Kagome stared at Rin, frozen in shock. The realization dawned on her by slow degrees. How could she have forgotten? How could she have been so careless as to forget?
“Sesshoumaru’s mother,” Kagome said slowly, “you’ve met her.”
“Oh yes,” Rin said brightly. “The second time Sesshoumaru-sama rescued me from death, I beheld her.” Dreamily, she sighed. “She is beautiful and regal beyond words, his Lady Mother. Sesshoumaru-sama favors her greatly.” Gazing down at the baby demon in her lap, Rin said softly, “Now I see that Shin-sama does too.”
“Rin-chan,” Kagome said, trying to keep her voice from breaking, “how…how long have you…?”
Not quite meeting her eye, Rin replied, “I didn’t know for certain until after Shin-chan was born. But for a while I’ve suspected.” She raised her eyes to Kagome’s then. “I grew up learning to read Sesshoumaru-sama’s slightest expression. What others might not notice is plain as day to me. I can see how much he loves you.” Her gaze strayed back down to Shin. “How much he loves you both.”
Kagome’s throat went tight. After a while, she said, barely above a whisper, “Rin-chan, I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize to me for, Kagome-chan.”
“There are others I’ve let down more,” Kagome said, bowing her head, “I get that. But I know I’ve…I must be a terrible disappointment to you.”
Rin shook her head. “I’ve thought about it a great deal, and I can’t imagine how difficult this all must be for you. I know how much you care for Inuyasha—”
“Of course,” Kagome said staunchly. “He’s my husband.”
Holding her eye a moment, Rin nodded. “It isn’t my place to judge you, Kagome-chan. Even if it was, I wouldn’t. Because I care for you, too.”
“You’re too kind to me, Rin-chan. Really.” Kagome’s shoulders sank. “I love Shin with all my heart. I don’t regret him for one second, or what it took for me to have him in my life. But sometimes I think about what I’ve done, and I can barely stand myself. Inuyasha doesn’t deserve to be hurt and shamed, but I do. No one would hold it against you if shouted the truth from the hilltops.”
“I would never say such a thing to him or anyone else,” Rin said, her brown eyes blazing. “Whatever my differences with Sesshoumaru-sama, I would never betray his confidence. Nor yours either, Kagome-chan. I owe you my life.” Rin’s gaze slid aside, lowering as she frowned. “I owe my life to him twice-over.”
Kagome frowned as well. She couldn’t help but notice the direction that Rin’s glance had strayed, toward Sango’s home, where Kohaku was wont to frequent. Reaching out, Kagome clasped Rin’s hand, drawing the younger woman’s gaze back to hers.
“Listen to me, Rin-chan, whatever you think you owe either of us, you don’t owe anyone your happiness. You weren’t brought back from the grave to live a half-life. Even Sesshoumaru would agree with that. I know you love and respect him, but you’re not a child anymore. You have to do what’s best for you. Both of you—Kohaku-kun hasn’t forgotten you for one second. He still loves you as much as he ever did, if not more.”
Rin’s eyes glimmered. “Truly, Kagome-chan?”
“Truly,” Kagome said, nodding. “There’s no good reason why the two of you shouldn’t be together. The next time he’s here, you should elope with him.”
Rin’s eyes went wide. “But,” she said, her voice trembling with excitement or nerves or both, “Sesshoumaru-sama…”
Kagome plucked the jade comb from Shin just as he began to gnaw at it with his sharp little fangs. In a breeze he transformed back into his human self, looking distinctly put-out.
Threading the comb into Rin’s dark shining hair, Kagome said, “Leave Sesshoumaru to me.”
Tearfully, Rin smiled.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Revised 3/26/23
Rin is pitiful here. Kagome needs to woman up and tell the truth. Kagome is always causing someone else to cover up for her faults. If Inuyasha couldn’t have kids then that’s what called “for better or worse ” and Kagome got the worst. Sesshoumaru loved Kagome and now he’s getting hurt. Hope his mother makes it righ!
Inuyasha can have kids. It was Kagome and her reiki that kept him out— making it impossible for them to conceive. Sesshomaru was able to break past her defences though, and that’s how she got pregnant with Shin 🙂
I thought it was that half demons were born sterile? I might be remembering from an entirely different fic though.
“Kagome needs to woman up and tell the truth” – agreed 🙂
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Omg love these two! I love when Rin & Kagome have girl time, in any of your stories. You portray their relationship so well. Loved this update!
Thanks so much, mim! I love writing Kagome & Rin moments – always imagined them having a sisterly bond 🥰
So glad you enjoyed the scene! ❤❤
I honestly didn’t think Rin knew (despite the comments from other readers earlier on). It just makes sense though that she clocked it. I love her reaction, it’s very Rin-like.
I’m excited to see Kagome finally utilize having Sesshomaru under her pretty little thumb 😌 let’s get Rin and Kohaku married y’all 🤪🤪
“I love her reaction, it’s very Rin-like” – yay, thank you, bella!!
Hope you enjoy what Kagome has up her sleeve 😉
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I love how Rin is portrayed here, a sharp one, that one is. But really Kags, should you be helping her defy her father after dragging his heart through the mud?
A fair question 🙂 So glad you enjoyed Rin’s portrayal – thanks so much for sharing, L-desu!!
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I love Rin, but I don’t agree with Kagome. Now she has another person covering for her. And on top of that she’s telling her to throw caution into the win and do whatever she likes…. Kagome shouldn’t be giving anyone any advice. How about she fixes her own crappy situation first.
Let’s start with the truth…
I love this story and I’m always excited when you post a new chapter
Aww thank you for the kind words & support, Katherine! Always love hearing your take – you raise many valid points here! Hope you enjoy where the story goes next ❤❤
Kagome needs to take her own advice and elope with Sesshoumaru🥴 that’s if he’s not burnt out with her emotional instability. But I doubt it, dogs are notorious for their loyalty, I’m sure youki dogs are no different
“dogs are notorious for their loyalty, I’m sure youki dogs are no different” – love this, Maya! Let’s hope so for Kagome’s sake XD
Thanks so much for sharing! ❤❤
Elope?! All the way there with no middle ground? This is the worst advice from someone in no position to be giving any. RIN was originally the one willing to defy Sess, so encouraging her like this is just reckless endangerment. And Kohaku is the one who’s going to pay the most dire price if they do this.
Either Kagome is trying to burn all her bridges or she’s too wrapped up in her own dilemma to notice, but this secret’s already destroying lives. First Sango and Miroku’s, then Kohaku and Rin might be next. All so she could spare Inuyasha’s feelings.
For Rin’s sake Kagome should just tell him, before this poor girl becomes another body tossed into the fire.
“This is the worst advice from someone in no position to be giving any.” – XD Touche
Love hearing your thoughts on this evolving (or devolving) situation, oskorreia! Thanks so much for sharing your take & hope you enjoy what happens next…! ❤❤
I wouldn’t take any of Kagome’s advice ;-; She’s proven to be very unreasonable. Could meddling with his ward be the final irredeemable straw that makes Sesshoumaru turn away from her? I hope this doesn’t end tragically… for Shin most of all.
Lol yeah it’s a tricky situation for sure…
Thanks for sharing your take on the scene, hanayome!! ❤❤
“I would never say such a thing to him or anyone,” Rin said as her brown eyes blazed. “Whatever my differences with Sesshoumaru-sama, I would never betray his confidence. Nor yours either, Kagome-chan. I owe you my life.”
SNIFF. This hurts meee 🥺
Sesshoumaru aside, Kirara, Rin, and even Miroku kept her secret because they love her. It must be harder for Kirara not to tell, especially after Miroku’s death, because she cared for Inuyasha too. Kagome’s dishonoring all of them by not taking responsibility for her wrongs sooner, instead of getting them tangled up in her problems.
Come to think of it, I wonder how long it’s been now since Shin was born? Is he growing at a mortal rate or a demon rate? He can’t seem to talk yet, but he can run around pretty well in his inuyoukai form.
Kagome has the best friends 😭
“Come to think of it, I wonder how long it’s been now since Shin was born?” – I’ve been keeping it kind of vague, but somewhere about six months I think. With Shin being a half-demon his development rate is a little unconventional, and varies by form 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts & reactions!! ❤❤
Sess will have to deal with one of his kids growing up 🥲. I think Kagome is right. It’s not fair to dictate all of Rin’s decisions.
Once again I ask myself if Kagome and Inuyasha would have split already if it weren’t for that night he told her he couldn’t live without her.
Shin is teething and horribly cute.
Ah, by the way… please don’t reply to me if it’s going to send an email. I should have chosen one that will be read by me alone 🥲
Tricky 🧐 On one hand Kagome has no spoons to be stirring up the situation between Sess, Rin, and Kohaku while she’s on her own time crunch, while on the other I think Rin does need an advocate/mediator to persuade her guardian. I just don’t agree with Kagome for telling Rin to resort to the most drastic measure while SHE is so reluctant to do the same.
The gremlin in me 👀 however 👀 wants to see how Kagome can ‘persuade’ him 👀👀👀😈
😉 😉
“On one hand Kagome has no spoons to be stirring up the situation between Sess, Rin, and Kohaku while she’s on her own time crunch” – hahaha ‘no spoons’ is a great way to put it!
Thanks for sharing, Kova!! ❤❤
Ya se, ya se, Rin se fuga tienen una trajedia, Sesshoumaru se enfada con Kagome por ello y termina por alejarse con ella, Kagome cree que se soliciono uno de los problemas pero entonced InuYasha le declara que sabía todo desde el principio y que ya no la quiere y decide cuidar de Sango.
Kagome queda al final sola con su bebé.
Una verdadera historia griega.
Por favor hasme llorar😢
Rin se fuga tienen una trajedia, Sesshoumaru se enfada con Kagome por ello y termina por alejarse de ella, Kagome cree que se soluciono uno de los problemas pero entonced que InuYasha le declara que sabía todo desde el principio y que ya no la quiere y decide cuidar de Sango.
Kagome queda al final sola con su bebé.
Una verdadera historia griega.
Por favor hasme llorar😢
Perdón por mi mala narrativa, pero me encanta las trajedia.
it might potentially be a tragedy, as you said 😢 so many things could go wrong from here. but even if everyone ditches kagome in the dumpster fire of her own making in the end, i don’t think sess would abandon shin. maybe rin and sess’ relationship will be damaged. but i have a theory rin will raise shin as his new mother or sess will bring him alone to the west
kagome and kohaku’s fates are very murky though. i can’t picture things going well for them😨💀🏴
I love a good tragedy too 🙂
There’s so many ways that this could go – thanks for sharing your thoughts, Claribel! Hope you enjoy how the story progresses from here ❤❤
Oh… KAGOME. What has she done lmfao
This is so bad. Nothing good will come of this dhdjsiwkdjdj
RIP kohaku
Lol yeah her track record isn’t the greatest haha
Thanks for sharing, Uissuteffu!! ❤❤
Telling Rin, a lovesick fifteen year-old, to simply ELOPE with the leader of a demon slayer clan is right up there with her genius masterplan to have Sesshoumaru’s baby and pretend it’s her husband’s. Like seriously, this girl 😭 Kagome’s not even a woman she’s a stunningly immature brat. Plus there’s NO way Kohaku would play along with their buffoonery. He already put his foot down before it started:
“I do love you, Rin,” Kohaku interrupted, flustered, “but how can you expect me to defy Sesshoumaru-sama? He’s my mentor as much as your guardian. Threats aside, after all he’s done for me, how could I openly disrespect him in this way? How could you?” At Rin’s sullen silence, Kohaku continued. “If he opposes our courtship, I see no choice but to end it.”
After reading back through this part I think Kagome is most likely projecting… just blithely thinking that Kohaku and Rin’s teenage love story will succeed where hers had failed.
In reality I don’t think Kohaku is even into it? Something in his manner makes me suspect he doesn’t really want to marry Rin. Something else is on his mind. I SEE them avoidance tactics >_> Sess might be right that he’s wrong for her.
I got the impression there’s nothing wrong with Kohaku except his low social standing (unsuitable match). Sess would rather marry her to someone more established in a less risky profession. By marrying a slayer, she not only risks losing her husband early, but the lives of her future children.
Your handle makes me think the Inu no Taishou is ranting about his daughter-in-law 😂
“Telling Rin, a lovesick fifteen year-old, to simply ELOPE with the leader of a demon slayer clan is right up there with her genius masterplan to have Sesshoumaru’s baby and pretend it’s her husband’s” – Ahahah yeah her judgment hasn’t exactly been spot on in the past XD
Love hearing your take on Kagome’s possible motivations here and the dynamics at play with Kohaku and Rin! Thanks so much for sharing & hope you enjoy the next chapter!! ❤❤
Hi, I’m confused about how you describe Shin and how to visualise him.
On another occasion you wrote “The youki swirling around Shin condensed, settling over him like a snowdrift—until Kagome realized that the soft pearly fluff that wreathed him wasn’t snow, but fur” and in the previous chapter you wrote that he “knocked the comb from Rin’s hands with a flick of his snowy train”.
The first part has me thinking he’s covered in small visible white hair all over, similar to peach fuzz, is that the case? But the second sentence makes me think that he has a “mokomoko” – the white furry fluffy thing that Sesshomaru has on his shoulder. Is this “snow” reference only to the fluff/furr?
“Is this “snow” reference only to the fluff/furr?” – yep, it’s just how I picture the fluff texturally 🙂 Shin’s fur/pelt in his humanoid youkai form is pretty much just like Sesshoumaru’s ❤❤