Chapter 22: Awkward Conversations

"Kagome!"

Shippō was the first to notice when Inuyasha and Kagome entered Kaede's hut, promptly jumping up and launching himself at his adoptive mother.

Kagome, for her part, did her best to shove the stress of her walk through the village to the back of her mind. She didn't want to worry Kaede, Shippō, or even Rin about it… not when she was already working on a plan.

Instead, Kagome put on her brightest smile for the fox kit and replied in as chipper a voice as she could muster, "Hello, Shippō-kun. Did you miss me?"

"Of course!" Shippō replied, slightly indignant that she would even ask that. "But stupid Miroku wouldn't let me come visit you! He said that you were very busy, but he wouldn't tell me with what! What were you doing, Kagome?"

Kagome's face flamed and she heard Inuyasha make a strangled coughing sound behind her. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried unsuccessfully to think of what to say to the 8-year-old in her arms.

When nothing came, Kagome looked from Shippō to the others sitting by the fire. Rin had ducked her head and was focused with all her might on the task of washing rice, cheeks pink with a slight blush. Beside her, Kaede chuckled quietly, shaking her head as she watched the scene unfold. Kagome's pleading eyes locked with those of the elder priestess, spurring Kaede to speak and rescue the young couple from their embarrassment.

"Shippō," Kaede called. "Ye should not call Miroku stupid, nor should ye be pestering Kagome so early in the morning. I am sure neither she nor Inuyasha has eaten yet. Is that correct, child? Have ye come to break your fast with us?"

Kagome exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Ha- Hai, Kaede-obaasama. Arigato."

She set Shippō down on the floor as she bowed to the elder priestess before continuing, "If it's not too much trouble, Inuyasha and I were hoping we could eat here with you. We plan to go to the market village tomorrow, but I'm afraid we've used up what little we had in our hut."

"Of course, child, of course. Come, sit by me. Ye can help slice the pickles. Inuyasha, the water barrel behind ye is getting rather low, would ye aid an old woman and take it to the river to be filled?"

"Yeah, yeah, baba." Inuyasha's face seemed to be returning to a normal colour, and his eyes softened as he looked towards his mate. "Kagome, I'll be right back."

Kagome gave him a smile and a nod as he picked the barrel up, hefting it onto his shoulder before stepping back out into the street.

Rin too seemed to have recovered from the awkward moment. She smiled at Kagome as the older girl sat down. "That's a pretty colour on you Kagome-chan, though it's strange to see you not in your odd future clothing!"

"Thank you, Rin-chan. Inuyasha borrowed it from Sango for me. I didn't bring anything with me when I returned, so it looks like I'll be wearing more traditional clothes from now on. Speaking of, that's another thing we'll need to pick up tomorrow, a few pre-sewn kimono, yukata and kosodes that I can wear until I learn enough about sewing to make my own."

Sufficiently chastised by Kaede, Shippō had been sitting in the corner sulkily spinning one of his tops against the wooden floor. He perked up, though, at this second mention of the market. "Can I come with you guys, Kagome? Please! You've been back almost a week and I've barely spent any time with you at all!"

Shippō's large green eyes were pleading and Kagome felt a stab of guilt. Youkai or not, she'd left the poor boy alone for three long years. He'd still been so small when she'd been forced back through the well. And now…

He was right, of course. She and Inuyasha had been so wrapped up in each other that she'd all but ignored her poor kit since returning. But she also remembered the conversation she'd had with him in front of Kaede's home the day she and Inuyasha had announced their intention to marry…

Now was the time to prove the truth of her words. She smiled kindly at the boy. "Of course, Shippō! I'd love it if you came with us. And you too, Rin, if you'd like."

Both children squealed with delight at the invitation, but Kaede's voice immediately cut through the exuberance. "If ye are to go to the market, Rin-chan, ye will stay close to Kagome and InuYasha, yes? Ye must not wander off."

Rin sighed and stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "Hai, Kaede-obaasama, this Rin knows."

Kagome caught the tone of frustration in the younger girl's voice and filed it away to ask about later before Rin's attention once again returned to her.

"Really though, Kagome-chan, this Rin is so excited! She hardly ever gets to leave the village anymore and never to go to the market because Sesshomaru-sama always brings this Rin whatever she needs."

Rin's words reminded Kagome of something. "Speaking of Sesshomaru, Rin. Inuyasha mentioned that he scented him the other day. Was he here?"

"Hai! This Rin called for her Lord and he came."

Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion. "Called for him?"

"Hai…" Rin quickly looked back into the pot of rice she was stirring and Kagome could tell there was more to the story than what Rin was willing to say, but she wasn't going to push the girl to explain exactly how she'd been able to call for the daiyoukai. Instead, she asked the question that she most wanted to know the answer to.

"And did you have a chance to ask him about the wedding?"

Rin's eyes popped back up to Kagome's and the younger girl was immediately bursting with excitement again as she replied. "Oh, hai! And you will never believe it, Kagome-chan, but this Rin's Lord said YES! He will attend the wedding! Isn't that wonderful?" The 11-year-old girl squealed that last word with all the exuberance of her age, and Kagome couldn't help but grin.

"Yes, that's definitely good news! I'm glad that he is willing to come."

Shippō, ready to get back to the much more important topic at hand, walked over and plopped himself down in Kagome's lap, demanding her attention. "Do you think they'll have any sweets at the market?"

Kagome laughed at the hopeful tone of his voice. "Oh, I'm sure they'll have something good to eat, and if you're a very good kitsune I might just convince Inuyasha to buy you a treat. BUT only if you promise not to practice any of your tricks on anyone during our trip. For once I'd like to travel without getting into trouble!"

Kaede laughed softly at Kagome's words. "It did seem as though wherever ye went trouble always follow ye, didn't it, child?"

Kagome returned the laugh, "I'm not sure if it followed me or the vial of jewel shards I carried around my neck. Either way, I'm looking forward to a nice peaceful adventure this time."

"Keh, ain't nobody getting anywhere near my mate, that's for damned sure."

Inuyasha's perturbed voice from the doorway drew everyone's attention as he slowly lowered the full water barrel back into place, careful not to spill any of its contents.

Shippō sent an annoyed glare at the hanyou, fully of the opinion that Inuyasha had been hogging all of Kagome's time, which Shippō didn't like one bit. "She's not your mate yet, Inuyasha! The wedding's not for another…"

Shippō's voice trailed off as Inuyasha's youki reflexively spiked in response to Shippō's denial of his rights to his mate, causing an answering pulse to flit lightly across the edges of Kagome's aura.

Kaede froze in the middle of dishing the breakfast into bowls, eyes snapping towards Kagome when she felt the youki pulse across the young Miko's aura.

Kagome shifted under her mentor's sudden, penetrating look. She had felt… something… tug at her just then when Shippō spoke. Almost like a yearning in her heart pulling her toward Inuyasha…

"Oh. Nevermind." Shippō mumbled sullenly, eyes downcast.

Kagome looked from the boy to the older woman, and then to Inuyasha where she was caught off-guard by the blazing fire of possessiveness she saw in his eyes. Until her eyes widened as it dawned on her what that feeling a moment before must have meant.

Rin watched the entire scene play out in total confusion. "What?" She finally asked.

Shippō grumbled a glum response. "She's his mate already."

Those words seemed to unfreeze the three adults in the room. Kaede again began ladling soup into bowls and Inuyasha moved from where he was still standing beside the water barrel to join Kagome sitting on the floor.

Kagome floundered for words in the uncomfortable silence. "Oh, well, uh, yes… But we're still having the wedding as well. We, uh… We…"

She trailed off. What was she supposed to say? Kaede wasn't a fool. She obviously knew what she and Inuyasha had been doing alone for the past two days.

So then why the look?

Inuyasha's words seemed to mirror Kagome's thoughts and she felt him stiffen as he all but sneered out, "Keh. Don't look so surprised, baba."

Kaede sighed, regretting now that she'd allowed her astonishment to get the better of her. "I meant no disrespect, Inuyasha, and I apologize. Ye are correct. It should not have surprised me so. Ye respect the honour of your mate by binding her to ye in the youkai way… Though I confess I did not anticipate it as something the two of ye would do."

Kaede bowed her head slightly in apology, "Forgive an old woman. I congratulate ye both."

Kagome wondered if she might be missing something, but her need to smooth things over won out. "Thank you, Kaede-obaasama. Truly, Inuyasha and I are very happy." She smiled reassuringly at the old woman, holding out her hands in a silent offer to help hand out the breakfast bowls of rice, soup and pickles.

The hut fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence then as everyone ate, and in the quiet Kagome's thoughts returned to her and Inuyasha's less-than-pleasant walk through the village that morning. She hadn't intended to speak, but before she could think better of it Kagome felt the words tumbling from her lips.

"Kaede, does this–? I mean, would you still want…? I know some of the villagers are concerned about my… purity. Does my mating with Inuyasha concern you as well?"

Kagome cringed, ducking her head, afraid to see what might be lurking in Kaede's eyes, and Kaede felt a stab of guilt, that the girl would even feel the need to ask such a thing. She spoke with a voice softened by understanding.

"Child…"

That single word urged Kagome to look up at her surrogate grandmother again.

"I was merely surprised that the two of ye – being human and hanyou – would partake of such an ancient daiyoukai ritual…" She signed before continuing. "Though the more I think on it, the more I realize my own error. Hanyou or not, Inuyasha is his father's son, and ye his chosen mate. Give no more heed to this old woman's momentary foolishness."

Kaede levelled her one good eye at the young woman and could see the hesitancy that still lingered on Kagome's face. It urged her to continue. "And before ye ask, yes, my offer to train ye as a full Miko still stands."

Kagome searched Kaede's face and found only gentle acceptance and affection there. Slumping slightly in relief, she put down her breakfast, scooted closer to the older woman, and threw her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Kaede-obaasama," she whispered.

It was not in Kaede's nature to be overly emotional, yet she allowed herself this moment of indulgence, returning Kagome's embrace and resting her cheek against the young woman's hair.

After three years Kaede had almost forgotten how freely this strange girl from the future gave her forgiveness and open-hearted affection. Kagome was the one who had burst into their lives and captured their hearts. She who had brought them all together, thrusting Kaede into the role of matriarch to this unlikely family.

So when Kagome finally pulled back from their embrace and gave her mentor a watery smile it reminded Kaede once again of the gift she had been given. And after decades resigned to the lonely life of a shrine maiden, it was one that Kaede would never take lightly.

"Can I take this to mean that ye wish to accept my offer then, Kagome-chan?"

"Yes!" Kagome chirped happily. "Though I don't think I'll be ready to begin until after the wedding, once I've settled in a bit more… If that's alright with you, Kaede-sama?"

Kaede nodded. "Of course, child, of course. Take whatever time ye need. It will give me the chance to procure some more Miko robes for ye to wear during your training and duties."

Kagome smiled and nodded at that, happy that Kaede accepted and truly supported them. Still, she felt the weight of the situation. "I appreciate your kindness, Kaede-sama. I just hope that the villagers will accept me as readily as you have."

Kagome's words earned an angry "Keh" from Inuyasha who had been watching the overemotional women with a look of disdain on his face, despite the fact that his throat had tightened more than he was willing to admit.

He crossed his arms over his chest, plunging both of his fists deep into the opposite sleeves. It caused Kaede to look from Kagome to Inuyasha, understanding dawning on her features. "I take it your journey here this morning held some… unpleasantness?"

"Baba, has anyone ever told you that you've got a real knack for understatement?" Inuyasha glowered at the old woman but Kaede just sighed.

"Inuyasha, we all knew that this might happen, especially after Kagome's confrontation with Rikichi-san earlier in the week." She paused to put the kettle on for tea before continuing. "It is true that once Rikichi-san confirmed that the intended welcome home celebration was instead meant to be a wedding feast that tensions in the village unfortunately rose."

Inuyasha's expression became even darker. He snarled, "You mean that once the narrow-minded fools in this village heard that their precious Shikon Miko was going to marry a dirty hanyou their holier-than-thou gossip lit the village up like a fucking bonfire."

Rin and Shippō winced at Inuyasha's vicious words. They'd been keeping quiet, trying to stay out of the adults' conversation as they ate their meal, but Inuyasha's vitriol was too much for even them to ignore.

Kagome stared at Inuyasha in openmouthed shock for a moment before her jaw snapped shut with an audible click and her eyes flashed in fury. "Inuyasha! If I ever hear you say the words "dirty" and "hanyou" in the same sentence again I'm going to S-I-T you so hard you'll be scrubbing mud from Brazil out of your robes. Then you'll really be dirty."

Inuyasha gulped at the indignant retribution that shone from his mate's eyes. In that moment he was sure that wherever this Brazil place was, it was somewhere that he never wanted to visit.

Instead of backing down, however, he rose his chin a little further into the air. "Wench, you can't deny the bullshit they put you through just to walk from our hut to Kaede's."

"Us, Inuyasha. They put us through."

Inuyasha scoffed at that. "I could give less than half a rat's ass about the opinions of humans who don't like me, but I'm not about to let anyone disrespect. my. mate."

There was a hard bite to Inuyasha's last words, one that spoke of pain and suffering and a fate far, far worse than death… And Kaede knew – especially after the sanctification of the mating bond – it was a promise that Inuyasha would never hesitate to keep if ever he felt that Kagome was threatened.

She cleared her throat, hoping to draw the attention of the young couple who had seemingly fallen into some kind of glaring match. "Inuyasha, Kagome, please. Enough of this."

Kagome blinked a few times and sighed. She looked to the older woman and then back to Inuyasha, before closing the distance between her and her love to lay her palm on his cheek and press her forehead to his.

"I'm sorry, koi. I know you only wish to protect me, but I think that maybe you were right, what you said outside before we came in. This is what I want and whether they accept me – accept us – or not is beside the point. I'm not training as a Miko for them. I'm doing it for me. Besides…" She paused for a moment to pull back and look around the room. "I think I've got a plan that just might sway even the – What did you call them? Narrow-minded fools? – into seeing just how completely wrong they are."

Inuyasha didn't like the sound of that. "Wench…"

There was a warning in Inuyasha's tone, but Kagome ignored it. "Oh, relax, Inuyasha! It's nothing to worry your pretty little head over."

Inuyasha could only sit there sputtering in indignation at being called pretty while Shippō guffawed loudly and Rin and Kaede tried their best to hide their laughter behind their cups of tea.

Kagome allowed herself a momentary smirk but regaining her composure enough to caution Shippō. "I'd stop laughing if I were you. Remember, if you want any sweets at the market tomorrow it's Inuyasha's good side you're going to have to be on, not mine."

"What?! You invited the runt to come too?!"

"Of course! And Rin. I thought it would be fun!" Kagome smiled at her hanyou, completely ignoring the look of shocked indignation that overtook his face."

"Do I look like a fucking babysitter to you?"

Thoroughly insulted, Rin spoke up then. "Inuyasha-oniisama! This Rin does not need babysitting."

"Yeah, and neither do I! I go all by myself to the Kitsune Inn all the time. I can handle a measly human market." Shippō sneered at Inuyasha in a surprisingly good imitation of the elder hanyou.

"Fuck! Fine! You both can come. Just don't let Sesshomaru find out I took you out of the village, Rin. I'd rather not have that bastard breathing down my neck next time he's here."

"Inuyasha-oniisama, you know this Rin does not keep things from her Lord… But when he comes to the wedding I will show him that I am just fine and I'm sure he will not mind. I am getting bigger, you know!"

Inuyasha just grumbled under his breath something about how his ass of a brother had better not start shit on Kagome's wedding day or he'd soon find Tetsusaiga up his lily-white ass.

This elicited another round of giggles from the fox kit who's mischievous nature was thoroughly enjoying this conversation, but it was Rin's turn to look indignant.

Her eyes flashed. "That's enough, Inuyasha-oniisama! This Rin's Lord is the most wonderful, most honourable person that she has ever known! He would never do something as disgraceful as that!"

Kagome could only stare at the young girl who so resolutely defended her youkai Lord. There was something about the look in Rin's eye that stirred a memory in Kagome… of a 15-year-old girl and a hanyou that everyone scorned…

"Kaede," Shippō's voice pulled Kagome back to the present. "Some of the boys were gonna go down to the river to fish this morning and they invited me along. Can I go?"

"Aye, ye may, but be on your best behaviour, Shippō. There is enough tension in this village as it is." Kaede gave the boy a hard look and Shippō could only gulp and nod. Then the old woman turned her eye to the girl beside her. "What about ye, Rin? I do not have any pressing chores for ye this morning–"

"Actually, Kaede," Kagome interrupted. "I was going to ask Rin to come along with Inuyasha and I. We're headed over to Miroku and Sango's to talk about our trip to the market and I was hoping that maybe Rin would be willing to come and help watch the children while we did some planning?"

Kagome looked hopefully at the younger girl and was relieved when Rin smiled happily back at her. "Of course, Kagome-chan. This Rin is happy to help. After all, you didn't have to invite this Rin to the market but you did!"

"You ready to head out now?" Inuyasha questioned, getting antsy from all this stupid sitting and talking.

"Not yet. We should help Kaede clean up from breakfast." Kagome reasoned.

"Don't worry about that, child. Go on. Ye have plenty to do and I am not so old that I cannot wash up a few pots and bowls on my own." Kaede assured her.

"Okay, well, see you guys later!" Shippō wasn't about to wait around for anyone to ask him to do anything. He bounded out the door and was gone.

Inuyasha too was already standing by the door as well. "So? Are we gonna go or are we gonna go?" He ducked his head through the door mat and was gone.

Kagome and Rin shared a look and laughed a little before both getting up to followed Inuyasha out into the street, waving goodbye to Kaede as they went.

A/N: Thank you again to all those who continue to leave comments and replies to the story!
Nrg92 - I hope you got some sleep! (Though I fully recognize the struggle that is putting down a new fanfic that you're hooked on, lol.)
Everyone else - The wedding is coming! But first the Market! (Because what possibly could go wrong?! Eeep!)

And, of course, I do not own Inuyasha nor any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.