Ok, so this is my first fic….ever! I'm not looking to make this a major hobby but I come up with story ideas all the time while I read other people's work. I thought I'd try this one. Hope you like it!

Why do you smell like Kagome?

"Go back!" InuYasha yelled so loud that the birds from the trees flew off.

"Yes, InuYasha. I need to go back for the big math test. I spend so much time here being almost killed by demons I haven't had anytime to study. You never let us rest long enough so I can't even crack a book open!" Kagome yelled back at him trying to reason with him. She was always coming here to help him fight demons and look for shards…why couldn't he just give her a day or two to study and take this test…

They were by the well and Kagome was trying to get InuYasha to let her go without being angry. But she knew it was useless. He never wanted her to leave and go back to her time to take her test.

Her life back in her time had become like a dream now. It was fuzzy and hazy because she would rush back from her time, her real time, to the past to help InuYasha. She never saw her friends anymore, she was missing out on school and she was becoming a stranger to her own family. They have been nothing but understanding, something InuYasha could never be it seemed. As much as she loved all her new friends she occasionally wished her life was just a little simpler. And InuYasha never tried to make it any easier on her.

"You don't need to be taking all these damn test wench. You need to be here helping us look for shards. Naraku is still out there! Do you even remember we have a mission! I guess you are just too dumb to notice that huh?" He crosses his arms and looked away from her as if he knew he had finally got her to realize that she needed to stay. Suddenly he got a sniff of air he found all too familiar. It was the smell of salt water…his face faltered and he looked over his shoulder. "Kagome…" He spoke unsure…

Her head was down and her bangs covered her eyes. Her fists were clenched and she was shaking. Then her head shot up and InuYasha could see the tears fighting to stay back in her eyes. InuYasha tried to brace himself, "OSUWARI!"

The next second, he was on the floor face down trying to get back up, "Why you wench…."

Kagome looked down at him, "I know we have a mission. I know Naraku is still out there alright! You don't have to remind me. But also know we will defeat him and when this is all over I need to have something to go home to! So I'm leaving now!" She jumped into the well before InuYasha could say anything or get up.

Kagome was suddenly surrounded by that oh so familiar blue light. "Why…why can't he understand…When we're done I'll have to come back. It would be nice to be able to stay there…with him…No! I can't think like that…He'll have Kikyo…" She sighed as she landed back in her time. She climbed out of the well.

Kagome made her way to her house and entered, "I'm home." She glanced around and didn't hear anything. She took off her shoes and looked around. She noticed a note lying on the kitchen table, "Kagome, I know you were coming home today but you're brother is sleeping over at a friends house tonight, and grandpa and I are visiting some relatives for the night. We will be back tomorrow morning. Love, Mama"

"I was really hoping to see them today…It's been almost a week." She put the paper down and glanced at the wall clock, it was almost 4:30. She climbed upstairs and got a quick shower. She then walked into her room and opened her books and tried to study…

InuYasha sat high on his usual branch waiting for Kagome. "I don't know what she is so bent ouf of shape about. Its her stupid fault the jewel shattered…" He sat there thinking quietly about what had happened. If she hadn't shattered the shard they wouldn't have been traveling together all this time. He might have spent the rest of this time trying to kill her for the jewel. InuYasha winced at that thought. He sighed and looked over at the well and continued to think silently to himself.

Kagome had been sitting at her desk with a blank stare for almost 30 minutes. "Oh kami….what language is this? I need help!" She stood from her chair and went downstairs to use the phone.

"Yuka? Hey, oh, I'm fine. Listen, about that test…No…I understand…Hojo? Yeah…I guess I could give him a call. Well thanks Yuka."

She hung up the phone and dialed Hojo's number which she found in a school directory. "Hello, Hojo-kun, it's me, Kagome, I…Yes I am feeling much better…I saw the fruit basket you sent. Thank you. Listen, Hojo-kun I was wondering if you could help explain a few problems to me. I know you must be busy with your own studies but…Really thank you! Well I needed help with…Come over? Well you don't really have to do that...But… Well…alright. I guess I'll see you when you get here. Thanks." She hung up the phone and went into the living room and waited.

The wait wasn't long, she heard the door and walked over and opened it. "Hello Hojo-kun."

"Hey there Kagome. How are you feeling? It seems like you have been sick even more in the last couple of weeks. Are you sure you shouldn't be resting instead of studying?"

Kagome smiled because he showed more concern then some people she knew. "No, I'm fine. I really want to do well on this test. I really appreciate you coming to help me. Let's get started!" They walked up to her room and he began pretty much teaching her from scratch.

InuYasha jumped from his branch and paced around for a while. Having Kagome away made him anxious. He assumed it was because he wanted to continue his search for Naraku.

"Stupid wench...Leaving whenever she wants. Always leaving for those damn tests!" InuYasha looked at the well…She always does comeback….and tries really hard to keep up. For a weak human she did pretty well…She was always trying to help him even though she couldn't always do much. But she always cheered him on…He roughed up his head and jumped through the well.

Kagome and Hojo had been studying for almost 2 hours and it was almost 8.

"Wow…we went through so much. Thanks a lot Hojo-kun. I could have never down it without you." She gave him a big hug, Hojo was very shocked. Kagome realized what she was doing and was about to pull away when he began to hug her back.

Kagome wasn't sure what to do. He had been nice enough to come over and help her when she needed it…InuYasha only yelled at her…InuYasha didn't understand that she still had a life here…He didn't understand that she neglected her studies for him…She went back to help and see him…Suddenly Kagome began to cry in Hojo's arms.

He heard her crying and pulled back, "Kagome! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…I thought you wanted to hug…I.."

Kagome pulled back and wiped her eyes, "No, Hojo-kun, you didn't do anything wrong. It's just…I'm under a lot of stress…"

Hojo put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her, "You know Kagome, I'm always here for you…"

Kagome blushed…he never gives up…"Thanks Hojo-kun, you're a good friend." Hojo faltered a little but smiled, he hoped she would see him as more then a friend one day but he would wait some more. He was brought back form his thoughts by her voice.

"Hojo-kun. I think its getting late and I'm sure you have to study too." Hojo looked at the clock, "Yeah, but going over it with you was like review for me too. So I won't have as much when I get home. Are you sure you're ok? I can stay longer if you want."

Kagome shook her head and smiled, "No, but thanks again." She walked him to the door and waves him goodbye.

InuYasha climbed out and sniffed the air. He smelled Kagome and began to go towards the house. He saw Kagome at her waving at a boy who was walking away from her door. InuYasha furrowed his eyebrows and watched. The wind picked up and carried the boys smell to InuYasha. He noticed that Kagome's scent was lightly mixed with this boy's. "Why does he smell like her?" He growled softly.

As Kagome watched Hojo leave she thought she felt InuYasha's presence. "No...It can't be him…He'd be already in front of me yelling at me." She whispered and since InuYasha was preoccupied with Hojo he didn't hear.

InuYasha watched as she closed the door then he jumped through a couple trees and landed somewhat in the shadows near Hojo. "Hey you!"

Hojo jumped at the sudden voice. He looked around then saw a figure somewhat in the shadows. "Oh hello...Do you work here at the shrine." InuYasha smirked, "You could say that. What were you doing here with Kagome?"

He could see the bright red kimono, and even though he couldn't really see the stranger's face, Hojo smiled and believed that he was just someone who worked with Kagome's family. "Oh, Kagome called me over and asked me to help her study. I'm worried about her though. She got very upset and said she was under a lot of stress. I want to help her as much as I can…maybe I will bring her some herbs to give her strengths…" He started to talk more to himself then InuYasha now.

InuYasha looked at him strangely as he mumbled on about herbs and how it would help Kagome, and he would do what he could for her. InuYasha couldn't help but get annoyed that this human boy thought he could help Kagome. InuYasha had clenched his fist a bit as he heard the boy talk. "Oy, quit with all your medicine talk. Tell me, why do you smell like Kagome?"

Hojo looked at him confused and sniffed his own clothes, "I do? I don't really smell it…Maybe a little…She only hugged me once…." He trailed off and then glanced at his watch "Oh! It's getting late! It was nice to meet you." Hojo turned and walked off quickly before InuYasha could stop him. InuYasha stood a little confused by the boy, and then he shook his head and clenched his fist. "So she's hugging random guys now." He quickly went back to the house and landed with a thud near Kagome's window.

Kagome had made it back to her room and plopped back on her bed. She let out a deep sigh, "Why does he have to be so difficult…" She rolled over and her stomach and hugged her pillow. "I bet he wouldn't be yelling at Kikyo if it was her instead of me…" She felt the tears sting her eyes then suddenly heard the thud. She jumped up and looked at the window and saw InuYasha's anger and annoyed face. She narrowed her eyes, the nerve of him looking at her that way!

She got up and walked over and opened the window, "What are you doing here! I told you I need a day or two! Geez!" She stepped back from the window, crossing her arms and turning away.

InuYasha stepped into her room, "Oh yeah for your test right? Or was it because you wanted to see the Hobo guy?"

Kagome jerked, how did he know Hojo had been here? Maybe he smelled him…"He came over to help me out! I've missed so much school I needed someone to help me with the problems."

InuYasha crossed his arms and took a step toward her, "And to help you he needs to be touching you?"

Kagome looked shock at his statement, what was he implying? "What are you talking about? We were just studying! We weren't doing anything else!"

InuYasha took another step and was almost towering over her, "He had your scent all over him!" Ok so it wasn't all over him but it was enough!

Kagome looked at him oddly, she had never touched Hojo except….The hug? Oh geez, a little friendly hug and he was getting all bent out of shape. How many times had she seen him hug Kikyo…Her heart clenched when she thought of those moments. She stepped up to him and looked right up at him, "What do you care? Huh? So I gave Hojo-kun a hug! He was helping me out and he really cares about me. He cared about me enough to come here even though he had his own studies. You're always hugging Kikyo. At least my hugs don't mean anything. It's not like I love Hojo. It's just nice to have a hug once in a while..."

Even though Kagome was throwing his relationship with Kikyo in his face he as relieved to hear that she in fact did not love Hojo. He looked down at her and noticed that her eyes watery. She looked so angry at him and he couldn't blame her. "Kagome...I…"

But Kagome didn't want to hear it, "Just forget it! Go back to your time and I'll try to salvage my life in my time here! You know how hard it is? Do you! I have to jump back and forth and carry on two lives. My friends don't see me and I can't even think about relationships with any boys because I could never share with them the time I spend in the feudal era." She turned around and InuYasha could hear her crying.

InuYasha wanted to say something…so instead he took a few steps forward and put his arms around her. Kagome gasped softly as she was pulled into InuYasha's strong chest. It was hard but somehow still soft and warm. She looked up and over her shoulder up at InuYasha, "What are you…"

InuYasha glanced down at her, "Look, I'm sorry...I become so unsettled when you aren't around…Your scent is actually…comforting…and relaxing…Smelling it on that other guy made me mad because I thought that…Maybe I wouldn't be smelling it as much because you would be spending more time here then in the feudal time with us…with me…"

Kagome couldn't speak…she just listened...He likes my scent that much? It does all that for him? But then her thoughts made her think of Kikyo and all the times he hugged her. Even though she didn't want to, she moved out of his embrace. She turned around and looked at him. "And Kikyo?"

InuYasha looked down, "I made a promise…She died because of me…" He looked back up at Kagome, the girl who was always by his side when he needed her…who had always trusted him…And now, he was making her so sad…"I don't know what is going to happen Kagome…I…I enjoy being with you, and the rest of our companions…I never thought I'd have friends who actually care about me. I never would have had them without you…And I feel like I have to repay you somehow too."

Kagome walked up to him, "I just want you to be happy…and if being with Kikyo will do that I can't stop you but I wish you could do it living…I don't ever want to see you die…I understand that you and Kikyo share something special…" She looked down, "Maybe one day I'll have that too…" She had to look away from him…she couldn't take it…

InuYasha had felt bad about what she had been saying but felt something strange when she mentioned that she might one day have a special love. He got images in his head of Kagome and that Hobo guy. Images of them hugging and…kissing! InuYasha growled and clenched his fist.

Kagome heard this and looked at him, a little scared but she reached out and put her hand on his arm, "InuYasha? What's wrong?
He snapped back and looked at her. She looked a little afraid of him but was still close to him. "I…I'm sorry…I just…I don't like the idea of you with someone else…"

Kagome's eyes widened a little, "InuYasha…"

He looked at her and sighed, "I must hurt you when you see me with Kikyo…I made a promise but things just aren't simple anymore. I don't know what's going to happen anymore…"

Kagome walked up and gave him a hug, he was a little shocked but hugged back, "Well, I promised I would stay with you for as long as I could. That was my promise. I won't leave your side…Except for the occasional test." She laughed softly and InuYasha simply smirked, "Well I suppose you should be looking at your books again shouldn't you?"

He began to pull away but Kagome held on, "Wait…just a little longer…" I

nuYasha smiled, "You're just trying to steal body heat now aren't you?"

Kagome snuggled in a little more,"Do you object?"

InuYasha shook his head and wrapped his arms a little tighter around her. He heard her heart beat slow down and then glanced down, "Kagome?"

He got no response and realized she was asleep. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. Her hand had grasped his kimono and wouldn't let go. InuYasha was bent over her body trying to figure out what to do. He looked down at her sleeping face. He wrestled with the idea in his head a moment then climbed into bed next to her. Kagome snuggled up against his chest and InuYasha wrapped his arms around her.

He had a slight blush on his cheek, he stroked his hair, "Maybe things won't turn out the way I had first thought…" He closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep…his real final thought was him hoping that Kagome wouldn't sit him for the next decade when she woke up.