Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe, but I sure do love playing with them. The rest is mine.

Chapter 5

So...he wasn't going to lie to her about finding the jewel. That was good to know. She was curious about just how much he was willing to reveal before the lies started, though...and she was even more curious about whether she would be able to tell when that happened.

"Ok...so that's good, right? You completed your mission."

"We did," he agreed with a nod as he ate more of his stew.

"So...now what?"

"Now, we go home," he shrugged. "Like you said - we completed our mission. We found the jewel, and now we can go home."

"Can I see it?"

"The jewel?" he clarified.

"Yeah. Why not, right? It's not like I can run off with it."

"I don't have it," he replied with a shake of his head as he brought more stew to his mouth.

Hmmm...that felt like a lie.

"Well...where is it?"

"Not on me," he shrugged dismissively.

Ok. That was a definite lie.

"Do you know where it is?"

"Yes."

Honesty. Interesting.

"So, why can't we go and see it?"

"It's not accessible at the moment."

"Why not?"

"Why are you so interested?" he demanded, putting his spoon down roughly.

"I told you already. This thing was worth kidnapping me over, so...yeah. I'm interested in it. I want to know why it was so special."

"Eat more of your food, please," he sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"Ok," she agreed, swallowing another spoonful. "Why is it not accessible at the moment?"

He smiled wryly at her before his face turned sad.

"You're relentless, aren't you?"

"I've been known to not take 'no' for an answer," she shrugged.

"Alright," he began in exasperation, pausing to carefully pick his next words. "Well...it's not accessible right now because I can't get into where it's being kept without some serious consequences."

"Like what? You'll get fired?" she snorted.

"That would be a dream come true, but it will never happen," he scoffed bitterly. "The second son of Touga shall and will be a warrior, as is his brother, as is his father, as was his father's father, as was his father's father's father..."

"You sound resentful," she smiled softly.

"Do I?"

"Mmm…" she replied, leaning forward to rest her elbow on the table top and prop her cheek on her palm.

"Perhaps I am," he shrugged. "We aren't always delt fair lots in life, but you still have to find a way to make do."

"Are you saying that about yourself or about me?"

"I think I'll let you decide," he grinned back mysteriously, finally picking his spoon back up to eat more of his stew.

"So...if you weren't a warrior, what would you be?"

"An explorer," he replied instantly. "Or a scientist. I want to see what else is out there...I want to discover things we've never discovered before and learn about civilizations we've never seen or dreamed of. I...I have to admit that when we found Earth, I was thrilled. Everything was new! Everything was so...primitive. It was fascinating! And your language...and your phone…"

"What about my phone?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes.

"In a word? Fascinating," he sighed, smiling. "I was there when they were looking through it," he blushed, looking down to his stew. "I enjoyed your photos."

"Which photos?" she squeaked.

"All of them! It was like being able to look inside your life," he explained excitedly with a wide grin stretched across his face. "I could see the people you hold close to you. And food! And clothes! Tell me...why do you take so many photos of your cat?"

"Oh my god…" she groaned.

"Is that a rude question?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"It's just a hard one to explain," she sighed.

"Oh...I see...am...am I being rude, Kagome? By asking you about your photos?"

"I...I don't know," she replied honestly, cocking her head to the side. "I don't know why we take the photos we do...and I don't know if it's rude to ask me about them. I...I think it's fine," she finally decided, and he looked relieved.

"Good...I don't want to offend you," he blushed softly, giving her a shy smile...and she believed him. She put her arm down and ate another spoonful of soup.

"So...since you went through my phone, do you have any questions about it? For the sake of your research?"

His eyes widened and his cheeks flushed before he vigorously shook his head no.

"Are you sure?" she asked, and his cheeks only darkened.

"I...I have a lot of questions, but I think they're all inappropriate."

"Now I'm curious..." she smiled. "You have to ask me!"

He glanced up at her face and then back down to his food before muttering his question.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, prompting him to repeat it.

"Is it common for men to send photos of their genitals to women if they are interested in courting them?" he mumbled more loudly this time, and she felt her cheeks light up.

"How...why…"

"It was in an app-li-ca-tion for courting," he explained. "I found that one very interesting once we decoded your language."

"I...did you read my messages?" she demanded, blanching.

"Enough to understand that men like to share images of their genitals and request the same from the women they are interested in," he blushed. "If I were wanting to court you, would you expect me to show you my genitals before we began so you could approve them? Is that how courtship is initiated?"

"No!" she yelled, covering her face with her hands and turning bright red. "Please...don't ever show me your...genitals. Women don't enjoy that. At all. I don't know why it started...but did you notice that I never responded to anyone who did that?"

"You responded to some of them...was it because you enjoyed their appearance?"

"No! I was probably drunk, if I did," she groaned. Explaining dick pics to an alien was not on the list of things she ever thought she would have to do. "Sending those photos is considered rude. It's unwanted and vile. Unless you have that sort of relationship, most women, or at least all of the ones I know, don't enjoy those photos."

"So, what do women like?" he asked shyly. "What...what do you like?"

"I...I don't know...not that, though," she sighed. "I like men who don't do that. I like guys who want to get to know me as a person. I want someone who I can easily talk to and who can make me laugh. I want things to feel fluid and natural. Isn't it the same way with women where you're from?"

"We don't get much choice in the matter," he shrugged. "It's already decided for most of us."

"So, you don't...court anyone when you're younger?"

"We can, but a lot of us don't see the point. It only makes things harder when the time comes."

"Have you ever courted anyone?"

"Once," he replied sadly, and she found herself feeling...something for him because of his tone. "It doesn't matter, though."

"Sounds like I struck a nerve," she observed.

"I'm not considered a prize among women at home," he shrugged. "My mixed heritage makes me less desirable."

"Really? I would think your father being a ruler would make you desirable. You're rather attractive, too."

"You think so?" he asked with a small, hopeful smile.

"I mean...I'm used to humans, but you have some interesting and exotic features," she shrugged, and his face fell slightly.

"Ah," he replied simply.

She watched him push his stew around in his bowl, his spoon lightly scraping against the bottom.

"I think you have beautiful eyes," she told him after a moment, and he looked up at her in surprise. "They're different. They're unique and expressive, and I like their color. All of your human features are very striking, too. Your jaw, your cheekbones...You would be considered a catch back on Earth."

She didn't know why, but she felt better seeing him perk up and smile. Maybe it was because he was trying so hard to be nice and he really did seem to be concerned about her and her well-being...and it's not like it was a lie.

"So, you find me desirable?" he grinned.

"I didn't say that...and I think we got off-topic."

"Because our conversation is fluid and natural?" he asked with a smirk, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah...sure."

"You think I'm funny, too."

"It was a good joke," she relented with a smile.

"So...now I just have to get to know you?" he asked rather seriously, and her eyes widened slightly.

"That...no," she blushed, leaning back. "We're talking about the jewel, remember?"

"I thought we were talking about courtship?"

"You sidetracked me," she countered, shaking her head. "Why do you want the jewel?"

He looked at her for a long moment before he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair.

"No. I'm not answering that. Not unless you answer a few questions for me, too."

"Changing our deal, are we?"

"Yeah. I am. I...I want to know more about you and Earth and courtship," he shrugged.

"Why?" she asked skeptically, and he blushed.

"I'm curious. And I told you...I find you fascinating."

"Me, or where I come from?"

"I have to pick?"

Her brows rose at that, and she shook her head before leaning forward to eat more soup. Was he intentionally trying to flirt with her?

"Why do you want the jewel?" she repeated, and he crossed his arms on the table behind his bowl.

"I don't," he finally told her quite seriously. "I wish the damn thing didn't exist. But it does, and I've been sent to retrieve it."

"So...if you don't want it, who does?"

"My father."

"Really? Why?"

His ears lowered, and he looked down at his crossed arms as a defeated, humorless smile gracing his lips.

"So he can use it on me."

A/Rs (In order of received):

Guest: I know! I'm the worst. That's a bit of a thing in this story, if we couldn't tell ;)

Guest: And thank YOU for the amazing review! I'm so glad you loved! I've been having a blast writing it and I love hearing when people love reading it, so THANK YOU! I hope you enjoyed Dog Tags too! Talk about a behemoth of a story (and it's still going, LOL!)

JLD (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4): THANK YOU! Your reviews seriously helped make MY day! And I love that you binge read the whole thing, and your reviews seriously left my heart all warm and fuzzy. I know…him putting on the necklace WILLINGLY is a bit of a twist! He's just trying to do anything and everything he can to make her feel better, and make her feel like she has some control in her life after everything got turned upside down against her will. He REALLY likes her and just wants to help…and if this will make her feel safer, he's willing to do it.

Guest: LOL! Peer pressure! It's also nice because then you get email updates when your favorite stories are updated! All will be revealed in time, I promise! Thank you though! I've been dying to see someone do a scifi Inuyasha FF for years and I never found one…so I clearly decided to just go for it myself, and I'm glad you're loving it too! Thank you for sending a little love this story's way, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter too!