A/N: For the 'Palm' theme on Dokuga's LJ comm - 400 words, no more no less.

Originally posted on September 6, 2010. It tied for third place! :)

A 'trip' is exactly what it sounds like - when one fighter trips another to take them to the ground. It's startling and not fun, and it usually means you've let your opponent come too close.

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Trip

"So, I've been thinking about what you owe me," Miroku said as he stood up to slip on his jacket.

Kagome arched an eyebrow. "For what?" she asked slowly.

"I got your boyfriend out of the tank," he said, grinning.

"Sesshoumaru isn't my boyfriend," Kagome muttered. "But, fine. What do you want? An extra doughnut when I go on a coffee run tomorrow morning?"

Miroku scoffed lightly. "Let's not give in to such stereotypes, Kagome!" he said, wagging his finger at her. "Besides, this was a pretty big favor. I'm thinking more along the lines of, say, getting the number of that gorgeous friend of yours?"

Kagome shut down her computer and swept away the trash she had accumulated during their shift. "Sango isn't interested. I think she made that abundantly clear last time you met. That palm print on your face didn't fade for a week!" she said with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah," he murmured, his eyes losing focus as a smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "That's a woman that knows what she's about." He gave her a wink. "I guess I have a thing for attracting those types."

She laughed again. "Enough with the flattery. You're not getting her number," said Kagome. "You want to talk about big favors? How about that girl at the station's Christmas party? What do you think she would have done if I hadn't talked to her out of it?"

"How was I supposed to know that she was here to bail out her boyfriend?" Miroku asked with a shrug.

"Your neighbor?"

"A misunderstanding."

"That witness last week?"

Miroku opened his mouth and paused. "Well, she wasn't a suspect," he said at last.

Kagome smirked. "Until you stop asking women to bear your children, I'm so very in the clear."

"Are you, Detective Higurashi?"

"Captain," Kagome turned and greeted the older woman with a nervous smile. Kaede could have the kindness of a mother, but none of her detectives were fooled by her soft words for long. She'd lost an eye in the line of duty, after all - she didn't put up with whining or weakness.

"You were leaving?" asked Kaede.

Kagome bit her lip. "No?"

The old woman nodded. "Good, because something interesting turned up on the phone tap we have on Naraku," she said, handing over a folder. "It seems like Sesshoumaru Taisho is about to enter his inner circle."

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