Nocturne - Chapter Sixteen: Rekindled
Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)
o - o - o - o - o : Indicates scene or POV change
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
Inuyasha had been coming around more and more, little by little. All under the pretense of checking on her wellbeing. In reality, he came to see the baby, and Kagome was content to allow him the relationship. Being an uncle was probably the closest he would ever come to being a father. Plus, Kagome figured he had a soft spot for her little one, them both being of mixed blood and all.
She smiled as she watched him play with the baby. It also made her heartache.
Today, they both had been invited to attend dinner with Miroku and Sango's family. Inuyasha had arrived to walk with her and the baby, even offering to carry the child.
"Oi, Kagome. When are ya gonna name this runt?" Inuyasha held the baby out in front of him as he walked. The baby's hands and feet pumped in the air, delighted and amused.
Kagome sighed. "I'm not sure. I was still mulling over some names, but nothing seems to fit."
"Well, you can't keep calling it "the baby." It's just weird."
"She. Not it," Kagome corrected.
"Keh" was the only response she received.
The dinner was lovely and relaxing. Rin had even joined them as well after Kaede had settled for the evening. The children all loved Rin's vibrant personality, and she fawned over them all, primarily focusing on the baby.
When it came time to leave, Sango stopped Kagome. "Would you appreciate a night to yourself?"
"What are you offering?" Kagome asked. She eyed her friend suspiciously.
Sango gestured with her head over to Inuyasha. "I think you could use the time, baby-free, to mull things over."
Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, who was avoiding the smaller children's advances to becoming a plaything. They climbed over him and tugged at him while he growled playfully and swatted them away. "Are you trying to play matchmaker?"
Sango grinned, "No, of course not! Miroku put me up to it, in all honesty." As if hearing his name mentioned, Miroku looked over and gave a guilty wave. Even though both Sango and Miroku knew of her feelings, they seemed to hold out hope that their two friends would get back together.
She pursed her lips at him and turned back to Sango. "I think that being friends is enough for now."
"Sure, sure," Sango waved her off. "At any rate, let me keep your darling baby just for tonight. The children adore her, and this is the closest I will get to having another child. That's if Rin allows me even to hold her."
Rin had taken up her baby and held her ever since she had arrived. She cradled the child in her arms and spoke to her in a cooing fashion. "Who's the most beautiful baby in the world? You are! Who has the most beautiful blue eyes? You do!"
Kagome gave the offer some thought. "I suppose it would be nice to have a night off, even if it's just for a few hours."
"Fantastic! You should get going then and make the most of it!" Sango ran over to Inuyasha and shoo'd her children away from him. "Go on, leave poor Inuyasha alone. Go attack your father."
The children pouted and then rushed towards Miroku in a wave, jumping on him with boundless energy. "Hey! Take it easy on, Dad!" Miroku protested.
Kagome chuckled at the sight. "Thanks, Sango. I appreciate it." She looked over at Inuyasha. He had stood up and stretched to his full height, his arms raised behind his back, and once he noticed her looking at him, he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
She smiled and stepped over to him, "Walk me home?"
He gave a nod and followed her from the house. Outside, they both bid the family farewell, and Kagome gave her baby kisses and held her tiny hands with a finger. "Bye-bye, baby. Mama will see you soon." The small baby girl cooed and kicked her little feet with joy at her mother.
Kagome waved at the baby and her friend. Inuyasha waited several feet away with his hands behind his head. She looked over at him, and her heart filled with trepidation. Everyone expected her to make nice with him and get back together to become one big happy family. It wasn't that easy. Sure, she cared for him, and he for her, but if that were all it took to be happy, then there would never be split families in the world.
They walked together in silence. Inuyasha did not attempt to speak, preferring the silence to any awkward conversation. Except, the silence was just as uncomfortable. It seemed like an eternity before they reached the house they used to share. Kagome felt odd parting ways with him like this, but they were not ready for anything more.
Once they reached the house, they stood outside for a second, each waiting for the other to say or do something. Inuyasha finally stepped closer, looking at her earnestly. She felt her breath hitch in her chest, entirely unprepared for any forward advances.
"Kagome," he began before his brows drew together in consternation, and his eyes looked past her.
She felt something from behind. A presence, strange, yet familiar enveloped her. She could see Inuyasha's hackles rising, and he snarled.
"Brother," a voice from behind spoke.
"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha bit out.
Kagome swiveled around to see Sesshomaru appear, taking steps out from the shadows. How long he had been waiting, she was not sure, but he was here now. He looked resplendent as he strode forward, his eyes gleaming with something almost predatory. It caused a breath to hitch in her throat for an entirely different reason.
"Do you not dwell elsewhere?" Sesshomaru inquired blandly to his brother, but not without hints of threat.
Inuyasha deflated visibly, looking from Kagome to his brother. He glared at Sesshomaru, uttering a "Feh" before jumping off and leaving them alone.
Kagome watched Inuyasha leave, feeling somewhat relieved but annoyed all at once. "What do you think you are doing?" Kagome demanded. Who did he think he was? Coming here and acting like an alpha male.
He looked down upon her with assessing eyes. "This one has come to see...you," he said almost hesitantly, and it undoubtedly gave Kagome pause. The words caused butterflies to form and flutter indiscriminately around her middle. She had to turn her head to hide the smile that threatened to form.
"No, I mean...no!" She said, gripping at her temples. His admission to come to see her excited but flustered her. "You can't just come here and run people off. What do you think you are doing?"
"I do not like the smell of other males on you — especially that of Inuyasha. " His eyes cut up to ensure his brother had not lingered nearby.
There was that alpha male nonsense again. "Well, you don't get an opinion."
"Hnn" was his reply.
He stood before her, almost expectantly. She hadn't seen him in months, and now he was here. She was nearly lost for words. Except for terse ones, it seemed. "Come inside."
She led the way without checking to see if he followed, knowing he would. Her only confirmation was the sound of the door being moved aside. This time she did allow herself to smile.
Once inside, Sesshomaru looked around the room expectantly. Kagome bit her lip once she realized what he searched for.
"She's not here right now. She'll be back later," she told him. Kagome walked around the small house, tidying things up to keep herself from shaking. She was nervous that he had come. It wasn't something she would have ever expected but had held out a small amount of hope for.
"She?" he questioned. His face gave no tell as to whether he thought that to be good news. "Her name?"
"I...uh...have not given her a name yet," she admitted. She could feel him staring at her even with her back turned to him.
"A child should have a name. It is an ill omen to be nameless for an extended amount of time," he explained.
His voice crept closer, and Kagome could feel the warmth envelope her. She longed to lean into the warmth, but her subconscious crept in and gave her a swift kick, reminding her that he had not even been there for her when she most needed him.
"What's it to you, Sesshomaru?" she lashed out. "Why did you return? Did you not say you would not be returning after your bride came into the picture? Where is she in all this?"
"You have a barbarous tongue, woman, latent with many questions."
"That is not an answer," she replied mildly. It was useless asking him questions. They'd never even properly held a normal conversation, and now she was expecting him to be forthcoming with her. She quickly continued to busy herself with tidying — anything to keep from facing him.
He pulled her around, grabbing her by the wrist. "An answer is what you have already received, and all I am prepared to give at this time."
Perplexed, Kagome pulled her wrist away. He let her go, she knew. Had he wanted her restrained, she would not have been able to pull away. "What answer was that?" she prodded.
"Do not be glib with me," he responded with eyes narrowed.
She swallowed and met his gaze, feeling a lump forming in her throat. Now that he was here before her, she had no inclination of what to do or say. Not what she truly wanted to say.
o - o - o - o - o
He was nearly certain tears were forming in her eyes. It still astounded him how emotional humans could be. But this one...this one was different. She, for her whirlwind of emotions, often playing at opposite ends of the spectrum, made him feel things as well. Things he'd never known himself ever even to comprehend, but they were there, and she had been the catalyst.
He'd pushed them down, smothering their existence as soon as there had been an odd sensation in his chest. He had previously convinced himself that emotions were petty and weak.
Of course, it did had pained him to admit it was those feelings that had unlocked his greatest potential all those years ago when he had been faced with the loss of Rin. Even so, after a rendezvous with the woman standing before him, he had long denied that she had gotten under his skin.
It was not until he had been confronted with the onibaba and, in turn, his own misconceived notions that he realized that he was not weak. Nor had his father been weak for settling with a human.
He stared at the woman before him, and her dark blue eyes shone in the incandescent light of the small house. Not even the pale light shining could dull the sparkle those eyes held. And to behold such wondrous orbs watching him and only him gave him a sense of odd pleasure. Knowing that the shine of that gaze only lit for him. It made him ravenous with a different type of hunger; A hunger he had never had cause nor the ability to satiate. Yet here she was before him.
She had spoken to him callously, but he knew from the tremble of her hands and the uneven rhythm of her breathing that she was pleased he had come.
He placed a hand slightly below her chin and tilted it up. Had she any reservations of his intentions, they were no more as he listened to her heart pound within her chest.
She bit the edge of her lip lightly, causing a corner of her mouth to pout deliciously. There were a few places on her body he had not yet savored. Her supple rose lips seemed as good a place to start as any.
They quivered as he lowered his head to claim them, and he promised to do so much more before he was through.
A/N: You want another chapter? I should just do this Disney style and just cut to the next scene, right? *Dodges thrown objects*
Also, it was not uncommon in olden times not to name a baby right away. There was a tradition in China where babies were not given official names until after 100 days. Until the family settled on a formal name, they would give the baby a "milk name." That's just where my brain was going when I decided to wait to name the baby.
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