Title: The Plan
By: Queen Beryl
@---^---
Haven't you ever said something out loud that you were thinking and didn't mean to say? Well, I'm gonna try and put in some of those embarrassing situations here! ^_^ I hope you like it! I realized that Shippo didn't have much of an appearance in the story so far, so I'm going to try to incorporate him in more frequently. Kouga also makes random appearances! Yeah! (.( ; But all he does is bring trouble...
I own one of the fire-rats that Inu-Yasha had skinned for his kimono... but I don't own him or his show!
Okay, so I really did have this chapter done, (I was on a roll!) but they were revamping ff.net, so I had to wait... and then school came... anyway, enough excuses... here it is!!

Chapter Four: Speaking Thoughts Aloud

"Oi, Kagome!" A voice sounded through the trees. Instantly, Kagome and her crew of shard-hunters knew who it was. A whirlwind of dust appeared and stopped just as abruptly, leaving the Wolf-tribe prince, Kouga, clutching Kagome's hands in his.
Miroku sidled over to Sango. "This works out better than we had planned, eh, Sango? Kouga is a sure-fire way to get our dear Inuyasha jealous... perhaps making him confess his ardent desire for Kagome!"
"Kouga's appearance is enough to arouse Inuyasha's jealousy, yes, but not to make him confess his love." Sango corrected. "And if you even think about touching my butt, I'll kill you now and go on with the plan alone." With that warning, Miroku drew back his hand from where it was poised in midair an inch from the desired destination.
"You're getting really good at sensing that stuff..." Miroku muttered before reluctantly stepping back.
"I've had practice," Sango grinned, turning her attention back to the new arrival.
"... shut up, dog-breath!" Kouga was shouting, pulling Kagome closer to him greedily. Kagome was trying to pull away, but wasn't getting anywhere. To make matters worse for her, Inuyasha was pulling on her other arm in his direction. It was very amusing from Miroku and Sango's perspective, but rather strenuous from Kagome's.
"Doesn't that hurt Kagome?" Shippo asked Sango, climbing up onto her shoulder.
"She's probably used to that." Miroku pointed out, patting the kitsune's head affectionately.
"Maybe we should keep walking?" Sango suggested, eyeing the confrontation.
"I don't wanna leave Kagome behind with them like that!" Shippo protested. Sango sighed.
"Fine. At least we'll get a little entertainment in this..." Sango muttered.
"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome said finally. Inuyasha plummeted to the dirt floor, letting go of Kagome, who instantly fell into Kouga, knocking him backwards. Needless to say, after a series of coincidental happenings, Kagome found herself half on Kouga, who was smirking with evident joy. She blushed and tried to stand, but Kouga wouldn't let her.
"Let her go you filthy wolf!" Inuyasha spat, forcing himself to get up from the force of the rosary beads.
"I think not. I'm rather enjoying this one." Kouga's grin broadened and so did Kagome's eyes.
"He's almost as big of a pervert as you, Miroku." Sango said offhandedly. Miroku shot her a look as if to say "I'm not that bad."
"I didn't know Kouga was a pervert." Shippo stated, still perched on Sango's shoulder.
"He isn't. He just likes Kagome. Maybe this'll help with the pla-" Miroku was cut off by Sango's elbow being jabbed into his stomach.
"There are some people here who aren't aware of it." Sango said pointedly. Miroku nodded at Shippo, understanding.
"... said let go of my Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, pushing Kouga back down to the ground, and pulling Kagome into his chest. Kagome blushed at their closeness and the fact that he called her his.
"She's my woman, dog-crap!" Kouga spat, jumping back up.
"I wonder if I could get away with backing away..." Kagome muttered to herself, scooting back a little. She was stopped short when she felt a tug on her hand. She looked down and realized that Inuyasha was still holding onto her hand. She blushed.
"Can't you just take a hint and leave?" Kouga demanded, mostly keeping his cool. Inuyasha was furious. How dare he?
"His hand's so warm... I feel safe..." Kagome thought aloud. She instantly regretted it, because, of course, both Kouga and Inuyasha turned to look at her. Inuyasha quickly let go of her hand and turned away, his cheeks flushed.
"Did... she just say that?" Miroku asked, eyebrows raised. Sango nodded.
"Yep!" Shippo piped up. "Now maybe Kouga will go and stop hurting Kagome with his pulling."
"I... didn't mean it... uh, sit!" Kagome stuttered, completely embarrassed that she couldn't keep her mouth shut. Inuyasha was dragged down to the floor.
"What cha do that for?!" Inuyasha demanded, getting up as fast as he could. His neck was sore from being pulled down so much in just the past morning. It was only about 4:00 in the afternoon. Today was definitely a long day.
"I... don't know." Kagome thought for a moment. Why did I do that?
"You stupid wench!" Inuyasha balled his hands into fists. Kagome stopped and just glared at him.
"Fine, I'm going back home!" Kagome yelled and walked off. Inuyasha made to go after her, but Kagome glanced over her shoulder and shouted, "Sit!"
"That idiotic woman!" Inuyasha muttered, simply lying in the dirt for a moment. Kouga laughed.
"Obviously Kagome needs some time before she comes back to me, so until she gets back... Later!" Kouga sped off in a tunnel of wind. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo stood there, staring after the tornado then back to Inuyasha, who still hadn't gotten up.
"Oi, Inuyasha," Miroku called, almost hesitant. No reply.
"Oh well," Sango set Shippo down off her shoulder and quickly winked at Miroku. "I guess we'll just be missing Kagome for a few days... no big deal. The Shikon shards can wait. I mean, they're almost complete anyway...."
Miroku nodded, catching on. "You're right. But hey, that gives you more time to spend with your precious Inuyasha, whereas, I don't have the luxury of cuddling up to Kagome."
And with that, Inuyasha sprang up from the ground as if it where covered in lava, and sprinted toward the magic well.
"Miroku, my friend, we're geniuses!" Sango smiled, heading back toward Kaede's hut.
"Why?" Shippo asked curiously.
"No reason in particular, Shippo. Do you wanna go back and play with Kiara?" Sango asked, attempting to defer further questioning from the little boy. This worked quite effectively.
"Yeah!!" Shippo squealed and dashed ahead. Miroku lazily draped his arm around Sango's shoulder. Her pervert defenses immediately went into place as she stiffened slightly.
"We make a great team, you and I." Miroku smiled a sincere smile. The non-lecherousness caught Sango off-guard for a moment.
"I guess..."
"Maybe after this is all over... and those two lovebirds get together... we... you know... can t-" Miroku stopped due to Sango's hand making contact with his face. He lifted his hand away from her backside and grinned apologetically.
"Filthy monk!" Sango turned on heel and marched back to Kaede's. "When will that guy learn to keep his hands to himself?"
"The moment you bear my child..." Miroku muttered. Unfortunately, not quiet enough. Sango turned, walked back to him, and slapped him again.
"Stupid!"
"But Sango, my heart...!" Miroku reached out for her.
"Too bad 'sit' doesn't work with you." The exterminator shook her head angrily and left.
"Yep, I knew it. Sango is in love with me." Miroku sauntered after her, using his staff as a walking stick.
& * &
Inuyasha stood at the edge of the well, hesitant, not exactly forgetting the incident earlier that day. His lips raised slightly as he recalled the softness of Kagome's skin and the overwhelming smell of her. Then he turned his thoughts back to the well, shaking his head.
"I shouldn't be thinking those things right now. I need to get her back and..." He faltered. "Why does she have to come back? Why do I want her to?"
Inuyasha shook his head again, ignoring the thoughts and jumped through the well into Kagome's time.
"So, you did decided to come back for dinner after all!" Mrs. Higurashi said, delighted. Kagome nodded. "Did you need any more supplies?"
"No. I stocked up too much last time. Well, not actually last time because last time was this morning..." Kagome rambled.
"Well, go wash up for dinner. It'll be ready in about half an hour. You might as well stay the night, too."
"I agree. If you need me, I'll be in my room."
"I'll have Grandpa call you down for dinner." Mrs. Higurashi smiled as her daughter fled up to her room. Sighing, Kagome fell onto her bed and snuggled up to her pillow.
Inuyasha, unbeknownst to Kagome, entered the kitchen a minute after she left it.
"Oh, Inuyasha, it's you! How nice of you to come back. Kagome didn't say you were here too." Mrs. Higurashi smiled pleasantly.
"I don't think she knows I am." Inuyasha stood awkwardly in the doorway.
"Well, I'd be very glad if you would stay with us for dinner. There's no sense in leaving on an empty stomach. You can stay the night, too. Kagome's room is the only one big enough to accommodate another person, but..." Kagome's mother went on and on, not letting Inuyasha speak. Usually he would have butted right in, but this woman was too kind, not to mention the fact that she was Kagome's mother. Inuyasha just figured it would be fine to be nice...-ish to Kagome's mom.
"If I did stay here, I'd rather sleep in the tree outside..." Inuyasha leaned against the doorframe casually.
"Nonsense. I won't hear of it! Kagome's floor will do much better than the tree. I wish our couch folded out... but we didn't have enough money for that at the time..." Mrs. Higurashi went off on another tangent, Inuyasha not exactly paying attention to her any more. She just kept talking and cooking, as though he wasn't even there. Inuyasha thought about what it would be like to sleep on the floor of Kagome's room. It wasn't really odd to be in the same room with her because he had been near her while they traveled around back in his time, but this was somehow different. They were in an enclosed space, alone, together....
"... be okay?" Mrs. Higurashi turned to Inuyasha, catching him off guard.
"Yeah." He said gruffly, not knowing what he was agreeing to.
"That's fantastic! There are Kagome can get blankets and a pillow for you. As a matter of fact, you can go up to her room and tell her that dinner is done. I'm glad you agreed to spend the night here, too. That way you won't try to drag her off so early in the morning." Mrs. Higurashi decidedly turned back to the pots of food. Inuyasha sighed; he'd just agreed to stay the night. Oh, well... no real loss.
Inuyasha turned and strolled toward Kagome's room. Flashbacks from that morning flittered through his brain. He could feel his skin get warmer, but he pushed the feeling aside as he peered into her room through the halfway open door. He smiled. Against my will... he thought. She was sprawled out on her bed, her left leg, from the knee down, was hanging off the bed, and her arms were wrapped under her pillow, a slight smile on her face.
"What are you dreaming about...?" Inuyasha wondered aloud as he slowly entered the room. He knelt down next to her bed, their faces three inches from one another. If you're as asleep as I hope you are, you won't feel this. Inuyasha leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the side of her forehead. I just wish I could have been your first... Kagome stirred, and Inuyasha backed up as fast as he could. He was now crouched about a foot away from her.
"Inu..." Kagome muttered.
"Dreaming about me?" Inuyasha smiled cockily.
"Sit." Kagome grinned and slowly sat up as the hanyou fell down with a loud thud. "What are you doing here?"
"Dang it, wench! Your mom sent me up to say dinner was ready." Inuyasha pried himself from the floor and proceeded to glare at the girl.
"Has it been half an hour already? I must have fallen asleep right away..." Kagome felt the side of her forehead, thinking for a moment. There was a dull sensation there, as though a butterfly had landed for a moment. Inuyasha paled slightly. She wasn't awake, was she?
"I don't know. She talked to me forever and forced me to stay here for dinner and the night."
"She forced you?" Kagome raised an eyebrow, the sensation forgotten. Inuyasha was relieved to have got her onto another topic so quickly.
"Keh! Actually, I stopped listening to her and agreed to what she'd just said. I'm not doing that again." Inuyasha folded his arms into his kimono. He was still sitting down, looking up at Kagome.
"Well, let's eat." Kagome sniffed the air. "Mmm, smells good."
"Keh. Whatever." Inuyasha followed her out of the room. He was glad she didn't appear to be angry with him anymore. Perhaps the sleep fixed that. He was, for the most part, just relieved she didn't feel him kiss her. Imagine how many sits he would get! He shuddered at the thought.
"You okay?" Kagome had turned around at the same moment he shivered.
"What do you care?" He snapped.
"I was just asking... sheesh." Kagome didn't feel up to arguing with him right now. Her forehead still felt tingly. She couldn't place what could have made it feel that way, but it felt great.
& * &
"Ah, I'm stuffed!" Kagome exclaimed happily, lying down on her bed.
"Your mom makes great food. Why can't you cook like her?" Inuyasha sat down, leaning against the side of Kagome's bed. Kagome flicked one of his ears.
"You should be grateful I cook for you at all." She leaned back and smiled.
"I am." Inuyasha said before he could prevent it.
"Really?" Kagome leaned up on one elbow, peering at Inuyasha.
"I guess." Inuyasha muttered.
"You know, you've been kinder ever since you got here. I like you this way." Kagome smiled and sat up, patting the spot next to her. "You don't have to sit on the floor."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, my bed has enough room for-"
"No. I meant... you like me?" Inuyasha clarified, looking into Kagome's deep eyes. His eyes searched her's for sincerity. He smiled slightly when he found it.
"Of course, Inuyasha. You're a wonderful person when you're not yelling at me for something or another." She paused for a moment and accidentally spoke the next thought aloud. "It's almost like... we belong."

Waa! This fic has the highest reviews I've ever gotten! Yeah! Keep it up, I love it! ^_^ Okay, and since I've been getting so many reviews (squeals in happiness) I'll just use a blanket thank you! Thanks so much!! You guys ROCK! ^.^;
You know, I never thought that this was a funny-type story. I got so many reviews saying it was, and I thought: really? When I don't try, it works... figures... ^_^;