A/N: Epilogue checklist: souten, sesshoumaru, sango/miroku, jinenji, and one last attempt at writing a lemon. Gonna sort of be a series of blurbs I think...
Forever Home - The Place You Call Home
~Kitty
"And there were easements and satisfactions. To have a full stomach, to doze lazily in the sunshine–such things were remuneration in full for his ardours and toils, while his ardours and toils were in themselves self-remunerative. They were expressions of life, and life is always happy when it is expressing itself. So the cub had no quarrel with his hostile environment. He was very much alive, very happy, and very proud of himself."
― Jack London, White Fang
Returning to an upright stature was an exercise in patience for Inuyasha. Regaining a pair of opposable thumbs was a welcome change, however there was a certain simplicity in his four legged state that he reluctantly bid farewell to as he eased into two footed life beside Kagome. The ensuing chaos that followed his recovery was overwhelming and the demands his brother made on his time was nearly enough to make him lose his mind. And there were questions, hundreds of them, that needed to be answered. How was he to fold into this modern life? What was his place in it? There were times, his mind spinning with too much input and uncertainty, when he would retreat back into the forests and mountains, leap among the trees and howl at the moon. The slow and steady beat of life in the wild sang to him at times when he felt closed in. It was a sacrifice, and one that tugged at his resolve many times. And Kagome let him go, gave him the space he needed and waited without complaint for his return. The hold she had on his heart was stronger than any rope or chain, yet she was gentle with her grasp, returning slack for tension and never tying him down. This was no captivity like he'd experienced in the past with its tethers and chains. It was a freedom of a different sort, a responsible freedom, a freedom of choice. It was completely within his dominion to direct his own fate and suddenly the scope of that decision was greater than at any other time in his lengthy existence. He could now choose the path he wanted to tread. And that path led invariably time and again back to Kagome.
He'd reached the pinnacle of his life, for sure, and he was certain there was very little that could possibly make him happier. It wasn't without its challenges, but every hurdle and stumble was well worth the effort.
…
"Inuyasha," her voice called down to him from upstairs, muted and frazzled, "Can you get the phone, please!"
"Dammit, wench!" he growled in answer, the irate sound nestled in a backdrop of giggles and pattering feet. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"
There was a brief pause before she answered him.
"No, I can't, obviously!" The snark in her voice emphasized her annoyance, "Your ramen will still be there. Now, answer the phone! "
Her tone would tolerate no rebuttal and he grumbled as he turned to grab the handset on the kitchen wall, using his most serious voice to command the little mischievous hands to stay away from his steaming cup of noodles.
"Where's the fire?" he growled into the phone. There was a pause at the other end but he could tell who was on the line by the din of barks and yips in the background.
"Ah…" Jeb stuttered in reaction to the abrupt, clipped voice. "Hi there Inuyasha. Just wanted to let you and Kagome know about a few dogs we'll be putting down at the end of the week."
"We'll pick 'em up tomorrow," Inuyasha said quickly, lightly rapping a grubby set of fingers that were inching toward his afternoon snack. The child shrieked and went racing up the stairs, giggling. Inuyasha slammed the phone back on its hanger before Jeb could answer and went charging up the stairs. In one of the rooms, he could clearly hear the brat tattling on him.
"Miss 'gome! Miss 'gome! Inunu spanked me! Inunu spanked me!"
Inuyasha barged through the door to set the record straight, mouth open and frown etched deeply into his forehead. It was something he should be used by now, but the sight of her in the golden setting sun rays, a child on one hip and another tugging the hem of her shirt, with a mess of paint and papers strewn around their crafts room, brought him up short, his complaints stuck in his throat as his heart skipped. Kagome was bending down to the address the little troublemaker seriously.
"Did you touch something you weren't supposed to, Souten?"
The little body squirmed and shook her head. Before Inuyasha speak up, Kagome fixed the child with a pointed stare, clearly unconvinced and he was glad for her ability to detect lies. Finally the little girl sighed dramatically and sheepishly nodded.
"Are you going to apologize?"
Wide crimson eyes stared up at the young woman, and after finding no sympathy from "Miss 'gome", the little cheeky girl turned to face the white haired man and mumbled a begrudging apology. Inuyasha deflated with an exasperated sigh and ruffled the tangle of dark, black hair.
"Feh," he muttered. Crisis dealt with, Kagome shooed them both out of the room so she could finish cleaning that afternoon's art projects, collecting several disastrous depictions of herself and Inuyasha to hang on the walls. Kagome jumped when she heard a great bellow from below.
" Which one of you brats took my ramen?! "
Breathe in, breathe out… Sesshoumaru's latest enterprise was struggling with its more difficult cases; the demon lord had apparently finally discovered his own greatest weakness: troubled kids. And Kagome found herself unable to turn away the so called 'hopeless' cases. Kaede's house and yard was now at full capacity with little chittering bodies, both furred and furless. The young woman gently set down the silent bundle in her arms. The skinny, serious face looked up at her, stuffing a worried fist into his mouth, woeful eyes beginning to tear. This new boy had immediately attached himself to Kagome like a bur, only just beginning to come around to the grumpy dog demon. The young woman gently rubbed his back before setting aside the papers and moving toward the door, the little scrawny figure quickly trailing behind, latching onto the sweater she'd tied around her waist.
"C'mon Shion," she said as soothingly as she could, "Let's go make dinner before Uncle Inuyasha's head explodes."
As she made her way downstairs, Rin and Shippou appeared from the yard.
"Hey you two," she greeted, "How are the puppers doing?"
"They're good!" the little fox piped up, "Emma was really good on the walk but Captain Barbosa was kind of slow. And Sweetie pulls whenever there's a squirrel!"
Kagome raised her eyebrows. "All three of them?" She questioned, "You two were able to handle it?"
Shippou bobbed his head up and down, dusty orange hair falling over his bright green eyes. "We were fine! I'm much stronger now!"
Kagome laughed lightly, patting Shippou's fuzzy orange head. The kit was growing like a weed and really beginning to give Inuyasha a run for his money. She was thankful that Shippou's precocious, mischievous side tended to end before reaching her so at least she could compel just a little bit of peace around the house. Turning to the quietly beaming girl beside him, she said, "Hey Rin, why don't you take Shion to the garden to pick some veggies for dinner tonight? I think Sesshoumaru's coming for a visit."
The young girl's eyes brightened and she flashed a brilliant smile before turning to offer a hand to the skinny boy. Shion didn't seem particularly happy with the thought of leaving Kagome, but Rin's energy was calming and steady and just what he needed to take his first steps toward self confidence. Ruffling Shippou's hair, Kagome beamed down at the quickly growing fox kit.
"C'mon Shippou," she said, "Let's go rescue the little troublemakers before Inuyasha blows a gasket."
…
He hovered in a half awake state, happily content and pressed firmly against another breathing body. The tentative light of dawn penetrated his eyelids and he resolutely left them closed, not entirely ready to admit that it was morning. Beside him, she shifted and sighed, rolling towards him and the satiny feel of her warm, smooth skin brushed against his side. He felt her fingertips trace teasing designs across his cheeks, his eyelids, gently pressing against his brow before lifting. He sighed, hoping she would tire of this game quickly and rise to make the first pot of coffee. No such luck. She shifted her position before settling down again. Then the delicate hairs on his ears felt movement. Subtle, like the tickle of a whisper. There it was again and the snowy, white ear flicked involuntarily. And again. This time, he frowned slightly, turning his head and wrinkling his nose. And then she giggled, soft and light into his shoulder and the hairs were teased again and finally he growled.
'Just try it one more time…,' he dared her in his mind.
Sure enough, mischievous fingers disturbed the fine hairs guarding his ears once more and he whirled around, snapping his eyes open. Kagome yelped with a giggle as he attacked her, pinning her on her back with a firm hand on each wrist.
"Cut it out, wench!"
She laughed at his face, wriggling beneath him to try to gain some leverage. They were both naked under the sheets and the friction of her skin writhing against his blossomed into a fire in his loins. What was initially a growl of annoyance changed in tone and she shivered to feel it vibrate into her chest through their contact. Looking up at his glowing amber eyes, she felt a flush of heat to note the predatory glint and trembled with anticipation. His lips descended on hers slowly, gradually bearing down on her and slipping inside with his tongue. He explored the contours of her mouth lazily, savoring the rush of her breath as she gasped beneath him. He shifted, tilting upwards to kiss the tip of her nose, then the middle of her brow. When he drew back and gazed down at her, it was a vision that made him pause, his own breath caught in his throat. Reclined against the pillow, her hair splayed out in a fan behind her head and her wide, sparkling eyes gazing up at him, the sight pooled warmth into his chest and fueled the already raging fire lower down. She bit her lips, drawing his attention back down to them and then, glancing into her eyes once more, he smirked, a sparkle of mischievous intent entering his face before he released her wrists to ease his body down lower on the bed.
Kagome shivered, feeling his smooth naked skin shifting against hers. When her wrists were free, her hands immediately reached out for him, tracing the handsome lines of his face before wandering down to his lean muscled shoulders. The smirk he smiled down at her made her tremble even as she tried to shoot back an equally cocky look of her own. He snorted at that, huffing a light chuckle before leaning down beside her ear and whispered so that his breath felt hot against her sensitive skin.
"Cheeky wench."
Her hands massaged behind his neck and lower scalp as he worshipped his way down her body. Kagome moaned and squirmed beneath him, throwing her head back as all her senses followed his tongue as it tasted its way to her core. He was hot, he was smooth, and the sweet, sweet tension he aroused in her was absolutely delicious. The friction of his skin against the most sensitive stretches of hers was alternatingly blissful pleasure and aching frustration. He quickly moved out of her grasp and then her hands fisted in the bed sheets as a hot, languid tongue swept lightly over her entrance. And then once again. Her skin felt hot and dry as she quickly descended into herself, only aware of where his touch made contact with her body. For all the spirited mischief she was earlier, Kagome was now completely at Inuyasha's mercy, only capable of arching herself into his warmth and groan when he moved away to tease her, similar to how she'd teased his ears just moments ago. She heard a growl, almost a pur, erupt from between her legs and she peeked down at him through eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed. The shock of his golden eyes sent another shiver rippling through her spine. And then he smirked up at her, a delicious, sinful smirk that rippled through her body, and then she couldn't help but fall back against the mattress as he pressed his mouth against her, his pur like growl echoing into her.
Any hope of composure or self control was lost and she relished her fall into destruction at his hands. Her fingers were desperate as they sought him out while he moved like sentient molten lava that knew her every quivering nerve and laved it lovingly before moving on. Just when she thought she truly couldn't take any more, he slithered up her body so that his urgent, swollen member was pressing at her entrance, teasing in its refusal to bear down on her open and ready body. He breathed against her cheeks, his breath moist and heavy.
"Say my name," he begged, a voice desperate despite that casual controlled foreplay of his lips and hands just moments ago. She hardly paused in her reply.
"Nnnnuyasha!"
It all came crashing down, this delicately poised balance of pleasure that had her teetering on the edge of bliss. With a grunt at her neck, he entered her in a single, confident push and she cried out another mangled version of his name. She needed him, all of him. He was the only one who could make her complete.
Her slender legs wrapped around his, trying desperately to pull him even further into her with each thrust. Meanwhile, his hands slid under her, massaging into her shoulders, raking through her hair. She had the powerful sensation that he needed her as desperately as she needed him and that combined emotional and physical euphoria finally tipped her over the edge with him not far behind, a howl of completion ringing out from his throat, not caring who might be present to hear.
And there they lay, spent and exhausted as the hot, mid morning sun alighted on their slick, trembling skin. Inuyasha rolled to his back, pulling Kagome on top of his chest and he relished the feel of her gasping body pressing down on him. They returned to themselves slowly, grinning wide, toothy grins at each other, wordlessly expressing their mutual enjoyment of the early morning exercise.
It was good that they'd installed extra insulation into the walls of their room, he mused to himself, and warded against curious eyes. Eventually, however, even Kagome's stunted human hearing could no longer deny the sounds of activity and scurrying clawed feet pattering around in other rooms of their little house and she groaned and rolled off her lover.
"Go make sure the dogs and the kids are behaving?" She asked while pulling the covers back over herself in a tight squeeze, "I'll be out in a minute."
Inuyasha snorted, but then the sound of tumbling caught both their attentions and he grumbled as he threw back the covers and eased off the bed. Clothing rustled, the door slammed, and then off in the distance she could vaguely hear his voice berating Souten or Shippou over something they had done, probably both of them at once. Kagome giggled, peeking soft eyes open to gaze at the recently vacated side of the bed. His scent, though faint to her nose, wrapped around her with the covers and she briefly entertained the thought of sinking back into blissful sleep, lured there by the remnants of his presence, freshly imprinted into the mattress. Lazily, she drew out a hand to press against the rumbled sheets, feeling his warmth and her lips curled into a happy, contented smile. Her half closed eyes sparkled as she sighed, still savoring the afterglow of her climax.
Finally, she acknowledged that the responsible thing an adult would do is rise out of bed and tackle the new day, and so she begrudgingly left the tranquility of their bed, pulled on a mismatched set of loungewear, and made her way downstairs to see what the fuss was all about.
Surprisingly, there was silence in the kitchen when she entered. Their wards, both two legged and four legged, were in various stages of completing their breakfasts and Kagome had to admit being impressed by Inuyasha's efficiency, as he turned to her with a steaming mug of coffee in hand.
"Thanks," Kagome said, smiling her gratitude, and then noticed Inuyasha's peculiar expression and turned to glance at whatever it was that held his attention.
After a pause, Kagome decided to ask the teasing question.
"Do you miss being able to lick it?"
Inuyasha sputtered and whirled around to her, his face initially flabbergasted before catching on to her meaning and blushing.
"Keh!" He grumbled as he tried to collect himself, "I never did that !"
The dog they were scrutinizing switched from a grooming lick to a full on chomp and both of them froze, a little too startled to even begin to feel embarrassed.
"Well, I definitely never did THAT !" He stated loudly, precipitating an uncontrollable fit of giggles from the young woman beside him as she imagined his canine form doing exactly that. Meanwhile, Rin, eyes wide and curious, came up to them after obediently placing her empty dishes in the sink.
"Never did what, Uncle Inuyasha?"
…
Chaos was not something he was accustomed to upon returning to his residence. Uncharacteristically small and simple, his house was surrounded by a vast and once perfectly manicured yard, with hedges and trees pruned to the very last detail. But tonight when the returning home owner stepped from the limousine, he stepped into a cacophony of sound. Screaming children chasing barking, yipping mongrels in cross crossing, zig zag lines and suddenly he felt fatigued beyond any exhaustion he'd ever experienced in his millenniums of living.
'Ah, yes,' he remembered, his brother was visiting for dinner tonight. The crazy miko wanted to discuss something.
"Sesshoumaru!" A young voice called out and suddenly he felt slightly less weary. A small figure emerged from the mosaic of tumbling children and scampered towards him. She was smiling brightly, her once scrawny body filling out and healthy muscle laying over her bones. Her color was rosy and her steps were confident. But her eyes maintained the depth that had caught and held his attention right from the first moment.
"Rin," he greeted, holding out a hand which the girl grasped immediately, bobbing up and down with overjoyed excitement. She was quite talkative and growing more so the more time she spent under the young miko's care and while his personal opinion of the incompetent and troublesome young woman may not be high, he had to admit she did have a way with the small and the lost. But it had been a long week at the office and so Sesshoumaru interrupted the chatter, something about her recent report card.
"Where is your caretaker?"
Then he caught scent of the pair just as they emerged from the building and he blinked at the sight, once again taken aback by what he saw. Crass and uncouth his brother may be, but the surprising gentleness in his movements around the human miko suddenly brought back memory. Had not his esteemed father looked at the half breed's mother the same way?
Before he could begin to express his complaints over the annihilation of his yard, Inuyasha stomped forward, his eyebrows stitched furiously together and Sesshoumaru braced himself instinctively, taking a deep breath as he prepared for whatever ire his brother had for him.
"No more space means no more goddamn space," Inuyasha growled, "Why the fuck can't your dumbass staff handle a few brats?!"
"Inuyasha…" Kagome spoke up behind him, reaching out to place a restraining hand on his shoulder, "Language, please."
It was immensely distracting for the powerful demon lord to focus on the pair in front of him while a bubbly, and growing bubblier, girl bobbed up and down beside him, still clutching his hand, and the mongrel on the far side of the yard dumped the contents of his bowels into a planter, and another child stood in his periphery determinately digging into a nostril as though mining for gold. Sesshoumaru blinked when he realized there was a pause in his brother's grumbling and the incompetent miko was staring at him expectantly. Not wishing to betray his inattention, Sesshoumaru blinked again and tried to redirect the young woman's attention.
"Shall we proceed inside," he said, immediately leading the way and ignoring his brother's derisive snort. While his brother scoffed at the work he did, 'lazy ass pansy stuff', and preferred to work with his hands, Sesshoumaru was certain even Inuyasha would concede to exhaustion if the half demon spent just one week in his older brother's shoes. But perhaps that's a discussion for another time.
The adults entered a simply decorated entryway and made their way to the dining room where his serving staff had already set down the first course. Rin was learning quickly and a stunning example of etiquette, sitting quietly and selecting the correct utensils. The miko was passable but his brother was an entirely different beast and Sesshoumaru mentally decided to discard of this evening's tablecloth and linens. With his keen hearing, the he could hear his gardeners attempting to round up the crazed little beasts and he tried not to imagine the disaster zone his property had become. Resisting the urge to heave a sigh, Sesshoumaru finally turned to Kagome.
"What did you wish to discuss with me?"
"We want you to stop saddling us up with your strays!" his brother cut in. The dog eared man thumped the table to emphasize his demand and even more stains appeared on the beautiful ivory colored tablecloth.
"What he means is," Kagome tried to say smoothly, "We want to talk about tackling the problem at its source. Taking in children and strays only treats the symptoms and it'll never end. I also believe you and your task force will be way better at targeting the people causing the problem."
Their conversation lasted hours, enough for his gardeners and other staff to consider dismissal many times in the wake of the young and rambunctious reeking havoc on the property. But the miko was finally using a language that Sesshoumaru, after so many eons studying the human invention of economics, could understand. The equation of supply and demand. His mind began to whir to life, contemplating the many, many moves his pieces could play in the intricate balance and he dismissed his brother and the miko absently, accepting his after dinner snack and crunching through it with gusto.
Outside, with a rather perplexed expression written across her face, Kagome strolled comfortably beside Inuyasha, their gaggle of mutts and children following them to their little cramped hatchback.
"Was… was that a bully stick Sesshoumaru was chewing on after dinner?"
Inuyasha was uncharacteristically silent next to her and she peek at him from the corner of her eye, spotting a suspiciously wide, gleeful, and very evil grin splashed across his face.
"Inuyasha…," She said slowly, the gears in her brain slowly beginning to catch on.
The golden-eyed man blinked, turned to look innocently down at her.
"What?" He asked, pretending to be offended, "Rin wanted to get that prick a present, I took her shopping."
…
Inuyasha's jaws locked together so tightly, he wondered if they would shatter. The giant metal bird they were crammed in lurched jarringly, bouncing up and down as it made contact with the runway. He felt as though an evil, sinister hand were twisting his stomach into knots as his body reacted to the nauseating motion. But at least they were on the ground. Finally.
Kagome beside him glanced over with concern, her thoughts turning now to the long series of lines and searches that they faced as they moved through customs. And like any canine closely tuned in to their pack mates, Kagome's apprehension bled into his psyche and he felt himself grow agitated as the crush of humans before and around them began to press and shove into the aisle. Bags overhead were reclaimed and Inuyasha struggled to suppress his innate urge to defend Kagome's head from the sudden downpour of haphazardly supported suitcases as they were heaved out of the overhead bins. He mentally reminded himself to demand a private jet from his brother the next time they decided on air travel, of any length but particularly any journey that would take them over an ocean.
It seemed to be ages before the densely packed humans in front of them began to move. He was at his wits end, the stench of fermenting bodily odor and musty cushions suffocating him. At some point, Kagome began rubbing circles firmly against his back in an attempt to calm him but his agitation could not be soothed.
It was not really the physical discomfort of being stuffed into a giant metal beast and flown thirteen hours through turbulent weather that had him so on edge. It wasn't the screaming infant three rows in front of him, or the strange concave form of the seat he'd been planted in for so long, his own flesh had moulded to the flat, deflated cushions. It wasn't the annoying and brain numbingly insistent hum of the giant plane's engine. All this was secondary to the bizarre sensation of homecoming. He was returning to his place of origin. And it made him both heady with excitement, and nauseous with anxiety.
It also just couldn't happen fast enough!
Stepping off the plane was mental relief. But then the young, Asian man stopped short, glancing himself around in confusion. Behind him, Kagome apologized in clumsy Japanese to a man grumbling over the road block they made and tried to give her travel companion a gentle shove to encourage him onward. It was hard to budge the concealed half demon.
"Where are we, Kagome?"
The question was half mumbled, clearly his own thought train that managed to go rogue and slip from his lips without his realizing it. Kagome struggled with her answer.
"It's… probably really different from how you remember it," she said, "But we're in Japan."
'This is not Japan,' was the only thought his brain could process, 'this is not home.'
Bewildered and astonished, he allowed the slight young woman to pull him through the terminal, blindly following along as he was ushered through zigzagging lines until he found himself facing a young man in uniform.
"What is the purpose of your visit?"
"Huh?"
Inuyasha blinked, his mind still catching up with what was happening around him. Even the man, no, really a boy, in front of him seemed foreign to his eyes. The sounds he produced somehow not quite right when he repeated his inquiry, this time in Inuyasha's native tongue.
"Hōmon no mokuteki wa nandesuka?"
"Eh…" What had Kagome told him to say?
"Eh… visiting," he managed, "visiting friends."
The officer gave him a critical stare, clearly debating whether he wanted to go through the trouble of questioning this clueless idiot further. Apparently deciding it wasn't worth the effort, he pounded his stamp onto Inuyasha's papers and handed them back.
The look of relief on Kagome's face was blatant and somehow brought back a little of his usual cocky demeanor.
"Keh," he said to her when they were reunited, "No big deal."
She'd laughed at him, her giggles recentering him and bringing him back to the present. There was more waiting in store for the impatient hanyou: waiting for their luggage, waiting for the declaration line, waiting for the final officer to glance disinterestedly at their papers before waving them off. The only curious and vaguely interesting thing that happened before they were free was a large, mottled, brown and black creature that busily nosed its way down the line toward them. Inuyasha felt his hackles rise upon seeing the canine boldly walk up to Kagome, shoving its nose against her suitcase and taking a long deep whiff. The girl giggled, clearly admiring the sleek, focused canine and he was surprised that she did not immediately bend down to greet the dog. She winked at him, sensing his perplexion, and after the dog continued on to pay equal attention to his own bags before moving to the next person, she moved closer to explain.
"He's a working dog," she said, "He's looking for anything that the government doesn't want entering the country. Isn't he amazing?"
His immediate reaction was to fluff up.
"Ain't that amazing," he grumbled.
Kagome laughed, bringing a hand up to massage the knotty back of his neck.
"Yeah," she agreed with a teasing, playful jibe, "You're so much more amazing."
He snorted in response, only to result in more giggles and eventually they made it out of the airport and into the daylight.
This. Is. Not. Japan.
At least not the Japan he had left so, so many years ago. Traffic noises crowded his ears. Tall steel and glass buildings clamored toward the sky. People hustled and bustled around him and nothing his nose could scent was familiar to him. They had landed in an alien world.
A slender hand grasped hold of his and all but dragged him to one of the waiting taxis. She managed with her halting, half Japanese, half hand signaling, to indicate their destination and then they were off.
Scenery breezed by as they drove. The city gradually turned to suburb and suburbs turned to farms. Gradually, Japan materialized before his eyes. Lush, green, mountainous landscapes cradled small grey-roofed houses and as they drew closer, he saw swaths and swaths of paddies and fields nestled into every flat piece of earth. And he was suddenly transported in time. A time when he'd thought to trust mankind. A time when he'd surrendered his body to the hard hand and the tight collar. And a time long before then, when a slender, solemn figure had once asked for his humanity then cursed him in return.
He was startled from his musings when her hand clasped his. Now, as she always was, Kagome was frighteningly sensitive to any agitation in his youki and somehow always knew how to respond. Her hand was small and soft, but her fingers easily slid inside his tense, tight fist and opened it up. She eased the indents his nails had started in his palm and massaged the muscles that had been so rigidly contracted. Without a word, she brought his mind back to her and his heart followed. That place from his past was not his home. That place was a temporary habitat, a stepping stone on his journey to her. He would always be home so long as he held that knowledge close to his heart.
The cab slowed to a halt before a tall red gate. It was a structure he was familiar with and the accompanying tendril of dread that coiled in his gut. It was a holy place. It was a place that did not welcome him.
And it was not a face they'd been expecting upon their arrival. Kagome stepped forward immediately, questions written onto her face.
"Miroku!" She said, "Where's Sango?"
It was their first time seeing the young man in his traditional purple robes, and Inuyasha gave a half hearted snort as he looked the young monk up and down. Miroku chuckled, mirth sparkling in those mischievous purple eyes.
"Sango's not allowed to leave until she's finished repairing the Hiraikotsu. You should have seen their practice today! Oh! And Kirara finally managed to transform on her own!"
As chatty as ever, Miroku grabbed Kagome's larger suitcase and began the long and sweaty trek up the shrine steps. The establishment, surprisingly, was demon owned, and the charms recognized him as their master's brother, allowing him easy entry. Sesshoumaru's task force was a growing entity, particularly now that the demon lord had found a cause worthy of tackling with all his feudal blood lust. Inuyasha sniffed, shaking his head as he labored his way up the stairs. Those human trafficking syndicates won't know what hit them.
Underneath the dappled shadows of the lush, swaying trees, and lumbering up the mottled grey steps, Inuyasha absently reached for Kagome, finding her hand and feeling relief when she gripped it tight. She knew this homecoming was a bittersweet thing for him and rubbed her thumb over his knuckles as she silently conveyed her support through their touch. The golden eyes softened, his face relaxing as he breathed a long, deep sigh. She was his home, he reminded himself. He would always belong wherever she was.
And then, he continued to watch her back as she moved in front of him. An easy movement, smooth and relaxed, despite having just flown over an entire ocean. A soft realization tickled the edges of his consciousness and tried modestly to materialize. When he tried to grasp for it, the epiphany tittered away coyly like leaf fluttering away in the breeze. He huffed a sigh, putting the thought out of his mind and joined Kagome in her reunion with her best friend. Reuniting with friendly, familiar faces was homecoming enough, and Inuyasha was surprised by the warmth of his joy upon greeting Sango and Miroku. Kirara gladly hopped onto his shoulder and he was even glad to see Hiraikotsu again, for all its grumbling over Sango's lack of care while handling it. It was the first time any inkling trickled through his mind that his home just might extend further than Kagome.
…
Kagome stepped out of the sedan, her boots crunching against the gravel road. The mountains in the distance never change and stood sentinel over the valley below, filling her with a sensation of peace and safety. Life had returned to the valley, birds tittering in the surrounding forest, mice and rabbits foraging in the tall grasses, and out further, the slow beating life that radiated off the hills and rocks. The air was crisp and bright, somehow snappy as she inhaled. And aromatic.
"What's that smell?" Inuyasha beside her asked, his nose twitching. Kagome giggled behind her hand, enjoying the picture he made, eyes closed, nose up, leaning forward until he nearly toppled. In her mind's eye, she saw Inuyasha as a regal white dog, posing exactly the same way and she marveled over how some of his canine traits carried over to his two legged form.
Suddenly she noticed another presence, timid and skittish, and instantly her instincts kicked into high gear. Inuyasha sensed the unfamiliar presence as well and it illicited a reaction entirely opposite from hers.
"Get back!" He said, an arm reaching out to pull the slender figure behind him. His hand found nothing but air as Kagome was already stepping forward toward the spirit that she sensed needed her gentle touch.
Ignoring his annoyed calls, the young woman pressed forward, her senses locating the shy spirit peeking out from behind a nearby wooden shed. The few years since Goshinki's decimation of the valley had imparted a significant change. Sesshoumaru had taken possession of the lands and built up a modest hamlet, with one large living cabin surrounded by several storehouses and sheds. Kagome paused before the nearest of these structures, rather struck by the air of sweetness that seemed to float around the unassuming structure. There was something more, she felt, a tickle in her inner senses. The creature peering out at her was one she'd encountered before.
"Hey there," she said, her voice breaking the silence, "Whatcha doin' back there?"
It was a voice he'd heard many times before and instantly triggered a Pavlovian response within him. Inuyasha's breathing immediately deepened and his nerves calmed. Whatever spell she cast when she pulled out that particular soothing tone was inescapable and even though he wasn't the target of her attentions this time, he felt the affects of her intent just the same. It's what kept him from lunging when the great shape behind the shed shifted and a long, narrow face peeked out.
Kagome had to blink away a surge of familiarity when she saw that long, bald face. The creature was nearly the size of the shed he hid behind and peaking out from short, tattered sleeves, the evidence of abuse in deep, long scars cross crossed along his arms. The round, blue eyes stared balefully at her, the rest of him crouching to make himself as small as possible.
She took a calm, slow step forward, her arms raised in a beckoning gesture. The words she spoke rang bells of memory in Inuyasha's mind as he watched the interaction. An epiphany was tiptoeing toward the forefront of his mind and Kagome's actions had his complete attention as she stepped toward the demon behind the shed.
"Hey there, big guy," she said, "Been through some rough times, huh?"
Another slow, confident step. The demon seemed frozen stiff, too petrified to move away or even flinch. She stood there for a good long time, waiting for the large, timid body to come toward her of its own volition.
"It's ok," she said, "You're ok. You're safe now. You're home."
Inuyasha blinked, watching the words send a trembling shiver through the great shape. The demon, no, hanyou, groaned as the tension began to release from his body and slowly, he unfurled his arms to creep towards the patiently waiting figure. Like an old dog wearily placing its trust in man for the first time, the giant came forward, placing his large, narrow head into Kagome waiting palms and heaved a great shaky sigh.
"I remember you," Kagome said softly, "We met in that fighting pit. It's so good to see you again."
Memory clicked for Inuyasha and the creature seemed to break down into sobs, prostrating himself before Kagome the same way he'd crumpled to her feet all those years ago, arms and head resting heavily against the earth. Kneeling down, Kagome gently caressed the balding head, tenderly stroking the tiny ponytail at the back of his head.
It took many minutes for the Jinenji to calm, bashfully wiping his nose and inviting the pair inside. The large cabin had been designed especially for his size, making both Kagome and Inuyasha feel like hobbits inside a giant's house. As it turned out, the demon gardener had a talent for healing herbs with almost miraculous potency, leading to Sesshoumaru's desire to scale up the small gardening operation. Painfully shy and unsure, the narrow faced hanyou had balked at the thought of leading the project and so Kagome was sent to encourage gentle giant.
They'd bedded down comfortably in a guest wing after the long discussion. There was much to do and Kagome had many plans to survey the lands and rediscover favorite haunts in the surrounding mountains. Inuyasha lay awake for some time, listening to the chirping crickets and the near silent wing beats of nocturnal aerial hunters. It was peaceful inside the cabin, and Kagome's breathing was deep and even beside him. But there was an energetic whirlwind inside his mind that prevented him from sleep that night. He felt restless, frantic almost, balancing on the cusp of a realization that could alter his entire perspective on life. And the elusiveness of this epiphany kept him awake.
It wasn't an uncomfortable sort of agitation, he wasn't frustrated or enraged by it. But he sensed somehow that cresting this tickling wave of understanding could bring him an utmost and absolute joy that he found himself grasping for it whatever the mental drain. He was on the verge of self-actualization and every fiber in his being strained toward it.
Beside him, Kagome turned and her breathing changed, coming to a bleary wakefulness as her eyes hazily blinked open to gaze at him.
"Hmm," she said, reaching a gentle arm around him and pulling herself closer.
He wrapped his arms around her, feeling the strange, zealous singing inside his veins as though they were somehow bursting. Kagome came even further awake, her eyes clearing as she looked up at his glowing golden eyes.
A thousand and one memories raced through his mind in the briefest flash of a moment. How he'd came to be here, from the broken, mangy creature he'd been when she'd discovered him. Further still, how he'd fought for his existence every step of the way on his journey to the present. He suddenly came to the realization that he was proud. Not in an arrogant, superior sort of way, but still exceedingly proud of this meandering path that brought him to today.
"Inuyasha?" Her voice drew him out of his thoughts and he focused on her with almost wild eyes. Her breath caught as she met his gaze.
"Come on!" He said, his voice a low and urgent whisper. There was a spark in his eyes, a contagious excitement that pulled up her and out of bed. The night was cool and crisp and humming with its nocturnal critters. The dew sprinkled grasses tickled her bare feet as she stepped out behind Inuyasha. There was a buzzing in his energies, electric and bright, and she felt it inviting her to join in on his strange, spontaneous joy. Deciding to leave her questions for later, Kagome wrapped her arms around his shoulders without hesitation when he urged her to climb up on his back. His body was warm, and firm, and she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, savoring the feel of his strength supporting her. Then all his muscles tensed, crouching down before launching into the dark, starry sky.
He felt her arms tighten around his shoulders as she gasped, then a chorus of bubbling laughter as she pulled herself higher on his back. The air streamed past their ears as he raced toward the forest, alternatively rushing through the foliage then leaping into the trees. There was an intoxicating mixture of peace and exhilaration racing through his blood and he let out a howl to join the orchestra of chirping crickets and hooting owls. Her breath on his neck warmed him straight to his core and another howl erupted from his chest. Kagome seemed to catch his feverish excitement and let out a modest whoop of her own. The realization tickling the edges of his consciousness finally made itself known and it created such a swell of emotion inside him that he had to howl again.
Home isn't a place. Not a physical one anyway. It isn't made of wood or brick. It's not warmed by fire, or filled with people. Home is a state of mind. It is a confidence, a deep seated faith. It's the iron will that bore him through his cycles of abandonment and captivity. It's the prideful spirit that had been so sure of his place in the world despite never being accepted. It's a conviction, a belief, that he deserved, belonged, and mattered. The entire planet was his home and he laid claim to it. No matter where he roamed on its surface. He could take up residence anywhere and he would be home. The memories of his past, the potential in his future. The strength of his relationships and the beautiful woman who'd helped him discover these riches. All of this combined, that was home.
A/N: Epilogue checklist: souten (check), sesshoumaru (check), sango/miroku (check), jinenji (check), and one last attempt at writing a lemon (ehhhhh sorta check…)
Super, super sorry for taking so long with this epilogue! I think my brain decided that this story was done as of the last chapter, because it totally went on strike for the past few weeks….
Sigh…lemon scenes may just not be for me… that lemony section was by far the longest/hardest to write… and super awkward for me :P
Yeah, so i played it a bit fast and loose with this epilogue. I think this fic has sort of drained me (creatively, emotionally, etc). Hope it's acceptable to close out the story! Definitely going on a hiatus to recollect myself (and catch up with work… yeah, that thing that pays my bills…). You're welcome to imagine whatever resolutions you want for the characters, but I'd always envisioned an ending with Kagome eventually working for Sesshoumaru as almost an advisor, with kids, strays, etc, eventually getting him to use his influence to actually make a different out there whereas before, she could only help one stray at a time. I had an anonymous reviewer once ask if Miroku was some sort of private detective or something working for Sesshoumaru, which i had to laugh out loud over because that is exactly the ending I had envisioned for Sango and Miroku, they would both work for Sesshoumaru, fighting rogue demons and bad guys on sesshy's paycheck.
Anyways, I'm completely exhausted and definitely need to close the covers to this fic. Please let me know what you think and any critiques are very welcome. This is by far the most effort I've ever put into a fic and I'm so happy with the results! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. It really means a lot and I'm super thankful for all the feedback and suggestions!
Till next time!