Title: The Meeting

Author: SakuraRyuu

Prompt: Six-Course Challenge - Bisque

Genre: Romance

AU/CU: AU

Rating: T

Warnings: Language

A/N: Inuyasha and all characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

The day of the bar-b-que came, and Inuyasha arrived to pick Kagome up right at 11:00 o'clock on Saturday.

"You look lovely," he complimented, and he meant it. She had taken his suggestion on the sweater, dress, and wedges, but this dress wasn't something he had seen her wear to school. She had on a knee length yellow dress and a blue sweater with cream color wedges that wrapped around her ankles. "You remind me of Easter." It was a joke that earned him a scowl from Kagome.

"If it's not right Ill go change. I have another dress that is similar but different colors. Just hold on a minute." Inuyasha grabbed her arm before she was able to rush off.

"It's fine, really. There's no reason for you to fuss, anyway. I told you he's an asshole."

"I don't care about that, I just want to be presentable for meeting your parents. Good first impressions you know."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Just grab your purse or whatever and let's go or we're going to be late."

Fortunately they made it right on time. And there were a lot more cars in the drive than Kagome expected. Seeing them, Inuyasha let out a curse.

"I thought it was just going to be immediate family."

"Who's cars are they?" Some were very expensive while others were nice, but not nearly as pricey.

"Extended family. Aunts, cousins, grandparents."

"How am I supposed to act under these conditions? I thought it was a small gathering!" Kagome suddenly felt panicked. It would have been bad enough had it just been Inuyasha's parents, himself, and his brother, but she was meeting everyone at a family reunion! And she was supposed to hang out with Sesshomaru, a stranger, when she would want to run to Inuyasha, the only person she knew. This did suck, indeed.

"Don't worry, I won't be far no matter where you wander, ok? I'm not just going to throw you into the mix and run. You can walk away from him anytime you want and come hang out with me." Kagome nodded silently, completely overwhelmed. He looked at her and smiled. "Alright. Let's do this." Together they walked toward the front door of the house.

Inuyasha opened the front door and stepped aside so Kagome could enter. He came in behind her, closing the door, and offered her his arm. She smiled gratefully, and walked next to him through the house, meeting people as he greeted them. She was very polite, shaking hands and participating in small talk where she could. By the time she had reached the back porch she was a bit more at ease, realizing these weren't stuffy, proper people in the slightest. Everyone she had met had been kind to her, greeting her with smiles and questions about what she did, or how she knew Inuyasha. Kagome still held some degree of nervousness however because she had yet to meet Inuyasha's parents, or the brother his father expected her woo.

Just before they stepped outside Kagome pulled Inuyasha aside. "Listen, I know your parents want me here as a prospective bride for Sesshomaru, but I want to be clear that isn't why I came. I don't want to seem like some kind of desperate floozy looking for any husband who will take her. Your Dad put you in a bad spot and I agreed to come to help you get out of it. I don't even care if Sesshomaru is here. But I couldn't leave my closest friend hanging out on a line, and..."

Inuyasha cut her off. "Oh my god, you're babbling." And faked a shocked look. That caused her to stop and laugh. Smiling, he said, "I know better. But I appreciate you humoring me so my Dad will back off of me. So, don't worry about it and have a good time."

"Did I hear someone say they didn't care if I were here?" The couple turned around to see Sesshomaru walking up between them, and squeeze in front of Inuyasha, pushing him out of the way.

"Oh, um," Kagome was caught completely off guard. "I apologize. This arrangement is an awkward way of meeting you, and I really did only come to help Inuyasha."

Sesshomaru looked at her, barely listening as she spoke. "Don't worry about Inuyasha. He can take care of himself. I am Sesshomaru, and you are?"

"Kagome Higurashi. It's nice to meet you." Kagome smiled and offered him her hand to shake. Instead her took her hand and wove it under his arm so she ended up grasping his forearm.

"It's a pleasure." He smiled at her, giving her the feeling of a caught mouse. As he began to lead her away she looked behind her at Inuyasha. He winked at her, then followed just a few feet behind, causing her to smile.

Turning her head back to Sesshomaru she asked, "Where are we going?"

He smiled down at her as if encouraging a child. "We are going to meet my parents and announce our engagement to them. Isn't that why you're here? To land yourself a husband?"

Kagome stopped and jerked her hand away. "No, that isn't why I'm here at all. I came to help Inuyasha. I really had no intentions of discussing an engagement. We've barely spoken 100 words to each other."

"People have been married without seeing each other until their wedding day, never saying a word, so we are starting off with more than they are. Now come." Sesshomaru reached for her hand. Kagome stepped further back, growing angry.

"I said no. I am no gold digger, or husband hunter." Kagome called for her friend. "Inuyasha!" Just as he broke through the crowd around them Sesshomaru managed to successfully grab her hand and yank her to him. Wrapping an arm around her waist and placing a hand behind her head he kissed her.

"Mm, strawberry." He licked his lips before letting her go. Inuyasha took her hand and led her out of the house. The last thing she saw was Sesshomaru wiping his lips off on a napkin as if he were disgusted.

Inuyasha led Kagome toward the back of the house. "Where are we going?"

"To my parents. They need to know what that prick did." He was all but dragging her. She had to give his hand a yank to get his attention.

"No! We can't tell them. That's not how I want to meet them. "Hi, I'm Kagome, and your oldest son just molested me in front of your guests." As if the situation wasn't awkward enough."

"Kagome, it's because it happened in front of people that we have to tell them before someone else's story gets back to them." He saw her distress and didn't want to embarrass her anymore than Sesshomaru already had. "I'll ask them to meet me in my father's office. We can explain what happened there."

"Ok." Inuyasha left Kagome to stand by the back door while he went out onto the deck to collect his parents. He came back in and took her hand, leading her toward a room further in the house.

Not long after the couple was joined by Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's parents. Introductions were made, then Inuyasha shared his brother's disgusting display, describing what he saw.

"Was his advances unwelcome?" Toga was asking Kagome to get her input into the situation.

"Yes, they were."

"What was going on between the two of you?" Toga was sizing her up, wondering if she would buckle.

"We were getting acquainted when he led me off. I asked where we were going and he said to meet you and announce our engagement. I pulled away from him saying that I was here to help Inuyasha, not land a husband. I got mad and yanked away from him when he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. I was stunned! I have never been treated like that. Then he was kissing me. I didn't have a chance to react before he let me go, and Inuyasha was there to take me away."

Kagome stood from the chair she had been sitting in and said to Toga, "Sir, I'm going to ask Inuyasha to take me home. I don't want to be here anymore. I have never been mistreated by anyone, much less to be treated like a whore by a stranger."

Toga replied, "I hope next time we meet under better circumstances."

"With all due respect, sir, I hope we don't meet again for any reason." Kagome turned and Inuyasha ushered her out.