InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When a door closes... ❯ The Resolution ( Chapter 22 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Namiyo11 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 223 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 223 | Status: Completed
Chapter 22- The ResolutionNo, I don't own or make money from Inuyasha or related characters. The Hamayami and the Dokueki are mine.Recap: The continuation of the Courting! What happens now? Read on!
She gripped the Hamayami and followed, grateful for the ofuda now. It would wander off when it couldn’t get in. Kagome was about to say as much-that it was better to stay inside the barrier and let it go instead of fighting it alone, to wait, when she saw the Tetsusaiga turn red in his hands.
“No! Inuyasha!” Kagome yelled, as he growled and swung, the barrier breaking with a crackle of energy. No help for it, he had to go after it even if she slipped off while he was gone. Cursing the fact that he couldn’t patrol his territory thanks to the barrier, he spun to face her in astonishment when she‘d grabbed his arm.
“I can take care of a dumb little snake, uh, Lady Kagome. I’ve got to get it before it, uh, goes downhill,” he told her, wondering why she looked and smelled scared. What, didn’t she think he could take a youkai by himself anymore? And-Miroku had told those humans he’d go after any youkai in the mountains. So he had to. It’d probably go try and eat them.
Humans, and a promise, that Kagome didn’t know about.
“Are you nuts? That’s a Dokueki out there, baka! Can’t you smell it?” When he looked at her blankly, she gasped. Hadn’t they seen one? Surely...oh, no.
“So? Don’t care what they’re called. I’ll kill it and be back, Lady,” Inuyasha told her, yanking his arm away. He could use a good fight after today anyways...He wasn’t sure what had happened, and there wasn’t time to worry now. Not much sunlight was left before the night of the new moon began.
When he loped after it, Kagome shouldered her bow, hiked up her kimono and followed. The rules or not-she wasn’t letting him fight one alone. Not if he didn’t even know what one was! Even if he had, though...she’d have followed.
He was headed right downhill and she sniffed. The Dokueki had scented something, likely secondary prey, she’d fought them enough to know that it would much rather eat them-what, though? She dashed after him, ground being eaten up as she ran. Halfway down the hillside, it caught a whiff of something far more interesting than the humans it had previously bypassed. Inu. It turned back on itself with a soft slither of dull scales.
“What the hell?” Inuyasha gaped at the enormous, two headed snake that was twisting to face him, tongues tasting the air, scenting Inu and coiling to strike. Ok, so it was big. He flexed his claws and grinned. With that weak aura, it was all show, easy to take it down. He wouldn’t even need Tetsusaiga, he decided, sheathing it. The hanyou usually took out snakes with his claws, anyways.
A leap, a yelled, “Sankontessou!” and he flung out a hand to rend it-until a kimono clad form slammed into him in midair! Inuyasha’s strike was fouled, claws raked the air inches from the scaled hide...and the toxic blood beneath.
“NO!” Kagome screamed as they plowed into the ground and slid, barely avoiding the youkai! He shoved her off and came up in shock as she yelled at him, grabbing his haori and stumbling, her kimono tangling around her legs as she pulled him out of the way of another strike by the serpent.
“Poison, baka! Naraku made these to kill you! Distance weapons only, and don’t touch its blood!” Kagome dodged as it went after them again, forcing them to spring apart. She unlimbered her bow from her shoulder and he roared at her, sword coming free!
“No!” She’d saved him?! Hah! No way he was losing her now because of the damned rules! That was his wench! Helping him again. Guessing he’d snapped her out of that Clan crap, he was positively gleeful.
“Inuyasha!!” Kagome was torn. She had to help him! But if she did...she’d lose him as surely as if she let him fight alone. Dokueki had been designed to kill him, play to his weaknesses. No! Even as she skipped back, she saw him take the sword in both hands and-the Tetsusaiga transformed alright. Back into a battered katana. The weak aura wasn’t enough to activate it! The Kaze no Kizu needed an aura...one seirei-ya and he‘d have it...think...of course! Kagome hiked up her skirts and took a deep breath as she dodged again, this was going to be tricky...Sesshomaru would throttle her if he ever knew she’d done this...no choice.
“Aim for me!” she yelled, scrambling out the way of a strike as he tried to figure out what she meant, and its tail slammed into him, knocking him into a tree with a crash. Crap! He scrambled up as she screamed his name as she had so often...he got up with a scowl, ignoring the pain of his ribs. No damned Naraku made mistake was taking him or his wench down! Then he saw her put her plan into action.
“What?” Inuyasha was shocked as the crazy wench leapt past the serpent.
“Use me!” she yelled again. BAKA! Figure it out! Risking her neck for a thick headed, jealous, stubborn-darn it! She wasn’t losing him! Kagome hiked up the kimono again...and crouched. Not much room to maneuver with the terrain and the narrow path, it’d be close. The hills were steep here, and her clothes weren‘t helping. How the heck had Kagura fought in these things? Kimonos like this weren’t made for running!
“HAH!” he got it. Kagome’s own aura was enough to let him use the Kaze no kizu! He held the Tetsusaiga...it transformed...he looked...the energy swirled...there! They were colliding! She was right behind it! Right where he needed to send it. Inuyasha hesitated.Kagome was right behind it.
She didn’t need a protector anymore.
Sweating, he slashed where the auras combined-as she ran forward.
Inuyasha gasped and slammed the blade into the ground to catch her, turning away with her in his arms to protect her as energy lines slashed out...and the Dokueki was cut into ribbons. Deep slashes ripped through it’s hide as it was shredded, the lines of power continued past it, leaving scorched gouges and a shower of dirt and rock. Crazy wench!
Kagome had jumped over the damned snake after he’d released the Kaze no kizu!
He held her tightly and opened his mouth to yell like he’d never yelled before-until a clawed hand clapped over his mouth.
“I’m a wench. A crazy, baka wench with a death wish and no sense who just nearly got herself killed and some swearing. I know!” she yelled, as he stared at her, feeling a bit deflated at the quick concession.
“Well? Can I take my hand away? Or did I just risk my neck for nothing, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, panting.
A nod, and...he grinned under her hand? Hopeless! Kagome shivered at how close it had all been. Too close. She’d almost lost him, and that was unthinkable. Frightened, she didn’t even realize that she’d done something terrible. That Sesshomaru would know she’d been in danger through the packbond. Was in fact soon to be on the way, surety in tow. Kagome had other things on her mind. Like his injuries and the fact that it was nearly noon.
“Come on. Let’s get this carcass dealt with and you bandaged up. Can‘t let them rot or they poison the whole area,” she said with a sigh.
“How-”
“Fire’s best if you don’t have a priest to purify and bind it. But you have to stand clear of the smoke,” Kagome looked at her hands regretfully. “I’m a bit out of practice at fire making, I sort of have my own methods now,” she noted with an apologetic smile. No Flameclaw or they’d break the rules.
“Fire? Uh...how many of these things did you two go after?” Inuyasha asked. Myouga had mentioned they’d fought powerful youkai, but these? Damn. He almost wished he’d been able to see it.
“Um...this makes...ten I think. Yes. Three with Sango, six with Sesshomaru. It’s much easier with the Hamayami though, and they’re loners. So I don‘t think any others are around. Of course, I’m usually in my armor too,” Kagome said with a shrug as he put her down.
“I bet. That youkai thing you were wearing?” he asked as they got to work. Easier with the Hamayami-his brother let her get in danger! Bastard! He was completely unaware that the brother in question...was thinking exactly the same thing at the moment.
A proud nod.
“Mountain troll hair. Almost as good as your firerat, by the way. Next time, listen to me, would you?” she chided and looked regretfully at the pretty outfit she was wearing. He winced when she ripped strips off for tinder. He’d put a lot of work into that. “Sorry,” she apologized.
“Eh, it’s alright. Where’d you get that thing? You...didn’t kill a-”
“Oh, no. It was a gift from a grateful pack after Sango and I took one of these out for them. Front line youkai slaying is hard on the clothes,” she answered and he stared. They gave her tokens of respect? They-liked her? Damn.
***
It was late afternoon by the time they’d gotten done firing the Dokueki and came back into the valley. Inuyasha kept watching her, wondering if she was planning on leaving now. The barrier was down, and if he used the beads tonight, she really be hurt, so that was out. He couldn’t do it, and she probably knew that. Kagome didn’t seem to be in a hurry, walking next to him in her now ruined clothes, glancing at the setting sun with her hands clasped behind her.
“I’d like to get inside before the sun sets,” she said with a frown.
“Yeah,” Inuyasha felt his side. Nothing broken, she’d insisted on checking, but it was going to hurt tonight. He hadn’t been wearing his firerat.
Once inside the lair, she’d changed into-her future clothes? In shorts and a tank top, barefoot. Carrying her first aid kit from her pack, she sat him down and set to work, stripping off his clothes without a blink. He frowned slightly as she bandaged him up, still worried she’d leave when she was done. Escape would make the claim invalid...
“You hungry? Tea maybe?” Kagome asked as she worked, taping his ribs.
“No, ow,” he hissed.
“Me either,” she commented with a sigh. Her stomach was full of butterflies, this wasn’t going to be easy.
“If you say so, Lady Kagome. You ought to eat,” he said with a frown as they-changed. Kagome looked up to see him staring at her with the most peculiar expression as he shrugged his clothes back on and fastened them.
“What’s wrong? You’ve seen me like this before,” she asked the black haired human.
“Eh, not in a long time.” She was back! Her hanyou form was magnificent, but this was his beloved baka wench Kagome again. Clad in skimpy clothes, hair mussed, human.
“Silly. Come on, let’s get you to bed. You need to rest, and no fussing,” she helped him up and he hid a grin. Kagome was worried and acting like herself, had helped him fight a youkai like old times. Probably saved his life too. So-he’d let her fuss over him if it pleased her. He’d missed it terribly.
Then she dragged him to the room she’d been using, and he pulled back.
“Kagome, uh-”
“Don’t be more of a baka than you already are, Inuyasha. Nothing in the silly courting rules says you can’t sleep in there the night I accept you. Now come on,” she was serious, and his eyes went huge.
“You-”
“I could change my mind, you know,” Kagome warned him.
Inuyasha wanted to sigh in contentment. Instead, he dutifully let her help him lie down and cover him up with just the right amount of resistance. He winced as he stretched out and she quietly, with a slight blush...curled up next to him.
A cautious glance-hah! He didn’t see the Hamayami! She’d left it outside. Following his gaze, she frowned. The fight...she’d made up her mind. Kagome just hoped Sesshomaru would understand. Both brothers were just going to have to deal with it. Inuyasha needed her. Probably wouldn’t last a week without a keeper. Her love and baka...running up to claw a Dokueki of all the dumb things! He couldn’t do a thing without her. She was lost without him.
“You know...it’s not going to be easy. And I don’t appreciate that you named our future children without consulting me, which we are going to wait on having, thank you. And I don’t like the term mate, it sounds like something from a nature show. I also don’t like being called wench, and I want a human ceremony at some point, possibly at the shrine,” she said finally. The look of cautious delight on his face made her sigh.
“Heh. We’ll be mates, you know, this ain’t a human ritual. I owed them, I figured you wouldn’t mind it. We’d have to have ‘em for it to come up, anyways,” Inuyasha managed as she finished. That was his wench, always setting terms. Even with him on the night she became his mate. His face reddened though...he was a bit nervous at the thought. Mating. Marriage. Whatever she wanted to call it.
“That’s true,” she sighed.
“You...can call me husband I guess. Sounds kinda dumb though. I guess we can do the human ceremony, but Miroku officiates. And you are my wench, aren’t you, Lady?” he answered shyly. He really owed the monk, remembering a talk some time ago. “Besides, I still get called baka...Lady Kagome.”
“Ohhh fine. But you are a baka...Lord Inuyasha,” she saw him wince. “You-probably should get used to that, you know,” Kagome told him softly.
“Are you?”
“Not really that much. But it‘s the way things are. I’m of the Inutaisho and so are you,” she added slowly as he brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. Kagome hesitated. She had to tell him about Kikyou...he had the right to know before she accepted him formally. Biting her lip, she sat up, clasping her hands nervously. She wouldn’t blame him if he rejected her for it.
“Inuyasha, I have to tell you something-about the day we killed Naraku-” she began, and he shook his head to stop her. He could accept it, yes, but didn’t ever want to know about the details. Too painful.
“I know. I saw it. You did what you had to. I don’t want to talk about it,” she stared at him in amazement as she realized he was sincere.
He had changed. Grown up. No regrets, no recrimination. It was over. He’d known the whole time that she’d laid Kikyou to rest, still proposed twice, no, three times now. Kagome just nodded, curling back up beside him and making sure not to bang his ribs. With a blush, she carefully leaned her head against his shoulder tiredly. A nap was definitely in order as reaction set in. It had been a very long day.
As she fell asleep, he’d shifted slightly and carefully put an arm around her. Inuyasha wasn’t sure why she’d taken him back, or of anything else at the moment. He just knew everything was all right again, and that was enough.
In the morning...Inuyasha woke up and grinned at his mate as the sun rose, making them hanyou again.
Reaching over, he rubbed her ear fondly to wake her up and test her mood. One eye opened, and Kagome smiled. She blushed even as she slipped her arms around him, mindful of his rapidly knitting ribs. He kissed her soundly before he started shucking his clothes at speed. He wasn’t about to let a little whack like he’d gotten yesterday bother him! Not now, anyways! Hah! She made a face and growled as he went to bite her neck again.
Not again! Not another tree incident!
“Oh! No way, not again!” Kagome gripped his hands gently and trembled. Yes, she wanted him to, had married him by youkai custom last night, but she was still nervous.
“What? Uh...this is what you do with a mate, Kagome. You get naked together and fu-eh...you know. Hell, I’ll show you in a minute if you let me!” he scowled. What the hell was he doing wrong now?
“Well, yes. But, please, please slow down? We’ve got all day, and never even um-did anything else before. You know. The other stuff?” she asked him shyly, and he looked into her eyes with a frown and a head shake.
“No, I don't.”
So, she cautiously showed him what she meant. Things proceeded rather well after that. The only problem was when each marked the other...and their youkai blood had briefly taken control, scaring them both.
Author’s notes-Here we are, chapter 22. I am still happy with this chapter, so that’s a good thing I think. Only three more, and then the sequel, ‘Another Opens’, which is also finished! So satisfying. But things are rarely happy for long, are they? This was a very hard chapter to do, but not too bad overall, if a bit long thanks to all the dialogue, so comments and constructive critiques are welcome as always. Thanks for reading!- Namiyo
She gripped the Hamayami and followed, grateful for the ofuda now. It would wander off when it couldn’t get in. Kagome was about to say as much-that it was better to stay inside the barrier and let it go instead of fighting it alone, to wait, when she saw the Tetsusaiga turn red in his hands.
“No! Inuyasha!” Kagome yelled, as he growled and swung, the barrier breaking with a crackle of energy. No help for it, he had to go after it even if she slipped off while he was gone. Cursing the fact that he couldn’t patrol his territory thanks to the barrier, he spun to face her in astonishment when she‘d grabbed his arm.
“I can take care of a dumb little snake, uh, Lady Kagome. I’ve got to get it before it, uh, goes downhill,” he told her, wondering why she looked and smelled scared. What, didn’t she think he could take a youkai by himself anymore? And-Miroku had told those humans he’d go after any youkai in the mountains. So he had to. It’d probably go try and eat them.
Humans, and a promise, that Kagome didn’t know about.
“Are you nuts? That’s a Dokueki out there, baka! Can’t you smell it?” When he looked at her blankly, she gasped. Hadn’t they seen one? Surely...oh, no.
“So? Don’t care what they’re called. I’ll kill it and be back, Lady,” Inuyasha told her, yanking his arm away. He could use a good fight after today anyways...He wasn’t sure what had happened, and there wasn’t time to worry now. Not much sunlight was left before the night of the new moon began.
When he loped after it, Kagome shouldered her bow, hiked up her kimono and followed. The rules or not-she wasn’t letting him fight one alone. Not if he didn’t even know what one was! Even if he had, though...she’d have followed.
He was headed right downhill and she sniffed. The Dokueki had scented something, likely secondary prey, she’d fought them enough to know that it would much rather eat them-what, though? She dashed after him, ground being eaten up as she ran. Halfway down the hillside, it caught a whiff of something far more interesting than the humans it had previously bypassed. Inu. It turned back on itself with a soft slither of dull scales.
“What the hell?” Inuyasha gaped at the enormous, two headed snake that was twisting to face him, tongues tasting the air, scenting Inu and coiling to strike. Ok, so it was big. He flexed his claws and grinned. With that weak aura, it was all show, easy to take it down. He wouldn’t even need Tetsusaiga, he decided, sheathing it. The hanyou usually took out snakes with his claws, anyways.
A leap, a yelled, “Sankontessou!” and he flung out a hand to rend it-until a kimono clad form slammed into him in midair! Inuyasha’s strike was fouled, claws raked the air inches from the scaled hide...and the toxic blood beneath.
“NO!” Kagome screamed as they plowed into the ground and slid, barely avoiding the youkai! He shoved her off and came up in shock as she yelled at him, grabbing his haori and stumbling, her kimono tangling around her legs as she pulled him out of the way of another strike by the serpent.
“Poison, baka! Naraku made these to kill you! Distance weapons only, and don’t touch its blood!” Kagome dodged as it went after them again, forcing them to spring apart. She unlimbered her bow from her shoulder and he roared at her, sword coming free!
“No!” She’d saved him?! Hah! No way he was losing her now because of the damned rules! That was his wench! Helping him again. Guessing he’d snapped her out of that Clan crap, he was positively gleeful.
“Inuyasha!!” Kagome was torn. She had to help him! But if she did...she’d lose him as surely as if she let him fight alone. Dokueki had been designed to kill him, play to his weaknesses. No! Even as she skipped back, she saw him take the sword in both hands and-the Tetsusaiga transformed alright. Back into a battered katana. The weak aura wasn’t enough to activate it! The Kaze no Kizu needed an aura...one seirei-ya and he‘d have it...think...of course! Kagome hiked up her skirts and took a deep breath as she dodged again, this was going to be tricky...Sesshomaru would throttle her if he ever knew she’d done this...no choice.
“Aim for me!” she yelled, scrambling out the way of a strike as he tried to figure out what she meant, and its tail slammed into him, knocking him into a tree with a crash. Crap! He scrambled up as she screamed his name as she had so often...he got up with a scowl, ignoring the pain of his ribs. No damned Naraku made mistake was taking him or his wench down! Then he saw her put her plan into action.
“What?” Inuyasha was shocked as the crazy wench leapt past the serpent.
“Use me!” she yelled again. BAKA! Figure it out! Risking her neck for a thick headed, jealous, stubborn-darn it! She wasn’t losing him! Kagome hiked up the kimono again...and crouched. Not much room to maneuver with the terrain and the narrow path, it’d be close. The hills were steep here, and her clothes weren‘t helping. How the heck had Kagura fought in these things? Kimonos like this weren’t made for running!
“HAH!” he got it. Kagome’s own aura was enough to let him use the Kaze no kizu! He held the Tetsusaiga...it transformed...he looked...the energy swirled...there! They were colliding! She was right behind it! Right where he needed to send it. Inuyasha hesitated.Kagome was right behind it.
She didn’t need a protector anymore.
Sweating, he slashed where the auras combined-as she ran forward.
Inuyasha gasped and slammed the blade into the ground to catch her, turning away with her in his arms to protect her as energy lines slashed out...and the Dokueki was cut into ribbons. Deep slashes ripped through it’s hide as it was shredded, the lines of power continued past it, leaving scorched gouges and a shower of dirt and rock. Crazy wench!
Kagome had jumped over the damned snake after he’d released the Kaze no kizu!
He held her tightly and opened his mouth to yell like he’d never yelled before-until a clawed hand clapped over his mouth.
“I’m a wench. A crazy, baka wench with a death wish and no sense who just nearly got herself killed and some swearing. I know!” she yelled, as he stared at her, feeling a bit deflated at the quick concession.
“Well? Can I take my hand away? Or did I just risk my neck for nothing, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, panting.
A nod, and...he grinned under her hand? Hopeless! Kagome shivered at how close it had all been. Too close. She’d almost lost him, and that was unthinkable. Frightened, she didn’t even realize that she’d done something terrible. That Sesshomaru would know she’d been in danger through the packbond. Was in fact soon to be on the way, surety in tow. Kagome had other things on her mind. Like his injuries and the fact that it was nearly noon.
“Come on. Let’s get this carcass dealt with and you bandaged up. Can‘t let them rot or they poison the whole area,” she said with a sigh.
“How-”
“Fire’s best if you don’t have a priest to purify and bind it. But you have to stand clear of the smoke,” Kagome looked at her hands regretfully. “I’m a bit out of practice at fire making, I sort of have my own methods now,” she noted with an apologetic smile. No Flameclaw or they’d break the rules.
“Fire? Uh...how many of these things did you two go after?” Inuyasha asked. Myouga had mentioned they’d fought powerful youkai, but these? Damn. He almost wished he’d been able to see it.
“Um...this makes...ten I think. Yes. Three with Sango, six with Sesshomaru. It’s much easier with the Hamayami though, and they’re loners. So I don‘t think any others are around. Of course, I’m usually in my armor too,” Kagome said with a shrug as he put her down.
“I bet. That youkai thing you were wearing?” he asked as they got to work. Easier with the Hamayami-his brother let her get in danger! Bastard! He was completely unaware that the brother in question...was thinking exactly the same thing at the moment.
A proud nod.
“Mountain troll hair. Almost as good as your firerat, by the way. Next time, listen to me, would you?” she chided and looked regretfully at the pretty outfit she was wearing. He winced when she ripped strips off for tinder. He’d put a lot of work into that. “Sorry,” she apologized.
“Eh, it’s alright. Where’d you get that thing? You...didn’t kill a-”
“Oh, no. It was a gift from a grateful pack after Sango and I took one of these out for them. Front line youkai slaying is hard on the clothes,” she answered and he stared. They gave her tokens of respect? They-liked her? Damn.
***
It was late afternoon by the time they’d gotten done firing the Dokueki and came back into the valley. Inuyasha kept watching her, wondering if she was planning on leaving now. The barrier was down, and if he used the beads tonight, she really be hurt, so that was out. He couldn’t do it, and she probably knew that. Kagome didn’t seem to be in a hurry, walking next to him in her now ruined clothes, glancing at the setting sun with her hands clasped behind her.
“I’d like to get inside before the sun sets,” she said with a frown.
“Yeah,” Inuyasha felt his side. Nothing broken, she’d insisted on checking, but it was going to hurt tonight. He hadn’t been wearing his firerat.
Once inside the lair, she’d changed into-her future clothes? In shorts and a tank top, barefoot. Carrying her first aid kit from her pack, she sat him down and set to work, stripping off his clothes without a blink. He frowned slightly as she bandaged him up, still worried she’d leave when she was done. Escape would make the claim invalid...
“You hungry? Tea maybe?” Kagome asked as she worked, taping his ribs.
“No, ow,” he hissed.
“Me either,” she commented with a sigh. Her stomach was full of butterflies, this wasn’t going to be easy.
“If you say so, Lady Kagome. You ought to eat,” he said with a frown as they-changed. Kagome looked up to see him staring at her with the most peculiar expression as he shrugged his clothes back on and fastened them.
“What’s wrong? You’ve seen me like this before,” she asked the black haired human.
“Eh, not in a long time.” She was back! Her hanyou form was magnificent, but this was his beloved baka wench Kagome again. Clad in skimpy clothes, hair mussed, human.
“Silly. Come on, let’s get you to bed. You need to rest, and no fussing,” she helped him up and he hid a grin. Kagome was worried and acting like herself, had helped him fight a youkai like old times. Probably saved his life too. So-he’d let her fuss over him if it pleased her. He’d missed it terribly.
Then she dragged him to the room she’d been using, and he pulled back.
“Kagome, uh-”
“Don’t be more of a baka than you already are, Inuyasha. Nothing in the silly courting rules says you can’t sleep in there the night I accept you. Now come on,” she was serious, and his eyes went huge.
“You-”
“I could change my mind, you know,” Kagome warned him.
Inuyasha wanted to sigh in contentment. Instead, he dutifully let her help him lie down and cover him up with just the right amount of resistance. He winced as he stretched out and she quietly, with a slight blush...curled up next to him.
A cautious glance-hah! He didn’t see the Hamayami! She’d left it outside. Following his gaze, she frowned. The fight...she’d made up her mind. Kagome just hoped Sesshomaru would understand. Both brothers were just going to have to deal with it. Inuyasha needed her. Probably wouldn’t last a week without a keeper. Her love and baka...running up to claw a Dokueki of all the dumb things! He couldn’t do a thing without her. She was lost without him.
“You know...it’s not going to be easy. And I don’t appreciate that you named our future children without consulting me, which we are going to wait on having, thank you. And I don’t like the term mate, it sounds like something from a nature show. I also don’t like being called wench, and I want a human ceremony at some point, possibly at the shrine,” she said finally. The look of cautious delight on his face made her sigh.
“Heh. We’ll be mates, you know, this ain’t a human ritual. I owed them, I figured you wouldn’t mind it. We’d have to have ‘em for it to come up, anyways,” Inuyasha managed as she finished. That was his wench, always setting terms. Even with him on the night she became his mate. His face reddened though...he was a bit nervous at the thought. Mating. Marriage. Whatever she wanted to call it.
“That’s true,” she sighed.
“You...can call me husband I guess. Sounds kinda dumb though. I guess we can do the human ceremony, but Miroku officiates. And you are my wench, aren’t you, Lady?” he answered shyly. He really owed the monk, remembering a talk some time ago. “Besides, I still get called baka...Lady Kagome.”
“Ohhh fine. But you are a baka...Lord Inuyasha,” she saw him wince. “You-probably should get used to that, you know,” Kagome told him softly.
“Are you?”
“Not really that much. But it‘s the way things are. I’m of the Inutaisho and so are you,” she added slowly as he brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. Kagome hesitated. She had to tell him about Kikyou...he had the right to know before she accepted him formally. Biting her lip, she sat up, clasping her hands nervously. She wouldn’t blame him if he rejected her for it.
“Inuyasha, I have to tell you something-about the day we killed Naraku-” she began, and he shook his head to stop her. He could accept it, yes, but didn’t ever want to know about the details. Too painful.
“I know. I saw it. You did what you had to. I don’t want to talk about it,” she stared at him in amazement as she realized he was sincere.
He had changed. Grown up. No regrets, no recrimination. It was over. He’d known the whole time that she’d laid Kikyou to rest, still proposed twice, no, three times now. Kagome just nodded, curling back up beside him and making sure not to bang his ribs. With a blush, she carefully leaned her head against his shoulder tiredly. A nap was definitely in order as reaction set in. It had been a very long day.
As she fell asleep, he’d shifted slightly and carefully put an arm around her. Inuyasha wasn’t sure why she’d taken him back, or of anything else at the moment. He just knew everything was all right again, and that was enough.
In the morning...Inuyasha woke up and grinned at his mate as the sun rose, making them hanyou again.
Reaching over, he rubbed her ear fondly to wake her up and test her mood. One eye opened, and Kagome smiled. She blushed even as she slipped her arms around him, mindful of his rapidly knitting ribs. He kissed her soundly before he started shucking his clothes at speed. He wasn’t about to let a little whack like he’d gotten yesterday bother him! Not now, anyways! Hah! She made a face and growled as he went to bite her neck again.
Not again! Not another tree incident!
“Oh! No way, not again!” Kagome gripped his hands gently and trembled. Yes, she wanted him to, had married him by youkai custom last night, but she was still nervous.
“What? Uh...this is what you do with a mate, Kagome. You get naked together and fu-eh...you know. Hell, I’ll show you in a minute if you let me!” he scowled. What the hell was he doing wrong now?
“Well, yes. But, please, please slow down? We’ve got all day, and never even um-did anything else before. You know. The other stuff?” she asked him shyly, and he looked into her eyes with a frown and a head shake.
“No, I don't.”
So, she cautiously showed him what she meant. Things proceeded rather well after that. The only problem was when each marked the other...and their youkai blood had briefly taken control, scaring them both.
Author’s notes-Here we are, chapter 22. I am still happy with this chapter, so that’s a good thing I think. Only three more, and then the sequel, ‘Another Opens’, which is also finished! So satisfying. But things are rarely happy for long, are they? This was a very hard chapter to do, but not too bad overall, if a bit long thanks to all the dialogue, so comments and constructive critiques are welcome as always. Thanks for reading!- Namiyo