#auweekend

@inuvember  Day 25 AU Weekend

As the teacher walks in to the classroom that Monday morning, everyone’s heads turn.  A few snickers from the boys and giggles from the girls but for Kagome, she stares at the young man standing next to the sensei.  There is just something different about him that she can’t seem to put a finger on.  “Class we have a new student transferring in today.  His name is Inuyasha, I’d like everyone to treat him well.  Inuyasha please take that open seat.”  Sensei points to an open desk next to Kagome.  The girl gulps as the two lock eyes for just a moment, but in that flash, a bolt of electricity shoots through her body before they both turn and look away.    

“I don’t wanna sit by a girl.” The boy grouses

“Well unfortunately it’s the only open desk.”

“Ugh fine.” The boy saunters to the desk and sits down, doing everything he can not to look at the girl beside him.  The male student on the other side of him snickers and mutters something under his breath pissing off him off.  “If you wanna make it to tomorrow…” Inuyasha growls through gritted teeth, “…best you just leave me alone.”  That shuts the other male up.

~~x~~

“He’s cute!”  The girls chattering around Kagome whisper and giggle.  “Total bad boy heart throb…” another girl sighs dreamily.  It’s the middle of PE class but since the teacher had an emergency, the students were just told to keep themselves occupied for the rest of the class time.  She watches the young man leaning against one of the fences through her peripheral vision, ‘yeah… I guess he’s cute…’  “Did you see his eyes!”  “Sigh, they were like gold coins!  I’ve never seen someone with that color before…”  “I heard he moved here with his older brother from another part of Japan.”  “Oh yeah?”  “Something about after his mom passed away…”  “That’s so sad…”  Kagome looks at him again, his head is down, and his arms are crossed, ‘maybe that’s why he’s so grouchy?  With that hat on I can’t tell if he’s looking…’  “Hey Kagome?”

Turning back to her friends, “Yeah.”  

“I just asked you a question.”  Her friend giggles.  “But I guess you were too busy staring at him.”  

Kagome immediately flushes, “I-I wasn’t staring at him.” But she can’t help her head from turning and looking at him again and is shocked to see him looking back.  “Oh my god…” she quickly turns away and hides her face, “he was looking at me!”  

The other girls giggle harder, “Maybe he’s checking you out!”

“Hardly, he didn’t even wanna sit by me…”

“Well he’s still looking in this direction…” a friend whispers in her ear.  “Guess he changed his mind.”

Just as she’s about to look for herself, another males voice is heard calling her.  “Higurashi!”  She turns to see a boy waving.

‘Oh, just great!’  Houjou runs up, “Hey Higurashi, do you have plans this weekend?”

“Um why?”  She looks and sees the new guy walking away from the fence.  “What’s this weekend?”

“If you’re free, would you like to see a movie?”

“Oh… I don’t know…”

“Come on Kagome, go with Houjou, you’ll have fun.” Her friends prod her decision along.

“Shall I pick you up at 6 on Saturday?”

“Um, how about I meet you at 6 at the cineplex…”

“Great.  I’ll see you then!”  he walks back to his group of friends.

“Where did that come from?”  the shaken girl mumbles out and realizes Inuyasha has also disappeared.

Now her friends are really giggling, “Kagome you’ve caught the attention of two guys!  And two cute ones at that!”  “I’m so jealous!”

Laughing half-heartedly, she drops her shoulders, “Then why am I not thrilled…”  She looks back to the spot where the new student had been standing.  ‘Why was he looking at me?  He was too far away to know we were talking about him…’

For the rest of that week, Kagome and Inuyasha avoid contact as much as physically possible, despite sitting right next to each other in class.  Nope no eye contact, no verbal ones; though she swears she catches him staring at her sometimes when he thinks she’s not looking.  Outside of the classroom he continues his loner bit, eating alone at lunch time, only interacting with other students when forced to.  What’s with this guy, she wonders, I can understand maybe feeling sad if his mother passed away, she herself remembering when her own father died when she was younger, but still she gets the sense he hasn’t had much contact with other people even before moving here.  And then there are the odd sensations she receives from him, like that electricity on the first day, I mean she felt like she was shocked by an outlet.  On the few occasions when they’ve brushed against each other while getting up from their desks, or passing in the hallways, she’s felt what she can only describe as a pulse shoot through her body.  She’d mentioned this to a few others she trusted, and everyone had said they felt nothing, so what was that sensation and why was it only happening to her?

~~xx~~

As soon as he went home from school that Monday he immediately went to his brother’s office.  “This is a bad idea, there’s a miko in that class and she’s gonna figure out what I am!”

Without stopping what he was working on, Sesshomaru responds, “Did she?”

“Did she what?”

“Well did she figure it out?”

“Not yet, but she’s bound to.”

“Does she even know she is a miko?”

Inuyasha crosses his arms, “Actually…  No, I don’t think she does.”

“Then just avoid contact with her.”

“Keh.  Easy for you to say.”

Sesshomaru looks up from his papers.  “Why would it be difficult?” he raises an eyebrow.  “Unless you want to get closer to the human…”

“I still don’t understand why you don’t like humans.”

“Simple, they are weaker.   It’s bad enough I was saddled with a half human for a brother, I don’t need more in the family.”

“Fuck you Sesshomaru!”  Inuyasha stomps away to his room, slamming the door behind him.

But his brother just smirks, “Ugh, 200 years old and he still acts like a child.  And he wonders why I treat him like one.”  It had been their fathers dying wish that he take care of his little brother if anything happened to the mother, being human and all, she was more prone to their frailties and sure enough she contracted cancer by the time Inuyasha was less than 10 years old.  Of course, that was almost 200 years ago.  At first, he was absolutely against the idea, but it was his own mother that convinced him to do this.  You must honor your father’s wishes, she had said, as head of this clan now, you are the elder and must act appropriately.  Yeah well, it’s not exactly a picnic raising a hanyo, they mature slower and even though in years he is older, his mentality is closer to a 15-year old most of the time.  ‘Must be the human bloods influence…’  Sesshomaru really didn’t care if that girl figured out what they were, hell, in this day and age, demons were something from legends and fairytales, nothing humans really believed in anymore and this made hiding in plain sight much easier.  Of course, the fact that they age slowly did pose a problem, but fake identities, and moving around helped, even a short stint overseas; as long as they didn’t attract attention, no one cared.  

Inuyasha did stay away from Kagome, well at least in school, but his curiosity about the girl was winning so by the third day, he had tracked her down to her home.  The fact that she lived at a shrine didn’t surprise him, considering miko blood seemed to run in her veins.  It was around midnight and the boy sat crouched on her roof above her bedroom listening to her breathing as she slept.  It was strange how peaceful her very presence felt in this environment, it wasn’t the same at school where the frenetic energy was maybe more skewed but here, it was soothing.  Sigh, ‘this could be a problem…’

That Saturday afternoon, Inuyasha was milling around the shrine again when her scent wafted through the air.  ‘Shit!’  She was close by and when he turned to look, sure enough was heading in his direction but seemed distracted.  He pulls the ballcap lower over his face, put his head down and keeps walking forward hoping she doesn’t notice him.  

Adjusting her top, re-shouldering her purse, ‘Ugh, why did I agree to this movie date!’  Checking her purse again for her money.  ‘I don’t have any interest in Houjou regardless if he’s popular or not...  Why’d he ask me out all of a sudden anyways?’  She looks at her watch, 5:30pm.  ‘Great I may not even make it on time…’  Someone bumps into her as they pass by and that now familiar pulse shoots up her spine.  Turning around, “Hey watch….  It’s you?”

Cursing his yoki for making him walk into the girl, he stops too.  “Sorry,” he mumbles and tries to keep moving but she grabs his arm.

“What are you doing around here anyways?”

“Just exploring the city, what’s it to you.”  He pulls away and starts walking again.

“Hey, don’t walk away from me!” she hurries to catch up with him.  “I’m talking to you.”

“You’re gonna be late for your date if you keep following me.” He mumbles without slowing a step.  

Kagome grabs his hand and tugs him to a stop.  “H-how did you know that’s where I was going?  You were too far away to have heard that conversation.”  Her eyes widen.  “Wait, is that why you walked away?  Because Houjou was asking me out on a date?”  

“No!” he pulls his hand out of her grip and crosses his arms.  “Why they hell would I care if you go out with that boy?!”

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me why you’re getting all defensive about the topic?!”

“Keh!  I am not getting defensive!”

“Oh, then what would you call this?” she crosses her arms too.  “And I don’t believe you when you say you were just passing by.”

He looks at his own watch, “Why do you care what I was doing, and by the way, you just stood that boy up.”

Without hesitation she retorts, “I don’t care,” stunning him.  “I’m not interested in Houjou anyways.”  He can’t stop the smirk from forming on his face.  “What’s that grin for?!”

“I’m not…”

Her hands fly to her mouth in shock, “You were bothered that I agreed to that date!”

He turns away, but the slight blush gives him away.  “I was not!”

She giggles, “Yes you were!  I see it on your face!”

He pulls his hat off and scratches his head trying to act nonchalantly, “I am not.”  There’s a shimmer over his head for a second.

‘Was that ears!’  She swears in the distorted shimmer there were ears on top of his head!  Her eyes narrow as she goads him further, “Are you attracted to me Inuyasha?” she moves closer to him.  “Is that why you avoid me in school yet somehow manage to find where I live in this big city?” Brushing against his arm, “Maybe that’s why you bumped into me today…”

“Will you shut it wench!”  the shimmer appears for a few more seconds and again she sees the ears.  “Just drop it would ya!” and storms off.  This time she lets him walk away.

As she watches him disappear around the corner a smirk appears on her face.  ‘I think he likes me…  But what the hell was going on with his head?  Is that why he wears a hat?’  She turns back and heads home to leave a message on Houjou’s phone…

Inuyasha cuts through the forests surrounding the city.  He needs to get away and clear his head, or maybe tear something up to vent his frustrations; like a tree trunk…  He can’t believe he was stupid enough to get pulled into a yelling match with that girl!  ‘You see what you caused?!’ he growls at his yoki.  ‘We shouldn’t be going near her, and yet you keep pushing me towards her!’  ‘Oh please, I’m not forcing you to do anything you didn’t wanna do for yourself…’  ‘She’s gonna figure out who I am!’  ‘Let her, she’s a perfect match for you!’  ‘What are you talking about?!’  ‘You know exactly what I’m talking about…’  He jumps up into a tree and starts tearing up the branches.  ‘I am not interested in that.’  ‘Don’t kid yourself…’  ‘She’s too young.’  ‘I’m not telling you to go that far; in this day and age, it’s called dating.  But just for your peace of mind, she’s 17, almost an adult.’  ‘Could you just shut up and leave me alone right now…’

Late that night, after her family had gone to bed, Kagome slips out of her room and with the help of a ladder climbs the Goshinboku.  Her grandfather told her it was a sacred tree that has watched over this area for centuries but for her, its ancient energy was simply a soothing one that she often turned to when something bothered her.  She settles on the lowest sturdiest branch, resting against it’s trunk to clear her mind.  All week she had been distracted by the new student, the strange sensations she would feel from him, the avoidances, and then now that run in earlier today.  Was her mind playing more tricks on her?  Maybe her eyes?  But she knows she’s not going crazy, those were clearly ears she saw on his head!  “That’s not possible, right?” whispering it more to just say something out loud.  As a normal teenage girl, she’s had small crushes on boys before, but beyond the he’s cute stage, no one’s ever struck a deeper cord.  Most of the time her focus was on school with the hopes of moving onto college someday and none of those goals included getting attached to any man.  Yet somehow, she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about him…  

Eventually she dozes off, and that’s how he finds her.  

It had developed into a nightly ritual and despite his run in with her earlier, his yoki compelled him to check on Kagome before he could sleep soundly with the knowledge she was safe.  But when he arrived above her room he immediately could tell she wasn’t in it.  Sniffing the air, he knows she’s somewhere around, the house is all dark, so he follows her scent.  With his keen eye sight, he can see her sleeping in the tree.  ‘Why the hell is she up there?’  Worried she could fall or hell get sick from being out in the cold night air, he debates momentarily about what he should do; leave her there, or get her back to her room.  He sighs and jumps up into the tree.

Praying that she’s a deep sleeper, he moves as quickly and gently as he can, bundling her into his arms before jumping back down to the ground.  But as he walks towards her room she starts to shift, putting her arms around his neck, “Mmm… warm…” He stiffens a little, but it seems she’s just sleep talking for now.  He breathes a sigh of relief when he notices the window of her room is still open and manages to get through without too much trouble.  But after placing her on the bed and pulling blankets over her she whispers, “Inuyasha…”

‘Oh crap!’  Thinking he was just busted, he scrambles out her window and disappears into the night.  She smiles in her sleep as the dream she’s having is centered around a certain new student in her class…

~~xx~~

Monday morning and the exodus continues.  All day as usual, Kagome and Inuyasha pay no attention to each other in the classroom.  But instead of his normal sullen looks, she thinks he almost seems nervous.  Finally, by the last class of the day, PE, she can’t take it anymore and corners him alone on the field.  

“Alright spill it, I can handle your glares but why are so nervous around me today?”

“I’m not nervous.”

“I can feel it from you, is it because I accused you of having a crush on me?”

‘Whew, she doesn’t remember the tree…’  “No, because I don’t.”

“W-well that’s good to know, cause I don’t either.”

“Then why did your voice just crack?”

“My voice didn’t’ crack!”

“Oh-ho, so maybe it’s the other way around?  Is that why you didn’t mind missing your date with that boy?  Cause you have a crush on me!”

Kagome crosses her arms, “Tch, no that’s not it.”

“Then why are you getting defensive over the topic?” he throws the same jab back at her.  But she decides not to let him win this round.  Exhale, unfurling her arms, she reaches up with one hand and waves it over his head.  He moves back, “What are you doing?”

“I swear I saw ears on Saturday so I’m checking to see if I can feel anything.”

He swats her hand away, “I don’t have ears on top of my head.”

“I saw it twice and I know I’m not going crazy.”

She reaches up again but this time he grabs her wrist, “Please stop, don’t attract any attention to me.” he mumbles to her.

“Then tell me the truth.”

Sigh, “Not here.”

“Then where?”  

“Just stay home tonight.”

“Why?”

“Ugh, do you have to be so damn stubborn.  Just stay home.”

“Alright!” she grumbles, “Are you gonna call or something?”

“Or something.” And he walks away leaving her confused.

~~x~~

He listens and waits from the roof over her room until the rest of her family is asleep.  He could hear her complaining that he had stood her up and chuckles, just be patient Kagome…

Finally, when she is the last one awake, he leaps down to her window and jumps through startling her.  “What are you doing in my room!?”

“I told you or something.  Do you wanna know the truth or not?”

Kagome settles down on her bed with her back against the wall, “Yes.”

He sits down on the edge, “Are you sure, cause you better not freak out on me.”

“Why would I freak out?”

“Just swear not to scream or anything.”

“I won’t.”  He turns off the glamor spell and her hand flies up to cover her mouth but instead of a scream she giggles, “I knew it, you do have ears!”  Reaching out to rub them, “Ooh and they are so fluffy!”

“Okay stop that!” he pulls out of her reach.  

With a pout, “But they are so adorable!”  

“How are you not afraid of me, do you not realize what I am?”  Kagome scoots closer to him and reaches out again, but he flinches, “What are you doing?”

Without a response she touches his hair which looks a bit longer.  She grabs his hand and notes the nails that look more claw like.  Now she reaches up to touch his face…  “You look mostly human…” she murmurs, “Yet some of these features are canine…”

“I’m a Hanyo, an Inu Hanyo, do you know what that is?”

“Hanyo…” she ponders, “A half dog demon?”  Cocking her head, “I didn’t know demons still existed.”

“There’s not as many as there were many years ago.  Most of us hide our identities with spells to blend in with humans.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?  Because most humans don’t react like this, they, they fear us.”

“Then why are you showing yourself to me?”

Exhale, “Very few humans can sense us, and you are one of those humans.  It’s probably the miko blood running through your lineage and eventually you’d figure it out.”

“Okay, I can understand that, but still why reveal yourself to me?  You could have just, I don’t know convinced me I was seeing things.”

He feels his face flushing and turns away, “I don’t know why…  Maybe because I’m an idiot, at least that’s what my brother would probably say.”

“It must be lonely…  Having to hide who you really are…”  He looks back to her surprised, not just with how well she is taking this, but from the compassion he hears in her tone.  “But I don’t think you’re an idiot Inuyasha.”  Now her cheeks are flushing.  “Could I ask you something?”  he nods.  “Saturday night, I know I fell asleep in the Goshinboku, I do that sometimes when I wanna think, but somehow I woke up in my bed… Did you have something to do with that?”

“Maybe…” he mumbles, “I was worried you might fall.”

Her voice softens, “But how did you know I was up there?”

“I check on you, to make sure you’re safe each night.”  Now it’s her turn to look shocked.  

An uncomfortable silence develops.  “Well um, it’s getting late and you should probably get home already.”

“Yeah,” he scratches his head, “you need your sleep.”

“Don’t you sleep?”

“Not as much as humans.”  He stands up and walks towards the window.

“Inuyasha?”

“What?”

“Could I ask you, is it true you just lost your mom?”

“No, she died over 150 years ago.”

“Wait, 150 years?  How old are you?”

“I think almost 200.”

“But you look my age!”

“We mature slower than humans.  Remember, don’t tell anyone about this…” and jumps out her window leaving her for the rest of the night.

Unbeknownst to Kagome, he simply leapt to her roof waiting for her to fall asleep; but she couldn’t, not after what she just learned about the mysterious boy.  Flopping on her back and letting herself sink into her comfy bed, she sighs.  “Inuyasha…” she breathes out his name.  His ears twitch and swivel.  “It’s so crazy…  And yet…” she sighs again.  “He’s a hanyo, something I’ve only heard about through the stories grandpa tells.  “But he’s so fascinating.”  Fascinating, he thinks to himself, that’s an interesting way of putting it.  He hears her yawn then giggle, “And very cute!”  

‘Gah!  She thinks I’m cute?!’  ‘Aren’t you happy about that?’ his yoki points out.  ‘She looks too much like…’  ‘Oh, get over her man, that was over a hundred years ago and you were still just a pup.’  ‘She smells like her too.’  ‘So maybe that was her in another lifetime.  Will you just move on?’  ‘But Sesshomaru was right, she’s human, she won’t live as long…’  ‘You know there are ways now to keep them around longer…’  Sigh.  His yoki was right, there was a way to lengthen the life of a mate, but it could be a tricky process and death was always still a possibility.  ‘Geez, I’m not telling you to settle down with her, at least you’ve made a friend, and let fate take its course!’  ‘Maybe…’  He hears her breathing even out; she’s asleep.  “Goodnight Kagome…”

~~xx~~

“Doesn’t his butt look great in those jeans?” Kagome’s friend whispers to her as they walk towards their class.  Inuyasha is just up ahead of them, and she swears she saw his head tilt from the comment.  Knowing what she knows now, he probably heard what her friend said so she decides to test the theory.

“Oh yeah, he definitely has a cute ass.”  ‘Did his step just falter?  I bet if I could see his ears, they’d be twitching like crazy!’  She grins, “Perfect for squeezing.”

Inuyasha stops walking and turns around, staring at her for a second; he can’t believe what just came out of Kagome’s mouth!

“He’s looking at you again!” her friend giggles.  “Do you think he heard…”

“Uh-huh…” she gives him a sneaky smile, “I’m sure he did…”

~~xx~~

Two weeks later, on a Friday, Inuyasha is absent from school and Kagome is curious as to why.  They had only spoken a few times since that Monday night, never in school, but he had snuck in to her room a few times to ‘talk’.  Maybe out of boredom, who knew.  He wasn’t much of a talker, but it was better than nothing.  Oh, he had given her an earful about gossiping about him in school, but she just laughed it off that she was just checking to see if he was eavesdropping.  What was nice about the visits, was he seemed to be more relaxed when it was just the two of them in the privacy of her room.  Maybe because he didn’t have to hide who he really was, even turning off the spell while he’d be there.  She almost felt, honored that he was warming up to her, if that’s what you could call it.  So, when he didn’t show up for school she became concerned.

Without the advantage of a canine’s nose to help her, she had to resort to more practical means to find out where he lived; in other words, schmoozing the office worker to give her the information.  Feigning a need to take him his school work for the day but forgetting his address, after some sweet pleading, the office girl finally gave her what she needed.

~~~

It took a short ride on the commuter train, a bus, and finally, a two block walk till she had reached her destination at the edge of town.  ‘Wow…’ she remarked as she walked past all the large homes of the area.  This section was for wealthier citizens, an area she’s never been to before.  Checking the address on her paper again, she finds the house she is looking for and knocks at the door.  A woman answers.  

“May I help you?”

“Um, hi, I’m looking for Inuyasha.  He was absent today and I wanted to give him his school work, so he doesn’t miss anything.”

“Oh, that’s really sweet of you but, he’s um not feeling well.  I wouldn’t want you to catch his cold.”

“It’s really not a problem, I’m sure it would be okay, Miss?”

“Kagura.”

“It’s nice to meet you Kagura, my name is Kagome.”

“Ah, so you are Kagome…”  the woman smiles as she looks the nervous girl up and down.  “Yes, Inuyasha has mentioned you.”

“It’s really important I see him and,” she glances around, “I know he’s ‘different,’ so please could I speak with him?”

“He told you, has he?  I’m not surprised.” The woman sighs, “Sometimes he has a hard time coping with that,” and steps back from the door.  “Well come in, Kagome, let me show you to his room.”

As Kagome follows the woman up a set of stairs to the second floor she can’t help but gasp at the grand furnishings of the home.  “This is a beautiful home.  Are you Inuyasha’s sister-in-law?”

“Why yes, I am,” the woman smiles, “Sesshomaru is my mate.”

“So, does that mean you are a yokai too?”

“Something like that…” she points at a closed door, “He’s in there.”

“Thank you.”  After the woman walks away Kagome knocks.  

“Kagura, I’d rather not be bothered.”

“Inuyasha?”

“Kagome?!”  The door pulls open, “What are you doing here?”

Her eyes widen at the sight before her, “Inuyasha?  Is that you?”  Gone is the white hair and golden eyes, the claws, but instead a totally normal looking human teenage boy!  His hair is black and a slightly different style...  and his eyes are dark too.  ‘His ears are gone…’  Her mouth hangs open just a little the longer she stares…  

“Keh!  If all your gonna do is gawk at me then go home.”

That attitude brings her out of her shock.  “Well how am I supposed to act!  I wasn’t expecting…” she waves her hands up and down motioning to his appearance, “…this!”

“Keep your voice down!” he pulls her into the room and closes the door.  “I don’t need my brother coming to bug me with questions.”  Plopping on his bed.  “So, what are you doing here?”

“You were absent from school and I was worried about you.”

“Well as you can see I’m fine.”

“But you’re…”

“Human.”  She nods...  “Look I’m part human so once a month, during the new moon I lose my yokai side and change to this state…” …but continues to scrutinize his appearance.  “Will you stop staring at me!”

“Sorry,” she averts her eyes embarrassed.  “It’s just, you look so different.  Well not totally but…” she pouts, “I kinda like your other side better.”

“You do?” his eyes register his shock.  “Why?”

Kagome sits next to him on the bed, “I don’t know, it’s just different than most people, you know, and intriguing…” her face flushes a little.  “Not that this look is bad or anything…   I think you look fine either way.”

“You think I’m cute, that’s what you’re trying to say aren’t you.”

“I-I didn’t say that…” her face turning more crimson, “Okay so I think you are attractive, I mean hell, half the girls at school think that.”

“Yeah, but I have no interest in what they think.”

“You care what I think?”

“What!  I didn’t say that either.”

“Oh…” she looks down a little embarrassed and dejected.  “Well, um since you seem fine, I guess I’ll head home now…” and stands to leave.  “I’ll see you at school.”

“Wait, Kagome, you don’t have to leave yet.”  She stops walking.  “I don’t go out when I’m like this, but you can stay and hang out if you want to.”

“Are you sure?”  when he nods, “Okay…” she sits back on his bed.  “So, what do you do when you’re stuck in here?”

He shrugs his shoulders, “Watch TV, play video games, listen to music, whatever.  Sometimes it is kinda boring by myself.  I actually hate it when I get like this, I lose my abilities and I feel vulnerable; that’s why I don’t go out.”

“Have you been attacked or something?”

“Not recently, but in the past, yeah, it was more dangerous for me.  Sesshomaru has had to fend off a few rogue yokai’s...”

~~~

Downstairs in his office, Kagura peeks in with her husband.  “Thought you’d like to know, that Kagome girl came to see Inuyasha.”

He looks up from his desk.  “Really?”

“She seems nice and since she never came back down screaming, everything must be fine.”

“You didn’t warn her that he would look different?”

“No, I wanted to gauge her reaction and so far, I think she’s good for him.”

“She’s the first human he’s allowed to get so close, since that miko years ago.”

“I think Kagome looks like her.”

“Hmm…  Maybe that’s why he was fascinated with her…”

“I think he actually likes this one…”

~~~

Back in his room, Inuyasha has leaned up against the wall with game controllers in his hands and Kagome is lying on her stomach with a textbook in front of her.  “Don’t you need to study, Inuyasha?”

“What for?”

“There’s a test coming up at the beginning of next week, that’s why.”

“Keh, I’ll be fine, I always am.”

“I still think it’s strange… for as long as you’ve lived, why you’re still attending school.”

“It’s part of my cover, you know, to blend in to this city.  I look like I should be a high school student, so my brother insisted I enroll.”

“Does that mean you already know how to do all of this stuff?” gesturing at the textbook.  

“For the most part, yeah.”

“Lucky.  I don’t mind most of the subjects, but I despise math.”

“Oh, I’m not fond of that subject either.”  There’s a knock on the door.

“Inuyasha?”  It’s his brothers voice.  “Would you or your friend like some dinner?”

He looks at Kagome, who nods, whispering, “If it’s no trouble…”

“None at all,” Sesshomaru responds.  “Come down in half an hour to the dining room.”

~~~

Somewhat of an odd sight, the four dinner guests sitting around a large dining table meant for double that.  No plates in front of the two older residents, only her and Inuyasha.  But the food looked wonderful, and smelled just as tasty.  

“So, Kagome,” inquires Sesshomaru from across the dining table, “Inuyasha mentioned you are from the Higurashi shrine.”

“Yes, my family has been its caretakers for two generations and my brother will be groomed to take it over one day.”

Kagura, “Why him and not you?”

“Me?” Kagome puts her chopsticks down, “Why me?”

“Surely you realize that you are the one with the miko abilities in your family.”

“I think Inuyasha pointed that out once, but I don’t know if it’s something I want to do.”

“You and my brother seem to be growing quite close…” Sesshomaru smirks, “…it’s nice to see him moping around less than usual.”

Kagome blushes.  “Well, I just thought he could use a friend.”

“Could we stop with the questions…” Inuyasha grumbles.

“We are just trying to get know her better, I don’t see what is wrong with that.”

Inuyasha starts to open his mouth but Kagome grabs his hand, “I don’t mind.”

Kagura smiles, “You see, Kagome, it’s been a long time since Inuyasha has opened up to anyone from the outside so it’s a nice change for us.  You must be something special in his eyes.”

“Keh!” he turns his head to hide the reddening of his face.  “She’s the one who wouldn’t leave me alone in the beginning.”

“Hey, you bumped into me first!  Remember?”

“That was an accident!”

“Don’t lie, just like how you said you weren’t bothered by Houjou asking me out; I know it was bull!”

All through the argument, Sesshomaru and Kagura sat in silence watching the show unfold.  It didn’t even cross their minds to stop it, but on the contrary, the elder Inu found it amusing that a girl was going toe to toe with his brother.  “I think you’re right,” he whispers to his wife, “they like each other.”

“I said I didn’t care!  You forget, you called me cute first!”

“When did I say that?!”

“In your room, after I left…”  his eyes widen when he realizes he was just caught.

“You were spying on me?!”

Crossing his arms, “No I wasn’t, I was just making sure you went to sleep…  How was I supposed to know you were gonna keep talking about me!”

“I hate to interrupt this amusing conversation…” Sesshomaru finally steps in, “but your dinners are getting cold.”  Inuyasha and Kagome stop and look to their plates while the elder brother just chuckles.  “I suggest a change in subject.”  The pair start eating again.  The young girl is a little embarrassed that she behaved in such a rude manner, but at least no one seemed to care.  “Kagome, since it is dark already and not safe for you to travel by public transportation, would you like a ride home, or maybe you could just spend the night.”

“I um, would have to check with my mom about sleeping over.”

Kagura, “If you’d like, I could speak with her, to allay her concerns.”

Kagome looks at Inuyasha who has that deer in head lights look, then back to Kagura, “Okay.”

“Wonderful, what is your phone number, I’ll call her while you finish your dinner.”  She stands up and leaves the room once Kagome gives her the information.

Now the young girl turns back to her friend, “But I don’t have anything to sleep in or to take a bath.”

“You can just use Kagura’s stuff and I can lend you a shirt or something.”

The thought of wearing something of Inuyasha’s makes the girl blush.  “I’ve never slept over at a boy’s house before.”

“Well it’s not like I’m gonna do anything to you.”

“I would hope not.”

Kagura walks back in.  “Your mom is so sweet.  I told her we’d bring you home tomorrow and she said that was fine, just have fun.”

At that point Sesshomaru takes Inuyasha to have a talk with him and Kagura leads Kagome to a spare room.  Pointing to an adjoining room, “it is stocked with soaps and such when you are ready to take a bath.  I hate to let you feel dirty, I think I have underwear that will fit you.”  She returns with undergarments.  “I shall leave you for the rest of the evening, but if you need anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you Kagura.”

When she walks out of the room, Inuyasha is trudging up the stairs.  “Um Inuyasha, could I borrow a shirt, so I can change and take a bath?”

“Yeah…” he saunters into his room and pulls out an oversized t-shirt, handing it to her.  

“Thank you.”

“Um, Kagome, do you wanna still hang out some more afterwards?”

“Of course,” she smiles.  

“Cool, I’ll just be in my room then.”

“Aren’t you gonna bathe too?”

“I guess I could do that at the same time as you.” He turns bright red, “I mean in my own bathroom!  Not with you…  Oh hell!” he rushes to his room embarrassed.  

Kagome, stands stupefied for a second processing what just happened, ‘that was awkward…’ and goes into her own room.

After the relaxing bath, thankfully, Kagura’s panties fit her but Inuyasha’s shirt was another matter.  Staring at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t help but chuckle at how much of a dress it was on her; loose and comfortable to sleep in for sure.  But there was one potential issue… no bottom.  Kagura didn’t strike her as the type to wear shorts and there was no way she’d fit one of Inuyasha’s.  ‘Well… at least it comes down to my knees…’

By the time Kagome went back to Inuyasha’s room it was nearing 10pm.  As soon as he saw her in his shirt he was both smitten and bemused by how it looked on her and she could see that on his face.  “I know I look weird…”  

“No, it’s adorable...”  ‘Shit, I didn’t mean to say that out loud!’  He shakes his head, “I mean, it looks fine on you.”

‘Adorable, huh?’  she raises an eyebrow.  “What do you wanna do now?”  

“I don’t know,” he shrugs his shoulders, “It’s not like I’ve had company before.”

“Do you wanna play a game or something?” She plops on his bed.

“Not really.”

“Listen to music or watch TV?” he shakes his head no.  “Just talk?”

“About what?”

“I don’t know…” she sighs and lies on her side with her head propped up with a pillow, “tell me more about your life, in 200 years there’s gotta be some stories you can tell me.”

He lies on his back next to her and puts his arms behind his head.  “My mom was a human Princess and my dad was called the Inu no Taisho.  He ruled over the Western part of Japan, keeping the peace between the yokai in the area and the humans.  One day on a journey he met my mom and they ended up falling in love, hence my existence.  But at the time, feudal Japan was a more war-like state and after battling a very powerful demon, he was fatally wounded.  My mom raised me until I was about 7 when she died of what today they call cancer.”

“So how is Sesshomaru your brother?”

“My father had a yokai mate already, they called her the Inu Daiyokai and he is their first and only son; so that makes him my half-brother.  After both my parents died he took me on as a promise to our father.  Sesshomaru was already two or three hundred years old by this time but more mature than I am, he says.  Every so many years, he moves us around so that we don’t attract attention.”

“What does he do?  This is quite a large home…”

“Oh, he has several businesses that he runs from here.  I don’t know a lot about it since he won’t tell me much and I don’t ask.  He’s paying for everything, so I just leave him alone and with the advent of computers and phones and stuff it’s become easier to do that.  Oh, and he also had to take on the responsibilities left by our dad as the Inu no Taisho.”

“Okay, so explain to me exactly what does that mean?”

“He keeps many of the other yokai’s and hanyo’s in control, away from humans as much as possible.  If any of them cause problems, he takes care of it.”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

“Yeah it is.  Every so often, I help him deal with issues.”

Kagome yawns, “So did you have to fight battles and stuff?”

“Sometimes.”

“Ever get hurt…” she yawns again but bigger this time.

“Eh…” he shrugs his shoulders, “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

“That’s good…” her eyes begin to droop.  “You wouldn’t be here talking to me now if…  it had been worse…”

“Yeah…” he sighs and closes his eyes for a moment.  “I’m kinda glad that I’ve met you.  It’s really, nice to have someone other than my brother and stuff to talk to.  Do you feel the same way?”  No response so he opens his eyes and looks over to the girl curled on his bed.  “Kagome?”  She had fallen asleep.  “Great…” he mumbles, “I should take her to her room…”  He sits up and pokes at her shoulder.   “Kagome?”

“Mmm…” she whines but instead of waking she turns over and further hunkers down on his bed.  

“Oh man…” he runs his hand over his face, “Now what?”  Faced with a situation he’s never dealt with before, Inuyasha debates his next move.  ‘I could just take her to her room…  But…’ as he stares down at the sleeping beauty, the attraction he had felt for her intensifies.  Something deep inside is urging him to let her stay…. is coaxing him to savor her presence…  Sighing, ‘I hope she doesn’t freak out in the morning…’

~~~

Kagome groans in her troubled slumber…

Smoke fills the air of the burning homes where a rogue yokai has been ransacking and killing the villagers.  As a miko, she had been asked to please rid them of this terrible demon… and now…  She looks down at her trembling hands and sees the deep red staining them… falling to her side, ‘it’s so strange to feel no pain…’  Her eyes can barely focus but sees the hanyo draw his sword and cut down the yokai that she had been battling…

‘Kikyo!’  Inuyasha rushes to her side and cradles her.  ‘Kikyo!’  He cries out once more as the blood pools beneath her.

...twisting and moaning…  “Inuyasha…”

‘Inuyasha, I’m… sorry…’

‘Why didn’t you wait for me!  Why’d you have to fight that demon on your own!’

She lifts her hand to his face with the last of her strength.  ‘The villagers are safe now thanks to you…  Perhaps, we shall meet again… in another…’ her eyes close for the last time.  

Gasping for air, Kagome bolts upright in bed grabbing onto her chest and checking desperately to gauge the severity of her afflicted wound.  This sudden action startles Inuyasha awake.  She can still feel the heat of the fires, smell the smoke permeating the air.  “Kagome!” he shakes her.  “Wake up!”

“But the wound…  Oh no the villagers, the fire was burning all the homes!” she looks Inuyasha straight in his eyes.  “a-and I-I died, in your arms… I don’t understand… It’s was so real… I can smell the smoke, I can still smell the smoke!”  Tears stream down her face.  “It was like it was really happening…”

“It’s okay…” he rocks her in his arms.  “You were just having a nightmare, that’s all.  See, your still in my room, the sun hasn’t risen yet and there’s nothing to hurt you here.”

Her sobbing winds down as she rests her head on his shoulder.  “It was so scary…  I-I actually felt my heart stop beating…” she leans up to look in his eyes with only the faintest of illumination from the streetlights outside allowing her to see them, “You were there, Inuyasha, but you kept calling me a different name.”

The sudden realization hits him like a ton of bricks; a wound, fire in a village, and her dying in his arms…  “Kikyo…” he breathes out the name as his own eyes begin to fog over.  “But how could you have known what happened to her?  That was over 100 years ago.”

“How the hell should I know!” her cries ring in his ears.  “Who is this Kikyo and why the hell was I experiencing it like I was there?”

“Maybe because…” he sighs, “you were…”

She stops crying, “What?”

Exhale.  “I’ve only loved one other person in this world and she…” he hangs his head, “…she died fighting a yokai before I could get to her.”  Exhale.  “Kikyo was a, a miko in a village that used to be on the grounds of this very city.  In fact, she was the priestess at the shrine your family now cares for and you just described, how she died…”  Kagome is so shocked and overwhelmed, she faints in his arms and slips into a dreamless unconsciousness.  

~~~

When she awakens for the second time that morning the first thing she notices is the surrounding warmth and finds herself lying on her side with Inuyasha spooned up from behind, his arms wrapped tightly around as if to keep her from leaving him.  Recollections of her dream flood back to her, or were they memories?  She feels him shifting, snuggling his face deeper against her neck and blushes once she realizes the position they are in.  Part of her wants to scream and kick him away but the other tells her this feels, ‘as if it was meant to be…’  Some of his white hair falls over her shoulder telling her he is back to his normal self; if he wasn’t holding on so tight she’d be tempted to turn around and rub his ears.  Well if she’s gonna be stuck in this position she might as well enjoy it, so she presses her body snuggly against his.  

“You smell nice…” his voice rumbles softly against her ear.  She hums in delight, no one’s given her that line before!  Despite the rocky beginnings, Kagome can’t deny the electricity between them, but is this really meant to be?  Can a hanyo and a human have a relationship like this?  Questions bubble to the surface of her mind.  How would it work, I mean he barely ages and she will continue to…  She sighs…  “Are you uncomfortable,” he asks, concern dripping in the inflection of his tone.

“No, that’s not it.  I was just thinking…”

“That this all seems crazy?”

She chuckles, “Hmm, well that too, but no, something else.”

“What?” the raspy tone of his morning voice makes her shiver down to her core.

“How can this be a possibility, a hanyo, and a human?” trepidation evident in her voice.  “I really… like how you make me feel but it scares me too.”

“Because we don’t age…”

“Exactly.”

“You don’t need to worry about that Kagome.” He squeezes her waist.  “If the day comes that you want to stay with me, there is a way for you to live as long as I do.”

“Tell me how?”

“When that time comes…”

“Mmm…  Inuyasha, do you think I have a connection to that Kikyo person?”

“Maybe, you do look a little like her… and smell like her.  But you’re, feistier.”

She laughs, “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Jury is still out.”

“Omph!” she slaps his arm.  “Really!”

“I wouldn’t let you be here… right now, if I didn’t mind it.”

Sigh, “I almost wish I didn’t have to go home…”

"You've got to be kidding me,"  Sylvia breathed out.  After everything that happened last night.  Sylvia's couldn't sleep a wink being held at the police station after calling the police moments after Lindella died.  She wasn't going to leave her poor body in an ally way she deserved to be given a proper burial, to have a funeral.  Calling Miles in the middle of the night to do her a favor.

 And he did.  He found out exactly where Daniel Jacobs was, even if Sylvia never believed in him.  Dead.  Feeling these great chains of Lindella's last words.  Daniel had to be alive right?

Lindella made it sound like he was alive and she promised her she would do what she asked of her to begin with.  Tell him how much Lindella loved him. Uncertain she followed the address that will lead her to the cemetery she would pick up a bottle of Chardonnay Russian River Valley wine, and a dozen of beautiful white roses.  Just in case she wasn't going to go empty handed if this was a dead end.

Standing infront of the cemetery gates Sylvia pushed herself through the iron gates with an agonizing slowness, feeling like she was rotting on the inside out.  Walking past rows and rows of gravestones as it was a reminder this is where Lindella will be in just a few days once they inform the family that Lindella was dead.  Finally finding what she was looking for as Daniel was really dead.  This wasn't a joke, this was real.  Baffled and confused this didn't help her.

Love is pain, bliss, and joy.  It is beautiful, like a rose.  And like a rose, it has thorns.  Cherry blossoms appear most beautiful when they grow in a place where there is blood.  In that way too, no love is gathered without pain.  Those of us who have loved know this.  And it makes two types of people from this pain.  Those of us who focus on the pain they have felt, ignoring the wonderful joy it brought, and those who endure the terrible hurt in hopes of finding that joy again. Yet one thing I've come to realize, is you can't help the way you feel, and its up to you what you do about it.  You can focus on the pain, or look to the love of the ones closet to help heal, and then search once more.  Fear to love agian is a disease which sucks away the hope in a fire.  Never fear to love, just fear lacking the strength to love.

Iliana strolled along through the forest, watching and listening to everything around. She couldn't help but feel like there was someone nearby, but she tried to not seem suspicious, she knew people in this town had a tendency to stalk or lurk. As she begun to exit the forest and reach the path she heard a loud crashing noise which caused her to jump, she stayed still in her position waiting to see what would happen next.