Disclaimer: So I'm not funny all the time, 'kay?

Thoughts

By Icka! M. Chif

'Kikyo's powers were weakened because she fell in love with a worthless half breed' The words echo in my mind.

Half breed.

Me.

Kikyo died because of me.

And now there's Kagome, Kikyo's re-incarnation.

I don't have to glance back to know she's there, chattering with Shippou. I can hear her, smell her. Feel her.

It's like a faint hint of fuzzy energy in the back of my head, the presence of the Shikon No Tama.

The shards that she protects.

My shards, the ones I protect.

My shards, and her.

And she protects me, in her own strange way. Or at least she tries. She's used her bow and arrow on several occasions to come to my aid.

Used her Miko abilities, her powers.

'Kikyo's powers were weakened because she fell in love with a worthless half breed'

I know she cares for me. Or at least worries about me.

But what if she loves me?

Would her powers, as erratic as they are, weaken as well?

Could she too die because of me?

I can't let that happen again. Not again.

I have to stay cold. Stay aloof. I was alone most of my life, it's nothing new.

It's a comfort, really. If they can't touch me, they can't hurt me.

Eh, the whole idea of her loving me is stupid anyway. No one would fall in love with some half breed.

Not youkai, not human, and yet both.

There's a word for people like me.

Bastard.

And no one could love a bastard.

So she's safe, right?

There's absolutely no risk that she could possibly fall in love, weaken her powers and die.

See? No problems there. End of discussion.

But what if she doesn't?

Could I live with that?

Just having her around, knowing she's safe is a comfort. Kagome's become my family.

Shippou too. And Kaede-Baba, Miroku and Sango to some extent.

If I were a true dog, one could say that they're my pack. We hunt together, travel together and fight together. Especially fight.

We fight youkai, some humans and we fight each other. Kagome and I fight a lot too.

Usually about her going to her home.

I claim the shards are what's important, she can't leave but that's a convenient excuse. I don't like not being able to protect her.

I used to worry that she could have a suitor on the other side of the well, I remember seeing red at the possibility.

Then it became oblivious that the only men on that side of the well that I could smell were her brother and Ojiisan's scent. There were some others on her, but so faint that they couldn't been around her long.

But I still don't like her leaving.

She belongs... she belongs near me.

I protect her. I protect the shards.

'Kikyo's powers were weakened because she fell in love with a worthless half breed'

Kikyo protected the shards too, and she died.

Kagome's a lot like Kikyo.

Kikyo and I also loved each other.

I can't... *Will not* allow history to repeat it's self.

So Kagome has to stay by me.

But not too close.

Never too close.

Fin.