Growing Pains

Prompt: "I caught the bouquet"

Universe: Modern AU.

Genre: Humour, Romance

700 words

The bouquet soared through the air, towards the group of young, eager women.

A second later an enthusiastic shriek rang in the air.

"I got it!"

The girl beamed and hurried across the room cradling the flowers to her chest.

"Look, Sesshoumaru-sama, Kagome-sama! I caught the bouquet!"

Sesshoumaru stared at his daughter, gripping his wineglass so tight his knuckles were white. Grudgingly, he managed a stiff nod.

Kagome glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before offering a congratulatory smile.

"Well done, Rin-chan! You'd better invite us to the wedding."

"Kagome-sama!" Rin wailed, a blush stealing over her cheeks.

"Well, that's what they say, isn't it?" Kagome teased. "The one who catches the bouquet will be the next person to marry."

Sesshoumaru's jaw clenched.

"I guess," Rin muttered, still flustered as she fiddled with the armful of flowers. "I'm gonna go show Kaede-sama."

As Rin hurried away, Kagome turned her attention to her sulking husband.

"You are adorable," she giggled, kissing Sesshoumaru on the cheek. "And ridiculous."

His scowl only deepened and its full weight settled on her.

"I am not ridiculous," he bit out in a clipped tone. "She is too young to marry."

The corners of Kagome's lips twitched. "I know. Even she knows. I was just teasing her."

Sesshoumaru frowned at her.

"Besides," Kagome continued, trying to placate him, "the bouquet doesn't actually mean anything. It's just an old custom, a superstition at best."

"You caught the bouquet at Miroku's and Sango's wedding and eighteen months later we got married," Sesshoumaru argued.

"Well you could contest, like Ayame did, that getting smacked in the face by a bunch of flowers isn't the same as catching them," Kagome shrugged. "But even so, we were already dating seriously at the time. Bouquet or not, our getting married was only a matter of time."

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest. "I suppose," he admitted, though his voice still sounded cool.

Kagome shook her head and sighed. She leaned closer and gently cupped Sesshoumaru's cheek, running her thumb along his cheekbone.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, sweetie… but Rin is not your little girl anymore. While it would still be too soon for her to marry, any day now, she is going to come home with a young man… and I expect you to be on your best behaviour when she does!"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and leaned into Kagome's touch.

"I can still remember those toothy smiles she used to give as she hugged my feet," he murmured in a soft voice.

"I know, love. They grow up quick."

"That they do," he said ruefully, and turned his head to plant a small kiss on the palm of her hand.

Kagome drew back her hand and rested her head against Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "Still, Rin is eighteen now, you know she's probably had a few boyfriends already, right?"

"What, Rin?" Sesshoumaru scoffed. "No way."

"I was fifteen when I met Inuyasha," Kagome pointed out. "Then there was Houjou-kun… and Kouga, though the only relationship we ever had was wholly in his thick head."

Sesshoumaru grunted, wrapping his arm around her, hugging her closer.

"Aww," Kagome cooed, her blue eyes twinkling, "so we're back to Mr. Grumpypants now?"

Sesshoumaru huffed.

"That is an interesting moniker from someone who called me ridiculous," he retorted.

"Look, I get it, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, pulling away so she could look him in the eye. "I do. But Rin's a smart girl. You've taught her well. I don't think she's going to disappoint you – do you?"

"No," he sighed. "No, I don't."

"Good. So stop moping about things you can't control."

A smile threatened to pull at his lips as Sesshoumaru stared at his wife.

"Why must you always be right?"

"Because I'm just that good," she shrugged, and flashed him a quick grin. "Now are we going to sit here all evening?"

Sesshoumaru smiled and clasped Kagome's hand.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Like to? I'd love to. Let's go!"

Sesshoumaru let her pull him up from the chair and over to the dancefloor, and in his heart thanked every single kami for having been blessed with such a clever wife.