Disclaimer: I'll buy dog treats, and then maybe Inuyasha will walk out of Rumiko Takahashi's grasp and into my territory… Though I seriously doubt it…

A/N: This chapter will be absolutely horrible. I would rather swallow a CD than rewrite this chapter. It's so suckish and short that I'll be taking a short break from it to re-get myself into Kagome's voice and whatnot. I feel like I've failed you, and for that, I'm going on vacation from this story for a week and a half. (Though I may update during this time—who knows!) Summer school's already getting the worst of me, and I've been thinking more of my other three stories anyways, so…

SORRY! You can shoot me! But, first, review? *gets shot* SHIT, NEVER MIND!

(Kagome POV)

I hate it when people are effin' random. I mean, yes, saying something out of nowhere every once in a while is just great, but every five minutes? Really? And people wonder why I never hang around Miroku when he's high on sugar.

Seriously. I hate randomness—when it's not me that's doing it, anyways. Then again, I never mind me doing something. It's everyone else that I have a problem with.

Yeah. Just yeah.

"REVIEW, YOU LAZY BUTTHOLES!"

"Holy $#!%! It's MegamanSora! And what's that? There's also HappyDaysAreCool!"

You know, the only people who reviewed the last chapter!

"Hey, Kagome, I'm a professional sniper now! Anyone need to die?"

"FINALLY! THANK YOU, MMS!"

LIFE AT DEMON SLAYER SCHOOL

7: Is it Love, or is It (Blood)Lust?

I hate it when I'm not in the know. I've never liked not being in a secret, not having the ability to gossip but choosing to keep the information to myself. It just stinks. You could ask anyone I know—I get nosy. I pry into things. I question endlessly when curious. Dad should know this very well; besides my little ignore everyone breathing my air incident on the way over to Higurashi Taijiya Institute, I always bother him about work, snoop though his office, and ask him anything that pops into mind. I won't leave him alone until he answers, too, which he says is one reason I'll never have a boyfriend. Yeah, that came from my own father, it hurt, but then again, I only answered that with, "Well, why do you think boys don't like persistent girls, hm, principal-san, hm?" Unsurprisingly, he was not pleased.

There's, of course, those incidents where gossip's going around school and everyone refuses to tell me what it's about. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi love keeping me out of secrets despite their talkative, also nosy natures. They're not as bad as me, which is why they love torturing me by keeping me out in the cold. They don't do it very often, but when they do, they laugh, I suffer—not to mention get angry—and beg them to tell me before they do. Seriously; I'll do anything to learn anything. It's sad, I know, but it's the truth and it'll never change.

Miroku's past flings have never lasted longer than a day. The reason why? When I don't approve, I ask numerous questions, trying to dig whatever information out of them that's of interest. He was never happy with that, either, though I think I was saving him. Luckily for him, I approve of Sango, so I will never question her if she acts suspicious—much. Well, hopefully not.

There's also that time Jii-chan was talking about some legend to my mom, but when I asked about it, he got quiet. Being my impatient self, I couldn't do my usual routine of pester and annoy them minutely until they burst and spill all the beans. Instead, I settled for the I'm a spy and I'm gonna break into this place strategy. I broke into the shrine storage room and managed to break the lock on the filing cabinets to go through scrolls and find out about it.

Yeah, you read that right. I broke into a shrine of all places—my shrine, mind you—and am probably going to be sent to one of the eight hells, even though the eight hells is part of the Buddhist religion while the Higurashi Shrine is Shinto.

…

I'm really not getting my point across, am I?

Anyways, I found out the reason Jii-chan didn't want to tell me was because it was the same bedtime story he told me as a child, though he proclaimed it fictional a few years ago. It's the one that went something like this—well, my short version, anyways—:

It's pretty much about miko and lord demon falling in love, then somewhat "betraying" each other, before they reunite in the afterlife and everything's good between them again. (I think they were called Hoshiyomi and Tsukiyomi. Who knows.)

… Yeah, I'm really not all that great at story-telling. But I was pretty determined to find out what Jii-chan was talking about, only to read about the same story he told me was fictional. Oh, well, that story's stupid anyways; I mean, mikos and demons falling in love? Ha, that's a good laugh. Not because I hate demons, but because society doesn't believe in that. Although, if I do ever fall in love with a demon, I sure as heck won't care about what society thinks, would I?

—~*~—~*~—~*~—

"Feh, mornings…" Inuyasha's voice should be an automatic warning, but I'm so tired, I overlook it. Once again, something pushes me and tells me to wake up, but knowing it's Inuyasha, I ignore it. Below me, there are some whispers, like will it work? and when did you get here?

This time, I promise, Inuyasha won't get me. This time, his threat won't scare me off the bed. This—

"Kags, if you don't get up, I'll unleash Inu Jr."

Yeah, right, as if he would actually stick to his word. I snuggle even further into my now green-sheeted pillow, eager to slip off into Dreamland. Not to mention, I really don't want him to see what I changed into in the middle of the night.

Poke.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Thunk.

Of course, there are exceptions to my plans.

"Did you just… Did Inu Jr. just poke me?" I practically screech. My eyes have snapped open and I've climbed off the floor, 'cause I'd be darned if I let him do that stupid routine to me again. In front of me, there's not only a still half-naked Inuyasha—that's a beautiful sight to see in the morning—but a very awake and aroused Kouga and a very shocked and surprised Sango. Ignoring them, I glare at the boys' bathroom, where a familiar voice is screaming at the top of his lungs:

"It's a beautiful day dayyyyyyyyy! Don't let it get away! It's a beautiful day dayyyyyyyyy!"

Only Miroku would sing such an obnoxious tune at, what, six o'clock in the morning?

Really, if Inuyasha weren't number one on my list, that perverted idiot monk of an adoptive brother would be dead by now.

Sango giggles at my reaction to Miroku's singing. I give her a questioning look, wondering why she's not annoyed by him. She says simply, "We're friends now."

My eyes widen. Holy crap! Hell's frozen over! World War 3's here! 2012, despite it being total bogus, has ARRIVED! "HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN ASLEEP?" I demand, panicking. Oh, gosh, where's a brown paper bag when you need one?

"Since yesterday afternoon, wench," Inuyasha answers, though his voice is kind of scratchy. What did he swallow? A package of nails? His more-than-friendly friend's yeah? His very own ego? I think choice number three is the most logical, though it's so big, I'm surprised he didn't choke.

AH, MIROKU! Why must you fill my mind with nasty thoughts?

"So, uh…" Inuyasha scratches his neck, staring at the wall. "Would you mind…?"

Confused, I look to Sango for help, who, like Inuyasha, is trying to avoid making eye-contact with me. Only Kouga stares at me—err, more specifically, he's staring at me in my sexy, laced lingerie. Whoops. "Sorry," I squeak, rushing into my closet. "So, uh, why is Kouga here?"

"We're going out today!" Sango sings, and Miroku joins in. I groan and bang my head against the carpeted floor until the singing stops. Then Sango further explains, "Miroku's going to school along with everybody else, but Aimi"—that's Higurashi-sensei to you, woman!—"said you and Inuyasha got suspended for the first two days of school. Since Kouga and I are also off the first day, I was thinking we could go out to the movies and maybe ice cream."

"That's great," I mutter sourly, slipping on a pleated skirt. "But I'm broke." Suck on that, Sango! Higurashi Kagome, without money! Apparently, to my parents, it serves me right for being such a delinquent. Kami, one time, and you suddenly become a bad guy…

"Eh, stupid bitch," Inuyasha says, and my eye twitches. No… Don't… Don't you dare—! "My dad's Takahashi fucking Toga. I can pay for anything."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! "Why?" I cry out loud.

I can feel the air thicken with confusion. I'm telling you, it's suffocating me alive. "Do you not want to go out?" a suddenly very angry, female voice growls.

"No, I want to!" I insist. It's either that or run for my life. My stomach rumbles, and I recall that I've barely eaten anything the last few days. "Can we eat first?"

"Keh, we'll eat at the theater," Inuyasha mutters.

"FINE," I snap, grabbing some clothes before running into the bathroom. Gosh, I hate him so much. First poking me with Inu now ruining my plans to stay in bed. Son of a gun, why is this man alive?

"And while you're in there, make sure to shave your legs, Sasquatch."

I shoot eye-daggers through the door. That's it. I'm hiring a sniper. Anyone up to making a few hundred yen? (Aka, maybe three pennies? Anyone…?) Gosh, I need to start putting ads in the newspaper for an assassin. Really.

After taking a shower, I plop out, dry myself off, comb my hair, and brush my teeth. Then I finally notice what I picked out.

I mentally scream about how much Kami hates me. I take in the horrifyingly tight, baby-blue tube top and the fact that I have no bra. Great. I put on the short, white denim skirt—oh, ef me!—and make sure to cover my chest when I walk out there in the freaking tube top. I slide on some sandals, and before I can grab a jacket or change, you know what happens.

"C'MON, KAGOME, WE GOTTA HURRY!" Thus Sango pulls me out, making my arms frail and my chest unsecured. I silently beg the idiots for help, but they both just stare in amusement as Sango drags me away, my feet scraping the floor.

Know what? Screw what I said about Sango not making the list! This gorilla's number three! That's right! Kouga's been knocked down, people!

If you're an assassin, please dial my number right now. I need you.

"SANGO!" I screech. "MY SHIRT!"

Oh, great. Draw attention to it, Kagome. That's what everyone should do.

Inuyasha and Kouga, clearly not getting what's going on, look down. To say the least, Kouga's eyes bulge and Inuyasha turns a furious shade of… Wait…

Is he blushing?

Before I can even question that, Sango comes to an abrupt stop, making me fall onto her. She pushes me off as a reflex, and I go a-twirling—

—into Inuyasha.

And now I'm chest-to-chest with him. He has a thin shirt on, and I have a braless tube top.

Sometimes, I really wish I'd died stillborn. It would've made a much happier life, believe it or not, for my soul because I can't handle this and stay sane anymore.

Or, at least, my sane, cynical, moody, nosy self.

My hair's loose, covering his face, and we just stare into each other's eyes, as cheesy as that sounds, for a few moments. Then his violet orbs seem to glaze over as he wraps his arms around me. Though my mind's racing with the usual thoughts—HE POPPED MY BUBBLE!—I remain completely helpless as he slowly buries his god-forsaken nose into the crook of my face, smelling me.

Wait, smelling me? WHAT KIND OF SICK PERVERT IS HE?

I try to push myself off of him, but the moron won't let go. Just grips on tighter as if it's necessary for his face to be in my neck and for me to be squished up against his chest, once again, braless!

I push away again, but fail miserably. Then again, maybe we can just stay like this. I mean, his embrace is really nice and soothing, and my skin's all tingly, and he's hot, and my legs are getting kind of warm—

Hold the phone! I am not turned on, you hear me? INUYASHA DOES NOT TURN ME ON!

…

Aw, man. If only it was easy to deny it.

"MUTT!" Kouga yells murderously. Well, at least, he's trying to help me out. Sango's just standing there like she's a block of ice, frozen in time. Or maybe it's shock? Oh, crap, she's traumatized! Call 911! "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY WOMAN!"

…

His…?

His woman?

Hit List Standings:

1. Kouga; reasons for placing: idiot, moron, pervert, oblivious, and needs to die

2. Inuyasha; reasons for placing: hotness and good feeling saves his butt, but is a heartless dimwit with no manners and a too-flirty personality

3. Sango; reasons for placing: never told me about newfound friendship with perverted idiot monk of a brother, and is currently not helping me at all

4. Miroku; reasons for placing: adoptive brother, believes his monk wisdom to be top dog, and is just too perky in the morning

Those are my main targets. Please find and annihilate them.

Suddenly, a growl erupts in Inuyasha's chest, and his grip tightens even more. Gods, if you thought my mother knew how to kill people in a hug, you haven't been in Inuyasha's arms. I'm pretty much suffocating when he snarls the strangest thing—

"Mate…"

WHAT IN THE SANE HECKS IS A MATE?

This word is enough to make Kouga tense and Sango unfreeze. And, finally, she comes to my rescue. "Inuyasha, let go of her!"

But she still stands there. I want to knock her upside the head before banging my own skull against a big, comforting cement wall. You're not helping!

Finally, after Sango's struggling to release his grip, I choke, "YOU ASSHOLE!"

My curse seems to be effective. He lets go, and I gasp for air, shooting the most venomous eye-daggers I have ever created his way. I'm quite happy, if I do say myself, that he stiffens, almost as if he thinks I'll kill him.

FINALLY! My message has been sent!

Though I'm whooping on the inside—HOORAH!—Inuyasha and Kouga are, strangely, quiet and look really serious. Ignoring them, Sango barks, "C'MON, I GOTTA GO!"

I'm about to follow her when she runs back into the room and races into the bathroom. So… she literally had to go…

Ah. Of course she'd drag me out only to run back inside.

Okay, hit list revision!

To Do List

1. Kill everyone on hit list

2. Avoid getting in trouble

Somehow, I don't think my list will play out the way I want it to.

Dang.

Something's draped over my shoulders, and, automatically thinking the worst—RAPE!—I shrug it off, throw them to the floor, and stomp on it. You know, only to have it finally register that the item, I repeat, item was light and not even close to human.

Inuyasha grabs it angrily off the floor and tosses it my way. "Wench, cover yourself up! No one needs to see that!"

"What're you—!" Oh. The hallway's cold.

We're lucky I don't have a gun, or I would've killed myself out of embarrassment long ago.

I quickly put on the jacket and pull it over my, um, areas. I easily ignore Kouga's weird-butt growls at Inuyasha, who's keeping his distance from me.

Well… now that he knows what's good for him…

"Bitch, don't fall asleep in the hallway!"

I sit up, groggily, unhappy that I won't be able to catch up on some Z's after all. Or he could try to be killing himself by pissing me off. You never know with that idiot anymore.

—~*~—~*~—~*~—

Inuyasha's ignored me ever since that moment in the hallway. I swear, he won't even come close to saying my name—it's all "wench" and "female dog" now. We've been in the movie theater for, what, an hour now? And Sango—little miss MOTORMOUTH—still won't stop talking! I feel like my ears are bleeding, but my nose is in Heaven, because Inuyasha's jacket smells soooooooo good.

Oh, Mother of all that's—

"SHHHHHHHHHHH!" is the whisper that comes from the girl a few rows ahead of us. Yes, the movie's on, and yes, we're not watching it. I gave up fifteen minutes into it, honestly. All because Sango has to keep going on and on and on about how her stupid hamster died in sixth grade, and then, oh wait, she just remembered that her little brother Kohaku babysat that hamster when she went to soccer practice that day!

Dear Kami, she first started talking about how horrible the movie seats were and somehow got all the way to Mr. Snuggles in SIXTH GRADE!

I bang my head against the nearest table—forgetting that that's technically the popcorn bucket in my hands. To top it all off, I forgot to close my eyes. So now there's fatty seeds in my eyes, poking at my retinas, making them bloodshot and sting like heck.

Yay for Kagome.

Never try this at home, kids.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! THE BUTTERY KERNELS!" I scratch at my eyes, trying to get out the food that will probably scar me for the rest of my life. "WHY, KAMI, WHY?"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! THE CALORIE-FILLED HORROR!

Inuyasha, of course, panics and shouts, "HOLY SHIT!" Then he runs out of the theater.

What a moron! This is no time to GO TO THE BATHROOM! Why are people so intent on skipping out on me to go potty today? Why?

"MY EYES!" I scream, still clawing at them. Sango's alarmed as well, and dumps her Coke on me. Of course, it burns my eyes as well, so I yell some more. Who knows what Kouga's been doing all this time, or even Inuyasha for that matter. But everyone actually watching the movie is completely pee-owed, and some are calling for the security guards.

At this point, there's only thing to say: ever since I came here and met these freaks, my life has never been the same. And I'm sad to say, I'm not liking the change. If I could have my boring friends back, I'll take them happily, really, because we've never had issues like this before!

I continue screaming at the top of my lungs—AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!—until Inuyasha comes back. And you know what he says over my yelling?

"OPEN YOUR EYES, WENCH!"

Really. Of all the things to tell me to do, you want me to do what hurts most? Well, apparently since I didn't answer him, he does something very disturbing.

He forces open my lids and licks my eyes.

That's it. Life is officially weird and dreadful.

And Inu Jr. just met my knee.

—~*~—~*~—~*~—

So.

We got kicked out of the theater for being a disturbance. Gosh, life's a beach.

After the movie—which turned out to be a perfectly good horror film I missed thanks to somebody (cough, Sango)—and my popcorn incident—in which my eyes were automatically better after Inuyasha licked them (gross)—we skip ice cream and decide to go over to the Takahashi Manor. How, you ask? Well, Inuyasha "borrowed" my dad's car, that's how.

Yes. I am probably getting grounded for this, despite living at boarding school. (Maybe they'll kick me out instead? Oh, hallelujah, wouldn't that be swell!)

I have to say, the car ride's pretty weird. Not only is Inuyasha not even looking at me—something that seems wrong, by the way—but him and Kouga are getting along. It's odd, though, because I've been under the impression that they wanted to rip each other's lips off before gutting one another and burning the other's brains before eventually they both turned into zombies and set out for revenge, or even worse, me.

I have the feeling Kami may just put that to use one day.

As Sango talks with the guys, I'm quiet in the back, recalling all of today's events—well, actually, all the events thus far in my life at this stupid school. Inuyasha's pretty much two-sided with me, a total jerk yet a total flirt. Miroku's met Sango, who he just won't give up on (which he usually does after the first rejection). Kouga's after me as well, and every time that happens, I've noticed Inuyasha gets mad. Why? Not even his mother knows.

Well, at least I don't think she does…

Anyways, I've also tried to cross out a target on my hit list by strangling them in a classroom full of witnesses. I've been in actual trouble for the first time in my life. I've got some frenemies, foes, and allies all balled up into one massive group. And, most of all, I got to see someone get socked in the face.

That was the best night of my life.

While going over my crazy adventures, remembering to add today's occurrences to the list, Sango's phone rings. She answers it with a hello? Miroku would be drooling over, before handing it to me. "They say they're your friends."

I furrow my eyebrows at her. "How in the sane hecks would any of my friends get your number?"

Sango sighs, seeming annoyed that she has to look further into it. I gape. Is she not curious as to why these people have her phone number and know I'm with her? "They say they talked to Aimi, who gave them my number and told them you were with me." I gawk even more, my eye beginning to twitch. And why would Mom have Sango's number, much less Sango call her by her first name? "We may have had a friendly conversation this morning before swapping numbers." Then she shoves to the phone into my face, ignoring how my nose practically dials another number.

I shoot eye-daggers at her—dang, ineffective—when I greet whoever's on the phone. My automatic response is:

"HOLY CRAP, KAGOME'S ALIVE!"

"KAGOME! OMG, YOU GOT SUSPENDED?"

"YOU TRIED TO KILL SOMEONE?"

"Hello, Yuka, Eri, Ayumi," I say in my calmest voice, though I'm mentally adding them to my hit list—no, not only that, but to my new To Do List as well. "Why are you calling? Don't you guys have school?"

Ignoring me, Ayumi goes on. "Why were you trying to strangle someone?"

"I know you suffer PMS, Kagome, but seriously?" Eri snorts. "Killing someone?"

I fume. "FOR YOUR INFORMATION"—insert eye-daggers in Inuyasha's back—"HE WAS BEING A TOTAL DICKHEAD!"

"OMG!" Really, Yuka? Really? "Did you just curse?"

Everyone in the car—except Inu-poo—stares at me in surprise. Their gazes echo my friends' shock. "Uh…" You know, when you've been put on the spot like that, there really is nothing left to say. "Talk to you later?"

"HIGURASHI KAGO—"

Click. I whip the phone back at Sango, rubbing my temples. Oh, sweet freedom.

"Did you just hang up on them?" Sango asks me, looking shocked.

Instead of clearly replying, I cheer, "THEY'RE GONE! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"I worry for her," Kouga whispers none-too-softly to that stupid, charismatic yet beyond-annoying idiot to his left. Inuyasha, still ignoring me—Buddha darn him—just nods. We pull up to his house about then—the place is a freaking estate—and Inuyasha doesn't even explain why he's driving to the confused butler. Kouga, Sango, and I hurry after him, eager to see what the inside's like.

And, of course, the moment I see it, I hate him with every inch of my core.

It's so big, and shiny, and big, and fancy, and big—!

Did I mention how big it is?

"INUYASHA!" yells a woman from afar. A lady dressed in royal kimonos, the female version of Inuyasha, stomps into the room. "Your father sensed you! Why were you driving—" Suddenly, she seems to take notice of me and Sango, who are staring at her with dumbfounded looks. "Oh. Hello there, girls. I'm Inuyasha's mother, Takahashi Izayoi. Who might you be?"

"I'm Taijiya Sango and she's Higurashi Kagome, ma'am," Sango says too politely. I just continue to gawk at the beautiful woman in front of me. She's so perfect-looking, I refuse to believe she's related to Inuyasha in any way whatsoever, despite his hotness!

"Nice to meet you both." She smiles brightly, and then calls, "Tai— Toga! Inuyasha and Kouga are here, and they brought lady friends!"

Oh, heck no!

"INUYASHA AND I AREN'T FRIENDS!" I insist to the world, my voice booming off the walls. GAH! Why must everyone assume that?

Izayoi tilts her head in confusion as who I'm guessing is her husband, Toga, walks from the entrance she came from. "Ah, son, Kouga." He looks like Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, too—except he has chocolate eyes and his black hair's up in a high ponytail. "And from what I just heard, you are Sango and Kagome."

Thank Kami that we're not using honorifics. "YEP!" Sango chirps. I'm really wondering if I'm the only one who has mood swings around here… Seriously, it's something to consider.

"Father, we need to talk to you," Inuyasha tells Toga, his voice more serious than I've ever heard. It sounds like whatever he needs to discuss is urgent. He and Kouga begin to walk off to another room, disappearing in the largest house probably ever made.

Sango and I are about to follow when Izayoi grabs us both by our ears and sings, "Let's have tea! Shall we, ladies?"

I almost want to stab her with my special—yet seemingly unsuccessful—eye-daggers. Since you're pulling my ear, I have no choice, do I?

—~*~—~*~—~*~—

(Narrative POV)

"Are you sure you're not exaggerating anything?" Inutaisho asked the newly-turned humans into (half-)demons. The boys shook their heads, Kouga sitting patiently on the seat in front of Inutaisho's desk while Inuyasha leaned against the wall, his head down. "You mean you really have been losing control around this girl, son? And your demon did, in fact, take over you and call her mate?"

Inuyasha nodded again before dragging his hand down his face. Damn. He'd only known the wench for three days and just realized today that she was his mate—the one intended for him, the one he would spend the rest of his life with. Demons had that sort of system; they wouldn't be able to resist their mate's scent—the first sign someone's your mate—and continuously do things that they wouldn't normally. Take Sesshoumaru, for example. Though Rin's oblivious, she is his mate, and when he first caught her scent, it was the time he'd saved her and brought her back to life. Ever since, he'd been less cold, though this mostly applied to his parents and Rin herself. She'd changed him somehow.

Inuyasha wasn't sure how his bitch did it, but she turned him on with the smallest of movements. He'd already known she was attractive and smelt good, but he acted differently around her. He was more carefree and persistent than he'd been with his past crushes; not only that, but he loved teasing her and wanted to know about her. When they'd first met, they didn't get along, but later that night, when Inuyasha first saw her smile out in the moonlight, actually in a good mood and less emotionally unstable and fiery like earlier, he'd known there was something special about her.

"Inuyasha, she's your mate."

And now his father had confirmed it.

Kouga, angry beyond hell, stood up and banged his fists on the luckily strong desk. "DAMN IT!" Inutaisho shot him a curious look, remembering how his eldest had told him that both the wolf and half-demon desired the girl. Well, this just confirmed the Ice Cube's words.

"What do we do?" Inuyasha asked more softly than he meant to. He still thought back to that moment in the hallway, where he'd felt so alive—where the moment felt so right. Having her so close to him, yet so far away, almost as if crushing her to him wasn't enough. It was like he just needed to get even closer…

His ears drooped. Too bad she doesn't fucking like me.

"Nothing much," Inutaisho said simply. The teens shot him disbelieving looks. "I feared she may be a threat at first due to her miko powers, but if she is in fact your mate, she should be experiencing the same emotions you are now, son." Inuyasha's spirit suddenly soared at that. He'd forgotten that she'd feel the same way. "But, I suggest you let her grow closer to you emotionally," his father offered. "Kagome may feel that the bond is there, though she might be uncomfortable with how quickly a connection has formed. For right now, try to win her heart, and maybe when the time comes, you can take things further and let her find out the truth about you."

Inuyasha nodded and he and the fuming Kouga redid their concealment charms. Both boys turned to leave, but Inutaisho stopped them, however, to add a few last words. "By the way, if what you told me about her changing moods is right, then it's highly likeable that something did indeed happen in her life. Just don't press her too much, Son. You may just find that she'll tell you in her own time—maybe even become her old self again."

Inuyasha smiled genuinely at the new information, nodded again, and he and Kouga left the room. Inutaisho also grinned, but more at Inuyasha's change in attitude than his own advice. Inuyasha found his mate. And, more importantly, my son smiled a real smile—one he hasn't done in a long, long time.

—~*~—~*~—~*~—

(Kagome POV)

Izayoi took us into a bright room that's especially made for formal, old-fashioned tea parties. After pouring us a few cups, she began asking us a shipload of questions: "what are your lives like?", "where do you live?" (um…?), "how do you know Inuyasha?", and so on and so forth. Of course, she at some point inquires, "Do one of you hold feelings for my son?"

I choke on some tea, coughing. "Eh, what?" I mumble through my dry, scorching throat.

She raises an amused eyebrow. "I believe you'd heard me loud and clear."

Well…

This is awkward.

"AH HA! So you confess!"

Wait, is it that I confessed to? My secret, undying love for Stevie Wonder's saxophone? (And yes, the instrument, you perverts!) My obsession with clandestinely watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager? (Which gives Americans an even worse name than they already have, mind you. Besides, when's the Japanese version gonna come out?) My hidden addiction to crack cocaine and steroids? (Oops, that was Amy Winehouse and A-Rod, though, wasn't it?) My deed of stealing the cookie from the cookie jar? (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!)

"What?" I ask, because obviously, there's no cookie jar around here.

Duh.

"You just called the situation 'awkward'," Sango enlightens me. Oh, crap, I spoke out loud? "If you do that, it means you find answering the question uncomfortable, thus you hold feelings for Inuyasha."

"Okay, Sango, first of all, he's a jerk. Second, he won't leave me alone." Excluding some of today, that is. "Third, he's constantly bullying and molesting me!" Whoops. Should I have said that in front of his mother?

Apparently, she doesn't mind. She smiles, looking happy and stunned at the info I've just given. "He seems to like you a lot."

"BUT I'VE ONLY KNOWN HIM FOR THREE DAYS!" I groan, burying my face in my hands. I would bang my head against the table, but since it's so pretty, I decide against doing so. Then her words process: "What?"

Izayoi only shakes her head knowingly before sipping some tea. That's when I realize that even though the table's too pretty to break, the floor is no exception.

Okay, so Inuyasha's hot. Big whoop. I don't feel any luv—

Lug—

Lub—

Darn you, Miroku! Because of him, I stand even say loove! I don't feel any lob for the guy! Lust, maybe bloodlust, but not love! Jeez, it's just like Sango and Miroku: the boy's persistent and won't catch on while the girl wants to bang his head in with her boomerang.

Oh, wait, they ended up friends.

…

$#!%.

A/N: Another cliche (or commonly made, stupid mistake) is that the writer confuses love, infatuation, and lust all with each other. I'm not going to bother with their definitions since I think it's pretty obvious, but feel free to distinguish the three between each other and realize a relationship begins with lust or infatuation, not love, because love is like the golden trophy at the end of a race and, well, I'm not going sappy on you, so just look up the god damned definitions, lazy ass. XP

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