MARK

It had been a full week since Inuyasha had bitten her. Kagome, a little self conscious after that, didn't know what to do. He had been so confused and horrified when he had done it that he had sent her home to study for her math test three weeks before it had to be taken. She didn't know what was what anymore and definitely couldn't keep her concentration on math. It just made it worse.
"Oh Inuyasha..." she muttered as she played with her calculator.
She felt bad for him. He didn't know what he did, and neither did she, but he looked so...horrified. Like he was mutating into a monster right in front of a mirror. She didn't understand then and she didn't understand now. And of course, he didn't want to talk about it.
"Kagome! You better hurry or you'll be late for school!" Mrs. Higurashi yelled up the stairs urgently and Kagome groaned. Just what she needed. Another thing to worry about. "Coming mom!" She yelled back as she dropped her calculator and picked up her bookbag.
When she reached the steps, she bounded down them two at a time before arriving in her living room. She then ran to the kitchen were her mother handed her a piece of toast, then ran out the door with a mumbled "Sayonnara!"

Her friends were waiting outside, giggling when she came out.
"What's so funny?" she snapped, her words muffled slightly since the toast was crammed in her mouth.
"You, that's what's funny!" Her friend with the yellow headband, Eri, gave Kagome one of her teasing smiles.
"And what's so funny about me?" Kagome said hotly as they walked down the many steps of her family's house.
"Oh nothing..." Harumi stated with a giggle.
"Kagome, are you alright? You seem really snappish lately..." Shizuko asked, her words thick with concern.
Kagome sighed. This was what she was definitely regretted. Placing two fingers on the bridge of her nose, where Inuyasha had bitten her gently, she rubbed while shaking her head.
"I'm fine, just really tired. I'm sorry about being snappish, it must be this headache..."
All three of her friends gasped. "Headache? Maybe you shouldn't come to school today, your sickness might return!"
Kagome turned red in anger. Grandpa...! She growled to herself dangerously. What did you say I had now, Gramps? Milaria? Or a curable form of Leprosy? I wouldn't be surprised! With a sharp intake of breath, which she let out in a deep sigh, she recollected herself and smiled at her friends.
"It's okay. That...er...sickness is gone. It's just a normal headache for once." Kagome took all her friends' relieved sighs to mean that they took her excuse.
I hate lying to them... She thought as they chattered amongst themselves. They were now at the schoolyard and, once through, the topic turned right back to what it normally always was. Boys. Kagome sighed again, but ignored the conversation.
"So did you see the butt on that guy?"
"Are you kidding? It was so delectable, I had trouble keeping my drool under control!"
At this point, all her thoughts turned back to Inuyasha. Instinctively, she pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose and gently rubbed. The small red marks of his fangs were gone, but she still couldn't help touching it. It was just so strange that Inuyasha had done something like that. Sitting with her friends on the stairs of the school, she accidentally ignored them until Eri tapped her head.
"Hey! Are you even listening?"
"Huh?" Kagome asked as she snapped out of her revere.
"I asked how it was going with your two-timing boyfriend!" Eri huffed, tapping her head lightly again. "You seem a little down and I was wondering if that's what was wrong."
Kagome murmured something without even thinking, her voice slightly accusing. "He bit me." She then covered her mouth when her friends collectively gasped.
"He bit you?" Shizuko asked as her jaw dropped almost comically.
And Kagome would have laughed if she wasn't so horrified that she had said that. "That's not what I meant! I meant it metaphorically!" she said quickly to cover up what she said.
"Metaphorically my shoe, Kagome! You meant it, didn't you?" Hamuri asked as she sat down near her friend.
"No! No, I didn't mean it!" She tried to giggle; to laugh it off, but it came out sounding too high pitched. "Why would a guy bite me?"
Hamuri thought for a moment and a wickedly playful smile creeped onto her face. "I read in a magazine that a guy bites a girl when they're having--" Eri shut her friend up with her famous tap to the head.
"Oh, Hamuri! We know Kagome is not like that!" Eri looked at Kagome hopefully, almost pleadingly. "Right, Kagome?"
Kagome laughed out loud now as she imagined what Inuyasha would say to that. "Of course not! Why would you think of such a thing, Hamuri?"
The bell rang before Hamuri could answer and Kagome thanked the gods. Hamuri had an evil twinkle in her eye and everyone practically knew what she was going to say. It would have been quite embarrassing and she was glad that the bell had rung.

Her first four classes went by smoothly until she reached her English class. Her English teacher, Mr. Takahashi, was handing out essays using a broken globe. Inside the hole in the globe was thirty pieces of paper, enough for each person in the room. On each piece of paper there was one word. They were each required to write a four thousand-word essay on the word they picked out of the globe.
Mr. Takahashi stopped near a girl in front of Kagome's desk. She groaned when she looked at the word she got, "birds", and slipped the small piece of paper in her notebook before writing down when it was due. Two weeks, right before Kagome's math test.
When the teacher stopped on Kagome's right, she lifted her hand and paused. She was actually looking forward to this and hoped she could get something exciting. Perhaps something about the Sengoku Jidai or even the Sengoku Jidai itself! Smiling slightly, she reached into the globe and grasped a small peice of paper. She then took her hand out of the globe and thanked her teacher before opening the folded paper and looking at the word.
She gasped and read it again. Out of all the words she could get, she got the one she least wanted. She read the peice of paper over and over again before sighing and writing when it was due in her notebook and slamming it shut with the paper inside. Out of all the words, she just had to get "dog"...
Sighing again, she waited patiently for her teacher to get done before starting to take notes. Her mind, however, was on a different matter. If she researched dogs, could she find out why Inuyasha bit her? And how would Inuyasha feel when she came back holding a "Find out About Your Dog" book borrowed from her brother Sota? She hung her head slightly at the thought. Inuyasha would tear her head off!

When she returned home from school, Kagome instantly ran up to her room after saying a quick "I'm happy to be home!" to her mother. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could, tripped on the third to last one, and went crashing face first. She groaned and picked herself up, then made her way to her room.
When her door was closed, she placed her bookbag down on the floor and emptied it. She grabbed the library book about dogs she had taken out before going home and then picked up her writing notebook. Smiling slightly to herself, she got to work on that four thousand word essay.
Quickly thumbing through the large book, she wrote down whatever popped out at her. That is, until she came upon the mating part. She blushed slightly as she read it through and wondered for just a moment if Inuyasha did some of the things she had read in that part. When her eyes fell upon one section of that part, her jaw dropped. Was this...the...thing? She asked herself as she scanned over the words.
"--the alpha dog would normally control the pack with stern looks, deep growls, and, if necessary, attacking them. The only exception to that rule would be when the male encounters a female that it wishes to make its mate. It would then control the female by a swift, gentle bite to the muzzle, as if telling her that she had to listen to him. The bite would normally be a controlling one, but it is also used as a form of a kiss between dogs. It is also used during mating--" Kagome shut the book suddenly and rubbed the bridge of her nose self consciously, blushing a deep scarlet.
Kissing?! Controlling?! Was that what that bite was? Kagome asked herself incredulously, looking down at the cover of the closed book. I have to find out! And who better to ask than Kouga? She thought that over for a moment and then couldn't believe she even considered the idea. Alright, not Kouga, but Sango might know...
She grabbed her bookbag quickly and threw some clothing in it. She then grabbed her math book, the only book she was going to bring for once, threw in her medical kit, a bar of soap, a wash cloth, some chocolate for Shippo, Ramen for Inuyasha and the others, and some matches just in case.
When she was sure she had enough, she pulled the book bag onto her back and glanced at the library book. She turned on her heel and left it there, heading out her door and down the stairs. She took them slowly now, cautious now that she had a very heavy bookbag on her back. She made her way into the kitchen and said good bye to her mother before making her way out of the house and into the mini-shrine.
She looked down the well and gulped slightly. She then remembered that she had forgotten the jewel shards in her room! Dropping the book bag near the well, she ran back into the house and quickly grabbed the shards before racing back down. This time, she tripped outside the mini-shrine and scrapped up her arm on the stone.
Kagome cried out softly, but stood back up and dusted herself off. It was only a few tiny scrapes, nothing she couldn't handle, and she'd just put some antiseptic on it when she reached the Sengoku Jidai. She ran back into the well and slipped her book bag back on, then threw one leg over the side of the well. With a whispered prayer that she would land safely, she fell into the well.

Inuyasha looked down at the well and sighed. He might as well go and apologize. He was still horrified that he had bitten Kagome, but he had to make up for it. He just felt so terrible.
He jumped into the well and waited for it to respond. When it didn't, he briefly became worried, then felt the well open. Instead of him going into a different era, a small body with a large yellow book bag landed in his arms. He caught her gently, surprised, then watched as Kagome opened her eyes.
"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise.
Inuyasha accidentally dropped her and she fell on her bottom. She "oofed" and yelped when the pain rattled her bones, then was swiftly picked up by the same red Haori clad arms. She huffed in anger at being dropped and rubbed her nose unconsciously. Inuyasha saw it and winced before jumping out of the well with her in his arms.
"K-Kagome?" He asked as he set her down.
"Yeah?" She asked, all anger forgotten when he gently took the heavy book bag off her back.
"I-I was just...er...I just w-wanted to say that...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what...happened." He whispered as softly as he could, tapping the side of her nose gently with one finger.
Kagome froze when he said this. He was actually apologizing! To her! Perhaps she should check to make sure he wasn't drunk or perhaps had a fever! He would never apologize to her, even if Tetsusaiga's fate was thrown in there! He reached out a hand and placed it on her face, forcing her to look him in the eyes.
"Kagome?" he asked, thinking she was still upset about it.
"It's....it's okay...Inuyasha.." She smiled slightly.
"Why did you come back? I thought you had a test," he asked as they both started to walk towards Kaede's village.
Kagome shook her head. "You sent me home three weeks before I actually had to leave...and besides...I wanted to come back."
Inuyasha looked slightly taken aback. "You wanted to come back?"
"Yeah. It's strange, but without coming here at least for a week, everything else just seems...dull. Besides, I missed everyone!" She smiled brightly and Inuyasha blushed.
"Everyone?"
Kagome got the hint. He was still feeling bad and needed to be reassured. She didn't know exactly what to say, and instead just let the words fall from her mouth.
"Everyone, Inuyasha. But mostly you." She blushed when she realized what she let slip and instantly closed her mouth.
From beside her, she heard Inuyasha sigh in relief. She let out the breath she was holding also when she realized it had actually made him feel better that she had missed him more than the others. Inuyasha was about to say something back when Shippo flew seemingly out of no where and landed right in Kagome's arms.
"Kagome! You've been gone for so long!" he cried, rubbing his forehead in her shirt.
Kagome reached up and held the Kitsune, patting his head. She heard Inuyasha growl before moving away from the both of them and she wondered if he was going to say something. Too late to wonder now, he was already gone. Shippo continued to cry until she handed him a bar of chocolate that she had taken from home. He squealed in happiness, then ran towards the hut with Kagome's hand in his.
"Everyone will be really glad to see you, Kagome!" he said as he ran with her.
She just giggled and stopped before walking into the hut. When she made it passed the door, someone hugged her out of no where. She paused, surprised, until the hands roamed downwards.
"Welcome back, Kagome." Miroku's voice purred from near her ear.
She froze slightly when his hand grasped her buttocks, then smiled in relief when a nasty snarl sounded behind the monk. Kagome looked over his shoulder to see Inuyasha, red faced and angry, then she felt Miroku fall to the floor. Inuyasha had knocked him out with one swift blow. Kagome thanked him with a smile as Sango stepped over the unconscious body with a scowl before taking Kagome in a hug.
"Welcome back, Kagome. How did the test go?" Sango asked as she released the time traveling girl and allowed her to sit near the fire. Miroku was just starting to get up with a groan.
"Um..." She looked at Inuyasha, knowing he said something and just shrugged. "I got the times wrong. I'm supposed to take it in two more weeks, not days." She smiled at Sango. "So I came back. Er...but I have...something I want to ask you,"
"Yes, Kagome?" She asked when Kagome hesitated.
"This is...sort of private.." She shot a look at the two demons and the monk before taking Sango's hand and leading her outside. She wanted to make sure that Inuyasha wasn't following her, but could only trust her demon senses for she couldn't totally be sure that Inuyasha would just leave her to talk alone.
"Now what's bothering you, Kagome?" Sango asked as they sat down deep within the forest.
Kagome sighed and asked what was on her mind. Sango looked at her for a moment, a little confused on why she was asking that, then it clicked. Did Inuyasha bite her? She didn't bring that up, only answered her question.
"Well...as far as I know...a bite like that could mean many different things. But it all leads to one very important concept. When a demon male anything bites a woman on her nose, they're claiming her. As in making a mark only other demons can see and they steer away from that woman if they know what's good for them. It also has a few other meanings within it too. Why do you ask?" Sango asked after she explained, a thoughtful look on her face.
Kagome blushed very brightly and retold the tale about her and Inuyasha. Sango's eyes widened as she heard the story and knew that her assumptions were correct. Inuyasha had marked Kagome! Even if he didn't know what he did, he did do it! Perhaps the reason why he kept apologizing was because he saw that it was still there? Even though Sango couldn't see the mark, she knew Inuyasha probably could, and perhaps Shippo could too...?
"Kagome, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Inuyasha just claimed you as his own. Not like Kouga does..." She stopped herself when she realized what the rambunctious wolf-demon would do when he found out about this. This isn't going to end well... She thought with a sigh. Not well at all.
"When you said that demons' can see it...does that mean Kouga can too?" Kagome asked as she self consciously touched her nose. Sango nodded and Kagome gulped. "He'll kill Inuyasha!"
"Who'll kill me, Kagome?" a voice asked and Kagome jumped and turned.
"Inuyasha! You know this was a private conversation!" She yelled, then stopped when she realized something. Inuyasha was human!
Turning her head to look up, she saw that there was no moon in the darkening sky. Inuyasha had forgotten to mention that it was a new moon when she returned! Maybe that's why he was heading through the well when he caught her! A little wide eyed, she watched him huff and turn his head up snottily.
"It's still private and besides, I was just making sure you two were okay. You were away for some time." He continued to keep his nose tilted up, but Kagome could tell it was now only just an act.
She smiled a bit when he looked at her and she watched him go red. His eyes fell upon the bridge of her nose and she watched confusion play across his face. Where's the mark? He asked himself as he watched Sango stand.
"Uh...Kagome? We'll finish later. I have something I want to tell you about what you asked, but it's not as important as the conversation was. Um, see you back at Kaede's." She smiled and waved before moving off.
Kagome tilted her head down from his questioning eyes, a little embarrassed that she had been talking about something very strange to her. And still, she couldn't help but feel happy that Inuyasha chose her without really realizing it.
"Kagome! I asked you something before!" Inuyasha said as he sat down, arms held inside the other's sleeves.
"Oh!" She laughed nervously. "Um...it's nothing, Inuyasha. We were...er...talking about...something...?" She finished pathetically.
Inuyasha glared at her suspiciously, then just sighed. "But you said something about someone killing me! Damn these human ears, I could have heard it before if I had my hanyou ears!" He cursed, growling to himself.
Kagome sighed. And here she thought they might have some time to talk about the...bite. Now that she learned what is was, it was hard to keep it from Inuyasha.
"Um...Inuyasha? I have...something to tell you...and I need you to listen carefully." She took a deep breath when she realized that Inuyasha was looking at her, waiting for her to carry on. "The...bite...from before? Do you...happen to know what it means?"
Inuyasha jerked slightly as if he had been hit. The bite meant something, or why was she asking him? He certainly didn't know if it meant something, but then again he never really thought about it. He had tried to get it out of his head, not dwell, for when he bit her, he thought he was turning into someone like his brother Sesshoumaru. And he dreaded that thought.

Kagome wondered for a moment if Inuyasha had even heard her. He didn't seem to be trying to answer, he just sat and stared as if she had turned into an alien and he was the scientist. She didn't really like that look. "Erm...did you hear me...Inuyasha?" she asked softy and this time Inuyasha nodded. "Well, do you know?"
"Feh...who cares?" He snorted, crossing his arms in trademark fashion. "It was just an instinct, probably had no meaning." He stood and walked away, arms still crossed along his chest.
Kagome sighed. She knew he wouldn't have listened, no matter his curiosity. There was something he didn't like, something he wouldn't tell her. He must have thought he was trying to literally bite her instead of marking her and that must be why he was trying to avoid her at all costs. If there was one thing Inuyasha didn't want to do, it was hurting Kagome. He wouldn't do it if his life depended on it.
Slowly, Kagome stood up and walked in his wake. She knew he was heading back to Kaede's, it was always the first place he would run to after being embarrassed. And he seemed so nice only that morning, but his mood was always undeterminably. Oh well, she still remembered that he had actually apologized to her and she treasured it secretly with a smile.
When they reached Kaede's, Kagome scrounged into her bookbag. She pulled her hand out of the bookbag in confusion. She was sure she had placed at least one pair of pajamas in the giant book bag before she left! She was so sure of it! She picked the book bag up with both hands and over turned it, scrambling through everything and finding not one pair of pajamas nor underclothing. Was she that weirded out about what she learned that she forgot the necessary clothing? She growled at herself and placed everything back into her book bag with a heavy sigh.
Inuyasha watched her with one eye, the other closed. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was leaning back against the wall of Kaede's hut. He could sense Kagome's distress despite the fact that he was still human and it made him uncomfortable. She kept rummaging through that dratted book bag and all the noise was keeping him up. He tried to ignore it, until Kagome glanced around, saw everyone seemed asleep, and tried to sneak out of Kaede's hut.
"Where do you think your going?" Inuyasha growled, opening his eyes and moving to stand up.
Kagome jumped and whirled around. "I-I have to go back home to get something!" She said, startled, a hand placed over her fluttering heart. "Geez, you scared me half to death, Inuyasha!"
"What do you need to get?" he asked curiously, dismissing the last thing she said.
Kagome glared at him for a moment, thinking he was going to stop her again as always. "I forgot pajamas and underclothing."
Inuyasha shrugged. "I'll get them."
Kagome turned deep scarlet. "You're not going through my underwear drawer, pervert!"
Inuyasha, expecting to be 'sat', cringed and backed up a step. "Damn, Kagome! It's only clothing!"
Kagome shook her head in exasperation, but she wouldn't give in. She didn't want Inuyasha rummaging through her room, through her drawers, looking for any sign that another guy had been there. She knew he wouldn't find anything, but the very thought of him tearing up her room wasn't very reassuring. She wanted a room to go home to, not a shredded pile of nothing.
"I'll be back in a few minutes, don't worry." Kagome then left the hut.
"I'm going with you." Inuyasha said gruffly, right on her heels.
Kagome let out a frustrated little cry, but didn't argue. If he wanted to come, he was going to, unless she wanted to get into another shouting match. She doubted Inuyasha would stay even if she had 'sat' him over a hundred times. It had been something Sango had hinted at, Inuyasha becoming much more possessive of her than before. She knew that, after a while, he was going to drive her totally bonkers.
They reached the well a few minutes later in silence. Nothing stirred, nothing made a sound. There wasn't a whisper of wind or a scurry of mice, there was just nothing. Kagome thought that seemed a little odd, a little foreboding, but she let it drop and leaned over the edge of the well to jump in. Before she could, arms wrapped around her waist and she, startled, was picked up and carried into the well.
A gruff voice spoke from behind her. "I don't want you hurt."
Kagome, a bit surprised and startled, just looked over her shoulder at his serious expression, and said nothing. This was so odd, this whole day, it was like she was living a dream. A really weird one, though, but way down deep, she sort of enjoyed it.
Inuyasha's feet touched the dirt of the well in Kagome's time and he looked around for the rope ladder Kagome had placed conveniently. When he found it, he moved Kagome around so she was on his back and started to climb. This was another new for Kagome and she still said nothing about his strange behavior, just savored it until they reached the top. Though it was new for Kagome, it all felt right to Inuyasha, and he didn't notice how oddly sincere he was being. Even in human form.
"Let's be quick, I don't want the others waking and thinking we ran off without them." Inuyasha said quietly as they made their way to the silent, dark house.
Kagome nodded, then hushed him when she made to pull open the door. Inuyasha shook his head and pointed to the tree that lead right up to her window, the same tree he used to sit in when waiting for her to come back. He would also watch her sleep when he felt lonely, without her knowing of course.
"Inuyasha, your not hanyou right now! And I sure can't climb a tree in a skirt!" She exclaimed quietly, though her eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Shh! Even if I'm not a hanyou, I can still carry you!" He growled back at her, finger to his lips. "I just don't want your crazy grandfather to wake up and try to exorsize me again!"
For a split second a smile flitted across Kagome's lips at that, but then in an instant she returned to glaring at him with her hands upon her hips. She nodded in exasperation. "Fine."
Inuyasha bent down slightly and Kagome scrambled on his back. His hands hooked under her thighs, hoisting her up easily, then let go. He walked slowly and carefully over to the tree, careful not to step on anything that would make a loud noise and wake anyone up. He could hardly believe he was here at night, in human form, with Kagome on his back and them pretty much breaking into her own house. It seemed preposterous, but it also got him kind of excited, exhilarated. They were going to sneak in without her parents knowing! And, of course, without that old man knowing as well!
"Hang on." Inuyasha advised Kagome before making his way up to tree, branch by branch.
When they were near the top, Inuyasha reached over towards Kagome's window and pushed up. The window came open easily enough without making any annoying screeching noises and he gently lifted Kagome off his back. He plopped her into her room, onto her bed, before making his way in himself. He turned around and closed the window slowly behind him.
"Grab what you need, then lets get out of here." Inuyasha muttered while sitting upon her bed with his arms crossed.
Kagome huffed and reached over towards her drawers. She pulled open her first drawer, grabbed as much underwear and bras as she dared carry, then slipped them into a small carry bag. She closed the first drawer and opened the second, pulling out five pairs of pajamas and also sticking them into the carry bag. When the last drawer was closed, she smiled and slipped the bag over her shoulder.
While she was going through her drawers, Inuyasha stood and made his way around her room silently. He glanced at a book lying on her dresser and quickly scanned the cover. He made out the sign for 'dogs' and his eyes grew slightly wider. What would Kagome be doing with a book about dogs? He asked himself while picking it up. He slipped it into his haori slowly. I'll have Miroku read it for me later. Making his way back to her bed, he sat again upon it and waited until Kagome straightened.
"Ready?" He asked and she nodded. "Then let's go." He patted his haori to make sure the book would stay still before allowing Kagome onto his back.
What the hell would she want with a book about dogs?

When Inuyasha had crawled out of the well with Kagome still clutching onto his back, they made their way carefully back to Kaede's. Inuyasha was as silent as ever, eyeing Kagome whenever she wasn't looking at him or didn't catch him. One hand clutched the hilt of Tetsusaiga while the other held onto the book beneath his haori, his mind reeling with unanswered questions. At one point, he thought about just tossing the book and forgetting about it, probably just another school book and he read what he could read wrong. Maybe it said that infernal 'math' instead of 'dog'. Yeah, probably just one of her school books. Still, even with those thoughts, he wouldn't toss the book away.
Kaede's hut loomed into view as Inuyasha and Kagome stepped upon the grassy hill. Kagome smiled slowly when she saw Shippo come racing up the hill. He was crying out Kagome's name tearfully, asking where she was and telling how worried he had been when he awoke and she was gone. He said all this while he was still far from her, waking the entire village with his noise, but he paid no heed.
"Kagome!" He yelled accusingly before jumping into her free arm.
Kagome caressed his back and hugged him close. "I'm sorry Shippo, I had to go home to get my pajamas. I totally forgot about them."
Shippo picked his head up and sniffed. "So you weren't going home again without saying goodbye to me?"
Kagome jerked slightly. What Shippo had said was true. Last time, she couldn't find Shippo to say that she was leaving again fast enough. Inuyasha had pretty much picked her up and tossed her down the well to 'keep her safe'. She knew he didn't want to say it, but he was trying to keep her safe from him and that made her cry when she got home. Inuyasha had thought he would hurt her...and that was the last thing he would ever want to do. He would probably give up the Tetsusaiga before he hurt her.
"No, Shippo, I wasn't going home! Oh, I'm so sorry about last time, I should have said something!" Kagome cuddled him some more while continuing to make her way to Kaede's.
"Sango and Miroku are up.." Shippo said muffledly.
"Feh, you probably woke them up with all your noise." Inuyasha growled hauntily from behind them, arms now crossed.
"Shut up!" Shippo picked his head up off Kagome's shoulder. "At least I can say I missed Kagome!"
"What are you talking about, fox-kit?!" Inuyasha suddenly appeared right behind Kagome, pressing his face right up to Shippo's.
Kagome sighed. She really didn't want this now, not with Inuyasha as a human and right in the middle of the somewhat silent village. She also didn't want to 'sit' Inuyasha, she thought they were over the whole 'sitting' thing.
"Inuyasha, Shippo-"
"I'm talking about the way you mopped all around the well and wouldn't say to Kagome that you really missed her! I heard you speaking to-" Before anymore words could come out of the fox's mouth, Inuyasha grabbed him by the throat and throttled him.
"You. Little. Fox. Piece. Of. Shit!" He growled word for word.
Kagome turned around and glared at him, hands clenched at her side. Poor Shippo was turning a delicate shade of purple and his large eyes were almost popping from his head. Inuyasha didn't notice the death glare Kagome had insured on him, just continued throttling the fox-kit and uttering angry words.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome started warningly.
All fighting ceased to exist. Inuyasha continued to hold Shippo by the neck, but he had allowed the fox kit some more air room. Shippo's face turned from purple back to red and looked over a Kagome pleadingly. Inuyasha growled not so menacingly since he was human and threw Shippo back into Kagome's arms before stomping off towards the nearest tree. Kagome sighed, but held the cursing and crying Shippo close to her while she continued her way towards Kaede's.
When the hut stood before her, she pushed back the bamboo curtain and slipped in. Shippo was right, Sango and Miroku were up. Sango was gently stroking Kirara while Miroku sat against the wall, staring into the fire. Both were silent. Shippo jumped out of Kagome's arms and made his way happily to her book bag.
"Can I have some of that cho-co-late?" Shippo asked, delicately stressing the word chocolate.
Kagome nodded and he yelped in delight. He opened the front most compartment and ripped through it before finding the bars of chocolate. He grabbed one before retreating into a corner and unwrapping it.
When Kagome saw Shippo was content, she made her way over to her back and placed the clothes into the larger compartment. She smiled happily and closed the book bag. It didn't seem as if she would get any sleep tonight, so why put on the pajamas? With a sigh and a small yawn, she leaned back against the wall near Sango and gazed into the fire herself.
Miroku turned his eyes to her, smiling his sly smile. "Well, well, where did Kagome and Inuyasha run off to this late at night?"
Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. "I went home to grab some clothing I left behind and Inuyasha insisted on coming."
"Oh? Where's Inuyasha now?" Miroku asked, faking slight surprise.
"He's outside, sitting in a tree."
"Well then, I might as well keep him company..." Miroku sighed lightly and stood up. "Unless you girls..?"
Sango looked slightly disgusted and shook her head. "We're fine, go on."
Miroku gave them a slightly hurt look before leaving the hut. Sango glanced over at Kagome at her side and rolled her eyes. Kagome didn't do anything, just gently stroked Kirara and continued to stare into the fire. Inuyasha's strange behavior wouldn't stop attacking her mind, he just seemed so much
Sango stared at Kagome. Something has to be bothering her...maybe it has to do with the bite? Sango opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when Kagome beat her to it.
"Inuyasha is acting so strange." Kagome started, looking away from the fire and towards Sango. "He just seems so....nice. So concerned and actually speaking his concern. I've never really seen him this way."
Sango smiled lightly. "I believe it's all part of the Marking. Just wait, I bet it'll be worse when he's in hanyou form."
Kagome thought about that, a finger to her chin. "Your probably right. And if it's worse...I'll never be able to go home without twice the arguments....but I can't help wondering. Kikyou. What's he going to do with Kikyou?"
Sango sighed. "I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see."
This made Kagome feel slightly agitated. "Yeah...wait and see..."