Hello my doves! I'm glad that despite the lateness and the general screwed upness of Chapter 17 didn't put you all off for good, and I still got plenty of reviews (30) from you all, all of which I appreciate more than you could ever know.
On second thoughts, I did get one rude little flame from someone for chapter 6, which I have to say, I was a tad peeved over, go read it if you want to know what "boom" said. I warned you all that the pillowfight was cliche, but I was a little stuck at that point, and if I'm correct, AU, Alternate Universe, for those who don't know, I feel inclines a slight difference in personality! At the end of the day, it is MY STORY, and you all seem to like it! Funny also, cause I checked the reviews for chapter 6, and it's one of the most popular ones for the story yet, at 30 reviews, so evidently it wasn't that bad! And for God's sake, please, if you're going to flame, read the whole damn story before you do! It'll mean so much more...
I am a little late with the chappie cause I had a little personal crisis, but I'm over it now and writing furiously on this Monday morning for you to get by Thursday night. I know, I know, the second time I'm late in a row. I was doing so well too... I
Be warned, it is fluff and humor for this chapter, but that's because the main aim has been reached and this is just extra for your benefit. THIS IS UBER UBER UBER ROMANTIC!
OOH, AND BECAUSE SHE ASKED SO NICELY, I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO SAY HI TO ONE OF MY NICEST REVIEWERS, LAETITIA MESSI ! See, I did it!
Oh yeah, I HIT 370 REVIEWS! I'm uber happy! (insert inane grin), I love you all SOOOOO MUCH!
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN INUYASHA, NOR DO I OWN THE SONGS I'M BORROWING THIS CHAPTER.
Enjoy! I hope you can forgive me for only offering flashback of the bachelor parties, cause I didn't want to bore you all again, or make it too long, or make you wait forever for the wedding.
Without further ado,
Chapter 18: I Do (That's right, isn't it?)
As sunlight filtered in through the cracks in Inuyasha's red chiffon curtains, passing an ethereal crimson glow over the room in which two peaceful inuhanyou mates slumbered, Kagome Higurashi, four months pregnant, woke up with a bang. She was getting married today.
"What, what, what, you havin' the baby?" Inuyasha muttered sleepily, shooting upright alongside Kagome, looking at her stomach, panic in his golden eyes.
"Inuyasha." Kagome said sardonically, raising an eyebrow. "I'm four months pregnant. Does it LOOK like I could be having the baby right now?"
As Inuyasha saw the tears welling up in eyes, he knew he was due for another mood swing beating. His ears flattened into his head as the tirade began.
"Unless you're saying I look eight months pregnant, in which case, I'm unmating you right now, because I will not tolerate a mate who considers me to be obese on the day of our wedding, okay? You're such a fucking asshole to me, I don't know WHY I'm having your baby! Speaking of which, I don't know WHY I'm marrying you, and I also don't know WHY you're still here, it's bad luck, I'm the bride, you fucking ass!" Kagome screamed shrilly, her bottom lip trembling. She drew the black sheet up to her neck to cover her nakedness up from her husband-to-be, whom she was now currently fuming at.
"Koi, you are not fat..." Inuyasha said, drawing his mate into his lap and kissing the top of her head soothingly. He could have sworn this was the fifth time this week he was having to do this.
"You sure?" Kagome said, rubbing her stomach miserably, snuffling into his bare chest. A familiar feeling was welling up inside her.
"Okay, number one, what happened last night, could NOT have happened if you were fat at all." Inuyasha began, smiling wolfishly at the memory. This Dr. Kasha woman sure knew how to make therapy fun.
"That's twue." Kagome replied, tears thickening her voice.
"And number two, you're like all pregnant women are supposed to be. You're all round and cuddly and now I can talk to the pup, who I must admit, is getting better looking each sonogram we have..." Inuyasha soothed, rubbing her bare back. He was coming up with better and better lines each morning she woke up like this.
"Could you please stop commenting on how unattractive our baby is?" Kagome said, the tears welling again as she pounded on Inuyasha chest with her fists. "Cause if it's unattactive, then that means one of us has to be unattractive, and you'd sooner hack off all your hair than be ugly, so it must be me, which means that you think I'm ugly, and I'm responsible for making our baby ugly, so we're just this ugly pair of people you're lumbered with right?" Kagome asked, bawling outright now.
Dammit. Of course, Inuyasha still had the odd slip up...He was gonna actually have to speak from the heart now. Funny, he'd never managed to make her cry twice in ten minutes so far.
"Koishii, look at me." Inuyasha began, tilting her chin up to his face with his index finger.
"No." Kagome said, staring obstinately at the bed.
He moved her to straddle his hips, trying hard to ignore the fact that she was now resting heavily on Jeremy, who was overjoyed at the pressure so soon after his last activities.
"Please? For the pup?" Inuyasha asked, pouting at her playfully.
"Ugly as it is, fine..." Kagome muttered, raising her teary chocolate pools to his amber ones.
"You are my mate. I could never, not in a million years ever find you ugly. In fact, pregnant, you're prettier than ever. You're all glowy and radiant and all that, and you've..uhh...filled out a little more, that is to say I find the new curves very...erotic..." Inuyasha said, playing on her vainer side.
"Really, now? Do you still love me despite the weight gain?" Kagome asked wetly, looking up at him.
"Weight gain or not, I meant every word of my proposal. I told you, and if I didn't I'm telling you now," Inuyasha amended, finding himself unable to remember exactly what he'd said. "You are not only a beautiful person on the outside, you're beautiful on the inside. You're warm and kind and generous and funny and I wouldn't ask for a better mother for my first pup." Inuyasha finished sincerely, capturing her salty lips in his.
He really did love her, ten times more now she was having their pup. He'd never even thought he could love her more than he did.
"Pwomise?" Kagome asked, her lips gliding over his as she spoke softly.
"Yeah, bitch." Inuyasha mumbled.
"You know what, just for that, you can rush me to the bathroom right now, I have to throw up." Kagome said, clapping a hand over her mouth as the familiar feeling in her stomach turned to nausea in her throat.
"Now?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.
Kagome nodded rapidly, her face going red with the effort of holding the morning sickness in.
Inuyasha swept her up in the black sheets, ignoring the chill he was getting at being naked, and propped her out over the toilet bowl, holding her long black hair back as she retched violently.
"Still love me now?" Kagome asked, after washing her mouth out and brushing her teeth several times. "After that?"
"I'll never stop, koishii, and I meant it." Inuyasha said, hugging her back into his chest.
"Show me, then..." Kagome said seductively, allowing the sheet to unravel itself from around her form, as she climbed on top of Inuyasha, bearing him down to the warm bathroom floor.
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"People, people, people, I'm getting married, we DON'T HAVE ALL DAY! Get your little asses in gear, that's what I'm paying you for!" Kagome yelled as she walked quickly across the foyer, clapping her hands impatiently.
Servants were zipping back and forth at noon in the Mireshi mansion, preparing for the reception that would take place after the wedding. There were a good few hundred people dashing around arranging things, but unfortunately, for one hormonal, pregnant bride, that just wasn't enough.
"Kagome, I swear to Kami, I don't care how pregnant you are, or how nervous you are, stop bullying them!" Rin piped up, coming around the corner in a fluffy terrycloth robe and towel turban.
"Why are you in that robe?" Kagome snapped, growling threateningly at a passing maid carrying white lilies.
"Because you're due at the church in an hour and a half." Rin said simply, waiting for the reaction she expected.
"Huh." Kagome asked, a look of sheer shock on her face.
"You heard. So let's go." Rin said, dragging her off to the large powder room they were using.
"No no no no nooooo. I have like, three hours." Kagome said insistently, pulling her arm from Rin's grasp.
"Nope!" Rin said cheerfully. Jesus, she thought, some women just didn't know how good they had it. Did she not realize she was lucky to be getting married at all?
"I'm scared." Kagome said plaintively, sounding like an upset child.
"Of what, sweetie?" Rin said patiently, all bitter thoughts out of her head as she led Kagome to a small bench in the foyer, away from all the hustle and bustle.
"In truth, I don't know. I love Inuyasha with all my heart, and this baby means everything to us, but it's a big step, you know?" Kagome said, smiling weakly.
"Baby, don't worry. You just said it yourself. You two are scarily in love, and you have this adorable little present on the way." Rin placed her hand on Kagome's rounded stomach. "You couldn't be more ready for this."
"I'm blaming you if we get divorced." Kagome pouted, and then dashed off to the changing room to put on the dress that would serve in changing her life forever.
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"I'm screwed." Inuyasha said, pacing his living room, where the guys had changed, in terror.
"Why." Sesshoumaru asked blankly, a distracted look on his face as he felt round in his pocket for a small object. When he found it there, his face relaxed.
"Why are you screwed?" Sesshoumaru repeated.
"Me, Inuyasha Mireshi, I am getting married. And having a baby, come to think of it! I'm going to screw up, I really will." Inuyasha said quickly, looking incredulously at Sesshoumaru and Kouga.
Whilst Kouga was looking away from him towards the heavy oak double doors, deep in thought, Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha a once over.
He was wearing a traditional black and white tux, but of course, just as Inuyasha's style warranted, he wore a red silk cummerbund and an untied matching bow tie loosely around the strong, tan column of his neck. The expanse of his chest spread broadly, creating tiny, tantalizing creases in the shirt. All in all, with his long silver hair flowing freely down his back, Inuyasha had never looked more attractive.
"Looking like that, there's no chance in hell she's running away from you, lil bro." Sesshoumaru said, nodding his head in approval.
"But what if – " Inuyasha was cut off by a rough push from Kouga.
"The hell is wrong with you?" Inuyasha said indigantly, darting away from his hand.
"The hell is wrong with me?" Kouga said, pointing at himself. "No, what's wrong with us if the question. Where the hell is Miroku?"
Now Inuyasha understood what he'd been thinking about.
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"You think he knows that's where he is?" Sesshoumaru whispered to Kouga, still dressed in his clothes from last night's festivities. Dressed in a brown, tight t-shirt with the message, "My Girlfriend Is Out Of Town" embellished on the front, and black carpenter jeans, Sesshoumaru had for once dressed down, despite the fact he had to go get into his tux in a half hour.
"Not a clue. We let him have too much tequila, you know. Should we feel bad?" Kouga whispered back, looking up at his friend.
"What for?" Inuyasha said, chuckling as he took picture after picture of Miroku.
"Are you telling me, that at...10.17 in the morning, after he's been up there for about eight hours, you don't feel bad for him?" Kouga asked incredulously, peering at his watch.
"NOT AT ALL." Inuyasha said, turning the digital camera the other way to get a better angle on him.
"It's funny shit." Sesshoumaru conceded, a small smile breaking out on his face.
"Isn't it dangerous? How long are we leaving him there?" Kouga asked, warming up to this.
"Till tomorrow, or whenever he gets over the hangover." Inuyasha choked out between sniggers.
"Don't we need him for the wedding? He's the best man. Sango'll have to go down the aisle stag, you know." Sesshoumaru suddenly remembered, his heart sinking as he pouted.
"He should be there, shouldn't he..." Inuyasha muttered, his face screwing up in disappointment.
"He is kind of your best friend," Sesshoumaru said sardonically, beginning to climb the stairs to rescue Miroku.
"We can't just leave him there, the servants will think his and Sango's sex games got out of hand." Kouga said, following Sesshoumaru up the sweeping staircase.
"They just would be into bondage though." Inuyasha said, reaching out for the nearest rope. He allowed his memory to drift back to the happy times of the night before...
(AN: Alright now, I'll explain...)
FLASHBACK
"Uh ohhhhhh..." Inuyasha said quietly, a shot glass in one hand as he pointed with the other to Miroku's prone figure on the floor.
They were sprawled out in the living room, having decided to just make chitchat and get wasted as Inuyasha's stag night. Alcohol bottles littered the floor and surfaces, and Sesshoumaru sat pristinely in an armchair as Inuyasha and Kouga cavorted like pups in front of him. It was 2am, and things were just sidling to an end.
"Miroku's gone to beddy bye..." Kouga hiccupped with a chuckle as he set his vodka bottle down.
"What do we do now?" Inuyasha asked innocently, looking with wide eyes and a worried little pout at Sesshoumaru. (AN: Kawaiii!)
"Okay Yash, Kouga? You wanna play a game with Uncle Fluffy?" Sesshoumaru asked slyly, dangling the bright yellow rope in front of the two drunk men.
"YAAAAAAY! Do we gets shto play with Miroku?" Kouga slurred merrily.
"Sure, of course we're playing with Miroku, kiddos." Sesshoumaru said kindly. He felt like cutting loose tonight. If he couldn't get drunk, he'd play a gooood practical joke. Plus, he was just a teeny bit merry. Why was it all his friends turned into inarticulate babies around alcohol?
"Do we gets to tie hisself up?" Inuyasha mumbled, yawning.
"Oh yeah, but here's the thing boys. We're gonna tie him alllll up, okay? And we're gonna take him, and tie him to that great big sparkly light that's real high up off the ground in the big place where you guys come in, get it? Can you help me do that?" Sesshoumaru asked them, like he was speaking to small children.
"OKAY!" Kouga and Inuyasha agreed, pouncing on their comatose friend with the rope.
Sesshoumaru stood by, and chuckled darkly.
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"Inuyasha, I'm not gonna tell you again, put the damn camera away!" Sesshoumaru insisted, reaching out to bat the small, expensive camera from Inuyasha's experienced hands.
"Fine, fine, fine. Just so long as we get him down before the girls come out." Inuyasha shouted back, taking one last snapshot before putting the camera in his back pocket.
Kouga was slowly pulling the rope towards him, unwrapping Miroku's wrists and ankles from the landing where the two staircases met. (AN: Get it? It's like one big semicircle).
"So then, if you don't want Sango to remove your balls singlehandedly, I suggest you start holding on, Kouga's nearly got his wrists loose." Sesshoumaru said, grabbing Miroku's ankles and trying not to wake him.
Suddenly, Inuyasha picked up the telltale tap of heels, and knew they were too late. Far too late. Unless...
"Sess, SHUT UP. I can hear them..." Inuyasha hissed, pressing himself as close to the chandelier as possible. The less shadow, the less Sango was likely to hurt him. And enjoy it.
"And the dress has... Where are the guys?" Kagome asked, glancing around the room. She was wearing a dark purple satin tunic and maternity jeans, along with purple sparkly flipflops. She'd decided to wear normal clothes on their quest to find the men, not wanting them to see her dress.
"What do you mean? They're not meant to be here. Wedding day!" Rin replied wistfully. She couldn't see why Sesshoumaru was holding off from asking her. Maybe he wasn't as serious about this as she thought...
"Does it even sound to you like they would remember something like that? They're hiding somewhere." Kagome insisted, peering around the room suspiciously.
"Nah, the bachelor party can't have been that disastrous," Ayame said, looking at them all through her red tinted shades. "But something smells off in here..." she sniffed the air curiously.
"I'm getting a feeling..." Sango muttered, scouting the room intently.
"It's coming from..." Ayame said, concentrating hard.
"Above us..." Sango finished.
"On three." Ayame said, chewing her bottom lip.
"Three." Sango said, immediately looking up.
"Fine then, play dirty..." Ayame grumbled, looking as well.
"HOLY SHIT!" Sango screamed, dropping her purse abruptly. A shaking finger pointed towards the grand centerpiece of the room.
"My fucking Kami, they've officially gone crazy..." Ayame said, her voice high with shock.
"Last time I ever let that man near tequila." Rin said, her mouth agape.
"What?" Kagome asked.
She still didn't get why everyone was looking at the skylight...
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"I'm never coming down." Sesshoumaru said, his ears flattened to his head after hearing Sango's scream.
"We can live up here, just fine. They have to sleep sometime..." Inuyasha reasoned, patting his brother on the back.
"And pee." Kouga said helpfully.
"Good point, good point." Inuyasha nodded quickly. The expression soon changed to confusion when he realized his own mate was still looking around the room, puzzled. What, did pregnancy make her stupid? Wait, no, he loved her. Not the thing to be saying. He still didn't think she'd fully forgiven him for seeing their pup for the first time and calling it ugly...
"WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING UP THERE?" Sango asked shrilly, fury blazing in her unusual magenta eyes.
"WEARING THOSE!" Ayame also screamed, outraged at seeing her boyfriend dangling from a chandelier.
"Kagome, sweetie, don't look, Inuyasha's there." Rin soothed, turning Kagome away from the scene of total embarrassment between them.
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were clinging to opposite sides of the chandelier, with a snoring Miroku propped between them, whilst Kouga stood guiltily on the stairs landing with the half unraveled ropes in his hands.
"Would...would it be okay if we told you it was all his fault?" Kouga asked, pasting a bright grin on his face as he broke the silence, pointing to Miroku's prone body.
"Riiiiiight. The man thong, maybe, but NOT THAT." Sango scoffed. "Get him down, put him to bed, and come for your punishment..."
"What punishment?" Inuyasha asked innocently.
"You string my boyfriend up sixty feet off the ground from a gold and crystal chandelier in nothing but a man thong and you expect to get away with that?" Sango asked. "You don't know me at all..." she sighed as she walked up the stairs to help Kouga.
"How did he even manage to fit inside that thing?" Rin asked, as she jogged up the stairs to assist.
"Rin! Hi..." Sesshoumaru said sheepishly, feeling in his pocket to make sure his surprise wasn't showing.
"Care to explain?" Rin asked, smiling at him.
"No." He said innocently in reply.
"Fine then, just I hope you're ready for THEIR wedding. It's in half an hour." Rin said pointedly. Hey, if she wanted him to marry her, she should start dropping hints now.
"Why is Miroku sixty feet above my fucking head?" Kagome asked, finally espying the situation above her.
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"Kagome, come on, I wanna see the dress! I can't believe you didn't let us help pick it!" Sango asked, stamping her foot impatiently in her silver diamante slingbacks.
Delicate and with a single strap across her toes and around her heel, they went perfectly with the shimmering silver Kagome had picked for her bridesmaids. Ayame and Rin were wearing calf length silver velour dresses, with fluted asymmetrical hems and draped necklines from simple spaghetti straps. They had their hair done in simple ponytails tied in silver ribbon. As maid of honor, Sango's dress was a little more ornate. Hers was floor length, with a small train leading out behind her. She wore a small white faux fur half jacket over the dress, open to display the neckline. All wore discreet, yet pretty diamonds to finish off the outfit. (AN: Read again if it was a little complex.)
"Do you all not look pretty enough? I'm coming out..." Kagome said, enjoying the suspense.
"Well?" Ayame said, leaning against Sango, her head on her shoulder.
"Voila!" Kagome said, walking out from behind the Japanese screen she'd been changing behind.
"Oh my God..." Rin breathed, a hand over her mouth in awe.
Kagome wore a Grecian style silken sheath. Strapless and white, light as air, the dress perfectly suited Kagome's new shape. Broad silver ribbon crossed between Kagome's breasts, outlining and separating them perfectly. The same multiple ribbons criss crossed over her chest, coming to a single column down over her swollen stomach and to the ground, where the dress fell loosely, sweeping in a trains about a foot long. Her makeup was silver and white, flawless in every way. Kagome wore a diamond choker around her throat and other, showy diamonds Sango had managed to borrow from Asprey early that morning. Her long, lustrous black hair shined in the wavy curls the hairdresser had teased out this morning, and it sparkled as it was tied up in it's messy bun with thin silver ribbon, with a tendril each side of her head. Small stick on diamonds had been woven into each strand of her hair, so the light glinted amazingly off her. A small tiara set off the look, as Kagome continued walking in low heeled silver pumps, a bouquet of white lilies cascading from her clasped hands down to her feet.
(AN: Get all that?)
"Kagome, you..." Ayame said, reaching forward to hug Kagome gingerly as she smiled nervously.
"I..." Sango breathed, still supporting herself against the wall.
"You..." Rin squeaked, her hand still over her mouth.
"Thank you for the articulate reaction, you guys." Kagome chuckled, hugging them all joyfully.
"You look so beautiful." Sango said, tears welling in her eyes.
"You didn't even try to hide the pup, that is so brave." Ayame said, stroking her arm.
"I'm not ashamed of this baby. Why should I?" Kagome said simply.
"Ladies." A servant interrupted, putting her head around the door. "You're on."
Kagome took a deep breath.
"Let's go get married..." she said, her knees trembling.
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Inuyasha looked nervously out over the vast array of people seated expectantly in front of him. Unfortunately, due to ditching his own engagement party, Inuyasha had been forced by Sesshoumaru to invite everyone who had been there as well as special wedding guests. Damn melodramatic ass that he was, he thought darkly to himself.
All seemed to be looking towards the back of the church, or looking at him, and frankly, all this attention made him feel a little naked. He now understood why Sango didn't like Miroku leering at her while she had her back turned.
Holy shit, everyone was coming up now. Even Shippou. Inuyasha allowed a slight smile to crack through his nerves as he imagined how Shippou was dealing with his punishment. Not only was he pageboy, with no flowergirl to make him look like more of a loser, but he was wearing a very interesting little outfit. Thanks to the Swedish...
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"Miroku, you complete ass, stand up straight." Sango grumbled, yanking him up with her, whilst he tried to avoid stepping on her train.
The other bridesmaids and their partners followed her out, and they all looked back expectantly for the star of the show.
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Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit...Inuyasha cursed in his head as he stood nervously by the altar the chapel that had been built alongside his house in the grounds. At least now he had the guys at his back for when he passed out. He'd even had the doors and windows locked in case he tried to make a break for it again. All he hoped was that he didn't feel like it...
Holy crap, holy crap, holy – Inuyasha cut himself off as his frightened amber eyes met Kagome's brown ones.
She was here.
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Jesus, could she actually do this? Kagome thought nervously as she tightened her quivering hands around her bouquet, beginning her slow pace up the short aisle.
Oh God, he looked so hot. Wait no, she was marrying him, not raping him. No matter how much she felt like it.
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Her eyes locked onto his. He could see lust, admiration, respect, anxiety, but more than anything else, he could see love. And that was all that mattered, as the rest of the world melted away.
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She had arrived. Inuyasha just couldn't get over how beautiful she looked to him. She was like a little star lighting up his life, allowing him to see the light again. Allowing him to live.
As she softly, but surely placed her small, delicate hands in his large, strong ones, Inuyasha felt whole, and squeezed them gently.
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"We are gathered hear today to witness the everlasting union of Inuyasha Yumeda Mireshi and Kagome Sakura Higurashi." The reverend's loud, resonating voice rang out through the domed, drafty ceilings of the chapel.
"Is there anyone present who objects to this union? Speak now or forever hold your peace." Boomed the priest, looking reverently over the vast crowd.
"None? Excellent." The priest conceded, nodding happily.
(AN: Okay, I know this is a crappy excuse, but I have been to nine weddings, but cannot for the life of me remember exactly how they go, so I'm abridging this a whole lot, okay?)
As the niceties of the ceremony whiled on, and Miroku's hand began to stray to greener pastures, and Shippou fidgeted in his tights and lederhosen, the romantic section was upon them. Rin drew in a small breath as she nestled into Sesshoumaru, trying to hold back her tears before they'd even started.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our couple have decided to write their own vows instead of using the traditional variety. At her own request, Kagome is to begin." The priest said, folding his hands inside his robes.
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Kagome lifted her chin in determination, shooting Inuyasha a shaky, but positive smile as she looked at her hands, trying to remember what she was going to say.
As the jewels in her hair glinted in the colored light of the stained glass windows, Inuyasha wondered what he had done to deserve such a creature.
And so Kagome began, in a light, clear voice devoid of any uncertainty.
"Inuyasha," she started, taking a deep breath and grasping his hands in hers. "First and foremost, before anything else, I love you. More than anything else in this world or beyond. There is nothing, and no one above you in my heart, and that's they way it will always be. There is nothing you or anyone else can do to change that. From the day I stomped into your mansion and into your life Inuyasha, I think somewhere deep down I knew. From the night I almost died, and you saved me, I knew. From the..."
Kagome paused on a brief sob here, her eyes streaming with tears. Thank God, she thought, she'd figured this would happen and had ordered waterproof makeup all round.
"From the moment I poured out my heart to you on the beach, I knew. From the moment I became your mate, and from the moment I knew I loved you, I had known for a long time. You are my fantasy. You are my reality. And everything between, Inuyasha. (AN: The lyrics from Inuyasha's song to her in Chapter 12) By the blood that runs through my body, and on the life of our unborn child Inuyasha, I promise to love you. I promise to honor you. I promise to respect you. I promise to be faithful. I promise all of things I could ever do to make you happy Inuyasha. I love you, and don't you ever forget it!" Kagome said, sobbing into her lilies as she smiled at Inuyasha.
Rin had her face buried in Sesshoumaru's lapel, who was now wondering if he should even go ahead with his plan now...
"Oh Kagome..." Sango breathed, struggling to hold in her own tears as she leaned into Miroku, even letting him grope her.
"Inuyasha, now you." The priest said, dabbing at his eyes with his sleeves.
"Uh..." Inuyasha was still blindsided at the sheer strength of emotion he had felt rolling off Kagome, and of all the things she had said. He couldn't think of anything better than this. But, she deserved his vows, the ones he'd spent all the night before last working on. But he couldn't remember a thing. Not a damn thing. So, looking into her hopeful, swimming brown eyes, he played it by ear.
"Kagome, I had a whole lot of beautiful, wonderful, poetic things to say to you here, things I wanted you to remember forever, but I forgot them, so what I do have to say is what you're getting. I can only hope that's enough." Inuyasha began sheepishly, matching her soft gaze and smiling a soft lopsided smile.
"I love you. So much, and so far beyond anything I've ever felt for anyone. I'll be honest; at first, all I had in my heart for you was contempt and one hell of a lot of lust. We had this talk, if you remember." The audience chuckled damply, as most were still sobbing. "However, that was a cover up. A shade. A veil for who and what I truly am. Kagome, my love, you are one of the few people in this world I have entrusted with the darkest secret of my life, the darkest secret I have borne the weight of for ten long years."
Inuyasha drew a deep, shaky breath, using Kagome's strength to quell the anxiety attack threatening to rage his system. He tried to tune out Kagome's oncoming tears. She needed to hear this. All of it.
"My world was darkness. My world was sordid. My world was infinitely sad. Until a little spitfire raged into my life, totally unannounced. Slowly but surely, you turned my world upside down. You turned my darkness to light, my lust to love, and my sadness to joy. Having this pup means so much to me, and I couldn't ask for a better partner in this chapter of our lives as you. Kagome, I promise, in a vow to end all vows to love you, to honor you, to live with you, to be faithful to you, to have fun with you, to fight with you and all those other things married people do with themselves." A good natured chuckle reverberated through the guests. "My mother once told me, that the greatest thing I'd ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return. I never understood that until I met you." He finished softly.
The church hovered in a stunned silence at Inuyasha's heartfelt words, until it was suddenly broken by loud, wet sobs from Kagome, who was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief the priest had given her.
Inuyasha blushed as he stood there, no knowing quite what to do. Sure, she could've cried, but was it meant to be that bad?
"I'm sorry, please keep going, it's the damn hormones!" Kagome said in a wet, sheepish voice as she waved her hand at the priest, turning to face Inuyasha again. The audience laughed through their own tears. If she didn't think she could love him anymore, she'd just proved herself wrong.
"Just for the bride's sake, I'll hurry this up." The priest said goodnaturedly.
"Do you, Kagome, take Inuyasha to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I should, shouldn't I?" Kagome laughed through her tears.
"I'll take that as an I Do," the priest said, smiling at her. " And do you, Inuyasha, take Kagome to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do." Inuyasha said hesitantly.
"What's wrong?" Kagome whispered.
"That's right, isn't it?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes, you dumbass!" Kagome hissed back.
"Please exchange rings." The priest indicated Shippou standing at their feet, scowling at Inuyasha for all he was worth.
"Inuyasha, what did you do to him?" Kagome asked, struggling now to hold back her laughter.
"Well, the Swedish like to put their little pageboys in lederhosen, tights and Robin Hood hats. If anyone asks, you have a Swedish great great grandmother." Inuyasha said, smiling roguishly back at her.
And with that, Inuyasha slid the smaller of the two platinum bands onto her left ring finger, gleaming in the sunlights. It was a plain band of shining platinum, with nothing but small diamonds circling it. It was the inscription on the inside that mattered. Sappily romantic as it was, Inuyasha figured it was acceptable.
On the inside of the ring, an engravement read: "Love: a temporary insanity, cured by marriage. I love you Kagome."
Kagome slipped on the thicker male band onto Inuyasha finger, smiling at the perfect fit. They would wear these for the rest of their lives from now on.
"I now pronounce you man and wife!" the priest said happily, grinning seeing as Inuyasha had already seized his new wife, dipped her and was eating her face happily until he would run out of air.
Sango, Rin and Ayame were crying fully into their respective men's lapels, whilst said men stood awkwardly patting their backs.
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"Miroku, are you sure this is a decent gift for them?" Sango asked, muttering quickly behind a pillar back at the mansion, where the reception was in full swing.
"Why the hell not?" Miroku asked. "We can sing it, and they'll at least remember it!" he argued.
"In a good way or not?" Sango challenged, avoiding a tray of hors d'oeurves whizzing past her.
"Who cares, so long as they remember?" he said, yanking her up behind him before the could fully protest.
"Okay, hi, everybody, party's over here now." Miroku said into the microphone, thrusting another one into Sango's shaking hands and turning it on.
"I know I'm the best man, and therefore should make a speech, but my so-called friends somewhat incapacitated my speech writing abilities last night, so I get to be exempt from that." All those involved scratched the back of their necks sheepishly or stretched conspicuosly.
"Instead, me and my lovely girlfriend here, Sango, have a musical contribution. Maestro..." Miroku flourished. The beginning chords of the world-famous wedding song began, filling out through the surround sound system.
"We feel that in this particular situation, the song is incredibly appropriate," Sango said graciously, getting into the mood and winking at Miroku.
Sango: Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Miroku: Just a little change
Small, to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast
At "Beauty", Sango nodded and smiled and Kagome, and on "Beast", Miroku winked at a pouting Inuyasha.
Both: Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Miroku: Ever as before
Sango: And ever just as sure
Both: As the sun will rise
Miroku: Whoa, whoa, oh, whoa-oh
Both: Tale as old as time
Sango: Tune as old as song
Both: Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Both: Ever just the same
Miroku: Ever a surprise
Sango: Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Miroku: Oh, oh, oh
Miroku: Certain as the sun
Sango:(Certain as the sun)
Miroku: Rising in the east
Both: Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
Sango: Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Both: Beauty and the Beast
The applause following the beautiful duet, made justice to by Miroku and Sango was thunderous, and received a standing ovation.
Everyone's eyes swiveled expectantly to Sesshoumaru, who was knocking back a flute of champagne.
"What?" he asked blankly, staring back at everyone else. "OH! You want me to make a speech. Okay, well…" Feeling in his pocket, Sesshoumaru's fingertips brushed the surprise he had had for Rin for months now.
Ah, now was a good a time as any. He wouldn't love her any less ten minutes from now.
"Sorry, bro, I'm about to steal your thunder. I hope you know that I hope you guys flourish and prosper and have lots of pups and all that shit, but I have something to ask Rin, that I want you all to see."
As Sesshoumaru pulled her gently into the middle of the waxed dancefloor, and knelt at her feet, Rin's hands shot to her mouth, as tears brimmed in her hazel eyes once again.
"Rin, you know now, after we've been together so long, just how much I love you. You have brought out a side in me, a part of me that I focused on laying dormant for so many years. Before you, my life was nothing. Nothing. For all the fast cars, for all the money, for all the women, for all the liquor, my life was nothing. With you, there was a purpose, with you, there was a meaning. I had a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to return home at night. And now, I'm solidifying that, and I'm sorry it's taken my cowardly ass so long to do this, but…. Rin Erida, will you marry me?" Sesshoumaru opened the box up, and pleaded with her with his own amber pools.
"You stupid, stupid, stupid IDIOT!" Rin shrieked, pounding his back with her tiny first as she knelt in front of him, throwing her arms about him.
"Of course I will, now gimme the ring!" she whispered damply in his ear.
And as the evening whiled on into the wee hours of the morning, everyone was happy. The guests were full and drunk. Miroku, pissed as hell of course, was happy to pelvic thrust anyone who came close enough by midnight. Rin was currently rewarding Sesshoumaru for proposing in a bathroom somewhere, and Inuyasha and Kagome swayed gently on the floor to "Back at One" by Brian McKnight, wrapped in each other's love. Shippou had found that if he ate enough, he could burst out of the demon enforced tights Inuyasha had jammed him into this morning, so he was happy.
As the merriment continued, no one noticed a tall, slim slip of a woman in a dark leather trenchcoat disappear out through the front doors, into the blackest of black nights, the shadows accepting her into their shroud, and their promise of mystery and corruption to come.
AN: OH MY GOD. I know how late this was, and I'm sooooo sorry, but it's here now, and it's like two pages longer than usual. I am fairly happy with this chappie, and I hope you like, and aren't too confused about the ending. It'll all make sense!
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Love Inukagchick11 xxxxxxxxxx