Notes:
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the other characters from the anime and/or manga. Everyone else is mine :)
Hello all! I hope that you are doing well and being safe, wherever you are :)
So this is it! Inuyasha and Kagome finally have their baby! I hope that you love her name as much as I do. I put some notes on the kanji at the end. (Special note: I wrote this story way before Yashahime, so her name is not Moroha…my apologies! I still hope you like it!)
Mrs. Higurashi drove a screaming Kagome and a terrified Inuyasha to the hospital in Inuyasha's Honda Vezel. Kagome sat in the middle in the backseat, Inuyasha and Asuka each holding one of her hands, while Rin sat up the front with Kagome's mother.
"Kagome, take deep breaths, have you forgotten your training?" asked Asuka a little impatiently. She and Inuyasha were going to go deaf if Kagome kept screaming; Asuka was sure of it.
"Fuck my training!" Kagome gritted out. Inuyasha and Asuka exchanged a glance over Kagome's head. "Is this supposed to hurt this much?" she gasped to her mother and Rin.
"I've heard the pain is worse when it's a hanyou," Rin whispered.
"What?!" Kagome exclaimed. She rounded on Inuyasha. "You," she sputtered. "You did this."
"I'm pretty sure it takes two to 'do this'," chuckled Asuka. Inuyasha looked shell-shocked. He knew that he should have driven instead of sitting in the backseat with a quickly-losing-her-mind Kagome.
"Is Yoshida-san going to meet us at the hospital?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.
"She is," Rin replied. "She'll be waiting at the emergency room."
"Good," Mrs. Higurashi answered grimly, gripping the wheel with both hands and weaving deftly through the streets.
"Inuyasha-otou, are you timing her contractions?" Rin asked, clinging to the side of the car as Mrs. Higurashi picked up speed.
"I am, Mother," replied Asuka. "Still holding steady at five minutes." Kagome began to squeeze their hands as though she intended to break every bone. Inuyasha's breath hitched at her strength. Asuka merely pulled out her phone and hit reset on the timer. "That's another one," she said calmly, ignoring the small human clutching her hand so tightly it was becoming mottled. Kagome sucked in her breath and tried not to screech from pain.
"We're almost there, dear," said Mrs. Higurashi, making a right turn and then another right turn.
"The hospital is right up here, Oba-sama," said Rin, gesturing with her hands.
"My Lady," said Mrs. Higurashi shortly, "we're about to become even closer family. Don't you think we can dispense with the formalities?"
"Never," Rin said, laughing. "What's left of decorum in the world if we aren't respectful?"
"Moth-er!" admonished Asuka.
"Inuyasha," breathed Kagome.
Inuyasha was instantly at attention. "Yes, mate?"
Kagome's face was pale and slightly green from the pain. "Let's never do this again."
Inuyasha tried really hard not to laugh. "Whatever you say, 'Gome."
"We're here," said Mrs. Higurashi suddenly, turning into the hospital. She pulled up to the emergency entrance. Asuka and Inuyasha helped Kagome out of the car.
"I'll go with Oba-sama to park," said Rin. "I'll also call your brother, Inuyasha-otou. I'm sure that he, Sayua, and Hideaki will want to get here soon."
"Tell them to wait, please, Mother," said Asuka. "Let's wait until Auntie is ready to push."
"Push?" asked Kagome weakly as Asuka and Inuyasha helped her into the emergency room.
"We'll see you soon, dear," called Mrs. Higurashi from the car.
The hospital was new; one wall was a bright, gleaming waterfall decorated with greenery and lush flowers. The reception desk was crisp and clean, and the woman seated at the desk seemed to be expecting them. She produced a wheelchair, and Kagome sank into it gratefully, allowing Inuyasha to push her to the labor and delivery ward, Asuka close behind. When they got to labor and delivery, Yoshida-san was there to greet them; a tall, lovely, cow youkai, she exuded patience and care. It was clear why Asuka had recommended her.
Yoshida-san asked Asuka to wait in the family room; Asuka kissed Kagome on the cheek and squeezed her uncle's arm before she left. Now alone, Yoshida-san led the way to a room where Kagome would deliver their pup.
The room was warm, with soft lighting, several chairs, and a hospital bed. Yoshida-san pulled the curtain so Inuyasha could help Kagome into a hospital gown, then Yoshida-san directed Inuyasha to help Kagome onto the bed. Two nurses came into the room and hooked her up to a monitor so they could track the contractions.
"I'm going to do a quick exam, okay, Kagome?" Yoshida-san said gently. Kagome gritted her teeth and nodded. Another contraction was coming. Kagome gripped Inuyasha's hand; he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, but couldn't say anything. He was paralyzed with fear for what was happening, and what was about to happen.
"Inuyasha," growled Kagome. He looked up at her. "If you're not going to help me," she said darkly, "then get the fuck out of here."
The nurses snickered, and Inuyasha's face fell. She squeezed his hand really fucking tightly, and he looked at her, her face twisted in pain with the contraction. He needed to get his shit together. NOW. He took a deep breath.
"Close your eyes, mate," he said quietly, rubbing her hand with one hand and gently pressing a finger to the space between her eyes with the other. "Think about your third eye. Draw yourself inward; think about a place that gives you peace and calm. Where are you?"
Kagome closed her eyes and took a sharp breath as the contraction hit its peak. "I'm with you at the Goshiboku," she stammered. "We're in the branches, hidden away from everyone. You're in your fire-rat; you've pulled me close so that I'm buried within the fabric. It's like our own little cocoon."
"Nothing can hurt you there, koi," he said softly. "Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly at my count."
Kagome took a deep breath in, and Inuyasha counted slowly to eight as she exhaled. "Good girl," he soothed. "Let's do that again. Let's take some deep breaths in the Goshiboku. Just you and me."
Inuyasha continued to guide her through the visualization as Yoshida-san checked Kagome's dilation. "She's at seven centimeters, Fujimura-san," the midwife told Inuyasha. "Do you think we can get her up and walking? That should help move things along."
Inuyasha nudged Kagome. "Do you hear that, 'Gome?" he asked. "Think you can walk?"
She nodded and opened her eyes. "Good girl," he said again. He helped her off the table; Yoshida-san took her off the monitor.
"Just around the block once or twice, Fujimura-san," directed Yoshida-san. "I don't want you going too far in case things progress quickly. When you get back," she added to Kagome, "we'll do a little acupressure and massage to help you feel better, too."
Kagome nodded and held onto Inuyasha as she tottered into the hallway. Inuyasha gently held her arm in return. On their way out of the room, he looked at the clock. 9:30 in the morning.
It's gonna be a long fucking day, he thought miserably.
It took about seven hours for Kagome to get to a point where she was able to push, and holy shit, if Inuyasha thought he was freaked out before when her water broke, that was nothing compared to what he experienced in the delivery room. He'd slaughtered thousands of youkai during his lifetime, but nothing prepared him for the whole of childbirth. The fact that he could smell Kagome's blood and her...insides...and her pain so clearly, and that he could feel everything she was experiencing through their bond…it was almost too much for him to handle. He kept his shit together, though, and held her hand the entire time, walking her through her visualizations, encouraging her to push when it was time…basically whatever the nurses told him to do, he did.
But Kagome? Kagome was a fucking goddess. She was a goddamn fucking warrior goddess and any thoughts he'd ever had about her being weak were thrown out the window when he saw what she went through to deliver the pup, and how she handled it all like a fucking warrior who put Sesshomaru to shame. She could do anything. Anything. And he would fight anyone who said otherwise.
And now the pup was here. And she was beautiful and perfect and Inuyasha was afraid to touch her for fear he'd break her. But Kagome, like the goddamn fucking warrior goddess that she was, simply cradled the pup in her arms and lifted the pup to her breast. And the pup suckled like a goddamn champ. Inuyasha was terrified of her, but his youki bristled with pride when it saw his mate and his pup together like that. They were like two little pieces of his heart that fit together perfectly. He didn't know how he could ever live without either of them.
Once the pup was done nursing, Kagome had handed her off to him. And fuck, he really didn't want to hold her, he really didn't. He was so scared he would drop her or squeeze her too tightly or worse. But Kagome pulled him down to the bed next to her while Yoshida-san and the nurses were cleaning her up and placed the pup in his arms. Kagome sat beside him, gently directing him on how to hold the pup's head up and how to hold her in the crook of his arm. They sat together, watching their pup sleep, in awe of what they had created. Together.
Once Kagome was cleaned up and the pup had been weighed and also cleaned, it was time to move them to a maternity room. Inuyasha handed the pup off to a nurse, who laid her in a plastic bassinet, and then helped Kagome out of the bed. And goddammit, she was actually able to walk after what she'd just been through! He couldn't believe it. He helped her to the bathroom, where she had to prove she could pee, and then the nurse showed her a bunch of things about how to take care of herself, and then Inuyasha helped her put on soft squishy underthings that would protect her tender parts and continue to catch what the nurse called the lochia. Together they made their way to the wheelchair, where Kagome sat gingerly, and Inuyasha pushed her to their new room on the other side of the ward. The nurse followed with the pup, and attached baby bracelets to all three of them, as well as a baby monitor on the pup. Inuyasha growled when she did this, but the nurse (who was used to dealing with youkai, if not hanyou as much) patiently explained this was necessary to protect the pup from being switched or carried out of the hospital. Not that either of those scenarios was likely when the father was part inu youkai, but protocols are nothing if they are not followed.
At this point Inuyasha's phone was blowing up with messages from the whole family, and even Kouga and Kashikoi, demanding to know how things were going. Once he helped Kagome and the pup get settled, he decided to go and let everyone know that the pup was here.
He dropped a kiss on the top of Kagome's head. "If I go tell them, they might want to come back here to see you two. Is that okay?" he asked gruffly. If it were up to him, he wouldn't let anyone fucking near his mate or his pup ever again.
But Kagome, being the goddamn fucking warrior goddess that she was, merely smiled. She looked exhausted, ethereal, beautiful. The pup lay sleeping in her arms.
"It's fine," she said with just a hint of tiredness in her voice, "but maybe not everyone at once? Maybe just my mom and your brother and Rin first?"
He nodded. "I'm on it." He gave her one more kiss, this time on the lips, and felt his youki singing as he left them in the room.
He padded down the hall, listening to the conversations in the other maternity rooms. Other mothers seemed scared, afraid that they weren't going to be able to properly care for their pups. Not his Kagome. She had taken to motherhood immediately, and he could not be prouder of her. There would be no fear from her—he just knew it.
He paused at the glass door to the family room. They hadn't noticed him yet, but he could sense his family's tension. He took a deep breath, and opened the door.
The air went out of the room with a whoosh as everyone's head whipped around to see him standing there, one hand stretched behind his back, scratching his neck awkwardly, the other shoved into a pocket of his jeans. He had a sheepish grin on his face, one fang peeking out below his lip.
Everyone stared at him, waiting, watching.
Finally, he spoke.
"It's a girl."
And the room exploded with joy.
Mrs. Higurashi and Rin fell into each other's arms, crying. Asuka and Sayua clasped hands with glee, and Souta high-fived Sesshomaru, who almost looked like he enjoyed it. Jii-chan murmured a prayer of thanks, and Hideaki rushed forward to grasp Inuyasha's hands in congratulations. It was pure chaos, and Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head.
"Hold up, hold up," he said loudly, stepping forward. Everyone fell quiet and looked at the new father anxiously. "Everything's fine," he added. "She would like to see Mama, Rin, and Sess." He paused. "Everyone else will have to wait until later, maybe tomorrow." Like fucking hell was anyone else going to get in to see his mate and pup tonight.
"That's a good idea," Mrs. Higurashi said. She turned to Hideaki. "Will you take Jii-chan and Souta home, please?" She put her arms around her son. "I'll be home a little later, dear. Take care of Jii-chan for me, okay?" Souta nodded.
Hideaki put his arm around the boy. "Come on. I think tonight we stop for ice cream on the way home and then play a little Switch, what do you think?" Souta nodded excitedly and they left the room and headed down the hall, Asuka and Sayua arguing over who was going to win at Super Smash Brothers.
Inuyasha led the way down the hall to the maternity ward. He pressed the buzzer to the double doors, and a nurse answered the door. Inuyasha had his baby bracelet scanned, and they were allowed in. Inuyasha's ears twitched anxiously as he listened for sounds from his mate or pup, but all was quiet. He did detect Kagome's scent, even from where she was down the hall. Their family followed him patiently until they reached the door to Kagome's room. He peeked in first to make sure it was okay for the family to come in, and when Kagome gave a nod, he stepped aside and allowed everyone in.
Kagome sat up in the hospital bed, the pup curled up in her arms. While Inuyasha was gone, a nurse had helped her change out of the hospital gown and into a nursing tank and pajama pants; she was resting on top of the blankets, cross-legged. Her dark hair was tied up in a ponytail away from her face, and her dark brown eyes were tired but shining with happiness. Her cheeks radiated pink against the paleness of her skin. She was a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. Inuyasha glowed with pride at the sight of her, and at the sight of the tiny pup in her arms.
The pup was, in his eyes, perfect. Her dark hair was short but thick, and her tiny black ears twitched, even in her sleep. Her eyes were closed, but her lashes were already long and thick, and she had a tiny, perfect nose. Her breaths were shallow and slightly irregular, but the nurse had said that was to be expected. She had small little claws on her hands and feet, and Kagome had already put mittens and socks on the little hanyou, to make sure that she didn't scratch herself. Her little mittened hands were crossed under her chin, giving the impression that she was deep in thought.
Mrs. Higurashi and Rin took a seat on either side of Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi kissing her daughter on the top of her head and Rin rubbing Kagome's shoulder affectionately. Sesshomaru stood back, surveying the scene beside his brother, who was still radiating with happiness and flush with his youki.
"How did it go, dear?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.
"She was a fucking warrior," Inuyasha said proudly. Rin made a tsk-ing sound. "Fine," he acquiesced. "She was a warrior." He grinned.
"It wasn't easy, Mama," Kagome said tiredly. "I don't know how you did this twice."
Mrs. Higurashi chuckled. "The second time was a little easier than the first, my dear," she replied. "Your body knows what it's doing by then, and that helps."
"You did so well, Kagome-chan," whispered Rin, looking down at the pup with adoration. "She is perfect."
"She is, isn't she?" said Kagome, so pleased.
"What is her name?"
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. He smirked at her and nodded.
Kagome looked down at the pup, gently caressing her cheek. The pup mewled slightly but continued to sleep. "We decided to call her Morika," she said.
"Lovely," Rin said. "How will you spell it?"
Inuyasha went to Kagome's bedside table and grabbed a notepad and a pen. He carefully wrote out the pup's name: 森香. He showed it to Mrs. Higurashi and Rin, then to his brother.
"Fragrance of the forest, ne?" Rin commented.
"It's lovely, Kagome, Inuyasha-kun," Mrs. Higurashi said.
Sesshomaru stood silently, watching the scene unfold.
"Well, Sess?" asked Inuyasha proudly. "What do you think of your niece?"
Sesshomaru considered the question for a long moment. "She is perfect, despite who her father is."
Inuyasha decided to let the dig go in favor of his brother's kind words towards his daughter.
"And it is a good name for her," Sesshomaru added. "For a pup whose parents met and fell in love in a forest."
Inuyasha's chest puffed out with pride; he couldn't help it.
Just then little Morika started crying fitfully and twisting in her mother's arms. She opened and closed her eyes; they were Inuyasha's golden amber, but there were also flecks of chocolate brown, like her mother's. Inuyasha smiled at the sight of her beautiful, beautiful eyes. Kagome shushed the pup and then looked up. "She needs to eat," Kagome said quietly.
Rin moved across the room and took her mate gently by the arm. "Come on, anata," she said, "let's give Kagome-chan some privacy. We can come back tomorrow."
Sesshomaru nodded and turned to Mrs. Higurashi. "Oba-sama, we will wait for you in the family room," he said. "Take all the time you need."
"Thank you, my Lord," said Mrs. Higurashi, bowing.
Sesshomaru bobbed his head and hooked Rin's hand through his arm as they left the room. At their absence the pup became crying even more loudly. Inuyasha ran out into the hall.
"Sess, wait," he said, rushing after his brother. Sesshomaru and Rin paused. "Don't go yet," he said. "The pup wants you."
Sesshomaru turned and eyed his brother. "The pup…wants…me?"
"I think she needs to know her uncle is here," Inuyasha said. "She started crying more when you left. Just go in and hold her. Let her smell you. Then if you don't want to stay, you don't have to. But let her know that you're here."
Sesshomaru squeezed Rin's arm and followed his brother back into the hospital room, Rin close behind. In the room Kagome was nursing the pup, who was sucking greedily. She looked up at Inuyasha and beamed. He went to her side and smoothed her hair back, watching his pup nurse, enjoying the sloppy sounds she was making. She was happy, so he was happy.
Suddenly the pup unlatched from Kagome's breast with a pop and began sniffing the air. Kagome switched the pup in her arms and fixed her nursing top. The pup started to whine again. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, who turned to Sesshomaru. He sighed and crossed the room to Kagome and held out his arms like this was the last thing he wanted to do.
A nod from Inuyasha allowed Kagome to pass the pup into Sesshomaru's arms. The great daiyoukai held the tiny pup close to his face, allowing her to smell him, to imprint his scent. She whined for a moment, then reached out and licked his cheek. She immediately calmed down; Sesshomaru snuggled the pup in the crook of his arm, gently covering her with his other hand. She closed her chocolate-gold eyes and began to purr in her uncle's arms.
Sesshomaru's heart melted.
Just a tiny, tiny bit.
But it melted.
Kagome felt a rush of pleasure at the sight. Inuyasha scented her happiness and took her hand in his. She squeezed his hand slowly, and he sat beside her on the bed, allowing her head to rest against his shoulder and her eyes to close.
Mrs. Higurashi stood next to Rin. "Have you ever seen his Lordship look so at peace?" she asked the Lady of the West quietly.
Rin laughed softly. "Only when he held his own pups." She paused. "One would never guess he had such a soft spot for pups."
Mrs. Higurashi wrapped her arm around Rin. "I believe that's also how he took you in and eventually, many years later, fell in love with you, my Lady," she whispered.
Over the next few days, Kagome and Inuyasha rested at the hospital and got to know Morika. She was a greedy pup who liked to nurse and then purr in her mother's lap, but she was also sweet and loving. She enjoyed snuggling with her father and uncle (who would never tell a soul, but he visited every day), and trying to shred her mittens. The family all came to see them: Asuka came every day in between classes, and Mrs. Higurashi, Hideaki, and Sayua came when Inuyasha had to go to class. There were still two weeks left in the semester; Kagome would be allowed to take her final exams online, but Inuyasha would have to go to campus. Their professors were understanding, but only to a point.
Sayua enjoyed holding her new cousin while Hideaki and Kagome meditated. Kagome was unsurprised to note that the visions seemed to have abated; since Morika was born, she hadn't had a nightmare. That could be because she had barely slept, but she felt at peace in a way that she hadn't since she'd gotten pregnant. Hideaki tested Kagome's spiritual powers and found them unchanged, but they were hesitant to use them yet on the pup, to form a barrier or otherwise. Hideaki thought it best to wait until the pup was a few months old, tracking her development, before making any decisions on using Kagome's spiritual power.
Kagome desperately wanted a moment alone with Sesshomaru, to tell him about the vision she'd had the night before Morika was born, but he was either always accompanied by someone, or someone was always there with her. There was no privacy in the hospital; she'd have to wait until they were home. And she had no clue how she was going to tell Inuyasha that Kikyo'd had Onigumo's baby. If her dreams were to be believed, of course.
One day Kagome happened to be alone with Morika when she had a surprise visitor. That didn't happen often in the hospital, but Kagome enjoyed the time alone with her daughter. The bond between mother and child was crucial, and Kagome liked having quiet time when they could do skin-to-skin and just be together.
There was a soft knock at the door and when Kagome called out, a familiar face poked her head in the door.
"Is this a bad time?" she asked.
"Suzuki-sensei," said Kagome happily, "it's wonderful to see you! How did you know I was here?"
"Moriyama-sensei called me. May I come in?" she asked.
Kagome adjusted her top, wrapped Morika in her blanket, and slipped a hat on her head to hide her ears. "Please do." Kagome rose from the chair and went to greet her old kyudo coach. Suzuki-sensei peered down at the sleeping pup. "What a beautiful baby," Suzuki-sensei breathed.
"Oh, thank you, Suzuki-sensei," replied Kagome, positively glowing from the compliment.
"How are you feeling?" Suzuki-sensei asked.
Kagome sank onto the couch, motioning with one hand for Suzuki-sensei to sit with her. The two women sat together, Morika still sleeping in her mother's arms. "I'm okay," Kagome said wearily. "You wouldn't believe what delivering a baby does to a woman's body. I feel like I've been through the wringer. And the things I have to do…down there." She grimaced. Suzuki-sensei blushed a little at Kagome's insinuation and Kagome laughed. "Please don't be embarrassed," she added. "I've given birth. I've literally got no secrets left."
Suzuki-sensei laughed too, and watched the pup thoughtfully. "You are happy, Higurashi-kun?"
Kagome smiled. "I'm ecstatically, wonderfully happy, Suzuki-sensei," she replied. "I never thought I would feel this way about another person. About two persons," she added. "Who knew a baby would bring Yash and I even closer?" Her face smoothed as she became lost in her thoughts for a moment, thinking of how much Inuyasha had grown since they'd married and she'd become pregnant. She couldn't wait to see what kind of a father he would be.
Quickly, Kagome remembered she wasn't alone. "How is the school team?" Kagome asked curiously.
Suzuki-sensei frowned. "Since you graduated, the team has lost its focus. We spend a lot of time working on the basics." When Kagome sighed, Suzuki-sensei smiled slightly. "You miss it."
"I do miss it," Kagome admitted.
"You'll be back to it soon, Higurashi-kun," Suzuki-sensei said. "Don't worry."
Kagome smiled. "The doctor said six weeks," she said.
"If you need help training, give me a call," Suzuki-sensei replied, smiling as well. She held out her hands. "May I?"
Kagome hesitated for a moment; no one else other than Inuyasha and their immediate family had held Morika yet. They were trying to get her acclimated to the family's scents. But Suzuki-sensei looked so…lonely, like she needed this. So Kagome decided in that moment that it was fine. She gave her baby to her former coach. When the pup passed into Suzuki-sensei's arms, Kagome felt a tingle, ever so slightly, shoot up her arm and into her heart, but she dismissed it quickly. Her motherly instincts were taking over too much lately. She could hardly tell which way was up. Everytime someone other than family held the pup, she was getting emotional.
"Everything okay, Higurashi-kun?" Suzuki-sensei asked worriedly. "If it's too much to let me hold her yet, I understand."
Kagome shook her head a little too enthusiastically. "Nope, it's fine. We've just been trying to get her used to immediate family only. But I don't think a few minutes could hurt."
Suzuki-sensei smiled gratefully, and looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms. Kagome watched her carefully. She seemed a natural, rocking Morika slowly and whispering little nothings to keep her asleep. Morika's ears and claws were perfectly covered, so there was no chance Suzuki-sensei could figure out their secret.
"Why the mittens, Higurashi-kun?" asked Suzuki-sensei suddenly.
"Babies have sharp fingernails," Kagome said smoothly. "The nurses recommend mittens so they don't scratch themselves." Not exactly a lie, she thought.
Suzuki-sensei smiled absently, rocking the pup for another moment or two. She then looked up at Kagome and offered Morika back to her mother; Kagome accepted her child and immediately snuggled her back into the crook of her arm. Suzuki-sensei patted her former athlete on the arm and rose.
"I'll be going, then," she said.
"Thank you for coming," Kagome said warmly. She really meant it; it was good to see someone who was not family. She'd called Yuka in hopes she could stop by, but with finals and everything, Yuka was too busy and planned to visit Kagome at home in a few weeks.
"I'll stop by the shrine soon," Suzuki-sensei promised. "I know that new mothers like to have people around to hold their babies so they can do things like eat and take a shower."
Kagome laughed. "I've got a whole household of people to help with that, but thank you for offering. Anytime you have free I will greatly appreciate the help."
"See you soon, Higurashi-kun," answered Suzuki-sensei. As she made her way out of the room, she passed by Inuyasha, who was coming back from class with a pile of papers and books for Kagome. "Fujimura-san," she said with surprise. "Where were you?"
"Only Kagome gets a break from classes," Inuyasha grunted. "I've still got a week and a half left."
"I didn't realize you were in school, too," she commented. "Good luck with your exams," she added, and went out the door and down the hallway to exit the maternity ward.
"What was your old kyudo coach doing here?" Inuyasha asked his wife.
Kagome shifted Morika in her arms and adjusted her sitting position. "Moriyama-sensei called her, she said." Inuyasha sat beside her and took her ponytail out, delicately combing through her hair with his claws. It was so knotted; she needed a proper hair washing and brushing. The pup yawned and snuggled into her mother. Kagome sighed.
"Ready to go home, mate?" Inuyasha asked her gently. She nodded and rested her head against his shoulder. He nuzzled her hair and gazed down at their pup. He couldn't wait to get them home and start making a life for all three of them. His youki was practically howling nonstop with pride and with a desire to love and to protect. And he intended to do so. No matter what.
Notes:
Kagome's birthing technique is called hypnobirthing. It's a combination of visualization, meditation, relaxation, and breathing techniques, and I found it to work really, really well.
Okay, so Morika's name. The kanji of her name break down as such. The first kanji, 森, means "woods," while the second, 香, translates to "incense," but in this case, could also mean "scent" or "fragrance." So I've had Rin interpret it as "fragrance of the forest," which struck me as perfect for Inuyasha and Kagome's daughter. I went through A LOT of names, but when I saw this one, I immediately knew.
I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! In the next update: Kagome and Inuyasha continue to adjust to parenthood (heck, they'll be doing that for the rest of their lives), and Kagome tells Sesshomaru about her dream. How will he react? Thanks so much, again, for reading!