Disclaimer: -grumble, grumble- I'll never get him this way. –sigh- I guess I'll have to give up. (Not)
A/N: Happy New Years everyone! Sorry it took so long to update. Fanfic was acting funny the las two days and it wouldn't let me upload. Oh, and by the way, I finally got the Lemon Link to work, even tested it myself. -slaps forehead- Still can't figure out what was wrong with it. Oh, well. On with the show!
Chapter 6- The first encounter
It was well past noon when Inu Yasha and Kagome realized how hungry they were and headed back to the hotel room. Iki had prepared sandwiches and they were already seated at the small table eating when the hanyou and miko stumbled in.
Iki smiled. "Did you two have fun? I bet you're hungry. I made you some sandwiches."
Kagome was already moving across the room toward the bedroom she had claimed as hers. "Thanks mom, I'll take a quick shower and then eat. I'm all gritty and sandy."
Inu Yasha had jerked the soaked bandana off as soon as entering and was vigorously rubbing his ears. He growled and began to shake his head doglike to get the water out. The group gasped as they began to be splattered with sea water. "Inu Yasha dear, please go to the bathroom and to do that."
Sota chuckled. "That was kind of cool!"
Inu Yasha blushed slightly at her reprimand as he grumbled and stomped off into Kagome's bedroom. She was already in the bathroom and the door was shut. He could hear the shower going within as he knocked on the door. "Kagome, my clothes are in there!"
"You'll have to wait to get them now!" Kagome called.
He growled. "Just give them to me, wench!"
"No, I'm already in the shower! Wear a different set!"
"Kagome!"
"No!"
Growling again, he twisted the doorknob and he heard a small pop. He pushed to door open. Kagome's head came out from the curtain. "What do you think you're doing!"
He blushed slightly. "Feh, getting my clothes. What else?" Kagome glared as he strolled in and snatched the neatly folded set of clothes, Kagome had placed on the counter.
Kagome grumbled something that was distorted by the sound of the water. Inu Yasha glared at the curtain. "What was that?"
"I said you broke the lock, you idiot." Her head reappeared. "Now, get out before my mom sees you in here."
He stomped to the door and slammed it shut behind him. 'Gods she smells good.' He looked down at the nearly folded shirt and pants. 'She really does take care of me, doesn't she? I wonder…'
"Inu Yasha, you can take a shower in the other bathroom." Iki called from the other room, breaking his train of thought. He grumbled a 'thanks' and headed off to the other room.
By the time the couple was cleaned up and had snagged their sandwiches hungrily, it was time to make an appearance in the main hall with the rest of the family. The main hall was a large room filled with people, tables and chairs. It was noisy and the smell of food filled the air. Kagome hung close to her mother and Inu Yasha hung close to Kagome. Sota ran off when he spotted a little girl, who jumped up and down waving her hands at him. The elderly adults were gathered at a big table, chattering nonstop. The middle-aged adults were running around either chasing small children or preparing food. The teenagers and young adults were hanging around the small band stand that was currently devoid of performers.
Iki and Gramps walked through the crowd shaking hands and smiling. Kagome even offered a weak smile from time to time. She couldn't say that all her relatives were bad, just the majority of them and especially the ones near the band stand. Kagome tapped her mom on the shoulder as they came to the refreshments. "Mom, who's the little girl?" She indicated the little girl Sota was now talking with.
Iki smiled. "Oh, that's Kahou, your Aunt Sora's daughter. She's Chi's sister. Oh, you probably don't remember her. She was barely a year old the last time you saw her."
"Chi's sister?" Kagome looked around nervously for the young man. 'I probably wouldn't recognize him either.' Unconsciously she moved closer to Inu Yasha, who was busy piling food onto his plate.
Iki pointed at the table with their elderly relatives. "Kagome, you should go say hello to your grandmother. She's asked about you every year."
Kagome looked down guiltily. "Yes, mom." She began to walk toward the table. Inu Yasha sensing her sudden absence paused in his pile construction to glance over his shoulder at her. Seeing her retreating form he quickly started after her. Before he could ask where she thought she was going, Kagome had made her way to the side of an old woman.
She bowed deeply to the woman, who turned warm chocolate eyes on her. "Hello, Grandmother."
The woman smiled. "Kagome…" She opened her arms to embrace her.
Kagome returned the smile and knelt to hug her. She felt truly bad for not being there for her grandmother the last few years. When she had been small and her father was still alive, she and her grandmother had been very close. Time had worn on the woman. Her hair was whiter and the creases around her eyes were deeper. "Yes, Grandmother, it's me. I've missed you."
Inu Yasha watched as the two women embraced. When Kagome finally sat back and the woman opened her eyes, he was strangely reminded of Kagome. The life and kindness that reflected in her gaze was the same as her granddaughter's. The woman gave him a quick glance before returning her attention to her granddaughter. "Kagome, dear, where have you been? I've been so worried about you."
"I'm sorry, Grandmother, I've been kind of busy. I'm glad you're doing well."
"Oh, not as well as all that, but I'm still around. But I see you've turned into a young woman and seem to be doing quite well." She gazed past Kagome at her hanyou companion.
Kagome followed her gaze and smiled. "Yes, I am." She motioned Inu Yasha forward. He came slowly and knelt beside her. For some reason he felt as though he must show this woman particular respect. He bowed his head deeply. "This is Inu Yasha, Grandmother. He is my…" Kagome paused to give her companion a warm smile, "boyfriend."
The old woman gazed at the two a sparkle in her eye. 'They are much more than that, or at least they will be soon.' She could see the young man's protectiveness of her granddaughter in the way he sat so near her and the love he felt for her when he glanced her way. She patted Kagome's hand. "I'm very glad. I'm sure he'll take good care of you."
&&&
"Look at that." Shina sighed.
"Yeah, I haven't seen the old woman act like that in years." Taro glared at the affectionate scene between grandmother and granddaughter.
"Do you think she'll tell her this time?" Shina leaned against one of the tall speakers beside the band stand.
Gyou snorted. "Probably. She hasn't seen the trash in seven years and she's gushing all over her." Gyou was slightly smaller than Taro, but still had a somewhat powerful build. His long dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his clothes were a cleaner design than Taro's rather casual dress.
Chi frowned. "We got to do something about this."
Shina scowled. "And what exactly do you suppose we do. Aside from having Taro's 'friends' offing her, there isn't much." She sighed and gazed at Inu Yasha. "I suppose I could send her home with her tail between her legs. Then he'd be all mine."
Gyou snorted again. "You have no standards, do you? If he's been with her then-"
"Hmph, like Ms Goody-two-shoes would do anything like that." Shina grinned evilly. "He's probably dying to be with a real woman."
"What about Fushigi?" Kado feed Puki a piece of meat from her plate.
"You won't understand that until you're older. I will marry Fushigi out of duty. But just as our mother has her playthings, I will as well."
Kado frowned. "You shouldn't talk about mom that way."
Gyou grumbled. "It's not as if it's a secret. All the woman in this family do that."
"Yeah, and the guys don't?" Shina glared at him.
"Hmph, yeah well at least the men are discrete. Look at your mom." He waved a hand across the room at Kakuzuke. She was talking with an attractive young man about half her age, who was obviously paying more attention to her than his job which was catering the family affair.
"Hmph, whatever." Shina turned her gaze back to Kagome and the real problem at hand. "We need to separate them before she tries to have a chat with the slut."
&&&
Inu Yasha's ears flattened against his skull beneath the cap as the microphone squealed. Kagome and her grandmother's quiet reminiscent conversation was broken by the sound. Kagome and Inu Yasha took the opportunity to stand and move away from the table. Everyone turned to stare at the small platform which had been quiet until now.
A middle-aged man tapped the microphone making it squeal again. "Hello everyone, I hope you're all having a great time. I just thought I'd introduce the lucky couple." He gestured to a young couple at the bottom of the platform. They stepped up beside the man. "You all know my daughter, Shina."
Kagome trembled at the name. Inu Yasha slipped his arm around her waist, silently reminding her that he was there and wouldn't allow any harm to come to her. Kagome melted into him, craving his warmth and comfort.
"And this is her fiancé Fushigi." Shina's father, Jouzu, elbowed the young man playfully and graced the crowd with a big grin. "And if I do say so myself, he's a clever man. That's one way to beat your competition, by marrying his daughter." He chuckled lightly.
Fushigi was solemn looking man with deep dark eyes that seemed to retain an immeasurable depth. He bowed low to the crowd of soon-to-be family. When he turned to look upon his fiancé, he found her gazing across the room at the silver haired young man with a possessive arm wrapped around a young woman. He sighed inwardly. He envied the man who so obviously was in love. Fushigi had no true desire to wed the woman beside him. He would do so out of duty and honor, but there was no love. He would tolerate her, but nothing more.
Shina turned to look up at him and smiled slightly. This was an outward show of respect, but all the while defiance and challenge raged in her eyes. 'Tolerate is all I will do. I could never love a woman with eyes so cold.'
The band was finally coming up on stage behind them. "I know I'll see you all at the wedding!" Jouzu grinned as he dismounted the stage in a small leap. His daughter and son-in-law-to-be followed at a more subdued pace.
Inu Yasha could still feel Kagome's heart racing. He slipped his other arm around her, careful not to spill his plate of food, pulling her a closer. "So that's Shina, is it?"
Kagome sighed. "Yeah."
"Feh, she's not so much to look at."
Kagome blinked in confusion for a moment. She actually thought Shina was pretty. The young woman had long raven hair and dark foreign eyes that seemed to see right through you. She was tall and slender with womanly curves, accentuated by the tight clothing she wore. Most men Kagome knew would fall all over themselves for a woman like that. 'Maybe he meant something else.' "What do you mean?"
"I mean," he blushed slightly as she turned her face to gaze up at him, "that she's nothing compared to you."
Kagome smiled and leaned deeper into him, relaxing slightly at his compliment. "Thank you, Inu Yasha." He smiled down at her, love reflecting in his eyes.
"Is that your name, Inu Yasha?" Shina and Fushigi approached the couple. Kagome went stiff as a board in Inu Yasha's arms, causing him to growl as her scent spiked with fear. Shina's eyes flickered with a devilish light at the sound.
The hanyou glared at her reaction. "Yeah, what's it to you?"
Shina ignored his comment and turned her gaze to Kagome. "So, Kagome, it's good to see you again. It's been so long that I thought I wouldn't be seeing you ever again." Kagome nodded dumbly and her hands tightened on Inu Yasha's arms. "Fushigi, darling, this is my cousin Kagome and her…boyfriend?" She raised a questioning eyebrow at the hanyou. Inu Yasha nodded firmly, drawing Kagome deeper into his chest.
Fushigi bowed slightly. "I'm pleased to meet you both. We are honored that you are here." Shina gave him a sharp glare, but said nothing. Fushigi stood straight and graced Shina with a forced smile. "If you'll excuse me, I'm rather tired. I'm going to retire for the evening." Without waiting for a response he headed out of the hall.
Shina barely noticed. She was glancing at the band, which was now playing a slow song. Some of the adults were already dancing. Shina turned back to the couple and flashed Inu Yasha a come-hither look. "Want to dance?"
Inu Yasha felt bile rise in his throat at the very thought. "No."
Shina blinked, obviously not used to such blatant rejection. "What?"
"I said no."
"Why not?" She flashed him another sexy look through her thick eyelashes.
Kagome was glaring now. 'How can she be so freaking obvious! Especially when I'm standing right here!' Inu Yasha too was glaring, quickly loosing what little patience he had. "Because I don't want to, that's why. Now, get lost."
For a split second Shina scowled, and then she grinned. 'I like a challenge.' "Okay, later then. Maybe a private dance, it would be a lot more fun." With a flip of her hair and a twist of her hips she moved away from them.
Kagome sank into Inu Yasha again. She was exhausted all of a sudden. "Inu Yasha, do you mind if we go back to the room?"
He didn't answer, only began to move out of the hall. One hand still carried the plate of untouched food, while the other supported Kagome. He was slightly concerned about her. She seemed very tired as if the encounter with Shina had drained her. Emotionally it had done just that and all Kagome now wanted was to rest.
Iki watched the couple leave. 'Where is she going? I told her that she was not going to skip out on the family functions like that.' Her thoughts softened as she noticed Kagome seemed rather tired. 'Well, at least she stayed for a little while.'
&&&&
Upstairs, Inu Yasha sat Kagome on the couch as he sat beside her intent on finally eating his food. Kagome smiled lightly as she watched him begin to dig into the pile of goodies. She was finally beginning to relax a little. Being alone with Inu Yasha always seemed to do that to her. She picked up the remote and turned on the television. His ears flicked first to the TV and then to the miko, who leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Are you all right?"
She sighed. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I guess I wasn't certain how hard it was going to be seeing them all again." Kagome growled lightly. "Especially her."
Inu Yasha smirked. "Don't worry. I'm here."
Kagome nodded against his shoulder. "Yeah, I know." There was silence for a while as Inu Yasha ate and Kagome flipped through the channels. After a while she stopped on a movie of some sort and watched it disinterestedly.
Inu Yasha finished off the food, leaving a single rice ball. He had noticed Kagome hadn't eaten anything since that sandwich this afternoon. "Hey, Kagome…" He turned to find her sound asleep, snoozing comfortably once again against him. He smiled at her innocence as she slept. Then looking down at the single rice ball, he smirked. 'Well, can't let it go to waste.' He stuffed the ball unceremoniously into his mouth and sat back against the couch, slipping his arm around Kagome. She snuggled into his chest as he withdrew the remote from her grasp and began flipping the channels again.
Several hours later Gramps, Sota, and Iki entered the suite to find the couple asleep on the couch. Inu Yasha's ear twitched as Iki approached them and his grip tightened on Kagome protectively. "Inu Yasha?" His eyes snapped open and he blinked at her for a moment. "Would you mind putting Kagome to bed? Gramps and I'll pull out the sleeper-sofa."
In his half-asleep state he didn't understand half of that, but he did understand Kagome was still sound asleep. He nodded and picked up the sleeping beauty in his arms. She always seemed to fit just perfectly there. He carried her to the bedroom and laid her gently beneath the covers. He brushed her hair away from her brow gently and placed soft kiss there before returning to the other room.
By the time he returned, Iki and Gramps already had the bed pulled out and were putting sheets on it. Inu Yasha scratched behind his ear. "What are you doing?"
"Well, I've decided since Kagome doesn't seem to really want to be here, that we can at least make it more comfortable for her and let her have that bedroom to herself. Sota will stay with me in the other bedroom, and you and Gramps can share the sofa-bed." Iki gestured to the now made bed that took up the entire living room.
Inu Yasha tried his best not to frown, but failed miserably. "Okay."
"All right, good night then." Iki disappeared into the other bedroom with Sota.
Gramps had slipped away at some point to change into his night clothes. He now crawled into the sofa-bed with a groan. Inu Yasha stared at the old man for a moment and then found a comfortable spot on the floor to lean against the wall. "Aren't you coming to bed?" Gramps half mumbled.
"Feh." Inu Yasha wasn't about to sleep in the same bed with another male.
Gramps sighed. "Fine, leaves more room for me." The old man then spread himself out across the bed. Inu Yasha ignored him. Instead he looked longing at Kagome's bedroom door. He would much rather be in there right now.
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A/N: Just to let you know. I never 'sit' Inu Yasha in any of my fics. I think it de-masculinizes him. I usually find some other way to take care of the situation. Anyway, hope you guys liked this chap. By the way thanks for all the GREAT reviews! I just love you guys. –gets teary eyed-
