C o o t i e i t i s! by Tamai

C o o t i e i t i s!

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[size=1][color=#FF0000]Author's Note: I'm sorry for the clichés, the out-of-character-ness, & gummy, mushy sap .HAHAHAH! Blame BoA's "Kissing You", it makes me all gooey inside. Cutesy, bubble-gum pop would accompany this well.[/color][/size]

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Ichi; Boys & Girls. - 1

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"InuYasha is your best friend, even though he's a boy?" Kikyo was startled. I nodded and told her of how earlier this week we proclaimed one another best friends when we shared a cookie and colored together.

"But he's a boy. Go find a girl best friend, Kagome."

"Aren't boys like girls too?" I questioned. She shook her head violently.

"No, no, no! Kagome, boys and girls aren't the same at all!" she nearly shouted. She grabbed the stuffed bunny that I held securely in my lap.

"What's Usa-chan?" she asked me, I noted how serious she looked.

"A bunny..." I gave her a funny look and tilted my head; I didn't see where she was going with this.

"Is Usa-chan a boy or a girl bunny?" she explained. Truthfully, I never really thought about it before so my crisp blue eyes darted up to her in confusion.

"Mama never told me if Usa-chan was a girl or boy, she said she and Papa got it for my 5th birthday..." I was worried. Did it matter if Usa-chan was a boy? Would that give me cooties? I pouted cutely and looked at her for advice.

"Doesn't matter...All I'm saying, Boys and girls a different. Just like boy bunnies and girl bunnies are." She sighed and gave back Usa-chan. She went back to doing her homework, seeing as she was in the 3rd grade and I was in kindergarten. 8 year-olds knew a lot, so there was only one way to confirm it! Even if it meant going to a boy...

I grabbed Usa-chan tightly and ran over to the neighbor's house, I bounced up to the doorbell; my bangs that were secured in the 'apple-hairdo' sprung a bit. After a few moments, the door opened and a woman opened the door.

"Ah! Kagome-chan!" she gave me a warm smile, her dark brown eyes glimmering as my mothers did, as Kikyo's did, and as Souta's did in the Autumn sunset. "- Come to play with Yasha-chan?" she continued.

I shook my head in the negative and she gave me a look. "Is there something you need sweetheart?"

"Sess-see-show-ma-wu?" I struggled to form his name, but I gave her a modest grin, my small eyes twinkling embarrassedly. She looked shocked for a brief second before taking my hand and leading me to his room. She knocked and opens the door; I peeked in and saw him doing his homework too. I held Usa-chan closer and hoped that his floor didn't have cooties too...

"Sesshoumaru, you have a visitor." She told him, while pulling at my hand a bit, inviting me inside. His head snapped up and looked at her, I couldn't read his expression...I don't know anyone who could. Maybe he was doubtful. He turned and his eyes fell into mine, I hid behind the woman, releasing her hand, and tugging at her long skirt.

"That's InuYasha's playmate, mother. Why-?" his voice was cut off.

"She said she was looking for you. I doubt I was mistaken, ne, Kagome-chan?" she grasped my shoulders and put me in front of her. "I'll get you two a snack, hm?" she left the room, closing the door behind her. I felt his eyes on me and I turned.

"...Something you need?" he asked almost awkwardly. And I replied immediately, posing my question.

"Would it make a difference if Usa-chan was a boy or a girl?" he looked at me incredulously, or what I thought was something similar to shock. He thought it over for a while, and answered me.

"You came here to ask me...if ...Who or what is Usa-chan?" he inquired, I held up my stuffed bunny. He looked at it and back at me.

"...Erm, I suppose it would be different if 'Usa-chan' was a boy, instead of a girl." He finally answered me.

"Why?"

"...Because boy bunnies are different from girl bunnies?" he questioned rather than stated.

"How?" I pressed further.

"They just are."

"...Kikyo-onee-sama said that too." Meekly, my eyes looked at Usa-chan in wonder. Was my precious bunny a boy or a girl?

"...Is that all?" he asked, taking a brave step forward, bending a bit to meet my eyes better.

"Un." I nodded happily, gave my thanks and slipped out of his room. I went a bid my good-byes to his mother, and told her I'd be over tomorrow to play with InuYasha, her younger son who was in 1st grade.

He was my best friend, even though he was a boy and I was a girl; He was still fun to play with.

So what if boys and girls were different?

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Ni; Hugs & Kisses. - 2

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"Eww! He hugged you?"

"It's what best friends do, silly. I mean I do it with you and Souta...and Mama and Papa all time!" I beamed. Today, InuYasha was turning 7, and second grade was starting. I was finally going to school with him, my sister, and his brother as well. I was in first grade. I had gotten him the hat he'd wanted (while shopping with my Mama) and he gave me a great bear hug. His birthday party was on Saturday.

"Kagome, when will you ever learn? Girls and boys aren't supposed to hug. It's different when it's your own family."

"They're not?" I asked, clearly this was news to me...

"Of course not! They're not supposed to hug, hold hands and...most importantly, don't ever kiss boys. At all. It'll get you sick!" my sister warned me while giving me a disapproving look. I stared at her in awe. Kikyo was never, ever wrong. I bet even Mama didn't know how she could be so smart.

I being only about 6 years old, now, I never really knew exactly why people kissed. My mommy and Daddy kissed our cheeks a lot, and I've seen them do it on the lips before too. It always looked kind of...strange; in a unique kind of way.

Being as I was, I just had to know what was so bad about kissing boys. If Mama did it...shouldn't it be okay for me and Kikyo too?

"But Kikyo, how does it get you sick? Mama and Papa..."

"It's different. They're married; they're allowed to do that kinda stuff, Kaggie. You'll understand when you're older."

I pouted and grabbed my Usa-chan and marched my way out the door. I went over once again to InuYasha's house, I was a bit taller, but still the doorbell was still a big out of my reach. I hopped up, rang it, and InuYasha's mother opened the door.

"Oh! Kagome-chan, I thought you and InuYasha played-?"

"Izayoi-sama, is Cesshowmawu home?" I asked, once again having trouble saying his dreaded name. It was hard learning to say: 'InuYasha' properly, but I don't think I'd ever get his brother's right. She chuckled at my attempt, held my hand and led me once again to his room. Opening the door and situating me on his bed. She told me to wait while she fetched him.

I didn't sit there long before I saw him enter, wearing sweatpants and a large shirt.

"Hm?" He inquired, sitting down on the chair near his desk. I guess he knew I would just blurt out my question.

"Are boys and girls not supposed to hug or kiss until they're married?" He closed his eyes, and thought. I didn't know if he was thinking deeply, or just annoyed but I waited hugging Usa-chan.

"...Is your bunny suddenly a boy?" my eyes widened, what was he going on about? I quietly said no.

"Boys and girls can hug and kiss if they're family, otherwise it's best to wait till their mated."

"Mated...?" Kikyo said married, what on earth is mated?

"The demonic form of marriage."

"Eh? Uh, Okay..." I went along with it and leaped off his bed, "Arigatou gozaimasu." I bowed and left, closing the door behind me.

Demons and Humans marry differently? But Inu's a half-demon...For us to hug, we'd have to be married or mated?

Or Marr-ted, because he's half of both, right?

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San; Cooties & Cootie Shots. - 3

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"Kikyoooo! What are cooties?" I frowned as I took a seat in my elder sister's room. Being that she was in fourth grade, and I in first, she should know more about this than I.

"Cooties? Kagome, did someone say you have cooties?" she asked me, concerned.

"Noo. Sango-chan said that Inu-kun has cooties and that I shouldn't be near him." Sango was a girl I met in school, she and I are great friends now, but when she found out that InuYasha was my best friend she gave me a very disapproving look. She said all boys have "cooties".

"Well she's right! Boys have cooties, that's why when you kiss them they can get you sick. That's why you should wait until you're married."

"Or mated."

"What...?"

"Cesshowmarwu told me that's what demons do for marriage." I gave her a toothy grin, happy that I was able to do something useful.

"Sesshoumaru? You talked to him? And he answered?" I'd never seen Kikyo so astounded, I nodded 'yes'.

"Oh no! Kagome, you could get cooties from him!" my jaw dropped, along with Usa-chan.

"But, I can help! With a cootie shot." She smirked and put down her pencil, and walked over to me.

"A shot?" I paled. She grabbed my hand and began making small indents and poking up my arm and she incanted a small almost song-like phrase. I memorized it silently.

She told me, it's the one way to cure anyone of cooties.

I picked my bunny and bolted next door, I didn't bother ringing the doorbell, I knocked and this time InuYasha's father came to the door.

"Kagome-" I rushed past him, bowing quickly and saying hello and thank you for letting me in, and went straight to Se-Ce- I couldn't even say his name. I burst through the doors. I saw his head snap up and surprise...or so I thought.

"What-." He didn't finish asking what I was doing, because I grabbed his hand, pulling his arm out to me. It was significantly bigger than mine, and I had a lot of trouble but he eased up looking down at my head. He tugged at my "apple stem" and my eyes flicked up.

"Do you require something?" he asked his voice like smooth chocolate melting in your mouth.

I did the same as Kikyo did, tracing small shapes, dots, lines and saying the same words:

"Circle, circle; dot, dot; now you've got the cootie shot. Circle, circle; square, square; now you have it everywhere, Circle, circle; knife, knife; now you've got it all your life." I gave off my brightest smile when I was done, proud of my work.

"Uh..." he stared down at his arm and then back at me.

"Bye-bye!" I waved as I left to find InuYasha and give him his cootie shot too.

Now I could play with InuYasha all I wanted, because I gave him a cootie shot too!

But he said I did it wrong, boys just punch each other on the arm, that's how boys get rid of them.

Doesn't that mean Sesshoumaru still has cooties?

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Yon; Princes & Princesses. - 4

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"I think Kikyo should be the princess!" I shouted happily. All my friends were over my house, we were playing outside, while the grownups were inside. I was turning 7 today.

"Noo! Kagome I think you should be the princess, I'll be the prince, and InuYasha can be the horse." Kouga said, sticking his tongue out to InuYasha, who did the same.

Both of them were in the 3rd grade. Sango and I stared at them, while Miroku (another boy in our class) sat and looked between them. I was the youngest, and smallest of our group.

"I think InuYasha would make a great knight." Kikyo laughed as she joined in a bit in our game. Miroku and Sango were already elected as our King and Queen; I wanted to be the knight. Sesshoumaru stepped outside, and stared at the fight his younger brother and Kouga were in.

"Maru-sama!" I said, ecstatic. I still had trouble piecing his name together, so I decided I'd call him: 'Maru' until I could. He simply turned his head in my direction, to show he was acknowledging me. I went up to him and pulled on one of his fingers, since his hand engulfed my own.

"Who do you think would be a better knight, me or InuYasha?" I asked him for his opinion, he was the oldest one there; besides the grown-ups, but never trust them to know about these matters.

"InuYasha." He countered before sitting in one of the chairs out on the terrace.

"...But, but!" I was about to whine when Kouga interrupted me.

"Girls aren't knights Kagome. Only boys can be." I looked at Sesshoumaru.

"Is that true? Only boys can be knights?" I pressed on, I was saddened by this. He nodded.

"Feh! Don't worry Kaggie-chan; you can still be the princess if you want." InuYasha said reassuringly, Kouga gave him a shove and glared.

"That's why I said Kagome should be the princess; She'd make a pretty princess." I felt my face get a little red, he called me pretty.

We made Kikyo the fairy god-mother, and InuYasha decided that Sesshoumaru was the monster. We had a great time, but I don't think Sesshoumaru had much pleasure getting pounced on by both InuYasha and Kouga because they were battling the great monster that had 'captured the princess'.

I think Sesshoumaru would've been a better princess he was prettier than me...

But he'd have to be a prince or a knight, or king; since he was a boy. A really strong boy that knocked out our prince and knight.

Did that make him King?

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Go; Sweetie & Honey. - 5

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"...Kikyo, there's something I don't understand..." I asked her, hoping for her to shed some wisdom to me.

"Kagome, honestly, what's so complicated about it?" she rolled her eyes and she began eating her ice cream.

"Well, Papa's name is Ken; not Honey. Mama's is Seiko, not Darling...And I'm Kagome not Sweetie, why do they call us these names?" I took a spoonful of my ice cream, clutching my bunny and looking to see how she would answer me.

"It's different, they use those names to show they love and care about you." She sighed, continuing to eat her dessert.

"...InuYasha and I don't call each other Honey and Darling..."

"Well, you only call people those names when you really like and care about them." She explained giving me a smile.

"Really?"

"Of course, silly. That's why I call you so many names." I giggled and we ate together until it was time to brush our teeth, shower, and go to bed.

The next day, when InuYasha and I played at the park together, by accident I called him 'Sweetie'. And he turned all pink. I told him of what I learned from Kikyo. And he cast me a sideways glimpse and said that kids like us don't do that, only parents and married people did. I furrowed my brow in confusion, I needed this further explained.

We went to his house for lunch, it was summer vacation and his mom made amazing lemonade! He rummaged for some cookies and I made my way through the hall to his room, along the way I saw Sesshoumaru's room door wide open.

I peeked in, and saw him lazily lying on his bed reading one of those bigger kid books with no pictures inside.

I knocked on the wall, to gain his attention and his head moved to the side so he could get a better view of me. He nodded momentarily, and I made my way onto his bed and crept up beside him, sitting on my knees as he lay on his back.

"Hn."

"Do people give each other nicknames when they really, really care about someone?"

He looked at me, and then back to his book after mumbling a quick 'Yes'. I pouted and thought, and poked him to get his attention once more. His sliver eyebrow rose in inquiry.

"Can kids like you and me use nicknames too?" I prolonged my interrogation.

"Anyone can make and use nicknames; you have one for that bunny of yours, do you not?" He informed, before going back to his reading. He was right...Usa-chan was a nickname. So then calling InuYasha by a nickname was fine.

I smiled to myself, jumped off of his bed.

"Thank you, sweetie." I smiled to myself and left. Leaving behind a very bewildered Sesshoumaru.

He didn't get mad when I called him sweetie, why did InuYasha get so shifty when I did it to him?

Does Sesshoumaru like being called 'Sweetie'?

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Roku; Crushes & Boyfriends. - 6

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"Kagome I don't know what to do! I have a crush on InuYasha!" Sango wailed in my room. We were having a sleepover, and telling each other secrets and such. InuYasha and I had done this often, but now as 4th graders, I still don't really understand the concepts of 'crushes'.

"Tell him?" I suggested, unbeknownst of what a crush was.

"...Kagome, have you never had a crush on anyone?" I couldn't really answer that, because I didn't know what it was.

"What's a crush?" I asked rather dumbly. I took hold of me, and rushed to Kikyo's room. She knocked on the door and Kikyo opened it, wearing her nightgown, a book in hand.

"Yes?" she asked nicely.

"Kikyo-sama, Kagome doesn't know what a crush is!" Sango yelled and dragged me inside. We all sat down on Kikyo's large bed, in an almost circular shape.

"Kikyo, just what is a crush?" I asked, fixing my hair up in a small apple, I'd learned to do it on my own. Along with other hairstyles my mother had shown me.

Kikyo and Sango both lowered their head in shame as I perked up, my eyes shining gleefully.

"A crush is when you like someone a lot, and you want to be with that person."

"...But I like you and Sango, does that mean I have a-"

"No! Kagome-chan, a crush is when you like a boy." Sango rushed, her face bleeding with a deep scarlet spreading on her face.

"When I like a boy?" they nodded, so I had gotten it right! (Or so I thought.)

"...But it'd so hard to tell a boy when you like them."

"Why?" I asked Sango, she looked so crestfallen.

"Boys aren't as mature as girls; they'll feel weird and just tease you." Kikyo reasoned. She must've been right...she's dealt with this longer than I have.

After that was cleared up, we spent the night playing games with Kikyo, she didn't mind seeing as how she was in junior high, but we still had fun.

In the afternoon, we went over InuYasha's, who had a sleepover with Miroku. And we decided that we'd play at his house. I made my way to the kitchen to fetch the snacks InuYasha's mother had put out for us, and I found Sesshoumaru lazily sitting atop the counter next to our snacks. Yet another book in hand.

"Konnichiwa, Maru-sama." I bowed politely, and grabbed the platter of assorted sweets and candies. It was a bit heavy, and I could almost feel myself falling, he grabbed the tray and held it steadily. And looked at me past his long bangs.

A smiled a 'thank you' and reached for it again before a question hit me.

"Maru-sama, have you never had a crush?" He gave me another raise of his eyebrow.

"Kikyo and Sango said that I have a crush on Inu-chan too because I like to be around him so much. So I wanted to know if-"

"I highly doubt what you feel for him is a crush." He said rather coldly, while releasing his hold on the platter.

"But how? Kikyo-onee-sama said that crushes are when you like a boy..." I tried explaining.

"Crushes are different." He left the room suddenly, and I couldn't help but wonder what he meant by that.

Did Sesshoumaru not know what crushes were?

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Nana; Like & Love. - 7

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"...Kagome, grow up!" Sango yelled to me as she ran away from me. I stood, there troubled, did I do something wrong?

Earlier that day, we were playing in the park, when Sango had to go run a quick errand for her mom. I wiped my sun dress under me, took a seat on the hill and stared at the bright sun. Soon enough I'd be in the 6th year of school. It was exciting!

"Kagome!" my head impulsively looked back and I saw my old-time best friend InuYasha standing there. He gave a weak smile and walked over to me.

"...Um, what are you up to?" he asked as he took a seat next to me on the hill.

"Watching the sun, waiting for Sango-chan." Truth be told, it had been a while since InuYasha and I had hung out just the two of us.

"Ah..." he said with understanding.

"I thought you had soccer practice starting soon?" I asked him hastily.

"Um...Yeah, but I-..." he trailed off as a light pink brushed over his nose.

"You what? Did you forget something?"

"Kagome, what would you say, if I told you I liked you?"

"Haha, that's silly Yasha-kun! I like you too." I said genuinely, giving him a bright grin.

"Re-really?" he looked like he was about to pass out.

"Of course. We've been best friends for like...ever!" I stood and brushed off the dirt off my backside.

"Eeeh, that's not what I meant Kagome..." he said, his eyes mist over with worry. "...I like you, but not the friend type of way..." he bit his lip, stood up and his bangs covered his eyes.

"But aren't friendship 'like' and that 'like' the same?" I asked, this was new to me.

"Uh, I'll see you later Kagome..." he walked over to his bike and left. I stood there pondering what had just happened when I turned and saw Sango standing there.

"Hi San-"

"Kagome! How could you say that to him?" she bit out angrily.

"What-" she cut me off.

"I can't believe you Kagome Higurashi." She spat my name like venom and gave me the meanest look I'd ever seen. I felt my heart break.

"Sango-" She just wouldn't let me finish.

"NO! You...ugh, Kagome, grow up!" she dashed away before I could get another word in. I went along the sidewalks of the town and slowly stopped as I came before a familiar house.

I had no troubles reaching the doorbell now, I was a taller, but still a bit small in comparison to many others my age.

Izayoi, InuYasha's mother opened the door. She gave me a warm greeting.

"Konnichiwa Izayoi-sama, is Maru-sama home?" I said giving a small bow. I don't think I'd ever say his name right.

She chuckled and said a small yes, and stepped aside to let me inside. I went straight up to his room, I knew exactly where it was. I was about to knock when the door flew open.

"Father, I do-" he looked down and my eyes met his. He was about to close the door, but I stopped him.

"Wait- Maru-sama!" I held the door with desperation. "I need to ask you something." He granted me entrance and took his seat in his chair. His room seemed to have gotten bigger furniture than what I remembered, probably because he and InuYasha had both grown so much.

"Hn." He started off as normal. Eyeing me as I made my way on his bed.

"Is there a difference between friendship 'like' and the other 'like'?"

"Other like?" he questioned me.

"Mm, Yasha-kun mentioned there being a different like, besides the one with friends." I further informed him, hoping he would know.

"He implied 'love', perhaps." He said wisely.

"Love? But isn't love and like the same?"

"No, not at all. You'll understand later." He brushed off the topic and turned his back to me. I guess he began his summer assignment, he was going to be in high school soon; just like Kikyo.

"But how?" I probed on, I couldn't just let this drop. "Friends love-"

"Have you never had a crush?" I stopped in mid-sentence.

"...Not that I know of..." I replied truthfully.

"Then you wouldn't recognize it." He said, as he grabbed my shoulders and led me out of his room and closed the doors.

I needed a crush to understand? I knocked on his door, the door opened again, he looked livid.

"What?" he barked out, not too loudly though.

"Do you think I need to grow up?" I asked. He closed the door after he turned his eyes away and giving me a murmur of a 'Yes'.

Did Sesshoumaru have a crush, is that why he knew about love?

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Hachi; Jealousy & Envy. - 8

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Junior High was a huge change from Grade School. I almost passed out at how much they expected of us. I sighed as I attempted my cruel, Math homework. Sango and I reconciled, seemed like all she needed was a certainly odd boy confessing his crush on her. Although Sango and Miroku argued enough, I could tell that maybe what they felt for each other was love.

And InuYasha and I had never been closer, I guess we had both forgotten that awkward incident last year. Now we both went to school together, and we met up with everyone at lunch. But every so often, our lunches would turn out to be a battlefield.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU ANNOYING FLEA BAG!" InuYasha thundered as he gave Kouga a push, toppling him a bit.

"Dream on Dog breath, Kagome's my friend too!"

"...Why do they always fight?" I asked no one in particular.

"Obviously Kouga's envious of InuYasha."

"And InuYasha's jealous that Kouga spends so much time with Kagome seeing as how she's on track and field like him."

"Eh?" was my oh-so intelligent remark. They laughed, and then the lunch bell rang. Soon enough, school was over and I went to track practice. I saw the sprinters stretching and doing laps around the track.

"Oi! Kagome-chan!" Kouga waved to me. I gave him a smile and waved back. He ran up to me.

"Say, uh, Kagome, you don't like InuYasha...do you?" he asked shakily.

"He's my best friend, I like him a lot!" wrong answer.

"Oooh...I see." His eyes fell, and then they whipped back up. He held my hand and said "I'm sure I can do better than him!"

I stood there in shock. As he took off to do his stretches. Later that afternoon, after I sorted things out, being that I was the Manager of the track & field team. I made my way home, and found InuYasha, having a similar encounter with him. He too said he'd do better than Kouga.

But better at what? I went straight home, hoping I could ask Kikyo for advice, but then my face fell, she was going out with her friends to the Karaoke Bar nearby. My head turned to InuYasha's house and after the normal routine, I soon found myself at Sesshoumaru's door.

'Doesn't he go out with his friends, like Kikyo?' I cleared that thought out of my head, and tapped lightly on the door. It was opened almost instantaneously. He looked down at me, like always and moved aside so I could walk in.

"Konbanwa, Maru-sama." I plopped down on his bed, unceremoniously. He gave his usual 'Hn.' And sat back at his desk.

"How come Maru-sama never goes off to be with his friends?" I asked casually.

"Don't feel like it."

"Oh."

"You needed something?" he turned to me, showing he was giving me his attention.

"Ah! Um, what do you do if your two friends are always fighting with each other, but you don't know the reason?" I had to find out why they were acting so strange.

"You ignore them."

"But- They're always doing it! And I want to help-"

"Do you have feelings for either of them?" he stated.

"Uh, well they are--"

"Not as your friends." He cut me off. I looked at him, and thought it over.

"...I don't think I like them romantically..."

"Then you have no way of helping. They on the other hand, have such feelings for you." He clarified.

"But that doesn't explain why they're acting like that!"

"It does. They are jealous. They don't want the other to have you. Anything else you need?" Have me, I don't think I quite understood what he was saying to me. Did he mean they didn't want me to go out with the other? So many thoughts stirred in my head, I arose from his bed and made my way out of the room, thanking him on my way out.

How does Sesshoumaru know of jealousy?

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Kyuu; Now & Forever. - 9

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"I'll be with you always Kagome."

"Yeah, well, I'll be with Kagome, forever." I sighed, this game was getting old. I just turned 15, and both InuYasha and Kouga were 16, tall, brash, and still very much arguing 24/7. I heard Sango's and Miroku's distant chuckles at the scene unfolding before them. There's a few things I would never do or understand. Love being something that I had yet to find, or even understand. Then there was a certain name that I couldn't quite get right.

Kikyo was in university now, same with Maru-sama. I knew his name, I've heard it constantly whenever I'd catch InuYasha argue with him, whenever his father would call for him, whenever his mother would call for him, everyone could call him 'Sesshoumaru' but I had never fully adjusted to it.

I made my way home, alongside Sango, we had a huge Math test coming up on Monday and, and I needed all the help I could get. Even if I was at the top of my class, my grades in Math just seemed to always kill me. We studied a bit until Sango had to rush home to get dinner started with her mother. Hm. Well, I think Sesshoumaru was visiting his family this week-end. I changed out of my uniform quickly, put on some more casual jeans and a light sweater and went next door. After having a small conversation with Inu no Taisho, he told me Sesshoumaru wouldn't arrive until tomorrow. I frowned slightly, and decided I should go to the store to pick up something to cook for dinner. I walked around the city, going to the local super-market; I spotted lots of couples roaming the area. They reminded me a lot of Sango and Miroku.

I thought back to my older sister, she always claimed that she had her eye on one boy, but she never went into details about it with me...It was a touchy subject for her; I never exactly knew why. I giggled at the memory of InuYasha having a slight crush back when he was about 8; he got over it fast enough though. I was brought of my thoughts when I crashed into a little girl who looked about no older than 4 or 5. I looked down and smiled at her. She gave me a weak smile in return and apologized like crazy. I was about to ask where her mother or father where until I heard a familiar voice call me

"Kagome...?" I didn't even realize that Sesshoumaru actually knew my name; he never really said it around me, ever. I turned in shock. He was 18 already, and semi-living on his own.

"Ah! Maru-sama! Konbanwa." I bowed respectfully.

"The pretty lady knows daddy?" the little girl said. I looked at her, and back at him. She didn't resemble him in the least.

"Rin. My adoptive daughter." He said vaguely. I silently showed my understanding.

"I'm Higurashi Kagome. What's your name little girl?" I went down to her level; I never really got her name, what I got was the shock of my life.

"YOU'RE KAGOME? You're daddy's Kagome? He's always, always, always talking and writing about Kagome-sama. You're sooo pretty, I can see why-!" She was cut off as Sesshoumaru clamped his hand over her mouth and hauled her over to his stalker-ish worker Jaken who took who probably back to his car.

"Um, Maru-" Gaining my voice back, but losing it right afterwards.

"Sesshoumaru." He said.

"What?" I was confused; did he think I didn't know his name?

"Never once have you called me by my proper name, I believe you old enough to pronounce it by now." I said bitterly. Did he find it offensive that I called him as such?

"I'm sorry...?" my head tilted to the side in confusion, and I turned to leave.

"Oh, you know I'm pretty glad I ran into you, I was hoping to talk to you about something...But it can-"

"What is it?" he asked me. I turned and smiled. He sat on a bench nearby. And I took my seat next to him.

"I wanted to thank you for all those times I came to you, it must've been very irritating to-"

"It was of no disturbance."

"Oh, um...well, Rin's adorable..." I couldn't exactly remember what I wanted to ask.

"You're rambling." He pointed out, releasing a sigh.

"Right, right. Well, Ce-Se-Sess-hou-maru-sama?" I flushed red at my incapability to pronounce his name, "What's it like to have a significant other?"

"...I would not know." I sat there in a suffocating silence. Surely someone like him should've had a girlfriend by now. He was eighteen for god's sake!

"But!"

"But, the only female who's caught my attention never does seem to realize what happens before her eyes."

"...Eh?" that's when it happened. He leaned over me, and I could suddenly realize just how small I was compared to him, it was shocking that someone who spoke with such a void in their voice could be so warm. His eyes glinted brightly, contrasting greatly to the dark sky around us.

"Perhaps someday she will grow up." That struck something in me, it was like my voice was stuffed in my throat, and my stomach was lifting up. His hand held the back of my head, and his lips reached mine in a matter of seconds.

I don't remember how or when, but somewhere, my eyes closed and I totally forgot the fact we were in public. Or the fact that there was life surrounding me at all. I only remember his smirk and the words he told me before he left.

"I like Kagome Higurashi, romantically. I've had a crush on her for a while. I've been jealous of my little brother. I'd want to be with her always & forever."

I smiled, because I felt my entire soul leap out and I rushed to find him, I took hold of his hand, pulled him down and kissed his check affectionately.

"I like you too."

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Juu; Grown-ups & Kids. - 10

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I sat on the couch bored, waiting, until I felt a tug at my sundress, and looked down at a small 7 year old girl, her hair done in a lopsided side ponytail.

"Kagome-sama, who was the first boy you ever kissed?" I hushed the little girl and fixed her hair as her adoptive father walked through the room, talking on his cell phone.

"Rinny, you see that boy there..." I told her while pointing to a familiar figure.

"Kagome-sama, that's no boy, that's my daddy!"

"Well, you asked. And he's standing right there." I laughed and I hauled her into my lab and we watched him get noticeably tense, his golden irises narrowing dangerously; 'Business lacks nothing but the incompetence of people doing it.'[/i is what he'd always tell me.

"Eww! You got cooties from my dad!" her face twisted in disgust.

"I did, they give me a funny feeling sometimes too."

"Like a tummy-ache? You could take medicine." She offered, her brown eyes shining with concern.

"Not a bad funny feeling, it feels good. Makes me smile." I glossed off one of my signature smirks. "Wanna feel?"

"Yeah, yeah! Show me Kagome-sama!" I smiled wickedly, as I heard Sesshoumaru abruptly hang up, and turn to us raising one of his eyebrows.

I fingers danced on her stomach, and she exploded into a fit of laughter.

"Noo-no! St-st-stop!" she stammered and laughed in between her giggles. I stood her upright on the carpet. "No fair Kagome-sama!"

"You asked me, Rin-chan." I gave her an innocent look before giving her a small push out the door to where Shippo, her playmate was waiting for her.

"I do not recall tickling you."

"But you do recall saying you loved me, right?" spinning around to face him. "Because being loved makes me feel like I'm being tickled. It makes me smile. It gives me butterflies."

He gave off a ghost of a smile, tugged on my treasured stem of the apple I was so accustomed to wearing. Suddenly, he started going in for a hug.

"No! You have cooties! Didn't you hear your daughter?" I teased as I avoided his embrace. His frown deepened, and then vanished. He took hold of my hand, pulled me in and looked down at my arm as he took his index finger, traced familiar patterns and silently whispered in my ear: "Circle, circle; dot, dot...now you've got your cootie shot, Princess Kagome."

When did Sesshoumaru fall for me?

A long time ago.

When did I fall for him?

I don't know when it happened, but it grew every passing year.

When had I finally grown-up?

Never really, I was happy being like a child, because I always had Sesshoumaru to watch out for me.

When did I start understanding romance?

When did I finally learn to say his name right?

The day I had realized my 'crush' was the only boy who I could never really call properly.

Sesshoumaru was a boy, but he wasn't a boy like InuYasha was. He was a boy that I was allowed to kiss, to hug, to crush on, to like. He was the boy that gave me the world in one little saying: "I love you."

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