You say I wanted you to be proud of me
yeah I always wanted that myself
--Tori Amos
"Yo, you're blocking the sun."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome shifted a little to the right before flopping down in the grass next to Inuyasha. She dropped a bundle on Inuyasha's chest with a thump. "I didn't have to bring you lunch, you know."

"Did you bring anything good?" Inuyasha cracked an eye to examine the bundle before sitting up a little and plucking it off his chest. Kagome didn't dignify that with a response.

Once Inuyasha's mouth was full of food, Kagome's expression softened, and she let her gaze drift over him in between bites of her own lunch. When it caught on Tetsaiga, Kagome chewed thoughtfully for a few more moments before commenting,

"Your father must have been really strong to control all three swords."

"Course," Inuyasha grunted, not looking up from his food.

"And he was handsome too!" Kagome elbowed Inuyasha lightly. "No wonder your mother fell in love with him." When that failed to elicit a response, Kagome asked, "Aren't you glad you saw him?"

"Guess so." Inuyasha shrugged and finished off the last of his food, dropping the cloth it had been wrapped in onto Kagome's lap. "At least Sesshomaru can't say I don't know what he looks like anymore."

"Speaking of your brother," Kagome sucked a stray bit of rice off her finger, "what do you think he meant by saying he didn't have anyone to protect?"

"That he's a self-centered son of a bitch?" Inuyasha suggested, nose twitching at the change of topic.

"No, I mean it doesn't make sense." Kagome shot Inuyasha an irritated glance. "What about Rin?"

"What about Rin?"

"She's with him all the time." Kagome tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I haven't seen your brother without her for months!"

"So?" Inuyasha's ears flicked dismissively. "You tag along after me all over the place, don't you?"

"That's totally different!" Kagome exclaimed, too quickly.

"How?" Raising an eyebrow, Inuyasha continued when Kagome didn't answer, "Anyway, she's old enough."

"What?!" Kagome's jaw dropped. "She's ten!"

"That's plenty old."

"Inuyasha! What do you mean by that?!"

"Stop yellin', you're giving me a headache!" Inuyasha bellowed back. "Dammit, bitch, I just meant if she's old enough to follow Sesshomaru all over the damned place, then she's old enough to take care of herself! You think my brother's gonna let some useless brat hang around?"

"Oh." Kagome's cheeks turned pink, and Inuyasha gave an irritated snort before flopping back down in the grass. He let his eyes slip shut as he basked in the sun, and Kagome busied herself by folding the cloths she had brought their lunches in.

The breeze made the tiny yellow flowers dotting the long grass nod, and from far off in the distance the unmistakable sound of Sango screaming Miroku's name drifted over them.

"Hey," Inuyasha opened one eye suddenly and peered at Kagome. "What did you think I meant Rin was old enough for?"

"SIT BOY!" Kagome snapped.