The next morning, Inuyasha awoke and carefully climbed out of bed, heading to the bathroom. Once finished, he made his way downstairs to the kitchen. As he entered, he heard Scott beginning to wake.

Swiftly, he pulled out the leftovers from the previous morning's breakfast that Shippou had prepared. Turning on the stove, he fetched a pot from the cabinet.

He placed the leftovers in the pot, adjusting the heat slightly. After about twenty minutes, once the food had warmed adequately, Inuyasha filled a large bowl with it. Switching off the stove, he took the bowl upstairs.

Reaching the bedroom, he noticed Scott was no longer in bed. Setting the bowl down, the sound of a toilet flushing caught his attention. Turning, he watched Scott emerge from the bathroom, bare and rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Seeing Inuyasha's amused smirk, Scott's cheeks reddened. "What are you staring at?"

"You!"

"Well, quit gawking and come give me a hug."

Inuyasha approached, drawing Scott into a playful embrace, punctuated with a kiss. Minutes later, they sat down on the bed, digging into the reheated leftovers.

Once they'd emptied the bowl, both dressed and headed downstairs. Inuyasha loaded the dishes he'd used into the dishwasher. They then settled on the couch, wrapped in each other's arms.

"So, we still have six days until they return. Any plans?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Considering it's my first time in Japan, what's there to, see?"

"I'm not completely certain, babe. This Japan differs from the one I knew before coming to this era. Why don't we explore and see what captures our attention?

But, recalling Kagome and her brother's temple attire, they might be descendants of monks and priestesses. Perhaps we could find and visit their temple to learn local legends?" Inuyasha mused.

Scott's eyes sparkled with excitement. Childhood memories of exploring historical buildings flooded back. His curse had prevented such explorations for so long. Noticing Scott's enthusiasm, Inuyasha inquired, "What's on your mind, babe?"

"Why don't we visit their family temple? Maybe they could give us some ideas about where to go and what's best to see in Japan."

Inuyasha nodded in agreement.

They both headed to the kitchen to make finger sandwiches and tea for their adventure. After preparing their meal, Inuyasha remembered that they'll need money if they're planning to visit the town. He headed to his brother's room and noticed a note on the door:

"Dear Brother,

I forgot to mention before we left: you and your mate are welcome to any cash you might need if you decide to explore the town while we're away. In the safe on the floor of my closet, there's a few hundred thousand yen.

The code is 14-45-60. Feel free to take as much as you want. I have plenty in my personal bank reserves, but I always keep some on hand for when Shippou and I go on a vacation.

Sincerely,
Your big brother."

Smiling at his brother's generous gesture, Inuyasha found the closet and opened the safe, taking out two hundred thousand yen. He then heads back downstairs, gives a thumbs-up, grabs the spare cottage keys, takes Scott's hand, and walks outside. After locking the door, he asks, "Ready to see your refurbished hometown, hun?"

Inuyasha nodded in response.

They locked the door behind them and placed the keys under the mat. They then head next door to the butchers to ask for a ride.

Arriving at the farm, they announced their presence: "Hi, Kali and Ennius! How are you?"

"Oh, Inuyasha! Your brother told us about your magical reappearance. The last time we saw you, you were just a baby. Look at you now, big and strong, just like your father."

Inuyasha blushed at the compliments. "It was a shock for me too, finding out he was still alive. But I'm glad someone from my past, including you two, is still around."

"Aww, that means a lot to us. And who's this gentleman with you?"

Upon glancing at Scott, both Kali and Ennius recoiled in fear, initially mistaking him for a wolf demon. On closer inspection, they noticed his different features and scent—he smelled not of wolf but of werewolf. Ennius, realizing this, moved protectively in front of his wife, gesturing for Inuyasha to approach them.

Inuyasha looked at them, puzzled.

"GET AWAY FROM THAT BEAST WHILE YOU CAN, BOY!" Ennius warned protectively.

"Who was this man? You must have been joking?"

"Yes, him. He is a werewolf, the scourge that had nearly destroyed our species."

Inuyasha had just burst into laughter.

"I am well aware that he is a werewolf. And, for your information, I married him."

Kali and Ennius couldn't believe their ears. The young dog demon they had grown fond of in the short time they knew him was saying he had married a werewolf.

"Enough of this nonsense! Come over here now!"

"No, I won't. And trust me when I say, he is completely harmless. Well, until he is in bed," Inuyasha teased.

Scott had blushed at the comment.

"His name is Scott. He is my husband and mate. He wouldn't harm you. He was completely different from the werewolves of long ago, I promise."

Taking a chance, Kali and Ennius approached to meet Scott. As Scott grinned, flashing fangs, they were momentarily startled. Inuyasha noticed this and smacked him on the head.

"Ouch! What was that for? I was just teasing."

"It wasn't the right time for teasing," Inuyasha chided.

Scott frowned and lowered his head apologetically. Once they were within touching distance, Scott looked up with a less fanged smile.

"See? As tame as a pet dog, I assure you."

Scott then extended a hand in greeting. Ennius was the first to take it, followed by Kali.

"It is nice to meet you both. From what I heard; you both were close friends of my mate's family."

"That was true. Our friendship had spanned generations. And we apologized for our earlier behavior."

"It was understandable. My mate had told me a bit about what happened five hundred years ago. I could relate, having experienced a similar situation in my past. But, babe, didn't you have something to ask them?"

"Oh, yes, that was right. Thanks for the reminder. We actually needed a ride into town."

"Oh, was that all? It was your lucky day! My husband was just about to make a delivery from this year's harvest, so I didn't think he'd mind giving you a lift."

"Perfect! I was willing to pay for the short notice."

"There was no need. This one was on us. But next time, you owe us."

"DEAL."

Scott and Inuyasha hopped into the bed of the truck, sitting by the tailgate. Ennius walked to the back of the truck, closed the tailgate, and locked it. After giving his wife a quick kiss, he climbed into the driver's seat.

He started the truck, and they were on their way. Thirty minutes later, the trio arrived in town. Scott and Inuyasha hopped out of the back, while Ennius exited the driver's side to begin unloading the harvest.

"Do you need any help with that?" Inuyasha asked.

"Not at all. You boys have fun and stay safe," Ennius responded.

"Thanks for the ride!"

"Anytime!"