"Sit down and shut up," my younger brother barks from a table near the back before I have the chance to inquire as to the reason for this rather last minute meeting. When it becomes evident he is not going to rephrase his request, I sigh and take the seat across from him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I feel an eyebrow raise at his inquiry.

"You requested my presence, I acquiesced." He scoffs, taking a drink of his sake.

"No, dip shit, the hell are you doing with Kagome?"

"I thought that was fairly obvious. I am assisting her in her competition." He rolls his eyes, glaring at me all the while. A waitress arrives to inquire about any appetisers or drinks. I request a water, but decline food as I feel this meeting will not go passed our discussion. The moment she leaves, InuYasha crosses his arms over his chest.

"Right, and that requires you hanging out at her apartment and going out to dinner and getting her to stay at your place." I shrug my shoulders, keeping my gaze levelled on him.

"I was merely helping a friend in need. She has been going through a bit of a rough time. Are you saying that you would not have done the same?" He grunts and his jaw squares as he clenches his teeth.

"Course I woulda," he relents. He leans into the back of his chair, though the muscles in his shoulders and neck are far too tense to be truly relaxes. "So, you are interested in someone else then," he fishes, not even bothering to hide his true intent. So, this meeting has been called due to a noble concern for his friend. "Kagome's just a friend."

"I fail to see where that is your concern." His eyes flash red for the briefest moment before he grips the corners of the table, leaning across it with his teeth bared.

"It became my concern when one of my best friends got involved!" His outburst draws the attention of several other patrons who, upon seeing it came from two demons, quickly reverted their attention to their own meals. "If you're dicking around and trying to play her, you can bet your ass we're gonna have a problem!" The corner of my lips moves to twitch upwards, but I am able to stop it before the hanyou notices.

"What makes you think she would accept my advances, were I to make them?" He scoffs again, rolling his eyes as he sits back in his chair.

"Please, I've been on the other side of those looks she's been giving you long enough to recognise 'em. And you know it too." His eyes soften, taking on a far off gaze. "She mighta grown up a bit since then, but she's still the same Kagome." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair before meeting my own gaze. "I don't know what the hell she sees in you, but there's something there. Has been since we showed up for that first lesson." I watch as he narrows his eyes, taking another sip of his drink before pointing his finger at me. "And don't think I haven't noticed you actin' weird around her too. You don't give much away, but the little things. You've never been one to just help anybody, no matter how bad they need it. And you're gentler around her. God knows watching you two dance is enough to see something's goin' on there." His upper lip curls back over his teeth as a low growl escapes. "So you can imagine our surprise when Kagome tells us you're seein' somebody else." Ahh, I realise, this is his true concern. "I ain't gonna sit here and let you two time one of the only people to be decent to me. I don't care how much better than me you think you are, if you're planning on hurting her, I will tear you limb from limb and scatter 'em so far even Myoga won't be able to find 'em." I smirk at his threat, knowing full well he intends to carry it out. "So, which is it?"

"This one - "

"Uh uh, none of that high and mighty crap," he interrupts. "Like we're equals." Slightly amused at seeing my younger brother so serious, and more than a little pleased at the lengths he is going to for his friend, I ignore his interruption and general lack of respect, and merely nod my head.

"I can assure you, the last thing I wish to do is harm Kagome in any way." His surprise is more than evident on his face, nearly comical in its appearance. "When I told her I had met someone recently worthy of my interest, she assumed I meant another woman. I simply did not correct her." The hanyou's eyebrows lower as confusion takes over his features.

"Why the hell not?" He asks, rather loudly.

"I was unsure of whether she reciprocated my feelings and, rather than risk making things awkward for the duration of our extra training, I decided it would be best to wait until after her competition was over to inform her of her inaccurate assumption so as not to add any undue stress."

"Huh," he states, leaning back in his chair. "That's actually really decent of you." I nod my head, drinking some of my water. "So all that stuff you said you liked about this other woman, that was you talking about her?" Does she truly tell her friends everything? I wonder as I nod my head in response. "Damn. You've got it pretty bad then," he realises with a smirk. My lip twitches at his clear teasing, unaccustomed to allowing him to get away with such behaviour. "Can't say I blame ya. If anyone was gonna be able to get through to you it would be her. She's really something else."

"Indeed, she is."

"So," he begins, a concerningly mischievous look in his eyes. "You gonna tell her right after the show or give it a few days?" My eyes narrow in warning, forcing laughter from the hanyou across from me, another act I ordinarily would not allow to go unpunished. "Alright, alright, don't tell me. But don't forget either." As if I could. He stands up, hands in his pockets, clearly ready to leave. Releasing a sigh, I leave a few bills on the table for the waitress and lead the way back outside. We both walk in silence to our respective cars, just a few spaces away from each other. "Hey!" I glance up over the roofs of the cars between us to meet his stern eyes. "You better be good to her, or I'll make could on my promise." I nod my head, unlocking my car.

"I fully intend to."

Hey guys! Long time no see, huh? I'm really sorry, like I said before school's started back and it's just absolute insanity on my end. Being an English lit major is hard enough without adding on French lit courses to the mix and trying to keep up with my Russian practice and getting ready for an aerial showcase next month. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this little chapter and I'll do my best to get the next one up sooner than it took this one. Have a great day!