"Sango, I'm frightened." Kagome cringed, holding Hisui at arms length. Diaper changing was proving to be difficult. She wanted to get some practice in now that she had Sango's brood to borrow. The infant latched onto Kagome's hair with tiny fists and shook his chubby arms with glee.
Sango could only chuckle, "Hisui, you flirt."
Kagome rolled her eyes. The boy would take after his father. Although she had to admit, the babbling was too cute to stay mad at for long.
"I'm serious, how do you do it?" Kagome managed to wrangle the baby down with the help of Sango's practiced hands.
"It's natural," Sango hummed at her baby, a loving smile gracing her sun kissed face. She was different now, in ways that were obvious to Kagome, but also not. How could motherhood wash away her friend's once anxious demeanor? Even speaking of marriage once had the girl bright red and smacking her husband-to-be full force across the face. Now she could discuss childbirth as casually as sharing combat tips. "You'll see, when it's your turn."
"You're due a lot sooner than I am." Truthfully, Kagome wasn't sure exactly how far into gestation her friend was, but if she had to guess, maybe four or five months along. "Maybe I can get some midwife experience and that'll at least give me an idea."
"I just know Rin will be so happy to show you everything she's learned from Lady Kaede. She helped me with the last three, you know." Sango redressed her squirming baby and cuddled him into her chest. Hisui calmed almost instantly, recognizing the vibration of his mother's voice against his cheek.
"Do you know when Rin will be back?" She had already asked Kaede and Inuyasha, but neither could provide a clear answer. Since the war's beginning, Rin had begun taking trips with Sesshomaru from time to time. Mostly upon her request to gather rare herbs for the villagers in Edo.
"Sometimes she's gone for three weeks, but usually she gets dropped off by Ah-Un after a week or so." The former slayer leaned back into the wall of her home, patting a gentle rhythm into Hisui's back.
Her stomach flip flopped. Could be any day now that Sesshomaru returned with Rin in tow, it seemed.
Another week went by, and another bristling snow storm was determined to blanket the town. Kagome took to Sango's method of staying warm lately, bundling in with her young to share bodily warmth. A quick flare of demonic strength pulsed into her awareness and she knew it was her beloved Inuyasha asking for her outside. He was growing distant, and she couldn't help but feel it was due to her condition. Even thinking she was truly pregnant made her want to fall over. She didn't feel pregnant, but then again, Sango said she didn't notice for many weeks. Her sex education told her otherwise. Something was growing inside of her.
Someone, Kagome had to remind herself, It's not an it.
Inuyasha pushed again, asking with waning patience. Kagome only rolled her eyes, crawling out from under the warmth of tiny toddlers. Sango snuggled them closer as they sought her warmth. What did he want with her anyways at this hour?
Exiting the warmth of shelter, she was immediately greeted by her half demon friend dropping from the rooftop beside her. He offered his fire rat furs without hesitation, draping it over her head.
"Thanks," She wrapped herself in his robes, grateful for his attentiveness. While distant, he still did what he could to anticipate her needs. "What did you need me for at this hour?"
"Let me take you further that way," Inuyasha offered his arms, ready to scoop her into a bridal carry. He'd been doing that rather than having her ride on his back lately. Kagome had joked he was growing old with a bad back, but she knew he did it to keep her from being jostled too much when he carried her. "I've got something to show you." She grasped his shoulders without complaint, silently agreeing.
He took her to the top of the Tree of Ages, and set her on her feet beside him. Kagome didn't leave the circle of his arms, despite having outgrown her fear of heights years ago. While she was sure he would catch her if she slipped and fell a few feet, that didn't mean she wanted to risk anything.
Kagome looked around them, hoping to see whatever it was he was trying to show her. She was about to ask, opening her mouth to question Inuyasha, but when she saw his eyes tracking the skyline ahead, she paused.
"Do you see there," He asked, moving behind her to point ahead in her line of sight, "On the right?"
Her eyes scanned the night sky, trying her best to seek out whatever it was he wanted her to see. Kagome nearly turned to argue, annoyed that she'd been woken up for seemingly nothing, but he beat her to it, shushing her before she could get a word out.
"Right...there." Kagome heard him whisper into her ear, pointing again into the sky. His quiet voice gave her shivers, but she blamed the frosty wind that swished through the treetops.
A shooting star blazed quickly from the right and burned out. When another spawned from where the last had diminished and dashed across the sky to the right again, she knew this was what he meant.
"What is that?" She asked.
"Who is more like it," Inuyasha whispered back. Kagome turned to him then, searching his gaze for confirmation, "That's Sesshomaru. He's making his rounds on patrols. It means he's gonna be back soon. Another day maybe, two if he's gonna bring Rin back himself."
Kagome didn't answer, turning away to observe the pseudo shooting star that skirted across the sky every few moments. So this was why he brought her out here. She needed to prepare herself to meet Sesshomaru again.
"Kagome," She turned back to him when she felt the strain spoken in her name, "What do you want to do?" The ache of longing was exposed in his aura, tinged with regret.
"The only thing that I can do," She offered a forlorn shrug, looking back to the sky. Watching Sesshomaru fly across the darkness was easier than facing what she'd lost forever. "I'll have to tell him."
"For what it's worth," Inuyasha swallowed hard. Whether he was forcing the words out or failing to hold it together, she wasn't sure. "I think you should stay."
She hadn't expected that. Kagome held her breath, running through the possibilities.
"Whether he accepts you or not, you have me--" His cheeks colored quickly when she turned her face to him once more, "Us! You have your friends here."
"I have so many people waiting for me there, too. My family, my friends, my pack…" Kagome didn't know how to express herself further. She didn't dare say that Sesshou and Sesshomaru were like day and night. That in this time period, she wasn't sure if he could change so much in her lifespan alone to learn to even accept her and their child, much less care for them.
"You don't have to decide right now, okay?" Inuyasha dropped to sit on the branch, one knee up and the other dangling. Kagome followed his lead and rested her head on his shoulder. "I just--" His shoulders sank with a dejected sigh, "I just don't want to live without you again." Her heart ached at that, closing her eyes tightly to hold back tears.
"I know, Inuyasha," She sniffled, thinking about all the things she wished to say, but didn't. Instead, she merely wrapped both arms around her abdomen under his fire rat furs. "I know."
