Understanding

Kagome thought Inuyasha's visit with Sesshomaru's mother had resolved their problem; solved the cause of his depression and refusal to touch her since her second miscarriage.

It hadn't.

Sango's admission that she was pregnant again made Kagome start counting days. She realized that while Inuyasha had been as intimate as she could wish, he had avoided intercourse the last two times she should have been fertile.

That hurt. Her first instinct was to storm him, crying out and demanding answers.

Experience and love calmed that first reaction. Nearly four years since her return, Inuyasha still did not easily talk about his feelings. She did not want him to feel trapped; to feel forced to speak. She did not want to see panic in his eyes.

She fixed some of his favorites for supper, and ignored his wary looks during the meal, chattering about inconsequentials. After, she requested a ride, to which he happily agreed. Kagome enjoyed the wind and the feel of his strong body, emptying her mind in a kind of meditation.

It took little prompting to end under Goshinboku. He turned to face her as she slid down. Kagome smiled and thanked him, but noticed that his left ear was twitching, and he was tensing.

She wasn't surprising. He must surely have been filling guilty, and dreading her reaction. She rubbed his ear until it stopped twitching. Then, she seated herself, and let the tree's calming presence flow through her. Eyes closed, Kagome waited, and then asked,

"Inuyasha, do you still want children?"

He gasped. She heard his harsh breathing; felt his aura shaking. Kagome waited, breathing in the patience of the tree.

Inuyasha snatched her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I'm—sorry."

She rubbed his back. "I forgive you," she murmured. "Just—why?"

"I-I'm afraid." His voice caught. "I-I smell you in heat, smell your desire, and I—I remember. It was so awful, and-and Sesshomaru's mother, she refused to say why they didn't have any more pups…"

"Oh, Inuyasha." She hugged him as hard as she could. "I'm afraid, too."

He held her away, surprised. "You are?"

Kagome dried his cheekbones with her thumbs. "Yes." She didn't say 'of course'. "Even in my time, pregnancies go wrong, even with all their medicine. I'm afraid. But, I still want to try."

"You could have had children with a human," he whispered.

"I chose you."

Fresh tears spangled his eyes. He opened his mouth, but Kagome forestalled any self-deprecating words, grabbing his side locks, pulling his face down for kiss. He responded enthusiastically, but complained when they came up for air. "Why do you always pull my hair? Even that first time."

She laughed softly. "It works, doesn't it?"

They kissed again, and Kagome felt his tension easing. She gave herself to the moment, knowing she'd have to raise the issue again when her fertile time came, but confident he would come through.

She only hoped that fates would finally be kind...


Author's Note: This piece was written for the prompt 'Trapped' for the Inuyasha FanFiction community on LiveJournal. It was originally posted on January 9, 2012. This piece takes place several months after (the separate oneshot "Intervention." (2/15/2012)