A/N: A list of people to thank for reviews: mashiro. , xxdarienchibaloverxx, Rukia's Reflection, theladycash, SilverontheRose, Edward and Bella rule x, sohrem666, SilverStella, MissKitty35, Esha Napoleon, and Dragon and Sword Master. And thanks to all those who put this or its author on their lists.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.
A Little Vacation
Ch. 13
Tired and hungry, the inutachi made their way down city sidewalks, all of their accumulated energy having been used up at the doctor's office. Stomachs rumbled and the miko paused, wondering where she should take them for food. Inuyasha bumped lightly into her shoulder, the other two coming to a similar stop. "What'd you stop for?"
"I don't know about you three but I'm starved."
"It has been a long day, Kagome. Perhaps we should go back to the shrine and have dinner," Sango suggested, Kirara shifting in her purse. The nekomata was keeping a low profile.
"Mama would have already fed the boys. Ah, what about that place?" she asked, pointing to a restaurant that resembled a hole in the wall. "It has fresh ramen and other noodle dishes plus some very good meat selections. It's simple and quick."
"I'm all for quick," Miroku said, rubbing the back of his neck. It really had been a long day.
"Yeah, and simple is fine with me. Let's go, wench." Inuyasha snagged her wrist, leading her to the food he smelled. Fresh ramen was bound to be twice as good as the stuff in the cups she always brought back.
The chef greeted them with a smile, the proprietress seating them in a quiet corner. Gratefully they sank down, giving tired smiles to the older woman when she asked if they would like anything to drink. "Sake," Miroku pleaded, Inuyasha nodding in agreement.
"You're not old enough to have alcohol, Miroku," Kagome told the monk, seeing the surprise shocking him into alertness. "You have to be twenty in Japan to drink alcohol."
"But…"
"Sorry, young man, no can do. I would have to check your identification card so you can't get away with anything." The older woman almost felt sorry for the dark haired youth. He'd obviously had a trying day.
"Same goes for you too, Inuyasha."
"Keh, I'm…"
"You're younger than he is," Sango put in, asking for some tea.
"Mm-hmm. Saw your cards the other day. Sesshoumaru made sure you couldn't get up to any mischief while here."
"Remind me to thank him when we get home," Miroku muttered, his right hand flexing in irritation. "Some nice jasmine tea will be fine if you have it, ma'am."
"Very well," the older lady said, making a note on the small pad she had in her hand.
"Two green teas will be fine," Kagome said, indicating both her and Inuyasha. "We should be able to order when you get back."
"Take your time." Once they were alone, the young priestess turned on her male friends. "If you want some sake, wait until we get back to the shrine. I'm sure Gramps will share with you in exchange for some stories he can add to his collection. There are laws in this era that prevent drinking at too young an age. Or at least they're meant to. No public establishment is going to hand alcohol over to a minor. People aren't considered legal adults until they're twenty."
"When did that happen?" Miroku asked, checking his ID card just to be sure. His birthday had been fudged, of course, but doing the math, he was sadly written down as being eighteen, his true age.
"Some decades ago, I think. And I know you're a lot older than you look Inuyasha but your brother no doubt wanted to make sure your real identity was hidden. Just go with it."
Inuyasha scoffed and turned his attention to the colorful menu in front of him. Some of the kanji he recognized and with what he'd learned from staring over Kagome's shoulder, he was able to piece together enough of what it said to decide what he wanted.
Kagome quietly whispered the choices to her other friends, nodding in agreement when Sango asked if it was alright if Kirara has some shrimp tempura. The priestess gave the order to the proprietress when she returned, and sat back against the small partition afterwards with a sigh. "So glad today's over."
"Keh, don't you have that homework you're always complaining about still?" Inuyasha asked the young woman beside him.
She groaned, slumping sideways into his shoulder. "Thanks for the reminder."
"I can help you with your math, Kagome, don't worry. Now that I understand everything, it won't be a problem for me to tutor you." Sango caught Miroku's hand before it could wander too far and placed it firmly on the table, her nails dug into the back of his hand. "And I'm sure that Miroku wouldn't mind lending a hand with your Classical Japanese work."
"Thanks, guys. Actually, besides my math, the only thing I really have a problem with right now is my English."
"You're on your own for that, Kagome, sorry," Miroku pried Sango's nails away from his skin and slid his fingers between hers so that he was holding her hand. She blushed at the intimate gesture but relaxed when it appeared that the other two weren't paying attention to the exchange.
Inuyasha had noticed the slight flirtation but pretended not to as it would only mortify the slayer. The warmth on his shoulder grew as Kagome spent longer leaning against him and he shifted slightly so that her neck wasn't on an odd angle. "Oi, wench, the food's almost here," he told her, pink beginning to stain his cheeks.
"Okay…" Kagome replied, yawning partway through her agreement.
Kirara, also scenting food, snuck out of her charge's purse and hid herself from view as plates and bowls were set in front of the humans and half demon. She waited patiently for her shrimp to cool enough to eat and then daintily ate from the plate just as she did from the bowl Kagome had bought her. Under the table and out of sight, she ignored everything around her while she enjoyed the tasty treat.
"Well, our dear friend is enjoying herself," Miroku commented, the jasmine tea soothing despite his wish for sake.
"Good, she deserves it. So, Inuyasha, how's the fresh ramen?" Kagome asked, watching as her friend closed his gold eyes in wonder at the taste. "A lot different, huh?"
"A thousand times better," he replied, swallowing a large mouthful. "The runt's going to be pissed he missed this."
"We'll come back with him before we leave." The miko went back to her meal, pleased that he was eating a lot slower than he normally did. He'd gotten used to taking his time when he ate at her house, knowing that he didn't have to guard his food. No one was going to steal it while in this era, unlike when he was alone in the Feudal Era.
"I'm truly pleased by this meal, Kagome," Sango said, taking a small sip of her tea before checking on her friend. Kirara had finished the first shrimp and was partway through the second.
"Indeed, it is very delicious," Miroku agreed, directing his comment at the older woman who came to check on them.
"Thank you, I will pass the compliments on to my husband. Please let me know if there's anything else I can get you." She went away with a smile, glad to see a group of young people enjoying a hearty meal. Many girls nowadays didn't eat enough to keep a bird alive in her opinion. That two of them were at her table clearly enjoying what was put in front of them was a relief. The two young men with them seemed to be equally as hungry.
When she returned to them fifteen minutes later, every plate and bowl had been cleaned, not even a grain of rice or crumb of tempura batter to be seen. "My word," she uttered softly, placing the empty serving dishes onto a tray. "Would any of you care for dessert? I make a mean manju and dango."
"Dango?" Sango perked up.
"Manju sounds good. Give us two of each, please, ma'am." Kagome tried to stretch, the pain in her lower back not lessening no matter what she tried.
"As you wish. Any refills on the tea?" Four heads indicated a negative so the older woman left to fetch the traditional treats. When she returned, she placed them in the center of the table and went to tend to a couple that had just walked in.
The inutachi consumed their dessert with just as much dedication has they had dinner but at a slower pace. Kirara stuck her nose up at the offering, preferring to take a bath and climb back into Sango's purse for a post dinner nap. Drinks were finished off in short order and with reluctance, the four young warriors climbed to their feet for the walk back home.
Inuyasha gave Kagome a look of affectionate exasperation when the miko held her hand out for money, but he gladly forked over the much needed cash and waited with her while the proprietress gave them their change. Not expecting to get any of it back, he was surprised when his priestess let him keep the few coins that were returned.
"Gee, thanks," he said, amusement coloring his voice. The old man behind the counter gave him an understanding look and with a nod of acknowledgement the half demon joined his friends outside.
"All right, let's head home. Mama should be elbow deep in water by now trying to give Shippou a bath. Or she's mopping up water if she's managed to convince him to take one with Souta."
"We'll have boiled kitsune if your brother takes a bath with him."
"Too true," Kagome said, a laugh in her voice. "I like a hot bath as much as the next girl but Souta would rather cook himself."
"A bath sounds lovely right about now, Kagome," Sango said, sighing as she gazed around the streets.
"You can go first then, Sango. I'm going to try to do some of my homework before I get ready for bed. The guys can go after you if they want." Kagome yawned, not surprised when Inuyasha gave a huff and told her to climb onto his back. She spent the rest of the way home asleep, the soft pulse of his youki brushing against her senses in a soothing rhythm.
Mama met them at the door, a mop in one hand and wet apron in the other. "Oh, dear, she's gone out like a light. Just put her on her bed, dear."
They followed her up the stairs, noticing damp places on the floor leading to and from the bathroom. "Ran around naked, did he?" Miroku asked, his senses telling him Shippou was sound asleep in Souta's room.
"I haven't had to chase a young child around the house like that in ages. Brings back so many memories," Mama mused. "I don't know what got into him."
"It's usually too much sugar," Sango replied, helping Inuyasha put Kagome down so that her skirt didn't expose anything it shouldn't.
"To my knowledge he hasn't had anything but that lollipop from the doctor. I wonder if Souta stashed some candy or junk food in his room and they ate it after dinner while playing video games. Hmm, I should investigate. Well, children, I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you to your own company for a bit. I still have wet floors to take care of. Father is closing up the gift shop if you want to keep him occupied further. I'd rather he didn't break something by slipping in the kitchen."
Inuyasha and Miroku lifted their heads in interest, Kagome's earlier words coming back to them. "Perhaps we should check on him," the monk mused, the idea of a hidden container of sake stashed somewhere making him more amendable to telling tales. "Excuse me, ladies." He turned around, his male friend on his heels as they left the females alone.
"My, I didn't think they liked Father's company," Mama said, glancing at Sango.
"I think they hope to find some sake."
"Oh, well, Father actually keeps that here in the house but I'm sure there's a bottle or two of it stashed away somewhere out there. I try to keep his consumption of it down. So long as they don't drink to excess. Anyway, I cleaned up the bathroom so you should be able to take a bath without trouble. We'll just let Kagome sleep for a little longer. Rouse her up when you're all done, won't you, Sango, dear?"
"Certainly, Higurashi-san," the slayer replied and watched in slight bemusement as the priestess' mother left. Kirara found a place to her liking on Kagome's pillow and Sango left the two to snooze in quiet contentment.
Upon her return she found Kagome rubbing her eyes and her math book open in front of her. "Say, Sango, where did the guys go?"
"Last I knew they were hoping to beg some sake off of your grandfather."
"And Mama let them?"
"She didn't seem too concerned so long as they didn't drink enough to actually become drunk."
"Huh, never figured Inuyasha for a sake drinker."
"I rather doubt he is normally but today was rather traumatic for him." Sango sat on the edge of her friend's bed and began the long process of drying her hair.
"Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about that. Well, if we find them sound asleep underneath the Goshinboku in the morning, we'll know."
"Know what?" the older girl asked, confused about what Kagome meant.
"Whether they got drunk or not. Mama won't let them in the house if they are. She'll make them sleep outside."
"What about your grandfather, isn't he too old to sleep outside?"
"Normally, but it's been good weather lately so she'll probably punish him that way too. I don't know why she does it really but it seems to work. Gramps usually only gets tipsy nowadays."
"Huh. Your mother gets more mysterious the longer I know her."
"You're telling me."
Mama came to say goodnight almost two hours later, her own bath having passed in blissful silence. She'd already locked up downstairs and was making her nightly check on her children before bed. Kagome was tucked securely in her bed, arms flung out to the side and a soft smile on her face. Sango was equally as quiet, her breathing even and unhampered by nightmares. Kirara sat on the edge of the desk, her ruby gaze going between the elder Higurashi woman and the window.
"Still at it, are they? Guess it's time to teach them a lesson." Going over to the window Inuyasha liked to crawl through, Mama hooked the latch, making it impossible to open from the outside. "Keep an eye out, will you, Kirara? I wouldn't want the boys to think I don't care."
"Mew," the nekomata replied, amused at the woman's behavior. No doubt the two male kittens she watched over would try to sneak in through the second story when they discovered they couldn't get in the door.
"All right, then. Good night."
"Mew."
Mama left the demon cat to her guard duty, snuggling into her bed and drifting into an easy sleep. She wondered what they'd do when they figured out what she'd done.
Long past midnight a drunk Inuyasha and Miroku were supporting an equally smashed Shinto priest in an attempt to return to the house and their beds without disturbing anyone. There were no lights on so they'd come to a muddled conclusion that the girls were asleep and they both knew what kind of damage they'd inflict if they were woken up unnecessarily.
"I think it's locked, Inuyasha," Miroku stated, trying the latch both ways just to make sure it wasn't his uncoordinated movements that were making things difficult.
"Really? That's rather odd. Maybe Higurashi-okaasan thought we had come in already. Let's put the old guy under the tree and climb in through the window. Kagome always leaves it unlocked for me. We'll come back for her grandfather after that."
A muddled monk mind thought the plan was solid and Miroku allowed himself to be helped up to the window. "Oh, there's Kirara. She must have been waiting for us."
The fire cat looked back at them, waiting until they found out that they couldn't open the window no matter how much they fumbled about before doing anything. Giving a lazy stretch, she jumped onto the narrow ledge, watching with amusement as they momentarily lost their balance. After one lick of her paw she pretended to pounce, delighted beyond belief when they flailed a bit and fell to the ground.
"You know, Inuyasha," Miroku began, a hiccup interrupting his words. "I think we were locked out on purpose." He was too out of it to feel any pain but he was sure there would be bruises in the morning.
"Ya think? What was your first clue?" the half demon asked, able to hear the chirped lecture floating down from above. Even drunk and through glass, he could hear Kirara's scolding perfectly.
"It might have been when I hit my head on this hard surface but I'll get back to you on that when I can think clearly."
"Sounds like a plan. We should probably move. Go lay under the tree or something."
"Sure, let's just wait until the world stops spinning. The stars are making me dizzy."
"Agreed."
They never made it to the Goshinboku.