AN: Two more prompts left to go ^^

Prompt: a kiss on the cheek.

Kagome opened and closed her mouth for a while, floundering. The demoness waited patiently, seeming to find immense pleasure in watching her float between confusion and shock.

"B-but..." she croaked weakly, a random thought occurring to her. "I had...plans..."

Inukimi snorted and giggled, reaching out and grasping the woman's chin to gain her dazed attention. "Those will have to wait for a little while. Tell me, does my son know?"

"No I-I don't think so," Kagome slowly shook herself and straightened. "At least, he gave me no indication that he knew. He offered me sake, so I'm pretty sure he doesn't."

Humming while releasing her, Inukimi smirked and took a drag of her forgotten pipe. "He has not spent much time around pregnant women, that is likely why he did not catch on. You'd have thought he'd notice your change in scent though."

Kagome frowned softly. "I was away for a short while and came back a little different, maybe he put it down to that. It doesn't matter though-"

"It does matter," his mother sniffed, gaining a ruthless edge to her smile. "I am going to thoroughly enjoy that prideful pup's reaction to this ever so wonderful news," she started to drift away.

Blue eyes grew round and Kagome suddenly found herself desperate to get ahead of the smirking woman. "Wait!" she sprinted forward, dashing in front of Inukimi and spreading both arms wide to block her way. "Please don't say anything!"

A pale brow rose, "you wish to keep it from him?"

"N-no...it's just that I want to be the one to tell him," she murmured, dropping her hands to her stomach. "This is a mess but in a way, I'm not hugely surprised after the amount of-" pale cheeks tinged red and Kagome quickly hopped over what she was going to say. "Birth control isn't 100% effective either. I know that, but I'm still reeling. We only just entered a real relationship, though I've had feelings for him longer than that. So this is just...a lot. Especially for a new couple like us. I'd really rather my potential...mate...hear this from me."

Inukimi drew her chin down, raising her eyebrows as she gave a loud and undignified snort. "Is that so?" her tone dropped.

Kagome steeled herself, nodding firmly.

Her potential mother-in-law let out a short laugh. It condensed like a cloud of smoke around them. "Well said. I do like seeing that little spark of defiance in your eye, miko. Very well, tell him- and then come inform me so that I may start teasing him."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Kagome smiled weakly. Now came the hard part. How exactly could she tell him something she couldn't even properly wrap her head around herself?

As it turned out; she couldn't.

Kagome had been planning on telling the haughty lord immediately, first chance she got, the second she lay eyes on him in fact. But when she'd finally found him in the sitting room he'd been so warm and gentle. Golden eyes had softened in a way they refused to around others, drawing near. He'd also looked a touch sleepy, which had resulted in Kagome making a witty quip that he'd fired back before they'd lulled into kisses and rest.

It wasn't like she wanted to keep things from him. Bringing up the subject proved highly difficult in her humble opinion. What was she supposed to say? 'Hey Sesshoumaru, I know we've technically only been in a relationship for like two days but fancy a Fast Pass into parenthood with me?'

Hmm, no. It lacked a certain je ne sais quoi that she couldn't place her finger on.

Kagome sighed, having held her tongue for a whole week. She could sense Inukimi glaring daggers into her from across the room as they attended a youkai gathering within a great ivory hall. No doubt the primadonna felt dissatisfied with her lack of progress.

The nobles gave the miko a wide berth and she didn't much care, too much on her mind. Sesshoumaru appeared deep in conversation with another lord. He'd been lingering by her side for the majority of the evening but Kagome had encouraged him to go mingle, seeing no sense in wasting the night.

Resting her head back against a stone pillar and nursing a cup of saké she held just for show, she nibbled on her bottom lip, turning the situation over in her mind again and again. Deep down Kagome knew the real reason she hesitated in telling him. They were so fresh-faced and new. She was only just getting used to the concept of 'them' long term instead of longing for him as she would those lonely nights in Kaede's hut. Perhaps it was selfish but Kagome somewhat wanted things to stay in stasis. To linger in the pleasant place where just 'them' existed, and they could talk, make love, laugh and only worry about themselves like any normal couple just starting out.

But...that wasn't their reality anymore. Kagome's shoulders fell and she bid that fantasy a silent farewell. Having a baby wasn't a sad thought, however, it did bring hundreds of questions and complications with it.

Well there's no use in fretting about it by myself. I'll tell him tonigh-

Blue eyes had strayed back to the pale lord. Kagome stiffened. She suddenly became hyper-focused on the woman standing much too close beside him. A tanned kitsune with silky red hair maintained eye contact with him, before laughing delicately and resting a casual hand on his arm, thumb dragging deliberately.

Kagome bristled, feeling a stab of something in her chest. Old wounds began to surface, intrusive thoughts seeping in like a burst dam of glue. It poured in and clogged her mind. Blinking hard, she swallowed. It took a moment to push these habits down and not fall into jealousy or call her self esteem into question.

Shaking away the false image of Sesshoumaru leaning closer to the stranger, she forced herself to look at the situation clearly. Sesshoumaru's jaw was clenched. There was the faintest hint of a sneer tugging pale lips steadily downward. He did not move away- not out of interest, but pure pride to never give ground to anyone. Displeasure fanned out into his aura like a riled cat.

Tilting her chin up and pushing both shoulders back, Kagome set the forgotten saké cup down and approached. Crushing her worries beneath her heel and firmly holding onto her ego that had been so stroked and soothed by Sesshoumaru, she inserted herself between them. The miko smiled and pushed up on tip-toe to place a loving kiss against his striped cheek, lingering a little longer than necessary.

Sesshoumaru made a low noise, his hand naturally finding the small of her back.

Leaning away, Kagome flashed a smile. "Hi there," she said.

The frost in his eyes gave way to Spring. "Hello," he rumbled with amusement.

Turning to introduce herself to the stranger, Kagome bowed and chatted small talk with the woman, who turned out to be a princess from a tribe. She quickly seemed to grow frustrated and excused herself, leaving them alone.

Kagome glanced up at him, taking his arm. "Wanna get out of here?"

Sesshoumaru's attention roved over her face and he seemed to sense the weight underlying the casual offer. He inclined his head, removing his arm from her grasp to wrap it around her waist.

"Hn."