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The sun shone down brightly on the border of Inuyasha’s forest, where the trees swayed and bowed in greeting, and the birds ceased their chirping, and the squirrels ceased their chatter.
Because Kagome had returned to the forest’s guardian—to Inuyasha—and the entire forest was quiet in awe of the auspicious occasion.
Kagome could hardly believe it herself. One moment, she had been standing in present-day Tokyo, standing over the well with her mother, looking down at the brilliant blue sky of Sengoku Jidai. Her mother had smiled, and hugged her, and watched as Kagome jumped over the side of the well, and felt the old, yet familiar tug, pulling her away from her family, away from her own time, and towards her new time, her new home—
Towards Inuyasha.
She hadn’t expected him to be there, to feel the rough, calloused hand tenderly wrap around hers as she climbed the vines on the other side. She hadn’t expected him to pull her out of the well, or for his golden eyes to hold hers so fiercely, like he was accusing her of being away for so long.
“I’m sorry, Inuyasha,” she murmured. “Were you waiting for me?”
The way that he folded her into his arms told her that he was. “You idiot,” he’d whispered, but they were the most loving words he’d ever said to her.
Sango, Miroku, Shippō—how wonderful it had been to see everyone. But despite the laughter, and the smiles, and the hugs, she’d only had eyes for Inuyasha—she’d only been able to watch him, watching her, his eyes fixed on her every move, his ears twitching with every step, every rustle of her skirt, every breath she took.
As if he couldn’t believe that she was there—that she was back—that she had returned.
To him. For him.
The walk to Kaede and Rin’s had been slow, and leisurely, Kagome and Inuyasha walking side-by-side, Shippō on her shoulder, Miroku and Sango leading the way, Sango carrying baby Hisui on her back, Miroku wrangling the twins. Kagome had taken a deep breath, and reached for Inuyasha’s hand; when her hand closed over his, his breath hitched, and his entire body shivered from her touch.
It had been awhile since they had been so close. Since they had been able to be affectionate with each other. And these small, simple moments were the ones that she had missed. More than fighting demons; more than the terror that existed when one was threatened with death on a daily basis; more than the joy Kagome felt when sleeping under the stars, or bathing in a hot spring.
Being close to Inuyasha. Touching him. And...having him touch her, in return.
When he took her hand, without so much as a moment’s hesitation, Kagome blushed, even though she had been the one to initiate contact. Because him taking her hand was an acknowledgement of the fact that she was there, and that she was there with one very express purpose:
To be with him.
Miroku and Sango left Inuyasha and Kagome at the fork in the road; the twins needed to sleep, Sango had explained, and the baby needed to be fed. They would see Kagome again for dinner; Kagome had leaned forward to pat the girls on their heads, to bow to Miroku, to hug Sango, but Inuyasha had kept hold of her hand the entire time—still, perhaps, in disbelief that she was by his side. When Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippō had made the turn to head to Kaede’s, Inuyasha had given her hand a gentle squeeze, as though he knew that what was about to happen would be hard for Kagome.
I’m here for you, his tight grip on her hand had said.
I know. Kagome squeezed his hand back, and she thought she saw a flicker of a smile cross his face.
Kaede and Rin were outside with another man when Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippō approached. It was Rin who noticed them first, her big brown eyes lighting up with excitement when she saw them.
“Kagome-sama!” she called, and ran towards Kagome, who dropped Inuyasha’s hand in order to catch Rin’s big, warm hug. “I knew you’d be back!”
“Rin!” Kagome hugged the younger girl close to her; it had only been three years, but Rin had grown so much; she was almost a proper young lady now. She still wore her long dark hair pulled away from her face with a side ponytail, but her kimono now was made of silk, and her face, while still blessed with the bloom of youth, had a wisdom to it now that it had not held before.
“Kagome.” Kaede’s smile was wide, and genuine, and Rin stepped aside to allow Kagome to rush forward and give Kaede a warm, deep hug. “You’ve returned, child.”
Kagome buried her face in Kaede’s shoulder, the tears flowing—the woman who was closest to a mother figure for Kagome was teary, too. “I have, Kaede,” she whispered. “I am so glad to see you—so, so glad.”
“And I am glad to see you,” Kaede said, breaking the hug and holding Kagome at arm’s length. “You have grown, Kagome.”
Kagome grinned. “I’m all grown up now, Kaede,” she said, “and I’m happy to be back here, with all of you.”
“Keh.” Inuyasha had come up beside Kagome and Kaede, and Kaede released Kagome, who immediately returned to Inuyasha’s side. “We’re all glad that you’re back here, with us, too.”
Kagome turned a brilliant smile up to Inuyasha, whose face was gentler than she’d even seen it. He glanced down at her, let out another soft “Keh,” and crossed his arms into his haori.
“Kaede-sama,” said the man, “I do not believe I have had the honor of meeting this young lady.” He bowed to her. “I am Rikichi,” he said, “the village headman.”
“Oh!” said Kagome. “I remember you from before Naraku. It was a few years ago, but perhaps you might remember me, too?”
The man—Rikichi—took a step closer to Inuyasha and Kagome, squinting a little as he took Kagome in. She blushed—she supposed she did look a little bit different now, especially out of her middle-school uniform, but still…
“This is Kagome, Rikichi.” Inuyasha’s voice was gruff, and his arm had snaked around her shoulder drawing her close. “She’s my wife.”
“You—your—your wife?” Four voices chorused out in surprise, but none more surprised than Kagome’s, whose eyes went wide at his declaration.
His...his wife? When...what...how had...
What was Inuyasha talking about?
Commissioned Artwork by noether3
Kagome turned her head around and up to look at Inuyasha. He was glaring at Rikichi, and had tightened his grip on her shoulder. He was resolute, and it was very clear to Kagome that what Inuyasha had just said? He absolutely, completely, and totally believed it.
But why should he think such a thing in the first place?
“Inu—Inuyasha?” Kagome’s voice brought a huff, and he turned around to look at her. “Why—why did you call me your wife? I—I mean,” she added quickly, “I just got here, and we haven’t…I mean...you haven’t...I mean...I haven’t…”
Inuyasha scoffed. “Don’t ya remember anything, woman?” he said to her. His golden eyes turned tender. “When we were alone at your house that time...I told you I would protect you with my life. Remember?” He smirked. “And I held your hand, and we almost…”
“I remember!” she squeaked, and clapped her hands to her cheeks, unable to stop the blush. She remembered that moment well...very well, in fact. It was a moment that Kagome had played out in her mind a thousand times in the last three years...a moment that she liked to use as...fodder...for other things that she had imagined happening. Fun things. Very, very fun things. Things that, remembering them in the presence of Kaede, Rin, Shippō, and the headman, made her blush even more deeply.
“You better,” he said. “Because that was the moment that we got married. The moment that I pledged my life to yours, Kagome.” And now Inuyasha was blushing, too, and he looked away. “That was the moment you became my wife.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Come, Rin, Shippō.” Kaede’s voice was crisp. “I need some help carrying these herbs back to Rikichi’s house. They are for his wife, who is making a poultice. Rin, if you will bring the basket, and Shippō, gather up the herbs that I have already clipped, please.”
“But Kaede,” protested Shippō, “you can carry all that on your own easily…”
“Now, Shippō, if you please,” Kaede replied briskly. Her gaze floated over to Inuyasha and Kagome. “It seems the two of you have much to discuss,” she added. “We will be gone for a few hours, so take your time.” She winked. “Come, Rin, Shippō,” she said, and Shippō filled Rin’s basket with the herbs, and then the two of them followed Kaede and Rikichi, who nodded at Inuyasha and Kagome, away from Kaede’s hut and towards the village proper.
And Kagome was left alone with Inuyasha. Who had said that she was his wife. Who had thought that...for all these years...that they were…
That they were married?
She placed a hand on his arm; he had jammed his hands back inside the sleeves of the fire-rat yet again. “Inuyasha?” she tried. “You have really thought that—all this time—that you and I were—that we were married ?”
“Well…fuck, yes,” he bit out, still refusing to look at her. “I mean, I told you that I’d fucking protect you with my life, Kagome! What did you think that meant?”
It was all so…surprising…but yet also so…so earnest, so cute, so…
So Inuyasha.
Kagome had to bite back a giggle. He looked so serious about it all; his face, so strong and so handsome, was set with a determination she only saw when he was ready to take out a yōkai. Any misgivings about coming back to be with him had dissipated with his declaration and his steadfastness in sticking to it.
She loved him.
She loved him so much.
But also…he was so serious, she couldn’t resist having a little fun with him, too.
“But if we were married,” Kagome began, pressing into his side and finally drawing his attention, “you would have kissed me, yes?”
“Did being in your time addle your brain, woman?” Inuyasha barked. “Or did you forget that I did kiss you? And that it was fucking amazing?”
“You—wait, it was?” Kagome’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Was it not for you?” Inuyasha’s eyes, in contrast, narrowed.
“Oh, no!” Kagome exclaimed. “It was the best moment of my life, until an hour ago when you pulled me out of the well!” Her head dropped forward. “I guess I didn’t realize,” she whispered, “that it meant as much to you as it did to me.”
A clawed finger tucked under her chin, drawing her face up. Inuyasha’s golden eyes were hooded and dark. “I’ve thought about it every second of every day for three years,” he whispered. “So…yeah. It…it meant a lot to me, too.”
“So much so,” Kagome whispered back, “that you might want to…”
But Kagome didn’t get to finish her sentence, because Inuyasha’s hands were tugging her to him, and his mouth was already slanted over hers, kissing her fiercely, hungrily, passionately—all the feelings, all the longing, all the love that existed and had gone unfulfilled between them for all that time finally being acknowledged and honored, and it was glorious.
His mouth was eager, and hot, and ignited in Kagome a desire she had only ever imagined, and had never had the opportunity to act on. But now, she could, and her fingers tangled up in his hair, drawing him ever closer, opening her mouth for him to explore her, to feel her, to acknowledge her, and her love, that had gone unbidden for so many years.
When her tongue slipped out and pressed against the seam of his lips, Inuyasha’s chest rumbled, and he took her cue, eagerly delving into the heat of her mouth, sweeping over every last bit of her, causing her to gasp and moan and go weak in the knees. He held her tightly as they kissed the kisses of two people who loved furiously, and deeply, and who had been denied the opportunity to express that love for far too long.
“Now,” he said, his chuckle sending a vibration through her lips, “would I kiss you like that if you weren’t my wife?”
“I—Inu—” But he’d left her breathless, and she found she had no words.
His lips found hers again, and she melted into his arms. How had she not realized? How had she not known? That in his eyes, they were married?
“Wait!” she cried, breaking the kiss. Inuyasha frowned at her, his lips swollen and bruised and how badly did she want to kiss him again?
“You—we—we’re really married?” she gasped.
His look of confusion became a smirk. “My life is yours, ‘Gome,” he said. “What else do ya need?”
“Well—“ Kagome thought frantically. “What about our ceremony?”
“Ceremony?” he scoffed. “Who needs that? All we need is each other, and now that you’re here, well…” His wink was roguish.
“Oh, no,” she said. “We can’t just…you can’t just tell people that I’m your wife, though!”
“And why the fuck not?” he snapped. “Ya don’t seem like ya mind, do ya?”
“No!” she snapped back. “But…if we’re gonna be married…I’m a human, Inuyasha, and pledges of protecting lives don’t quite cut it for me. So we have to make it official.”
“Official!” he yelped. “What’s more official than ‘I promise to protect you with my life?’
“A family register, for starters,” Kagome pointed out. “Listing you as the head of household, me as…as your wife, and any…any…”
“Out with it, woman.” He had folded his arms and was now staring at her.
“Any children,” she said meaningfully, and his eyes snapped back to hers. “Yes, Inuyasha,” she added. “If I’m your wife, and you’re my husband, why not really make it official?” She reached forward and took his hand, looking deeply into his eyes.
He was quiet, looking at her quizzically, confusedly. “Children?” he finally rasped out. “You—you wanna have—”
“Only if you do,” Kagome said quickly. “Only if that’s something that you—”
“Fu— yes,” Inuyasha immediately replied, “yes, I do.”
Before she could move, or act, or think, he had pulled her to him again, and was kissing her again , with the same fervor and the same heat as before. Kagome’s body lit up at the feel of his hands, his lips, his fangs , and she moaned softly, the realization that in his eyes, they were married, and soon, in the eyes of the law, they would be married, too.
“When—when do you want to do this ‘official’ thing?” Inuyasha’s breath tickled her lips.
“How—how about right now?” Kagome asked.
“You haven’t even been here a day,” Inuyasha said. “Are ya sure that you wanna…”
“This is why I came back, Inuyasha,” Kagome told him heatedly. “I came for you. To be with you. So, if you want to wait—a day, a month, a year—I don’t care. I’ll wait. But…” Her gaze dropped to the ground. “If you—wanted to do it now, I...I wouldn’t object, either.”
He was quiet for what felt like forever, and Kagome’s curiosity began to burn inside her. Was he...did he...could he even want this? She didn’t know, and she didn’t know if she wanted to find out.
But when she looked up, she saw him: he had turned around, and was crouched down, waiting for her to climb onto his back. “Inu—Inuyasha…” she breathed.
“I figured you might wanna go get the monk and the slayer before we head down to the headman’s house,” he said, his face pink. “I suspect this ‘making it official’ thing means that you also want the rest of your family there.”
“I—I—I do,” Kagome said, and he chuckled as she climbed onto his back and he started out in the direction of Miroku and Sango’s house.
Won’t they be surprised, Kagome thought as they ran through the forest, to learn that Inuyasha and I are already married in his mind, and that we’re inviting them to come with us to make it all real, for real, forever.
And really, as Kagome thought and they dashed among the tree, her heart had belonged to Inuyasha, nearly from the moment they had met. And while the declarations and the documents were all necessary, and needed, ultimately, what difference did a few words, or a piece of paper, make, compared to the most solemn vow Inuyasha had ever uttered?
She already belonged to him. And he already belonged to her.
And nothing, as far as Kagome was concerned, would ever change that.