And They Call It Puppy Love by ButtButtDoodle

Chapter One

Universe: Inuyasha

Pairing: SessKag (VERY OOC. It's AU though, and I doubt Sesshoumaru would be such a homicidal freak in present-day Japan. I think.)

Genre: AU, Romance, Slice of Life.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters do not belong to me (sadly).

Author Notes: Hey Howdy Hey! Ange here! This has been a long time a-coming. I've been dying to make a SessKag fic from the moment I even learned what the heck fanfiction was, but I could never quite find the right story. Plus, there are SO many amazing SessKag fics out there, I always felt absurdly inadequate. Nevertheless, I decided to finally get this little fic out of my system. It is by no means a literary masterpiece, but as far as fics go, I'm quite pleased. I hope you guys like my first SessKag fic, R&R please, I live for comments.

And They Call It Puppy Love

Chapter One

888

I approached a kid and asked:

"What is love?"

The kid answered,

"Love is when a puppy licks your face."

I laughed, but then she added,

"Even after you left him alone all day."

-Author Unknown

888

Kagome Higurashi had always considered herself a dog person.

Cats were great, mind you. She had owned one herself back in high school, and she adored the ever-loving snot out of that lazy furball. Dogs were just so much more expressive with their love, though. There was nothing like arriving home to a wagging tail and floppy ears, the sheer joy of seeing you there practically palpable in their twinkling eyes.

This was the exact scenario that awaited her when she parked her car on the neighborhood curb and stepped onto her front porch. The only problem was: Kagome didn't own any dogs.

"Where did you come from, little guys?" Kagome spoke softly to the not-so little twin Doberman dogs currently lying on her welcome rug. They seemed happy to see her, tails fanning lazily and tongue lolling to the side, but Kagome was still wary. You never did know with dogs, especially with strays. She stood apprehensively on the bottom of the steps, debating whether she should turn tail and lock herself in her car until the dogs decided they didn't want to use her porch as a bed-and-breakfast anymore, or if she should confront them somehow.

Well…The dogs didn't seem aggressive. In fact, the closer Kagome edged towards the entrance, the happier they became. One of them stood up and bounded down the stairs toward her, circling around and making Kagome both nervous and giddy. The other one seemed quite content to bask in the shade offered by her porch, but looked on at its brother's antics watchfully. The more curious of the two sat in front of Kagome and barked, tail wagging.

Okay, so they were kind of adorable, Kagome admitted, her blue eyes crinkling at the sides as she smiled down at them. Despite the reputation that their breed had, both Doberman seemed like over-grown puppies the way they were acting with her.

"Excuse me guys, I really need to get inside." Kagome laughed as the Doberman licked her fingers, even nibbling them (quite gently) when she tried to push him aside. "I wonder, where on Earth did you come from?" she breathed to herself, slightly dizzy with this odd turn of events. Meanwhile, the dog nearest her rubbed against her pant suit, ecstatic that she wasn't shying away from him.

Encouraged by his friendliness, the young woman knelt down, careful to place her purse on the steps. She patted the Doberman on the head, trying to calm him down. His butt would fly away from his body if it continued to wag like that. "Easy, big guy." Kagome giggled, whilst trying to see if he had a tag of some sort in his black leather collar. His fur was smooth and healthy; he was definitely someone's pet. "Did you run away from home, boy?" Kagome baby-talked, letting out a cry of triumph as her fingers closed around a metallic tag. "Let's find out who your parents are. Stay still, baby."

Her cooing words had an opposite effect though. The affection only seemed to further thrill the dog, who was practically vibrating from excitement. The other dog perked up, suddenly jealous that his brother was getting all the attention from the preppy raven-haired woman. With a fluidity that belied his lethargic state just mere seconds ago, he stood up and ran towards them. Kagome's baby-blue eyes widened as she suddenly found herself with two very large dogs vying for her attention. "W-wait!" She tried to stand up, but all too quickly both dogs tackled her to the ground. "Easy, guys!"

They were so big though, she couldn't push them away, and that primal side of her brain just kept chanting 'Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh shit -'

A shrill whistle pierced the air, and the dogs froze.

"AH! UN! Leave her alone!"

Kagome barely registered the shouting voice when a pair of strong arms hoisted her up in the air. Kagome squeaked as she suddenly found herself upright, being pulled by the waist as if she were a toddler. 'Weee', she thought absently, before she was set on her feet, her vision swimming. Kagome was still trying to gather her bearings when she abruptly got a face-full of snowy white hair, as a large figure shielded her and attempted to calm the two dogs.

"Sit." The voice commanded imperiously.

On cue, the two Doberman dogs sobered up faster than a politician accused of sleeping-around, and promptly sat on their haunches. Kagome watched in awe as the puppy-dogs that had seconds ago attacked her with their affections were suddenly turned into two fierce watch-dogs. Kagome's gaze turned from the dogs to the person in front of her.

His back was to her – And what a back it was, she thought, eyes roaming up and down admiringly. Broad shoulders and a wide masculine back – the kind you read in harlequin novels– dipped into a slim waist. His arms were covered by a white running jacket, but Kagome knew that there must be muscles underneath by the way the fabric stretched at the biceps. And his butt – don't get her started. Thank God for sweatpants. They were for women what yoga pants were for men; a gift from above.

What truly captivated her though was the long, snow-white hair cascading down his back and ending just above his hips. He wore it tied at the nape of his neck, and idly Kagome wondered how much conditioner he used to keep it so enviably smooth and shiny. It had to be a lot. Gallons of it, even. Maybe they could trade beauty secrets - Dammit, Higurashi. Focus.

Kagome attempted to make herself modest again, smoothing down her frazzled hair and clothes. "Wow…how did you do that?" she asked her knight in brand-name sports attire. The man turned towards her and Kagome had to hold back a gasp.

"Forgive me. Did my dogs hurt you?" the man's deep voice rumbled. Kagome tried to find her voice, but for the life of her it had gotten stuck somewhere between her lungs and her tongue. She shook her head slowly, trying to not gawk at the man too obviously.

Hot-diggity-dog, he was fricking gorgeous. If the back had been eye-candy, the front was the entire sweets factory. Kagome didn't think men like him existed outside the pages of magazines. He was built like a goddamn tank, and so tall, sooo tall-

"Miss?" the man questioned, and Kagome snapped out of it. His hands were lightly resting on top of her shoulders, supporting her, and Kagome had to crane her neck almost completely backwards just to meet his gaze. His face was pale, concern etched across his marbled features.

"I'm sorry?" Kagome stuttered, blushing. Get a hold of yourself!, she screamed shrilly in her head.

The man eyed her like she had been hit on the head one too many times. And maybe she had been, because she couldn't focus on anything else but those gorgeous amber eyes. Were they contacts? They had to be. Jesus, she could almost swear they were yellow, or a color that had yet to be invented, something with a cheesy name, like Honey-suckle Sunflower or Molten Gold Lava or –

"This Sesshoumaru has asked if you are all right." He repeated, slower this time. He seemed very worried or just irritated, she couldn't tell. Kagome tried to concentrate on his words without being sidetracked by his loveliness. Meanwhile, the man – Sesshoumaru, her mind supplied - gave her a once over, checking if she was injured. "I saw my dogs jump at you." The man turned piercing yellow eyes towards the stoic animals, furrowing his eyebrows. "Ah and Un are very wary of strangers. I've never seen them behave in such a manner, or take to a person so quickly."

"Oh, I have that effect on dogs!" Kagome smiled breathlessly, waving away his scowl. His face was way too pretty to be scowling like that. Sesshoumaru's frown only deepened further at her comment. Kagome felt flustered by those scrutinizing eyes.

"I don't know how to explain it! I guess animals are just drawn to me. Lucky me!" She laughed airily, trying not to babble. Kagome was incredibly self-conscious under that steady, yellow gaze. Maybe because he looked like a supermodel and she looked like…well, like she had been tackled to the ground by a two-dog football team.

Ah and Un's tail wagged in unison at the sound of her laughter, bottoms moving excitedly, but they didn't dare stand up from their sitting position in front of their master. Their delight didn't escape the man's notice, though. He raised an elegant eyebrow and scoffed, dropping his hands and moving back. Kagome thought he seemed amused, but the look was gone in an instant and she couldn't be sure. "If this sort of violence is customary whenever you meet animals, then I'm afraid such popularity is not something to boast about." he drawled, and Kagome could've sworn he was teasing her. His tone turned serious and he stepped closer to her, his yellow eyes making Kagome feel like he was X-raying her. "Nonetheless, if they hurt you in any way – "

"Look, seriously, I'm okay. They were just playing with me and got excited, is all. They didn't even scratch me, see?" Kagome stretched her arms out and turned full-circle on the spot, as if to prove her point.

The man did smile then, the most infinitesimal quirk of the lips. Oh wow, Kagome thought distantly.

"All the same, I humbly apologize. We were out on a walk when they suddenly ran off without me. I'll be sure to take better care of keeping them in sight." He turned golden eyes towards Kagome, an indecipherable look that made her toes curl. "It won't happen again."

888

"Hello Ah! Hello Un!" Kagome cooed, slamming the driver's door and opening the passenger one. The twin Doberman were already waiting for her at her doorstep and, as soon as they saw her car, they ran down the front steps to greet Kagome. The raven giggled at their endless energy, kneeling down to return their greeting.

This sort of welcome had become a daily routine now. For the past week, Kagome would arrive to her one-floor house, only to find both over-grown pups already waiting for her there. Kagome didn't mind though. She had always wanted dogs when she was a child, but her mother had never allowed it. The most she had owned had been her fat cat Buuyo, and despite his sweet temper, he wasn't much of a companion.

Ah and Un were playful and surprisingly gentle for such large animals. Kagome would pet their ears and rub the underside of their bellies and they would go crazy with glee. On the third time that Kagome found them on her doorstep, she had been prepared. An old tennis ball she had from her tennis-playing days back in college and some treats were on the back of her car, ready for use with her new best friends. Kagome would throw the ball on the small patch of grass on her front yard. Then she'd sit down on her steps and laugh as the twins would fight over the ball, each trying to be the one to bring the toy to her.

And then, after a few minutes, he would come.

Speak of the devil...

Kagome heard his steps long before he called out to her, and she turned around smiling.

"Forgive me, Higurashi-san, I do not know how they keep running away from me." Sesshoumaru apologized gravely, attempting to drag both Doberman away from her by their collar.

Kagome stood up from where she was kneeling on the curb and dusted her knees. "It's not a problem. Ah and Un are a lot of fun. And I told you to call me Kagome." She said, playfully poking his shoulder. "After all, you let me call you Sesshoumaru."

"If I recall correctly, you chose to call me by my first name all by yourself." Sesshoumaru sniffed at her, and Kagome laughed.

"Taisho-san just sounds so stuffy. We're neighbors after all!" Kagome chirped.

Kagome had been thrilled when she had learned that the mysterious, gorgeous man had recently moved six houses down from her. She had to practically pull that information out of him, though. Sesshoumaru Taisho was a quiet man, very private and rarely divulging anything about himself. Even after a full week of seeing each other on a daily basis, Kagome didn't know anything aside from his first and last name., and that he was a big fan of sports-wear. Although, if his brand-name jogging suits were any indication, she could surmise that Sesshoumaru was quite wealthy. Scratch that, loaded, she corrected as his Rolex caught the glare of the setting sun. What he was doing living in her shabby neighborhood was beyond her. She wasn't one to pry though; when he felt ready, he'd talk. Kagome didn't mind waiting.

"May I help you with those?"

"Hmm?" Kagome asked, torn away from her thoughts. Sesshoumaru motioned to the boxes inside her car.

"Oh, could you? I mean, I don't want to impose but I could really use a hand."

Sesshoumaru raised on of those elegant eyebrows in what Kagome was quickly recognizing as amusement. "I did not think you would actually accept. Usually women today would refuse help out of politeness or to establish their 'independence'."

Kagome shrugged. "Call me 'Damsel-in-distress'. I'm not about to turn down help for the sake of upholding my 'strong independent woman' image."

"How maidenly of you." he clipped. " Alas, I am now stuck having to carry heavy things for free."

"Does that mean you had no intention of actually helping me?" Kagome mocked him, a teasing smile gracing her lips.

"Truthfully? None at all."

Kagome laughed at his frankness, pulling a box out and turning towards him with feigned annoyance. "You're terrible. What about being a gentleman?"

"If you ask me, it is totally overrated in today's society. I am all for Women's Lib." He smirked, gently taking the box from her. He tucked it easily under one arm, and reached inside the car grabbing another one with ease. Kagome stuck her tongue at him and grabbed the last box of papers, closing the door with her hip. "Gentlemen are in vogue again, or didn't you know?"

"I am afraid you're mistaken. Swag is the newest thing with men today. Not that this Sesshoumaru would know of that. I do not keep up with current trends; there are far more intellectual endeavors to occupy my time." he sniffed at her and Kagome giggled again. She had come to appreciate his curt, if rather odd, sense of humor. He was usually so serious that even innocent play-talk like this was alarming coming from him.

Careful not to step on Ah and Un's paws, Kagome made her way towards the front door. She struggled for a few seconds with the keys, then let out a small cry of glee as the lock clicked. Kagome swung the door open and sashayed past the living room and over to the kitchen. With a grunt, she dropped the box onto her dining table.

"You can put them here!" Kagome called out to Sesshoumaru.

The man appeared in her living room, cautiously peeking around the home. He seemed unsure of his place inside the house, like he was intruding in her sanctuary. His figure towered over everything, filling the room with his presence, yet he seemed to shrink into himself uncomfortably. The image was absolutely comical.

"Perhaps this Sesshoumaru should wait outside. I am a man, after all, and you are an unmarried woman, Higurashi-san. People could talk-" he began, but Kagome impatiently waved him towards the table, amused by his wariness.

"Oh, please. Don't be silly, come in! Mi casa es tu casa, and all that jazz." He didn't answer back, but wordlessly made his way inside, eyes scanning the house discreetly. Kagome bit the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing.

Kagome wasn't the type of person to invite random men inside her house. She wasn't an utter idiot. Nowadays, with the way things were, you couldn't afford to be so careless. But she knew, somehow, that she had no need to worry about Sesshoumaru. Whoever could raise two dogs to be such kind and sweet creatures certainly was someone worthy of her trust.

Carefully, Sesshoumaru placed both boxes on top of the table. Without asking for permission, in that self-entitled way that she found both appealing and aggravating, he dug into one of the boxes and pulled out a paper. Who went through people's stuff like that anyways? He might've been uncomfortable with intruding in her home- old-fashioned as it was- but he had no qualms snooping through her stuff. Kagome watched in amusement as both brows rose into his hairline and disappeared under his bangs.

"These are…tests?" he questioned.

"History tests, to be exact." Kagome answered, taking off her heels.

"You are a teacher." Sesshoumaru surmised. It wasn't a question, but a statement. He was evaluating the test now, eyes roaming down the page. His eyes suddenly looked up at her. "What grade?"

"Elementary School. Third and Fourth grade, History class. " She replied automatically. Kagome placed her heels next to a chair and took off her blazer next. She was about to take this opportunity and ask him what he did for a living when Sesshoumaru snorted. Kagome had the distinct impression that he was laughing at her through his nose.

"What's so funny?" Kagome asked, fighting the urge to pout.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I cannot picture you as an educator, much less a history one."

"Oh, yeah, smart guy? Why not?" she was trying not to sound offended.

Sesshoumaru seemed to sense her annoyance though, and raised two placating hands, one of them holding the test. "Do not misunderstand me. Your effervescent personality simply does not mix with the dreariness of the education system, in my opinion. Though I am sure you are an excellent teacher. You look like the type of woman who would get along with children."

"Oh…" Kagome spoke softly. She bit her lip, unsure how to take his sudden character analysis. Was that supposed to be a compliment? She coughed, trying to cover-up her embarrassment, and faced away from him.

"You want something to drink?" she called over her shoulder, feet padding softly over the tiled floor as she walked towards the cupboards in the kitchen.

With her back turned, Sesshoumaru's eyes freely roamed down the length of her body as Kagome stretched upwards and grabbed two glasses from the cabinets over the sink.

"Water will be fine." He finally spoke at length, eyes trailing the small of her back, resting over the soft swell of her pencil skirt. He put the test down, hands twitching.

"Oki-dokes! Would you like some ice or – Jesus! You scared me!" Kagome cried. She mock-glared down at the Doberman who had bumped into her. "Un! Don't do that, boy, I almost stepped on you!" Both dogs had made their way inside, merrily roaming the kitchen as if they owned the place. Very different from their master, who had been anxious at first to enter her home so casually. Ah settled next to Sesshoumaru diligently, but Un was like a kid in a toy-store, walking circles around Kagome. She laughed at his antics.

"How can you tell he's Un?"

"Hm?"

Sesshoumaru was pinning her with that indecipherable look again, the one that made her blood tingle all the way down to her toes.

"How can you tell that one is Un?" he repeated. His head tilted to the side, thoughtfully, and Kagome wondered if he knew how adorable he looked. "They are both identical. Most people cannot tell them apart."

Kagome looked away, walking towards the freezer. She pushed one glass against the water filter, and the cup began to fill up.

"Ah is usually more laid-back and calm. He's like a big brother. Un is an rambunctious ball of energy. He's always jumping and looking to play, just like a little kid." Kagome said fondly, brushing a hand against Un's outstretched neck. The dog closed his eyes in pleasure, tongue lolling out lazily. "It's easy to tell them apart once you get to know them."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru grunted noncommittally.

Both glasses filled, Kagome walked towards the dining table and held one glass out. Sesshoumaru reached for it, his fingers ghosting over Kagome's own slender ones, and Kagome suppressed a shudder. Sesshoumaru's fingers twitched almost imperceptibly over her own, and painstakingly slow, he raised the glass to his mouth. Golden eyes never once left hers as he put the glass to his lips and took a long pull. Kagome licked her own suddenly dry lips.

The most handsome man she had ever met was standing inside her house, casually talking with her in what might be construed as 'witty banter', and all she could think to talk about was dogs. She seriously needed to up her 'game' if she planned on getting anywhere with him. Sesshoumaru pulled the glass away, and Kagome's eyes wandered almost compulsively towards his mouth, watched intently as his tongue slid out and licked perfectly plush lips. God, just make out with me already…

"Excuse me?"

"What?" Kagome said, blinking away the haze.

Sesshoumaru was staring at her strangely. "You spoke. Something about 'with me…'".

Kagome blushed all the way up to her roots. Oh, Good Fricking Lord on a Potato, did she seriously say that out loud? She was mortified beyond reason, heart thudding loudly in her ears. But if there was something the young teacher prided herself in it was her quick-thinking.

"I was wondering if you would like to grade some tests with me!" Kagome said brightly, trying to will her blush away. Then, inspired by her idea, she plunged on. "Yeah! Doing these by myself is a bit of a drag, so maybe you'd like to join me. And we can eat some dinner while you continue to explain to me exactly what an Independant History Teacher should look like." The last part was spoken in a teasing tone as Kagome leaned her elbows on the table. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Did she just invite him over for 'dinner'?

Look at you, Higurashi, making the first move, she thought smugly, giving herself a mental pat in the back.

Sesshoumaru set the empty glass on the table.

"I should leave, actually." He said abruptly.

Huh? "Oh." Kagome felt herself deflating. What had just happened? Did she get the mood wrong? She could've sworn he had been making eyes at her over the drink. Despite feeling putdown, she quickly recovered, flashing a smile as she straightened up. "Ok! Next time, maybe?" she said, hoping she didn't sound so desperate. Which she probably did, anyways.

"Perhaps. " He said, eyes averted. He was suddenly very serious, his rapid mood-swing leaving her dizzy and confused. "Ah, Un, let's go." Sesshoumaru called, patting his thigh twice. The dogs quickly went to his side, ready to follow their master out when-

"Oh, and…" he paused, and then Sesshoumaru stood before her, and that imposing presence was too much, he was too much. Kagome's thoughts scattered as he leaned in close, examining her face, eyes searching. Um!, was all she could manage. He grabbed her hand, his strong fingers sending electric shocks up and down her arm and all the way down to the pit of her stomach. A cool glass was pushed against her numb fingers, Sesshomaru's own hand closing Kagome's hand around the object. The rather innocent gesture had Kagome's heart pattering.

"Thank you for the water… Kagome." He murmured in his low baritone voice. Kagome felt a thrill at the sound of her name on his lips. Say it again, she thought dazedly.

When Kagome failed to reply, Sesshoumaru's eyebrow rose, amusement clearly writ on his angel face. "You're supposed to say 'You're welcome'..." he whispered, and while his face was as serious as ever, there was an edge of tease in his voice. Oh, that was definitely flirting!

Blushing prettily, Kagome stepped forward to say something, but just as quickly as he had approached her, Sesshoumaru turned around, dogs in tow, and left down the hall without another word.

Disoriented, she followed and watched him walk down the street from her doorway. When she could no longer see him, she closed the door.

Kagome let her head fall heavily on the wooden, flat surface and groaned.

"I am so not cool." She whined. But a dorky smiled threatened to burst through.

The next time she saw him, she would ask him out on a date. A real date. With that self-imposed task, she nodded firmly and turned around, already dreading the boxes of tests awaiting her.

Next time…

888

"Hi Un! Where's Ah?" Kagome called to the Doberman as he ran towards her.

Kagome had arrived to her house, already expecting the two dogs to be there, but only Un had been waiting this time. Kagome's eyebrows furrowed with worry. Ah and Un were always together, they were practically glued to the hip. To see one without the other was just plain disturbing.

Kagome was filled with sudden dread. Un seemed to be in his usual high-spirits, so Kagome wasn't too worried, but she was still uneasy. She threw her purse back on her seat and locked the car. "Un, let's go take you home and look for Ah, ok? Maybe he'll be there."

Seeming to understand her, the lively dog stood up and went to her side, cheerfully trotting beside her.

Kagome really was preoccupied about Ah. That was the only reason she was going out of her way to take Un back to his house. It had nothing to do with seeing Sesshoumaru again. Not really.

Okay, maybe a little.

Kagome hadn't spoken to Sesshoumaru since that last little episode in her kitchen. That was a week ago! She did see him on occasion though. During the evenings, when Kagome had played herself to exhaustion with both Doberman, he would round the corner to her house and whistle for his pets. Both dogs would immediately respond and run towards their master. Sesshoumaru would then wave at Kagome from the distance and then turn to head back home. No casual banter or slightly-flirtatious talk. Not even a 'Howdy, neighbor'. Nothing. Nada. Zip. The end.

It was like he was avoiding her.

Maybe he is, Kagome thought sadly, biting her lip. Perhaps he had finally noticed the pathetic crush she had on him. It's not like she could hide it; Kagome had always been very transparent about her feelings, something her friends had always teased her mercilessly about. That sort of blatant honestly always seemed to be a turn off for guys, who seemed to want some more mystery in their girls. Not that Kagome knew a lot about what men liked. Besides that one boyfriend in high-school who she dated only out of pity – Sorry, Hojo, she thought with a cringe – Kagome wasn't very experienced in the game of love.

The pretty raven blushed, pausing in her steps and causing Un to look up at her. He whined, cocking his head to the side. The woman pet his head absently.

Kagome hadn't even had…she was still…well, she'd never experienced sex yet. That was normal, though…right? So she was a 25 year-old virgin, so what? That didn't make her a leper, a pariah. She had just been more focused on her studies and job then on boys, is all. That was respectable. Honorable. Smart.

Kagome covered her face and groaned.

These sorts of things had never really nagged at Kagome. It wasn't like she was in any particular hurry to give up her V-card. It may seem old-fashioned, but she rather wait for the "right one" than give it up to every stud she met (which admittedly weren't that many).

So the fact that sex was the only thing she ever thought about whenever a certain white-haired neighbor came to mind was absolutely mortifying. She felt like the horny schoolgirl she never got to be during her teenage years, all that pent-up sexual frustration finally catching up to her. And it wasn't just because he was pretty – she liked to think she was less shallow than that.

Sesshoumaru was a man of very few words, who often left her feeling like she was standing in the shadow of a Great Lord. He was dignified and sophisticated, serious and eloquent. His moods were lightning fast and left the girl feeling mollified more often than not. There was something about the prim way that he chided her, like a principal, which she found incredibly endearing. She wanted to poke at his perfect façade, the way she used to poke her cat continuously until it bit her, just to get any sort of reaction from it. It was a sadistic kind of love and she knew it, but couldn't help it.

Ignoring the fact that he looked absolutely bored to death all the time, Sesshoumaru had a kind side to him. Behind his stern eyes, she could see gentleness brewing quietly whenever he called his two pets. It was a tender love, the kind that made Kagome's heart squeeze.

Was it pathetic that she envied two dogs for what she couldn't have?

And did she know Sesshoumaru enough for it to be acceptable to even feel this way?

Well, regardless of all that, she had promised that she would definitely ask him out on a date. She owed it to herself to take a risk in her life and do something. It might as well be with someone she actually liked, too.

"I found you!"

Kagome was taken out of her musings when something bright and orange suddenly collided against Un. Kagome jumped back, alarmed, but Un remained impassive as a very energetic little girl attempted to hug him.

"Un, you scared me! Don't ever do that again!" The little girl, who didn't seem a day older than eight, squealed as she buried her face into his fur. The dog took the glomping in stride and wagged his tail gently as he tolerantly allowed the small girl to hang off his neck.

"Umm…" Kagome mumbled, feeling at a total loss of what to do. She was worried that Un might take a bite at her, but he seemed totally content with his situation. Oooh, but maybe she shouldn't pull his ears like that... "Excuse me." Kagome tried again, tapping the girl on the shoulder.

The little girl looked up at Kagome, all big brown eyes and gap-toothed smile. "Thank you for finding Un! Ah and I were so worried!" She cupped Un's nose and kissed it noisily, her freckled nose scrunching cutely. "You naughty dog, trying to play hide-and-seek without me!" Behind the girl, Ah was making his way towards them at a slow pace, obviously not as disturbed as Kagome felt about the midget tormenting his brother. When he got there, he nipped his brother's ear in reproach, then licked the girl's face, much to her squealing delight. "Did you give the nice lady any trouble, Un?"

Kagome tried to assess the situation, failing miserably. "It's alright, Un was a good dog. He always is and… I'm sorry, but how do you know Ah and Un?" she blurted. Kagome's head was reeling.

"They're my doggies!" the girl declared gleefully.

"Your what…?" Kagome echoed, when far off in the distance she heard a man shouting.

The little girl was instantly at alert, and her smile became impossibly bigger as she spotted the figure making its way toward them in the distance. She waved one hand in the air ecstatically, the other still holding on firmly to Un's neck. "Over here!" she shouted, making Kagome wince at the volume (although, again, Ah and Un didn't even blink). The raven-haired woman turned towards the figure, heart racing.

Sesshoumaru was sprinting towards them, and when he reached them, he knelt down next to the small girl. He didn't so much as glance at Kagome though, instead focusing all of his attention on the little girl with the bright orange hoodie.

"Rin, what have I told you about running off like that?" Sesshoumaru reprimanded, completely ignoring Kagome and instead pinning the girl with fierce golden eyes.

The girl, Rin, didn't seem faced by his dark mood, merely pouted at him cutely. "But Un ran away. He could've gotten lost!" she whimpered, hugging the Doberman tighter.

Sesshoumaru sighed patiently, and gently disentangled her arms from the dog. "Un is a smart dog, child. He would not get lost so easily. And if he did, this Sesshoumaru would look for him."

This answer seemed to satisfy the girl, who smiled so broadly it looked painful. She leapt and hugged Sesshoumaru with all her strength, giggling as she did so, not a care in the world. Sesshoumaru grunted, pretending not to care, but he scooped up the girl in his arms with such care that showed his true feelings. He stood up, balancing the child to the side of his hip. "Now let us return home before the others become worried." He murmured, kissing the top of her head, running his fingers through her glossy black hair in a familiar way.

"Wait! I didn't get to thank my new friend!" Rin said quickly, pointing to Kagome, who had been standing off to the side awkwardly, watching the scene with growing confusion.

Sesshoumaru finally turned to look at her, and Kagome flinched at his blank stare. His face betrayed no emotion.

"Of course. Thank you, Higurashi-san, for always taking care of Ah and Un." He said curtly, and Kagome felt a stab in her chest at the cold honorific.

"Y-yeah…no problem." She replied softly, her throat tight.

"You two know each other?!" Rin said brightly, looking back and forth between the two grownups.

Kagome looked at the girl, with her bright eyes and her upturned nose. She seemed at complete ease in Sesshoumaru's arms, as if she had always been there, and Kagome didn't want to think of what that meant –

"I'm his neighbor, Kagome Higurashi." Kagome smiled, extending her hand and shaking Rin's. "Ah and Un sometimes come and play at my house." She explained brightly to the child, trying to hide the hurt in her voice and pointing to her house a few yards away. She needed to know who this girl was to Sesshoumaru.

Rin seemed incredibly pleased with this piece of news, nodding ecstatically. "That's great Kagome-chan! I live with my mommy, daddy and uncle in that house!" She pointed behind her and Kagome could feel her stomach sinking. The house she was pointing to…that was where Sesshoumaru had told her he lived. So that meant…

"Kagome-chan, would you like to play with me?!" Rin exclaimed suddenly, brushing her dark bangs away from her face impatiently and flashing Kagome that gap-toothed smile. "We could all play together with Ah and Un! And you could even play with my mommy and daddy!" She exclaimed, looking between Sesshoumaru and Kagome as if this was the greatest idea ever. But before Kagome could answer, Sesshoumaru interjected.

"Rin, you have not finished your homework yet. You know how your mother gets about that."

"Just five more minutes, please? I only just met Kagome-chan…" Rin whined. Sesshoumaru gave her a piercing glance and Rin immediately clammed up.

"Your studies first. Then we may play outside." Sesshoumaru stated with finality. But instead of being upset, Rin's smile came back ten-fold.

"Promise? You promise to play with Rin?"

Sesshoumaru's lip twitched, and Kagome swore she saw the ghost of a smile. "Yes. I am a man of honor; I always keep my promises."

"And what about mommy? Will you play with her?"

"Of course."

"And you promise to play with Kagome-chan too?"

Kagome held her breath as she waited for Sesshoumaru to reply. He didn't look at her, merely down at the innocent little girl in his arms.

"Perhaps." He said.

Perhaps.

Kagome felt her world tumble with one word.

Sesshoumaru turned around, walking towards his home with his large entourage in tow. Rin peeked over his shoulder, waving goodbye enthusiastically.

"See you later, Kagome-chan! Let's play again next time, 'kay? Promise!"

"…'Kay. I promise." Kagome whispered weakly, watching his retreating back with a pang in her chest.

And that was that.

888

ButtButtDoodle: What could this turn of events mean? Will there be no more doggy play-dates?! Stay tuned.