Kagome smiled, her eyes scanning over the vast horizon. I did it, I'm finally back. Her fingers played with a blade of grass, twisting it as she stared out at the glowing sunset. So beautiful. She was welcomed by everyone as soon as she had returned to the Feudal Era, but besides that one kiss from Inuyahsa, he hasn't shown any interest in something more. He had been reserved, never far from site, watching her. Her smile twitched, a slight frown cursing the corners as she thought about him. I thought it would be so easy once I came back, I thought, I hoped, we would be something by now.
A screech of giggles brought her out of her daze, reminding her of the happier things. Sango and Miroku were married, and had three beautiful children; the twins Amarante and Chiho and their newborn baby boy Katsuro. The girls, who were about three, were running around in circles as their mother sat nearby, rocking Katsuro in her arms. Miroku and Inuyasha were gone again, earning money hunting down evil. She got up and walked over to Sango.
"Hey Kagome, want to hold Katsuro? My arms could use a break." Sango smiled as she handed the wriggling bundle over to her, placing him carefully in her arms. Kagome looked into Katsuro's eyes. He's so beautiful, already starting to look just like his father. Her heart warmed at the sight of him, his violet eyes staring up at her as she held him close. It made something ache in her, bringing back to the front of her mind what she had been yearning for ever since she started spending time around Sango. She wanted her own child. She wanted to have Inuyasha's child.
"Doggy, doggy!" Amarante squealed making Kagome look up to see Inuyahsa and Miroku heading towards them. Chiho stood up and ran towards Inuyasha, Amarante close behind as they tackled him, reaching their tiny fingers for his ears.
"Girls, don't be too hard on Uncle Inu ok?" Miroku walked over and sat on the other side of Sango, leaning over and sneaking her a kiss before Kagome handed Katsuro over to him. "Did my little boy miss me?" He bounced him on his knee, smiling as Katsuro giggled. Such a sweet sound.
Kagome looked back to the horizon. The sky was starting to turn dark and she stood up, ready to head to her new home. Her friends waved by to her as they got their children together and headed home themselves. Inuyasha just sat where he was, watching her, as Miroku pried the children off of him.
Some of the village men and Inuyasha had built her a hut. It wasn't much, but Inuyasha had made sure some of her futuristic touches were put into it. It was on the edge of the village, nearby the Goshinboku (Sacred Tree/The Tree of Ages). Wildflowers grew around the outside, and she had a small herb garden she had planted in the back encircled by a short wooden fence. She moved the screen aside and stepped into her hut. It had two rooms. The one you immediately entered which had a ground level area where a fire pit sat with a large chest in the corner holding her pots, a small pile of wood was covered in the opposite corner. Along the opposite wall near the door to the next room there were a few rows of shelves and storage containers where her supply of food sat. On the raised platform she had two spare bed rolls for any company and several pillows for sitting and dangling from the ceiling, tied to strings, hung the herbs that were being dried.
She turned immediately to her left and pushed aside the screen to step into her bedroom. It was small, but comfortable. This was one of Inuyasha's touches to her place, the bed. He had made it himself, she still wasn't sure how. It was raised off the ground, instead of the typical beds of the Feudal Era. It was simple block of raised wood, with some branches and flowers were carved on the small headrest. She walked over to it, sitting on the bed, running her fingers over the carvings. It most of taken him so long. Her bedspread was made of a silk top and cloth bottom, a gift from Sango and Miroku when she returned. It was red, with brown branches and pink and white cherry blossoms stitched across it. There were only one other item in her room, her wardrobe. It was held in a large chest painted with a cherry tree.
She snuggled underneath her blanket, chilled by the night air since she forgot to start a fire. A soft creak came from the roof and she smiled up at it. Inuyasha.
She rose with the sun. Stretching out her stiff muscles and hurrying out of her room to start a fire. Fall was setting in; she could feel the cold stretching its icy fingers across the land. She started the fire quickly, and then began to make some breakfast.
"Inuyasha! Do you want breakfast?" She heard a small oomph as he jumped down from the roof and shoved aside the screen door.
"Jeez, no need to shout woman." He smirked at her as he stepped onto the platform and sat down on a pillow, crossing his arms and folding in his legs in his usual way. She glanced up at him; his amber orbs were bright this morning. She could feel her cheeks heating up as he looked at her, forcing her to look away before he noticed.
"Her you go." She handed him a plate of eggs and took one for herself, sitting down across from him, eating in silence. The silence dragged on as Inuyasha scarfed down his meal, a stiff silence that never was there before.
She cleared her throat to bring his attention away from his food. "How much did you and Miroku get for exorcising that demon yesterday?"
"Two barrels of rice, a large bottle of Sake, a barrel of potatoes, and two Oban (highest level of gold currency)." Her eyes went wide and her mouth gapped before she could stop it.
"That must have been one strong demon."
Inuyasha scoffed, shuffling as he stood up. "Feh, I've handled worse." Kagome smirked at him. Of course he has, nothing could be worse than Naraku. "Come on woman, I'm bringing you shopping." Her jaw dropped again as she flung herself into his arms, knocking him back slightly as he regained his balance. She kissed his cheek and squeezed him tight before flying across the room to put on some shoes. She patted her over her kimono, making any wrinkles disappear before looking up to him.
"I'm ready!" When her gaze reached his face she saw it was stained red. "Inuyasha, anything wrong?" He coughed loudly and turned his back to her before muttering for her to come on already. They walked next to each other, slowly, to the market. Her hands hung loose by her side, and for once his did too. Before she could think she grabbed his hand in hers, wrapping her fingers through his own. The touch of his skin was electric as his fingers curled with hers. The turned her head from him, too nervous to look at his face, not daring to let loose those fingers.
"So, um, why are we going shopping?" She breathed in deeply, smelling the fresh air. Inuyasha was right about that; the air is so much cleaner here. Gaining some courage she turned her head to face him, to find him starring at the path ahead.
"Fall is coming; you're going to need some winter kimonos. I don't think you have any yet." His cheeks flushed slightly as he talked, finally turning his head to look at her, his amber eyes boring into hers.
"No, I don't." Sometimes it amazed her how much he noticed. Whenever her herbs seemed sparse, or she was running low on any food he would ask her to go shopping. He always noticed. She felt him squeeze her hand before he let it go as they walked into the market. Instantly she missed the feel of him, his touch. She didn't feel it very often. She forced a smile onto her face when he looked back at her, leading her over to a clothing stall.
The kimonos were truly beautiful. The woman merchant helped her find two winter kimonos as Inuyasha disappeared into the crowd. Kagome gazed over all of them, feeling there soft fabric underneath her fingers. The first she picked was dark blue at the top, slowly fading into white at the bottom, like snow falling from the winter sky along with a white obi with soft blue border. The second was a light green with embroidered branches crawling up from the bottom left corner to mid-thigh along with a deep green obi that matched the leaves that were scattered along the branch.
Inuyasha returned just as she found what she wanted, paying the lady ten Kamme (highest level of silver currency). I wonder where he already go the change from the Oban? Shoving her question aside she thanked Inuyasha and picked up some fresh eggs and two large pieces of boar meat before heading back to the village. Once they returned to her hut she dropped off the kimonos and food before stepping back outside.
"Hey, Kagome?" Inuyahsa walked over to her from his spot leaning against the hut. He looked down at the ground, shoved his hands into his sleeves and his feet even scuffed at the ground a little. "I was wondering if you'd, um, like to, um, take a walk to Goshinboku? She blushed, grasping her hands together in front of her.
"Sure." Inuyasha reached forward and grabbed her hand, startled she jumped a little before tightening her hand around his, and leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked. It was silent as they walked, the sounds of the forest echoing around them. She hadn't been back to the Goshinboku in a while and suddenly found herself missing it. It was one of the few connections to her family she had. Just knowing that the tree was still there in the future, comforted her. But there was something else about that place, something special. When they reached its roots Inuyasha wrapped her in his arms and jumped into the branches above, going as high up as the strength of the branches would allow. He sat her in his lap, legs dangling over the sides of the branch, his arms wrapped round her, his chin resting on her head.
Her heart beat erratically as a rosy blush spread across her cheeks. She could feel his heartbeat. They hadn't sat this close since she had been back; he had never held her this way since she returned. His arms tightened around her, and she was sure he smelled her hair. A soft smile spread across her face as she let the moment over-take her. She breathed in the scent of the Goshinboku, the scent of the forest, and the scent of him as she listened to the steady thump of his heart.
"Kagome?" His voice was soft and sweet, his usual gruff tone gone and replaced with his sweeter side. The side he barely showed.
"Yea?" She whispered back, snuggling closer into his warmth as a chilly breeze flew through the tree.
"I got something for you." Kagome opened her eyes as his hands brought around the present so she could see it. Carefully, she picked it up in her hands, her breath caught in her throat.
"It's beautiful Inuyasha." Her fingers trailed over it, amazed at his gift. A delicate sterling silver necklace braided with small string-like pieces of jade, hanging from it was a large jade pendant bordered in a small ring of silver. She ran her finger over the jade's smooth rounded surface. "Thank you so much. It's, wow."
He moved his head so his chin was on her shoulder, his warm breath against her neck. "Flip it over." She turned her head slightly to look at him as he squeezed her waist before she looked back at the necklace, flipping the pendant over. Her heart sped as she saw what was there. On the back there was a piece of silver carefully carved into word.
The word flashed through her mind, the silver of it catching the sunlight and literally blinding her momentarily. Inuyasha lifted her up and turned her around so she would be facing her. She was frozen, in a haze of happiness as he pulled her face towards his and their lips met for the first time since the day she returned. The touch ignited a fire in the pit of her belly, an unquenchable desire for him. For his touch, and for his love.
He leaned back, her lips instantly missing his. His amber eyes stared into hers as he breathed in deep. "What do you think?"
Their past flashed through her mind, all the battles, everything. She glanced down at the word on the back of the pendant one more time, a smile spreading fast across her face. The word burned happily into her mind.
Mate.
