Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters do not belong to me and I make no profit form this fanwork.
This is a sweet and romantic fluff.
Please Enjoy~
Kagome felt the change in the air and the wind when she turned 22. An year after her return to the Feudal Era, she felt changed, matured and all too old. She felt her life slipping away each day on a stalemate as if nothing had changed and something had already changed. She felt anxious, disturbed and the feeling of something unnoticeable grew in the pit of her stomach.
On such a frigid and gloomy day of early winter Sesshomaru visited her in her small hut which the villagers had made for her to live in. His cold face and arrogant behaviour did not disturb her anymore. She had somehow learnt to accept him just the way he was, a bit cold on the outside but brimming with warmth on the inside.
"Welcome home, Onii-san!" This was their little greeting that they had made in the last year. The first time she had called him so, she remembered how furious he had become, but eventually accepted the greeting.
"Kagome, I am back!" His deep voice made her feel all too welcomed. His presence had a way of making her feel comfortable, warm and accompanied. It was a weird feeling she could not describe through social relationships. It was something she felt was special only in between them.
A small plate of sweets and tea later a very strange discussion filled the air of the little hut.
"I would have to ask you not to marry my half-brother."
Kagome frowned naturally. She and Inuyasha were scheduled to be married in this month. The entire village was excited and quite a lot of arrangements had already been made. But this...was unexpected.
"I would like a reason Sesshomaru."
He placed down his tea and inclined his head, "Of course. I would never ask you for anything unreasonable." His voice was mellow, the edges of his frigid temperament abscent in it.
"One who is capable of committing infidelity once, would always continue the chain."
His serious acquisition brought a lot of questions in Kagome's head but her trust in Sesshomaru made her look at the situation through his eyes.
She said nothing and only inclined her head.
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Rin's growth spurt came all too fast and his ward had grown up just like that. She resembled Kagome almost like an image. The young Kagome, the immature, curious and rebellious Kagome. He had known for quite a long time that she would grow up to become just like the Miko. But nothing could have prepared him for the increased interaction between his ward and his brother, or the fond look in his brother's eyes when he carried Rin on his back and ran through the forest of Inuyasha.
His alarm rose and he realised the only person who could make a difference was Kagome. He did not waste a moment and informed her.
His insight had been correct.
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Kagome's vigilance increased tenfolds and she saw something she had decided to ignore for a long time. Rin's reflection in Inuyasha's eyes. The victim this time was all too clear then, and Kagome took a spurt decision.
The next day in the morning she called Inuyasha to her hut and confronted him.
"Inuyasha, I think it is time you let Kikyo go."
"What are you talking about? I already told you Kagome, I have already let go of her." Inuyasha's annoyance was just and she coaxed him softly.
"No Inuyasha. You still hold her reflection in your heart. The kind Kikyo, the innocent Kikyo, the immature Kikyo, the wild and rebellious Kikyo. It is time Inu, let go of her. Stop hurting yourself, others. Find someone else to love who is not the Kikyo you fell in love with." She stroked his cheek and looked into his eyes meaningfully.
"Kagome, what? You...are you breaking up?" Inuyasha was shaken and unable to understand a word she was saying.
"Inuyasha, please...grow up."
And with those parting words, Kagome picked her already packed luggage and walked towards the surrounding forest, a smile unknowingly on her face. A smile of relief and utter freedom.
She stopped a while when she saw Rin's face full of tears.
"Rin, be careful who you give your heart to."
The words were heavy but Kagome kissed the head of the girl she saw as a daughter and left the village behind, to find a path of her own.
------------
Not a week later, she was joined by the great dog-demon on her journey.
She smiled when she saw him on the edge of Edo after a long week of walking.
"You were waiting?" She all but laughed.
"Yes."
"Are you not worried about Rin?" She asked him a bit guilty that she had left behind the little girl. But she already knew that she had to leave to show Inuyasha the truth of his mistakes, to allow his maturity and understanding to blossom.
"Rin's life is her own. She had already told me so in a few select words the last time we met."
"Oh, are we talking about teenage drama?" Kagome laughed in amusement.
"Not a whole lot different from you." He smirked back.
"Why, yes. I remember the time we were all so young. I even pointed a sword at you, oh...the audacity." Kagome sighed almost dramatically.
Sesshomaru's lips twitched in amusement.
They walked by a small stream and both enjoyed the silence for a while before he continued.
"I warned her to remember the pain and suffering the Shikon had caused."
At that time, his face was all too fatherly, lost and worried, scared that his daughter would make a mistake unknowingly.
She silently grasped his hand in hers but did not intertwine their fingers. Sesshomaru looked almost shocked but did not move away. Kagome smiled at him warmly.
"She is an intelligent kid, after all we are the ones who raised her. She will never make a mistake." Kagome's voice was filled with motherly pride, a mother who believed in her child's independence and maturity.
"She will learn, she has to. We did the correct thing. Rin is already 15, she needed to be allowed space for growth. A space where she did not have her parents to rely on." Sesshomaru said all too seriously and Kagome had to agree.
But she was a mother and her heart was not steady. She wanted to turn around and go back to her girl. But she knew very well how much independence was necessary. She willed her heart to harden and ran forward, pulling Sesshomaru behind her.
"Let us go to the next village. I heard they had a demonic infestation, we should help them."
With that, they departed towards a long furture.
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6 years later, they had decided to settle down on his lands. A minimal residence was made for them and they converted the building into an orphanage.
Rin and Kohaku had found them some 5 years later after her departure and informed them that Rin was now learning the arts of a demon slayer and the romance between her and Kohaku was felt all too transparently. Kagome had smiled and thanked the heavens for helping her little girl grow up so much. She absolutely admired and approved of Kohaku and knew very well that Sesshomaru did as well. After all, Kohaku was probably the most reliable and perfect candidate for their little Rin.
But ever since then, they would stop by after a mission and at times dump orphaned kids in their laps. They somehow decided that the demon lord and the miko would make perfect parents to abandoned kids. The duo did nothing but sigh in defeat and accepted the duty, built an orphanage and settled down with a crowd of more than 15 kids.
Kagome snorted in disbelief and felt her treacherous hand migrating towards her back to relieve the suspicious pain she suddenly felt at the sight of the fire cat. She had felt Kirara's arrival and had stepped out of their home along with Sesshomaru. The kids were back and with another half-demon baby in Rin's arms.
"Another one?" Kagome shouted in disbelief as she relieved Rin of the small bundle as Kohaku helped her to dismount off Kirara.
"Of course." Rin snorted in answer.
Kagome was absolutely stupidified. Another one? They already had 15 mouths to feed, now another one? But as she looked down into the half dazed emerald eyes of the sleepy bundle, her eyes softened and she accepted defeat as she nuzzled the baby close to herself.
Sesshomaru sighed and closed his eyes in defeat as well, shaking his head, tired. But all the same moved closer to rub the small baby's soft tuft of hair.
Rin and kohaku shared a conspiratory smile and cleared their throat loudly.
Both Sesshomaru and Kagome jumped, startled out of their little family bonding world and glared at the young adults in front of them who only snickered in return.
"Well, we decided to help you both out since you have decided to never profess affections and have any of your own." Rin said, her tone high pitched and dramatic.
Sesshomaru and Kagome rolled their eyes. The two had somehow teamed up together and had already decide to tease them.
"Yeah whatever guys, you know it is not like that." Kagome still said defensively.
Rin snorted in amusement and then after quickly hugging Kagome and giving her a goodbye kiss, they mounted back on Kirara.
Before the firecat left, Rin shouted suddenly, "The next month is our wedding, you guys are cordially invited."
Kagome shouted angrily, "Hey, that is all your parents get? A two second invitation? This is what you give us for raising you for so long? Kids, they are always like this."
Sesshomaru could only stare at the departing cat in shock and then shook his head once again, reentering their house and pulling the angry cat named Kagome with an equally wailing baby in her arms.
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After the grand wedding of Rin and Kohaku in Sango's village, a warm meal was placed in front of the 'cordially invited' guests as they stared at the two young adults dancing lavishly.
Sesshomaru hummed suddenly, "How time passes. The rest of the little ones would also grow up before we know."
Kagome relished the warm marriage feast and looked up, at his sudden statement.
His almost melancholic expression would have been a shocker to Kagome before but not anymore. She had seen it many times before when the kids at the orphanage would loose a milk teeth or the half-demons would suddenly begin teething. She knew how much he had grown attached to the little ones and his natural attraction to parenting.
"You can always mate a high lady and have some of your own." She said a little jokingly.
But his tone was suddenly serious, almost angry at her, "Never."
She was suddenly startled, "What, why not? Lady mother would want you to have an heir." She reminded him sternly.
"I am unwilling." He was stubborn as always. Kagome shook her head in fondness.
"Well, then you would stay all alone. How long?"
"I have you." His soft reply made her heart skip a beat. She looked up at him, her eyes suddenly misty.
Then she smiled weakly, "Yes, and when I get married?"
She stole a gaze to see his reaction and almost laughed at his frown, but snorted when he suddenly declared arrogantly, "Yes, but this one has to approve of them first."
"Of course." She smiled widely and then a small understanding was passed between their gazes.
Soon the feast ended and they rose to give the married paired their blessings.
---------------
"Mama! Papa!" A gaggle of small bodies rushed towards the two and hugged them tightly.
"Oh, did my little stars finish their class?" Kagome asked amused at their behaviour.
An young man walked to them and bowed deeply, "Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama, the class has ended for today."
His eyes rested on Kagome and stared at her a bit too long and Sesshomaru released a suspiciously low-pitched warning growl. The man looked startled and bowed towards him in apology.
"Aki and Haru were exceptional today!" The man smiled as he tousled the hair of the two young human brothers.
The western lands, where the orphanage was built had been a very nice environment to raise all their 16 foster children. The village had been very welcoming to the Lord of their lands and the Miko who had saved Japan. They were almost a sacred figure in the humble village and they had been given humble rations of food and clothing for the kids ever since. Kagome had been truly grateful for their acceptance and respect. They had only small hiccups in raising the kids, thanks to the villagers help.
Kagome smiled fondly at the two children, "Very good, then a hotpot tonight?" She asked them in mock excitement and the kids jumped with joy.
Sesshomaru smiled slightly and dismissed the young teacher with an incline of his head. Then he picked up the two human boys on his shoulders who squealed in glee and carried them inside the house. Kagome followed with a smile.
One huge hotpot and three more bed time stories later the children laid down snoring.
She silently walked to Sesshomaru who was smoking a pipe lazily, inclining against the shoji door leading to their small garden.
"Have you heard anything from Inuyasha recently?" She asked him silently as she shivered mildly.
Sesshomaru spared a side eyed glance at the little shivering woman and pulled her into his warm mokomoko, wrapping her in his arms and placing his chin on her head.
"Hn..."
"Shall we visit him tommorow?" She looked up at him from underneath her bangs and felt his eyes frost over.
She hit his shoulder lightly, "No, you big possessive dog. It is not like that. I feel a little bit guilty." She confessed, biting her lips slightly.
Sesshomaru frowned and said coldly, "He is mated to one of the wolves relatives." His nose wrinkled in anger.
Kagome turned in his arms and stared at his angry gaze in shock and then she burst out in laughter, "Oh God, Kouga allowed that?"
Kagome could not help but laugh. This was too ridiculous.
Sesshomaru smirked, "They had a pack fight and Inuyasha won...unsurprisingly." He finished with a little pride.
"Then let's go visit them. Oh God... this is too precious to miss." She could not stop her laughter.
Sesshomaru smiled indulgently and patted her head twice, "Okay."
--------------
The next week found the mismatched duo in the entrance mouth of Kouga's pack caves. The wolf prince came out instantly, his speed not at all deterred due to the shard's loss, but actually increased. Kagome guessed he had an increase in his demonic powers as well, she smiled softly. The wolf immediately took 'his woman' into his arms and gave her a passionate hug.
"So have you finally decided to become my woman?" The wolf asked playfully as he was instantly swatted by his red-headed mate who had also arrived soon after.
"Kagome!" Ayame shouted and hugged her bossom buddy instantly. The demon lord and the wolf prince rolled their eyes instantly at the utter feminine display.
"Ayame-chan!" Kagome squeezed back happily in return.
A voice came from the inside of the cave and a figure wearing red emerged from the black darkness, "Yo, traitor! So you finally decide to come back?" Inuyasha snorted playfully and opened his arms for a crying Kagome who jumped into his arms and cried into his clothing loudly.
"I am sorry Inu, I shouldn't have left you like that, that day."
Inuyasha smiled and buried his nose into her familiar scent, "I am glad you did Kagome!"
The confession surprised Kagome and she wiggled out of his hug and stared at him with wide eyes.
"I wouldn't have let go of her shadow otherwise. Thank you Kagome, you helped me grow up and understand my heart." Inuyasha withdrew from Kagome then, and pulled a beautiful demoness from the cave, "She is my mate, Kanako. Isn't she pretty?" Inuyasha asked Kagome, desperate for her approval.
Kagome was shocked for a while and then she walked to the enchanting looking wolf demoness, beautiful lemon green hair and startling crystal blue eyes. Kagome smiled at the other warmly and the smile was instanly returned with vigour. The demoness gasped suddenly and pulled Kagome into a hug, "Are you the older sister our clan has adored so much? It is so nice to meet you, older sister, Kagome!"
Kagome giggled slightly and then pulled away, wiping her eyes.
"Inu, she is perfect. Congratulations!" Kagome said, glowing from happiness. Inuyasha was always affected by her moods and even his heart lightened. He smiled warmly at her.
Sesshomaru cleared his throat feeling peeved for being forgotten. Inuyasha looked up, rolled his eyes, snorted and invited his brother inside the cave.
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Almost three hours had passed since they had been here, the cave was dimly lit by the candles and a lively conversation was taking place.
"So, we met and she was this spit fire wolf who suddenly challenged me saying she wanted to sharpen her claws on Tessaiga. I was livid and fought her for an entire day. After that we both collapsed and somehow started to laugh madly. I was burdened with Kagome's decision for so long but strangely after fighting Kanako, I felt a lot better. That day she left but then was back after a month. This continued and we ended up asking Kouga for pack and mating rights." Inuyasha finished his grand romance story and Kouga snickered in amusement.
Everyone joined him and Sesshomaru smirked lightly.
Then the question was presented to them suddenly.
"So, when are you two going to tie the knot?" Surprisingly Inuyasha was the one to ask.
"What...what? It's not like that." Kagome squeaked mortified.
"Heh..." There was a suggestive tone to Ayame.
"We have not been in any romantic relationship...yet." Sesshomaru replied softly,
Kouga snorted loudly, "That is what you get Kagome for rejecting This Lord Kouga and the mangy mutt Inuyasha."
Inuyasha shouted instantly, "Hey, why am I the mangy mutt and you the lord?"
Kagome laughed at the familiar growling between the two and softly said, "Osuwari!"
Inuyasha faceplanted the floor loudly and the cave was filled with laughter once again.
-------------------
They had returned after a week of staying at Kouga's caves.
Kagome laid down on her usual spot in bed beside Sesshomaru and looked at him thoughtfully, the light of the lamp warming his face and casting playful shadows.
"I have been thinking..." She started and Sesshomaru turned from his bound scroll to look down at Kagome. "You know, you can go and mate someone you like...I am not really your responsibility."
"Why this again?" He asked softly, his voice warm.
"I know, I had sort of tagged along with you that time, but we...we are not like that and I do not want to hold you back." Kagome said seriously but her heart tightened from the fear of his acceptance, from the fear of loneliness.
"I am content." Sesshomaru said as he ran his claws through Kagome's hair.
"It is not about that. I...we...we can only live like this for so long."
"Why?" He asked a bit ruffled.
"I don't want to hold you back. The kids will grow up and they would pass away and then we would have nothing left. How many more years? 300, after that you would also be tired of living like this."
Sesshomaru frowned.
Kagome sat up in frustration, "Does your instincts not call you to mate? How long will you live like this for me?"
"Kagome!"
"No...no..." Kagome was hysterical suddenly, "You know that I will live an immortal now, the Shikon took away my chance, my freedom. I don't want to take away yours. Eventually, I know I have to stay alone."
Sesshomaru wiped her eyes and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, "I will be there."
"For how long, how long? Can you live without a mate, an heir, a family? Just because you feel I am your responsibility?" Kagome shouted, exasperated.
"But I don't!" Kagome was suddenly silence by his words. " I want to be with you." Kagome was dumbfounded.
"Wha...what?" A tear slipped down her eye.
"I will always be with you, because I want to." Sesshomaru elaborated, his eyes warm with feelings.
"Then...then...what about, you know urges?" Kagome blushed.
Sesshomaru smirked, "What about them?"
"You...you don't get them?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then..." Kagome choked.
"Then?" He teased her with an evil smirk.
"You can you know go to brothels, or take lovers. You do not have to stop yourself for me." Kagome frowned and said.
Sesshomaru frowned.
"No!"
"What...what?"
"Are you concerned about my urges?" His teasing tone was back and he leaned towards her, Kagome blushed deeply.
"Then marry me!" Sesshomaru suddenly confessed and kissed her deeply.
Kagome melted into his kiss and returned it with equal vigour.
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Two months later, the two celebrated a grand wedding and Inuyasha snickered throughout, drinking unbelievable number of sake cups.
"You are about to be collared, big brother." Inuyasha cackled and teased a stiff faced Sesshomaru who pouted in suppressed anger.
A well timed 'Osuwari' did wonders for his mood though and he looked at his wife adoringly.
Late at night the couple walked hand-in-hand as the wedding celebration continued in the background.
"Say, why did you decide to follow me for life?"
"That day inside Naraku's body...I was not irritated by your presence."
Kagome was stunned speechless.
"You took an hour to decide that you wanted to be with me? And that for such a petty and simple reason, what the hell?"
"Hn!" He said making her even more angry.
"Oh, then what about that Sara woman, or Kagura? Did you perhaps decide to marrying them as well?" Kagome could not help but narrow her eyes.
"Sara...I liked her flute and Kagura, I respected her courage to betray Naraku." He said in stride and pulled his angry wife into his arms.
"Well..." Kagome tapped her foot in impatience.
"Well... what? I knew I could spend my life with you. That day I felt contented and slightly warm when you held this one's pelt and flew on this one's back. I wanted to protect you and keep you to myself." Sesshomaru replied frankly.
Kagome sighed and decided this was all she was going to get.
Then suddenly something clicked in her head.
"Wait...you did not decide frivolously. You actually could not forget that feeling for the rest three years of my absence?!" Kagome stared at him in disbelief and saw that he had mirrored her.
She understood very well how distance could make a heart fonder and looked at him in new understanding. He seemed to have understood the same and inclined his head slightly.
Looks like the great lord had wanted her for a long time.
"Then that day, you asked me to break the marriage arrangements, it was for your selfish machinations."
"Perhaps!" Sesshomaru smiked evilly.
Kagome snorted and stood on her tip toe to kiss her husband, " I am happy for some reason, very happy. I shall pester you for the rest 1000 years or so."
"Gladly!"
A/n- Ahhhhhh! i am so proud of this piece. It suddenly came to me and then I wrote it quickly.
Please read and review.
Lots of love.