Lessons Learned
Author: Shortey 83
Chapter: 48 – Withholding is Worse
Disclaimer: I do NOT own InuYasha or Skyrim!
Story Start:
The day following the birth of Kagome and InuYasha's daughter, Yumi, was also busy for Takara. Since Sango was helping Kagome with the baby, showing her the ins and outs of parenthood that she'd learned along the way, Takara did her best to keep an eye on the twins and meet with Shinju to see how she'd liked her new position.
To her delight, the woman was happy to be looking after the house since Takara had given her leave to still help the others in the village when needed. It seemed she hadn't expected that of her Lady, and Takara was more than happy to dispel any nonsense Ayako may have pumped into the village.
"From how she put it, I thought my days would be spent running from one end of the house to another from before dawn until long after dusk." Shinju laughed as the two of them sat sipping tea while the little ones played in the garden with Rin.
"She just had it out for me," Takara sighed. "What gets me is she didn't do anything but sit around and shout orders to everyone else."
The older woman gave her an easy and indulgent smile. "That is what she told us you did."
Takara's face dropped in disbelief, unable to even find a way to respond to that without sounding like a bumbling idiot. "You can't be serious?!"
"I'm afraid so, My Lady," She blew on her tea to cool it, taking a deep appreciative breath afterwards. "Luckily, most of us knew better than to believe her, but after feeling the earth shake after you spoke a few times, it did make a few people wonder." She smiled; her gaze distant as she recalled a memory. "In fact, after that first bandit raid, not a soul believed any of the nonsense she spewed."
She winced as she recalled the memory. "Oh, let's not bring that up. Lord Sesshomaru still gets sore when he's reminded of that."
"I could see why." Shinju agreed. "One woman, his wife and Lady, battling thugs in the street all alone." Feeling a bit more comfortable after spending the past week with her, the older woman gave Takara a stern but kind look. "Our poor Lord has his hands full with you, doesn't he?"
Takara did her best to put on an act of haughty arrogance for the older woman, giving her a huff, holding her head high with an air of feigned egotism. "He's got no one to blame but himself."
"Indeed," Sesshomaru's growl came from behind her.
Takara winced briefly before peeking over her shoulder at her husband who'd managed to sneak up on her again, flashing him a sheepish grin. "I mean… It wasn't a lie. I gave you plenty of warnings." Her heart did a flip flop when his eyes narrowed at her, the look he shot her saying that she was going to pay for that later. She also felt like going to find a shovel so she could keep digging that hole deeper in the hopes that she would really pay for it. The thought made moisture begin pooling between her legs.
To her surprise, he turned and walked away, heading in the direction of his father who sat on an adjoining section of porch, sipping sake while he too watched the children tumble over one another as they played.
Of course, Takara couldn't hear what the two of them spoke about, but a moment later her husband took off into the sky.
Sesshomaru may have left to do surveys of his lands, but he never left mid-day to do so. Since she'd been back, he'd never been gone longer than a day at a time, and before that, he'd only left when she was coming into her fertile period. She wondered if that may have been the reason, but after only giving birth almost two months prior her body was so out of whack Takara wasn't even sure if that could be the reason.
"He's up to something." She decided, ignoring Shinju's laughter, watching her husband fly off with suspicion. "I'll be right back." She marched along the porch over to his father, who eyed her with an amused curiosity as he took another sip of his drink.
"Yes, Little One?"
Takara tried to ignore the annoyingly pleased tone in his voice. "Where is Sesshomaru going? He usually tells me when he's leaving."
The elder demon shrugged his shoulder. "He didn't say, just asked me to keep an eye on things here while he took care of something." His eyes narrowed at her while a wolfish grin crept onto his face. "Why? What have you done this time?"
She debated answering him but decided against it. "Do I smell like I'm fertile or something?" There was something satisfying about the shocked look on his face as he considered her question.
Once he recovered, he leaned closer and took a deep breath. "I'm not sure. All I can smell is Sesshomaru, Kuromaru, Rin, and milk."
"Well, he's up to something. I can feel it." Takara looked across the garden where the children were now piled on top of one another in a heap beside Rin, all of them panting from their jaunt around the garden. "They're getting tired," She laughed as one of the twins pulled herself out from the pile, squealing with laughter as she ran away. That was all her sister and Kuromaru needed for inspiration as they clumsily stumbled over one another to give chase. "Then again, maybe not."
Takara was feeling a little playful too, watching the little ones run around was infectious. She sat for a moment beside her husband's sire as they watched them run and tumble around the garden, jumping, tackling, and pouncing one another as the girls tried their best to imitate Kuromaru's increasingly more fluid movements.
Since she was there, Takara poured him another drink as she considered what she should do. There was her 'book' she could work on, but she didn't think she could handle sitting for such a long period of time, nor did it feel right to abandon the children into Tōga's care. "I think I might join them," she chuckled to herself, standing and following the porch deeper into the garden.
"Where are you off to, Little One?"
Takara turned back and pressed a finger to her lips, tilting her head in the direction of the children. "Let's just see if they're able to find me. I think it would be best for Kuromaru to use that nose of his if he wants his meal."
His deep chuckle followed her as she snuck into the garden, wandering around to leave her son a trail of her scent before stepping through one of the little streams that flowed through the garden. After going a few feet, she reached as high as she could and pulled herself up on a low hanging branch and walked across it until she sat atop a large boulder that concealed her under the branches.
She peeked through the leaves, watching silently as the children continued to play, unaware of her disappearance. Knowing her son, it wouldn't be long until his little stomach started demanding food, but this was for the best. He was half-demon, dog demon at that, and that meant he would need to use that nose of his in the future. What better way to motivate him than withholding his meal?
Sure enough, once the twins collapsed panting once more, her pitch-black pup sat on his haunches for a moment to catch his breath, his little head turning to where his mother had been sitting with Shinju. His mouth closed and his little ears pricked up as his gaze turned to his grandfather where she'd also been sitting.
To his distress, Kuromaru realized his mother was missing. He went to all fours, looking all around the garden and as much as Takara wanted to rush over and pick him up as he whimpered, she knew he was just fine. He shook the dust from his fur and ran up onto the porch where Shinju was sitting and looked around again.
It was so adorable to watch as his ears pricked up and he stood as still as possible while he gazed into the house. He stood still and waited for any indication she may have been inside, but when he didn't get it, her little pup whimpered again and hurried off, this time running over to his grandfather.
His nose went to work, smelling her lingering scent, but her pup was used to finding the easy way out. He placed his paws on his grandfather's leg and let out a distressed bark, almost as if urging the older demon to find his mother for him.
"I'll not find her for you," Tōga sternly told him. "If you want your mother, then you'll have to find her."
Part of her wondered if she'd started this game too early for him. Watching him pace the porch indecisively while whining was torture for her, but she held strong. However, it seemed her pup also didn't have an issue playing dirty. He hopped off the porch and yelped as if he was hurt nearly sending Takara over the edge, but she took a cue from the older demon who still sat and sipped his sake completely unphased.
He's tricky, Takara chuckled once he started walking normally. Just like his father.
Frustrated his trick hadn't worked, he plopped himself down and howled his little heart out in annoyance.
His next trick was his best yet, and it brought tears of absolute joy to her eyes. When his howling didn't work, he decided to try a different call. "Mama!" His little voice barely more than a bark on his first attempt, but the word was there. Tiny black ears perked up as he listened for a response. "Mama!" he repeated, this time the word crystal clear and Takara covered her mouth to muffle any potential sound she may have made, a few tears streaming down her cheeks, wishing Sesshomaru had been there to hear their son's first spoken words.
Takara glanced over to find Rin also looking at the pup in shock, her eyes wide and a huge smile spreading across her face. Her little girl looked around for her, desperate to help her brother find his mother to share the news. "Takara!" she yelled to help, followed by the twin's calls for her too, messing up the pronunciation of her name in the most adorable way.
"She's not coming out until Kuromaru finds her," the demon explained, sitting his empty cup aside to watch the children find her with his full attention. "Kuromaru," he called his grandchild over and her pup eagerly ran over to him, standing on his hindlegs and bracing himself against the porch and waited for instruction. "Use your nose. You know your mother's scent, so go and find her."
The thought of working for his meal didn't seem to appeal to her pup as he grumbled at his grandfather's instruction, but one deep rumble from the older demon sent him scurrying off in a hurry, his little tail slightly between his legs as he rushed to put distance between them.
Her poor little pup was learning a lot of lessons that day.
She watched him lift his nose to the air and then lower it to the ground as he wandered in a strange pattern looking for her scent. A smile nearly split her face as she watched his nose go over her footprint, slammed on his breaks and backed up after nearly passing it up. His tail untucked itself and went to wagging finding himself hot on her trail.
As quietly as she could, Takara twisted on the rock, watching her pup enter the thickest part of the garden, his nose glued to her trail until it ended up in the water. It was hard not to laugh as he jumped back and sneezed a few times to clear his nose, grumbling at the trick but continued to the other side only to find his mother's trail gone.
Kuromaru got the idea though and delicately stepped into the water, high stepping in the direction away from her. She knew it wasn't fair to play such a trick on her pup who was unused to tracking, so she decided to give him a little bit of help as he waddled away through the water. She giggled, suppressing it once his head perked up.
He wouldn't have been able to see her from where he stood, but he quickly rushed back to the direction of the sound, splashing through the water loudly as he hurried the opposite direction. Now that he knew his mother was close, his little tail began to wag again, his nose lifted high in the air away from the water as he searched.
Once he passed her, and continued up the stream, Takara silently crept down from her spot and backed through the water until she was in the same place where Kuromaru had lost her scent. She laughed to herself as he grumbled again, probably discovering that her scent was fading the further up the stream he went.
Poised to run, Takara waited for him to turn around. When he did, his eyes spotted her, his ear's perked up and his tail wagged so fast she thought he was going to take flight.
She moved before he could, rushing out of the water back to the house with a laugh, followed by her son's excited barks and a good deal of splashing as he chased after her.
Takara ran laughing out of the brush across the garden heading towards the house, Rin and the twins laughing as they too gave chase. Tōga's exuberant laughter echoed across the garden as Takara leapt onto the porch to buy her some time from her son's fast pursuit. "Run, Takara!" His laugh bellowed as she rounded the porch and took off.
The five of them lapped the house once as they ran around the porch, laughing, shrieking, and barking the entire time as she ran, but as Takara made her way to the front of the house, she watched Sesshomaru land. Spotting her chance, she jumped to him, wrapping herself around him as he easily caught her. The pattering of feet behind her came to a sudden stop and Takara met her husband's eyes after peeking over her shoulder to see all four of the children stopped as they eyed Sesshomaru. They waited on bated breath for some indication to approach or retreat from him and Takara only gave him the barest nod in their direction.
She grinned hugely when he snarled in their direction and sent them screaming in the retreat, not in terror, but they all knew better than to challenge Sesshomaru.
Takara laughed as she leaned into him to catch her breath. "I'm gone for just a short while and you've already gotten yourself in to trouble, My Treasure," he chuckled as he too watched the children flee. "What have you done this time?"
"Just making our son work for his meal," she panted. "Made him use his nose to find me and then a little chase around the house. Where did you go, by the way?"
"I went to check something nearby, but I will be leaving for a while to take care of a pressing matter. I wanted to ensure you were well before I left and see what had you so excited."
She grinned recalling what had happened. "Kuromaru spoke when his howling didn't work."
His brows raised in surprise as he looked behind them to see their son lingering. "Did he?" His eyes narrowed as he seemed to concoct his own idea. "Did he find you, or did you give yourself away?"
"I gave myself away, but if I had waited a little longer, he would've found me." His gaze said he didn't believe her. "It's true!" she insisted with a laugh. "He figured out that my scent was getting further away, but I'd already left my hiding spot."
"Next time, let him find you. I know it is tempting to play, but he needs to use his senses."
"Will do, but can I run after he finds me?"
He considered for a moment. "You may, My Treasure." Carefully he placed her back on her feet and waited for her to nuzzle his throat before he released her. "Now, you may feed him."
She nodded and turned around, kneeling with her arms open for him. No more encouragement was needed and Kuromaru rushed into her waiting arms. "No. Not yet." She told him holding her kimono in place against his prying little paws. "Let's go to the garden first, then you can eat."
Kuromaru appeared to be picking up on her words faster and faster lately, releasing the silk from his fist and wrapping his little arms around her neck while his head rested on her shoulder. It was impressive how fast he was growing in both body and mind. She doubted she would even have to nurse him after one or two more moon cycles and just hoped her body would adjust quickly after that. Engorgement wasn't something to scoff at.
She passed Shinju on her way back to the garden, the woman already going to find the girls something to eat before their nap. Before Takara could ask, Rin was off to help Shinju bring out their meal, so while they waited, she instructed the girls to sit on the porch and wait for Rin.
Takara took a seat next to them while Sesshomaru went to speak to his father, admiring how delicious her husband looked. He wasn't dressed any different than his usual attire, but sometimes, she couldn't help but look at him, entranced by his masculine appeal and wondering how she ever managed to snag someone like him. Of course, that only led her to think about what he looked like without his clothing and felt her appetite whetting at the lewd picture her mind conjured up.
"Mama?"
She quickly adverted her gaze to their son who sat in her lap patiently waiting for his meal and smiled as she moved her kimono out of his way. "I'm sorry, My Love. I was distracted." He gave her a quick lick to the chin before he eagerly set about nursing, those silvery blue eyes slowly hid by increasingly heavy eyelids as he drank.
After passing the girls their meal, Shinju excused herself to check that everything in the mansion was in order. Takara watched as her husband finished speaking with his father, walking to her once the older demon had nodded. "I will be back this evening," he told her as he stepped off the porch. "It may be after dark, so do not wait for me."
"Alright, be careful not to cause too much mayhem and destruction while you're gone."
It wasn't fair that he left her with that lady slaying smirk plastered across his handsome face, his eyes on the verge of melting into that molten honey hue. It wasn't fair because it distracted her from asking where he was off to, and since he didn't tell her, she doubted she would be able to get the answer from his father either.
Once the little ones had finished their meal, Takara put them down for a nap which gave her time to work with Rin on her reading and writing. It was impressive how fast she was learning, and Takara felt like she might burst with pride as the lesson went on. Rin was a sponge for information and eagerly soaked up anything thrown her way. It wouldn't be long before they could move up to more advanced work.
The only downfall was Rin's attention span. Once her mind felt it had had enough information poured into it, the girl's focus began to wane pretty quickly after that. Thankfully, her son decided to wake up from his nap, recharged and ready to play and Rin was more than happy to indulge him. Her larger size allowed her to dodge his pounces more quickly than the twins only to scoop him up and smother him with kisses, much to the pup's disdain.
The four of them played well into the evening when Shinju brought out their dinner, the three girls nodding off into their meal while Kuromaru dozed as he nursed from her. Thankfully, Sango arrived to help get them all washed up and ready for bed. "Looks like you four had quite the busy day," the demon slayer laughed as all four children slumped forward where they were placed and waited to be washed. "Thanks for watching them, Takara. I don't think I could've managed while helping Kagome."
Takara picked up one of the twins as she finished drying her, wrapped her in a towel and set her beside Sango before turning to wash Rin's hair for her. "Is everything alright? I didn't hear any crashing, so I guess InuYasha is behaving himself."
Sango was silent as she dressed her girls, but she eventually answered. "Nothing is wrong physically, but Kagome seems to be really upset or scared from yesterday."
"I can't imagine," Takara sympathized, handing Rin a towel to dry off and moving over to her son. "That is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."
"I know, but the baby is healthy and fine. If she isn't careful, Kagome is going to worry herself into a mess." Once her children were taken care of, Sango helped Rin into a yukata for the night. "Worrying over what might have happened could really be detrimental and I don't want to even think about what could happen if she doesn't get a handle on her emotions."
"Somethings just hit different people harder than others. Give her a few days to realize that nothing's going to go wrong, and she'll be back to her old self." Hopefully Takara added to herself.
"I hope you're right. Poor InuYasha is doing his best, but he's at a loss for what to do." Sango passed her a towel as she lifted her pup out of the tub just in time to block the excess water he shook off.
Takara rubbed her son down, working to hold him up as he dozed where he stood and wrapped him up into a bundle. "Either way, we just need to be here for her if she needs us." Sango nodded and together, the two of them managed to get Rin into bed, followed by the twins.
"Do you think they would mind if I went to check on them?" Takara asked, brushing out her son's fur while the two of them sat on the porch.
"I don't think so. I think Kagome would be happy to see you."
Encouraged, Takara stood and headed over to her friend's room, giving a light knock at the screen. She tried to keep herself as calm as possible once inside, but part of her just wanted to hold her little girl and cuddle her close. "She looks just like you," Takara smiled at the little one, her little eyes dancing around the room. They were the perfect blend of InuYasha's amber and Kagome's warm brown.
For the next few minutes, the three of them sat and quietly answered each other's questions and spoke about their experiences, but Takara tried to steer the conversation back towards Yumi. Kuromaru had been the center of attention long enough and with Kagome's mood so fragile, she decided it was best to keep her answers about the pup short and simple.
To her mortification, Takara was beginning to understand what Sango had been talking about. Apparently, Kagome never put her daughter down and aside from the first time, she hadn't released her to InuYasha to hold. She tried to approach the issue, but it seemed her friend didn't want to hear that and lashed out.
"Our situations aren't the same, Takara!" Kagome yelled, catching everyone in the room off guard and startling the two little ones awake. "You didn't almost lose your baby!" Takara would later reflect on how impressive it was how calm she kept herself while the other woman yelled at her, thankfully while Sesshomaru wasn't around. Had she been any less present of mind, she would've pointed out that she had almost lost her baby.
InuYasha tried to calm her down, but Takara held up a hand to him and let Kagome continue. She even gave her pup a little tap as he started to growl in her direction, but he quieted in her arms. Kagome emotionally vomited everything she had been holding back and Takara let her even though some of the things she said were a bit hurtful, but it wasn't something to take personal. She could tell that her friend spewed those things, wanting her to feel the hurt, dismay, and fear she was feeling. After having it bottled up for so long some of it from even before Naraku's defeat, Takara couldn't imagine how bad she had to feel.
She just sat there and let her friend get everything off her chest until she finally broke down into sobs. Gently, Takara set Kuromaru down and slid to sit beside her distraught friend until she was able to pull the woman into a hug and stroked her hair. "It's okay, Kagome. Everything's alright and your baby is fine." That only made her cry harder, but Takara didn't let her go, holding her tight and rocking back and forth to soothe her. "Let InuYasha hold her. Nothing is going to happen while we're right here. I promise."
There were a few sobs and sniffles, but Kagome eventually nodded and leaned over to carefully place her daughter into her father's arms, adjusting his hold on her until she was satisfied. Once settled, Takara pulled her friend back against her, rocking and humming to her as her breathing finally evened out. She still was upset, but at least she was calmer if from nothing more than her exhaustion from crying. "I'm sorry, Takara." She finally whispered.
"There's nothing to apologize for, Kagome. I can't imagine how you must be feeling, so just let it out. I don't mind being your verbal punching bag. I can take it." Still stroking her hair, Takara let out a little giggle.
"What's so funny?" Kagome questioned, still buried against her chest.
"Just that this is quite literally what I'm used to." Kagome lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes red from crying and her nose running a little.
"Used to?"
"Yeah. Shouting. If you think about it, a battle between dragons is nothing more than a screaming match between them. I'm just usually on the giving end of the argument."
Kagome stared at her for a moment until it finally sank in and buried her face back into Takara's shoulder, shaking lightly from laughter. "You really are the best, Takara." She finally mumbled.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you from the start." Even InuYasha gave her a laugh then.
About an hour later, Takara had Kagome settled in and resting while InuYasha kept watch over them. Quietly, she crept to the door whispering to the half demon to let her or Sango know if they needed anything. "Yeah. Thanks Takara." To her surprise, when she leaned over to give the half-demon a pat on the shoulder, he pulled her in for a hug. "You didn't-… I wish she hadn't-…" Her friend fumbled over his words, unsure of what he should say.
"It's okay, InuYasha," she told him, giving him a reassuring pat before she pulled back from his hug. He stood before her, his head bowed as he avoided looking at her, so Takara placed a hand on his shoulder until he met her eyes, his shimmering with a few unshed tears. "She's tired, in pain, and terrified because she almost lost her baby. Not to mention the havoc hormones play on a woman's system during and post pregnancy. She's my best friend and no temper tantrum is going to change that. Give her time to realize that things are ok and be patient."
Finally, he seemed to get ahold of himself and reached over to ruffle her hair. She bid him goodnight and headed down the stairs on the way to her rooms. Tōga was sitting on the extension of the porch close by, turning towards her as she approached. "Would you mind watching Kuromaru? I need to take a bath. Between how dirty Kuromaru was and smelling like InuYasha, Sesshomaru wouldn't be too happy to smell me when he gets back."
He nodded, reaching out for his grandchild who Takara carefully handed over as not to wake him. She was relieved to pass over her growing son, but the deep inhale and suggestive look from the older demon weren't as appreciated. "What?"
"After me and both my sons, are you?" A lady slaying smirk danced across his face and even though it was just as panty wetting as Sesshomaru's, Takara's face could only twist in confusion.
"Huh? I'm not after anyone. What is that supposed to mean?"
His face fell to give her a slightly wounded look. "Not even me?"
"Especially not you. Because you sir, are nothing but trouble and I get into enough of that all on my own. I don't need your help." She tried to shush him as he bellowed his laughter, but luckily it seemed her pup was too tired from his long day of play to bother with waking. "Besides, why on Earth would you even think I would go after InuYasha? Considering that his mate just had a baby, you must not think very much of me."
"I was teasing, Takara," he laughed, but she still wasn't finding humor in that particular joke. "You smell strongly of him, and I heard Kagome yelling at you. I was only hoping to make you laugh."
With a huff, Takara let go of the little bit of anger she felt brewing. "Well in the future, don't make any jokes about me trying to steal my best friend's mate when she's in such a vulnerable state. The wrong person hears that and look out. That's how some pretty nasty rumors start." She sat down beside him after he indicated that she do so. "Besides, he just gave me a hug. Poor guy is having a tough time of it now."
"So, I heard. I also heard you saved their child's life."
Takara didn't bother to look at him. Instead, she just watched the water falling into the basin at the base of the falls. "I only helped. Sango did most of the work. I've only had a baby, and this was my first time helping someone." She dismissed his praise. It was something either one of her friends would've done for her if the roles had been reversed.
"And Kagome's just really stressed right now." She shrugged as she considered the shouting her friend had given her. "I'm used to being the verbal and occasionally physical punching bag for someone. Confrontations with my brother Hachiro thickened my skin to that kind of thing."
The fact that he gave a little growl only made the elder demon more endearing despite his earlier misstep. "Yes, Kagome and Sesshomaru both mentioned that your brother tried to make your mother lose you while pregnant. A reprehensible male."
Takara nodded. She couldn't agree more with that one statement. "Yeah, but I'm to blame too. I was so determined that he like me… accept me like our older brothers did, I never bothered to protect myself or tell my dad to make him stop. 'Sometimes inaction is worse than reaction' as my dad used to say." She pulled the fabric of her kimono closer to her nose and inhaled. She really couldn't smell anything. "But do I really smell like him?"
"Yes. We have very good noses, and I can tell that the touch was more than a hand which is why I inquired."
Takara laughed to herself just thinking about how disgusted Sesshomaru would've been had he come home to find her in their bed and smelling of his brother. Heads would've been rolling. She thought as she stood and stretched. "Well, let me go wash then. I don't want Sesshomaru to get the wrong idea."
"All of your other brothers weren't as horrible, were they?"
Takara turned back to him and gave him a reassuring smile. "No, only Hachiro." She shrugged her shoulders. "He and I were the only ones born without a twin or a triplet. After watching how close all my other siblings were with their twin or triplet, I kind of wished that Hachiro and I could get along close to that. I guess that's why I have such a soft spot for InuYasha."
"I'm afraid I don't understand."
"InuYasha and I don't always see eye to eye. We bicker over stupid things, we tease and torture one another, but if I was ever in trouble, I know he would do everything he could to help me, and I would do the same for him. I guess… he's like the older brother I wish Hachiro could've or would've been." With a wistful chuckle she turned to head inside for a change of clothes. "I consider him so much so that if people were to ask me how many siblings I had I would still say eight because he takes Hachiro's place."
He was silent as she gathered her things, but a peaceful smile was on his face once she emerged with the promise to hurry back. "Don't rush," he told her, stroking his grandson's back. "You've had a long day. Take some time to yourself. The pup is no trouble."
With a grateful 'thank you', she headed off to the bathhouse to do just as he said. She hurried as she washed herself, but once she sank into the comforting waters of the hot spring, Takara just couldn't find the umph to rush. Oh, this is nice… She thought, sighing as if the weight of a thousand burdens were lifted off her shoulders. Come to think of it, I don't remember the last time I had a soak all to myself.
Usually, she would bathe with Sesshomaru or Rin, but the last time she'd had the time to herself was probably back in her own time when she discovered she was pregnant. Feels like a lifetime ago…
Thinking about her time didn't fill her with a bunch of sadness except for missing her dad and brothers, but as far as friends went because of her brothers, he'd never had anyone that meant that much to her. Not like Kagome and Sango did, but it seemed that the promise Sesshomaru had made on their wedding night was doing the trick. She wasn't too busy with a lot of pups, but she was happy, nonetheless.
Feeling guilty about taking too much time to herself, Takara finally hoisted herself out of the warm waters, dried and dressed for bed. She decided to check on Rin before heading back to collect her son and found her little girl sleeping peacefully. It was like watching a flower grow before her eyes as her little girl grew more and more every day and finally Takara understood why her husband was so unsettled about the little girl finding a husband. Even she wasn't ready for her to grow up.
Kuromaru was still fast asleep when she retrieved him from his grandfather's care. "Sesshomaru still isn't back?" It was after dark, but she wasn't sure how long it would be until he returned home, hoping it wasn't too long as she was beginning to hurt.
"No." His head tilted to the side just a fraction as he considered her. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I was just hoping to see him before I went to sleep," she lied, not sure she could bring herself to ask him for help relieving her ache despite Sesshomaru's previous permission to do so. It was one thing while he was home, but another while he was away. She bid him goodnight, ignoring the suspicious look he gave her as she closed the screen.
