A.N.: at this point I'm sure we've all heard the shocking news about the Inuyasha sequel we will be getting in the future. There has been some info released that I'm not happy about, and some that seems sort of alright. The fandom is in a tizzy to be sure. We must all hold each other in these uncertain times.

A nap in the family gardens, that's exactly what the day called for. She'd felt lazy, bored and tired all day, useless with her training sessions and antsy at any attempts to sit and focus on something. So it was time to trek into the warmth and fresh air and sleep it off.

There was a particular tree that was perfect to nap under. No gnarly roots, broad limbs and thick foliage that offered perfect shade, and soft, fragrant grass to protect from the dirt. She picked up her pace, her desire to sleep growing just thinking about it.

However, she was shocked to find her favorite tree already in use when she got there.

Leaning against the trunk, reading in the shade, was Loki.

Lady Loki.

'Oh...'

She thought momentarily about turning around and trying to nap elsewhere, but desire to sleep quickly turned into desire-to-hang-out-with-Loki, and since Loki had felt no shame in bombarding her on her last little outing, she felt no shame bombarding this one, so she closed the gap and sat nearby.

"Whatcha reading?"

Loki startled a little but recovered with a smile, turning the page of her book blindly.

"Nothing of any consequence. What brings you to the garden today?"

"This is my tree. I was going to take a nap but you beat me here."

"Your tree? I thought these trees belonged to mother."

Feeling impish, Kagome leaned closer and lowered her voice like she was imparting a great secret.

"That's just what she wants you to think. But this tree is mine, it told me so."

"So you can talk to trees now, can you?" Loki replied, eyes glittering in that way that left Kagome hypnotized.

"No, but I have questions."

"About?"

"You, duh."

Leaning back, Loki looked a little wary as she took in the way Kagome bounced like an eager child.

"Should I be nervous? Am I being led into a trap, little mouse?"

With a bright giggle, Kagome waved off her concern.

"As if I could successfully set a trap for you. Maybe Thor. No I just have questions about what it's like to be a shapeshifter."

"Well I certainly know a thing or two about that."

"Mhmm." Kagome tapped her chin, taking a moment to think on how to begin and how to lead this to where she wanted it. "Alright first question: what do you really look like?"

Loki straightened a little, frowning in confusion.

"Come again?"

"Is there an appearance you were born with or do you pick how you want to look always? Like, right now, or when you're in your male appearance, did you pick those faces because you liked them? Or are they your real faces? How do I know you aren't actually a big bird or something?"

Loki's expression cleared and she chuckled a little, she'd never thought about it that way, being a shapeshifter was just in her nature of course, so it wasn't confusing from her own perspective.

"Ah, I see. You could say that this and my other usual form are how I really look. Anything else is a projection. Sometimes I become something else, when it suits me. Sometimes it's nothing more than an illusion."

Kagome's eyes roved over her, and she welcomed the pleasant thrill it sent up her spine.

"Okay, so this is one of your default settings. Interesting."

"Default settings? I suppose that's accurate enough."

"Your hair is much longer this way."

"Indeed it is."

"It's very pretty."

"I... thank you. That's... very sweet."

"Can I touch it?"

"What?"

Kagome smirked as she watched a faint, blink-and-you-miss-it pink wash across Loki's cheeks.

"You can say no, I'd just like to brush it. It looks like silk."

Loki bristled a little that someone had so thoroughly thrown her off her guard, but without a word she turned and her eyes fluttered closed as Kagome's fingers began dragging through the length of her hair.

"Oh wow, it's so soft!"

"Is it really so different from yours?"

"Yes!"

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, Loki growing drowsy with the rhythmic tugs at her scalp as a certain priestess braided and unbraided her hair, and Kagome trying to slow her heart rate as she played with some of the most beautiful hair she'd ever seen, even including the silken silver strands she'd always eyed with envy on certain old friends of hers.

'Top three heads of hair, absolutely.'

"You're so tall! Even sitting!"

An idea struck Loki like her brother's dumb lightening, and she didn't hesitate to yank the upper hand back from the easily flustered woman who'd managed to fluster her this time.

'Devious little human, indeed."

Moving quickly, she whipped around, pushed Kagome's back against the tree trunk, and laid her head across her lap, her long, dark tresses fanning out around her. With deep satisfaction she watched as Kagome's cheeks bloomed that charming shade of red she'd been seeing there so often lately.

"You may proceed."

Kagome stared down with wide eyes at Loki's head in her lap, shocked into still silence, unsure what move to make. But the offer of all that glorious hair won out over her tattered nerves and she soon began dragging her fingers through it again.

"Okay. This is fine. This is... just fine."

"Are you alright up there?"

"Yes! Absolutely, never better! Heh heh..."

She gulped and studiously ignored the smug look on Loki's face, instead losing herself in scratching at her scalp and twisting and combing her fingers through her hair.

It wasn't the nap she'd come out here for, but it was a far sight better.

Loki woke feeling blissful, content and warm. She glanced up and found Kagome still asleep, leaned back against the sturdy trunk of the tree they were under. The soft, golden light of early evening filtered through the treetops, dappling across her cheeks like freckles made of starlight, and Loki grinned at the delicate picture she made.

'She would have a conniption if she woke and saw us like this.'

She took some time in the quiet hum of their secret corner of the garden to just observe her and her soft beauty. Kagome was an excitable little woman, easy to rile and embarrass, powerful, honest and proud and sure of her sense of justice. Interestingly she was also nervous was a field mouse.

'At least when I'm around.'

She almost couldn't believe she'd ever been determined to avoid this woman, though if Kagome really were truly mortal, it would be awful to know her this way and then watch her die.

'I'm... glad she forced me into this friendship. But if I have my way we won't be FRIENDS for too much longer.'

No, Loki was certain she wanted much, much more than that.

'Now it's time to catch a little mouse. Very very soon.'

She carefully sat up so as not to wake the still sleeping priestess, softly brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, trailed the tips of her fingers through its length, and then slipped quietly away.

Kagome woke with a soft sigh, back a little stiff from sleeping against a tree, but she was pleased to see that there was enough daylight to signal that she hadn't missed dinner. She lifted to her knees and stretched and then startled to see a single, perfect bloom of a bright red flower that only bloomed on the other side of the garden. A smile spread slowly across her face and she picked it up, lifting it to her face to take an appreciative sniff of its sweet, subtle scent.

She slipped it behind her ear and hurried off to the dining hall, and though she knew her face must rival the bright crimson of the velvety petals, she walked in proudly and answered Loki's smug look with a soft thank you and attempted to focus only on her dinner.

But her heart fluttered endlessly at the unshakable feel of a pair of glimmering green eyes that wouldn't look away.