A/N: I apologize for updating so late! I've been in the hospital lately due to some serious health issues that have suddenly popped up. As an apology for my absence, I wrote way more; in fact, this chapter is double the regular size of chapters.

On another note, thank you guys so much for all of the positive feedback! It makes me so happy to know that you guys like this fic and already find it interesting! Please keep the flow of communication open. I positively love to hear from you all!

Advertising: If you haven't already, please check out my other ongoing Kagome/Kurama fanfictions (Intertwined, Crisis, and Barter) as well as my completed one-shot, Leaves from the Vine.

Title: Cerulean

Summary: The dark-haired woman easily piqued Kurama's curiosity. It wasn't often that a being of such power was able to run freely or able to command such respect from Koenma without even asking for it. And try as Koenma might to dissuade his interest, Kurama wasn't going to back down until he learned everything about her; it wasn't often that something called to his kitsune side.

Style: 500 – 1500 word drabbles.

Five: Oddly Shy

"We can go back to my apartment," Kurama had offered, unable to help himself or the curiosity that was burning inside him.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Do you make it a habit of offering acquaintances a stay? One might think that you're interested."

"Maybe, I am," Kurama purred, molten emeralds trained on her cerulean orbs. At the lovely pink that dusted her cheeks, Kurama almost had to stop his gentlemanly sensibilities from backtracking his youkai ones.

Oh no, Youko laughed. That was all you.

Kagome's laughter, thankfully, rang in his ears, beautiful in its answer. "Quite the kitsune you are."

And, for some reason that Kurama couldn't tell, Kagome had agreed to come to clean up and treat her wounds before going on her own way, which is how they found himself standing on the balcony next to the stairs to enter his apartment room.

His balcony was covered with different types of flora and vegetation that were carefully place in pots, though some more rebellious vines had come to find their homes intertwined with the railing at the edge of the balcony.

"The plants love you very much," she said, causing him to turn to her in surprise. He was met with a radiant smile, lips curled to show her teeth.

The way that she rubbed the back of her neck to hide her embarrassment reminded him of Yusuke, but her silky smooth voice shattered that illusion as it made his body heat.

It had been too long since he had truly been attracted to a woman and the last thing that he wanted was to think of the tantei every time he saw her.

"What do you mean?" he found himself answer.

"It's so interesting."

Her fingers trailed over the petals of the flower as she spoke and Kurama watched mesmerized as the leaves and petals strained forward, trying to lean out of the pot to caress and kiss her fingertips.

Not noticing, Kagome continued, "It's just amazing how much they perked up when you walked in. They love you very much."

Something warmed in him as he heard her peculiar words. She was talking about the plants if they were alive, something that he had only heard himself do.

"And I love them as well," he found himself saying, only to want to cough with mortification at how ridiculous that must sound to a ningen.

"I think that it's very sweet," she told him, having noticed his pause of embarrassment.

Trying to ignore the sudden shyness that was flitting through him, his cheeks oddly heated, Kurama fished out his key out of his pocket, fitted it in the lock, and turned as he pushed the door open.

"I recognize that this is a bit forward, but you may take a shower, if you would like. I know how horrid it is to be covered in youkai blood," Kurama offered, noticing how she was picking at her clothes uncomfortably, as he stepped aside to let her in the hall. "I can put your clothes in the wash, if you want. It won't take long."

"Do you have detergent strong enough to get out the blood?" Kagome raised an eyebrow, curiosity and good humor sparking in her gaze.

Kurama laughed. "I learned that the hard way, myself. Because of my line of work, I'm now stocked up on it."

"Arigatou, Kurama," Kagome smiled, her eyes gleaming happily with the promise of a hot shower. "You're very kind, and I would absolutely love to take advantage of your shower and your washer."

"My bedroom in is the first door on the left," he told her, removing his shoes and putting them beside the door. "The shower is the only other door in there. And the first-aid kit is in the closet in the bathroom."

"Arigatou," Kagome said, more quietly this time as she made her way to where he directed, careful of getting her bloody soles on his carpet. He had tried earlier to offer to carry her but she had stubbornly refused that and his other offer to let her wear his shoes.

"I left my clothes on the bed!" she called after a few seconds, and Kurama started slightly while placing his keys on the counter. It was odd hearing a distinctly feminine voice echo throughout what was normally his lonely apartment. The only other voices that were throughout the halls were his, Hiei's, and occasionally that of his human mother. Kurama had been careful not to get involved with any women due to his frequent disappearances thanks to his involvement in Reikai.

Gathering himself, Kurama walked down the hall, parting the bedroom door. Spying the neatly folded but blood-stained clothes on his bed, he collected the articles of clothing quickly.

He could hear the shifts and movements of fabric Kagome shuffling around the towels before she stepped under the onslaught of the shower, heaving breathy moans and relieved sighs as the jets of water soothed her abused muscles.

It was that moment that Kurama made sure to close the bedroom door, tightly behind him, so that he wouldn't have to hear the delicious sounds falling off her lips.

It's almost like she's doing it on purpose, Youko purred within him, already enticed as Kurama went to begin the laundry. Little minx.

Kurama stared pointedly at the repetitive circular movements of the clothes in the washing machine as it started, watching the rush of suds and colors as he attempted to not think about the ridiculously attractive woman in his shower and the way that he could already feel his body responding to it. He wasn't a hormonal teenager, for kami's sake—he had much more control than that.

After a few minutes, his ears pricked at the wet, ruffled sound of her drying off and the ching of his dresser as she pulled open the drawer and picked out a shirt to wear. He was about to make himself some coffee while he waited, since he had been forced to abandon his at the café, and wondered if she wanted some.

"Tell me more about yourself," Kagome suddenly murmured, when he came back in, resting her head on her arm, her hair spilling over the side of his mattress. She had chosen a long button white button down, that dwarfed her tiny body, but in the position that she was laying in, it unintentionally showed off her figure. Her feet were up, tapping from side to side in the air, revealing the cream of her thighs. Midnight hair was damp, free of the blood that had been leaking in it before, and wafted the smell of his shampoo to him. In fact, her entire body smelled cleanly of his body wash—it was abrupt mixture of her lotus scent and his forest that sent his head spinning.

Not noticing his staring, Kagome continued her chatter. "I'm afraid that all I know is what Koenma has told me. And that mainly consisted of me staying away from you and your group," she admitted wryly.

"You don't seem to listen very well," Kurama noted, unable to hide his smile as his focus once again righted on the woman before him.

"I never have," Kagome laughed, and he was very pleased to find that it wasn't the annoying high-pitched giggles that he had come to loathe in females thanks to his stints in high school.

"In fact, his words did nothing but make me curious. Then again, I don't listen to Koenma when he tells me not to do something half the time, anyhow." She waved her hand. "So..?"

"Well, I don't just randomly divulge my secrets to strangers," Kurama pointed out, amusement teasing his features.

Laughter once again lit her face. "You are a kitsune, that's for sure," she smiled. "What would you like in exchange?"

Kurama swallowed abruptly, making sure to look contemplative before turning away as quickly as possible.

"Let me think on it for a few minutes. I'll go make us coffee", he said before practically sprinting away from the tempting sight she made all sprawled out on his bed, hair rumpled from running hands through it, smelling of his scent, and dressed in his shirt. Some possessive instinct made him want to purr at the sight of her blatantly wearing his claim and relaxing in his territory.

His hands stilled on the sleekness of the machine, fingers paused from where he was about to pour in the beans.

Claim?

Was that why he was so drawn to Kagome? Because his youkai wanted to claim her?

Something told him that the fiery brunette wouldn't take too kindly to his thoughts. She seemed to be one to be against submission. And besides, Kurama wasn't truly a youkai that was fully in touch with his instincts and gave them chosen liberties.

Not to mention that his human sensibilities demanded that he at least get to know the female first. And from what he could already tell, she was an extraordinary woman, but they had only ran into each other three times. Not to say that he wasn't interested, because that would just be lying to himself, which Kurama rarely did.

As the coffee maker dinged and filled up the mug with steaming liquid, Kurama poured some creamer in it, stirring it lightly as he carried it back to his bedroom.

At the murmur of voices he heard coming from his bedroom, it was obvious that something wasn't right. Kagome's muffled voice was joined by another low, threatening tone that he had come to recognize.

Abandoning the cup on counter, Kurama threw his bedroom door open, only to be met with an surreal sight. Kagome was being pinned violently to the bed, hands tightening around her throat, and slight waves of electricity was rocking across her aura once more but it was obvious that she was attempting to calm it.

"Hiei, let her go!" Kurama hissed, his blood boiling in his veins.

I would have let go of her if I could, fox, Hiei's voice hissed through his mind.

"Everything is fine, Kurama. Your friend Hiei and I were just having a little chat. Weren't we Hiei?" Kagome breathed, eyes narrowed and darkening, her fingers dancing in the air beside her. Her hair was splayed out around her, like tendrils of ink against the snowy satin of his sheets.

His eyes focused on her fingers enough to see the shimmering wires glinting at him, skimming along the lines, he found them wrapped around Hiei's limbs and a particularly sharp bunch at his throat.

Hiei growled lowly in response. "Let me go."

"Ah, ah, ah, now how can I be sure that you won't attack me again, Mister?" Kagome raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed by the hands twitching around her neck. "You were almost too fast for me to catch. Who's to say that you won't kill me as soon as I let you go?"

Hiei bared his fangs at her, making an answering growl rip out of Kurama's throat, drawing two surprised gazes.

"Hiei, do not attack Kagome further. Kagome, please release Hiei so that I may speak to him."

With a twitch of her fingers, the razor strings around Hiei laxed before disappearing and the Forbidden was suddenly at Kurama's side, eyes darting warily between the dangerous woman on the bed and Kurama's obviously pissed off face.

"Fox, I—"

"Hallway."

"Tch." Without another word, the air ruffled as Hiei left, obviously not wanting to upset Kurama when he was so confusingly angered.

"I'll be right back, Kagome," Kurama smoothly said, trying to erase the traces of anger from his face as he spoke. "I'm sorry for Hiei's actions."

"It's certainly alright. I'm sure that Hiei-san doesn't make it a habit to attack every person he sees. He most likely had an understandable reason," Kagome said softly, smiling despite the fact that her hand had trailed up to massage her throat. "So, please don't be harsh."

Unwilling to agree with her statement, Kurama just turned around, closing the door behind him—but that didn't stop the calming aura that Kagome seemed to be purposefully radiating.

"Why on Earth did you attack Kagome?" Kurama hissed, eyes narrowed as he stared down expectantly at his friend. The koorime was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in his irritation, sword laid dormant at his side. If Hiei had truly wanted to kill Kagome, he would have used his sword, so Kurama knew that he hadn't acted completely blindly, but still the actions were uncharacteristic of his friend.

"I couldn't sense your energy," Hiei hissed defensively, his eyes darting away from Kurama.

"Her aura tends to blanket everything around it, Hiei. If you would have tried harder to sense me, you would have seen-"

You have a miko, of all things, in your bed, you idiot fox!

Kurama's eyes widened as he stared at Hiei incredulously. "…Miko?"

"Would you like to hear a story in exchange for a story, perhaps, Kurama?" The quietness of her footfalls had escaped his sensitive ears and as his and Hiei's eyes darted the door, they caught the brightness of her azure gaze. Her ripe chest heaved with each decidedly nervous breath. She was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, her hair cascading around her body like a curtain and long legs streaming from underneath his shirt.

And, though he wanted answers, Kurama suddenly had the overwhelming urge to push Hiei out of the window that they were standing next to first.

A/N: Being honest, I don't particularly like how this chapter turned out but *shrug* what do you guys think?

Now, I was also thinking about this being the perfect time for flashbacks, finally revealing why Kagome is so angry with Inuyasha even after all these years. Do you guys think I should go ahead and do the flashbacks? There might be a total of four or five and they would be updated one day after the other.

Please review with your response and feedback!

Thank you guys :D

-Eryn "Ninja" Silvenia