I'm right in the middle of a big part in my main story so, of course, I decided to take a break and write something short and sweet while I'm coming up with new ideas. It's hardly a story, just a funny idea I had and wanted to write down.

And as usual, I disclaim all characters depicted here, etc. etc.

"Phew, what a day," exclaimed Kagome as she strode past the seated Sango, "I can't wait to take a nice hot bath!"

The other girl failed to look up from where she sat on her rolled out bedding – she was engrossed in Kagome's portable CD player. With headphones propped securely against both ears, her gaze was fastened contentedly on a cover bearing the image of Ricky Martin.

"Um, Sango, who is that," asked Miroku, leaning solicitously over her shoulder to inspect the plastic enshrined image she knelt before, but he might as well have been talking to his staff since "Shake your Bon Bon" was cranked full blast in the demon slayer's ears.

Kagome passed from the main house, where their monk friend had secured them lodgings via his uncanny skill for exercising imaginary demons, to a heated bathhouse. She was glad, at least, not to be sleeping outdoors in the cold tonight as well as for some hot water.

Stepping inside, she gratefully felt the steamy air blast her in the face; smoke from the tub's fire pit had already veiled the enclosure in a pleasant haze. She opened her eyes again after briefly savoring the sensation, only to receive an inopportune surprise: a vague form was already emerging from the water!

Slowly the cloudy figure made its way toward the startled girl. Kagome shrank back, letting out a startled gasp. The figure now seemed to notice her for the first time as the mist simultaneously dissipated to reveal Inuyasha (wearing nothing but his usual rosary beads and a shocked expression) staring back at her.

The two stood gawking stupidly at one another for a brief moment before Kagome regained her senses and, uttering a strangled 'eep', bolted back out of the room.

"Ohmanohmanohman…," muttered the girl as she headed briskly back to the house. No matter how she tried she couldn't erase the image that had just been seared into her mind. She felt mortified and, at the same time, annoyed with herself for being so embarrassed over the whole silly incident. What happened was an honest mistake, she rationalized – it wasn't like she'd wanted to see Inuyasha in the raw!

'Sheesh, since when does he even take baths anyway,' she thought irritably.

The girl reentered the dwelling and began replacing toiletries into her knapsack. "Hey Kagome I thought you were going to bathe," Shippo piped up as soon as he noticed her.

"Nope," she answered casually, "I changed my mind."

"Oh," said the little kitzune, "because I know that Inuyasha was going to take a bath too – did you happen to see him?"

Kagome snapped to attention faster than if someone had just dropped a handful of ice down her back, "No, of course not!"

The others looked at her curiously while the girl felt her face slowly redden. To her relief, their host came to announce dinner at that very moment, sparing her further discomfiture.

Several minutes later found the five sitting around their respective meals chatting.

"The woods around this village ought to hold at least one jewel shard, wouldn't you think," Miroku asked as he took a sip of Saki.

"I agree," put in Sango, "as many demons as team in this forest, there's bound to be a few which possess fragments."

"Here you go, Kirara, I saved this for you," Shippo presently crossed the room bearing a fish over to his double-tailed cat friend dining quietly in the corner. The offering never reached Kirara, however, as the well-intentioned fox demon was rudely intercepted before he could present it.

"Thanks," Inuyasha carelessly lifted the morsel from the platter with his chopsticks.

"That's not for you," cried the small boy, "give it back, you big hog!"

At that, his older adversary rapped him smartly on the noggin and devoured the fish in a single bite. The helpless child immediately turned to the only person who held dominion over the hanyou: "Ka-go-me!"

The girl's reaction was automatic. "Inuyasha," she growled before taking a large breath.

The other flinched, knowing full well what was about to follow.

The command died in her throat, though, as soon as her eyes met with the boy's amber ones. Kagome once again felt herself blush fiercely, and had to turn away.

"What's wrong, Kagome," asked Sango while she and the others looked on bewilderedly.

The schoolgirl laughed nervously, "Nothing! Nothing at all! Wow, I sure am hungry; how about you guys?" Without another word, she began stuffing noodles in her mouth, obstinately ignoring Inuyasha's pointed stare.

By the end of dinner, poor Kagome felt more awkward and stupid than ever. All she wanted to do was go to sleep, forget all about this evening, and start fresh in the morning. She insisted that she had an important test to study for when Inuyasha approached her about the next day's plans to hunt shards and dismissively placed a calculus book between herself and him (much to the half-demon's chagrin) until it was time to turn in.

She found slumber frustratingly elusive as well. 'Ugh, I ate too much,' thought the would-be priestess, rolling over to her other side. Nothing was any use: she couldn't settle her addled mind long enough to fall asleep, nor could she stand lying awake any longer. With a low groan, the girl got up and padded softly out to sit on the porch.

The cool breeze caused her to fold her arms firmly against her petit form. She leaned against a wooden post, gazing absently out into the dark courtyard. Mentally, she tried to review the formulas she'd spent the past hour and a half memorizing, but her brain refused to cooperate. Kagome, instead, found herself replaying her encounter with Inuyasha for the umpteenth time. Why couldn't she just get over it and stop being so immature? She hated feeling shy and uncomfortable around him – especially since they spent so much time together as it was.

A rustling sound from the twilight broke her train of thought. Kagome's vision, though adjusted to the dim light, could still make out no source for the noise. Even as she strained her eyes and ears for anything else, Inuyasha suddenly materialized from the blackness directly in front of her.

The girl leapt back with a shrill yelp, loosing her balance, she was caught by the hanyou before she could split her head on the porch floor. Kagome stiffened at the abrupt embrace and looked anywhere but at the boy holding her.

Obviously sensing her uneasiness, he quickly set her the rest of the way down before taking a couple steps back to give her an appraising glare.

"What's the matter with you, anyway? You're acting like you haven't got any brains," he crossed his arms sullenly over his chest.

Kagome wasn't sure if he was referring to just now or her actions for the entire evening. "Sorry, but you came out of nowhere," she replied in reference to the former situation.

A long pause followed in which it appeared Inuyasha wasn't going to respond; when he finally did, she jumped in surprise. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"Uh, I'm not avoiding you," she answered lamely.

"Liar, you won't even look at me," the boy nearly shouted, taking a step forward.

She stared him squarely in the eye to prove him wrong; however, she could feel the blush creep across her face. Inuyasha apparently noticed too, because he didn't seem convinced.

Kagome finally gave up, "Okay, fine; I guess I just feel a little weird around you after – you know – what happened earlier."

He gazed back vacantly.

"…When I saw you taking a bath."

"Oh, is that all," he paused, then went on, "what's the big deal; it isn't like I haven't seen you taking a bath before – not that I really cared."

"Yeah, I guess," she muttered, "I don't know why it matters." She was beginning to think, however, that she really did know why it mattered, but she wasn't yet ready to reveal that to Inuyasha.

The two remained silent for several minutes afterward. Kagome noticed that Inuyasha seemed more absorbed in thought than usual; she wondered if perhaps he was considering the thought of her seeing him (or the times he'd seen her maybe?) She was already beginning to feel a little more at ease in any case.

"So what were you doing out here," the girl presently broke their silence.

The half-demon shrugged and crouched down on a wooden step, "Thought I heard somethin', went to investigate."

"Did you really expect to find any danger?"

"Nope, just wishful thinking," he sighed, "actually I was getting board; you people sleep too much!"

She laughed at his typical complaint over their "human" frailties, and then fell silent once again. The silence, however, felt pleasantly natural.

Now that it was getting quite late, Kagome decided to return to bed. She started to get up when her silver-haired companion suddenly called her back.

"Kagome?"

"Hm?"

"I was kind of wondering…"

By his tone of voice, the girl gathered he wanted to discuss some intimate detail with her. Could this be one of those rare occasions when he actually opened up about his feelings? She turned to give him her full attention, "What is it, Inuyasha?"

He looked her candidly in the eye, "What did you think?"

Kagome frowned with puzzlement for a moment before his meaning suddenly dawned on her. Her hands balled into indignant fists as she flew to her feet.

"Inuyasha, arrrrgh! Sit, you jerk!"