A Real Man by Saholia

A Real Man

Week 69-Boy Theme

Title : A real man
Author : Saholia
Theme : Boy
Rating : T
Warnings : None
Word Count : 2493
Cannon/AU : AU

Summary : Sesshomaru decides Kagome needs a real man...not a little boy. **Won Third Place and Best General Place**

Kagome ran up the stairs of her apartment, ignoring the passing people.

She hated Mondays.

Mondays meant returning to school, and that meant returning to the chaos of lusty boys and a locker filled with phone number slips. Currently, her locker was still filled with silly love letters and phone numbers, so she'd avoided opening her poor locker.

When the professor stopped talking and opened the door to his room, signaling class was over, she'd been more than glad. Kagome had grabbed her things, shoved papers in her folder and rushed down the stairs and out the door. Somewhere along the way, her Monday had changed...

Kagome slowed down her pace going up the steps, catching her breath. She was not in the mood to get home at the moment. She was still too upset to go home, she really didn't want to take it out on her roommate, Sango. She leaned back on the wall next to the stairs, breathing deeply. Damn, how she regretted having wanted the apartment on the eighth floor. She closed her eyes a moment, trying to ease her speeding heart. While she did, she continued to remember what happened after class....and how it made her impatient to the point she couldn't wait to get up to her apartment and see what she would be wearing on Friday! Yeah, it was still practically five days away-four not counting Monday, but still, you could never be too sure.

Flash Back

The moment she stepped out the door she'd become prey. And like prey, she needed to walk with care. She was in a jungle with all types of predators now. Students rushed through the halls like wild animals trying now to be late to the next class, teachers dodged running stampedes, and she....she walked around the edges. Then...

"Kagome!"

Shit! Prey had been found! Kagome nearly ran towards the exit of the building if it hadn't been for the wolf youkai standing by the exit, searching the crowd. No doubt for her. Kagome pivoted right and left, searching for another way out...alas, it'd been too late. Her predator had already reached her, looking at her much like a dog looks at a bone.

"Hello Inuyasha," Kagome said, none too happily, still searching for a way out.

The hanyou stared at her up and down, appreciation in his eyes as he checked out her outfit. His eyes lingered a bit too long on her ample bosom. Once again, like a ritual of old, he stammered asking her out to Friday's party. Again she said no, and again Inuyasha insisted....like always.

"No Inuyasha, I'm not going with you to that party!" Kagome had exclaimed for the hundredth time.

Inuyasha had turned towards her and stared at her with his best puppy eyes, "Please Kags?"

"I think she said no dog breath."

Kagome turned on her heel only to crash on a stone chest. Great, just what she needed. She wanted dearly to run past them and run out the door until she reached her car, but she couldn't-wouldn't. She was no coward, and she wouldn't hide. She was a full grown woman, and she was not going to stop until the two hard headed boys before her learned to understand the meaning of 'no'.

"Hello sweetheart, who's my woman doing?" Kouga asked, hands on his hips, standing closer to Kagome. He towered over her, making her feel too small. Kagome took a step back and glared at him for making her feel small and for again bothering her with claims of her being his woman.

"Kouga, how many times have I told you I'm not your woman!" again she had to raise her voice. It seemed that if she didn't they wouldn't listen to her. The more she spoke the less they heard, all they could and would hear was what they said to one another. Kouga and Inuyasha completely forgot that she was the one they were trying to woo when they were close to each other. All both males cared about was who she'd choose....and she was getting sick and tired of it.

Kagome sighed as she saw Inuyasha ready to retort back.

"You heard her 'ya mangy wolf, she's not your woman," Inuyasha spat at the wolf youkai and in a bold move place his arm over Kagome's shoulders, "Now leave."

Kagome stiffened under Inuyasha's arm as soon as he place it over her shoulders. Her eyes narrowed at him and she shoved her elbow back, slamming it into Inuyasha's gut. She smirked in satisfaction when he huffed as the air left his lungs and he dropped his arm to wrap it around his belly.

"Would you two stop it! I'm not going out with any of you, now stop asking. If I said no a year ago, and I said no last week, then obviously I'm gonna keep saying no," Kagome seethed with anger at the two demons. One was still holding his gut, grudgingly cursing and the other was grinning broadly at the hanyou....both completely ignoring her statement.

"'Ya hear that mutt, leave," Kouga taunted, still grinning.

Inuyasha cursed from his place, then straightened and glared at Kouga. "Oh yeah, she just said that 'cuz she's modest you bastard," Inuyasha huffed, puffing out his chest.

Kagome rolled her eyes at both and at that moment she saw her chance. Taking slow deliberate steps back, she kept her eyes trained on both males. As soon as she was a good few feet away, she turned and made a dash for the back entrance. Jumping out of the way from books on the floor, dodging walking students and the occasional teacher, her heart jumped with joy when she was only a heart beat away from the exit door. She heard her name being called behind her, and heard running and screeching students and books and bags were accidentally pushed off of them.

Squealing, Kagome reached for the door and felt a hand grip her arm tightly from behind. In that moment she squirmed and turned to see which one of the boys had reached her, she was yanked into one of the classrooms next to her. Kagome nearly choked on her own breath when she saw it hadn't been either Kouga or Inuyasha that had reached her, it'd been none other than one of her professors.

"Professor Taisho?" Kagome breathed, panting. She cocked a brow at him and tilted her head, trying to guess why he'd pulled her into the classroom. He locked the door and turned to face her, a small devilish smile played at the corner of his lips, sending shivers down Kagome's spine. She saw him walk towards his desk, silent as ever.

The professor turned towards her from his desk and organized a few stray pages he had around his desk, and fixed her with a look. His long silver hair reached past his back, towards the back of his thighs as it swayed with health. Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat, and became too aware they were alone in the room. She heard the knob on the door jiggling, and jumped. She could faintly make out Inuyasha's cussing and Kouga's mutters.

Oh no! She squealed in her mind. If they found her they'd surely not stop until she agreed to choose between them! Looking around frantically, she couldn't find anywhere to hide. She turned to meet her professor's warm honeyed eyes and almost rolled her's at his expression. He simply stared at her, unmoving, cocking one fine brow up.

"It's not wise to tease two demon males, Kagome," his husky voice caressed across her, sending wave after wave of shivers all through her body, heightening her senses. Warm liquid pooled in her center as he approached her, his nostrils flaring. "Neither should you tease a man," he spoke closer to her, barely a hand's width away from her.

"I-I'm not teasing any one," Kagome whispered, unable to swallow. Her throat felt too dry all of a sudden, instinct screaming at her to get out. She really wasn't teasing any one, not boys or men, she was simply there. It wasn't her fault both Kouga and Inuyasha were too immature to understand the meaning of the word 'no'.

Sesshomaru took a step towards her, leaning his head down, only inches away from her hair. He would be leaving the university soon to handle his own growing company. Finally, he would be able to indulge in the one thing forbidden to him....Her.

Since the moment she had entered the school, and entered his classroom, he'd been unable to forget her scent. So fresh and clean-so....perfect. He knew she'd never see him in any other way other than her business professor, and he accepted that. Someone so pure and so good, shouldn't be with someone so....demonic. She was human, he was not. She was a miko, he was a demon. He understood and accepted their differences. Though never in his centuries of existence had he ever regretted being youkai more than he did in that moment she stepped into his classroom.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and inhaled her unique scent, it was no wonder why both boys outside his locked door wanted her. She was so good and so pure, it would be natural for a demon's inner darkness would long for such light to illuminate it. He opened his eyes, and looked down at her, noting the slight shiver racing across her arms. Was she afraid? Could she sense the predator within him?

He wanted to test it-see how far she'd allow him to go. If only once, "You don't need those boys out there, Kagome" he whispered, his voice a husky caress. He leaned his head into her hair, inhaling.

"O-Oh..?" Kagome could not speak if her life depended on it. All coherent thoughts fled her once his face hid in the depths of her ebony hair.

"Mmm...you need a man-not a boy..." Sesshomaru said, relishing the feel of her silky strands caressing his face gently. Like cool silk.

Kagome snapped out of it, was he really saying what she thought he was? Was he serious?--Was he offering?! Her mind twirled in a haze, lightheaded all of a sudden. She moved her lips, yet the words refused to come out.

"And who should this man be?" she heard her self asking. She couldn't help it dammit! She had to play along-she'd been crushing on him since the moment she'd laid eyes on him. And now-and now he was flirting with her! She heard the pounding at the door and nearly jumped.

Sesshomaru smirked smugly...she was following along. Interesting. He hadn't imagined she'd go that far-or let him go that far either. The pounding at the door made his brows furrow, and he leaned back up, standing straight. He looked down at her and saw the faint tint of pink on her cheeks, that satisfied him in a way he'd never felt before. He had to do it, if not-he would never know. Perhaps he'd been wasting time thinking it'd be impossible to have something with her, and now-he thought he might have been wrong all along.

Sesshomaru gripped her shoulders and leaned down, leveling his bright clear eyes on her warm chocolate ones. He scrutinized her face, trying to find some hint of falseness within her-trying to see if she was serious or simply playing with him. He was more than satisfied to see nothing but honesty.

"I'll help you get rid of those two..." he started. He smiled as her eyes brightened with hope and joy.

"That would be fantastic!" she exclaimed, her chest feeling light all of a sudden. Having that weight off her shoulders would be amazing at last.

"but.." Sesshomaru finished, boring into her eyes.

"...but?" Kagome finished. Her brows furrowed and she looked up at him suspiciously. But what? Did he expect something in return? Because if he did-he was so wrong!

Sesshomaru nodded, "But....you have to agree on a date with a real man," he finished his sentence with a mischievous smirk, a glint in his eyes that had Kagome's heart beating against her throat frantically.

She suppressed a smile as her heart swelled with warmth and joy, "And, pray tell, who exactly, is this 'real man'?" she teased back.

Sesshomaru smiled at her broadly, one pearly fang peeking out, "Me, of course," he finished silkily.

Kagome smiled and blushed, peeking up at him through thick black lashes. She nodded shyly all of a sudden and felt his hands slide down and take hers. He led her towards the back of the room, up the stairs where seats were placed for the students, to the back hall.

Sesshomaru pulled her behind him until they reached the back of the room where he pulled her infront of him. Slipping his hand behind her, and resting it against her back, he opened a back door and sunlight filtered in.

"Friday. I'll pick you up at eight," he said, a gentle smile dancing across his lips.

Kagome peered outside and saw they were at the back parking lot. So this is how he seems to always be on time....she mused. She turned to him and smiled up at him, nodding.

"Alright, I'll be ready," and before she walked out, she turned once more and said, "And thank you."

Sesshomaru nodded and closed the door behind her. He headed for the front door where the wolf demon and his little half brother were pounding on the door. He flung it open and in burst both of them, smelling the air.

Inuyasha turned to him, and asked, "Where is she? We saw her come this way and then disappear."

Sesshomaru shrugged and walked out, holding his suitcase in one hand. "Don't ask me, little boys, I'm already on my way out."

With that he left, leaving both males fuming behind him.

End of Flashback

Kagome burst into her apartment and looked around, noting her roommate, Sango, was still not home. She shut the door and ran towards her room, a little skip to her with excitement. She flung dress after dress, top after top, searching for the perfect thing to wear. She growled in frustration, and almost gave up when she heard the front door open and close. Immediately, she walked towards her door and opened it, calling out for her roommate.

Sango peered inside Kagome's room and lifted a brow at the mess on her friend's floor and bed. "What's going on?" she asked, worried.

"Sango! You won't believe what happened today! Sit, let me tell you everything, and then after we could go shopping!" Kagome exclaimed happily.

Sango breathed in deeply and sat on her friend's bed, preparing for a long story...