Beta: Cstorm86

The Mom and the Ears

'Kotodama is such a powerful technique,' the old shrine keeper thought as he watched the shrine guardian trying to pull himself out of the pile of dislocated and broken roof tiles and wooden planks that had been the engawa railing just a minute ago. The old man was sure of one thing - deciding to retire and to hand the shrine to Kagome had been the best decision of his life, now he was never going to be bored. With the ancient, anti-social hanyou and his granddaughter becoming the new shrine keeper things were sure going to be entertaining.

And, since Kagome had grown away from the shrine and the rigid life of a traditional shrine miko, she was not willing to keep the hanyou in seclusion. Grandpa hoped that the sudden exposure to new view of life presented by the girl would influence the boy in a good way. She was going to continue his work. Grandpa looked at his daughter-in-law, who was staring at the shrine guardian in stunned silence.

"Oh, goodness!" Kagome exclaimed and jumped towards the boy. "Are you okay?"

"Why did you do that?" he groaned and shook his head before looking up at the girl who knelt beside him. Kagome gasped when she saw a trail of fresh blood trickling down the side of his face from his cut temple. Kagome barely could believe that it was her actions that brought the hanyou down. But there was no other explanation for the agile and strong youkai to just tumble down the roof like that. And the beaded necklace around his neck was radiating a fading light, one similar to the light emitted from her hand before, in the well-house. 'I guess it's what my reiki looks like... I really shouldn't've done that tugging thing...'

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha... I didn't mean to..." Kagome outstretched a hand towards him. He scowled at her. But then he looked to the side and Kagome was confused for a moment before she turned her head and saw her mother standing in the shoji, a hand raised to her chest, her eyes never looking away from the wealth of white hair practically glowing against the darkness of the night.

"See what you did?" Inuyasha growled softly. "I am not to be seen by outsiders! Otherwise they freak out and..."

"Mom?" Kagome asked, ignoring for now the complaining boy, who fell silent anyway when the middle-aged woman stepped forward like in a daze. Kagome watched her mother's other hand lift towards the hanyou, who tensed and looked like he was ready to spring away. Yellow eyes studied the approaching human warily, as if waiting for any sign of hostility.

The hand brushed the shaggy bangs aside.

"Does it hurt much?" Kagome blinked when she heard her mother speak with the same warm tone she always used around her and Souta when they were injured. Inuyasha's jaw almost hit the ground as he stared, wide eyed, at the human leaning over him and smiling kindly. "Come inside, we need to put an ice bag on this, otherwise it will bruise."

"K-keh! I'm a youkai!" he exclaimed, half in defiance, half in shock. Kagome, if she was honest with herself, was pretty amazed by the way her mother was handling the supernatural.

"Of course you are. Now, come in and let me see your temple. I'm sure youkai get bruised as well," mama reached up and did something even Kagome hadn't had courage to do yet (but really wanted to do), she playfully tweaked the rapidly twitching ear of the shrine guardian. Then she turned back to the kitchen to find an ice bag.

Kagome looked after her before glancing to Inuyasha. She gasped when she saw his golden eyes mere centimeters away from her face, watching her intently.

"Your mother is nuts?" he half-asked, half-declared with the look of pure confusion and befuddlement on his face. When he tilted his head ever so slightly Kagome couldn't help herself. She gave a giggle and tugged at one cocked canine ear. It was soft and tickled her skin like a butterfly when it twitched.

"She's a Higurashi," she said and smiled widely and allowed the hanyou to lean away from her touch,. "I don't want you to hide away when my family visits. Just make sure no one except Higurashis see your cute ears and that you're a youkai and you can roam the shrine grounds no matter who's around."

She stood up and walked towards the brightly lit kitchen, but looked back at the hanyou when she didn't hear him move.

Golden eyes were looking at her with an odd shine to them. She felt her cheeks getting hotter and wondered what was that look, but before she could ask, he blinked and looked to the side.

"Keh! What a crazy shrine keeper you are, wench!" he barked. "A-and you better not touch my ears!"

"Kagome?" she could hear her mother's voice from inside. "Can you and your cute youkai friend come in? I found the ice bag and if he wants to I can make him some ramen as a thank you for saving my children tonight."

"Coming!" Kagome called and returned to Inuyasha's side to grab his hand and practically drag the hanyou inside.

If she was going to be the shrine keeper and his mistress, she could be on her own terms.

A/N: Review if you see fit.