InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing with Scissors ❯ Serendipity ( Chapter 31 )

Kagome stepped around piled boxes and plastic bins and cursed herself for not keeping the storage unit more organized.

That May, when she moved Inuyasha and Kikyou's possessions, she had taken care to pack and label meticulously and arranged the boxes so those she would likely need to access weren't buried. Since then she had been making semi-regular visits to U-Store-It number 134 to retrieve specific items—Rin's birth certificate and Social Security information, Kikyou's sheet music, photo albums, cake decorating tips—and often she ended up rifling through random boxes and reminiscing, then repacking haphazardly. The result was that currently the place was chaos and nothing was where she thought it would be.

"Finally." She found the main object of her search, two large storage bins labeled Winter Holiday in Kikyou's neat lettering, along the wall opposite the door. A quick check showed lights and a tree skirt in one and ornaments, stockings, and various other seasonal items in the other. Kagome resisted the urge to dig. She had to pick Rin up from school in less than an hour, so her time there had to be carefully spent, and the Christmas paraphernalia could certainly wait until she and Rin were home.

"I really should try to tidy this mess."

After twenty minutes, she had fixed the tape on a few boxes, straightened a mattress and bikes that had slumped, cleared a path to the door, and found other boxes of interest. Proud that she accomplished something productive, she decided she had a generous ten minutes to indulge in exploration. Next to the Christmas bins were several large boxes containing relics from Kikyou and Kagome's childhoods and things that had belonged to their parents. School drawings; report cards; old family photos; marching band memorabilia. Kagome knew better than to consider opening any of those boxes. They were the definition of a timesink...and an emotional one at that.

An old blue metal footlocker caught her eye. It was Inuyasha's and attracted Kagome like a moth to a flame. Inuyasha, Kagome knew, wasn't overly sentimental, and the objects within were probably a mixture of mementos and borderline trash, but it was a perfect way to spend the next ten minutes. She opened the lid carefully, bracing for the gut-punch reaction of seeing her best friend's personal belongings, the things he deemed worth keeping.

The top layer was fairly recent. There were concert and music festival ticket stubs, souvenir flyers from past zombie walks, a photograph of toddler Rin wearing his Misfits t-shirt like a dress. She continued to look, digging deeper, traveling further into the past. Mardi Gras beads; beer coasters; poker chips. Graduation tassel; three postcards from her; a bundle of letters from Kikyou. She felt like she was reading a wordless history text. Under the stuff she recognized as being from the last decade were things that she assumed were from his high school years. More concert ticket stubs; two backstage passes; a dirty baseball; a yearbook. Then she found an old manila folder. She took it out to add to the cabinet where all Inuyasha's legal and business papers were filed and saw, there at the bottom, bent slightly in order to fit, was a yellow lightsaber.

Kagome gasped, knowing she wouldn't have even given it a second thought without having heard the history. Her fingers itched to pull it out, but instead she closed the lid. Inuyasha had hung onto it for twenty three years, and she wasn't sure that he'd want it removed. She sighed, wishing he had told her his version of the story, if he even remembered. It was doubtful that he had known how much his brother had been hurt over that Christmas so long ago.

She got up and looked in the folder to see if its contents were things she could add to an already existing file, then realized they were almost all magazine and newspaper clippings…and they were all about Sesshoumaru. There was the program from his graduation from prep school. "Why am I not surprised," Kagome said aloud when she read he was the valedictorian. She found a clipping about a fencing competition he won; several about academic awards he had received; another about a piano competition he had won. There was a Congratulations Graduate card. Inuyasha, it read inside, I won't make it to your ceremony. Mom told me you were accepted into university. I'm proud of you. S. There were articles about Taisho, Inc. making an imprint on urban real estate and a dozen on the revitalization of the downtown business district. Four different magazine articles had the same title—Top Thirty Under Thirty—with Sesshoumaru in the number one spot. The final article made Kagome wince. It was from the local newspaper's Style section and titled The City's Most Eligible Bachelors—Who They Are and How You Can Nab One. She recognized Inuyasha's scrawl at the top. Hahaha! Note to self—tease the living shit out of brother dear ASAP. Kagome grinned, and her eyes filled with tears. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "I miss you so much." He had stayed involved in his older brother's life, an observer, a fan, an annoyance, albeit often from a distance. Suddenly it seemed okay, like she had permission, to take the lightsaber from its hiding place.

She quickly retrieved the toy, full of dings and dents but still in decent condition, an obviously well-loved, carefully preserved piece of his childhood. She put it and the manila folder at the top of one of the Christmas storage bins.

Once the car was loaded, she glanced around before turning off the lights. The place had become a sanctuary of sorts, with so many other treasures to be mined. The storage shed was a ten-by-fifteen foot museum of her life, inhabited by living, talking ghosts.

XxXxX

Sango stifled a yawn as she finished up paperwork. She had twenty minutes before her last client of the day, then she would pack up early and go to her first prenatal yoga class. The shock had worn off, and the reality of her pregnancy, thus far made notable by a preoccupation with thoughts of her own mother and a husband with a permanent grin on his face, had set in. The warm fuzzies were also accompanied by frequent trips to the toilet, queasiness, and fatigue. Sango read that those irritations were common and would likely ease in a few weeks, but she remembered Kikyou talking about how important yoga was to maintaining her energy level. Sango had always been athletic, and she looked forward to staying active.

"Ms. Mori," the receptionist said over the intercom, "Kagome Higurashi is here. I sent her up."

"Thanks, Angela." She and Kagome had barely talked since she called her the day after Thanksgiving, exploding with the news that Sesshoumaru had kissed her. Sango had listened patiently, biting the I Told You So response in favor of simply basking in Kagome's reaction. She called the kiss 'swoon worthy' and, more importantly, said she hoped they would have an opportunity to do it again. Sango had heard nothing from her friend in almost a week, and the metaphorical cup that held her curiosity was near full.

Kagome knocked lightly and breezed in. "Hey, Momma! I come bearing gifts." She opened her yellow backpack and pulled out several books. "I was at the storage shed yesterday to get our holiday shit and grabbed Kikyou's pregnancy and childbirth books. I'll get her maternity clothes the next time I'm there. You won't need them for a few months."

Sango picked up the top book. "Active Birth," she read, "The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally."

"Kikyou said that one helped a lot, but if I were you, start with the Henci Goer book. She addresses a lot of issues having to do with choosing a caregiver and place of birth. Simkin and Kitzinger are indispensible for general knowledge, and the Barbara Harper book is a great resource if you're thinking about a water birth."

Sango stared at the stack. "Thanks for bringing them." She flipped through the pages and found a photograph of a woman with a baby half-in, half-out. It was mesmerizing and amazing and scary as hell. She snapped the book shut. "That's…a little overwhelming," she said, voice slightly higher-pitched than usual. "Good thing I have months to get used to it all."

Kagome nodded sympathetically. "How are you feeling? Still tired?"

"Yeah, but I've given up trying to fight it. Coffee makes me ill, so I just sleep when I need to." A playful smile toyed with the corners of her mouth. "It's been kinda nice, actually."

Kagome sat down on the couch, a wide grin on her face. "Do tell."

"Our habit had been, after dinner, to go for a walk or watch a movie or, if we felt motivated, get a bit of work done on the house. Dinner is the one meal that I've not had any problem eating, but afterward I can't keep my eyes open for anything. So I go to lie down for a few minutes, and I wake up an hour later with my loving husband curled up behind me, stroking my hair. Yesterday after work he went to our Bikram class, which literally makes me puke now…I found out the hard way…and when he got back he lit a bunch of candles in the bedroom and waited for me to wake. Then he gave me the best, most erotic massage ever." She sighed, remembering his warm, capable hands rubbing sleep from her muscles and kindling a lust she hadn't felt in weeks. "Miroku's always been affectionate, more than I've ever been. Now he's so calm and attentive. I swear I've never seen him this happy. It makes the nausea bearable."

Kagome crossed the room and gave Sango a long hug. "You deserve all your happiness. Both of you."

Sango hugged her back, wondering when Kagome would let herself have her turn, if not at marital bliss, then at least at a chance for romance. The kiss was a step in the right direction. "Sorry I cancelled on the Nutcracker. Did you find someone else to take my ticket?" She had hoped that Kagome would have asked the handsome man next door.

Kagome took a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and flopped back on the couch. "The Nutcracker was awesome. The new danseur noble is fucking hot, and the costume and set redesigns were gorgeous. Rin squeed through the whole thing, and yeah…Sesshoumaru came with us."

"Any more kissing?" she asked as casually as she could. The curiosity cup was overflowing.

"A lot more kissing." Kagome couldn't meet her gaze. "Okay…we had sex."

This was exactly what Sango wanted to hear—Kagome was crawling out from under her shell—that it was with Sesshoumaru was even better. "Finally! Let me guess. After the Nutcracker?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. Sango seemed to be enjoying this far too much. "Oh, so there was design on your part when you told me you were too tired? Was bailing on the Nutcracker some kind of bizarre attempt at long-distance pimping?"

"Quit being paranoid," Sango scoffed. "I assure you I didn't fake exhaustion to get you two together. Now give me some details."

"Yes, Nosy McNoserman, we had sex after the ballet," Kagome laughed. After sitting on this information for so long, it felt good to share. "Actually that was the second time. This first was the night before, after a near-tragedy at the mall."

"Wait. That was a week ago? Why am I just hearing this now?"

For days, guilt had been nibbling at Kagome for not calling Sango right away to tell her. There weren't secrets between them, and at times, because of Sango's therapist background and understanding about depression, Kagome felt she could confide in Sango more honestly than with any of her other friends. But there was a sharp anxiety about her new relationship with Sesshoumaru, and she had needed to keep it quiet for a few days, hugged close and protected, like a scared animal. "I'm sorry," she said. "I just wanted to wait before saying it out loud. There was a real possibility that we were only having a weekend fling. I didn't want to call you on Sunday and gush about how great it was, then have to call you on Tuesday and cry that it was already over and done. I wanted to wait and see if it would happen again."

"Kagome, I'm sorry." It was Sango's turn to feel guilty. "You don't have to apologize. I know you have your reasons. May I assume since you are telling me now that it wasn't limited to last weekend?"

Kagome smiled deviously. "Last night was the third time. And the fourth. He emailed me yesterday, apologizing for working so much and asked about Rin. I texted him back saying she missed him and asked him over to dinner. He said he was going to be at the office late. So I said that if the light in my studio was still on when he got in, he should stop by for a few minutes."

Sango's brows rose in mock indignation. "A booty call?"

"Yes. I'm a shameless hussy."

Kagome recalled her nervousness as the night got later and later. It was well past midnight when she heard his car pull up the driveway, and she thought her heart would beat out of her chest in the two minutes it took for the front door to open. She met him in the entryway, and they didn't make it past the living room before they sunk onto the floor, hastily laying the thick throw on the hardwood and shedding clothes. They let their mouths and hands wander and explore in the dark, then he was lying back and she was stretched out above him moving slowly, moans stifled with kisses. Afterward she was relieved there was no self-consciousness, only more acceptance and easy small talk concerning Rin and work, until their idle hands needed more. She stroked him to hardness again, and they moved to the couch. When they had finally burned out their hunger, they barely spoke. Kagome was sad that it was nearly two and his departure back to the mansion was imminent. She had wanted to see him, not merely for the reassurance that he still was interested in her, but also missed his presence in her life. She wanted so badly to ask him to stay she could practically taste the words. But she couldn't risk Rin discovering them in bed the next morning. Not until she knew with more certainty that Rin wouldn't jump to conclusions about the three of them. They dressed slowly, savoring the last minutes together with long, deliberate caresses and kisses.

"You're bosom is heaving," Sango said, yanking Kagome from her lusty, melancholy reverie. "So…good?"

"Damn good. He is without a doubt the hottest guy with the best body I've ever been with, but shit, Sango…it's really good. He doesn't have that weird male-ego I'm So Good-Looking That I Don't Have To Actually Do Anything vibe that's unfortunately common among attractive men. And better yet, he knows the location and function of the clitoris and doesn't need constant reminding." She and Sango laughed; both were aware that specific knowledge wasn't to be taken for granted. "It's more than that though," Kagome said, again becoming serious. "I care about him. And I think he cares about me. It's nice being with someone when there's an emotional connection. I'd forgotten how nice it can be. And I'm pretty comfortable knowing that we'll stay good friends no matter what happens."

"Well, I'm thrilled for you." Sango fought the urge to fist pump in triumph. "You seem really happy. Any chance of something serious?"

"Nah," she said, shaking her head. "We're just two adults having fun. He works constantly. I swear the man works twenty-three hours a day. A good thing. I'm certainly not looking for a big long term relationship. And he's not boyfriend material. From what I've been able to glean from Mrs. Taisho's bridge club, he doesn't keep to any one woman for longer than a couple dates. A legendary player apparently. We're temporary, and I'm cool with that."

"Are you sure?" Sango asked, thoroughly unconvinced. "He seemed like he was into you way more than for a few hook-ups."

"He said he wasn't interested in anyone other than me…but it's not like he'd be the first guy to tell me what he thinks I want to hear." Kagome didn't mention that he sent her flowers that morning. "And it doesn't matter. We are from totally different worlds. A relationship would never work."

Sango was disappointed Kagome was so dismissive of their future, but kept hope that she would come around. She was quite confident that Sesshoumaru thought her anything but temporary. "Your worlds seem to have collided quite well. You two have struck up a very real friendship. Why wouldn't your worlds continue to mesh?"

"Sango, the women in his social circle go for mother-daughter botox treatments. That's not who I am or ever will be."

"And are you so sure that's who he is? You were wrong about him before."

Kagome straightened and scowled. She was perfectly comfortable inhabiting Kagome Denial Land for the time being, and Sango wasn't cooperating. "I feel like this has turned into a therapy session. Are you going to bill me?"

Sango sighed. Kagome was opening up and taking chances at her speed, and she knew better that to push. "I'll give you the friend-rate. Dipshit," she added affectionately.

Kagome laughed—a loud, grateful laugh. Denial Land was a lonely place. "I love you, Sango."

"I love you, Kagome. Just keep your mind and options open. He's not behaved according to your expectations so far. Don't assume he won't keep surprising you."

"No assuming, merely keeping my head on and not doing the Oh My Fucking Gawd He's Perfectly Fucking Perfect thing. He's coming over tomorrow for dinner and to help with tree decorating. Rin's beside herself. I'll call you Sunday and give you a play-by-play." She noticed the time. "Oh shit. Speaking of the kid, I've got to pick her up."

"I've got a client coming any minute." They hugged and kissed. "As soon as this tired thing is past, we should go to lunch or a movie or something. I've been really introspective lately, and it's making me feel kind of isolated."

"I'd love to go to a movie." Kagome hugged Sango again, more tightly. She didn't want any distance between them. "No Country for Old Men is still playing at the cheap theater."

Sango shuddered. "Maybe something a little less violent. I don't know how much blood my stomach can handle."

"I guess that means Sweeney Todd is out."

Sango tilted her head thoughtfully. "We can stay in and rent something?"

"That would be great," Kagome said before planting one last wet kiss on Sango's cheek and grabbing her backpack. "We're due for a Tony Leung marathon. Gotta run. I'll call you this weekend."

Sango watched her go, glad that she had turned a corner and was enjoying herself. She hoped Kagome's assessment of Sesshoumaru's dating behavior was incorrect, that he wasn't the stereotypical commitment-shunning rich guy. She was tempted to call him and ferret out his point of view, but didn't. It wasn't her place to meddle. At least not yet.

XxXxX

Rin, insulated from the early December chill by her winter coat and woolen layers, played a one-foot counting, jumping game on the stepping stones that led from the guest house to the mansion. Her aim was to get to one hundred before she had to switch legs, but her excitement was proving to be a rather large distraction. That morning her grandmother had taken her shopping for a new swimsuit for their trip to Florida, and her grandfather had shown her on the map where they were going and talked about the beach and ocean waves. She was going to ride in a plane and go to a beach in winter. And to top it off, the Christmas tree was up and her uncle was coming to decorate it with her and Kagome said it was supposed to snow that night. Rin felt like the luckiest girl alive.

Her jumping leg was starting to get tired, but before she had to decide if she wanted to continue the game, the back door of the mansion opened and a tall figure came striding out. "Uncle Sesshoumaru!" He grabbed her as she leaped at him, both familiar with the motions of their routine welcoming. She hugged him tightly. "I missed you," she whispered into his neck.

Sesshoumaru held her close for a long, precious moment. The amount of energy contained in such a petite package continued to amaze him. He knew he would never get over the impact of holding her, someone so small but so alive and full of love—his brother's daughter, now a crucial part of his life. "I missed you too." He hadn't taken her to school in two weeks and hadn't seen her at all since the Nutcracker, and her tiny body gave him immense comfort. "I'm sorry I've been at work so much. It will be different soon."

Rin loosened her hold and nodded. Kagome had told her he was busy and she wasn't allowed to pout or look sad or otherwise try to make him feel guilty. "Will you stay for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Will you stay longer than that…for a movie? Kagome said I'm old enough to watch The Iron Giant now."

"Yes. I'd like that."

Rin paused, her aunt's admonition echoing in her ears. "Will you read me a story and tuck me into bed?" She hoped her voice was free of any guilt-inducing overtones.

He nodded and stroked the dark hair poking out from under her stocking cap. "What are you doing outside by yourself?"

"Kagome asked me to come out here and play for a few minutes so she could say some bad words. She's frusterated."

Sesshoumaru smiled; he had grown quite fond of her innocent, childish mispronunciations. "Oh, really. Let's go inside." He carried Rin through the door and kept hold of her while he greeted the dog to keep her from getting whacked by a tail. There was a tall fir tree set up in front of the bowed window and the delectable aroma of baking bread emanated from the kitchen.

Kagome was sitting on the living room floor, surrounded by a swarm of green wires and electrical cords. She looked up with a scowl on her face. "Hi."

He almost laughed. "Are you finished swearing or do I need to cover Rin's ears?"

"It's just these…forking lights." She grabbed a handful and shook them in outrage. The lights blinked on and off, taunting her. "For starters it took me the better part of an hour to untangle them. I know I didn't put them away all knotted up. It's like they acquired sentience sometime over the past year and had an orgy in the storage shed. The first strand I plugged in only had a few lights that didn't come on, but when I replaced the bulbs, the whole thing quit. So I put the other bulbs back in and it worked perfectly. Every single light." She shook her head. "The second and third strands were good enough, so I didn't mess with them. The fourth only half worked, but I found a broken bulb and once it was changed out, it was fine. So I connected all four of them together, plugged them into the extension cord, and now none of the lights are coming on. And I can't figure out why," she growled through clenched teeth.

Sesshoumaru set Rin down and helped her off with her coat. "Why don't you simply throw these in the trash and buy new ones?"

She looked at him like he suggested discarding Rin. "What? I'm not going to throw out perfectly good lights." She turned her attention back to the perfectly good, incongruously offending objects and resumed inspecting bulbs for some tiny clue that would be the solution to her problem. "They worked last year. Besides, buying new ones would mean admitting defeat."

Sesshoumaru and Rin looked at each other; they knew not to interfere with Kagome when her mind was made up, even if it meant watching her implode.

"Wanna see the pictures I drew today?"

They sat together, and Rin showed him pictures of horses and unicorns, sand castles and sailboats. Sesshoumaru was impressed by her developing sense of proportion and use of color and detail. "Is that you swimming in the ocean?"

She nodded with enthusiasm. "That's my new swimsuit. It's got polka dots." She pulled out a picture of a tall white-haired man and a small dark-haired girl holding sticks and surrounded by green grass and what appeared to be floating triangles. "Grandfather said he would take me golfing too."

Sesshoumaru recognized the golf clubs and putting green flags and laughed to himself. The old man was a junkie going through golf withdrawal. He and Inuyasha had never particularly cared for the game, and now his father had a vessel to pour his love of links into. "I'm sure you three will have a nice trip."

"Will you come with us next time?"

He hadn't been to his parents' condo since the first year they owned it. Family vacations were a distant childhood memory, one that carried a certain amount of fond nostalgia, but primarily made him sad to think of how much had changed since the years when all four Taishos live together. He looked into Rin's hopeful, expectant eyes. Perhaps things could change again, he thought, then realized it had already begun. "We'll do something—"

"Son of a butt dragging…mother scratcher…sheep-eating douche balloon…" Kagome looked up at them, embarrassed that she had mumbled more loudly than she intended. "Sorry. I'm running out of spare bulbs."

Rin twirled a finger near her ear to indicate Kagome had gone crazy. "She's making words up, isn't she?"

"I don't know what she's doing," he said. "Your grandmother told me that you are making a lot of progress with hands together on the piano. She even said you are picking it up better than I did when I was your age."

Rin squirmed with happiness. She had been hoping her grandmother would tell him how proud she was of her accomplishment. "How come you don't play anymore?"

Sesshoumaru paused, thoughtful. For the past five years, he only played when he was alone. Not enrolling in Juilliard was one of the most difficult decisions he'd ever been forced to make, and he took out his guilt over abandoning his dream and his resentment toward his father by giving up playing altogether, as if he were punishing himself for not standing up to him. He instead went to Harvard and directed his efforts toward excelling academically. It wasn't until after his father's heart attack and he moved back into his parents' house to help with the family business that he considered playing again. He remembered the first time he was the only one home and was drawn to the Steinway in the music room, the piano that had been his first instrument. His hands shook—he had been afraid to learn how much he had forgotten, how bad the neglect. He sat and played a chord, ivory smooth and cool beneath his fingers, a whispered word of forgiveness. And like reunion with an old friend, he continued to play for three hours, reacquainting and reconnecting. "I still play, but don't tell anyone." He was aware of Kagome, failing at the pretense of not listening. "Maybe someday I'll show you."

Rin swallowed hard. He seemed sad, and she didn't understand why adults were so complicated, over such seemingly simple matters. "Will you listen to me?"

"I'd love to. I'll come home early tomorrow, and you can show me what you've learned. I know your grandmother is an excellent teacher."

"And then maybe we can play outside together?" Rin couldn't be sure if her uncle was the type who liked snow, but she knew nothing would be gained by not asking.

"Maybe."

Rin smiled—at least the answer wasn't a No. She took out more of her drawings. There was a series of pictures of Shippou and other friends from school; pictures of ballet dancers; one of her, Sesshoumaru, and Kagome building a snowman. They were frequently interrupted by Kagome and her awkward, toothless attempts at Rin-safe cursing. She was hard to ignore and drew their fascinated horror like a faux-potty-mouthed magnet.

"Pit licking…bucket muncher."

Sesshoumaru frowned; this had gone on long enough. "I'll go buy new lights."

Kagome glared at him and stuck in the last bulb. "Okay," she said, brightening. "Third time is the charm. If this doesn't work, I'll consider giving up." She plugged the extension cord into the electrical outlet, connected the lights, and plugged the end strand into the extension cord. Nothing happened. "SOCK PLUCKER! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!" She began to yank the strands apart, furious flames practically shooting from her eyes.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, "have you considered the problem may be the extension cord?"

She froze. The denial of failing to notice something so obvious was tempting, but instead, tail between her legs, she grabbed a different electrical cord. She was neatly divided between wanting the lights to work and a strong abhorrence of feeling silly, and hazarded a glance at Sesshoumaru. His single raised brow and shadow of a smirk on an otherwise aloof face made her simultaneously turned on and annoyed. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" he asked. His tone of voice was colored by nonchalance, amusement, and seduction.

"Stop…that." Kagome bit the bullet and plugged the replacement into the wall. The lights glowed immediately, punctuating her embarrassment. "Hell's bells." Sesshoumaru rose and offered a hand to pull her up. She smiled gratefully and took it. "I was just about to think of that." She stretched up and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you could come. Tall people are useful in tree decoration."

"So that's why I'm here? My height?" he said, teasing. "How did you get the tree in the stand anyway?"

"Jak was with me. And I helped him get the one in Inn up." She turned to Rin. "Lights, baby! We have lights!" She held her arms open, and Rin jumped up.

Rin put one arm around Kagome's neck and reached out with her other, pulling Sesshoumaru in closer. His strong arms encircled them and she felt Kagome relax and lean into him. She had not been ignorant of the weighty, significant tug between her aunt and uncle during their brief exchange about the lights. It was something that hadn't been there before, but wasn't unwanted by either. Rin didn't exactly understand it, but she knew whatever this new dynamic meant, she was happy. "Can we hang ornaments on the tree now?"

"Let's eat first," Kagome answered. "All that work to keep my vocabulary sanitized made me hungry."

Sesshoumaru laughed out loud, a sound still so infrequent in its occurrence that Rin and Kagome hugged each other harder. "Kagome, you're the model of propriety," he said, voice pointed with sarcasm. "I hope you're proud of your self-restraint."

Kagome felt his hand wander lower and caress her ass. She was holding Rin with both arms and was powerless to direct his attentions back upward. "Like you're one to talk," she chided. "Let's eat." She kissed Rin. "I promise we'll deck the halls right after clean up. Then we can put on a movie."

"Popcorn?"

"Of course." She kissed Rin again and looked up at Sesshoumaru. "You can stay?"

He didn't know if she meant for the movie or for something after. "Yes." It didn't matter; he would take whatever she gave.

XxXxX

Sesshoumaru helped Rin into bed and tucked blankets around her, cocooning her in thick, warm quilts. The sun had gone down hours before, and the bedroom was chilly. "What book would you like me to read?"

Rin shrugged. "Uncle Sesshoumaru?"

"What is it?" The nightlight in the corner illumined concern in her eyes and a creased brow—enough for him to see that she was apparently bothered by something. Both Rin and Kagome cried during The Iron Giant when titular character sacrificed himself to prevent a bomb from hitting the town, but at the end Rin was all smiles because it appeared he was being put together again. "Are you still sad?"

"So…the Giant came back to life even though he got blowed up? Will he find Hogarth again?"

"I am sure that they will find each other," he said with a confident nod. He couldn't stand the thought of her being sad and was grateful she only needed clarification.

She was quiet a moment. "But my Mommy and Daddy won't come back."

Sesshoumaru heaved a long, ragged sigh and wished Kagome was in the room—he had no idea what to say and she had walked this path with Rin many times. He gently peeled the covers back and picked the girl up, cuddling her and smoothing her hair. He could at least do that. Over the course of the evening the constant lifting her up to the tree, then taking turns sitting on their laps during the movie made her smell like a combination of Kagome's perfume and his shaving soap. He inhaled deeply as he tried to comfort her, taking in the scent. "Humans don't work the same way as robots," he said. He knew the statement was plainly obvious, but hoped she understood he was trying. "You still have lots of people who love you though. Rin, I know I'm not your father, but I promise to take care of you. And I won't ever leave you."

"I know." She stayed still and felt safe. "Uncle Sesshoumaru, at the end…did Hogarth's mom and Dean…did they get married?"

"I think so. The implication was that they were together."

"Are you ever going to get married?"

"Uhhh…maybe someday," he stammered. "I haven't thought about it very much."

"I think you should. I think you should marry Kagome."

For the third time in three minutes she had him floundering for words. "Oh…do you?"

Rin nodded. "She's nice and she knows how to be silly. And she's good at making people feel better."

"Those are good qualities," he said, smiling softly. "But there's a lot more that goes into that decision." He sought to end the conversation; it wasn't one he was prepared to have. "Now you need to go to bed. It's late. And I don't think it will start snowing until you're asleep."

"Pfft. It's snow, not Santa."

Properly chastised by an impatient eyeroll, he tucked Rin in again and kissed her forehead, then just sat on the edge of the bed, contemplative while the child's breathing grew slower. Marry Kagome. He used to wonder if he would ever find anyone with whom he would want to grow old, someone who would make him forget his restlessness. But he had never dated anyone who even seemed remotely able to fill the role, and pondering unanswerable questions had never suited him. Could it be that not only she existed, but that she was nearer than he realized?

XxXxX

Dear Scarlet, I never thought this would happen to me. It sounds like a nympho housewife's fantasy, but I swear, every word is true.

"Oh for fuck sake. This isn't Penthouse Letters." Kagome startled to see Sesshoumaru standing in the doorway to the living room watching her. "Hey! Did Rin go to sleep okay? You were in there a while. I poured you a glass of wine. I hope I wasn't being too presumptive."

He sat next to her and took the glass of red wine she held out. "She had a few lingering questions about the film. She's fine." He hoped it was true. Rin fell asleep quick enough, which gave him a small amount of satisfaction. "What are you doing?" he asked, though he had a strong suspicion.

Kagome thought about shutting her laptop, but he already knew her alter ego, so she didn't see the harm. "Working on my column. I don't know what it is, but the ratio of reasonable, clearly articulated questions to idiocy has taken a hit this week. Never mind the complete fuckery." She glanced at him slyly. "Wanna hear one?"

"I won't stop you."

"Oh please. Don't act so casual, Mr. I Read Your Column Every Week." She grinned and, setting her laptop aside, kissed him. "You're really cute when you act uninterested." She cleared her throat and read.

Dear Scarlet, I never thought this would happen to me. It sounds like a nympho housewife's fantasy, but I swear, every word is true. My husband was out of town last week and after my shower, I got a craving for pizza. I called the pizza delivery and proceeded to shave my pussy. After a half an hour there was a knock on the door. I was expecting a pimply teenager, but the man standing there was six foot five, muscular, and looked like the boy-next-door crossed with a porn star. He was so fucking hot, and I was only wearing a bath robe. It was pink and frilly and left nothing to the imagination. I brought him into my kitchen and gave him the money, but he didn't have the correct change. "You can keep the rest as a tip," I said. He put the box down on the counter and said, "I see a tip I'd rather have." I questioned him about what he meant, because I've never had sex with anyone but my husband and I'm a wee bit innocent. He showed me exactly what he meant. He gave my swollen lips a bruising kiss and pinched my nipples through the gauzy fabric. "I can't. I'm married," I said. "You know you can," he replied. He shoved his fingers up my wet cunt and before I knew what was happening I was screaming in the most intense orgasm I've ever felt. Suddenly I had a craving for cock that put my earlier craving for pizza to shame. Yada yada yada giant schlong. Yada yada yada kitchen counter. Yada yada yada kids' bedrooms. My husband goes out of town a lot. The sex was amazing, but the pizza wasn't that good. What should I do? Signed, Extra Cheese.

"You can see why I'm fairly dismissive." She closed the lid and set her computer on the coffee table before he could comment. His interest in her column, after she had remained anonymous for so long, was distinctly off-putting. "Are you working tomorrow? Sunday is supposed to be a day off." Time for a change of subject.

"Yes, again. Early, again." He gathered her close and relaxed; Scarlet could wait. If he had to get up before the crack of dawn, he intended to take advantage of the current downtime. "But I think this is the last weekend of working twenty-plus hours."

"That's good news." She curled up against him. "I worry about you."

"It's been insane the past few weeks, and I apologize for not being around. I had the bright idea to advance the opening of the new hotel, and everyone was foolish enough to agree with me."

"Why? What?" She was happy that he was talking about work and genuinely curious.

"The voting on the referendum is set for mid-January. The hotel was supposed to open in February. The polling on the referendum is still running quite close, and I thought it would be a good opportunity for positive coverage if the hotel held its grand opening before that, and even better publicity for the cause if we opened the building to the public for a New Year's Eve party. We managed to get all the deadlines pushed up, permits applied for in time, and I secured the mayor's promise that this would be the official city event for the holiday."

Kagome's laugh bubbled. "You're a master of propaganda. Bribing the city with a big party to get your stupid tax passed. Brilliant."

"Glad you approve," he said sardonically. "In addition to the public party, there will be an invitation-only event in the penthouses on the upper floor. I'd like you and your friends to come. I hope you don't already have plans."

"Thanks. And no…I don't think anything is going on already." She was pleased that he wanted her to be a part of something so important, so important to his family. Then she remembered something. "Oooo I was at the storage shed the other day and guess what I found!"

"Your paddleball."

"No," she said, impressed that he mentioned her absent, long-sought crutch. "I looked for it, but I think it's gone forever. No, I found this." She reached under the couch and pulled out a yellow lightsaber. "I think he'd want you to have it." Kagome took his hand and, uncurling his fingers, placed the black base in his palm.

His breath caught in his throat, but he tried not to show how much it mattered to him. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

She sat up and brushed the hair back from his brow and kissed his vulnerable, beautiful face. "Whatever you want. Give it to Rin. Teach her some aikido kata." She laughed lightly. "She has everyone else tutoring her in something. She needs a part of you too, you know."

He was touched. He knew what Inuyasha meant to her and the trust she must have in him to give such a gift. "Rin was right about you. You are good at making people feel better."

She looked at quizzically. "Huh?"

He pulled her into his lap, so she was straddling him. "Don't worry about it, Kagome. She just gave me something to think about." He took the combs and ties from her hair, sending the black satin mass cascading onto her shoulders. "I need to be at work absurdly early tomorrow morning so I can come home and play with Rin in the snow before it gets dark. We don't have much time."

She began to unbutton his shirt, deliberately indolent. "Don't rush me," she said, calling his bluff.

He didn't.

&&&

I do not own Inuyasha. I do not own Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally, No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Iron Giant, or Penthouse Letters. Thank you for reading.