Inuyasha, "The Unquiet Winds" Epilogue: Our Promise, rated T

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Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: The Unquiet Winds
Chapter Title: Epilogue: Our Promise
Characters: Sesshoumaru, Kagura's reincarnation (inevitable Kagura/Sesshoumaru), Shippou
Genre: Romance/Supernatural/Suspense
Rating: PG-13 (overall)
Universe: Canon AU/divergence, Modern
Notes: This serial has been completed for wipbigbang  2020. You can find all the previous chapters HERE and HERE. I recommend you look for the previous chapters at AO3 and FFnet, as those chapters have also been updated with fixes for typos and grammar.
Additional Notes: Thank you to danceswithgary for the beautiful banner HERE.

Story Summary: Natsumi dreams of another woman's past, a woman who desperately wants to reunite with the man she loves, even if Natsumi has to suffer in the end. COMPLETE.

Links: (RECOMMENDED) FFNet | AO3

“I think that’s it,” Natsumi said, wiping the sweat that formed on her brow. All of her things were in boxes, and some of her neighbors had already picked up the furniture that she’d given them. Her once lonely apartment looked bare, and it no longer felt like a home to her. Her possessions, on the other hand, were boxed up and ready to be picked up by the moving company that Sesshoumaru hired to bring her things to his place.

She could hardly believe not more than a week ago as they were leaving Achika’s shrine that she agreed to move in with Sesshoumaru so that he was never alone again. She started the steady process of going through her things, figuring out what to keep and what to give away. Sesshoumaru had helped her too, lifting heavy furniture to give to her neighbors or donation centers. 

They took a two-day holiday in Hokkaido to meet her family and announce their engagement, and her mother fainted when she found out her daughter had snagged a fiance who was a rich owner of the company where she worked, and Natsumi nor her family would have anything to worry about financially for the rest of their lives. Even her useless brother would have a stable life thanks to her, even though it annoyed Natsumi that she still was obligated to help him.

Her father tried to challenge her fiance but when he suggested they plan for children, Sesshoumaru agreed that he couldn’t wait to start. It was her turn to almost faint from embarrassment, but secretly Natsumi was excited to explore that option too.

When they left her parents’ place, Sesshoumaru stopped her before they returned to the car and took her in a possessive embrace again. Natsumi reached up and he leaned down to catch her in a kiss. 

“That kiss was from me, by the way, not Kagura,” Natsumi teased with bright eyes. She grinned.

“Please stop saying that every time,” Sesshoumaru huffed at her. “I know.”

“I just want to be clear,” Natsumi said with a giggle. “I am so happy. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. I’m glad that I’m able to give you purpose.”

Sesshoumaru held her hand and squeezed it affectionately. “I am as well. I was so lost, and I was dreading my death. I felt like I’d see my mother and father soon, but I did not want to die so easily. It was absurd to die from such a thing, in such a weak way. I was against it and I wanted to do anything I could to avoid that.”

Natsumi laughed. “That is so like you. So you ended up doing the one thing your old self hated. You mingled with a human and you even own a human business. I wonder what that past Sesshoumaru would have to say about that if he could see you.”

“What nonsense,” he said. “Of course I would have doubted my own character, but back then I did not know what was to happen to me.”

“Still, even though I promise to save you, you really saved me too,” she said, leaning against his shoulder. He nudged her and pulled lightly on her arm. She looked up at him, realizing he’d been staring.

“Let’s go home, Natsumi,” he said. She nodded and followed him to the car with the driver waiting for them.

Days went by and the couple was entrenched in happiness. They made wedding plans and other promises, and Sesshoumaru’s house quickly felt like Natsumi’s home. Natsumi returned to work only to find a surprise. She was being transferred from the factory to Sesshoumaru’s office where she would be his new secretary so they would never be far from each other.

“What happened to your secretary? I hope you didn’t sack her,” Natsumi said with a pout.

“She received a promotion. I transferred her to marketing and now she’s the Vice President. She’s much better in that profession anyway, and the other VP retired,” Sesshoumaru said, lifting his nose haughtily. “I cannot believe you would think that of me.”

“I just…” Natsumi blushed. “I’m sorry. It was just so sudden. I’m happy of course.” 

Sesshoumaru drew her toward him and they shared a kiss before an intern came in and disrupted their sweet moment. The intern deposited Natsumi’s box of things from her old work station onto her new desk in front of Sesshoumaru’s interoffice door.

“I take it you will have to say goodbye to your colleagues in the factory? I decided to give them the day off so you can see them tomorrow,” Sesshoumaru said, settling on his chair. Natsumi walked in and stood in front of his large, pristine mahogany desk.

“Oh, well yeah, of course. I can’t wait to talk to Ayako anyway,” Natsumi said, and Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. 

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. But it is a secret,” she said and gave him a wink. “Well, I better get started. What would you like me to do first as your secretary, boss?

He watched her with that intense golden gaze and Natsumi wondered if he was going to give her some challenging task to get back at her for thinking he sacked his other secretary.

“Close the door and shut the blinds,” he said in that voice that was cold as steel. “Then, come here.”

Natsumi shuddered with anticipation and then she quickly did as he asked. When she came over to him, he drew her onto his lap and captured her into a long, possessive kiss. When they pulled apart he nuzzled her nose.

“Every time I touch you, I feel more alive and solid. I feel so warm and strong like I could fight a million demons again, just like in the past. I can’t get enough of you, Natsumi,” he said, and he trailed kitten kisses around her lips and on her chin. He felt her inhale, and then she let out a moan that spiked fire in his blood. “Tonight let me touch you…”

“Yes,” she said trembling in his arms, and they fell into another drawn out, drunken kiss.

---

“I can barely believe it, Natsumi-san!” Ayako said to her, her eyes still wide with shock. “I can’t believe you’re engaged to the new boss of the company.”

Natsumi chuckled. “Trust me, I never expected it either. Things just sort of happened.” They were sitting in the break room having tea and her friend still looked at her with fish eyes like she just couldn’t believe what was happening.

“It must have been when you were in the hospital, yeah?” Ayako said. “I heard from Tohma-kun that the manager was very worried about your health. He visited you, so you must have started something then.”

“Pretty much, though I did try to refuse him a couple of times,” Natsumi admitted.

“Whaaaaa-- I thought you were crazy but wow. What changed?” Ayako said, and the expression on her face was more of disbelief than before.

“He needed my help with something, and he seemed in a really bad spot, so I couldn’t refuse him. Then… I got to know him. He’s really sweet,” Natsumi said with a bright smile looking away into space happily.

Ayako sighed loudly. “I’m happy for you, I am, but sheesh, some girls just have all the luck! Hey, does he have a single brother?”

Natsumi laughed. “Well… he did have a brother, but uh… I think he’s passed on.”

“Oh, that’s awful! Well, I guess there’s always a cousin?” Ayako said...peering at Natsumi curiously. Natsumi shook her head.

“And not only that, there’s something I want to ask you, Ayako-san,” she said, redirecting the conversation. Ayako watched her in anticipation.

Natsumi shifted nervously in her seat. “Um, well about the wedding, I was wondering if you would be my maid of honor? I always wanted a western style wedding so I’d love it if you stood up with me.”

“Ah, a western wedding! How cool! Yes, yes, I’ll do it!” Ayako said, and she jumped up from her seat and drew Natsumi into an excited hug, bouncing up and down by the table. Natsumi giggled from her friend’s excitement. “I’m so honored!”

“Thank you, Ayako-san,” Natsumi said shyly. I've really always been kind of a loner so I don’t have a lot of friends, and well, but I’ve always thought of you as a good friend.”

“Oh, you are so cute, Natsumi-chan. And please, call me Ayako-chan,” she said grinning.

“Of course, Ayako-chan,” Natsumi said with a giggle. The two friends continued their break with tea and plans for the wedding. Natsumi couldn’t be happier and excited.

----

“A Western wedding, huh,” he said, pondering the concept aloud. Natsumi curled up against his body while they were resting from making love not moments before when they’d come home from work that day.

“I know you’re a traditionalist, but I always loved the wedding dresses from America and Europe,” Natsumi said, hoping he would agree with it.

“I don’t really mind as long as you want it,” he said, pulling her closer to him. He leaned close to kiss her, and suddenly she felt him pull her body on top of his again. She settled against him and they fell into another slow, deep kiss. Natsumi rocked her body against his, still heated from their previous lovemaking. She started to feel his excitement return, and she wondered if she’d have to get used to his youkai stamina. 

She pulled away for a moment, feeling his breath ghost over her skin. She smiled lovingly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“It would make me happy, yes, but I really have all that I could want in life,” Natsumi said. “Sesshoumaru, I’m so glad I met you.”

“And I’m happy that Kagura brought us together so that you could save me,” he said, giving her another mind-blowing kiss. 

“I love you,” she said softly, her lips moving against his skin. He sighed in her hair, and their bodies began to move again. 

“I love you as well, my Natsumi,” he said, pulling her closer as they became one again. She could feel his love within her, and she knew that love wasn’t just for her, it was for Kagura too, and she cherished it.

Being Kagura in her former life and finding Sesshoumaru was all Natsumi could ever ask for. For them, it was just meant to be.

END

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