Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.


Sister

Tucking his final report into an inside vest pocket, Shippo waved farewell to his friends and fellow kitsunes, jumped and transformed into the falcon form he'd been working on perfecting for the last year. It was much faster than his pink bubble form, but it also took intense concentration to hold to the form and maintain the speed.

He managed until mid-morning, before he lost control, and popped back to his usual form. He fell for several seconds, panting, then re-transformed into his more familiar bubble form. It drifted down to the ground next to a stream, where he popped back.

One drink, one snack, and one nap later, Shippo pulled out his report and looked at it, still feeling a sense of disbelief. How had he managed to go up two full ranks in the latest kitsune exam? He hadn't even planned to attend this year, with Kagome so heavily pregnant, and everyone praying that this time, she would make it to full term and birth a healthy, living baby. But, when the reminder leaf arrived, and he had declared his intention to stay home, Inuyasha had literally kicked him out of the hut, yelling that the kitsune should just leave and get out of his hair for a few days.

Shippo growled to himself, still annoyed. He knew that Inuyasha had wound up tighter and tighter as the pregnancy progressed: he'd never seen the hanyo as short-tempered as he'd been the last few months. But, still! He hadn't pranked Inuyasha since the pregnancy had been announced: he'd been trying to help! And that was the thanks he got?

Inuyasha, I am so going to prank you, after the baby gets born, he thought to himself.

But, he couldn't suppress a shiver. If the baby were born alive. It had gotten a lot further along than the first two. Kaede kept saying that everything looked good, but what if she were wrong? He had to get back!

… … …

It was late night when Shippo got back to the village. The kitsune dropped to the roof of Inuyasha's hut, panted for a few moments, and then closed his eyes, to better concentrate on eavesdropping on the what might be going on inside. He didn't want to go inside without knowing what was going on.

At first, he heard nothing. Well, it was late, and Kagome, at least, was apt to be asleep. And his ears weren't so sharp that he'd be able to hear breathing through the thick thatch.

"She's … so … beautiful …"

Shippo's eyes opened wide. That was Inuyasha's voice! Barely a whisper, but there was something about that voice that was—different. But, what?

"Yes, she is."

That was Kagome, sounding tired, but happy.

Tired? Happy?

Realization hit like a thunderbolt. It was here! The baby was here!

He scrambled down to the edge of the roof, jumped down, and threw back the shoji to bolt into the hut, only to slide to a stop as Inuyasha appeared in front of him with a snarl, claws and fangs at ready, ears flat.

"Eep!" Shippo flattened himself. "Sorry! Don't hurt me! I just got back, and I overheard—the baby's here, isn't it? I just want to see her! Please? Pretty please?"

Inuyasha breathed hard, twice, and then blinked and relaxed. "Keh. Stupid runt." He turned around. "Come on."

Shippo followed gingerly, not approaching the futon until Inuyasha had reseated himself and wrapped himself around Kagome. Kagome's arms were occupied, holding something to her breast. Lamplight glinted off a thatch of white hair. Eyes wide, on hands and feet, Shippo crept closer.

Kagome looked at him and smiled. "Welcome back, Shippo. How did the exam go?"

"Okay, I guess," Shippo replied absently, his attention fixed on the baby. "It's really here."

Kagome smiled. "She was a bit earlier than Kaede thought she'd be: she will be impatient, like her father."

"Keh!"

"And she looks just like him," she added.

Shippo's sense of mischief stirred. "Then, how can she be 'beautiful'? Everybody knows, that's the last word you'd use to describe Inuyasha—"

The hanyo growled. Kagome gave a soft laugh.

"I'd call him 'handsome', myself," she said. "But all babies are beautiful. Soon as she's finished eating, you'll see."

Shippo settled down to wait, watching avidly. He'd watched Sango and Miroku with their babies, of course. But, this was different. This was Kagome and Inuyasha. This was a white-haired little baby that smelled of milk and youkai and human.

The baby finished eating. Kagome held her to her shoulder, patting her back, until Shippo heard a tiny burp. Then she was being cradled on her back, again.

"Would you like to hold your new sister, Shippo?"

Shippo snapped his gaze to Kagome's face. "Sister?"

She smiled. "You're family, Shippo. Of course, she's your sister."

Wide-eyed, Shippo accepted the tiny infant. Golden eyes blinked sleepily at him, then slid closed. While holding the infant closely, the kitsune took in every detail of the tiny girl, smell and sight, from limp ears and white hair to tiny fingers and toes tipped with the hint of claws.

Something powerful welled up in him, bringing tears to his eyes. "Sister," he whispered. "My sister."

He'd never had a sibling. His mother had died, then his father, leaving him alone. Inuyasha and Kagome had rescued him, taken care of him. He'd become fond of them, maybe even loved them, even imagined Inuyasha as an older brother, Kagome as almost a mother. But this …

"You're my sister," he declared softly. He could imagine the startled, even incredulous looks his kitsune friends would give him, if they heard, but he didn't care. "Inuyasha may be your papa, and Kagome your mama, but I'm your big brother. I'm going to take care of you, protect you. Even if something gets past Inuyasha, it won't get past me. Promise."

He heard Inuyasha snort at his promise, but cared no more for that, than for the imagined disdain of the other kitsunes. And when Kagome took the baby back, settling down to sleep, he found his hair being ruffled by a clawed hand, and then found himself in the middle of the futon, where he'd not been allowed before. And he knew, as he drifted off to sleep, that he truly did have a family.


Author's Note: This was written for the prompt "Eavesdropping", for the LiveJournal community "At First Tweak." It was originally posted on July 3rd, 2011. It placed second. (7/27/11)