“What’s this for?” Kagome asked, staring down at her hand.  Dangling from her fingers was a pair of handcuffs.  

“You know how tonight you promised to have dinner with us at the Curry House?” Yuki grinned, mischievously.  

“What does that have to do with these?” Kagome asked, uncertainly.  She nervously glanced between the metal cuffs and her friends.

“We want you to bring someone…”

“Who?”

“Ok, here’s the plan…” Nanami grinned, slamming her hands on the desk.  It was after school and the three friends were getting ready to leave.  “The first guy who talks to you… you have to cuff him to yourself and drag him along to dinner.”

Kagome went pale and dropped the handcuffs on her desk.  “No way!”  

“We are perfectly serious.  He can’t be related to you… and you have to know him, of course,” Yuki smiled, dictating the rules.

“And if you don’t…” Nanami shook her finger in Kagome’s face.  “We’ll have to punish you.”

“Alright, alright,” their victim agreed.  She snatched up the handcuffs.

“Look… here comes Houjou,” Yuki giggled.

Kagome went pale and ran out the door as fast as she could.  

Nanami stepped out the door after her.  “And don’t forget!  The first guy who talks to you…!” 

Kagome waved over her shoulder and disappeared before anyone else could talk to her.  The walk home was spent dodging her fellow male classmates.  She didn’t want to be stuck with any of them for dinner.  Her footsteps padded up the steps to her family shrine and she relaxed a bit.  As long as she stayed at home she was safe.  After all, the rules stated the guy couldn’t be related.  

Her schoolbag was tossed onto desk.  There had to be a way out of bringing some guy to dinner.  She sat down at her desk, staring at her collection of library books, neatly piled against the wall.  Her eyes caught the title of a book, “The History of Japan.”  A plan began to form.

Random articles of clothing and supplies went into her bag.  She had decided to make a run for it and blame her absence on sickness.  They couldn’t punish her if they couldn’t find her.  She shouldered her pack and raced downstairs.  “Bye, Mom!  I’m going back through the well.”

“But, Kagome… Aren’t you going out tonight with your friends?” Mrs. Higurashi asked, wiping her hands on a towel as she stepped out of the kitchen.

“I just remembered… something important.”

“What are those, Kagome?”  Mrs. Higurashi’s eyes were glued to something in Kagome’s hand.

The girl looked down at the handcuffs.  For some reason she had picked them up after she packed.  “These?  These are nothing…”

“Oh well, dear… be careful.”

“I will, Mom.”  Kagome stepped back, towards the door.  “Bye!”  She turned and opened the door.  

The sun was setting as she raced for the well.  If she could just get there, she wouldn’t have to worry… she could…

“Where are you going?” 

Kagome jumped and looked back at the visitor’s entrance to the shrine.  A slightly out of breath Yuki and Nanami were staring at her.  “I was… I was…” she faltered.  

“Sneaking away?” Yuki grinned.

“Yeah…” Kagome frowned, disappointed.

The last rays of sunlight extinguished, casting them all in the shadows of twilight.  “Really, Kagome…”

“THERE you are!” a male voice called out from the direction of the well.

Kagome turned and blinked at a dark haired Inuyasha.  “Inuyasha…”

“Are you done with dinner yet?  Can we go now?” Inuyasha demanded, crossing his arms impatiently.

“Kagome… the handcuffs,” Nanami breathed.

Kagome sighed and slapped one of the metal bands around Inuyasha’s wrist, much to his surprise.  She attached the other side to herself.

“What’s the big idea?” Inuyasha growled, trying to pull his hand out of the metal circle.

“You have cordially been invited to dinner with Kagome and ourselves,” Yuki grinned at Inuyasha.  “Kagome, who is he?”

Kagome sighed and massaged her wrist.  Inuyasha’s movements were making the metal bite into her skin.  “Yuki, Nanami… this is my friend, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha eyed the other two girls with suspicion.  “You made Kagome bind me?”

“It will be fun… we promise,” Yuki smiled.  She turned and beckoned the others to follow.  “Come on, I’m hungry.”

Kagome and Inuyasha silently followed the other two, keeping a bit of distance between them.  Occasionally Inuyasha shot Kagome a look, especially as they began to walk deeper and deeper into the city.  “Where are we going?” he hissed.

“To dinner.”  

“Why do they keep looking at me?” 

Kagome blinked, noticing the other people on the sidewalk.  They gave the handcuffed two a wide girth, staring at the longhaired, barefooted boy.  “I… don’t know.”

“I want to go back.”

“We can’t… I don’t have the key to these things,” she replied jangling the handcuffs.

They continued on in silence until they reached the curry house.  Warily, Inuyasha followed where Kagome led him.  The group was shown to a table and they all sat down.

“So…” Yuki grinned, staring at the captive pair.  “How long have you known Kagome?” 

Inuyasha blinked.  “For a while now…” he replied carefully.

“How did you meet?” Nanami jumped in.

“She released me from…”

“What kind of curry is everyone ordering?” Kagome broke into the conversation.

Inuyasha stared at her with a hint of disgust on his face.  “Curry?  You mean that hot stuff your mom made when I spent the night?”

Kagome watched Yuki and Nanami’s eyes bulge out of their heads.  “He didn’t mean it!” she answered nervously.  

Inuyasha frowned at her.  “Yes I did… Remember the night I fell asleep in your bed?”

Yuki and Nanami’s eyes got bigger.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome moaned, tugging on the hand bound to her.  “Can I have a word with you?”

Yuki and Nanami gave each other knowing looks as Kagome pulled Inuyasha away.  

The bound girl turned on her companion when they were a safe distance from the table.  “Don’t tell them THAT!” she whispered.

“Why not?  It’s true.”

“It sounds… They’ll think…”

“What?” he demanded, irritably.

“They’ll think we’re…”  She leaned forward so only he could hear.  “Lovers.”  Her eyes searched his face for confirmation that he understood.  

His eyebrows rose up for a brief moment in surprise before slamming down again into a scowl.  “We didn’t do THAT!” 

“I know that… But it sounds like it when you talk about spending the night…”

Inuyasha wasn’t really listening.  His eyes were focused on a spot beyond her head as he absently spoke his thoughts.  “I mean… if we were to do THAT… I’d want someplace a bit more private and… ” His voice trailed off when his eyes returned to her face.  “WHAT?”

She stared at him in shock.  Finally she found her voice.  “Just… don’t tell them any more about us…” 

His eyes rested on her, seeming to cloud for a moment with confusion and sadness.  “Are you… ashamed of me, Kagome?”

Her eyes went wide as she shook her head.  “No!  I just…”

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he turned to go back to the table, dragging her along behind him.  “Let’s get this over with.”

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks, seeing who had joined Yuki and Nanami in their absence.

Houjou smiled and waved at her.  “Higurashi-san… we were just talking about you.  Nanami-san invited me to dinner.  Who’s this?”  The boy stared at Inuyasha with polite interest.

“This is… my friend, Inuyasha,” Kagome replied sitting down with Inuyasha.  She was stuck between the two boys.  “Inuyasha, this is Houjou…”

Inuyasha didn’t look.

“Why are you handcuffed?” Houjou asked.

“We did it!” Nanami grinned.  

“Oh…” Houjou replied, looking at his menu.

Soon the waitress appeared and they all ordered.  Inuyasha didn’t want to, but Kagome ordered ramen for him.  He stared silently at the table, listening to Houjou trying to engage Kagome in conversation.  

“Higurashi-san… I’m glad you’re feeling better.  How is the arthritis?  I tried to visit but your grandfather said…” the boy went on and on, talking about Kagome’s sicknesses.  

Kagome listened politely, giving nervous glances to Inuyasha.

Nanami and Yuki sat and watched with interest as one boy actively pursued and the other seemed to ignore the whole situation.  

When the food arrived, conversation temporarily waned as attention was shifted to eating.  Kagome continued to glance at Inuyasha who was picking at his ramen.  

“Higurashi-san… when you’re feeling better we need to go on that date I promised.”

Kagome twitched at Houjou’s words.  She broke her bamboo chopsticks.  “Date?”

“You know… to the movies.”

“The movies?”

“Sure!  We can get to know each other better…”

There was movement at Kagome’s side.  Suddenly her hand was being pulled away from the table and she had no choice but to follow.  “Gomen…” she managed as she was dragged away.  A safe distance from the table, a rather angry looking dog demon spun her around and stared at her. 

“I want to go NOW!  Make them release me.”

“Inuyasha…”

“No!  I don’t want to be here.  Make them take this off!”  He raised his cuffed hand.  

“Inuyasha… I’m sorry.”

The dog demon closed his eyes and shook his head.  “He… likes you.”

“But I don’t…” 

“No… let me go,” he whispered almost helplessly.  

“I don’t want you to go.”

His eyes stared into hers.  Violet eyes searched brown.  “He… he’s human.  He’s safe for you… not like me.”

“If you leave… I’m going with you.”

“Your friends won’t like that.”

“You’re my friend too.”

“I can’t stay and watch him… Please let me go.  I’ll be at the well tomorrow.”

Kagome stared at him, wanting nothing more that to hug him and ease his pain.  “Alright.”  She led him back to the table.  “Inuyasha has to go home now… can you release him?”

Yuki and Nanami brought their heads together in conference.  They took a long time discussing their options.  Finally they broke and Yuki pulled out a key.  “Here… you’ve been a good sport.  Next time don’t try and sneak off on us!”

Kagome bowed, backing away from the table with the key clutched safely in her hand.  Hastily she unlocked Inuyasha’s hand and her own.  Both the handcuffs and the key were then dropped on the table.  “I have to go home now.”

“I’ll walk you home!” Houjou smiled, beginning to rise.

Inuyasha snorted and turned to leave.

Kagome watched him, shaking her head.  “No… that’s alright.  I’m feeling a bit… Inuyasha will walk with me.”

Houjou frowned a bit as hurt filled his eyes.  “Oh… ok.”  

Kagome gave a clumsy bow and followed where the dog demon had gone.  She pushed through the crowds of people on the streets, catching a sight of red ahead of her.  “Inuyasha!” she called out, through the crowd.  The one in red disappeared into the throngs of people and she gave chase, calling his name.  “Inuyasha!”  Soon the restaurants and people thinned out.  Kagome was able to run again but there was no sign of the half demon.  “Inuyasha…” she called, helplessly.  People gave her strange looks.

Her feet brought her to a large, wooded park.  Her feet seemed to snag on every root in her path.  “Inuyasha,” she breathed, wearily.  Something large and heavy landed behind her.  She turned in the darkness, trying to assess the threat.

“Hey there, little girl… out for a stroll all alone?  I’ll protect you.”  Strong arms wrapped around her, trying to pull her to the ground.

She kicked and wiggled in her attacker’s grasp.  “Inuyasha!  Help!  INUYASHA!”

“No one can hear you,” the man breathed hotly in her ear.  Kagome froze, feeling his fingers touch her.  Visions flooded her mind of her lifeless corpse being found.  It couldn’t end like that.

All at once she was free.  The man was pulled away and knocked to the ground beside her, gasping for air.  Kagome struggled to roll over and get away.  Something large and dark was above her attacker.  “She is MINE!” 

The attacker made some sort of chocking noise that sounded like agreement before the rescuer was satisfied and moved away.  

“Get out of here!”

The attacker ran, stumbling in the darkness.

“Are you alright, Kagome?”

Kagome didn’t have time to respond or to stand before warm, familiar arms embraced her.  “I’m so sorry…” she cried, trembling in his secure hold.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone,” Inuyasha replied, burying his face in her hair.  

“I’m sorry.  Sorry about the handcuffs… about dragging you to dinner… about Houjou…” she sobbed.

“I’m sorry I got… mad at you.  It’s none of my business if he drools on you.  You have your own right to choose a… a…”

“Lover?”  Her breath whispered in his ear.

“Yeah… that.” 

“It’s not him I love.”

His arms tightened around her.  “I know.” he whispered almost too quietly to hear.

Kagome wanted nothing more to stay in his arms forever.  His heartbeat thundered against her chest and his fingers constantly readjusted themselves to keep her close.  “Will you sleep in my bed again tonight?”

“If that’s what you want…”

Her head moved on his shoulder, nuzzling against the warm flesh of his neck.  “I do.”

He chuckled softly against her.  “Just don’t use those binding things on me, ok?”

Her laughter mingled with his.

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