InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blackout ❯ Where We Want to Be ( Chapter 47 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc.  I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc.   I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created.  I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.  


Where We Want to Be


A fantasy wedding it was not.  Only Kagome’s immediate family were present; any more distant relatives who might otherwise have attended were not invited due to the circumstances.  Nosy relatives would inevitably ask questions, and if they decided to dig deeper into the groom’s identity, say by going to city hall, then there could be real trouble.  Inuyasha didn’t officially exist in this time, so they couldn’t register their marriage as required by Japanese law.  As far as the government was concerned, Higurashi Kagome would remain a single woman.  Of course, their child would also not be registered, which suited the miko just fine as her son would not be raised in this time.  

She also didn’t exactly fit into her mother’s wedding kimono, since her mother had done the proper thing and married before getting knocked up.  Somehow they made the garments work, albeit awkwardly.  Then again, awkwardness was a constant companion these days.  Part of her wondered how she was going to make it through the day.  Just putting on the formal attire sapped her energy and caused her to sweat, and her lower extremities were already starting to hurt.  Add to that a bladder which was no longer completely continent, and you had a recipe for a miserable bride.  

Miserable was not how Kagome felt, however, at least emotionally.  The biggest reason for this was obvious—it was her wedding!  Perhaps not the only wedding, since she and Inuyasha planned to hold a more elaborate ceremony in the feudal era where their friends and the whole village could participate.  But this was her first wedding; after today, she would be married in the eyes of everyone who mattered to her on this side of the well.  That prospect was exhilarating to say the least.  She also had ample reason to be touched by the support of the attendees.  Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi had come despite their obvious reservations, concerns which Kagome found perfectly reasonable.  Her family members were still not entirely comfortable, and they knew a lot more of her and Inuyasha’s story than the modern teenagers did.  The fact that Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were willing to put their reservations aside and join her in celebration meant a lot.  

Kagome could say the same for her mother, who appeared to be experiencing a wide palette of mixed emotions.  These ranged from normal emotions which any mother might feel on a daughter’s wedding day to strange worries which few parents in history had ever been confronted with.  But Mrs. Higurashi was happy because her daughter was happy, and just before going outside Kagome embraced her tightly and thanked her for everything.  

Ultimately, the most enjoyable thing about the day for Kagome was seeing Inuyasha.  The traditional Japanese wedding was a formal, almost solemn affair.  There was no ‘you may kiss the bride,’ no clapping or cheering at the conclusion of the ceremony.  Her grandfather had asked an old friend to preside, a fellow priest with a stern face and a businesslike demeanor.  Kagome sensed that the elderly priest disapproved of her pregnancy, Inuyasha’s exotic looks, and especially the highly unorthodox cloth hat which the hanyou wore to cover his ears.  Her grandfather had lent him the garment on the condition of absolute secrecy.  If anyone asked, they would be told that it was traditional for the groom’s head to be covered in Inuyasha’s home town, somewhere in the most rural part of Hokkaido prefecture.  

None of this seemed to bother the hanyou.  He wore his heart on the sleeve of her father’s wedding kimono, not even attempting to conceal how much this meant to him.  From the moment Kagome first glimpsed him, standing tall and proudly on the shrine grounds while exuding an air of quiet confidence tinged with anticipation, she could think of nothing other than how much she loved him.  All of the day’s little imperfections melted away.  Inuyasha seldom acted in accordance with his noble lineage, the regal bearing he had inherited from both of his parents, yet today that part of him was on full display.  Far from emulating his cold half-brother, however, he gladly revealed the strength and substance of his feelings to anyone who cared to look.  They were in his movements, slightly stiff with nervousness but graceful nonetheless; in his bright golden eyes which he could never tear away from his bride for long; and in the hint of a smile which never left his lips, even during the most solemn portions of the ceremony.  

After the San San Kudo, which was performed with a nonalcoholic sake substitute due to Kagome’s condition, the priest presented Inuyasha with a scroll containing the traditional wedding vow, which the hanyou read in a strong, confident voice.  Instead of handing it back to the priest, however, he paused for a moment before continuing in his own words.  He was not especially eloquent, but the words were heartfelt, and completely Inuyasha.    

“I was lost when I met Kagome.  She gave me a purpose in life, a reason to wake up and face each day.  She came to love me, and I…screwed it all up.”  This comment drew light laughter from the gathering, and Inuyasha managed a wry smile.  “I don’t know how she still loves me.  It’s unbelievable.  I’ve never been the man she deserves, but still…we’re here today getting married.  I guess…I should thank her for sticking with me, and her friends and family for giving me a chance.  I know it’s not just because she’s pregnant that you all—”  

At this point the elderly priest started to move to silence Inuyasha.  The old man had been literally biting his tongue to keep quiet as this impertinent youth made a mockery of a centuries-old sacred ceremony, but bringing up the child conceived in wedlock was too much!  Not that Inuyasha cared in the slightest about social taboos.  

“What?  We’re not supposed to talk about it?  Fu—Forget that!” he declared, catching the curse at the last possible instant.  “I used to think that Kagome getting pregnant was a mistake,” he continued, speaking to everyone once more.  “Maybe it was.  But it’s also a blessing.  This baby helped me understand the truth about how I feel about Kagome…something I should have realized a long time ago.  I’m just glad that by the time I finally did pull my head out of my—understand, that it wasn’t too late.”  

Finally, Inuyasha turned to Kagome and knelt before her, gripping one of her hands in both of his own as he gazed into her eyes.  

“Kagome, I’m not going to promise you that I’ll never screw up.  You know me, and you know that’s not possible.  But…I will never again give you any reason to doubt my loyalty…or how much I love you.  That’s my promise to you, on my honor, on my life.  So Kagome, I ask you once more…will you be my wife?”  

“Inuyasha…” she breathed, reaching up to tenderly cup the side of his face.  He reciprocated the gesture, wiping a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb.  They might have had their very own version of ‘you may kiss the bride’ right then and there, if the priest had not cleared his throat loudly enough to make Inuyasha jump.  He was red in the face and appeared almost ready to storm out.  Deciding he’d tempted fate enough for one day, Inuyasha got back into his proper position and the rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch—or any additional deviations from tradition.  Unless of course one counted the bright smiles he and Kagome sported for the remainder of the ceremony.  

The first thing anyone wanted to talk about at the reception was Inuyasha’s vows.  Ayumi was in hopeless romantic heaven, and the rest of the gathering was also fairly impressed.  In the midst of a tradition steeped in rich history and formality, Inuyasha had found a way to express himself in the most unsophisticatedly beautiful way.  Even Kagome’s grandfather made his way over to quietly express his approval.  He also admitted that perhaps he should have recommended a different priest, his way of apologizing for his friend’s demeanor.  Much to everyone’s surprise, Inuyasha muttered a ‘keh’ and told his new grandfather-in-law not to worry about it.  In his own words, ‘arguing with that old codger helped me figure out what to say.’  After some additional cajoling, the hanyou confessed that he had not planned the speech, that he’d made a snap decision after finishing the traditional vow.  The words provided by the priest had not been empty; they were in fact quite powerful and spoke of a serious commitment.  But at the same time, they didn’t seem right for him and Kagome, given everything they’d been through.  And they hadn’t encompassed everything he wanted to say to his new wife.  

By the time the reception wound down and Kagome’s friends departed for home, the miko was dead on her feet.  Inuyasha escorted her to her room and gently ordered her not to come out until she’d gotten some rest.  What constituted a sufficient amount of rest was open to interpretation, but Kagome didn’t particularly care at the moment.  She also didn’t care that Inuyasha saw her in her underwear as he helped her change into something more comfortable.  He was her husband; soon he would be doing much more than just looking.  But all of that was for later.  Right now, the only thing which interested Kagome was sleep.  She was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.  

A few hours later, a much refreshed newlywed emerged from her bedroom.  Her first stop was the bathroom to relieve her throbbing bladder, after which she failed to resist the temptation of a warm soak in the tub.  It would take her longer to reunite with her husband and family this way, but at least she would look, smell, and feel presentable when she did.  In the end, it was just as well that she had taken her time.  Inuyasha was not in the house, and her mother said that he had certainly kept himself busy during her nap.  After helping to clean up after the reception, he had snatched the broom from her grandfather’s hands and swept the entire grounds.  Then he had hopped through the well for an hour or two, and finally upon his return he’d noticed her grandfather in the storage shed and gone to lend a much-needed hand there.  That was where Kagome found him.  After she softly called his name, there was a bustle of activity behind the closed door.  

“Wah!  Be careful with that!  It’s a priceless fam—”

“Aw, shut it, jijii.  Everything in here’s a ‘priceless family heirloom.’”  Inuyasha’s words were harsh but his tone was not, and her grandfather’s reply was more of a return banter than anything else.  

“Shameful!  Kids these days…no respect for history.”  

“Keh.  I’m from history, in case you forgot.  Besides, my wife is calling me,” Inuyasha declared, slightly emphasizing the word as though his tongue wasn’t quite used to it yet.  “You all set in here?”  

“Yes, yes, go on.  Show my granddaughter your surprise.  Have fun, but don’t let her overdo it.  You make sure she gets her rest!”  

Kagome could picture her grandfather shaking his finger at Inuyasha, but the hanyou nonchalantly agreed to his demands on his way out the door.  The entire conversation was strange but also wonderful to hear.  Their relationship had grown more casual recently, but now Jii-chan appeared to be treating Inuyasha like his own grandson.  The hanyou was slowly being accepted by his wife’s family, as any other husband would hope to be.  It was still a work in progress, but Kagome had faith that things would be even better by the time they were ready to purify the Shikon no Tama.  

“Hey, Kagome,” he greeted with an easy grin.  “Feeling better?”  

Kagome suppressed a giggle at his appearance.  Clad once more in his fire-rat robes—which he had probably changed into at the earliest opportunity—he resembled the slightly younger hanyou from her memories, the one who used to come poking his nose around the shrine while pretending that he didn’t miss her.  Oh, how things had changed since then.  It struck Kagome how unguarded his eyes were now.  It was as though he didn’t have a care in the world, which she knew to be untrue.  But all of the worries which used to hang over him were gone—guilt and self-loathing over Kikyou, and fears of failure and rejection among them.  At the moment, all she could see reflected back at her was happiness.  

“Much better,” she replied cheerfully.  “Now…what ‘surprise’ were you going to show me?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.  “Heard that, did you?  Damn jijii can’t keep his mouth shut.”  

“I heard that,” her grandfather called from inside the shed.  

“Yeah, well be a little more discreet next time!”  

The word ‘discreet’ sounded funny coming from Inuyasha, so Kagome chuckled quietly to herself.  

“What’s so funny, wench?” her husband demanded with feigned anger.  Kagome arched an eyebrow.  Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be from now on, is it?  I get called by my name unless I ‘displease’ him.  Inuyasha’s smirk indicated that he knew exactly what she was thinking, and suggested that his response might be something along the lines of ‘what, you didn’t think I’d stop calling you that just because we’re married, now did you?’  Honestly, Kagome would have to answer in the negative.  She didn’t truly mind, since Inuyasha hadn’t abused the nickname or verbally insulted her in any way in a long time.  As long as he called her by her name in front of their children, they wouldn’t have an issue.  And she was pretty sure he’d figure that out on his own without her having to say anything.  If it ever became something other than a term of endearment for private moments, then it would probably be the least of their worries at the time.  

“Don’t dodge the question, baka,” she told him, her grin widening.  See, I’ve got my own little term of endearment for you, too.  Inuyasha had been his own special sort of baka since the day they met, and would probably be one until the day he died.  She wouldn’t have him any other way.  

“Keh.  If you’re up for it, then let’s go,” Inuyasha declared, taking her hand and leading her over to the well house.  By now Kagome knew what he had in mind.  Since the evening when he proposed to her, Inuyasha had taken her running in the feudal era whenever she felt up to it, which was usually a few times a week.  He always carried her in his arms, which the miko didn’t mind since her preferred method of riding on his back was impossible.  On the bright side, being in his arms meant that she didn’t have to concentrate on holding on at all; she could simply enjoy the view of the world around her and the feel of the man holding her.  And the position was perfect for kissing, an activity in which they happily partook whenever they ran—during breaks, of course.  Inuyasha liked to bring her to a new place each time, allowing the tranquil solitude and the beauty of their surroundings to put both of them in the right mood.  Thus far the kissing had been mostly of the languid variety, and they had yet to move beyond exploratory caresses over their clothing, but Kagome had a feeling that might change very soon.  It was their wedding night, after all.  Nervousness sparked within her at the thought, but she pushed it aside.  There was nothing she could do about the things which made her worry, but she vowed not to let them ruin her and Inuyasha’s evening.  

Instead of taking her into the forest, Inuyasha headed toward the village.  This gave Kagome an idea of what his surprise might be, but still the sight of the new hut caused her to gasp.  It was not the structure itself which came as a shock, but the state of its completion.  

“I thought they weren’t going to finish it until after the harvest?” she asked breathlessly.  

“I called in a few favors,” Inuyasha stated proudly.  “And made a few promises.  You may not see much of me during harvest time,” he admitted sheepishly.  

“But…I thought you were going to help them with the harvest anyway?”  

“Yeah, well they didn’t need to know that.  Now I’ll just have to help more, probably dawn ‘til dusk.  If I’m lucky.”  

“Well, I’m sure they’ll appreciate the help.”  

“Keh.  They’d better.”  

“I certainly appreciate it, Inuyasha,” she told him, reaching up to run her fingers over an ear.  “Can we go inside?”  

Inuyasha carried her over the threshold and set her down on the wood floor, then stood back and watched her anxiously.  Kagome had formed a picture in her mind of what the completed home would look like, but reality was even better.  It was larger than the average dwelling of the time period, probably at Inuyasha’s insistence since he knew she grew up in a big house.  Kagome didn’t really care about that, but she did appreciate the other luxuries her hanyou had installed, especially the unusual number of futon mattresses piled together to form a bed which could probably rival her modern mattress in terms of comfort.  The long seat made from wood and piled with cushions to look suspiciously similar to the living room couch was also a nice touch.  

“How did you afford all this?” Kagome asked, knowing that some of these items must have been purchased at the regional market.  

Inuyasha shrugged.  “I collected some nice furs, and Miroku traded them for me.  I don’t think it was enough to pay for everything, but he wouldn’t really tell me.  Next time we go on an exorcism I’ll make him take my share of the payment, and then we should be even.  So…do you like it?”  

“I love it,” she replied, looping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a reassuring kiss.  When she pulled away, all of her hanyou’s nervousness had disappeared.

“Still up for that run, Kagome?”  

“I am if you are.”  

In no time she was flying.  Inuyasha seemed to have an extra spring in his step this afternoon, which could be explained by any number of reasons, from his newlywed status to her approval of their new home.  The ride was still as smooth as ever, so far from complaining, Kagome felt her own excitement rise with his exuberance.  Inuyasha carried her to where a forest stream broke into a waterfall before continuing downstream.  A small pool had formed underneath the falls, the waters kept clear by the constant flow.  Kagome quickly discovered that her hanyou’s exuberance extended to other matters as well.  Again, not that she was complaining.  

Eventually she pulled away from the kiss before it became too heated.  She fully intended for them to give in to their passions this evening, but not here in the middle of the forest.  She was sure they would spend plenty of future ‘alone’ time in nature—Inuyasha was a very ‘outdoorsy’ person, after all—but she wanted their first time as husband and wife to be in their new home, on that comfy-looking bed.  Since she still didn’t remember their one and only previous sexual encounter, this was essentially her first time, period.  She felt like a virgin, even though that was obviously not the case.  

Inuyasha stuck his nose in her hair and breathed deeply, his way of calming a raging libido.  Oddly enough, his scent could have a similarly soothing effect on her.  But when she leaned her cheek against his haori and inhaled through her nose, she discovered that his scent was less rugged and woodsy and more…pungent than usual.  Inuyasha must have sensed her reaction, because he pulled back suddenly and caught her crinkling her nose with a grimace.  

“What, do I smell or something?” he demanded defensively.  

“A little,” she replied apologetically.  Inuyasha frowned, then lifted his free arm and sniffed his armpit experimentally.  When he yanked his face away and blanched, Kagome burst out laughing.  He glared at her, but couldn’t quite pull off the feigned annoyance and was soon chuckling as well.  

“I guess I could use a bath,” he admitted.  

“I’ll say!  I’ve never known you to sweat very much, Inuyasha.”  

“Yeah, well you’ve never known me to get married either.  That shit is stressful,” he replied with a grin.  

“Ah, that explains it.  Do you want to go back through the well?”  

“Keh.  Why the hell would we do that when there’s perfectly good water right here?” he said, tilting his head toward the pool.  In the next instant his expression sobered, his demeanor becoming completely serious.  Kagome realized the idea which had occurred to him just before he voiced it.  

“Do you…want to join me?”  

“Another time,” she replied gently, for a variety of reasons.  The only ones she would admit to were having recently bathed in the modern era, and not wishing to provide any further temptation before they made it back home.  Inuyasha seemed disappointed for a moment, but then his grin turned roguish and he stood and began carrying her toward the water anyway.  

“Inuyasha, what are you doing?”  

“Leave your clothes on and come for a swim, wench.  It’ll be fun.”  

“Kyaa!  You wouldn’t dare!” she cried, tightening her grip on his neck.  Not that this would do any good, since he would just jump right in with her.  

“All right, all right,” he relented, snickering to himself as he set her on her feet.  He then put his hands on his hips and gazed at her with a look which said, ‘well, you gonna turn around or what?’  Kagome did turn around, but only so she could settle herself against a convenient tree trunk facing the water.  She then folded her arms over her chest and gazed at him expectantly, somehow mustering a convincing smirk as the butterflies swarmed in her stomach.  Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he realized two things: first, that Kagome did not intend to turn around, and second, that she had every right to look.  He swallowed the lump in his throat and spun on his heel, his body tense.  Kagome might have found amusement in his nervousness if her own heart wasn’t beating so rapidly.  

What followed was not much of a striptease, but she had not expected one from her hanyou, who was no more sexually experienced than she was.  His upper body was nothing she hadn’t seen before, but his tentative movements were endearing, and just because his muscular back was familiar to her didn’t mean that she found it any less attractive.  He hesitated before removing his hakama, then stood on the bank facing away from her for a few moments, completely naked.  Her scent must have told him all he needed to know about her opinion of his body, because there was just a hint of a swagger in his step as he strode forward and dove headfirst into the pool.  

Kagome exhaled the breath she’d been holding, resisting the urge to start fanning herself.  Oh, my…  She was going to have such fun with that firm backside of his.  The thought of his perfect form caused her to frown and bite her lower lip.  How mismatched could two people possibly be?  He a real-life Adonis, with barely an ounce of fat on him, and she a bloated, semi-continent whale.  Inuyasha doesn’t see you that way.  It was all well and good to tell herself that, but she still harbored doubts.  Her unattractive appearance was the other primary reason why Kagome had declined to join him in bathing, but it was not the only worry which lurked in the darker corners of her mind.

She had yet to see Inuyasha’s front this evening, but she remembered how sore she was on ‘the morning after’ and assumed that he was fairly large.  Even if that proved untrue, she wondered if she would be able to make love at all.  The books could say that normal sex was fine during pregnancy, but that was not true for all women, especially during the final week before delivery.  Maybe it would be different if they’d been sexually active throughout her pregnancy, but she hadn’t had anything larger than a speculum in her body for almost nine months.  Combined with how lousy she felt in general and in that specific area, the best case would be a high degree of discomfort for her.  In the worst case, penetration would be too painful to allow intercourse.  Either way, Kagome didn’t expect to experience much pleasure from lovemaking.  

She had already decided that none of this mattered.  This was their wedding night, and they were damn well going to make love if at all possible.  If Inuyasha enjoyed it, then that would be enough for her.  Still, like any other person with an unpleasant experience on the horizon, she couldn’t stop thinking about it or completely quash her nerves.  

Suddenly receiving the distinct impression that she was being watched, Kagome looked up to find Inuyasha gazing at her from the pool with a small frown marring his features.  She shook her head and plastered on a smile which was only partially forced, silently telling him that nothing was wrong.  He stared at her for a moment, then submerged himself and began to wash.  Kagome sighed under her breath.  Sometimes her husband was too perceptive for his own good.  

Silence settled over the pair, the normal auditory palette of nature supplemented only by the soft sounds of Inuyasha moving through the water.  Eventually Kagome remembered something she’d wanted to say since the wedding, once she got him alone.  

“Inuyasha, what you said today…it was beautiful.”  

“Keh.  Don’t know if I’d call it that.  I’m not exactly a poet.”  

Kagome chuckled.  “If you started reciting poetry, I’d wonder what was wrong with you.  But seriously, it was…beautiful in its own way.  It meant a lot to me, and it helped my friends and family feel better about us getting married.  Thank you for doing that.”  

“That wasn’t why I did it,” Inuyasha replied.  “I just…wanted to say something more than that vow the priest gave me.”  

“I know…that makes it even more special.”  

Inuyasha blushed under the praise and submerged himself to hide it, drawing a giggle from his wife.  When his face next rose from the water, however, there was a fire in his eyes which caused Kagome’s heart to flutter.  Her husband was apparently confident enough to emerge from the pool in a much more seductive manner than he had entered it, but unfortunately fate had other ideas.  A cool breeze blew in from the east, bringing with it a scent which Inuyasha obviously did not like.  He exited the pool quickly, all thoughts of seduction forgotten.  Kagome stretched out her spiritual senses and picked up the approaching aura of youki, wishing ardently for her bow and arrows as a large oni pushed its way through the trees.  

Their opponent, however, was neither intelligent nor especially strong, which perhaps explained how it had managed to sneak up on them.  They had plenty of warning to prepare for combat, but not enough for Inuyasha to don his hakama.  Kagome tried not to be too distracted by his nakedness as she watched him fight.  Ultimately, the battle lasted all of fifteen seconds.  Inuyasha dodged a couple clumsy strikes from the oni’s fists, always keeping himself between his wife and his opponent, until finally he was able to set his feet and obliterate the thing with a Kaze no Kizu.  As blood and viscera rained down all around him, the victorious and still naked hanyou turned to face her with the fully-transformed Tetsusaiga leaning casually against his shoulder.  It was an image which would be forever seared into Kagome’s memory.  Could he possibly be any sexier?  

Nonetheless, her mood soured quickly as she fingered the Shikon no Tama, suspended by a chain around her neck.  “We have got to get rid of this stupid thing,” she muttered, knowing that the lure of the jewel was what had drawn the oni here in the first place.  

“Keh.  It ain’t that much of a rush, wench.  I just killed that thing buck-ass naked, you know.”  

Oh, Kagome knew that all too well.  Having raised her eyes at the sound of Inuyasha’s approaching voice, her gaze lingered predictably on certain parts of his anatomy before she realized it, resulting in a flustered miko and a hanyou whose male ego was growing by the second.  

“I’m serious,” she retorted, forcefully averting her gaze.  “We can’t keep tempting fate like this, Inuyasha.  All it takes is one slip…”

“I don’t slip,” he stated, his voice confident and reassuring rather than arrogant.  She clearly wasn’t buying it, so he lowered his tone to a more somber octave.  “It’s fine, Kagome, really.  I check the forest every day, but this one’s youki and scent were so weak that it must have slipped past me.  I was never in any danger.”  

“I know that, Inuyasha.  But even a weak youkai could kill a villager…or our son.”  

“That’s not going to happen,” he promised, stepping close and wrapping his arms around her.  She sighed and slumped into him despite the dampness of his skin, accepting his comfort.  

“Look, Kagome, I’ll admit that not purifying the jewel is a risk.  But I’m doing everything I can to keep it from biting us in the ass, and it’s for a good reason.  Your mother deserves to meet her grandson.  And besides,” he added lightly, “how would I ever explain to your kid brother that he never gets to see his nephew?”  

Kagome chuckled despite her melancholy.  “Souta would be pretty heartbroken.”  

“There, you see!  It’s for a good cause.  If it makes you feel better, I’ll carry your bow and arrows whenever we go running from now on so you can back me up.  Okay?”  

“Okay,” Kagome breathed with a smile.  Logically it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but Inuyasha was right that their reasons were sound, and that he was doing what he could to minimize the risks.  She appreciated that he understood how important this was to her, and was willing to essentially talk her into it when her concerns grew too much to bear.  She leaned up to show him how much she appreciated it, but promptly pulled back from the kiss as her lips encountered a positively vile flavor.  

“Oh, what the hell is the matter now?” Inuyasha demanded exasperatedly.  

“I think you need another bath,” Kagome teased.  “You taste like youkai guts.”  After a couple experimental sniffs in his direction, her grin twisted into a mischievous smirk.  “And you don’t smell so good either.”  

Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed.  “Okay, that’s it.  You’re going for a swim now.”  

“What?  No!  Put me down!  Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

*Splash*

The delectable aroma of something tasty cooking nearby drew Kagome from her slumber.  She sat up with what had become customary awkwardness, glancing around at the inside of their new home with confusion since she didn’t remember falling asleep here.  Or putting on this nice warm robe.  Understanding dawned as her recollection returned.  I must have fallen sleep on the way back.  Splashing around in the pool with Inuyasha—a still very naked Inuyasha—had been a blast.  That is until her energy-sapping condition reared its ugly head in the form of sudden and powerful fatigue.  Inuyasha ushered her out of the water as soon as he noticed, then donned his hakama and wrapped her in his haori and kosode before proceeding to carry her back here.  She was naked under this robe, so he must have removed her wet clothing and undergarments before putting her to bed.  She briefly wondered if he had taken any liberties with his eyes, before realizing how hypocritical that sounded.  Besides, she wasn’t even sure if he would want to look.  

She certainly did not have any qualms staring at his body, as she discovered when she located him by the fire pit.  He was still topless, his robes likely drying in the breeze outside.  The light from the flames danced almost hypnotically over his skin as he closely observed the cooking meal.  Finally he turned his head to gaze at her, the same happiness she had noticed before swimming in his golden orbs.  

“Feeling better?”  

Kagome grinned wryly.  I’m getting tired of making him ask me that.  “Much better,” she repeated.  “Sorry I’m so feeble these days.”  

“Keh.  Don’t be.  You’re doing the hard part.”  

“It’s not so hard when I’m with you,” she answered, cringing at how cheesy that sounded.  But Inuyasha just blushed a bit and smiled sincerely.  

“She gave me a purpose in life, a reason to wake up and face each day…”

When he trailed off, Kagome groaned in disappointment.  “Mm, keep going.”  

“Do you remember what comes next, wench?” he asked jokingly.  

“Yep.  Keep going.”  

Shrugging, Inuyasha did as he was bid.  What followed was both touching and humorous, inspiring both tears and laughter.  By the end of it, he was kneeling before her on one knee, once more promising undying loyalty and love and asking her to be his wife.  They kissed, sweetly but with passion simmering just beneath the surface.  When they pulled apart, Inuyasha returned to the fire pit and Kagome lay on her side facing him.  

“Make sure you don’t forget those words,” she told him.  “I’m sure that’s not the last time I’ll ask you to say them.”  

“Heh, maybe I’m not such a bad wordsmith after all.”  

“Wordsmith?  I wouldn’t go that far.”  

“You think you could do better, wench?”  

“I intend to.”  

“Huh?”  

“At our wedding on this side of the well.  I’m going to make you one hell of a vow.”

Inuyasha snorted.  “The bride reading a vow?  That’s real traditional.”  

“Look at us, Inuyasha.  Are we traditional in even the slightest way?”  

“Good point.”  

Playful banter transitioned into companionable silence as they shared the meal, a simple but tasty dish of meat, rice, and vegetables.  Kagome expressed surprise that Inuyasha possessed even that level of cooking skill, but the hanyou confessed to taking lessons from Kaede and Sango over the past several weeks.  Evidently he didn’t want his pregnant wife cooking for him if she didn’t feel up to it, which was odd for a man to say in the feudal era.  Some men in this time period would say that it was the woman’s job to cook, whether she felt up to it or not.  Having grown up in the wilds, however—and with little hope of ever getting married at all—Inuyasha held little regard for the traditional gender roles of human society.  That their closest friends would also likely never have the orthodox man-and-wife relationship also no doubt influenced him.  One thing was for sure—as long as Inuyasha was doing the cooking, their meals would never be too spicy.  

After dinner, they visited briefly with Kaede, with whom Shippou was also staying since he sometimes felt like a third wheel with Miroku and Sango, especially in the evening.  While the newlyweds were always courteous and never purposely gave any indication that they wanted to be alone, the young fox was smart and observant enough to realize when his presence was the only thing preventing the adults from partaking in certain ‘adult’ activities which he wasn’t supposed to know about yet.  As his friends all settled down and started families, Shippou had spoken of going off on his own to search for more of his kind.  He would of course return since he regarded this village as his home, but Kagome could understand his desire to interact with other kitsune.  She worried about him, of course, but Shippou had survived on his own after his parents died.  And without the Shikon no Tama nearby, the odds of him encountering any danger which he couldn’t escape from were slim.  Ultimately, he was a youkai, albeit a young one, and he possessed the right and the ability to make his own decisions.  Inuyasha and Kagome could guide and support him, but he needed to forge his own path in the world.  

They next dropped in on Miroku and Sango, after Inuyasha’s ears and nose confirmed that they weren’t interrupting anything.  To the contrary, Miroku especially seemed happy to see them, probably so the comedic material which he had come up with regarding their wedding night would not go to waste.  None of his teasing was overly explicit, but his hidden meaning was obvious to anyone who knew him well.  Inuyasha and Kagome took it all in stride, and honestly the miko seemed more embarrassed than her husband.  Inuyasha even fired back a few times, once insinuating that the monk should stop worrying about others and tend to his own affairs.  To which Miroku quickly replied that he had everything ‘well in hand,’ and sometimes felt that the world had fallen ‘into his lap.’  That one earned him a bonk on the head from his wife, but there was no question as to the winner of the males’ not-so-subtle pissing contest.  Inuyasha really should have known better than to challenge Miroku in that particular arena.  But again, the hanyou took it all in stride, which seemed odd to Kagome and a little worrisome for some reason which she couldn’t yet comprehend.  

As their friends departed for the evening, Miroku and Sango reiterated how much they were looking forward to the larger, more festive wedding planned for the village after the baby was born.  They had volunteered to handle the preparations, and with so many other things going on in their lives, Inuyasha and Kagome had happily accepted.  From how enthusiastic the monk and taijiya were, they knew it had been the right decision.  

Kagome’s heart thundered in her chest as she and her husband made their way back to their home, excitement mingling with anxiety as she thought of what they would soon be doing in their marital bed.  Inuyasha, however, seemed oblivious to her inner conflict and behaved as though nothing was out of the ordinary.  He performed a quick check of the immediate area just to make sure nothing nasty had crept in, but then seemed perfectly content to simply go to bed.  Kagome went out of her way to inject a little sensuality into her voice and movements, and although Inuyasha seemed to notice, he never acted on the unspoken invitation.  And minutes later, she found herself lying next to him on the futon, listening to his deep, even breathing.  He wasn’t asleep, but perhaps he was trying to pretend that he was.  

Kagome almost left him alone.  She thought she knew why he wasn’t interested in partaking in customary wedding night activities, but she wanted to give him a chance to prove her wrong.  Eventually she managed to gather enough courage and indignation to ask him directly.  

“Inuyasha?”

“Hm?”  He did not sound pleased to hear her voice, which caused her resolve to falter all by itself.  But she swallowed the lump in her throat and pressed on.  

“Don’t you want to…make love?”  

He sighed.  “Not tonight, Kagome.”  Now he sounded like he was pleading with her to understand, which of course she did, all too well.  

“Oh…okay.”  

As she rolled over onto her side facing away from him, Kagome vowed not to cry.  If Inuyasha didn’t want to be with her because of the state of her body, she would not guilt him into it.  No wonder he wasn’t really embarrassed by what Miroku said.  He never intended to have sex with me tonight at all.  She didn’t even get a chance to reflect upon how this might affect their relationship before the hanyou swore under his breath.  The next thing Kagome knew, Inuyasha was practically draped over her back, his arm looped around her torso.  She gasped at the sensation of something hard pressing firmly against her backside.  

“Dammit, wench.  Don’t be stupid.  It’s not because I don’t want you.  Does this,” he added, thrusting his hips for effect, “feel like I don’t want you?”  The only response Kagome could manage was a shake of her head.  

“Damn right it doesn’t,” he declared, his tone frustrated but not hostile.  “I get like this just about every time we kiss…or from swimming with you…or from changing your clothes before.”  The last part he admitted as though he wasn’t sure if he should be ashamed.  Kagome might have confirmed that he had nothing to be ashamed of if she wasn’t so confused.  

“Then…why don’t you want to be with me?”  

Inuyasha paused for a few moments, obviously choosing his words with care.  “I just…I know how lousy you’ve felt lately, Kagome.  And I didn’t think you’d feel like having someone touch you…like that…right now.  Can you honestly tell me that I’m wrong?”  

Now it was the miko’s turn to sigh, knowing full well how futile it was to lie to him about something so important.  “No, you’re not wrong.”  

“But you would do it for me.”  It was not a question, but Kagome still nodded in response.  

“Well screw that,” Inuyasha stated sharply, before immediately continuing in a much gentler tone.  “When we…make love for the first time as man and wife, I want it to be for both of us.  I can wait.”  

At last Kagome realized how foolish she’d been.  This was Inuyasha, the man she loved, and one with a heart far purer than he even realized.  Yep, you’re an idiot all right.  Good thing he loves you.  She rolled over to face him, gazing apologetically into his bright golden orbs.  

“I’m sorry, Inuyasha.”  

“Don’t be.  Just don’t assume the worst, okay?  Not that I haven’t made that mistake before…”

She shook her head, not wishing to dwell on the past.  Clearly the past would always be with them, but the unpleasant memories did not have to play any role in their future.  

“Are you sure you don’t mind waiting?  It might be two or three months after the baby is born…”  

“Keh.  It won’t be easy, but I’ll manage.  You just tell me as soon as you’re ready.  I don’t even care where we are at the time,” he joked, cracking a smile so she’d know that he was only being humorous.  Kagome did chuckle a bit, then shifted her body more fully into his embrace and leaned her head against his chest.  She felt him kiss the top of her head, then bury his nose in her hair and inhale deeply the way he always did when trying to calm his libido.  The action caused sudden inspiration to strike Kagome, and she briefly considered whether she had the guts to actually go through with her idea.  Hell yes, I do.  Inuyasha had been so sweet today…he deserved a little reward, did he not?  

The hanyou nearly swallowed his tongue when her hand wrapped around his still semi-hard member.  He gritted his teeth as she pumped him firmly; within a few strokes he was fully erect again.  

“K-Kagome?  Wh-what are you—”

“Be quiet, Inuyasha,” she told him sensually, sitting upright to gaze down at him, her hand never relinquishing its hold or ceasing its movements.  “Just because we’re not going to make love tonight doesn’t mean that I can’t make you feel good.”  

“B-but, you don’t have to—”

She silenced him with a finger to his lips.  “I know I don’t have to, Inuyasha.  I want to.  Now, no more talking.”  

Any further protests on the hanyou’s part were cut off by her lips pressing insistently against his own.  She pulled away just as he was starting to take control of the kiss.  Most of the time she was content to let him lead, but not tonight.  Tonight was about bringing him more pleasure than he ever thought possible, and to do that she needed him to submit to her.  Looking at him now, his lips slightly bruised and his eyes glazed over with passion, she didn’t think that would be a problem.  

For Inuyasha’s part, he had quickly decided that resisting Kagome would be one of the dumbest things he’d ever done.  She was a woman on a mission, and that mission was pleasing him.  He was already the luckiest damn hanyou ever conceived just to be married to her, but this…this was more than he had ever expected.  His eyes rolled back into his head when she pulled his hakama down and gripped his bare flesh for the first time.  Why was this so much better than when he occasionally took care of himself?  Perhaps it was because when he masturbated, it was mostly about his sense of touch.  This was exponentially more stimulating.  The woman of his dreams was kneeling above him, stroking his cock as she gazed down at him with a look of determination in her eyes, reveling in his every grunt and groan.  The sounds of her elevated heartbeat and heavy breathing reverberated in his ears, and the scent of her arousal coiled around him.  It was almost too much.  

With his eyes closed in rapture, he didn’t see Kagome smirk, or sense her shifting position in time to prepare himself for what was to come.  He nearly bucked off of the futon as something soft and moist stroked the underside of his cock from base to tip.  Even when he managed to lift his head to gaze down at himself, he couldn’t believe his eyes.  Kagome…couldn’t possibly have licked him, could she?  Yet, her eyes glowed with satisfaction as she drank in his reactions, and she leaned in to do it again.  

His half-hearted protests turned into an uncontrollable moan.  He’d thought that Kagome intended to simply bring him off with her hands, which would have been amazing by itself.  This, however, was something he never would have imagined even in his wildest dreams.  This act…it was wrong, wasn’t it?  Humans called this sodomy, didn’t they?  He’d heard men talking before.  This was something you could get a whore to do, but never your wife.  It was dirty and too demeaning to ask the mother of your children to perform.  Or so they said.  

It didn’t feel dirty, not when Kagome licked him and certainly not when she took him in her mouth.  He would never be able to adequately describe those sensations no matter how long he tried.  It would be a waste of effort, anyway; some things were too incredible to describe with words.  The humans who considered this act dirty didn’t know what they were talking about, at least as it pertained to a man and woman who loved each other.  And he seriously doubted that Kagome felt demeaned right now.  If anything, she must feel empowered.  Despite her obvious lack of experience with this act, she’d still managed to turn him into a man-shaped blob which threatened to dissolve and seep into the floorboards if she stopped what she was doing.  Fortunately, Kagome had no intention of stopping.  And when she pulled back and sucked strongly on the head of his cock, Inuyasha turned his brain off and gave himself over fully to his lover’s attentions.  

After Inuyasha’s vocal and shuddering climax, Kagome took a swig of water from the basin and lay on her side facing him, watching as his breathing gradually slowed.  The taste wasn’t that bad, and seeing him writhe beneath her in a state of complete and utter euphoria was certainly worth it.  Idly she wondered if being pleasured that way would feel as wonderful for her if they reversed their positions.  Somehow, she didn’t think her hanyou would mind showing her when she was ready.  Sure enough, the first words out of his mouth confirmed it.  

“I’ll make that up to you,” he promised, his voice still somewhat breathless as he gazed at her with satiated, half-lidded eyes.  

“Inuyasha, it’s not something you have to make up to me.  I did it because I wanted to.”  

“No, you don’t understand, wench.  I’m going to make it up to you.”  He grinned wryly.  “Male pride is at stake here.”  

“Ah, well then I guess I can’t argue with you.”  

“As soon as you’re ready, wench.  I mean, the instant.”

“Yes, yes, I get it Inuyasha,” she replied, even as a delightful shiver passed down her spine.  Inuyasha wasn’t motivated by his own physical desires, especially since as she had shown him this evening she could satisfy his sexual urges without having him touch her in return.  Rather, he wanted to return the pleasure she had given him.  Knowing Inuyasha, he might even turn it into some kind of competition.  That would be one game which she wouldn’t mind losing.  They would wait until she was truly ready—since Inuyasha would sense if she was only pretending to be ready—but once her body was healed from the birth, she would let her hanyou show her what he could do.  And that was definitely something to look forward to.  

“Thank you, Kagome,” he stated seriously, to which the miko responded by leaning in for a quick kiss.  

“You don’t have to thank me every time we have sex, Inuyasha.”  

“Keh.  Not just for that.  For everything.”  

Kagome smiled sincerely.  “I think we both have a lot to be grateful for.”  

They kissed again, this time languidly and driven by love rather than physical passion.  They cuddled together for a while in the peace of the night, before Kagome rolled over and nodded off to sleep, with her husband spooning her from behind.  Eventually, Inuyasha drifted off to slumber as well, once his body had fully cooled down.  He hadn’t thought it possible to look forward any more than he already did to the end of Kagome’s pregnancy, but he certainly did now.  The only thing he could imagine with greater anticipation was holding his child in his arms.  

When Kagome went into labor, probably within the week, he would no doubt turn into a nervous wreck.  He would hate that she would be in pain and there was nothing he could do about it.  But he would trust in Kaede’s experienced hands, and support his wife in whatever way he could.  And when the baby was crying in their arms, suckling from Kagome’s breast or gazing happily up at them with a heartwarming smile, he was sure that both of them would agree that even with everything they had been through, all of the trials and heartache, they wouldn’t change a thing.