Drawing Lines

Countless emotions flickered across Kagome's face as she stood face to face with Inuyasha. Only the celestial bodies twinkling in the sky provided light in the dark recesses of the night. She watched as the half-demon in front of her search for words, his brows furrowing in frustration as he found none.

"What do you want, Inuyasha?" Kagome sighed. She wanted to go home and get some space to do some serious thinking.

"Kagome," Inuyasha murmured, his yellow eyes downcast. "I-I'm sorry for running off to Kikyo on your birthday. I didn't know…"

She shook her head and her expression softened. "Inuyasha, don't apologize. I should be the one apologizing for always making you feel guilty whenever you go to her. You shouldn't. I guess I just feel jealous because every time you see me, you see her. I have always been insecure of Kikyo because I live in her shadow. People in this era treat me as her reincarnation and they expect me to be like her in so many ways—but I'm not. I'm Higurashi Kagome and I have my own identity to prove."

The hanyou nodded mutely. His lips were pressed into a thin line and he couldn't meet her gaze. "T-that thing with Sesshomaru…" he began. "I was just surprised to smell him on you. I was worried for your safety and I was angry that he got so close to you like that…"

"I believe he was only trying to keep me warm. I cured his ward's illness, remember? Perhaps he felt obliged to return the kindess as a kind of payment for that. Don't put too much thought into it." Inuyasha just nodded again. Kagome stepped forward and took one of his hands in hers. "You're my friend. It hurts me every time we get into fights but it doesn't change anything. I will still stay by your side—"

Before she could finish, however, she felt strong arms pull her in for a tight embrace. The warmth of Inuyasha spread all over her and she basked in it, wanting nothing more than to go back to the way things were. "Kagome…" she heard him murmur in her ears. She missed this being close to him, she missed the connection they had, the friendship. It wasn't as strong as the one he shared with Kikyo, but she was beginning to accept it.

She slowly disentangled herself from his arms and looked at him, unable to hide her grin. "And I need you to take me to the well. We're running out of proper supplies."

Inuyasha's face was clouded with confusion at first, but it was soon replaced with a defiant scowl. "Keh! We can get by for a few more days. If I know, you're just going to take another one of those 'exams'. No can do."

"Osuwari."

As the poor hanyou slammed face first into the hard ground with a satisfying force to create a shallow crater, Kagome let out the giggle she'd been holding. Yes, she thought with relief. Everything's going to be just fine the way it was.