The quiet little shrine was abuzz with nervous excitement. The grandfather in the little shed was painstakingly working at the little table, work lamp angled to highlight the little metal hairpin. His daughter-in-law had sent dinner out via Kagome, given the rushed timeline. Souta had volunteered to help his mother with dinner. The mother of the bride was casually rushing from one wedding detail to another. She was answering last minute phone calls. Relatives were calling to confirm the address of the reception. The rent-a-priest had called to confirm the time.
Inuyasha's eye twitched at the schedule in front of him. The whole family should be committed.
"We're having an early dinner. That's now." Kagome's mother dipped a spoon into another pot.
"You have to be awake by eight. Souta will help you with your bath." The woman's demeanor left no room to argue. Putting the kid in charge of him?
"Shizuka will arrive at eleven to start dressing Kagome. Papa's friend will expect to walk the grounds before the shinzen kekkon. We decided not to have any flutes; no need to worry, Inuyasha." The woman briefly tweaked a rotating dog ear as she opened the fridge.
Kagome shifted her dining chair closer to his. The weight of her head on his shoulder helped. The act of Kagome becoming his wife excited him. The ceremony and the curious strangers churned his gut. The kid had helped him practice the vow. While the tradition was to swear his oath to the kami, he preferred to consider the humans pinning their hopes on him. His promise was meant for the Higurashi family. That weighed heavier on him than any spirit.
Steam burst into the air as the pasta was plated. Soba noodle salad was unceremoniously served. Inuyasha pushed his portion around his bowl. The beautiful girl beside him was also having trouble transferring food to her mouth. Souta grinned at him across the table. The matron paused to make another little note on her pad.
I'm getting married. Inuyasha swallowed.
"Will you pass the salt?" Souta broke the silence. He pushed the little tower across the wood. Another round was applied to the child's dinner.
Souta was given the task of clearing the table and washing the dishes. He stood on a little stool to reach the sink. Inuyasha stopped short as his mother-in-law put a hand on his chest. He had been prepared to follow Kagome into the living room.
"Kagome should be in bed before ten. It will be a long day tomorrow." Higurashi ordered softly.
"We won't stay up long."
"Get some rest, Inuyasha." A cool hand touched his cheek. She moved past him. Grateful for her trust, he followed his betrothed into the yard. The girl's skirt swayed over her long, pale legs. The tree full of cranes blew in the evening breeze.
Where is she going?
Inuyasha watched the girl's swinging behind as she scampered ahead. He grinned as she suddenly took off at a run. Years of exercise in his world had made her fast for a human. Slow for a demon. She yelled at him as he caught up. The grass in her backyard tickled his feet. His arms wrapped around her stomach.
"Gotcha." Inuyasha kissed her neck.
"Baka, you were supposed to chase me." Kagome pouted.
"Cold feet?" It was almost a joke.
"I'm wearing socks." Her behind shifted against him. He caught her teasing smile. "Miroku is probably waiting on the other side of the Well. The two of you could be in the next province by morning."
"Boozing, wenching - "
"So there is a plan." Kagome spun to face him. Her fingers tweaked his nose. He caught her fingers and followed the motion to her wrist. Soft skin made his lips tingle. Her eyes sparkled.
"I love you, wench." Miroku's stupid reminders played in his head. Sango had pulled him aside for a quick conversation, taijiya to hanyou. Make sure you tell her you love her, baka. Be gentle with her. Kagome deserves a happy wedding.
Inuyasha was rewarded with a kiss. Her hand on his cheek guided him as their lips softly collided. The night air was cool on his skin. Kagome shivered slightly.
"Hey Inuyasha?"
"Hmm?" He kissed the round lobe of her ear.
"What was in the letter?" The sneaky girl wrapped her hand around his neck.
"Letter?" His lips wrapped around her ear.
"The letter...you gave Mama." Kagome's breath hitched as his hand slipped underneath the band of her skirt. The skin of her hip was warm against his palm. It sufficiently knocked her off balance. The pulse under his tongue throbbed faster. Her eyes drifted closed.
Kagome nearly melted against his chest with a little moan when his hand dropped to hitch her thigh against his hip.
"I-Inuy-yasha." Fingers pulled on his collar.
A private room in a fancy inn with Kagome. His hand was splayed on the skin of her under-thigh. Years of practice made him hyperaware of the claws on her human flesh. The claws he routinely hid. Humans took one look and knew exactly what he was. A forest spirit. A beast. A hanyou. Kagome didn't care about those things, but people in his era would. The next time they traveled to slay a human-killing creature, they would ask if they wanted separate rooms. They might doubt her if they knew her husband. It was one thing to provide a room to a miko and her tamed pet. It was another to acknowledge a young human girl and her half-breed husband.
"Inuyasha." Kagome protested when he turned his face.
The memory of her mother kissing his head suddenly made him feel ashamed. The woman was letting him marry her daughter and all he could provide was a stupid note? He was too stupid to live in her world, compete with Kagome's schoolmates for work. So he was condemning her daughter to live in his world where people would judge her for marrying an outcast. What if they had a kid? Kagome would send it to school in her world. Souta wore a little backpack and carried books. He wouldn't be able to help.
"Inuyasha! What's wrong?" The wench pulled on his hair.
"I'm not smart like you."
"What?"
"I can't write much."
"Why are you so worried? I can teach you." Kagome shrugged.
"I couldn't read those papers you mom showed me." Inuyasha dipped his head to hide his eyes.
"The marriage license?"
"The papers about your house."
"Ooh! Nobody can understand those. The lawyers write those in really weird language. You have to go to school for years to read legal papers." The truth echoed in her words. Inuyasha felt slightly mollified.
"My characters are barely legible."
"If it really bothers you, we could practice together."
"How much does school cost? The little backpacks and paper and books. You need special clothes."
"You want to go to school?" Kagome's voice pitched. The idea of her energetic hanyou sitting at a desk inside an air-conditioned classroom made her want to giggle. Wearing the uniform! Minding his manners to a teacher and eating lunch in the cafeteria.
"What would we do? Would we live here?" The seriousness of his expression killed her laugh.
"We're going to live in our house, Inuyasha. Our house."
"You wouldn't want to stay with your mother?"
"What are you talking about? We're going to live in our house. The house you built." She squeezed him affectionately. The conversation wasn't making sense to her. Inuyasha wouldn't have the attention span to sit through a lecture. Maybe he could take a class at the adult education center. Mama could tutor him in the kitchen.
"But mothers stay with their daughters so they can help. Your mom can't travel through the well. What if the baby can't?" Inuyasha's eyes widened. She held her breath as her mind finally caught up. The idea of bringing a baby into her bedroom was too weird.
"Baby!"
"What do we do about your school?"
"Whoa, whoa!" Kagome waved her hands. "It is way too early to worry about that stuff!"
"Would you quit school? Pregnant women can't nurse naked men!"
"What!"
"Kaede would have to take you off duty. Maybe I could - "
Kagome covered his mouth with her hands. The boy blinked. Warm air rushed over her fingers. She took several long breaths to consider her freaked out boyfriend. Babies and school! It really bothered her that he was asking good questions. What would she want to do about school? Would the people in Kaede's village want a pregnant miko tending their men? They were extremely conservative about such things.
Kagome cupped his cheeks. "Everything will work out. Do you hear me, baka?"
"You have physicians for that. It would be safer here. With your mom." Inuyasha defied her. The energetic haze seemed to be clearing. She didn't object when he hugged her fiercely. His cheek rested against her head.
"We'll figure it out." Kagome rubbed his back.
"Our kids should have school." It was almost funny, after the shock had worn off. Their impending wedding had Inuyasha worrying about their future children. If they had any. A picture of Inuyasha walking a small dark-haired toddler into a colorful classroom filled her mind's eye. Hovering outside in a tree while they colored and sang songs. A sweet little face with pale eyes. A little wildcat with a temper that could scare the kami.
"School would be good." The robe of the firerat was soft against her cheek.
"What if they had my ears? Can you wear a hat in school?"
"We can find a school that allows hats." It touched her heart that Inuyasha was planning for children, even in some misguided panic about their wedding. Family obligations probably seemed overwhelming to her poor fiancee. One thousand cranes swung wildly in the night wind. Her mouth opened as she imagined many wild, dog-eared children with Inuyasha as their example. On child-leashes to keep them from running wild in the street like an abnormally popular dog-walker.
"What's so funny?" Inuyasha's sincerity only made her giggles worse. The children in her eyes were pulling at their leashes.
"You."
"Me?" His pitch increased.
Another image of Inuyasha destroying a hospital waiting room while she gave birth. A host of hospital staff trying to calm him down when he barged through the open window. A dog-eared baby in his arm while he pointed Tetsusaiga at the nurses. Her grandfather casting powerless spells at him. Dousing him with purification water.
"What?" Inuyasha seemed thrown by the hand pressed over her mouth.
"A home birth might be safer." She grabbed him by the hand. He followed her obediently as she dragged him to the back door. His eyes were open when she kissed him. The moonlight had grown stronger. The chill breeze ruffled his hair. An internal clock was warning her that it might be later than she estimated. Their wedding would not be until late afternoon. Butterflies turned as she imagined going the day without seeing Inuyasha.
"Will you come upstairs?"
"Your mom said – "
"Please? I won't be able to sleep without you. I have to sleep!" A dark, lonely room seemed unattractive. Without Inuyasha, she would stay awake. Without a full night's rest, their wedding photos would be horrid. She might wake up in a terrible mood.
"I'll come through the window." Inuyasha nodded.
Kagome sprinted inside. She jumped past Buyo on the stairs. Her family was already preparing for bed, despite the early hour. Inuyasha waited in her chair while she changed in the bathroom. He moved to sit beside of her bed as she climbed under the covers. With permission, the chain on her lamp was pulled by two careful clawed fingers. The ceiling seemed darker than normal.
"You have to leave before Mama wakes up." Kagome rolled on her side. She tweaked a dog ear because she could.
"I will."
"Try to get some sleep." In the darkness, a shadow shifted. A large, familiar weight landed on her leg. The weight of the hand calmed her nerves. She let her eyes slide closed. Her muscles relaxed in sections as the silence of the house wrapped her in a blanket.
"Goodnight, Inuyasha."
"Night, wench."
