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Suggested Listening: Moonlight as Performed by Ariana Grande
Of Butterfly Wings
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Wedded Bliss
Kagome wrung her hands together nervously.
Today was the day.
She was finally getting married.
Jaken sobbed as he dabbed at his eyes. Rin twirled around her feet, a wide grin splaying across the child's lips.
"You're so gorgeous!" Fuyumi gushed, wiping away her own tears.
Sango, Kanna and Kagura all echoed her sentiments. They gathered around her as everyone pitched in to help her prepare for the day.
Kagome felt herself flush as she took in her own image in the mirror. Her dress was just as perfect as the day she'd tried it on at the salon. It fit to her body perfectly and every stray stitch had been corrected to ensure that it would be suited to her and her alone. She touched the pearls of her necklace as she turned. She struggled to keep the tears from forming in her own eyes. It truly did just feel like yesterday that she'd met Touya and yet now three years later here they were. Joining hands not just as partners but as husband and wife with their friends and family supporting them.
She heard the familiar thundering of feet just outside of their room—a signal that the staff Jaken had hired to ensure everything ran smoothly were doing the final prep work. Jaken had chosen to take a short break with her after spending the whole morning directing everyone on what to do and how to arrange all the tables, floral arrangements and more. When Jaken arrived, Sesshoumaru opted to trade places with him in order to do one last check for himself. If there was one thing she knew about her guardian then it was the fact that he was a perfectionist at heart. She knew that she had absolutely nothing to fear with both of them looking things over.
Kagome smiled as she heard the sound of Touya's laughter from upstairs. She and her party had absconded to the master suite as it was the only bedroom on the first floor. All the remaining rooms were located upstairs. Currently Touya was getting prepared in what would eventually be his mother's room. He'd brought Ohagi upstairs with him just in case. The last thing they needed was for their gremlin kitten to discover the joy of playing with the lace of her dress.
"How's Touya?" She directed her question at her soon to be sister-in-law.
Fuyumi's smile warmed, "He's a total wreck. Every time I go to check on him he's pacing around the room asking if he looks good. I think he's feeling nervous." She then laughed, "Your cat has claimed mom's lap and is holding her hostage in her chair up there, so she can't help Touya much."
The image made her laugh.
The second Rei arrived that morning, Ohagi had latched onto her and refused to leave. He'd been crying incessantly as he hadn't been permitted into the master suite with herself. However after her mother-in-law arrived, he calmed down significantly.
Kagome tilted her head, admiring the elegant fishtail braid Fuyumi had done for her. They'd taken some of the hydrangea flowers the florist had left over and set them in her hair, giving it a delicate look to match her lace gown.
It looked amazing but she couldn't help the nerves that made her stomach coil into knots.
This was a major step for them both. No matter how much she prepared herself for this moment, it still didn't quite feel real.
Warm hands fell over her own.
Kagome blinked as she glanced down at Jaken's teary expression.
"You've grown so much. I remember when you were still even shorter than me." He patted the top of her hand affectionately, "The very first day we met, you pulled roses from Sesshoumaru's garden, strung them into a wreath and then gave them to me. You told me that it was a good luck charm. You said that it would chase away all my bad fortune." Jaken struggled to hold back his tears, "I can say that, that charm has been most effective. Ever since you've stepped into our lives things have become much brighter. You will always have a home at our manor no matter what."
Kagome leaned down as she brought the small imp into a tight hug.
"Thank you, Jaken." She kneeled down beside him, "Thank you for everything you and Sesshoumaru have done. You will always be family to me."
Touya would be her husband after today. They would make a new home with new memories, but that didn't mean that she would completely cut out the people who'd taken her in and shown her what familial love was supposed to look like. She had her guardian, Jaken, Rin, the Todoroki siblings, a wonderful mother-in-law and a father-in-law who was awkward but doing his best to make amends. She had everything she could ever need.
If there was one thing she'd learned in these three years then it was the fact that family was more than just the blood that connected them.
The group turned towards the door as they heard the sound of a faint knock. When it opened she found both Sesshoumaru and Rei standing together.
"It's almost time." Her guardian announced, "Everything is ready to go and your fiancé is making his way downstairs."
Kagome sucked a nervous breath through her nose.
She could do this.
She rose to her feet as Rei came to stand before her.
The two of them hadn't had much time to talk in recent weeks with all of the preparations going on. Between getting their house ready and doing all the shopping for their wedding, she'd missed being able to talk to the woman. They'd gotten along quite well in the years leading up to this wedding.
Rei cast her a warm smile, "You look lovely."
Kagome flushed.
She knew that her mother-in-law was not one to offer empty compliments.
The woman continued, "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done." She opened her arms to her. Kagome didn't hesitate. She reached for the woman she would soon call her mother as well and returned her hug. Kagome closed her eyes as she took comfort in the woman's presence. There was something soothing about Rei's presence that helped her feel more at ease. Maybe it was due to the fact that she'd never had a close bond with her own biological mother and just wanted to feel that sort of closeness to someone on the day of her wedding. Regardless, she could only feel grateful that Rei was here now offering them both all of her support.
Rei pushed on, "You've done so much for my children. Touya especially. I doubt we would all be here right now if you hadn't pushed us in the right direction."
Kagome shook her head at that, "I didn't do much. Everything that's happened has been because you've all made your own decisions."
The older woman's smile softened, "You've given us all the support we needed to make that happen. My sons are getting along and my daughter has found a friend that she trusts more than anyone else in the world. Our family was broken and torn when you first came into our lives. We may never be completely normal but I know that we can start fresh thanks to you giving us the support we needed." Rei gave her a watery smile, "So please continue to look after my troublesome eldest. He can be brash, hard-headed and difficult to deal with at times, but I hope you'll continue to stand beside him just as you've always done."
Kagome tightened her hug over the woman, "Only if you promise to be there too. Don't forget, we've got a room ready and available for you when you finally get clearance to leave that hospital." She shot her a wide grin, "I would feel a lot better if you were around whenever we do finally have kids."
Touya had brought the subject up with her a while back.
He had no idea how long his shifts would be once he started working. There was also the possibility that he could be forced to take the long night shifts once he became a police officer in full. Which meant that there was a good chance she could be alone a lot. If she were to get pregnant early on, then it would make them both feel more at ease if she had someone in the house with them that could help her in the future.
More importantly though, neither of them wanted Rei to be forced to go back to the home that carried all of the worst memories for her. They wanted her to be able to find a place that she could call home and form new memories with all of her children. One free from the horrors of the abuse they'd suffered.
Kagome grinned up at her, "You're the best mother-in-law anyone could ever ask for."
She would stand by that declaration too.
Most women complained about their husband's mothers. From being too nosy to them making executive decisions without their input. She could honestly say that she would never have that problem. Regardless of what was to come in the future, she looked forward to the day that she could welcome her mother-in-law into their home.
Rei wiped the back of her hand against her eyes, attempting to stifle the tears they were both shedding at this point.
Sesshoumaru reached for her hand, "It's time."
Kagome nodded as she linked his arm with his.
Their future would start right now.
Touya shifted on his feet uncomfortably.
He waited at the alter as soft music played over the sound of waves breaking against their bulkhead.
Despite the small ceremony, he had to hand it to Jaken for putting together such an amazing set up.
They had made an alter from an archway decorated with ferns, flowers and stringed lights to add a warm glow to the atmosphere. The sun had long since begun to set, casting a monochrome of orange, red and gold across the waves beyond. It would be less than thirty minutes before the sun would fully set and night would fall over their reception. Kagome had mentioned that it would be romantic to be able to see the stars while they had their dinner. So Jaken had ensured to make her wish come true.
Touya scanned the rest of the decorations. Several chairs were set up in the yard facing their direction. Natsuo and Shouto flanked either side of him with his youngest brother bearing a small pillow with their rings tied to them. When he bought Kagome's rings, he also bought a simple band for himself. He knew that he didn't need anything fancy for special. He didn't require a ring to tell him that he was committed to a single woman, so he'd decided on something that he could wear everyday without worrying about damaging it. It was just a thin, silver band that matched the same look as Kagome's. In his eyes, it was positively perfect.
His gaze drifted towards the tables set just a bit further behind from their sitting area. There was only one large, rectangular table. They had to set it up perpendicular to their alter due to their yard not being all that large, but they'd used iron rods to create the image of a tent. Using the same ferns, stringed lights and a canopy of white fabric to create an intimate yet elegant reception for their wedding. There were just enough gaps between the décor to enable the stars to be visible. They would also lower the lights by using flameless candles.
Touya clenched his hands together. Everything was perfect and in place. Now all that was left was for the bride herself to make an appearance.
The few guests they had quickly rose to their feet as canon in D began to play overhead.
Touya straightened his shoulders.
His mother and sister filed out first. They swiftly made their way down the aisle and into their seats on his side of the alter. Following behind them was Jaken who quickly took his seat next to Kagome's friends on her side. Third to arrive was Rin. The child skipped down the aisle, tossing petals of blue hydrangea flowers onto the ground as she went. The girl's enthusiasm caused the rest of the crowd to laugh, cooing at how adorable she was. She then stopped as she reached her place to stand at what would be Kagome's side at the altar.
He felt his breath freeze in his throat when he caught the silhouette of his future wife's form emerge from the house.
His vision blurred as he took in the image she made.
The gown Kagome had chosen was of a lace design with long sleeves that fell to her wrists. The fabric itself appeared almost translucent down her arms save for some spare decorations that gave it an elegant appeal. It fitted to her body like a glove where it flared out around her knees, giving her the space she needed to walk. She carried a small bouquet of blue hydrangeas with her as she kept her arm linked with Sesshoumaru's. Matching petals dotted the braids of her hair, giving her a near fairy-like look.
He knew for a fact that had his tear glands not been burned, he would've found himself crying at that moment.
Kagome often lamented the fact that she couldn't wear makeup. She felt as if she were missing out on some part of being a 'woman'. Yet when he looked at her now, he couldn't imagine her being any more beautiful than she was now. In his opinion, makeup would have only ruined the effect of her own natural beauty.
The music came to a stop when they reached the altar.
Sesshoumaru took his place between Kagome and Rin, his eyes watching them with no small amount of pride.
Touya offered his own arm for his fiancée. Wordlessly, she took it and came to stand beside him.
He listened as the officiant went through the usual speech for weddings. Honestly he hardly paid any attention to what was being said. The only thing he could focus on was how the sunset's glow seemed to radiate on his soon-to-be wife's cheeks. Unlike other brides, she'd chosen not to use a veil this time. Stating that it would just impede her view and she didn't need one. It didn't bother him one bit. She was already perfect enough.
Touya found himself smiling down at her.
How exactly had he found himself in this situation? Never once in his life could he have possibly imagined the day that he'd be getting married. Sure he'd dated, but even then he never once envisioned the possibility of standing at the altar with a woman ready and willing to call him her husband without an ounce of shame. To consider this a stroke of good luck would be an insult to all of the hard work and effort they both put into making this future happen.
"Do you, Todoroki Touya take Higurashi Kagome as your lawfully wedded wife?" The officiant pinned him with a quick look.
He didn't need to think twice.
"I do." Touya answered.
"And do you, Higurashi Kagome take Todoroki Touya as your lawfully wedded husband?"
She turned ever so slightly and gave him a bright grin.
"I do." She responded just as warmly.
Touya didn't wait for the officiant to grant him permission. He turned within her grasp and captured her lips in a searing kiss, eliciting laughter from most of the crowd and a slight groan from his middle brother.
He smirked as Kagome flushed beside him.
He could think of no better future than the one where he'd wake up beside her every single morning.
Kagome made her way towards their reception table.
The food had been catered on time and soon they had just finished their meal. The conversations had been pleasant with everyone complimenting the overall set up of the ceremony and reception. They had no plans for any dancing as there wouldn't be enough space inside or out. So just dinner, music and the sound of the ocean was all they needed.
Just as they'd planned, the sun had fully set leaving a canopy of stars to hang over their makeshift tent. The gaps in the rods and fabric gave them the perfect view of the stars above. The gentle breeze from the ocean kept them from getting too warm on the night either. They had the glow of the stringed lights and flameless candles to eat by. Although the music was playing softly, the sound of the ocean waves made everything feel complete.
Touya wrapped his arm around her waist as he guided her towards their bridal cake.
It was a simple three tier cake meant to serve up to fifty people. While it was a lot just for their party of a little over ten, it would leave quite a few left overs for everyone to take home in the morning. Plus they would keep the top layer for themselves and freeze it for a year before they would have it on their anniversary the following year.
Kagome smiled as she took in the cake's decoration. The base was a plain white yet streaks of blue that matched their hydrangea flowers dashed a thick line from the lowest layer to the top in a water-color type effect. Crystallized sugar meant to look like waves were placed elegantly along the colored design, adding to the oceanic image.
"Shall we go ahead and cut the first piece before we retire for the night?" Touya clasped his hand over her own.
She felt herself flush at the insinuation.
That was right.
Touya had made it clear that he wouldn't hold back tonight despite the fact that his family would be staying with them.
She felt his arm tighten around her waist when she reached for the designated cake knife they were supposed to use. His palm wrapped over her own. With a movement that felt practiced, he guided her hand to the bottom tier where they cut the first slice of the cake. He placed it on a plate before sharing it with her.
"To our marriage," Touya smiled, offering her the first bite.
Kagome flushed as she returned the favor, "To our future."
Her smile softened as a stray piece of icing stuck to his lip. Wordlessly, she wiped it clean with her thumb.
After tonight, they would have the rest of their lives together to look forward to.
Kagome's smile softened, "I love you, Touya."
Whatever happened, she knew that she would never regret this moment.