Lies, Letters, and Calloused Fingertips.
folder
InuYasha › Het - Male/Female › InuYasha/Kagome
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
25
Views:
10,117
Reviews:
26
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
InuYasha › Het - Male/Female › InuYasha/Kagome
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
25
Views:
10,117
Reviews:
26
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.
We Swing and We Sway...
Lies, Letters, and Calloused Fingertips.
Chapter Nineteen: We Swing and We Sway…
I know this sounds clichéd, but the sun was high in the sky when I finally returned to the Sunset Shrine. It had been a good three years since I had last spoken to Keiko, though she and her sister had kept up consistent communication. Her letters were always addressed to me, though, since Shippo was completely appalled at the fact that his new wife and mate had never before seen the vast world outside Tokyo. Keiko was never completely sure of where her sister and brother-in-law were in the world, so she just sent the gooey, gushy letters to the Western Palace, addressed to yours truly; she was quite confident in my ability to track down the adventurous twosome and make sure that Ko received her correspondence.
I never read the letters until several years later, when Ko gave them to me. The silly woman was convinced that they’d mean more to me than they would to her.
Completely ignorant of the contents of aforementioned letters, I marched right up those steep shrine steps and under that torii, perfectly ready to reclaim my geisha best friend. I tried to never let on to anyone else in the family how much I missed her; Keiko just always had this way about her that reeked of pluck and confidence. She reminded me so much of you, Kagome…
When I entered the main grounds of the shrine, the Head Priest met me with a respectful bow. “Konnichiwa, Taisho-san,” the older man greeted me, straightening.
I inclined my head to him, smiling faintly. It was becoming more and more difficult to contain my enthusiasm at seeing Keiko once again. I was just excited to have my friend back.
“Konnichiwa, Higurashi-san.”
The priest’s blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at me, obviously amused by my uncharacteristic politeness. “You seem to be in good spirits this day, my friend,” he told me as he led me through the grounds to the small, main house where the family lived. I entered behind him, and he led me through the quaint home to the sitting room, where his wife, an older Miko, served us hot tea with a smile.
The old priest took a sip before looking to me once more. “I have a question for you, my old friend,” he told me.
“As you know,” he began, looking my directly in the eyes. “My son is in line to take over management of this shrine, which has been in our family for generations.”
I nodded, unsure of where this was going.
“And your geisha absolutely adores it here.”
Something inside me clenched at his words. They were simple yet thought-provoking, though I wasn’t sure yet what I should think.
The old priest sighed with a smile. A proud smile. “And my son absolutely adores your geisha.”
Whatever had tightened inside me released right then, and I just felt… numb. It hit me what he was getting at.
“As the boy should,” I commented, taking a drink from my own cup. “Masaru has hit the jackpot with Keiko.”
Higurashi Sachi grinned. “Inuyasha,” he said quite informally. “My family has guarded the secrets of your family and the Goshinboku for centuries – but we do so out of honor and respect. Do not feel as though you owe us this.”
“I do not.” I met his eyes evenly. “Keiko loves one man – and it is not me. I am familiar with this fact, and Masaru is a good, decent man. He will make a good priest – I am just worried that Keiko will not make a good Miko.”
Sachi chuckled. “She has already helped my good wife around the home and around the shrine so much. She is as if one of our own already. These past three years have really brought she and Masaru closer together.”
I sighed, staring down at my half-empty teacup. “And, as her danna, you need my permission to bind your son to her in marriage.”
Sachi bowed his head, still smiling. “You know the situation too well, Inuyasha.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not a complete dumbass.”
He laughed, a loud, hearty sound that filled the room. “There’s the Inuyasha I’ve known since I was a boy.”
Finally, I cracked a smile with him. “I give my permission.” Shrugging, I added, “How could I not? If Keiko says yes to Masaru’s proposal, then so will I.”
Sachi stood slowly, and left the room. I remained there, sitting, wondering what the hell I had done.
Just days later, Sesshomaru and I were sitting in on the Taisho-Higurashi wedding at the Sunset Shrine. He and Rin were beginning to finally get over his infidelity; it helped that Ko and Shippo were out and about. I think they were in France at the time of Keiko’s marriage to Masaru. Aiko and Kaoru sat beside me. Kaori and the boys sat on the other side of Sesshomaru.
It was, of course, a beautiful ceremony, and Masaru, I knew, was just the man to turn her from the geisha Keiko into the wife Jun. That day, she shed the name Taisho Keiko and became Higurashi Jun.
As I hugged her close, I still had no idea what I’d done.
Next time:
Chapter Twenty: …As This Tiny Voice in My Head Starts to Sing…
Chapter Nineteen: We Swing and We Sway…
I know this sounds clichéd, but the sun was high in the sky when I finally returned to the Sunset Shrine. It had been a good three years since I had last spoken to Keiko, though she and her sister had kept up consistent communication. Her letters were always addressed to me, though, since Shippo was completely appalled at the fact that his new wife and mate had never before seen the vast world outside Tokyo. Keiko was never completely sure of where her sister and brother-in-law were in the world, so she just sent the gooey, gushy letters to the Western Palace, addressed to yours truly; she was quite confident in my ability to track down the adventurous twosome and make sure that Ko received her correspondence.
I never read the letters until several years later, when Ko gave them to me. The silly woman was convinced that they’d mean more to me than they would to her.
Completely ignorant of the contents of aforementioned letters, I marched right up those steep shrine steps and under that torii, perfectly ready to reclaim my geisha best friend. I tried to never let on to anyone else in the family how much I missed her; Keiko just always had this way about her that reeked of pluck and confidence. She reminded me so much of you, Kagome…
When I entered the main grounds of the shrine, the Head Priest met me with a respectful bow. “Konnichiwa, Taisho-san,” the older man greeted me, straightening.
I inclined my head to him, smiling faintly. It was becoming more and more difficult to contain my enthusiasm at seeing Keiko once again. I was just excited to have my friend back.
“Konnichiwa, Higurashi-san.”
The priest’s blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at me, obviously amused by my uncharacteristic politeness. “You seem to be in good spirits this day, my friend,” he told me as he led me through the grounds to the small, main house where the family lived. I entered behind him, and he led me through the quaint home to the sitting room, where his wife, an older Miko, served us hot tea with a smile.
The old priest took a sip before looking to me once more. “I have a question for you, my old friend,” he told me.
“As you know,” he began, looking my directly in the eyes. “My son is in line to take over management of this shrine, which has been in our family for generations.”
I nodded, unsure of where this was going.
“And your geisha absolutely adores it here.”
Something inside me clenched at his words. They were simple yet thought-provoking, though I wasn’t sure yet what I should think.
The old priest sighed with a smile. A proud smile. “And my son absolutely adores your geisha.”
Whatever had tightened inside me released right then, and I just felt… numb. It hit me what he was getting at.
“As the boy should,” I commented, taking a drink from my own cup. “Masaru has hit the jackpot with Keiko.”
Higurashi Sachi grinned. “Inuyasha,” he said quite informally. “My family has guarded the secrets of your family and the Goshinboku for centuries – but we do so out of honor and respect. Do not feel as though you owe us this.”
“I do not.” I met his eyes evenly. “Keiko loves one man – and it is not me. I am familiar with this fact, and Masaru is a good, decent man. He will make a good priest – I am just worried that Keiko will not make a good Miko.”
Sachi chuckled. “She has already helped my good wife around the home and around the shrine so much. She is as if one of our own already. These past three years have really brought she and Masaru closer together.”
I sighed, staring down at my half-empty teacup. “And, as her danna, you need my permission to bind your son to her in marriage.”
Sachi bowed his head, still smiling. “You know the situation too well, Inuyasha.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not a complete dumbass.”
He laughed, a loud, hearty sound that filled the room. “There’s the Inuyasha I’ve known since I was a boy.”
Finally, I cracked a smile with him. “I give my permission.” Shrugging, I added, “How could I not? If Keiko says yes to Masaru’s proposal, then so will I.”
Sachi stood slowly, and left the room. I remained there, sitting, wondering what the hell I had done.
Just days later, Sesshomaru and I were sitting in on the Taisho-Higurashi wedding at the Sunset Shrine. He and Rin were beginning to finally get over his infidelity; it helped that Ko and Shippo were out and about. I think they were in France at the time of Keiko’s marriage to Masaru. Aiko and Kaoru sat beside me. Kaori and the boys sat on the other side of Sesshomaru.
It was, of course, a beautiful ceremony, and Masaru, I knew, was just the man to turn her from the geisha Keiko into the wife Jun. That day, she shed the name Taisho Keiko and became Higurashi Jun.
As I hugged her close, I still had no idea what I’d done.
Next time:
Chapter Twenty: …As This Tiny Voice in My Head Starts to Sing…