Work Text:
Inuyasha kept tugging nervously on his shirt collar. He made sure not to yank on the enchanted necklace around his neck, seeing how that mystical necklace remained the only item making him appear human outside the new moon. Once again, wondering why his beloved parents and his wife's mother urged them to come to this oddball's office. Since the start of the new year, the couple has had a few marital issues—nothing too serious, merely the typical bumps in the road that every couple endures.
Due to the pandemic and global inflation? Money had become incredibly tight recently. Plus, their daughters had both just hit puberty. Strangely both got their first monthly blood on the same day. Inuyasha being a guy didn't understand ladies' troubles. So he wasn't entirely sure how to support his daughters whenever Kagome worked overtime at her job.
Consequently, they had a few heated quarrels. Their parents had taken a firm stand by recommending a marriage counselor. They hoped the counselor could support them through this turbulent period. They'd even paid for it themselves. Today was their first session, so they're both a little anxious. "Are you confident this is a good idea, Kagome?" inquired Inuyasha, to which Kagome gave a slight nod.
"I don't think it can hurt anything. Besides, it's non-refundable, so we can't back out. Anyhow its only two months of weekly sessions. So don't agonize too much, alright?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever. Let's get this ridiculous show on the road already," he huffed. The door behind them opened as a female's voice answered, "I don't believe, Mr. Toga, we want to begin our first session with that mindset. After all, we're here to ensure your marriage remains intact. So how am I to assist either of you if you've such a closed-off mindset?" as an older lady sat down.
This woman looked 50ish, her gray hair styled in a bob. Cleaning her glasses, she introduced herself. "Let's start with introductions. I'm Dr. Kyoko. I've been practicing for twenty-five years. I'm confident you'll find me particularly emphatic moreover an excellent listener. So shall we begin?"
The married couple nodded. So Dr. Kyoko calmly requested them to give her an overview of their lives and relationship. The couple described how they'd met as children when riding their bicycles at the park and how both Inuyasha and Kagome had accidentally collided.
From there, they and their best friends Miroku and Sango were as thick as thieves. They'd remained best friends throughout their lives. Now their children were also best friends as well.
The next step the counselor took was to have them write down what they felt their strengths and flaws were regarding themselves and their spouse. After that, they'd compared notes. It surprised both of them the other's POV. Following that activity, she requested them to name and describe a specific occurrence from their POVs.
She wanted to know their thought, feelings, and actions from the circumstances mentioned. So they'd voiced a few good and bad recollections. The doctor then asked what their coping skills were when furious and what steps they had taken to discuss their issues.
This is how the first session went. Throughout the two months, they'd worked hard on communication and coping skills to calmly discuss an issue. They also explored how to react whenever they felt angry or frustrated correctly. How not to get verbally or physically abusive with one another. She also gave them some parenting tips.
By the end of the two months, it seemed their marriage was back on track. They're looking forward to the future, and if they require help again, they know who to turn to.