Disclaimers: I do not own InuYasha or any of the manga/anime characters. They belong to the wonderful genius Rumiko Takahashi. I just enjoy making them play with each other.
A Not-So-Modern Convenience
Kagome glanced sideways at her two companions, still surprised she was making this trip to the next village without InuYasha hovering nearby.
"Kaede?"
"Yes, my child?" the elder miko responded.
"Do you know if something is wrong? Is InuYasha mad at me?" Kagome was now looking down at the road stretched out before them and playing with the ties of her hakama as she walked.
"What makes you think such a thing?" Kaede prompted.
"It's just that... he's hardly let me out of his sight since I've returned - almost like he's afraid I'll disappear if he does. And yet when I told him you wanted me to go to the market with you, he barely responded. When I mentioned it was an overnight trip, or maybe even for two, he just said, `have a nice time.' He's seemed so distracted lately... He went from overprotective to none at all. I don't get it," Kagome answered, her voice sounding almost fearful.
Kaede chuckled under her breath. "Do you really think that we are not protected?"
Kagome furrowed her brow and stared at Kaede, trying to discern what she meant. She was answered silently by a nod in the direction of the young girl that had now run ahead of them, checking out plants and wildflowers growing along the sides of the road.
"Rin?" Kagome questioned, puzzled.
"Do you think I would take her on an expedition away from our village without making my intentions known to a certain youkai lord first?" Kaede replied.
"You mean..."
"Oh yes, I can assure you he's out there, somewhere. He doesn't want Rin to know, but he'll make certain no harm comes to her - or us." Kaede fell silent.
Kagome considered what her mentor had stated but was still concerned. "But have I done something to upset InuYasha? And then there's..." her voice trailed away.
"What is it, child?" the old miko prodded.
Kagome's fears started to spill out of her, "What if he wishes I had not come back? I've seen the daughter of the barrel maker sneaking around when they think I won't see them. He's disappeared at times when he thinks I'm with you and won't tell me where he's been-"
"Kagome!" Kaede stated firmly, stopping her from spinning out of control and becoming hysterical. "He waited three years for you. He visited the well every three days to see if it would work. He loves you like he has loved no other. He loved you so much that he was willing to return you to your family for your own happiness as well as theirs. Do you honestly think after all of that he would just up and leave you?"
The younger miko wiped her eyes. "No, you're right. I have to trust him. I mean I always have, so I can't stop now. I just feel so inadequate sometimes... and he was such a wild and free soul that sometimes I wonder if he hates being tied down... you know, being married... it's a problem for men, even in my time."
Kaede reached over to pat Kagome on the shoulder. "Believe me child when I say this - that is not an issue. He loves you and he's happier than he's ever been in his life. Have you considered that perhaps he is distracted because he's worried that you may not be happy? He knows you gave up a lot to return to him, including the conveniences of your era as well as your own family. And I can assure you he isn't interested in Kimei. He's been helping her father from time to time, and she's just the errand runner. He probably wanted you to go because he knows it's part of your training. After all, we can't find all of the ingredients we need growing around our village. Sometimes we must go and buy them. He may not say it, but he's proud of how much you've been learning."
"He... he is?" Kagome said softly, her fears vanishing as quickly as they'd appeared.
Kaede responded, "Yes child, he is. And he just wants for you to be happy, too."
***
An annoyed hanyou was stalking in circles, looking at the sky. "Come on, you old geezer, where are you?" he said to no one in particular.
"Calm down, my friend," Miroku said, walking over to him. "He said he'd be here. Have you ever known him to break a promise?"
"It's just that we don't know if we have one day or two. The old hag couldn't tell me how long they'd be gone for certain. I think I have everything ready, but what if I forgot something?" InuYasha said, surveying his surroundings.
InuYasha had cleared off a small area just behind their hut on the other side of the garden Kagome had put in. He had set to work early that morning as soon as he was certain that the trio was on their way and out of the village. The area he'd selected was fairly flat, so all he had to do was clear the brush and a couple of small trees away. Sitting nearby was the project he'd been working on with the village barrel maker. The man normally made casks for sake, but he was intrigued when the hanyou approached him about making a tub. In exchange for InuYasha's labor on other projects, the man had taken the wood that InuYasha had provided, sanded it down after the hanyou had cut it into the size strips that were needed, and fashioned them into a tub. Not only that, but the two had worked together to build a raised wooden floor that it would set into on top of the support they were currently waiting for.
The hanyou was getting agitated because they couldn't do anything else until the framework to hold the tub and heat it was delivered.
"About time!" he exclaimed as a dot appeared in the sky. He stopped his pacing and crossed his arms in front of him.
Miroku stood next to his friend while the other village men that were there to help started to back away to make room in the clearing. They weren't sure where the approaching youkai was going to put down.
The three-eyed bull landed with a thud.
"About time you got here!" InuYasha shouted at him as he started towards the old demon sword smith. He stopped abruptly when he was rapped over the head.
"InuYasha, don't be rude," Miroku warned him.
"What's up with the pup?" Toutousai asked as he tossed the framework and caldron he was carrying to the ground with a clatter before he jumped down.
"He's worried he won't have everything finished before Kagome returns home," Miroku answered. "Just ignore him."
"Were you able to do it?" the hanyou asked, now examining the youkai's handiwork instead.
Toutousai answered, "Have I ever let you down? In fact, I even brought you a little extra help."
About that time InuYasha slapped his neck and pulled the uninvited guest off of it. "Myouga! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? And how the fuck are you going to help with this?"
"Not him, him," Toutousai stated, pointing towards another dot sailing in from the sky.
A broad grin crossed Miroku's face. "Kohaku. Sango will be thrilled to see him. We'd better get to work before she and the twins drag him away."
Once the young taijiya had landed, a flurry of activity was set into motion. They worked all day and into the next, and by the following nightfall everything was in place.
InuYasha was studying the handiwork of his design with Miroku and Sango next to him. "Do you think she will like it?" he asked.
"She'll love it," Sango answered.
"And if not, Sango and I would like to give it a try," Miroku added. "I noticed there's enough room for two-"
"Hentai! Let's go before you say something that makes InuYasha kill you. Besides, we don't want to leave Kohaku alone with the kids for too long. It's hard enough to get him here to visit without chasing him away," Sango said.
***
InuYasha was attempting to look unconcerned when Kagome finally appeared shortly before dusk the next day, though he had to admit he was starting to get worried. At least there was some reassurance in the knowledge that his brother was watching over the three as they traveled to and from the town where they went to market. The only thing he didn't know was if Sesshomaru was able to keep an eye on them in the neighboring village. That said, he couldn't keep the expression of relief from crossing his features as well as a small smile when Kagome came through the door of their hut when he was stoking the fire under the pot of stew he'd made.
"Hey, did you miss me?" she asked softly as she set down her bags, quiver and bow.
His answer was to sweep her into his arms and kiss her thoroughly. When he released her, he placed his hands on either side of her head and pressed his forehead to hers.
"I gather that's a `yes'?" She placed her hands at his waist and they just stood there together, any previous anxieties she may have had washed away by his gentle, loving caresses.
"I'm glad you're home," he finally confessed. "I was starting to get worried."
"I'm glad to be home, too," she admitted. "I missed you. I'll have to say it was certainly different traveling with Kaede and Rin."
"So did you get a lot while you were there?" the hanyou asked.
"Some things that Kaede said I should have, and some that I can't get here," the miko responded. "But it looks like you've been busy. Is that a new storage building you put up while I was gone?"
InuYasha took her hand and led her towards the door. "Not exactly - let me show you."
Kagome's eyes filled with tears as she stood on the raised floor of the small building. InuYasha had built her a bathhouse in her absence. Suddenly his mysterious absences and clandestine meetings with the barrel maker's daughter made sense. Her heart swelled with love for the man next to her as he explained how Kouzan the barrel maker made the tub and helped him with the raised floor, and Toutousai made the framework to hold the tub and the fire that heated the water within it. The old youkai had also made the caldron supported on its own stand just outside to catch rainwater and then the contraption that they'd fashioned to deliver the water to the tub. The tub itself had a plug that could be pulled and the water was released down a bamboo gutter that diverted it to her garden.
She was startled out of her thoughts when she heard him say, "I know you probably won't really bathe in it except maybe in the winter, but at least you can soak in the tub. I know you missed that from your time, and there isn't a hot spring really near enough for you to go to regularly. Well... I was hoping you'd like it... Most of the stuff from your time just isn't possible..." the hanyou's voice trailed away, not certain what to think of her silence and the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "I know we can't change the water too frequently, but if you just sit in it after you've washed in the river... Toutousai said the frame he built will keep it a steady temperature and keep the wood from scorching. I filled it with river water for right now. I hope that's okay..."
"InuYasha..." Kagome didn't know what to say. She was so worried he was unhappy, and here he had done this for her. Kaede was right - he'd been worrying about her.
"Gods, do you know how much I love you?" she continued as she started to tug at the ties on his clothing.
"So you like it?" he asked, his voice sounding hopeful.
"Of course I do, and I want to try it out, right now," she answered as she released the ties to his hakama and they fell to floor around his ankles. "And I see you made it big enough for two."
The hanyou grinned as they sank into the heated water together. This turned out even better than he'd hoped for.
*finis*