New Attire

Kagome and Rin sat around a small table, quietly drinking tea. Fox fire crackled in the fireplace, giving the den a soft green glow. It was quite a domestic scene. Kagome would have never thought that she would find herself relaxing in Sesshoumaru's home, much less even in his presence. Her fingers tapped against her cup. Her foot bounced up and down. Sesshoumaru looked up from his paper work to stare at her. Her constant movement was getting on his nerves. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. He could feel her nervous energy

"Kagome-dono." Sesshoumaru said from his desk near the far wall.

She looked up startled from her tea.

"Cease your movement."

"What?" She looked bewildered.

Rin snickered. "Kagome-sama, your impatience is showing." She reached over the table and took the cup from Kagome.

She turned red. "Uh, I'm sorry. I am just excited to see Katsurou."

Sesshoumaru tilted his head in speculation. Kagome couldn't help thinking that his expression was rather endearing.

"Do you not trust the expertise of this one's seamstress?"

"Oh no, it is not that. I am just excited."

Sesshoumaru's gaze turned toward the door.

The large wooden doors pulled open to reveal a strange old woman, who was very obviously a youkai. Kagome immediately assumed that she was a spider youkai. A shiver went down her back just at the thought of it. Her past with spider youkai was not very pleasant.

"My Lord, I have finished the heir's new wardrobe!" She announced proudly. She clapped her middle two hands together, given that she had two extra sets of arms. Four servants flowed into the room carrying bundles of clothing.

"You can see that they have been finely crafted with the utmost care." She looked behind her. "Now, now, my young lord, do not be shy. Please show everyone your new attire!"

Kagome leaned over trying to see around the seamstress. Katsurou stepped around the spider youkai and stood in front of everyone.

He had on a white kimono, much like Sesshoumaru's usual attire, with dark blue hakama pants. The sleeves had small blue maple leaves adorning the ends.

Rin clapped her hands together excitedly. "Katsurou, you look amazing!"

Kagome stared at him. She felt odd seeing her son in his new clothing. He looked wonderful, and every bit the prince he is now. Yet, a part of her missed the bright red clothing he had been wearing for so long. Life with Sesshoumaru was slowly changing every aspect of their life. Would her young son even remember their life together as a family with Inuyasha?

Sesshoumaru stood up from his desk to examine the material more closely.

A servant held out another kimono for him to see. He ran his hand over the material looking for flaws.

Katsurou approached his mother. "Mama, do you like it?"

Kagome smiled. "You look so refined. I think it suits you. The seamstress did a very good job, don't you think?"

The spider youkai gave a toothy smile. "A thousand thanks my lady for your generous praise. However, I do have one more surprise for the little prince."

Katsurou turned around to look at her, curious.

A servant appeared carrying a bright red bundle. The seamstress took the material and held it out to show. Kagome recognized it instantly.

"The little lord mentioned how much this fabric meant to him, so I decided to make it a haori jacket for him to wear. It, like his other clothing, has been enchanted to repair itself. It will grow with him, and of course it retains its ability to repel fire. Do you like it my lord?"

Katsurou grasped the material, examining it. She had sewn Sesshoumaru's family crest, a crescent moon, on the back of each sleeve and under the neck collar. He quickly put on the haori to show everyone.

Sesshoumaru eyed the clothing with appraisal. It filled him with a sense of pride to see his young heir dressed in his house's colors, and adorned with his family crest. Is this what it would feel like to have his own children; to take pride in raising them and providing for them? It surprised him to find contentment in their happiness.

His eyes left Katsurou and centered on his mother. Her face was lit up with joy. Her aura exuded excitement. She laughed at her son as he struck foolish poses in efforts to make her smile. He resembled Inuyasha so much it was undeniable that he was his son, despite that fact that the child lacked the telling familial silver hair. Dressed as he was, Katsurou looked very much like a child stuck between Inuyasha as his father, and Sesshoumaru as his adoptive father.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

His eyes slid toward Kagome who stood at his side. She looked rather beautiful in her navy blue kimono with golden flowers that covered the fabric; it made her eyes appear that much bluer.

She smiled up at him. "I wanted to thank you Sesshoumaru-sama. This has been a wonderful gift."

His chest tightened with feeling.

"Hn."