A/N: I would make this part of a chapter bomb, but unfortunately my computer decided to bite the dust about a week before I was able to publish the last chapter. It will be at least 2 weeks before I can get a replacement, so progress will be slow at best. Sorry guys! I want to get to the good part just as much as you!
Rin was sitting out on the porch in the comfortable early spring sunshine, reclining on a very fluffy cushion and listening to the birds. It was nearly the end of march and Aki was staying with the couple now, checking Rin almost every day, much to the young woman's discomfort and displeasure. She scowled a little at the thought of the check-ups, which were terribly invasive by necessity. She let out a sharp huff, not hearing the footsteps nearby until she looked up sharply as Sesshomaru settled beside her on the porch. Her mate offered a slight smile at the look on her face, knowing the line of her thoughts clearly. Truthfully he disliked the midwife's methods just as much as his young mate did.
When Rin leaned into her mate's fluffy moko-moko with a soft sigh of relief, his smile widened a little and he put a gentle arm around her. "Aki wanted to talk with us both at lunch. Are you ready to eat?" He took her faint growl as the obviously enthusiastic 'NO' it was, and chuckled. "Come on, my love. You know she is not a patient woman. Best we not keep her waiting." Another growl. "Rin…"
Finally, she sighed. "Oh, all right." Sesshomaru stood and helped her to her feet, amused by her front-heaviness as her belly continued to grow, seemingly by the day. As he had expected, Aki was already waiting for them in the dining hall, and fresh food was brought out as soon as they were seated. "What was it you wanted to discuss?" Rin asked the Royal Midwife stiffly, stabbing a dumpling rather than picking it up properly.
"Now that you're progressing into the second half of your pregnancy, and after the near miss you had not long ago, I want to put some rules in place for you, milady." Rin let out a depressed whine and Sesshomaru frowned. It was going to be up to him, most likely, to enforce whatever rules she set, because it was unlikely that Rin would willingly follow them. Noting their reactions, she gave a wry smirk. "Why don't I begin with what you can do?" She suggested. "You can eat and sleep as much and as often as you like. In fact, it would be best if you were eating a little more than you currently are. And I would also recommend massages, if you're comfortable with them, either from a servant or from Sesshomaru-sama, if he knows how." The pair nodded and the midwife continued. "In addition, I want you to go out hunting, once every few days or so. Small prey. Stretch your four legs." By now, Rin was smiling at the thought of relaxing comfortably or getting out to run every so often. "For now, the restrictions you have are very minor. I don't want you lifting anything larger than a teapot, and don't do too much running when you hunt. Go after easier prey." They both nodded in agreement and ate in a now companionable silence before Rin got up and kissed Sesshomaru's cheek, intending to go take an afternoon nap.
As sesshomaru got up to follow Rin, Aki held up a hand as she also got to her feet. "About the hunting. I don't want her hunting anything bigger than a sheep. Make sure she doesn't strain herself. Let her eat well and catch what she can for the time being, and only take her out a half-day's journey round trip. Once she can no longer make the journey out and back without stopping to rest, she will have more restrictions, but that should not be for a while, I think." Sesshomaru gave a small bow and Aki continued, "Also, now that she is closer to the end of her pregnancy, she may begin to have random pains. These are perfectly normal, though after the near miss she had, I will check her if they are too severe. I don't want you to worry. They are…sort of 'practice runs', if you will." She offered a small reassuring smile to the frowning male, and he simply nodded.
The next morning, Rin was up early, before the morning's scrolls had even come in. "Let's go hunting today!" She said excitedly, shaking Sesshomaru awake. He groaned slightly at her perkiness and enthusiasm, since she had kept him up half the night with her constant twitching whenever the pup chose to stretch or kick in her swollen stomach. He had hardly been able to rest since the festival began two weeks ago, in fact, and it was starting to show. Still, he couldn't deny his mate's liquid brown puppy eyes when she wanted something. By the time he had gotten to his feet and put on a jacket, Rin was already up and going through the wardrobe for something suitable. She turned at the sound of a quickly stifled yawn and giggled. "Aren't I supposed to be the one with no energy?"
"Yes, but you steal mine." Sesshomaru pulled on his hakama, tying the waist before bending to tie the bottoms around his knees, causing the legs of the pants to poof out as they always did. He pondered whether to put his armor on, since they were leaving the manor, but decided it was unnecessary for such a short excursion. The lands had been peaceful since the festival, for which he was grateful. He turned to see Rin having a little trouble with her own hakama, not too familiar with the garment herself. He smiled and helped her as she blushed bright pink with embarrassment. Once dressed, he took her hand to lead her outside the gate so they could transform.
Rin perked up once she was on four legs, sticking her pointed nose in the air and sniffing for prey. I smell goats…
Remember, Rin, nothing larger than a sheep.
Goats aren't bigger than sheep, she reasoned, starting to wander forward with her nose still in the air. He smirked a little at the sight of her bulging stomach and the fact that she was just beginning to occasionally waddle when walking. She would usually catch herself and stop, but not always. She soon put her nose to the ground and started to move faster, trotting after her prey, and he paced behind her, alert for any danger.
It didn't take long to hear goats nattering up ahead, and Rin stopped, licking her chops in anticipation. She watched the herd for a moment, deciding on her target, before charging in and getting the old arthritic goat on the outside edge of the herd. Sesshomaru charged in and caught two more from the herd's edge as they scampered a short distance away before turning to regard their attackers. He growled in warning as the lead ram seemed tempted to try his luck against the monstrous hounds, but the herd soon thought better of it and moved on. He gave his second goat to Rin, keeping the first for himself.
When Sesshomaru settled himself beside his mate to eat, he hardly expected to feel anything but the brush of her fur against his side. He certainly wasn't expecting the push of a tiny paw against his own abdomen where Rin's large belly was resting against him. Her head popped up at the unexpected sensation too, and she turned her head to look at herself, just as the paw pushed them again. She then turned to look at him as he huffed in amusement and licked some of the goat's blood from her snout gently. It's all right. Did you not expect them to kick?
I…I forgot they were a pup… She admitted softly in embarrassment, looking back at her flank once more in bemusement. Well, that was very understandable. She had spent very little time in true form, after all, and this was the first time they had been awake and kicking while she was in this form. He licked her face again, making sure she was clean, before getting up and suggesting they head back. But Rin had noticed something else and was snuffling towards a small sapling across the way that seemed to be quivering despite the lack of wind.
Rin sniffed cautiously at the crown of the sapling, which started to quiver even more. She then gave it a cautious lick before Sesshomaru could stop her. "Waah! Don't eat me!" The tree blurted before vanishing in a puff of smoke, revealing an adolescent fox. Rin let out a delighted noise and licked the fox again from fuzzy toes to bright orange hair, making him yell and complain "Bleah! Get off, get off!"
Sesshomaru, having the good sense to know the fox could not understand them in true form, shifted back, telling Rin to do the same, which she quickly did. The fox jumped in surprise. "Sesshomaru!" He then looked to his side. "Rin-chan!" He cheered in delight. The young woman giggled at the childish name she hadn't heard in years.
"Shippō, what are you doing out here?" Sesshomaru asked curtly. Foxes could, of course, roam where they pleased, as they didn't often cause enough trouble to be bothersome. However, he knew this young orphan had become bound to the miko and his brother by extension, and didn't think he often strayed too far. Perhaps things had changed though.
"Oh, Kagome sent me! I'm supposed to remind Rin-chan about Inu no Hi." Rin let out a soft 'oh' of understanding, then a small sigh.
"Oh, but, Shippō, I can't go to shrines anymore. Look at me. Yōkai aren't allowed." Both the boys looked at the girl in confusion. Where had Rin heard that? It wasn't true at all.
"Of course you can go! The kami like us. The mortals don't." He shrugged. "The next day is tomorrow, I hope that's enough time for you to get ready. I couldn't really figure out where to go to find you anymore." Rin nodded and offered her old friend a hug.
"Rin," Sesshomaru said once they were back at home and taking a bit of a relaxing bath, "Do you really wish to attend an Inu no Hi ceremony?" She nodded cheerfully, settled beside him in the large soaking tub. "You're supposed to do it in the fifth month, but that's for humans, so I think halfway will be suitable." She nodded again and offered him a shy kiss, the first in a little while. She often would peck his cheek or something similar, but this was the first proper kiss she had given in…well. He hummed in appreciation and she scooted a little closer on their submerged bench, offering more such gentle kisses, which he returned with great care. He was terrified of frightening her, or bringing up bad memories. After a moment, though, she stopped, looking down and away from him. "Rin?"
"You do not desire me anymore, do you?" She asked, still looking away from him, at the surface of the water next to them. "You see me as the midwife does- a vessel, a pedigree bitch carrying precious cargo, to be cared for and nurtured, perhaps, but not loved." He was shocked at her words, not understanding where they had come from.
"Rin, no! Of course I don't view you in such a way."
"Don't you?" She challenged, looking at him at last. "I am just as likely to wake out of your arms as in them anymore. I have not felt your morning stiffness against me for weeks. You have not once kissed me; you barely even touch me unless I make you." By the end of her accusation, she was crying, though this time he doubted it was her hormones to blame. Had he really been so aloof from her in his attempts to avoid scarring her further after her attack? She had looked away from him again as she cried, closing her eyes, and the next thing she felt was a gentle hand on her cheek. She looked up at the concern in his liquid gold eyes. Concern, and love-how could she doubt it?
"Rin, I did not realize I had been so distant. I did not wish to scare you, or in any way harm you further. What happened was already my fault, I should have been here to protect you-" She laid a gentle finger on his lips. "My mind," She told him, "Was terrified. I did not want anyone to touch me, even you, it is true. But my instincts were something else entirely. They wanted nothing more than some reassurance that you still wanted me after I had been tainted…and every day that passes more, that fear of losing you grows stronger…"
The next thing Rin felt was gentle but firm lips upon hers, then a feeling of weightlessness as her beloved scooped her gently from the bath, wrapping the both of them in towels and heading swiftly for their room.
The next morning, Rin woke and smiled widely. Not only was Sesshomaru's arm draped across her chest, his warm breath on her hair, but she could at long last feel the warm press of the rest of his body against her also, as was right and proper. What they had done yesterday evening was probably going to be frowned upon by the midwife, but it had certainly settled Rin's beast, and her mate's also, so it seemed.
Deciding she didn't want to get up quite yet, Rin let out a wide yawn and wriggled backward a little, closing her eyes and smiling as Sesshomaru pulled her gently closer with a contented sigh.
Then, She knocked.