A quick afternoon excursion to the corner store soaked Kagome's shoes and frustrated Inuyasha. The metal carriages on the street were even less trustworthy in the rain. He growled at the bastard steering the metal and earned an obnoxious honk in return. Kagome squeezed his hand as she dragged him across the painted lines in the road. It was fun to hear Kagome squeal when the cold water fell onto her elbow. He held the yellow umbrella higher to protect his wife.
Bells rung overhead while Kagome sprinted ahead. An entire aisle of ninja snacks were arranged in colorful display. He inwardly preened. The prettiest girl he had ever seen filled an entire basket with flavored chips and sugary drinks and foods he liked. She grabbed some glossy paper magazines for herself. Inuyasha briefly felt very wasteful when they arrived at the clerk. Kagome didn't bat an eye at the amount and handed over the payment. She beamed at him.
"Come on!"
Inuyasha followed his wife into the street. While she carried the bag, he held the umbrella between them. Not that he cared about the rain – but Kagome was mortal. The last thing he needed was a sick human, a day's travel away from help. He made sure to hold her elbow while they crossed the street just in case a metal carriage came flying down the road. She pretended to race him up the stairs to their room, earning some awkward looks from the staff. Their purchases were slung on the counter.
"Hey!" Kagome squeaked when he lifted her into his arms. He set her on the counter. Wet socks were peeled off her cold feet as quickly as he could without tearing the weak cotton.
"Cold feet are dangerous, stupid. You don't want to get sick, do you?"
"I was going to change them!"
A new pair of dry, thick socks were discovered in her suitcase. Kagome wiggled her toes at him cutely. He appreciated the gap of skin between her skirt and her tall socks. She held up her arms. Playing the game, he helped her off the counter by lifting her. Before he could retreat, Kagome turned to stack their treats on the counter. The glossy paper magazines slid apart. A choking sound alarmed his wife. The pink cover of the second magazine pictured a girl in very little clothing and holding a colorful inflatable ball. The large writing on the side advertised sexual things.
"You read that?" It was similar to the magazine her mother had purchased in the bookstore, despite his embarrassment.
"It's a magazine!" Kagome picked up the slick scroll. She seemed to have no issue inviting him to look at an undressed woman. He moved around the counter to focus on the food. "It's a bikini, a bathing suit! People wear things like this to swim in the water."
"Those are private clothes!" Similar little patches of cloth were resting in their bedroom. The little triangle Kagome wore to cover her womanhood, the cloth that supported her breasts. Horrible imaginings of Kagome posing for a drawing like that, a drawing anyone could buy! His hands pulled too hard on the foil bag and potato discs flew everywhere.
"Hey!"
"You're not dressing like that in public." His claws pierced the little plastic soda cap. Sugary water sprayed in his direction. Kagome dropped the paper to race around the corner. She put the soda in the sink and capped it with a bowl. It sprayed harmlessly into the metal bin that collected the water. She pursed her lips but dabbed at his damp skin with the disposable paper sheets.
"For your information, I don't like bikinis. I prefer one-pieces. My yellow swimming outfit?" Her small fingers gripped his wrist. Gently, she cleaned the soda from his claws. It helped ease his sudden jealously. Kouga would never see her in such a state. Hojo thought she was pregnant – an obstacle that would probably keep that idiot at bay. He focused on his breathing while his wife gathered the fallen potato slices.
"Why did she take that picture?"
"She's a model. She gets paid to take pictures for money. It's not dirty, Inuyasha." Somehow, it was soothing to watch her run a wet cloth over the counter. Salty water was wrung over the metal basin. Kagome would never make paintings like that for money. "It's advertised to women. Clothes for the summer, fun things to talk about with your girl friends, gossip. That type of thing."
I dare you to show that picture to Miroku. See what he thinks!
Without understanding, he made a noise. Kagome was flipping through the book again. Jealousy and fear still raged through him so he pounced. Slipping his hands under the rim of her sensible sweater, he kissed her firmly on the mouth. Backed against the counter, he soothed his internal whispers by stretching his hand against her lower abdomen. The need to assert his claim on her was strong after years of fighting off her admirers. Stupid, blind suitors that would still steal her away if they could. His breath was raw when he realized his hand was under her bra.
"Inuyasha?" Soft. Emotional eyes.
"Sorry." Ashamed, he stepped backward. Kagome didn't like behavior like that; she deserved better than being roughly handled by her own husband. A different kind of fear coiled in his stomach. The rosary around his neck practically itched while he waited for her command, her anger. The stomping footsteps. Anger he deserved – he was too strong for a human girl. It was important that he remain in control.
Kagome stared through him. It made him squirm, waiting for her judgment. The piercing blue eyes scanned him as if they were looking for answers. He desperately wanted to explain but he couldn't, he didn't fully understand his own irrationality either. Breaking the soda bottle, wasting their chips, jumping his vulnerable wife – actions that made him feel like the mongrel humans accused him of being.
"I'm sorry," he repeated.
"You get soooo jealous." The soft sigh made his stomach turn in knots. She dropped the picture book on the counter. Her sweater came down to cover her breast while she adjusted her clothing. "We spent half the morning having sex. Do you think I would ever take pictures for another guy?"
"No."
"So why are you upset?" The lack of anger was novel. His bad behavior warranted at least one sit. His wife rested her hands on the counter while she studied him. The floor was cold but clean. Years of training kept him from picking at his own anger. It wasn't directed at Kagome. They hadn't even seen the stupid wolf in a year but he still wanted to kill the moron for flirting with his girl.
"Mama has a theory, you know. She thinks you get jealous because you're afraid."
"That's fucking stupid. I'm not afraid!"
"Everyone worries about losing their family." The compassion in her eyes made him squirm. "Sometimes I worry about losing Grandpa or Mama or Souta. It's just part of being human. You don't want to lose the people you love. And you have such a big heart!"
"Oi, shut up!"
"I get scared when you're hurt or angry. I don't want to lose you, either." Kagome grabbed his shirt to keep him from retreating; he didn't dare tear away from her for fear of hurting her. "You love me, right?"
"Course I do. What kind of question is that?"
"I love you too! I'm not going to leave you." Love blazed in her blue eyes. Her hands lifted to cup his face. Standing on her tiptoes, her weight pressed against him. The kiss was solid proof that she wanted him. His forehead rested against hers lightly while she regained her breath. The warmth of her soothed his turmoil. She didn't seem angry – sweat, adrenaline, racing heart.
"We're bound together, Inuyasha. I need you."
"I-I need you." The facts were too obvious to deny. Their friends made jokes about how useless he was without Kagome. Hell, he wouldn't even have learned to wield Tetsusaiga without her. She was the one who had fearlessly stepped into the portal to the other world when he hesitated. Even Sesshomaru didn't scare her enough to back down from protecting him. The schoolgirl had aimed an arrow at the most ruthless bastard in his world to save his skin. And hit him! It really pissed him off to have a human girl break his precious armor. MY human girl.
"You're something else, you know that?" Inuyasha squeezed her tightly.
"Do you want brown soda or clear?" The playful change in conversation helped. He could never remember the names of the different brands they bought. The plastic bottles in the sink still leaked.
"Clear." A light kiss freed her. On her orders, he easily moved his claw in a circle to remove the bottle's damaged dome. He set out the cups while she lifted the jug with both hands. The clear soda tasted lighter than the brown which didn't contain lemon. Kagome popped a potato crisp from the ripped bag into her mouth. She nudged her hip against his; an affectionate kick to his backside startled him. More ninja snacks were poured into bowls. The way his wife had explained the game, being slightly wasteful was part of the fun. Salted bread sticks and baked tarts in silly shapes and flavored drinks and sticks of bread with chocolate coating the ends. Bitter tasting candy made him blanch while Kagome laughed.
Bright yellow boots covered Kagome's feet to protect her shoes from the water sloshing in the street. Inuyasha had even said they looked pretty cute on her! She beamed at the boy holding her umbrella and her purse. It was very handy to have her own boy for shopping in the rain. They had staved off their hunger with the parade of junk food from the local convenience store but it wasn't satisfying. After two beef bowls for Inuyasha, she had dragged him to the shopping area. There were fewer people on the street but the local museums were open. There was a local movie theater and a stand on the corner that sold postcards about the legend of Matsu-hime, a spirit that haunted Matsumoto Castle. She bought several to send to her friends.
"See? I told you. Bikinis!" Kagome gestured. The store window displayed several colorful variations of beach wear. A yellow bikini covered a gray mannequin without arms. Another doll wore a one-piece cut high on the hips with a hat on her head. Inuyasha frowned.
"It looks like your undergarments."
"It's water-resistant cloth that lets you swim easier! The fabric dries faster than my underwear."
"Keh, whatever." Inuyasha was uncomfortable so she sighed and pulled him forward. It was nice to have someone to walk around the city with. For once, she was the superior girl with a cute boy when they passed others. Girls and women both noticed her handsome husband carrying their umbrella. Inuyasha seemed confused by her blatant smugness but she couldn't care less. She walked tall while they wandered in the light mist.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome turned on the street. Inuyasha had paused in front of a storefront. She rejoined him under the umbrella. Surprisingly, it was a woman's clothing store. A mannequin was dressed in a cute black skirt and a shirt fitted with ruffled half-sleeves. Thigh-high red socks covered most of her legs and left a small patch of bare skin. It was a nice outfit but she didn't understand why Inuyasha cared!
"That's super cute, ne?"
Inuyasha glanced at her from under his bangs. She smiled at him but he shuffled and looked away. Curious, she studied the store behind the mannequin but it looked normal. Leaning closer, she studied the plastic body for writing – nothing! Her husband's cheeks were red under the umbrella. She nudged him with her elbow but he refused to make eye contact. So something about the clothes or the store embarrassed him! Fascinated, she watched him peek at the clothing doll again. Her mouth dropped when she realized he liked the socks. They were making him blush red like a tomato!
In the Feudal Era, a geisha is trained to flirt with men by revealing their wrists. The slightest exposure of skin to tease their clients with the possibility of what they could have. I guess high socks are an extension of the same idea. They don't show very much under a sailor skirt – ooh! The skirt looked very similar in shape to her old school uniform. The red socks were a great addition. Did Inuyasha fantasize about me in my old clothes? That's what I wore when we fell in love, I guess.
Kagome ducked inside the store. It was easy enough to find the rack. She picked a black skirt and two pair of thigh-high socks, scarlet red and white with blue horizontal stripes. Inuyasha was glaring at the street when she emerged. She smiled at him when he cast one last look at the mannequin before stalking down the road. He seemed convinced that she had disregarded the skirt. She giggled at him but said nothing.
They walked long enough in the rain that Matsumoto Castle could be seen in the distance. The overcast day left mist hanging in the air. Inuyasha grumbled while she scrambled for the postcards. Each had a legend printed on the back. She shuffled them in her hand while they gazed across the water at the castle. It was closed because of the weather. She cleared her throat.
"Matsumoto Castle, also called the Crow Castle, was built between 1592 and 1614. Historical excavations are currently under way, although some say the landmark is still haunted by the spirit of Princess Matsu who died when she was 24 years old. Hey – do you think that's true?"
"A possessed princess haunting an old castle? Wouldn't be the first time," Inuyasha grumbled.
"I wonder why she was unhappy." Kagome clutched the postcards to her chest. The castle was beautiful in the overcast day. The literature in the brochures noted that the interior was wooden rather than cement. Her eyes scanned over the names of the original inhabitants. She was so stunned that she dropped her purchases and her purse on the sidewalk. Inuyasha jumped when she squealed.
"The Takeda clan! Inuyasha!"
"What!"
"That's so cool! 'Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504 which was originally called Fukashi Castle. In 1550 it came under the rule of the Takeda clan until they were defeated by Oda Nobunaga in 1582.' Don't you remember Lord Kuranosuke?"
"Who?"
"The handsome young lord who proposed to Sango! The pelt of the bear demon? The carved idols?" Kagome clasped her hands together. She still remembered her fantasy of Miroku and Sango's modern wedding. She closed her eyes.
"When Sango fought the bear spirit? That guy proposed to her?" Inuyasha blinked at her, completely oblivious. Did he really pay that little attention because the lord fed us?
"Yes! He hired Sango because he needed an excuse to woo her! If she had married him, she would have lived here, at Matsumoto Castle! Isn't that amazing?" Kagome let her mind wander as she considered that she had met the young lord that had fortified Fukashi Castle and changed it into Matsumoto Castle! That it was now the oldest intact castle in Japan.
"Wasn't he defeated by that other guy? Keh!"
"I can't wait to tell Sango! We have to take pictures. Lots of pictures!"
"Tell her what – that the guy who proposed to her lost in battle? Hey!"
"A guide book!" Kagome wasn't listening. She darted towards a nearby gift shop selling Matsumoto Castle merchandise. Inuyasha rolled his eyes but bent over to pick up her bags. His wife was already lost in an excited blur of coincidence and was deaf to anything he could say. The unfortunate truth that Kagome didn't realize was that if Sango had been married to Takeda when he lost, she would have become the property of the new lord, doomed to either become a prisoner, concubine or commit ritual seppuku to save her honor. Still, she looked happy going through the items in the little shop.
