Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine; they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. The following story is for entertainment and not profit.
Swans A-Swimming
The water wasn't as warm as she could make it at home and she didn't really need to bathe until the next morning, but there were things she had come to enjoy about bathing outside; being able to watch the sky while she soaked, not being surrounded by hard defined walls, the chill of the air on her wet skin, and being able to share her bath with a close friend.
Sango had taught her how to make soap for washing from some common plants, but whenever she could Kagome brought real shampoo for them to use. They both agreed that the scent it left behind was more pleasant than the soap plants.
"Do you really think that they could be from Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked as she massaged her hair into a lather.
"It's possible." Sango replied ducking under the water to rinse the foam from her own.
"But…" Kagome pried as Sango resurfaced.
"But," she picked up the word, "how would he get such expensive items when he always refuses to accept payment from anybody?"
Kagome had to admit that she had found herself wondering something quite similar. She wasn't sure that she wanted to believe that it wasn't him. Shaking her head to dislodge the doubt brought on by her logic, Kagome climbed out of the heated water to dry off and fetch their clothes. Lying next to the carefully folded pile sat a small glass vial. It didn't even occur to her to be cautious. Kagome pulled the glass stopper and inhaled deeply. The sweet spicy scent of night blooming flowers seemed to curl around her with a hint of something richer hidden beneath it.
Kagome watched Sango replace the stopper and ease the bottle from her hand, "Come, Kagome," the words reached to pull her from her fog, "it's time we were getting back to camp."