Chapter 7 - Family lunch

~*~


Days were passing quickly, now- like flashes of warm, bright light- like shooting stars. Shooting stars. . . the kinds that carried his dreams on their shimmering tails. Since he was with Kagome- and was allowing himself touch and smell and love her- life was so much brighter. The stars seemed to be, as well.


Kagome, too, was happier then she had been for a long time. She had found him- the one person she could be herself around. The one person she could truly depend on. The one person she could honestly talk to.


Still, despite this, it was an unspoken rule that they did not allow anyone to know about them. Not friend, not family- no one. They avoided each other at school. They barely gave each other the right of way on the sidewalk. Their dates were secret, meeting "by chance" in crowded malls and movie cinemas.


And when Kagome visited Sango, the lovers pretended to hate each other until Sango and Miroku left-


Before making their way to Inu's room to "Hang out".


Kag used to worry about being caught by someone while they were ma- er- hanging out, but for some reason, Inu-Yasha always seemed to be able to tell when someone was coming. It was odd, but she didn't care- provided that he realized the approaching danger with enough time for them to take opposite sides of the room and come up with an "argument".


Once they pretended to fight about Pocky.


Yes, their relationship was wonderful.


A few flaws and kinks- like the way they had to avoid anything breathing when together- but what relationship was without those? Only once did Kagome try to ask about this limitation- but Inu-Yasha's growl of warning shut her up.


She was treading on sacred, dangerous ground. . .


She just didn't realize it yet.


*


"Inu-Yasha?" Kagome asked cautiously, her hand intertwined with the silver haired boy's as they made their way through the crowded shopping center. They had deemed it impossible for anyone to find them here, thus allowing the wary pair to show a little affection. (And, quite frankly, if they didn't hold onto one another it was almost guaranteed that one would be swept away by the crowd.)


"Hm?" he responded softly, looking down at her from the corner of his eye.


"Um. . . My mom wants to know if you can come for dinner tomorrow night."


Inu halted and turned to face the girl completely, his eyebrows raised as shoppers pushed rudely past them.


She winced.


She had stepped over the line again, she just knew it.


But then. . .


"Why?" he asked softly, gently tilting the girl's chin so she would look up at him.


"She. . . she saw the picture I have of you and asked if you were the friend that came over on my birthday. I- I figured `what is the harm of telling her yes'? So I told her that you were. . . and then she asked if you would come so that she could meet you."


". . . You have a picture of me?" he exclaimed is bewilderment, totally taken aback.


"Well, yes," Kagome colored in the cheeks as she hurried on. "But that's beside the point. Can you?"


Inu-Yasha sighed, thinking hard.


He didn't want to.


The stench of so many humans would rub off on him, and make the pack curious. (Keh- as if they weren't already. . . He had been going a bit overboard on the cologne as of late, for a couple of obvious reasons- all of which eventually circled back to Kagome. So obviously, he had already received a few odd glances from his clan, and he didn't need to risk anymore.)


And what if someone saw him go over?


But hell. . .


Someone could see him here, too. . .


He was about to answer `fine' when he caught a glance at the large, glass ceiling of the mall.


The moon was rising lazily in the twilight sky.


It was very, very round. . .


He mentally smacked himself.


frack!


Tomorrow was the full moon. . .


"Please, Inu-Yasha? I- I know you don't want anyone knowing about us, and I'm okay with that. I mean, I'm on the same boat with *my* friends. They wouldn't understand either" `-They think he's so weird. . .call him names behind his back. . .-' ". . . But God! This is my family, and they've been in the dark so long. . . If they find out, they'll be so hurt. . ." `I'll be so hurt. . .'


She bit her lip and looked at him hopefully. He sighed.


She would be hurt if he said no, and he couldn't hurt her- not in any way.


Damn the fact that he loved her! Damn the fact that he'd do anything for her! DAMN IT ALL!


"I. . . I can't come for dinner. But. . . I could come for lunch. . ."


Her face broke into the happy smile that he adored.


Gods, he loved it when he made her smile.


"Now just one more question," he said seriously as they began to walk again.


"Yeah?"


"Is it a hot picture of me?" the werewolf waggled his eyebrows with a smirk.


Kag smacked him gently over the head, red in the face. "I hate you."


*


Kagome yanked outfit after outfit from her large closet, almost in a frenzy. Holding each one up to her slender figure in front of her large, full body mirror, she continually made the same, pissed off face before throwing the cloths in disgust in the corner.


"No, no, no, and NO," the girl sighed as she tossed a few more articles of clothing over her shoulder. "Damn it!"


She just couldn't find the right ensemble. Granted, usually she wouldn't care much about what she wore, but today it had to be perfect! Inu-Yasha had promised to come to a family lunch, after all; and she knew he was doing it especially for her.


And so looking her very best for him was the least that she could do!


After a moment she blew out her cheeks and looked herself up and down in her mirror, tired and exasperated. Wearing nothing but a white bra and panties, she dryly thought about just going in this.


He would like it, she was sure.


Pinking at her own dirty thoughts, the girl sighed and raked her hands through her long, ebony hair, lowering her gaze to her feet in silent embarrassment. It was only then that Kagome realized that she'd need matching footwear as well.


Curses.


Her eyes slowly roaming back up her body, trying her best to decided what would best complement her figure and skin color; her ocean orbs suddenly stopped on her birthmark.


Unlike many kids, she had always liked her birthmark.


In the shape of a sideways crescent moon, it was located right over her heart.


It always made her feel. . .


Special.


Especially when she was younger.


But maybe she was just weird.


Laughing lightly, she traced a finger over the thin mark, thinking about the games she used to play when she was little- all about being a moon goddess. Silly little games, she knew, but sometimes she wished she could go back to them.


Tearing her mind out of her thoughts of childhood and magic, Kagome returned her attention to her calling wardrobe, intent on finding the prefect outfit for her boyfriend.


*


"I've got it!" Kagome screamed as she heard the door bell ring.


Racing down the stairs, the girl stopped only once- to quickly check her reflection in the mirror. Perfect.


She had decided on a periwinkle, spaghetti strap dress, complete with a shimmering azure pull over that brought out the color of her eyes. Matching perfectly with her slipper-like shoes and eye shadow, Kagome was very proud of her chosen ensemble.


Skidding down the upstairs hall and leaping down the steps in a very un-lady like manner, Kagome bounded for the door-


Only to be beaten to it by Sota.


The boy opened the door so fast that it almost smacked his sister in the face.


Inquisitive eyes met inquisitive eyes as the pair of males blinked at one another.


"Uh. . . hi."


Sota's brow scrunched up as Inu-Yasha spoke, still looking him dramatically up and down. "So. . . you're Inu-Yasha?" the ten year old asked seriously, keeping the door in Kagome's way so that she couldn't get through to the foyer.


"Yep. And you must be her runty little brother, Sota," he returned, smirking down at the boy.


"That's me!" Sota replied proudly, thrilled to be recognized.


"Sota. . ." Kagome growled dangerously from the other side of the door.


"Oops! Sorry, Kagome-neechan," the boy grinned innocently as he moved the barrier from his sister's way. `Finally!' Kag couldn't help but think as she instantly stepped into the front hall, smiling at the bemused Inu.


"Care to come in?"


Smirking and stepping inside, Inu-Yasha looked around the shrine's cozy foyer for the first time. (Seeing as how during his last visit he'd pretty much been yanked up into Kagome's bedroom within the first second of entry.)


"Nice place."


"Thanks," Kag grinned, taking his hand. "Come this way."


"ICK," Sota frowned as the teens' hands locked together.


"Shut up, runt," Inu-Yasha grunted, knuckling Sota over the head- though careful not to hurt him. The boy grinned stupidly in response, evidently ecstatic at the attention.


He liked Inu-Yasha.


"Wait, Inu-Yasha-niichan!" Sota piped up happily as he raced after his sister and his new hero as they made their way into the dining room.


*


"So," Mrs. Higarashi bubbled happily as Inu-Yasha helped her fix a large bowl of oden in the kitchen a little while later. "Tell me about yourself!"


"Not much to tell," Inu grunted in the most polite way he could manage. "I'm in Kagome's grade. I'm into music and mythological beasts and stuff. . . I like Kagome. . . and ramen. . ."


He added the last bit for lack of anything else slightly intelligent to say. So he was a boring person, big deal. Well, actually- at the moment it was a bit of a big deal, wasn't it?


Mrs. Higarashi's soft smile widened. "Ramen, huh? Well, next time you come over to eat, I'll make you some."


"Thank you. . ." he replied slowly, unsure of how to act toward this woman. Was she trying to be. . . motherly? He couldn't remember his mother. . .


The pack had killed her right after giving birth to him.


They would have killed her before, if it wasn't for the fact that she was pregnant with him. That, and the fact that she had promised she would. . .


. . .


It was against the rules to kill another werewolf, after all- even if he was only half of one.


Gods, the werewolves had a lot of rules. . . But he supposed he liked that one. After all, it was the only thing that had saved him from premature death.


"You say your into mythological beasts? Like werewolves?" Mrs. Higarashi asked cheerfully, startling Inu-Yasha out of his thoughts.


"Yep. Especially werewolves."


"Well. . . I'm glad that Kagome has someone to talk to. She's been getting teased by a lot of children lately, you know. For her likes and dislikes. Her personality."


She smiled warmly at Inu-Yasha as he snarled to himself.


Who DARE dislike his Kagome?!

If he found anyone who did. . .


He'd kill them.


Though he might not want to mention that to her mother. . . Best keep it to himself.


"But she has you now, so it doesn't really matter, does it?" the woman beamed, oblivious to the teen's thoughts. "You're just what she needs, Inu-Yasha. She's very luck to have found you."


Inu processed this for a moment, repressing his other musings.


Someone lucky. . .


To have him?


Why?


He had done nothing his whole life except kill and get in the way- make problems for both humans and werewolves.


Yet here was a woman telling him that he was needed.


But she was wrong. Inu-Yasha wasn't needed.


He was needy. He needed Kagome more then anything.


But. . . Perhaps this need. . . Was helping Kagome?


For she had him, and he had her. That was what they both needed.


Each other.


He returned Mrs. Higarashi's smile with a small one of his own.


"No. I'm the one who's lucky."


*


Kagome's grandfather looked Inu-Yasha suspiciously up and down. Inu-Yasha glared right back. Their sharp stares sparked an electricity that Sota slowly backed away from.


"Are you a demon?" the old man asked in dangerous tones as he began to wave a piece of paper around threateningly. "For if you are, this sutra shall banish you from our shrine in less then a minute if it touches your ski-"


Inu grabbed it and ripped it to pieces.


"Guess he's not," Sota announced dryly as his grandfather went into hysterics about how old that "sacred scroll" was.


"Grandpa, shut up," Kagome sighed as she and her mother entered with dishes and utensils to set the table with.


"Could you help us set the table, Inu-Yasha, dear?" Mrs. Higarashi beamed at him, holding out the forks. "Sorry, but there's so much to do. . ."


"No problem," Inu-Yasha shrugged as he took them with out a second thought-


Until a searing pain shot through his hand- and his body- like lightning. The heck- - - ?! Hissing in shock, he heard the forks fall to the floor with a clatter as his knees gave way, cold sweat instantly drenching him.


"What's wrong?!" Kag cried in shock as her boyfriend sank to the floor.


Panting slightly and mopping up his brow, the werewolf took a closer look at the forks. And as he did so, he emitted a small, dark chuckle.


No wonder.


They were made of silver. . .


"What's wrong?" Kagome repeated, kneeling next to Inu-Yasha. She tentatively touched his forehead. "By the gods!" she gasped, pulling back her cool palm. "You're burning! Are you okay!?"


"Um. . . allergic to silver," he lied on the spot, scooting slowly away from the forks.


"I'll say!" Mrs. Higarashi gaped. "Inu-Yasha, honey, I'm so sorry- I had no idea! Talk about an allergic reaction- I'll go get you a compress and get rid of these silver utensils! I guess we can use chopsticks. . . just trying to be special. . ."


"It's okay, I'm fine," Inu grunted, standing up slowly and dusting himself off as the others fussed. "I just can't touch them."


"You should have told me earlier," Kag whispered, picking up the fallen forks. The werewolf just shrugged as if it was nothing, but when no one was looking, he examined his hand.


It was almost charred black.


Ah well.


He'd heal in a few hours.


Besides, how could he continue to feel bad when Kagome was looking so stunning, lunch smelt so good, and he had the old man sobbing over paper?


*


Inu-Yasha found that- shockingly enough- he was actually enjoying himself with these stupid humans. In fact, he didn't even want to call them `stupid' anymore.


Well, apart from the old geezer.


He was stupid.


Very stupid.


Beyond stupid.


But whatever.


Everyone else was. . . nice.


The little runt was worshipping him, Kagome's mother adored him, and Kagome was. . . well, Kagome. He loved her no matter what. (But he liked her *especially* well when she was so close to him on the couch that she was almost in his lap as she shared her ice cream with him. Like she was now, ironically enough.)


In fact, he was having such a good time talking (or grunting, whatever way you wanted to describe his usual from of communication) and making fun of the old man behind everyone else's back that he barely noticed the position of the sun, which was sinking dangerously low in the sky. In fact, he only noticed the time when it was actually announced.


"Wow, it's four already!" Kagome giggled, looking at her watch. "Time sure has been flying by-"


But she was interrupted by Inu-Yasha visibly tensing next to her.


"Four?!"


Four was very late in the day, especially during autumn. So late, he noticed as he looked out the window in shock, that the sun was very, very close to setting. . .


Standing up so quickly that he almost knocked Kagome down in the process, the werewolf raced to the door, quickly announcing that he had to get home.


"What? What's wrong?" Kagome asked hurriedly, bolting after him as he fumbled with the knob.


"I've got stuff I gotta do," he muttered. "I'm sorry. Thanks for lunch, I had a pretty good time, I guess. . . "


Kagome smiled slightly. This was a big complement from Inu-Yasha.


"You look nice, by the way," he chuckled, kissing her quickly on the cheek before opening the door and slipping out of it. She blushed, pleased with herself and happy that he finally noticed. "Sorry I can't stay around and ogle at you some more. I'll see you `round, kay? And I still wanna see that picture you have of me."


"Okay," she whispered, a magenta hue adorning her cheeks as she watched him bolt away into the slowly setting sun.


But she just couldn't help wondering. . .


What was that all about?

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