Shippou rocked back and forth impatiently on the floor of the hut.

"Do you think they’re okay? They’ve been gone a long time." Sango took her gaze away from the healing Miroku, and smiled at the kitsune.

"Shippou, they’ve only been gone for a little while. The sun hasn’t even set yet, so I would not worry. Personally, the longer they’re gone, I think the better it might be for now." Shippou brought his finger to his chin to consider this for a moment. He had learned a few things about the interaction between boys and girls from the monk, but nothing too graphic.

"Oh, I don’t think Inu Yasha has the guts to make any moves on Kagome." Sango was extremely surprised by this comment from the kit.

"Why on Earth would you say something like that?" Shippou rolled his eyes as if it were obvious.

"Duh, I’m not completely a little kid. I know some things, even though you don’t always answer my questions. Besides, Miroku explained things to me one night when I couldn’t sleep."

Sango balled up her fist on both confusion and anger.

"Exactly how much did he tell you?" She was now sending dirty looks to the healing man atop the futon, resisting the urge to injure him further.

"Well, he refused to tell me some things, but he did say that boys and girls were different from each other, but he wouldn’t tell me how. He also told me that if a girl and a boy like each other they act similar to the way a mom and a dad might. At least, that is the only thing he said that I understood. He also made the comment that Inu Yasha was too scared of Kagome to even act that way. He called it making a move, but again, he wouldn’t say why." Sango let out a deep breath she had withheld. She reached out and tousled Shippou’s hair.

"At least he didn’t corrupt you too much." They both giggled. "Now, why don’t you go and play with Kirara and I’ll call you back once dinner has been prepared." He considered it for a moment, then piped up,

"Okay! Come on Kirara, we’re going to go play." The miniaturized fire cat simply rolled her eyes and head in an annoyed manner then followed the hyper-active child out into the forest.

***

The two of them fell on the floor completely out of breath. Kagome turned her head to face him.

"You *huff* promise *huff* you *huff* didn’t *huff* let *huff* me *huff* win?" He turned to meet her gaze. True, he had let her win, in fact he was nowhere near tired, but he could tell that she was worn out and decided to play like he was too.

"Course *huff* not." He gave her a fangy grin. She smiled as well, then turned her head back to the roof and closed her eyes. He stared at the rhythm of her breathing for a second and tried his best to match it so he wouldn’t give himself away. It didn’t take long for her breathing to even out as she fell asleep. After he watched her a few moments more, a thought crossed his mind. Could he be so bold? No, she would sit him for sure. Still, he felt compelled to try. He took a quick sweep of the living room to make sure it was safe. Noone was there, her mother and brother were in the kitchen. The old man was somewhere outside. He decided it would be safe to try. He repositioned himself so that he could be looking down on her. His white hair cascaded along her cheek and on to the floor beside her head. She shifted and turned towards the softness she felt beside her. He sighed, it was now or never. He leaned in for the bare cheek that she had unconsciously exposed to him. He was millimeters away when he heard the noise that caused his ears to press against his head, and for her to wake up.

"EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Kagome’s eyes flashed open to see the face of an irritated hanyou directly over hers. The source of the noise that awoke her was Sota.

"Please tell me that you were just about to start another round of tag." He got a sick look on his face.

"Unh. Yeah, that was it." He silently cussed himself about the lost opportunity.

"That’s not what I saw." Sota put on his most annoying voice.

"Kid, you remind me of a certain little fox." He stood himself up and offered his hand to help Kagome to her feet.

"Whatever, Mom sent me in to tell you that dinner is ready." Both Kagome and Inu Yasha’s stomachs growled.

"No fair," she wined at Inu Yasha, "you ate as soon as you got here." Then turning to Sota. "What are we having?"

"Well, originally we were going to have miso soup, but you came home just as she was preparing things, so now we are having oden, and he is having the two and a half gallons of beef-flavored ramen she just made." At the prospect of ramen his ears perked up and he ran into the kitchen. Sota just shook his head, "Ya coming sis?" Kagome looked as though she had just been snapped from a daze.

"Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute." Sota left for the kitchen.

"Hey, Inu Yasha, do you mind sharing some of your ramen?" A loud growl was heard from the dining area.

"Not on your life, your mom said it was mine, and I intend to keep it that way." Mrs. Higurashi intervened.

"Boys, Don’t fight like that. Inu Yasha, we use bowls and silverware at our table, and I expect you to do the same. So, put that pot back on the stove, and wait for everyone to be present and served." He understood, and uttered a simple,

"Yes, ma’am." and the sounds of dishes, pots, and pans travel from the cooking area. Kagome knew something was going on, but didn’t actually comprehend it. She was lost in a thought that had dawned upon her.

‘He wasn’t playing, he was up to something else, it wasn’t disappointment over a ruined game of tag on his face.’ She reached up towards her face with her eyes shining. ‘Did he just try to kiss me?’

***
A solitary figure watched as Shippou attempted to play with an uninterested Kirara. This figure had a plan, and had decided to enact it now. There was something that it wanted, and it intended to get it.

Shippou was unsuccessful in getting Kirara to play. He was about to get up when she turned towards the forest. At first, he saw nothing, but it was obvious something was in there once Kirara transformed. It was then he noticed the menacing character approaching them. Shippou’s voice became caught in his throat as his eyes filled with terror and hatred.

***

Dinner had been a somewhat eventful. Let’s just say it ended up with Inu Yasha cleaning ramen off the roof and out of his hair due to a casual usage of the word ‘sit’ by Kagome. After many apologies, and a scolding from Mrs. Higurashi, the incident was pretty much forgotten.

"Well, Inu Yasha, that was definitely different." Kagome was leaning back in a chair next to her desk while Inu Yasha sat on the bed with a towel, drying out his ears. "It looks like we’re staying here tonight. Is that okay with you?"

"What?" He asked. He had the towel hanging out from his left ear.

"I asked you if you would want to stay here tonight." she shouted.

"I don’t see why not, going back now would be basically pointless. Besides, I think Kaede might appreciate having a few less people invading her space." Kagome considered this for a moment.

"You’re probably right. We’ll put the basket on the bike in the morning, and leave after breakfast." She looked to him for approval on the plan. He leaned back on to her bed and threw the towel in her general direction.

"If that’s what you want." he shut his eyes. The towel landed on her head. She glared through it at the lounging man in front of her.

"Excuse me, but what do you think you are doing?" She snatched the towel off of her head.

"I’m almost positive that I’m getting comfortable." He open one eye slightly, and a smirk grew across his face.

"Not on my bed you’re not." She dropped the towel onto the floor and approached the bed.

"You have that ‘couch’ thing downstairs. Anyway, I’m a guest, and I deserve to be comfortable." Kagome glowered (glare can sometimes get a little boring) at his rude comment, but her expression changed once she got an idea.

"Oh really?" She commented. Upon reaching the top of the bed, she pulled the pillow out from underneath Inu Yasha’s head, and promptly smacked him with it. "Take that."

"Hey, what was that for?" he sat up angrily. Kagome developed a smirk of her own.

"So I can do this." With that she leaned forward and kissed him on his right cheek. ( Finally, wouldn’t you agree that it’s about time?) He stiffened completely, and as the blush crept over his face, he fell off of the bed. (Does that a lot doesn’t he?) Kagome just smiled, and took his place on the mattress. He sat up touching the spot upon which she had placed the little peck.

She gave him a warm look.