A Kludge of One Shots by tenchi no mai
Heart And Soul
This was written in response to Priestess Skye's weekly challenge.
Prompt: Life
Due: May 31st, 2009
Required Word Count: Over 700
Actual Word Count: 1596
Universe: Alternate Universe - Modern Day
Rating: M (may be T)
Warnings: None other than beware of WAFF (Warm And Fuzzy Feelings).
Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz Media. Only the plot to this story and my original character, Shun, are my intellectual property. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
'Italics' = thoughts
Heart And Soul
Sesshoumaru looked up from his laptop as Kagome crossed in front of his office doorway on her barefoot path to the kitchen. It had been unseasonably warm lately and she was apparently indulging her taste for cappuchino chip ice cream again, as she had the last few evenings.
Tilting his head, he listened to the drawer open and close, then the metallic sound of a spoon hitting the countertop. Before she could open the freezer door her cell phone rang. Sesshoumaru looked at his watch. 'It's 1:07AM! Who the hell would be calling Kagome at this time of night?'
"Moshi Moshi" Kagome answered. The next sound that reached him was an ear-piercing scream. Rushing from his office, he almost collided with Shun who was running from the direction of the home theater. They reached the kitchen doorway at the same time, then came to a standstill.
Kagome's excitement was obvious. She was all but jumping up and down, as her elation seemed to take on a life of its own. The two males stared at her, then looked at each other, eyebrows rising in a silent question.
She was speaking so rapidly neither one could understand her. It was almost like a foreign language, as she scarcely slowed down to take a breath.
"Yes, we will come over tomorrow night Miroku. Give Sango and the baby a kiss for me." Kagome turned to her mates with a smile that wouldn't quit and tears in her eyes. "It's a boy! He was just born a half hour ago!"
'Ah, the slayer had her pup. The newest little member of the pack has arrived.' Sesshoumaru met her halfway to the door for a hug. "Is everyone safe and healthy?"
"Yes, Miroku wants us to come see the baby tomorrow night. I told him okay as long as it wasn't too much for Sango." Leaning against his chest, the tears slipped down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
"I thought this was supposed to be a happy occasion. Why are you crying, Princess?" Shun walked over to join in the hug, rubbing his thumbs across her cheeks, wiping the tears away. 'If I live forever, I swear I will still never understand women, especially not this little onna.'
"I am happy, these are tears of joy. I cry at weddings too. That's just the way it is." Kagome felt his arms around her as Shun leaned down from behind her to kiss the top of her head, completing their circle of love. "I'll have to go shopping tomorrow for a baby gift."
"Don't you think you have enough gifts for the baby for the moment? You must have bought one of just about everything the last time I took you shopping." Sesshoumaru couldn't understand how one tiny creature could possibly use all the things Kagome had been purchasing for the last few weeks.
Kagome laughed. "You're right. I guess I have kind of gone overboard."
xxxxxx
The next evening Kagome was sitting in the back seat beside two large shopping bags of gifts as Sesshoumaru drove them over to Miroku and Sango's house to see the baby. Shun was sitting in the front passenger seat, silently wondering if this visitation to observe the newborn was a human custom. He was the youngest of his clan, and as such had never been around babies. As an adult he hadn't taken much notice of them either, unless they were being a nuisance on a long plane ride.
After helping Kagome out of the car and picking up one of the bags, Shun followed behind her and Sesshoumaru as they walked up the pathway, then rang the doorbell.
Miroku answered the door with more than his usual enthusiasm. Giving him a hug, Kagome realized either he had one too many congratulatory glasses of sake, or he hadn't slept since before the baby was born. Ushering them inside, Miroku then offered both demons cigars.
'Must be another human custom.' Shun put the cigar in his shirt pocket, noting it was Cuban, then wondered where Miroku had gotten them. This was one of his few vices, he occasionally like a good cigar. Unfortunately he knew from past experience that Kagome would make him smoke it outside the shiro.
Kagome was hugging Sango and handing her presents to open, then tiptoeing over to the bassinet to peek in at the baby, ohhing and ahhing like there was no tomorrow. "Have you named him yet?"
"Oh, yes. His name is Ichiro." Miroku couldn't stop grinning.
"That is a very traditional and honorable name for the first born son." Sesshoumaru sat down in the chair across from the loveseat. He wanted to be able to observe Kagome and Shun. His miko's reactions to new situations were always interesting, and worth remembering for future reference.
He took an inconspicuous sniff, noting the change in Miroku and Sango's scents. It wasn't just the baby making a difference. His spell that had been used for the last five hundred years to keep them from aging was wearing off; they would now, once again, begin to mature normally for humans. He would have to remind Miroku so there would be no unpleasant surprises. 'Hn, even a five hundred year honeymoon has to end eventually.'
Kagome came back and sat on the loveseat next to Shun. He put his left arm around her, pulling her closer to his side.
A short time later soft mewling noises began to come from the bassinet, gradually increasing to a low wail. "Miroku can you please change Ichiro. Do you want to feed him or do you want me to do it?" Sango then explained to Kagome that her milk hadn't come in yet, so they were having to bottle feed Ichiro temporarily.
Miroku went to start the bottle heating, then quickly changed diapers like he was an old pro and not a new father. "Why don't we let Kagome-chan feed him?"
As Miroku advanced on her, Kagome rapidly waved her hands back and forth in front of her. "No, no, no, that's okay Miroku! Maybe I'll hold him for a minute later. Let Sango feed him."
Stopping dead in his tracks before reaching her, he handed the baby to Sango. "You spent years dealing with Inuyasha and Naraku, but you're afraid of a little baby?"
"I'm not afraid of him, I'm just... I would just feel funny feeding him. He's so... helpless, suppose I did something wrong?" Sputtering, Kagome crossed her arms firmly across her chest.
"Alright, Kagome, we'll let you get away with that excuse today, but you will have to feed him at some point in time if you're going to babysit for us." Sango took the bottle Miroku had returned with and proceeded to feed the now howling baby, finally returning peace and quiet to the room. "But you will hold him before you leave, won't you?"
"I guess so, if you don't mind." Kagome was watching closely as Ichiro sucked down the formula like he was starving, then was burped.
Sesshoumaru and Shun looked at each other, silently questioning Kagome's reactions. 'Hn... I can't believe she is this nervous about holding a baby. But then again, maybe she has never been around a newborn.'
"Come on Ichiro, it is time to visit with Auntie Kagome." Sango was suddenly kneeling in front of her, putting the baby into her arms.
"You can do it Kagome, don't worry, you won't break him." Miroku encouraged her from behind Sango. "Babies are very resilient, I've dropped him a couple times already." At her horrified look he winked. "Only kidding, Kagome, only kidding."
"Oh, Kami, he's so tiny!" Kagome's arms instinctively tightened around the small bundle as he snuggled into her chest. The blanket had come loose during the transfer, and Ichiro's tiny fists came up to rub his face. When he finally stilled, he opened his eyes and looked at her, blinking in the light. "Miroku, he has your eyes!"
Captivated by his solemn violet gaze, Kagome could only stare back with wide eyes as she was hooked, heart and soul.
At the sudden change in her aura, Shun leaned forward to look at Kagome's face, stunned at the transformation. 'If she can adore someone elses pup this much, I can't even imagine how much she would love our own.' He tentatively reached with one finger to touch the pup, then hesitated, looking at Miroku.
"Like I told Kagome, he won't break. You can touch him Shun. You had better get used to it, I'm sure the three of you will have little ones of your own soon enough." Miroku laughed at the oddity of two out of three of the fiercest fighters he knew being baffled by a baby.
Shun touched the back of one finger to Ichiro's hand, and was shocked by the strength of the pups grip as he grabbed the finger and held on tightly.
Sesshoumaru watched the interactions, internally amused at the hesitance of both Kagome and Shun regarding the pup.
'It is a testament to the endurance of a species. The continuance from one generation to the next throughout history. Amazing how one creature, so small, is the destination of a five hundred year journey for the monk and the slayer.'
Sesshoumaru's beast made himself known with a sudden ache and longing for its own progeny. 'A new life... an heir... a new Lord of the Western Lands. This Sesshoumaru thinks his own five hundred year journey may be shortly arriving at its own inevitable destination.'
xxxxxx
Fin