Sorry for lack of update this week. New job and now I have a cold and missed two days of work because having a cold during a pandemic is terrible. I am not allowed to go in.

Enjoy

Rin woke up and snuggled under her fur blanket a little more. The fire was dying by morning and the room was getting colder. She looked at Kaede under her own blankets shivering slightly. Rin sat up and deposited the blanket on the old woman and quickly got the fire back up to a comfortable temperature. Jaken woke up and rubbed his eyes and shuck off his blanket. Rin had noticed that it was a threadbare blanket just like Kaede's. Sesshomaru had given her that fur blanket during her first winter in the village. Kagome and Inuyasha were still asleep in their room. Rin could hear Kagome's soft snores, which the older woman who vehemently deny while Inuyasha would give Rin a look that said he had to sleep right beside the snoring woman.

"Rin. You're awake. You must get back under something warm." Jaken reprimanded the girl as he saw that Kaede was under her blanket. "You gave the old woman your blanket?" Jaken asked with wide eyes.

"Hai. She was cold." Rin smiled at Jaken. She stood up and padded gently to her belongings and pulled out the warm boots and slipped them on and then her fur coat. She then grabbed Jaken and he protested as she carried him to the fire and sat down with him. She wrapped her arms around him in the coat. "Better, Jaken-sama?" Rin asked with a smile.

Jaken stared up at her with wide eyes. "You silly girl!" He gave up and enjoyed the warmth of the coat.

"Hey, Rin!" Kohaku said as he entered the house and he grinned, "Jaken-sama, you're here!" The young man smiled.

"I am here to educate Rin." Jaken explained and then hopped out of Rin's arms and went outside.

"Educate you on what?" Kohaku asked and Rin pointed to Kaede and put a finger to her mouth. He nodded and stepped back outside, and she followed.

"I am to learn things about Sesshomaru's life to make an informed decision." Rin said softly as she walked with Kohaku down the hill.

"About what?" Kohaku asked her. "Where did Master Jaken go?" Rin shrugged.

"About being with Sesshomaru-sama." Rin blushed. Kohaku stared at her and then nodded slowly.

"Like a couple?" Kohaku asked softly. Rin looked up at Kohaku and nodded and he smiled. "You mean so much to him. I am happy for you both." He said and smiled.

"Thank you." Rin blushed and Kohaku laughed.

"You look like you have a crush on him with the way you are blushing." Kohaku teased. They reached the bottom of the hill and he led the way heading toward Sango's home.

"So, why are you visiting?" Rin asked as she walked with him in the snow wanting to change the subject.

"I brought my bride to meet Sango and the family. I wanted her to meet you too." Kohaku said.

"You got married?!" Rin smiled and clapped her hands together. "When did that happen?" She asked excitedly.

"A few weeks ago, we met several months ago when I was hunting a demon. Turns out she is from the south and she came here chasing the same demon I was hunting. I am surprised Sesshomaru-sama didn't dispatch a southern demon in his lands though." Kohaku shrugged, "Doesn't matter because that is how I met Sakura."

"That is so great." Rin said as Kohaku stopped before the house and entered. Miroku waved at Rin and she smiled and sat down beside him.

"Kohaku said he wanted you to meet the bride too." Miroku said quietly to Rin and she nodded. Miroku touched her coat, "Sesshomaru-sama really does spoil you." He teased and Rin blushed.

"I give all my old clothes to your girls." Rin pouted. Rin could see that Sango was waking along with the children as Kohaku gently shook them.

"Hai. I am just teasing." Miroku patted her head and the children yawned and sat up.

"Uncle Kohaku!" All three shouted and tackled him. Sango shook her head and stood up and hugged Kohaku. "Welcome back." Sango smiled.

"Thank you. I'll be right back." Kohaku was released from her embrace and Sango looked at Rin and Miroku.

"Rin-chan, anata, what's with Kohaku?" Sango asked the two in the corner.

"You'll see." Miroku smirked. Rin smiled and the children crawled under Rin's coat and snuggled close.

"It's a cold day, isn't it?" Rin asked Yui as she settled on Rin's knees. "Hai!" The girl responded.

"Alright," They could hear Kohaku and all eyes turned to the doorway. Kohaku entered and a young woman with black hair and light brown eyes entered. "This is Sakura, my bride."

"Kohaku, you got married?" Sango asked as her eye twitched.

"Hai." Kohaku smiled and Miroku urged Rin to stand up and grab the children.

"We'll be outside dear. Children get your boots on." He laughed.

"Oh no! Uncle Kohaku got married without telling Okaasan!" Haru laughed. Kohaku made a noise and Sakura bowed her head.

"We're so sorry! We just fell in love and…he did not wish to dishonour me!" Sakura lifted her head and patted the small bump on her stomach.

"Rin, run!" Miroku said as he grabbed Yua under one arm and Yui under the other. She picked up Haru and they ran out of the home. The children laughed as their mother shouted at their uncle for getting a girl pregnant before marriage and for also getting married without Sango being there. "May we take refuge at Kaede's?" Miroku asked as he stamped in the snow in his bare feet.

"Hai, of course." Rin laughed.

They ran into the house and plopped the children onto the floor as everyone stared at Miroku's bare feet.

"Got into trouble?" Inuyasha asked with a smirk.

"Kohaku knocked up a girl and married her without letting Sango be there for the ceremony." Miroku explained to Kaede, Jaken, Kagome and Inuyasha as they were sitting around fire making breakfast once they got inside the small house. Kagome giggled and took one of the girls into her arms and rubbed their feet. "Sorry for the intrusion." Miroku laughed.

"I hope Sango doesn't kill him." Inuyasha shook his head.

"She wouldn't do that; he's got a baby on the way." Keade said gruffly and everyone, including Jaken, laughed at the fate of the poor young man.

"Yui, you can stay here with Aunties all day!" Kagome giggled and hugged the girl close. Rin took off her coat and Yua and Haru dove under it as Kaede found a pair of tabi for Miroku to borrow.

Rin liked these moments where the people she was closest to in the village were with her, minus Sango and Kohaku who were arguing and Shippo was doing another exam.

She knew she wouldn't have these moments as often once she returned to Sesshomaru. Do I want to give this up? I love him, but I love the simplicity and the laughter. Everyone smiles here, cries together, laugh together. We share our hearts so openly.

Sesshomaru-sama, can you smile with me? Laugh with me? Share you heart so openly?

Rin bit her bottom lip, lost in thought as everyone laughed and made bets about how things were going between Sango, Kohaku, and Sakura.

Inuyasha watched Rin carefully and could see Rin worrying her bottom lip. He could tell she was lost in thought and he could smell her anxiousness. Are you scared that Sesshomaru is just cold and doesn't know how to be like us? Me too.

Oh no! Rin is having some doubts. She is so carefree and Sesshomaru is meticulous.