While waiting for their orders to come out, the four of them made some small talk here and there. Sango then returned, carrying two pitchers of Bud and two pitchers of raspberry tea. She placed them gently on the table.
"Sorry for the wait on the drinks," she began, her tone apologetic. "I had to deliver a few other orders."
"It's alright, Sango. You're doing an amazing job as always," Stiles complimented warmly.
Sango blushed, appreciating the kindness. "Thank you. Is there anything else I can get for you?"
"No, we're good for now," Derek responded with a smile.
Sango gave a nod. "Great! Your meals should be ready soon."
As they sipped on their drinks, Inuyasha and Scott noticed the Higurashi's, accompanied by Kali and Ennius, making their way into the tavern. It seemed they were joining their group. Before they settled, Sango, ever attentive, pushed an empty table next to their booth and fetched extra chairs.
Once everyone was seated, Sango quickly took the newcomers' orders and whisked herself away to the kitchen. She returned about twenty minutes later, laden with dishes.
"Sorry for the slight delay. The manager needed to discuss something with me," Sango explained.
Derek, ever the curious one, tilted his head. "Anything important, if you don't mind me asking?"
Sango chuckled softly, "Oh, nothing major. Just some personal news." She extended her hand, revealing an engagement ring. "He proposed."
Stiles's eyes widened in pleasant surprise, "That's wonderful, Sango! Congratulations!"
Inuyasha added, "It's a beautiful ring. Best wishes to both of you."
With a contented sigh, Sango remarked, "Thank you. It's indeed a happy day. Now, please enjoy your meals."
Once she left, Scott turned to the Higurashi's and the others, "So, what brings you four here?"
"Oh, nothing much. We were in town and happened to run into the Higurashi's at the mall. Turns out Meera, Ennius, and I all went to college together, so we spent some time catching up," Kali explained, a warm smile on her face.
"As we chatted, time just flew by. Before we knew it, all of us were getting hungry. So, we thought, why not have dinner here? And here we are," she continued, looking around the tavern fondly. "What brings you two here?" she asked Scott and Inuyasha.
Scott chuckled, "Well, Inuyasha and I realized we forgot to pack some clothes for our trip. This morning, we ran into Stiles, who told us about the mini-store at the Demon King's Inn. After shopping, we bumped into him again and he mentioned coming to this tavern with his boyfriend. So, we decided to join."
Kali laughed, "What a series of coincidences! And Stiles is always so kind-hearted."
Meera leaned in, curiosity evident in her eyes, "By the way, what did you both think of the ceremony last night?"
"It was amazing," Scott enthused. "We plan to attend every ceremony from now on, especially since we're, well, practically immortal. With Inuyasha being a half-demon and me being an alpha werewolf, we're going to be around for a while."
Inuyasha added, "Alpha werewolves have quite a long lifespan, sometimes even a millennium or two."
Meera looked impressed, "I'm glad you both enjoyed it. And you two did a fantastic job in the reenactment play. We even raised enough donations for the memorial temple, thanks to generous contributions like yours."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "Really? Who else donated?"
Meera smiled, "Shippo's adoptive father sent in a sizable donation with a touching letter. He was really appreciative of the experience we gave his son."
"That sounds just like my nephew," Inuyasha chuckled, "Always persistent, never taking 'no' for an answer."
Meera grinned, "Yes, his enthusiasm was clear. With the upcoming temple, who knows, we might have more frequent ceremonies."
The conversation flowed easily between bites and sips, spanning topics from old college days to future plans. After a hearty meal, Meera and Kali reached for their wallets, but Stiles and Derek stopped them.
"This one's on us," Stiles declared with a wide grin.
Derek nodded in agreement, "Absolutely. It's our treat tonight."
Meera looked surprised, "But it was such a large meal!"
Stiles simply waved her concerns away, "Don't worry about it. We're just happy to share a meal with friends."
"Thanks, boys, that's very generous of you," Meera and Kali said appreciatively.
Stiles and Derek nodded in acknowledgment. As they were settling the bill, Sango approached with the checks in hand.
"I'll be covering the meals for Scott, Inuyasha, Derek, and myself," Stiles declared, drawing his credit card from his wallet.
"And I'll take care of their meals," Derek added, gesturing toward Meera, Kali, and Ennius.
Sango nodded her understanding, taking the cards. In a short while, she returned with the receipts. Both Stiles and Derek left generous tips on the table, expressing their gratitude for Sango's service.
As the group stood up to leave, they made their way to the exit of the tavern. Outside, the Higarashi's, along with Kali and Ennius, bid their farewells before heading to their respective vehicles.
"Need a ride back to the hotel?" Derek offered, a note of pride in his voice. "Stiles and I also have a room there. The hotel offers a hefty discount for employees."
Inuyasha and Scott exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. The four made their way to Stiles' jeep and soon found themselves back at the hotel. Upon parking, they headed for the hotel's entrance and then to the elevator.
Stiles, with a glint of mischief in his eye, brandished a special concierge key, unlocking access to the presidential floor. Before selecting that level, he first pressed the button for the economy floor.
As the elevator made its brief stop on the economy floor, Derek stepped out. But not before leaning in and giving Stiles a quick, passionate kiss. "See you in a bit, hun," he said with a wink.
Stiles, his cheeks a shade of crimson, managed a nod. Inuyasha and Scott couldn't help but giggle at the display, further deepening Stiles' blush and eliciting a chuckle from Derek. As Derek made his exit, the elevator doors slid shut, resuming its journey upwards.
After a brief 30-second ascent, the elevator doors smoothly opened to the presidential floor. Both Scott and Inuyasha stepped out, pausing to share a quick bro-hug and fist bumps with Stiles.
"Thanks for the dinner, man. Have a good night," both Inuyasha and Scott expressed gratefully.
"Anytime," Stiles replied with a warm smile, "and you both have a great night as well."
As Stiles re-inserted his key to select the economy floor, Scott and Inuyasha proceeded down the lavish, softly-lit hallway of the presidential suite. It took them a couple of minutes before they reached their designated room. Scott produced the keycard from his pocket, sliding it into the door's slot. After a momentary click of the locking mechanism, the door unlocked.
Once inside, they both instinctively removed their shoes. While Inuyasha picked up the room's phone to order some dessert from room service, Scott began unpacking the shopping bags. He neatly laid out the new clothing purchases, organizing them for the next morning.
A couple of minutes later, Inuyasha hung up the phone and turned to Scott with a cheeky glint in his eyes. "Looks like the dessert won't be ready for another twenty to thirty minutes. How about we use that time for a relaxing shower?" he suggested with a hint of mischief.
Scott's eyes lit up at the idea, and he responded with a soft, approving purr. Without another word, he wrapped his arms around Inuyasha in a romantic embrace.