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Bundle of Joy

A blushing Kagome sat in front of the door to the boys change room with Mizuko snuggled within her arms. She felt embarrassed waiting for Inuyasha out here because she could hear everything that they were saying in there. Also, people had begun to notice that Kagome and Inuyasha were nearly inseparable and, without understanding the situation, jumped to the conclusions that they were going out despite her constant denials. So, as she sat there waiting, people walking by would make jokes ever so casually and embarrassing her further.

She also sat bored. Her discomfort at not having Inuyasha around had caused her to change at almost lightning speeds so she had been waiting for a reasonable amount of time. So had Mizuko, who had now fallen asleep. Kagome began to tap her feet impatiently, drowning out the sounds of boys talking about the hottest girls in school and why when something caught her ear.

"Inuyasha, what the hell is up with you and my woman?" Kouga snapped, "People are saying you two are going out!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "There is nothing between me and Ayame. I don't know which people are-"

"I meant you and Kagome," Kouga seethed.

"Oh," Inuyasha replied, "Then don't expect me to realize that you've confused reality with your delusions."

Kouga took in a deep angry breath. "Answer the damn question. Why the hell are you and Kagome together all the freaking time?"

Inuyasha gave Kouga a look. He sighed, "You know how Kikyo...died...recently...well it wasn't an accident. And the person who killed her is now targeting me and Kagome. So I'm protecting her," Inuyasha sighed again, "That's all it is."

Kagome felt her heart sink at his last words. That's all it is. Kagome sucked on her lip. I guess he'd die for just anyone wouldn't he? Or maybe we're...just...friends... Her mind echoed the words she had been repeating the entire day. Her mood dampened significantly.

"I've got one question for you, Taisho," Kouga replied haughtily, "Before I can accept you as my gir- fine, Kagome's- protector."

"Shoot," Inuyasha replied, "It's not like I care either way. I'm not asking for anyone's permission. I'm gonna protect her regardless of the rest of the world."

Kagome's eyes widened as her heart pounded. I'm gonna protect her regardless of the rest of the world. She twirled the words in her mind over and over. And she couldn't interpret them in any other way than a positive one. A smile spread across her blushing face. "He's gonna protect me regardless of the rest of the world. The rest of the world can't stop him from protecting me. He couldn't care less about the rest of the world. My safety is all that matters."

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Are you protecting Kagome because of Kagome or because of Kikyo?"

"What?" Inuyasha replied as Kagome's heart skipped a beat. She never factored that in as a possibility.

Kouga turned to him dead serious, "You heard me man. Are you protecting her because of Kikyo?"

"That doesn't even make sense," Inuyasha remarked, rather defensively which made the words he had ushered before turn into to poison in Kagome mind.

"I mean, are you only protecting her because you feel guilty for not protecting Kikyo? Is Kagome some sort of substitute for Kikyo? Are you trying to use Kagome to make yourself feel better about Kikyo? Are you using this as an opportunity ti make it up to Kikyo? To prove yourself capable of protecting someone so you no longer feel guilty about Kikyo's death? How many more ways can I say it man?" Kouga remarked.

"That's stupid," Inuyasha snapped, "And it wouldn't work. If I prove that I can protect someone that'd only make me feel worse about Kikyo. I mean, if I can save Kagome why couldn't I save Kikyo sorta thing. And of course, in a way, I'm protecting Kagome because of Kikyo. I don't want anyone else to die. I don't wanna lose any more people."

"So this has nothing to do with Kagome and everything to do with you?" Kouga replied.

Kagome felt herself hang onto every word as her heart sunk deeper into depression.

"That's not true," Inuyasha remarked rather curtly, "I'm protecting Kagome because of Kagome or else any girl would do. I care about Kagome so I am going to keep her safe so that I won't have to face the day where I can never see her again, not before I'm ready."

Kouga rose an eyebrow as a blush flooded onto Inuyasha's cheeks.

"S-she's important to me," Inuyasha continued, "I mean, when I decided to protect her, I didn't once think of Kikyo. Kagome is a very precious person to me and I don't ever want to see her like she was the night she first saw the murder. No Kikyos about it. Just Kagome."

Kagome felt her heart just begin to drown out the words but she could make them out. Her cheeks felt hot but her body burned with joy. I'm important to him. I'm precious to him. He cares about me.

"So you wanna protect your friend," Kouga began.

Inuyasha shook his head, "Not just my friend. She's my special person." He ignored the blush that had intensified with that sentence and keep his expression relatively solemn.

"So you are going out with my woman?" Kouga glared.

"No..." Inuyasha answered, "Kagome and I aren't a couple. Speaking of Kagome, she's probably waiting for me, fleabag!"

"Muttface! You keep your hands off of my woman!"

"Don't worry, I won't touch Ayame," Inuyasha opened the change room door. "Have you been waiting long?"

Kagome's face was red and hot but she shook her head. "N-not really."

"You got a fever?" Inuyasha asked concerned.

Kagome shook her head again. "N-not really."

Inuyasha smiled, "That's good."


Sorry for the...three day wait? Here's another double update...at least for the time being...I might go triple, have to even up those numbers!