* * * * * * * *

          The chatter and clatter of company filled the tiny apartment as Kagome and Sango passed around plates of cheese and crackers. Miroku sprawled on their sofa between Naomi and Chrystal, a redheaded woman who had attended high school with Sango. Koga and Luke stood by the stereo, cans of soda in hand as they laughed at some joke Miroku told.
          "Hey! Sango, can I get some more of those fantastic snacks you're serving?" Miroku requested. Sango wandered up to him, holding the plate down where he could see. He leaned forward, appearing to examine the plate carefully. His hand slowly snuck up behind Sango, boldly stroking her behind.
          "Oops!" Sango yelped unconvincingly as the plate suddenly flipped into Miroku's face. "Gee, Miroku! I'm sorry, but your touch just gets me so worked up!" she snapped at him and stormed out of the room.
          Everyone burst out laughing, even Miroku as a glob of cheese slowly slid down his nose. Kagome escaped the room, snickering softly under her breath as she searched for Sango. She found her sister sitting at the kitchen table, head in her hands.
          "Hey, sis, you okay?" Kagome asked softly.
          Sango hid a sniffle as she turned her face away from Kagome and discreetly rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, why?"
          "Miroku's such an idiot sometimes." Kagome offered comfortingly.
          "Yeah."
          "I don't know why he can't just behave!" Kagome remarked.
          "Me either."
          "Why did you two ever break it off, Sango? I mean, obviously you still have feelings for him if his behavior upsets you so much." Kagome questioned, pulling out a chair across from her sister.
          Sango frowned, "I don't know. It was my fault, mostly I guess." She said miserably. "He wanted kids, and I didn't. I don't know. He was so incredible, though, for all his wandering hands, he's actually really sensitive. He always listened, and. . .I don't know." Sango concluded hoplessly. "I mean, maybe I should have just said, 'Okay, let's have some kids.' I mean, how bad can they be?"
          Kagome laughed. "I don't know. Have you spoken to Miroku about this? I mean, it's him you should be talking to about this, not me."
          "After Miroku, there was Kevin, and then Darien. I don't know. I didn't really get along with either of them, and Darien. . .what a toady." Sango remarked.
          "I dunno. Kinda seems to me like you guys should go out again." Kagome told her.
          "Kagome, it's been two years, now. I sincerely doubt he even thinks about me in that way anymore." Sango told her.
          "Sango, he thinks about every girl in that way."

 

* * * * * * * *

          Inuyasha rapped on the door nervously, mentally running over what to say in his mind. The door swung open, and Kagome grinned up at him cheerfully. "Hey!" she chirped.
          "Uh. . . I brought your clothes back." He told her, holding the dry- cleaner's bag out to her.
          Kagome stared at him in surprise, "Um. . .okay." she shook her head. "Come in, come in."
          Inuyasha frowned, "I really can't stay. But, could I use your bathroom before I go?"
          Kagome nodded, "Sure. You know where it is."
          Inuyasha brushed past her and made his way down the hall. All of a sudden he had started feeling a little light-headed. He wandered down the hall, and flipped on the light in the bathroom, drawing water in the sink and splashing it in his face. Suddenly, accompanied by a sinking in his stomach, Inuyasha felt his head begin to change shape slightly, and he stared into the mirror in horror as his ears slid down the sides of his head and formed human ears while his hair washed out black, and his eyes darkened to brown. "Damn it!" he swore bitterly. "With all that's happened, I forgot tonight was a new moon."
          Kagome hesitantly stood outside the bathroom door. Inuyasha hadn't looked too healthy when he'd gone in there. "Uh. . .Inuyasha, are you okay?" she asked softly.
          "Urgh! Damn! Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." Inuyasha called through the door.
          "Do you need anything?" Kagome asked.
          "No, I. . .just let me alone!" he snapped.
          Kagome jumped in surprise. It was very rude to yell at someone in their own home. With a sigh, Kagome walked away. Let the crazy demon in there for all she cared.

 

* * * * * * * *

 

          Three hours later, everyone but Miroku had gone home. Miroku seemed intent on spending the night, but at the moment, Kagome couldn't have cared less. Inuyasha was still in the bathroom, and had stopped responding to her questions.
          "Sango! What should I do?" She questioned, "What if he's sick or something."
          Sango smirked, "It would not be cool if a suspect died in our apartment." She remarked wryly.
          "Sango!"
          "Okay, okay, have Miroku knock the door open." She offered.
          Kagome glared at her sister irritably before returning to the door. "Inuyasha? If you're alive and can answer me, Miroku is going to knock the door down if you don't open up."
          A flurry of swearing followed by a clatter and a thud responded, "Fine, you know what? Fine! You bunch of morons! I'm coming out!"
          The door clicked and swung open and Inuyasha emerged, his hair wrapped in a fluffy pink towel on his head. "Inuyasha? What are you doing?" Kagome questioned.
          "Nothing!"
          "What's up with the towel, Kimadora?" Sango asked, eyebrow raised curiously.
          "Dude! You're Inuyasha Kimadora! I remember a few years back, you were in the youngest CEO in twenty years! Back before the whole drug thing, of course. . ." Miroku exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
          "Uh. . ." Inuyasha muttered. "I'm leaving."
          "Hey!" Kagome yelped as he darted past her. She latched onto his fluffy towel and gave it a tug. A mass of ebony colored hair swept out of it, and Kagome yelped. "You're not Inuyasha!"
          "What the?" Miroku said.
          "Freeze!" Sango exclaimed, pointing her firearm at him levely.
          "Where did that come from?" Inuyasha said in surprise.
          "She's a cop you loser! Where's Inuyasha, and what are you trying to pull?" Kagome demanded.
          "God! Put the frigging gun away!" Inuyasha snapped, "It's me, it's Inuyasha!"
          "You liar! Inuyasha's a demon! You're human, and your hair isn't even the right color!" Kagome accused.
          "I'm hanyou, a half-demon!" Inuyasha told her firmly.
          "And you look like this because. . ." Sango prompted.
          Miroku laughed, "I remember studying this in college. Half-demons go through cycles where their demon blood rises and falls. It's connected with the moon's pull on the earth, you know, the phases."
          "And this means what?" Sango moved her eyes to Miroku, holding the gun steady at Inuyasha still.
          "Well. . .it means he's basically human for the night." Miroku informed her.
          Kagome stared at him. His eyes were even a different color. She hadn't noticed, but had been too concerned with the silly towel on his head to pick up on the difference. "Heh. . ." she snorted.
          "It's not funny." Inuyasha snapped and glared at Sango, "Would you put the stupid freaking gun away?" Sango complied, and Inuyasha stared at the spectators irritably. "Well, this is just great." He muttered and whirled on Kagome, "This is all your fault!"
          "Eh - excuse me?"
          "You heard me! This is all your fault! If it hadn't been for your stupid soda, I never would have come here tonight, and I would be at home!" He stormed.
          "Well, I'm sorry! Next time, I will be sure not to offer my protector a drink!" Kagome snapped.
          "It might be safer, though I suspect it would be smarter to let the thugs have you next time!" Inuyasha bellowed.
          "Oh, and you're so much better? Hiding out in my bathroom because your hair's changed colors?"
          "There's more to it than that! But that's it! I'm leaving!" Inuyasha retorted furiously and stormed out the door.
          Miroku and Sango stared at Kagome and the retreating Inuyasha in surprise. For the most part, Kagome was a very even-tempered. Sango had only ever seen her flip out on someone like that once, and that was Koga when he refused to accept that Kagome wasn't interested. That had been a sight to see, and a sound too.
          "Whoah. . ." Miroku muttered, "You didn't tell me Kagome was going out with him. . ."
          "I am not going out with him! He's just an idiot!" Kagome screeched at him.
          "Eh, okay Kagome, sorry. . ." Miroku replied warily.
          "Um. . .Kagome?"
          "I'm going to take a shower." She interrupted and thundered down the hall, ignoring the pair staring at her in surprise.