Quality Time Under the New Moon

I woke up after feeling someone stirring next to me.  As I turned my body around, my eyes rested on Inuyasha sleeping peacefully at my side.  I stared at his face enjoying the look of serenity I saw there.  I found myself stroking his black locks and I saw a genuine smile appear on his lips.  It's strange how things happen sometimes.  I wasn't expecting him to show up today.  In fact I was driving myself half mad trying to study for a history test that I had on Monday.

**Flashback**

It was about four in the afternoon on Saturday and I decided to take my studies outside.  It was a beautiful day and I could no longer stand being stuck in the house anymore.  I chose to sit under the old tree, not far from the Bone Eater's Well.  It had always been my favorite shady spot since I was a child.  The grass was cool under my legs and I leaned back against the tree for support.  The breeze played with my hair as I tried to find where I was in my reading.  By coincidence we were studying about Feudal Japan (funny isn't it?) and I was actually caught up in what I was reading.  I so was captivated by my history text that I didn't notice Inuyasha standing at my feet.  Only when he tapped my shoe with his foot did I realize he was there.  As I looked up at him staring down at me, I couldn't hide my surprise.

"How long have you been standing there," I asked.

"I don't know.  I don't have one of those things you wear on your wrist."

"It's called a watch Inuyasha.  How long ago did you come up through the well?  I didn't sense that you were here."

"It wasn't that long ago.  I was sitting in this tree before you came out.  I guess you were too busy reading that book to notice that I was here."

"Well I do have to study.  I have a test on Monday and you know how important these things are to me.  I can't go shard hunting with you until after the test is over."

"I didn't come here to drag you back with me, though I should.  I came here because tonight is the new moon and Miroku thought it best that I come here.  He thinks I'll be safer here.  Like I can't protect myself.  I'm not as defenseless as most humans."

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind," he mumbled under his breath.

"So you want to stay here?"

"I didn't say I wanted to.  It's more like I have to."

"Well, if you don't want to get hurt then you should stay here.  It won't be that bad.  You can sleep in a guest room and there's plenty of food.  Maybe you don't like me all that much, but staying here is your only option.  Miroku was right."

            He didn't reply.  He merely nodded and then stared intensely into my eyes.  I shivered a little under his gaze.  He never looked at me like that before.   

"Well?  Are you going to stand there all day?  Make yourself comfortable.  I need to read a bit more and then we can go inside and tell my mother the situation.  Is that okay?"

 "Yeah, I guess."

            Inuyasha sat next to me and leaned his head against the tree.  He was mere centimeters away from me and I felt a blush coming on, as my cheeks grew warm.  He didn't seem to notice or if he did he didn't say anything.  It was quiet again and I took this opportunity to continue reading.  After a while I felt like someone was staring at me and I turned to Inuyasha only to get caught in his gaze once again. 

"Where did you get the idea that I don't like you," he asked softly, sounding as though he were embarrassed to be asking such a question.

            I can't say I wasn't stunned by the question.  How could he ask such a thing?  Doesn't he realize how he treats me sometimes?

"Well, I guess because you always yell at me or call me a stupid wench.  You constantly compare me to Kikyou.  You never seem to care about anything I have to say.  I'm merely a tool you use to get what you want and then when all is said and done, when my usefulness has expired, you'll cast me away."

            He looked at me with a pained expression.  I immediately wished that I hadn't said anything when I saw the hurt in his eyes, but then maybe he would understand why I always have that same look of hurt when I'm with him in his time.

"You really think I would do that to you?"

"I don't know.  What else would you do?"

            He looked at me thoughtfully and then he leaned forward.  I didn't know what to do.  My body wouldn't move and my heart started to beat wildly, like it was about to break free of my chest and fly away.  His face inched closer and closer to mine and I closed my eyes in anticipation, but before anything could happen I heard my grandfather call from a distance.

"Oi, Kagome!  Come and eat before Souta eats it all."

            Inuyasha quickly pulled away at the sound of my grandfather's voice and grudgingly crossed his arms with a snort, his face retuning to that scowl I know all too well.  I got up quickly and turned my head to hide my disappointment.  Then I dusted off the back of my skirt.

"Why are you doing that?  There's nothing there," said Inuyasha.

"I guess I'm just paranoid that's all.  And anyway, why were you looking?"

"What are you talking about?  It's not like you have anything I'm interested in," he said with a flushed face.

            I turned to face him and by this time he had gotten up.

"Are you hungry Inuyasha?"

            His stomach rumbled and I smiled as his brow furrowed.  I guess that answered my question.  He frowned as if silently reprimanding his stomach for the embarrassment it caused.  I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house.  As I glanced sideways at him I noticed a light tint of red creeping on to his cheeks.  Hasn't anyone ever held his hand?  We went into the kitchen and my mother was putting soup into Souta's bowl.   

"Mother?  Is it okay if Inuyasha spends the night here?  It's the night of another new moon."

"Oh my is the new moon here already?  Well of course he can stay.  Souta, would you please get a chair for our guest?"

"Wow, Inuyasha is going to spend the night?  Cool!"

Souta rushed around to get Inuyasha a chair as well as a bowl and some chopsticks.  Inuyasha looked at me for a moment.  He seemed angry about something.  Souta put the chair between his chair and mine because he wanted to sit next to Inuyasha too.  Today was just going to be a quick meal of Ramen, but my mother also made a salad to go with it.  Souta asked him a bazillion questions, which is only natural for a boy his age, but Inuyasha's look of irritation quickly changed to a look of joy when my mother placed a bowl of hot noodles in front of him.  He quickly started scarfing down his food.

"Inuyasha, please mind your manners," I exclaimed as he sent stray noodles flying through the air.

            He gave me a poisonous glare and continued eating at record pace, which made me really mad.  I jumped out of my seat and put my hand on my hips.

"OSUWARI!"

            Inuyasha went down with a thud and his bowl of noodles landed on his head.  Even though his face was plastered to the ground I could picture the vein popping out of his head in sheer anger.  He pulled himself from the ground and jumped to his feet.  Then before I knew it his face was right in front of mine.

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR!"

"BECAUSE YOU WERE EATING LIKE A PIG!"

"Please calm down you two.  Kagome, Inuyasha is a guest in our home and there was no reason to do that," my mother said.

            We both sat down and Inuyasha smirked at me triumphantly.  He makes me so mad when he does that, but he also looked kind of cute.

**The flashback is still going.  I'll let you know when that's done.  Hope you liked it.