Milk Tea and Youkai

"Inuyasha! Where are you going?" Miroku called, Sango not far behind, to the hanyou as the strong wind tossed the silver hair around his face. Inuyasha paused in his footsteps, noticing how soft the ground felt against his toes, and closing his eyes slipped a small object into his haori. Another gust of wind blew in his face lifting his hair behind him making him look regal.

"None of your business," Inuyasha calmly said, a peaceful look on his face, as he continued his walk towards the forest where the well was located, leaving Miroku and Sango confused.

"You better not be causing any trouble for Kagome!" the monk warned waving his staff at Inuyasha.

"What!" Inuyasha replied with a raised voice, turning to face Miroku as he grabbed the staff.

"Relax. I don't want you to do anything that you may regret," he smirked with a devious look in his eye.

"Regret what?" Inuyasha frowned, growling. A harsh gust blew into the clearing along with a barrage of leaves and debris causing Inuyasha to let go of the staff and shield his face instead.

"You mean there is nothing going on between the two of you we should worry about," Miroku retained with feigned innocence as he brushed the front of his robes, sending small leaves and twigs into the air around him.

"I am not answering that," Inuyasha huffed as he headed into the forest occasionally picking leaves and twigs from his hair.

"Miroku, sometimes you need to just butt out," Sango said walking towards the village leaving the monk to stare at her retreating backside, "but aren't you just a bit curious!"

"No monk," Sango shouted back.

As violent the winds were in the Sengoku Jidai, the trees barely made a sound to the gentle breezes of the modern era. A bright sun shone in the cloudless sky as a flock of distant birds traveled across the blue expanse.

Inuyasha sat patiently under a tree in front of Kagome's school biting into an apple that Mrs. Higurashi passed to him with a knowing smile as he retrieved his bandana. He had wanted "dried potatoes" as he fondly called his favorite snack, but she merely pressed an apple into his hand and pushed him out of the kitchen, "She'll be done with school soon. Don't be late!"

As he watched a squirrel scamper up a tree he wondered if Kagome would be upset for meeting him at school but Mrs. Higurashi was a pretty convincing woman. And there was also the fact that he could not bear to be away from Kagome any longer.

The squirrel paused as it met another, both of their noses a few hair strands apart, reminding Inuyasha of the kiss the day before. The sun had been out like it was this day, although there were a few less clouds, and there was more of a breeze.

Perhaps I'll get another, he thought his cheeks reddening at the thought of their kiss. Despite his happiness, he could not help but wonder. Was the kiss as magical for Kagome as it was for him? Was he clumsy? Were his lips too dry? Or were they too moist?

"Inuyasha!" The sound of Kagome's voice startled him out of his thoughts. He slowly looked up to see her standing before him smiling. Miraculously she was alone, her friends not with her. Kagome placed her hands on her hips and smirked "couldn't get enough of me, eh?"

"Uuuuhhhh," Inuyasha managed to reply. He could feel his heart beat a little faster as he wondered what to say. A confession, a kiss, had left him flustered. Although he did not understand it, suddenly Inuyasha wanted to impress Kagome.

"C'mon, let's get some boba milk tea!" Kagome said taking his hand, leading him out of the courtyard.

"Boba?" Inuyasha asked with uncertainty, his cheeks reddening even further at the fact that Kagome had a firm grip on his hand. But all the same, he relished in the affection.

"Relax silly, it's food. You'll like it!" Kagome announced as they marched into the small shopping district and a small café with small round colorful plastic tables and matching stools. Boba milk tea was actually tea sweetened with condensed milk and small gelatinous balls of tapioca at the bottom that could be sucked up through a large straw. It came in several different flavors. Inuyasha sat at the small blue table frowning at the creation.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked, with a hopeful look in her eye. She had been thinking of Inuyasha all day in class, delighted to find him waiting for her at school looking slightly rebellious in his traditional garments paired with a red bandana around his head. "Do you not like it?"

"I'm trying to decide how to eat it," Inuyasha calmly replied looking at the tapioca balls suspended in the bottom of the glass.

"Just take a sip! If a tapioca ball ends up in your mouth just chew it," Kagome giggled. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome as if she had gone mad then tentatively took a sip, making a strange face at the unique flavor and texture of the tapioca ball.

"Well…" Kagome prodded.

"It's not bad," Inuyasha answered smiling slightly taking another sip. That answer was enough for Kagome who was all too aware of her brother's dislike of the drink. The couple sipped their drinks in silence unsure of what to say before Kagome broke the silence, "Um Inuyasha, I want to apologize for all the things I said. I don't know what overcame me."

Kagome expected Inuyasha to rudely tell her she had every right to be sorry, but those words never came out of his mouth. "It's alright Kagome, I should have told you everything. I wasn't sure that I smelled or saw a youkai and wanted to investigate before I said anything but still I should have told you…"

"It's okay," Kagome interrupted. "What's done is done. Let's just forget it."

Inuyasha nodded and looked down at the table, wondering what to say next and hoping he would say it right. How he wished he still had a mother who would tell him the right words to say to make a girl's heart flutter. As he sat there he remembered he could do something. His hand shaking, he retrieved the small object from his haori and with an unsteady voice said, "It isn't much, but I brought you something."

Kagome held out her hand and took the object from Inuyasha's shaky hand. He obviously had been nervous over this little object, making him more endearing to her. The object was a small wooden bracelet made of boxwood and elaborately engraved with sakura blossoms. It was simple but so very beautiful. Kagome slipped it on her wrist and smiled, "I love it! Where did you get it?"

"I, uh, ah, well" Inuyasha stammered not looking at Kagome, "I um, I made it."

"You made it! It's beautiful!" Kagome explained. She had been given gifts before, but never had anyone made something for her. Her heart beating faster, she leaned over the table and kissed Inuyasha. The brief brush of lips on lips was tantalizing leaving both Inuyasha and Kagome speechless.

"I, I am glad you like it," Inuyasha whispered looking down at the smooth tabletop. Why do I always loose my voice when she kisses me, Inuyasha frowned. He looked at Kagome who was gazing out the large glass window, a small blush apparent on her cheeks.

The schoolgirl was wistfully lost in thought. In less than a week, Kagome had discovered that youkai existed in her era, fought with Inuyasha, made up with Inuyasha, and kissed him, twice.

Inuyasha felt like he needed to do something with his hands. He looked around the café noticing another couple at a table next to the window, so blissfully lost in conversation. How he wished he wasn't so nervous at the moment. Spying his cup, he took a large sip of his tea, nearly choking on several tapioca balls that had traveled up the straw.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked, snapped out of her reverie.

"Feh, I'm fine. It'll take a lot to do me in," he choked out. Kagome giggled at a familiar tone of voice. Inuyasha's eyes met hers and he noticed there was a bit of strain in her eyes despite her smile, "Kagome is there something wrong?"

"I'm so happy now, but I can't help feel something is going to happen to tear us apart," she said in barely a whisper. "I'm just worried that youkai. What was he doing?"

"He was following you," Inuyasha darkly stated. He then looked down at the linoleum floor his mind replaying the fight over the rooftops of Tokyo, the battle he lost. "I am positive of that. He taunted me saying that you couldn't be with me the way you were all over that boy."

"What," Kagome shrieked, insulted. "What did you do?"

"I told him to not talk that way about you," Inuyasha darkly replied in a whisper. Balling his hand into a fist he continued, "Then I fought him, but I couldn't fight like I wanted to and he moved so fast as if he was dancing and I lost."

"It's okay," Kagome whispered back placing a hand on top of his. "We'll figure it out. It's not the first time we have faced a tough enemy. What we can do is strategize."

"Strategize," Inuyasha smirked cocking an eyebrow taking another sip of his strange drink. "And what do you plan to do?"

"Well first," Kagome said with a sly grin as she retrieved a notebook and pen from her bag, "tell me all you know."

Inuyasha looked at her before taking a large sip, this time careful not to choke, and tentatively began, "Well it all began when your mother told me she could sense some strange auras around the shrine and asked me to watch over you."

"My mother," Kagome whispered, her voice harsh. Inuyasha frowned as he heard her voice and saw the tenseness in her shoulders, "You shouldn't be mad at your mother, she was only trying to protect you."

There was a hint of jealousy and sadness in his voice as he spoke. She often forgot things were not always so easy for Inuyasha, but still her mother should not have hid this from her, "I just wish people would stop hiding things from me."

"I'm sorry Kagome," Inuyasha replied. "I know what it feels like to be left out, but everyone's been so worried about you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You just seem," Inuyasha uncharacteristically paused looking for the right word, "anxious all the time, you don't smile as much anymore, and you always seem so…sad. Your mom loves you so much you should talk to her."

"I guess you're right," Kagome confessed and sat there quietly sipping her drink. She smiled and looked across the table, noticing how thoughtful he was trying to be as if he had grown up overnight, and merely said, "thanks."

"Are you going to be okay" Inuyasha asked. Kagome nodded, "but right now we really need to focus on our youkai problem."

"As I was saying, your mom said something felt funny so I patrolled the shrine and the parts of town you like to go to when I smelt a funny scent. I thought I smelled a moth youkai," Inuyasha explained scowling his face in disgust. "I spotted someone in the distance and ran after him but he got away. I explained all this to your mother and grandfather. I asked if there were any other objects that could cause problems at the shrine and your grandfather told me everything was secure."

"Yeah right," Kagome smirked. "Sounga caused enough problems."

"I know," Inuyasha replied with sarcasm dripping in his voice. "I was attached to that thing."

"Oh I remember," Kagome added in an exaggerated tone.

"The second time I saw him was the time I fought him. He did not smell like a moth, though his aura felt the same. It smelled as if he was masking his scent. He taunted me about you, saying that you were all over that boy and I got mad so I reached for my tetsusaiga but he taunted me some more, saying I would destroy half the buildings with it, so we fought hand to hand, but he was so fast I barely got a punch or kick in."

"He was probably using fancy martial arts to throw you off," Kagome muttered gazing at the table deep in thought. "I think there are some books at the Shrine that could help you."

Inuyasha heard Kagome's comment but did not react to it. He smiled, suddenly realizing that his fight on the rooftops was not futile. "I did get a name though."

"A name," Kagome stated.

"Haburigami," Inuyasha coldly spat out.

"I got a good look at him, too," Kagome stated. "He looked directly at me before I went into WacDonald's. I drew a diagram." She said turning a page to show him. Inuyasha frowned at the picture turning it clockwise then counterclockwise. "Do you have a pencil?"

Kagome handed him a pink mechanical pencil causing the hanyou to laugh. Inuyasha took it and began to draw on the pages. After a few minutes there was a simple sketch of the youkai that had glared at Kagome. Seeing that image caused a shiver to go through her body.

"Yeah that's him," Kagome quietly stated. But as she looked at the picture she noticed how beautiful the pencil strokes were, at how detailed the image was. "Other than the subject matter, this is really good."

"Keh," Inuyasha defiantly replied crossing his arms and tucking his hands in his sleeves. Kagome merely smiled at the discovery of a hidden talent. She wondered what else was hidden behind those amber eyes. Both of their drinks finished, Kagome came up with an idea and with a twinkle in her eye said, "C'mon let's get out of here."

"It's a stupid idea," Inuyasha huffed as they left the shop and headed towards the WacDonald's to retrace the events that transpired a few days ago.

"But we might find clues!" Kagome insisted on Inuyasha's back as they leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Three years with Kagome had taught Inuyasha never to argue with a determined woman. He stopped

"His scent is no longer here," Inuyasha grumbled as they landed on the rooftop where he fought Haburigami.

Kagome climbed off his back and looked around the breeze tousling her hair, noticing how crowded the streets were below how close the neighboring buildings were. She imagined the fight; a series of blurs that could easily be missed if one did not know what to look for. "I think it may have rained that night."

"Scents don't linger long on these tall buildings," Inuyasha explained. "And don't forget, he was masking his scent."

"But shouldn't a bit of his original scent have rubbed off?" Kagome inquired turning to face Inuyasha.

"It all depends on the way the scent is disguised," Inuyasha voiced. "Perhaps he has found a way not to leave a scent."

"But he may have left something behind," Kagome announced spying something shiny on the rooftop. She walked over to it and using a handkerchief she picked up a shiny pendant, a flat silver square with a strange red stone in the center of it. "I can sense the magic in this."

"Let me see," Inuyasha asked kneeling next to her taking it in his hand.

"Be careful," Kagome hissed. "I don't trust it."

"Neither do I," Inuyasha quietly said passing the handkerchief back to Kagome. "I can feel the energy coming off it." Inuyasha watched as Kagome carefully wrapped the pendant in the handkerchief and tuck it in her bag. His eyes spanned the rooftop, not seeing or smelling anything odd, "C'mon there is nothing else around here. Let's go."

"Okay," Kagome replied, but stiffened as she felt a familiar aura that she could not place. As soon as she felt it, it was gone. She climbed onto Inuyasha's back and Inuyasha leapt down landing in a deserted alley. Tentatively, he grabbed her hand and led her to the street.

He paused sniffing the air, "strange."

"What's strange Inuyasha?"

"I thought I smelled an inu youkai," he said hopefully as he led her down the street.

"What?" Kagome replied following him as they ran down the street.

"It's gone," Inuyasha hissed.

"Was it our youkai?" Kagome asked.

"No, I don't think so," Inuyasha replied. "It was, something different. There are youkai here, definitely, but they keep to themselves. I was just…"

Kagome waited for him to continue but he said nothing so she implored further, "You were just what?"

"It's silly," Inuyasha said looking wistfully into the street.

"You're not silly," Kagome replied squeezing his hand. Inuyasha nodded, still embarrassed by his musings. Perhaps, he thought, he would tell her later. "C'mon let's go."

Inuyasha squeezed her hand back, afraid to voice his basest of all hopes. He had thought perhaps that the youkai of this era were more enlightened in their thinking, more educated, more accepting of a half-breed like him. Perhaps he would not feel so lonely anymore. Fat chance he thought.

"Higurashi," the voice of a boy awakened Inuyasha from his thoughts. He gripped her hand tighter as they turned around to face the boy.

"Hi Hojo," Kagome replied as she held firmly onto Inuyasha's hand. "What are you doing around here?"

"I was on my way to the bookstore when I spotted you. You ran out of school so quickly I wasn't able to…" He paused when he noticed that Kagome was holding hands with a strange boy with long white hair dressed in traditional garments.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked.

"Um I am," Hojo stammered. "I've got to get going. I'll see you later," he cheerily said getting on his bicycle and riding off.

"Strange kid," Inuyasha muttered.

"Yeah," Kagome absently responded, watching the boy disappear around a corner. She sighed and turned to Inuyasha, "Let's head home, "I'm starving."

"So are there going to be any more proclamations of love across the courtyard anytime soon?" Gramps announced in the middle of dinner. Kagome coughed violently as Inuyasha choked on his tea.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Kagome muttered.

"Yeah, you must be imagining things," Inuyasha added sinking in his seat a little.

"Would anyone like more fish?" Mrs. Higurashi announced rather loudly, ignoring the fact that everyone had generous servings on their plates.

"Mom, I already have some," Sota said aloud, glaring at the blushing couple. "But I bet Inuyasha and Kagome would…"

"Be quiet dear." And with Mrs. Higurashi's calm statement not a word was said and everyone returned to eating in an uncomfortable silence.

"So do you think the whole neighborhood heard?" Sota asked.

"Probably," jii-chan quickly replied.

"Would anyone like some sake?" Mrs. Higurashi quickly added in a futile attempt to bring civility to the table.

"Hell no!" Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. He quickly noticed her glare and realized his slip of bad language and looked at the table, the blush returning to his cheeks. "S-sorry."

"Don't worry dear. You're not the one I'm annoyed with," Mrs. Higurashi explained glaring at her father and son.

"Did I miss something?" Kagome asked after a few moments of contemplation after watching Inuyasha retract.

"Nothing at all dear," Mrs. Higurashi said rather too nonchalantly.

Jii-chan cleared his throat and downing the tea in his cup, held it aloft and said "sake would be good to celebrate…"

"That's enough father," Mrs. Higurashi sternly warned.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said, putting her chopsticks down. It was obvious she was furious. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Me neither," Inuyasha added pushing his plate away, looking down at the table. Both had cheeks stained a distinctive shade of pink. After they left the kitchen, Mrs. Higurashi glared at jii-chan and Sota causing the both of them gulp.

"That will never happen again, got it?" she scolded. Jii-chan and Sota nodded.

"Geez, that dinner was embarrassing!" Inuyasha said examining the soft cotton material of his new sleeping kimono as he sat on his futon spread out on the floor of Kagome's room.

"You're telling me," Kagome vocally agreed. On the inside she was relieved that everyone was okay with their relationship. Actually, they seemed strangely happy about it. "We'll just have to learn to be more discreet."

"Yeah, I don't know why our personal life is that interesting. Your brother, your grandfather, Miroku…"

"My friends, villagers…" Kagome continued, counting on her fingers.

"People just need to learn to butt out!" Inuyasha finally blurted out, his stomach growling. A knock at the door stirred the two teens from their embarrassed state.

"Come in," Kagome replied. Both Inuyasha and Kagome were relieved to see Mrs. Higurashi with a large tray in her arms, "You two barely ate. I thought you guys might be hungry."

"Oh yeah, thanks," Inuyasha smiled as he and Kagome got up and ran to the door to take the tray.

"Take it easy you two," she smiled placing the tray on the floor. She laughed as she watched her young charges sit on the floor hastily pick at the dishes with their chopsticks.

"Relax no one is going to take your food away," Mrs. Higurashi calmly said causing both Inuyasha and Kagome to pause, chopsticks mere inches from their mouths and cheeks puffed out, and stare at her. "Oh and Inuyasha do you like that sleeping kimono I found for you?"

"Um, yeah, thanks," he muttered averting his eyes. Kagome looked up at her mother and smiled. She had a way to make everyone feel comfortable. Mrs. Higurashi smiled fondly at Inuyasha and Kagome, "Good night you two. Just remember to wash up when you're done."

Inuyasha and Kagome nodded and watched as Mrs. Higurashi close the door behind them before returning to their plates. Since the day he fought the youkai after the Shikon no Tama, he had barely ate or slept and found himself rather hungry. Between bites, Inuyasha cast a few furtive glances at Kagome all the while thinking, She kissed me today.

He placed his empty rice bowl down on the tray a fang hanging outside his lip. So lost in his reverie he did not notice that Kagome had taken the tray and dishes and left the room. Only when he looked up did he notice he was alone in the room.

"Kagome," as soft voice said as she stood at the kitchen sink washing the dishes, humming softly to herself.

"Yes mama," she replied turning around, placing the dish on a drying rack. Mrs. Higurashi walked over to the sink and took the bowl in her hands drying it and placing it in the cupboard. She looked over at her daughter, "So you two had a run in with a youkai."

"Not exactly," Kagome quietly explained running a sponge over a dish. "He merely looked at me but Inuyasha was the one to fight him."

"I see," Mrs. Higurashi replied. "I suppose he told you that I ordered him to watch you."

Kagome stiffened, recalling Inuyasha's confession earlier. She had felt betrayed by the one she least expected, her mother. "Why didn't you tell me?" Why?"

Mrs. Higurashi blinked at the emotion in Kagome's voice. She took another dish and slowly ran her towel over it. "All my life I've had these strange senses and feelings. All my life I just ignored them until the day you fell down the well. I now know I have some miko abilities, but they are not as developed as yours."

"Mama," Kagome whispered wide eyed with wonder.

"I should have said something to you dear," Mrs. Higurashi explained. "But I was unsure of what I felt and did not want to worry you over nothing so I gave Inuyasha a small task. I'm really sorry Kagome."

Kagome smiled and looked at her mother. She wanted to be mad at her but she had always been so supportive of her adventures into the past and her relationship with Inuyasha. "It's okay. You don't need to worry. I'm a lot stronger than you think."

"I know," Mrs. Higurashi hugging her daughter.

Kagome opened her bedroom door to find Inuyasha lying on his futon his hands behind his head gazing at the ceiling. "Hey."

"Hey," Kagome replied walking over to Inuyasha and kneeling next to him. "Watcha thinking about?"

"Nothing," he replied looking into her eyes, cradling her neck with his hands. He felt his heart beat faster and his breath hitch in his throat as Kagome inched closer. Soon he felt her lips on his and closed his eyes. Inuyasha moved his lips with hers, hugging her close. Slowly their lips broke apart and they gazed at each other for what seemed an eternity.

"Wow," Inuyasha whispered as he slowly released her. Kagome smiled and kissed him once more, this time on the cheek, "Get some rest, dear, you need it."

Inuyasha smiled nodding as he watched Kagome walk to her desk to complete her homework for the next day. Slowly he sank down onto the futon and pulled the sheet over him, sleep blissfully overtaking him as he thought,

Kagome kissed me…

I hope Inuyasha did not come off too OOC. I was trying to the awkwardness between those two.