A New Leaf

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Notation: This takes place two months after the previous chapter. Rin is now five months pregnant. Oh and I made up the telepathy thing. As far as I know, that isn't canon. Happy reading.

Chapter 18

"Master Sasuke, I wouldn't do it again." Aoda shakes his head in amusement.

The snake was probably right. Doing it again would likely be a foolish move on his part. His wife had become a bit annoyed at his new favorite hobby. Which was touching her now obviously pregnant belly.

At first, the woman had thought it was cute. That he wanted to be close to their children. That was true, but now Rin was getting tired of the kicks that followed.

He chuckles at Aoda and shows him a basket of strawberries he had picked for his lover. "I think she'll forgive me." Just as long as he gave Rin her favorite pregnancy food.

Every time, he touched her stomach now, their son or daughter would kick. Sasuke liked to think that meant he or she knew that Sasuke was there. It was their child's way of greeting him.

Rin seemed to agree with this logic and in the beginning, that meant the expectant mother had giggled a lot over the now common occurrence. "That is a good peace offering, Master Sasuke." Yes, yes it was. It might even be enough to keep Rin from killing him when he did it again. "I'm still not entirely sure that this is wise though."

Sasuke had Summoned the enormous serpent to serve as their guard dog of sorts. Aoda now happily patrolled their land to keep any potential threats away from Rin. The woman thought he was crazy and the Uchiha knew that he probably was. Still, that wasn't going to stop him from doing everything that he possibly could to protect his family. No matter how ridiculous Rin might think he was acting.

"It probably isn't." Sasuke smiles at him. "That's not going to stop me though."

After all, if he had done what was wise he probably wouldn't still be in this world in the first place. Sasuke might have gone back before he fell in love with Rin, but those days were long gone. The thought of leaving her behind was unthinkable and Sasuke really didn't want to risk traveling to another dimension with his wife and their child later on.

There was no telling what sort of impact that would have on a kid. So Sasuke wouldn't risk it. Not even for Naruto. His brother in all, but name and the person he missed most from his home world.

Aoda shakes his head at him. "You do love to live dangerously, Master Sasuke." He eyes the other male in a slightly wary fashion. "I would come with you, but I can't fit into your house."

That was true. The Summon was simply too massive. While his home with Rin was large by the standards of the day, Aoda was enormous. The math just wouldn't work.

"Thanks, Aoda." He smiles at the reptile as he strides towards the house. "I'm sure that I'll be fine though." Hopefully.

Kaede chuckles as she looks over the fine silken kimonos that Rin had. "He does enjoy spoiling you." Quite a bit, apparently.

The young woman nods and smiles. "I told him that he doesn't need to give me this many gifts." Rin pats her stomach lightly. "Sasuke won't listen though and he insists that they aren't for me. He says he likes to unwrap his favorite gift."

The elderly miko raises an eyebrow at that. Kaede wasn't entirely certain that she wanted to know, but she would ask anyway. Curiosity could be a powerful force sometimes.

"Oh don't look so shocked." Sachi laughs softly. "We all know what Sasuke's favorite gift is in this case."

Yes, they did indeed. Clearly, the child was referring to herself. Damn, there she went and did it again. Kaede really did have to stop referring to Rin as that even in her own mind.

The elderly woman rubs the back of her head sheepishly. "Yes, I suppose that we all do know." It was hardly a mystery how the woman had gotten pregnant in the first place. "It seems as though their Honeymoon never really ended."

Rin blushes, but smiles at that. Well there was no point in denying what they all knew to be true, Kaede observes. Still, they had much to do.

"Have you been eating your herbs?" Sachi looks at the expectant mother with concern. "They're very good for both the mother and child."

Sachi had good reason to be as attentive towards Rin as possible. Kaede was no fool. She knew fully well that Lord Sesshomaru had sent his best healer to watch over Rin during her pregnancy and if anything went wrong, it would likely be Sachi's head that would roll.

She did feel a bit guilty that the demoness had to live under that sort of stress, but Kaede was glad that the woman was here. She had been a tremendous boon when it came to help Rin prepare for the wonders and struggles that came with impending motherhood.

Rin laughs softly and nods. "Yes, of course." She smiles slyly at her medic though. Too slyly. The woman was most assuredly up to something. "Do you have anything to calm one's anxiety though?"

"Oh, yes." Sachi nods as she reaches into her pack. "I always carry some with me. Are you feeling nervous about the delivery?"

Rin shakes her head. "No, but Sasuke could definitely use them." Pearls of laughter spill forth from her lips as she smiles fondly at the mere mention of her husband's name. "I think he's more worried than I am."

The demoness laughs and nods understandingly as she sets some lavender on the table. "Lavender is very soothing, but that's a good thing that he's so nervous." True enough, Kaede muses. "It just means that he cares and that means that he'll likely be a good father to your child."

That was also true. Though the Miko had never doubted that for a moment. It was impossible to miss the way that Sasuke looked at Rin and the way she looked at him.

Truly, there were some things that were timeless. Things that never changed. The Look of Love was one of them and those two most certainly had it.

"Lavender." Rin nods sagely. "Alright. I'll be sure to get him lots of lavender." She looks at her stomach again as though expecting the baby to be brought into this world at any moment. "Can you tell what it is yet?" She smiles mischievously at Sachi.

Rin never had been the most patient person. So it didn't necessarily surprise Kaede that she was trying to determine the gender of her child early. It was still amusing though. Very, very much so.

"Well one really never knows until the pup is brought into this world." Sachi laughs. It was likely that she was used to that question. "It would only be a guess though. I imagine that you'll be having a girl." She smiles at her.

Rin beams at her. "That would be nice. So would a boy though." She giggles at the thought and it didn't take long to find out why. "I can imagine Sasuke strutting about like a peacock when he teaches our son how to use the Fireball Jutsu. I just hope that he doesn't traumatize our daughter's future suitors though."

That was a fair point. Few people were as protective of Rin as Lord Sesshomaru, but Sasuke definitely fell into that category. So it was far from a stretch of the imagination to envision him treating their daughter in the same manner that he treated Rin.

"Those poor boys." Kaede mutters under her breath, while silently saying a prayer for them.

They were going to need it. There were few things more terrifying than an overprotective father. This was especially the case when that father happened to be a powerful warrior. Those poor boys didn't stand a chance against Sasuke Uchiha.

Kagura laughs as she rubs Sesshomaru's shoulders. "It's truly hard to tell who is more nervous." Her Mate was so tense these days. "You or Sasuke."

He was worried about Rin. She had scarcely ever seen Lord Fluffy this anxious about anything. He generally was someone who always had a plan and was secure in his abilities to bring that plan into fruition.

Generally. That was not the case today or since Rin's belly became rounder. Round with her first child. Sesshomaru really was a very overprotective grandfather. It didn't matter that he refused to admit it. Facts were facts.

"I've sent her our best healer." He was now half muttering to himself and half to her. "Sachi will ensure that everything proceeds as it should." The Lord of the West looks backwards at his Mate. "Is that not so?"

She smiles and kisses his forehead. "Yes, it's so." There were few people who could have cared for a pregnant person better than Sachi and Kaede was no slouch herself. "You don't need to worry so much." He really didn't. "Rin will be fine."

Rin would be fine and so would her pup. So Sesshomaru should stop torturing himself like this. The words hung heavily in the air. Unspoken, but heard all the same.

"You think that I'm being foolish." He sighs.

It wasn't a question because Sesshomaru already knew. He knew that Kagura thought that he was being foolish. That was okay though.

"Yes, I do." She smiles at him. "It's cute though. I do hope that by the time we have our first child, you'll be less anxious about the whole affair."

Sesshomaru blinks at that and his eyes widen in shock. Kagura wasn't sure why he was looking at her that way. She had just made a casual observation. The woman had only been teasing him.

It wasn't as though she was actually pregnant. "Sesshomaru, that is not what I meant!" For the love of the Gods and Goddesses, why had the man chosen now of all times to misunderstand her.

"Oh." He looks torn between embarrassment and disappointment. "I see. Well you would inform me immediately, if you were." The Demon Lord nods his head as if that was a foregone conclusion.

Kagura laughs and moves to sit in his lap. "Mmm. I don't know." It could be great fun to mess with him. "It might be amusing to have you figure it out on your own. I wonder, if you would faint from the shock of discovering that."

She could easily imagine that scenario. Sesshomaru was an extremely intimidating and powerful demon most of the time, but Kagura knew the truth. It would be a very different story when it came to his own children.

"Do not even joke about such a thing." Sesshomaru shakes his head. "I would need to know about such a thing immediately to ensure that you were well looked after."

It was far too much fun to mess with Lord Fluffy sometimes. "Oh I know that I'll be well looked after." Almost too much fun really. "You always take very good care of me, especially when those cuffs are involved."

That comment prompts Sesshomaru's cheeks to turn a very pale shade of pink. It was so faint that most would have missed it. Kagura didn't though.

She knew her Mate too well to miss such a thing. Drawing out even the slightest changes of facial expression in Sesshomaru was a game that she liked to play and Kagura played to win.

"I'm back." Sasuke smiles as he steps into the kitchen with the basket of strawberries. "I got these for you." He hands his lover the basket and then proceeds to kiss her cheek.

Rin shakes her head at that. She knew exactly what her husband was up to and it wasn't going to work. Though she did appreciate the strawberries. She wasn't really sure why, but their child adored them.

"I missed you, but no." She quickly sets the basket down on the table much to everyone's amusement. "No. You're not allowed to touch my stomach for the rest of the day. You're going to wear our son or daughter out at this rate."

She was only half joking. For some reason, their son or daughter seemed to know when it was Sasuke touching her belly vs. anyone else. It didn't matter how many times say Lady Sachi touched her belly, nothing happened. If Sasuke did though, it suddenly became an entirely different story.

Sasuke laughs at that and caresses her cheek. "Oh come on." The seductive tease. "Just one little kick and then I'll let you and the baby rest for the rest of the day."

She wanted to be annoyed at him and to a certain extent Rin was, but she couldn't. Not entirely. For someone like Sasuke, family was everything and it really was sweet. She just wished that their child wouldn't practice Lion's Barrages while they were inside her womb.

"You might as well humor him." Sango, Miroku, and their three children sneak into their home. "You know how men are." The Demon Slayer smiles at Rin slyly.

"How men are?" Sasuke and Miroku both raise an eyebrow at that as the women all giggle.

It was nice to have a feeling of camaraderie, but the other woman was right. Men could be rather stubborn creatures sometimes. She might as well humor him.

"Alright." Rin looks at her lover in exasperation. "Though if you do it again, I will be the one who Lion's Barrages you. Since that's what our child does to me, every time you touch my belly."

She wasn't even exaggerating. Their son or daughter already had a powerful kick and they hadn't even been born yet. He or she, really did take after their father. A lot.

"Deal." Sasuke smiles as he rubs her belly.

Kick. Kick. Kick! Yes, just like clockwork. As soon as Sasuke touched her belly, their child was ready to show off for their daddy. It would have been sweet, had Rin not been the punching bag in question.

"I was the same way with Sango." Miroku adds knowledgeably. "One just can't help, but want to feel the presence of their child."

Rin sighs and gives the Monk a dirty look for that. The last thing that she needed was for someone to encourage Sasuke to encourage their child to kick more.

She was happy every time they kicked because it meant that they were healthy and strong. Really though, Rin would have been happier if they could just ease up on the intensity of said kicks. That was all. Was that really so much to ask?

Well if nothing else, her Morning Sickness was over. That was something. Now, Rin just had to deal with the food cravings, the mood swings, and the kicking. She could handle this.

"You better stop harassing her." Inuyasha gives Sasuke a warning look. "You know, what will happen if Rin tells Sesshomaru about your little hobby and how much it annoys you."

Kagome slaps her forehead and sighs. "Inuyasha, let him be." She smiles at the happy family. Well the mostly happy family. "He's only teasing her and Rin knows that." Yeah. It was just a bit annoying. That was all.

"Exactly." Sasuke smiles smugly as he kisses Rin. "You know that I love you and our baby more than anything. Don't you?"

Rin smiles at that and kisses back. "Yes, we feel the same way about you." If he didn't stop with the belly rubs though, Rin was going to Chidori him though.

"Good." Sasuke smiles at her. "Then that's all that really matters." Yes, Rin supposed that was true.

Aoda smiles up at Garuda. Garuda was patrolling the skies. The two Summons had long ago figured out that it was best to just split their Hatchling Duties.

He would ensure that everything on land was safe and the hawk would patrol the air. It was a system that had worked out tremendously well for the both of them so far. Well at least it had in Aoda's mind anyway.

"Everything clear?" He looks up at the bird.

It was hard to tell what Garuda was thinking most of the time. The hawk didn't speak normally. He could communicate with other Summon's empathetically though. A fact which certainly made coordination with him much easier than it would have been otherwise.

Garuda nods at him. "Yes, everything looks fine from up here." There was a slight pause. "Did Master Sasuke really just go inside his home with strawberries in hopes of buying his Mate's affections?"

Aoda didn't really know what to say to that at first. In a way, it was true. That wasn't exactly what had happened, but it was close enough.

"I suppose you could say that." He nods his massive head. "It's more like he's trying to bribe her with food in hopes of getting more belly rubs."

"Oh that makes sense." The hawk quickly descends from the sky and lands next to Sasuke's other Summon. "Showing that you can hunt or gather for your intended is the best way to sire Hatchlings."

That was true. Humans were such strange creatures sometimes though. Aoda still to this day didn't understand how it took them so long to have only one (or sometimes two or three) Hatchlings.

It really did seem like such a long time and with so little pay off from an evolutionary standpoint. Nevermind. He didn't want to know.

"Yeah." The snake taps his tail energetically. "I can't wait to see the Hatchling. I'm sure they're going to be stunning." How could they not be when they had been sired by Master Sasuke?

Maybe, it was to make each Hatchling more precious to the humans? After expending so much time and energy into a single birth, that meant each child was infinitely more valuable. That might be it. That must be it.

"Me neither." Garuda stretches his regal wings lazily. "Do you think that it will be a boy or a girl Hatchling?"

Hmm. That was an interesting question. It was truly hard to say. In theory, both options had an equal chance of being right. In reality, Aoda knew it was a far different matter.

Different clutches, had different ratios. Usually, it had to do with temperature. Aoda doubted that would apply to humans though. They seemed to breed year round without there seeming to be a major difference in survival between any season, except for winter. Still, their Hatchlings did tend to survive being born in winter far more than most species did.

"I'd say a boy." Aoda smiles at his friend.

Garuda pauses for a moment as though considering the odds. "I think it will be a girl." Oh really? How interesting.

This could turn out to be quite the profitable bit of speculation on his part. He knew exactly what he would bet.

"If it's a boy, you have to give me some of your feathers and I'll turn them into a nice sweater." It would prove delightfully useful in the winter months.

Garuda squawks at that. His version of a laugh, the snake supposed. "Very well. If I win, you have to give me some of that wine stash you have hidden away for a rainy day." That sounded fine to him.

Aoda did love his wine. Sometimes, Master Sasuke would give it to him for a job well done. He had never known that the hawk had an interest in that sort of thing, but he was more than willing to risk parting with some wine for those feathers.

"Very well. His tail slides up and down excitedly. "I believe we have a deal." One that Aoda was confident that he would win.