Disclaimer for this one-shot: InuYasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi and Free! is property of Masahiro Yokotani. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author, punkish furball. The author, punkish furball, is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. The author, punkish furball, makes no profit from this fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended.

punkish furball – Hello and Happy Memorial Day one and all! :D

Words to Ponder:

This installment is definitely a good one! I've been toying with the idea of this fandom mash up for a while now which lead to this filthy little deviation from my original idea. It wouldn't leave me be until I put it on paper, and, once I put it on paper, I had to share it. So, about a week or so later, here we are! I'm also working on a few requests, so those will be up as soon as possible.

Thank you for reviewing from FF .net: Sin of the Fallen, kakashixangela, KibaSin, The Aristocat, xx-BlackXRoseXLust-xx, Inactive ONNMT (6x), Guest (1), Guest (2), YukimuraShuusukeGirl, SilverStar118, moon eclipse shadows (2x), ONNMT (2x), Motoko The Red Queen, Moonlight Cosmic Angel, Padfoot, SapphireFox9, chibi-no-baka, Anime hotty lover.18, and PissedPikaGirl!

Thank you for commenting from AO3 .org: HalfBlackWolfDemon, tinabug, and Fallingyuki!

To my readers on FF .net, you have to mosey on over to AO3 .org to read the uncensored version. I hope you all enjoy! (^_-)-*

Installment 17

InuYasha/Free! Crossover

-O0o0O-

Rin nodded as he watched the last of his teammates leave the locker room with a separate but adjourning shower, only the best facilities for a first-rate academy like Samezuka. Normally, he wouldn't monitor them so closely, but today was their joint practice with Iwatobi High School., their first one after this year's prefectural tournament.

Even though the team only consisted of five members—six, if you counted their tenacious but absent team manager and Rin's younger sister, Gou—they had to make accommodations for their latest member and only female swimmer, a girl from Tokyo named Kagome Higurashi. She transferred into Gou's class for the beginning of her freshman year and subsequently joined the swim club around the same time Rei did. She was a beginner on the competitive circuit but became a very strong swimmer over the past year like all of her teammates. At the upcoming regional tournament, she was set to compete in the women's 200-m backstroke and the 400-m individual medley. Her speed was lacking, but her top strength was her endurance. Within a short time, she could easily match and top the times of Samezuka's long distance swimmers in their practice runs. When anyone asked how she developed her impressive stamina, Kagome smiled and claimed it was a secret.

Rin snorted a laugh as he considered the female swimmer. Kagome was a welcome addition to the team and their inner circle of friends though he wouldn't have pegged her as a member of the swim club. Her figure was softer and curvier than the average female swimmer's build, but he noticed she was beginning to develop and tone the necessary muscles through her training. She also kept her hair longer than most with her thick ebony waves reaching the base of her shoulder blades. Her facial features were soft and petite highlighted by her warm smile and bright blue eyes reminiscent of Haru's. Nagisa swore the two of them were siblings separated at birth and reunited against all odds by their shared love of the water. His wild speculations were often met with Kagome's sweet giggles and Haru's blank stares.

Whatever the case was, Kagome's frame and her features combined with her sweet, friendly personality made her a popular topic in the locker room, so they made sure she was given complete privacy though Rin doubted anyone would risk sneaking a peek especially during practices with Gou present. She always stood guard after both the Samezuka and Iwatobi swim clubs showered and changed. Since she wasn't here, Kagome waited by the pool until all of the boys showered and the Samezuka students left for their dorms.

"Hey, Kagome," Rin called out, "It's all clear."

"Are you sure?" Nagisa interjected before Kagome could answer, "Someone could have stayed behind to peek at our mermaid princess!"

"Nagisa," Kagome bemoaned with a shake of her head, "I asked you not to call me that anymore."

"But Gome-chan!" the blond whined, "You are Iwatobi's exclusive mermaid princess, and we refuse to share you with anyone!"

Kagome rolled her eyes as Nagisa threw his arms around her neck, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Really, Nagisa? The only one we have to worry about peeking on me is you," she quipped as she slipped underneath his arms and bent over to retrieve her duffle bag.

Nagisa pouted, puffing out his cheeks to several times their normal size.

"That's not fair, Gome-chan! I'd never do that! If anyone tries to peek at you, it'll be Rei-chan!"

"What are you saying?" Rei shouted, affronted, "I would never do something so disrespectful to Kagome!"

"But why not? Don't you think she's pretty?" Nagisa asked, seemingly innocent.

Without thinking, Rei blurted, "Kagome is beautiful!"

Soon after he spoke, Rei averted everyone's teasing gazes, nervously pushing his glasses on his nose. He was, after all, known for his appreciation for anything he found beautiful.

"You know, maybe Nagisa has a point," Makoto added with a knowing grin, "Someone as studious and focused as Rei is one of the last people you'd expect to spy on a pretty girl in the shower, so that makes him the perfect culprit."

"No way! By that logic, Haru is a far more likely suspect than me!" Rei argued.

Rin snickered when Haru frowned. There was never a dull moment with these guys around. He'd have to schedule more joint practices with Iwatobi.

"That makes sense, Haru-chan," he teased, "It's always the quiet ones like you that end up being closet perverts."

Shooting him a glare for the accusation and the use of the feminine suffix, Haru retorted, "Anyone who can see Kagome on a regular basis has no reason to try and peek at her. Someone like you who cannot see her every day, who attends an all boys' school, and who is able to create a scenario where Kagome is alone and vulnerable is the most likely culprit."

Rin clenched his teeth, snarling. "Why you—!"

"That theory does make the most sense!" Nagisa declared, jokingly tapping his chin as though he was in deep thought.

"He is always lurking around after practice," Makoto added, "He says he's only looking after his team, but now I'm not so sure."

Rei nodded, grateful he was no longer the brunt of the joke. "It's probably a front, so we won't be suspicious of his real motives."

He flinched when Kagome hit him in the shoulder.

"You shouldn't all gang up on Rin like that," she playfully scolded, "Besides, he's not the kind of guy who would do something so perverted."

Rin's temper calmed but only a little.

"Thanks. At least one of you has some common sense."

"No problem, Rin-chan!" she said as she turned away from the boys with her bag and walked to the empty locker room. She paused when she reached the door to toss them a wink over her shoulder.

"I promise I won't be too long. Try not to be tempted to look, okay?"

Before any of the boys could reply, Kagome skipped into the showers and closed the door behind her.

"We'll close up after Kagome's finished if you want to get back to your room," Makoto suggested to Rin, "Despite what she said, Kagome always takes her time."

Rin shrugged and started walking toward the exit. "Do whatever you want. Just don't leave a mess."

He half expected to hear another dry remark from Haru, but he said noting. Rin took a quick look around and noticed Haru managed to sneak away without anyone noticing. Rin's thoughts went to their earlier topic of conversation, but he immediately dismissed that idea. Haru wouldn't know the first thing to do with a girl let alone a naked one and let alone Kagome. He had nothing but water on the brain, and, even if he was the slightest bit aware of the fairer sex, he was too much of a cold fish—every pun intended—to try anything. The others weren't quite as bad with the ladies as he was, but they were close. Between swimming, school, and their usual antics, none of them would get a girlfriend anytime soon.

Once he was outside, Rin spotted something haphazardly dropped on the pathway leading away from the pool. It was Momotaro's swim cap. Rin sighed as he snatched it up and turned back around. The freshman was a strong swimmer like his older brother but a grade-A ditz.

Rin jogged around to the back entrance, so he could slip in and out of the locker room undetected. The last thing he wanted was to be seen by the others and accused of invading Kagome's privacy.

He shook his head. Those idiots. As if Kagome would change with the door open anyway.

Still, he wouldn't give any of them the chance to draw the wrong conclusion, most of all her. Kagome was as sweet and bubbly as can be, but, when she was provoked, she could throw a mean slap when she heard a suggestive comment about her swimsuit. Unfortunately, he knew that from experience.

As soon as he entered the locker room, Rin tossed the cap on top of Momotaro's locker. Before he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of light coming from a small crack in the door from the corner of his eye. Maybe Kagome wasn't as wary of her surroundings as he assumed she was. Being around the boys all the time must have made her careless.

Rin honestly had no intention of approaching to that alluring sliver of light and trying to look beyond it. He was fully prepared to leave until he heard it. The light, breathy, and completely feminine gasp from the adjacent shower amplified by the fact it was nearly empty could have only come from Kagome's lips. Curiously, Rin couldn't hear the water running which made Kagome's soft voice carry even further.

Just what is she doing in there? he wondered, slowly tiptoeing to the crack. He wasn't trying to do anything perverted. Checking on Kagome's wellbeing was his only objective.

Rin crouched down and inched for the doorway. When he peered through to the crack, he couldn't see anything or anyone out of the ordinary. There was only the empty tiled walkway that separated the shower stalls from the row of sinks and mirrors on the opposite end. He had to stop himself from making the opening larger so he could get a better look.

What the hell am I doing? She's fine! There's no reason for me to stay here!

Just when Rin prepared to stand, Kagome gasped again and invaded his field of vision as she was suddenly pushed up against the wall. Her eyes were wide and frightened as two strong arms caged her on both sides.

…Haru?

The normally stoic teen kept his arms in place as he leaned forward and rubbed his face against her neck, peppering soft kisses on her skin. Kagome blushed and reached up to grip him by the hair. Haru paid no heed and continued with more vigor than before.

"Stop it, Haru!" she hissed, "We'll get caught if you don't quit it!"

With an exasperated sigh, Haru pulled away from Kagome's neck and rested his forehead against hers.

"You're being difficult."

"I'm being difficult?" she asked, indignant. Her hands, still clutching his hair, tugged hard enough to make Haru wince. "Get off me, you jerk!"

Haru hummed and nudged her nose with his.

"Stop it," he told her, "There's no reason to show out just because we're at Samezuka."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "I'm not—!"

She let out a muffled breath when Haru pressed his mouth to hers. Her hands released him and dropped to her side in shock as Haru's lips moved and molded against her.

Damn, Rin thought as he continued to watch. Haru was not as clueless as he let on.

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – Don't ask me where that came from. I have not a clue. For all of you who want more than just a censored teaser, head over to AO3 .org. It'll be worth it! (=^o^=)

(edited 5.23.2015)