New Author's Notes: In honor of the one year anniversary of the 'Confessions Trilogy', I'm performing a massive editing session on all three stories. As you know by now, I've already finished editing the first, and am now posting this one, and will eventually be getting to the third as well, time permitting. I'm immensely proud of all three of these stories, and am contemplating turning this into a yearly tradition so that they can always be improving. The only thing that hasn't changed are the original author's notes, which I didn't have the heart to part with. I hope you enjoy!
Though not described in detail, this story does deal with rape, so be forewarned if that sort of topic bothers you.
Original Author's Notes: Thank you all, as always, for the wonderful reviews. We had a snow day today, so I got to write a nice long chapter for you all since it will be a while before I get another update out. Did I mention that it was a long chapter? I'm not kidding…I don't think I've ever written a chapter this long.
This is the final chapter before the trial starts so if it seems a little sappy or anything, I'm sorry. And for all you action-cravers, I hope you can stand one more chapter without it. No doubt some of the stuff in this chapter you all saw coming already. Oh well. Enjoy!
Title: The Realistic Happily Ever After
Author: dolphingirl0113
Chapter: Ten
Rating: PG-13 (rated for violence, language, and implied sexual situations)
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
They all stared at one another for several silent moments, trying to read each other's minds. They had been so many things to one another…allies, enemies, defenders, victims…and now it was as though they would all understand what they were to each other in this moment.
A harsh wind blew through the trees, shaking everyone from their stupor as they all shivered in response, save for Sesshoumaru, who remained just as stoic and apparently unaffected by such trivial things as the weather as he always did. And as Kagome blinked, she realized that no one was going to speak, because no one was succeeding in finding out what they wanted to know silently.
But, surprisingly, it was Sesshoumaru of all people who finally decided to break the silence and return once more to a more usual method of conversation. "Where is Inuyasha?"
"He's back in my time," Kagome replied instantly out of habit, only realizing after she'd spoken that, for the first time in her memory, the demon lord before her had actually referred to his half-brother by his given name without giving off an insult first. She stared at him in shock, blinking stupidly, and her jaw dropped to the ground.
"What is so fascinating, woman?" His voice was gruff, and her stare was obviously making him uncomfortable, though by his passive face you would never have been able to tell. The only reason Kagome could see it was because she'd known him…if one could call their interactions over the years 'getting to know' one another…for some time.
She finally managed to stammer a response, hating the fact that she must be confirming his opinion that all humans, especially human women, were stupid and inferior. "It's nothing…just that, well, you called Inuyasha by his first name."
"And so? I've called him Inuyasha before." His eyebrow rose ever so slightly, almost dangerously.
Kagome shuffled her feet, hating how this man could make her feel so useless and weak in his presence. But she couldn't help it. He just had such an aura of…well…power. It flowed off of him like the scent of a flower, but in a much more masculine sort of way. She could understand why Jaken was so willing to follow this man, his 'master', to the ends of the earth, and why Rin, such an innocent, happy child, wanted to remain by his side too. Despite his gruff demeanor, he seemed to inspire loyalty thanks to his sense of honor.
"Well, you haven't called him Inuyasha without first insulting him," she finally amended after breaking out of her thoughts.
The demon lord simply coughed slightly and looked away, over her head. "I suppose I decided it was time we put such immature, childlike actions as insults and petty arguments to an end. I do not tolerate immaturity, after all, so the way I see it one of us had to change, and my worthless brother was not going to do that for me."
That broke the shock, and Kagome rolled her eyes. There was the insult she'd been waiting for. Even now, when Sesshoumaru was offering his version of a truce between him and his brother, he couldn't avoid the underlying stab at Inuyasha's pride.
So she'd just have to defend her mate while he was not around to do that for himself.
"My fiancé is not worthless. And if you're here for the tetsusaiga, then you can forget it. It's safely with Inuyasha on the other side of the well…" She gave him a glare of her own. "…away from you." She was quickly reverting back to her usual defensive tone that arose whenever Sesshoumaru was around. But she couldn't help it…he just made her feel so…so…young, to put it simply. How could she possibly compare to a man who had lived for so long, and seen so much?
And he knew it too, she thought wryly. Anyone could see by looking into his eyes that he was well aware of the fact that he'd seen the coming and going of hundreds of generations of men.
The demon lord simply rolled his eyes, subtly of course, and let out a small, barely audible sigh, not even shifting his weight slightly. "Calm yourself, woman…I am not here for the tetsusaiga. My father's sword no longer interests me."
"What?" Kagome couldn't help her outburst at that. She refused to believe what she was hearing. He had to be bluffing…there was no other explanation, because ever since she'd first known Sesshoumaru, all he'd been able to think about was claiming the tetsusaiga, a sword he felt was rightfully his, as his own. And he'd been willing to kill anyone who stood in his way…including her. She didn't forget things like that so easily. "I don't believe you."
He didn't seem to notice her cold tone. "Believe what you want," he finally replied rudely, his tone laced with ice. "I did not come here to argue with a meager human woman."
She bristled, but tried to contain her temper. "Then why did you come here?"
He hardly blinked. "I came because I needed to ask a question of my brother, but seeing how Inuyasha is not here I will just have to come back another time."
Sesshoumaru turned, his silvery hair catching the light of the afternoon sky and shimmering like the sun on a lake, and Kagome found herself stepping forward and extending her hand as though to stop him. "Wait!"
Surprisingly, he stopped, but didn't turn around to look at her as he replied. "What is it woman?" His voice was now like a low growl. "You're trying my patience."
She refused to be intimidated by the underlying threat, and crossed her arms, both for warmth and to make herself feel more secure. "You say you have a question…well, perhaps I can answer it."
He scoffed at the idea. "Unlikely, since my question concerns Naraku."
At that Kagome let loose a chuckle, and not even Sesshoumaru could hide his slight surprise at her unexpected reaction. She looked up and met his eyes confidently, her posture straight, feeling secure in knowing that her friends were behind her, ready to come to her aid at any moment. "I think I can answer your question if that's the case. So what do you want to know?"
He clearly didn't like her suddenly arrogant tone, and Kagome assumed it was because he hated the idea of a woman knowing something he did not. Still, he finally sighed and seemed to decide that it would be in his best interest to play along…for the moment. "Very well. I sensed a great power leaving this earth almost three moths ago; assuming it was Naraku disappearing again, I have been searching to find his hideout, but to no avail. I was hoping that perhaps my brother could offer a suggestion of where I might find him since he has always been so eager to locate the demon himself."
As she listened, Kagome felt her lips curve upward again in a smug smile, and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, his patience obviously growing thin as he pictured himself slapping her if she didn't wipe such an arrogant smile off her face. Still, the son of Inutaisho had to admit that she had admirable confidence and poise in the presence of a man who could so obviously rip her to pieces in an instant if he wanted to. That was rare in a human woman.
Finally, Kagome rocked back slightly on her heels. "I'll save you the trouble of any further searching by telling you that Naraku is dead."
"Dead?" For once Sesshoumaru could not hide his surprise, and beside him Jaken stiffened.
"Naraku is dead?" The green man exclaimed, and Rin stopped picking flowers off a nearby bush to see what all the commotion was about.
Kagome ignored all of this and continued. "That's right; he's dead." She met Sesshoumaru's gaze without flinching, wanting him to know that she viewed herself as his equal, despite the fact that he could still make her feel so tiny and insignificant at times. "The great power you felt leaving this earth, Sesshoumaru, was probably Naraku's spirit the day he was killed."
A silence again filled the space between them, and the demon lord smirked in spite of himself. "I must admit I am surprised. I never thought Inuyasha had it in him to see this through to the end…but I suppose, for once, I can admit that I was wrong."
"Hey!" Shippou piped up from where he was perched on Miroku's shoulder, not even thinking as he spoke. "Inuaysha didn't kill Naraku! Kagome did!"
"What?" This time Sesshoumaru made no effort to hide what he was feeling, and Kgaome saw, for the first time, raw emotion, pure shock, cross the demon lord's normally passive face. He gazed at her in disbelief, and that reality caused her to raise her head just a little higher, her posture proudly erect.
"You?" Jaken was the one who spoke this time, his jaw dropping nearly to the ground. "A mere mortal woman? A puny wench like you?" He yelped in instant pain, and Kouga was seen standing above him, his fist still hovering in the air from where he'd struck the poor green toad on the head.
"That's right," he declared proudly, "She killed the bastard and saved all of us, avenging all who were killed by that evil monster of a man." Kouga narrowed his eyes. "And don't you ever call her a puny wench again, you understand?"
Jaken didn't respond, instead rubbing his offended forehead, and there was a long pause. However, not one to be kept off balance or out of control for long, Sesshoumaru quickly masked his emotions once more, replacing shock with his usual frown. "And the jewel?"
"Purified, wished upon, and now gone from this world," Kagome replied simply.
He nodded and looked away again. "This would certainly explain the change in the woman we met naught three days ago," he muttered, more to himself then anyone else. But Kagome heard him, and it was her turn to look surprised.
"You've seen Kikyou?"
Sesshoumaru smirked slightly. "You mean my brother's former woman? Yes…I've seen her, and I must say I was not expecting to find her once more graced with life. She no longer smelled of earth and clay." His nose twitched slightly as though to accent his point.
"That's because Kagome allowed Kikyou to wish for life," Sango spoke up, moving to her friend's side. "That way she could have a chance to start over again, and have another chance at finding love and happiness."
Sesshoumaru nodded. "A fair offer, I suppose, considering all the woman went through…though I still believe much of her suffering was her own fault."
Kagome felt her confidence beginning to fade once more, and blushed slightly, hoping that now he had his answer the demon lord would just leave, but instead, he shocked her and everyone else by moving closer. She resisted the urge to back away, and felt Sango do the same as Sesshoumaru stared meaningfully into her eyes. "So Kagome, woman of Inuyasha, my brother…what is it you ask of me?"
"Huh?" The dumb, animalistic noise escaped her lips before she could stop it, and she blushed instantly upon hearing her reaction. She really did sound like a pathetically stupid fool sometimes.
Sesshoumaru simply lengthened his frown and hardened his gaze…if that were even possible. "You heard me, woman. What would you ask of me?"
Kagome found herself sputtering. "I…I don't really have a clue what you're talking about."
He cocked an eyebrow, making his expression seem at least a little less harsh then it had a moment ago, before sighing again and, to her surprise, taking her hand. She was shocked by the warmth in his fingers. For some reason she'd always assumed that because of his cold demeanor he was a cold-blooded creature like a reptile. But no…this was a living, breathing man with warm blood. The thought caused a part of her mind to soften towards him ever so slightly.
"I swore an oath to destroy Naraku," he explained, his voice just as gruff and cold as always, which seemed out of place considering the fact that he was holding her hand in what would have appeared to be an intimate gesture to any passing traveler. "I swore this oath to myself, and yet you are the one who succeeded. My sense of self-honor will not rest until I grant you service in some task, so that I can know I have repaid the one who fulfilled my desire." He frowned. "I will not be indebted to anyone."
He continued to hold her hand, and Kagome found herself staring at the demon carefully, trying to decide if he was being genuine, or trying to trick her. He'd stirred the pot so often before for herself and Inuyasha…and yet, she had to admit, it had always been in a way that was honest and honorable. He had never been one to sneak around or use such tricks as treachery and deceit, like Naraku. So she had to believe he was telling the truth.
Still, the idea that he was offering to do anything for her was, well…unbelievable. He, Sesshoumaru, the proud son of Inutaisho and Lord of the Western Lands, was offering her his service as though he were nothing more then a common house servant? "You'll do anything I want?"
He shifted slightly, and Kagome felt her gaze soften as she saw how truly uncomfortable he was. Obviously, offering his services to a woman, and a human woman at that, was something Sesshoumaru had never had to do before. But, to his credit, he replied honestly. "Yes…anything you want."
Kagome felt her usual smile returning to her face, and she glanced over at Sango and Miroku mischievously, looking like someone who had just discovered the key to a door that simply would not open on its own accord. Her friends seemed to instantly understand what she was so excited about, because they vehemently shook their heads from side to side to try and silently persuade her against such a decision, but Kgaome chose to ignore them, turning instead back to face Sesshoumaru, who had at least finally released her hand.
"Now that I think about it, there is something you can do for me…"
"What in the name of seven hells is he doing here!" Inuyasha could not be calmed down as he watched his loathsome older half-brother climb out of the well, a hand clasped over his nose and mouth, his face looking very pale though he was clearly trying to mask his discomfort.
Inuyasha continued to point, to stomp his foot, and to even whine pathetically in protest, but Sesshoumaru just ignored him, clamping both his hands over his nose once he was safely out of the well and on solid ground once more.
"What is that horrible stench?" He questioned, his voice muffled by his hands, making him seem less intimidating then normal, and Kagome gave him an apologetic look.
"You're probably smelling the smog that exists in my time." She rubbed the back of her neck and tried to laugh away the tension in the air. "I'm sorry…I forgot to mention that so you could be prepared."
Not wanting to appear weak, the demon lord just nodded, but beads of sweat were beginning to trickle down his neck, and the all-powerful Sesshoumaru felt himself starting to grow faint.
The others, who Kagome had brought over first, were now standing off to the side, needing only popcorn to enjoy the inevitable fireworks that were about to go off. The only question was whether the action would be between Kagome and Inuyasha, or the peeved hanyou and his older brother.
They soon got their answer.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha stomped over and grabbed her arm, a little harder then he meant to, and whipped her around so that she was looking into his seething face.
But Kagome, trying to stay calm, merely removed his hand from her arm, refusing to wince in slight pain, and smiled demurely up into his face. "Yes Inuyasha?"
He snorted. "Don't you pull that innocent crap with me! What the hell is he doing here?" The hanyou pointed an accusing finger at Sesshoumaru, who at this point seemed oblivious to anything other than remaining on his feet and not passing out. The smells and sounds of this time were positively overwhelming!
Kagome forced her nerves away, knowing she had to tell Inuyasha sooner or later, and so decided the direct approach was the best approach. "What do you mean what is he doing here? Inuyasha, that's your newest groomsman."
"He's my what!" Everyone on the sidelines, even Sesshoumaru it seemed, though he could have merely been swaying due to nausea, flinched slightly at the hanyou's uncontrollable temper. "Why the hell did you invite him to be one of my groomsmen? And without asking me?"
Kagome held up a hand as though reprimanding a child. "Stop swearing, Inuyasha, it's getting annoying! If you'll just shut up for a minute I'll explain everything."
"You're damn straight you will!" He folded his arms across his chest and absolutely glowered, for once no streak of tenderness in his eyes for the woman he loved.
Kagome sighed and looked away, running her fingers through her hair as she began. "I didn't go looking for him, Inuyasha, if that's what you think. He came to the village to ask you about the whereabouts of Naraku, and I took it upon myself to tell him that we had killed him. Once he found out, he offered his services to me in order to repay the debt he, for whatever reason, feels I am owed for killing the man he had sworn to destroy himself. So…since you needed two more groomsmen, I asked him to be in the wedding. Understand?"
There was a long, intimidating silence, and everyone, including Kagome, began to wonder if she, or Sesshoumaru for that matter, would still be alive to see the sun rise the next morning.
Inuyasha glared at the ground, furious, his fists clenched, but trying desperately to remain calm. It would do no good to say something he would later regret and so, out of instinct, the hanyou reached down and put his fingers over the hilt of his sword, feeling his hot blood instantly cool down somewhat which gave him the ability to at least look up and meet Kagome's gaze. Unfortunately, her innocent smile did nothing to help his mood.
"Did it ever occur to you to ask me first, Kagome?" He finally managed to ask, his voice cool and laced with anger. Everyone sucked in a singular breath, unsure of what to do, or how to react to this new Inuyasha. They had been expecting a shouting match, like always, but this…this was different.
Kagome noticed the difference too, because her heart sank slightly and she suddenly looked very guilty. "Inuyasha, I…" She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I guess I figured I needed to take advantage of an opportunity, and, well, since you weren't there to consult I went ahead and made a decision." She looked at her shoes, scraping them through the dirt as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, if you feel like I'm taking away your rights as a groom…"
"Damn straight you are!" He snapped, and Kagome winced. He wasn't yelling, not exactly, and she found that right now his cool tone and harsh gaze were hurting her more than any insult he could have thrown her way.
But the hanyou wasn't finished, and didn't even stop to notice her hurt expression. "I don't even know why you bother asking my opinion for anything, Kagome! First you put Kouga in the wedding, and now Sesshoumaru. Are you just trying to surround me with people I hate? According to your mother I'm supposed to choose the men in the wedding…but I guess you just figure I'm stupid enough that I won't care!"
"Inuyasha, please, I was just trying to…"
"To help?" The hanyou laughed, interrupting her, the sound very bitter, and for once Kagome felt tears coming to her eyes rather than her usually simmering temper. She took a step back from the man she loved, knowing she had possibly been in the wrong asking Sesshoumaru to be in the wedding, but at the same time feeling like she didn't deserve to be treated this way…and in front of everyone else, no less!
"You're always trying to help, Kagome," Inuyasha continued on his tirade, gesturing wildly with his hands, "But did it ever occur to you that I don't want your help? At least not with this? Did it occur to you that if I have to go through with this stupid human ceremony I'd at least like to surround myself with men who I chose?"
Kagome ignored the implication that the wedding was stupid, knowing he always said things like that when angry, and finally spoke up in her defense. "But you weren't choosing anyone other than Miroku, Inuyasha! I thought you and Kouga were at least good allies in a fight, considering the fact that you've saved each other numerous times, and I also thought that since you and Sesshoumaru had sort of come to a truce you would want to have your own brother at your side on your wedding day!"
At this point the tears were spilling over her cheeks in earnest, but Inuyasha did his best to ignore them. It was hard, since her crying always had such an effect on his heart, and so, to make it easier on himself, the hanyou was looking at anything and everything but her as he replied. "Well next time just try not to take matters into your own hands, Kagome…because whenever you do something goes wrong."
That was the cruelest thing he could have said, and at last the dam broke completely and Kagome broke into earnest, uncontrollable sobs as she whirled around and disappeared into the house, slamming the front door behind her with a loud bang.
A long silence followed, in which time everyone could only gape at one another, trying to figure out what the wisest course of action would be. Miroku stepped forward as though to speak with Inuyasha, but Sango stopped him, and Kouga looked just about ready to pound the hanyou into the ground for insulting Kagome, and it was all Ayame could do to restrain her mate.
In the end, surprisingly, it was Sesshoumaru who broke the tension by stepping forward and moving towards the house with his head high and his eyes fixed in a glare. "I see that you're still a fool," He commented coolly, though he still sounded somewhat less intimidating then usual due to the fact that his hand was still covering his nose and mouth.
Inuyasha just glared back, crossing his arms. "Keh, and what would you know about any of this? You've never been with a woman in your entire life."
The proud demon lord turned just as his hand left his mouth to reach for the door, and this time his gaze turned icy. "I certainly know enough that I wouldn't go berating the one woman I loved about something as trivial as this…not after all the loyalty she has demonstrated for you through these past three years. You have done some cruel things, including running off to that other wench, and yet Kagome always returned to you without complaint, though I've never understood why. And now you have the gall to accuse her as though she were a criminal, and then tell me I know nothing?" His frown deepened, if that were even possible. "All she wanted to do was help, Inuyasha, and you've made her feel lower than dirt. I certainly hope you feel like your temper tantrum was worth it."
And with that the mighty Lord of the Western Lands walked through the door in his usual regal way, having to bend down slightly so as to not hit his head on the upper part of the door frame, and the others quickly followed, sending the hanyou death glares as they passed.
Inuyasha sank lower and lower as he watched his friends disappear into the house, guilt already starting to sink in, and knew that if looks could kill he would be dead and roasted ten times over.
"Oh Kagome, they're absolutely beautiful!" Eri exclaimed as she fingered the dress Kagome had selected for her brides' maids. All six girls were currently browsing the wedding boutique in downtown Tokyo together where, only two days earlier, Kagome had finally decided on the gowns for her wedding party.
All the other girls were cooing excitedly as well, and Kagome couldn't resist the slight blush of pleasure upon receiving their approval. She really did want them to enjoy what they were wearing; she always hated it when a bride picked gaudy dresses that looked awful on any woman.
"Well just don't get too attached, Eri," Kagome replied with a chuckle, "Because you don't get to keep that one. You have to get measured so the boutique can order the right size."
Her friends nodded, looking back at the dress, but no one failed to notice the fact that their friend's voice, normally so cheerful, still sounded empty and distant. They all sighed inwardly, knowing the reason why.
Kagome and Inuyasha had been pointedly ignoring one another for three days, ever since their fight, and for those three days all five girls had been forced to endure hours of crying on Kagome's part. Even now, though she was smiling, it was empty, and because they knew her so well it was obvious that she was near tears.
Ayame would be the model for the dress since she had already discovered, conveniently, that the one in the store fit, and so the other girls would get to see what it would look like and then be measured accordingly. Thus Eri finally broke the melancholy moment by chuckling and handing the gown over to Ayame in a grand show of reluctance that had even Kagome laughing, and once the redhead had disappeared into the changing room with Ayumi (who had agreed to help the wolf girl with the unfamiliar zippers) Kagome drifted over in the direction of the bridal gowns to wait.
The boutique certainly had a large selection of white dresses in all shapes, sizes, and styles, and Kagome decided that they truly meant what they said in all their commercials; there seemed to be a dress in there for every kind of woman who could possibly walk through the door.
Unfortunately, despite that reality, none of them caught her eye, all of them being too fluffy or frilly or overly decorated and glitzy for her taste, and Kagome found herself sighing in exasperation and leaning back against one of the walls.
Would anything be easy for her?
"I kind of like this one," Sango commented as she magically appeared at her friend's side, her fingers gliding gently over a simple dress of white satin that had thin straps and a simple neckline.
But Kagome frowned and shook her head. "No, I want something a little more fancy then that…"
"Fancier?"
"Yeah." Sango chuckled, and Kagome raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"
The demon exterminator just shook her head and shrugged. "Nothing…it's just that you're always saying that gowns are too fancy, and now you're saying this one isn't fancy enough. If you ask me, you're never going to find the right gown with your standards."
At that Kagome blushed and chuckled. "You're probably right."
"Do you even know what you're looking for?"
"Yeah…well…sort of." Kagome looked at her friend. "I know what I want, but I couldn't really describe it for you. It's one of those deals where I'll know it when I see it. Does that make sense?"
"Yes." Sango returned her attention to the dress she was fingering lightly. "Can you at least tell me what's wrong with this one?"
Kagome shrugged and stood up straight, moving away from the wall. "It just looks too much like the style I had for my prom dress, and I want my wedding gown to feel a little more formal than that."
"Prom?"
"Never mind."
Sango nodded and let the dress go, deciding to go straight to the heart of the matter rather than dally on silly things such as wedding dresses. Giving Kagome one of her kindest, warmest sisterly looks she could manage, she began to speak. "Are you alright, Kagome? I worry about you."
The ebony-haired girl smiled forlornly at that, turning so she could face her friend directly, and the demon exterminator was stunned by the sadness in the eyes of a girl who was normally so happy.
"I'm just tired of all the stress, and all the resulting fights with Inuyasha." She stepped away and touched one of the veils on display, feeling the coarse material on the tips of her fingers. "I know I shouldn't have been picking out groomsmen for him, but…I really was just trying to help. Unfortunately, that means now he's furious with me." Kagome looked down at her shoes, speaking as though to herself and no one else. "I hate fighting with him."
That last comment struck a chord, and Sango was reminded of all the times when Kagome had been left in tears when Inuyasha had run off to be with Kikyou, fearing he would never return. Surly she didn't think that he might leave her now over one silly little argument?
Deciding to make light of it, Sango waved her hand in a wide circle casually. "You know Inuyasha…he'll be begging for your forgiveness in his own way by the time we get home. In fact," She walked over and leaned close to whisper in Kagome's ear, "I noticed that he looked extra depressed this morning when you brushed him off and left without saying goodbye or giving him a kiss."
That got her attention, because Kagome's head shot up and a spark of hope lit up her eyes. "He did?" Sango nodded. "But…but I thought he didn't want me to be anywhere near him. I didn't brush him off…not on purpose. I was doing what I thought he wanted."
At that Sango just threw her arms up in the air in a gesture of exasperation and started laughing. Kagome blushed and crossed her arms. "What's so funny now?"
The demon exterminator had to wipe her eyes to clear the tears before she could speak, her eyes twinkling. "It's just that even now, when you two are mates and engaged to be married…you're still as clueless about each other's feelings as always." She tweaked Kagome's nose playfully and winked. "I guess that just means you're both hopeless."
Opening her mouth to retort, Kagome was forced to bite back her comment when Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi all let out several "oohs" and "ahs, and it didn't take a genius to draw the conclusion that Ayame was now officially modeling the dress for everyone to see.
Kagome had to admit that the wolf girl, who had viewed herself as Kagome's rival for so long, did look stunning. The ice-blue color of the gown was not necessarily something the redhead would wear every day, but it somehow managed to accent her hair and skin in such a way that she seemed exotic, and her emerald eyes sparkled with life and intelligence, her now bare arms displaying toned muscles and giving her an appearance of strength and confidence.
In all honesty, Kagome still wasn't sure she understood why Kouga insisted he loved her when such a woman as Ayame (and one of his own kind, no less) loved him so much, and seeing the girl in this dress only accented that bit of confusion even more.
The gown itself was mostly typical for a brides' maid, with thin straps and a simple, elegant cut of blue satin that fell loosely to the floor, hugging the curves of the woman who wore it gently, so that it was obvious she had curves but not so tight that it no longer seemed elegant. In the back, near the waistline, the fabric was twisted into the shape of a rose, the extra fabric from the flower falling down to the ground in thick strips of lace and satin, and to top it off Kagome had selected delicate blue slippers that matched the color perfectly, while the bouquets would be made of pale pink and red roses.
All in all, Kagome decided, she was proud of herself for choosing such gowns, and felt that at least some part of her life was starting to fall into place.
Now all that was left was finding her a dress, which was no easy task…
"So…" She looked around at all her friends. "You guys like them right?" Kagome really didn't want her friends to wear anything they despised, because she'd had to do that in weddings before and absolutely hated it. That was why she was going out of her way to ask their opinions, and was relieved when they all assured her with squeals of delight and rapidly nodding heads.
"Oh Kagome, you must have picked the most beautiful dresses possible!"
"I absolutely love the color! It will go perfectly with my hair and eyes!'
"I appreciate the fact that you're always thinking of yourself, Yuka."
"What's wrong with that, she asked for my opinion, didn't she?"
"I think Ayame looks beautiful in her dress!"
"She really does…I hope we all look that good."
Kagome's trio of school friends were doing their typical run-on sentences, with Ayumi, as usual, being the one to try and steer the conversation away from an argument, and as they continued to speak Kagome noticed Ayame's cheeks turning as red as her hair under all the praise. Kagome just smiled and decided to let the girls talk amongst themselves while she returned her attention to the bridal gowns, checking her watch and assuring herself that they still had plenty of time to browse and relax.
As though guided by fate, the phone rang the moment Kagome and the others walked into the house, toting bags containing shoes, nylons, and matching slips. Kagome was insisting that everything about the brides' maids outfits match exactly. The girls, and even Sango and Ayame, couldn't stop talking about their dresses, and Kagome almost didn't hear the phone ringing as she smiled in pleasure knowing that she'd done a good job and that her friends were pleased.
"Kagome?" She turned to see her mother standing in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Yes?" She shut the door with her foot and kicked off her shoes, dropping her bags on the floor and rubbing her fingers together where they were sore from the paper handles.
Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "The phone is for you."
"Okay…" She quickly removed her jacket and handed it off to Sango, who'd learned where the coat closet was, and walked into the kitchen, taking the receiver from her mother in one swift motion. "Hello?"
"Kagome? Hey, it's Ms. White."
"Oh hi!" Kagome smiled, for once her mood too good to be ruined by a phone call from the blonde lawyer, who was usually calling about the trial. "What's going on?"
"Well, I unfortunately don't have a whole lot of time to talk right now…I'm just calling to see if we could meet tomorrow?"
"For lunch?" Kagome leaned back against the wall, crossing her ankles. "Sure!"
She heard Ms. White cough on the other end. "No, unfortunately it's not about that, Kagome…though I wish it was. We need to meet so that we can discuss and prepare for the trial. The first day in court is, after all, on Tuesday."
At that Kagome frowned, feeling all the joy around her evaporate instantly into thin air. "Oh…" Why couldn't she just be happy for one whole day?
"Now don't you start sounding like that," The blonde scolded kindly, "It's nothing to be worried about. Like I've said before, I have every confidence that we'll be kicking some serious ass in this case…and, more specifically, we'll be kicking Ted Wilkins' ass all the way from here to prison for a very long time…so that's not the issue. I just need to prepare you for what all could occur in the courtroom. After all, we don't want any surprises, do we?"
Kagome tensed, not feeling at all better despite the fact that Ms. White was trying to make light of the situation. "What do you mean when you say surprises? Could something bad happen?" She heard a sigh, and figured she was probably sounding like a paranoid little school girl. The thought caused Kagome to blush, but she waited for the answer nonetheless.
"There won't be any surprises in the sense that you're thinking, Kagome. Mr. Wilkins will be kept far away from you." She paused. "Always remember, Kagome, that he can't hurt you again.
Kagome knew that Ms. White was trying to be kind and reassuring, but for some reason at that moment her voice just sounded patronizing, and it caused Kagome's anger to flare. For god's sake, she knew already that she was safe. People went out of their way to tell her that every day…why did everyone treat her like an idiot?
Slowly, sucking in a deep, silent breath and counting to ten in her head as she did so, Kagome responded through clenched teeth. "I'm well aware of the fact that he can't hurt me, Ms. White. What I meant by my question is what kinds of surprises could happen in the actually courtroom?"
"That's what I want to talk to you about in person," Ms. White responded, either not noticing Kagome's suddenly icy tone or choosing to ignore it. Somehow, Kagome suspected it was the latter of the two since the blonde had no doubt dealt with dozens of young women like Kagome in her career. "I want to meet with you so that we can be sure you are prepared for anything, including questions and accusations by the defendant's lawyer, Mr. Cromwell." Ms. White sighed. "I just want you to be prepared so that you don't get shocked or hurt…that's all, Kagome."
At that the younger woman felt herself instantly deflate, as though someone had stuck a needle in her balloon of hot air, and if she'd had claws like Inuyasha they would have retracted at that comment. Why was she so touchy lately, anyway? She used to have all the patience in the world…
"I'm sorry," She finally replied softly, her shoulders sagging. "I know you're just looking out for my wellbeing, Ms. White, and I appreciate that. Right now I'm the one who's being an ass…so just ignore me when I start going off on a mood swing."
At that, surprisingly, Ms. White just laughed kindly. "I wouldn't worry about it, Kagome…we all have times in our lives that are more stressful than others. You're just unfortunately enough to have three things going on at once."
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Three?"
"The wedding, the trial, and your high school graduation."
She smiled at that. "I'd forgotten about school. With everything else being so difficult, that just seems like the easy part any more."
Ms. White chuckled. "Well, don't forget about your education. There's something wrong with the world when your lawyer knows more about your life than you do."
With that comment the ice melted completely, and Kagome broke out into one of the first genuine laughs she'd had in a few days. "You're right, that is a problem." Her laughter slowed to a chuckle. "I'll see you tomorrow at noon then?"
"Yeah, I'll be in my office. Technically the firm is closed tomorrow, so my secretary will be gone…just come right in."
"Okay, I'll see you then."
"Bye."
Kagome replaced the receiver where it belonged and sighed, trying not to think too much about her upcoming trial…or her fight with Inuyasha…or the fact that all the people in her wedding party were currently sitting in the living room waiting for her to make an appearance.
"Kagome?"
Blinking, Kagome looked up to see her mother standing before her, holding a plate stacked with fresh chocolate chip cookies for the guests. "I know, I know," she said before Mrs. Higurashi could even ask, "I'm going."
Smiling as her daughter passed, Mrs. Higurashi touched Kagome's cheek gently, to which Kagome turned and smiled back before walking into the living room, only to be met with an absolute mess.
Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were glaring daggers at one another and trying to go at it physically while Kouga was desperately working to hold back the hanyou and Sango, showing a great deal of bravery, was doing her best to restrain the demon lord. Miroku and Ayame were standing by and watching as though it were the greatest show they'd ever seen, and poor Ayumi was desperately trying to distract Eri and Yuka so that they didn't make too many observations about the two men…or rather…demons.
Kouga was the first to notice Kagome's presence, and he jumped away from Inuyasha with a smile, causing the hanyou to plummet towards the ground at the sudden loss of resistant force, and Ayame jumped up excitedly from where she'd been sitting as well, knocking Miroku off the couch. "Kagome! How was your phone call?"
She couldn't help but giggle slightly at that innocently stupid question. The wolf man made it sound like a phone call was some sort of trip…and, in all honesty, she wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Kouga truly believed that's what was going on. "It was fine, Kouga," she replied, still giggling, "And thanks for asking."
The moment Kouga spoke her name, both brothers instantly ceased trying to rip out one another's throats, and moved quickly to lean against opposite walls, refusing to look at one another…though, to Kagome's dismay, Inuyasha was also still refusing to meet her gaze as well.
She sighed.
"So I hear the shopping trip went well?" Miroku asked once he had managed to craw back up onto the couch, glaring at Ayame for unseating him in the first place. The redhead just smiled back innocently as she too sat back down.
"Yes, it did: the girls all liked their dresses a lot," Kagome replied, feeling strange as her response sounded very formal to her ears. Far too formal considering she was having a conversation with good friends. I guess everyone, including me, is uptight lately, she decided inwardly.
"Oh! And Kagome finally found a dress too!" Eri exclaimed excitedly, and all the men looked directly at her, including, for the first time in several days, Inuyasha.
"What does it look like?" Kouga asked, and Ayame knocked her mate on the head for such a stupid question. But the wolf man just sent her a puzzled look while rubbing his offended scull. "What did I say this time, woman?"
The redhead just rolled her eyes, her voice scolding as she spoke. "None of the men are supposed to know what the dress looks like until the wedding day."
Kouga just rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders at that, as though to say he didn't care about such a stupid rule.
Feeling the atmosphere grow thick with tension once more, and sensing that everyone was about to fall into another set of arguments, Kagome sighed and, without thinking, grabbed a pillow from a nearby chair and chucked it at Miroku, causing the poor monk to fall off the couch again. He sat up and looked at Kagome with an innocently confused expression. "And what was that for Kagome? I wasn't groping anyone…I swear!"
"No Miroku, you weren't, Kagome agreed, sighing again in exasperation as she turned to face everyone else. They were all staring at her with a look that said they thought she'd gone mad, and that only caused her to feel even more frustrated.
As though to prove their point, she grabbed another pillow and looked at each individual in the room separately, her eyes roaming in a quick semi-circle. "What's wrong with us?" She asked, but only received blank stares in return. She opened her arms wide in a gesture of exasperation, the pillow dangling from her right hand. "We used to all have so much fun together, but now that you're all in the wedding it's different. It's like we haven't known each other for over three years," She glanced at her school mates, "Or longer. Why can't we all just laugh together any more? Why are we always fighting?" At that she looked pointedly at Inuyasha, her eyes desperate, and the hanyou blushed…but at least he didn't look away.
Kagome felt her heart flutter under his penetrating stare, her legs turning to jelly just like they always did around him, and as she spoke Kagome knew she was speaking to him more than anyone else. "I'm sorry if I've done something wrong…it certainly wouldn't be the first time I ruined something with the best of intentions. But…" Her smile was laced with sadness. "I want my wedding to be a happy one, and I don't see how that's even remotely possible with everyone at each other's throats all the time, or so nervous around each other that we're afraid to talk." She shrugged. "So what can we do about this?"
Everyone remained deathly silent, and Kagome felt the frustration from the past several weeks mounting like a tidal wave within, until finally, the wave broke against the shores of her heart so that she lost whatever energy she'd had left a moment ago to deal with the issue at hand. Her shoulders slumped, and she dropped the pillow back onto the chair, turning to head up to her own bedroom, but at the last second felt something solid connect with the back of her neck.
At first she just stood there in shock, trying to figure out what had happened, before whipping around to find none other than Inuyasha standing in the middle of the room with his hand in front of him, having just thrown the pillow that was now sitting at her feet, an arrogant smirk on his face.
Kagome just raised an eyebrow in question.
The hanyou grunted. "Keh, come on wench…are you too stupid to see a challenge when it's right in front of your face? Or are you just too afraid to take me on in a pillow fight?"
Never, ever in her wildest dreams would Kagome have thought that hearing Inuyasha call her a wench could be considered a good thing that would make her happy…but just this one it was the most beautiful thing she could have heard. And with that thought in mind she reached down to pick up the pillow he'd thrown at her, a genuine smile slowly beginning to once more grace her features, lighting up her face and causing her eyes to sparkle.
"You'd better watch what you say Inuyasha, or I'll just have to say the 's' word," Kagome threatened, but the hanyou simply smirked more. She launched the pillow, and then picked up another one and watched in satisfaction as it connected with Sango's face.
"Hey!" The exterminator exclaimed in frustration, clearly not quite understanding how she'd been pulled into the challenge, but nonetheless deciding to play along as she reached for the pillow that had just hit her. "You're going to pay for that, Kagome!" But just as she started to move forward she felt something on her rear, and tensed. "Hentai!"
Poor Miroku never even saw it coming, and before long they were all engaged…even Sesshoumaru…in the largest pillow fight/wrestling match the Higurashi household had ever seen. Even Souta and Kagome's grandfather had to come join the action, bringing down the larger pillows from their bedrooms.
At one point Inuyasha managed to pin Kagome to the ground behind the couch, away from the eyes of everyone else, and in that moment the hanyou gave her a beautiful smile that was full of love as he touched her cheek tenderly, his mood changing entirely from the gruff competitive mode he'd been in a few seconds earlier. "Are you feeling better now?"
Kagome gave him one of her brightest smiles. "Yes. Thank you, Inuyasha."
"Kagome…" He pressed his body against hers horizontally, sandwiching her between himself and the floor, loving the feel of his palms running up and down her sides and feeling her quiver beneath his touch. "I'm sorry for everything," he whispered in her ear. "I really do appreciate everything that you've done for all of us in planning this wedding, and it was a nice thought to bring in Sesshoumaru."
Kagome blinked, trying to process what he was saying while fighting the desire suddenly building within her body. "Did you just apologize?" She finally teased, rubbing one of his ears from beneath the baseball cap on his head.
He purred slightly in contentment, his chest vibrating. "Yeah…but don't you dare mention it again because I'll deny it ever happened, got it wench?"
"Got it," Kagome replied. "But you know…you still need one more groomsman."
"And so long as I'm the one who decides who it is, I'll be happy," He replied, and before Kagome could say anything more Inuyasha lowered his head and captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss that left her feeling light and happy. Somehow he managed to take her in his arms and carry her up the stairs without anyone else noticing, and from that night on, everything went back to normal.
Or, at least, as normal as life could ever possibly be with three demons, an exterminator, a monk, a hanyou, a miko, and three girls who didn't have a clue all trying to plan a wedding in modern day Tokyo.
