Kagome paced back and forth in the lofty central alcove of the castle, unable to rest while her son was turned to stone. Every other second, her eyes would flick to Shin in the small bed of furs where Sesshoumaru had placed him. The faint thunk he’d made on impact had reminded Kagome disconcertingly of a hunk of frozen meat set out to thaw. Shuddering, she glanced to her baby yet again. But Shin remained as still and blankly staring as ever.
Sitting cross-legged by the brazier, with its ghostly light rippling over him, Sesshoumaru tracked her with his gimlet eyes. “Do you not trust me?”
“It’s not that.” Pausing briefly, Kagome frowned toward Shin again. “I’ve just never seen anything like this before. It’s distressing.” Biting her lip, she looked to Sesshoumaru. “Isn’t there something you can do?”
“Yes,” he said, raising Kagome’s hopes only to dash them as he added, “but I won’t.”
“What?” Kagome strode up to Sesshoumaru, incensed. She thrust a finger back toward the petrified infant. “How can you just leave him like this? It’s horrific!”
“I’d be doing him no favors to short-cut his recovery. Shin dug himself into this hole, and he should dig himself out. He’ll be all the stronger for it.”
“Strength,” Kagome snapped, crossing her arms. “That’s all you youkai care about, isn’t it?”
“He is youkai, too,” Sesshoumaru said, with a curt nod to the very demonic form Shin was presently frozen in, “or have you once again forgotten?”
Kagome’s shoulders slumped. Abashed, she looked at her poor stiff demon baby, and hoped that his human heart hadn’t also been turned to stone.
“How long will it take?” she asked, dejected.
“That depends,” Sesshoumaru said.
“On what?”
“On how much he depleted his youki before his most vital defenses sent him into stasis. It could be minutes,” the demon lord said, scrutinizing Shin, “or hours.”
“What would happen,” Kagome ventured, although she almost feared to say, “if he were to completely exhaust his youki?”
“In that case,” Sesshoumaru said, meeting her eye with chilling frankness, “he would die.”
Kagome’s hand rose trembling to her lips. “Oh gods…”
“Under normal circumstances,” Sesshoumaru said briskly, “that would never occur.”
“And what are abnormal circumstances?”
“Circumstances in which he would choose to sacrifice himself.” Both Sesshoumaru’s tone and expression softened as he took her by the hand. “For a cause he believed to be greater than himself—for the sake of a pack mate, or a loved one, perhaps.”
In the mirrored surface of his eyes, Kagome thought for a moment she saw another reflected there. Another daiyoukai warlord who’d gone to his death because of the woman he’d loved. Kagome’s fingers curled around Sesshoumaru’s. Tears pricked in her eyes.
“Promise me,” she began, but a sudden stir of youki interrupted her.
Huffing, Shin reared up from the bed of furs. His golden eyes flicked from Sesshoumaru to her. He phased back into his human form looking decidedly rumpled.
“Oh, baby!” Kagome cried, letting go of Sesshoumaru and snatching Shin up.
As she kissed his grumpy, scowling little face, Sesshoumaru seemed pleased. But also somewhat put-out.
“Well,” he said dryly, “that was fast.”
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Revised 6/18/24
❤️ this chapter Char thank you ‼️
So glad you enjoyed it, Nooch!! 💕
I can breathe ❤️ this story has an unhealthy hold on me
Thanks for sharing, Becky! So glad you’re enjoying the story so much 💕
I wonder if Inuyasha has checked up on her and Shin? Maybe, he’s up to good too…Sesshoumaru has ti be overly happy with this?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Redwolf! Hope you enjoy the next chapter 💕
This story hAS ME BY THE THROAT DAMN IT! Shin’s such a badass, definitely Sesshomaru and Kagome’s son I LOVE IT SM LMAO…
and aww, Kagome holding Sesshomaru’s hand…sdjglkdsgjs so cute! And her thinking about Toga and Inuyasha’s mom in that moment, as Sesshomaru stared on at her. I bet she was going to make him promise not to get any damn ideas about sacrificing himself to protect her and their son. Too freaking cute I’m gna explode!
Thank you, bella!! So glad you enjoyed Shin’s antics & the tender moment between Sess & Kags!!
Hope you enjoy the next chapter! 💕
LMAOOO that last line 😅
Hahaha yeah poor Sess XD
Thanks for sharing, mim! 💕
I love this story.
Why was Sesshomaru put out? Cause the same thing happened to him, but it took him longer? Lol
Thank you so much, Kathy! So glad you’re loving the story 🙂
“Cause the same thing happened to him, but it took him longer? Lol” – hahaha could be 😉
💕
Aww Sess don’t be put out! You did say it could be hours or minutes! Or maybe Shin has the benefit of switching to Energy Saving Mode🤣 Either way only Sess knows how his youkai form compares to an average inuyoukai puppy.
Love this chapter and the little ways we get to know more and more about Shin’s abilities 💕 Baby boy always delights me.
“Or maybe Shin has the benefit of switching to Energy Saving Mode🤣 ” – hahaha energizer baby XD
So glad you loved the chapter, friend!! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! 💕
Será que cuando se le agota el youki el bebé 🚼, utiliza el reiki? , después de todo es hijo de una sacerdotisa, me imagino que maneja ambos.
Certainly could be! 😉 Thanks for sharing your theory, Claribel! Hope you enjoy the next chapter! 💕
The allusion to Sess or Shin making that dire sacrifice makes my knees tremble. It’s so sweet, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. Touga has power over life and death and multiple dimensions so he’s an outlier that should not be counted 😭 (Ignore Tenseiga) DON’T EITHER OF YOU BOYS DARE FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS -cries-
Yeahh there’s a tragic undertone for sure…
Thanks so much for sharing, oskorreia!! Hope you enjoy where things go from here! 💕
🤔
Does he change forms depending on which parent he wants attention from? How sly~
also also I wanna point out after reading this again –
Sitting cross-legged by the brazier, with its ghostly light rippling over him, Sesshoumaru tracked her with his gimlet eyes.
…..- that this is SO SCARY. It makes u realize Kagome is the only human in a haunted castle with ghouls and demons, & I would surely have been eaten or turned into a gory chandelier in her place. She’s the only one who could rewire a horror movie fr
Hahaha yeah Kagome is pretty fearless!
“Does he change forms depending on which parent he wants attention from? How sly~” – 😉
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the scene, hanayome! Hope you enjoy the next 💕
Silly little Shin oh my goodness! And I love that Sesshomaru is both pleased his son recovered so fast and also annoyed that the quick turn around interrupted something with Kagome haha
Hahaha yeah Shin had diabolical timing there XD
So glad you enjoyed the scene, M-Yan! Thanks for sharing!! 💕
“Strength,” Kagome snapped, crossing her arms. “That’s all you demons care about, isn’t it?”
“He is demon, too,” Sesshoumaru said, with a curt nod to the very youkai form Shin was presently frozen in, “or have you once again forgotten?”
Oooh that’s not fair, Sess. ‘A jab at me is a jab at Shin’ 😂 And the pup’s already turning out to be a carbon copy of his sire.
Sess has developed CHEAT TACTICS against her.
Not that I think he doesn’t have a point, of course. That little scowl tells me Shin is Not Pleased at being held back by his own limits 😂😂
“Oooh that’s not fair, Sess. ‘A jab at me is a jab at Shin’ 😂 ” – hahaha yep pretty much!
And yeah baby Shin is none-too pleased there XD Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and reactions, Kova!! Hope you enjoy the next scene! 💕
Lmfao this entire chapter was just so fucking cute.
Aww thanks so much, Uissuteffu!! So glad you enjoyed it! 💕
Haha Kagome keeps this family alive, honestly. Without her presence here I could just imagine the two inu blending in with the icy background.
I’m desperately drinking in every bit of these peaceful moments before we have to face the music. I’m clutching hard to them.
Hahaha ‘calm before the storm’ vibes, right? 😉
And gotta love Kagome and her human zest! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the scene, Inupapa!! 💕