Confessions of the Heart
By: Hopeless Romantic
hope_parker@yahoo.com
Rated: Nc-17 / Hentai


Chapter Six
“Uh you see a funny thing happened…”

        Kagome and Inuyasha stood just inside the door to the well.
        “I can’t do this. She will not understand,” Kagome said softly backing toward the well.
        “Don’t you back down now. You have come this far and have overcome much,” Inuyasha growled.
        “But what will I tell her?” Kagome squeaked.
        “The truth,” Inuyasha replied.
        “I don’t know. I was so sure before and now that I have to do this, I am not so sure,” Kagome admitted.
        “I could tell her, but that would not be the same as it coming from you,” Inuyasha said with a huff.
        “No, that would be a bad idea for you to do it. You have no diplomatic skills at all. I just don’t know what to say. I think that it would be easier if I was telling her that I was pregnant and that I was going to be a single mom, not the truth of our situation,” Kagome said, shaking her head.
        “Come on, let’s tell her together and retrieve what you want to take with you, so we can return to our home,” Inuyasha said, gripping Kagome’s arm and leading her out to the courtyard of the shrine. “Besides, didn’t you bring our joining ceremony clothing with you for a reason?” Inuyasha whispered into Kagome’s ear.
        Kagome only nodded and took in a deep breath before she opened the door to the house.
        “Mamma, I’m home,” Kagome called into the house.
        “Kagome, I’m in the kitchen.” her mother answered.
        ‘I can do this, I can do this.’ Kagome repeated this mantra in her head.
        “It’s good to…” Kagome’s mother trailed off as she turned around and looked over her daughter beside Inuyasha. “By the gods Kagome, what have you done to yourself?” she asked.
        “I… I’m a hanyou now,” Kagome answered softly.
        “How? Who? You did this to her, didn’t you?” her mother said sternly, pointing to Inuyasha.
        “I decided to become Inuyasha’s wife and accepted this,” Kagome said softly, while her heart was beating loudly in her ears.
        “Kagome, what about your life and future?” her mother questioned.
        “I have chosen my life and I decided to become a hanyou for my future, for our future,” Kagome explained in a firm voice.
        “But you are so young to make this type of decision. You should have…” Her mother said angrily but was cut off by Kagome’s growl.
        “You make it out to be that I am a small child and that I need a nursemaid. Take a good look at me mother. Do I look to be fifteen anymore? I am no longer a child. I have aged to that of a grown woman. I have made this decision so that I can spend a good life with my mate and see to it that our children have both a mother and a father growing up,” Kagome growled, coming close to losing her temper.
        Feeling his mate’s anger and waning control, Inuyasha put a clawed hand on Kagome’s arm to calm her down.
        At the touch of Inuyasha’s hand, Kagome’s ears perked up and she turned to look at the hanyou she had chosen to spend the rest of her life with and smiled.
        “I guess that it cannot be reversed or changed,” Kagome’s mother stated.
        “No, nothing can be done. This is how Kagome has chosen to be and this is how she will stay. Despite what you may think, this was her decision. The ritual would not have worked if she did not wish for it to be so,” Inuyasha explained as delicately as he could, fighting the urge to destroy something because of how upset his mate was.
        “I see. So I take it that you are returning to the feudal era?” Kagome’s mother said quietly.
        “Yes, but I wanted to come here and tell you of what I have decided,” Kagome said.
        “I thank you for that. Are you going to at least visit?” Kagome’s mother asked, afraid that this would be the last time that she saw her daughter.
        “Yes. I hope to visit as much as I can, but much of that depends on how long I am able to travel through the well,” Kagome said.
        “Please visit as much as you can and when you are blessed with children, please bring them to visit. I would like to know my grandchildren,” Kagome’s mother said.
        “I will mother. I promise,” Kagome said with a soft smile. Inside she was overjoyed at how well her mother was taking this.
        “Now, please tell me what has been going on and all about your marriage ceremony. You did have one, didn’t you?” Kagome’s mother asked.
        “Yes, we had one. I may be part demon but most youkai of noble blood are civilized. We are not all cruel and evil creatures,” Inuyasha growled, sitting beside Kagome at the low table in the kitchen.
        “I am sorry, Inuyasha. I didn’t know. That is why I asked,” Kagome’s mother said softly.
        “It’s alright, Mom. I didn’t know either until Inuyasha explained it to me. I thought it was much simpler that what it was,” Kagome said.
        “Oh, please tell me all about it.” Kagome’s mother smiled and settled in to hear of her daughter’s marriage ceremony.
        Kagome and Inuyasha spent the rest of the afternoon telling her mother about the marriage ceremony. Kagome strategically left out the evening after the marriage ceremony, except for a brief description of how she came to be a hanyou.
        It was soon evening and Kagome’s brother and grandfather came back from their day in the park. The response was as Kagome had expected it. Her brother Sota was happy that Inuyasha was now his older brother and he thought it was kind of cool that Kagome was now a hanyou like Inuyasha. Kagome’s grandfather had his usual reaction to Inuyasha, screaming about demon be gone. That was until he realized that Kagome was just as Inuyasha and he sat down mumbling something about the world coming to an end.
        Once everything quieted down everyone settled down to eat.
        After dinner Kagome went into the living room and asked her mother to follow.
        “What is it Kagome?” her mother asked as she followed Kagome to the boxes that were on the floor.
        “I brought the ceremony clothing that Inuyasha and I wore for our marriage. I thought that you might want to see it or take a picture of it. I don’t know about having it displayed, because with my ears, I don’t look like myself,” Kagome said.
        “I would love to see you and Inuyasha in them. Don’t worry about your ears. We will put your hair up in the traditional style complete with flowers and the ceremonial coverings. That will hide your ears perfectly,” Kagome’s mother said with a soft smile.
        “What about Inuyasha?” Kagome asked.
        “I don’t know. We will think of something.” Kagome’s mother said.
        Kagome smiled at her mother and gathered up the ceremony clothing as she went to get her mate.
        Kagome and Inuyasha went upstairs to her room to get ready for her family.
        “Well that went well, don’t you think?” Inuyasha asked, pulling out his clothing from the box and unfolding it on Kagome’s bed.
        “It went better than what I thought it would have,” Kagome said unfolding her kimono and under kimono.
        “You said something about a photograph. What is that?” Inuyasha asked.
        “It is a future invention. It’s kind of like an instant painting, but it can be made many different sizes including a size so small it can fit in the palm of your hand,” Kagome explained, taking off her clothing.
        Inuyasha stopped what he was doing to admire his mate’s body.
        “Well, that is an improvement. However if you stay like that for very long, your mother is going to be waiting a while for this photograph thing,” Inuyasha growled low.
        “Inuyasha, just because I haven’t used the word in a very long time, don’t think that I have forgotten it,” Kagome growled, narrowing her eyes.
        “You wouldn’t,” Inuyasha said.
        Kagome didn’t answer she just gave him a look that said “try me”.
        Inuyasha growled back at Kagome but soon sighed and finished getting dressed.
        “Do you want help?” Inuyasha asked, watching Kagome wrap the wide obi around herself several times to get the length right.
        “No, I’m fine. I haven’t got the knack for this yet. In this time, it is only the Geisha that wear kimonos all the time,” Kagome said, working on the elaborate belt.
        “Geisha? You mean the court entertainers?” Inuyasha asked.
        “Yes. Unfortunately there are very few of them left. It has become a dying art,” Kagome answered, securing the obi in place.
        “I see,” Inuyasha said, still thinking of how Kagome told him before of how there were no youkai in her time.
        “If you don’t want to wait, you can go downstairs. I’ll be down in a minute,” Kagome said, walking to the long over kimono that she had put on her bed.
        Inuyasha nodded and walked out of Kagome’s room and went downstairs to wait for his mate.
        Kagome finished getting ready and stopped to check over her clothing in her mirror. Kagome smiled. For once, she looked like she belonged in the clothing that she was wearing. Granted, she felt comfortable in the uniform and the modern clothes, but something just didn’t set right with her when she was in the priestess clothing that Kaede had given her before.
        ‘I wonder if I was always to be a hanyou,’ Kagome thought, but was brought out of her musings by a knock on her door.
        “Yes,” Kagome answered and smiled when her mother entered her room with a box and her hair brush.
        “Kagome, you look beautiful. Are you ready for me to do your hair?” Kagome’s mother asked, smiling.
        “Yes, thank you,” Kagome said, sitting down on her bed.
        “I want to apologize for before. I meant no harm, nor any disrespect, but it was a shock for me. Please forgive me. I am proud of the young woman that you have become and I am happy that both you and Inuyasha have found happiness together,” Kagome’s mother explained as she combed out Kagome’s hair.
        “I know and I understand. You have always trusted my judgment before and it just hurt that you were questioning it now. I forgive you, even though there really isn’t anything to forgive. You were doing what you thought was responsible as my mother. I can find no fault in that,” Kagome said as her mother began pulling her hair up in the many twists and folds to attain the traditional wedding hairstyle.
        Once her mother finished her hair, Kagome stood up and looked at herself in the mirror.
        “You look beautiful Kagome,” her mother said with misty eyes.
        “Thank you mother, for everything,” Kagome said with a soft smile.
        “You’re welcome dear. I just need time to get use to my little girl being all grown up,” Kagome’s mother said tearily.
        Kagome pulled her mother into a hug. Well, the best she could manage with all the layers of clothing she had on.
        They stayed that way for a while until Kagome’s mother pulled back and wiped her eyes.
        “Come on. We should be going down so that you and Inuyasha can get back. I’m sure that he is anxious to get home,” Kagome’s mother said with a slight smile.
        Kagome just nodded and followed her mother out her bedroom door.
        Kagome and her mother came down stairs and were met with a most amusing site. Sota was chattering away at Inuyasha, and grandfather was sitting in the corner of the room, going through many scrolls, muttering something about knowing there was one in there to protect the family from the end of the world that he was sure was coming.
        “Oh grandfather, the world is not going to end,” Kagome giggled, hiding her laughter behind her long sleeves.
        Inuyasha just rolled his eyes at the antics of Kagome’s brother and grandfather. He had learned a long time ago how to tune out chattering children being around Shippou so much. Her grandfather, he knew to keep a keen eye on him. Inuyasha worried that one of these days his sutras were going to work and he was going to have a very painful experience.
        “Are we going to do this photograph thing or not?” Inuyasha asked gruffly.
        “Yes, we are Inuyasha. Goodness, impatient aren’t we?” Kagome giggled.
        “Feh,” was her response.
        Kagome’s mother had set up a chair against the small ceremonial alcove in the formal gathering room.
        “Oh, are we going to have the traditional picture?” Kagome asked, referring to her sitting and Inuyasha standing behind her.
        “Yes, I thought that it would help disguise Inuyasha’s ears. In a frame we can move the picture up just enough so that his ears aren’t so noticeable,” Kagome’s mother answered with a wink.
        “Now I know where you get some of the ideas that you come up with,” Inuyasha whispered to Kagome.
        Kagome just smiled and kissed his cheek, earning a low playful growl from him.
        “Alright, you two. Take your places. None of that in this house,” Kagome’s mother said, shooing them to the appointed place.
        Inuyasha and Kagome settled themselves and Kagome’s mother snapped a couple of pictures.
        “Alright, all done. I’ll get these developed and get you a copy if you would like,” Kagome’s mother smiled.
        “Yes, I would love one. I just don’t know when I will be able to come back and get it though. I have much to do when we get back home. I need to settle everything in our home,” Kagome said with a smile.
        “I understand,” Kagome’s mother said softly.
        Kagome hugged her mother for a bit but the tender moment was cut short by Inuyasha.
        “Oi, you know that we need to get back, Kagome,” Inuyasha grumbled.
        “I know, Inuyasha. Come help me pack up some things,” Kagome said, walking up to her room.
        “I’m going to miss her,” Kagome’s mother said softly, trying not to cry.
        “She will come to visit,” grandfather comforted.
        “Plus, don’t hanyous live longer than normal people. Who knows, we may see Kagome and Inuyasha in our time,” Sota said with a big smile.
        “Yes, I guess that anything is possible.” Kagome’s mother said, patting Sota on the head.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

        Kagome and Inuyasha were changing back into the clothes that they had on earlier.
        “Are you going to miss it here?” Inuyasha asked once he was fully changed.
        “I will a little, but I am happy to be with you. I feel like I belong in the feudal era. Ever since I started traveling back and forth, I have begun to look at the feudal era as my home,” Kagome said.
        “I see. So you have no regrets?” Inuyasha asked.
        “None at all,” Kagome said with a smile.
        “Good, because I want you beside me always,” Inuyasha said taking Kagome into his arms and nuzzling her neck.
        “Not now, mate. I need to pack up a few things and we must be off,” Kagome said, running a hand through Inuyasha’s hair.
        “Mmmm…Don’t plan on going to sleep in the near future once we return home,” Inuyasha growled.
        “You’re terrible. You know that, don’t you?” Kagome giggled.
        “Gather your things, woman. I wish to get home so that I can fully enjoy being with my mate,” Inuyasha growled, giving Kagome one last nuzzle and walking out the door to wait downstairs for her.
        ‘Men… Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,’ Kagome thought as she selected a few things to take back with her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

        Happy with her selections, Kagome packed up everything into a modern suitcase and walked to the door of her bedroom. She stopped and looked over the room one last time before walking out the door and going down to her waiting mate.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

        After a teary goodbye, Inuyasha and Kagome went through the well and appeared back in the feudal era.
        Kagome took a deep breath and sighed.
        “What?” Inuyasha asked.
        “I’m home,” Kagome answered.
        “No, we’re home,” Inuyasha said with a smile.
        “Yes, we are home,” Kagome said smiling at the man whom she had chosen to spend the rest of her life with. Deep in her heart, she knew that regardless of whether she was with Inuyasha or not, ultimately she would have stayed in the feudal era. This was where her heart and soul belonged. The modern era was only a temporary place for her. This time was her home.


The End…

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Notes: Thank you all for your patience in waiting for this chapter to come out. It has been particularly brutal in writing. This is the end of “Confessions of the Heart.” I am working on an alternate pairing of Sesshoumaru and Kagome. I had hoped that this one would have gone well beyond where it did, but my muse did not cooperate with me.

Inuyasha and all related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, I do not seek to infringe on her rights. I am only borrowing the characters to expand on the love and romance between them.

You can find my stories at:
Strands of Moonlight        http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com  and  http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net