Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.


Chapter 3

Kagome watched Inuyasha toss Kenji in the air as she removed their clean laundry from the clothesline, the boy squealing in delight.

"Be careful," she cautioned. She didn't know why, though - he always was.

Kenji loved Inuyasha. He was only eight months old now, but Kenji lit up whenever Inuyasha was around. He was always so eager to play with him or be held by him...Inuyasha was the father he had never had a chance to know.

When they no longer lived with them...she was worried about how he would handle it. She knew that he would be able to still see Inuyasha and Akio around the village, but...she also knew that it would be like losing a father and a brother.

"I will," Inuyasha promised, and she shot him an appreciative smile. "I should start hunting for winter," Inuyasha mused as he put Kenji down, allowing the boy to play with Akio. The boys began picking up some of the toys they had brought out with them and waving them around at each other as they gurgled secrets to each other in their own special language.

Kagome watched them with adoration and a warmth spreading through her heart. She loved watching the boys play together. Their beautiful comradery…

"Yes," she agreed. "We should start making preparations. I need to start drying herbs while I can still find them."

"I'll go tomorrow. Will you be able to watch them on your own?"

"Of course," she smiled, removing one of his sleep yukatas from the line. It didn't fit Inuyasha very well. Hojo had been a thin, wiry man, and Inuyasha's shoulders were significantly broader. From the accidental glimpses she had caught over the last few months, Inuyasha was far more muscular than Hojo had been.

She felt her cheeks heat at the thought, and she tried to busy herself with folding the cloth in her hands.

Perhaps, she should sew him his own yukata. He hadn't asked her to, but he had also been wary of borrowing Hojo's old clothes to begin with.

"Inuyasha, when you trade the furs we have now, would you bring home some new fabric?"

"Of course - do the boys need new clothes for winter?"

They did, but...it...it was time she repurposed Hojo's old things. He had been gone for nine months. It was time.

"I think I should start. Can you bring back a lot of fabric?"

"Just tell me how much you need."

Enough for a new yukata.


"What's it like?" Inuyasha asked, laying beside her. His son was attached to one breast and hers was feeding on the other.

"Nursing?" she asked, trying to clarify, the sounds of their children suckling filling the quiet air around them.

She watched Inuyasha nod his head, his eyes still firmly fixated on the ceiling above.

"It feels….nice. I can feel their mouths tugging at me, but also...it's very…" she paused, trying to find the words to explain. "It's relaxing. It's like there's this pressure that's been building up inside me, and when they begin to suckle, it's suddenly released. I can feel them tugging at me and holding onto me...and...I feel warm and relaxed. I've never known a greater feeling of peace than when I'm nursing, and when I look at them, I just...I have this overwhelming feeling build up in my chest...like I know I would do anything for them and anything to keep them safe, and happy, and warm, and make them feel loved…" she trailed off, watching as Inuyasha's whole body go limp.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered, but he said nothing and had closed his eyes.

"I know I'm always thanking you...but...thank you, Kagome. Truly. There are not many that would help a half-breed and his motherless, tainted child."

She felt her breath catch in her throat and she forced herself to swallow, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"I'd help no matter who or what you are, Inuyasha," she whispered quietly. "I have the ability to give of myself, and I am. Your heritage means nothing to me."

He said nothing, and suddenly, what had once been a comfortable silence became suffocating.

"You sound like her, you know," he breathed, his words so soft she almost thought she imagined them. "Kikyo used to say the same things to me. She loved me for me. My blood didn't matter. My blood made me who I am…"

"She was a good woman," Kagome soothed. "A wise one."

"One of the best I ever knew," he mused softly. "I miss her so much...how did you do it? How did you move on from Hojo?"

"I-I don't think I have, Inuyasha," she confessed, pulling her son closer to her. "I've just...forced myself to carry on for Kenji's sake. He needs me to be strong for him, even when all I want to do is collapse in on myself and cry until I join him."

"But you don't, because you need to be stronger than that. For your son's sake," he nodded. "He needs you to look after him...care for him...f-feed him…even when...e-even when you don't feel like you can breathe, l-let alone move…" he agreed, his voice thick and rough with emotion.

"Something like that," she whispered, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "The nights were the hardest at first," she confessed.

"Because you're left alone with your thoughts? Nothing to distract you?"

"Nothing but Kenji…" she agreed, staring at the hanyou's slumped form.

"Me too," he breathed. "It's still hard to sleep. Even with you and Akio and Kenji, it's hard. Every time I close my eyes, I see her...and I remember how I failed to protect her."

"You didn't fail—"

"—she's dead, isn't she?" he snapped, whirling his head to face her before he instantly realized that he could see the boys nursing from her, and he turned to stare at the ceiling again. "I-I'm so sorry, Kagome...I didn't mean to—"

"—it's fine, Inuyasha," she comforted, and she finally began to piece together why Inuyasha was so insistent upon not looking at her when she nursed. It was because he was a hanyou, and he felt it wasn't proper.

"It's not fine. I...I lost control, and I shouldn't...I'm sorry, Kagome."

She swallowed as his child finished his meal, looking up at her with his beautiful, innocent, big, golden eyes.

"I forgive you."


Inuyasha watched Kagome pick herbs in a field, singing sweet songs to their children as she worked. Her fingers were fast and sure, stuffing the herbs into a satchel as she worked and trying to get as much done as she could as the wind began to smell of fall.

She had a beautiful singing voice and a beautiful heart. He was lucky that he and Akio had her in their lives.

His son gurgled and reached for her when her song became more animated and lively, and she paused in her work to pick him up and press kisses to his belly. Inuyasha felt his face soften at the pure innocence and love being displayed, and for the first time since Kikyo had passed, he felt the ever present ache in his heart ease.


"Kagome, I'm back," Inuyasha warmly greeted from the doorway, and Kagome looked up from giving the boys a bath.

"Inuyasha!" she beamed before squealing as the boys began reacting to his presence by splashing water in her face. "I think you were missed," she giggled as he put the fabric and rice down.

"Me? You missed Papa?" he asked the boys, stooping to kiss each one's head. Kenji reached out his hands and was clearly asking to be held, and he obliged as Akio asked for the same.

Kagome scolded him as he removed his son from the bath and water spilled onto the floor, but her smile belied her angry words.

"They just want to see Papa," he teased, kissing the boys' cheeks. He then watched sadness flicker into her eyes before they flitted away from him and toward his haul.

"Well, it would seem that Papa brought back quite a bit!" she mused, opening a satchel to look at the rice inside. "This is wonderful, Inuyasha! You got all of this from the furs?"

He was silent for a moment before slowly admitting that it had taken a bit more than just the furs. He had been asked to eradicate a bear youkai that had been plaguing their village as well.

"But look! I was able to bring back a lot of fabric for the boys," he beamed. "And...they even gave me something for you."

Inuyasha reached into his pocket and took out a thin jade bangle wrapped in gold and slipped it around her wrist.

"Inuyasha," she breathed, the heat of his hands making her skin tingle as his claws gently scraped against her flesh. When he released her hand, she kept hers held out in front of her, her eyes glued to the bracelet on her wrist.

"Inuyasha, I can't accept this…"

S-she couldn't?

"Why not?" he demanded. "It looks good on you!"

"And it's impractical," she replied, looking at the gold filigree covering the bangle. "You...you should sell it for supplies for you and Akio," she decided, shaking her head and removing it from her wrist before pressing it into his chest. "It's the wise thing to do...so that you will have something for when you leave and rebuild your hut in the spring."

"For when I…" he trailed off, having never considered her words. When the headman had asked if he had a woman waiting for him at home, his first thought had been of Kagome nursing his son. When he offered him the bangle, he had said yes because he wanted to thank her for taking them in.

But…of course she wanted them to leave eventually. This was never supposed to be permanent, and if he stayed, he would only be hurting her chances of finding a new husband one day. He had been so blind...so quick to forget that this was all temporary.

"If that's what you want, Kagome."

"I think it's for the best. You earned this, Inuyasha. You should use it for you and Akio."

"And you haven't," he suddenly snapped, and she took a step back in surprise at his outburst. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "I just...wanted to give you something nice to thank you for what you've done for us."

"You've been good to Kenji and me, Inuyasha. Hunted for us...given us your business...I don't need more thanks than that."

He nodded and pocketed the bangle.


Kagome sat by the fire, watching Inuyasha tuck their boys in as she sewed furs together for a new, warmer blanket at night. The old one she shared with Hojo was too small for four people, and she wanted to get it done before the cold really set in.

Kenji reached out to Inuyasha and grabbed a hold of his forelocks, keeping him from moving away from him. He leaned down to place a kiss on the infant's forehead before moving to his belly and blowing into it. That set off a round of giggles that made her babe release Inuyasha's hair, and he was able to slip away from him.

Inuyasha joined Kagome by the fire and ran his fingers through the soft fur she was adding and complimented her work.

"Thank you. I hope it will help us in the winter."

He didn't comment and just sat silently beside her, watching the rhythmic motion of her hands passing a needle in and out of the furs. He found his gaze moving from Kagome's fingers up her wrist to her arm, shoulder, and then face. Her eyes were straining as she worked, dark patches starting to form under her eyes.

She was working herself to exhaustion for them.

Inuyasha placed his hands over hers, stopping her.

Kagome looked up at him, confused.

"Inuyasha?"

"Come to bed, Kagome. You need to sleep."

Kagome's eyes scanned his face before dropping to their hands.

"I can't yet. I have to get this done before it gets too cold out."

"One night won't change much," Inuyasha reasoned. "You should sleep while you can before the boys wake up."

She bit her lip, clearly wanting to fight him, but just nodded her head and moved to change as he turned around to provide her with some privacy. His ears picked up the sound of fabric rustling as she slipped into her sleep yukata. The air around them felt thick, and he found himself swallowing hard as she changed.

"Your turn," she summoned, slipping into her futon.

She was asleep before he took off his haori.

She looked so peaceful when she slept.

So beautiful.


Inuyasha returned home with Kenji on his back to find Akio and Kagome in the garden, harvesting the last of the vegetables before the first frost hit. Her hair had been pulled up and away from her face and neck, and she sang softly to Akio as she worked.

"Little Onna," Inuyasha greeted, hopping the fence. This surprised Kagome and made Akio bubble up with giggles as he reached for his father, Kenji doing the same for his mother.

"Who are you calling 'Little Onna', Aibō?" she laughed, helping him swap children. "I take it that fishing went well?" she mused, her eyes glancing down to his catch.

"Very. Fish for dinner?"

"Mmm…" she agreed, kissing both boys. He watched their faces light up in joy.

It made his heart feel full.


"What are you doing with this?" Inuyasha demanded, and Kagome swallowed hard.

He didn't look happy with her.

"I'm cutting it up to make the boys new clothes."

"But...it's Hojo's…"

"And?" she prompted, taking the scraps of her late husband's clothes from Inuyasha.

"And? And?" Inuyasha sputtered. "I brought back cloth to use for that!"

"You did - you brought me back cloth so that I could repurpose Hojo's old things for them."

"Onna, I swear I don't understand you," he snapped, his anger simmering just under the surface of his somewhat calm exterior. "What the hell are you going to do with the fabric I brought home, then?!"

"I'm making you a new yukata!" she bit back, and she watched him gape at her, his mouth opening and closing like a fish as whatever retort he had ready died on his tongue.

"M-me? W-why?"

"You can't keep using Hojo's old things," she sighed. "They don't fit you properly, and i-it's time to let go of them," she finished in a whisper.

"Kagome," Inuyasha breathed. "You don't have to do this...I brought back enough fabric to make the boys lots of clothes for winter."

"Yes I do, Inuyasha. I...I can't hold on. It's not practical, and...they won't do Hojo much good now, anyway. He can't use them, but his son and yours can."

"Kagome…"

"Leave it, Inuyasha. They're his clothes for me to handle as I see fit."

He said nothing more.


"It's snowing," Inuyasha announced as he came back into her hut, arms filled with logs for the fire. His shoulders and hair were dotted with large, white, fluffy flakes of snow. "First of the year."

"You said it was coming," she mused, ladling stew into a bowl for him as he placed them beside the fire. "Can we take the boys out to see it? Do you think that's wise?"

"I don't see why not," he grinned, picking up Akio. "Our boys are big, strong, tough guys. Right, Akio?"

The baby gurgled happily at him, his voice rising in exclamation.

"See? Akio wants to go. What about you, Kenji?" he asked, scooping up the other boy into his arm, and he brought his hands together into a weak clap. Kagome had just taught him how to do that.

"Come on, Little Onna!" Inuyasha called, running off with the children.

"Wait, Inuyasha! They aren't warm enough for this! If they get a cold, you're a dead man, Aibō!"

"They will be fine!" Inuyasha called back as she tried to wrap a scarf around her neck, running after her boys and their crazy father. "Hurry up, slowpoke!"

Kagome quickly caught up to them, and Inuyasha kneeled.

"Get on my back."

"Eh?" she paused, perplexed. "Why do you want me on your back?"

"I want to take you guys somewhere," he grinned, his ear flicking away a snowflake.

She took the children from his arms and wrapped them onto her own back before climbing onto his. He leapt up before she could ask where they were going. The world zoomed around them in a blur, and she pinched her eyes closed and huddled closer to him, burying her face in his neck. She inhaled deeply, and the scent of sandalwood and rain-filled her nostrils. It was warm and comforting and him.

She felt herself relax and reopened her eyes.

It was actually beautiful seeing the world this way, now that she knew they weren't going to die...not that he would have let them, anyway. She felt foolish now to have ever worried. She was safe with him and this...this was exhilarating.

Inuyasha slowed his run and brought them to a hilltop overlooking a peaceful pond she had never been to before. Trees framed it, keeping it secluded from wandering eyes, while large rocks edged the pond.

"Inuyasha...this is beautiful," she breathed as she moved off of his back.

"I'm glad you like it," he grinned, pulling her closer to him as the snow continued to fall around them, painting the world white.

She turned to gaze up at him. He was so handsome with the way he looked in the dying sunlight, the snow swirling around him, kissing his skin before melting. He pulled her into his side, keeping her and the boys warm.

This was perfect.


A/N: THANKS AS ALWAYS TO SAUCY FOR AN AMAZING EDIT!

And to everyone for reading and reviewing!

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