Inuyasha followed obediently as Kagome's mother made notes on her clipboard. Kagome squeezed his hand as the instructions were given. They would spend the night before their wedding apart. They would dress separately; Kagome's clothing would take hours to put on. They would dress and then walk to the honden together.
"Mama has hosted weddings here before. Grandpa usually marries them." Kagome whispered. Her mother gestured at the little wooden building where separate rooms connected to a series of long stairs. It was a short walk to the family shrine. The normally calm matron had stray hairs escaping from her bun. A business-like demeanor dominated the tour. The old man and Souta would make sure he dressed right. Shizuka the dressmaker would be in attendance with several other women to clothe his bride.
"Your grandfather is giving you away, isn't he?"
"An old friend of his will be performing the ceremony. I think Grandpa is afraid that he might tear up." Kagome's eyes were full of depth. He squeezed her small hand gently.
"Three-nine. A good date." Kagome's mother continued. "Another couple wanted the reservation but we scheduled them for later. My daughter will have good fortune! Our weather should be beautiful. Papa already booked the car to drive to the hotel. Your friends responded immediately to the invitations - "
"Hotel?" Kagome stopped short. "Mama!"
"A friend of mine heard you were getting married. We normally help the couples get a better rate if they book with the hotel, but given our relationship, they practically offered to give us the hall for free!"
"What about the yard? Mama, we wanted a small wedding!"
"The ceremony will only be the family and Papa's friend. The poor man is almost blind. He won't notice Inuyasha's ears." Mama Higurashi stopped on the beautiful stone path. Landscaped shrubs bloomed with yellow flowers. Inuyasha smartly released Kagome's hand; the girl seemed to be insulted at the idea of this 'hotel'.
"We don't need a hotel. Why didn't you tell me?" The emotion in Kagome's voice made Inuyasha feel defensive. He wasn't sure what was happening but it was big. He could predict Kagome's anger like a rainstorm.
"Why are you getting angry? I thought you would be pleased! The details were easy enough to shift. There's even a suite upstairs for you and Inuyasha. The caterer was happy to switch the delivery location. The florist took a small fee, but everyone has been quite affable!"
"It's my wedding! You didn't tell me." Kagome's foot stomped. Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched out of habit.
"You only get married once, Kagome. You have to do these things right!"
"Who's coming to the reception? Did you change the list?" The mother handed her daughter the clipboard and she flipped to the right section. Inuyasha took another step backwards as she noticed the list of names. A small scream of frustration filled his ears.
"Mom!"
"Souta wanted a friend. Your friends all have dates! What was I supposed to say, that they couldn't bring them?"
"You invited Hojo!"
"They've been friends of the family for years! He's your friend."
"I dated him, Mom! You can't invite someone's ex-boyfriend to their wedding without telling them!" Kagome stomped her foot.
Inuyasha choked. She dated that clown?
"It was just a movie date! I've known his mother for twelve years. She adores you." Kagome's mother gripped the clipboard a touch too hard.
"He thinks I'm pregnant!"
"What do you want me to do? Cancel the hotel?" Kagome's mother had a harsher tone to her voice.
"Cancel? I...I don't know! I guess not. But you should have told me." His bride seemed flabbergasted. She seemed to be thinking about the place. Inuyasha didn't understand why they both seemed on the verge of tears.
"What's a ho-tel?"
"It's a big fancy inn that hosts parties and events," Kagome answered off-handedly.
"Is that what you want?" Whatever the issue was, the women were both upset. He would have preferred a smaller reception. He didn't know these friends.
"I just wanted a nice party for my daughter." Mama Higurashi blinked. Inuyasha cringed with horror when the first tear slipped down. Kagome's mouth opened.
"It sounds great, Mom. Really!"
"My d-daughter is getting married and moving out." A hand reached up to cover her eye. Kagome rushed forward to hug the sobbing woman. The younger girl started crying too. She wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and let loose into her shoulder.
What's with the blubbering?
"My baby's leaving me."
"Mom."
"I'll miss you so dearly," the woman sobbed.
Inuyasha folded his arms to wait while the mother and daughter held each other. His ears folded against his head. Their sadness wasn't about the wedding or the hotel. They were both such heartfelt people that the stress of organizing Kagome's departure from her family's house had boiled over. The house was practically finished except for furnishings. Boxes were already piled in the well-house to be carried over. A futon, sheets, iron skillets, writing paper, toiletries...
In a rare moment of reflection, Inuyasha wished his mother were still alive. He didn't remember his father enough to guess his reaction. Mother would have been proud. Kagome was kind and smart and charitable. The daughter of a good family. Stupid hanyou that he was, his bride would have the best house in the village. They would open her hospice for women and children, a shelter for the victims of the battles. He knew what she really meant. Kagome wanted a safe haven for half demons like him.
"If I didn't love Inuyasha so much, I wouldn't let you go." Mama Higurashi lifted her head to blink at him. His chest ached. Even now, the woman wanted him to feel included, when her heart was breaking.
"You're going to take pictures of your house for me." The woman pointed a lax finger in his direction.
"I will."
"I want dinners and visits and holidays. Birthdays are mandatory."
"Yes, Mama."
"Inuyasha." The matron pointed at him over Kagome's shoulder. His eyes widened.
"Y-yes?"
"Birthdays. Holidays. Dinners."
"Y-yeah, absolutely!" Inuyasha nodded. The woman squeezed her daughter tightly.
It seemed like the moment had passed. Kagome tucked her hair behind her ear. The matron brushed past her and gave him no choice. He bent forward slightly. Kagome's eyes were still damp as her mother squeezed him. She was quite tall for a woman.
"You take care of her."
Kagome collected the clipboard and its forgotten papers off the smooth stone. Inuyasha was surprised by the wash of affection that hit him in the chest. He loved Kagome but he also loved her mother. It would hurt him to lose contact with this improbable woman. She exhaled sharply when he let his hands rest on her back. Carefully, he squeezed her back.
Piles and piles of little envelopes covered the kitchen table. Inuyasha and Souta wisely remained in the living room while the results of each was categorized and added to The Book. Each little scrap of paper was added to a box. There were phone calls to the caterer about last minute changes to the reception menu for their guests. There were many calls to another shoppe about gifts for the guests.
Gifts! Inuyasha stopped cold.
"Inuyasha?" Souta pulled on his sleeve.
"I'm supposed to give the parents a gift, right?" The boy nodded solemnly. He cursed as there was another phone call. Some relative calling Kagome to congratulate her. The girl leaned against the kitchen door as she listened to the older voice. Some story about her own wedding as a girl. Her deceased husband. Kagome made a face as the woman just talked and talked.
"They won't expect gifts but you should. You could write a thank you note instead." Souta continued. The boy rolled the dice again. His little piece moved around the game board.
"I'm not good with mushy stuff like that." Inuyasha watched the beautiful girl twirling her hair around her fingers. Her grandfather walked by. Another delivery from a distant cousin had been delivered. The box was placed in the side room with the others. Little boxes with colorful paper and twinkling bows. Numerous little envelopes with money inside. Kagome's family must be pretty wealthy.
"What kinds of gifts, kid?" Inuyasha had never attended a wedding in this era. Miroku's wedding to Sango had been simple. The reception had been a dinner. Conversation. Jokes about their shared history.
"I dunno. Grandpa likes antiques but none of them are interesting. If you brought something from your world, he could show off to his friends. Just make sure it's not a set of something. That's unlucky. Mama likes flowers. You can't just pull them out of the ground though. They have to be flowers from the store wrapped up with paper."
Inuyasha rolled the little squares. Souta moved his piece for him. Miroku might have ideas. The morally ambiguous man had spent plenty of time scamming the local daimyo out of their valuables. Sango had attended more ceremonies.
Kagome exhaled and rolled her eyes playfully as she clicked the button on the phone. She plopped down on the couch behind him.
"That's like the zillionth phone call." Souta teased.
"We're getting married!" Kagome threw her arms around his neck. Her hands folded over his chest. A kiss between his ears made his toes curl. The warm happiness radiating from his betrothed calmed him. The same excitement made his skin tingle. Kagome is going to be my wife. He touched her wrist and kissed the outside of her knuckles.
Souta made a face.
"Not very long now."
"We're getting married." The happy breathiness racked his whole body.
"We're getting married," he repeated.
"The shrine looks beautiful. My friends are coming back from university. The reception is going to be a good party. There's going to be so much sake and beer and champagne. We should probably spend the night in the hotel. It's a four hour train to the inn." Kagome mused. "What do you think?"
Hotel?
"Or we can spend the night on the train. We'll probably be tired though." Fingers drummed against his chest.
"After we're married?"
"After the reception. We can go upstairs without driving home. It's closer to the train station anyway. Mama bought tickets for nine in the morning. We can walk straight there." Kagome tugged on the rosary playfully.
"That's smart." Inuyasha squirmed a bit as he imagined walking into a strange bedchamber with Kagome at a fancy inn. In front of dozens of humans. Nobody upset about a half-demon married to a daughter of a shrine.
"What about his ears?" Souta piped up. "How is Inuyasha going to hide his ears?"
Kagome squeezed him protectively. Her hands caught in his shirt.
"Mama!" He cringed as she yelled directly by his ears.
"What? What is it?" The matron rushed out of the kitchen with envelopes in her hand. "Kagome?"
"How are we going to hide Inuyasha's ears? Everyone at the reception will see!" Kagome's weight left his back but she kept her hands on him.
"What do you mean?"
"We can't tell people he's a cosplayer at our reception! They'll ask questions. People will take pictures of him." Kagome's fingers curled into his clothing. He half-turned. She seemed legitimately scared that someone would notice his ears.
"Three-nine is the night of the new moon." Mama Higurashi scrabbled for a book. An almanac was brought out. Kagome grabbed it. "The ceremony is scheduled for the day. We'll have time to get to the hotel, change our clothing, and receive the guests. No one will see him."
"So I can marry Inuyasha the way he is?"
"Of course, dear. We'll keep the wedding photos for ourselves. I wouldn't let anyone hurt him."
"Is that ok with you?"
"That's fine." Inuyasha shrugged. Kagome hugged him. I'll be human on our wedding night and hanyou for the ceremony. The claws on his hands suddenly seemed dangerous resting against the girl's soft human wrist. He exhaled as he imagined a night with his new wife without worrying about his strength. A human night with Kagome.
Mama Higurashi smiled. It seared through him. I swear she can read my mind.
