This is probably the longest thing I've ever written. It's not as funny as I might've liked...mainly because I found out just yesterday that I had a nephew...but he's dead. So yea...Not in the most cheerful of moods...but it actually turned out decent considering how I was feeling. A bit OOC, I think, but isn't all my stuff? It's mainly just Miroku though.

There's no lemon...but there's a limey-makeout scene kinda thing and a lotta swearing, so its basically rated for language and sexual suggestions.

Hope ya like it! -x-Lauren-x-

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of his little homeslices...If I did, Kikyo would've died the first time she was resurrected...and it would've been by hail of flaming arrows, after a nice relaxing bath in boiling oil! D

THE 24 HOUR CONTRACT:

Kagome hoisted herself out of the Bone Eater's well and glanced up at the sky. It was a beautiful day. Birds were chirping, squirrels and chipmunks were scurrying around on the forest floor above her. Yes…A truly beautiful day. The priestess hauled her enormous yellow backpack onto the ground before slinging it over her shoulder. She happily began the trip down the worn dirt path to Kaede's village just ahead. Kagome whistled to herself as she walked, just drinking in the scenery. All too soon, she found herself at the doorway of the hut and she pulled back the bamboo draped over the door and walked inside.

"Morning everyone!" she chirped happily, setting down her giant bag and wiping some sweat off her brow.

"Kagome!" Shippo exclaimed, leaping into his foster mother's arms with a squeal.

Kagome, used to the treatment upon her return, giggled and hugged him tightly. "Did you behave while I was gone, Shippo?"

The kit nodded enthusiastically. "I did, but Inuyasha didn't. He hit me, this many times!" Shippo held out four stubby fingers and pouted.

Kagome kissed him on the top of the head. "Don't worry. He was just being mean." She furrowed her brows in thought. 'Shouldn't Inuyasha be yelling at me about now and blaming Shippo for everything?' She glanced around the hut and noted that the hanyou was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Inuyasha, anyway?" She asked Sango who was perched in the corner, stroking Kirara.

The demon slayer shrugged. "Haven't seen him since this morning. He left sort of….abruptly. Like he was in a big hurry."

Kagome felt her face go pale. One word crossed her mind.

'Kikyo…'

Kagome leaned back against the smooth wood on the wall of Kaede's hut. She sighed and stared at the floorboards. 'I should've known. With me gone, it's the perfect opportunity to do Lord knows what with an old flame. Or…current flame.'

She felt tears sting the back of her eyes but refused to let them fall. 'No…I won't cry because of him again.'

Kagome ignored Shippo's cries of protest and stormed out of the hut. She was upset and needed time to vent. Unfortunately, she ran into the one person she definitely didn't want to see at the moment.

"Hey Kagome. When did you get back?" Inuyasha asked calmly, standing in front of her smiling.

That calm, content smile he wore completely infuriated Kagome. 'He was with her…I just KNOW it!'

Kagome ground her teeth and glared at him. "You JERK! How can you act so nonchalant about this?"

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at her. "Nonchalant? What the fuck does that mean?"

The miko-in-training growled…Well, she growled as best as an eighteen year old girl can do…. "OSUWARI!"

Inuyasha went down hard, screaming all the way.

"OSUWARI, OSUWARI, OSUWARI, O-SU-WA-RIIII!"

"What the hell did I do, bitch?" Inuyasha asked, voice muffled by the dirt.

She towered over him, panting, waiting for the spell to wear off so she could yell at him some more.

Kaede hobbled slowly over to the pair and stared at the pissed off Kagome. "Wow. Child, what did he do to ye to upset ye this much?"

Kagome snorted, folded her arms and turned away. "He knows what he did…"

Inuyasha jumped up in a hurry and brandished his fist at her. "I didn't do a fucking thing! The wench must be on her damn cycle or something."

Kagome glared but Inuyasha refused to back down.

Kaede decided this would be a wise time to intervene. "Inuyasha, I must thank ye for delivering those herbs to Kakashi in our neighboring village. I am so grateful. His wife would've never gotten through her childbirth if it weren't for you."

Inuyasha stopped his staring contest with Kagome and turned to Kaede. "Keh. No problem. The least I could do…"

Kagome stopped glaring and looked shocked. "Wait…was that where you were this morning?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her. "Yea. Kaede asked me to help out that villager and his mate, so I did. You're the one always buggin' me to help out my fellow man and shit like that."

Kagome brought a hand to her mouth in surprise. "Oh…Inuyasha, I'm so sorry…"

"You're sorry? You nearly break my back for no reason at all….AND YOU'RE SORRY! Well, all is forgiven then, just 'cause Kagome's sorry!" He snarled at her, baring his fangs.

Kagome shrunk back a little, feeling really embarrassed for accusing him of running off to Kikyo behind her back. "I really am sorry. I'll do anything to make it up to you…"

Inuyasha stopped growling and raised a hand to his chin in thought. He looked up at the sky. He looked down at the grass. Then he looked over at Kagome and smirked. "Anything you say?"

Kagome nodded and he smirked. "Fine then. You, Kagome Higurashi, are my slave for one entire day. No objections, no sittings, and no complaining."

Kagome sucked in a harsh breath of air. "Slave? You must be kidding!"

"It's the only way to make it up to me. Unless, you'd rather tell me exactly what you thought I was doing in the first place to deserve all those sits?" the hanyou asked, smirking evilly when Kagome's face flushed.

She was already mortified enough… "Fine. I'll do it."

Inuyasha would've done a jig if he wasn't such a refined, dignified hanyou. "Okay then. C'mon wench…I have a job for you to do."

Kagome groaned and reluctantly followed her new "master". 'Why did I agree to this?'

Inuyasha led her into Kaede's hut and seated her down. "Wait here." He commanded and disappeared out the door.

Kagome watched him go and sighed. 'There goes my dignity, right out the door with him.'

Miroku walked in shortly after Inuyasha left and sat down beside Sango, who had started a fire. He had just began polishing his staff when the half demon returned with a pail full of water and a dug a sponge out of Kagome's backpack.

"Well my little servant, its your lucky day. You get to scrub the great Inuyasha's feet!" And with that, he thrust the sponge at her.

Kagome looked up at him, horrified. "You're not serious?"

The other members of their group watched with interest.

Inuyasha smirked and handed her the water too. "As serious as Miroku is perverted. Get washing."

Kagome grimaced as she soaked her sponge in water. "But…you never wear shoes…"

Inuyasha laughed cruelly. "That's what makes it interesting!"

Inuyasha sat down and Kagome hesitantly lifted his right foot and put it in her hands. She glanced at the bottom of it then looked away quickly. His foot was covered in grime, with plenty of blisters and calluses all along the heel and pad of his foot. Struggling to keep her lunch down, Kagome began to wash his foot, noticing grimly how the previously pink sponge was quickly turning a swampy shade of green.

"There ya go wench…Don't be afraid of the fungus…embrace the calluses….Ohh…..that's the spot…Mmm…." Inuyasha growled softly in bliss and Kagome wrinkled her nose at his foul feet.

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all found this very entertaining and watched closely.

"Why the hell is Kagome touching his putrid feet?" Sango asked Miroku, disgusted, but finding she could not look away.

"I'm not sure…Apparently, Kagome's Inuyasha's slave, well, for the time being." Miroku replied, also fascinated by the foot-scrubbing. "Hey Inuyasha, think you could order her to do mine next?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Get your own servant, Monk. Kagome's mine for the next twenty four hours, and I'm getting as much use outta her as I can get."

Kagome flinched, feeling a vein in her forehead begin to throb with anger. 'That ASS! Just you wait until tomorrow, Inuyasha. Just you WAIT!' And with that, Kagome continued her treatment to the other foot.

Inuyasha just chuckled, hearing her muttering curses under her breath. "When you're done with that, you can begin my ramen. I'm feeling like shrimp tonight. You do have shrimp, don't you?"

Kagome struggled to regain her composure, she was still scrubbing those rancid feet. "Yea, I went shopping yesterday, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked at her expectantly and Kagome glared up at him. "What?"

"Master Inuyasha. It's Master Inuyasha. Or Lord Inuyasha. Whichever you prefer."

Kagome's glare intensified. "You are really pushing it here, buddy!"

Once again, Inuyasha smirked at her. "Don't you have some ramen to cook, wench?"

"Fine, fine…" she growled, storming off towards the fire to boil some water. Kagome felt his eyes drilling into her back. She lowered her head in humiliation. "Master Inuyasha…"

Kagome set the pan on the fire and waited for it to boil. She glared back at her 'master'. "So what should I do while we wait? Massage your shoulders? Write an essay about your greatness in my blood? Or perhaps I should sing a song, dedicated to how wonderful and amazing you are." She stated sarcastically.

Smiling deviously, Inuyasha swatted at her lazily with his hand. "Oh no, the ramen will do for now. But I'll consider those things for afterwords…"

Kagome's eyes widened. 'Uh oh…I think I actually gave him ideas…'

The water started boiling and Kagome dumped it into a Styrofoam cup of noodles and sealed the lid. She repeated the process until there were enough cups for everyone in the group. She handed one over to Inuyasha. "Enjoy, Your Majesty." She said harshly and began passing out the others, which her friends graciously accepted.

When Kagome was finished, she sat down beside Inuyasha to eat her own dinner.

Inuyasha began gulping down his noodles, but suddenly got an idea. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and poked Kagome in the arm with them.

"Ow! What!" She screeched at him, a little less than happy.

Inuyasha handed the chopsticks to her. "Make yourself useful, woman. Feed me."

Kagome blushed faintly. "Huh?"

Inuyasha glowered at her. "Did I stutter? Feed. Me."

Kagome looked at Sango for help. Sango only held up her hands in defeat, not knowing how to help her companion.

Sighing, Kagome caved and picked some of the shrimp-flavored noodles into the chopsticks and held them at the hanyou's mouth.

"Say, 'Ahh'." She grumbled, still slightly pink.

Inuyasha obeyed, and chewed the ramen thoroughly. He opened up his mouth for more, laughing inwardly at the angry look on Kagome's face.

"You're doomed tomorrow morning. You are aware of that, right?"

Inuyasha smiled and gestured for her to put more into his mouth. "I know, but it's completely worth it."

Kagome glared again, but lifted the chopsticks to his lips a third time, letting him devour his ramen noodles one by one.

Miroku eyed Inuyasha with envy, then looked over at Sango with hope filled eyes. "My dearest, we should follow suit!" He opened his mouth and pointed at it, but Sango rolled her eyes.

"Keep dreaming, Monk." She muttered, slurping at her broth.

Miroku sighed and returned to his own cup of noodles. 'Some guys get all the luck…'

Kagome brought more noodles to Inuyasha's mouth, and glanced idly down at the watch on her wrist. 'You're kidding…only 1:24? I thought it was later than that!' Kagome groaned. 'He will DIE for this!'

Inuyasha grinned when he met Kagome's hate-filled eyes. 'Serves the bitch right for all those damned sits! She owes me…'

"There. All gone." Kagome said happily, showing him the noodle-less bowl.

"Yes, your job is done…to the untrained eye."

Kagome rose an eyebrow and glared at him. "No, I'm pretty sure I'm done."

"There's still broth left in the bowl. Not. Done."

Kagome growled…she could practically hear the arrogance in his voice…

Angrily she thrust the cup at his mouth and started pouring its contents down his throat, causing Inuyasha to choke on the hot liquid. "There! DONE!" she exclaimed, throwing the styrofoam cup to the ground and stalking out of the hut.

Inuyasha stared after her and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He coughed a little and glared at her retreating form. 'If she thinks she's getting off that easily…She'd better think again…'

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Kagome stormed away from the hut, muttering curses as she left. 'That stupid…How can he treat me like that? Honestly…it's like he has no respect for me! That's so…degrading!'

Sitting down on a nearby boulder, the miko-of-the-future sighed heavily. "I suppose I deserve it…I use his rosary every time I'm upset, just to vent out my frustration. I doubt he even needs them anymore…"

Kagome sighed again and brought her knees to her chest. 'I'm selfish…I only keep them on him because…I'm scared. I don't want Inuyasha to leave me and run after Kikyo. For once…I just wish he'd look at his rosary and think of me…Like I think of him all the time. So I know he actually cares a little bit…and that I'm more than a jewel detector. That I'm more than that…'

Her thoughts were interrupted as a smug-looking hanyou sauntered over to her. "Yo, wench! I got another job for you!"

Kagome scowled. "What is it this time, Lord Inuyasha?"

"I'm going to take a bath."

Kagome's jaw dropped. "But you never take baths! I was beginning to think you didn't even know what a bath was!"

He smirked and folded his arms across his chest. "Well, maybe that's why I'm going to need some help." He looked down at Kagome meaningfully.

If possible, her jaw dropped lower. "You're…not serious!" she squeaked.

"Oh, but I am." He reached out and grabbed her forearm, yanking her to her feet and in the direction of a nearby hot spring.

'He's serious…he's really serious!' Kagome's face turned bright red as she thought of the implications a "bath" would have in store for the two…

Eventually, they reached the spring and Inuyasha dropped Kagome's hand. She weighed the options. 'He let me go…I could bolt right now…Maybe, just maybe I'd reach the well before him. Then I could lock the doors and bar the windows, maybe even get out Mom's tazer and……'

"Kagome…" Inuyasha said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

She glanced up at him nervously. "Y-yes Inuyasha?"

"You weren't thinking of running away, were you?"

Kagome gulped. "Of c-course not."

"Good! You'll be needing this junk, right?" Inuyasha thrust her bag at her.

Kagome stared at it. "I didn't see you carry this along with you…"

He grinned. "That's 'cause I didn't have it with me. I stashed it in some bushes before I came to get you."

Kagome felt her eye twitch. 'Unbelievable…he PLANNED this!'

She didn't notice that Inuyasha had left her side, or that he was currently undressing in some shrubs to her left.

In one swift movement, Inuyasha leapt into the hot springs, the following splash snapping Kagome out of her enraged stupor.

"Come on, my little servant! You've got a job to do…"

Sighing, Kagome reluctantly walked over and kneeled beside him, waiting for instructions.

"Use that sham-poop junk and wash my hair, okay?" Inuyasha asked almost…nervously.

'What happened to that oh-so-cocky attitude he had just a few seconds ago? Oh well, at least this won't be so bad…' Kagome reached into her bag and pulled out her citrus-scented shampoo. "You'll have to wet your hair first…or else the shampoo won't get your hair completely cleaned."

Inuyasha nodded and dunked his hair under the water, coming back up in a matter of seconds. Kagome squirted a large amount of shampoo on the top of his head and began scrubbing, mindful of his ears.

The shampoo began to lather, and Kagome worked it down to the longer parts of his mane, gathering more of his hair on the top of his head. She raked her nails across his scalp, trying to fully clean his head.

Inuyasha moaned softly and closed his eyes in bliss. 'This feels…sooo good…I wonder if I could get her to do this for me more often?' He shook his head slightly and sighed, making Kagome scold him for moving. 'She's doing this out of an obligation. Not because she wants to.'

Kagome quickly found she didn't mind this particular job assigned to her by her master. She even got to sneak in an ear-rub without him yelling at her. Sweet. She rubbed his head a little harder, making the suds foam even more. "Okay, now dunk your head under water again to get the soap out."

Inuyasha did as he was told and Kagome reached in her bag to grab her conditioner. She put a quarter sized amount in her palms and rubbed them together before running her hands through his long white tresses to make it less tangly.

Inuyasha attempted to watch her through his soggy bangs, but failed. 'What's she doing now?'

As she ran her fingers through his hair, Kagome let her mind wander. 'He's acting so…different. Normally Inuyasha would rather be beaten by Sesshomaru than let me wash his hair. If he had me as a slave for the day, I assumed he'd just make me hunt jewel shards, double time or something. I wonder what's gotten into him?'

Kagome glanced up at the sky, which was quickly turning dark. Her eyes widened in realization. 'That's right! It's the new moon tonight! Inuyasha will be a human, which must be why he's acting differently!' She sighed and laughed bitterly. 'Great…his demon side only cares about the jewel shards, but his human side wants to see me suffer.'

"Okay, you can rinse your hair again."

Inuyasha disappeared underneath the water again, but came up quickly. "So…is it too much to ask for a full-body wash?"

Kagome colored up instantly. "You pervert! I can't believe you'd even ask me that! I am not giving you a…full body wash…" She blushed miserably, and turned away from him.

Inuyasha sighed, knowing where to draw the line and stepped out of the spring. Unfortunately for Kagome, he was completely bare and he walked right in front of her, displaying "all of him" for her virgin eyes. Well…virgin except for sex-ed class, that is.

Kagome screeched and fell over onto her side, just twitching.

Inuyasha eyed her curiously and turned back to putting on his hakamas. Almost immediately after he was dressed, the sun set, disappearing into the nearby mountain range and coating the land in night.

(HOLY CRAP I TURNED POETIC! I had no idea I could do that!)

Inuyasha's hair faded to black, and his eyes turned into a soothing, violet color. His claws and fangs retracted, leaving blunt human nails and teeth. He sighed as the transformation ended. He was a pathetic ningen again.

"Let's camp out here for the night." He said suddenly.

Kagome eyed him curiously. "Why? We're at the village. I don't see the point."

Inuyasha glared at her. "I don't think you're in a position to question my commands, servant-girl. We're camping out here."

Kagome huffed indignantly at the "servant girl" remark, but chose to ignore it. "What about Sango, Miroku, and Shippo? They'll be worried about us!"

"Feh! I told them not to follow me, and that we'd be staying here. They won't be worried." Inuyasha lugged Kagome's sleeping bag out from behind a tree, along with a sleeping mat and some blankets.

Kagome sweatdropped. 'In my time, Inuyasha would've made quite the boy scout.'

Noticing the strange look he was being given, Inuyasha leered at her angrily. "Shouldn't you be gathering firewood or something?" He snarled, laying out their blankets.

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him, but obeyed and walked into the forest to collect some sticks.

Inuyasha watched her go and sighed. 'She hates me. I know she does. She'd be stupid not to…' He inspected his new hand with mild interest. 'These human nails…They couldn't possibly kill anyone. Humans are too weak to do any real damage…Unlike halfdemons. I've killed so many times with my talons, sometimes I didn't even care who I killed, I just felt like killing…'

He stared longingly out into the forest where Kagome had disappeared to. 'She'd be happier with a human. Kagome deserves a human. She wouldn't want a hanyou. No one does. I can't even offer her anything. No home. No money. No land. I have nothing.'

'She'd be better off with Kouga…' a tiny voice in the back of his mind commented. Inuyasha clenched his fist angrily and slammed it into the ground. His hand throbbed, and he pulled it out of the dirt slowly. It was true. He knew it…but he didn't want to believe it.

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Kagome returned shortly with a bundle of sticks in her arms. "I got the firewood, Master…" she stated bitterly and flung them in a heap at his feet.

"Then start a fire, dumbass. Firewood's no good without a fire." Inuyasha grumbled, and turned away from her.

Kagome stared at his back. 'Unbelievable! He's being a jerk again? And he's human! If I didn't know better, I'd swear he had PMS.'

Kagome took out her lighter and set it next to her on the ground. Then she began to stack the sticks on top of each other in a clumsy attempt at the traditional 'teepee' formation for campfires. She successfully managed to light the twigs on fire and blew on the flame to build it up. Suddenly, Kagome felt two strong arms wrap around her from behind, and she was pulled into someone's warm, muscular chest.

"I-Inuyasha?" She asked softly, barely daring to breathe as the man she loved held her tenderly to him.

He nuzzled his nose into the thick tresses of her dark hair and inhaled, growling slightly. "The thing I hate most about being human," he said quietly. "is not being able to smell your beautiful scent."

Kagome blushed heavily. "Inuyasha…W-what are you d-doing?" she asked shyly, mentally chastising herself for suddenly becoming a stutterer.

"I'm human now, Kagome, so it's okay. You don't have to worry about anything. We're just two humans…" he kissed her neck gently. "…about to do something wonderful."

Kagome found she couldn't breathe. Was he suggesting…what she thought he was?

Inuyasha answered her question as he began to lick around the shell of her ear. Kagome shuddered, and Inuyasha smirked against the bare flesh of her neck. He nipped at her skin softly, making a small red mark he lapped at and sucked on every few seconds. (HICKIE!)

He moved down past her collarbone, sniffing at the freshly exposed skin and kissing it gently as he made his way down to the valley of her breasts. Kagome couldn't let this…this…lie continue.

"Inuyasha, you're not yourself…" she said softly, fighting back tears. "You should let go of me now."

Inuyasha stiffened and withdrew his arms from around her. He turned quickly and faced the entrance of the forest. Kagome watched him, wiping away a few stray tears as they ran down her cheeks.

"Inuyasha?"

"I thought…it would be okay…" he started, quietly. "I thought, that since I was a human…you wouldn't mind…and you wouldn't be disgusted by me…"

Kagome gasped and more tears began to flow out of her blue eyes. (Yea……they're blue. I go by the manga, not the anime)

Inuyasha laughed bitterly as his eyes stung. "Once a hanyou, always a hanyou, I suppose. I'm sorry…I can't control how I feel, Kagome."

Kagome let her tears flow freely now and jumped up to wrap her arms around the hanyou-gone-human.

"Inuyasha, I'm not disgusted by you." Kagome cried, muffled through the fabric of his fire-rat haori. "I like you just fine the way you are, as a half demon. There's nothing wrong with being a half demon and I like you better that way. I'm not disgusted…"

Inuyasha was motionless. He seemed to be pondering Kagome's words. "Kagome…you're still my slave, right?"

Kagome didn't see the relevance but nodded. "I am until tomorrow morning…why?"

Inuyasha turned in her arms and looked her straight in the eyes. "How do you feel about me?"

Kagome blushed and lowered her head. "You're my greatest friend Inuyasha. You're brave, and strong, and….."

"No," He cut her off. "I'm still your master until tomorrow Kagome. I order you to tell me how you feel."

Kagome met his eyes warily. Inuyasha stared at her with a look of desperation and fear. He needed to hear this. She knew that…but…it was so hard to tell him.

Resigning herself, Kagome sighed. "I get sad and frightened every time you go to Kikyo…" she said softly. "I'm always afraid that you won't come back one day, that you'll have already gone to hell with her, without even saying a word." Kagome sniffled a bit, but continued. "And I'm jealous of Kikyo. She's so much stronger than I am, and she's never scared like I am. Everyone compares me to her, and it hurts know that I'll never measure up to Kikyo's greatness."

"I'm scared every time you go into battle. You're always so reckless with your life, and you never let me bandage you up without a fight afterwords…I know that you're stronger than humans…but I get so worried…"

Inuyasha's violet eyes softened as Kagome continued.

"You make me so mad, you know? You never let me go back home, not even to see my family. I need to study, but you only care about those dumb shards! I know that once the jewel is completed, I'll have to go back home. I want something waiting for me when I return, but you don't seem to understand that."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. He never thought that someday Kagome might leave him. He'd always assumed she would just stay forever, and that once the jewel was completed, she'd want to stay with him. Not go back to her smelly, busy, crowded future.

Kagome looked up at him hesitantly. "How I feel about you, Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha visibly gulped. How would he be able to cope if he found out she loved another? What would he do with himself?

She took a deep breath. "You…I love. I've loved you for the longest time. I don't even know when I fell in love with you, but I did, even though I knew that you'd never love me back. I knew your heart belonged to Kikyo, and I knew the two of you were so happy together before Naraku. I knew I was just a jewel detector, and I knew I was only a replacement for her…But I fell in love with you anyway…"

Kagome smiled sadly at him. "And the most pathetic part of all is that I don't regret loving you. Not even for a single second…I'd do it all over again if it would make you happy."

Inuyasha's eyes quivered with an unreadable emotion, as he pulled Kagome to him tightly.

"Are you sure? Do you mean that?" he asked cautiously, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Kagome merely nodded against his chest. Her tears started to reform behind her tightly closed eyelids. "Please don't make me go away. I don't want to leave."

"Kagome, I'll never let you go. Never. I'm in love with you, too…I never thought I was worthy enough but…somehow…you managed to love me back…That's a miracle." He kissed the top of her head lightly.

"You're not Kikyo, and I wouldn't want you to be Kikyo either. The Kikyo I knew before is different than the one you know now, and even then wasn't truly in love with her. I just longed for a companion…I was so lonely." Inuyasha blushed a little at his confession, but Kagome didn't seem to mind.

(WOOT! FLUFFY LOVE CONFESSION COMPLETE!)

Kagome looked up at him nervously. "So…you love me for…me. Not because I look like Kikyo?"

"You don't look like Kikyo. You look 'similar' to Kikyo. You're two completely different people…I love you for being Kagome. Not for being Kikyo…which you aren't anyway…Uh…erm…yea."

Kagome giggled slightly. It seemed like Inuyasha's romantic stage was nearing an end. He was already running out of things to say.

He glared at her from under his bangs. "Shut up! Just 'cause I'm not good at this touchy feely crap doesn't mean that…"

Kagome effectively cut him off by planting her lips firmly on his. She angled her head to deepen their kiss and traced his lips with her tongue.

Inuyasha stood there dumbfounded. 'Since when did my shy little Kagome get so bold?' but he returned the kiss none-the-less and opened his mouth so their tongues could clash. Eventually, Inuyasha grew tired of not being in control and quickly thrust his tongue into Kagome's mouth to begin their battle all over again. They stayed like that for over five minutes, until Kagome decided she needed air.

Panting and blushing, they two of them broke apart and Inuyasha leaned his forehead against Kagome's.

(This has gone on long enough……Time to wrap it up.)

Inuyasha kissed her again, lightly and chastely, before leading her over to where he had laid out the mats.

Kagome blushed as they neared their destination. "Inuyasha…are we going to…?" she left the question unfinished, hanging in the air.

Inuyasha turned red too, but shook his head. "You're obviously not ready for that, Kagome. I don't want to move too fast and make you uncomfortable."

Kagome smiled and lay down on the sleeping mat. Inuyasha plopped down beside her and brought the blankets over the two of them. He snuggled deep into the blankets, and wrapped his arms around Kagome's tiny frame. She rolled herself around and cuddled against his chest, kissing him softly on the nose.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha."

He smiled gently down at her. "Goodnight…koi."

She smiled and closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep.

Inuyasha's eyes felt heavy too and he relaxed against her, pulling her closer to his body as he dozed off.

He would miss having a servant…but a mate was way better by far…

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(Of course, being myself, I just couldn't leave a happy, WAFFy ending like that, so I decided to destroy it with some stupidity.)

Inuyasha woke up early that morning, feeling a sharp jab in his left side.

"Shippo! Stop doing that, you'll wake him up!" A male voice hissed quietly.

"Yea, but when am I ever going to have the opportunity to do this again?" A tiny child asked at the same volume, as another jab was dealt into his side.

The older male of the two paused. "You're right. It's too good of a chance to ignore…" And with that, Inuyasha felt two sharp pointy objects jabbing into his side.

"Poke." Said the child.

"Poke." Said the man.

"Poke."

"Poke."

"Poke."

"Poke."

"Po.."

"WILL YOU TWO GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!"

Inuyasha snapped his eyes open angrily and glared at the monk and kitsune, who currently had two sticks in their hands and were in mid-poke.

Miroku flung the stick into the air, off into the distance. "Inuyasha! So glad you're awake! We...uh…we were just, checking up on you!"

Kagome stirred and lifted the blankets off her head. "Wha happen?" she asked, still drowsy from sleep.

Miroku's eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped.

"Kagome! I didn't know you were there!" Shippo cried and leapt on top of her. "Why were you sharing a bed with Inuyasha?"

Miroku practically skipped over to them and started hopping up and down. "Is she wearing clothes, Shippo? Check if she's naked!"

Miroku was silenced by a convenient Hiraikotsu attack from an approaching Sango. "Damn you, Houshi. I'm not in the mood for your early morning perversion." Sango eyed the couple suspiciously. "All though you two do look rather cozy…"

Inuyasha and Kagome both blushed and scooted a good ten feet away from each other on their butts.

"It's none of your business!" Inuyasha snarled, and started walking back to Kaede's, grumbling.

Kagome rolled her eyes and ran after him, lacing their fingers together when she caught up. Inuyasha looked down at their hands and smiled, bringing her hand up to lightly kiss her knuckles. She blushed and smiled at him.

Meanwhile…………

Shippo dug himself out of the mountain of blankets he had been trapped in. He noticed he was alone, save for an unconscious Miroku. He bound over to the perverted monk and slapped both of his cheeks rapidly to wake him up.

"Miroku! Miroku!"

Miroku sat up quickly. "I'm up! I'm up! Where's the demon?"

Shippo eyed him strangely. "There is no demon."

Miroku scowled. "Then why'd you wake me? I was having the most lovely dream about Sango's beautiful, glistening…"

Shippo gestured over to the pile of blankets and waggled his eyebrows.

Miroku looked down at him and grinned.

The two of them scooped up the blankets and sleeping mats and strolled off into the forest together.

They both had the same thing on their mind.

Pillow Fort.

Bitchin'…..

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lau: BUAHAHAHAHA! I bet you all thought I was going to have forbidden Shippo/Miroku love, didn't you?

KG04: It sure scared the hell outta me...

Lau: (squeal) I almost forgot! Behold, my special guest, Kagomegirl2004!

Inu: She blackmailed you...didn't she?

KG04: No...I'm actually here by choice.

All: (laugh insanely)

Inu: (wipes tear from eye) No seriously...how did she get you here?

KG04: (looks at ground) She threatened my cantaloupe...

Mir: Er...your...cantaloupe?

KG04: Yes! My cantaloupe! (holds up fruit) My poor little Georgina! She threatened to go Gallager on his ass!

Lau: (gets out mallet) I told you not to talk or the melon gets it...

KG04: (whimper) No...I'll be good...I swear it!

Ship: Another tragic victim to the evils of fangirls...

Lau: (punches Shippo in the head) I'm not a fangirl, bitch! I'm just obsessed! There's a difference dammit!

Ship: (rubs head) I don't have to take this...I'm a midget, dammit! I can get any line of work I want in showbusiness! (calls into pillowfort) Miroku, get your pants back on! We're going to Hollywood!

Mir: (squeals) OMIGOSH! HOLLYWOOD! (starts packing bags)

Kag: (sweatdrop) Sure they're not going to San Francisco?

KG04: (suddenly wearing sherlock holmes costume) Wait a minute...That's not Miroku!

All: (Gasp!)

KG04: Its...(rips skin off Miroku to reveal...) JAKOTSU!

Inu: AHHHHHHHHH! HE CAME BACK FOR MY BEAUTIFUL, VIRGIN ASS!

Shi: (crying) I trusted you!

Jak: (looks around all spooky) I woulda gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling anime characters!

Inu: Ahem?

Jak: And their meddling dog, too...

Inu: Reeheeheehee...

Lau: (shudders) Ughh...I hate the Scooby Doo laugh...

Jak: (flys away) Review, or I shall return! (spooky voice) And I'm bringing the vasoline...

Inu: (shields his ass)

KG04: GAAAHHHHH! A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH!

Myo: (Myouga suddenly launches himself at computer screen) REVIEW!