Kagome finished unpacking her side of the dorm room.  All of her clothes were either neatly folded in the large plastic boxes under her bed or hanging up in the closet.  It would probably be the most organized her clothes would ever be while she stayed on campus.  A picture of her family was set on her nightstand and she stared at the picture.  Her whole family smiled back at her. 

The door opened and Kagome turned to see another girl struggle into the room with her suitcases.  Kagome blushed and stood to help the other girl.  “You must be my roommate, Sango.”

“Yes,” Sango replied distractedly as a suitcase slipped from her hand.  Her feet got caught and she stumbled around. 

Kagome was quick to steady her.  “I’m Kagome.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Sango replied as she found her luggage pulled away from her and deposited on the bed.  “Are you a freshman too?”

Kagome smiled and nodded as another piece of luggage was pulled from Sango’s hands and placed on her bed.  “So much baggage, Sango…”

“I have a lot of baggage,” the other girl sighed.

^.~

Miroku sat on his bed with a guitar resting on his thigh.  His fingers plucked out something beautifully ornate.  Around him, his boxes were still packed… all that mattered to him was the music. 

The door opened and a boy with long, black hair walked into the room with one small suitcase in one hand and a stack of canvases under the other arm.  “You my roommate?”

Miroku nodded, still picking out the soft, gentle music.  “You’re Inuyasha, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.”  Inuyasha grunted as his suitcase landed on the unoccupied bed.  The canvases were laid with better care in the corner. 

“You an art student?”

“Yeah…” Inuyasha dropped his suitcase on the ground and kicked it under the bed.  “What about you?  You some sort of music major?’

“No, I’m philosophy…” Miroku smiled as the guitar gave a final cadence.  “I just like the sound of the guitar.  My name is Miroku.” 

Inuyasha gave Miroku an unsure look.  “Miroku?  Like the Buddha?”

Miroku smiled and resumed his playing, this time something a bit more Spanish. 

Shippou patrolled the halls, watching the newbies on his floor scramble to find their room assignments.  It was always amusing watching them stumble from hallway to hallway.  Soon they would be pros… like the generations before them.  Until then they had Shippou to look out for them.  “Which room are you looking for?”

The boy gave Shippou an anxious look.  “1435.” 

“That’s over there,” Shippou answered, pointing in a direction.  “It’s across from the vending machine.  I’m your RA, Shippou… if you need anything my room is 1400.”

The boy nodded and scrambled off in the direction Shippou indicated.

It was a power trip Shippou enjoyed.  He was short of stature and he had entered college a few years ahead of his class.  If he hadn’t been home schooled he would have entered college this year… but he was a senior now.  His patrol took him to an open doorway, casually he leaned in the doorway and regarded the pair of freshmen girls within.  “I hope you find everything ok.”

“Yes, fine… thank you,” Kagome replied, staring at the brown haired boy in the doorway. 

Shippou smiled at her and the other girl.  “If you need anything, just ask.  I am the RA. My name is Shippou.  My room is over by the elevator, 1400.”

“Thank you, Shippou,” Kagome smiled.

Shippou couldn’t tear his eyes off the girl.  “And what might your names be?  I would like to know everyone on my floor.”

“I’m Kagome and this is Sango,” Kagome responded, indicating the other girl who was too busy putting away her things to care about who was at the door.

“Kagome… I like that name.  Well, Kagome… and Sango, we’ll be having a floor party on Friday.  I would like for everyone to attend so we can get to know each other.”

Kagome blushed. 

“In the meantime… if you need ANYTHING, ask me.”

“Um… Shippou, where’s the restroom?” Kagome whispered.

“I’ll show you, follow me.”  Shippou straightened and gave Sango a smile as Kagome passed through the doorway.  “But first… let me check on the guys next door to you.” 

The door was open and Shippou leaned in the doorway.  “Hello… I am your RA, Shippou.”

Inuyasha gave a smirk as he organized his canvases.

Miroku turned to regard the boy in the doorway.  “Nice to meet you, Shippou.  I’m Miroku and that’s Inuyasha.  He doesn’t say much.”  Miroku’s eyes fell on Kagome, standing embarrassed behind Shippou.  “Well, hello…”  The guitar was put aside and Miroku went to the door.  “I’m Miroku.”

Kagome blushed.  “I’m Kagome.  I live next door to you.” 

“Do you?”

Inuyasha turned around and looked in the direction of the door to see who had caught Miroku’s attention.  Silently he slunk up behind Miroku and gazed at the girl called Kagome, blinking rapidly.  It was as if a ghost came back to haunt him.  “Kikyou…” he whispered.

Shippou turned back to anxiously regard Kagome.  “Anyway… I promised to show this young lady where something is.  If you need anything, come see me in room 1400.”  The boys in this room seemed a bit too intent on his find and that made him uncomfortable.  “We’re having a floor party on Friday… please come,” Shippou called as he began his retreat down the hall with Kagome in tow. 

Miroku turned to give Inuyasha a quizzical look.  “Who’s Kikyou?”

The recreation room was filled with students.  Most talked rapidly to each other, trying to make new connections for the coming school year.  Others sat in the fringes, staring helplessly at the animated crowd. 

Inuyasha sat in a corner, hunkered down over a sketchpad he always kept with him.  Beside him Miroku sat, strumming his guitar.  A collection of girls had gathered to listen to him play.  “This one is called, ‘The Lonely Monk.’” Miroku called out titles between songs.  Most of his song titles seemed to involve being alone or lack of compassion.  Inuyasha was finding the whole thing to be annoying.  There was very little light in the room and the girls kept blocking it, or pushing against him, trying to get to Miroku. 

“Hey look, Sango… it’s the guys from next door.”  Kagome’s voice lilted through the crowd. 

Inuyasha looked up to see Kagome and a longhaired girl approach.  His heart fluttered in his chest.  Kagome looked almost exactly like… but she was gone, wasn’t she? 

Kagome caught his eye and smiled at him, gracefully sitting in front of Inuyasha, blocking his light.  For once he didn’t mind.  “Hi.  I’ve seen you around… you’re Inuyasha, right?”

Inuyasha nodded silently.  “You’re… Kagome?”

Kagome blushed for a moment as her eyes assessed him.  They caught on his sketchpad.  “Oh… you’re an artist?”

Inuyasha nodded and pulled the sketchpad closer to his chest so she couldn’t see. 

“I’m studying history.  My family owns a shrine and I want to know more about it before I become the resident keeper of the shrine.”

Inuyasha nodded silently, unsure what to say.  Girls usually ignored him.

Kagome smiled and glanced over at Sango who was listening to Miroku play.  “I didn’t know he was a music student.”

“He’s not.”  Inuyasha replied. Flipping to the next page in his sketchpad.  “Philosophy…”  The pencil scrawled across the page to occasionally be smudged by silver fingertips.

“What are you drawing?” Kagome tried to see Inuyasha’s sketchpad.

“Nothing!” Inuyasha snapped defensively and shielded the page he was working on from her eyes.

Kagome glanced back at Sango as Inuyasha flipped another page and continued at his maddening pace.  Finally there was a tearing sound and a piece of paper was pushed into Kagome’s hands.

“Here!” The artist grunted as he got to his feet.  “Got to go…”

Kagome watched him leave before she looked down at the paper.  Her own eyes stared back at her from the simple portrait.  Scrawled across the bottom of the page were some hastily written words.  They were impossible to decipher. 

Kagome returned her gaze to Miroku and Sango.  Miroku’s attention seemed to focus for a moment on his roommate’s departure before he smiled at both Sango and Kagome.

^.~

Miroku and Sango walked down the hall, side by side.  Kagome had long since gone to bed and the philosophy student offered to walk Sango back to her room.

“How long have you played the guitar?”

“I started… when I was diagnosed.”

“Diagnosed?”  Sango gave him an odd look.

“Cancer.”  Miroku gave her a small smile.

“When was that?”

“I’ve been in remission for three years now.  It set me back a few years in school… But I wanted to continue.  I NEEDED to continue.”  They stopped in front of the pair of doors.  “Well… goodnight.”  Miroku smiled.

Sango blushed and opened the door to her room.

Mounted on every door in the dormitory was a dry erase board so the residents could keep in touch between their classes.  One such dry erase board read:

Sango, want to have coffee with me on Saturday night? –M
M, I can’t.  I’m washing my hair. –S
S, You could just say no. –M
M, I’m serious.  I wash my hair at night. –S
S, Can I help? ^-^ –M
M, Please stay on Sango’s half of the board.  I need this space to give a classmate his assignments. –K
K, Sorry.  Please tell S I wasn’t serious about the hair washing thing. –M
M, Tell her yourself. ^-^ –K

Shippou leaned against the door, watching Kagome do her laundry.  “Hey there.”

Kagome nearly jumped before turning around to see who was at the door.  “Oh!  Shippou, you scared me.”

“Sorry.”  Shippou grinned and entered.  “You finding everything alright?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I know a great café on campus.  Want to go have coffee?  My treat…”

Kagome blushed and closed the lid of her washer.  “I… have a big test on Monday.”

“Of course.”  Shippou smiled, backing away.  “I understand how that is.  Another time then?”

Kagome smiled.

The boy from 1435 entered the laundry room.  His name was Houjou.  “Hey there, Kagome.  Thanks for my assignments.  Want to study together?”

Kagome nodded, casting Shippou an apologetic look.  “Next weekend I won’t have a test to study for.”

Shippou gave her a hopeful smile and left.

“Can we study tonight?” Houjou asked, enthusiastically.

Kagome sat with Houjou at a table in the floor recreation room.  A pile of books was open around them as they went through the study questions one by one.

Inuyasha passed by the door on his way to the laundry room.  A moment later he passed back again and watched from the doorway for a few moments before going back in the direction of his room.  About a minute later he entered the recreation room with his backpack casually slung over his shoulder.  “Studying for that test on Monday?  Can I study with you?  My roommate is making so much noise with his guitar that I can’t think.”

Kagome smiled and pointed to an empty seat at the table.

Houjou gave his notes a small frown and erased something, seeming not to notice Inuyasha’s contribution to the table.  “Ok, what about number four?”

^.~

“Can I walk you back to your room?” Houjou asked hopefully.

Inuyasha gave Houjou a smirk.

Kagome looked up from packing her books in her bag.  “My room?”

“Need help with your books?”  Houjou smiled, trying his best to ignore the guy who kept giving him dirty looks.

“No, I’m fine.”  Kagome smiled, pulling her bag onto her shoulder. 

“Well… hallways at night… never know what drunk idiot is… and you’re…”

“These halls are safe.  Only residents are allowed in here.”  Inuyasha replied.

“But my roommate told me…”

“Besides, she lives next door to me.  I won’t let anything happen to her.”

Kagome looked between the two in confusion.  What were they talking about?

“Oh…” Houjou sounded disappointed.  “Well, goodnight.”

Inuyasha watched Houjou leave.

“Inuyasha, what was he talking about?”  Kagome whispered, as if those in the hallway could hear her. 

“Don’t worry.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“But, what was he…”

Inuyasha regarded her thoughtfully.  “We live in a co-ed dorm.  Some guys are less that honorable when it comes to that situation.”  His eyes searched hers.  Her eyes held more innocence than Kikyou’s ever did.  “Come on.  I’m tired.”

“What are you talking about?” Inuyasha glared at Miroku from across the room.

“The only way Sango will feel comfortable enough to go out with me is if Kagome comes along.  I need to find a date for Kagome.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to…”

“I’m not asking you to commit yourself to her.  Just be her date.  One night.  Just one night, I swear.” 

“Fine!” Inuyasha growled, laying back on his bed.

^.~

Inuyasha leaned against the wall of the hallway, waiting for Miroku to knock on the door to Kagome and Sango’s room.  Kagome answered wearing a short green dress and heels.  Her hair was done up.  Inuyasha hastily stood up straight, suddenly feeling under dressed in his black slacks and red silk shirt.  Kagome called to Sango before moving to meet her date in the hallway.

“You look… nice.”  Inuyasha managed.

“So do you.”  Kagome replied.

Miroku gasped, readjusting his purple tie as Sango appeared in a black dress.

^.~

Kagome laughed, leaning down to take aim with her putter.  With a mighty “whack!” the ball bounced down the fairway and landed in the bushes.

“I think you’re supposed to aim at the windmill.”  Inuyasha smiled.

“I TOLD you I’m not very good at this.”  Kagome replied, kneeling near the bushes to retrieve her green ball.

Inuyasha shook his head and placed the red ball on the mat and took aim.  The ball was sent towards the windmill and bounced harmlessly off of the wooden tulips before following the slope of the fairway into a gaping hole.  A few moments later his ball reappeared and rolled to a stop a foot from the hole.  Miroku’s blue ball got a hole in one.  Sango’s yellow ball took two putts to get into the hole.  Kagome made a face and casually dropped her ball into the hole.

After Miroku and Sango tied the game, the four made their way to the arcade.

^.~

Miroku and Sango walked on ahead to the dormitory, both holding their prizes from all the tickets they won in skee-ball.  A short distance behind them Inuyasha tossed a small stuffed dog from one hand to the other as he walked, occasionally glancing at the empty handed Kagome.  “Hey!  You keep him.”  The dog was tossed at Kagome.

Kagome caught the dog and blinked up at Inuyasha.  “But he’s yours.”

“I don’t really care for stuffed animals.”

Kagome hugged the dog to her chest.

Sango and Miroku were deep in conversation, paying no mind to the two behind them. 

“Do you think those two will end up together?”  Kagome asked, watching Sango smile at Miroku.

“Who knows?  She’s all he ever talks about.”

“Really?  She talks about him too.  She pretends he’s annoying, but…” 

Inuyasha nodded, staring vaguely in the direction of his roommate.  “Must be nice.”

Kagome raised an eyebrow.  “What?”

“Nothing.”

They entered the dormitory and made their way up to their floor.  The walk down the hallway was slow as if neither couple wished for the night to end.  “It’s too bad… I still could talk all night.”  Miroku laughed.

Sango nodded in agreement.  “We could, you know.  None of us have classes tomorrow.”

“We can use my room and…” Miroku began.

“No we can’t.  I’m tired.”  Inuyasha frowned. 

Sango looked at the pair of doors.  “I suppose we could use our room.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m a little tired too.  I didn’t get much sleep because of those tests.” Kagome blushed and looked down at her feet.

“Well then, why don’t the two of you sleep in the boy’s room while Sango and I talk in the girl’s room?”  Miroku suggested.

Kagome blinked at Inuyasha who seemed to be sizing her up.  “Come on.”  He grumbled, taking her wrist and opening the door.

Kagome stared at the room, one side stark and pristine, the other half cluttered and messy.  “Which side is…?”

As if to answer her question, Inuyasha sat on the clean side.  “This is my side.”

Kagome waded through Miroku’ possessions, trying to get through to the bed.

“You may not want to sleep there.  You never know what may pop out and bite you.”

The girl looked back at the boy on the other bed.  “Where will I…?”

“Over here.  I won’t bite, I promise.  I can’t guarantee the same for THAT side of the room.”

Kagome picked her way back across to the other bed and sat down on the firm mattress.  “Inuyasha…”

The boy shook his head, he wasn’t going to explain, and lounged back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.  “Lay down next to me.”

The girl stood up and stepped out of her high heels.  Soon her pantyhose followed before she climbed back beside him on the bed.  “Inuyasha… I’ve been meaning to ask you what you wrote on that portrait you gave me.”

“Nothing important.”  A smile crossed his lips as he closed his eyes. 

“You wrote, ‘nothing important?’”

“No, what I wrote wasn’t important.  It was just a bit of scribble.”

“Oh.”  Her eyes regarded his face for a moment.  “Who is Kikyou?”

Inuyasha’s eyes opened wide and he gave her a horrified look.  “Kikyou?”

“When I first saw you, you called me Kikyou.  I just wondered…”

“Kikyou was my… my model.”

“You had a model?”

With a sigh, his body heavily rolled over, presenting his back to her.  “Yes.  Once.  When I was in high school.”

“What happened to her?”

“She… got knocked up and… killed herself.” 

“Why?”

“Strict family.”

Kagome was silent, staring at the back of Inuyasha for a long time, trying to understand.  “The baby, was it… yours?”

Inuyasha rolled back over, a deep scowl etched on his face.  “How can you ask something like that?  I would never… never… I mean if it had been mine she wouldn’t… I would have… but it wasn’t.  I never even touched her… not once.  And he came and… How can you ask that?”

“I’m sorry.”  Kagome whispered and faced away from him. 

“I loved her.  I don’t deny that.  But she… didn’t love me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You look a bit like her.  For a moment I thought you were her, coming back.  But once I talked to you… you’re nothing like her.” 

Kagome rolled back over, staring into his eyes.  “I’m sorry I reminded you of her.”

“It’s not your fault.”  Inuyasha pulled the blankets over them.  “We should sleep.”

“I’ve never slept with anyone…” 

Pausing with his hand on the blanket, he stared at her.  “Neither have I.”

“I feel… safe with you.”

“No reason you should be.  I’m just as male as any guy here.”

Her eyes opened wide.  “What do you mean?”

“Nothing…” 

“Tell me.”  Her eyes held concern as she stared into his.  “Are you saying I shouldn’t trust you?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t.  Maybe I want you in my bed as much as any other guy here… Shippou… Houjou…” 

“Shippou and Houjou…?”

“Forget I said anything.  Just go to sleep.”

“Now I can’t!”

“I just meant… they both want you.  They both can’t wait to get you alone.”

“They…”

“Want you… alone.”

“Why?”

“Who knows?  Maybe to kiss you… feel you up… get you naked.  I don’t know.  They may just want someone to talk to, but I don’t think that’s likely.”

“You said… are you saying you’re like them?”

“If I was, then just being next to you would drive me crazy with desire.  But I promised I wouldn’t bite.  I keep my promises.”

Carefully, Kagome eased her arms around Inuyasha’s waist and leaned against his chest.  “Thank you.”

Inuyasha stiffened at her touch.  This was something completely unexpected and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it.  Was he supposed to touch her back?  Was this an invitation?  His arms returned the embrace.  “Go to sleep.”

Inuyasha woke, feeling the best he had in years.  His body was warm and comfortable.  Sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the room.  Gently his arms tightened around the girl he shared his bed with.  Her leg was wrapped around his and her skirt had ridden up.  With a blush he disentangled himself from her limbs and smoothed down her dress before getting out of bed.  The room was chilly, but he didn’t care.  His sketchpad and pencil were found and he sat on the bed, watching her sleep.  Page upon page was filled with her sleeping face. 

Kagome finally awoke and wiped the sleep from her eyes.  “What?”

“I was drawing you in your sleep.”  The sketchpad was placed in her hands as he showed her sketch after sketch of his interpretation of her. 

“I look terrible.”  The girl laughed, smoothing back her hair. 

“No, you look natural.  I like that.”  His fingers skimmed back to near the beginning of the book.  “This is my house from the outside.  Here’s my mother…” 

Kagome watched as pieces of Inuyasha’s life passed before her eyes. 

“This is Kikyou…”

The girl came face to face with the girl from Inuyasha’s past.  “She’s pretty.”

Inuyasha nodded and flipped the page.  There were more sketches of Kikyou.  One of the last drawings in the series was of her in her casket.  The next several sketches were of scribbles and angry gouges with the pencil.  “I have several books… and I switch between them.”  Finally he reached the pages he had been working on when they first talked at the party.

“That’s me.”

“Yeah.”  The book was shut and tossed aside. 

“You were drawing me.”

“First I felt inspired in a long time.”

“Was it because I look like her?”

“No…”  A smile flickered across his face and he lay on the bed beside her. 

Kagome sat up and smoothed down her dress, self-consciously.  “I should probably go back to my room.”

Inuyasha’s eyes rested on hers, looking hurt. 

The girl smiled at him and knelt to pick up her shoes and nylons.  “I had a good time.  I wouldn’t mind going out with you again…”

The boy perked up, watching her go.  “Really?”

“You know where I live… anytime you want to do something…”  The invitation was left hanging as the door was opened and she backed out of the room, colliding with Shippou as she closed the door.

Shippou frowned for a moment.  “That isn’t… your room.”  His eyes fell on the hosiery and heels clutched in her hand.  Something seemed to click in his head.  “You…” 

“Um… good morning, Shippou.”  Kagome hastily pulled the key from her bra and opened her dorm room.  “See you later.”

Shippou stood, dumbstruck in the hall.  The boy next door had made the first move.  This was not good.

“Did you hear?  Shippou saw Kagome come out of Inuyasha’s room this morning.”

“I heard Shippou caught Kagome and Inuyasha together in his room.”

“Inuyasha and Kagome were found in the rec room by Shippou.  They were doing it!”

“Inuyasha and Shippou were doing Kagome in the rec room.”

“Did you hear?”

Inuyasha scowled at his fellow floormates.  They whispered to each other as he passed down the hall.

One would think that by college such childish games would be abandoned, but… “I heard that Kagome did Inuyasha and Shippou in front of everyone in the rec room.”

Inuyasha shook his head.  It was just as bad as high school.  The rumors flew around there too… about him and Kikyou… and the father of Kikyou’s baby.  The bastard had made no attempt to set things right.  The rumors were allowed to fester until Kikyou cracked under the pressure.

“Excuse me…”

Inuyasha blinked away his thoughts, focusing on the last person he expected to see.  “Houjou?”

Houjou nodded and looked around anxiously.  “Can I ask you something, about Kagome?”

“Yes…” Came the guarded reply.

“Did you…?”  The poor boy couldn’t even ask.  His eyes pleaded with Inuyasha’s 

The longhaired boy silently debated.  With one word he could claim Kagome as his own.  Her reputation would be tarnished but he could cut back on the competition.  Then again… he remembered the look on Kikyou’s face when the bastard had denied her the truth.  “Not that it’s any of your business… Kagome spent the night in my room.  She needed some place to crash for the night.  We didn’t do anything.”

Houjou let out a sigh of relief.  “Good.”

“Do me a favor?  Make sure those ugly rumors are stopped… for her sake.”

The other boy nodded enthusiastically and began to walk away.

“Houjou.”

Houjou turned at the sound of his name.

“I wont give her up without a fight.”

“May the best man win.”

Was this really a contest?  Inuyasha resumed his studies, still pondering.

“Enough about me.  What’s YOUR family like?”  Kagome lay sprawled on Inuyasha’s bed, waiting for her roommate to stop making out with Inuyasha’s roommate.

“My family…”  Inuyasha pondered his family.  “My dad is dead.  My mom was his second wife.  I have a half brother I don’t particularly care for.”

“Do you like your mom?”

“What kind of question is that?  Of course I like my mom.  She just seems… so sad sometimes.  My brother doesn’t help much.  Luckily he doesn’t come to the house too often.

“My dad is dead too.”

Inuyasha’s eyes flickered for a moment on the girl beside him.  “I’m sorry.  I never really knew my dad.  He was always so busy with his company.”

“He had a company?”

Inuyasha nodded.  “Dad controlled a great deal of money.  My brother heads the company now…  I never really wished to follow in dad’s footsteps and become a businessman like him.  I want to be my OWN boss.” 

“And do what?”

“Art, of course!”  A grin crossed his face.  Quickly he got up off the bed.  “Stay like that… I want to paint you.”

“Paint me all you want.” Kagome whispered, closing her eyes, feeling relaxed and content. 

From the room next door came the rhythmic pounding of the bed against the wall.  Kagome blushed, feeling like an eavesdropper to what her roommate was engaged in.

“They are like animals.”  Inuyasha huffed, smearing paint on his canvas.

“Must be nice to be close to someone like that.”

“I wouldn’t know.  I’m not so keen on sharing myself.”

“Even for the right girl?”

The paintbrush stopped in mid stroke.  “For the right girl I’d…”

Kagome tried to look around the canvas at Inuyasha’s saddened face.  “It’s alright.  I didn’t mean anything by that.”

Inuyasha’s eyes caught hers.  In a flash the paintbrush was discarded and he was on the bed beside her.  “What would you do for the right boy?”  His fingertips brushed her cheek, leaving behind hints of paint.

Shivering from the brief contact, she swallowed hard to steady her nerves.  “I’d… be his completely… mind, body and soul.” 

“You’re a romantic.”  With a grin, Inuyasha pulled himself off the bed and picked up his brush to resume his painting.  “You have paint on your cheek… sorry.”

Kouga kept his door opened when he drank with his buddies.  It was an invitation for others to join in on the fun. 

“Let’s… do it.”  One of Kouga’s friends chuckled, before taking another gulp from his beer can.  “Next girl we see… Is Kouga’s.”

Kouga raised his beer to the group.  They all cheered.  The young man crawled to the door of his room, watching the other residents walk by.  Usually they walked in pairs.  And then there was one… a lone girl.  Kouga stood and smiled at her.  “Join us.” 

The girl gave him an odd look.  “Um… no thank you.”

“That wasn’t a request.”  In a flash he had her in his arms and clapped a hand over her mouth to drag her back into the room.  Someone shut the door after he entered.  The group cheered to see the female he had snared. 

Kagome’s eyes went wide, seeing all the drunken men leering at her.  Some reached out to tug at her skirt as others tried to trip her to the floor.  Finally the guy who caught her let go of her mouth.  “Help!” 

“No one cares!” Kouga laughed.  “My neighbors are in here with me.  Tonight, you are mine!  And if you ever tell anyone about this… We’ll kill you.”

The group laughed and raised their beers in salute. 

Kagome stared at them with terrified eyes… the horror Houjou had hinted about was real.  In a flash she understood.  “No!” 

Something hit the door, hard.  The inhabitants of the room all stiffened in silence, staring at the door.  Kagome took the opportunity to scream.  “Help ME!”

Kouga cursed and signaled one of his friends to cover Kagome’s mouth with kisses as he stood to answer the door.  Kouga smiled at the flustered looking RA who in turn glared at the black haired boy. 

“Why were you banging on their door?” Shippou demanded.

“Someone pulled Kagome in there!  I SAW them from down the hall.” Inuyasha growled back.  “And I heard her scream.”

Shippou stared back at Kouga.  “You having a party in here?” 

Kouga smiled and nodded.

“Any girls?”

“Just my buddy’s girlfriend.”

Shippou looked inside to see a girl being kissed.  A suspicious frown crossed his features. 

Inuyasha pushed past the RA and entered the room, pulling the guy off the girl and blinked down at a rumpled looking Kagome.  Without a word he picked her up and carried her out of the room. 

“It looks like you were mistaken.”  Shippou smirked. 

Kouga glared at him and turned to blink at the guy carrying Kouga’s prey down the hallway.  “You’ll both be sorry you ever got involved!”

Inuyasha looked back at the monster in the hallway.  “If you touch her again, it’s you who will be sorry.”

By this time a few people poked their heads out of their rooms to see what the commotion was about.  Shippou signaled to one to call for help.

Kagome sat, shivering on her bed.  The police had come for statements after taking the guys into custody.  Inuyasha sat, watching from the corner of the room, answering all the questions that were asked of him.  Finally the questioners seemed satisfied… except for one more question.  “Are you her boyfriend?”

Inuyasha nodded, keeping his eyes on Kagome.

“Take care of her.  We’ll be in touch.  Call if you need anything.”

Inuyasha let them out the door, shutting it firmly behind them.  His eyes fell on Miroku and Sango, both sitting on Sango’s bed. 

“I was so scared.”  Kagome whispered. 

“It’s alright, Kagome.  Inuyasha found you.”  Sango answered, unsure how to comfort her roommate.  Clumsily she crossed the room and hugged the other girl.

Inuyasha sighed and sat in the vacant spot on Sango’s bed. 

Kagome’s eyes met Inuyasha’s.  “Inuyasha…”

“You’re welcome.” 

Kagome hugged the stuffed dog Inuyasha had given her on their first date.  “Can I be alone, you guys… except Inuyasha?”

Sango gave her another hug before leaving the room, pulling Miroku behind her.

As the door closed, Kagome broke down into sobs.  “If you hadn’t… if I… I thought they were going to… and that guy… it was my first kiss… It had to be so horrible.”

Inuyasha slid off the bed and knelt before her.  “Kagome… that wasn’t your first kiss.  You haven’t had your first kiss yet.  Don’t cry.  Please, don’t cry.” 

The girl slid off the bed and landed in a heap in front of Inuyasha.  Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close.  “They would have taken more than that from me…” 

His arms surrounded her body, holding her tightly against him.  “I told you I would protect you.”  His fingers wiped at her tears.  “Please don’t cry.  I can’t stand to see you cry.” 

Her tearful eyes blinked up into his.  Quickly she caught his lips with hers, holding against him for a moment.  Breathlessly she pulled away to regard him.  “I owe you so much.  Everything I have is yours.”

“Don’t do that.”  His arms tightened a bit around her.  “I don’t want it.”

Her body seemed to wilt.  “Oh, I had thought you…  I must look like such an idiot.”  Tears fell once more down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry.  I just… I didn’t save you so you would give yourself to me.  That’s not what I want at all.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.”

“I thought you would like to…”

“I would.  But not like this.  It isn’t a reward for good behavior.”  His face rested against her shoulder as he took in the scent of her hair.  “It’s for love and trust.  Trust is not something I’m very good at.  I trusted Kikyou… but then she slept with that other guy… and it hurt so much.  I didn’t want to trust, because I’d just get hurt again.  I would trust someone and they would leave me.  I don’t want you to leave me.” 

Her body moved a bit in his embrace and she sat back a bit to look into his eyes.  “Why would I leave?”

“Because… I… don’t know what to tell you.” 

Her lips touched his again, briefly.  “I won’t leave.”

A small smile touched his lips.  “Your kisses are my first.”

“So… they count?” 

“They weren’t forced, were they?  Of course they count.”  His legs shifted as he moved to stand them both up.  “You’ve had a rough night.  I should let you sleep.”  His arms eased her down on the bed. 

“Remember the night of our first date when I asked if I could trust you?” 

“Yes.”

“I still feel safe with you…”

His face lightened with a smile for a moment as he brushed the bangs from her forehead.  “Get some sleep.”

“Are you really my boyfriend?”

“If you want me to be.”  His fingers softly caressed her cheek. 

“Yes.”

His lips lightly touched hers.  “The portrait says, ‘I am yours.’”

Kagome opened her eyes, blinking up at him.

“But you gave that to me after our first conversation…”

“I know.”  His lips touched hers again before he stood. 

“Don’t leave me… please.  Sleep next to me.”

Inuyasha sighed and wordlessly crawled into bed, beside her. 

“I have something to admit too.”

“Hmm?”

“The night I stayed in your room… once I took my nylons off I wasn’t wearing any…”

Inuyasha let out a soft chuckle wrapping his arms around her.  “I know.”

“How did you know?”

“You had a short hemline.”

Kagome twisted around in grasp, staring at him.  “You knew?”

“Go to sleep, Kagome… We can talk about it tomorrow.”

The girl sighed and settled in his arms, feeling the familiar comfort wash over her from his nearness to her.  “I am yours too.”

His arms tightened around her for a moment.  Next door the bed pounded rhythmically against the wall.  “And they’re at it again…”

Kagome giggled, snuggling against him. 

Part 2
Back to the Gallery