InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Because of Tomomi ❯ A Day of Gifts ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or the like. This story is for my own entertainment. (Well. You can be entertained by it too, I suppose.)

 

A/N: Keh. I'm going to forego the BAWWW story about my computer troubles and suddenly busy life. That's what I made the livejournal for. If you're interested, you'll find it. If not? Well, either way I just saved space here. :3

 

Also, I should add a little warning. Something in this chapter might squick you. Just depends on if you've ever watched “A Baby Story” or something like that.

 

 

~==*==~

Because of Tomomi

Chapter Five

A Day of Gifts

~==*==~

 

Usually, InuYasha woke with rather decent posture. As a rule, he slept with his back against something. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that no one was going to watch his back for him. When he was part of the group of misfits searching for the Shikon and fighting Naraku, he hadn't allowed himself the luxury of a dead sleep. There was too much to watch out for, too much danger. Even in the three years after Naraku's death and Kagome's absence, this rule endured. Even nights when his friends insisted he try and get a decent sleep indoors, he slept sitting, with his back to a wall. Sleeping on a flat surface always reminded him of being injured, and he hated that.

 

So when he woke up one morning, horizontal, he was searching himself for wounds before his eyes could open. He could only check with one arm. What was wrong with his other arm, he couldn't feel it, was it gone or -- his eyes opened. He found himself with a face full of Kagome. His adrenaline spiked again. A quick check of the scenery put him at Kaede's, with the old woman missing.

 

`Still at that birthing…?' he wondered. As his mind started working again, he turned to see why he couldn't feel his arm. It turned out Kagome was using it as a pillow. InuYasha swore under his breath. How was he going to disengage himself from the girl without waking her? He flicked his ears while he thought for a moment. He slid the covers off his body, carefully keeping Kagome cocooned in warmth. Holding his breath, he reached around Kagome with his free hand and gently, gently lifted her head, just enough for him to escape. He fought the wince at the instant prickling feeling in his arm. Fighting his limp hand, he grabbed a second blanket not too far away, and piled it up under Kagome before laying her back down. He froze when she sighed, thinking she was awake, but when she smiled and nuzzled into the blanket, he allowed himself to breath -- carefully. Once he was sure he wouldn't wake the girl, he snatched up his sword and bolted.

 

Outside, he took a deep breath of cool air. He started down the road, he didn't know where to. He just needed to move. Aside from when he was a child with his mother, that was the first time he'd ever woken up next to another person -- let alone a woman. What was he thinking last night? He folded his arms into his sleeves as he walked, a scowl painted on his face. It seemed everything had gone south after Mitsu-ho or whatever had the brilliant idea of touching Kagome. As if InuYasha was going to stand for that! What was that fool thinking, coming onto a priestess? Almost as soon as he'd had the thought, InuYasha felt like ramming his head into a tree. What was he thinking, doing the exact same thing? Twice!

 

Either way, the not-so-innocent shoulder rub had definitely started something between him and Kagome, but he was scared to push whatever it was. What if he took the wrong signal and drove her away from him forever? He'd only recently gotten her back, he didn't know if he could stand to lose her again, especially when she was within reach this time. She was too important to lose. He couldn't put a word to the feeling, mostly because there weren't words strong enough. At least… no words that he knew. Maybe he should talk to Miroku. He was always better with words. After all, how often had his quick talking (and conning) gotten their rag-tag group shelter during their travels? And how easy was it for him to get his wife to blush, even after being married for three years?

 

Still, InuYasha drifted further and further away from the village, not paying attention to where his feet took him, so long as they took him somewhere. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think. Just what was going on inside him?

 

~*~

 

For a long while, Kagome lay still in her futon, piecing her dream together. Except she was sure it wasn't a dream, and that was why she was trying so hard to remember.

 

In the dream, she was outside, and it was snowing. The wind howled in her ears, whistled past the entrance of the small cave she'd taken refuge in. She felt so cold and miserably alone. She was curling in on herself and about set to cry, when she felt a warm presence in the same way she'd sensed the Shikon no Tama. She looked up, curious, and saw InuYasha crouched at the cave opening. He was a silhouette against the meek outside light. She tried to tell him something, but he hushed her. Told her it was okay, he knew. What had she tried to tell him? When he hugged her and lay down beside her, she could have sworn that was real. She felt his warmth, his solid body. When she grasped his fire-rat robes, the texture wasn't at all dreamlike. She slid into his warmth and in the dream, slept beside him.

 

She remembered half-waking, thinking she was still dreaming, and noting that the blizzard had stopped before drifting away again. When she truly woke up, she was off to one side of her futon. She didn't remember bundling up blankets for a pillow. The thing that made her gasp, though, was that next to her, the blanket was warm, as if someone had slept next to her. That warmth lingered on her, as if someone had their arm around her all night. There was only one person that came to mind, but Kagome knew it was too good to be true. It just didn't seem like something InuYasha would do.

 

Suddenly her face flamed with blush and she pushed her face into the pillow blankets to hide her embarrassment. Sleeping next to her may not be something InuYasha seemed like he would do, but then she didn't think she seemed like she'd throw herself at InuYasha, either. That, though, had definitely happened. Remembering yesterday, the feel of his fingers on her skin, the feel of his kiss, the feel of his body… she bit her lip, enjoying the memory a little too much.

 

How could she have been so forward? How could she have not cared about the possible consequences? What had gotten into her? She nibbled her lip while she changed behind a paper screen, still lost in thought. She wanted, needed to know what'd gotten into her, but she was too lost in the sensory memory to think clearly. Every memory brought a fresh blush to her cheeks. Once in her miko robes, she went to Kaede's equivalent of a work bench, where there were bowls and jars and more of salves, herbs, and salt, as well as pre-written ofuda. Kagome tucked a few scrolls into the pockets in her sleeve and examined the bench to see what else she'd need.

 

When Kaede did purifications, she often used salt as well as the scrolls. Kaede needed the salt for its purification properties, but Kagome found she didn't need it. She still used more ofuda than Kaede, only because she had trouble channeling her spiritual powers. That power, though, continued to surprise both Kaede and Kagome. Both knew the young woman was powerful, but sometimes it was staggering just how powerful she was. Kaede was sure that, once Kagome could focus her powers more acutely, she'd need stronger ofuda than Kaede used.

 

“Kagome-sama?” Kagome whirled around to face the speaker, a hand over her startled, fluttering heart. The man at the door held up his hands in apology, a small smile on his face. “Forgive me, I didn't mean to frighten you.” Kagome shook her head, realizing she was facing Mitsuo, albeit a clean, better clothed Mitsuo. When he wasn't hunching over to protect his ribs, he was actually fairly tall. For the first time Kagome realized he was of noble birth, because he wore a white kosode under a richly patterned sea green hakama and kataginu that made his shoulders seem broader than they actually were. His black hair pulled into a topknot, he looked older and more severe.

 

“Mitsuo-san,” she breathed. “How are you? Can I help you with anything?”

 

“No, no,” he shook his head with a smile. “I'm actually here to help you.”

 

“Oh--“ Kagome started. She wondered with a sort of dread how he thought he could help her. She was about to ask just what he meant when he put a hand on her back and led her outside.

 

As usual, Mitsuo's giant white stallion, Aki, stood tethered to Kaede's garden fence. When he saw her, he tossed his head, sending his snowy mane flying. He whinnied, and there was an echo of the sound behind him. Mitsuo guided Kagome into the garden, in front of the horse -- two horses. Kagome was getting used to the large, buff, intimidating horse with the withering stare, but the grey horse next to him was new. He was smaller, obviously younger than his white counterpart. Kagome was captivated by him, though. His deep brown eyes were separated by a white diamond on his forehead, white continuing to break up his grey body, except for his tail and mane, which were mixes of black and brown.

 

She caught herself staring at the horse, and remembered the time she stared at InuYasha, pinned to the Goshinboku. She remembered the texture of his fuzzy ears, his surprisingly silky hair. She also remembered petting his ears while he held her close, their lips sealed over warring tongues, remembered his hands on her body. She grit her teeth, feeling warmth creep into her face.

 

Kagome didn't have to look at him to know that Mitsuo was smiling. “His name is Taashii,” he said, gesturing to the beautiful grey horse. Kagome gently shrugged his hand off her shoulder while he spoke. “He's not been trained too much, but with a little patience, he'll be a suitable horse for a lady to ride. And then you can stop relying on InuYasha-sama.” Kagome thought she heard a sneer in his voice, but his polite smile made her think it was more likely she imagined it.

 

“Mitsuo-san, I can't possibly--“ she started.

 

“Nonsense,” he interrupted, untying Aki. “If you cannot accept my gift as a woman, then accept it as a miko, and make good use of him in your duties. I only ask that you might think of me when you ride him.” He leapt astride Aki the Giant and put his hand over his heart before waving goodbye. “Farewell, Kagome-sama.”

 

The young woman was too stunned to even watch him ride down the road. At length, she blinked and looked to Taashii. He flicked his tail, watching her warily. “Um,” Kagome mumbled. She reached out to touch his nose, but hesitated before she touched him. Taashii bumped his forehead into her hand. A little surprised, she pet his snout.

 

“Kagome!” a small voice shouted. The young woman in question turned to look down the road, where Shippo was hauling tail to get to her. He jumped onto the corner post of Kaede's garden fence. “Kagome!” he panted again. “Kaede-baa… Kaede… baby… linen and… bucket…” the poor fox tried to relay Kaede's message and regain his breath at the same time. Kagome swept him into her arms and rushed inside the hut, her mind solely on what Kaede needed. Shippo climbed to her shoulder and clung there weakly while Kagome bundled up linens and grabbed the spare bucket by the door. Exiting the hut again, Taashii whinnied and stomped a foot.

 

“Tie the stuff to his back,” Shippo directed. He sat on the fence again while she did so as best she could.

 

“What else does Kaede need?” Kagome demanded urgently.

 

“A bow -- the ceremonial one, two rosaries, and the bamboo knife.” Determined to make it the last trip inside, Kagome tossed the bow over her head and across her shoulder, wound the two rosaries around her wrist, and picked up the bamboo knife. She tucked that into the bundle tied to Taashii's back. Shippo had already untied the horse, and handed Kagome the reins. She hesitated.

 

“I don't know how to ride a horse,” Kagome said. Shippo bounced to her shoulder.

 

“He'll follow at whatever speed you go, but we need to go!”

 

Without another word, Kagome broke into a flat run, and to her mild surprise, Taashii easily kept pace with her without her having to tug on the reins. Shippo guided her down the most direct path to Kaede, and dropped from her shoulder when they arrived. Shippo took the reins from her and easily tied Taashii to a post that supported the awning of the house. Kagome untied the things from Taashii's back and peeked inside. “Hello?” she called out.

 

“Kagome-sama,” a man greeted her, beckoning her inside. He was Nakama Junsuke, the father. She bowed as she entered, and handed him the ceremonial bow. He seemed a little confused.

 

“Make yourself comfortable and pluck the string,” she directed, remembering what Kaede told her. “It will deter evil spirits and attract the attention of the gods.” Junsuke nodded, delighted in having a purpose. Kagome didn't spare him another thought as she stepped into the back room where Nakama Haruko and Kaede were. Two women, obviously years younger than Kagome, knelt on either side of Haruko, supporting her while she squatted. Kaede looked up when Kagome entered. She looked immensely relieved.

 

“Kagome-chan,” she said her name as if that itself were praise. Kagome stepped further into the room. There were white cloths spread out under Haruko. The cloth directly under her seemed layered, padded with more cloth. A third girl ran into the room, carrying a bucket of water that gently wafted steam. “Ao-chan,” Kaede called out, “We have a second bucket now, please fill it.” Ao nodded and took the bucket from Kagome before darting out of the room again. Kagome winced. She looked young, and pale.

 

“What do you need me to do?” Kagome asked. Kaede was preparing herbs in a small brazier, readying them to burn.

 

“Observe and pray, child,” Kaede directed. She beckoned her closer before continuing. “This birth is not going well, and it is beyond me as to why. Hand me a rosary -- thank you. You remember the prayers I taught you?” Kagome nodded. “Good. I may ask more of you as the time comes.” Kaede lifted the brazier and set it more in the center of the room, toward Haruko, who until now had been silent. Now she let out half-strangled cries. Kaede reached into the bundle Kagome brought and pulled out a small cloth. She held it near Haruko's mouth. “Bite down on this, Haruko-san,” she said. Haruko did as she was told. Her cries were quieter with the gag.

 

Kagome settled herself not too far from the women, arranging the rosary around both hands and beginning to pray aloud, willing the birth to go well.

 

Kaede wiped Haruko's face with a small cloth dampened in the hot water, then draped it over the back of the woman's neck. She started preparing a larger cloth when Haruko gave a particularly loud shout. Kaede was by her in an instant, managing to keep the large cloth in hand.

 

“It's alright, Haruko-san,” Kaede crooned, wiping her brow again. “Just push.”

 

Haruko groaned around the cloth she was biting, and Kaede draped the large cloth over both of her own hands, holding ready between Haruko's legs. Kagome couldn't help but be mildly embarrassed, realizing how the woman unintentionally displayed herself, even clothed in a pattern-less yellow yukata, paled with age. Haruko's face turned red when she pushed, and her hands shook on the two assisting women's shoulders. One of the women whispered into Haruko's ear, but Kagome wasn't close enough to tell what she said.

 

“Breathe,” Kaede reminded the almost-there mother. Haruko stopped pushing to catch her breath, then took another breath to push again. Kagome didn't know how long it continued for, but finally Kaede made a startled sound. The two women beside Haruko wore expressions of shock and dismay, but Haruko herself was too tired to notice the sound. “Stop. Stop!” Kaede commanded. She whipped the white cloth behind her, dunked another cloth in the hot, but cooling, water. She scrubbed briefly at one hand.

 

“Kaede… -sama?” Haruko panted, dropping the cloth from her mouth.

 

“You will not enjoy this, Haruko-san,” Kaede said, voice grave. “Your child is coming foot-first.” Haruko screwed her eyes shut and whimpered, knowing what it meant. She gave a slight nod, and Kaede pushed the baby back, her hand going inside the woman.

 

Kagome shut her eyes as well, feeling a little queasy. She was supposed to do this on her own one day? She continued praying with her eyes closed, putting her strength into it. She tried to will the baby into cooperating, though she didn't dare wonder if it would work. She distantly heard Ao run in and out again, Kaede's encouragement to Haruko, and the two women whispering comfort to the mother. It was all Kagome could do not to pass out, focusing on her prayers so hard.

 

`Whatever kami is listening, please let this end well,' she silently prayed, continuing her chant. `Please guide Haruko through her pain.'

 

At length, a tiny cry broke her concentration. She opened her eyes to see Kaede cut the umbilical cord with the bamboo knife.

 

“Kagome-chan,” she called. When Kagome was at her side, she handed her the baby to wipe clean while she tended to the mother.

 

The baby cried in her arms, his tiny fists shaking with the strength of his voice. He opened his toothless mouth as wide as he could, face scrunched up in fury. Kagome supposed she'd be angry too if she was warm for nine months, then suddenly out in the cold world. She carefully wiped the child clean of fluids she didn't want to think about, and handed the poor thing to his mother, now comfortably laying on her back. Haruko looked so exhausted, but the joy and relief glittered through the fatigue in her eyes. The baby's wailing dimmed, marginally comforted by his mother.

 

When Kagome looked around again, she noted that the room had been cleared of the bloody white cloths, and all the clean ones were folded neatly into the bundle Kagome originally brought over.

 

“Take Ao and her aunts to be purified,” Kaede directed, cleaning up the burnt herbs. “I shall stay here another three days to direct the newborn's rituals. You don't have to take anything back home today. I'll send for you when it's time to return.”

 

“Alright,” Kagome agreed with a nod. She stood, and looked to the two women and one child that sat around Haruko.

 

“Go,” Kaede waved them off. Reluctantly, they left their new relative and followed Kagome. Before leaving, Kagome tied a sprig of willow to the doorframe of the room Haruko and Kaede occupied, signaling it taboo to enter.

 

“Kagome!” Shippo smiled.

 

“Shippo-chan,” the young miko blinked. “I didn't expect you to wait for me…”

 

“I wanted to,” he grinned. “Either way, I'd be waiting for lunch.” Kagome had to chuckle at his hint.

 

“Do you think you could take Taashii home for me?” she asked. Shippo nodded easily. “Would you please do that for me? After the purification rites, I'll be home.” With a dutiful nod, Shippo untied the horse and started on his way home, waving over his shoulder. Taashii seemed to roll his eyes, but obediently followed the little youkai.

 

The walk to the river was awkward at best. Kagome realized she hadn't been the most sociable person in the village before, and now she had no idea where to start.

 

“I'm sorry,” she started, half turning around while she led the three. “I'm afraid I don't know your names.”

 

“I'm Ao-chan!” the little girl chirped, raising a hand. With the ice broken, she was a sunny little thing. She hurried forward a few steps and took Kagome's hand. She twisted to point at first the woman to the right, then the left. “And this is Miwa-oba-chan and Rika-oba-chan.” Ao's aunts seemed a little flustered, but bowed awkwardly while they walked. They were obviously sisters, with similar faces, but Miwa seemed a little younger, and Rika was a full head taller than her. They both wore simple kosode, Miwa in light blue and Rika in pale red, and mo-bakama, skirts tied around their waists in green and orange, respectively. Kagome made a moving attempt to bow as well.

 

With Ao chattering incessantly from then on out, the mood was considerably less tense. Miwa and Rika joined in the conversation, tentatively at first, and then with fervor. Before long, they were all relaxed and telling each other stories. All three listened in rapt attention when Kagome told a few stories about her travels with InuYasha, though she toned down the violence. At the river, Kagome performed the purification rites by standing in the moving water with one woman at a time, reciting a prayer, and pouring water over their shoulders, then touching their forehead. They complied without question, and it made Kagome feel rather good that they seemed to respect her power as a priestess. They walked back to the village with their clothes soaked up to their knees, except for Ao, since her robes fell to just about mid-thigh. She skipped happily ahead of the others, and rounded a blind corner before them.

 

When she screamed, the three women ran after her. Kagome reached her first, and gave a quick shout of her own. Ao was face-down on the path, apparently unconscious. A black shape stood over her, but Kagome couldn't discern what it was before she felt a wave of exhaustion. She fought to keep her eyes open, to stay conscious, but she fell just as Ao had. The last thing she heard was two more bodies falling just behind her.