Not What It Seems

Summary: Kagome spots a Soul Collector and assumes the worst. But it's not what she thinks... Rated K

Inuyasha yawned widely, not bothering to cover it as he lounged on Kagome's roof. It felt too long since Kagome had promised to pack her backpack first and then they'd go. Once she steps outside, he's gonna pounce on her for making him wait.

Finally, he huffed, sitting up when he heard the door slide open and close. The school girl was walking as slow as a turtle with the heavy yellow bag that was seven times wider than her. She's gonna break her back carrying that, he noted absently as he slid himself off the tin roof of a shed, landing in a crouch. "It took ya long enough," Inuyasha said as he walked by her side. He quickly grabbed the bag off her back and watched as she slowly stood up straight with a pained face.

Kagome put her hands on the small of her back, bending backwards slightly and biting back a groan. "I only took five minutes," she glared as he tugged the straps on his shoulder with ease.

"Keh," he opened the door to the well house.

Kagome put her knee on the lip of the well and looked down. There wasn't a time that she had thought the well would close the portal between worlds when she past through each time. It made her afraid when going to either side. If she was stuck at home, she would miss Inuyasha and the others terribly. If she was stuck in the Feudal Era, she would get home-sick. There was no way she could chose between them. Kagome hoped that the well would remain open for a long, long time.

"Ready?" Inuyasha asked, glancing at her. When she nodded, he pulled her a bit closer to him and dropped down. After all, the well wasn't exactly big enough to drop together separately and he was afraid that Kagome would do something stupid and her fragile body would hit the stone walls of the well. When the warm bright light consumed them, he allowed his hand to slide from her shoulder.

She felt her feet touch ground and instantly grabbed at the vines to pull herself up and over while Inuyasha took the easy way out and jumped, sitting on the lip of the well to hold out his hand for her. The vines stretched and snapped after being used as a ladder for so long, sending her crashing down on the remains of demon bones with a shriek.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's eyes widened, watching the young girl sit up slowly and groan. "Are you alright?"

Kagome looked up at the half-demon, "I'm fine... I think..." she murmured the last part, checking for any pains and felt a bruise on her tail bone as well as her head. "Just a few bruises," she assured him when he was about to jump down and help her.

Inuyasha settled back and glared at the broken vines. He stood up and rested his abdomen against the well as he stretched both hands down towards her. "Grab my hands, I'll pull you up."

She stood up carefully and stretched on her tip-toes. Her fingers barely brushed his palm before he snatched her up so quickly that it left Kagome dizzy. When her loafers touched the grass, she brushed dirt off her clothing, "Thanks, I think I should ask Gramps if he has another ladder to put on this... side..." she drifted off when Inuyasha's hand brushed against her lower back.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked at the strange look on her face. Maybe she broke something and decided to keep it away from him, like she did when she was sick, he thought with a scowl. That would be the last time he'd let her travel when she was catching a cold.

"Y-Yeah," she blushed madly. Knock it off, Kagome, he's just concerned. There is no way he's feeling you up, she thought as his hand gently prodded her bruised bottom. She pulled his hand away from her quickly, "Just fine."

Inuyasha searched her gaze before relaxing, "If you say so..." he said warily and started walking towards the village, picking up the bag he dropped and adjusted it on his shoulder. Completely oblivious to Kagome's conflicting thoughts.

Wait, what if he was feeling me up? Should I 'sit' him? Oh, that pervert! She brought a hand to her head where it was thumping painfully from the fall. She probably hit her head against Mistress Centipede skull. But what if he was really concerned? Then he'll be mad that I sat him for no reason. But why would he be concerned about me? It was just a little fall, unless...

"Come on, Kagome! You're gonna stand there all day?" Inuyasha called, looking back at her.

Kagome realized she was getting too far ahead of herself. Relax, think of something else... she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before following after him.

"Did you pack enough? We're not coming back here for a while."

"I'm sure I packed enough ramen to last you a month," Kagome answered while they trudged through the forest onto Kaede's village. "As well as all the other junk food," she muttered under her breath before glancing at Inuyasha's narrow waist. With all the food he inhales, how is he not getting wider? She thought incredulously.

He growled softly, "Just because you only packed enough food for a month, doesn't mean that you're gonna go back home in a month."

She pouted. "If that was my plan, I would've packed enough for two weeks."

Inuyasha stopped, his ears twitching as he looked around. He looked thoughtful for a moment as he scented the air.

"Inuyasha? What is it?"

"I'll be right back," he told her as he dropped the bag at her feet and started running off the path.

"Wait! Inuyasha!" Her heart stopped and leaped in her throat when a familiar glow floated through the trees before vanishing. Soul Collectors... Kikyou's around somewhere? She thought as she struggled to pick up her bag. After managing to drag it a couple feet, she gave up and dropped it to go after the demon. She knew she was just going to hurt herself, either because she knew Inuyasha would be with her, or Kikyou would try and kill her again. But she was curious, what if Kikyou has news on Naraku? It wasn't like she could trust her words through Inuyasha's biased mouth.

She lost track of the flying serpent but had an idea of where it went, seeing as she was heading towards the Sacred Tree. Her steps slowed as she came nearer to the great tree. When she came to the edge of the small clearing, she completely stopped as she took in the shocking sight.

"Stay still, dammit!" Inuyasha growled, looking aggravated. Her eyes lowered to his hands and widened to the size of saucers.

"Inuyasha! What are you doing?" she demanded as she revealed herself to his gaze.

The half-demon's head snapped up. "You wanna help me?"

Kagome put her hands on her hips. "No. What are you doing?" she repeated more calmly.

Inuyasha glanced down and back at her. "Uh..."

In his hands, the Soul Collector wriggled, it's long tail whipping out in random questions as it tried to slither out of his tight grasp.

Kagome grimaced, "Let it go! You're annoying the thing!"

Inuyasha scowled as he stared at the squirming snake. " But it could help us, it helps Kikyou," he reasoned, "If we could train it, it could lead us to Naraku."

She slapped a hand to her forehead, "Inuyasha, Kikyou needs it to collect dead souls."

He pouted like a child. "I can take one."

The Soul Collector wiggled again futilely. Kagome scowled and slapped his hand, "Let go!" In his slight shock, his hands released the demon and it flew to the skies frantically. At his annoyed look, she said, "It wouldn't have listened to you anyways."

"If it didn't, I could have at least used it to strangle Naraku with," Inuyasha muttered.

Kagome sighed, "How'd you get a hold of it without Kikyou knowing, anyways?" She couldn't imagine Kikyou letting Inuyasha rough-handle one of her loyal collectors like that.

His brows raised, "I didn't go to see Kikyou."

Kagome looked surprised. "Really...?"

"Keh," Inuyasha crossed his arms, "It's not like I run to her every time I see a Soul Collector. Kikyou doesn't own all of 'em, you know."

She smiled slightly. "You're right..." she mumbled, feeling glad.

His ears perked up. "Hey, where's your bag?"

She blinked before remembering. "Oh! I forgot it back there. It was too heavy."

"Tsk, what would you do without me," Inuyasha scoffed as he walked back.

Kagome grinned to herself and went after him, happy to know he won't follow Soul Collectors blindly to get to Kikyou. In her peripheral vision, she caught another Soul Collector that looked at Inuyasha expectantly and circled around to get his attention. But Inuyasha didn't even glance at it as he picked up the backpack and heaved it over his shoulder again. Instead, he was looking at her curiously. "What is it?" she asked.

"You're staring at me, it's kinda weird," he admitted.

She blushed lightly. "I can't think?" she retorted.

You can," Inuyasha smirked, "I just think it's weird."

She rolled her eyes, "Sit boy."

The rosary quickly pulled him down to kiss the ground. "What was that for?" he growled as he glared at her.

Kagome smiled widely. Things were back to normal.

A/N: A little burst of randomness written in one day.

Review and tell me what you think, please.