The next several days were tense. Kagome felt the shift as soon as Sesshomaru returned with breakfast. His aura was a kaleidoscope of colors, ranging from brilliant red to a dull gray. She didn't dare ask him about it in front of the children but his prolonged silence bothered her.
Somehow, they had managed to come up with a revised routine. It was a complicated dance to avoid Arisu and her passive-aggressive comments. The dog demoness had not warmed up to the idea of humans as guests of the Western Palace. The news of Kagome moving into Sesshomaru's chambers caused her to behave rashly.
Arisu had cornered her one morning to demand what she wanted from Sesshomaru. When Kagome responded, "A partner," the demoness blinked. It was obviously not the answer she'd been expecting. Before she could speak, Sesshomaru was there, inserting himself between them just as he had in the bathhouse. Kagome had not seen Arisu since.
Kagome had thought a lot about their encounter. Sesshomaru's mother was intense but she wasn't unnecessarily cruel. She was behaving like an overprotective mother, which was something Kagome could understand. If anyone had threatened Shippo or Rin, she would have drawn her bow first and asked questions later.
Caring for children was a different type of love. It made her feel intensely protective and, at times when they were separated, anxious. Kagome hadn't been parenting Rin for long but she already knew that this feeling wouldn't subside any time soon— maybe even ever.
She couldn't imagine how ingrained such a feeling was in Arisu. Sesshomaru had been her only child for centuries. Her fear of losing him, no matter how unsubstantiated, was probably eating away at her. Kagome decided to cut her some slack. After all, Arisu wouldn't change her mind if all they did was avoid her.
If Kagome wanted to prove herself to Sesshomaru's mother, she would need to break down her walls.
Kagome assumed Arisu was proud and stubborn like her son. It would take more than a few polite conversations with the demoness to make her reconsider. Kagome would need to find an equalizer to bridge the gap between them.
She grinned. There was no surer way to a mother's heart than the smile of a child.
"Where are you going?" Sesshomaru asked as she hoisted Rin out of her crib.
"To visit with your mother."
He stood swiftly. The motion was so sudden it nearly knocked over his desk. "No."
"It will be fine," she assured him.
He frowned. "Kagome."
"Sesshomaru," she returned, matching his tone. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."
He appeared unconvinced but before he could object again, Shippo ran over. "I want to come too, Kagome."
"I think that's a great idea," she responded.
"I disagree."
"Sesshomaru, it's almost been a week. She's not going anywhere," Kagome pointed out. "We tried your way, now, it's time for a different tactic. Isn't that what you're always telling me during training? If your strategy doesn't work, re-evaluate your approach and try again."
"I do not enjoy my words being used against me," he murmured.
"Then maybe you shouldn't give such useful advice," Kagome retorted with a grin.
"My teachings have given you too much confidence," Sesshomaru remarked but there was no bite to his words. She held his gaze until he sighed. "Very well. You may visit but I will be in the adjoining chamber. If anything goes awry, I will step in."
"Deal," Kagome agreed.
They left the chamber together. Kagome had Rin propped on her hip and Sesshomaru on her opposite side. Shippo strolled ahead of them.
"I think she'll be impressed with my abilities. That's sure to win her over. Don't you think so, Kagome?"
"I bet she will, especially if you tell her how Sesshomaru was the one who trained you."
"She can't be all bad," Shippo went on. "I bet she's just like Sesshomaru— looks mean but is a big softie."
Kagome giggled and glanced at the demon lord.
He caught her gaze and grumbled, "Hn," causing her to laugh more.
They hadn't spoken about their relationship, if what they had even could be considered a relationship, but each night Sesshomaru laid beside her. He didn't always sleep. She wasn't sure if he resumed working on his scrolls or if he found another way to occupy his time. Either way, when she woke, Sesshomaru was there with his arm around her.
Kagome understood how meaningful it was for him to remain by her side. Just because he hadn't specifically mentioned a relationship didn't mean there wasn't one. He perceived things based upon action, not words. Much like the impromptu hug he'd given her after the bathhouse incident, Sesshomaru often communicated through body language.
And his body language told Kagome that he cared for her.
They reached the guest wing. Shippo stalled on the landing. All his talk of how he would dazzle Arisu ended. He waited until Kagome and Sesshomaru passed to continue.
"I will be in here," Sesshomaru told them, indicating the room next to his mother's chamber.
"It will be fine," Kagome reiterated.
"She will try to unnerve you. Do not give her the satisfaction of making you upset," he said
"I won't."
Sesshomaru cupped the back of her head and leaned down until his forehead was pressed against hers. Kagome closed her eyes, leaning into his touch.
They hadn't shared another kiss since that first night. They had an unspoken agreement to keep such moments private. At least, Kagome thought they did.
When she opened her eyes, she spotted Shippo studying them curiously.
Her cheeks flushed. How was she going to explain this to the kitsune when she didn't even know what this was?
"Be safe," Sesshomaru told her.
"I will." Kagome straightened up, willing her blush away.
He left them in the hallway, ducking into the room next to Arisu's.
No sooner had the door shut than Shippo prompted, "Hey, Kagome, are you in love with Sesshomaru?"
"W-What?" she sputtered.
"You two act close— closer than you and Inuyasha ever were —and he doesn't yell at you or make you cry," Shippo observed.
"Sesshomaru and I are friends," Kagome pointed out.
"So are you and Inuyasha, but I've never seen him look at you the way Sesshomaru does," he said.
She didn't know what to say to that. Kagome waited for the sting of rejection she'd come to associate with Inuyasha. It didn't come. Instead, all she felt was a growing warmth at the thought of Sesshomaru staring at her. Her lips turned up in a satisfied smile.
"Well, if you do like him and he likes you then you have to stay here, right?"
Her brow creased. There was a lot to process about Shippo's questions. Kagome started with the easiest one. "What do you mean 'stay here'?"
"On this side of the well," Shippo clarified. "I asked Sesshomaru what you'll do after the jewel is complete— if you'll stay with the pack or return home. He said it was up to you."
"He did, did he?" Kagome questioned, glancing at the closed room.
She suspected that Sesshomaru could hear their conversation. When he didn't reappear, Kagome responded, "I haven't thought about what I'll do once the jewel is whole and Naraku is gone. Some days, it seems impossible and I feel like this journey will go on forever."
"But you're really strong," Shippo printed out. "Plus, Sesshomaru and I can help you."
She smiled. "Thanks, Shippo. I know you both will."
"That's what packs do," he replied.
Kagome's smile faltered. The Western Palace was the most stable home Shippo had been given since the death of his father. She didn't want to upset the kitsune but she hadn't considered staying in the Feudal Era.
Falling through the well had been an accident. Kagome had never intended to build a life here. Yet, the thought of leaving caused a pang in her chest. Could she say goodbye to all her friends? To Rin? To Sesshomaru?
Her answer was instantaneous. No, she couldn't leave any of them. Shippo may refer to them as a pack but Kagome was beginning to view them as her family.
She felt slightly guilty for thinking that way. Mama, Souta, Gramps, and Buyo were still her family. She loved them. Each day Kagome was in the Feudal Era, she missed them. But...
...her heart had already begun to accept that this was home. So where did that leave her?
"Kagome?"
"Hmmmm?"
"Are we going in?" Shippo asked, pointing to Arisu's chamber.
Adjusting Rin on her hip, she nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
I hope this works, she thought.
She raised her hand and knocked.
"Enter."
Kagome pushed the door open to reveal Arisu sitting by a window overlooking the grounds. Her head turned when Kagome walked in with Shippo and Rin in tow.
"I was wondering how long you are going to linger in the corridor. Such behavior is most unbecoming, though I suppose I shouldn't have high expectations. Humans rarely see the value in proper etiquette."
Clenching her jaw, Kagome forced herself to smile. "We were having a private discussion."
"Either you are woefully naive or just plain ignorant. Inuyokai have extremely heightened faculties, especially our hearing. There was nothing private about your conversation," Sesshomaru's mother told her.
"I would think someone who was brought up with proper etiquette wouldn't eavesdrop. It's rude," Kagome retorted.
Arisu smirked. "Your fire is rare but it won't be enough to ensnare my son for long. You are no more than a fleeting fancy. All I have to do is be patient and wait for my son to come to his senses."
"Okay, I get it. You don't like me. I can live with that but I won't allow you to make Sesshomaru uncomfortable. If you insist on staying here, then we need to learn to co-exist," Kagome stated calmly.
"I do not need to learn anything," the demoness replied.
"You need to learn some manners," Kagome grumbled.
"Excuse me?"
Gosh, she sounds just like her son.
"Each day that you remain here, we are going to visit. I can arrange for tea, if you'd like," Kagome offered.
Arisu's eyes narrowed. "This is not your house to command."
"It's not yours either. But between the two of us, the attendants like me better, probably because I treat them with respect." Kagome returned, staring at the demoness and silently daring her to object.
"What do you hope to gain from these meetings, little miko?"
"I think if you got to know me, you'd like me," Kagome began, "but I also know you're as stubborn as your son so I won't hold my breath. At the very least, you should meet Rin. She is Sesshomaru's ward and the reason why Shippo and I are here."
Arisu studied her for a moment. Her eyes flickered to the children before returning to Kagome.
"And if I refuse?"
"I don't want to threaten to purify you, but you and I both know that I can make you leave," Kagome answered.
"You believe I fear you?"
"I think you'd rather save face than fight a losing battle."
"Clever," Arisu remarked. "Fine, little miko. I will accept your terms."
"Great, here," Kagome said, thrusting Rin into the demoness's arms.
Sesshomaru's mother froze. "What am I supposed to do with it?"
"Her. Rin is a female infant," Kagome correctly gently. "And you're meant to hold her. The more time she spends with you, the more—."
Rin began wailing.
"—comfortable she will get with you," Kagome finished flatly.
"It's noisy."
"She's a baby. Of course, she's loud. Rin's cries are the only way for her to communicate with you. You'll learn which ones mean what the more time you spend with her," Kagome informed Arisu.
She held the infant in front of her and made a stern face. "Stop," the demoness ordered.
Rin screamed.
"Try rocking her," Kagome suggested.
Arisu stood and tucked Rin closer to her chest as she shifted from side to side. The change did nothing to soothe the infant.
Kagome stood beside Arisu and spoke to her. "Hey, hey, it's alright, Rin. You're safe. Sesshomaru's mama is going to hold you. It's fine. I'm right here. You're fine."
Slowly, the baby quieted. Her brown eyes latched onto Kagome while Arisu continued to rock from side to side.
The demoness took this as a sign to stop moving. The instant she paused, Rin began bawling again.
Kagome groaned. This is going to be harder than I thought.
Sesshomaru paced the adjoining room. Rin's cries were threatening his calm, which was already stretched thin from the kit's conversation with Kagome. He had positioned himself on the other side of the door, waiting for her response and attempting to scent her. Her words had given him pause.
He thought he had made his intentions quite clear. Sesshomaru had remained close to Kagome, trained her, watched over the pups, and was working toward increasing trade between the demons and humans in the West.
Everything he had done over the past week was to prepare for her to stay. Then, he discovered that Kagome was not sure if she would.
The horrendous meeting with his mother certainly would not convince her to remain. Arisu was— as predicted— cold and unwavering in her assessment that Kagome was not an appropriate choice for him. The miko had accepted that she would not change his mother's mind but she did not back down.
Her attempt to earn Arisu's favor through the children was a gamble. Sesshomaru did not recall his mother as the doting type— a fact made more pertinent when Rin began to scream.
Despite his ward's bawling, Sesshomaru smirked. He would have enjoyed seeing his mother out of her element. Imagining her face twisted in confusion and horror almost made him chuckle. Sesshomaru considered it punishment for her impromptu visit.
If Arisu thought he would be swayed by a meek human, she was mistaken. Kagome's headstrong nature could rival her own. After today, there was no doubt his mother would be acutely aware of that.
Eventually, Rin's cries quieted. Sesshomaru froze, waiting for the sound of Kagome's shoes and the kit's furry paws. What he heard instead made him frown.
Kagome was laughing.
"I don't see what is so impressive about that," his mother was saying.
"Well, can you do this?" Shippo countered.
There was a pause before his mother begrudgingly admitted, "No."
"Sesshomaru's a good teacher," the kit said.
His mother did not reply.
"Shippo, why don't you show Arisu how long you can hold your illusion?" Kagome suggested.
"Yeah!"
There was silence for a moment before he heard his mother mutter, "Remarkable."
Sesshomaru wondered if Kagome's tactic had worked.
At least until his mother added, "Your abilities could bring some much-needed entertainment to court. I will have to speak to my son about borrowing you."
"Shippo's a child! He's not performing for your amusement," Kagome snapped.
"He's a kitsune and he belongs with his own kind," Arisu responded.
Sesshomaru stiffened. Those words were familiar and left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. Had he not argued the same?
His mood darkened. Perhaps Kagome's indecisiveness was because she remained uncertain about his beliefs. If she thought Sesshomaru considered her beneath him, she would not stay. Kagome would leave him just as she had his brother.
He had vowed not to make the same mistakes as Inuyasha yet he was off to a poor start.
Pacing once more, Sesshomaru considered how to approach the topic with her. It was difficult to have a conversation when they were constantly seeing to the needs of the infant and the kit. He thought of asking Ena to watch them but with Arisu near, Sesshomaru preferred not to take any chances.
He had not seen Jaken since the vassal had been dismissed, which was one less concern. The imp had never warmed to Kagome the way A-Un had.
Sesshomaru smirked. The two-headed dragon was loyal to both him and Kagome. The beast had proven capable of protecting Rin in the past. It was unlikely that his mother would suspect such a move. Even if she did, Sesshomaru did not think her foolish enough to attempt anything— not with a dragon who could produce lightning.
The adjoining chamber door opened and Sesshomaru went into the corridor to propose the idea.
"That was fun," Shippo was saying to Kagome as the trio strolled out.
"It was something," the miko agreed with a nervous laugh. He noticed her hands were clasped protectively around Rin.
"Do I need to speak with my mother?" he inquired.
"No, it's fine. We're going to have tea tomorrow," Kagome informed him.
"And I'm going to show her that my powers are not paramour tricks."
"Parlor tricks, Shippo."
"Yeah, parlor tricks," the kit corrected himself but he remained grinning. He launched into a list of things he intended to show Arisu, charging on ahead of them.
"Hear anything interesting?" Kagome asked Sesshomaru with a knowing grin.
"It appears I have not made my intentions clear. I suggest we find time to speak plainly," he replied.
"Okay. When do you want to talk?"
"Now. The bathhouse should be free," Sesshomaru remarked.
Her eyes widened.
"You may wash my hair."
"Oh, yeah?" Kagome mused.
He smirked. "What did you think I meant?"
"Not that," she retorted, rolling her eyes.
"I believe you mentioned my hair being the softest thing you've ever touched. I do not understand why you would be opposed," Sesshomaru said.
"I'm not. I'm just worried about privacy. The last time I went down there, you made me wash up in five minutes," Kagome reminded him.
"I have been cautious. My mother's arrival was unexpected. I do not intend for you or the pups to be put at risk," he returned.
"A longer bath isn't going to get me killed," she argued.
"Since you are so concerned, you may bathe before me. I will remain outside and stand watch," Sesshomaru countered.
"What about Shippo and Rin?" Kagome questioned.
"I will place them with Ena and have A-Un nearby. They will be close enough for one of us to intervene if necessary while giving us a chance to speak," he explained.
She gave him a shrewd grin. "You just want me to wash your hair again, don't you?"
"If you offered, I would not refuse."
"One of these days, you're going to return the favor," Kagome replied.
He wondered if she would have been so cavalier with her words if she knew what it meant to wash each other's hair. Sesshomaru decided to save that particular conversation for another time. He needed to convince her to stay before he proposed becoming mates.
They made their way to his chambers. Kagome wanted to feed and change Rin before taking a bath. While she tended to his ward, Sesshomaru worked with Shippo in his illusions.
The kit was still struggling with full-body transfiguration. His tail kept shifting between the illusion conjured and his actual form.
"Focus on the transformation. See the details of your chosen form clearly in your mind," Sesshomaru instructed.
Shippo nodded, eager to try again. "Alright, here it goes."
There was a pop and, suddenly, Arisu was standing before him.
"Awww, darling, you're so cute," Shippo cooed in his mother's voice, reaching up to pinch one of his cheeks.
Kagome started to laugh.
Sesshomaru slapped the kit's hand away. "Turn around," he commanded.
Shippo spun slowly. The periwinkle kimono showed no signs of a foxtail.
"Good," Sesshomaru said. "Now hold that form for five minutes."
"What!"
There was another pop and the kit returned to his true form.
"Your emotions cannot be allowed to overwhelm your abilities. Concentrate," Sesshomaru told him.
Shippo crossed his arms over his chest and muttered something indiscernible.
"If you continue pouting, it is likely Rin will achieve a full-body illusion before you," Sesshomaru teased him.
The kit's green eyes widened and he straightened up. "Okay, okay." He scrunched up his face and a pop sounded.
Arisu stood between Sesshomaru and Kagome.
"Well?"
"Stay like that for five minutes," Sesshomaru reminded him.
Shippo sighed.
After five minutes had passed, Sesshomaru informed him that no tail had appeared.
And when the kit embraced him, overjoyed by the accomplishment, Sesshomaru caught Kagome's proud smile.
A/N: I just finished The Witcher on Netflix and now I want to write an AU with Sess as Geralt, Kagome as a sorta of Jaskier/Yennefer crossover, and Rin as Ciri. Thoughts?