InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Consciousness ❯ Promises ( Chapter 16 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Promises


Inuyasha found Miroku in the dojo. Miroku was working with his staff, sweat beaded along the back of his neck. He was going through routines like a man possessed.

He stood there watching the monk, considering. Miroku had been pushing himself harder and harder these days. Inuyasha suspected it was because of the loss of his Kazaana. The wind tunnel had been a source of protection not only for him, but for Sango as well.

Miroku turned and looked at Inuyasha. “Well?” he asked.

“They’re still in the study,” Inuyasha let out a sigh; while pushing off the wall, he ambled over to Miroku.

“I need some information, Monk.”

Miroku raised an eyebrow at him and grinned, “Need some pointers?” he leered.

“Pervert,” Inuyasha grumbled. “No! I just need to ask you a few questions about customs.”

“Human customs? You should know most of those yourself.” Miroku pointed out.

“I do. It’s just, um, women want human marriages, don’t they?” Inuyasha flushed a deep red.

“Ah,” he nodded. “Kagome?”

“Yeah, Kagome.”

“Well, Inuyasha, that depends; we know our little Kagome is used to demons and the way things are done, and she is not brought low by human customs when it comes to demons.”

“That’s what I thought, but Kagura said otherwise. I just need to know what I’m supposed to do.”

“Do you want to ask her to marry you?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Inuyasha said. Human marriage customs confused him; with demons, mates were for life. He didn’t understand why humans did not always stay with someone for life. Kagome had told him once that people in her time might have several mates in a life time.

“What’s wrong?” Miroku asked him.

“I just don’t understand why it’s so important. A demons mate is more final and binding than any human marriage.”

“That isn’t why they do it. They marry to share with the world that they are together. To humans, that is a binding contract that the whole world sees which shows they are committed to each other,” Miroku explained.

“So what do I do?”

Miroku sat down and began to explain to Inuyasha about proposing marriage, the marriage customs, and what was expected of the couple before they were married.


*****


Kagura settled into the study with Sango and Kagome. Looking over at Kagome she asked quietly, “Are you all right?”

Kagome looked up at her, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Yeah, I will be.”

“It’s difficult to give up everything you’ve known, isn’t it?”

“I’m surprised, Kagura; it feels like this is exactly what I should be doing. Yeah, I’m sad, and it breaks my heart to realize that I may never see my family again. Yet, I’m not as devastated as I thought I would be. This is where I belong,” Kagome sighed.

Sango was sitting close and held Kagome’s hand. “Are you going to tell him?” she asked.

“Yeah, I suppose I should,” Kagome grinned, “I’d like to let him stew for a while though! Him and his damn brother both!” she laughed.

Kagura raised an eyebrow and looked at the pair. She had never seen a human relationship so close; to think of it, she had never seen any relationship that close. They seemed to be incapable of hiding anything from each other.

They both looked at Kagura and burst out laughing. Kagura looked so intent and confused. “What?” she demanded looking at the pair.

“Kagura, you looked so intent like you were puzzling a great secret,” Sango said.

“I was!” Kagura defended. “I was puzzling you two!”

“Us?” Kagome asked.

“You two are so very strange in your relationship.”

Kagome and Sango looked at each other and instantly sobered. They both realized immediately that Kagura had never known true friendship and was confused by their love and compassion for each other. “It’s strange Kagura, but Sango and I feel like we’ve known each other all our lives,” Kagome said softly. “We bonded instantly, and our friendship grew out of protecting each other, from facing the same perils, and from suffering the same fears and losses. Both of us were without our fathers, and now, I face losing my mother.”

Sango looked at the two of them as tears wet her lashes. “Kagura, the longer you are free the more important these type of relationships will become to you. Look at the change in your relationship with Kanna since you came here.”

Kagura looked at the two of them and began to realize what they meant. She and Kanna had begun to talk about things other than Naraku and had begun to spend time together out of pleasure for one another’s company rather than out of a need to work together to survive.

“Well!” Kagura said, quickly changing the subject before she could identify the emotions rolling around inside her. “Are you off to find your hanyou?”

“Yeah, yeah I am,” Kagome said as she stood up and headed for the door.

“Good luck Kagome!” Sango and Kagura yelled after her.


*****


Kagome saw Inuyasha wandering toward the gardens just outside the palace. Heading down the steps toward the gardens, Kagome watched intently as he seemed to wander aimlessly. Strange, she thought, that is so unlike him to be so unaware. She began to trail after him into the gardens, following at a distance as he continued to wander.

Inuyasha sighed again; he was lost, and he didn’t begin to know how to talk to Kagome about everything. He wanted to tell her everything, everything he thought and felt; he just didn’t know where to begin. He could feel her stalking him. He knew she had been following him since he entered the gardens. He stopped when he came to a clearing in the gardens; there was a shallow stream with a low seating bench, just off the walk. He headed over and sat down to wait for her.

Kagome walked over to Inuyasha and settled down next to him. “Inuyasha?” she queried.

“Yeah?” he looked over at her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he paused and then sighed, “I’m just thinking.”

“Oh, ok. Just don’t hurt yourself, ok?” she asked as a smile quirked the edges of her mouth.

Inuyasha snorted and turned with a caustic response on his lips, it died instantly when he saw her smiling. “You’re smiling?” he asked sounding surprised.

“Of course, I am, silly!” she looked at him. “I’m happy.”

“Yeah?” he asked. “Happy about what?” he grumbled.

“I’m happy to be here with you,” she said.

Inuyasha looked over at her from under his bangs. “Really?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah, really, baka,” she giggled at him.

“You read the prophecy, didn’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah, I did,” she sobered for a minute. “Yeah, about that…..” she trailed off.

Inuyasha cursed his stupidity. He hadn’t meant to upset her.

Kagome turned toward him, reached out, and grabbed his hand. “I promised you that I would stay with you, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha looked at her and sighed, “Your family?”

“You all are my family now,” tears gathered on her lashes, “Inuyasha, mama knew. Mama knew what was gonna come, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, I think she did,” he replied.

“Well, I don’t know what choice I have? I can’t leave you; we can’t leave here and leave your race to face destruction, can we?” she asked.

“I don’t want you to make these decisions, Kagome,” he sighed and pulled her closer. Pulling her into his arms with her back against his chest, he rested his chin on her head.

“I don’t have any decision to make, Inuyasha,” she absently wiped a tear off her cheek. “I am here, and I promised you I wouldn’t leave. You promised I could stay.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“So? What has you so down?” she asked.

“Kagome, do you want to marry me?” he asked quietly, a dark blush staining his cheeks.

“What?” she asked, trying to turn around; Inuyasha’s arms had tightened, so she couldn’t turn around.

“It’s just that’s what humans do. I thought…” he trailed off again.

“You thought because I was human that’s what I would want?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Inuyasha, let go of me,” she said in a low tone.

Inuyasha loosened his grip, allowing her to turn around and face him. He lowered his head so his eyes were covered by his bangs. Kagome reached out and brushed his hair away from his face. “Inuyasha, I don’t care as long as I am with you.”

Inuyasha looked up at her. “What do you mean, though?” he asked.

“What do you mean what do I mean?” she blushed.

“Yeah, what do you mean?” he asked. “How do you want to stay here?”

“Uh, Inuyasha?” Kagome blushed. “I mean. You do want me to stay, right?”

“Of course, I do,” he murmured.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” she asked.

“Where else would you go?” he asked.

“Augh!” Kagome jumped up and paced back and forth. “I mean, what’s in the prophecy. I mean you want me to stay here with you and be a part of your life?”

“Of course I do, silly!” he couldn’t figure out why she was so worked up.

“Inuyasha?” she asked quietly. “Mates are forever, right?”

“Yeah, they are” he answered. Then his eyes shot open as he realized what she was asking. “Does that bother you?” he asked.

“Nope, not if it doesn’t bother you,” she answered.

Inuyasha stood up, walked over to her, and pulled her into his arms. “Kagome?” he asked. When she looked up at him, he brought his lips down to lightly brush hers.

Kagome gasped lightly; raising up on her tip toes she pressed her lips against his again. Sighing, she leaned into him as he bent closer and deepened the kiss. Kagome felt goose bumps rise on her arms as his hold tightened around her, dragging her against him.

Kagome reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and let him pull the weight of her against him. Breaking off the kiss, Inuyasha trailed his lips across her jaw. He felt her shiver against him as he lowered his mouth to her neck. As he grazed her neck with his fangs, he slid one hand along her thighs and pulled her up flush against him. His other hand worked its way across her back and pulled her tighter.

Kagome let her head fall back as her feet were lifted off the ground, and Inuyasha offered small nips along her throat. Following the trail of her pulse down her neck, he slid his tongue along the edge of her collar bone. Kagome gasped as he dragged his fangs against the smooth flesh covering her collar bone.

Inuyasha could feel himself drowning in her scent. He could feel the increase in temperature and the quickening of her pulse under his lips. He heard her gasp in his ears as his nose was overcome with the scent of her. What had started as a lingering sweetness was rapidly overtaking his senses.

A small growl escaped him as she shifted her weight and wrapped her legs around his hips. He could feel the heat of her against him. The long kimono she was wearing no longer offered any protection as it shifted higher and exposed her thighs. He let his free hand roam along the exposed flesh as he brought his mouth back to hers. Crushing her mouth against his, a deep rumble occurred somewhere inside of him.

Kagome could feel the vibrations of his growl against her chest as she leaned into him, the slight vibrations only adding to the heat pooling in her stomach. She whimpered as he bit her bottom lip, causing her to gasp and allowing him access to her mouth. Inuyasha broke away from the kiss, both of them panting. Kagome looked up at him through half lidded eyes.

“Forever?” she whispered against his throat.

“Yeah, forever” was the husky reply.

Inuyasha reluctantly let her slide back to the ground until her feet were firmly under her, a small growl escaping him.

“What?” she giggled up at him.

Inuyasha just looked down at her. A half smile was on his lips. “So you’re staying?” he asked again, more to reassure himself than anything else.

“Yeah, I’m staying,” she sighed against his chest.

“So?” he asked resting his chin on top of her head.

“Yes?” she murmured.

“Do you want to marry me?”

“Inuyasha?” she looked up at him. “Is that what you want?”

Inuyasha growled low. “I don’t know. I just want you to be happy.”

Kagome giggled, “Silly, I’m happy wherever you and I are as long as we are together. You should know that by now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really; if you want us to get married, we’ll get married. I’m just happy to be with you.”

“I think you should have a wedding, Kagome,” he answered low, a blush rising to her cheeks.

“Mama would have liked that,” Kagome smiled.

“Yeah, I think she would have.”

Inuyasha pulled back and looked at her. “Do you want Miroku to, uh, you know?” he asked.

“Do you mean officiate our wedding?” she asked.

“Yeah, that.”

“Could we?” she asked excitement shining in her eyes.

“Yeah, if that’s what you want,” Inuyasha looked at her. He realized at that moment that he would have consented to anything. Guilt rode high in his throat because he knew that keeping her here kept her from her family.

“Come on, Inuyasha!” She began tugging him along the path, leading back toward the palace. Kagome was exploding with excitement. “A wedding!” she giggled, “Our wedding!”

“Yeah, just don’t make it one of those horrible affairs.”

“What kinda horrible affair?” she stopped and looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“Those horrible drawn out weddings; the ones where it takes months to prepare, and people dress in all those weird clothes and where everyone looks so miserable,” he growled.

Kagome giggled again. “Are you impatient?” she laughed.

Inuyasha blushed deep red. “Keh!”

“Come on, silly! We have to find Sango and Miroku!”

“Wench, you find Miroku and Sango; I have to talk to Sesshomaru,” he said as they entered the palace.

“Oh, alright” she sighed. She knew he had to talk to his brother. Leaning up, she gave a peck on the cheek and headed off to find their friends.



Disclaimer time:

I don’t own Inuyasha, its characters or its story line!
That sole joy belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
I’ll let you know which ones I own as we go!