Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Pairing: Okita/Kagome
Suggested Listening: Divinity (ODESZA Remix/Audio) Ft. Amy Milan by Porter Robinson
Of Pride and Honor
Chapter Fourteen: The Talk Part Two
Okita swung his katana in a wide arc. He released a slow breath and drew his stance taut like the finely strung tsuru of a bow. Beads of sweat formed above his brow. He'd since forgone his shirt in favor of keeping only his original hakama* pants. The jeans of this era didn't allow for as much movement. They restricted his thighs and kept him from being able to maneuver as needed during these training sessions. He angled the blade over his wrist and jutted its tip forward in a sharp thrust. He gave a low grunt at the force of the strike.
Three months had come and gone much faster than he'd anticipated. About the only change to their usual routines was his continual purchase of condoms in this era. He'd been surprised that there were many different types available with various textures and purposes. Of course he had yet to figure out what 'ribbed' was supposed to do, so he kept with the basics. Already he'd made a near weekly trip to the store to pick more up. He'd made good use of Masahiko's "gift" and now was determined to keep them on hand at all times. Better to be safe than sorry, right? It wouldn't do if he'd accidentally impregnated his lover before marriage, let alone before they returned to the compound. She'd be miserable the whole trip there if she had the walk the distance with her stomach swollen with their theoretical unborn child. Although he didn't mind the thought of her carrying his first born…
The man shook his head as he curved his blade downward in an elegant arc. The object gave a quiet hiss as it passed through the empty air. His last appointment was tomorrow morning. Kagome had gone to work at a new job that she'd picked up to earn more spending cash before their departure. She'd put much of her savings into an account and informed him that she would be spending most of this week to stock up on necessary supplies for their travels. Already she was getting prepared for their life on the other side.
A smile went across his lips as he spun on his heel and slashed his sword horizontally through the air—as if he were to be cutting an opponent over the chest. Thus far he only had about a day left before he'd receive his last radiograph. He'd taken the final antibiotic this morning, which meant that so long as his lungs were clear, he'd be considered fully cured of tuberculosis. His grip tightened over the hilt of his katana.
Cure, huh? It was still a difficult concept for him to grasp. For much of his life, the ronin had been aware of the dangers of illness. After suffering from a bout of measles in his youth, he'd kept his living quarters as tidy and hygienic as he could given their situation. So how was it that he contracted the infamous disease in the first place? He racked his brain but could not link a single memory that could explain where his illness had originated from.
The man's brows furrowed deeply. That notion bothered him. He'd spent this much time healing and regaining his strength. He'd be cleared to fight once more when they returned to the other side. But who was to say that it wasn't someone from the Shinsengumi who'd given him the sickness? Who was to say that he wouldn't fall ill again to the same disease when they made it back? Or, worse yet, what if Kagome contracted it instead? What could he do if she were to be placed in such a position? He couldn't fight a disease with his bare hands. He couldn't kill a virus with only his sword. He needed to know where it came from, but how? Despite his fears, even he knew that these questions would likely go without answers. It was the nature in which their world worked.
Okita paused as his phone vibrated from its perch upon the shack's floor. The device gave a loud echo that was ceaseless and annoyingly loud. He swiftly slipped his katana back into its scabbard with a single, smooth movement of his arm. Reaching down, he picked his phone from the ground and glanced at the contact flashing across the screen.
Boss Man
It'd been Kagome's idea really to change up his contacts. One day when she was feeling particularly feisty, she taken his phone with his permission and renamed all of the ten names he had in his contact list. His manager had been changed to 'Boss Man' while her mother immediately was relabeled 'Mama H'. He didn't mind the changes so much. Just to make fun of her, he renamed her contact to 'waifu'. Kagome didn't think that one was as funny though. He had to thank Souta for the idea. He hadn't the first clue about what a 'waifu' was until the kid told him. The man slid his index finger across the screen and swiftly answered the call.
"Souji speaking." He loathed having to use the Higurashi surname. It felt unnatural to him and at this point he was more than ready to give his loved one his family name. Perhaps it was his pride as a man talking but he couldn't bother to have anyone else call him 'Higurashi-san'. That wasn't his name and he wasn't going to use it unless truly necessary. Kagome didn't seem too bothered by his stubbornness on the topic either; even understood it in her own way. A small smile pulled at his lips. There was only one more week left before they'd make the attempt to return. Already it was a week too long.
"Ah, yes," His manager started on the other end of the line. "I know we had you scheduled for later tonight but we've been a bit slow." Okita nodded to himself as the man went on a list of explanations. There weren't enough customers. They were overstaffed as is. People had to be sent home already. It was all just to ensure he didn't take personal offense to what he knew would be coming next. "You can take the night off tonight. We won't need the extra help." Ah, there it was.
The ronin shrugged nonchalantly as he grasped at a towel he'd brought into the shack before he started his training. "That's fine. I'll see you tomorrow then." With that he hung up. It was all just a damn horse and pony show that job was. He'd arrive, take a few orders and lay on the polite, 'gentleman' persona to be able earn favor with his customers. It worked far better than he'd anticipated but there'd been a few incidents of female patrons attempting to slip him their numbers or asking if he was 'available' after his shift. Overall he didn't much care for it. He was there to work and that was what he'd do. Besides, his mind summoned images of dark hair fanned across his pillow, small, feminine fingers slipping between his own larger ones intimately and azure eyes staring up at him in absolute trust. He had more than enough. He didn't need anything or anyone else.
Okita threw the towel around his neck and silently went back inside the cooled interior of the shrine. He heard more than saw Mrs. Higurashi shift about the kitchen furiously along with the tell tale clanging of dishes. The scent of sweet and spicy food mingled in the air oddly. He sucked a breath between his teeth but kept pushing forward and up the stairs. She was upset. He could tell just by the awkward atmosphere thickening the air around them. The man gradually ascended the staircase and made his way back to his room. He'd tackle that issue after he showered and got himself clean.
So he did just that. He pushed his way into his bathroom and quickly showered and prepared himself for the rest of the day. As he emerged into his bedroom, he dressed himself in another pair of jeans and a regular dark-colored tee shirt. With his night available now, that left a great deal more time to cover the talk that he needed to have with Mrs. Higurashi. The ronin's brows dipped into a steep crevice. He'd been thinking about it for a while now. He wanted to marry Kagome. He wanted to make her his wife after they crossed the river of time. However if he were to do that without her mother's approval then they'd risk casting shame upon their marriage. It'd tarnish his loved one's reputation and make Kondou disappointed in his lack of responsibility.
Still there was more to it than that. Just as Kagome's travels had damaged her both physically and emotionally, so too had it caused her mother a few attachment issues as well. He was no fool. The woman's ferocity was directly related to her fear of her child's departure. In that it was tied to the fear of a fate far worse than the one she had suffered in the fifteen hundreds. The Higurashi matriarch rightfully feared that her daughter was charging straight into the face of danger. She would only have his word as assurance that he'd protect her from harm but even Okita knew that words alone wouldn't be enough to settle a frantic heart. She'd need something more from him. Something that her companions from the other side had never given them before, but what? He trailed back down the stairs and towards the kitchen where he knew she'd still be cooking.
He'd never been nervous around a woman before. Even with Kagome he'd been calm, cool and collected. However there was something about Mrs. Higurashi that put him on edge. She had all the intensity of a battle worn warrior. She was sharp, firm and highly suspicious of those she though to harm her family intentionally or otherwise. With his recent actions, Okita knew that he was quickly finding himself on the receiving end of her particularly vicious nature. This was not the way he'd envisioned himself asking for the woman for permission to marry her daughter. Yet this was where they now stood and he resolved himself to settling this issue as amicably as possible. Kagome, he knew, would eventually accept the idea of him as her husband and agree to his proposal. But would her mother truly be so benevolent? His warrior's instincts screamed a firm 'no'.
The ronin's gaze swept across the kitchen. There was one habit about the Higurashi matriarch that he'd learned during his time here. Whenever she was upset, she'd cook. Strangely enough the food was always better when she was upset. Perhaps it had to do with the amount of effort she'd put into creating the dishes as to remove the thoughts that bothered her from her mind. His eyes surveyed the kitchen counters. Nearly every available surface was lined with delicate desserts and neatly decorated entrees designed for a Shogun. The pit in his stomach dropped. Going by this elegant display, he presumed her to be either furious or highly distraught right now. That was to be expected given their situation and previous history. This would be difficult.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" The man stepped further into the agitated woman's territory. He was playing with fire here, but it needed to be done. Her back stiffened and her hands stilled suddenly. There were several long, agonizing moments before she finally responded. When she did, her voice was clipped and full of maternal protectiveness. Again he felt a small spike of respect for that near animalistic nature. His own family had either died prematurely or abandoned him to whatever the fates had in store. He had very few precious memories of the warmth and kindness that Mrs. Higurashi had shown her children and on the rare occasion, him as well.
"I suppose. But first answer me honestly." The woman's eyes turned sharp as she pivoted on the ball of her heel to face him. "What are your intentions?" She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned heavily on one leg. It was the universal posture of an upset woman. Okita knew that he needed to tread carefully from this point forward. He relaxed his own stance and gestured for them to take a seat at the low set table. She quirked a brow but still took up a spot directly across from him. An unusual sense of nervousness filled him.
He kneeled* by the table and squared his shoulders as if preparing for a scolding. "I want to marry your daughter." The ronin spied her eyebrows furrowing deeply as if she were displeased. If this woman wanted him to be honest with her, then he wouldn't hold anything back. He needed to lay all of his cards on the, now literal, table and allow her to make an informed decision of her own accord. He owed this family nothing less.
"The decision to leave will be Kagome's and hers alone." The man placated her fears somewhat. "I haven't brought this up with her because I didn't want it to affect her choice." The matriarch's lips thinned but the fierceness in her gaze softened just a bit. "But what happens from here on out will be between you and your daughter." That was the truth as well. "But by the end of the week I'll be leaving one way or the other."
He furrowed his own brows at the prospect of leaving on his own. Kagome was determined to leave with him, he knew it by her words, her actions and in every subtle touch. She had never once in the time that he'd known her ever lied to him. It simply wasn't in her nature. Yet there was still a majorly overlooked factor—her mother. She hadn't spoken to her at length about her decision. There was still the possibility of her being convinced by her parent to remain in this era.
He wouldn't be selfish right now. Not with all of their futures on the line. Emerald eyes narrowed with determination. He wouldn't back away from this. He'd already gone this far. His own sense of resolve wouldn't hear of it. "You told me once that you feared your child being taken away without warning." He sucked a breath between his lips, "Out of respect for all that you and your family have done for me these past six months, I won't disobey your wishes."
A flicker of shock flashed across her expression. Her brows rose into the hairline of her bangs. Mrs. Higurashi opened her mouth to speak but he held his palm up calmly to indicate that he had yet to finish. The woman's jaw snapped shut. Her shoulders relaxed partially as even more of the edge she held earlier dissipated. It was gradual, but it was there. "If Kagome fully chooses to leave of her own free will, then I'll respect that decision. What I'm asking for though is your blessing if she follows me to the other side." He couldn't marry her without it. It'd cast shame upon their marriage and he adamantly refused to take more from his loved one than he already had. She deserved that consideration from him.
"You are Kagome's parent." His voice grew sharp as the direction of their conversation shifted. "As such you should have a final say in what happens in her future. I won't stop your daughter from following me if that's what she wants, but that doesn't mean that I can't respect your wishes as well." He sat up a little straighter.
"I want to marry your daughter after breaching the other side. I can't give you anything in the way of an empty promise but I can assure you of one thing." His fingers clenched into the cloth of his pants tightly. This was it. "I want you to tell me what it is that you want for me to do. I'm asking for your blessing but you still hold the right to refuse. You can't stop her from leaving if that's her choice." She visibly cringed at that. "But you have every right to refuse me as her husband."
He met her gaze firmly and delivered the final part of his talk. "It is customary of the parents in my era to arrange a marriage. While those customs are gone now, I won't bring shame upon your daughter by marrying her without your consent." His expression grew more serious. "What is your wish as her mother? Will you give your blessing or would you rather I took her under my wing as a guardian instead? Whatever you decide, I'll respect."
Okita was fully aware of the fact that he wasn't selling himself all that well to her as a potential son-in-law. He was being blunt, bold and much too forward. He wasn't spouting off all of his accomplishments and earnings. He wasn't giving her anything to go by to judge him as a man fit to support her child the way she would wish. So what then could he offer her? The answer was simple. A choice. Something that she'd never been given before when Kagome was still traveling through the well. The possibility that once, just once, she could have a say about her own daughter's future. Even if it was small. Even if it wouldn't be enough. It was still more than they'd ever been given before. As much as he desired his loved one for his wife, he still had his responsibilities as a man to tend to. Archaic or no, he would not skip this step.
The Higurashi matriarch was silent for a long moment. Her lips were pulled into a deep frown as she fisted her hands into the cloth of her skirt. She took a breath between clenched teeth and he steeled himself for a verbal thrashing.
"What of Kagome? Will she be given that option?" She crossed her arms and glared at him with all the might of a protective grizzly. "Times are different in your era. I can understand there being differences between your customs and mine." Her voice suddenly turned sharp, "But don't use those as an excuse to force her into marriage with you."
Okita gave pause. Was that the image he'd been projecting? He'd never been all that great with words in the first place. It'd always been Hijikata, Saito or Yamazaki to smooth things over when things got difficult. He hadn't thought that she might've misunderstood his meaning.
"That decision will ultimately be hers if you give your blessing." The ronin attempted to clarify. In that moment he ran through all the different things that he could say to mollify her righteous fears. Communication hadn't ever been his strong point. Despite teasing Souta for his absolute lack of communication skills, the ronin knew that he was by far worse than the child. He'd always had difficulties opening up to others. He'd always had a hard time of allowing others to see when he was distressed or upset. With Kagome, she could intuitively detect his subtle shift in moods and adjusted her own behavior accordingly to soothe whatever was agitating him. She was smart; smarter than him. That was one of the things that he loved about her. He didn't have to say what was wrong—she just simply knew by his actions.
However that couldn't be the case here. Her mother was not capable of deciphering his every subtle sentence or action. She was direct. She required fully dictated words and sentences in order to ascertain that she was not being led astray by a falsehood. He took another breath and gathered up his thoughts. This would be the determining factor of whether or not she'd grant him her blessing.
"I will not make demands." The pit in his stomach suddenly evaporated. Nearly every interaction with this woman had made him feel small; as if he were still just a nine-year-old boy caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. However he couldn't be that child today. She didn't want a boy taking charge of her daughter's future. What she needed was the word of a man that he'd ensure that Kagome would remain safe with him—regardless of wherever their relationship went in the future.
For the first time since he arrived, he felt as if he were this woman's equal. "I will only ask when I feel the time is right." He closed his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "She'll need some time to adjust to the changes so asking her immediately after we cross would be irresponsible."
He snapped his gaze open and met her fierce one sharply, "Kagome was and is a strong individual. She won't back away from a decision once she makes it. That's part of what makes her who she is as a person." There was a flicker of something soft in the matriarch's gaze but he pressed forward. "She's already informed me on multiple occasions that she wants to leave with me. I have not before, nor will I now push her into that choice. That will be entirely hers to make when the time comes." The two regarded each other with caution.
"I will use the same amount of respect for when I choose to ask her to be my wife. Once she is settled and has had time to acclimate to the cultural differences, then I'll request her hand in marriage." The air condition kicked on as a breeze passed between them coolly. Okita didn't mind it though. It merely became the physical manifestation of the tension that was rising between them. It was an irony of a mundane sort.
"If she denies me on her own accord, then I will simply regard her as my charge and not my wife." He unfolded his arms and returned to his previous straightened posture. "But that's all dependent on what you say now. I will protect her and see that she's well taken care of regardless. However, will you grant me your blessing to be your daughter's husband?" He pushed the question once more. This time she remained silent. Her brows were knitted together as the questions she didn't ask flashed through her expression.
It was a difficult choice to make for any parent. To allow their first born to leave the nest permanently came with a great deal of emotions that often were hard to handle at first. But unlike many other families, this separation would be permanent. There wouldn't be any get-togethers, holidays or even festivals that they could attend as an unit. They'd be separated by a river of time over a hundred years apart. This decision would last for a lifetime. It needed to be made cautiously.
Then she spoke. Her voice was soft and full of concern. "Do you really love her? I don't care about anything else but," She lifted her eyes and searched him—analyzing him for any sign of a lie. "Do you love her?"
His own tone became firm with determination, "Yes." Direct and to the point. That was just the way Mrs. Higurashi needed it to be. The woman threaded her fingers together and placed her elbows on the table. She rested her forehead on the back of her hands and took a long, deep breath as if she were coming to terms with his request.
She lifted her head and pinned him with a sharp stare, "You swear that you'll abide by her wishes? You won't force her into anything?"
"No." His tone was even firmer now. In his lap his fingers gave yet another twitch. "Kagome has always made her own choices. The last I want is for her to feel as if she has to take me as her husband." His teeth clenched together at that thought. "She'd resent me for it."
Momo gave a single nod at that, "Indeed she would." Then she did something that surprised him. She smiled. It was warm and full of a maternal kindness that he was not used to experiencing. When Kagome had given him that smile was intimate in the way that a lover would embrace their chosen. However when Mrs. Higurashi did it, it was like a mother holding out her arms for her child. His own expression thawed somewhat. How odd.
"I'll give you my blessing on one condition." She held up her index finger to make her point. "No matter what happens, just make sure my daughter is happy." The smile dipped somewhat as she pressed forward in their conversation. "She'll put one hundred percent of her effort into supporting you and your dreams. So you'll have to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't over exert herself. You'll have to spoil her because she'd never do it for herself. Not to mention that her self-esteem is so low that she could use the attention to bring it back up."
His own smile softened as the older woman went into a long ramble of her daughter's habits. He already knew of these things. In fact he'd taken the time out of his week to stop by a store that still sold yukatas and kimonos. It took quite the bite out of his hard earned savings but he managed to buy Kagome several outfits that wouldn't draw attention in his era.
He wanted to prepare for their life there and the first thing he wanted to do was to spoil her with some nice clothes. For just a second, he briefly wondered how she'd react to the pile of finely decorated outfits that he was bound to bring home for her in the next day or two.
"What I'm trying to say is that she'll implode on herself again if you aren't careful." The smile she wore slipped away completely. "I can't say that I agree with the idea of just giving away her hand like that, but so long as Kagome says that, that's what she wants then I'll give you my blessing."
His brows rose at that last statement. He hadn't expected her to give so easily. Truthfully, he thought that she would've put him through hellfire first before ever considering him as proper son-in-law material. "Are you sure?" He was tentative in proceeding in this next part. Okita had never been the type of man to look a gift horse in the mouth, but this was important. He had to be one hundred percent sure that this family would remain in tact even after their departure. He didn't want to be the rift that fractured it permanently. He owed them more than that.
Momo sighed and shook her head, "It's just as you said. Kagome is a headstrong individual. Once she makes up her mind there won't be any stopping her." She rested her chin into the palm of her hand as she stared off towards the Goshinboku. "We've made our lives here and we've formed many wonderful memories in this house. But eventually, as all mothers do, I knew that she'd want to spread her wings and find her own path in life."
The air stopped billowing and the chill that had cooled his skin ceased. The ronin remained silent as she went into another explanation.
"She'd always been worried about that, you know." Azure eyes became unfocused; a single age-withered finger traced imaginary lines across the surface of the table. "She frets a lot and doesn't value herself at all." He'd even caught a glimpse of that lack of self-worth. It was in the subtle way she'd look at herself in the mornings. It was in the slight glances she throw at her reflection and the downward pull of her lips—as if unsatisfied with her own appearance. The apologies she'd given him when she'd had her breakdown were concerning enough. He didn't want her to ever feel as if she were less than again. If spoiling his lover was what it took to make her feel like the gentle person he knew her to be, then that was what he was going to do. No amount of complaints was going to change his mind on this matter.
"My child has been through so much already. Who am I to keep her from seeking the happiness that she truly wants?" There was an edge to the older woman's tone that he was unused to. It wasn't the sharpness of maternal protectiveness, but rather a melancholic bitterness of being forced to watch her daughter slowly fall apart and not have the capability of doing anything about it. His shoulders stiffened at that thought. He wouldn't be another man that failed her. He would make sure that he was the one to help her on her feet and support her the way she needed him to. That would be his duty as her husband after all.
"There was only one thing Kagome confided to me about her situation with Inuyasha." His fingers flexed at the mention of the bastard's name. He didn't know what he looked like but he knew what he'd do if he ever met the vile cretin. The muscle in his sword arm twitched. "He never allowed her to seek any sort of happiness for herself. Anything she took enjoyment in he'd belittle, demean and taunt her for."
The older woman's voice broke, "Even now she has difficulties accepting that she can do the things that she wants to—that she doesn't have to ask permission to find pleasure in her life experiences."
As he feared, tears began to well in the matriarch's eyes as she buried her face into the palms of her hands. "How could I have not seen it? It was right in front of me!" She shook her head from side to side vigorously. "Her injuries, her behavior, everything! I'm her mother, so how could I have not been able to help her?"
Okita wanted to do something, anything really to help ease the guilt that she felt but no words came forth. What was he to say? It wasn't his apology to give nor would saying 'sorry' do anything to absolve her of the issues she was currently facing. He was just as helpless as she was in this situation.
She lifted her head and stared at him unblinkingly, "I know I can't stop her. As much as I want Kagome to stay here, I know that she's already made her decision." Her hands, withered by age and stress, trembled with each word she spoke. The tears hadn't stopped falling and he knew that he was irrevocably destroying something so centric to this family. His heart twisted within his chest. "I know that eventually she would've went through the well one last time even if you hadn't shown up. It's just in her nature."
The ronin didn't argue that point with her either. It was clear that Kagome lacked a certain interest in her own era. Despite this place being the time that she was born and raised in, there was always something about her that seemed so out of place here. It was as if she were still torn between two separate worlds—traveling along the line that barred one existence from the other. He was merely the catalyst that caused her to make her decision sooner than expected.
"Please," Momo's voice broke with her sobs, "please just make sure she's happy. I know it's not safe there. It'd be unfair of me to ask that you keep her away from danger." She clasped her hands together tightly. They shook violently as her nails dug into the back of her hand—leaving behind starkly colored imprints in half-moon shapes. "But, if anything, just make sure she knows that she can enjoy herself. That she doesn't have to fight if she doesn't want to." Azure eyes tilted upwards to meet his own emerald ones. "Can you do that for me Souji?"
There was something desperate in the way that she spoke to him now. In this moment he recognized this for what it was—a cry for help. A plea that he would do for Kagome what they could not as her family. That he would protect her; even from herself. The man stood and slowly approached his future mother-in-law. Outside of his loved one, he'd never been much to show physical affection. It was not something that came easily for him nor was it comfortable. Still, in just the moment he'd swallow his pride and do what this family needed of him—what her mother needed of him.
Okita opened his arms and gently pulled the weeping woman into a familial hug. Her azure eyes went wide before she covered them with the palms of her hand. She buried her face deeply within the cover of her hands and released the tears he knew she had to been holding back for years now. If there was one thing he learned about this family then it was the fact that they'd built their lives around self-sacrifice. Momo had lost her husband, her parents, her in-laws and now she was losing her daughter. He did not blame her for her fears. He did not blame her for her despair. So he did the only thing he could to help soothe some of the worries plaguing her. He reassured her.
"As if I'd do anything less." The two drew apart as she wiped the back of her hand over her eyelids. The ronin's voice dropped into a serious tone, "I may not have said this enough times, but I appreciate everything you and your family have done for me. I'm here, alive now because of all the support you've given me." He flexed and curled his fingers inwards towards his palm, remembering the pain, blood and bandages that covered them when he first arrived. "If you ask me to make sure Kagome's happy then I'll see to it, no matter what." A small smile pulled at his lips. "Although I'd like to do it as her husband."
The Higurashi matriarch gave a small sniff. Then the warm, maternal smile returned. "You better. Otherwise I'd claw my way through that damn well and hunt you down myself." For the first time since he arrived, they shared a laugh together. No more were their sharp glares or intense feelings of suspicion. In its place was a gradual acceptance that was starting to bud. Okita was grateful. Had he never fallen through the well, then he'd probably have not only died from his tuberculosis, but he'd likely never have been able to find a bond as strong as the one he'd had with this family. No amount of time could ever fully tear apart the connection he had with these people. He'd always carry their memories with him.
Mrs. Higurashi suddenly glanced up at the clock, "Oh dear. Souta's supposed to be getting off from practice soon." She wiped her eyes again as a few more tears fell down her face. It wouldn't do if the kid saw her in such a state. He'd make himself sick worrying about her.
"I'll go pick him up." The ronin offered. He shot her a quick smirk, "Besides, Kagome should be getting off from work soon anyways. We'll just swing by and grab her before we head back. You just focus on yourself for once." He folded his arms over his chest and threw a wayward glance towards her. "You say that Kagome is pretty bad about doing what she needs for herself but don't forget that you're also bad about it as well." Her brows arched up into her hairline but he continued onwards. "Just take a day or two for yourself once in a while. I'm sure you could use the break." With that he turned on the ball of his heel and made his way out of the house—leaving a shocked mother in his wake.
It was the truth. Kagome had learned many of her habits from her parent. Just like her daughter, Momo would work herself to illness if not given the proper chance to rest. He didn't want Souta to have to live with that after they left. So he wanted to give her the permission she needed to give herself—to let her know that it was okay to do something for herself once in a while. It wouldn't do her or Souta any good if she were to work herself to sickness after they left. He just hoped that the other two would adjust to their absence quickly after they'd depart.
It hadn't taken him long to locate the boy. His team always practiced in a small field just a short train ride away from the shrine. Souta perked his head up the moment he spotted him in the sea of faces across the field. The child waved goodbye to his friends before running at him in full speed.
"Nii-san! You're here?!" The kid practically yelled in his enthusiasm. As expected, the boy's hand latched onto his sleeve as they turned to walk back towards the train station. Kagome's work was still a good thirty minutes away by a different train line. So he'd make good use of the time he had and let the kid have some fun on the way.
"In the flesh," He teased him. Lifting his free hand, he ruffled the pre-teen's hair affectionately. "How'd it go this time? You kick some serious ass?" It was a routine they started when they were away from the women. While Souta taught him some of the less than dignified phrases and 'memes' of this era, he in turn taught the boy some less than stellar language to use on his enemies. To put it mildly, they'd become 'two peas in a pod' in the worse way possible. Kagome had not been ecstatic when she'd found out.
"Of course! We blew them out of the water!" The child pulled on his shirt enthusiastically. They made their way through the thick crowd of the station towards the main ticket booths. "Hey," Souta suddenly perked up, "Let's go see nee-chan! She should be getting off soon right?"
Okita nodded once, "Right. I was already planning for that."
The man was mildly surprised that the child had been the first to suggest it out loud. It was true that she'd been trying to save money so that they could buy their supplies this week, but it appeared that both of them feared that she was working herself into being bedridden again. Most likely Souta had noticed the subtle change in his sister's behavior and had taken it upon himself to check in on her. Not that he'd say it out loud. Instead he'd bring him along for the ride and then claim that it was his idea in the first place. Although the ronin wouldn't complain about it. The end result would still boost his image in Kagome's eyes anyways. A small smirk tugged at his lips. That was exactly what he needed.
They passed the time on the train with casual talk of how their day went and the next set of 'phrases' that they wanted to learn from one another. It was well past noon before they disembarked and forced their way through the swelling crowds of people flocking the shopping district that her new job was located in. The ronin's lips pressed into a thin line. He really hated how overcrowded these cities had become. It was a nuisance.
As the two entered the shop, a 'fast food' restaurant he believed Souta had called it, they immediately found themselves faced with the dilemma of a long line of people—drawn to the most centrally located food establishment to the all of the shops in the heat of summer. Okita tucked his hands into his pockets and waited patiently. His eyes glued themselves to the larger than life menu hanging over the other employees' heads behind the counter. Images of burgers, fries and other delicious looking items teased his furious stomach. His shoulder drooped slightly as his stomach began to give a soft growl of protest. Now what did he want to eat?
"So I ended up getting into an argument with Satoru. It wasn't anything big but the guy has gotten pretty full of himself lately." Souta wrapped his arms behind his head as he recounted this week's events to him. "It's so annoying when he gets that smug look on his face. Makes me just want to punch it off of him, you know?"
Okita gave a snort of laughter, "I understand you there." This was normal for them now. As much as the boy tried to put on a strong front, he worried about his sister a lot. So he'd always find ways to talk him into going on these 'bro outings'. The kid claimed that it'd be good for him to spend time with another male rather than being stuck in the house with only the women for company. In reality he just wanted to follow his sister around and check on her to make sure she wasn't over stressing herself like she'd already done in the six months they'd known each other. The ronin followed along most of the time as it not only got him out of the shrine, but he was able to see more of the curious sites and places of the future. Plus seeing the different outfits that Kagome would wear for her 'work' was also part of the bonus. Okita never thought he'd be so grateful for the existence of 'cosplay'. He shrugged.
The man peered around the long line of heads before them. He could hear her taking another person's order but he couldn't quite see her just yet. He cocked his head to the side to try to get a better glance. Truthfully he had gotten a bit worried as well. She was already taking on so many hours at the café. Despite school being out for the summer, she still was working nearly double the amount of hours as before. Soon she wouldn't have enough time for sleep if this kept up. His brows furrowed.
Now how to stop her from being so damn stubborn? Of course he could ravage her in his bed again but he wasn't sure how well she'd take to that. The last time he did she ended up being too sore to work the next day. He hadn't heard the end of her complaints until well after they'd both gone to bed. Although he hadn't been able to make himself feel too bad about the incident. After all, she spent the entire day in his bed and locked securely in his arms. A smirk pulled at his lips. Perhaps he should do it again?
The door chimed behind them as an overwhelming scent of false chemicals and something vaguely floral assaulted his nose. His lip curled in distaste. Ah, yet another downfall of this era. Perfume had become so commonplace that nearly every woman wore it—even Kagome, although hers was far softer and soothed his senses. The scent emphasized her own natural smell and was never overpowering. However some women of this time preferred to simply bathe in the miracle that was the deodorizer.
"So yeah, I was texting him the other day. He's totally interested." A feminine voice chimed from behind them.
Souta stood on the tips of his toes beside him. The boy tried to peer over the much taller people standing in front of them; attempting to get a good view of how many others were still ahead of them.
Another female gave a soft hum of agreement, "You should make him jealous. After all he was the one that said he wanted to see other people."
Okita officially tuned out the rest of their conversation. He wanted to know nothing about the dating habits of the women of this era. He'd seen enough of it from his time waiting tables. Even after mentioning that he had an intended, they still pushed their luck. It was off putting to state it mildly. These women were jealous, vicious creatures in this time. While females had always had an edge to them where he was from, here in particular there seemed to be something utterly dangerous about getting involved with one.
The more he saw, the more he realized how conniving and spiteful they'd gotten. It was a constant stream of backstabbing, manipulation and covert motives. Perhaps his view had been skewed after all the films that Souta had made him watch—a few featuring the character model of the 'femme fatale'. Still, he didn't trust them. Only Kagome and her mother reserved that right. They'd proven as much given their situation.
Suddenly the girls behind them got quiet as the line moved forward. There were conspiratorial whispers that he could barely pick up on. The words 'sexy', 'number' and 'ten' were all that he could make out of the conversation. The kid tugged on his sleeve as he pointed towards something on the board that he wanted. Okita gave the boy a brief nod of acknowledgement. By all accounts, they looked like the perfect pair of brothers—with him playing the role of the older, caring sibling and Souta the younger, hyper-attached child. The females whispering grew ever more conspiratorial. This time he could catch the words 'try', 'jealous' and 'sex'. He felt the heat of their gazes on the back of his neck. They were planning something. Emerald eyes narrowed as he casually pulled Souta closer to him.
The boy was his responsibility right now, he wasn't going to risk his safety because a couple of women decided they'd make nice targets for their scheming.
"Ugh! How much longer is this going to take?" One of the girls complained, the tell tale sound of her fingers dancing across a phone's glass screen reverberated in his ears loudly. "Don't they, like, have jobs or something? This is taking too long!" The word was emphasized in a high-pitched, nasally tone.
Okita fought the urge to shoot them his notorious 'serial killer grin' as both Kagome and Souta had dubbed it. They mentioned that it was pretty freaky and only to do it if he really wanted to get someone off of his back—otherwise they'd might end up in trouble with the police. He scoffed. The governing body was far too concerned with such small crimes. Did they not have bigger things to take care of then people grinning at others?
They took a step forward as Kagome came into view. A wide, cheerful smile was plastered across her lips as she plowed through a couple's order. The people ahead of them looked between each other before returning her infectious grin. Ah, there it was. She was good about that kind of thing. One smile from her and it seemed that everyone else did as well. She just had that kind of power over people. His hand dug further into his pockets as he retrieved the wallet the family had given him. He felt bad about dropping by unannounced like this, especially while she was working and not able to join them on this little lunch, but he didn't think she'd mind too much. At least not when he was entertaining her brother like this. They'd just have to have a date of their own afterwards. The couple moved off as they took their spot at her register.
Azure eyes immediately lightened with excitement as she took in their appearance. Her grin widened as she greeted them with exuberant enthusiasm. He felt his own expression thaw slightly. It'd been a couple of months since they'd agreed to enter into a relationship. Ever since then each time they saw each other like this, she'd light up and focus in on him as if he were the only person to exist. A smile spread across his lips. He loved that about her.
"Welcome! What can I get for you two?" There was an extra cheer in her voice that hadn't been there before. If he had any doubt about her feelings of seeing him there, then they swiftly evaporated. He felt his smile widen.
"I want those two." He gestured to the image of a burger and large drink on the board, "Kid here wants an infant's meal." Okita teased as he took a hand and ruffled Souta's hair for the second time that day.
"Nii-san! That's not what I said earlier!" The boy pouted as he pointed towards the same board above her head. "The number six please! Oh and with a large drink too!"
Kagome's eyes thinned as a challenge entered her voice, "Is that so? Are you sure you wouldn't want the medium instead?" There was a sharpness to the tone that made the kid briefly backtrack.
"Uh… well, I'm a bit thirsty…" He looked to him for help. Ah, that was right. Mrs. Higurashi had a very strict rule about her children not eating a large amount of junk food unless they pay for it themselves. Kagome, wishing to abide by her mother's rule, was currently enforcing the boundary set by her.
Okita shrugged, "Medium it is." He had already obtained the woman's blessing to be her daughter's husband. He didn't want to ruin that newly built foundation of trust by allowing the kid to wallow in junk food. He had his own sense of honor to uphold—even if it was only on the small scale in the big picture of things. He glanced down at the boy next to him as Souta's back slouched and he hung his head in defeat. At least the kid gave it a good try. He'd make it up to him later this week when it would be just the two of them. His lover's face immediately brightened as she pushed through their order.
"Your food will be ready shortly!" She chirped at them, offering for them to move to the side so they could wait for their food.
His brow quirked as the women behind him started up their whispering once more. 'Bitch', 'fat' and 'whore' were barely audible this time. As he walked towards the pick up area, he noticed the way their eyes settled upon Kagome's form in an almost predatory gleam. He didn't like the looks of this.
"I think those girls were eyeing you." Souta suddenly piped up, his brows pulled in a deep crevice as they both observed the interaction bound to occur. "She was talking about wanting to make her boyfriend jealous and thought you were hot." He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. "I don't get it. Why bother getting jealous over a person you've just met? Look," He pointed towards where the women were, "They're gonna try to give nee-chan the third degree since they thought she was flirting with you." How was that anyone else's business even if she was? Besides they'd already gone much further than simple flirting. Kagome had become a permanent partner in both his bed and his life. Who the hell were these women to be jealous? He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
Both of them returned to watching the show bound to happen. Kagome was a headstrong woman. Work setting or not, she wasn't about to let someone walk all over her. He doubted she'd just let this fools trample all over her but she also was quite subtle when she was in uniform. She was always the stickler about 'following company policy' when it came to things like these. Although perhaps she'd be more inclined to let her wild side out now that they'd be leaving at the end of the week. He was curious to see how she'd handle this.
"What's with the service here?" One of the girls asked loudly in a nasally tone. She waved a hand in the air as if to dismiss Kagome's existence. "It's so terrible! Can't you guys, like, do your jobs and get us some food already?"
Kagome's grin grew tight as threats of murder and punishment entered her eyes. He'd only seen that look once and it hadn't ended well for him. A reluctant shiver went down Okita's spine as his future wife spoke, "Of course. What would you like, ma'am?" Well shit, how was she going to deal with this? She was strong, no doubt, but she also had her triggers. Mainly her sense of body image. If the girls went after her appearance then all bets would be off. His brows furrowed as concern began to make itself known. Should he interrupt them?
The other girl looked her up and down with a sneer on her rouge-painted lips, "What's this? I didn't think they were hiring street rats. Think it's safe to eat?"
Souta cringed as Okita's fingers flexed. Now that was needlessly harsh. Too bad he couldn't bring his daishou in. He'd certainly teach them the meaning of what a street rat really was if he'd been allowed to keep his blades strapped to his side.
The smile disappeared as something dark flashed across Kagome's face, "Ma'am, may I suggest you put in your order? I am simply here to help serve you. However if you have no intentions of ordering food from us then I'll have to ask you to leave." Her voice left no room for argument but the girls didn't give in. Instead they chose to toy with the fates above and pressed onward in their useless verbal attack.
"Sheesh, where'd they pick you up? Fine, I'll have the number one with a diet soda. Don't screw it up." The first girl turned her nose up in the air, "And don't eat it for yourself either. You could use a few runs on the treadmill as is." A vicious smirk spread across those falsely red lips, "Probably have a freshman fifty hanging around, don't you?"
"Oh fuck." Souta cursed, eyes wide as he glanced between his furious sibling and the nosy women. Okita didn't correct him as he took a step towards the commotion. One thing that was true in both his time and this era was a woman's sensitivity to her weight. Kagome, by all accounts, was far from fat. She was built like a warrior with curves and muscle. In a fight she'd be able to hold her own against even the best of them. However because her frame held more power to it pound per pound than the other girls, they felt the need to insult her for that shape. It was disturbing to him.
Personally, he disliked the skin-and-bone forms he'd been seeing on the streets in this new time. They were jarring and reminded him only of the emaciated bodies that were laid out upon the streets of Edo before he'd left. They were reminiscent of illness and death at the end of the throes of starvation. How anyone could find such figures attractive he wouldn't know. He much preferred to see a woman with some muscle and curves. It was more natural.
"Ah, Higurashi-san! I think the make-line needed some help in the back!" A coworker piped up from behind the counter. It was another girl, perhaps just a few years younger than Kagome herself. She immediately jumped to the register where his loved one had been before finishing the order herself. Kagome glared at the women then shrugged. Okita felt his own shoulders relax somewhat. If she wasn't going to bother with it, then neither was he. Still, he felt a slight twinge of disappointment at not being able to see her throw a single punch their way. Too bad. He would've paid to see his future wife tear those two to shreds. His smirk grew vicious. They wouldn't have stood a chance against her.
The boy let a sigh out between his teeth, "That was close. I thought she was going to deck 'em in the mouth or something." He patted the palm of his hand over his heart. "Nee-chan's got a temper. As much as she needs money she also isn't going to stand around and be berated." He gestured towards the coworker now manning the counter, "I think that one picked up on it too."
The two paused as they were called to pick up their food. They gathered up the trays and filled their cups with their preferred drinks. Thankfully the actual tables weren't quite as crowded as the line had been. Most of the people had simply gathered their food items and left the premises—presumably to consume their meals at a different and far less crowded location.
They picked a particular table with a bench and two round seats across from them on the other side. Both Souta and Okita chose the bench to sit. The males set to work on sorting out their food and unwrapping their burgers. His stomach gave another rumble of protest as he eyed the greasy concoction. If only to himself, he'd admit that he'd miss these horrifically horrible foods when he finally returned to his time. They were oddly delicious… and utterly addictive.
Emerald eyes blinked then narrowed as two figures entered his peripherals. The choking smell of the perfume from earlier assaulted his nose as he paused mid-bite. It was the girls. They were standing by their table with their trays in hand. By now the skirts they wore had suddenly gotten a hitch higher and the collar of their shirts even lower, exposing the pale flesh of their breasts to any willing to peek. His brows furrowed as his gaze thinned in displeasure. He had no interest in these fools. The only thing he wanted to do was run them through with his katana. Of course that wouldn't happen and as such he resorted to ignoring their very existence.
"Can we sit here?" The lead female gestured towards the two seats across from them. Souta glanced between him and the two girls; worry clearly etched in his youthful features. If his grin was reminiscent of a serial killer's then he briefly wondered what his now furious expression appeared like to the kid.
"No." Okita answered simply before returning to his food. The kid stifled a laugh as he ducked his head away. The second girl shot the boy a small glare, but quickly hid it when she noticed he was watching her. Of course, playing up the sweet card while hiding their real intentions behind his back. He fought the urge to shake his head. They were so obvious, it was just sad.
"Aw, don't be shy. We just want to talk." The two hazard to get closer to them. Okita's instincts suddenly flared up as he realized that they were getting too close to the child. As much as he didn't think they'd be able to do much to harm him, the kid would still be in harm's way if they decided to throw their trays in a temper tantrum. This wasn't good.
"Not interested." He pointedly ignored them by turning his shoulder away, yet keeping just enough of an eye on them to ensure they wouldn't harm Souta. The kid was his responsibility right now, he'd be damned if some jealous fools would harm him.
Instead of heeding his rejection, they came around the side and started placing their food and drinks by the empty stools. Okita paused, set his food down and then pinned them with a fierce glare.
"What are you doing?" His voice grew cold as fury filled him. Had they not heard a word he said?
"Oh come on, it'll be fun!" The first girl winked as she made a show of taking her seat, flashing the pale flesh of her frail-looking thigh. Souta glanced away—clearly uncomfortable with this new situation. Now the ronin was beginning to lose his patience. "So what's your name?" She leaned forward on her elbows and pressed her chest outwards for all to see. Dear gods, what in the hell happened to his country?
"It's fuck off and die. Now kindly remove yourself from my presence." He cared not at the way bystanders now suddenly stared owlishly at him. He also didn't care that the boy at his side was hiding his laughter behind a closed hand. What he did care about was Kagome's curious glance and trusting grin. Both of them knew what was coming and, even from the make-line in the back of the shop, he knew that she was eager to see it happen. A sadistic smirk began to form on his lips. Let the show begin.
If the girls were startled, they didn't show it. Had they no sense of self-preservation? The ringleader leaned over the table. She took the tip of her of falsely manicured nail and slowly dragged it down the exposed flesh of his bicep, "You're so feisty. I like that." The nasally voice dropped into what was supposed to be a sultry tone.
He pulled his arm away and allowed a vicious grin to spread across his lips, "Then you'll like this even more." With reflexes faster than the eye could blink, his hand shot out and slapped both of their trays from their table. The food collapsed to the ground. The murky liquid of soda spilled around their feet, fries littered the floor and the stains of ketchup and mustard had found itself upon the girls' clothing. "Sorry, I heard you mention earlier something about wanting to keep the weight off? I thought this might help."
With that both of the women shot up and ran out of the front door—screaming curses along the way. Okita casually shrugged before returning to his meal. As much as this era annoyed him, there was one thing he wouldn't be able to get over—the sound of Kagome's laughter that rang as clearly to him as if he were next to her. It seemed as if he'd managed to make her day just a little bit better with that act of revenge. His smirk widened. His good deed of the day was done. Now, how would he get back at her for calling him a 'petulant idiot' this morning?
It'd happened shortly after they woke up. Mostly because she'd been begging him to let her go so she could get ready for the day. Like the stubborn man he was, he'd refused and simply yanked her back onto his mattress and held his arms even more securely around her waist. It'd been the first time in a long while that his lover had fussed at him, so he took a great deal of pleasure in seeing her squirm and pout.
Souta laughed beside him as they finished their food. No matter what the future held in store for him, Okita knew that at the very least he found himself a home. That was all that mattered. They'd finished their lunch and waited the extra hour and a half until after Kagome got off work. She flitted to his side and smiled up at him brightly. The ronin slipped his own arm around her shoulders. No words were spoken between them but he knew that she was glad that he'd stood up for her. Even if she'd been able to handle the situation herself, she appeared to be glad in the fact that he'd taken to her defense.
The boy clung to his other side as they made their way back home as a family. They had one more week to spend like this. But by the gods above, he was going to enjoy every minute of it. No jealous fools, jobs or even fate would get in the way of that. He was determined to see it so.
A/n: Whoo, this chapter came out faster than I anticipated! So there we have it. Mama H is coming to accept Okita as a possible son-in-law and is also coming to terms with the fact that her oldest child will be flying the nest in a matter of days. Next chapter I want to do in Kagome's POV and will finish up this last bit of what I like to call the "prolog" arc. Yes, all of these events that took place in the present era I would consider part of the 'prolog'. There'll be about five to six months worth of timeline to develop before Chizuru appears after we return to the past, so you'll get to see how Kagome's relationships with the other members of the Shinsengumi develops prior to the game start. So without further ado, we shall be heading into the past by the end of Chapter Fifteen. Quite frankly, I'm super excited about it! XD
**Hakamas – A traditional type of pants used by Japanese men originally. As time went on, more women wore them as well. There are two types specifically, divided and undivided. Most would have seven deep pleats.
**Kneeling chairs – Some traditional Japanese homes would have dining sets where a person would kneel in the chair by the table. The chairs are low set and would not have any legs but rather just the seat and backrest that would sit evenly on the floor. These chairs can also be substituted for pillows as well.