InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beast ❯ Indecision ( Chapter 25 )

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except Shimoko, who is not making me any money. The point is, therefore, pretty much moot.

A/N: Chuggin' along here…clarification on Kouga, briefly, is that he's not leaving the wards (remember, he said they were meeting on the ward's border, i.e. still inside, which is one of the reasons why he told Kag about it-so she could calm Inuyasha down when he sensed the wolves coming back in); trust me, if he could leave, he wouldn't be there any longer than he had to. ; ) As it is, he stays as far away as he can a lot of the time. (And I do take requests from time to time…wink wink.)

Now, on with the show, which at this rate is going to be…uh…(carries the one) maybe 10 or 15 more chapters? Extremely rough guess there. I know precisely what's happening when, but God only knows how it'll translate to page length when I actually try to set it down…I'll probably pull a Rozefire and my guess'll be off by 5 or 10. Not that this is a bad thing-at least in her case. I hope it's not in mine. Yeah. Writing chapter now.

Beast

Chapter 25

"First rule: you do not touch the surface." Shimoko knelt and moved the mirror closer to her audience with a delicate push on the curved rim; the glass seemed to expand subtly, and Kagome wondered how the mirror had been small enough to tuck into Shimoko's none-too-roomy waistband when it was now almost as broad as her shoulders. The rim was plain, only a few centimeters across, with four pairs of slits at each `corner,' and the glass was strangely dark, almost as if it absorbed light instead of reflecting it.

"What happens if we do, Shimoko-sama?" Sango voiced what everyone was thinking.

"My mother finds out and introduces her fan to your neck," the demon said absently, smoothing the grass from the mirror's edges.

Inuyasha snorted. "A fan?"

"Yep." Shimoko popped her knuckles and extended the back of one hand for them all to see. A tiny patchwork of threadlike white scars crisscrossed the delicate-looking flesh. "I don't have to remind you how easily we demons heal, but every time I forget myself around Mother…" She made a rapping gesture. "Never underestimate a woman who can rip you apart with a piece of paper and hates bad habits."

Kagome decided not to ask.

"Now, I want you all to place one finger - not your whole hand, just your fingertip - on the rim, not touching the surface, m'kay?" Shimoko nodded at Kagome, who obediently rested her index finger on the unnervingly cold, smooth border. "Good. Everyone, follow her example, if you would. And don't touch the glass."

Inuyasha was the last one to oblige, and he did so grudgingly. "I don't see what the hell the point of this-"

"Now!" Shimoko withdrew a white feather from the front of her blouse and jabbed the quill into the glass so hard that Kagome nearly expected one or both to crack.

Light roared silently out of the mirror, slamming into the four and freezing them in place as the forest melted, colors oozing out of focus all around and fading to deafening black.

"What the…?!" Inuyasha hissed, voice muffled but audible. Kagome tried to steady herself by leaning against him, and her heart slowed just a bit as he draped his free arm around her shoulders in response.

"You're in no danger. This is merely how the images are to be showed," Shimoko's voice said calmly through the curtain of darkness. "Look."

On the spot they knew to be the mirror covering the ground, a dim outline of a circle slowly began to form, glimmering stronger and stronger, light trickling from the silver-white border to fill the dead surface till the glass teemed with luminescence, growing steadily brighter. Kagome reflexively raised her hand to shield her eyes.

"Don't move, or we'll have to start over again," Shimoko said sharply, and Kagome quickly stilled, grateful she hadn't moved the hand on the rim.

"Fascinating," Miroku whispered across from Kagome, who glanced up at him and shuddered: even in the now-painfully glowing light, she couldn't see her own hands, nor any of her friends or Shimoko. "I'd heard of voyeurism mediums that connect one mind to another, but I never thought…"

"Very good, houshi. We are all connected loosely to the mirror now-it would be much easier if, say, I were the memory's source, but my mother had to send a replacement associated with that which she wished me to show you." Shimoko's voice dropped as the light suddenly receded and the circle began to clear back into a normal mirror's surface…or so it seemed till the `reflection' began to form, moving without apparent input from any of them. "This is it. Watch carefully."

The picture that sharpened into focus the next moment took Kagome by surprise: it was the castle, from high in the air, a bit like the view she'd enjoyed from Inuyasha's back and the pavilion so many times. But this was obviously not the castle Kagome knew: she could also make out the outlines of rice paddies in the distance, soldiers patrolling the much bigger grounds, and a faint blot of red and white moving from the edge of the forest to approach the castle, arms loaded with something green. The soldiers moved back respectfully as the blob approached, and Kagome realized that it wasn't Inuyasha: that had to be Kikyou.

"What the…?" Inuyasha's voice murmured perilously close to the mirror's surface.

"Get back!" Shimoko's whiplash of a command jerked him upright as the mirror's picture veered around to get a more clear view of the priestess. "This may be very familiar to you, but you will not touch the image, do you understand?!"

Inuyasha snarled wordlessly, but the pat of Kagome's hand on his back effectively shut him up. His interest went right back to the mirror.

"This…this is the day he came…" Sango murmured breathlessly. "Look, there's Kirara on the ground…she sensed something and transformed…!"

"That would either be my mother watching, or Naraku. It doesn't matter."

None of the others shared Shimoko's indifference. Kagome jumped and heard Sango gasp as the image sharpened further into distinct lines, enabling them to catch Kikyou's expression as she strode up to where the slayer was chastising Miroku for something and spoke, lips moving in what looked like a command. The image-Sango responded, looking at the fire-cat and then gesturing towards the forest.

All hell broke loose as the priestess turned to speak to the nearest soldier, who was evidently some breed of demon and had just been turning away to avoid her: the trees erupted into splinters and leaves, wrenched violently aside by the biggest, ugliest spider Kagome had ever seen. Damn, makes the one that attacked Inuyasha last month look like an ant…!

"I believe this is where you came in…ah, yes." Sure enough, Shimoko paused just as another blur of red appeared in the mirror and leapt at the spider, taking advantage of the swath cut by Hiraikoutsu moments before to hack at its legs with his claws.

"Wow," Kagome whispered despite herself, eyes growing wider with every passing minute of the battle. She barely heard Shimoko's comment that it was entertaining no matter how many times she saw it, riveted as she was to the image as various soldiers joined in, dropped (or were thrown) out, and even Sango and Miroku were forced to fall back, the latter hacking at huge, hideous wasp-like things as they swooped at him.

"The Saimyousho," Miroku said grimly. "Their presence prohibited the use of my curse as a weapon, Kagome-sama, as they would fly into the Kazaana and poison me from the inside."

"Wow." What else could she say?

No one else spoke as the silent fight drew closer to a stalemate, with the spider's legs in mangled pieces but Inuyasha also bleeding from a dozen wounds, till he finally managed to draw its attention to himself long enough for Kikyou to draw her bow and obliterate it head-first, body crumbling to pieces in the force of the purifying blast.

"And that…"

Shimoko waited till the image froze on the image of Inuyasha dropping to his knees, head tilted towards the grim-faced priestess but away from their vantage point, and blurred into nothing, silver-white collecting like raindrops in the edges to fade back and allow them to adjust to the sudden change from dark to forest's midday light.

"That was when my mother knew she was free."

The white feather was still stuck upright in the mirror, almost as if the quill was lodged in clay instead of glass. Shimoko plucked it and slipped it back into her blouse.

"Free? Was she a prisoner?" Kagome removed her hand and rubbed at her sore neck, ducking out from under Inuyasha's arm and glancing at him curiously.

He didn't look back; her heart shriveled a little at his expression.

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose you could say she was." The demon looked at Kagome shrewdly, and the human tried to school her features into normalness, smiling and nodding. Shimoko raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. "Yes, she was quite happy that that bastard was finally dead, and she always wanted to repay you somehow, oji-chan."

The diminutive term - meaning "uncle" but usually reserved for men middle-aged or older, certainly not appropriate in this context - got his attention immediately. "What was that?" he snapped, and Kagome coughed to cover a laugh. "You say something, wench?"

"Well, it would hardly be polite for me to call you by name, would it?" Shimoko raised her palms in a guileless shrug.

"I'd rather you call me that than pretend I'm some balding human fart!" the hanyou retorted.

"Let it go, Inuyasha." Kagome patted his arm soothingly again and smiled her gratitude at the older woman. He grumbled and folded his arms, staring sullenly to the side, while Sango pried Miroku's hand from where it'd crept during the vision and wondered at the silent exchange she'd thought she'd witnessed.

Shimoko gave the tiniest of nods. "Yes, Mother was actually created from Naraku, odd as that sounds. He had complete sway over her and her `sister,' Kanna, whose mirror this was." She retrieved the velvet wrap and began to smooth the fabric, popping her knuckles yet again. "Above all else, my lady has always cherished her own freedom-as well she should, as she is the wind, and her element can stand to be caged least of all others. She is not given to excessive gratitude any more than Sesshoumaru, but she was nearly beside herself with frustration when the curse was placed and she saw no more of anyone here."

Created? Weird… Kagome filed that one for later. "So how'd she meet your dad? And when?"

"Can't say much for either of their taste," Inuyasha muttered, ignoring Kagome's sharp little jerk at his nearest lock. "Well, c'mon, he hated Naraku just as much as we did, and he went and took the bastard's daughter as a mate?"

"There were…other circumstances…" Shimoko tapped her lips absently. "I'll tell you the full story some other time, but suffice to say he and my mother actually get along quite well. They disagree sometimes, but they're much more fond of each other than he'd ever let on-you know him, oji-chan. He might have been worried at the damage Rin did to his reputation, but he wouldn't have taken Mother if he didn't really want to."

"Rin?" Kagome and Miroku repeated as one.

Shimoko grimaced. "Shit. He's going to kill me for this one…" She very carefully picked up the mirror by the edges and laid it in the velvet drape, wrapping the glass securely. To their surprise, she then offered it to Kagome, almost submissively. "My lady wishes you to borrow this."

"Wha…?" Kagome gingerly took it and set it in her lap. Inuyasha's hair tickled her arm as he leaned over, and she enjoyed its musky smell for a moment before returning to Shimoko. "Why me?"

"Dunno. I'm not supposed to tell you anything beyond the fact that she's grateful and why." The demon smiled, eyes flooded with amusement and surprising warmth. "And I'm certainly not supposed to tell you that you are now under her protection, and mine, for the duration of the curse, and if Sesshoumaru even breathes in your direction again, he'll have to run to the Arctic to find someplace safe to hide."

A lump welled in Kagome's throat. How much does she even know about everything? "Thank you so much, Shimoko-sama."

"Don't be so formal, Auntie. I like you, and I owe oji-chan my very existence." Kagome cracked a smile at the incongruous English word, and Shimoko's left eyelid flicked in a wink before her demeanor reverted to brisk coolness. "Now, Miroku and Sango, please leave us. These two are in no danger with me, and I'd like to speak with them alone."

"As you wish, Shimoko-sama," Sango replied, rising and holding out her arms for Kirara to jump into. The fire-cat had long since reverted to her smaller shape. "Thank you f-"

"Your kindness is far too much, Shimoko-sama." Miroku bowed deeply and shifted his staff to the crook of his arms, slipping back into his old habits too smoothly to catch three sets of warning glares or Shimoko's veiled amusement as he reached for her hand. "May I have the honor of inquiring whether you m-"

A light movement of Shimoko's hand plucked the monk off the ground, sending his staff clattering and his arms flapping instinctively for balance. "I have the honor of being able to tell you now that not only am I not interested, houshi, but I'm not available, even if I was. Which I am not." Forefingers twitched in unison, and Miroku rose about ten feet, eyes bulging as he suddenly flipped upside down and drifted towards the ground just above Shimoko's darkly amused eyes. "Understood?"

"Of course, Shimoko-sama, please forgive me," the monk said tightly, attempting to keep his robes from falling down too far. His cotton leggings protected his modesty, but they did nothing to change the fact that he was in a fairly compromising position.

Sango seemed torn between absolute disgust, worry, and the desire to roll on the ground laughing. Shimoko half-smiled and cocked her head to look around the monk at her. "Even by your own standards, this kind of blatant behavior cannot be acceptable. Do you always let your mate get away with this?"

"Rarely, Shimoko-sama, but you seem to have spared me the trouble this time," Sango answered politely, taking her time to help Miroku up as gravity reclaimed him with a resounding thud. "I only wish I had your power."

"I lack my mother's faculty with wind and many of Sesshoumaru's more unique talents, but I do possess my own skills," Shimoko said cryptically, holding out her hand and sweeping it down. Tetsusaiga dropped out of the sky to slam point-first into the grass, perilously close to Miroku's feet.

Inuyasha snatched it up, examining the blade suspiciously, and the demon woman chuckled slightly. "It's all right, oji-chan. I'm quite proficient in moving objects and people over distances, and I haven't made any major mistakes for 63 years now."

"Good for you." Inuyasha slammed the sword back into the sheath, only slightly mollified by its safe return and Miroku's calisthenics.

A sudden hunch neatly swept Kagome's questions about Sesshoumaru, Naraku and some other fairly important stuff out of the forefront of her mind; she barely waited for the couple to leave earshot before nearly pouncing on Shimoko. "How'd you know they're…well, together? They weren't when your mother knew about them."

"Ah, yes, that." Shimoko shrugged and sat with her knees crossed Indian style. "I'm not a dog demon, but one has inherited certain characteristics, and discerning that kind of thing by scent would be impossible not to do."

Knew it! Score! "So you'd know if someone was…or had been, well, with a guy, or not?"

Shimoko raised both eyebrows at Inuyasha's sudden interest and Kagome's determination. "Within reason. Human scents fade quickly, but demon and half-demon scents stay within the body for days, weeks or longer, depending on the quality, quantity, and durations involved. Why?"

Inuyasha's eye twitched. Kagome noted his discomfort and deliberately switched to English to torment him further. "He thinks I slept with Kouga. I didn't. Mind telling him so?"

"We'll see. Now hold still, please," Shimoko replied fluently, eyebrow arching.

His indignant questions about what had been said sputtered and died as his niece suddenly leaned over and began a discreet but careful olfactory inspection of Kagome, starting at the neck, unashamedly checking her torso before moving down, nose less than a foot away from the most important parts in question. She took a final whiff and straightened, cracking her knuckles.

"What the…" Inuyasha tamped down jealousy, confusion, and strong but very unhealthy interest. "What the hell just happened?"

"Is that a trick question, oji-chan?" Shimoko drawled as Kagome folded her arms. "She said her honor has been called into question and requested I settle the matter." The demon scowled at him. "Your nose must be sharp enough to discern these things yourself. Really, where did you get such a ridiculous idea? The girl hasn't been touched there by anything except her own body's functions, and if the wolf had had anything to do with her, I'd be able to tell for months."

"Oh?" was all he said, though he was nearly lightheaded with a bizarre mix of relief and guilt, and still trying to shake the mental image of Kagome being sniffed over so personally.

"Don't `oh' me, oji-chan. The strongest male scent on her is yours, and not anywhere that counts." She crossed her arms, tapping her fingers languidly. "Really, she's been here for six weeks now, and you haven't even made any advances? You do like females, don't you?"

Inuyasha's face turned an interesting shade of fuchsia. "Who said I haven't made any-I mean…it wasn't like I wanted-I mean, didn't-I mean…I tried, but I didn't mean to…uh…"

Shimoko waited, very patiently, for him to trail off lamely and fall silent. "…So you couldn't finish what you'd started, then? That's hardly an excuse for her complete lack of scent. Besides, there are certain medications available now I could procure if you really-"

"It's fine, Shimoko-sama." Kagome tried to speak firmly, but it came out more like a broken-toy squeak. Inuyasha gave her a puzzled look, which she chose to ignore. I am not telling him what she means if he was never taught that much about it! He can ask Miroku! "That's not what he meant. We're just friends."

"You rejected him? No wonder he's so sexually frustrated," the demon chided Kagome, whose embarrassment degenerated further into red-faced, head-shaking denial.

"It's…complicated," Inuyasha managed, claws sinking slowly into the earth as some of her less overt meanings began to do the same to his mind. "Stay the fuck out of our business."

"I hardly think it's your business alone when so much is at stake." Shimoko's eyebrows wriggled ever so slightly at Kagome. "Is it?"

"I dunno," Kagome said faintly, praying the older woman wouldn't call her out on…that, as well.

"Hmm" was all Shimoko said before rising and half-bowing with exquisite grace. "I have most thoroughly enjoyed this visit, but I must get going and explain why I smell like my oji-chan before Sesshoumaru gets the wrong idea. I'll return as soon as I can, though."

"Thank you for coming, and for the mirror," Kagome said as steadily as she could, mind still not quite working at full capacity but determined not to be rude. "Tell your mother we'll take the best care of it that we can."

"Good. I'll demonstrate how one uses it in full next time. Till then, don't touch the glass." Shimoko bowed again, turning her head to appraise Inuyasha without unbending. "Oji-chan?"

"What?" he grunted, face still distinctly red-tinged.

"A word of advice, from one who's lived long enough to know these things-memories are lovely, but if you keep looking back, eventually you'll fall on your ass, and whoever might've been there to help you up will be long gone ahead."

Inuyasha snarled and leaped to his feet, glaring at the spot from which Shimoko had just vanished. "Dammit! What the hell was that supposed to mean?! Get back here!"

Kagome let out a long sigh and stroked the mirror's velvet cover. "She doesn't hold back much, does she?"

"Lousy, nosy, snobby bitch." Inuyasha's ears were laid back nearly flat against his hair in angry defense, belying the way he snorted and folded his hands into his sleeves. "Like I even care what something half Fluffy and half Naraku says."

Kagome's hands tightened on the velvet. "I kind of liked her, actually."

"Yeah, you would." Inuyasha covered a flinch as hurt and anger pricked his nostrils. Shit, that did come out the wrong way. "I mean-"

"You mean that she made you look like an idiot, dug up a lot of memories, proved you wrong and hit a couple of nerves on the way out, except you'd rather give your brother a big hug than admit it!"

It was Kagome's turn to regret speaking on impulse; Inuyasha rounded on her, slamming his palms down on either side of her legs. "Would you mind not throwing all this shit in my face at once?! I know you have this weird ability to piss me off instantly, but you don't have to kick me when I'm down, bitch!"

"I'm sorry," she murmured, reaching out to stroke his ears. He pulled back just enough to evade it, and Kagome let her hand drop, stung. "Look, I said I'm sorry. I just don't think she knew how much seeing that again would affect you, and the other stuff…well, she was just teasing. It's a lot more common nowadays-it's actually a sign you're comfortable with someone. Most of the time, anyway. And I didn't mean-"

"Just shut up." Inuyasha didn't dare look up at her. "I…I just don't want to talk about it. At all. Is that okay with you, or do we have to start yellin' again?"

Kagome was quiet.

"…Kagome?"

Kagome was still quiet.

"What? What'd I do now?"

No answer. Inuyasha raised his head just enough to test the air. Alarm warred with anger for dominance at the familiar tang of salt. "Oi! Stop that!"

"I'm so sorry." Kagome slammed the mirror onto the ground beside her, shoved herself to her feet and scooped the velvet folds up. "I'll go not cry somewhere that doesn't accuse me of sleeping around and lying, then hides behind hurt feelings at something else and then gets mad at me for being quiet when I'm not in the mood to shout for once."

"Dammit, Kagome-"

"I know you're upset, and I know you're not comfortable with apologizing…but come on." She rubbed the velvet the wrong way, too absorbed in tactile recollection of Inuyasha's ears to hear him rising behind her. "It's probably not that important to you after the way you got to see everything in the mirror, and I understand, but I can't h-"

"You understand shit." Before Kagome could turn around and introduce the heavy mirror to the side of his face as impulse decreed, two red-draped arms circled her at the shoulders and waist, trapping her against his front. "I don't even understand myself. How the hell are you supposed to?"

"Inuyasha, let me go." She tried to move away, but her grip on the mirror prevented any use of her arms, and her legs had been quick to betray her and turn wobbly at the solid warmth on her back. "Inuyasha, I mean it."

With all his usual courtesy and obedience, the hanyou paused, then tugged her a little closer, till she could feel the light, quick beat of his heart against her shoulder. He rested his chin atop her head, mumbling so that his jaw pressed her scalp lightly. "I screwed up, `n I'm sorry. That good enough?"

Darn him. I was really getting into it, too...he must be getting smarter. Most of her anger evaporated, and the will to move soon followed. "…Yeah. Accepted. Thanks." Kagome sighed and allowed herself to relax back against him, reveling in the feel of fabric, muscle and body heat. He'd probably pull away in a second, of course, but till he did, she was going to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was looking down at her in utter disbelief. That's it? She's ready to kill me, and all I have to do is grab her and say I'm sorry? Gods, I'll never understand women…

Women…

He grimaced, shaking his head slightly. There was that damned mental image again, of Kikyou right after the shot that had taken Naraku down…at a very primal level, he'd been furious at being deprived of the kill, then angry with her for putting herself in danger, as always, and so relieved that she was safe that it almost made him physically ill…

Kagome misinterpreted the gesture and straightened in order to step away once he released her, trying to turn after several seconds of no further reaction. "Inuyasha?"

And she'd stared at the spider's remnants, then glanced at him and nodded-once. That was all. Then she'd turned to talk to the guards, called Miroku over to help dispose of the ashes, told a human soldier to fetch herbs for the wounded…of course, she knew Inuyasha wasn't in any real danger and would heal much faster than the humans who'd suffered more serious wounds, but…

But he couldn't get very nostalgic about seeing that damned battle again when it reminded him acutely of something that had bothered him steadily ever since. He loved her, and of course he respected her dedication, but as Kagome had just said, come on…!

Inuyasha shook his head again, unaware that he'd tightened his hold again till Kagome made a questioning noise and he came out of his reverie. "Huh? You say something, wench?"

"Uh…nope." Kagome's arms were starting to ache. She twisted around a little more, trying to angle up to look him in the eye. "Are you okay?"

She yelped as his arms flattened her almost painfully to his front. That'd be a no…! She swallowed hard, feeling that and the slight vibration of her voice against his right forearm. "Inuyasha?"

How had she known what he was thinking? Was she trying to mock him, or was it some sick coincidence that he was imagining to punish himself for his own disloyalty?

"Inuyasha…?"

Speaking of which-why was he still holding onto living proof that his Kikyou was gone, and only an angry shade and a girl with her face were left to remind him of her?

And why couldn't he let go?

"Inuyasha…"

Why wasn't she trying to get loose? As he gradually came out of his reverie, it occurred to Inuyasha that he was probably almost suffocating the poor girl, and he relaxed somewhat. "Kagome?"

"Hmm?" She half-turned again, and he reflexively turned his head to rest it against her neck on the other side to avoid eye contact. He just couldn't take that right now.

Kagome caught the motion and half-accurately guessed the reason behind it. It must be so painful looking at me and knowing I'm not her…but he doesn't have to rub my face in it. "Inuyasha? What's wrong?"

He didn't respond-verbally, at least. Kagome suppressed several urges - to giggle, melt, try to free herself and go for his ears, and many more - at the definite sound and feel of him sniffing the sensitive flesh closely. What the…? She concentrated hard on worrying in order to keep that smell from popping up. He can't be that brain-damaged just from apologizing…

"…You don't mind?"

Whatever she'd been expecting, that was definitely towards the bottom of the list. "Huh? Mind what?"

"…Me. This. I dunno." Inuyasha let his eyes drift shut, ashamed of another half-forgotten complaint that'd suddenly come up to say hello: Kikyou had been fairly receptive to being held, but not for long periods, and she could never hide her unease when he got too close to her throat. A tiny complaint considering how happy and grateful she'd made him, but… "I keep grabbing you and sticking my nose in your neck without asking. If I were you, I'd hit me."

"You probably would." Kagome snorted. "Trust me, if I minded, I'd have said something already." She shifted the mirror around in her arms. "Like how my arms are about to drop off."

Inuyasha took it from her with his right arm, tossing it to the ground with a dull thud and wincing at her indignant protests. "It's fine, wench." He replaced his arm across her shoulders, resting his cheek on her hair. "That stuff you use in your hair smells weird."

"So does your face," Kagome mumbled, unaware of what she was saying even when he snorted slightly. Why hasn't he let go yet? Not complaining, but…

His mind just wouldn't sit still. Shimoko's parting shot would probably keep him up tonight, he knew, and her "teasing," as Kagome had so politely put it, had bugged the hell out of him. At least she hadn't seemed disgusted or threatened by it-hell, if she hadn't already tried to run away after the two times he'd almost slipped, a few words probably weren't much of a big deal.

Then again, he hadn't needed any special scents to start thinking of Kikyou that way-

"Hey, Inuyasha?"

But if he wasn't interested in Kagome now that she was back to normal, then he wouldn't be fighting the urge to start paying more detailed attention to her neck than a couple of deep whiffs, would he?

"Earth to Inuyasha."

Damn! What the hell am I supposed to do?! Dismiss all these weird feelings as some kind of sick substitute for Kikyou? He'd already tried that, and it didn't work. Give in and ruin her inexplicably half-decent opinion of him, one good enough to let her put up with his personality and not run away screaming when he touched her? No way in hell. So wha-

"Yoo-hoo?" Kagome gently pinched the back of his hand and finally roused him. "Are you sure you're okay?" And should I smack you for treating me like a teddy bear while you think of Kikyou, or not? Much as she hated it, there wasn't much other explanation that she could think of.

"M'fine." Regretfully, Inuyasha squeezed her waist and stepped back, allowing her to retrieve the mirror and unwrap it to check the glass anxiously. "You ready to go back?"

"Yeah, let's go." Kagome turned to smile at him, and the turmoil in his head increased exponentially. "You hungry?"

They stuck to safe topics that night at dinner, mostly discussing the treehouse and what needed to be done to finish it the next day; all that remained was to make sure everything was fitted together securely and the sutras were in place. Miroku was already at work making a charm for Shippou that would allow the kit into the hut safely so as not to leave him out, and he'd assured Inuyasha, half-seriously, that half-demons should have no trouble getting in, either, not to worry.

Kagome was rising to leave when Inuyasha's demeanor seemed to droop slightly, and she caught it just in time not to be surprised at his next words: "You're really sure you don't mind me grabbing you like that, just outta nowhere? If you do, I can-"

"Inuyasha. Looky here." She moved the table aside and crouched directly in front of him. "I've told you a million times, we're friends. If you're upset about something or you just feel like you need it, you have permission any time. I like knowing you trust me enough to even consider it, and it's sweet of you to ask." Holding her breath, Kagome reached up again, exhaling happily as he propped his head on one hand and half-closed his eyes. "Remember, not too long ago, I touched your hand and you acted like I threw acid on it."

"Did I?" Inuyasha mumbled, eyes drifting shut as she massaged his right ear's base, tracing the edges with her thumb. His foot twitched, and she mentally marked the spot she'd just found. "Wasn't used to anyone but Mom touching me `cept when Fluffy hit me."

"Well, if I ever decide you're violating my personal space, I'll let you know. Till then…" Kagome set to work with the other hand and ear. His head drifted a little lower.

"Yeah, yeah." He suppressed a blissful sigh at the sensations her fingers were eliciting and brought his head up before he completely forgot himself. "So. Marry me?" For the first time he'd asked it, the question actually made him feel slightly guilty.

"Nuh-uh, I won't. G'night."

"Night, Kagome." Inuyasha watched her leave, then got up and went to his own room, mind chewing over everything slowly.

The treehouse was completed within the first hour of work the next day, and Kagome was given the right to try it first; Inuyasha checked that all of the things she'd requested were there before kicking at the rope ladder to unfurl it.

"Marvelous," Kagome said dryly, and scandalized most of those gathered by peeling the front of her kimono back to reveal legs clad only in shorts. "Pardon, everyone, but I can't climb in this thing." She tested the first few rungs, then deftly hauled herself up and stepped up into the doorway, eyes widening appreciatively. "Damn, this looks great!"

"Course it does, wench. We built it ourselves." Inuyasha rapped the sloped ceiling inches above their heads. Kagome smiled at his arrogance and walked around, poking her head out the two windows and running her hands over the perfectly smooth floorboards. The smell of new wood brought back a flood of fairly happy memories, and the dim lighting was perfect. Almost half the small floor space was covered by her unzipped sleeping bag, upon which she promptly plopped down and stretched out on her belly, sighing in utter content.

"Don't fall asleep, or I'm not waking you up when it rains." Inuyasha sank onto his heels next to her, raising an eyebrow and poking at the sleeping bag. "What is this thing?"

"It's kinda like a travel futon." Kagome yawned and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I love this place, Inuyasha. Thank you so much for helping everyone build it."

"Keh. It's just a stupid hut." Inuyasha got up and stalked to the south-facing window. "Wouldn't be surprised if…if…" He stuck his head further out, then swore and ducked back in. "She's back already?! I thought she was gone!"

"Shimoko?" Kagome followed Inuyasha to the door, climbing down as quickly as she could the moment he leapt to the ground. Sango and Miroku moved to the front of the little crowd, the latter gulping slightly and glancing around for the demon.

"Something amiss, Inuyasha-sama?" one of the men asked.

"Yeah, but it's not your problem. Take the rest of the day off and go fishing or something." Distracted by the servants' distinctly strange attitude, Inuyasha paused and sniffed at them. "What? Something else wrong?"

"Nothing at all, Inuyasha-sama. Thank you." The speaker bowed deeply, and his colleagues quickly followed suit before dispersing at Inuyasha's careless wave.

"What the…?" Inuyasha mumbled, mostly to himself.

"That was called `respect,' Inuyasha. I think you're making some headway." Kagome tugged his hair and grinned. "C'mon, let's go say hi to Shimoko."

"No need." The women milling around behind the men started: Shimoko had appeared almost from nowhere, clad in a beautiful semiformal red-and-white patterned kimono and holding a small bundle in her arms. She favored the nearest servants with a raised eyebrow. "Go about your business. I merely wish to pay your lord and lady a visit."

"It's all right," Kagome assured them, and only then would the women scatter and pretend to go about their chores, collecting children and using the treehouse as an opportunity to keep an eye on the little knot of humans, demon and half-demon.

Kagome couldn't blame them for being curious, especially when Shimoko took the initiative. "Forgive me for returning so soon. I can't stay long, but my husband is coming back from a business trip tomorrow and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to introduce you to my daughter." She smiled as they leaned in closer, then carefully unfolded a loose flap of fleecy material covering an infant's head. "This is Tadako."

"Weird name." Kagome mashed Inuyasha's foot with her heel, and he shrugged, unperturbed. "Well, it is."

"Shut up, Inuyasha," Kagome, Sango and Miroku replied as one. Shimoko chuckled.

"Wait a sec…" Inuyasha drew closer to the baby's tousled, duck-fuzzy black head. "…That can't be yours. She's human. All human."

The humor abruptly faded from Shimoko's expression. "So your nose does work, oji-chan. Technically, she's my stepdaughter, and my husband has no demon blood, either."

"Really?" Kagome leaned in closer. "How old is she?"

"Fifteen months and three weeks." Shimoko nearly beamed at her. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Oh, yes!" Kagome deftly took the baby and shifted her so that Sango could lean over and get a better look as well. "Oooooh, she's adorable!"

"Why, thank you." Still smiling, Shimoko glanced wryly at Inuyasha. "Go ahead and ask, oji-chan, before you explode."

"Fluffy let you marry a human?" The words nearly flew out of his mouth. "What the hell did you put in his drink to get him to agree to that?!"

"Never underestimate the power of a strong will, the fact that you're your parents' only surviving child, and lots of whining and screaming." Shimoko hesitated, only continuing when the baby ceased wriggling and settled back to sleep. "Of course, there were other factors, but I don't have time now to explain them all. Soon, perhaps, but not now."

Kagome reined in her curiosity, sensing that more questions at this point would only alienate the demon. "Would you like to hold her, Sango-chan?"

"With respect, Auntie, I'd prefer it if she weren't moved more than necessary," Shimoko cut in as Sango opened her mouth. "No offense intended, slayer."

"None taken." Truth be told, Sango was more relieved than miffed. Kagome decided to be merciful and ask about it later.

"Sorry, Shimoko-san…" Kagome caught Inuyasha looking at the baby with mixed curiosity and thoughtfulness, noted that Sango had also seen it, and smiled inwardly. Mwa ha ha ha ha… "Would it be all right if her great-uncle held her?"

"By all means," Shimoko replied after a slight pause, popping her knuckles again.

Miroku had a sudden, violent coughing fit at Inuyasha's expression. Shimoko's mouth also twitched. "Do be careful with her, oji-chan."

"Wh…wait a minute, who said I-"

"Shush, or you'll wake her up." Kagome rose and laid the little bundle against his chest. His arms came up to push her away, but instead she positioned them and then his hands to support the baby's head and back gently, withdrawing her own hands to force him to hold the slight weight up himself.

"What the…" Inuyasha gulped as the infant's face screwed up into an enormous yawn. He looked up at Kagome in panic. "What's it doing?"

"Yawning. Be quiet and let her sleep." Kagome sucked in her cheeks hard to keep from laughing at his utter cluelessness. "See, you're doing fine."

"If you say so…" Taking utmost care to keep his claws arched away from paper-fine skin, Inuyasha held his breath, lifted the baby closer and sniffed at her cautiously. "She's not yours, but she smells a lot like you already."

"Thank you," the demon said with quiet pride, popping her knuckles and tilting her head. "You've never held a baby before, have you?"

"Why would I?" Inuyasha scowled at her, head snapping back down in renewed panic as the baby stirred again, squirming slightly. "What's it doing now?"

"She is just moving in her sleep, Inuyasha." Kagome reached over and tucked the material around the tiny body more securely. "Just keep holding still. You're doing great."

"Like there's any skill involved." Inuyasha glanced at her, then, embarrassed and a little too stirred by vague feelings of something he really didn't want to think about, frowned down at the warm, slightly sweet-smelling bundle. "Do all human brats sleep this much?"

"All babies sleep a lot, and if you call my daughter that again, I'll tie your hair into fifteen kinds of knots," Shimoko answered calmly.

"Right…" The hanyou shifted the baby again, unnerved by how fragile the tiny thing was. What if he dropped her or something? Kagome would kill him, and then she'd never speak to him again, and his niece would probably decide to drop him-from a height of five thousand feet or so. His disquiet increased with the infant's stirring.

"Rock her a little," Kagome advised, breathing a sigh of relief with the rest of them when Inuyasha's awkward movements persuaded Tadako back into slumber.

"Have you had experience with babies, Auntie?" Shimoko asked blandly. "I noticed you had been holding at least two different ones yesterday."

"A little." Kagome gave her a look that said she caught her meaning very well, and No. "I was just playing with some of the servants' kids."

"Pity. And you, Sango-sama?"

"None, Shimoko-sama," the slayer replied honestly. Miroku eyed her and seemed ready to say something, but visibly changed his mind.

"Pity. Well, things change, especially things to do with motherhood." The demon sighed and got to her feet. "I must return now. If you would, oji-chan…"

"Huh?" Inuyasha glanced up. "Uh…right. Here." He got to his feet with exaggerated care, handing the infant over as if she were a live explosive and nearly leaping back into his place once the transfer was safely over.

"Now, that wasn't so terrible, was it?"

"Keh." Inuyasha folded his hands into his sleeves, unable to hide a severe case of tomato-face. "I've had-"

"Yes, I know," Shimoko crooned, and Inuyasha's head jerked up: she was talking to the baby. "But we'll stay longer next time, and no more grumpy oji-chan till then. Okay?"

A gurgle of complaint ended on a whimper, culminating in a wail that had Inuyasha clamping his hands over his ears. "What's wrong with it now?" he yelled above the sound.

"She's hungry, silly. I'll take her home and feed her." Shimoko tenderly wrapped the infant up tighter and bowed. "Until we meet again…" And they were both gone.

"Don't even try that. It was beyond cute." Kagome scooped more noodles out of her cup without spilling on the sleeping bag. "Man, I wish I'd had a camera."

"Shut up, wench. It's your fault I got stuck with it in the first place." Inuyasha drained his cup and leaned over to play with a flashlight she'd found in her bag. The wind was cool enough outside to justify tying the door and one of the window flaps down, and Kagome spared a second to wonder if Sango and Miroku would take advantage of their absence to use one of their rooms.

"Yeah, you keep complaining, and I'll still think it's cute." Kagome tugged his hair.

"Feh." Inuyasha sprawled on his side, head propped up on one hand on the edge of the sleeping bag. "Still can't believe they're that much of a pain. You have to hold `em all the time, feed `em every couple of hours, can't touch `em the wrong way or they get hurt…"

"That's not what you looked like you were thinking at the time." Kagome tweaked one of his ears, just to feel it flick against her fingers. "Haven't you ever thought you'd like kids?"

"…Not really. Never really thought about it." Inuyasha rolled closer so she could start on his ears yet again. He knew he should probably put a stop to her fixation, but…well, even considering how he could feel every stroke down to the soles of his feet and back, and it felt nice, his brain wasn't really working that well. Something about that baby's scent had triggered something waaaay in the back of his mind, which was still trying to figure out what it was without really having to acknowledge that anything had happened. Thus far, it was not working. "How `bout you? You always seemed to-"

Kagome didn't realize one thumb had slid across the tip of his right ear and trailed down the inside for the first time - she'd always been careful to keep out of there for fear she might go too far or something - till his whole body jerked and her hand was forcibly removed, wrist circled by two shaking fingers. "Don't ever do that again," he hissed, shaking his head to clear it. "If you're gonna play touchy-feely, don't do it in there! Got it?!"

"Okay," she said faintly, shrinking back at the way he pawed at his ear, unaware that he still had her hand captive. "Did I…I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Don't be stupid." Hurt? Did she really think that something like that would hurt him? Stupid wench has no idea…! "It's just…that part's more sensitive than the back, okay? Keep the hell out of there."

"More sensitive?" she repeated blankly. "Like h…oh." Oops. Crap. "Um…sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"What the hell are you apologizing for?" Inuyasha rubbed his ear harder, but the effects of the jolt that'd gone down his spine and centered in his middle weren't going away. He swallowed hard at her embarrassment: bad enough she caught him like that, but she'd already figured it out, too. "Quit lookin' at me like that. You think I'm gonna jump on you or something?"

Kagome's leg twitched before she could stop herself from recollecting the dream that'd started their latest fight. She chose her words carefully. "Well, no, of course not. I trust you, remember?"

Inuyasha's jaw fell slightly at her tone-alone it was pretty innocent, but coupled with her sudden scent change-

"Anyway, we'd probably better go inside now, right?" Kagome shook her wrist free and gathered up their trash, packing his carton inside hers. "Put out the light, would you?"

That was all the excuse he needed. Moments later the small covered lamps were extinguished, leaving Kagome to half-laughingly grope around in the dark for balance. "Not yet, you jerk! Turn it back-"

Time slowed to an underwater crawl: the cartons dropped to the floor, chopsticks clattering softly as hands found her hips, lifted her easily and set her down on what felt like Inuyasha's leg.

Oh, God, not again…was it something in the ramen? She bit her lip to keep in a near-hysterical giggle, adrenaline coursing at the loop of arms around her waist. My heart can't take much more of this… Kagome had no clue whether she even wanted anything to happen or not right now: much as she loved him, she did have her pride, and she did not like the idea of being a substitute or stunt double, plus he didn't know what he was doing-

Her train of thought hit a brick wall at soft, warm pressure on her neck, and Kagome let her eyes close and her head loll to one side as the light, caressing strokes moved down near her shoulder, relaxing her all over. It wasn't till she felt breath curling across the now-wet skin that her brain woke up enough to announce that she was getting an impromptu bath.

Inuyasha growled low in his chest as she pulled away a little, scent blazing, voice shaky. "I-Inuyasha, th-this isn't…I…"

Another growl cut her off, and he gathered her up closer, murmuring into her ear, "Tell me to stop, or hit me, or think of something else before I lose it." It wasn't a challenge: his body was screaming at him to at least continue, if not finish what he'd started, but even the thought was enough to bring back Shimoko's mocking words-all of them. Damn that arrogant bitch, thinking I'd ever do that to her! Bad enough that he'd lost it yet again, even worse this time…if Kagome didn't start discouraging him very quickly, he was going to dishonor her, himself, and Kikyou's memory, and he didn't know what was worst.

Feeling another tremor run through the slight body against his, though, he suddenly thought he did. "Kagome…"

She tried to breathe deeply, failed, and had more success a second time. The self-loathing in his voice was heartbreaking, even more so than the longing hurt she'd recognized right after the scene in the mirror-he'd looked at her that way back when he first thought she was…

"Inuyasha." He started a little. "Who are you thinking of right now?"

His brows drew together, and she could hear his bewilderment. "What? What do you mean?"

"It's a simple question. Lemme rephrase-why do you hate yourself so much for this? I could understand if I was resisting, maybe, but you keep stopping yourself. Why?"

"What do you mean, why?!" Inuyasha nearly shook her, hands tightening painfully on her shoulders in the dark. "D'you really think I'd just throw myself on you when I feel like it and then forget about it?! That I'm some callous prick like the bouzu, using one woman in place of ano-"

"That's not what I meant!" Ashamed of her own suspicions, Kagome tried to free her left shoulder, which was pressed a little too closely against his claws for her peace of mind. "Most men in your time didn't think anything of sleeping around a little with unattached women-remember what you said about mistresses? I know you still love her, but just reacting to other girls doesn't make you-"

"What the fuck do you know about it?" Inuyasha scowled as she cried out and wriggled more vigorously to loosen her shoulders. "Don't try to turn me into a freak because I haven't defiled every woman in the castle already!"

"You're not like that," Kagome whispered, trembling harder at the pressure on her back. "I don't care if you're a half-breed, you don't automatically turn everything you touch to filth! Quit acting like you-"

"What do you know?!" Inuyasha couldn't believe what she was trying to tell him. Did she want him to start acting like Miroku? Or was everyone from her time really just that sick when it came to things like this? He opened his mouth to ask as much, but a low whimper shunted his rage back into a corner. "Kagome? What's the matter?"

"Could you please let go of me for a second?" she asked plaintively, and when he snatched his hands back, his senses recoiled; almost faint with horror, he sniffed at his claws, and sure enough, the tips were covered in blood.

"Fuck! What did I do?!" Inuyasha was stuck between hugging her to apologize, shoving her away to keep her safe from him, and picking up where he'd left off-no real reason for that one beyond his body's selfish insistence, and he pushed it back down. "Shit…!"

"It's okay, Inuyasha, you barely even-"

"It's not okay! Do you see now, Kagome?! Everyone I care about winds up cursed, hurt, or dead! You're not any different! You're not…" His chest heaved. "You're not…any…"

Silence, broken by ragged, almost sobbing breaths. He waited, heart pounding, daring her to challenge him, praying she wouldn't, stomach turning as her blood's scent wafted up at him again.

Kagome shifted, a little closer to him, and said nothing. Sadness, and something calming that he vaguely knew from somewhere but couldn't place, mingled with her other scents, and his mouth went dry as her small hands curled at the back of his head. What the…?

He was almost disappointed, almost relieved when she merely pulled his face down to rest her forehead against his. "Get this through your head, and get it through now." Her voice was low, calm, barely shaking. "All the things that happened may have indirectly been your fault if you look hard enough, but you did not make any of this come true. You can think of yourself as dirt if you really want, but if you do, you're an idiot. If you care what I think at all, I'll have you know that I actually like you, and it really sucks to listen to you blame yourself for everything. Do you understand me, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha shook his head blindly, but his hands also came up, resting on hers uncertainly. His ears turned ever so slightly to catch the sound of her swallowing hard, and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he was hanging on her every word now.

"You were probably brought up to think you're…what's the word? An abomination? A freak? One of those?" His shoulders hunched. "Crap. All of it. Like I said, you can either believe me or not, but wanting someone or accidentally drawing very little blood is no reason to hate yourself, `specially not when I don't. Hate yourself, that is. Or you. You know what I mean."

Kagome paused. How am I supposed to end that? I've said pretty much everything… "That's pretty much it. I'm not all-knowing like…like some people, but…yeah. That was pretty much it."

"You got that right," he said quietly, almost too quietly for her to hear. "You really don't know anything."

"I know how to build a treehouse," she retorted. "And I know you're a good guy. So there."

"How the hell does a treehouse-" Inuyasha didn't bother with the rest. He shrugged limply. "Even if you're right - which you're not - what does it matter?"

If he was any denser, he'd…! Kagome was too bemused to think of a proper analogy. "If it doesn't to you, it still does to me," she said firmly. Then, before she lost her nerve, she leaned her head back, felt for his chin and used that as a guide to peck him on the cheek. "Come on, let's go in now."

"Now?" Hurt and disappointment colored the single word so deeply that she halted her efforts to scoot off his lap, looking up at his voice in renewed worry. Little did she know his eyes had adjusted to the dark long since, and he almost smiled at her uncertain expression. Almost. "You think you can say all that crap and then just leave it like that?"

"…Isn't that what we usually do?" Kagome squeaked, heart hammering at what she started to think he might be implying. "What…here?"

Inuyasha marveled inwardly: she really didn't think he was going to react to all that? He couldn't tell if she was putting him on or not. One way to find out… "Let me guess-the cheek thing is another thing friends do now?"

"Uh…yeah." Please don't-

Inuyasha compromised, rubbing his face against hers lightly on both sides, almost catlike, letting it rest for a moment as he whispered, "I still think you're wrong, wench, but for what crap it's worth, thanks."

Kagome really didn't mean what happened next. One second she was trying to calm herself down and enjoying the feel of his skin against hers; somehow her head turned with his, one of his fangs grazing her bottom lip. When he registered the contact, Inuyasha started to pull away, alarmed at his own sudden enthusiasm for the idea, whilst Kagome leaned up with him, `encouraged' him to keep still by virtue of another double-fistful of his hair, and - despite the slight handicap of having no experience, no sight and two razor-sharp fangs in the way - somehow managed to plant her lips directly upon his.

Oh, hell. Inuyasha was rather proud of himself in retrospect, having formed two entire, coherent words before his eyes closed and instinct swiftly kicked in. Placing his own light but firm grip on the back of her head, Inuyasha pulled her away before her energy could result in injury to herself and kissed her more gently, growling when she made it plain that slow and easy was not the idea here. It half-occurred to him that he should say something to rein her in a little, but she took advantage of his hesitation to, well, take advantage and deepen the kiss, parting her lips and sweeping through his when he did the same.

For her part, Kagome had no coherent thoughts. If she'd tried, she probably would've contemplated the differences between watching two people slobber all over each other, say, on TV, or in an American mall, and actually sitting in the dark with someone she loved, no noise but heavy breathing and no other sensations but the alternating cool and hot air, feel of warm, slick muscle against hers in a much different fashion than the icky, messy, gross-tasting experience she'd imagined so many times, too absorbed in the moment to care when his teeth scraped her lips - no one ever mentioned that part - or the fact that she had a lot more room to maneuver than she would've thought by looking at his fangs…

By the time she had to break it off for air, too exhilarated to care that she was literally panting, Inuyasha had shifted her further onto his lap, and she was straddling his waist, leaning against his chest for balance.

Oh, hell. Inuyasha gritted his teeth, trying to remember exactly how they'd gotten into this. …Did it even matter? Oh, hell. He could still feel his jaw trembling; he ran his tongue over his teeth, starting slightly. The hell? He tapped his lips, starting violently. The hell?!

Unaware of his dumbfoundment, Kagome sighed hugely and leaned in for another quick kiss, only to be stopped by his fingers. "Mmm?" She pulled back, disappointed. "Inuyasha?"

"What'd you do to my…?" Inuyasha clicked his nails against his fangs.

"Your what?" Kagome pulled his hand away and succeeded this time, hurt by his lack of response till she saw - felt - what he was talking about. "What happened to your fangs?! Is this the same thing that happens to your face?"

"I don't know!" Confusion, arousal and anger were rapidly going to his head. "What do you mean, same thing that happens to my face?"

"A couple times now, I touched your face, and it changed, your stripe went away and I think your eyes went a different color, so I was curious…"

Inuyasha's insides slowly cooled off, heat replaced with a chill like half-melted ice. Curious? She was fucking curious?!

Kagome was lifted off so swiftly and deposited on the floor so neatly that she failed to recognize what was happening till he was halfway to the door. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Somewhere people won't stick their tongue in my mouth out of curiosity," he answered curtly, pausing to see the effect it had.

Her jaw dropped. "You think…I don't believe this! How stupidly insecure can you get?! I've never kissed anyone before, and I sure as hell wouldn't have tried it with you if I hadn't wanted to because you're you, not to see what would happen!"

Inuyasha folded his hands. "You sure about that?"

"I was fifteen the last time I had any contact with guys not related to me, and I didn't like anyone enough to, okay? We've been through this before." Kagome smoothed her hair back on both sides irritably. "If I offended you, I'm sorry for forcing it, but I would appreciate it if you'd try to be reasonable about it."

The hanyou hesitated, one foot dangling out the door. She could almost barely discern his outline. "Look, I'm sorry if you're mad. Please don't make this any more humiliating than it already is."

Well, when she puts it that way… Feelings still hurt, but willing to see her point, Inuyasha sighed and stepped back in. "Don't worry about it, wench. I didn't exactly shove you off." His foot twitched a little in remembrance. "Let's just forget about it, okay?"

"Fine." Kagome laid down next to the wall and turned over. "I won't marry you. Good night."

He snorted. "What're you doing?"

"Is this a trick question?" Kagome snapped. "I'm going to sleep in here."

"Fine, then." To her utter befuddlement, Inuyasha dropped down next to her and arranged himself comfortably, sitting up. "Marry me?"

"I said no. Good night." Kagome closed her eyes firmly, pulling the sleeping bag over herself; now that things had cooled down, she was starting to feel the air's slight chill.

She thought that was that, but even as Inuyasha brooded over whether anyone was at fault - whether there was any fault in the first place - he smirked and mumbled one thing under his breath, so quiet she wasn't sure if she imagined it or not. "Are you sure you'd never done that before?"

A/N: Everyone who thought I was gonna fake y'all out again, please send candy.

Everyone else, I apologize if this seems sloppy, but it took FOREVER to write, and I have to edit quickly and take Sis for her license test. Hope she has it by the time she reads this…!