Chapter 30: Those Yellow Flowers
I told myself I was going to update this fic over the weekend, so here I am. Long chapter, last chapter. Let's go!
The distant buzzing of the phone against the wood of the nightstand pulled Rin from her slumber. As she slowly returned to the morning-lit room where she had faded into sleep hours ago, it didn't take her long to realize that something was missing. The warmth of the body she should have found at her fingertips.
She blinked, the dim morning light seeping through the window and onto the matte walls. Finally, her disoriented gaze met Sesshomaru's, standing beside the bed. "What's wrong?" she asked, attempting to prop herself up.
"I have to take this call. Rest," he told her, ignoring the uneasiness welling in his chest as he turned to leave the room, "I'll be back in a moment."
Though hesitant, Rin nodded, keeping her eyes on him before he disappeared into the hallway.
He was taking long, her wonder growing by the second. Rin knew it was probably nothing. It wasn't the first time Sesshomaru had had to get on the phone with his lawyer to clear things up, cast rumors away.
Lately, that seemed to be all people were good at, talking. It almost made Jaken be right. His foul mood reached their ears the day after the first picture of the incidence outside the courthouse hit more than one newspaper. Reckless, he called them; inappropriate, he deemed the situation.
But then, what was the point of continuing to hide their relationship?
All the gossip, all the talking behind their backs, would abate. Day by day, the infamy of the trial faded into the backdrop of scandals.
Naraku would be held accountable for his actions. It would be far, far too long before they saw him again. If they ever did. Zero met a similar fate, only she would be out long before he did. Covering up his actions, rather than committing them herself, didn't afford her immunity, but it did a less stringent sentence.
Without the threat of Naraku breathing down their necks, the repercussions of the trial grew weaker with each passing day. Perhaps that morning would be the last they woke up to a call from Sesshomaru's lawyer.
The door opened then and Sesshomaru walked in. his footsteps rang loud in her ears. "And?" Rin met him mid-step, her eyes expectantly searching his, "What did Ichiro say?"
"That wasn't Ichiro," he replied, a conflicted look on his face.
Rin frowned. The message permeated her thoughts. "Then... who was it?"
Sesshomaru took a breath, carefully choosing the words he wanted to use so as not to startle her, " Just my PR person in New York reminding me that my trip to Japan has extended well beyond what was expected. It seems that news of the breakup has reached a select few."
"And people are starting to talk, is that it?" Rin guessed, not the least bit surprised.
"His phone hasn't stopped ringing since the trial ended. My parents bought me some time, but even then..."
Even then, Toga and Inukimi's efforts were not enough. Sesshomaru knew he couldn't just hop on a plane one day and disappear from the big city. Life didn't work that way unfortunately, and his absence from what he had considered his life for nine long years was beginning to take a toll on his new life.
Rin looked down, wanting to understand and failing, "What does this mean?"
"It means I'm going back," it hurt him no less than it did her. Her eyes lifted. From them he drew the strength to continue speaking, "It will be brief. All I have to do is give a handful of explanations to key shareholders, find a suitable replacement for my position, and see to it that my apartment is sold or rented."
"How long?" Rin asked.
"Two weeks, I don't need more than that."
She recognized the sincerity of his words. It was no easier for him to admit it out loud. Some things were simply unavoidable. But then, what were two weeks?
Rin smiled at him, "I know your parents have done a lot for us. The least we can do in return is avoid bringing them any more trouble. This is as important for you as it is for your family, so I get it."
Her smile loosened the uneasiness that coiled his heart, though not entirely. He didn't want to miss a thing, not one. And he wouldn't, not if he could help it.
"I think I know the answer, but I'll still throw the question out there," he gave her a long look, "will you come with me?"
Her smile grew poignant, "I've been in and out of work a lot lately because of the trial. Asking Professor Yamazaki for more time off would probably get me in trouble, and even if it didn't, I don't think it would be fair," she lowered her gaze.
"I understand," Sesshomaru assured her. "That's why I'm not leaving anytime soon."
Rin looked at him, puzzled, "What?"
"I said I'd be back, but I didn't say it had to be now."
"Didn't they give you a deadline or something?"
A deadline, yes. But, for once, Sesshomaru was glad that his persuasion skills were as sharp as he needed them to be for that sort of occasion. "I can get away with some things."
Rin smiled, her face instantly brightened. "Why do I get the feeling you're quite proud of that?" she teased.
"Because I am," Sesshomaru smirked, enjoying the sudden yelp she let out when he brought her into his arms.
Snuggled against his chest, with her laughter echoing in their room, it was almost too easy to forget the news she had received that morning. Days rolled by, and a far more rewarding happening came knocking at their door.
The morning rush at the hospital had simmered down in time for their afternoon visit that week. Rin approached the front desk, ready to check-in. A handful of heads turned during the five minutes it took for the woman to confirm their appointment and point them in the right direction.
They turned left, walking to a waiting area by the vending machines. Upon taking a seat, Rin grimaced, her full bladder reminding her of how bloated she felt last night after her sweet tooth got the best of her.
"I may have made a mistake with those muffins," she said, exhaling in rue.
"And the parfait?" he asked.
"No," Rin was quick to defend, resting back on her chair, "I really wanted that parfait, but the muffins...They were a bit of an excess. I really don't know what's wrong with me."
How was Sesshomaru to put it? Sure, Rin had gotten into the habit of indulging in sudden pangs of hunger at peculiar times of the day, but then she was eating for two, wasn't she? That added up, at least to him.
"Nothing's wrong with you," he tried to reason, "You're just..."
"A dinosaur that devours everything that's in our pantry every night?" Rin looked down, embarrassed. "Little bean and I ate your leftover melon, sorry."
"Never mind that," he guided her to rest her head on his shoulder. A smile spread across her face.
At nine weeks there wasn't much to show for a belly or a baby. Little bean, she came up with the name with that on thought.
"We might hear a heartbeat," Rin prompted, looking up at him.
"A heartbeat," Sesshomaru repeated the word as it rolled off his tongue in awe. A delicate flutter they had created. The baby, their baby.
The door opened after a few minutes. A nurse walked into the waiting area, clipboard in hand. She looked around, spotting no one but them.
One step at a time, Rin repeated in her head as they followed the nurse down winding corridors until they reached a large room, with the ultrasound machine proudly displayed in one corner.
"Is this your first ultrasound?" the nurse asked, jotting down on the clipboard.
"Yes," Rin said.
"And this is your first pregnancy, too, right?"
"That's correct."
With her heart stammering, Rin wasn't sure whether her nerves were going to burble as the nurse continued her work, checking her blood pressure with a sympathetic look in her eyes. First pregnancy, first everything. Rin's eyes strayed to Sesshomaru, finding the same kind of cluelessness in his.
"Everything looks fine," the nurse concluded, "the doctor will be here shortly," she announced before leaving the room.
Young, inexperienced, parents-to-be. Those were some of the words Rin would use to describe the look on their faces. Excited was a word that also came to mind. Nervous, curious, pregnant.
There was a knock on the door before it opened. A woman walked in, introducing herself upon taking her first step toward Rin. She took her place by the machine, typing quietly.
"Well," she said after a minute, turning to them, "I'm sure you're both eager to get started, so why don't you come on up here," she gestured to the exam table, "and just lie down for me, please."
Rin nodded, doing as instructed, her nerves jangling as she rested her hands on her belly. It couldn't get any more real than that.
"I'm going to need you to lift up your shirt," the doctor instructed, nodding approvingly once Rin reached for the hem of her shirt, "yes, and once you do that, I'll also need you to bring your pants down to your hipline, okay?"
Rin took in a shaky breath, nodding.
"This is just gel. I'm going to rub some on your stomach. The procedure won't hurt, so you can relax."
Rin went silent, exhaling softly as she felt the gentle pressure of the wand on her stomach. The doctor kept her eyes attentive to the screen, nodding to herself as she maneuvered the scanner over her skin.
"Perfect, let's see what we have here...," she paused, examining the screen more closely. "Well, would you look at that..."
"Doctor?" Rin asked, her heart leaping to her mouth. Why the silence? What was it that had caught the woman's eye?
From his place, Sesshomaru's eyes darted from Rin to the physician. "Is everything alright?"
The doctor merely smiled, inspecting the screen one last time to confirm her finding, "I see two in there."
"Two...what?" Sesshomaru repeated, breathless. Not his brightest question, but it made Rin smile, tears spurting with as little as a muffled gasp for a warning.
"I see two babies," the doctor stated, turning to the couple, "Congratulations."
Two
Rin sniffled, drowning in unforeseen emotions. "Sesshomaru," she let out a throaty laugh, "we're having twins!"
Her heart couldn't help but soar. All that time, she was carrying not one but two little beans. When she curled up in bed and wondered how big her belly would be, it was always two. They weren't there, but she already knew she would give anything to see their smiles and hear their laughter.
Their babies.
"Here, it's best if I show you," the doctor said before she turned the screen toward them. "Right...there, " she pointed at a small pebble peacefully resting in the vastness of the womb, "and...there," her finger moved slightly to the side, to pebble number two's lounging spot.
The sight sculped a clear image for Sesshomaru. It was not one bean but two. His babies. His and Rin's. It clicked rather suddenly and he knew he would give everything for those children.
The doctor smiled kindly and turned her attention back to the screen, "How about we take a listen to those heartbeats?"
Their own hearts skipped a beat. They exchanged glances, Rin's watery smile widening as she nodded in the doctor's direction. A peculiar fluttering rang through the room, almost like the buzzing of a bee. The sound, combined with the sight on the screen, took their breath away.
When red, orange and yellow peppered the city and fallen leaves littered the streets, they would welcome their children into their lives.
"They run on her mother's side of the family," Sesshomaru explained, one hand holding his phone and the other lifting a carry-on suitcase from the sidewalk and placing it in the trunk of his car.
"And you're sure you haven't shared that with me before?" Inukimi replied, a proud smile visible through the ringing tones of her voice.
"No, I would've remembered," Sesshomaru frowned, closing the trunk before turning back to his father and brother. They stood by the parked vehicle, listening to the call on speaker.
"Come on," Toga interjected. "There's no way you could have known."
Inukimi laughed, "Call it intuition then. I don't know what to tell you."
"More like witchcraft," Inuyasha snickered under his breath.
"I must go now. Tomorrow is bound to be a bit of a hectic day," Inukimi announced, the time zone difference just then coming into perspective for her son, "I'll see you soon, Sesshomaru."
Without much warning, the call ended. Sesshomaru pocketed his phone, wondering how on Earth the news hadn't surprised his mother as much as it had his father.
With the reason for his impromptu visit to his former home secured in the back of his car, Sesshomaru was ready to call it a day and head home. Briefly glancing at Inuyasha's graduation pictures that had just arrived in the mail, he took his leave.
The entire drive he couldn't help the strange emptiness he felt in his stomach. The day would have been perfect had it not brought them closer to his departure. He drove past the old apartment building where Rin had lived until the pregnancy was announced. Her lease hadn't ended yet, but his parents insisted that they would take over the payments. Those early days without her were grueling. He missed her.
Mokomoko greeted him as always. Sesshomaru wheeled the carry-on suitcase down the hallway, bringing it inside the bedroom.
"You have to try these," Rin approached, a bag of chocolate-dipped strawberries in her hand, "Kaede stopped by. She left us some..." her voice trailed off as she laid her eyes on him. "What's wrong?" Rin asked, reading him like a book.
"Nothing," he concluded, "I'm just a little tired."
How was he to tell her how he felt if he couldn't put a name to it himself?
The following weekend they sat down together, checklist in hand, to see what he would need for his late spring trip. Just the essentials, since he had everything he needed in his New York apartment. It was no mystery that the trip was a priority as much as it was a burden, but what little time he had left in Tokyo, Sesshomaru spent trying to understand why the separation made his mind reel.
It finally hit him the night before his flight. It didn't matter that he had to wake up at sunrise the following day, he kept his attention on her all night, on the little noises she made as they lay beneath the covers.
The lights were off, but through the strands of moonlight coming into the room, he could see her face blooming red. Thin arms clung to his back, holding him tightly.
"I won't be long," he rasped, breathing into the hollow of her neck.
"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered, their angles fitting together like puzzle pieces.
Tomorrow he would return to the city that had been his stronghold for so long, where he never bothered to look beyond those towering skyscrapers that prevented him from seeing what he had left behind in Japan every time he boarded a plane.
Her
Beneath his fingertips, Rin shuddered, rolling her hips against his. The sound of their joint exhalations filled his mind as one hand ventured to feel the growing curve of her belly.
All those years without her, a heart could only thrive for so long without a pulse. They only said two weeks. He hugged her then, the same way he did now, warm and soft against his body.
Her voice broke amidst his thrusts. Their bed was the field from where they watched the same fireworks from the first night. Panting, enveloped in the twilight of the room, it was almost impossible for them to distinguish the need, the urgency, from the comfort their bodies found in each other.
Rin clung to his arms during the last orgasm of the night. They lay still, hips joined, sleep washing over them like the morning dew. Warm, with that loving pulse inside her, Rin let her eyelids fall. He contemplated her, listening to her small breaths as they fanned his skin.
"Rin," he whispered, moving his hand to draw back a hair. The gentle drizzle outside kept him company until he too drifted off to sleep.
"When you see your mom, say hi to her for me."
Rin's voice sounded fainter in the early hours of the day, wan light creeping into the apartment as Sesshomaru wheeled the suitcase down the hallway and toward the entrance.
"Chances are she'll be flying to Tokyo for the baby shower," he told her, glancing at his watch.
"A long-awaited baby shower," she smiled, her friends had agreed to visit the city for that special occasion.
Sesshomaru nodded, listening to Mokomoko's soft snoring coming from the living room. "I'll call you when I get there," he paused, pondering, "Keep in mind the time zone difference. If it's too late..."
"I'll still pick up the phone," Rin insisted, stepping forth to take one of his hands between hers, "I want to know that you've arrived safely, so please call, even if it's a little late, okay?"
Torn, but knowing he would have asked the same of her had he been in her place, he nodded, "Okay."
His phone buzzed. Sesshomaru searched those bleary brown eyes, so hard to forget. "I'm leaving then."
"Be safe," Rin murmured, her lips sealed softly as he leaned down to kiss them. His hand gently held her belly, feeling their babies.
Rooted to the floor, eyes unable to leave his back, Rin watched the door close. Outside, the elevator chimed as it began its descent. Two weeks, what were two weeks when she had waited a lifetime to meet him?
" Okay," she inhaled, turning on her heels and walking towards their bedroom. That familiar feeling, Rin hoped to sleep it away. She climbed back into bed. Her fingers brushed against his pillow, drawing it closer to her. A whiff of his scent lingered on the cotton.
"Thank you for being my rock."
"For being my best friend all these years."
The words stayed with her as she woke up hours later. Rin blinked, groaning while stirring in bed, reaching for her phone. His plane had taken off. She wiped her eyes, inhaling deeply before getting out of bed.
"Good morning, Tokyo," she smiled, walking over to the window. Her eyes lingered on the clear sky that a drizzly night had left behind.
Rin walked across campus with a smile on her face, ready for a new day. Although her cravings had diminished as she entered her second trimester, having the vending machines on the same floor as her office did wonders for her mood.
"Good morning, Rin-san," said a tall brunette in her thirties as she saw Rin enter the building, her arms loaded with binders.
"Good morning," Rin smiled at her coworker and headed for her office. Her cargo wasn't heavy, just a bit tiring on her arms.
"Oh, hold on a moment," the woman trailed behind Rin, "These came in for you this morning," she managed to say before Rin walked into the small office, stopping cold in her tracks.
She kept her eyes glued to the flower arrangement placed on top of her desk, basking in the morning light. The ruffled edges of the petals created frilly blooms dotted by florets growing lower on the stems.
"Carnations," Rin murmured, drawn to the flowers like a moth to a fire. She stepped closer, setting the binders aside.
"They came with a card. I suggest you take a look at it," the woman smiled before quietly disappearing back into the hallway.
Rin flicked her eyes to the desk, her fingers reaching for the small card neatly placed by the flowers. 'I hope these can keep a smile on your face until I return.'
As if by the wave of a magic wand, her smile widened. She sighed deeply, hugging the card to her chest. He really was something else. Moving closer to the flowers, Rin let her fingers brush the layers of petals and breathed in the subtle fragrance that permeated them.
"What do they mean?"
She stilled abruptly, her eyes fixed on the flowers.
"...mostly love."
Like a puff of smoke, that familiar fog appeared before her again. Rin squeezed her eyes shut out of inertia, resting her hands on the desk to keep her footing. Slowly but surely, the mist began to stir.
The musty smell of her soil-caked gloves permeated the air as more petals began to sprout from the blooming buds. The faucet dripped in the corner, filling a bucket. Rin got back to her feet, inspecting her work and slipping off her gloves. She set them aside and walked over to the faucet, washing her hands before shutting off the water.
"Done," she smiled up at the orange sky. Her eyes roamed the greenhouse one last time, spotting the carnations where she had last placed them. Right next to the roses.
She moved closer to them and inhaled the spicy clove scent of the flowers. Different, subtle, yet pleasant and distinctive. About to sniff again, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. She spun around.
"Oh, it's you," Rin smiled, her heart giving a small leap as it often did when he walked into a room. "I'm almost done here," she told him, turning to give one last glance at the flowers.
Her heart thrummed, cheeks dusted pink quickly. Bathed in the golden peach light, wearing his trademark soccer jersey, Sesshomaru looked breathtaking.
"What are they called?"
Wincing slightly, Rin turned. Golden eyes rested on the blossoms. "They're...carnations," she explained, looking back at the plants, "They've just bloomed."
He seemed thoughtful, almost distant. Rin dropped her eyes to the floor, remembering that it wouldn't be the first time he'd left their conversations hanging. He did that a lot lately, averting his gaze when she looked his way, keeping his thoughts to himself, arriving at school with a brooding expression on his face.
"And what do they mean?"
Rin looked up, "Well... a lot of things, mostly... love," her voice trailing off, she averted her gaze, "let's just say you give them to someone special to you."
"Someone special?"
"Mm-hmm," her blush deepened, leaving her wanting to dip her head into a bucket full of cold water.
"Do you have someone special?"
Rin blinked, red as a tomato, "Why... Why do you ask?"
A faint pink tinge crept into his cheeks. Rin couldn't believe her eyes, he was blushing. But how?
"Because... I-"
The Westminster chime cut him off as it carried through the school grounds. Rin looked away, turning to fold her apron and dust off her skirt, her heart still racing. Forcing herself not to be a chicken, she turned to face him.
"You were saying?"
"N-nothing," the fifteen-year-old whipped his head to the side, the red never leaving his cheeks as he turned to leave. "I'll be at the entrance."
Rin watched him walk out of the greenhouse and head inside the school to gather his belongings. Almost in a hurry.
"Sesshomaru," she sighed, burying her face into her hands, cheeks blazing red.
Dazed eyes blinked at the light that peered through the window, bathing the small office. Her hand rose to rest on her chest, sensing the rapid beating of her heart. Warily, she glanced down at the flowers. Carnations, she inhaled another whiff of their subtle clove scent.
"The flowers," she breathed out, thoughts swirling, "the flowers in the greenhouse, then..."
Then what? It was all a blur, a collection of notions that seemed familiar and yet strange. The flowers, the school, the dirt on the soles of her worn shoes. Then what?
The fog was lifting, but she could only walk so far with the rekindled wick of her candle. Nothing was coming to her, only bits and pieces. Things she was sure of, others remained shrouded in doubt.
She took a seat as her eyes returned to the flowers. What does this mean? Her hand rubbed her forehead, as if doing so would bring back everything she had lost.
It wasn't a dream. She was sure of it, of the inexplicable feelings that came with remembering. And in a way, there was only one person who could help her figure that out.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard hesitantly, unsure of how to word her request. Rin took a breath, hoping the reply wouldn't take long, and she lucked out. During her lunch break, Dr. Midoriko's email rang in her inbox. Rin put down her food and quickly grabbed her phone.
'Are you free for a call?'
Rin smiled and dialed the number with much hope radiating from every beat of her heart. And yet what she heard wasn't what she had been hoping for.
A memory triggered by a familiar smell, nothing more, nothing less. That didn't mean it would all come back to her immediately. Surrounding herself with potential stimuli might work, but after years of trying, the chances of it actually working were slim. The peculiar scent of carnations triggered something. Still, there was no easy fix for her condition.
"In short, while it's possible, it's still not certain," Midoriko repeated her words, her voice sounding collected over the phone.
"I would've thought it meant something...more, but it seems that I was wrong," Rin looked down at her food, her lunch turned sour. She should've expected as much.
"Rin, this was a unique experience for you, and...being the first time, it probably stirred up new emotions in you."
Dr. Midoriko's words stuck with her throughout the day. The flowers, the water, the Westminster chime. She couldn't put her thoughts in order.
That night, with Mokomoko on her heels, as she finished the dishes and headed to bed, Rin decided to call Sesshomaru. It was fairly early in New York, which meant he was already up. She had hoped to come to him with good news, but it seemed that was now off the table.
"The flowers?"
"Yes," Rin whispered, comfortable in bed, "something about their smell, it just... it brought some things to mind."
"Did you consult a doctor?"
"I did. She offered to schedule me for an in-person appointment next week."
"I see," he let a moment pass, thoughtful, "Can I ask you something?"
Rin smiled, never having shared something with him without expecting a question in return. "Yeah, what is it?"
"Are you happy?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice earnest yet gentle, "With having remembered, I mean."
Rin exhaled deeply, laying everything bare, "I was... quite surprised, a bit startled, and then... it was kind of disappointing because my first instinct was to want more. I got a snippet, but I wanted more, and not being able to get it, it became frustrating, until..."
"Until?"
She snuggled into his pillow, a smile plastered to her lips, "Until I remembered something else."
" Which is?"
It wasn't easy. Her call with Dr. Midoriko had left something akin to confusion taking root in her chest. Was she happy? Incredibly so. Albeit hazy and restrained, what she had experienced that morning had been real. He visited her in the greenhouse, they walked home together, and yes, he made her feel as nervous as she remembered, perhaps even more. But in the end, she was able to realize what she needed to know to turn the bitterness of disappointment into sweet flourishes.
"You made me happy then, just like you do now," Rin began, her voice growing more confident with each word, "I don't need those memories to remind me of that because you do it yourself, every day we spend together," she smiled. "I might never get those memories back, and...I can accept that." They had much more to look forward to. A family, a life together. "So, yes," Rin smiled even brighter, "if you ask me if I'm happy, the answer is yes."
And that, in turn, made him happy too.
Kagome's call on a bright mid-June day caught Rin in the middle of one of her strolls around the park. It had been a while since she had stretched her legs while enjoying the view of the early summer sunflowers.
"The flight is scheduled to land around noon. Are you excited?"
"Very excited," Rin confessed, her heart soaring at the thought of those less than twenty-four hours left before she saw him again.
No doubt time had gone by faster than expected, but so much had happened during his absence. She couldn't wait to hold him in her arms again.
"Oh Rin, then I'll let you go. You said you were in the park by the apartment, right? The one with the sunflowers?"
"Yeah, I needed some fresh air, so I came here," Rin smiled warmly. "Enjoy the rest of your day! See you in a week."
The canopy shielded her from the sun as she walked along the cobblestone paths that wound through the green fields. Flowers dotted the landscape, resembling watercolor splashes from afar. Rin breathed in the cool breeze. She wandered deeper into the grounds, listening to the distant laughter of children in the playground.
She rubbed her belly, now visibly protruding from her maternity dress. "We'll bring you here next spring, Papa and I," Rin said, finding a resting place next to a bike rack.
Ten minutes walking and another ten to catch her breath, it seemed.
"I'm losing my edge," Rin laughed, happy in her quiet little corner from where she observed the blossoms.
"Is this seat taken?"
Startled, Rin turned to the side. A sharp gasp escaped her throat. She sprang up from her seat, her eyes wide with disbelief. No, she wasn't seeing things. The small quirk in his smile was perfect, the glint in his eyes so real, and the emotion in them palpable.
"I figured you wouldn't mind if I came back a day or two sooner," Sesshomaru spoke, welcoming her into his arms as she threw herself into them.
"You're here!" Rin laughed, clinging to him tightly, "You're really here!"
She let out a choked laugh as she realized that the roundness of her belly prevented him from pressing her to his chest. Slowly, they broke apart. Rin's cheeks flared, her heart still racing as his eyes lowered to her stomach. He rested his hand on it before his eyes lifted back up to her face.
"You look gorgeous," he admitted to the rapid beating of his heart. Bathed in the morning light, baby bump showing, wrapped in the flower-patterned fabric of her dress, she looked like a dream.
"Wait a minute...," her eyes narrowed, inspecting his face. She gasped, her fingers running through short silver locks. "Sweet Mokomoko! Your hair!"
Sesshomaru leaned into her touch, enjoying the pampering trails of her fingertips. He smirked, the thick blush sprouting on her cheeks was all he needed to see. "Do you like it?"
"I...," Rin smiled, unable to fight back the spiraling sensations that the sight provoked in her. "I think it suits you. You look quite...dashing."
"My stylist wasn't happy to see me go," he said, earning a droll look from her.
"Your stylist?" Rin repeated, "What else don't I know about your life in New York?"
Sesshomaru's eyes combed their surroundings, "Why don't we go for a walk while I tell you more about it."
Rin nodded. His hand reached for hers, stroking her skin with his thumb as they walked along the cobblestone. "How did you know where to find me anyway?"
Sesshomaru shrugged, "I have connections."
"You mean Inuyasha and Kagome?" Rin giggled, shaking her head in disbelief. Of course they knew. "Wait, so...how's your mom?"
"Eager to become a grandma," he joked, "we should expect some mail in the next few weeks."
"Mail?"
"Gifts from some of her friends and a handful of my acquaintances. They're happy with the news."
People knew about the twins and wanted to celebrate with them. That brought a smile to her face. "Wow, that's... that's great! And you were able to work things out then?"
Sesshomaru nodded, "The new person starts this Monday. My apartment sold pretty quickly to a startup company that wanted to move into the city. I talked to a few people, went on some restaurant outings with some of our shareholders, and... that should be it."
"I'm glad everything went well," Rin squeezed his hand gently. "Will you miss New York then?" After all, he had lived there for some time. She would understand if he did, at least at first.
But Sesshomaru pondered, putting his thoughts in order. "Not...miss, but I may look back every now and then to remind myself where I started and where I am now."
"You moved there right after you graduated, right?"
"I did. I wasn't in a good state of mind, though," he reflected, the past creeping into his memory, "always looking to excel, splurging on things to make my life make sense. Now I have more than I could've ever wished for," he added, looking her way.
A blush erupted on her cheeks, "I'll always be here for you."
They arrived at a quiet spot, away from the noises of the city. A backdrop of sunflowers kept them company.
"I realize now that those words mean the world to me, Rin," Sesshomaru told her. They paused, her eyes meeting his. "I feel like I've always known. I never took you for granted, and I don't think I ever will. You have always meant that much to me."
The corners of her eyes softened. "From day one," she whispered, enthralled by his eyes. The same eyes she'd known since she was young.
"From day one," Sesshomaru agreed, "it's been a while since then. I think it's time we make it official."
With her heart about to burst out of her chest, Rin watched him drop to one knee, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. Tears welled up in her eyes the moment sunlight hit the small bud-shaped gem before her.
"Will you marry me?"
Her father always warned her about recklessness, about taking a leap of faith for the wrong reason, or the wrong person. Her mother always said that the heart couldn't overrule what the mind dictated. But they also said that when it happened, when what was meant to happen, what was meant to be hers, came knocking at the door, she shouldn't, couldn't look away. And she wouldn't because the knock would be so loud, the call would be so real, that she couldn't do anything else but answer it.
The man kneeling before her was hers, calling to her for years. The windows were closed, the outside world was louder than his call at times, keeping her from hearing, from seeing that she was wanted, cherished, but there he was, ring in hand, asking her to be his.
Fighting a tight throat, her heart pounding as loud as it had the first night, she let her voice flow. "Y-yes...yes!" exclaimed Rin brightly, letting him slip the ring on her finger.
He rose to his feet, lifting her chin. As the door opened, he gifted her a kiss infused with the honesty of a love like theirs.
"I'm pregnant," Rin uttered the words, expecting nothing but a gust of wind in response. That didn't keep her from continuing, "We're having twins, soon they'll be with us and... and I promise to give it my all, to always... watch over them, protect them, just like you did with me."
She smiled down at the grave, his hand holding hers.
"Towa," she said. For all the years that were yet to come, the future that now seemed like an eternity, "and Setsuna," because they wouldn't forget the snippet of time they spent together when they were young, the years she shared with him that now seemed but a moment.
"Those are their names," Rin whispered. " We'll bring them here one day. I promise."
The parched grass crunched under their feet as they crossed the silent field. Rin kept her eyes on Kyoto's summer sky, coming to a realization.
It was easy to get stuck at some point in our lives. We could hurt others in the process, and the consequences were at times too real to forget or escape. Some people took responsibility for their actions, like the woman Rin met one winter day as a stranger in that quiet Kyoto neighborhood. She never saw her again, deciding not to after that night at the police station.
Others remained in denial, like the man with the tombstone eyes. Cold and lifeless. Reika Onigumo never had the opportunity to stand on that stage, and explain her actions, yet her son was a reflection of her teachings, preaching and acting upon them for years. He refused to believe that his mother, his father, had said anything but the truth. And yet he didn't go through with the appeal. Perhaps, in the innermost corners of his mind, he knew he was wrong.
Moving on can mean many things, like opening a window to let in fresh air or a door to walk out of the room and start anew. Kagura stuck to those words when she announced her engagement that late July. From the highest rooftop she could find in Amsterdam, she raised her glass to the night sky, surrounded by people who cared.
What remained of the summer was but a drop in the ocean, fleeting. The air was still warm and humid when Kirinmaru left for Hong Kong. He thanked Fukuda, congratulated Jakotsu, and promised to visit Toga and Izayoi soon. His work in Japan was done.
Sara Asano soon followed in his footsteps and resumed her life in London. She left behind a white rose for her father at the cemetery, and a promise to return someday to visit her old friend.
Autumn cooled the mornings and warmed the interiors of many homes. It prepared the Taishos' large two-story residence for their next most anticipated event of the year after Kagome's bachelorette brunch months ago.
"You made it!" Rin beamed excitedly upon catching sight of her friends in the entryway. She dashed through the parlor to greet them, darting past large balloon decorations that climbed up the walls.
"Honey, you look beautiful!" Ayame cried out, sweeping her teary eyes up and down Rin's figure. "Look at her, Kouga! She's all grown up."
"Here come the tears," Kaede snickered.
Kouga laughed, digging into the pocket of his jeans. "Here, granny," he teased, handing Ayame some tissues.
"Thanks, love."
Rin smiled, "I'm so glad you guys came."
"We wouldn't have missed it for the world," Kikyo assured her, smiling back at her closest friend.
"Incoming!"
A familiar voice boomed above the bustle of the party. Rin glanced towards the door as one of her guests made his way through the attendees and approached.
"Jakotsu!" Rin laughed, two large gift bags held out in her direction.
"I did get your text, and I also brought you some gifts, see?"
She let out a giggle, receiving them, "How sweet!"
That afternoon was perfect. As perfect as baby showers could be anyway. They received enough gifts to stock up the nursery. Toga had said they had limited the number of guests to only close friends, and they still had a full house. Inukimi was quite chatty, wearing her granny badge with pride.
They arrived home late that night, drowning in whatever feelings made them sway to a silent tune, settling down to rest on the bed once her feet finally gave way.
"Did you see that?" asked Sesshomaru, inspecting Rin's belly.
She cackled, resting her back on the pillows. She adored the genuine curiosity in his eyes as he contemplated the far from rare occurrence of their babies giving gentle kicks. "Felt it too. Do it again."
Sesshomaru nodded, carefully resting his hand on the spot where one of the twins had kicked. Another flutter ensued.
"She said, 'Hi, Papa. Let's go play soccer when the weather's nice,'" Rin smiled, stroking her baby bump.
Sesshomaru smiled, watching as Mokomoko sniffed his hand before pressing his snout against Rin's belly. Outside it was raining, just like any other autumn night. Inside their home, they were warm, ready to welcome their girls whenever they decided to knock on the door.
"Good night," he said once the lights were off and they were ready to call it a day.
"Night," Rin replied, a smile on her face as she closed her eyes. Any day now.
Her due date was approaching, and fast. They had packed the bag they would bring to the hospital, and the nursery was furnished, ready to welcome its new residents.
On Saturday, they woke up at sunrise. They looked at each other and knew it was time. The trip to the hospital was okay. What followed, not so much.
The pain of labor came to her in an unforgettable rhythm, burning in her memory those hours spent in room 142 with Sesshomaru at her side. The books didn't account for the full force of what she would best describe as cramps. The nerves during the prenatal visits didn't measure up to the staggering anxiety that enveloped her the moment they arrived in the delivery room.
"Sesshomaru?" Rin had to ask, not knowing if the nurse had left him behind. Amidst the pain, it was hard for her to speak, let alone process what was going on around her.
"I'm here."
Like the touch of his hands on her belly each night, the sound of his voice comforted her. Something the bright room and sterile medical equipment around them didn't provide her.
"It's time, Rin-san," said the doctor rushing into the delivery room.
They're coming, she repeated, breathing as instructed by one of the nurses. Rin knew that the pain of the moment came with a lifetime of joy, of being able to hold her babies in her arms. Future birthdays, the first day of preschool. They're coming, she repeated.
And, in a way no reverie had been able to prepare her, it all snapped into perspective the moment she heard the first cry of a newborn resound through the delivery room.
Rin breathed out, her heart leaping, soaring. "My baby," she panted, smiling brightly.
But just as the wave of pain threatened to crash, it resurfaced once again. Rin squeezed her eyes shut, picturing a tunnel and her youngest daughter at the end of it. She walked, ran toward that light, knowing she had reached it the moment another cry reached her ears, chorusing her twin's.
Her strength abandoned her muscles. Rin leaned back, her daughters' cries ringing loud in her ears. She smiled. It was impossible not to.
"You did splendidly," the doctor complimented her. Rin's eyes drifted to the woman, her breath caught in her throat as the small cargo was placed in her arms.
They're here
"H-Hi," Rin whispered, getting a feel for the small weight and gently guiding them to rest on the warmth of her chest. " Hi there. This is mommy," her smile stretched wider. She looked up at Sesshomaru, spotting the same smile on his face, then turned her gaze back down to the babies, letting her eyes travel from one to the other. "Oh, you're so tiny, you're so beautiful." A tuft of silver hair rested on the top of one little head, and dark hair on the other. Their eyes were golden like their father's, curious like their mother's. They were perfect. "I love you," Rin poured her heart into her words, "I love you so much."
As hard as it was to hand the twins back to the nurse so she could finish cleaning them, the small sacrifice was well worth it. Wrapped in blankets, gurgling among themselves, the babies were carefully handed over to their father.
"Watch their heads," the nurse smiled empathetically at Sesshomaru, placing the set of bundles in his arms. "That's it, just hold them gently," the woman nodded, stepping back once she was sure he had gotten the hang of it.
Sesshomaru knew for a fact that he was holding his children when the agitated thumping in his chest came to a sudden halt as the small weight settled in his arms. He stared down at two pairs of honey-colored eyes, replicas of his own. He blinked, and so did the twins. He smiled, and his heart told him that the small curvature of their paper-thin mouths were smiles too.
"Sesshomaru?" Rin called, her cheeks sore from the glee plain on her face. "Look at you," she giggled.
"They're here," he said looking up at Rin as if for confirmation. She nodded, and his eyes went back to the babies, "Towa, Setsuna."
A paradigm of the trickery of time was that two weeks could turn into nine years, nine months into a lifetime, and a moment into eternity. But, for whatever reason, time slowed its trot to a walk from that moment on, making each day count.
"Knock knock!"
Inuyasha and Kagome were the first to arrive, they closed the door to the hospital room carefully, tiptoeing closer to the bed. Their curious eyes peered down at the babies cradled in Rin's arms. Izayoi followed soon after, teary-eyed. She was smiling as brightly as the day she found out about the news of the pregnancy.
"Where's dad?" Inuyasha asked.
"Getting some balloons at a nearby store that won't put him to shame when Kimi shows up with twice as many gifts," his mother giggled.
Right she was, for by sundown the hospital room was unusually crowded with balloons and greeting cards. Toga and Inukimi had their chance to hold the twins, the memory of feeling a baby in their arms so distant yet familiar.
The following day they had no trouble returning home. Mokomoko greeted them and his baby sisters like the proud big brother he was. Inuyasha had stopped by a day earlier to check on him.
In the evening, the quiet atmosphere of the apartment lulled the twins to sleep, momentarily. Rin looked down, her arms loaded with her little beans snuggled securely against her body as she sat on the couch, Sesshomaru beside her. Mokomoko curled up at their feet.
"You're asleep now, but that won't last long, will it?" Rin let out a giggle, kissing her babies. First Towa, their eldest and then Setsuna, their youngest.
"Give it a minute," he said.
Just then, the medley of gurgling and grunting returned. Small mitten-covered hands moved like dandelions swaying in the air.
"You know," Rin said, looking up at him, "something occurred to me today."
"And what would that be?" he asked, letting one of the little hands attempt to grasp his finger.
"I just thought that... I don't know where we're headed," Rin smiled, watching Setsuna try to join in her sister's little game with their father. "A year ago, I thought I knew who I wanted to be, where I wanted to go. Then you came along and changed everything. Now they're here," she looked up, aiming that loving smile at him, "and I can't help but feel like they've changed our lives forever."
"You know what hasn't changed?" Sesshomaru asked.
"What?" Rin blinked, caught off guard by the feel of his lips on hers.
The caress was tender, sweet. Most of all, warm like the blush that settled on her cheeks. Slowly, her eyelids drooped, the amalgam of tan hues surrounding them disappearing from her sight. Parting slowly, Rin brought her eyes up to his face.
"O-oh," she let out a stammering laugh, blushing.
"Now you know," he smiled back.
I love you
Forever was a long time, but he wouldn't mind reminding her every year. Their foreheads touched, laughter carried through the apartment. Outside, their hometown watched their family bloom. The promise of having their paths cross once again, was fulfilled.
There's an epilogue. Short but sweet. ❤️
