Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.
Chapter Forty-Nine: Of Courage and Fears
Inuyasha had just placed his sons behind his desk with a couple of books in front of them when he heard a soft knock on the door. The pups tensed, but their father promptly reassured them when he heard Katsuro's voice asking for entrance.
"Come in," the half-demon said. A moment later, the black-haired demon entered the room, closing the door behind him.
"Inuyasha," he greeted, then his eyes dropped on the two pups who were waving at him. "Oh, Little Lords, you are here too; I didn't expect that. I'm happy to see you are fine." Katsuro offered them a genuine smile. "My daughter was looking forward to playing with you this afternoon. Did you leave your mother to spend some time with your grumpy father?"
They answered giving him the puppy eyes and pouting
"I was the one who decided they were to come with me. Don't worry, they won't be a bother because they have to study. Right, pups?" Inuyasha explained.
They both nodded and then reclaimed their books without a word.
"I see," Katsuro chuckled, "you made your father angry. I wish I could be stern like you, Inuyasha, and you certainly didn't strike me as the stern type when we first met. I really can't resist when Miyako is looking at me like that."
Inuyasha snorted. "The great First Commander can't resist a little pup? You have to be tougher, Katsuro. My sons are going to be great warriors and need to learn what is right and what is wrong," he proclaimed.
Katsuro cracked up. "Yeah, sure. Tell me that when you'll have a daughter yourself, and she will have you wrapped around her little finger."
"I don't know what you're talking about. When the time will come for Kagome and me to have a daughter, we will raise her in the same way we are raising our sons. I won't be making favouritisms."
Katsuro laughed a little more but stopped when Inuyasha glared at him. "I have news, anyway. Can I speak freely?" the dog demon asked, eyeing Muteki and Toga.
"Yeah, don't worry; they are used to us speaking in front of them, and they know they don't have to interfere," the other reassured him. "So, I believe this news may be regarding our main prisoner, am I right?"
"Yes, the guards assigned to him referred he hasn't received so many guests. Usually, Tsubasa-san is the only one visiting him, but she can't stay too long because we set a time limit."
"Figures. I hope you know, Katsuro, that she is the one we must fear the most. She probably set the spider up to the task and controlled the bug that time," Inuyasha said, glancing to his oldest. He kept his aura in check not to scare his sons, but his friend knew how angry he got at the mere thought of what had happened years ago and what was happening now. Katsuro could not blame him; he would have been equally enraged if, for the umpteenth time, her daughter's attackers had escaped their sentence.
"I know, and I also know what you and your brother think about it. They haven't finished, they are going to try again, and it could be any moment now or in ten years," Katsuro pondered.
"If he thinks we are gonna live in fear of his next move, he totally got it wrong. I don't fear him; I'm dying to have an opening to shred him limb to limb," Inuyasha bit back, jaw clenching and fists closing. "He won't be so lucky next time; the only reason is still alive is because he's the biggest coward I've ever known!"
"Noboru-san has never been one to act directly. I don't think he has ever fought or trained for it; he knows he wouldn't stand any chance. But he is very astute, or he wouldn't have survived so long. Your father was clever than you and Sesshomaru together, but he could never find a way to incriminate him," Katsuro explained. "However..."
"However?" Inuyasha encouraged him.
"I don't think I've ever seen him so enraged in all my life. Between him and Toga-sama, there was no lost love, but they never confronted each other openly; everything was implicit. Noboru has never had a real reason to hate your father apart from envy. He was strong and a great warrior; Noboru had nothing over him. But things have changed now: you're a half-demon who holds more power than him, your children are three-quarters human, and even their position is better than his because of their blue blood. Everything he has always wanted is power, and now, even the ones he deems inferior surpassed him. I think it is safe to say that rage will make him move faster; he won't be waiting long before his next attack because he can't stand the idea of mixed-blood reigning over the West. And now that even Sesshomaru's heir is going to be half-demon..." he trailed off.
"I see. This is certainly a positive outcome, Katsuro, you know? He is clever, I give it to him. But rage makes you reckless; I know it first-hand. Maybe this way, we can catch him in the open. I can't wait." He smiled devilishly.
"Yes, it may be right. However," the dog demon suddenly seemed hesitant and lowered his voice to make sure the boys didn't hear him, "it also means that he may be more bent on attacking your family and Sesshomaru's mate," he concluded.
Inuyasha's gaze hardened. "It's not like he's been hiding his intentions. I have to trust in Kagome's abilities, though, and we are training the pups. They may not be able to fight right now, but they are learning to rely on their senses; Muteki can already create a barrier. That's how they stalled the cat demon while they were waiting for Miroku and Sango. All I can do is make sure they are always protected and ready in the worst-case scenario. Just know I'm the most stubborn of all when it came to protecting my pack."
Katsuro put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "I've got to know you in those years, you know. You are a strong mate and a good father; they have nothing to fear as long as you'll be there for them. Kagome and the pups are lucky," he praised him.
Inuyasha chuckled. "Well, shit, Katsuro. That means a lot to me, ya know? You're a strong warrior yourself, and it's not every day that a full-fledged demon tells me something like that."
"I thought you got used to it by now. A lot of people here in the valley think highly of you, Inuyasha. They saw what you're capable of, and especially now that you saved them, the numbers of the sceptics have decreased. There will always be people who hate humans, but if you didn't shut down every whisper in this castle, you would know that not everyone has something bad to say," his friend told him, patting him on the shoulder. "By the way, don't let your mate catch you while you say those words in front of your children if you don't want to offer us some entertainment," he added, eyeing his beads with gleaming eyes.
"Don't rat on me now," Inuyasha said, chuckling.
They started discussing Rin's introduction shortly after. They had just chosen the guards to put all over the place when Sesshomaru reached them, and once again, Kimi's brother became the main topic.
"He won't be pleased he'll miss this important family matter," Inuyasha commented sarcastically. He figured that Noboru would want to be present when his nephew introduced his new mate to court, especially if said mate was human. There was no way Sesshomaru was going to release him from his confinement, though. Not to mention that because of the threats to Inuyasha's family, it was up to the half-demon to decide when it was safe to let Noboru leave his chambers.
And that wasn't happening soon for sure.
"They can say what they want... he is not taking part in the introduction; he already has Tsubasa to act as his messenger," Sesshomaru replied. "I am not eager to find out what she will have to say." He remembered too well how the first meeting between the court and his brother had gone. Her sharp tongue hadn't spared them, and she would probably be even meaner now since she would have to play for both of them.
"As long as you know his circle will be complaining about it. Even more, because he's supposed family," Inuyasha continued, crossing his arms behind his head.
"Let them talk, Inuyasha, but they should know now that they are not free of accusation since they are connected to him. Since we officially didn't catch the one behind the attack, everyone could be the culprit. And obviously, the ones who opposed us openly in the past are the most suspected. If they are clever, they will keep quiet."
"Or they could choose their words wisely," Katsuro added. "Tsubasa is not stupid. She may have been silent last week when the others complained about Noboru's new situation, but she won't be now. I am sure she will find a way to jibe and taunt as usual. She is a master in that."
"I know very well," Sesshomaru replied. "Let's have a remark ready for every of her statement."
When everyone left and even Kimi decided to go for her way – Kagome would never understand if the dog demoness did else aside from listening to everything that went on in the castle – the young priestess remained alone in the room with Rin.
"I think I've had enough of being holed up here. Do you want to have a walk with me, Rin-chan? The boys will come back soon, and I want to take advantage of the free time," Kagome proposed.
"Oh, I'd like to, Kagome-chan, but didn't you all say that I have to remain here for the time being?" Rin asked while raising her face. She seemed dejected and worried, not that Kagome hadn't already noticed that from her aura that didn't emanate sheer giddiness as usual.
"You don't mean to tell me that you believed you have to remain in these rooms for days? Oh, Goodness! I think everyone would get crazy. Come; this wing has some gardens reserved to the Lady of the House. It's on the eastern side, but mainly because the old arrangements dictated the royal wing to be divided into one side for the Inu-no-Taisho and the other one for his mate. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father wanted to change it, though. If Izayoi-sama had lived here, she would have shared her chambers with him, just like you'll do it now with Sesshomaru. Yet, our chambers were still destined to be Izayoi's personal space. Anyway, these gardens will be at your disposal too, now," Kagome explained. "I think this wing has never seen all these inhabitants, to tell you the truth."
"That's great. I was already feeling a little bit deflated at the thought of being inside for days."
Kagome led her outside, their guards following at an adequate distance to offer them some privacy, and she was happy to see Rin smile as soon as they were outside. It was difficult to see the spirited child who had been living most of her life in the wild, running in the forest and enjoying the sun, being caged. She knew they hadn't meant like that, but she could also understand why Rin had been feeling lost. At least, this way, she had offered her some comfort for the incoming days.
"There's a gardener who usually takes care of everything, and I also planted some curative herbs and other vegetables that we grow in the village, but they lack here. Obviously, I have always had to rely on the gardener for these too when I am absent," Kagome started. "But maybe, now that I share this slice of paradise with you, you could take care of them." She led her towards said angle. "You know all of them, don't worry. You've learnt everything from Kaede or me, and I know you'll do a good job. After all, you were the one to tend to our garden every time we came here." She also knew how much Rin liked to do some gardening; maybe she would get used easier to living here if she started doing things that belonged to her daily routine.
"Oh, Kagome-chan, you know I'd love to!" Rin exclaimed, clapping her hands. It seemed she almost wanted to kneel and start the job right now, but she reconsidered it at the last moment and took a seat on a small stone bench that was next to the small garden. Kagome joined her a moment later. "Who is going to take care of your garden from now on every time you'll to come here?"
"I'm sure the twins wouldn't mind," the young miko reassured her. At that moment, she almost felt as if she was the mother and Rin the daughter, even if, in reality, they just had six or seven years of difference. They remained there in silence for some time; Kagome never pressured Rin into talking or asking her questions. They just enjoyed the warm spring sun and the silence around them, the kind that in the village, always full of children chasing each other and farmers hoeing, was impossible to find. Not that outside the castle's walls was different; Kagome was sure that, with a keen ear, they could still hear demonesses talking or soldiers sparring.
"Your friends seem fine," Rin finally said after a while, "and their children are absolutely cute."
"They are," Kagome agreed, "they don't stand still for a moment, and it's usually even worse with Muteki and Toga," she chuckled.
"Do you usually spend a lot of time with them?" Rin asked.
The miko nodded. "As I said... they are the most trusted people at the palace, and Asuka has been my first friend and currently my best one here."
Rin lowered her head and started wriggling her hands in her laps, a gesture Kagome remembered the girl only made when she was afraid to ask something. "Do you... do you think they liked me? Or did they think I was not enough for..."
Kagome immediately took her hands to make her stop and raised her chin with another, "Rin, no, they absolutely weren't judging you. If they seemed too quiet or even hesitant is because they were afraid they could make you feel uncomfortable. They know how much it must be difficult for you; it would have been for whoever Sesshomaru had chosen because they know the responsibility is enormous. I assure you they just wanted you to open with them willing, without giving you the wrong impression; you'll see that with time you'll warm to them. But in the meantime, you have me, you know? We'll stay here as long as you need; we'd never leave you alone."
The girl leaned on her shoulder and got quiet again before she regained the courage to speak. "I meant it this morning when I said I'll face everything fate throws at me to stand next to Sesshomaru. But I can't ignore the fact that being here is totally different from what I expected, and they didn't even introduce me to the court yet. How weak am I if I'm already breaking down? How can I be the right choice? What if Sesshomaru understands he made a mistake? What if...?" her voice broke, and she started sobbing quietly on her friend's shoulder.
"Rin," Kagome said, her tone firm but at the same time warm, "do not let anyone tell you are not right for him. What you have with him is special; you have a true bond... do you know how many demons actually got one? The majority of them never manage to form it. Has Sesshomaru explained to you what exactly it entails? Don't let those envious demons tell you otherwise." She kept comforting her, drawing circles on his back and trailing the other hand through her hair. "Beware of everyone you don't know, but believe us when we tell you someone is worthy of your trust. These demonesses who you met today are so; the First Commander, Hayato-sama, our guards, they all will offer both you and Sesshomaru their undying support. Not everyone out there is opposed to mixed relationships," she concluded.
"But I'm no one, Kagome-chan! I'm just an orphaned child that received asylum from a priestess. I am like a lamb waiting to be eaten by wolves, again!"
"Have you already given up, Rin?" This time Kagome's tone was harsh. "It's what you're making me believe, right now. If this is what you're going to show all of them, then I can tell you they'll devour you for sure. Where is the strong girl who doesn't let anyone talk her down and goes forward no matter what happened in the past? Past is past, Rin! It doesn't matter who you were, but who you are now and who you decided to show them. You are Sesshomaru's mate right now, someone who saw something worthy in him past his title and his cold demeanour. You changed him, Rin; you love him. Don't you think it's enough? Heck, I'd say it's a lot; he's not an easy person, and you're the only one who really understands him. Keep your head held up high, show them that they can think whatever they want, but your bond won't be affected. The rest will be taken care of by others; you don't have to worry about your well-being." Kagome looked at her straight in the eyes and didn't let her avert her gaze. Rin had to understand that she had to have faith in others, but especially in herself, or she would never last in the West.
"Easy for you to say! You're the powerful priestess who destroyed the Shikon no Tama; you've travelled through the whole of Japan helping people and finally killing Naraku. Everyone shares the tales of your bravery even after years, and I'm sure most of the demons here fear you."
Kagome snorted in a very unladylike display. "Well, that didn't stop them to try and kill my sons anyway, didn't it? You think I feared nothing the first time I came here? We didn't even want to be here! You think it was easy for us, for me? Rin, I was still trying to get used to the village life when Sesshomaru came asking for our help. I didn't belong in this world... when I first arrived, I didn't even know of the existence of demons! How do you think they reacted to the priestess who suddenly became 'royalty' in the West anyway? One mated to the half-breed to boot. Of course, we were scared, honey, but it didn't stop us. The night we were introduced at court, I had to listen to demons implying I was a witch and others telling my son was an abomination. But I kept my head held high anyway. You do that, Rin; you school your features and tell them this is your place. You must never show your weaknesses, and then, if you want you to complain, a shoulder to cry on, you do it later in the sanctity of your private chambers. It will seem hard at the beginning, getting used to a different kind of life and whispers following you everywhere. But I'm sure you'll understand soon that it's worth it if that means finally living next to the man – in this case, the demon – you love." She offered her a genuine smile.
Gracing her cheek with the tips of her fingers and adjusting a lock behind her ear, Kagome tried to make her understand the importance of what she just told her. "Do you understand what I am trying to tell you? When I arrived here, there was no human to tell me what to do, just an emotionally constipated demon who basically said suck it up and behave yourself. I want to make sure you have everything you need when I'll be back at the village and get you perfectly settled here."
Rin nodded, some tears still escaping her. "I must say, it's different to be the victim of your stern mama voice," she giggled, "but I appreciated, Kagome-chan. I'm being a crying baby and a wimp."
"It's completely normal, plus pregnancy hormones doesn't help either. How are you feeling anyway? I just don't want you to believe these things. You are Rin, a strong-willed, joyful and positive girl, no one else; that's what matters. Isn't right, Sesshomaru?"
Rin gasped, and turning her head to where now Kagome was looking, she noticed the tall figure of her mate approaching them.
Sesshomaru was very good at sneaking up when he wanted to; after all, he could mask his aura and was the most silent demon Kagome had ever met. However, during all those years, she had gotten acquainted with his aura and that allowed her to recognize him when he was near enough, even if he masked it. It had annoyed Sesshomaru at first, but Kagome had simply laughed, squeezed his arm in a way he would have deemed too bold some years ago – and disrespectful – and gone for her way as nothing had happened. The dai-youkai had later learnt that it was her way to tell him not to worry, and he had strangely believed her. Not once had her new ability hindered him, just like today. Kagome had let him listen to their conversation, knowing that probably Rin wouldn't have the courage to tell him those things directly.
His little brother was damn lucky someone like her had fallen in love with him and stayed at his side no matter his reckless behaviour, as he was with Rin.
Oh, Sesshomaru knew he was, even if Rin was everything he had never thought he wanted in a mate. He would probably have continued to stay mateless for the next two or three centuries if he hadn't met her. The council would have never managed to force him to enter an arranged mating.
"Rin," he said softly as soon as he reached the two women. He kneeled next to her and cupped her cheek tenderly, just as he had done years before at his mother's temple. They were so lost in their gazes that they never saw Kagome silently leaving them, a small smile gracing her lips. Or Sesshomaru pretended not to see her leave.
The young priestess reached the guards and gestured for them to leave them alone; there was no risk now that Sesshomaru was with her. Kichiro and Osamu followed her to her private chamber, where probably her mate and children had already retired.
"Sesshomaru..." she seemed to be on the verge of tears, but a beautiful smile adorned her face. "I trust you."
Sometimes her young age was so evident, as was the innocence that still lingered around her despite the hardships she'd faced as a child. It saddened him that such innocence would soon be gone, for it was impossible to live in the palace and preserve it. However, he would do anything to preserve her cheerful and joyful spirit. No one would ever embitter his Rin.
"I know you do."
"I will be on best behaviour for you, and I will show your court you choose well," she continued.
He closed his eyes and drew her close to him so that their foreheads could brush against each other and his warm breath on her skin soothe her. "Rin, you just need to be you. I want you, no one else."
"But..." she tried to say.
"No, listen to me," he interrupted. "I know I am not a demon of many words, but you have always understood me no matter what. I hope you will understand me now because I won't repeat myself, and I do not want you to ever question yourself or our bond again." She nodded contritely, and he continued. "The miko was right when she said that only the fact that we bonded it's a testament of what I feel for you and the strength of our relationship. Rin, our souls called each other. If I even had the slightest doubt about you, it wouldn't have worked; you said it yourself this morning. The reason why just a few demons managed to form one is that a love so deep is hard to find, and even I had never believed I could find one for myself. I won't be so reckless to let you doubt yourself. If I had known how you felt, I would have told to you sooner."
At this point, Rin had started sobbing quietly, touched by the intensity of what she saw in his eyes. She swore she could peer into his soul for a moment.
"This is where you belong, Rin. Do not ever doubt it again," Sesshomaru stated harder than before, letting her catch the meaning of his longer than usual speech.
"I won't... I'm sorry, Sesshomaru." This time she was the one to cup his face, trailing her fingers along his demonic marks and catching his lips in a chaste kiss. Sesshomaru wasn't having any of it and promptly pulled her into a breath-taking kiss that nearly got out of hand, pouring all of his feelings into it. Fortunately, the dai-youkai was always in control of himself and easily broke it when their arousal spiked dangerously.
"Come now. I do not want you to stress over silly things anymore. Our pup needs to rest."
The newly mated couple stood up together and slowly traced back the path that led to the royal wing. Sesshomaru had an arm around her waist protectively while Rin leaned back into his hard chest. A small sniff was everything the dog demon needed to assure fatigue wasn't clouding his mate's natural scent anymore.
Later that night, after the pups had requested their father to tell them some adventurous stories about their shards hunt and Shippo had joined so that Inuyasha couldn't embellish them too much, Kagome came back to the dining room. She hoped she could find the one she was looking for.
She had an important matter to discuss with Sesshomaru's mother, and she never knew where Kimi actually resided. Sesshomaru had said she had her own temple where she spent the majority of the time when she wasn't in the castle. Kagome didn't have the slightest idea where it was and how she managed to go back and forth so easily. But it was plausible since Kimi, much like her son, could move from one place to another quite fast.
Luckily for her, when she slid the Shoji doors, Kimi was calmly seated on a silk cushion drinking what seemed like a steamy cup of chrysanthemum tea. The dog demoness greeted the younger woman without even raising her head from her drink and encouraged Kagome to take a seat next to her. On the tea table, another cup and the equivalent of modern rice biscuits could be seen, which made Kagome think that Kimi was already waiting for her. Most of the time, the dai-youkai still could surprise her. How did she know Kagome wanted to talk with her if she had thought about it only shortly before while she was having dinner with her family?
"Kagome, dear, were you looking for me? I asked Chie to prepare us some light night snacks. Forgive me if I have already started drinking the tea, but the smell was too alluring."
"Oh, well, don't worry, Kimi. Thanks for the care, anyway," the priestess answered while pouring the tea in her cup. "I hope I didn't hold you up or complicate your plans for this evening." She wasn't going to ask her how she knew she was looking for her; Kagome knew she wasn't going to get an answer. Kimi could be much more elusive than her son when she wanted.
"Nonsense, Kagome. I would have gone simply for a walk if I couldn't spend some quality time with my step-daughter. I figured whatever you wanted to discuss with me required some privacy."
"You are always so perspicacious, Kimi. Yes, I would like it if what we are going to talk about remained between those walls. Obviously, this doesn't apply to your son or Inuyasha since I want to speak about Rin's pregnancy. My mate is already in the know, and maybe you could talk with Sesshomaru yourself tomorrow. But I don't expect any opposition from him."
"What about the girl's pregnancy?" Kimi put her cup on the tea table and eyed her curiously.
"I will arrive straight at the point," Kagome started, "no one has to know of her pregnancy until the end of the third moon."
A smirk formed on the demoness' lips. "Kagome, I am sure you know that you cannot hide something like that from a demon's keen nose. Your mate is a dog demon himself; you surely have noticed how strong canine senses are. How do you suggest we hide her pregnancy?"
"I'm very aware of that. However, I hoped we could somehow cover her natural scent for a while."
"Why don't you start telling me why it is so important to hide it? Demons usually do not keep hidden news like this, and they take great joy announcing it, especially if, like in this case, it involves the future heir of the West. Is there a human tradition I do not know of, or are you simply afraid they could harm Rin?"
"Kimi, the human body is weaker, and this notion especially applies for when a woman is pregnant. However, the first phase is the most vulnerable, and the possibilities for a miscarriage to happen are many. They increase when said woman is currently under stress, and since I worry about Rin as her healer, I would suggest the news be postponed. The court will be already shocked by their mating, and Rin is already under a lot of stress; I would not want things to get worse with this additional news. The way I see it, there would be no harm in informing the court sometime later."
Besides, from what Sesshomaru and Rin from the future had told her, most of the girl's pregnancies had ended before the first trimester. It was better for Rin's mental health if they didn't inform the court at all if there wasn't going to be an heir anyway. People would only start to malign her, probably saying she couldn't keep a child in her womb. Kagome knew that sooner or later, with the absence of a son, demons around them would start to speak anyway – after all, that happened even in a normal human village. It broke her heart any time someone was subjected to such criticisms, especially during such a delicate moment; it pained her, even more, knowing that Rin would be a victim as well. Unfortunately, there was no cure for bigotry, especially because in that era it was still an accepted belief.
"It is certainly unusual, but I can see Sesshomaru agreeing on this if his mate and pup's health are at stake," Kimi complied. "And no one could really complain about the late news. They would do it anyway because the child will be half-demon as your mate, not that they can do very much about it. Still, it won't be easy to hide her scent. As soon as someone notices, the news is going to spread."
"That's the reason why I require your help. I may have the perfect plan in mind; I just need a hand putting it into action."
"Go on," Kimi encouraged.
"I assume that between demons is uncommon to use perfumes or any kind of fragrance that may cover your natural scents because of your keen senses. However, it is a common usance between human women. I remember once when Inuyasha and I weren't mated yet and were still hunting Naraku. He told me that 'whatever shit I had put on' was covering my natural scent, and it could have been a problem for him if, for any reason, he had to rely on his nose to find me. He was particularly adamant about not using those perfumes because the only way for him to recognize my scent was for him to be very close," Kagome started explaining.
"Indeed, no demon would use something like that. Not only can this be bothersome, but some demons use the scent of their mates to find comfort, feel at ease and be certain they are always safe and secure. Covering it would send one's inner demon into a state of panic. I can see where are you going, Kagome, but I honestly don't think it could be the best solution for my son. You know dog demons are really protective, especially when the mate is expecting. Covering Rin's scent could easily irk him. You said yourself Inuyasha was annoyed by you wearing perfume and you weren't even mated," the dog demoness remarked.
"I know it could be difficult to convince Sesshomaru, but I don't think there's any other way to cover her scent. It's not like we can use some kind of charms or magical object. Women in my village use natural fragrances, some of them are quite lovely, and they are not invasive. If Rin learns to use the right amount, Sesshomaru could still smell her underneath it. At the same time, whoever came near couldn't detect her original scent, nor the sweet hint that proclaims her pregnant. However, I cannot obtain one of these because a trip back to the village right now would be impossible, but you, on the other hand..."
"Oh, Kagome," Kimi started laughing, a hand covering her slightly parted lips while the other stroked her mokomoko on her shoulder. "You are not suggesting I go in your stead, are you? Humans usually don't react to our aura or our presence very well. Not that I have any intention of dealing with them, not even the humans belonging to your pack." She had done it only twice when she wanted to get more information about Inuyasha and his family, not that she would ever confess that. Currently, the couple was not aware that Kimi knew their secret and that she had been the one to reveal it to her son.
"I wouldn't dare, Kimi, don't worry. But I am sure that a dai-youkai like you has a lot of means and obtaining something so simple like a perfume shouldn't be difficult at all. You could even send someone else in your stead if you want, but surely it is better to maintain discretion."
"Flattery won't you bring anything with, Kagome, dear, you know," the dog demoness smirked.
"We've known each other for a few years now, Kimi. I hope I've come to understand you at least a little bit. It was no flattery. I merely stated that if you cannot complete this task, no one can. I wouldn't know where to obtain something like this, nor Inuyasha would let me out of his sight right now. He is so overbearing lately," the miko huffed. "Besides, I don't have the nose to understand which one would suit our plan."
Kimi chuckled. "Indeed, I noticed your mate is being more clingy and attentive than usual, and that is saying something - not that we could blame him." She finished her tea and stood up. "Very well, I will see what I can do, and I will speak personally with my son. If we are lucky, he won't be so stubborn. I leave it to you to explain everything to Rin. Goodnight, Kagome."
One moment later, Kagome was alone in the stillness of the night, a cup of tea by now cold in her hands and a head full of thoughts. Quietly she stood up too and went back to the room she shared with Inuyasha, the pups already asleep in the one next to theirs.
Inuyasha wordlessly welcomed her into his arms, recognizing her still perturbed and distracted mood. She snuggled up against him, and soon she was asleep, lulled by his soothing and softly vibrations. The half-demon observed her falling prey to Morpheus, then he kissed her lightly on her forehead and joined her.
A/N: I hope the scene between Rin and Sesshomaru came out at least decent. Sesshomaru is definitely not an easy character to write when it comes to feelings 😆.
As for Rin, I won't ever think of her as someone who goes crying to Sesshomaru, maybe someone would appreciate it more or see it as more romantic or something similar, but I can't fathom it. At least now they are at the beginning and still have to get used to each other. Maybe Sesshomaru will learn to speak more and Rin won't fear to disappoint him anymore.
I hope you liked it. Until next time 😘.