You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

written by: K.M.T.

CHAPTER 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.... uh, derp!

Inuyasha stared as Kagome and her mother and grandfather sang to Souta. "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" He hadn't a clue of what exactly was going on. Why didn't they care that the cake was on fire? And how did they conveniently know the words to this song?

"Blow the candles out, Souta!" Kagome's mother chimed.

"Don't forget to make a wish!" warned Kagome.

Souta closed his eyes, and extinguished the flames, "Can I open my presents now, Mom?" the birthday boy grinned. His mother nodded and Souta retrieved the gift nearest to him on the table.

Kagome grabbed Inuyasha by the arm, and led him to a seat on the table besides her and Souta. Inuyasha sat and watched curiously as the boy tore open a bright colored box, and pulled out an odd squarish thing, "Wow!" he exclaimed, "A new gameboy game! Sweet! Thanks, Mom!"

The presents continued to confuse Inuyasha more and more, and the only thing he was able to recognize was a pair of socks. Kagome's mother soon served everyone a slice of cake, and this stuff that Kagome said was "ice cream."

"It's chocolate flavor," she said, "It's cold and sweet... I promise you'll like it."

Inuyasha did like it... at least enough to ask for several seconds of it.

As Inuyasha finished his fourth plate of cake and ice cream, Souta thanked him over and over for coming, "You didn't have to come, you know? But you did, and even Kagome told me that you might be too busy or stuff, but you came anyway! I was totally surprised that you came, 'cause I thought for sure that you wouldn't and..."

The half-demon wished the kid wouldn't rub it in so much; he made it look like a big deal, and like he cared. Kagome told Souta to go try out his new video game, and saved Inuyasha from further embarrassment.

Kagome helped her mother clean off the dishes. Inuyasha walked about the kitchen studying the strange devices of the future.

"I know you've heard enough of it from Souta," began Kagome's mother, "But thank you for joining us tonight, Inuyasha. It meant a lot to my son."

"Yeah... well... it wasn't like I had anything else to do," said Inuyasha, "I can't find any jewel shards without Kagome." Inuyasha saw from the corner of his eye that Kagome was smiling at him as she dried a dish, and he could feel his face turning slightly red.

"Well," Kagome's mother continued, "I hope that you two will be careful when you return to the feudal era... You look after my daughter, Inuyasha, okay?"

Inuyasha smiled weakly, "Yeah...okay."

"Don't worry, Ma," said Kagome,"Inuyasha's as strong as ever. He's become handier by the day with his Tetsaiga. We'll be just fine."

Inuyasha preferred that Kagome wouldn't say nice things about him like that. It made him him feel... he didn't really know what he felt. But it reminded him of how it felt when he held Kikyou in his arms... and then how it felt when she pinned him to that tree...

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said in a slightly worried voice.

"Hm? What?"

"You look... sleepy... Are you tired?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Kagome's mother,"Go on, Inuyasha, I prepared a guest room for you. It's the one next to Souta's room, you know which one I'm talking about, right? Go on, and go to bed, Inuyasha. It is late."

Inuyasha wasn't very tired, but he thought it best not to argue. So he went to lie down and try to fall asleep. He lied on his back and closed his eyes, but opened them when he felt something soft and furry at his feet. He looked down, "Oh, it's you, Buyo..." he said.

Kagome's cat Buyo sat at the foot of Inuyasha's bed and meowed.

"There you are, Buyo," said Souta who had just entered the room, "Come on, Buyo. It's bed time." Souta lifted the fat cat and began to leave the room, but stopped at the doorway, "Hey, Inuyasha...?"

"What?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hm? What?"

"Well.... you don't have to answer it if you don't want to... I mean, I totally understand it if you don't want to say anything, but—"

"Stop beating around the bush, kid!"

"Er... right! So, uh... Do you like my sister?"

"...eh..."

"I mean do you like her, you know?"

"Tshh, what are you getting at?"

"Well, I was just thinking it would be great if you two could get married and then we would be brothers! That would be awesome!"

Inuyasha felt himself turning red again, "Uh..." he felt angry that the brat was putting him on the spot like this... he could feel the rage building up inside of him... he exploded: "HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, PAL?!"

"Souta?" came Kagome's voice from behind. She stood behind Souta frowning down at him, "Hey, it's way past your bedtime. It's way too late even on your birthday."

"...right," Souta said retreating back to his room with Buyo.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha, who was trying to act calm and casual, "Hey," she said approaching him, "What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?"

"You were yelling at him... what was that for?"

"Keh... nothing."

"....'kay..." she sighed, "Well, good-night, Inuyasha."

"....wait."

"Huh?"

"... nevermind.... good-night."

A/N: So that's chapter 2... yea sorry about the shortness, but... yeah... I'll try to make 'em longer in the future, 'kay? OK! So, thanks again for reading, and pretty please with sugar on top review!!