Unexpected Love: Chapter 9; Beneath the Firework Glow.
Kagome sat in front of Kaede as she brushed and styled her hair for the festival. "Kagome, have fun tonight dear." Kaede told Kagome as she finished with the tight bun atop the young woman's head. "I have something I want ye to wear, I will not lie, it once belonged to my dead sister, but she is gone from me and I wish to pass this trinket on to ye." the kindly old woman explained pulling out a small wooden box with a broken latch on the front.
Kagome hesitated before saying, "I don't think I can accept that Kaede."
"Hush, child. This became mine once she died. I wish to pass it on to another so that someone else can enjoy it's beauty." Kaede explained lifting a beautiful blue sapphire flower pin from the box. Kagome gasped at it's beauty.
"Kaede, that must be worth a small fortune. I can't accept." Kagome insisted as the old miko came closer.
"Child, it is mine to give. Ye, in so many way have become like my own blood. I care for ye, worry for ye, and want the best for ye. My years are numbered. I want to pass along my wisdom and feel I have taught the next generation of mikos properly. I bore no children of my own, ye are my legacy." Kaede said needing Kagome to hear how much she meant. "I put all my hopes and dreams of living happily and raising a family in ye, Kagome.
Speechless Kagome felt only her tears working. "Kaede, I...I love you too." she finally managed rushing to hug the woman she grew so fond of during her time in the past. "I'll do my best do make you proud." Kagome whispered trying to keep her crying to a minimum.
Kaede rubbed the young woman's back soothingly. "Kagome, ye have made this old woman proud." Kaede assured her.
Kagome allowed Kaede to put the beautiful pin in her hair and admired the old woman in all her strengths. "Are joining tonight?" Kagome asked watching the sun slowly dip below the mountings in the distance. Kouga would be arriving soon to escort her to the festival.
"No, alas duties have to be fulfilled." Kaede said with a soft smile. "Have fun for us both." she added with a wink from her only working eye. Kagome smiled before turning to the approaching Shikon jewel shards.
"Kagome?" Kouga called from the doorway. His had indeed dressed in the kimono she had purchased for him.
"You look very handsome." Kagome greeted happy beyond words he kept his word. She watched him shuffle uncertainly in the kimono. "Have you ever worn human clothes before?" Kagome asked.
Kouga shifted nervously again, "No, before me, the clan never associated with humans other than to eat."
Kagome cringed at his only ways but was glad he was honest with her. "You can changed back if you want to. I don't want you uncomfortable." Kagome offered feeling a little disappointed but she didn't want him feeling forced.
Kouga shook his head. "I want to wear this, for you. It's important to you, and I will try." Kouga said turning red slightly. His blush darkened when Kagome giggled.
"Have fun." Kaede said alerting the couple to her continued presence.
Both blushed madly before bidding the old crone a goodnight and headed towards the village. Kagome hesitantly reached for Kouga's hand, her body trembling as her finger grazed his. It felt silly to her to be so scared but so excited to hold Kouga's hand when they'd held hands before, but this was different, this was... she didn't know how to explain it, it just felt new and scary, like her first date.
It hit her then, the hit so hard it stopped her dead in her tracks. She didn't notice Kouga looking at her with worried blue eyes, she only felt the stunning realization of their evening. Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked to Kouga. "This is my first date, ever." even as she said the words she knew Kouga would probably not understand.
Kouga was speechless, he had heard from Sango what a date meant between two people who liked each other. She had even explained that Kagome had told her what a date was, both assumed that Inuyasha had taken her on at least a few. The news that he hadn't was a shock, a good one in a way but when Kagome looked so scared and shocked he knew it wasn't. Kouga wrapped his arms around her and held her close unsure what to say. "I don't know the proper word to say to make you feel better, but I can tell you; this is my first date. A first for us both." Kouga offered hoping to cheer up his love.
Kagome laughed softly. Kouga wasn't always the smoothest when out of his element, but he tried and she couldn't fault him for trying. "I'm sorry, I just never thought of these kinds of things, and now that I've been examining everything I've done and felt over these past three years it's just so shocking. Girls my age in my time would have been on plenty of dates by now. It just feels like I've been left out of a milestone for kids my age." Kagome said trying to explain to Kouga how she felt.
"Maybe you were waiting for the right person to have your first date with." Kouga offered with hope.
Kagome couldn't help her smile. "Maybe." she agreed and wiped at her eyes. Her emotions were still so crazy it was starting to get old, nut she couldn't help it half the time. They shared a laugh before continuing on into the village. Kagome and Kouga ventured through the crowd, stopping here and there to view items for sale and the occasional game. It was refreshing to see demons and humans mingling with little fear, a future she knew Inuyasha and Kiyo had wanted before Naraku ever existed.
"Kagome!" Sango called from a small food stand. A bench with a table had been set out just to the left of the busy lane. Kagome and Kouga headed right for her friends.
"Hey, how are you two?" Kouga asked in greeting the slayer and monk. He didn't admit it, but he was growing fond of Kagome's group of friends. Sango was pleasant and loyal, as was Shippo once you get pass his high voice and clingy tendencies. The monk, the monk he felt at odds with. Everyone who watched him knew he loved the slayer, but his flirtatious attitude said otherwise. Still, the monk was loyal to Kagome and genuinely treated her like sister whom he loved dearly. That alone redeemed the perverted monk in Kouga's eyes.
"We're well. Hoshi-sama has not let up, as usual." Sango said regarding the monk's lumps with distaste.
"I see, have you been enjoying the night otherwise?" Kagome asked softly.
"Yes, there are so many things to do at this festival. Villagers from far away have traveled to enjoy tonight as well." Miroku joined in eyeing the lovely young women that passed by their table.
Sango tightened her fist in warning to the lecherous monk. Miroku simmered down at the threat and looked to Kouga and Kagome again.
"You both look well, how are you feeling?" he asked. Miroku liked that Kouga had been successful in bringing out the Kagome they had known once more.
"I'm doing good," Kagome said seeing Shippou dash between visitors with little children chasing after him. Kagome smiled, she loved to see her friends, more like family, happy and at peace. She stole a glance at Kouga and wanted to laugh. He stood tall beside her, always a protector and provider, but he could never understand the happiness he was providing her with just by being there, for her.
"Are the fireworks starting soon?" Kagome asked looking to Sango.
"In a few, are you going to watch with us here?" Sango asked eyeing her friend carefully. She had a inkling that Kagome was gonna split from the group and take Kouga with her to be alone. The thought didn't bother her in the slightest. Kouga had more than proved he was worthy of her friend.
"We'll be back. I wanted to walk around a little and just take in the stars. It's been a while since the sky was so clear." Kagome replied blushing under Sango and Miroku's combined gaze.
"Okay," Sango replied nodding her head. "Don't get lost." she added knowing Kagome would get the underlining meaning.
Kagome did and blushed again. She took Kouga's hand and the pair disappeared into the large crowd towards the Tree of Ages and the Bone Eater's Well. Kagome felt so calm around Kouga, a calm that helped her think and just be Kagome.
"Kagome, are you feeling well?" Kouga asked bringing their walk to a stand still.
"Yes, it's just," Kagome stopped and looked up at his face and smiled. "I feel happy, so content and okay with everything in my life." she explained.
Kouga didn't know what to say. It made him happy to have Kagome say she was happy being with him, but the need to keep his composure and be mostly without emotion was a need in him too. "I'm glad." Kouga managed smiling back at Kagome.
"Kouga," Kagome smiled. What she wanted to do so badly was to kiss him, to see the composed and always confident Kouga falter, not a lot, just a little. She wanted to know that she could unbalance him like he did to her when he smiled at her and would tell her that he loved her.
No barriers, she thought. No secrets, no lies, just open honesty and unconditional acceptance. Taking Kouga's hand in her own she lead him down the familiar path to the the place all the pain started from. Looking a head she faltered just a step, but Kouga had noticed.
"No one is around." Kouga said after scanning the area and wind for foreign sense.
"Thank you." Kagome said walking beside Kouga again. She looked up at the tree and saw the place she pulled the arrow from Inuyasha's chest and set forth the events that lead her to this moment. She climbed the roots of her family tree and stared into the small hole that still was healing. Magic had metal had made it and only time could heal it. She remembered all the times she met Inuyasha at this tree, confessed feelings and shared her dreams. All of those times had been wonderful, but darkness and hate had ruined the wonderful times.
"Kouga," Kagome began as she placed her hand against the discolored bark of the tree where Inuyasha once slept. "being with you is slowly healing my heart. You must know that, but a part of it, no matter how small, will always hold love for Inuyasha. I don't know if there will be a time where something simple won't make me think of him and feel pain, but..." she turned to look at Kouga, not waiting to be alone anymore with uncertainty of where she stood with him. "but I want to try. With you. I want to try to be whole again. I know when you mate," her cheeks burned at the thought, "you'll mate for life, but my life will never be as long as yours. I will die before you. I can't change that. And I want to know; if you choose to stay with me, to love me, to take me as your mate, will you ever regret it?" Kagome asked feeling like her whole future rode on the answer he would give her. Inuyasha would never have answered a question like that. He'd say she was being stupid and that the question was pointless.
But she needed the answer, she needed to know that she would never be someone's regret.
Kouga didn't know how to answer again. Their worlds were so different, so vastly different that at times like this he could see it so clearly it hurt. But he loved Kagome, even after all this time. Even after knowing she had loved Inuyasha so fiercely that she nearly killed herself from grief. He still loved her. I doubted there would be a time where he didn't love her.
"I cannot say what kind of state the grief of your passing would leave me in, but I know, after all this time, after everything we've been through and the rejection you gave me in favor of Inuyasha, I will always love you. Wolves mate for life. It doesn't just mean your life, it means mines as well. When the time comes, and one of us dies, I could not take another mate. You are the one I am putting all my happiness, my sorrows, and future into." Kouga said sounding quite romantic but being completely honest. He thought for a moment and decided to rephrase himself. "I must make this clear; some wolves will remate, but for me, I will never bed another woman if you choose to be mine for all our lives." He watched tears gather in Kagome's eyes and felt as if he answered her incorrectly.
"Don't cry," he pleaded walking closer to her.
"It's okay, they're happy tears." Kagome said using her kinomo sleeves to clear the tears from her face.
Kouga stopped and looked up at her face, she was beautiful to him, even crying. Reaching up he took her face into his hand and turned it to look at him straight. "I love you Kagome. Never doubt that I don't." Kouga said in his most serious and honest tone.
The doors she held shut so tightly broke open. Everything thing that held her back from showing Kouga how much she was beginning to love him flooded her body at once. Hopes, dreams, everything washed through her as she jumped into his unready arms. Kouga faltered before wrapping his arms around her waist and held her close as they fell backwards on the soft grass beneath the tree.
"I love you too." Kagome said kissing him before he has a chance to reply. She did, she loved him and all his awkwardness about her modern world tendencies. She felt happy and loved, truly loved.
Kouga didn't wait long to register what Kagome was doing, he reacted on instinct. His wolf instincts to claim what was given to him freely. His grip tightened as he kissed her harder. Through their kimonos Kouga could feel every curve press into his body. He always remained surprised at how perfect Kagome was to him. He knew mating with her could prove to be too much for her and hurt their chances of happiness. His inner desires got harder to deny when Kagome's hand slid to the center of his chest. Groaning inside he flipped their roles.
"Whoa," Kagome gasped now staring up at Kouga. She could see he was starting to lose his control over his wants. The evidence very compelling. "Kouga," she whispered, unsure if it was a plea or a warning.
Neither did he.
Above their heads the fireworks bloomed loudly. Both turned to look up at the sky, both feeling as if the colors were brighter than they had once thought. Maybe they were. The pair looked back at each other and shared a happy smile, Kagome's arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close. As they gazed at each other the moment passed and a tranquil peace settled over them.
Kouga shifted again and laid next to Kagome, his hand linked with hers as they watched the fireworks bloomed. It had been difficult to stomp down his primal need, but for Kagome he could do just about anything to keep her his.
Kouga pulled Kagome into the warmth of his body when her breathing regulated and sleep took over her. An alpha roamed by, his patrols bringing him to the area. Kouga ordered a blanket be brought to him. He laid with Kagome, blissfully happy. The fireworks ended hours ago but seeing his love so peacefully sleeping in his arms prevented him from moving. He knew sleeping like this was something he could grow used to.
