Won third place in iyissekiwa's "Type" theme.

Title: The Eavesdropping Type
Words: 250
Pairings: Inuyasha/people who used to be Kikyou and possibly still are
Genre: Romance Wangst
Summary: Kagome always said she wanted a man who listened to her.

＊.X.＊

"Inuyasha...Inuyasha doesn't have a type," said Kagome at her most bitter. "He just falls in love with the same woman again and again." Then, in a whisper, almost as an afterthought, "And she isn't me."

Sometimes, Inuyasha thought ruefully, having such fantastic hearing was a curse. He knew enough already to know that some things he was better off not knowing.

"Wish I could hear what they were saying," Miroku said at his elbow.

"You don't."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "You can?"

"Nah. Just don't care what comes out of her empty little head."

"Huh. I thought you liked her. Or is it really just the Kikyou thing? She isn't—"

"You don't have to tell me." That had been it, after all. Seeing Kagome. Not hearing about Kikyou's death, not seeing or smelling her risen corpse. Seeing Kagome. Seeing Kikyou in Kagome, the scraps that were left, what had passed through the veil and everything that had been lost forever.

That was when Kikyou had died for him. That was when he first felt old.

And truth to be told, Kagome actually wasn't his type. Not enough of Kikyou in her, or maybe too much. Always demanding more from him than he had to give. Maybe he needed that, or he'd never give any of himself.

"I just wish if he didn't want me he'd set me free," Kagome said.

"Even death can't do that," Inuyasha grumbled. "Apparently."