"Patching the roof was actually kind of fun." Inuyasha thought to himself as he walked back to the Higurashi house. "Plus, it gave me plenty of time to figure out how to get Kagome back the best. She shouldn't have 'sat' me in front of her family. That's just rude, and it makes me look bad." Inuyasha felt the anger boiling up inside him, and focused it on a skill that he hadn't used in a very long time. He knocked briskly on the door that Kagome and her family had been going in and out of all day.
The door opened, and Mrs. Higurashi stood there, surprised he had knocked. "We left it open for you, Inuyasha. Its dinner time, so I figured you wouldn't be far behind."
"Thank you for your consideration, Honorable Mrs. Higurashi," Inuyasha bowed deeply, as he was taught as a child to bow to elders of high standing. "However, entering a house uninvited is not polite." He stood up and grinned at her, proud of himself for remembering all this. After all, he hadn't used formal language since his mother was alive.
Mrs. Higurashi looked taken aback, but didn't hesitate. "Please come in, Inuyasha, and join us for dinner," she said, with a smile and equally politely.
Inuyasha followed her into the dining room, where dinner was laid out. Kagome and Souta and their grandfather were already filling their bowls with noodles and beef. Inuyasha grinned, "This will show her," he thought. He stopped in front of their grandfather and bowed deeply. "The roof has been patched, Honorable Sir," he said in his most polite court voice. "Thank you very much for sharing your dinner with this one." Inuyasha smiled carefully at the old man, avoiding showing his fangs.
Grandfather looked at Mrs. Higurashi and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged back at him, Inuyasha heard. "You are most welcome. Please have a seat," and pointed Inuyasha to the empty seat at the table, next to Kagome.
Inuyasha sat down. Kagome instantly grabbed his bowl to show him how to put the food together. "This is like ramen, but there's a stew that goes on top of the noodles, making a soup."
"I do know how to eat, woman," Inuyasha interrupted her harshly. "I've been taught all sorts of basic rules. I can talk, I can eat and this may surprise you but I can even read." He snatched his bowl back from her, and turned to Souta, who had the stew in front of him. "Could you pass the meat?" He asked, not as harshly as he spoke to Kagome, but definitely more politely than normal.
Souta grinned, "Sure, Inuyasha." He handed the bowl over, and stuck his tongue out at Kagome when he thought Inuyasha wasn't looking.
"That's not proper behavior for the table, Souta," Inuyasha said, simply, and filled his bowl.
"So, Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi started, in an attempt to head off the inevitable argument between him and Kagome that she could sense brewing. "Reading is not common in your time, is it? Where did you learn to read?"
"I am a lord's son, ma'am," Inuyasha responded, putting his chopsticks down to talk without eating. "A powerful demon lord who was wise enough to secure an education." Inuyasha ignored her and her father's surprised looks and tried not to feel Kagome's eyes watching him. "Come on, you're doing good, you can tell them more." His voice encouraged him on. "Prove you're not just a rude slob." "I am only a half demon myself, and my half-brother is full demon and my elder, so he inherited all the lands when our father died."
"Did you not get anything?" Grandfather asked, quietly impressed at Inuyasha's conversational skills and heritage.
"Good sir, I received my life. For that, I should be grateful." Inuyasha thought that sounded bitter and decided he'd better add some to that. "Halfbreeds are not favorably looked on, so life was not easy. Once my mother died I had to learn that the hard way." He paused again, realizing there wasn't anything good in that story. So, he shrugged and went back to eating.
He could feel the tension at the table, and realized he was the only one eating. "If I say anything to break this up, then it'll be rude and I'll never prove to them that I'm worthy. But, if I don't say anything, then its just going to get worse. No, no Feh! Find something else. Inuyasha sighed deeply, then changed the subject. "There were not enough tiles to fix all the holes in the roof."
Everyone looked surprised at the change of subject, but no one wanted to argue, and went back to eating.
"Well, they aren't predicting any rain for tonight," Grandfather mused. "So it should be fine."
"I patched the holes with the tiles that I replaced, sir." Inuyasha sat up a little more proudly. Living before all their modern conveniences had some benefits, since he'd learned how to make materials stretch and reuse less than perfect materials. "They will not leak, although they do not look as good as the tiles surrounding them."
"Thank you, Inuyasha." Grandfather said, with a smile. "I do appreciate that."
Inuyasha nodded, "You are most welcome, honorable sir."
Kagome made a sound next to him. He turned and looked at her, ready to see what she had to say. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you earlier. You did a good job on the roof, and this has to be the most calm meal we've had in weeks." Inuyasha tilted his head to one side and finished his bowl of noodles.
"Whatever," but even his harsh tongue wasn't enough to erase the smile off his face from the compliment.
He pushed the bowl away and stood up suddenly. After turning and bowing quickly to Mrs. Higurashi he turned his tone back to his court voice. "I apologize for rushing through a fine meal, but I must return to my time before your guests arrive for the services. May I ask you to send Kagome with some of the ramen in the morning?" He smiled carefully, again avoiding showing his fangs.
"Of course, Inuyasha," she nodded, smiling at the boy's polite manners.
Inuyasha turned and punched Kagome lightly on the arm. "I accept your apology," his eyes studied her seriously. "You will be at the well tomorrow morning, woman, or I won't be so nice when I come back to get you." He growled in the back of his throat, trying to ignore the voice that was telling him to pick her up and take her back now. She's needed to help out with the services here. I will survive another night away from her.
Before anyone could say anything else Inuyasha turned and stormed back to the well house, pulling the door closed behind him. He heard Kagome trying to explain away his behavior, but knew that his actions had the desired affect and then some. Now she knows I'm not just a wild monster. And, it had the added bonus of making her family like me more. He told himself, as he pulled himself out of the well in his own time. Do you care what her family thinks? The loud voice started up in his head. Yes came the much quieter answer. Inuyasha shook his head to knock all the thoughts away.
"So, you did not bring her back." He heard the monk's voice behind him, and turned around slowly. Miroku stood alone in the field, as though he was waiting for him to return with her. "Did you fight with her?"
Inuyasha crossed his arms, looking around for the kit or Sango. Not seeing any of them, he shook his head. "Feh. Her family shrine is hosting a funeral tonight, so she will stay and help." Good job, a whole sentence. Miroku should be pleased. The loud voice annoyingly complimented him.
Miroku nodded knowingly. "Of course. She told us there was a shrine there now."
"Feh." Inuyasha cut off the conversation, turned and walked away back into the forest. Behind him, he could hear the movement of the monk as he returned towards the village.
Then, so soft that he was almost out of range of hearing it, "You did right to leave her there to attend to her family's honor."
With one backward glance over his shoulder, Inuyasha muttered "Feh" again and left to find a tree for another restless night.