InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Present Perfect ❯ Chapter 17 ( Chapter 17 )

Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

 

Chapter 17:

 

 

“Sesshomaru?” They were waiting at the gate to board their flight. Inuyasha, after sitting still for five minutes, announced that he was going to walk around a little bit. Kagome and Sesshomaru both cautioned him not to go back out through the electronic doorways or he wouldn't be able to get back in. Inuyasha keh'd. As if he wouldn't be able to get back in.

 

Kagome took the opportunity to have a serious talk with Sesshomaru. Over the last two weeks, he had become much more approachable, possibly because he felt like a fish out of water among all their college friends, and Kagome and Inuyasha were the only familiar faces to him. She knew this kinder, gentler Sesshomaru would likely disappear once he was back in his own territory, so she wanted to take every advantage of his mellow mood.

 

He turned towards her, his hair neatly folded and pinned so that it appeared short again. He wore comfortable traveling clothes, loose khakis and a polo shirt. She knew now that he carried his sword with him, invisible to human eyes and machines as well. Inuyasha could do that, too.

 

“I know you said I wasn't there when Inuyasha—disappeared,” she began. “But I plan on going back with him this time. I think I can help. Maybe it doesn't have to end that way.”

 

Sesshomaru regarded her solemnly. “If my brother is worried about you, he may not be able to save any of us,” he pointed out. “You do what you think is right, but think about your future.” Sesshomaru turned his gaze straight ahead again, signaling the end of this particular conversation.

 

Kagome was thinking about the future. If there was any way she could guarantee that she and Inuyasha would have a future together, she was going to take it. She folded her arms tight across her stomach and stared at the board showing the latest flight information.

 

They had taken Peter, Noriko, Jen and even Fenn up to the house that last week of school. Their friends assumed the house belonged to Sesshomaru and were very impressed that Kagome and Inuyasha would be commuting from there in the fall.

 

“Won't it take you an hour each way?” asked Jen. Inuyasha keh'd, and Jen realized that his method of traveling would cut down considerably on the commute.

 

Fenn had felt the tingle of the barrier immediately, and his eyes darted to Kagome. He was able to pass, for now. She smiled back at him, fully aware of what he was sensing. Inuyasha nudged him in the ribs. “Better call first,” he warned. “Barrier has a nasty sting.”

 

They made plans to get together in September as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Kagome and Inuyasha both signed up for the fall semester. Inuyasha, still curious about how they had put his house together, signed up for a course on engineering, which necessitated him also registering for several math classes. Kagome hoped he knew what he was getting into.

 

She had wanted to fill up the hot tub and give it a test run before they left, but strangely enough, Inuyasha talked her out of it. “I don't want the water to sit for three months while we are gone,” he reasoned. “Let's wait until we get back.”

 

Ironically, it was the fear they might never have a chance to use the hot tub together that had prompted Kagome to want to fill it immediately. However, she was comforted that Inuyasha was confident they would use it when they returned. That meant he would return. He would.

 

Kagome blinked as an announcement came over the loudspeaker. They were boarding. Where was Inuyasha? She looked around worriedly only to see him strolling down the corridor towards her, a magazine and a bag of chips in his hand.

 

“Hurry up. They called our row.”

 

Sesshomaru, never one to skimp on the finer things, had booked them seats in first class. Inuyasha tried out all the gadgets, swiveling his seat, then reclining it, as the economy class passengers were filing on board. He sat next to Kagome, by the window of course. Sesshomaru sat across from them.

 

Inuyasha, too, looked neat with his long hair pulled back and a bandana over his ears. Kagome had worried that a baseball cap might fall off when he slept. She grasped his hand lightly as the plane taxied down the runway. Inuyasha kept his nose pressed to the window. Sesshomaru, across the aisle, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

 

 

Sesshomaru reverted back to his usual persona the moment the doors opened in Japan. Head held regally high, he virtually ignored the two of them as they went through security, retrieved their bags, and headed towards the exit. Kagome craned her neck, looking for her mother.

 

“You will come with me,” Sesshomaru announced suddenly.

 

“But. . . mama. . .”

 

“She will not be coming. You may meet her later,” said Sesshomaru. A sleek car was waiting at the entrance, and the driver hurried out to load their luggage into the back.

 

“I don't think so,” Inuyasha growled, seeing the look of dismay on Kagome's face. “Kagome's going home first. We'll call you tomorrow.” He held onto their suitcases and planted his feet stubbornly.

 

“Don't be an idiot, Inuyasha. Get in the car.” Sesshomaru sighed as Inuyasha made no attempt to move. “Call her, then. She is aware of the situation.”

 

Kagome dialed her mother and spoke briefly. “He's right, Inuyasha. He made arrangements with her that he would take us home later tonight. She's making us a big dinner.”

 

Inuyasha grumbled as he brushed by Sesshomaru's driver and threw two suitcases into the trunk of the car. “You could have told us.”

 

Kagome noted that they did not head towards Tokyo but rather inland. She fell asleep in the car so she had no clear idea where they ended up. It was beautiful, though. High in the hills, Sesshomaru's house was traditionally Japanese, no surprise there. As much as she loved her own new house, she had to admit this one was a close second.

 

Kagome expected a housekeeper or butler to run the rather large household, but apparently Sesshomaru lived alone. She wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to Jaken. The rooms were elegant but sparsely furnished. In one room was a series of portraits of Rin at various stages in her life. It almost looked like a shrine. She could see the resemblance between the adult Rin and the photo of her great-granddaughter that Kouga had shown them. One of the paintings showed Rin, Kohaku and a baby. It was the only one not of Rin alone.

 

“Sesshomaru?” Kagome asked hesitantly. “What happened to Rin?”

 

For a moment she thought he wouldn't answer. Then he replied, “She died.”

 

“She must have had a long life,” Kagome mused, gazing at the final picture which showed a Rin with graying hair and a beatific smile. “Kouga said she and Kohaku had several children. He showed me a photo of a girl who looks a lot like Rin.”

 

Sesshomaru's eyes softened. “Mariko,” he said. “Yes, she does look like Rin. She has her gift, too, even though she is also hanyou. It remains to be seen what she will do with it.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“She is a miko. She is also young and headstrong and wants to live in the human world for a while to `experience' it.” Sesshomaru spoke with distaste.

 

“What's wrong with that?” asked Inuyasha. “She'll be a better miko if she understands both her halves.”

 

Kagome looked at Inuyasha with pride. More and more he was showing his astuteness in youkai matters. He would be a strong leader some day.

 

“Sesshomaru?” Kagome tried again. “You seem so sad whenever Rin is mentioned. Why is that?”

 

Again, she didn't think he would answer, but when it came to Rin, Sesshomaru was a different youkai. More human, she would have said, except that he wasn't. He shook his head sadly and explained, “Time flows differently for youkai. What is a lifetime for humans is but the blink of an eye for one such as I. Her death still saddens me. She could have continued on as a miko, but instead she chose to grow old with her husband, leaving behind those who loved her.”

 

Kagome was shocked to hear Sesshomaru admit that he had loved a human. Inuyasha picked up on his other statement.

 

“What do you mean, she `chose' to grow old?”

 

“She was a powerful miko. She had the choice,” was all Sesshomaru would say. Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged glances. Was it possible? It was clear they were not going to get any more information out of Sesshomaru right then, so Inuyasha changed the subject.

 

“Why did you bring us here?” he asked abruptly.

 

Sesshomaru led them to another room and slid open the door. “You will be staying here,” he told them. “It will be more convenient if you remain here until it is time. I have much to show you before then, and this will save time.”

 

Inuyasha wasn't convinced. “I already said I was going back to the Sengoku Jidai,” he said gruffly. “You don't have to keep an eye on me.”

 

Sesshomaru smiled. “I was merely offering you a place to stay so that you would not offend the miko's mother,” he said. “Or will you keep apart from her from this moment on?”

 

Inuyasha hadn't thought about it like that. There was absolutely no way he would be separated from Kagome now, not even for the night. “Kagome?” he asked.

 

“I thank you for your generous offer, Sesshomaru,” replied Kagome. “But let me talk to my mother. I'm sure she will understand, given the circumstances. I'd rather be close to home and close to the well if at all possible. Believe me, if my mother still will not allow Inuyasha and me to be together in her house, we'll be back. Tonight.”

 

“Very well.” Sesshomaru conceded with a bow of his head.

 

He gave them a ride back to Kagome's shrine and, try as she might, Kagome could not keep her eyes open again due to jet lag. She hoped Inuyasha had paid attention to where Sesshomaru lived so they could get back there on their own if it came to that.

 

“Mama!” Kagome flew into the house and wrapped her arms around her mother. “I missed you!” She clung to her mother with much more force than usual until her mother finally stepped back, holding her at arms length. She peered into Kagome's face, as Inuyasha stood awkwardly in the background, holding the two suitcases.

 

“Kagome, is everything all right?”

 

Kagome burst into tears, and her mother looked accusingly at Inuyasha, who blinked. Grandpa glared at Inuyasha, and went to put his arms around his granddaughter, too. Souta just stared from one to the other, confused.

 

“No, no, I'm Ok, I'm just happy to see you,” explained Kagome through her tears. She reached out for Inuyasha's hand, and he came to her side. Grandpa looked mollified, and Kagome's mother actually seemed a little embarrassed at her initial reaction.

 

“You look tired, dear,” said her mother. “I have a nice dinner prepared, then you can go to bed and hopefully in the morning you will feel better.”

 

“Sure,” said Kagome, smiling a little. “Souta, would you please bring the suitcases up to my room?”

 

Kagome's mother looked sharply at her as she said that, but she let it go. There would be time to settle the sleeping arrangements after dinner.

 

Later, when Inuyasha was taking a shower, Kagome sat at the kitchen table and spoke frankly with her mother. She told her about the impending trip back to the feudal age, and how nobody from this time had thought Inuyasha had survived. She told her that she planned on going back with him, no matter what, to try and change the outcome, even though Inuyasha would try to prevent her from going.

 

“Mama, my place is with him. I won't lose him again.” Kagome spoke firmly.

 

Her mother didn't miss the significance of Kagome's statement. She knew all about Kikyou and her daughter's connection with the ancient miko. She sighed. Who was she to stand in the way of destiny?

 

“Kagome, in every sense but one I feel that you and Inuyasha are married,” she finally said. “It's silly for you to sleep apart because I'm being old-fashioned. But will you do your mama a favor and promise to get married officially before I'm a grandmother?”

 

Kagome's heart soared. “Of course, mama,” she agreed. “Inuyasha already asked me.” She hoped the offer still stood—at the time, Inuyasha had only asked her to get around her mother's restriction on their sleeping together.

 

“Then that's settled,” replied her mother.

 

Inuyasha walked into the kitchen with his hair wrapped up in a towel. “Your turn,” he said to Kagome with a wide yawn. Jet lag was catching up with him too.

 

Kagome's mother came around the table and gave him a hug. “Welcome to the family, Inuyasha,” she said.