The Hot Springs

Chapter Eight

Rin, sitting at the table in the kitchen with her legs underneath the kotatsu, looked out of the small crack in the kitchen window and watched the gentle snowfall that had not stopped for the past two days. Remembering the days when she was yet a child and throwing snowballs at Jaken--with Sesshoumaru looking on with aloofness in his eyes--Rin compared those eyes to the ones she had seen lately. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sesshoumaru enter from the inner hallway to close the window and keep in some warmth. Rin picked up her chopsticks again, bringing more noodles up to her mouth. The past month had gone by slowly, with Rin's back problems worsening and Sesshoumaru's sultry looks becoming more and more frequent. Rin shifted slightly, trying to ease the dull throbbing in her lower back as she chewed on the noodles. Jaken, across the table, was loudly slurping his noodles, which lightened Rin's mood since her cooking had not been top notch when she first started making their meals. Jaken, in his own way, was complimenting the food. He might even have started to finally like me after all these years.

"It's not too spicy, Jaken-sama?" Rin asked, hoping to make some sort of conversation, even if it only lasted a couple of sentences at a time. The silence of the room, especially with her master's presence, was oppressive. Jaken sort of grunted his answer, which seemed indifferent, but Rin decided to take it as a "no". Putting more of the noodles in her mouth, Rin chewed thoughtfully, looking over at Sesshoumaru, who was standing near the door of the kitchen. He was waiting for her to finish.

Rin swallowed and set her chopsticks on the rim of the bowl before moving back to stand up. Before she knew he was there, Sesshoumaru was helping her up. By now, she knew that Sesshoumaru had assigned clean-up duties to Jaken, at least until their child was born, and set her bowl on the counter, thanking Jaken for his company. Jaken grunted again, waving his chopsticks about, and Rin preceded Sesshoumaru to the inner hallway. They walked slowly, with Sesshoumaru's hand on the small of her back. She could tell that he was pulling the pain away from her, a great relief to be sure, but she saw no change in expression on his face whenever she looked up at him. Arriving at their bedroom, they left their house slippers in the hallway and stepped inside, which was much warmer due to the heated coals in the corner.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I've been wanting to ask you something for a while," she said, removing her red kimono and carefully folding it. Sesshoumaru, whose lips were a tad ajar once she had shrugged out of her kimono, blinked away the lust in his eyes and raised an eyebrow to show that he was listening. "The...girl who will be born with my soul after I... Will she remember everything that she has experienced before she meets you?" Walking over to the futon and easing herself down onto it, she grimaced at a stabbing pain in her lower back. Sesshoumaru made sure she was all right before answering, watching for her face to relax. When she took a deep breath and pulled the heavy blanket over her legs, he began to untie his own belt.

"Yes, she will retain those memories...after all, her soul--your soul--retains all of its experiences. Are you wondering if she will have to remember a bad childhood? Or a person she loves that she must give up?" Sesshoumaru asked, setting his outer-clothing on the cabinet set against the wall.

"Yes, among many other possibilities, Sesshoumaru-sama," she conceded, playing with the edge of the quilt. Sesshoumaru sat down next to her, sliding his legs underneath the blanket and leaning upon his hand. "What if she has a different personality? Will the memories confuse her?" Sesshoumaru brought his other hand up, brushing the pads of his fingers over her cheek.

"Souls always carry similar tastes and wants...if she is raised in an extremely different environment from you, the differences in personality will be minimal." Sesshoumaru sensed that this answer was a relief to her, but the feel of her skin beneath the sensitive tips of his fingers was distracting him. Rin turned her face toward his hand and he leaned in, taking a slow, deep breath. Her hair smelled clean and fresh, her body smelled feminine and young, and the love in her eyes was enough to stir his longings.

He leaned in further, tipping her chin up with his free hand, and pressed his lips to hers. They had shared many kisses after the last time they made love a month before, all of them soft and innocent in order to maintain a certain distance, but Sesshoumaru wanted more tonight. Pulling back a bit, he brushed his thumb over her cheekbone, quietly ordering her to open her mouth. Her lips parted obediently and he swept forward, slipping his tongue between her lips and wrapping his free arm around her ribs. Her neck muscles had to work to keep her head upright as Sesshoumaru assaulted her mouth, rubbing his tongue against hers and making her lips swell. After an intense minute, he took his lips away to give her a few seconds to breathe, nibbling the skin along her jaw, before returning to the sweetness of her mouth for another long minute of heated kisses. When he left her lips again, she turned her face to the side, breathing heavily.

"We--we aren't supposed to, Sesshoumaru-sama." She knew that he was more aroused than she had ever sensed before and didn't need to look down to know that it showed physically, but they still had three long months to get through before their relationship could continue normally.

"Just kiss me, Rin," he muttered, turning her face back to him. Unable to help herself, she gave into him easily and let him ravage her mouth, returning his passion as best as she could. Another long, hot moment passed and she knew that he could smell that her body was very willing, even if it didn't know better. Sesshoumaru finally ended the kiss, panting as he set his forehead against hers. She felt guilty since her body couldn't allow for the intimacy he wanted, but Sesshoumaru leaned away without saying a word, bringing his arm back from around her torso. It seemed as if he was stopping for the meantime, but an idea suddenly popped into her head. She blushed brightly. Sesshoumaru could sense her change in mood and turned a questioning look on her, even though she tried to avoid eye contact. Under his scrutiny, her blush only became brighter and she couldn't bring herself to speak of what was blaring inside her mind.

"Are you going to sleep?" Sesshoumaru asked, avoiding any questions about the blush staining her cheeks. Rin wanted his hands upon her, but nodding at his question would be simpler than asking for his attentions. Sitting more upright, she made her decision and brought her hands up to push her under-robe off of her shoulders, letting it droop down. Sesshoumaru merely watched, lips apart, waiting for her to indicate what she wanted. Keeping her under-robe over her arms, she let the rest slid away from her chest, and gripped the under-robe together with one hand beneath her breasts while the other reached forward to cup the side of her master's face. Gently bringing his head down, her heart was in her throat and her face felt like it was beet red. He leaned over his hip, planting one hand on the futon next to her and raising the other to mold his hand around her left breast. Wetting the tip with the flat of his tongue, he squeezed his fingers around her nipple, catching the liquid that seeped out and listening to the soft moans of his mate. He ardently drew upon her breast, squeezing his fingers every so often and flicking the tight bud with the tip of his tongue.

Rin had closed her eyes and laced her fingers through the silky hair on the back of his head, concentrating on the feel of his mouth as he milked her. It eased a bit of pressure somewhere inside to have some form of intimacy with him again. Sighing as he kissed his way to her other breast, she shivered when the cooler air of the room met the moistened tip that he had left, keeping it distended. She licked her lips, breathing a little faster now that he was more eagerly mouthing the peak of her breast. For a moment, she was relaxed, her body humming with happiness, and she brushed the pads of her fingers over the nape of Sesshoumaru's neck. He growled against her breast and left another trail of kisses on his way up to her throat. When he leaned away from her, her heart pounded to the lust in his eyes.

"Go to sleep now," he commanded, his voice sounding unearthly but not unkind. He reached forward and drew her under-robe back up over her chest. Rin bowed her head and scooted down to lie on her side facing Sesshoumaru. Now using his knee instead of a blanket, she sandwiched her thighs around his leg, setting her temple on his bicep and draping her arm over his side. He held her close and pulled the heavy blanket over them, glad that his arousal was subsiding and that Rin had tried to lessen the distance that the past month had created between them. Splaying his hand across her back, he drew the ache away that had been plaguing her lately. It was no pain he couldn't handle--merely a dull throbbing that was no match for even the mildest pain he had ever felt. Rin let out a deep breath against his neck and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She should never have to feel pain ever again.

It was perhaps an hour before the predawn light of another blustery morning would brighten the eastern horizon when Sesshoumaru sensed that Rin's body was in a small amount of pain, but not from the back aches. Hearing her weak maon of discomfort against his throat he realized that her time was coming, and couldn't control the speed of his demonic heart at the thought that he would soon be holding his first offspring--a half-demon, to be sure, but one that he and Rin had made together. Now knowing what his father had felt, Sesshoumaru grudgingly regretted the way he had shunned his half-brother. Rin gasped and fisted her hand in the cloth over his shoulder, now fully awake as her first mild contraction struck her.

"S--Sesshoumaru-sama? It's time," Rin whispered, still sounding sleepy since she had just woken up. Sesshoumaru eased away from her, getting up and coming around to help her to a sitting position. Handing her a towel, he left the room for a few moments. While he was gone, Rin managed to get to her feet, needing to walk a bit and not wanting her water to break on the futon. Bracing her hand on the window frame, not seeing the shutters in front of her, she held her breath, letting it out slowly as the next contraction passed. Feeling a pop, the towel she had placed between her thighs was suddenly wet, and she gasped more in surprise than in anything else. Waddling over to the cabinet, she found a clean under-robe, and after cleaning herself off, she wrapped herself in the new one, shivering a bit in the room's cool air. She was slowly walking back to the window when Sesshoumaru returned, obviously surprised that she was standing.

"Is it all right for you to walk around like that?" He came to stand next to her, holding onto her arm loosely.

"Mama often told the pregnant women we went to see that walking was sometimes better while they were in labor because it was easier to stand the pain that way," she said, laughing lightly. "No pun intended." Rin turned to Sesshoumaru and laid her hand upon his chest. "I'll be fine, Sesshoumaru-sama. Mama told me that her first birth had no complications, which means my first probably won't, either." He bristled under her assurances, feeling weak for having concern over her health, but they were alone, and he felt it safe to show his mate the few weaknesses he had--all of which were a result of her presence in his life.

"I've sent Jaken to retrieve the midwife. He'll return in a couple of hours." Smoothing his fingers down her cheek, which glistened due to the heat of her labor and the faint light of the morning. Rin rubbed small circles against his chest, smiling.

"That should be plenty of time. First births can take many hours. The contractions will be far apart at first, but more frequent as the time nears," she explained, trying to calm him since his elevated heart rate was apparent underneath her palm. Sighing, she pulled her hand away. "I'm going to walk around the hallways for a bit then." Rin found a blanket in a second cabinet at the back of the room and draped it around her shoulders before making her way back to the bedroom door. Sesshoumaru was already standing in the hallway, waiting for her. Rin brought the blanket up to her mouth to hide the grin that she couldn't keep from her face. He really does love me. Sesshoumaru knew what was amusing her, but didn't let it faze him.

Stepping into her slippers, Rin walked alongside her mate, taking slow steps. As they rounded the square of hallways for the sixth time, only a few steps from their bedroom, Rin suddenly gasped and gripped his arm, panting as her lower abdomen clenched painfully, like a severely cramped muscle. Sesshoumaru shot his hand out and pressed it to her stomach, pulling the pain away, which made it easier for her to breathe.

"Rin..." he said, his jaw clenched against the pain he was feeling. It's this painful? I have felt worse, but this is too much for a human female. When it seemed that her muscles had stopped spasming, Sesshoumaru took his hand away. Rin took a calming breath and stood up straighter, releasing her death grip on his arm.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said, walking on. He was visibly stunned for a few seconds, but it was quickly gone and he caught up to her in a few strides. All human females have to bear this pain to give life?

Jaken had still not returned, and Rin, having tired of her walk long ago, was lying back against Sesshoumaru's chest. The coals in the corner were warming the room like normal, but Rin was perspiring as if she were in a sauna. With her eyes closed, she tried to put herself somewhere else. Remembering the past weeks, she thought of the times when late at night when the coals were dying down that her hands had wandered down her master's body to open his robe and bring him to climax with her mouth and hands. The distraction was precious but not enough, for the pain of her contractions would seize her attention completely. Sesshoumaru pulled the pain away a few times, but she insisted that she bear it since it was what women were fated to live through. Sesshoumaru now only wiped a dry cloth over her forehead and neck in an attempt to make her comfortable. Hearing from far away the sound of Ah-Un approaching, he felt a tiny amount of relief knowing that help was here to guide Rin through the birth.

"Rin, I must leave for a few moments. Will you be all right by yourself?" he quietly asked, brushing her damp bangs away from her forehead. She made an agreeing noise and nodded. Sesshoumaru edged away from her, laying her on her back and leaving the room. At the front entrance, the human female and Jaken had entered, and Sesshoumaru sniffed the air as a precaution. The woman's face was hidden under a hood, but she was most certainly not the midwife he had spoken to earlier. He squinted in anger. Why did he bring her?

"Sesshoumaru-sama! The midwife died a few weeks ago from old age, master! This is the only person I could find to help!" Jaken groveled, bowing repeatedly.

"Good afternoon, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, bringing the hood off of her head. "Inuyasha didn't want me to come here alone, but he has to look after the children, so I came to help Rin." Kagome had with her a bag, which without a doubt contained whatever it was that women in labor needed. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her and then looked down at Jaken, whose face was still pressed to the floor.

"Fine. Follow me," Sesshoumaru said simply, walking off. Kagome hurriedly shed her cloak and shoes, and then followed Sesshoumaru down the left hallway.

"How long has she been in labor?" Kagome asked. She shifted the bag to her other hand, looking around the place as she walked.

"Ten hours." Turning around the corner, Sesshoumaru walked a few more steps and then slid open the bedroom door. As they entered the room, Rin suddenly stiffened and cried out from the pain of another contraction. Both rushed to Rin's side. Kagome set her bag down next to her, and Sesshoumaru, helping Rin sit up, watched as Kagome rifled through the bag, pulling out odd instruments.

"Have you the training for this?" Sesshoumaru asked, brushing the cloth over Rin's forehead again as she leaned back against him. Rin set her elbows on his thighs, looking over to Kagome as the pain subsided again. I know her...she was with master's half-brother the few times I saw him. Is she Inuyasha's wife?

"Of course! I became a nurse, despite the tantrums Inuyasha threw about me spending so much time at home." Kagome wrapped a cloth around Rin's arm, which stayed in place somehow, and attached a vine or something to it. So she is Inuyasha's wife...is a "nurse" supposed to be medicine woman or something?

"Now, this device will squeeze your arm pretty hard, but it won't last too long. I just need to check something." Kagome then put another vine, which looked really stiff and had two odd bulbs on the ends, into her ears and pressed a cold metal disk onto the bend in her elbow. Squeezing the first vine rapidly, the cloth around her arm got tighter and tighter, but it wasn't too terribly uncomfortable. If Kagome were looking up at Sesshoumaru's face, his expression might have killed her. The cloth around Rin's arm slowly released the pressure, and Kagome looked like she was listening intently. Then releasing the pressure entirely, Kagome took the cloth and vines away, stuffing them back into the bag.

"That's one of the best blood pressures I've ever seen. You're very healthy, Rin," Kagome said, smiling. Rin didn't know what a blood pressure was, but if Kagome thought she was healthy and knew about these kind of things, then it made Rin feel better. She's pretty nice. "Well, it's probably not a good idea to give you an epidural, but I'm sure that something to drink would help a little. How far apart are your contractions?" Kagome gently felt around Rin's stomach. Good, it's in the right position. Rin took a deep breath, trying to figure out what Kagome meant by an epidural, but gave up and took hold of Sesshoumaru's hand as Kagome sat back.

"They're about ten minutes apart. They've been that far apart for two hours now," Rin said. Kagome nodded, looking down at something wrapped around her wrist. Is that a bracelet?

"Well, you've got a few more hours to go then. Is it possible to get her something to drink?" Kagome asked of Sesshoumaru. He raised an eyebrow at her and then turned his head to the bedroom door.

"Jaken, did you hear?" he said in a level tone, knowing his servant was standing just outside the door. Hearing a squawk, Kagome tried not to smirk.

"Y-Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama! Right away!" The sounds of Jaken's little feet rapidly pattering away signaled his departure. Kagome straightened her clothing, which looked fairly strange to Rin, and sat in a more comfortable position. Rin smiled at her, glad that she was here because it was getting harder to think of something else besides her discomfort. It was a few moments, though, before Rin could think of something to start a conversation.

"You and Inuyasha-sama got married?" Rin asked, brushing her thumb over the back of Sesshoumaru's hand.

"Yes, about three years ago. I finally finished nursing school and came back with Inuyasha to live here. He was good enough to stay with me at my home while I was off getting educated." Rin scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

"Nursing school? There's a school that allows women?" Rin asked.

"Yes, it teaches men and women how to treat people and assist physicians. When we left home to live here, I was able to help a lot of people with wounds from the tribal wars. Inuyasha and I had two sons. That's where my husband is now, taking care of our children," Kagome explained with a smile. Rin sighed, hoping to meet Kagome's children someday.

"Did...did you and Inuyasha-sama perform the marking ceremony?" she hesitantly asked.

"Yes, when I was just finishing up high school. It was so romantic," Kagome sighed, putting a hand to her cheek and blushing. Rin smiled, watching Kagome gush over her mate. Her smile was quickly replaced by a pained gasp and she pressed a hand to the side of her stomach as the next contraction took hold.

"Rin, let me help," Sesshoumaru fiercely whispered, holding her long hair away from her face. Rin looked to Kagome.

"It's fine. Inuyasha did the same for me," Kagome assured her. Rin nodded and Sesshoumaru slid his palms down to her lower abdomen, pulling the pain away. Rin sighed, breathing easier as Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw. This one is much stronger.

As the next few hours progressed, the contractions intensified, although Sesshoumaru barely batted an eyelash for each one, and they occurred more and more frequently until they were five minutes apart. Kagome, expecting Rin to be ready in the next half hour, laid towels down, left quickly to wash her hands, and returned with her latex gloves. Rin, feeling tired, barely noticed the odd gloves Kagome wore, and Sesshoumaru kept his hands against her stomach to catch each contraction. Positioning her legs correctly, Kagome checked to see how far dilated she was, a practice Rin had seen her mother do, and so wasn't surprised. When the next contraction came only a minute later, Kagome said,

"Sesshoumaru, in order for her to push out the baby, she has to be able to tell what she's doing. You won't be able to help her anymore. Just be there for her. Rin, when I tell you to, and only when I tell you to, push as hard as you can while I count to ten, understand?" Rin nodded, gritting her teeth. As the last contraction subsided, Kagome checked again, and found Rin to be fully dilated. The next contraction came only fifteen seconds later, and Kagome told Rin to push. Sesshoumaru took his hands away, letting Rin grip them as she tried to bring her baby into the world. Four more times, she gave hard pushes, and finally, the baby was free of her body. Though pushing had taken what seemed like forever to her, the whole process was over after a few short minutes.

Happier than she had ever been and relieved that it was finally over, she couldn't hold in her tears as Kagome cleaned the baby. Kagome felt her eyes sting as she cleaned the small bundle, which had little dog-ears and a tuft of white, straight hair on his head. He'll look just like Inuyasha. The pup began crying, a loud wail, which brought a full smile to Sesshoumaru's face. Kagome, as she handed the balling baby to Rin and began cleaning up the mess they had made, couldn't believe how odd it was to see Sesshoumaru smiling, but felt happy for them all the same. Looking to the door of the bedroom, she saw Jaken peeking around the corner with an odd look on his face. Is Jaken actually happy? Jaken noticed Kagome's glance and quickly made himself scarce.

"What are you going to name him?" Kagome asked as Rin cuddled her new baby. The baby clutched his father's index finger and gurgled, obviously not too tired yet--reminiscent of his father's stamina.

"Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru-sama's title," Rin said, earning a small surprised gasp out of her mate. Kagome smiled as the name grew on her already. "He looks like he'll be very strong." Nodding her agreement, Kagome picked up her things and the soiled towels, ready to leave them in peace for a while. Saying she'd be in the kitchen, Kagome left and Jaken shut the door behind her.

"He's...beautiful, Rin," Sesshoumaru said, his voice gruff with emotion. Rin brushed her fingers over the skin on the baby's arm, still a bit puckered from being so new to the world.

"You--you do not resent having a half-demon for your first born son, then, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked quietly. Sesshoumaru felt the tension in her mood and wrapped his arms around her and their child.

"He's the child you bore me. I could never resent him. I love you, Rin." Rin, just plain emotional after such a long, arduous day, felt a few salty tears fall from her eyes and held her baby just a little closer.

"I love you, too, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Inutaisho! Don't pull on Jaken-sama's robes!" Rin admonished, pulling her son away from Jaken, who was trying to cook lunch. Rin picked up her son, her braid swinging heavily from the back of her head, and brought him back into her lap as she attempted to fix the rip in his clothing. Only a week after he was born, her child had begun to crawl...everywhere. Now that he was walking, which most humans didn't succeed at until at least a year after birth, Rin sometimes had a hard time catching up to him, but it wasn't as if she didn't enjoy every moment with her son.

Her husband, however, had not yet returned from surveying his borders. Rin wanted to come along, but didn't ask to since she had to take care of their child. Sesshoumaru left Jaken behind as well, which saddened the poor toad, but he seemed content enough to spend his days with the master's family. Sesshoumaru promised to return quickly, making the trip around his lands faster than he normally would, even though an extended trip was never really necessary. Rin, having gained back her figure from all the running she did, finally succeeded in removing her son's haori in order to fix the tear. Letting her son roam around the kitchen once again, Rin quickly mended his clothing.

Inutaisho's hair had grown considerably, and it was already shoulder-length. Though he was adventuresome and liked to explore, he never really ventured far, and he was only a bit more talkative than his father. Well... all he really says is gurgles, but he at least tries.

Spring had returned full force only recently, and the cherry trees in the complex were starting to bloom. Calling her son back to her, who was sitting on his haunches and watching Jaken stir the stew, Rin held open her arms as he waddled to her. Rin put his haori back on, landed a kiss on his cheek, and held him to her side as she stood up. Sliding open the kitchen door, she sat on the edge of the porch, setting Inutaisho in her lap. Hearing Jaken's off-key humming inside, Rin couldn't help but smile to herself as she opened the front of her kimono. Holding her son at the right angle, Rin braced herself as he latched on, drinking up his lunch. She couldn't help but think of Sesshoumaru at times like these, and it made her miss him even more. Wincing as Inutaisho's little fangs dug a little too far into her skin, Rin rocked slightly from side to side, rubbing his shoulder. Feeling a tingle on her back, Rin wondered if a breeze was brushing past her, but it felt more like an itch or a tickle.

She rolled her shoulders a bit, hoping that the itch would go away. Inutaisho seemed to have calmed down somewhat and was more conservatively eating his lunch. She was already thinking of what to give him for his first birthday, even though it was ten months away. Inutaisho gurgled, kicking his foot in happiness. Rin rocked him some more, hoping that he would soon start to doze off. The itching in her back became more pronounced, though, and Rin suddenly worried if an ant had gotten into her clothing. However, the sensation started to feel like a warm, wonderful burn that slid up the marks on her back, and Rin gasped, halfway startling her son. S-Sesshoumaru!

"Jaken-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama is almost home!" Rin called back, hoping her voice carried. She heard a squawk and Jaken hurriedly waddled towards the kitchen door.

"Aah! Not yet, Jaken-sama! I'm still feeding Tai-chan!" Rin gasped, looking over her shoulder. Jaken squawked again, his funny little apron half-off, and turned completely around.

"Umm...lunch is ready, Rin," Jaken said from behind her, standing in the doorway. Blinking away her happy tears, Rin told him she'd be in soon, and waited for her son to start falling asleep after all the adventures he had gotten himself into this morning. After a minute, he kept suckling but his small hands lay still, and his beautiful golden eyes had drifted shut. Her scars were throbbing with warmth now, and Rin hummed with happiness, already imagining how it would feel to jump into Sesshoumaru's embrace. She watched a stray bit of leaf flit down from the treetops, wondering how long it might be before Sesshoumaru appeared out of the thick forest huddled against the house.

When Tai-chan laid prone in her arms, Rin adjusted her kimono with one hand and brought him inside. His head lolled a bit on her arm, but he otherwise made no movement or noise. She laid him on a small futon next to the table, cradling his head until it gently met the soft bedding, and sat down to eat. Jaken placed a plate in front of her, steaming with cooked vegetables and his own personal recipe for something called Beef Surprise. Rin had always thought it was very delicious, but she was distracted the entire time, waiting for Sesshoumaru to walk in from the inner hallway. She kept glancing over, expecting to see his tall, lean frame suddenly grace the room.

Rin felt her scars calm down, not reacting anymore to his nearness, though that usually was the case a few moments after he was within a certain distance. Jaken seemed uneasy as well: he kept fidgeting, shifting his position every ten seconds.

They were five minutes into their meal when a shadow fell over the table from the outside doorway.

"Tadaima," a low voice said. Rin gasped and looked to her left. Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway, looking as fit as ever. He had discarded his armor and only wore his white hakama, belted with a blue and yellow sash, and his white haori, trimmed along the shoulders with a red floral pattern. Dropping her chopsticks and not caring where they landed, she scrambled to her feet and ran at him, jumping up to his open arms as Jaken squawked in fright and bowed repeatedly. Rin caught the flicker of a smile on his face before pressing her cheek to his shoulder, clamping her arms tightly about his shoulders.

"Okaeri, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin squeaked, hugging him as hard as she could. Sesshoumaru returned the hug, taking deep breaths of Rin's scent. He couldn't smell that she was fertile again, somewhat disappointing him because he almost wanted to conceive another child soon. Realizing that he might want to ask for Rin's permission, though, Sesshoumaru took another breath, picking up the scent of Rin's milk, still lactating inside her breasts. He shuddered, feeling his libido rise a bit. Knowing that he had to find some privacy with Rin--now--he set her back on her feet. Coming further inside the room, he took a knee next to his son and set his hand over his son's chest. Rin watched with misty eyes as Sesshoumaru personally greeted his son, not having seen him for ten long weeks. She had missed Sesshoumaru so much and wanted to tell him of all the things Inutaisho had done: crawling, walking... He could even swim. More like bobbing in the water while I make sure he doesn't sink, but still... Rin was embarrassed to admit it even to herself, but she was aching for Sesshoumaru in a different way as well. Setting the backs of her right fingers against her cheek to check if she was blushing, Rin had the feeling that she was.

Whispering down a "tadaima" to Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru watched as Inutaisho squirmed a bit and reached down to hold onto his father's thumb. Sesshoumaru's eyes softened, but he gently disengaged his finger and stood up. Looking down at Jaken, who still had his face pressed to the floorboards, Sesshoumaru spoke to the back of his head.

"Jaken, look after Inutaisho while I speak with Rin." Jaken gave his affirmative answer to the floor. Rin smiled broadly upon hearing his words and her heart thudded excitedly inside her chest. I'll get to be alone with him! Sesshoumaru turned towards her, slowly smiling, which made her heart jump up into her throat. Sesshoumaru-sama... He wrapped his hand around her elbow and tugged her along outside, letting her change shoes and then walking her to Ah-Un. Rin smiled the whole time, feeling restless and on edge.

"Where are we going, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked as he set her on top of Ah-Un. Rin turned her knees towards Ah-Un's heads, making room for Sesshoumaru behind her as he easily lifted himself to the saddle and sidled up behind her. Sesshoumaru reached around her for Ah-Un's reigns, licking her neck as he pulled on the reigns and set Ah-Un to flight. Ah-Un neighed and smacked its tail on the ground, jumping into the air as ethereal blue flames built up around its feet. Rin shivered, setting her arms over Sesshoumaru as he wrapped them around her waist.

"We are going to visit a flower field," he answered simply. Though they could have walked to the meadow using the complex's hidden doorway, etched into the wall, Ah-Un was faster, and both of them were itching to be alone where they could properly greet each other. Ah-Un flew low over the complex wall. The closest meadow was a bit further down the foothill. As the animal weaved through the tree trunks, Sesshoumaru pressed at the top of Rin's thighs, pushing his fingers against the cloth just below her navel and above her pubic bone. He kissed the smooth skin on her throat, having missed her smell and taste after another long absence. Rin laid her head back against Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

"I missed you, Rin," Sesshoumaru whispered against her neck. Though he couldn't drop his hand between her legs due to her kimono, Sesshoumaru rubbed as low as his fingers could go, holding her back against his torso as Ah-Un obliviously flew where it was told. Rin was almost relaxed, feeling something akin to the same relief felt after scratching an itch. However, like some insects bites, the itching only got worse once you stopped scratching.

Ah-Un landed with a thump, swishing its tail around and lowering itself for Rin's sake. Sesshoumaru pulled his hand away, leaning back so that Rin could jump off. She reluctantly slid off, but once the initial disappointment wore off, she ran ahead of Sesshoumaru to the flower field. Sesshoumaru followed, watching her long, black braid bouncing against her back. His lusts stirred at the mere sight of her.

"Come on, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin called back with a lusty look on her face. Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth, aware now that his arousal was making itself known against his clothes. Rin slowed to a quick walk, lightly giggling as a stray cherry blossom petal hit her lips. Jogging out into the open field, Rin was nearing the middle of it when Sesshoumaru nabbed her from behind, almost like a tackle. Rin half-gasped, half-screamed, and Sesshoumaru, twisting in mid-air, landed on his back with Rin on his chest. They landed with a huff and for a split second, she lamented that she would have to clean the grass stains off of his haori.

"You are frisky today," she said, worming her way up his body now that they were hidden in the tall grass of the meadow. Sesshoumaru puffed for air a few times underneath her chest, his hair splayed out behind him. A couple of blades of tall grass were drooping down, and almost touched his forehead.

"Kiss me," he commanded, pulling her up with one arm while the other found the base of her skull. Rin softly grunted a little, trying to open her thighs against the kimono's resistance. The cloth finally slipped underneath the obi and she sighed, letting her thighs fall open over this stomach.

Sesshoumaru pulled her head down for a kiss, the first that they had shared for ten weeks. He licked her bottom lip before pressing his lips tightly to hers and plunging his tongue inside. Rin let her muscles relax over him, only making sure to hold up her head, and her body sank that much closer against him. For several long intense moments, they tasted each other and let their hands roam to all the secret places that they had discovered over the past year. Sesshoumaru slid his hand up along the outside of her thigh, underneath the cloth of her kimono and under-robe, to find her bare backside. As she lay sprawled over him, Sesshoumaru found her swelling bead of nerves, which he had neglected for so long, and gently rubbed, finding her already a little damp with arousal. Rin breathed as quickly as she could through her nostrils, but she was still out of breath. She groaned into his mouth, rubbing her tongue down along his as it once again swept inside her mouth.

Sesshoumaru rubbed her for another minute or so, holding her mouth against his. He imagined his member sweetly chafing against Rin the way his finger now was, and it jerked in reaction, still standing straight up from his pelvis and tenting his clothing.

"Master..." she sighed, taking her lips away for only a breath. She pressed her lips against his again, opening her mouth for the tongue that eagerly plunged inside. Pulling away again, Rin rocked her hips back against Sesshoumaru's hand, feeling heated and wonderfully aroused. "Master, I want it inside me." Sesshoumaru's heart rolled over inside his chest and he decided to do the same. Holding onto Rin, he rolled them over. The top half of his head peeked above the meadow's grass when he sat up and loosened the belt of his outer-robe. Rin raised her knees, bringing her sandaled feet off the ground, and let her thighs fall open as she spread open the front of her kimono. Sesshoumaru growled in reaction, hastily ripping apart the last shred of clothing that kept him from her, and sunk down over her body.

"I've missed your taste," he purred, licking the dip in her neck. Dropping a quick kiss to her chin, Sesshoumaru moved down Rin's body, filling his hands with her milk-laden breasts and molding his lips around one peak. Rin splayed her fingers in his glossy hair, which spilled over her thighs and tickled her sides. Drawing upon her breast, Sesshoumaru squeezed his fingers gently, eliciting a strained groan from his mate. Rin closed her eyes, laying her head back among the fragrant grass as he milked her.

"You're much better at this than our son," Rin said, sharply inhaling as Sesshoumaru rapidly flicked his tongue over the tip. He paused for a second, looking up at Rin as he spoke.

"He'll know better when he finds his own mate...but I'd rather talk about you." Sesshoumaru laved his tongue over her, grinding his pelvis against her. She moaned, dropping her arms to either side of her head. "Did your body miss mine as much as my own body hungered for you?" he softly asked.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama. For the past month, I've been tempted to pretend that you were with me and just pleasure myself, but it's lonely that way. I ached for you to be where you are now." She spoke quietly, her eyes closed and face blushing with the arousal she felt.

"I'm home now, love...and I'll pleasure you as often as you want," Sesshoumaru gruffly responded, dropping his mouth to her breast again. He continued to draw upon her, spending many long moments over her to make up for lost time. He loved that her scent kept getting stronger--it made him feel powerful, especially considering the power she wielded over his own body.

His tongue rapidly flicked the hardened nub, swirling around it one last time before moving further down her body, tasting her skin as it went.

With one arm wrapped around her thigh, he gingerly spread her open, eliciting a shaky cry from her throat. Gently laving the small pearl above her entrance and flicking it a few times between each lick, he listened to the beautiful sounds she made.

"Mmf...it feels good, Sesshoumaru-sama." After a couple of minutes, he had to hold her pelvis down, but continued to prod her with his tongue. Her breathless sighs steadily rose in pitch. Her hands, which were holding onto his head, twitched every few seconds. Sesshoumaru then pressed his mouth to her again, tightening his lips around her little jewel, and sucked hard.

"Unh! Sesshoumaru-sama... Don't stop. Please, don't stop," she cried out, needing his attentions so badly that she wanted to weep. She gasped, clamping her hands around his head. Then gasping his name, she wiggled even more.

"Master! Don't stop! Uhhnnn..." she groaned. Though Sesshoumaru would have gladly brought her to climax, he needed to finish so much that his hands were shaking. Pressing the right places, he made her stomach twitch as he prolonged the sensations and shifted to sit on his knees. Her eyes slowly opened. Heeping her thighs up and open, she looked down at her mate, whose arousal stood at attention, long, thick, and hot. Sesshoumaru growled with need and Rin set her hands against the insides of her thighs, smoothing them down to her center.

"I missed you so much. Please...come inside me," she whispered breathlessly, massaging her thigh muscles and wriggling a little. "Please..." A desperate flashed across his face and Sesshoumaru covered her with his body, grabbing himself with one hand and quickly rubbing it between her lips, finding the place where he needed to push. Shoving the head of his arousal inside, Sesshoumaru paused, dropping his forehead down to Rin's and gasping for air as if he had just run a long distance. He gritted his teeth, slowly sinking into her body and groaning loudly as her body gripped him. She feels the same as when I last made love to her. Exactly the same... Rin clamped her knees against his sides, which let her toes poke above grass-level, and barely noticed that her sandals had fallen off. Gripping the cloth on his back, Rin bit down on her lower lip as he completely sheathed himself in her body.

"Sesshoumaru," Rin whispered, grasping around him with her body. "Uhh, Sesshoumaru do it hard..." Rin achingly sighed, keeping her toes up. Sesshoumaru whipped his head back and made a loud noise, not quite a howl but almost. Then dropping his head down to rest against Rin's shoulder, he pumped in and out of her, going deep and fast. Groaning his name, Rin rubbed her cheek against his temple as he panted against her neck and fisted his hands in the shoulders of her rumpled kimono. Rin's thighs began to shake and her body jerked back with each thrust. She could hear his body wetly smacking into her own, much different from the sounds of nature surrounding them. The smell of sex also clashed with the smell of the plants around them.

"Rin..." Sesshoumaru groaned, unable to suppress the utter joy he felt at being with her again. She could feel her climax building and found the nape of his neck underneath his long, silvery hair. Sesshoumaru placed his hand over her heart, feeling her heart beat as well as the soft skin of her chest. An explosive sensation rocketed down her entire body. She barely managed to pull her fingers down his back as intense, overwhelming pleasure sucked them in. Rin felt like she was going to faint. All of her limbs were too heavy to lift and her body rippled around her mate's arousal. Sesshoumaru gasped for breath, his mind a slave to the pleasure. He dug his nails into the ground beneath them.

They lay there on the ground, gasping for what felt like an hour. When Rin opened her eyes again, she took stock of the world around her. The grass, the warm ground beneath her, the blue sky above her. Her ankles were locked around her mate, whose body was heavy against her, and his silky hair was brushing against her left arm and thigh with each breath that she took. His breathing was still a bit labored and hot puffs of air warmed her neck. Closing her eyes again, Rin combed her fingers through the strands of hair that had fallen over Sesshoumaru's ear.

"I love you, Rin," came Sesshoumaru's gruff voice. Rin smiled broadly at the sky and pressed her cheek to his forehead, answering,

"Me, too, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'll always love you."