Sesshomaru eyed the child in Rin's arms. Though Rin had assured him the child more closely resembled Jinenji, her new husband, Sesshomaru himself could only see Rin in the child.

"The child is strong," he observed as Rin proudly showed the baby to him.

Rin grinned, the same impish grin she'd offered him when she was a child. "Jin's a good baby," she said, fussing with the boy's blanket. "Kagome said he's really healthy, too."

"Hnn."

The priestess in question was some distance away, checking on the herbs and flowers along with Rin's husband.

"Jinenji is a good husband and father," Rin continued, giving her husband an affectionate look. Sesshomaru himself was simply grateful that Rin had chosen a husband that had obviously cared so well for her and her child. Jinenji had showered Rin with gifts and flowers and not even the fact that they'd had guests had stopped his affectionate gestures.

"You know, I always thought you would marry and have kids first, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin added suddenly as she gently rocked her child as Jin stirred in her arms. "You seemed like such a natural."

The comment surprised him and he wondered if Rin had grown from a young child into an insightful young woman. The urges, so long buried within him, welled back to the surface, but the one they were directed towards was oblivious to them.

He couldn't completely stop his gaze from drifting back towards the priestess, though his expression gave nothing of his thoughts away.

"Lady Kagome is a natural, too," Rin added with a sly expression that he almost missed, his attention distracted as it was by the priestess.

"Hnn." So Rin had seen more than he'd realized.

Rin suddenly placed her son in his arms. "Like this," she said, moving his hands so that he held the child correctly. "See? You're a natural. Can you watch him for a few minutes? Kagome is right over there if you need anything, but I need to talk to Jinenji for a moment."

She was already walking away from him before Sesshomaru recovered from his surprise but he made no effort to call her back. It felt right, holding a child in his arms, especially one that immediately cooed and babbled at him with a wide, gummy smile.

He offered the child a small smile as he curled his hands around Jin to cuddle the child into his chest. He would not require the priestess' aid when it came to the child, even though Jinenji and Rin were already walking off for what looked like a house call to one of the nearby huts in the surrounding village.

But...He recognized it for the opportunity it was and so, he stood, careful not to even so much as bump the child he carried, and made his way over to where the priestess was tending her herbs. "Priestess," he said after a moment when she showed no signs of acknowledging him.

He wasn't fooled, however. He could hear her increased heartache as he'd approached her.

"Hello, Sesshomaru." She brushed the dirt off her hands as she stood. Her gaze softened as she noticed the child in his arms. "Isn't he just the cutest little baby? Yes, you are, little Jin. You are the cutest little guy."

He sensed more than heard the needy ache in her voice as she spoke to the child.

"You desire a child as well," he observed, wanting to see how she would react to hearing her inner secret voice.

She licked her lips as he tried not to stare at the movement. "I do," she admitted quietly, a light flush blooming across her cheeks.

He waited, sensing that silence would be her undoing rather than asking her directly.

She shifted her weight and then finally blurted, "It's not going to happen, though. At least not any time soon." She sighed as she fidgeted with her sleeves. "I—well, there isn't anyone. To have babies with, I mean. Not that I want someone to justhave babies with, of course, but obviously I can't have them by myself, either—"

"Priestess." He interrupted her rambling smoothly with a short wave of his hand. "Quiet."

Yet despite his harsh comment, he didn't see her rambling as a bad thing. It was charming, in a way, that she was so willing to share what she thought, given that such a thing was not a strength that Sesshomaru himself possessed.

She closed her mouth with another flush. "Sorry," she said after a moment. "I got used to justifying why I'm not seeing anyone, I guess."

Sesshomaru raised a brow as she laughed nervously. He could sense her heart race as he quietly admitted, "This one also desires a child."

Her eyes widened as she took in his words. She seemed to hold her breath for a moment and then said, "You do? I mean, well, you just seemed so young. I didn't realize that you were—well, that you would be—err, that you'd want children. I guess I thought you'd take over your father's role or something." She paused and then blurted, "Oh. You need an heir."

He was quick to disabuse her of that notion. "A heir is not necessary," he informed her, choosing his words carefully lest she misinterpret them. "A child of this one's own, however, is greatly desired."

"You want a family," she breathed out in understanding as he gave her a short nod in response. "I understand that feeling. That's all I wanted, too." Her eyes went wide as she seemed to realize how her words could be interpreted and she was quick to add, "Not that I'm saying I want one with you, I mean—that is, I do want a child of my own—well, actually, I want several, I think, but—"

The child in Sesshomaru's eyes let out a loud wail, instantly cutting off the priestess.

Sesshomaru instinctively began to rock the child soothingly as Kagome leaned forward to see what might be wrong with him. "He's probably hungry," she said after a moment. "He's settled into a fairly regular feeding schedule and Rin probably didn't feed him before she and Jinenji went off to—well, whatever they left to do."

A pungent scent wafted up to his nose, disputing the priestess' words about the child's needs—or at least disputing the order to take care of them. "He has soiled himself," he informed her and she immediately held out her hands expectantly, as though she didn't expect him to look after the child's needs himself.

Sesshomaru, to her blatant surprise, stepped away, taking the child with him directly into the hut so he could ensure the child was properly looked after in the most sanitary of conditions. He would not allow anything to befall Rin's firstborn, not if there was any way to avoid him. Kagome followed after him without a word, no doubt to ensure the child was properly looked after.

He snorted to himself. If she believed he was ill-equipped to care for a child, she was about to learn differently.

.

Rin peered out the window of their neighbor's hut, trying to keep both Sesshomaru and Kagome in her gaze. So far, everything seemed to be working according to plan, but what happened next would depend on her own mother-in-law carrying out her portion to ensure both Sesshomaru and Kagome realized how perfect they were for one another.

Assuming, of course, that Jinenji's mother was able to keep Jaken from interfering, since she'd taken it upon herself to keep the imp occupied so he couldn't interfere with their plans.

"How is Jin?" Jinenji fretted beside her. "Was that his cry we heard just now? Is he hungry? Sleepy? Rin, my flower, don't you think it's time we take him back?"

Rin placed a calming hand on her husband's forearm. "Don't worry, Jinenji. Lord Sesshomaru is very good with children," she soothed, "and Lady Kagome is there with him, too. Jin will be fine. Remember, we're doing this to help our friends, dear husband."

Jinenji lifted his free hand to cover his eyes. "I'm not going to look," he moaned as Rin chuckled, reminded once again how wonderful her husband was. Jinenji's love for their son was only eclipsed by the love he held for Rin herself.

"Shh, it will be okay." She gave him a reassuring smile. "We just need to wait here a little longer and it'll all work out exactly the way it's meant to."

.

Kagome hovered next to Sesshomaru as he set Jin down and with quick, efficient gestures, began the process of changing and replacing Jin's soiled feudal-era diaper. She was astonished to find that Sesshomaru was every bit as capable as he'd claimed with children, especially considering the fact that Jinenji'd had to have a lot of coaching and guidance before he fully understood childcare.

"You're a natural," she breathed as Sesshomaru once again cuddled a now clean Jin to him. Jin, now that he was clean, seemed to settle down, and stared up at the daiyokai who held him with rapt fascination.

"Hnn." One eyebrow raised as if to say 'I told you so.'

"Why have you never married?" she blurted, seeing the longing he didn't bother to hide as he looked down at the child in his arms.

He was silent for a moment and then admitted, "This one has already selected the mother of his children though she does not yet know it."

Kagome tried to picture what the woman—a yokai, no doubt, for she couldn't see Sesshomaru accepting any less when he'd made it a point to harass InuYasha about his own hanyo blood—who'd caught his eye would be like but struggled. In the end, she finally settled on an inuyokai like him, perhaps with similar coloring, who was similar to Sesshomaru himself in temperament.

Yet the image didn't seem right.

After a moment, she lamely replied, "Well, you're going to tell her, right? I mean, about marriage."

He stared at her for a long moment and then casually commented, "This one has not decided."

Kagome felt her irritation spark at that. "So you're just going to let her live her live without knowing that you'd like to marry her? That you want to have children with her? Gods, Sesshomaru, is she married? Dead? Not interested? Otherwise unavailable? If not, then why wouldn't you say anything? How would she know unless you tell her? For all you know, she could be secretly wanting the same thing."

Sesshomaru blinked at her and she guessed he was probably taken aback by the sudden lecture.

She licked her lips but couldn't bring herself to apologize. She might be horrible at listening to her own advice, but she knew good advice when she heard it.

Jinenji's mother startled them both by cackling—Kagome had honestly forgotten the older woman was in the hut with them, preparing a rice porridge for dinner. Jaken, conspicuously, was nowhere to be seen and Kagome suspected the older woman had sent him off on a fool's errand to get supplies for the meal.

"Give him too much credit, you do." She cackled again. "Yokai like him might be handsome but the predator yokai are rarely charming. Don't have it in 'em. But boy, do they know how to show a woman a fun time. He'll eat you right up if you know what I mean."

Kagome was afraid that she knew all too well what Jinenji's mother meant and flushed at the sudden mental picture that came to mind.

Sesshomaru's nostrils flared slightly and Kagome only hoped he wasn't able to scent the reaction that picture caused within her.

"Least this one has the sense on caring for a baby all proper like. You're a fool, priestess, if you let him get away." She clicked her tongue, stopping Kagome from the instinctive need to protest. "Don't think I don't see what's going on between you two. This hut's 'bout to catch on fire with the heat rolling off of you two. You should just leave the babe here and take him up on that offer. I bet that fur of his would be quite pleasurable to rub against. Why, if I were younger—"

"Woman," Sesshomaru interrupted, looking as discomforted by the topic as Kagome felt. "You will cease talking immediately."

"Hmph." The old woman clicked her tongue in disapproval. "His kind is known for liking control so if you want to set him off, try and take it from him." She winked.

Kagome blanched and then immediately flushed. "Well, Jin is clean now but he's hungry so we're just going to look for Rin," she said hastily, pulling on Sesshomaru's arm as she led him out of the hut.

"They like being bitten, too!" Jinenji's mother called after them. "Drives 'em wild, it does!"

Kagome pretended she didn't hear Jinenji's mother's parting remarks. "So that was awkward," she said, struggling to find something to say. "Um, how's Jin?"

His lip twitched for a moment. "The child is fine. He managed to doze off in spite of the noise."

"Well, that's good," Kagome replied lamely.

He stared at her for a moment and then said, "Come." He walked towards the stream and Kagome dutifully followed him. He settled down beside the bank, resting Jin carefully on his lap so his head would still be supported. "Why have you not wed?"

She floundered for a moment. "I already told you."

"No, you stated that you have not wed and did not desire a partner just for copulation so that you would bear a child. You have not stated why you have not sought such a partner yourself," he informed her as he gently ran his claws through the tufts of Jin's hair.

"Oh." Kagome replayed their conversation in her head and realized he was right.

"Is there no one you wish to wed?" he pressed, an odd look in his eyes.

Kagome decided he deserved honesty since he'd already given her the same. "Well, I wouldn't say that there isn't someone I'd like to wed, if he was interested, but I doubt he would be." She personally couldn't see him being interested, even if he would accept a human as his wife. She was not the best priestess to have ever lived and she couldn't see Sesshomaru settling for anything else than the best.

"The hanyo," he guessed, his lip curling.

Kagome blinked, taken aback. "No, not InuYasha. I do love him, but not like that."

"Then it is the wolf, yet he has already wed." Sesshomaru didn't seem as confident in this guess as he had been in his first.

Kagome pressed her lips together so she wouldn't laugh. She didn't think he'd appreciate it. "No, I've never romantically been interested in Koga."

Though he remained silent, his expression seemed to demand that she tell him who it was that she desired.

But Kagome couldn't bring herself to admit the truth to the very person she desired and so she remained silent, trying not to squirm as he silently pressed her for answers.

.

"They're just sitting there," Rin griped from her window view. She knew their neighbor probably thought it was odd that she was staring out the window while Jinenji maintained the pretense of checking the neighbor's recent wound from his accident with his own hoe.

The neighbor was fine and his injury was healing well, but Rin hardly paid any attention to that.

"Fine," she said, clapping her hands together and startling her husband. "If they're not going to do it on their own, then I guess I'll force them to take the next step myself."

With that, Rin strode out of the hut with purpose, leaving her surprised husband no choice but to follow after her.

.

Sesshomaru found himself disappointed when Rin arrived to collect her son. Not only had he enjoyed the feeling of a child in his arms and the sense of power and love it brought him to know that such a tiny child would depend exclusively upon him for protection, but he had not gained the answers he sought, either.

And Sesshomaru himself would not make a move without being confident of his own success, not when the potential failure could be so catastrophic.

"Sorry about that," Rin said with an apologetic smile as she approached them, "but we needed to check on a neighbor and the herbal smells in the hut can be overwhelming for Jin right now." She stopped short and made a grand gesture of looking between Sesshomaru and Kagome. "You both take to it so naturally. I was just telling Jinenji how perfect you two would be together, wasn't I?"

Jinenji nodded and Sesshomaru began to suspect that all of this had been more than a simply ploy by Rin—it had all been an elaborate matchmaking ruse.

As she took her child from Sesshomaru, Rin added, "After all, you've both secretly desired each other forever. Oh, your children will be adorable, too!"

And with a big smile on her face, Rin headed towards her home, her husband following behind her.

Sesshomaru turned his attention back to Kagome, who had turned bright red. "I—she—well—"

"You desire this one," he said, more to confirm Rin's words. Rin was not the type to lie but he needed to be sure.

The priestess hesitated and then nodded, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I know that I'm not—"

"This one desires you as well." He reached out to caress her cheek, sighing internally at the pleasure of finally being able to touch her skin. "From the first moment you challenged him, he has been captivated by you, Kagome."

He heard her sharp intake of breath as she lifted her gaze back up to him, her expression hopeful. "You mean it?" she asked and though her words were cautious, her tone was excited. "You won't regret this?"

"Hnn." He gave her a slight nod and, as she grinned, he leaned in to place a gentle kiss to her lips to show her exactly how his heart felt for her—

"Well, it's about time," Jinenji's mother bellowed from the hut. "I was afraid we were going to have to slip something in your tea."

Both Sesshomaru and Kagome pretended they didn't hear her.