Kagome had felt it too, the first time she’d held Shin in her arms—the surreal certainty that this was her child she was holding. No longer just an abstract concept in her mind, but a living, breathing being of her own flesh and blood—and spirit.

To witness Sesshoumaru experiencing the same brought her back to that staggering moment of revelation. She swallowed, feeling briefly overwhelmed—

And terribly conflicted.

“Sesshoumaru…”

As he lowered Shin, his golden gaze slid to her. “Are you healed, then?”

Kagome’s eyes went wide. Her lips parted slightly in surprise. Whatever answer Sesshoumaru was looking for he seemed to read on her face as he caught her around the waist and pulled her to him, slanting his mouth across hers. Kagome gasped against him, into him. Her stomach gave a perilous lurch. Her cheeks burst promptly into flame. Somehow her eyes managed to flare even wider as her hands flew to his armored chest, shoving back.

“What—what are you doing?” she shrilled, struggling against him, still caught in his hold.

“I thought it was obvious,” Sesshoumaru said, nonplussed, as he leaned in to kiss her again.

Kagome jerked her face aside. “What’s the matter with you?” she continued indignantly to shrill, on the verge of hysteria. “This is so inappropriate—so—so—so underhanded!”

Sesshoumaru chuckled, so light and dry it was like throwing tinder into the flames. Kagome’s face blazed with fresh infuriation. Reiki crackled from her fingertips, scorching the darkly gleaming surface of his chestplate. Cradled in Sesshoumaru’s other arm, Shin whimpered at her agitation, holding to an armored spike with his chubby fist.

“Give him back to me!” Kagome cried, grabbing for her son as Sesshoumaru angled him effortlessly out of her reach. “Give him back, and let us go, you absolute prick!”

“Harangue me all you like,” Sesshoumaru said with the same infuriating dispassion, releasing her to reach for the fur at his shoulder. The snowy train streamed to the ground with Shin in tow. “But it was you who sought me out.”

Immersed in the pool of glittering down, Shin began at once to doze. With both hands free, Sesshoumaru hauled her back to him with ease. Kagome’s eyes flashed, roving wildly over his implacable face.

“I ‘sought you out’ so you could meet your—” Her features screwed up vehemently. “—So you could meet Shin, not because I wanted to fool around with you! But I should’ve known you’d behave like this, when you never bothered to come around before. You clearly don’t give a damn about him.”

Kagome knew that this was unfair, that she was laying into him out of spite. But Sesshoumaru deflected the jab in perfect stride, as if he’d expected as much. Though his stoic expression didn’t so much as flicker, she thought she saw something like pity darken his eyes. It made her heart sink that much more.

“You speak of ulterior motives because they are forever dwelling in your own mind,” Sesshoumaru said with a levelness that seemed to run her through. “I don’t doubt you told yourself this was an innocent venture on your part. You are quite adept at convincing yourself of what you wish to believe. I’ve given you the child that you wanted. I’ve been led to believe that this was all you wanted of me. So tell me, Kagome, what else do you want?”

Kagome stared at him, feeling weak-kneed, helpless. Like she might collapse if he weren’t holding her upright against him.

“I just…wanted to see you,” she said faintly, ashamed of how small and wretched her voice sounded to her own ears.

“That’s what I thought,” Sesshoumaru said, almost consolingly, as he guided her face up to his.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Revised 7/20/23