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Sesshomaru and Rin had just gotten married.
The ceremony had been beautiful, celebrated the human way - Kagome had called it Shinto-style, whatever that meant - so Rin could have beside her the friends and family she had made since she first got her life back - but these were not appropriate times to think about that... no, Sesshomaru didn't want to remember those times at all - . Despite Sesshomaru's status as a Dai Youkai, which would have allowed them to celebrate it in the more luxurious Palace of the Sky, the Inu Youkai wanted Rin to live this experience in whichever way she chose to, without having to consider appearances and higher societal norms.
Plus, celebrating their wedding in the Palace of the Sky had other... clear disadvantages.
Sesshomaru wanted this day to be perfect, and perfect it would be.
Nothing would ruin this day. Nothing at all.
“What a nice ceremony you had here, Sesshomaru. I’m actually surprised you took this long.”
…Maybe there was something, after all.
Sesshomaru couldn't believe his own eyes. This couldn't be happening. He took every possible precaution to avoid this situation. He even went out of his way to assure none of this happened, and yet...
Turning towards the voice, Sesshomaru addressed the newcomer.
"Hm. How... unexpected, mother, to find you here."
"Why, Sesshomaru, one could think you say that because you didn't want me here."
"Nonsense."
"Indeed. I am sure you sent enough messengers to invite me to your wedding."
He did not sent any messenger to invite her to their wedding.
His plan was perfect. He explicitly ordered his servants not to approach the Palace of the Sky and intercept any message sent in that direction, and yet, with his mother being here, there was little doubt Sesshomaru had a traitor in his ranks. He would have to find them... and deal with them accordingly.
The telltale signs of a headache were starting to appear. His mother usually had that effect in him.
"Thankfully, your beloved Rin made sure I would get an invitation", Inukimi gleamed down at Rin, an elegant smile gracing her features. "You look beautiful in that kimono, my dear."
...Betrayed by his wife. His newly wedded wife, no less, who couldn't seem more happy, blissfully ignorant of her husband's distress.
After beaming up at her mother in law, no doubt glad to see her, Rin respectfully bowed her head. "I feel honored you think so, Inukimi-sama! I am so glad you could make it in time!"
"And what a dear you are, young lady. I wish you would have been my daughter and not this... utterly ungracious child", Inukimi placed a delicate hand in her forehead, an exasperated sigh leaving her lips, "Ah! What an ungrateful son I have, ignoring his mother's kindness... such rudeness."
Jaken chose this moment to make his appearance. He rapidly approached the group - as quick as his short legs allowed - and looked at the Youkai Hime, his eyes shining with the utmost reverence.
"Oh! It has been a long time, Inukimi-sama!" Jaken squeaked, "Does your excellency remember this Jaken?"
"..."
"..."
"...So, tell me, Sesshomaru, did you really expect I wouldn't find out?"
Ignoring Jaken shedding tears in the background, Sesshomaru straightened his posture and looked back at Inukimi, defiantly. He was not going to bend to his mother's tactics. She was trying hard to get on his nerves, as usual, but this Sesshomaru would not have it.
A dangerous smile was slowly make its appearance in Inukimi's features. "Even if our dear Rin here wouldn't have invited me, I would still be here accompanying someone."
It had been had been years since he felt his head pounding like this. Probably since the days of Naraku... Wait a moment. What was his mother talking about now?
"Explain yourself, mother," the Inu Youkai demanded, "This Sesshomaru has no time for you, all I wish is to return to my wife's side and-
"But I am right here, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin was beaming up at him. The nerve. "Plus, it's very rude to interrupt you mother like that." The absolute nerve.
Defeated by his human wife. Again. But... she was smiling. He could at least try to be civil. No doubt his mother would soon get tired of this novelty, and would leave them alone. Thankfully.
"Thank you, dear. Maybe you'll be able to instill some manners into him," Inukimi put her hands delicately around Rin's shoulders, and proceeded to whisper conspiratorially in her ear, "I remember when I first met his father, he was absolutely wild, you see..."
Inukimi was going all out, apparently. Sesshomaru's right eye twitched, but he refused to let his annoyance seep into his face that easily.
"Mother."
"Come now, Sesshomaru. You have all the time in the world, son. Literally." Inukimi had the gall to snicker at that. "But this is your wedding reception, Sesshomaru! You are supposed to mingle-"
"Mother."
"Oh, well. Impatient like his father. I wanted to introduce you to someone." Inukimi turned to look behind her, smiling, and spoke loudly. "Come now, darling! He was going to know sooner or later!"
What was this Sesshomaru going to know sooner or later? Did she said "darling"? What had his mother prepared? Did she really said "darling"? Who did she came with? Was it Totosai? - no, his mother disliked the scruffy blacksmith - Royakan, perhaps? That was... not a pleasant thought. This was not going to be anything good and the Inu Youkai could already feel his headache increasing by the minute.
A young man with chestnut hair in a ponytail approached the group. "H- Hi, Sesshomaru-sama, Rin.”
Rin's smile widened after recognizing the human. "Kohaku! You came!"
Bashfulness personified, Kohaku walked towards them and situated himself beside Inukimi, “You look stunning, Rin. Congratulations on your wedding!”
The years had treated the young man well. At thirty years old, Kohaku had grown taller and slightly burlier, while still maintaining the same compassionate and kind look he had years ago.
Wait a second.
Sesshomaru's pupils dilated, black overpowering gold, his mind working so fast he was not able to follow the flow of his own thoughts. Why was Kohaku answering his mother’s call? Surely this wouldn’t mean…
"My dear Rin, Sesshomaru, I'm sure you remember Kohaku... my mate."
Thunderous silence fell over the place.
Externally, Sesshomaru looked… well, exactly the same as always. But internally? He was having a mental breakdown. Jaken’s eyes were almost popping out of their place, even more than usual. And Rin… Rin was at the verge of squealing, eyes shining with barely concealed excitement.
It was Jaken who broke the silence, at last.
"What?!"
"We met again a couple of years ago, and he spent all this time by my side."
"What?!?!"
"She saved my life. I had to repay her, no matter what."
"By marrying her?!"
"Please, Jaken-sama, it's rude to yell at our guests."
"Did you just hear what this brat said, Rin?! A mate to Sesshomaru-sama's Lady Mo-!"
Apparently, a mysterious rock had flown directly to Jaken's head, effectively ending his yelling.
Although still shocked and unable to process what was happening right in front of his eyes, Sesshomaru's muscle memory still worked more than fine.
"It's true. I found this young man being outnumbered by some lowly demons", Inukimi said, extending her hand towards Kohaku, who readily took it, "I recognized his smell so, naturally, being the kind soul that I am, I had to help him."
Kohaku was now looking at her, making the most accurate impression of what humans called "puppy eyes". How utterly ironic.
"She- She recognized him! And not me?", Jaken cried, "Are you seeing this, Rin?!".
Rin's broad grin did nothing to soothe the kappa. "Don't worry, Jaken-sama, I will always recognize you."
"I spent hours suffering with her while you three were in danger in the Meikai!", if he had hair, Jaken would have been pulling at it.
"Shush, Jaken-sama, they are getting to the good part."
"She saved me, I wish you had been there, Rin! She's incredibly powerful", Kohaku explained, looking excitedly at Rin, "I was badly hurt after the fight, so she carried me back to the Palace, and nursed me back to health." Inukimi glanced at Kohaku, her eyes fond, and after a second she looked bashfully to the side, almost like Kohaku's feelings were too much for her at the moment.
His mother. Bashful. Because of a human. Because of Kohaku.
Now would be the perfect time for an enemy to appear, so he could have the excuse to obliterate something -or someone- with Bakusaiga.
But alas, no enemy would have the guts to go to the one place that had the most powerful group of people reunited.
Cowards. All of them.
"After waking up, my darling Kohaku here insisted he had to repay the favor to me".
"It would have dishonorable not to do so, my dear."
Unbearable. Those two were unbearable.
"Ah! Such a gentleman." The Youkai Hime flashed him a smile accompanied by a wink. "You could learn something from him, Sesshomaru", Inukimi scoffed, "I cannot comprehend how you are able to tolerate him sometimes, Rin."
Nodding at her, Rin was quick in her answer. "With love and patience, Inukimi-sama. Sesshomaru is very kind, after all." Rin turned to look at him, grinning unabashedly. His wife was having the time of her life... and she was not bothering to hide it.
Inukimi scoffed in disbelief. "Ah, well. If you say so, my dear." The lady mother then proceeded with her explanation. "As I was saying, he spent almost every hour after recovering beside me, insisting he had to help me... even with the smallest chores," Inukimi turned to Kohaku, who was apparently going to say something, and raised a finger in his direction, interrupting him. "No. Stop it, darling. You didn't have to do it."
"And yet I'm glad I did."
While Rin was busy squealing in delight beside him, Sesshomaru was feeling almost nauseous. How could his mother seem so... so... giddy! While standing in front of him, no less! And everything because of that... man? -ugh, he was a man now-. Never in his few centuries of life had he ever seen her like... like a pup in love! He couldn't stand it! His mother was supposed to be cold, and detached, and...
Like reading his mind, Inukimi turned at Sesshomaru and fixed him with a stare. "I would have thought you of all people would have understood the bond that can be created between humans and youkais, Sesshomaru... You ended up being like you father, after all."
It was Kohaku. The young youkai exterminator he had to protect because he was too weak to fight on his own! How could he be his mother's new mate? His own mother...!
He was puzzled, confused and he was starting to feel hot inside. Was he... getting angry? No. No, it couldn't be. Mild irritation at most. It was his mother's antics fault. He was fine.
He was absolutely, totally fine.
Unfortunately, his traitorous face betrayed him. And Inukimi was not blind.
"Now, son, no need to make a face like that.", Inukimi smirked, a mischievous glint shining in her golden eyes, "And in your own wedding day, no less. It's not like you'll have to call him Chichi-ue."
Rin and Jaken gasped simultaneously, Kohaku was seriously contemplating his life choices up until this moment, and Inukimi couldn't seem to feel more proud of herself.
If Sesshomaru had been a mere mortal, he would had snapped, trembling with fury and blushing in embarrassment.
As he was a giant dog demon, and a very dignified one at that, his face only showed a deep scowl.
While he had been trying to unravel his baffled thoughts and return to his usual calm state of mind, Rin had pulled Kohaku aside, requesting he gave her more details about their "love story", the taijiya letting himself be dragged along, chuckling at Rin's excitement. If he didn't know any better, Sesshomaru would have thought that his wife knew about this turn of events all along.
Inukimi approached his son with measured steps, and the two of them stood side by side, observing the humans.
Shooting him a side glance, Inukimi said "Look at them, Sesshomaru. Can you truly berate me for feeling like I do?"
"It's not that."
"They will not live forever, Sesshomaru. You should do well remembering that.", Inukimi glanced at his son, her face now familiar with the composed expression he always knew, "I know that deep inside your heart, you already know the answer."
A wide smile adorned Rin's face as she squeezed her old friend's shoulders, no doubt happy for him. Kohaku was laughing, carefree, like he could never be for many years, even after defeating Naraku for good.
Sesshomaru's face softened.
It was true. He knew.
"Plus, I was getting tired of having paramours. I wanted to settle down again. I promise you he'll make an honest woman out of me." The sheer audacity of this woman knew no end.
"...Spare me the details."
"What an ingrate child I have... You are going to get them nonetheless."
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Finally, the reception was over.
Sesshomaru gazed out at the sea of people that had attended their wedding. He could make out his mother and Kohaku at the front, mingling with a group formed by cat youkais and taijiyas, and the teary-eyed face of Royakan to his left, trying his best to reign in his emotions. Totosai was busy trying to get the measures of a giant snake demon, whose fangs would make for a good sword.
At the back, Sango and Miroku were trying to control their children - how many were there? He could count six, one of the girls wrecking havoc under the tables. Was the taijiya trying to create her own army? - the monk raised his eyes, catching his gaze, and nodded his head at them in approval. Ah-Un was dozing off under the shadow of a tree, two of the taijiya's children braiding one of their heads.
Surprised he didn't spot his half-brother and the miko, Sesshomaru turned to look at Rin, but before he could ask her - and he would never admit he was looking for them - the annoying hanyo decided to make his appearance.
Inuyasha approached the couple with a huge grin in his face, Kagome walking briskly just behind him, trying to stop her husband to no avail.
The teasing tone in Inuyasha's voice heralded a disaster.
"Oi, Sesshomaru! Hahaha!"
No.
No.
Absolutely not. Sesshomaru knew that tone and he would not suffer his own half brother making fun of-
"I just spoke with Kohaku! Are you going to call him DADDY now? AHAHAHAHA-!
"Inuyasha! OSUWARI!".
...Ah, yes. Sesshomaru was sometimes grateful for the miko's presence.
Removing his hand, which had gone inadvertently to Bakusaiga's grip, the Inu Youkai left the miko to handle his brother... who was currently trying to recover from the beads of subjugation curse. That would show him.
A delicate hand in his elbow caused all thoughts of Inuyasha to disappear in an instant.
He looked down at Rin, and forgot his scowl after seeing the joyful expression in his beloved's face, who was shaking her head, softly chuckling at Inuyasha and Kagome's antics.
The Inu Youkai had never seen her so happy, her smile shining brighter than the sun. She was completely breathtaking and, for a moment, Sesshomaru's heart skipped a beat.
With her by his side, he knew that no matter what came, it would all be worth it as long as he could see that smile, for as long as he could.
In truth, it would still take some time -no more than a couple of centuries-, to recover from what had just transpired...
"Anata, shall we?", Rin extended her hand and looked up at him, loving warmth reflected in her eyes. Sesshomaru stared back at her and allowed himself to get lost in her eyes for an instant, wishing for eternity.
...But Rin was happy.
And that was the only thing that mattered.