Little Red Riding Hood

Title: Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Pucie
Chapter: Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match

A/N: So. . . . How do you like it so far? I have to say my favorite bit in the last chapter was the “ever ever?” comment. . . But, moving on, I’m starting to get a bit of writer’s block with my current stories, I think it’s because I’ve been struck with an idea for another story. I have to do a little research before I can get started on the new one though. One hint is that it’s going to be set in the Old West. I’ve always been fascinated with stories about Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid, The Earp Brother’s, Doc Holliday and such, I think I’ll give it a shot and see how it turns out, need to refresh my memory about certain famous character’s from the Old West, want to make I transfer the right character’s according to personality. . but anywhoo, be on the lookout, I promise it won’t be like one of those old corny shootout movies. . .hehehe

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match

“Oh, Kouga, I’m so sorry I passed out like that,” Kagome said still blushing lightly from her current resting place, just across form him in her hut. “It must be the heat getting to me. . . .” she trailed off, ‘He looks so pale, and he’s lost weight, what happened? I thought after a demon mated they got stronger, not weaker. . ‘ she thought to herself. Starting to grow concerned for her friend.

“Nah, don’t worry about it Kagome. I always did want to say I made you swoon from just the sight of me,” he said grinning with some of the old cockiness she remembered.


“Sooo,” she drawled, as she suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

“How are you doing now-a-days?” he asked her, trying to keep the conversation going.

“I’m good, how are you?” she said.

‘Yeah, that’s right,’ she thought to herself, ‘Just call me Chatty Kathy,’ and she mentally rolled her eyes at herself.

“I’m. . . . .alright,” he answered, “I’m sorry I disappeared for so lo-“

He was cut off as her burlap door was suddenly swept aside and two indistinct figures burst through the doorway. . .

“SISTER!” they shouted in unison.

“Huh?” she said as she tried to push them back so she could at least get a good look at the two persons currently trying to smother her in a bear hug.

“Ginta! Hakkaku! It’s so nice to see the both of you! How are you two doing? Well, I hope?” she said as soon as she realized who her attackers were.

They were roughly pulled back and off of her by Kouga, who looked at his pack brothers sternly, “I thought I told you, ‘Don’t Attack Kagome’.” As she watched, she noticed the corner of his lip trying to errantly lift against his scowl.

“We’re sorry brother,” Ginta started.
“But we just haven’t seen her in so long,” Hakkaku continued.
“And we go excited to see our pack sister!” Ginta finished.

With the ice now officially broken, Kagome stood with a smile and walked over to stand beside Kouga, “Oh, don’t get mad at them. . .I missed them too!”

The two on the floor smiled up at her and suddenly she was reminded of Shippou, whenever he wanted something. . .’Uh-oh’ she thought.

Ginta sat back on his heels and nonchalantly examined his claws as he said, “So, Kagome, Did you miss Kouga as well?”

“Uhhhh, I uhhhhh. . . . .” she blushed a furious shade of red, and looked for a way to escape from the question.

“Yes sister, did you miss Kouga as well?” Hakkaku asked when she failed to answer his brother.


‘Oh shit, what do I say? What do I say? Think Kagome!! Dammit!! If you say you do, then he’ll think you are pining over him and feel sorry for you because he’s already mated to Ayame. If you say you didn’t you could hurt his feelings. . .oh shit!’ She thought frantically

“Kagome! Kikyo is having problems with the diapy things again!” She suddenly heard from outside, ‘Bless That Hanyou!’ she thought with relief.

“Ok, I’m coming! “ She yelled to Inuyasha, who was still outside.
Without even glancing at her guests, she mumbled out, “Ihavetogohelpkikyowithdiapersforthebabiesi’llberightback!” and left without a second glance, missing the hurt look on a certain wolf prince’s face.

‘Muttface, was wrong. He truly is the only one she wanted, look how she still runs and jumps to obey his every beck and call,’ he thought to himself, feeling a little dejected.

“So, did you ask her yet, fleabag?” Inuyasha asked as he stepped inside the hut.

“I didn’t have to. . . it’s plain to see that she still loves you. .” he growled. “Why do you feel the need to make my pain worse by rubbing it in?”

“What?” he asked with a confused look on his face.

“She didn’t even answer when Ginta and Hakkaku asked her if she missed me! And she runs to your every beck and call, still!?!’ he said growing outraged.

Inuyasha couldn’t contain the laughter, as he watched the wolf demon slowly work himself into a frenzy.

“What the hell do you think is so funny, half-breed? You think my pain is funny? HUH?” he all but yelled as he put himself in Inuyasha’s face.

Inuyasha just laughed even harder, but brought himself under control finally, “If you could only see your face when you get like that. . . .haaaa haaa, Oh Kami, I’m not laughing at your pain, you idiot. Did it ever occur to you braindead morons that maybe she doesn’t want to confess her feelings in front of an audience?” he said as he swept his hand through the air, gesturing to the two brothers still in the floor.

“Have you told her you didn’t mate Ayame yet?” he asked, crossing his arms in front of him.

“No. . .” Kouga said, finally backing down and looking sheepish.

“Ok, or maybe she thinks that you are mated now, and she doesn’t want you to feel sorry for her because she hasn’t found a husband or a mate yet?” Inuyasha said.

“Uhhhhh, hehehe,” Kouga said, rubbing the back of his neck, and slowly turning red himself.

“You really are dumb as dirt, keh!” Inuyasha said as he turned to leave the hut, “You have to tell her if you want her to know, dumbass!” were his parting words.

He grinned as he left the hut, he was really very glad that Kagome was going to be able to get a chance at the love she deserved. ‘Kami, I just didn’t think I was going to have this much work cut out for me. . .’ He saw Kagome leaving the hut that he and Kikyo were currently staying in, and grabbed her arm as she passed by.

“Kagome, have you told you still have feelings for him?” he asked her before she could return to her own hut, well, really her ‘hut’ was more like a house. After his brother had accepted him ‘back into the fold’ again, he had commissioned a house to be built for her. He knew that even if she had chosen to stay in this era with all of them, it still wouldn’t be right if he had just left her to fend for herself. Not to say that he had done it because he felt sorry for her, more so, he did it as a supreme ‘thank you’ gift in light of all that she had done for him in the three years they had traveled together.
She blushed as she looked at the ground and replied, “No, I refuse to tell him that I suddenly changed my mind and decided I liked him better. He rescinded his claim, he didn’t want me anymore. . . .doesn’t want me anymore. Whether he’s mated or not, I will not tell him, I refuse to try to trap him to me with pity.”

He grabbed her chin, and made her look at him, “Did you ever think that maybe he came back because he wants to be “trapped” by your side?” he said gently.

“But why? Why would he disappear for a year, no trace, no contact at all, and suddenly show up and decide he wants me again?” she said, starting to get emotional, even though she was fighting it.

“You should ask him and find out. . . Ask him why he was gone for a year. I’m sure he will tell you if you only ask,” he said as he let her chin go, “Now go back in there, and talk to him.”

He watched as she slowly made her way back to her own house, before he quickly joined his mate in their own. “So did you talk to her while she was here?” he asked Kikyo.

“I tried, but she’s even more stubborn than you are, my dear,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, “What about you, did you have any luck?” she asked.

“Some, I told them both that they needed to talk to each other before jumping to conclusions. She’s confused because she can’t figure out why he disappeared for a year, he thinks she’s still “in love” with me, blah blah blah blah.” He said impatiently.

“So what did you tell him?” she asked her mate.

“To ask her what she wants. .” he said grinning.

“And her?”

“I told her to ask him why he was gone for a year.” He said.

“Do you think he’ll tell her the truth?” she asked him quietly.

“I don’t know, koi? He needs to tell someone though, it’s eating at him from the inside out. You can tell just by looking at him. It would be better for the both of them if she knew.” He said quietly.

They both knew of the time when Kouga had been ordered to spend with Ayame. Given his new position with his brother, Inuyasha had dealt with that bitch of a pack leader on more than one occasion whenever there was a land dispute. He had been able to pick up on her sick usage of the wolf prince by paying attention to the idle talk of her pack. She disgusted him, no one should have to endure that kind of emotional, and physical torture. He wouldn’t even wish the bitch on Naraku, even if the dark hanyou had still been alive. It was quite easy for him to find out when the wolf was to be released from her service, because Kikyo was the healer that Ginta and Hakkaku had gone to when Kouga was especially hurt. Kouga was usually in too much pain to recognize the healer tending to him, and it was during this time Kikyo and Inuyasha realized just how deeply Kouga felt for Kagome. It was only ever her name that had slipped past his lips whenever he was unconscious and dreaming.

~Back at Kagome’s~

She walked in to find that the brother’s had left, and only Kouga remained in her house.
She smiled as she walked back in, and sat down beside him. She blushed as she looked at the floor and said, “I did miss you”

“You did?” he repeated, sounding surprised.

“Mmhm” she muttered nodding her head, trying to hide the blush she was now sporting.

“Kagome, Inuyasha said that your heart had chosen someone else, and not him. Who was he talking about?” Kouga said so quietly that you almost had to be youkai to hear him.

“You” she said even more quietly than him.

A grin broke over his face at her answer, but quickly faded at her next question. . . .

She reached over and took one of his hands into her own and turned her gaze to his face, as she asked him, “Kouga, why did you disappear for a year?”

“I don’t like to talk about that,” he said roughly.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because, I don’t like to talk about it. . .” he said growing very quiet and very fearful, his eyes starting to dart about the room.

“Don’t you trust me? Did you mate with Ayame?” she asked.

“NO! I could never mate her, never, she’s to sick and twisted, and I don’t love her anyways.” He said without thinking.

“Why Kouga, what happened? Tell me? Please? I can’t help you if I don’t know?” she said.

He suddenly realized that coming here was a mistake. He might love Kagome, and she might have “chosen” him. But what would she do when she found out about what he had been forced to do? What would she think of him? ‘She’ll be disgusted that’s what,’ he thought to himself, ‘Just as you find yourself disgusting, she’ll never want a mate who’s that weak.’ His self loathing was endless, it seemed. He had to get out. . . . .He had to get away. He jerked his hand from her grasp and leapt up, whining. He felt her hand on his back, “Kouga? Kouga, what’s wrong?”

Without answering, or even a backwards glance, he bolted out the door and off in to the forest. . . . .

A/N: Tension!! dum Dum DUM!