Hitomi eyed the silver-haired boy with the floppy ears carefully. When she spoke, however, it was to the schoolgirl in the green skirt who stood beside him. "Your dog boy won't chase my cat girl, will he?" she asked, motioning to the sulking Merle in the corner where she had retreated immediately after Van's departure.

"Oh, no! He's much better behaved than he looks," Kagome assured her, patting Inuyasha's arm and smiling like a doting mother. The hanyou huffed in disgust.

"Oh." Hitomi paused and a thoughtful look crossed her expressive face. "Would he do it if I paid him?"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

This mini-dialogue has flashed through my mind on more than one occasion and has always amused me. I can see it happening, especially if it was after Merle's "scratching post" remarks. I just thought it was cute.