A/N: Takes place sometime in the beginning of chapter 6. Just a bit of filler after they get the jewel shard and before Kagome goes back through the well.

Kaede didn't ask questions when the group returned to the village. It wasn't hard to figure out that things hadn't gone well between the aggravated looks, Kagome's change of clothes, and the absence of Sango, Shippo, and Kirara. She shook her head and continued with her work. If they had bothered to ask her advice, she would have suggested not getting on the road, but hindsight was pointless now.

Kagome had retreated to their borrowed hut, preparing the fire pit for another night of instant noodles. Miroku went to collect water, needed to get away from the constant bitching he'd had to listen to all the way back. Inuyasha had left as well, mumbling about getting some meat because the ramen wouldn't be enough. She had a feeling it was an excuse to maim something with purpose, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. As it was, she wasn't particularly happy either, having had to wash youkai guts off in the nearest spring with no privacy and wear a spare sundress back. The uniform had been wrung out and stuffed in a mesh bag that she'd used to collect fish, so on top of the acrid smell of bile and other unmentionable scents, her school clothes smelled of fish. Once she had the fire prepared she removed the wet clothes from the bag and hung them up inside the hut to dry. She'd still have to take them home and pray the washing machine could get them clean, but it'd be better than having them mildew.

Throughout her tasks she hadn't said a word to either the youkai or human forms of Inuyasha, who sat on opposite sides of the fire pit. Human Inuyasha didn't dare comment, knowing that she was unhappy, and as much as he wanted to fix it, he wasn't the one who had fucked up. The youkai on the other hand, knew full well that he was to blame. His first mistake had been to tell her not to fight. His second had been following her into the spring. He'd had the best intentions of course, to help his mate get the gunk out of her hair. She hadn't seen it that way.

Miroku stopped by with the containers of water. "I've been called to lend a hand," he said, passing the water to Human Inuyasha. "I'll be back in time for dinner." Then he bolted.

Kagome snorted, taking a seat by the fire.

"You seem disbelieving, Ka-go-me." Youkai Inuyasha drew her name out, unable to hide the grin at her reaction. She'd deny it, but he knew even without using his nose that the shiver that came over her when he said her name like that meant she liked it.

"Given what happened earlier, can you blame him for not wanting to be here right now?"

Human Inuyasha looked up from stoking the fire. Her tone spoke volumes. "Do you wish to return to your time tonight?" It would suck not having her there, but if she wished it he'd walk her to the well right then and deal with the hanyou when he returned.

"No…I still need to figure out how I'm going to explain to Mama what happened. It's not like she's expecting me back tonight or anything." She huffed, crossing her arms. "How am I even supposed to tell her when I don't even know what really happened!"

Human Inuyasha didn't have an answer for that. He looked over the fire at the youkai to see if he had any input on the matter, and couldn't believe what he was seeing. 'That idiot is going to get himself sat through the floor of the hut,' he thought as he watched the youkai crawl across the floor and lay his head in Kagome's lap. He was too focused on watching the shitshow that was about to go down to acknowledge that the hanyou had stepped into the hut with meat for their dinner.

"The fuck is going on here?!"

Kagome was just as surprised as Inuyasha sounded, but she couldn't look away from the seemingly innocent looking red eyes that stared up at her. "What-"

"Is this alright, Ka-go-me?" He drew her name out in a purr again, hoping to get her permission. He knew that the human had gotten the opportunity long ago to lay his head here, and he'd been jealous. Not that he'd admit to being jealous of the human; after all it had been his dumbass that had gotten poisoned in the first place.

She swallowed, looking down at Youkai Inuyasha. She couldn't really use the beads in this instance without doing damage to herself, and Inuyasha didn't do anything to warrant being sat. 'I guess it's not hurting anything,' she thought. "On one condition," she said softly. "That I can rub your ears."

Human Inuyasha looked up at the hanyou with raised brows. Inuyasha could only look on in horror as his youkai side grinned widely.

"You can touch me however you want, Ka-go-me."

Inuyasha sputtered at the words as he dropped the meat into the pot to cook, nearly missing it entirely. Kagome let out a small laugh and he looked up to see her tentatively reach out and brush her fingers across the youkai's ears. He'd never understand her fascination with his ears, but it looked like the youkai had pleased her with his answer. She continued to rub the soft flesh between her fingers, and he lay still in her lap, watching her with something Inuyasha didn't want to think about.

It was adoration. The youkai watched Kagome like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

His human side continued to watch the food since Kagome was indisposed at the moment. He'd seen her fix the ramen enough times to know when to add the water to the cups. It was when he got up to get some rice to have with the meat that he heard Kagome giggle louder. Human Inuyasha looked over and felt relief at seeing Kagome's irritation from earlier melting away. The youkai continued to snuggle in her lap, a few times making her squeak in surprise, but she never made him move.

"You're just a big cuddle puppy aren't you?" she laughed as he shifted again.

Human Inuyasha snorted in laughter, not so much at Kagome's words, but at the look on the hanyou's face. He'd gone an interesting shade of red and couldn't form a simple sentence. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad while they figured things out.

"I'm your cuddle puppy, mate."

"Stop saying that to her!"

"Inuyasha, he didn't mean anything by it-"

"On the contrary, I meant every word. It's not my fault you have a stick in your ass, hanyou."

Then again…as long as he steered clear of the line of fire, perhaps he'd be entertained. At least the beads had no effect on him.