"Do you like my new dress?" I asked, twirling around my room. Inuyasha's golden eyes scanned the blue material.

"Fine," he said in a monotone.

"Oh."

The sundress hugged my curves perfectly, and his eyes lingered in those spots. He glanced up after hearing my dejected tone.

"You look good, very good."

Inuyasha gave me a look that said, "Are you happy now?", but his cheeks were pink. He tossed his head to the side to look out the window, and his silver hair spilled over his shoulder like a waterfall.

"Your hair is so pretty," I murmured.

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha's voice got higher, just like when he panics from accidentally eating curry. He grabbed a chunk of it in his clawed hand and stared, utterly shocked. "Pretty?! Do you think I should cut it?"

"NO!" I gasped, and he looked at me, confused. "I mean, it's not pretty, it's attractive. Your hair is masculine-ly attractive." Nice save, Kagome. I think I would cry if those gorgeous locks were hacked off. I worked my ass off convincing Inuyasha to let me wash and brush it.

--Flashback--

"No. I don't like the sound of that at all." Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest.

"But it'll make your hair so soft. And I'll wash it for you. It'll feel as good as when I rub your ears."

"It doesn't feel good when you rub my ears. It feels normal." Not even he bought what he just said, and he snatched the bottle out of my hands.

His eyes widened in disgust. "I'm not going to smell like some fucking pansy, Kagome."

I snatched the bottle back. "You won't smell like a fucking pansy, Inuyasha, you'll smell like a," I glanced at the label, "like a fucking rose."

--End Flashback--

Somehow it didn't sell at first, but once I found a scent-free conditioner and added a dose of adorable pouting, I was able to make his hair even more beautiful than it already was.

Inuyasha continued to stare out the window, frowning. He was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans (which I got him to put on with much convincing and adorable pouting). It was odd to see his figure, which was usually covered up by his baggy haori. With his flowing hair, great body, and handsome scowl, he could easily be a model.

"Are you ready to go?" I cheerily asked.

"Yeah, for about twenty minutes now. You take so long."

"Oh, stop whining; you'll be a wet blanket on our big night out."

Whenever I had the chance to go home, I liked to bring Inuyasha into town one evening and do an engaging activity. In other words, a date. He didn't know this, and I doubt he even knew what a date was, but I preferred Inuyasha not know. It's not like we made out or anything.

"Let's go into this store," I sang, waltzing into a kimono shop. Sango's birthday was coming up, and we were looking for a present for her. I pulled a few off the rack that I thought Sango would like and headed to the dressing room.

Inuyasha followed silently behind. He wasn't much help shopping, but I liked his company. We never got to spend time together anymore, with just the two of us, and I missed it. I think Inuyasha felt the same way, as he never complained about our outings. Which was saying something, since Inuyasha complains about everything.

"What do you think about this one?" I was trying on kimonos, since Sango was about my size. I really liked this one; it was black with aqua-colored orchids lacing around the fabric.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Whatever."

"That doesn't help, Inuyasha, I need an honest opinion."

I examined myself in the mirror. "Well, it's a little big on me, but that's alright, since Sango's a little more busty than me."

Inuyasha blushed, trying to look anywhere but my chest. He could be so old-fashioned sometimes. It was cute, though, so I decided to milk it for all it was worth.

"And Sango has a great butt, so it'll fill out the back." Inuyasha's face was getting redder.

"I don't want to come off as a lesbian, but I can totally see why Miroku likes to grope it." His blush was spreading to his ears.

"I mean, that thing is really nice-"

"OKAY! Can we not talk about Sango this way? She's, like, my sister," Inuyasha grumbled. His face was slowly turning back to its original color.

I stifled a giggle. "I was just talking about the fit of the kimono, you don't have to get so touchy."

"If it looks cute on you then it'll look fine on her," Inuyasha muttered quickly.

All cheerful feelings escaped me. "Oh," I said in a monotone, "We'll find something else, then. We need something that'll really knock your socks off."

I hurried into the dressing room before I might look at Inuyasha. Those molten gold eyes of his could make me say anything, and I'd rather not say a word.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked from the other side of the door. It was good he had problems putting his feeling into words, because I was able to change without an interrogation.

I grabbed the kimono and tried to sneak away to the racks unseen. Which was impossible, since Inuyasha was right in front of me. Nevertheless, I attempted to get by him.

His hand grabbed my arm and gently pulled me back over to him. His eyes were penetrating through the top of my head, but I stared at his bare feet. He had refused to wear shoes on all of our dates so far, saying it was either no shoes or no hat.

"What the hell is your problem?!"

I shook my head.

"I actually gave you a compliment. A sincere compliment! That's not how you're supposed to take it!"

He was burning holes in my head, I could feel it.

"Kagome," he said warningly. He placed a finger under my chin and lifted my face up to meet his. I could feel his claw pressured lightly against my skin, and I knew he was being careful not to cut me.

Don't look at his eyes. Don't look at his eyes. I fixed my gaze on Inuyasha's lips, but that was a very bad idea. So, I moved my eyes to his nose, but that didn't work because his nose trailed up to his eyes. Finally, I settled on staring at his right cheek.

He sighed with impatience, and his breath fell upon my face. Don't look at his eyes. Don't look at his eyes.

"Kagome, look at me." His hurt tone broke my inner chant and instinctively made me look up at him.

Inuyasha's golden eyes were full of confusion, annoyance, pain. The force of looking into them made my knees weak.

"Tell me, what did I do wrong?" The dejected way he said it made my body ache.

"You didn't do anything wrong," I murmured, unable to look away, "And please, don't ask anymore. Let's just keep shopping."

"No. Tell me what's upset you." His gaze was so intense, and we were so close, I couldn't think.

Tears sprang into my eyes. "You'll hate me forever if I tell you. You'd think I was selfish and awful." Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"Try me." I remained silent. "Kagome, tell me."

"You, um, said when we first met," I was saying this so quietly only Inuyasha's ears could discern it, "that, um, Kikyou was much cuter that me, and because of that, y'know, me being cute just doesn't cut it, so, um, ah…"

Inuyasha's cheeks were stained red, and he pulled me into a rare embrace, which was the total opposite of what I expected.

"You have to understand, Kagome, that the last thing I remembered was Kikyou pinning me to a tree. When I opened my eyes again, there was this girl who looked vaguely like Kikyou, and I was mad, and said stupid things."

I began to cry into his tee-shirt. Vaguely. I vaguely looked like Kikyou. Inuyasha noticed my tears.

"Oh, come on, Kagome," he said desperately, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I say stupid things when I'm mad. It's like when I call you useless and stuff, and that you're just a stupid shard detector. I don't mean what I'm saying; you know it's not true."

"It's not?" My voice wavered.

"Dammit, Kagome! An inferiority complex?! No! Of course I don't mean the things I say when I'm mad."

I nodded into his chest; a heavy weight lifted off my shoulders. He rubbed my back.

"I'm not…good…at saying how I feel. I thought you knew that."

"I know."

"Then why are you so upset?! I meant it, you really, er, looked, ah, cute…believe me. You, um, were – are – beautiful. Please, believe me."

He looked at me with such sincerity that I instantly did.

We bought the kimono (the one that made me look unbelievably cute and beautiful) and headed home. My mood had cheered considerably, and I felt giddy at the thought of Inuyasha calling me beautiful. I giggled.

"What are laughing at?" The look on Inuyasha's face said, "You went from weepy to giggly? I'll never understand women…"

I danced around him. "You think I'm pretty," I sang, skipping up the sidewalk with my bag.

"Keh, you won't hear it again…and don't mention it to the guys back home!"

I complied, but…there was no way I was going to keep this from Sango. Inuyasha didn't have to know.

I raced him up the stairs to our shrine, and he won, of course (male pride, sheesh).

"I'm going to check up on the others. I'll be back later tonight," Inuyasha stated as we neared the well.

"Okay. Don't wake me up."

We paused and looked at each other. Inuyasha stared at me as though I was a hard math equation. His eyes were glowing through the darkness, and I wondered if he wanted me to leave.

"Well," I started, "I'll be going, then." I turned towards the house.

"Hey," he murmured softly, "Do you really know how beautiful I think you are?"

I blushed. It was unlike Inuyasha to bring this up again. He walked slowly up to me and looked down into my eyes. His face came closer, and I could feel the warmth of his body. This isn't happening. This is too good to happen in reality. He's not really coming closer.

My thoughts froze me to the spot. Inuyasha's warm lips softly pressed against my own. This is happening. I kissed him back, and he sighed with either relief or contentment. My hands found their way onto his shoulders and his combed through my hair. He deepened the kissed with a growl of pleasure, and my whole body tingled with satisfaction.

Then, to my disappointment he pulled away, and an involuntary whimper escaped my throat. He smiled slyly.

"That," he whispered, "is how beautiful I think you are." And with that, he jumped into the well.

In a daze, I glided into the house and closed the door with a sigh of happiness.

"How was your date?" A voice called from behind me. I turned around to see Souta. "Was it good?"

I strode past him, saying, "Date? God, Souta, it's not like we made out or anything." Halfway up the stairs, I turned around to look at him. "It was great!"

I don't think Kikyou and Kagome look alike at all. I started watching Inuyasha later in the series, and when they pointed out that Kagome looks similar to Kikyou because she is her reincarnation I thought, "What?! Really?"

Am I the only one who thinks this?