A/N: I do not own Inuaysha or his friends.

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Finger Painting

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Kagome huffed again, pushing her hair back out of her face. She scowled as she looked at the small pond and then to the easel in front of her. Her mouth turned into a frown. She tried not to cry but she felt so frustrated! She had been at it all afternoon, and nothing she did looked close to what she wanted it to.

"And I thought painting was suppose to calm you, make you feel better!" she wailed out loud.

"What's that?" A gruff voice asked from behind and above her.

She almost jumped before recognizing the voice. Trust Inuyasha to find her when she most definitely didn't want to see him! "The pond." She replied hotly.

He snorted. "Doesn't look like it."

Shaking, letting all her vexation out into that one word command, she yelled loud enough to scare the birds in the trees to flight. "SIT!" As she heard him hit the dirt, swearing, she threw her palette, and brush to the ground before storming off.

She didn't go far, just to the edge of the pond. Her ability to capture the tranquility of the setting aside, she did love the spot she choose for her first 'real' project. She sat upon the rock formation at the water's edge looking out over the tarn. It had seemed so Monet she couldn't pass it up. The cattails and rushes, with the trees overhanging the water on one side, the small outcropping of rocks curved around its body, hugging its shores, complete with lily pads. Its small sandy beach at her feet extended to meet the gently lapping waves. Over all of it, the sight of the mountains, casting its magnificence across the land, brown, rugged, rocky, now purple shadow as the sun began its decent.

She sighed, and leaned back on her elbows, curled up on the rock, head turned to watch the sun lower in the sky.

Inuyasha picked himself up from the ground, still cursing under his breath. He kept his voice low so as not to be heard. He didn't want to be sat again. He glared at the girl as she climbed the rock, ignoring him. His expression softened watching her; his breath caught seeing how the light cast itself upon her. It had always been a toss up for him as to which shined brighter, the sun's ray or Kagome's smile. The sun's rays on Kagome were the best. Now if she'd only smile….

He pulled his eyes reluctantly from her and looked at what she'd been doing. Seeing the wood stick thing with the parchment on it made little sense to him. He recognized the stick thing. She had brought it tied to her pack through the well when she returned the last time. They had hit the trail as soon as she popped her head over the lip of the well. A believable shard rumor had been heard, and Inuyasha wanted to leave, no matter what the time. The group had traveled for several days without rest to find the demon terrorizing the region. After slaying the youkai, and retrieving the shard, a rest period was declared, overriding Inuyasha's protests.

Sango stayed back at their camp, repairing her weapons and battle gear. Miroku decided to stay near her, to study his scrolls, of course. He fooled no one, but Sango was grateful for his company. Shippou had followed Kagome as she made her way through the forest to this spot, but soon got bored, as she wasn't doing anything. Well, anything he wanted her to do. He found himself wandering off to where he'd heard the village kids playing on the other side of the forest.

Inuyasha had dozed on a tree in the warm sun for a while, close enough to the camp to hear Miroku get slapped at least once, but far enough away it didn't disturb him. As time passed, he started to become uneasy. Kagome had been gone for toos long and he went to look for her. Once he found her, he perched in a tree quietly watching her. He watched as she dabbed the small stick thing in the color stuff and brushed it against the parchment. He didn't get what she was doing, as the more she did it, the more madder she got. When she finally spoke, he had to know what she was doing.

He picked up the flat wood that held the color stuff. He sniffed at it. His nose crinkled in annoyance. 'It's like ink, but not.' He put the tip of his claw in one of the colors, and smeared it around on the pad of his finger. 'Sort of soft, mushy.' He looked to see where Kagome was and found she hadn't moved. He looked at the color. It had spread on his fingers. He wiped it on the parchment thing on the wood frame. It smoothed itself over the white of the parchment, mixing with the colors she already had there, blending to a warm shade of brown. His brows rose. He tried another color, and mixed it like the first, and liked what he saw. He found if he just dipped part of his claw into a color, and a different part of it into another color, then blended them on the parchment, the colors blended better, smoother.

Looking around, he spotted another parchment like frame and picked it up, replacing Kagome's ruined one. He wanted to try what she had been doing, painting the pond. In his mind, he could see how the pond looked, and what colors would work to make it match. He felt in frenzy to get the colors down on the parchment just right, capturing the pond as it was right at that moment. He looked from the parchment to the pond, and back, smearing the colors, using his claws, the pads of his fingers, and even part of his palm, blending the colors just right.

He looked up again, and scowling, he demanded gruffly, "Kagome, don't move!" He brushed his fingertips over the parchment again, his brows puckered in concentration.

Kagome had begun to rise from her perch on the rock, and looked back at Inuyasha, frowning. She hadn't sensed any danger around, and wasn't sure why he used that tone or that command with her. She saw he was at her easel, using her paints and looking very serious. A smile played on her lips. He looked like an artist, with his exotic good looks, his long hair billowing out behind him with his movements and the light breeze, his brilliant hued clothing and the expression on his face. He looked how she'd pictured a Picasso or a Renoir, intense, passionate, moved.

It took all her resolve to not move. She wanted to see what he was doing, and what exactly he was painting. She tried to ignore him, and looked away again, lost in her train of thought, captured by the beauty of the sunset again.

She started as she heard him growl and shift. She looked around to see him standing back from the easel, frowning at the canvas. She eased herself from the rock, and stretched her aching muscles. "Can I see?" She asked hesitantly.

Inuyasha looked at her, a flush coming to his cheeks. He looked away, trying not to think of what he had done. When he started playing in her colors, the feeling came, blanking out his mind, and how he perceived himself. Part of him believed he had revealed a weakness; part of him filled with an excited joy, a hope she would approve of what he'd done. Hands at his sides, he kept his face averted. "Do what you want." He told her roughly.

But he watched. He watched her from the corner of his eyes as she approached his painting. Watched her face as her eyes widened and her mouth opened. He could hear her heart beating from where he stood; hear her breath whoosh from her lungs, and catch. An inarticulate sound came from her lips as her hand rose to her mouth.

"Inuyasha…" She breathed, not taking her eyes from the picture. "It's… it's me." Her voice trembled.

Embarrassed, he shuffled his feet and cast a quick glanced at her. "Keh." was all he could manage.

She spun in his direction, her face shining in the twilight. "Inuyasha, why?" She flushed and looked away. Gathering her courage, she looked at him again. "I … I mean, I like it. It is… it's beautiful… but … why me?" He turned away and she could see his muscles beginning to bunch as if he were going to jump into his tree again. She caught his arm quickly. "Don't go… please." She could feel him relax slightly. She smiled up at him. "You … you painted me?"

Inuyasha swallowed nervously as he looked down at her upturned face. He wanted to look away. He wanted to run away rather than face the intensity of emotion he had the moment the desire to paint captured him. He blinked and jerked his chin. "You were sitting there." It didn't come out harsh as he intended but soft and unsure.

Her smile brightened as her cheeks reddened. She looked back at the painting, not letting go of his arm. Inuyasha softened his gaze at her before turning to the painting. His breath caught again. It was her…

Though his intentions at the start had been to paint the pond, with its rippling waters, and plant life, his eyes were drawn more and more to the girl laying on the rock. The way the sunlight shone down on her face, the way her hair glistened, her gentle smile, her soft eyes. He found himself lost in the vision of her. The pond, the rock, even the sunlight and majestic mountains were merely background to his focus. He had painted her as she reclined, legs bent at the knees and waist, arms supporting her body, and her face, her face turned away from him and towards the sun.

Her lips on his cheek surprised him. "Inuyasha…" She whispered softly. She had released him, and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his chest.

His eyes went wild. The urge to run, to escape rushed through him. He looked down at her for a moment, and back at the painting. A taste of the intensity he had felt threaded it's way into his heart, into his mind. He smiled softly, and hugged her back.

Kagome raised her head, and asked again, "Why did you paint me?"

The flush on his cheeks burned hotter. Looking to escape her gaze, his eyes found the painting once again. Unconsciously he clutched her tightly, pulling her closer to him. He buried his face in her hair. Inhaling deeply, he lost himself in her scent. He closed his eyes and murmured softly. "You're so beautiful."

She stilled in his arms. "Inuyasha?" She asked tentatively.

He sighed. Opening his eyes, he released her, pushing her from him gently. "We .." He cleared his throat. "We should be getting back. It's time for dinner." He avoided looking at her as he turned, and started gathering her things. She joined him after a moment, not saying anything.

Kagome regarded the painting still on the easel. She asked, "What should I do with it?"

He looked at it for a moment. It wasn't a big piece of parchment, barely larger than both of his hands side by side. but was too large for him to carry around. He shifted awkwardly, looking away, he asked, "Would you keep it for me? For now, at least…"

She nodded and smiled shyly. "We'll have to let it dry, but then I'll pack it away and take it home with me..." She lifted the painting, and held it carefully. "…for now." she added quietly.

Neither said anything on their walk back to the camp. Kagome carried his painting, holding it in such a way to keep the paint from smudging. She replayed the scene over in her mind, Inuyasha telling her she was beautiful, hugging her.

For his part, Inuyasha cursed himself for a fool. Not only did he loose his sense while playing in Kagome's colors, but he hugged her. Still, he couldn't help but steal glances at her as they walked side by side. 'She is beautiful.' He thought. He nearly snorted out loud. 'Quit thinking nonsense.' At the edge of the camp, Inuaysha caught her arm. "Ah, Kagome." He flushed slightly, staring at his feet. "Don't… don't tell anyone about me … uh… painting. All right?"

Kagome smiled softly. "I won't. I'll keep it hidden." He gave her a grateful look before releasing her.

Sango was crouched before the fire, stirring a stew. Shippou laid on Kagome's sleeping bag, a sucker in his cheek and one of her manga's opened in front of him. Miroku stood as they entered, his eyes dancing with merriment seeing them both together. The group could almost see him rub his hands together.

Inuyasha scowled at him, before dropping Kagome's supplies by her pack, and jumping up in the tree above her. She bent over her pack, putting the painting things away, and loosely wrapping the painting. She would pack it in the morning when it dried.

Miroku cleared his throat. "So, what have you two been doing all afternoon?" his voice deceptively neutral.

Kagome looked around. "Eh? I was painting… or trying to paint." Inuyasha snorted from the tree. Kagome flushed. "I'm not very good."

Sango looked up with a smile but stopped. She blinked and drew her brows together. She looked from Kagome to Inuyasha and back. "Uh, Kagome… what was Inuyasha doing while you were … uh painting?"

Puzzled, Kagome looked at her friend. "He made fun of me."

Inuyasha scowled down at her before looking at Sango. "What business is it of yours what I do?" He nonchalantly looked away, peering up through the tree leaves.

Shippou dropped the book he was looking at, his eyes large and round. "Ka… Kagome?" She looked at him. "What's that on your back?"

At the sound of his trembling voice, believing her to be in danger, Inuyasha jumped from the tree and had her spun around faster than she could ask. He gasped and dropped his hold on her. He could hear Miroku's laughter, and Sango's giggles. His cheeks red, Inuyasha jumped back in his tree, and refused to look at them.

Kagome squirmed trying to see the cause for all the fuss. Taking a deep breath, Sango went to help her change out of her shirt. The girl's face flamed as she tried to explain. "Inuyasha was learning how to finger paint…" This explanation earned her more laughs and a growl from the tree.

Laid out on her sleeping bag, the back of her shirt held two colorful handprints, complete with claws. There were other colorful smudge marks up and down her shirt in the shape of fingers, with claws leaving no doubt as to what was done, and who was doing it.

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