothing could be really heard if they spoke anyway. Not over the wind and the engine rumbling underneath them.

Inuyasha parked, and took Kagome's helmet. When he turned back to her, he burst into laughter.

"What?" Kagome asked. When he did not answer and continued to laugh, she became disgruntled. When she began to walk away, she heard him wheeze, "Wait…!" So she turned back around and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Haha… You just… Helmet hair." Inuyasha said in between laughs. Kagome yelped and put her hands over her hair, trying to straighten it with her fingers. Great, now she was going to have to take out her braid to straighten it out.

"If you'll excuse me," Kagome hissed as she walked into the school, Inuyasha's laughter trailing behind her.

People stared at her as she passed by, as if she was some sort of wild beast that had been unleashed. When she got to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, she understood why.

"Oh dear," she muttered, taking out her braid. Since she didn't have a brush, she just used her fingers, ignoring the murmurs around her as girls entered and exited.

When she was sure her hair was back to normal, she braided it again and left. Inuyasha was right outside, fending off girls as he leaned against the lockers, waiting for her. Kagome strode straight through the melee, reaching Inuyasha. So what if she had to push aside some of the girls? Force was necessary, it seemed, when it came to the hanyou. Besides, she was allowed to do that now. She was his girlfriend.

"You fixed it," Inuyasha stated, and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Way to state the obvious," she said, and Inuyasha scowled. "Did you bring my book bag? I forgot it on your bike, and—"

Inuyasha indicated to the floor at his feet, and Kagome saw her book bag sitting there. She stooped to retrieve it, and without waiting for him, began to walk to her locker.

"Oy! Where are you goin'?" Inuyasha asked, a little peeved.

"To… the locker?" Kagome said, as if asking him if it was okay. Inuyasha rolled his eyes this time, and followed her. Other girls watched murderously. To outsiders, it seemed as if Inuyasha was lovesick and was following Kagome like a lost puppy. And of course, it also seemed as if Kagome was kicking the lost puppy, trying to make it go away. Fierce, killing glares ensued.

When Kagome arrived at her locker, Inuyasha just waited next to her. Kagome shut her locker door, sighing.

"Listen, are you just going to follow me around? Because that's not much of a relationship."

"Well, let me tell you right now, I'm just following your lead," Inuyasha said. "You were the one to walk away every time. You're the one not saying a word to me. You're the one that's acting like a bitch right now." The last wasn't said vehemently. It was said more like a fact.

That didn't change Kagome's indignity. "Excuse me?" she squeaked.

"Well, isn't it true? I don't know if you're just in a bad mood today, but sheesh. I think I liked it better when we were pretending and you would bite my head off for nothing."

Kagome was speechless.

"Well, find another unwilling girl then!" Kagome hit the locker with her fist, and although it hurt, she refused to show pain to him. She started to walk away, but Inuyasha grabbed her hand.

"This is a deal!" he snarled. "That means you were also willing to jump into this, stupid bitch! Don't make it seem like you're always the helpless victim! You made that compromise with me yesterday, which means you came into this with your eyes wide open!" People were staring at the both of them.

Kagome, breathing hard, felt the truth of his words. Why was she being so moody? Relaxing and calming, she sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just really close to my period or something." Inuyasha blinked.

"Okay, I didn't need to know that." He let go of her hand, and immediately, a mistaken girl attached herself to his arm.

"Inuyasha-kun," she purred. "If this girl isn't enough to satisfy you, I think I—"

"What the fuck are you going on about? This is my girlfriend, idiot. Get off of me!" Inuyasha shook the girl off, frowning. The girl scampered away like a wounded deer.

"You don't have to be so harsh," Kagome murmured. Inuyasha shook his head, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the hall. "Where are we going? Class is going to—"

"Just outside into the courtyard. Class isn't going to start for another ten minutes and you know it."

Kagome lengthened her strides to try to keep up with him. When they were outside, he stopped so abruptly that Kagome ran into his back. Rubbing her aching nose, she stepped away from him, noticing then that he still had a hold on her hand. Was he the hand-holding type?

"I have to be harsh," Inuyasha said. Kagome blinked. Then she remembered what she had said, and looked at him quizzically. "If I'm nice, then they'll read too much into it." He rolled his eyes. "You females… Honestly. Impossible to deal with."

"And what are men? The perfect creations?" Kagome retorted. Inuyasha didn't reply. There were kids walking in, giving them a wide berth. As more girls passed by, Kagome sighed.

"Sorry," Inuyasha muttered. Kagome started.

"What? For what?"

"I know what the other girls say about you. I know how they look at you." Inuyasha gave her a contemplative look out of the corner of his eye. "I can have that taken care of, if you want."

"Taken… care of?"

"Yeah. Rough someone up enough, and they'll all shut up." Kagome gave him a startled, horrified look. He cringed at that look.

"What? You would beat up a girl?" Kagome asked.

"Keh. It's not like all girls can't defend themselves." At her persistent look, he sighed. "No. I don't hit girls. Goes against my code."

"You have a code? Like… A code of honor kind of deal?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha grunted as an answer. "Wait… Back to the original topic. How would you beat up a girl if you don't touch girls?"

"I don't. Sango on the other hand…"

"She would do that?" Kagome asked, surprised. Inuyasha gave her an odd look.

"Of course. If she even knew what some of these girls were saying about you, she would go after them personally. That's why no one really says anything when Sango's around."

"Wow. And here I was, thinking it was because they were jealous of her. Since she knows the mighty Inuyasha and all," she teased. Inuyasha raised a brow at that.

"You think I'm mighty?"

Kagome snorted. "Please. Don't think too highly of yourself. I was, apparently, saying with a great deal of sarcasm." Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at her.

"I think you think I'm mighty."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I think someone needs to come off of their high horse."

"Well, it's time for you to get to class missy. You've got a few minutes," Inuyasha yelled after her when she shrieked and began to run inside. Kagome's response was just to throw a dirty look back at his grinning face. She stopped when she got to the doors.

"Aren't you going to class?" she asked. Inuyasha tucked his hands into his pockets, and gave an innocent whistle before shaking his head. Kagome growled, but yanked the door open and went in without protest. When she got to her class and sat down, her phone (or Inuyasha's phone—he still hadn't taken it back) began to vibrate. She quickly pulled it out and looked at it. Inuyasha had sent her a text message.

"Do you want me to pick you up after school?" Kagome quickly wrote back. "No. Now leave me alone." She had no idea of knowing, but had a suspicion that he would receive this text with a knowing grin.

She groaned when her math teacher snatched up the cell phone.

"Your boyfriend, hm? Well, well. I am disappointed. Girls these days just don't know how to control themselves." Kagome began to grow red in the face from anger and embarrassment. The other girls in the class were snickering, pointing and whispering. Kagome bitterly thought that the math teacher didn't go after them. When she swiveled her head a little, she sought the comfort of Hojo, but oddly enough, he was looking away from her.

Dammit. She was utterly alone in this class with the devil. She sighed as the teacher turned off her phone and threw it back at her.

"Don't let me see it again, Miss Higurashi, or it is mine."

"Yes, ma'am," she said in a dull, robotic voice. The teacher sniffed disdainfully before starting her lecture. Kagome almost wished she had skipped school with Inuyasha.

"Three of a kind. That beats your two pair. Pay up." Inuyasha groaned as he handed his money over to Bear. Bear was the adolescent that Kagome thought would tear into a bull with his bare hands—and succeed in eating it.

Bear guffawed, but before he could rake up the money, Miroku stopped him.

"Nuh-uh… Not too fast there, Bear. Lookie what I have!" Miroku crowed, slapping down his cards. He had a flush.

"Dammit!" Bear roared.

They were, at the moment, playing poker in the basement of Miroku's house. His folks were never around. Some of the rest of the gang was there, smoking, watching TV, or just simply sleeping.

Inuyasha's phone, perched on top of the table, started to ring. When he glanced at it, he grimaced.

"Who is it?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha didn't answer, opting to answer the phone instead.

"I told you not to call me anymore," Inuyasha said curtly. The guys that were playing poker eagerly listened in on the conversation.

"I know, baby, but—"

"Lilly, you're an awesome girl, but honestly. Do you really have to act so pathetic? Go find another man, sweetheart. I'm not it for you anymore."

"Hell, I'll take his place!" Miroku quipped, and laughed. Inuyasha only rolled his eyes.

"I don't know how many times I can tell you girls. I have a girlfriend now."

"Yes. I know. The new girl. Kagome." Her name was spat out with venom. Inuyasha bristled at the tone.

"If I hear that any of your friends or someone else touched her, I'll make sure you regret it," Inuyasha said before hanging up. "Stupid bitches. Can't stand them," he murmured.

"Damn, Inuyasha," Bear rumbled in his naturally low voice. "You serious about your girl now? I thought it was just to get on Onigumo's nerves."

"It is." Inuyasha huffed indignantly. He was emotionless, dammit! He was not one of those guys that became obsessed with their supposed "soul mates." No, he was much smarter than that. Kagome, as attractive and interesting as she was, held no other interest for him, other than to get back at Onigumo.

Damn it all if he wasn't just convincing himself.

"I have to convince everyone I'm going out with her for real, if I want Onigumo to believe it," Inuyasha defended himself hotly. He pushed a nagging feeling away, leaving it to fester at the pit of his stomach.

"But that kiss with her was pretty hotboss," one of the others on the couches said. Inuyasha growled at him, effectively shutting him up.

"So if you're not really interested in her, and you're going to break up with her… Can I try to get with her?" Another boy asked.

"Like I care," Inuyasha said, his jaw snapping shut with a click. His upper lip was lifted partially to show a fang in disdain.

"Awesome…!" The boy said, returning to his video game.

Miroku watched Inuyasha, and Inuyasha's brow twitched. "What?" he snapped at Miroku. Miroku merely gave a knowing smile, sitting back and taking the deck of cards to shuffle it. As the sounds of cards shuffling filled Inuyasha's ears, he growled when Miroku continued to just smile serenely.

"Let's just finish off this game. Then I'm out."

"Where you goin', boss-man?" a boy on the couch asked blearily, having just woken up from his nap. Inuyasha checked his watch. It was almost the time when school went out. By the time he got there, he might be able to catch Kagome, or he would have to go to her house to meet her there.

"Nowhere," Inuyasha snapped.

"He's going to see his girlfriend. He likes her." Miroku chuckled behind his two cards.

"Miroku, if you don't want to die, shut your hole," Inuyasha warned. Miroku only shrugged, unconcerned.

The rest of the game was played out in silence, and to Inuyasha's disgust, he ended up losing more money than gaining it. "I swear, I know you're cheating. And one of these days, I'm going to catch you," Inuyasha said, pulling on his school jacket as he stood.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Miroku said innocently as he raked in the money with his hands.

"I don't like this game anymore," Bear said seriously, pouting at his lack of money. "I'm broke now."

"Ditto," Inuyasha muttered. Oh well. It wasn't as if he didn't have a steady flow of cash.

Inuyasha began to go up the stairs of the basement when a couple of the guys rose to their feet. Inuyasha paused on the steps. "Where are you guys goin'?"

"Uh… To follow you, boss." They all looked at him expectantly, since they usually followed him around everywhere anyways. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Nah. I don't need anyone today."

"But… But boss! What if someone attacks you?" one of them asked, concern in his voice. Inuyasha felt pride that his group was so loyal.

"Keh. I can handle any asses. You know that." Inuyasha continued his way up the stairs, ignoring the bewildered stares boring into his back.

"And that, my boys," Miroku said softly, putting the cards away, "is what we call an infatuation."

Kagome sighed as the bell rang. "Ah! Time to go home!" Sango said beside her, stretching her arms above her head.

Kagome grinned at her friend, nodding. "Yep. Say, do you want to come over to my house?" Sango seemed a little taken aback by the offer, but grinned.

"Yeah, sure! Just let me call my parents and tell them where I'm heading."

"Okay!" Kagome and Sango chatted on the way to the lockers, separating briefly to their respective lockers.

When Kagome put her books away and retrieved the ones she needed, she closed the locker door and jumped nearly three feet in the air and shrieked.

"K-Kouga?" Kagome looked around hesitantly, as if they were meeting in secret. "What are you doing here?"

Kouga smiled at her, touching her face and pretending not to notice when she flinched away.

"Well, I tried calling the number you gave me, but seems like you gave me the wrong number." Kagome blinked. Did she? She must have given him her old number by accident.

"Oh… Sorry. I just recently moved here so I probably—"

"It's all right, baby. So, where you goin'?" Kouga asked, leaning against the lockers. Kagome began to walk away, wondering where Sango was. They had decided to meet each other in front of school before going to the subway, but Kagome wanted someone to save her now. Crap, this was her own doing, too.

"Um… Home?" Kagome said, as if stating the obvious. "Listen, Kouga… The guy I was with that day is my boyfriend, and I tried to give you my number to—"

"Yes, I know." Kouga gave her a bemused look, as if he saw right through her acts. Kagome refrained from rolling her eyes. "You wanted to get away from him desperately, and found me to be perfect for that."

Kagome sighed. "Well, yeah, at the time, but—"

"Well, honey, he's got nothing on me. I'll treat you like a queen—"

"Listen, Kouga!" Kagome yelled, becoming incensed. "I'm not interested! That was just to piss Inuyasha off! So, if you don't mind…!" Kagome walked off, leaving him stunned behind her. Feeling bad, she hesitated when she reached the doors. She shouldn't have.

"Kagome, I'll make you feel for me as I do for you," Kouga said from right behind her. She jumped again, not knowing how he managed to catch up to her so quickly.

"Kouga, we just met like… a few days ago," Kagome stated exasperatedly.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Kouga asked. Kagome shook her head firmly.

"No. No I don't. So please. Before Inuyasha hears about this, I suggest you leave me alone," Kagome said sternly. She walked outside, but Kouga followed, begging for a chance. Sango was waiting outside on the steps.

"Hey, Kagome! Where… Who is this?" Sango asked, looking Kouga up and down. Kouga sniffed haughtily at her.

"I am Kagome's new boyfriend." Sango gaped at him, and Kagome groaned. A few of the girls around her gasped and quickly fled the scene, most likely to spread that particular rumor around. Great. Just great.

Kagome turned around to face him. "You are not my damn boyfriend!" Kagome punctuated each word with a stab of her finger. "I don't like you! I don't care for you! So please! Go away!" Kagome said as loudly as possible. Of course, this still wouldn't be a part of the rumor. How she resisted his statement would never get through to other people's stubborn heads.

Sango watched the scene, amused, as Kouga begged Kagome for "a second chance." However, her expression turned serious as Kouga grabbed Kagome's shoulders to face him.

"Kouga, let go! Geez, I never knew how psychotic you were!" Kagome yelled, trying to fight off his hands.

Sango tried to pry the wolf-demon's fingers from Kagome's shoulders, but they only tightened, to Kagome's pain. Kouga didn't notice that his own claws were starting to dig into Kagome's flesh.

"Kagome, listen! I never felt this way about anyone before! Just please! Give me a chance, and I'll prove it to you!"

Before Kagome could form a scathing response, Kouga was suddenly far away from her. On the ground. His nose was bleeding.

"What the fuck?" Kouga spat out, rising from his prone position on the ground. Inuyasha was in front of Kagome, growling.

"Keep your dirty, shitty hands away from her!" Inuyasha snarled. Sango was comforting Kagome, keeping a supporting hand on her shoulder.

"You're just a fucking half-breed. Get out of my way," Kouga said vindictively, moving to get past Inuyasha. Inuyasha tensed, his fist rising again.

"Come one step closer, and I will rip your fucking throat out," Inuyasha growled so lowly that the girls barely heard it. Kouga, with his wolf hearing, however, caught every word.

"Hah! As if you could do anything to me. You would have to catch me, first!" Kouga was about to move when a new arrival stopped them all cold.

"What is the meaning of this?" It was a teacher, a briefcase in hand and staring at the bloody mess of Kouga's nose. Kouga immediately milked it.

"Sensei! I'm sorry, this isn't even my school, but I was just trying to talk to my girlfriend when this jealous—"

"She's my girlfriend, you psychotic shit-eating—"

"That is enough, Mr. Takahashi!" The teacher looked at the young girl standing behind Inuyasha, her eyes wide with bewilderment.

"I'm Inuyasha's girlfriend, ma'am," she spoke up, if just to help Inuyasha. "This boy… Kouga, I believe, was harassing me, and Inuyasha was just trying to help. It won't happen again, as long as Mr. Kouga learns to keep his distance from me."

The teacher silently contemplated the girl. She seemed sincere enough, and the teacher's sharp eyes didn't miss the torn sleeves. Those were definitely claw marks.

"Next time, don't hesitate to call for a member of the faculty. We will be sure to set the young man straight. Mr. Kouga, I believe this is your cue to leave, and Mr. Takahashi, make sure your girlfriend is all right. Now, I believe it is after school hours and you kids should be going home."

"Yes, ma'am," all four said, before trudging off into separate directions. Mrs. Kakashi did not miss the longing look Kouga threw Kagome before running off into the opposite direction. She sighed, trudging down the steps herself. She had papers to grade and sitcoms to watch. If she missed her favorite show, she would be very upset.

wk: Yay! Kouga's appeared, and what's this? The battles for Kagome have begun!

That was fun. Sorry that chapter was so short.

OH, and this whole thing where they don't allow me to respond to my reviewers...

COMPLETE HOGWASH. But, since I don't want my account to be deleted... (Sighs) What to do? (Whispers) Thanks to everyone who reviewed! See you next chapter!