CHAPTER FOUR

x.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kagome asked.

"I'm fine!" Inuyasha said, backing away. He was clutching the top half of his clothes to his rather scratched-up, muscular chest, and looking terrified, as if afraid that Kagome would start yanking his clothes away without his permission.

Kagome sighed. Inuyasha had almost scalded his skin off the last time he tried to use the shower. Now he insisted that he was well enough to take a bath himself. "Okay, but if you have any problems, I'm coming in," she called.

As the sound of water running came from the bathroom, Kagome listened for any yells. No screams, she thought. He got it right this time.

As she started to walk away, the door opened and Inuyasha's hand snaked out, holding his red clothes. He dropped them on the floor, and the door shut again. Kagome wrinkled her nose. "Whew!" she said, covering the lower half of her face. "He isn't the only thing that stinks."

She picked up his clothes and quickly went to the washing machine -- apparently Inuyasha's clothes were as covered in Naraku's vapours as he was. Kagome quickly stuffed them in, poured in some detergent, and slammed the door shut. Then she wiped her forehead. "That's one problem taken care of. They should be finished by the time he's done showering," she said to herself. Besides, how often did Inuyasha's clothing really get laundered?

Feeling pleased with herself, Kagome went downstairs and immersed herself in her homework. Inuyasha would probably be in the shower for awhile, which gave her some time to herself. And when he did come downstairs, he would probably head straight for the couch and lie down.

Kagome smiled a little. She hadn't thought that her mother would be able to make Inuyasha lie down and relax. He loathed any signs of weakness in himself, so bedrest was something he would only do if he was close to death -- and sometimes not even then. But apparently he was willing to do it if he was pampered enough.

It's actually kind of... sweet... Kagome thought.

Then she started. "What am I thinking about?" she said, snatching up her book. "Okay, if x is a right angle, and y is..."

Several arduous math problems later, Grandpa poked his head in. "Kagome, I'm going to the grocery store for some food," he announced. "Can you handle things on your own until I get back?"

"Sure," Kagome said. "Where's Mom?"

"She's visiting a friend of hers," Grandpa said, picking up a shopping bag. "And where is that boy Inuyasha?"

"He's taking a shower. He smelled like those poison vapors."

"So that's what that foul smell was," Grandpa said thoughtfully. As the old man left, Kagome sighed. More math, more math, she thought ruefully. Fighting Naraku and collecting shards seemed easy by comparison right now. Even if algebra was a lot less dangerous.

She was in the middle of a baffling problem when the phone rang. It was Eri. "Hello, Kagome?" she said. "I'm having trouble with problem fifteen. What did you get on that?"

"I'm stuck on it," Kagome sighed. "I was just-"

"KAGOME!"

Inuyasha's voice blasted through the house. Kagome froze. "What was that?" Eri said, startled.

"Kagome, what the hell are you doing?"

"Wait a minute, is that destructo-man?" Eri said.

"No it's not!" Kagome said wildly, trying to shield the phone.

Inuyasha stomped down the stairs, with water streaming off his bruised body and long white hair. He was was wearing nothing but a soggy white towel, which he was holding tightly around his waist. "What the hell did you do with my clothes?!" he shouted.

"What was that?"

"It was nothing!" Kagome said desperately. She made a go-away gesture at Inuyasha.

"Get over here right now, Kagome!"

"Kagome, is something wrong?"

"I take my clothes off for a minute and suddenly you're stealing them-"

"What is going ON over there?" Eri said.

"I'll call you back!" Kagome said, slamming the phone down. She could only imagine what Eri was thinking, hearing Inuyasha yelling those things. She turned around, trying not to look as mad as she felt. "In future, when I'm talking on the phone, don't shout!" she said.

"What did you do with my clothes?!" Inuyasha repeated. "I just went in there for a little while!"

"I was WASHING them for you," Kagome said. "They needed it. Badly. Now if you come upstairs with me -- and do it quick, you're dripping on the carpet -- I'll get you some clothes until yours are dry."

Inuyasha sullenly agreed.

TO BE CONTINUED