I do not own the rights to InuYasha.

Kagome's heart pounded as she slowly approached the apartment door. Her new roommate - her new male roommate - was probably on the other side of the door. Her classes had crept by all day as her anxiety surrounding this unknown man grew.

What if he's crazy? She stared at the door. Or what if he's yakuza? My mother will never forgive me if I accidentally room with a yakuza. She fumbled with her keys. Maybe I should just tell him it's all been a mistake and that he needs to find somewhere else to live. I was scraping by...I mean I was totally alone because I didn't even have time to hang out with my friends. My life fully revolved around school and work and hoping I can pay my bills on time. But I was managing. She exhaled. No. I have to do this. I'm sure it will be fine. His credentials were so packed that there's no way he has time to be involved in anything illegal. Besides, if he was crazy, there's no way he'd be able to keep a job and it looked like he's had steady work. Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, she slid her key in the lock. It slid back, making a soft click, and she exhaled, pushing the door open.

She had played countless scenarios through her head over the past fews days. She had imagined opening the door to see everything from an old man to no one at all. But what she had not imagined was to be greeted with tall strong shoulders blanketed by a long, thick, silken, white mane.

Memories of another male's long white hair flooded her mind as her throat tightened. This man was no Inuyasha, though. Of that, she was certain. He stood a solid 5 inches above where Inuyasha would have. The set of his shoulders did not invite you to lean against him. And, just from the way he was standing, Kagome could tell she wouldn't be playfully throwing any pillows at this man. Standing in the doorway, she stared. His stance hadn't shifted. Nothing about his presence indicated he had noticed Kagome's arrival, which is precisely why it was such a surprise when he spoke.

"Is it customary for you to stand in the doorway and let all of the paid air out of the apartment every time you enter? If so, we will need to address this habit immediately." The man's voice was deep and the timbre seemed to rattle around in Kagome's ribs. Turning his head slightly he cut his eyes towards her, pinning her in place. "The door, Ms. Higurashi."

Her hand slipped off the door, letting it slam shut behind her.

She stood, her feet unwilling to move and her mouth slightly agape at this man. It's not like I was expecting him to welcome me home or anything. But he could at least turn around and face me to greet me. And speaking of greetings, what kind of greeting was that? He's even more insufferable in person than he was in his email! She cleared her throat and silently prayed her tone would come across more civil than she currently felt. "Right. Well, I guess I'm just not accustomed to coming home to a roommate yet. I'm sure I'll get used to it."

"One can only hope." His response was short and devoid of humor.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably as a strained silence settled around them. Time crept by. Neither moving. Kagome cleared her throat again and walked around the icy man. Facing him, she smiled her best "restaurant smile" and extended her hand. "Since we're going to be living together, you can just call me Kagome. There's no need to be formal and call me 'Ms. Higurashi' or anything like that." Her hand seemed to hover in the air for minutes as she waited for this unmoving man to move.

Irritation began to build inside of her as she waited. Oh no, you jerk. Her thoughts clamored through her head. You do not get to stand there glaring over my head like a pompous ass and ignore me. I am going to stand here smiling like an idiot with my hand out until you shake it. We are NOT going to live in an uncomfortable silence with you continually insulting me and calling me "Ms. Higurashi." Her eyebrow raised slightly, daring him to ignore her hand.

Finally, he allowed his gaze to drop down and meet hers. His eyes were amber and flecked with gold and bronze. His shoulders shifted slightly as he extended his hand, the movement causing a snow-white strand of hair to brush across his sculpted cheeks. His hand met hers and an unexpected warmth seemed to explode around her. His energy danced across her skin. Heat spread through her cheeks as his eyes searched her face, pinpricks of energy following his gaze. Her mouth opened to gasp, but shock kept any sound from coming out.

They stood there a moment longer. Heat and energy radiating between them. His brow raised. The motion was so small that had Kagome blinked she would not have noticed the change in position. Slowly, he removed his hand, and the warmth and energy that had been blanketing her slipped away.

"Very well, Kagome." His voice was steady as though he was entirely unaware of the energy that had been dancing off the two moments before.

I know he felt that. He had to have felt that energy. Didn't he? I swear I saw it in his eyes. She glanced back up at him, but his stoic mask had replaced the quizzical glint in his eyes. All recognition of what happened seemed to vanish. Maybe...maybe it was just me. Oh my gods...has it been so long since anyone has even touched me that I imaged that? My mom was right. I need to get out more.

"Kagome." His voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Y...yes?" Her voice sounded thin in her ears.

"You are staring at me. It is rather uncomfortable."

Kagome flushed and stepped away from the man. "Right…" her mind raced as she tried to think up a way to cover-up her staring. "Well, I was just trying to read your mind and figure out what you'd like for dinner. You must be famished after moving in all day. That's all." She mentally crossed her fingers and hoped he believed her excuse.

"Hn."

He didn't sound very convinced to her.

"I certainly did not move my belongings in. That is what moving companies are for. That being said, I was at work all day and I could eat." His eyes scanned the apartment again. "Though I do wonder where, exactly, you propose we do that."

Kagome followed his glance around the apartment and blushed when it landed on the empty space where a table once sat. She hadn't even thought about a table. Since Inuyasha moved out and taken the table, she had started eating standing by the counter or even sitting on the couch.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she debated with herself whether her suggestion would be welcomed by the rigid man. "Ummm...we could eat sitting on the couch. That's what I typically do." Her suggestion hung in the air. "What do you think, Sesshomaru?" His name came off her lips hesitantly as she tested the waters.

His eyes snapped back to her. Picking his coat up from the back of the couch he turned to the door. Pulling it open, he bit out his short reply. "No." And with that, the door slammed shut.

Cold air rushed past her and she glared at the door. "No?" Strained laughter spilled out of her. "Oh, well excuse me great and powerful Lord Sesshomaru. I'm so sorry that you seem to find both me and my apartment which you chose to live in so offensively under whelming and under furnished!" Spinning away from the door, she stomped into the kitchen. "It's not my fault that my supposed friend up and left out of the blue, ok?" Her voice thinned as her throat constricted, emotions she had pushed down threatening to well up. Her eyes wandered over the counter and across the apartment, eventually falling on the empty space where a table once sat.

It had been weeks since she'd looked in that direction. She had trained her eyes not to look at the empty spaces in the apartment. If she didn't see those blank spaces, she wouldn't be continually reminded of her missing friend and roommate. Or so she told herself. As she looked at the empty space, it wasn't the sorrow she was expecting to feel that bubbled up inside of her. It was anger.

"What did I do to you, huh?" She yelled at the empty space. "All I ever did was stay by your side. You broke our friendship and our promise to always be close. You up and left. You left me with an entire apartment. You left me with bills you knew I couldn't pay. But you know what I did? I kept going. I kept going without you and I'm going to keep on going." She slumped against the cabinets and slowly slid to the floor, her anger and hysteria rising. "Do you see me now, Inuyasha? Do you? I don't need you. I made my ends meet. Losing you wasn't the end of anything. I even have a new roommate now. So what if he's an ass and we won't be friends like you and I were. At least he's here!" Pulling her knees to her chest, a tear slid down her cheek. "At least I'm not alone anymore, right?"

Her voice was small in the empty apartment.