This is after Kikyou shattered the jewel again, (anime series) And I don't own Inuyasha bla bla bla

The morning mist still lingered; hovering above the tall grass of the forest as Kagome made her way from the campsite to the hot spring. It had been some time since she had been to one. Sango had gone back to her old village with her brother so this bath time she was flying solo. With the shards shattered again the group still had to look for them; so she was spending the summer here in the past. She hadn't been home in months and desperately wanted a hot bath so she managed to slip away from camp without anyone noticing especially the monk.

"Wow it's so peaceful out here"

She hugged her belongings to her body and waded carefully through the bushes to the side of the spring. The water was still, wisps of steam floated above it as the vapors condensed in the cool morning air. Kagome took a deep breath filling her lungs with the sweet scent of the morning dew and stepped around the rocks surrounding the water. She set her things down and began undressing when she saw something laying on a rock at the edge of the spring. She slipped her shirt back on and walked over to investigate. There was a set of clothes carefully folded.

-Oops, I guess I'm not the only one who wanted a bath this morning-

She picked the clothing up to try to determine if her company was male or female in other words; ask to join them or try to sneak off without being noticed.

When she held the clothes up something heavy fell with a metallic 'clank' on to one of the rocks. She turned to watch what appeared to be armor clamber away through the grass.

Her head shot back around to the clothing in her hands. It was a white kimono with red blossoms and her face paled.

"What do you think you are doing miko?"

At the sound of the familiar voice behind her, her body froze. She could hear the water moving as the owner of that voice moved closer. Without thinking she spun around clinging the man's garment to her chest.

"I'm terribly sorry…I won't bother you any…."

What met her eyes was a demon only waist deep in water his wet silver hair spilling gracefully down his back and pooling at the surface of the water.

She was speechless; she stood gapping like a fish as Sesshoumaru moved a little closer.

"Please…don't come any closer" she managed to sputter out as she shielded her eyes; her face darkening into the cutest shade of pink.

With her head still turned away and her eyes half closed she tried to find the place where the clothing had been sitting.

"I'll just leave your things and come back later… I'm sorry I disturbed you"

She turned her back to him and set his clothes back down a safe distance from the water. She could hear him move back through the water as he made his way to the center of the spring.

"Do as you wish miko… however, I might be awhile"

She cracked an eye open over her shoulder as Sesshoumaru lowered himself back down into the water to wash his hair. Even with one arm he did it with such grace that Kagome was a little envious. – He acts like it's nothing to only have one arm…I can barely tie my shoes with both my hands… yet he does everything with such grace and ease-

At this point Kagome didn't even realize she had turned around fully to watch him bathe.

He went under for a short time before coming back up tossing his hair into a brilliant silver arc sprinkling water all round him. Kagome watched each drop tap the surface of the water then splash back up funneling out and dotting his body. The world at that moment had stopped no one else existed as the shower of droplets fell around him. She could feel her feet moving forward, but she couldn't seem to stop them, or maybe she didn't want to. She heeded to the siren's song and stepped into the spring. Her shoes filled with water and squirted out small fountains with each step. Another step and her socks quickly became saturated and slipped down to nestle in her shoe. She could feel the warm water race across her thighs, but she couldn't seem to stop herself she continued to go deeper. She just wanted to touch him her eyes ran along his bare shoulders and chest to rest on his missing left arm. She wanted to run her fingers along his bare shoulders and chest and ask him for forgiveness for what Inuyasha did for her sake. He would probably kill her afterwards, but even with that thought in her mind she was drawn to him; pulled into the whirlpool of his deeper emotions that he shared with no one. He turned somber golden eyes at her just as her foot reached the edge of a rather deep portion of the spring and she froze. What would he do now leave her to stand there watching like some pervert; she was no better than Miroku right now, but she couldn't look away. He pulled his eyes away from her to settle back out into the forest.

"I do not appreciate pity miko…"

His voice ripped her from her trance and she lost her balance falling into the deeper part of the spring. The abyss that lay before her feet pulled her under a force she didn't believe she could fight and win. She felt the air being force from her lungs, as the sky grew darker. – So this is it huh, I die being known as a peeping tom or whatever you would call a girl spying on a guy-

Her limbs grew too heavy and her eyes were losing the battle to stay open as she drifted silently down into the darkness.

- A light?-

-So I am dying…hm I know Inuyasha would laugh at me for this die while spying on his brother… ironic isn't-

"Miko"

"What…"

Kagome forced her eyes open to come face to face with the sky.

"But… how?"

Her eyes slid back and forth to a surrounding sea of white, "Oh I see I really am dead heaven is suppose to be all white isn't it"

"Miko… you are not dead"

"Se… ssho… maru?"

She pushed herself up to find Sesshoumaru sitting on a rock just above her head. His top was missing and he was sitting rather ridged with his legs crossed peering down at her.

"What….what happened?"

"And where are my clothes!"

Kagome looked down to realize what had happened to Sesshoumaru's top… she was wearing it and nothing else.

"Silence woman… this hot spring is called oboreshinu izumi… as the name implies it lures humans and weaker demons to their death where they drown it its depths"

She blinked back at the springs then back up at Sesshoumaru.

"Then why were you here?"

"You are a greater fool then Inuyasha if you think this spring could trap this Sesshoumaru"

She growled at him slightly to which he gave her a raised eyebrow in reply.

"And just where are my clothes?!"

"You took a bath in them miko… I laid them out to dry" he pointed a long delicate finger to a rock bathed in sunlight. She turned her head in that direction then back down to her lap.

Through the insults and embarrassment Kagome failed to see just where she was laying. Surrounding her were billows of white silky fur. She instinctively reached out to touch it.

It was extremely soft and Kagome couldn't help but to run her fingers through it.

"Wow this is so soft… no wonder you keep a boa like this around"

She looked up from her petting to see Sesshoumaru had gone even stiffer and she narrowed her eyes at him it was as if Goosebumps were crawling all over his skin.

"It is not a boa miko… it is in fact my tail… and now that you are awake I would like to have it back"

He gave it one quick jerk and she tumbled from it. "Hey"

She raised her fist to yell at him, but quickly realized she was now more exposed then before; she pulled his kimono around her and settled for glaring at him. The steam filling her embarrassment and anger quickly dispersed as she realized that he had just saved her, and not only that he stayed with her to keep her warm.

"Um thank you"

"hm"

"I believe your clothes are dry miko… so I would like my top back so I may leave"

Kagome looked down at the white silk top then over to her clothes.

"uh..oh..yeah sure"

Her face darkened as she pulled the white kimono tight around her body before getting up to retrieve her clothes; all too grateful to get away from Sesshoumaru's piercing gold eyes.

"Kagome!"

The dark haired girl had turned around to find who other than Inuyasha bursting through the trees. There she stood in Sesshoumaru's top her clothes sitting on a rock and Sesshoumaru sitting there half naked.

"NANI!"

Even before Sesshoumaru could blink Inuyasha had struck him across the cheek.

With only a slight alteration to the position of his head; Sesshoumaru's cold golden eyes slid over the meet Inuyasha's.

"So it takes the covetousness of a woman to make you fast enough to actually hit me does it Inuyasha?"

"Damn it"

Inuyasha caught it too late Sesshoumaru had already laid his punch and sent him sailing like a red bird into the hot springs.

"INUYASHA!"

Kagome knelt over the waters trying to see Inuyasha's red form.

"Unless you want to be pulled in again Miko… I suggest you back away from the spring"

"huh"

A clawed hand shot out of the water and grabbed for the bank followed by a rather wet Inuyasha.

"Yokkatta"

"Don't 'Yokkatta' me….why the hell are you wearing Sesshoumaru's clothes…first the mangy wolf and now this bastard"

It was too late to take those words back and Inuyasha knew it. He knew that look all too well.

"Inuyasha….SIT, SIT, SIT"

When Kagome turned away the half demon was six inches in the mud of the bank. She grabbed her clothes off the rock in a huff and disappeared behind the tree line.

When she returned Inuyasha was looking rather sorry for himself mutter something about just what type of guy Kagome was really interested in anyway. Sesshoumaru who didn't seem to act as if anything at all had happened was still sitting on the rock near the spring.

Kagome walked over to him white kimono top in hand and held it out to him.

"Arigatou Sesshoumaru sama…but next time…let me hit him"

And for the first time Kagome got to see Sesshoumaru smile, well a little one anyway. He took his top placing it back over his body and stopped to pick up his armor before walking away.

Kagome watched his figure disappear into the forest before heading back over to Inuyasha to nurse his wounded pride.

"You know your brother really isn't that bad…after all Rin seems to adore him"

"So what you want to follow him around like a little lost puppy now too"

Although that sort of comment deserved another 'sit' she decided instead to grab the towel she had brought with her and help him dry off.

She tossed the oversized white towel over the top of his head and massaged the towel through his hair.

Inuyasha let his amber eyes slip closed as Kagome worked the warm dry towel over his head and gently past each ear.

"Ano…Kagome…he isn't really your type is he?"

"Baka"

She gave him a light tap on the head a slight frown pulling at her lips which soon melted into a warm smile.

"Nope…he doesn't have near as cute a ears as you do"

She grabbed one in each hand rubbing the soft velvety points between her fingers.

Inuyasha tried to duck out of Kagome's itching fingers as he protested that they were not play toys.

"Stop that already…"

A little way into the forest sensitive pointed ears picked up the couple's light bickering.

"Hmm foolish relationships"

As he walked away her scent was carried with him and he could not help but breathe it in.

-Although I can see why you keep her around little brother…just her scent seems puts my soul at peace-