The Age of Love
She could see it in her eyes. Fine lines at the ends and under her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed but she quickly rubbed between them not wanting to promote anymore wrinkles.
Kagome sighed as she placed down her handheld mirror. She looked around her hut. It was quite large; two extra rooms were added years go to hold her ever growing family. She was happy. Kagome never thought she'd be right where she is now before she met Inuyasha. Even after she had met him, destroyed the Sacred Jewel, and accepted that she fell in love with him, Kagome never thought that her life would be where it was at the very moment in time.
During her three years of high school and not being able to go down the well, Kagome wasn't herself. She was happy to be back with her family. She was able to watch Souta grow taller than her and help him with girl troubles. She was able to study properly and pass her tests just as she would years before. She also cooked with her mother in the kitchen and help her grandfather around the shrine. Kagome should have been happy back in her regular time and she was, but she also wasn't. Just as she had missed her friends from school while she was away, she missed her friends from the past even more. She spent months with them, traveling together and bonding as family does. As much as Kagome wanted to be back in Inuyasha's arms, she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to. Kagome avoided the topic of her 'bad boy boyfriend' with her present-day friends as much as she could. She couldn't bare not being able to see him and her friends were inadvertently rubbing salt in her wounded heart.
And then she felt it. The day the well, it had called to her, telling her now or never. That day she hugged her family for the last time. She kissed them and cried out of joy and sorrow. She wasn't sure if she'd ever see them again just as her family on the other side. Her mother, the woman who was always there for her was there again. A small smile graced her face and Kagome knew it was okay. When Kagome jumped down that well and the beautiful light engulfed her, there was no turning back. Twenty-two years later, as her heart ached for her family after every child she had, never able to see their grandmother, uncle, or great grandfather, she would still not regret her decision.
Kagome tried her best to keep take of the days and months as time went by, but due to February and it's shortened months and long months, she was sure to be off by some weeks. Also living in the rough Warring States Era didn't help keep track of the calendar she grew up knowing. Moon phases and seasons aside, Kagome was sure if it. Today was her birthday. On this day, twenty-five years ago, she had turned fifteen years old and met Inuyasha. So today and this 'not so technical year', she turned forty.
Kagome quickly dressed herself, not wanting to waste anymore daytime she had since she slept in from the last nights previous work. Wearing her traditional priestess garb of a red hamaka and white hoari. and carrying her woven basket she set her destination towards her herbs in the garden behind her home. Since the season typically called for wet weather Kagome knew that the village people will be coming to her for colds and allergies pertaining to the new season.
"Oh, I also have to start planting my new herbs for the summer." Kagome spoke to herself as she looked around her garden.
Inuyasha was already there, sweating as the sun's warm rays touched his forearms. His fire-rat haori out of sight while the sleeves to his kosode were non-traditionally tied behind him. Inuyasha's long white hair was tied in a high ponytail to keep out of his days' work as he held a shovel in both hands to dig away at the ground, ready to plant new crops for the season. Since it was springtime, the sun was able to shine its rays to warm the earth, but the wind still blew cold around them, producing a good mix of temperature.
"Good morning Inuyasha." Kagome beamed at him, he turned around dropping his shovel.
"Good morning Kagome." He said routinely. He quickly walked to her giving her a kiss on the lips. She kissed back but shied away too fast for his liking.
"Why did you let me sleep in so much?" Kagome hit his chest playfully her eyes never leaving his.
Inuyasha smirked at her attempt.
"Come on Kagome, you had a sudden and late matter last night from a villager. You stayed up late making a remedy and making sure the kid's fever went down. The least I could do was let you gain back the sleep you lost." He heard Kagome sigh lowly and quickly give a short snort of a laugh.
"Yeah I guess you're right."
"Aren't I always?" Inuyasha smirked notoriously as he reached back down to pick up his shovel. It may have been a little over twenty years since Kagome met the man, but he could always keep that same smile.
"Besides, you should be allowed to sleep in on your birthday regardless." His back was to her as he went back to sowing the garden, but he could still see the smile that filled her face.
"Yes, thank you." Was all she said.
Kagome took a few steps to the left of their miniature field towards the above ground herb garden she had Inuyasha make many years ago. She started humming absentmindedly as Inuyasha continued to strike the ground. Kagome's hums along with the surrounding birds singing filled the air around them. It was peaceful and quaint, tranquility at its finest. A little too quiet for having four children.
"Oh!" She thought suddenly, "where are the kids?" Her cheeks flushed as she wondered why she didn't think about her own children sooner.
"Ah," Inuyasha still worked as he spoke, his voice louder than normal so she was sure to hear him over the grinding in the dirt. "They all went to Sango and Miroku's." He stopped his maneuvers to turn and look at his wife. One eyebrow arched, she egged him on for more details.
Inuyasha sighed under his breath.
"Kyo and Izayoi went out with the twins to exterminate a demon in the east mountains, it's not too far, they should be back by tomorrow morning. And the other two are out training with Shippo since he'll be leaving again soon. I'm pretty sure they're teaching him how to write again. They've been addicted to it since you started teaching them since they were little."
Kagome laughed. "Well it's only reasonable that our children should know how to, considering I do. Scholars are few during this age of war. I wish I could have taught Shippo while he was still young." She turned back to her garden in front of her, tending to the herbs and carefully organizing them in her basket.
"What do you mean? He's still young. The twerp still has a lot of learning to do." Inuyasha grinned digging his shovel back into the ground.
"Well anyways, I was hoping to see them before they left for the day." Kagome whined slightly to herself. Disappointed even more that she slept in. The couple continued to work in silence enjoying the crisp air after two days of rain. Kagome still hummed as she picked from her many herbs, but her mind was on her children.
Her first born, Izayoi. Kagome smiled sweetly at the thought of her. She remembered after the baby was born, she told Inuyasha she wanted to name her after his mother, and he was in shock. It took him some days to agree to the name, but he was very happy that he did. He wasn't just a half demon who only had a mother he could truly call family anymore. Kagome chuckled outwardly and gained the attention of her husband.
"Hey, what's so funny Kagome?" Inuyasha teased her. He dropped his shovel again and went to her side. Always looking for ways to get out of chores.
Kagome laughed again. "Oh nothing. I was just thinking about the children. I was thinking about when I gave birth to Izayoi, I was so mad because it was incredibly hot!" She placed a dirt covered hand near her mouth as she laughed at the now fond memory. Inuyasha chuckled along with her, watching her delicately pick her herbs.
"Yeah I remember that. You were screaming so loud. Why is it so fucking hot? It's too hot for this! Why now?" Inuyasha mimicked remembering Kagome in labor. "You were screaming so loud that I thought something was wrong and Miroku and some other village women had to hold me down from bursting into Kaede's hut." Inuyasha chuckled at the now funny memory. He stood next to her and held on to her shoulder. She playfully nudged him with her hip.
"You wanna try giving birth mister?" She placed her basket down in her garden and faced the half demon.
Inuyasha snickered and leaned forward so he was eye level to her. "I would rather receive a thousand sits than ever have to birth a child." Kagome laughed at his response and pecked his lips with hers. She turned back to her garden to continue working, but her husband has other plans as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Oh Inuyasha," Kagome sighed into him as he took her in for a tender hug, his chest to her back and his arms around her shoulders. She stopped her work yet again and held onto his forearm. "They are growing up so fast. Our youngest is already ten!" Inuyasha only chuckled lightly as he laid his chin lightly atop her head squeezing her a bit tighter.
"Yeah he is. They are all growing so fast. Even though it's been seventeen years since Izayoi was born, I feel like it was not that long ago." The wind around them blew cold against their faces and overcast started to fill the sky within their silent reminiscing. She heard Inuyasha sniff.
"Looks like there's gonna be rain tonight." Kagome nodded softly and slowly turned around to hug Inuyasha from the front. She wrapped her arms around him as he did the same to her. It was within that sincere moment that Inuyasha could smell it. Salt, it was in the air, but so feint. He pulled back a bit to look at his wife's face.
"Kagome, are you crying?" He stared at her in confusion, wondering what he may have done…or didn't do.
The woman in question absentmindedly shook her head and tried to go in for another hug, but Inuyasha wouldn't allow it.
"Wait, Kagome, what's wrong? Did I do something?"
"No Inuyasha you didn't. Don't worry about it." She tried again for the hug wanting to ignore the ever-growing tears filling her eyes.
"Don't fuck with me Kagome. What's wrong?" Again, Inuyasha held her arms, away from his body, and looked her in her eyes. They swelled up more as she looked back at him.
Kagome dropped to her knees, forcing her husband down with her. She leaned against Inuyasha and cried.
"I don't know what's going to happen Inuyasha."
"What do you mean Kagome?" He was beginning to sound frantic, uncertain of the sudden change in behavior of his wife.
"Inuyasha, don't you see?" Kagome pulled back from him, her cheeks flushed as hot tears continued out of her eyes and down her face. "The children are growing up so fast. I'm getting old!"
"Wha? Kagome, you're not that old! What are you talking about?" Inuyasha couldn't help but to raise his voice at her and grip her shoulders as if to bring back her senses.
"Inuyasha," Kagome's voice shook with a plea as she wanted him to understand what she was trying to say without actually saying it. "Don't you get it? I'm just a human. I'm not going to stay young looking forever. One day, I'll look like Keade did."
"Kagome-"
With a quick finger to his lips Kagome stopped him from continuing. She kept her finger lingering as her eyes rapidly looked at every part of his handsome face. She took a deep and shaky breath ready to say what was on her ever aging mind. "Don't Inuyasha, let me finish." Kagome offered, knowing what he was going to say. He lightly shook his head in agreement and Kagome took her finger from his lips. She rubbed her hands together and looked at the ground in nervousness.
"I know that you don't care about my looks like that, as if it's of the utmost importance. But being human isn't just looking old because of aging. It's dying too." Kagome looked back at him to try and read his body language. She could see Inuyasha's eyebrows come together, obviously displeased at the topic of her own demise.
"Inuyasha," Kagome continued as she tried to fight off the sobs harboring her throat as she spoke. "I'm forty years old now, and however long I have left won't ever feel long enough with you. With our children. With our friends. You'll continue to live long after I'm gone, but I can't stand the thought of leaving you. Of leaving our family!" Kagome heaved a cry as she reached for the comfort within Inuyasha's arms around her, he obliged with a lovingly tight grip.
"Kagome how could you think like that?" He squeezed her as she cried onto his kosode, ignoring the musky scent of sweaty labor. Still on the floor, he adjusted his position and leaned against one of the legs of the above ground herb garden. He opened his legs to allow the mother of his children crawl into his lap, just like many times before.
"Inuyasha how could I not?" She wept onto his shoulder. "You may not think about it or notice it, but I'm the one who's fully human. The time will come when that will happen." She cried and squeezed his neck and shoulders, desperately trying to hide herself within him.
"Kagome." Inuyasha paused but continued to hold her to him and used his right hand to gently rung her back.
He took a breath and exhaled slowly.
"I've thought about it before." Inuyasha started softly. "Well no, it was more like thrown to my face. Multiple times." He could hear Kagome's sniffling die down as he gently rubbed her back.
"I've thought about things like that when my mother died; when Kikyo and Kaede died, and to every damn demon or human that threatened our relationship." Inuyasha stopped his comforting motion on her back and instead held her tightly with both arms.
"And unless I go first in some fight or whatever, I knew that I was going to lose you Kagome. I never ever liked thinking about it, but when I did, it only made me want to love you more. If I can't share my love for you within my lifetime, I'll just have to do it in yours." He heard a pitched inhale of air and he squeezed her a bit tighter, lifting one hand to cradle her head and rub his fingers on her scalp.
"When my mother died, I was devastated and lost. I was angry and confused. She was my mother and I was still a kid technically. She wasn't supposed to die." Inuyasha paused again, his emotions getting the best of him. He needed to be strong, but he also needed Kagome to understand his feelings about the inevitable battle against time.
"Kagome, I would do anything to keep you by my side for the rest of my life, but I can't. You are only human and as time goes on," Inuyasha choked back his own silent sob, the words difficult to even say, "you eventually will leave me." Inuyasha hid his face in the crook of her neck as she has did earlier. "I don't…. I don't even wanna think about it Kagome. I hate thinking about it, but it is true and it's unavoidable. But that's why we have to make the most of it." His words became soft as his eyes grew hot as pools of tears threatened to fall.
"Kagome." He pulled her away from his frame to look at her in the eyes as he held her shoulders away from him. He stared at her and she could only stare back at his shiny pools of amber. Two tears shed from his eyes. Kagome's face cried in response at the emotional distress she caused him.
"You were the one who taught me and showed me how to accept myself. That I don't have to be only human or only demon, it's okay to be both. To be me. And I've come to love you for who you are. I want you to be happy and death doesn't make anyone happy."
Inuyasha inhaled deeply and slowly released his shaky breath as he hugged her again. "Kagome, when you pass, I will be miserable. If we weren't where we are now, I would probably hate myself again and become angry at the world for making me who I am. But look around us. We have this place that we call our home, we have four children who are going to do wonderful things with their lives because of you. And because of them, I won't be able to hate myself. I'll miss you terribly, and they will too; when I look at them or think of them, I'll see you. You won't leave me alone Kagome because you left me such wonderful gifts." Inuyasha lightly chuckled to himself despite the situation. "Even though I'd hate to think about it, our children will leave me gifts as well." He dropped his hands to pick up hers and squeezed them lightly, looking at them he continued.
"Our family will continue to grow far from our time, and it's all because of you. Because you decided that I could be loved." Inuyasha's words hit Kagome hard as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. The white of her eyes were red and her eyebrows were forced towards one another as she struggled to hold back tears. "And if you really want to think about it, Sango and Miroku's lives wouldn't be where they are now if it wasn't for you wanting to befriend everyone." Inuyasha finished chuckling at the recollection the things that Kagome has done not only for him, but for their friends as well that has left a permanent impact within their lives.
"Inuyasha," Kagome wiped her eyes, trying to dry up her tears and took a heavy sniff to clear her nose. "when did you become so wise?"
He chuckled as he took his thumb to wipe a fresh fallen tear from her eyes. "You're not the only one who's gotten older." Inuyasha blinked back his own tears as Kagome laughed lightly and hugged him while adjusting more comfortably in his lap.
They stayed quiet, enjoying each other's company with their chores the last thing on their mind. The silence brought new relief to Kagome as her lover's words echoed in her head. Soon enough the emotional exhaustion took over Kagome and she fell asleep in Inuyasha's lap, enjoying his comforting warmth. The sun that was high above them began drifting westbound to set for the day by the time Kagome had awoken from her sudden nap. She could feel continuous warmth on her chest, but a slight cool breeze on her back. As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she concluded that she was traveling on Inuyasha's back. His hair was still in its ponytail but was placed over his shoulder so she wouldn't lay on it; his fire-rat haori tucked into his hamaka as usual.
"Inuyasha? Where are we?" Kagome lazily looked around as they briskly passed by huts around the village. She noticed clouds beginning to cover the sky above them and the sun's orange rays weakening as the day was coming to an end.
"Oh just to the monk's place. I was sure you'd want to see the kids sometime today." Inuyasha teased and jumped a final large leap in front of their friend's hut. Kagome could hear slight chatter inside and see the glow of a fire around the reed door. He gently placed her back on her feet and watched her stretch herself awake.
"I can't wait to see my babies, but we can't stay too long. I still have to make dinner." Kagome said more to herself as a reminder. She walked towards the door with a smile on her face feeling rejuvenated after her sudden nap.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that Kagome." Inuyasha said just as she pushed the reed door open. She looked back at him in confusion but quickly made her way inside.
Kagome could only gawk at the sight in front of her. Her friends and children spread out in the common area of Miroku and Sango's home. Kagome smiled brightly at the scene before her. Her four children were there; Izayoi sitting between Sango's beautiful twin girls as Shippo looked to be in the middle of telling them an exciting story. Kyo and the three youngest children sat in a circle with papers sprawled around them with writing characters written everywhere. Sango was over the fire mixing a pot of stew while Miroku assisted her. Kohaku also made a surprise visit keeping Rin company, she was petting Kirara absentmindedly as he appeared to be listening to Rin's own stories.
Kagome's voice was hitched in her throat as she absorbed the sight before her. "Wha, what's going on?" Cries of 'happy birthday' filled the room as everyone's attention was suddenly brought to her. Kagome overwhelmed by everything looked behind her as Inuyasha gently touched her shoulder. He grinned playfully at her reaction. Kagome quickly brought her attention to the group in front of her. She smiled widely and looked at her children who were supposed to be out of the village. She swiftly made her way to her two oldest surprised to see them as the others started to surround her with overlapping declarations of 'happy birthday Kagome' and 'I love you mom'.
Kagome smiled from ear to ear as she tried to hug everyone around her. "What's going on? I thought you guys left to slay a demon up the mountain?"
"Nah, that was just a little story, so you don't try to look for us while we set this up." Izayoi smiled at her mother and motioned her arms around the room. Kagome's eyes followed her wave of directions and finally absorbed the atmosphere of the room.
"Is this…is this some sort of party?" Kagome couldn't smile any wider than she already could as she walked to her best friend and gave her a hug.
"Well you always keep track of all of the kid's birthdays and give them some sort of outing and gift. We know it was a custom of your time Kagome, so we decided to try it out for you." Sango beamed at her dear friend and reached in for another hug. The children followed suit, Kyo making it first to his mother as the others formed a massive group hug. Shippo bounced his way in, no longer small enough to land on anyone's shoulders, he hugged at Sango's hips. Rin and Kohaku bounded for the ever-growing hug as Kirara made herself comfortable on Kohaku's shoulder.
"Yeah Kagome. Inuyasha said that every year you never fail to say 'happy birthday' during the yearly season of all your kid's births, even though they're already a grown up. It's a tradition from your time." Shippo explained happily to her.
"Yes Lady Kagome, it's like a 'Coming of Age' ceremony, but for the same person every year right?" Miroku said with a smile making his own way to his wife. "That is how you celebrated it in your time?" He asked trying to make sense of 'happy birthday'. In all honesty, it took all of them sometime to grasp the concept of Kagome's future tradition of 'happy birthday'.
Kagome laughed as she felt Inuyasha brush up beside her to include himself in the ridiculous group hug. "Well not exactly, but close enough I suppose. It is just to celebrate another year that you lived, and I am so happy to be spending this day with all of you here." Kagome embraced Sango and Kyo tighter as she smiled, small tears at the edges of her eyes dared to fall. The others followed suit and hugged one another with a squeeze of radiating love.
"I love you all so much. I couldn't be happier in this very moment, and I can't wait for what tomorrow will bring us. Another day with my family."
A/N: So these are some notes I had made for myself to try and keep track of the ages for the kids. I'm not a math person, so please tell me if these are wrong based on the info I provided. InuKag, 4 kids, Izayoi-17, Kyo-15, last two are 12 and 10. I really don't want to give them names because idk, I feel heartbroken thinking about naming their children when I'd rather see it done cannonly, haha. But I have always imagined their girl to be named after Inuyasha's mom and I've always loved Kyo's name and have been imaging that name for their child since I was little (yes, Kyo from Fruits Basket, but also from Kyo from King of Fighters lol). Kagome was 23 when she had Izayoi, 5 years after passing the well (assuming she was 18 at that time, three years after meeting Inuyasha when she was 15), so that means MirSan twins would have been 8 (assuming they were 3 at this time) when Izayoi was born and their son is 5-6 , so in this time frame the twins are 23 and the boy is 20-21. After doing the math for the ages I am shook at how old they are! I'm only a couple of years older than the twins! Sango and Miroku are getting old too! I'm crying just thinking about it! I also decided not to name Sango's kids since this is a one shot and idk, again I felt that naming them would make them my own characters rather than the cannon characters that they are (even though inukag kids are my characters, but I didn't give them to much character even though I have daydreamed about them before. I felt that this wasn't the story for it).