DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha and company although messing with their minds is a blast! The story idea is a creation of my own warped imagination and twisted musings.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I had such a great response on my other Miroku/Kagome stories that I had to do another one. Just so you all know, this is just a one shot... there is no more. I had one scene in my head for three months, I just couldn't see the rest of the story around it, and then the idea fairy stopped by last night and smacked me with that sparkly wand again (those sparkles just do not come off! ) and VIOLA ... the rest of the story emerged. I hope you enjoy it cuz I sure did! As always, read and enjoy!

Oxymorons

By: Jewels Light

It was a beautifully tranquil early summer day in Feudal Japan, just as every other day before it that week had been. The silence was broken only by the drone of bees buzzing about on official hive business, the warm breeze rustling in the leaves, and the occasional giggle of a hyper kitsune high on candy. There had been no new jewel shard rumors, Naraku had been blissfully absent from their lives, and there hadn't even been a small youkai sited in the area. The lull had been a welcome break for the intrepid troop of shard hunters.

Sango had taken advantage of the respite and returned to her village for some weaponry maintenance and of course, Kirara had accompanied her. While they were there, the exterminator would also pay homage to her slain clan. And, although she didn't mention it, she would also grieve for the fate of her younger brother, now a puppet of Naraku's.

Inuyasha grumbled and fumed about the delay but he could often be found dozing in his tree. He was still recovering the last encounter with Kagura which had left him in pretty rough shape. The times that he wasn't in his tree, he was either at Kagome's side or off chasing the irascible kitsune.

Shippo mourned the loss of his fire cat friend, but found enough to amuse himself that he hadn't yet complained of boredom. Most of his time was spent playing tricks on the sullen hanyou and then running for his life. In fact, Inuyasha was still complaining about the fish that had mysteriously appeared in his robes while he slept. Shippo had insisted that it must have been a flying fish since it had gotten that high up in the tree. When Inuyasha stated that he would be smelling fish for days, the kitsune had advised that he wouldn't, if he would bathe once in awhile. While Kagome and Miroku laughed, the little fox had run for all he was worth, the fishy hanyou hot on his tail. Later Kagome had pried the poor little fox out of a hole in a tree, which he had been sharing with a large bass. Alas, it had been a small fox that had received a bath while a hanyou lay in a large crater.

Miroku was taking full advantage of his time in the village as well. He had propositioned all of the village girls at least twice and was still hiding from the older woman who had agreed. Now he spent most of his time in meditation or inside Kaede's hut. At the moment he was sitting a safe distance from Kagome, his eyes closed in communion with his god... or quite possibly in sleep. Inuyasha was dozing on a branch and Shippo was talking to his picture as he colored.

The schoolgirl from the future sat in the soft grass with her back pressed against the side of the weather beaten well which was the only known way for her to return to her home. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and a thick book rested on them, tilting precariously when the balmy winds swept past. She appeared to be studying intently, however her attention couldn't have been further from the contents of the English Grammar book if it had still been sitting on her desk five hundred years in the future. Instead she was studying the memory of the event that had occurred the night before.

FLASHBACK

Kagome had grabbed her bath items and a towel before slipping from the hut and heading for the hot spring. It was just after sunset and the others had all gone off on their own little errands. She wished that Sango or Shippo were there so that she would have some company. That thought caused her to giggle.

"Who would have thought that I'd prefer to bathe with others rather than alone?" she whispered to herself with another giggle.

"So does that mean that you will be joining me?" a smooth voice asked. A smooth voice that she knew all too well, and yet she had to look down to confirm her worst fears. Dark brown eyes met wickedly amused indigo. Miroku raised a brow and grinned at her rising blush. "I must say Kagome, that butterflies suit you."

It took a few moments for his words to filter through the embarrassed haze in her mind and then she just blinked at him for a moment. Butterflies? What is he... Her eyes widened in comprehension before narrowing quickly in anger. From where he stood in the water looking up at her, he had a perfect view up her skirt.

"Pervert!" she sputtered. "SIT!!!"

"With the force of that command, I am quite happy to point out that my rosary does not have a subduing spell on it." He laughed as he showed his gloved hand to her. A heated blush rose in her cheeks and she turned to leave, only to feel herself falling and then hot water closed over her head. She surfaced, sputtering once again as she wiped the sodden mass that her bangs had become out of her eyes. Her gaze focused on Miroku who was now approaching her slowly. A wet, laughing, dangerously sexy, naked Miroku.

Her eyes widened even as the rational part of her mind started shouting out commands. Turn your head girl! She was shocked to find that the muscles in her neck refused to move, while her eyes continued to watch him glide through the waist deep water toward her. His deep blue eyes twinkled at her merrily. Ok, get a grip. Close your eyes! She tried, she really did, but apparently they preferred to watch a droplet of water, or possibly sweat, as it slowly moved from his hairline and down his cheek. The surprising urge to lick that taunting little drip was almost too strong to deny. ACK! What are you thinking? He's coming closer... RUN!! The rational part of her brain was not doing so well. Kagome couldn't even remember if she had feet, let alone how to use them. She was mesmerized by that tiny little bead of water as it now journeyed down the strong column of his neck. Suddenly it occurred to her that she was now extremely thirsty and that little drop would do wonders to help her condition. How far away was he that its taking him so long to get here? Rationality wondered even as it searched frantically for a way out of this righteously sinful situation. I know, talk your way out of this. We're good at talking!

"I'm wet." Kagome said brightly. The rational part of her brain slapped itself. Now the evil, tauntingly lickable, drop of water was inching down over his collarbone and onto the chiseled planes of his chest.

"So I see." Now his eyes were the ones to travel down to the lightweight white blouse that was plastered to her chest. He smiled at her provocatively and licked his lips. "Are you cold?" His cordial tone at odds with the amoral gleam in his gaze. She barely registered his words as that damned drop now perched on his nipple, teasing her unmercifully.

"Cold" she squeaked in agreement, even as she wondered if the water had somehow gotten hotter. She felt like she was burning up. At that point her rational brain threw in the towel. She was hopeless!

"Well now, I can't allow that. As a servant of Buddha, it is my duty to see to the comfort of those around me, whether spiritually or physically." Kagome nodded blankly as the monk enfolded her in the steel cage of his arms, bringing her cheek up against the scaldingly hot skin of his bare chest. Naked! HE IS NAKED!! Rationality tried one last ditch attempt to rescue the girl. Kagome opened her mouth and Rational sighed in relief.

"I'm wet." Miroku's chuckle sent vibrations sizzling through her body. Sensations that she didn't even have names for were buzzing at all of her nerve endings, and now even breathing was proving difficult.

"So am I." came his soft reply.

"Oh." Such a dazzling conversationalist Rationality groaned. Kagome looked up only to find that the monk's face was only inches from her own. Is he going to kiss me? "Kiss me?" She didn't even realize that she had spoken the last part of that thought out loud.

"Since you asked so nicely, how could I refuse?" He purred before touching his lips to hers. The kiss began lightly but soon the heat of the hot spring where they stood lost in each other's arms fed the passion between them, and it deepened.

"Kagome..." Shippo's wail acted like a splash of cold water on the pair and they jumped apart. Kagome's hand reached up to touch her lips lightly as she stared at the naked man in front of her. NAKED! Oh, now she realizes it! Rationality remarked snidely. Her eyes widened as a crimson flush spread across her face and down her neck. She jumped out of the spring and ran without a single look back.

Once she was far enough from the hot spring and the man within it, she stopped and leaned against the trunk of the nearest tree, trying to regain her breath. Moments later a flying fuzz ball launched itself into her arms. Bright green eyes looked up at her curiously.

"You're all wet." Rationality began cackling maniacally in the back of her mind and Kagome sighed.

"I fell in the hot spring."

"Oh. Can I have some candy?" He grinned up at her mischievous innocence, and she found herself grinning in return.

END FLASHBACK

Kagome could feel the blush beginning again as she remembered the heated moments that she had shared with the monk. Suddenly she realized that the little kitsune had been talking to her and was now waiting for a reply. She looked at him blankly for a moment and then grinned apologetically.

"I'm sorry Shippo, what did you say? I wasn't paying attention."

"You shouldn't bother Kagome while she studies, Shippo." Miroku admonished lightly, although he was now looking at her curiously. No doubt wondering what she could be studying that would bring a blush to her cheeks. Kagome saw that wicked spark spring to life in his eyes once again and swallowed loudly.

"N..No, its okay." she stammered. "What did you say Shippo?"

"I asked what you were studying 'cause you haven't said anything for a really long time. It must be really hard." That innocent phrase drove all thoughts from her mind as her brain conjured up an image of a tiny droplet sliding down the planes of a hard chest.

"Oh... uh..." She quickly glanced down at the textbook in her lap, and blurted out the first word that she saw. "Oxymorons." Her three companions blinked at her in confusion, as they tried to figure out the foreign word. Suddenly Shippo started laughing. He dropped to the ground, clutching his stomach and rolling around. Now it was Kagome's turn to blink in confusion, a bemused smile on her lips.

"Oxymorons..." Shippo giggled. "I didn't know Inuyasha was in your books..." With a yelp, he darted into the thick forest, an irate hanyou on his tail.

"Get back here you runt!" Kagome shook her head and chuckled softly as she turned her eyes back to the book in her lap. She didn't notice Miroku had scooted closer until he snatched the book from her. She looked up at him and licked her suddenly dry lips.

"So Kagome, while Shippo made an apt pun, I doubt that he was correct in his definition. Care to tell me just what an oxymoron is, that it has caused you to blush so becomingly?"

"An oxymoron is a combination of contradictory terms like..."

"Like the innocently seductive way you lick your lips every time you look at me since I kissed you?" He finished, even as he leaned closer to her. "Like the brief eternity we spent in each other arms?" His voice was soft and throaty, his eyes half lidded, and he was still coming closer.

Just then Inuyasha come crashing through the underbrush. He saw the monk sitting indecently close to Kagome, and a very familiar look in his eyes, so he did what came naturally and brought a fist down on Miroku's head. Hard. Then the hanyou returned to his usual perch.

"Damned lecherous monk." Inuyasha growled.

"Yeah, that was the first thing I thought of too." Kagome giggled. She just laughed harder when the incorrigibly pious monk winked at her.