Pretty stoked about how quick I'm writing these chaps. May it continue forevermore. Rumiko Takahashi reigns supreme.
For the next three days Kagome avoided Inuyasha. She made sure to give him food and all the necassary medicinal applications, but she did so without providing any kind of conversation. He appeared to be fine with this as he simply focused on recuperating. When he was able to walk around the house, he made sure to do so religiously, taking any chance he could to exercise and go into rehab.
During this time, Kagome worked on her job and focused on her daily tasks at home. It was imperative that she do so.
The baby was making her horny.
Or rather, her pregnancy-which appeared to be somewhat conclusive since she had missed her period now for two months- was making her feel particularly randy, for lack of a better term. Kagome felt embarrassed and nonplussed.
While tending to Inuyasha, her mind wavered. Instead of focusing all of her attention on his health, she began to focus on him and his hoo-ha. She flushed. Had this ever occurred with any other woman before? She could not recall having heard anything about women becoming heated, as if they were some kind of feline. But who could she speak to about this? Kaede was single and old, having devoted her life to the priesthood. Such a thing required complete fidelity. Though Kagome herself understood the ways of the priestess, and had even been labeled as such for some time, she had not yet committed to the cause. Nor would she ever do so. She was married and preferred this lifestyle to one of celibacy.
Her other option, which was far more practical, led her to Sango. Surely Sango held enough experience to help enlighten Kagome on this delicate matter.
After she finished her duties, tending to the village temple and aiding Kaede with additional patients, she sought out her friend. The woman had three children and was tied to the randiest man on the planet. Kagome remembered how the couple had been before they married; Miroku was the kind of man who flirted with anything with breasts.
She smiled at the thought and continued on her way. Sango lived fairly close to Kagome's home. The group wanted to live nearby; their unbreakable friendship tying them together.
The day was fair as the wind was light, and the sky was filled with clouds. She ambled toward the woman's home, and when she approached her doorway, she tapped lightly on the wooden frame. Suddenly, Miroku and Sango's son peaked in from their main living quarters and said, "Who is it?"
Kagome shook her head with a smile and entered the home. She walked toward the young child and patted his head. "Hello, Kyo. Where is your mother?"
The few teeth he had beamed up at her with delight. "Kagome!" He hugged her tight, the six year old always having been an affectionate one. His sisters, on the other hand, were a rowdy bunch, often following after their father and tackling him. Kagome knew he loved this, and she hadn't failed to notice that Miroku managed to get what he had always wanted: girls chasing him. The irony of his situation humored her immensely.
Kyo grabbed onto Kagome's hand and led her to his mother. "She's out back," he said with his spiky up-do locks moving with him. They meandered through the house, until they made it to the back of the hall. Once outside, Kagome caught sight of her beloved friend placing clothes into pins, and hanging them onto a clothing rack.
"Mom, Kagome's here!" Kyo shouted.
She whirled around, jumping quickly. Then caught her breath when she saw Kagome and Kyo smiling.
"Hey, Kagome," she said.
"Hi. I don't-"
"What did I tell you about scaring me like that? You little monkey," Sango interrupted. Kagome had to blink in confusion because she briefly thought Sango was talking to her. But Sango walked over to her son and bent down to meet him at eye level.
The boy puckered his lips and Kagome gushed at how cute he looked. He was a mini version of his mother and even wore the same colored clothes as her, green and two shades of purple.
"I'm sorry, mommy. I just got excited."
Sango tapped him on his head and kissed his cheek. "No worries, my love." Then she stood to meet Kagome's gaze, and grinned. "How are you, Kagome? Is Inuyasha okay?"
Kagome sighed. "He's alright, considering the circumstances."
Sango then patted her shoulder. "He'll be fine soon enough." Kyo left the women to talk and they moved to where her basket of clothes lay. Together, they worked on the task of hanging each garb.
"So what brings you here?"
"Needed some space from the husband."
"He giving you a hard time?"
Kagome looked at Sango with a face that read really?
She chuckled. "Sorry."
"It's been five days and still he doesn't remember a thing."
"At least he's staying. I thought he would've run away by now."
Kagome sucked her teeth. "He did, the bounder. But Sesshomaru detered him, thankfully. I need to thank the demon when I see him next."
Sango agreed. "Did you see the necklace he brought Rin? His gifts are becoming more elaborate and fine." She gave Kagome a rather suggestive look, wriggling her eyebrows. She could not help but laugh.
"Almost as if he is trying to woo the girl," Kagome said. Though why Sesshomaru would ever feel the need to woo Rin boggled both their minds. Had he no idea truly that the girl was wrapped around his finger? She always had been. She was sixteen now, turning seventeen within a few months. Most women her age were being pursued by other men for marriage, but Rin had never shown interest to anyone except her precious Lord Sesshomaru. Kagome could understand why; the InuTaisho men were heartbreakingly handsome.
"I wonder if he's actually into her that way." The demon never showed emotion to anyone, and whenever he cared to visit Rin, he would always do so in private. Kagome decided then that she would one day take an opportunity to ask Rin what she thought. Perhaps the girl would divulge. She lived within the village for eight years now, but she had never been the type to speak her heart to anyone.
"I think he is. Why else would he come?"
Kagome shrugged. "Maybe he sees her as a daughter?"
Sango playfully barfed and Kagome even cringed. Rin clearly loved the demon but if he saw her as some sort of adopted child then perhaps Kagome's situation wasn't all that bad.
Kagome appreciated this segway of thought. It allowed her to think of something other than Inuyasha. But she visited Sango for a purpose, and so she decided to speak up. When the women finished, they moved into the house and sat in the main living room, and settled upon a group of cushions. Kagome could hear Kyo playing in his room with a wooden sword, slashing into his hay filled dummy. She pondered for a moment whether her son would be like that if she were to have one. The thought brought a wistful curve to her lips, as she attempted to imagine such a creature. She hoped the boy would have hair and ears like Inuyasha, with a far more benign temperament. If she had a girl, she wished the same.
Sango watched Kagome in silence waiting for her friend to speak. The woman appeared to be day dreaming, lost in whatever fiction she imagined. After some time, Sango cleared her throat. Kagome blinked, and muttered somewhat mortified, "Sorry about that."
"What's plaguing you?"
At that, Kagome's face flushed but Sango took it the wrong way. She arched a brow. "Ah," she said, her tone suggestive. "I understand."
Kagome realized what she was thinking and waved her hands quickly. "Not that! Well, not really." In truth, it had everything to do with sex.
Sango eyed her skeptically. "Really?" She snorted. "I would."
Kagome chortled and scratched her head. "I was actually thinking about what it would be like to have a son with Inuyasha."
Sango immediately froze and tightened her lips. She didnt know what to say, considering Kagome and Inuyasha had been trying to get with child for ages. "I-I see," she stammered.
"If I have a son I hope he is as sweet as Kyo."
Sango bit back a snort. Her son was a little devil behind closed doors. Yet she loved him just the same. She told Kagome, "Your time will come."
Once again, Kagome grew flustered, her face turning crimson. "Well, you see... That's why I came here today."
Sango stared. "I thought you wanted to get away from Inuyasha."
"That too!" Kagome cried. "But also. Ah..." Her lips pursed and she whispered something so low Sango had to lean in to hear.
"What?" she said. "Kagome, I can't hear you."
"I think I'm-" She mumbled something that sounded to Sango like perginnant and she frowned. She had no idea what Kagome was saying. Sango then sat back and rolled her eyes.
"Spit it out, Kagome."
Kagome twined her fingers together, her face remaining pink. "I've been feeling weird around Inuyasha. Weirder than usual."
"How so?"
"He and I... We are quite amorous. This is normal for married couples, I'm sure."
Sango gave a stiff nod. Everyone in the world knew about how amorous she and Miroku were. She waved her hand in a rolling gesture, informing Kagome to continue.
A torrent of words quickly spilled from her lips. "I haven't had my period in ages. Two months, I think. Maybe three. I don't know. It's pretty inconsistent so I can never predict its return. Inuyasha's good at that. He can smell something different in me when the blood is about to flow. Well, like I said, I haven't had it in a while, and I thought it was because I was pregnant, but then I doubted it because I haven't had any morning sickness and I remembered when my mom had Sota, and how she- she had morning sickness when she first got pregnant. But I don't have it. Is that normal? I mean, I hope its normal. I-"
Sango clapped her hand on Kagome's lap; the motion done to make Kagome stop talking. "Hold on!" she said. "You're talking way too fast and I need to process everything you said. "
Kagome breathed and tried to calm the heavy palpitations drumming through her heart.
Sango continued. "Let me get this straight. You haven't had your period in months."
Kagome nodded.
"But you haven't had any morning sickness, which would mark a clear indication of a pregnancy. "
"Yes."
"And now you're feeling weird with Inuyasha. What do you mean by 'weird'?"
"Weird-weird."
Sango sucked her teeth, exasperated. "How weird?"
"Like a cat."
Sango sputtered at such a thing but Kagome was serious so she sobered and said, "So you're in heat?"
"Uh-huh."
"Okay. Let me put this together: you haven't had your period, no morning sickness, but you're aroused; more so than usual."
"Mhmm."
Sango grew silent, her eyes pensive and somewhat lost. Kagome imagined calculations swirling over her head; the thought ludicrous yet entertaining. Her stomach fluttered, a butterfly yearning to soar. Both fear and excitement turned within her, afraid for Sango's reaction, yet eager to know what truth lay ahead.
A light bulb finally dawned, her lips forming an O. Then she sat up slowly, her back growing erect, and her eyes sparkled with something Kagome could not comprehend; not until they shimmered with tears- of joy, she hoped.
"Kagome?" she whispered, her voice a mere rasp.
"Yeah, Sango?"
"You're pregnant?"
Suddenly Kagome found herself weeping. Joy filled her, then a sense of grief, for she had wanted to share this information with Inuyasha first. But she could not tell him now. She knew not when she could ever divulge the most wonderful information she had ever encountered. He would not be able to handle it, of that she had no doubt.
Regardless, she let Sango hold her when she came to wrap her in her arms. The woman cried and made the oddest noises, sounding to Kagome like a normal girl. She had always been more of a tom-boy to Kagome, yet this reaction warmed her inside. It was everything she had hoped for.
"I'm so happy for you!" Sango cried. A moment later, she gasped. "Who knows? Does Inuyasha know? I mean, did he know before the knockout?"
Kagome bit her lip. "No."
Sango gasped again. "Does anyone else know? We have to tell Kaede. And Rin- we should tell Rin too!"
Kagome wanted so much to tell everyone she loved, but her heart longed to keep this information secret for now. After all, she had come here to ask Sango if what was happening to Kagome was normal. Was it? She hadn't even found her answer.
"I would love to tell the world," she opined. "But I can't- not yet. I actually came here to ask you if what is happening to me is normal."
Sango waved her hand. "Of course. I only had morning sickness for the twins. Kyo was an easy delivery. I was also very amorous with Miroku during both pregnacies."
Kagome's breath stopped. "Really? This is normal?"
Sango's reply was adamant. "I promise you, this is normal. Oh, I'm so happy for you!" She jumped up. "Finally! We must celebrate," she declared with her fist raised. "I'll cook a feast tonight worthy of your baby! He-or she-will love it so much, it'll start kicking in no time."
Kagome hesitated. "I don't know if that will be a good idea."
"We don't have to tell anyone why I'm feeding you."
"You won't tell Miroku?"
Sango snorted. "He won't even notice, his mind will be so focused on the food."
For the first time since Inuyasha's accident, Kagome felt a web of happiness surge. Finally, she had some good news to get her through the day.
She was pregnant, the idea made real. She could hardly believe it, yet here the truth lay in front of her. She looked down to her stomach, the skin covered by the red kimono she wore, and rested her hand there. A bump would soon form, new life revealing itself to the world.
Kagome already felt love for this person, her little Inuyasha.
Instead of the thought of him making her grow embittered and upset, she held onto her joy, like a moth to a flame.
And for the first time in days, she smiled with joy.
"I ain't really interested in socializing with your friends."
Kagome scowled.
After the high that came from her conversation with Sango, Inuyasha managed to make it crash and burn within seconds. She had forgotten how much of a grouch he could be and stood with her arms akimbo. This was the first time she had formally spoken to Inuyasha in a while and instead of being happy to see her, he didn't bother looking at her as he continued to exercise on his floor.
She breathed in and out in an attempt to gain composure. I am going to be a mother. He is going to be a father. I am happy. Remain happy.
"They invited us over, and it would be rude of us not to go," she told him, her voice the epitome of sugar and sweetness.
Inuyasha did one push-up, then another before he replied. "Nah, I'm good."
Screw happiness!
Kagome stomped her foot like a petulant child. "We're going and that's final!"
Inuyasha stopped exercising to look up at her. His eye brows were high with a look of incredulity. "And you're gonna make me go against my will how?"
Kagome looked down at him, her nose pointed high. "The beads," she snapped.
He immediately sent her an ominous look, but she swallowed her fear and held her ground. "We're going, Inuyasha. It'll be fun."
He sat up and folded his legs, his face a mask of fury and indignation. "I can't believe I married a hag like you," he mumbled under his breath.
But Kagome heard him and reeled back as if punched. Her face blanched, wiped clean of all blood.
X-X
Inuyasha turned away from her look of affront and focused his gaze to the window outside. He had been eager to spend the night exploring the village in an attempt to undertake the job Kagome claimed he did for a living. He wanted nothing to do with Kagome and her friends. Sure, they were supposed to be his too, but he wasn't in the mood to socialize. He simply wanted to focus on his progress. His headaches were coming less frequently, and soon he wouldn't need Kagome to come to him every night and apply her salves.
He didn't know what to say to the woman when she was near, her presence causing him to go into a state of stupor. He couldn't get her lust filled image out of his head and it plagued him night and day, dragging his body to go into a fit of need. Disgust filled him for he had never felt this way for another person. Since he lived in solitude for the majority of his existence, he had next to no experience with the opposite sex. Kagome clearly did, most likely with him, but he couldn't bring himself to accept such a thing. It simply felt wrong.
The night before, he had made use of his time alone venturing out of the village. At one point, he caught sight of a small pond and looked at his reflection. The face he saw there was familiar and all his, but certain aspects of it appeared older. A human would not be able to detect it, but he noticed how much his face changed; the way his eyes held small wrinkles, lines which had never been there before. And the way his body seemed more toned and stronger, his muscles thick and firm.
He knew then that he really had lost his memory, and this time he lived in was a world of its own; one he could never have conjured for himself. He had friends, a wife and a job. A normal existence, if he had ever seen one, when he had always pictured himself to be a free-range kind of person. Was this a life he really wanted for himself? He didn't know, yet at least. Everything was still too confusing to fully grasp.
He continued to stare at the window. A sparrow perched itself on the ledge, whistling a tune with its head looking side to side, a frantic gesture of sorts. It reminded Inuyasha of himself since the creature looked both lost and agitated. Yet he was envious of it in the way that it could fly away from its troubles, a privilege Inuyasha could not take part in no matter how far he roamed.
Kagome remained in the room, though she was no longer focusing her attention on him. Instead, she worked on tidying up the area. She picked up some of his clothes and placed it into a hay woven basket. Then she took a sword, and lay it onto a wall mount. Inuyasha sent her a side-long glance, unsettled by her silence. What was she thinking while she cleaned?
She's thinking you're an ass.
He didn't doubt that. Ever since he had awoken, he treated the woman with a tinge of contempt. First it had been suspicion which plagued him, then agitation. She didn't deserve it, he knew, and he found himself feeling sorry for her, recognizing that his behavior was atrocious. If she had been the one to lose her memory, he knew he would hate for her to treat him the way he did. Pity gnawed at his nerves and he decided to try being more accommodating. For this night, he would compromise. She wanted him to socialize with her and her friends. Fine. He would go. He wasn't going to fake contentment, but he would go, nonetheless. She would have to accept that from him.
He gestured toward the sword. "Is that mine?" he asked softly so as not to startle her.
Her back became erect, like a board meant to cut food with. She looked at him briefly before returning her eyes to the sword. "Yes."
"Where did I get it?"
"Your father gave it to you as a gift. His grave was a pebble within your eye."
At that, he scoffed. "Yeah, right."
She smirked. "As crazy as it sounds, it's true."
Inuyasha stared at her. "How the heck did that turn out?"
She pointed at the sword. "With you getting that. It's called Tessaiga."
"Tessaiga," he said, testing the name on his lips. No memories swamped him at the mention of it, but he liked the name all the same. "What does it do?"
X-X
Kagome understood Inuyasha well enough to know that he was using this conversation as a form of amends. Her heart swelled at the thought and she turned to face him. No matter how much of a jerk he could be, he would always relent and try to fix things. How she loved that about him. How she missed it.
Inuyasha didn't move his gaze away from her when she sat close to him. Instead, he listened to her when she explained everything she knew about his Tessaiga.
"It is a very powerful weapon," she divulged. "One rivaled only by the sword that Sesshomaru holds by his side. His is called Bakusaiga."
"Was it also given to him by my father?"
"No. Your father wanted to give you his sword since you're a half demon, but he wanted Sesshomaru to earn his own weapon; one never used before."
The corner of his mouth lifted up in a wry mockery of a smile. "How'd Sesshomaru earn his?"
"He had to let go of his desire to obtain your father's sword. For a time, he had been obsessed with it. You actually fought him and cut off his arm when he tried to take it from you."
Inuyasha choked. He could hardly believe he had ever done such a thing. Sesshomaru was a formidable foe and could fight demons with ease. Surely, if he wanted to, he could have killed Inuyasha in an instant, no matter how begrudging this admission was. He looked at his Tessaiga again, knowing that he managed to defeat his half brother only because of that weapon. He would have to use it one of these days to witness its power. Soon, he thought with relish. He could hardly wait, now eager to take it off of its mantel and wield it.
Kagome continued to tell Inuyasha about his sword and he listened to her in rapt wonder. He absorbed all that she spoke, like food for the mind. Before he knew it, time had flown by and they were upon the hour at which Kagome said she wanted to head out to Sango's place. Despite feeling reluctant before, he now seemed somewhat eager for this trip. Perhaps he could learn more about his sword, as well as the life he once lived.
For the moment, it piqued his interest.
For Kagome, this was enough.