Sorry, no lemon, I'm not ready for it yet, maybe next time I promise – the whole chapter didn't turn out how I wanted it to. But the story is almost over now.

Chapter 38 – Youkai & human custom

"KAGOME!" The teen was almost tackled to the floor as her younger brother Souta ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Where have you been sis, it's been almost 6months since I last saw you, I usually only have to go two or three days. We've all been worried sick, checking the well every hour to see if we can get through of if you are down there. 6 months we hear nothing from you and then suddenly you reappear.

Ever since you fell down that well almost two years ago you ALWAYS came back after a day or so. What happened to keep you from us for so long? We thought something terrible had happened to you – 6 months Kagome, and Buyo, ever since he feel down with you two year ago he never came back again. What happened Kagome? WHAT HAPPENED? You promised not to leave me, and what about mom, she hasn't been able to sleep well, gramps stopped eating right and then you suddenly appear out of nowhere. And that's not all; we've been having dreams, dreams and nightmares that don't make sense – tell me what's been going on Kagome, please!"

The younger boy broke down into bouts of tears as he clung onto his sister's top as she held him. "It's been so long and I've missed you so much." After a little while her mother appeared in the garden and both women's eyes widened at the sight. Her mother, usually so cheerful and happy and healthy was pale, there were shadows under her tired eyes and she moved slowly, mechanically, not aware of the world around her. Kagome had changed too, older, wiser, more muscled than she was before, but she was still Kagome and that tired old woman was her mother.

Her grandpa was a lot different too, thinner than what was healthy to be. His hair was limp when it usually always stood on end as if he'd been electrocuted. He was like the old man he was, he was not usually acting like his age. Yet upon seeing the child of his child his dull eyes brightened into what they once were and his limbs sprung to life like they used to be. He ran forward with his daughter and they enveloped her in a group hug much like the one she had shared with her feudal pack not a week ago.

"Guys," she wheezed when she was allowed to breathe again, "perhaps you should sit down; I have a lot to tell you guys."

Inutaisho felt the pulse of magic from the well and jumped down to meet the girl he loved at the bottom. He wrapped an arm around her waist and jumped so they both landed on the ground next to the old well. She leant into him as they started to walk back to the village they all knew as home despite the castle in the West. "So did you tell them everything, how did they take it?"He asked her quietly as they went.

"It went well I guess. They know that I'll still continue to visit them as often as I can, or as often as I let them, but my mother has one condition – if it is possible for you to go down the well then you must meet my family first, and we have to get married in the human way too, in my time so that my mother can come to the wedding and be the one to give me away. Though if she can't see you she is O.K. with it as long as I'm happy, though she will want to meet her grandkids of course, she is just like any mother, Touga."

"That can be arranged, though we shall have to be joined in youkai way too of course, we shall respect each other's customs."

After two days the new feudal Japan Kagome decided it was time to go home and pay her family another visit, Touga in tow this time. "I suppose the easiest way is for you to hold me and then jump so we go down the well together, it will probably let us both through that way," Kagome suggested, not even hesitating to put an arm around his neck. "I'll warn you now that the smells will probably be overwhelming, in a bad way. My brother will not leave you alone, my mother will want to touch your mokomoko and then go into the 'big bad talk', oh and my grandpa will throw countless useless sutras at you because you're a demon. O.K, let's go."

She said it all quickly so he had no time to bow out. After a quick reassurance that everything was going to be fine, he jumped over the lip of the well and plummeted down to the bottom. Really, all he expected to happen was to hit the bottom of the well, but that was not to happen. Instead both he and his intended were engulfed in a rather soft blue light and after a blinding flash they were both set down gently on the bottom. It seemed as though all this was common for Kagome, she had done this countless times in the past, but it was all new for him, as was this new future world he was to be subjected to.

She was right of course; all the new smells hit him harder than all the sights and sounds. This world of hers was so loud, and it smelled rather putrid too, like smoke and poison. He reckoned he would get used to it given a little time; he could do that for his mate with no trouble. He preferred his world though, 500 years in the past. If he was going to live to this era though, as he had every intention of doing, then it was an upside he got to see what mankind developed to become, and what place demons had in her world.

With one jump they were out of the well and striding towards her family's door. Inutaisho she could tell was fascinated by all he saw and smelt and Kagome ended up dragging him to the door. "Mama, Souta, Gramps, I'm home!" She called out to her family, who came running right away. As expected, Souta took one look at Inutaisho and grinned broadly and launched into a big explanation about just how cool he looked.

Her grandpa's reaction was as expected too and Inutaisho just stood there and let the old man throw useless pieces of paper at him. It was her mama's reaction that was unexpected and as she came into the living room where they were presently she said, "he is a little old for you, don't you think?" Typical mama really. She had no idea just how too old he was, though he only looked to be about 27-8. He only looked to be about 6 years older than his eldest son, but once a demon reach maturity, his aging slows down, so it was natural. He was a few centuries older than she'd like, but love is not as picky as the characters who feel it.

"Kagome told me you were already mated, all it took was a bit on the shoulder, and you have come to get married, right?"

"We shall not be mated, Higurashi san until we have actually mated. My intended here bears my claim mark though saying she is indeed to be mine, and I have been informed we are to conform to your human mating rituals too."

"Get married," Kagome reiterated.

Kagome's mother thought for a moment before grabbing one of Inutaisho's massive hands and dragging him away for 'the talk'.

"They're probably going to be a while," Kagome thought aloud, watching her mate-to-be Touga's receding back. "Come on Souta, let's go shopping."

"Are you sure you do not want to see the modern world?" Kagome asked as she and Touga walked back towards the well, she was certain he would have been dying to see what humans had made of Japan in the last few centuries.

"I do, but another time, your mother exhausted me."

"You haven't endured anything, when we next return she's going to take me shopping for a wedding dress, that is plain torture with a mother for me."

"Why don't you tell her you do not want a fancy wedding?"

"There are specific points in a mother's life, birth, death, when you lost your virginity, marriage, first child, and marriage of the first child, and then first grandchild, I love my mama with all my heart, and I am not one to disappoint."

"Being the demon I am, Kagome, I want us to get mated in demon way first. I love you though, and I only want to do it when you're ready."

She smiled; she had loved him for some time now. She loved almost everything about him, and it was time she told him that. "I've loved you for ages, because every day you show me another side of you, and although you can be possessive, you are also kind and caring, and to tell you the truth, I've been ready for some time now."

She had not finished before Touga pulled her into his arms as they appeared in the feudal era. "How long have you wanted me?"

"Maybe two weeks."

He chuckled, "not as long as me then, I've been wanting this for two centuries." He crashed his lips to hers in a kiss that bordered on the line of vicious. "I want you, but let us wait until our wedding night," he changed his mind.