I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi

Sneak Attack

InuYasha struck the ground with his sword, watching as the five fingers of light run from where it hit the ground to the monster rushing towards him.

"Die, bastard," the hanyou yelled.

The the oni roared in defiance as the kaze no kizu swallowed the monster up in an even louder explosion of light and blood as the monster was blown to bits.

"InuYasha!" Kagome yelled as something landed on his back, dropping down from the tree overhead.

"What the hell," he said, trying to shake it loose, spinning and reaching up. He felt a quick pull at his neckline, heard a snick, and then finally shook the youkai loose.

InuYasha swerved, and barely got a glimpse of a big claw before Kagome's arrow let loose. The creature he had missed while fighting the oni screamed as it blew up in pink miko light, scattering dust over a tangle of something silver white.

InuYasha lifted a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed. Wind touched skin that had almost never felt it. His head felt weird, like it was pulling against something that wasn't there. He touched the mass with his toe as his sword shifted back to it's non-transformed size.

"Are you ok?" Kagome asked, running up to her husband. "I don't know where that creature came from." She rested a hand on her husband's arm. "I've never seen such a big claw on something that small. It must have been hiding in the tree. I thought it was going to take your head off."

"Is that...that...that's my hair?" InuYasha said, his voice somewhere between unbelief and horror.

Kagome looked up at him. The youkai who had attacked him hadn't been able to punch through his fire rat, but had cut most of his hair just above his collar. It was a ragged job, uneven, leaving wisps hanging down over his shoulders, but his forelocks intact. She had always wondered what he'd look like with short hair. She wasn't sure if she liked the effect.

He flicked an ear as he stared in shock at the tangled mess, then looked up at Kagome. "Can...can we stay out in woods for a week? Maybe two?" InuYasha's eyes searched her face, looking almost panicked.

"Why?" she asked, cupping his face.

"It'll take at least that long to grow back," he said.

"So?" She reached up and pulled a stray strand of hair off his shoulder.

"If Miroku and Sesshoumaru see me," he said, "they'll never let me live it down."

"They'd have been more unhappy if you'd lost your head," Kagome said.

He sighed, bent down and picked up a handful of the silver threads."Yeah, but they wouldn't have teased me for it."

"But I would have been rather unhappy," she said kissing him lightly. "Let's go home." She turned to go.

With one last sigh, he straightened his shoulders and followed her. For a moment, he idly considered running the other way, but watching her walk, he had to admit there were some things in life that would make the embarrassment worthwhile.

Later, after facing the monk, he wondered if he had made the right choice.