Chapter 3

Walking down the sidewalk, both pairs were merely a mile way from each other and both very nervous about this date.

"Sango, are you sure I really have to go? I mean, what if he doesn't even really bring his friend! How awkward would that be?" Kagome complained, as they were only a block away.

"Kagome Higurashi, you are coming!" Sango ordered as she grabbed Kagome's arm and began pulling her faster.

"I'm going to never do this again after this date," InuYasha stated as him and Miroku were only a block away from the restaurant they were going to be at.

"Oh, InuYasha…you are so silly! You are going to love tonight and reward me for the rest of your life!"

"Keh."

They walked a little longer until InuYasha suddenly stopped immediately and stood still as the world seemed to stop as well. Miroku looked up and realized they were at the restaurant. Turning to his friend he said, "Wow, InuYasha, I didn't even know that you knew which restaurant it was!"

InuYasha didn't respond though, he just kept staring straight ahead.

Miroku followed his gaze and saw Sango only a mere half block away talking rapidly with another woman. As she came a bit more in focus, Miroku suddenly realized who it was. It was Kagome.

HOLY SHIT! I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE! InuYasha screamed in his head and began stepping backwards but it was too late.

"Hello, Miroku," a young woman said stepping up to Miroku and InuYasha with Kagome.

"Hello, my sweet," Miroku smiled kissing her hand, which she immediately yanked away.

"Don't start that shit with me, or you will end up with another black eye, Asshole." Sango said smiling slightly since it was really a sweet attempt.

Kagome stood there staring down embarrassed as the two talked and she couldn't help but feel Miroku's friend's eyes staring at her and she couldn't figure out why.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Sango exclaimed. "Miroku this is Kagome," she smiled.

Kagome looked up and Miroku and InuYasha both stood still, she had the most beautiful blue eyes. Miroku though, instantly realized his dazed state and smiled warmly. "Ahh, Miss Kagome, how wonderful to meet you!" Miroku said shaking her hand and giving it a kiss.

Kagome looked up at him and smiled. "Nice to meet you too."

Miroku hit InuYasha on the back slightly and glared up at him.

"Oh…. uh…. hi," he stuttered trying to stop staring at him.

Kagome looked up at him and world seemed to stop for a second as the one set of ocean eyes collided with the gold ones. Kagome finally after a second find her voice and stuck out her hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Kagome," she smiled sweetly.

InuYasha's ears swiveled to her voice and his expression changed. "Keh." He shook her hand quickly trying to ignore the feeling of electricity that was sent through his arm at her touch.

Miroku watched his friend put on his mask and he smiled at the two beauties in front of him. "Sorry about him," he said nonchalantly. "He can be a grumpy guss. Shall we go eat?"

Sango looked over at Kagome who had a strange look on her face, like she knew Miroku's friend and she looked at his friend and couldn't figure out why he seemed so familiar as well. She turned back around and smiled at Miroku. "Yeah, that sounds great!"

The dinner was going well, as they sat in a fairly nice Italian restaurant with clothed tables and Tiffany lamp lighting. Sango and Kagome were sitting across from Miroku and InuYasha at a little booth in the corner. Miroku and Sango seemed to be hitting it off just fine, talking and laughing about many things while Kagome and InuYasha just kind of sat there stealing glances at each other and randomly making a statement in whatever conversation the new couple was having.

Kagome looked up from her lasagna and saw InuYasha looking down at his just playing with his food. She could tell he was bored, but when she looked at him longer she felt a familiarity with him that she couldn't quite stick and also that feeling was back again; that same aura feeling that had been surrounding her more the past two days.

"So," she began as she tried to tune out Sango and Miroku's incessant chattering about bike riding. "What do you do? Do you work at the same place that Miroku works at?"

InuYasha couldn't believe it. She was actually talking to him and he couldn't exactly think of what to say. "Uh…uh…yeah, we work together and he is my roommate too."

"Oh really?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah, you know, it cuts back on costs real nice actually," he said trying to calm his nerves down. He had never had the chance to see her eyes up close and they were startling beautiful.

"I'm sure it does real well. I work with Sango, but I have a place of my own."

Yeah I know. "That sounds nice, so you live by yourself?"

"Eh, not exactly," she smiled nervously. This isn't going anywhere I don't think, Kagome thought to herself. So it should be ok to tell him about Mizuki and Itaro.

He just had to pry because he already knew the answer. "What do you mean? Don't tell me you are one of those freaky cat ladies," he smirked and he could see the fire light in her eyes.

"I'm not a cat lady!" She exclaimed offended. "What are you thinking? Do I look like a cat lady to you?!"

Sango and Miroku both stopped to look at Kagome and InuYasha. "What are ya doin' Takakashi?" Miroku asked casually, remembering not to use his first name.

"I'm asking her if she is a cat lady," replied InuYasha nonchalantly.

"Takakashi, she isn't a cat lady!" Sango replied hottily.

Kagome looked at Sango and than began laughing. InuYasha immediately dropped his jaw at her beautiful laugh. He had never heard her laugh like that before, not even with her children. It sounded like pure enjoyment.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked her.

"Oh…. you…two…." she continued laughing barely able to get any words out. "Are so funny!"

"What do you mean?" Said InuYasha with a scowl forming on his face.

"Oh, its nothing, nothing at all," Kagome smiled suppressing a giggle.

Sango looked at Kagome surprised. She hasn't acted like this in god knows how long! This is fabulous! She then turned back to Miroku and tried to start up another conversation that immediately got underway.

Kagome turned back to InuYasha and could see the under the scowl, she could see a slight smile. "So, Takakashi, that's a weird name isn't it?"

"Its my last name," InuYasha answered uncomfortably.

"What's your first name?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I don't like it, so lets not talk about it."

"Oh, ok." She answered looking back down at her food.

InuYasha looked back down as well and began fiddling with his food. He couldn't believe how well things were going in a way, but he didn't want to risk it at all. He couldn't get too close. "So, who do you live with then? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Kagome looked up when he spoke. He sounded kind of sad when he asked who she was staying with, like it would hurt his feelings to know that she had a boyfriend. "Not exactly," she laughed.

"Then who?"

"My two children."

InuYasha was surprised she came out and said that she had two kids already. This must have been why everyone else turned her down before; well I'm not going to let that happen this time. I told her I would protect her, and I will. I just hope she doesn't care that I'm a half-demon. "Really? How old are they?"

Is he actually interested in my children?! How amazing! Tonight feels so wonderful! "They are both six…twins, a boy and a girl."

"That must be nice," smiled InuYasha. "That way they can look after each other."

Kagome smiled. This guy…. why does he feel so familiar? "Yeah, they are sweethearts and although they are young, they can still take care of each other."

InuYasha smiled at how wonderful it was to talk to her. He had always wanted to talk to Kagome in person, but knew, that she would probably turn him away in a heart beat at what he was, be she had to know just by looking at him that he was a hanyou, so why wasn't she turning him away. Granted, her kids were hanyou, but they were her kids.

Kagome noticed the scowl that was slowly forming it way onto his face. "What's wrong? I'm sorry if I upset you about my kids."

"No, no, its not that," he grimaced looking at Miroku and Sango who were currently playing footsie. "Its just that…I don't know, I'm surprised you are so excepting," he said looking down.

"So excepting? Of what?"

"Of what? Don't you see these ears, woman?"

Kagome scuffed at his now rude attitude. Of course she noticed the ears, she thought they were adorable and she had been itching all night to just touch them. "Of course, I do, silly! Who care is you are a half-demon, I don't see anything wrong with it!"

Miroku and Sango had stopped talking once again to get in on what was going on with their conversation. Miroku dropped his jaw as Kagome said this to his best friend.

InuYasha just had his mouth hanging open and he began stuttering. "You…you…you don't care?"

"No, not at all silly!" She giggled as she stuffed more of her dinner in her mouth.

Damn, for a tiny girl she sure does eat a lot. InuYasha smiled. "Well, thanks."

Miroku nudged InuYasha. "Hey man, you wanna go to the restroom with me?"

InuYasha dumbly shook his head and followed his friend back to the restroom.

Sango turned to Kagome and smiled. "I see you are having fun, could this be a potential guy?"

Kagome blushed and shook her head. "I don't know. There is this HUGE familiarity about him, like I've known him for a long time and he doesn't seem fazed that I have kids, so that is a plus. He just seems so nice, except for his hardass cover up."

"Yeah, he sure does seem like he has a mask on most of the time."

"So," Kagome said changing the subject. "How is Miroku passing the test?"

Sango blushed this time as well. "He is doing just fine if he didn't try and keep straying to perverted subjects, which is why I keep kicking him under the table."

"Oh, goodness," Kagome laughed. "I was wondering what was going on under there."

"So, why don't you and Takakashi get to know each other more, go take a walk with him."

"Oh, Sango, I can't. I have to get back to Mizuki and Itaro."

"Don't worry about them Kagome! Kohaku doesn't have school tomorrow and it taking care of them, no worries!"

"I'll think about it," Kagome answered fiddling with her napkin.

"Go for a walk with her InuYasha." Miroku stated as he relieved himself in the stall.

"It wouldn't be a good idea. Sooner or later she is going to put two and two together, Miroku." InuYasha sighed as he looked in the mirror and his ears twitched.

Miroku noticed this and smirked. "What are they talking about?"

InuYasha blushed and rinsed his face off with water. "I can't make it out, there are too many other people out there."

"InuYasha, I can see how happy it makes you to be finally talking to her and the aura surrounding you two is unbelievable! Just go ask her if she wants you to walk her home or something. It's not going to work, and think it would be easier to watch over her if you already there."

InuYasha thought about it for a second. IT did make sense to him, but he didn't know what really to do. His heart kept telling him to get closer, but his brain kept telling him that he would end up hurting her. He had to make a decision but he couldn't think of what to do. "Lets, go out to the girls. They are probably wondering where we are.

"Hey guys," Kagome smiled as she saw InuYasha and Miroku come back to their booth. The feeling that she had before he left immediately came back and she felt safe once again.

"Isn't that usually a woman thing to do? Going to the bathroom in pairs I mean," smirked Sango.

Miroku smiled at her coyly. "My dear, how else were we supposed to discuss the beauty of the two fine ladies sitting in front of us and leaving us breathless?"

The two girls both blushed and giggled. "Good cover," giggled Sango.

Kagome looked up at InuYasha and smiled. He seemed to be in deep thought and the look on his face was priceless…it was a confused puppy look. "Something wrong?"

"Oh, no, not at all."

"Hmm, ok," she smiled shyly.

InuYasha looked at her and could feel the tension between them slowly lessen even more. "Hey," he said softly

She looked up and noticed he had whispered that to her. "What?" She whispered back.

"You wanna, maybe leave those two alone? They are driving me crazy with all that stupid stuff they are talking about."

Kagome directed her attention casually over to Sango and Miroku and smiled to herself. They were talking about something having to do with sex and combat. Kagome turned back to InuYasha and smiled. "Sure."

AN: Thank you so much to my reviewers. I'm sorry this one is short, but alas…I thought I had made you wait to long and I was having an awful writers block on this story for a few weeks. ANYWHO, thanks again and I hope you enjoyed your reading! -BB