Kagome hummed happily as her husband walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her neck. She wrapped her arms above her head to run her fingers through Inari's silky ponytail as she asked him, "Have you had any luck yet?"

He sighed and her mood dropped. Because Kagome was a nogitsune – a black kitsune and considered to be a malicious trickster and harbinger of disaster amongst humankind – many humans protested her marriage to the kitsune Kami, Inari. They had lived together for millennia now – since before the Ice Age! – and still those idiot humans couldn't see that she was no different than a normal being worthy of love and respect! Ten years ago their seventy year old kit Shippō had been captured and a sealing spell placed upon him by a monk who used the last of his power – and his death – to place her precious son into a coma from which he had still not awoken. Inari had been seeking a way to unbind their son for a decade now, and still there was no luck!

Maybe she was unlucky, maybe disaster was destined to hound her every step. Inari interrupted her thoughts, "Precious love of mine, do not think such things. You are no unluckier than any other being in existence, or else my blessings would not be effective, ne?"

She was the one who sighed this time around, turning to kiss him softly. He was right.

That night she changed her mind, as she ran from the screaming fire into the woods surrounding their home, using the action to transport herself to a similarly forested area upon the earth, carrying her precious son as tightly to her as she could, whilst running as fast as was possible. Being a kitsune, this was quite rapidly indeed.

Dead. Dead! She wanted to scream, rage, burn the world to ashes, but there was no point, it would be no use. Inari had been killed and whilst to the other Kami this would be no great loss – they would recreate him, after all – to Kagome it meant that her life had been ripped into tatters. She had gotten along well with her husband's fellow Kami, but because Inari would be resurrected with no memories intact, and because of the tensions mounting due to Kagome's place in their ranks, she knew she would never have her beloved Inari back again. Oh – he would be her patron deity, and his mind would not be poisoned with the filth and rot that humans believed of her, but there would be no relationship, and he would look drastically different this time around.

If Kagome ever, ever had the luck to find the dragon yōkai who had attacked them, he would be slaughtered. Inari was a peaceful deity – Kagome was the one of them who had the volatile temper and more destructive capabilities, Kagome was the one who was physically immortal, and still he had begged her to take their son and run for their lives. She had felt his death echoing through their mating bond like a dagger through the heart.

Kagome didn't know what to do. Where to go. The forests would be the safest places to live, but she could not simply live out the rest of her millennia alone, tending to a comatose, un-ageing kit. Kitsune were not meant to live solitary lives, but… No place would offer her shelter.

Kagome kept on running – running from the grief, running from her broken life, running from the fear of what was to come in the future.

Several days later, she found an abandoned cottage deep in the woods, and, using her magic, she fixed it up into a comfortable home, planted a garden beside it, set some snares for fresh meat, and used an illusion to make everything look as it had before she arrived, even going so far as to make things permeable to the touch of other beings so that the illusion would not be given way by what was fact, although her home was still impermeable to the rain. Then, climbing into the bed of the largest bedroom she had created, she collapsed into a restless, exhausted sleep.

She awoke to muffled noises, and blinked curiously. Had the little hovel she had turned into a home actually been… occupied? It certainly seemed so. She conjured up a crib and placed her ever-sleeping bundle into it, before wandering out and seeing two black haired yōkai boys – they couldn't have been more than an older eight and six. The only thing resembling clothes that they had were ragged shifts, and they were only a few weeks away from being emaciated – oh those poor things!

Kagome had not forgotten her own problems, but she could never resist helping someone in need, and these two orphans were clearly in need. She made herself visible, her silk kimono – a cerulean blue that matched her eyes, with white cranes bordering the bottom hem and flying around the top; she had woven it and sewn it herself – rustling as she bent down. "Hello there, little ones. You look like you could use a good meal. What are your names, and would you like me to make some food for you?"

The older one looked up at her in suspicion, his eyes red and filled with such jadedness that Kagome ached for him – she too felt like that right now. The younger one looked up with more caution than suspicion however, revealing wide violet eyes. Both of them had shoulder-blade length black hair that could use a trim, and as Kagome felt their auras she immediately understood why nobody had taken them in – it was rare for full yōkai to be orphans without another yōkai taking them in and raising them. But these two were spiders, and spider yōkai only ever kept their own young, to pass their weaving and spinning and sewing talents on to the next generation – they were greedy of their abilities, and unwilling to pass on their tricks of the trade to outsiders. Spider yōkai were generally seen as useless if they didn't know how to go into their traditional trade and so young ones such as these wouldn't be picked up by other yōkai. These poor boys!

Fortunately for them, Kagome had lived millennia and picked up many hobbies, some of which were weaving, spinning thread, being a seamstress, and intricate embroidery. She could teach these boys the skills they would need to live productive and even prosperous lives, because Kagome had woven fabric for the Kami when she had been amongst them, her skills unparalleled.

Finally the older one spoke, after peering at her and realising that despite her rich garments and clear power – her tails were innumerable by now, although she kept most of them hidden, never displaying more than nine at a time – she truly meant to help them. His voice was hoarse but clear as he said, "My name is Naraku. This is my otōto-kun, Byakuya. Our otō-san died last year. And our okā-san died fourteen years ago."

It was little wonder they had survived for so long – spiders were clever, and all yōkai needed far less food than humans did to survive, as well as could survive much longer without it. Likely whenever he had caught an abundance of food he had preserved it for leaner times. Still, these boys needed a good, filling meal in their stomachs, some new clothes, and a new parent. Considering that her own son was dead to the world and would be for the foreseeable future, she would adopt them, assuming they agreed to it. "If you stay with me you will have meals whenever you want, new clothes, be able to have hot baths, and I will teach you the things that you need to know for your species, as I learned those things many, many years ago. I will adopt you as my sons, and will be your okā-san. I have a son but he is under a spell and cannot be woken up from it, so I know how to treat you and will not ever raise a hand to you or abandon you. How does that sound, Naraku, Byakuya?"

Naraku spoke first, but not with an answer – he spoke with a question. "You know what it is like to be discarded and despised, don't you, kitsune-sama?"

He was watching her black tails as he spoke and she sighed. "Yes. I do. And my mate loved me despite it all, but he died many days ago, and without his protection I too am all alone."

Byakuya turned pleading violet eyes upon Naraku, tugging on his torn sleeve, "Please, ani-san! We can help each other."

The older boy nodded slowly, holding his arms out. Kagome smiled and obligingly picked him up, then leaned down and picked up Byakuya, easily holding each boy on one of her hips as she dispelled the illusion – just for them – with a flick of one of her tails and walked into their new home. First a bath and haircuts were in order, then a meal, and then a nap on a comfortable bed.

"That's it, spin your threads tightly together just like that, you two are doing very good, Byakuya, Naraku."

The boys had already learned many of the things they had needed to know, so Kagome had not had to teach them the very basics. Naraku had turned out to be a natural weaver, both of them were adept at spinning their spidersilk threads, both of them knew how to dye their threads to get the most ideal colours for the purposes needed, and Byakuya was a natural seamster. They would easily rise to the top of the cloth-making world, especially once she taught them the tricks of making their clothes repel dirt, grime, and other foreign substances; hinder scents from escaping from or clinging to them; become subtly armoured; and gain the ability to self-repair.

They wouldn't be the usual spider tricks, either – they would be the techniques she had learned to master over millennia of usage of her skills in such a way, able to withstand even the most destructive attacks intact.

That was for the future, however. Right now she was honing their more basic skills as was necessary, making their threads tighter and stronger, making the dye so permeated through the threads that it would never dull or dim in its colour, and learning how to weave and sew more intricately, Naraku the former and Byakuya the latter. She was starting them off with looms and needles, respectively, as that was what they already knew how to use, but once they were adept enough she would teach Byakuya how to sew without a needle and Naraku how to weave without a loom. Her boys were growing up so fast – they had blossomed from the jaded, suspicious little orphans she had found into boys with stunning and distinct personalities. Naraku was hard working and artistic, whilst Byakuya was dedicated and determined, and both of the boys had strong perfectionist tendencies.

Her boys would take the world by storm when they finally emerged.

"Okā-san! Okā-san! We got followed!"

Please, please let them be okay! She couldn't stand losing the boys who had become her sons. Not on top of all of the rest of the loss she was desperately trying to keep from collapsing under. Kagome ran to them – only to find a trussed up man, likely a villager who had been out fishing, and she couldn't help bursting into relieved giggles. Her sons had spun their thread and tied up their follower, leaving him like a present for her to interrogate. "Nogitsune! R-release me! L-leave this place, you will destroy us all!"

Kagome flinched from the pain in her heart when the man said that, and patiently explained to him, "I have been living in this forest for four years now, and your village has blessed with an unusual bounty because of my presence. Do you really wish for me to leave and take the bounty with me?"

His black eyes widened and he stared at her, before shaking his head in denial. "S-stop filling my head with tricks! The Kami have blessed us, that is all. You will only bring death and destruction to us all!"

"Shut up! You're a stupid little man, insulting our 'kā-san like that. Every night she prays to Inari Ōkami-sama to bless your village, your crops, and your children. Even though she has no reason to do anything like that, she prays and Inari Ōkami-sama listens to her prayers."

That had been Naraku, and Kagome smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Thank you, darling musuko mine. If this man wishes it, however, we will leave. It is not as if I cannot find us another place to reside in and create our home anew there."

The village man stopped his spluttering at that, "Y-you would leave? Just like that?"

"I strongly dislike wiping people's memories, it feels slimy and distasteful to me. If I stay without your agreement you will just bring a mob with you to attempt to slaughter myself and my family, which I will not allow. I refuse to murder a group of imbeciles, and it would be quite easy for me to defeat even the whole village if they showed up, I have many tails, after all. Do you wish for me to leave or will you keep your mouth shut about this and go back to your home?"

The man looked conflicted, before saying, "I… If this is true, then no, I do not wish for you to leave; but more and more men are coming into the forest to see if they can expand the bounty. It might be safest for you and your sons if you were to leave despite my personal feelings."

Kagome smiled and gestured to Byakuya, who undid the bindings around the man with a flick of his wrist. "Thank you for your warning, we will depart tonight. You are free to go. Here."

Kagome tossed a gold coin at him, "Bury this and keep it safe, just in case things become tight – I do not know what nature has in store for the future, and you may need it."

He stared at her in awe before nodding and bowing to her. "Thank you, kitsune-sama."

Of course – now that she had done something physically positive for him, she was no longer "nogitsune," she was now "kitsune-sama".

He ran back off to where he had come from, and Kagome knelt down and held her arms out. Her sons obediently walked to her and hugged her, each with an arm under hers and one around her neck. "It is time for us to move my darlings. It was about time for me to build a new home any how – I think from now on you each need to work more on your own trades and that means separate rooms so that you do not distract each other."

She sighed softly, "You're learning so fast and so well."

They had each aged a year and were now nine and seven – spiders, much like kitsune and hanyō, physically and developmentally aged one human-equivalent year for every ten years they were alive, unlike most yōkai, for whom it took between fifteen and twenty years to age that much; depending on the breed. They had been close to the end of their ten years when she found them – surprisingly the boys had the exact same day of birth; midsummer eve. Each year their birthdays had been celebrated lavishly, and she intended on continuing the tradition. It was now only seven more years until her boys would be ten and eight – they were growing up so fast.

Then she pulled away. "Come, help me pack up, we must leave tonight, and we must leave no traces of our habitation."

"Aniki?"

The whisper was feather soft, but Naraku picked it up, and opened his arms to his otōto-kun. Byakuya crawled out of his futon and snuggled into him, while he waited for his little brother to say what was on his mind. He only ever called Naraku "aniki" when he was worried or concerned about something. Finally, his brother spoke again. "Do we make 'kā-san happy?"

Naraku sighed softly. What a loaded question. But he would answer it honestly. "Of course we make 'kā-san happy, Byakuya. But the thing is… 'Kā-san lost her whole life before she met us. You've seen Shippō otōto-kun. He's hers by birth and she hasn't gotten to see him except sleeping like that for fourteen years. And she lost her mate after Shippō was stuck like that. Remember how unhappy otō-san was when our first okā-san died and how he never really got better? 'Kā-san is going through that, and I think it's only because she has us to take care of that she is even able to smile at all."

Byakuya nodded solemnly, "So that's why she still cries every night until she falls asleep? And why her eyes always look… lost?"

He nodded and held his brother a little tighter to comfort him. He shouldn't have been surprised that Byakuya had noticed; he might be younger, but he was still perceptive. "That's why. We make her happy, but what she lost in her life before us won't just go away, otōto-kun. Now, go back to sleep, okay? We need our rest for another hard day tomorrow."

His violet eyed brother nodded and crawled back into his own futon. Tomorrow would be another long day with a lot of travelling.

Kagome stopped in her tracks, hiding her sons behind her nine visible tails – which had kept them out of a great deal of trouble lately, what with people too terrified to bother dealing with her because of her clear power – as a man stepped onto the barely-there path they were walking upon. She stared at the older male, and sighed. Great, a monk. Time to be chased away again.

However, when he spoke, she was met with the surprise of her life. "Ah, would you happen to be Kagome-sama, nogitsune-sama? The previous Inari Ōkami-sama's mate?"

Nogitsune-sama?! Um… What? "I… Yes. I am."

Then the monk actually smiled at her, and bowed at the waist, giving her a gesture of respect. What in the world is going on here?! "My name is Mushin, and I would be most honoured if you would spend some time at my temple, Kagome-sama. We could always use visitors, and surely the blessings that Inari Ōkami-sama would bestow upon your asking would benefit us all."

It was clear that he was including her in that "us all", and she blinked in befuddlement, before Naraku stepped forward, stroking one of her tails gently in a comforting manner. "Can we, 'kā-san? We haven't found another place to settle down yet, and he actually wants you around."

She bit her lip, worrying lightly at it with her fangs, before nodding firmly. "Only if my sons are welcome as well; they are spider yōkai."

He waved a hand negligently and smiled brightly at her. "Of course they are welcome; there is plenty of room in my temple, and it will do Miroku some good to clean up some rooms for your use. Please, do not feel pressured to leave; stay as long as you need to heal, Kagome-sama."

He saw. Despite seeming a bit foolish and feeling like a drunkard, this monk had already seen into the deepest depths of her heart and had seen the gaping hole there. He was inviting her to stay permanently. Or at least, for as long as he was the head monk at this temple. Surely there must only be one or two other monks there, if he was so certain of her being welcomed there, but… This would be company, adult company, for the first time in four and a half years. For as long as she wished to stay. How could she ever pass up such a gift?

What had she done to deserve this?

A voice echoed into the clearing as she thought that, answering her unspoken query, "You have aided every ailing person you come across, regardless of species or how you know they would personally feel about you if they realised the nature of your body. Despite being mired in grief from the loss of your mate, you took in two children in need, and have proven yourself to be an excellent mother to them. How could I not bless such a fine specimen of the species I adore so much? Go, Kagome, my child, and allow yourself to heal."

Inari. Oh, Kami, he sounded exactly the same!

Kagome fell to her knees, gasping and sobbing her heart out as she clutched at her chest. She didn't notice the other man joining the older monk, as she lost herself in her grief, in her pain, in her loss. Kami she missed him so much! How could she ever heal from losing her mate?! From losing her child?! But this was a command from her Kami, and she could not disobey it. He might not be her mate any more, but he was still her deity, so she slowly allowed herself to stop the tears and the sobs, panting softly as she hiccuped, before two warm, small pairs of arms wrapped around her neck. "We love you, 'kā-san. It's okay."

"You can take your time, right?"

"Yeah, 'kā-san. It just takes time, and we have time now."

What would she ever do without Naraku and Byakuya? She would have wasted away years ago without them. She hugged them back, then picked them up, rubbing her eyes with a handkerchief and bowing to Mushin – and the other monk that she just noticed. "Forgive my outburst-"

The younger monk spoke up softly. "There is nothing to forgive, Kagome-sama. Of course being exposed to the being who was at one point your mate would cause such a reaction. Now, if you would follow us, we will take you home."

His eyes caught her attention and she stared, for just a moment, before blushing and looking away. They were an unusual colour for a human – a deep, dark purple that she could only call nasu. Those delicious vegetables with skin as dark a purple as his eyes were, in contrast to Byakuya's vivid violet. How strange. Did he have yōkai blood somewhere back in his family, she wondered?

Ah, she was getting lost in meaningless thoughts. Sighing, she followed the two monks. Tonight would definitely be a change of pace.

"Ah… I have seen this binding before. Hrm. This will be hard to dispel – have you any Idea how he was able to make the seal so powerful, Kagome-sama?"

She looked sadly down at her comatose son and stroked her clawed fingers through his bangs. "He killed himself with his spell so that his dying will could be poured into it. Inari searched for a decade previous to his death but had found no monk capable of coming anywhere close to dispelling it."

Mushin nodded sagely, but Miroku looked beyond incensed. "How dare anyone have the temerity to do such a thing to a child! That man was no monk, he was an evil, vile being, falsely wearing the robes of a monk."

Kagome smiled weakly at Miroku, glad that he shared her opinion of the kidnapper of her son, before Mushin spoke up. "Oh? He was was he? Well, can't say I disagree with you there, but who among us two here asks every single, pretty woman he sees to bear his child whenever he first meets them, hmm?"

Miroku flushed lightly – likely only because Kagome happened to be present – before sticking his nose up into the air. "Heirs are important, Mushin. After all, who else will inherit and keep up this temple once we are gone? Besides, you are one to speak, a drunkard monk would of course influence the child he is raising into being bold."

The older monk chuckled lowly and Kagome couldn't help but giggle. "Oh really now? And has nobody taken you up on your offer yet, Miroku?" She asked teasingly, adding, "After all, you are a very handsome man."

His flush deepened, before he prevaricated, "Ah, well…"

Then he continued, "Yes, a few have, but they would not have been willing to stay in the temple, meaning they were unsuitable matches."

She nodded sagely at that, and grinned a bit wickedly, "Why then have you not asked myself? Or do you not ask yōkai such a thing?"

After all, it was a common (but false) belief that hanyō could not ever have spiritual abilities. So it would make sense for him to only ask humans.

Miroku's face grew serious then and he shook his head, "It would be highly inappropriate for me to ask someone who is deeply mired in grief such a shallow question."

She smiled at him and rested her hand upon his. "Thank you for the consideration you show me."

He flushed again, then cleared his throat and looked towards Mushin; Kagome removed her hand. "Well, old man, do you think we can do this, with a bit of work?"

Mushin nodded firmly. "Aye. It will take several moons to gather the power and place it into the spell so that when it goes off it has enough force to dispel the binding, but we can do this, so long as we work together at it. Would you be willing for us to do that, Kagome-sama?"

Blinding hope filled her heart at that. She could have her son back! Before even a year had passed! She did adore Naraku and Byakuya, but they weren't Shippō. "Of course! Take as long as you need. Now I have hope again, and I cannot thank you enough for being willing to do this for me."

"Oh, what a beautiful weaving you are designing, Naraku-kun!"

"Shh! Keep quiet, Miroku-sama, this has to be kept a secret from 'kā-san."

"Oh?"

Kagome couldn't help herself, as she masked her presence and crept closer to the room, her yōki hidden and her scent and aura concealed. Kitsune were curious creatures, after all. She heard her son speak to Miroku once more, "Uh huh! 'Kā-san's birthday is Setsubun, and Byakuya and I are making her a new kimono for her birthday next year, since there's no way it could be ready in time for this year. This is going to be my best piece yet. I have to make it perfect."

"It is very gorgeous already, Naraku-kun. I am certain that your mother will love it. When will you start on it?"

She heard her son's hair rustling as he nodded his head, "We'll need his help with it, so once Shippō otōto-kun has been awakened. See, 'kā-san never celebrates her birthday, but we talked with Mushin-sama and he agreed that she deserves to celebrate her birthday. Every year she throws a huge celebration for Byakuya and me on our birthday, which is midsummer eve, according to her. You'll see when she celebrates it this year, what she does for us. 'Kā-san deserves a party for her birthday too. "

"I will keep your secret, Naraku-kun. She will not hear of it from me."

"Thank you, Miroku-sama."

Kagome left with a smile upon her face. With luck, by then she would have her other son back and would, for once, feel like celebrating her day of birth again, rather than mourning the day she came into being.

"So then, he runs up to his father and hugs him around his neck, before stepping back, and the old kitsune was immediately covered from head to toe in water! It was dripping everywhere, and he couldn't dispel it for a good quarter of a candle mark!"

Kagome laughed softly, and relayed a story back to Miroku. They had been doing this whilst he worked on the spell that would awaken her son. A couple years back, a family of kitsune had weathered out a severe blizzard in their temple, and he was regaling her with tales of the antics the family had gotten up to during their weather-enforced containment. It reminded her of Shippō – but in a good way, and Kagome was becoming more and more certain that Miroku was the reason that Inari Ōkami-sama had arranged this place for her to stay. Miroku lightened her heart, drew her out, and healed her soul of the gaping wound that had been festering slowly inside of her.

Every story he told her, every chant that escaped his lips, watching him work hard in the temple, seeing him draw intricate and beautiful sutra and ofuda – all those things filled her with a slow warmth of happiness as he was just… himself. No putting on an act, no showing off, just being himself, and it was helping her more than she had the words to articulate.

"When Shippō had just turned five, he changed his little play-pen that we kept him in into a walking, talking creature, and rode it around the house all day long. Inari couldn't turn it back until well into the evening time that day. I of course, didn't even try. I know my son far too well; he takes a lot after myself, after all."

Miroku smiled at her, then gently looked up from the sutra he had just completed and placed his hand upon hers. It was a chaste action, for all that it was a little bit bold, compared to most of his actions around her, and she flushed ever so lightly as he asked her, "Is this helping, Kagome-sama?"

She wouldn't be so stupid as to ask what exactly he meant by that. She knew damn well what he meant by that, and smiled softly and affectionately towards him. "It is helping more than I could have imagined. Thank you very much, Miroku."

His return smile was brilliant in its intensity.

"So, tell me, my boy, how is Kagome-sama faring?"

Miroku rolled his eyes, annoyed at this intrusion from his master. He had to get this ofuda just right, and that was difficult when he was creating one anew! All the sutra and ofuda he had made so far for the spell to reverse the binding on Kagome-sama's adorable birth son had been crafted specifically for the occasion, as this one would be as well. "Why don't you ask Kagome-sama, Mushin? I'm busy at the moment and can't mess this up."

Mushin sat across from him, at least having the consideration not to interrupt him with his body as well as his words. "Ah, but if she is unwell, Kagome-sama might not wish to let her host know how badly she is doing, for fear of insulting him or his hospitality."

Part of Miroku was upset at the insinuation – Kagome-sama was no liar! – but the rest of him understood where Mushin was coming from. Kagome-sama was gentle-hearted and would not wish to pain others because she herself was hurting, as was proven by Inari Ōkami-sama's little speech to her detailing why he had encouraged them to seek her out when she was in their area and offer her shelter for the foreseeable future. After all, kitsune were social beings, and as precious as her children clearly were to her – both adopted and otherwise – children were not enough company for an adult kitsune. That was even more obvious by how rapidly and thoroughly Kagome-sama had blossomed under the attentions of Mushin and Miroku himself. Mushin had to be going somewhere with this line of questioning, however, and somehow Miroku thought that it would be somewhere inappropriate. It was Mushin asking, after all.

"Kagome-sama is doing much better," he finally said once the ofuda was finished, just in case this was headed where he thought it might be. "Talking about her birth son does not pain her any more, she laughs more freely and honestly, and she does not cry herself to sleep every night any more. Of course, I still hear her doing so sometimes, but that only makes sense – she lost her entire life. Two moons will not change that miraculously."

"I thought as much. And how about you? How are you adjusting to our new company?"

Miroku knew that he was talking about Kagome-sama, but would at least make an attempt not to have to answer that area of questioning. "Naraku and Byakuya are delights to be around, such hard working and sweet boys – they truly lighten the days around here, and I am positive they have been infected by Kagome-sama's overt kitsune-ness; the little tricks they have been playing frequently as of late whilst they grow more comfortable being here and see this place more like a home are completely entertaining and the two of them are entirely precocious and adorable."

Mushin nodded his head and asked, "And what about Kagome-sama, eh, my boy?"

Of course. Miroku rolled his eyes and sighed, answering honestly. "Kagome-sama is a wonderful friend. She is sweet, kind, gentle-hearted but with a thick streak of temper that makes me pray I never anger her, mischievous, has a good sense of humour, and is truly talented."

"And that is all? Nothing… more?"

He huffed lightly. Of course Mushin would be insinuating something like that. Luckily for Miroku, he could answer this honestly, because his heart was not yet overwhelmed by the stunning nogitsune. Not yet. It likely soon would be – it was only a matter of time, really, before he fell for the woman who was beauty condensed into physical form. "No, nothing more. Even were I to feel something more for Kagome-sama, she is in no way ready for such attention, and I am unworthy of her affection any how."

Mushin seemed a bit surprised at his vehemence, before he chuckled lowly, "Ah, my boy, the heart wants what it wants, and thoughts of worthiness are only in the mind. Do not let Kagome-sama hear you disparaging yourself like such or she will likely tear you a new one for your assumptions. I know she sees you as a dear friend by now."

Yes, Miroku could admit that Kagome-sama did see him as a good friend by now, but she was still in no way ready for more than that right now, and Miroku wasn't either. Not to mention, regardless of what Mushin said, he was still unworthy of her affection. Granted, Mushin was also correct in saying that if Kagome-sama ever felt like that towards anybody she would not bother with thoughts of worth – she was not shallow enough to let such things trouble her. Miroku rather thought it unlikely that the beautiful nogitsune would ever feel that way towards him, though.

"What's wrong, Byakuya?"

His little brother had been in a pensive mood lately, and Naraku rather thought it was because they were getting ever closer to their otōto-kun being awoken from his spelled sleep. He wasn't sure, though, so it was best to just ask his little brother what was bothering him. Byakuya would never lie to people he cared about, after all.

"Aniki…? Will…"

Byakuya hesitated, and Naraku patiently waited for him to continue before he ploughed on, "Will 'kā-san still love us once Shippō otōto-kun is woken up, aniki?"

Suddenly their 'kā-san's voice entered the room, and she knelt down, opening her arms up for a hug, "Is that what has been bothering you lately, musuko mine? Come here, precious ones."

They both rushed her for hugs, and she gathered them close to her, stroking through their hair softly. "I will always love you, Byakuya, Naraku. If I can love both of you at the same time, then I can love both of you and Shippō at the same time, too, right?"

His brother responded tremulously, "But… Shippō was here first. Before us."

She shook her head, "That doesn't matter to me. Without the two of you I would have wasted away and given up hope. You are precious and dear to me, my darling sons. Never forget that."

"Okay."

Naraku spoke up then, "'Kā-san, what did Shippō call you?"

She tilted her head curiously at them, before saying, "Shippō called me "mama". Why do you ask?"

Byakuya and Naraku looked at each other, before chorusing together, "Can we call you mama too, 'kā-san?"

Her smile was beautiful, as she said, "Of course you can, my precious sons. Of course you can."

Soon their otōto-kun would be woken up, and their mama would be happier than ever. Now it was something to look forward to rather than to worry over.

Kagome felt like her heart was about to fly out of her chest, as she watched Mushin and Miroku chant, the pair of them positioned exactly between two sets of ten different ofuda and sutra, the mirroring lines spread out in a ritual circle between the two men. The chant wove in and out between the monks, visible in the warm air that was heated solely from the sheer energy pouring into the room. It felt as if the place was filled with electricity – her tails were puffed out like bottle brushes, and constantly twitching, just as her delicately pointed ears were. Her clawed fingers were tapping out a beat matching the chanting onto her amethyst silk kimono, and she was biting her lower lip with her fangs, worrying at it until she thought it might start bleeding.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the chant ended, and her son woke up, his voice crying out, "Mama! Papa! Help!"

Kagome rushed forward at a nod from the monks, and they left the room, likely to go be with Naraku and Byakuya, as she enfolded her son in her arms and held him close to her. "Shh, it's all right, Mama's here, Shippō, love."

Her son clung to her and sobbed in relief. "Mama! Mama! T-the bad man took me and scared me! He said I would never wake up-"

"I know, precious," she said, "And he was almost successful. You have been comatose for almost fifteen years, musuko mine."

Then he asked the question she most didn't want to answer right now, although she knew she had to. It was best he learned sooner, rather than later, so that he could recover more rapidly. "Mama? W-where's Papa?"

"We got attacked by a dragon yōkai almost five years ago, Shippō. Papa… Inari didn't survive the attack."

Her son whimpered, and said, knowing full well how things worked amongst the Kami, "He doesn't remember us any more, does he?"

She shook her head sadly, "No, Shippō. Inari does not remember us like he used to, although he still protects us and blesses us. Humans didn't like me very much, so they decided not to continue straining the relationships between Inari and the humans by reviving him and then bringing his memories back."

Shippō buried his face into her shoulder and sobbed quietly as she rubbed his back, just comforting him as best as she could whilst he cried for the loss of his father. When his sobs finished, she said to him, hoping to change his mood into a better one, "You have two older brothers now, Shippō mine. I found a pair of orphaned spider yōkai and adopted them shortly after Inari died, and they are very eager to meet you and to have a younger brother to spoil."

The grief was not gone, but as she had hoped it would, excitement overtook his features and he gasped out, "I have ani-sans now?! When can I meet them? What are they like? What are their names?"

She laughed softly and stroked his back. "You can meet them as soon as you would like, Shippō. They are very talented little spiders, hard working and determined to do well, as well as a little bit silly and very sweet. Their names are Naraku – he has red eyes – and Byakuya, who has violet eyes."

Shippō asked her, just as perceptive as he had always been, "Did they help you keep going after Papa died, Mama?"

Kagome nodded softly, "Yes. Without the two of them to care for I would have given up by now."

"I'm glad you found them, then, Mama. Can I meet them now?"

"Of course, precious."

"Are… are those my ani-sans, Mama?"

Naraku watched as the little kitsune that had previously been lifeless clung to his mama, curiously eyeing the auburn hair and vivid green eyes. The kitsune kit had looked a lot younger when he had been "asleep," but now it was clear that he was just tiny for whatever his age was – actually he was probably not much younger than Byakuya. "Yes they are, Shippō. Why don't you go say hello?"

The young kitsune clambered down to the ground agilely, with an ease that spoke of years of practise, and walked over to the two young spider yōkai, watching them with open curiosity. The curiosity subsumed the grief the poor kit was feeling over the loss of his father, which was good – even though, like Mama, the grief wouldn't just go away over night, other things could distract them from it. Just like how Mama, Mushin-sama, and Miroku-sama (as well as their learning how to sew and spin and dye and weave) distracted Byakuya and Naraku from grief over their loss of their otō-san.

Naraku decided to be the one to act first, bowing at the waist and offering a gentle smile to his new otōto-kun. "Hello, Shippō! I'm your ani-san, Naraku."

Byakuya stepped forward next, smiling shyly, "And I'm your other ani-san, Byakuya. We're almost the same age though, I think?"

Mama nodded, "You're about three and a half years older than Shippō, Byakuya."

Shippō eyed them cautiously and then asked, "Will you help me with my pranks, ani-sans?"

Naraku and Byakuya grinned at each other and nodded in sync, replying eagerly, "Of course, otōto-kun! Pranks are fun!"

Then Byakuya said, excitement and confidence entering his voice, "Mama has been teaching us good ones but I bet you can teach us more!"

Naraku followed this up with, "We can't do all the things you can do, since we aren't kitsune, but we can definitely help you out with yours! Spidersilk can be used in a lot of fun ways!"

Shippō eagerly ran over to them and grabbed their hands. "Let's go plan, then!"

As they were leaving the room, Naraku heard Mama and Miroku-sama laugh, and Mushin-sama said, "Dear me, we're in trouble now."

Mama just replied smugly with, "You asked for it when you invited us to live with you, Mushin."

Kagome watched Miroku, who was smiling happily as a delicately balanced bucket of acorns was triggered by Mushin walking into the doorway, and soon he was covered from head to foot in acorns that were stuck to him and wrapped around him with spidersilk. It had been a brilliant trap. Kagome giggled softly, and commented to him, "I'm so glad for Naraku and Byakuya. They are really helping Shippō move past his grief more easily than he would be able to if it was just the two of us."

Miroku smiled at her and softly said, "Do not underestimate the effect your strength and courage are also having upon him. You have grown by leaps and bounds since you arrived here, Kagome-sama."

Kagome flushed lightly at the blatant praise, and turned the tables on Miroku, "If that's the case then you should not underestimate the effect you have on him as well. I've seen you aiding him with planning his pranks out both with and without my other sons. Your presence is very soothing and filled with contentment."

That earned a blush from the handsome young man, and Kagome smirked softly as he responded, "How else could it be? I am surrounded by a beautiful family, wonderful children who love to work as much as they love to play, and a gracious and loving mother who knows exactly how to parent her children; not to mention I have my work as a monk, which I thoroughly enjoy."

She nodded softly; life was a blessing right now – to everyone living in the temple, Mushin included, despite all of his drinking and grumbling.

"Happy birthday, Mama!"

Kagome was startled when she walked into the dining area of the temple – there were festive wreaths of early-blooming spring flowers, branches with spread buds, and other stunning natural items decorating the walls of the room. She gasped, and tears began to leak down her cheeks; she had forgotten it was her birthday today, as she hadn't celebrated it in so long. Miroku was at her side in an instant, gently wiping her cheeks with a handkerchief, "Kagome-sama? Is it not to your liking?"

She hiccuped and hugged the taller man tightly, shaking her head before pulling away and taking a deep, trembling breath. "I-it isn't that. I just wasn't expecting… I'd forgotten that it was my birthday," she explained, "so it just shocked me, is all. It is beautiful, thank you so much."

Then her sons were upon her, Shippō climbing Miroku's side to perch on his shoulder as Byakuya and Naraku handed her a package wrapped in a lovely silk cloth – violet in the background with red and green butterflies decorating it – mimicking the colour of her three sons' eyes – and held together with a deep blue ribbon. "Oh, I can hardly even open this! It is so beautiful already!"

"Aww, open it already, Mama!"

Her sons, unfortunately, had perfected the art of speaking in sync, which was devastatingly adorable. She had no idea how they managed it – it had made sense when Naraku and Byakuya did it; being born on the same day, even decades apart, would do that to beings, but how they managed it with Shippō involved was a mystery that she would never figure out – however, it worked every time, on everyone they came across. So she untied the ribbon, draping it over her shoulder as she let the fabric fall open to reveal – oh, the most stunning kimono she had ever seen!

The fabric was a dark teal threaded with silver to make it shimmer, and there were soft brown branches with sakura blossoms and spring green leaves upon them decorating the lower sides of the kimono, both front and back. Along the hem at the bottom there were small piles of petals and blossoms, and sakura petals were floating atop curled white breezes all over the torso and sleeves, the latter of which also ended in piles of petals and blossoms. Following the kimono was a simple brown obi the colour of the branches adorning the bottom of the kimono, threaded with gold to make it shimmer as well.

She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, "Oh, little ones… this is the most gorgeous gift I could have ever been given! Thank you so much, Naraku, Byakuya, Shippō!"

"Mushin-sama hid it for us when it was complete, and Miroku-sama kept you distracted when we were working on it so you wouldn't see it before it was finished. Shippō made the silver and gold dye for us."

It went without saying that Naraku had woven the fabric and Byakuya had sewn it into the form it was in. "Thank you as well then, Mushin, Miroku. Let me go change!"

She left the room and slid out of the sky blue kimono she was in, slipping into the new kimono easily, her tails becoming insubstantial at the point where they met the kimono, allowing the fabric to pass through them with ease as she donned the garment. Then she closed it appropriately and wrapped the obi around her, tying it in an intricate knot to secure it closed. When she was done, she re-entered the dining area, flushing from all the stares she got, her ears flicking slightly with her nervousness and her tails swaying lightly as she was met with a stunned silence.

"Kagome-sama, never has there been a more beautiful sight in this world than you at this moment."

That was Miroku, and she blushed deeply, her cheeks colouring in a fetching manner as her children echoed him, "Mama is so pretty!"

Mushin chimed in next, "Truly an outfit befitting such a gracious being as yourself, Kagome-sama."

Shippō was still perched on Miroku's shoulder, and he called out, "Spin around for us, Mama, spin around!"

Byakuya and Naraku echoed him, "Yeah, mama, spin, spin!"

Still blushing from all the positive attention, Kagome spun, once with her tails in their natural positions and once with them spread out to the sides so that the back of the garment could be seen more properly. "This is your best work yet, Naraku-kun, Byakuya-kun. And don't underestimate your help too, Shippō-kun."

Her boys smiled at the praise from Miroku, and she smiled at them, "I cannot thank you enough, my precious sons. Thank you so much for such a beautiful gift."

Then she turned to Miroku and Mushin, "Thank you as well for aiding them in this endeavour, Miroku, Mushin."

Then Shippō piped up, "Sing us a song, Mama! It's been so long since you sang for me."

Well… it had been a while… and Kagome knew just what to sing, so she knelt on the floor, her tails swaying behind her as she opened her mouth and lilting words escaped her lips, her abilities creating the music to accompany her singing the song "Sakura, Sakura".

"Sakura sakura, noyama mo sato mo, mi-watasu kagiri, kasumi ka kumo ka, asahi ni niou, sakura sakura, hana zakari. Sakura sakura, yayoi no sora wa, mi-watasu kagiri, kasumi ka kumo ka, nioi zo izuru, izaya izaya, mini yukan..."

When she opened her eyes, the whole room was staring at her, and she flushed deeply at the attention. Kagome was aware that she had a pleasant singing voice, but the attention was still a bit much for her to take in. Especially when everyone in the room began to applaud her impromptu performance, making her blush even more deeply. "That was stunning, Kagome-sama."

Shippō, Byakuya, and Naraku all looked at each other then, and chimed out, "Will you sing us to sleep from now on, Mama?"

Smiling sweetly, she nodded, "Of course my darling ones."

Then she was rushed by her children, all three of them hugging her carefully as they chattered happily at her agreement.

Kagome could not ever remember a more pleasant birthday.

"Kagome-sama?"

Kagome turned around to see Miroku standing there, his hands behind his back, and she wondered what he was hiding from her. She had just put the boys to bed, and so she gave him her full attention, leading them into another room, "What is it, Miroku?"

He cleared his throat lightly, then held out a paper-wrapped parcel. "It is nothing as wonderful as what your sons contrived to make for you, but happy birthday."

Another present?! Smiling, she opened up the paper, only to reveal an intricately carved wooden comb with sakura blossoms spread open upon it, each gathering of petals getting smaller from the large middle one until, at the ends, there was just a single petal on each side. "Oh! Miroku, it is beautiful! I had no idea you could carve!"

He flushed lightly and shook his head, "It is a minor talent that I do not practise often, but yes, I can carve wood. May I?"

She nodded, and he took the comb from her hands, placing it into her hair and securing it behind her left ear. "There."

Then he beckoned for her to follow him, and she did, curiously wondering where he was taking her, until they reached a room she had never been in before. There was a cloth covering a tall object, and he removed the cloth to reveal a large standing mirror. "Come and see what a vision you are, Kagome-sama."

She reluctantly obeyed his request, and gasped as she saw her reflection, one hand reaching up to cover her mouth. Even her deep and innate humility was not enough to keep her in a state of denial over the fact that she looked divine in her getup, like a Kami come down to earth. "Oh… Wow…"

She breathed the words reverently, stunned by the gifts she had been given tonight. "We will have many people arriving tomorrow to ask for blessings for their spring planting, Kagome-sama. Would you do me the honour of wearing this and asking Inari Ōkami-sama for blessings as well for our patrons?"

How could she deny such a selfless request? Normally she would – her status of being nogitsune would drive people away – but she could not deny that people would not be looking at her and thinking of her as nogitsune if she was attired thusly. To them, she would just be kitsune, and a powerful one, with her many tails. "I will, Miroku. Thank you for asking, and thank you for showing me this."

He gave her a soft smile and they left the room, each heading to bed down for the night.

Kagome watched avidly as Miroku carefully wrote the sutra he was working on currently for a patron of their temple, one denoting protection for the man's family. His calligraphy was stunning, each placement precise and perfect. Then he set it aside to dry, and began on an ofuda to ward away malicious entities. This one was even more intricate, she saw, as the brush danced across the paper slowly and steadily.

The nogitsune adored watching Miroku at work. It was like seeing a perfectly executed dance performance, or hearing a perfectly executed piece of music. Beautiful and infusing warmth into her heart. Soon he was done with the ofuda, and he began working on another sutra. There would be four sutra, one for each wall of the customer's hut, and the single ofuda to be placed above the doorway of their home.

Kagome sighed softly – very softly, so as not to distract Miroku from his work – and continued to watch him practise his craft. He was a very talented monk and clearly enjoyed his duties, rather than thinking of them as a burden. It was a joy to observe him where he was most at home – helping others, just as she herself preferred to do.

Miroku sat quietly against the wall of the room he was in, observing the woman who had captured his heart as she went about her daily business of making their food for the day grow. The room was filled with large, deep pots that were long and rectangular rather than round, and in each separate pot was a different crop to be grown. Daikon, ninjin, nasu, rakkyo – the list went on and on. Each day Kagome-sama accellerated a few of the plants from each pot until they were at their peak, gathered them up, and prepared them, planting replacements for her to use in the future after each meal was completed.

Kagome-sama was incredibly industrious for someone who had, at one point, practically been a Kami. She cooked all of their meals; grew, raised, and caught all of their food; and was always offering to help out with the cleaning – although considering all the work she did for them, her offers were always directed into more relaxing activities for her, like teaching her sons how to practise at their various crafts, which was more like a hobby to her than actual work.

The younger monk had never disliked living in the temple, but it had, at times, been lonely with nobody around but Mushin. Now, however, the temple was active and filled with the noises of love and family. Now the temple had Kagome-sama, who graced Miroku with her presence far more often than he would have thought she would, especially considering she was yōkai and he a monk – some of the things he did surely would make even a yōkai as old as she slightly uncomfortable; Miroku was under no illusions as to exactly how powerful his spiritual abilities were. She seemed to enjoy him practising his craft no matter what he was doing, and was frequently found to be watching him do one thing or another. It was incredibly pleasing to have her enjoying his company so, and he would never deny the delight he found in her company as well.

Life was very good right now.

Kagome was in trouble. She had noticed it a sennight ago, realising without warning that the slow warmth that infused her heart whenever she was around Miroku – in any way whatsoever – was not simple fondness for the young monk, but was love for him. Specifically, romantic love. Something she had thought she would never find again. She had no idea how to bring it up to him, however, or if her feelings were returned, although the fact that ever since she had moved into the temple he had stopped his previous flirtatious ways towards other women that Mushin was always telling her about was definitely a promising sign.

Mushin seemed aware of her feelings, and was subtly encouraging her to spend more time with Miroku whenever she got the chance – if she hadn't been kitsune she wouldn't have even realised this little fact – and her children certainly treated and saw Miroku much like they would a father figure, rather than just as an adult friend or an uncle figure. It seemed he had snuck into all of their hearts when they weren't paying attention to it, and he made them all so incredibly happy.

Finally, one night after he finished his meditations, she tentatively asked him, "Miroku? What do you think of me?"

He looked over at her curiously, then something seemed to click and he flushed, looking away from her. Was that a good sign? Kagome was unsure – Inari had actively pursued her, and she had pursued him, playing their kitsune games. Miroku was a human, however, and seemed to have placed her upon a pedestal, which made his actions unpredictable to a point. "Kagome-sama?"

She shook her head and made a slashing motion through the air. "Drop the -sama. I'm sick of it coming from you. Please, Miroku… What do you think of me?"

He licked his lips, still looking away before he finally seemed to gather his courage and looked her straight in the eyes, his gorgeous nasu orbs gazing into her cerulean ones. "I respect you greatly. I think you are a wonderful person, a fantastic parent, and that you have come so very far from where you were when you first arrived here. The strength and courage you have inside of you still makes me catch my breath, and never have I met a more beautiful being than you are, Kagome-sama."

She had to laugh at that last part, surely he was exaggerating, and she was going to say something to that effect when he continued, "Your eyes outshine the sun, the stars, and the moon, they are stunning in their beautifully unique colour. Your hair falls down in the most gorgeous waves, as black as ink, as dark as night, that shines a blue as lovely as your eyes in the right light. Your skin is fair and smooth, and your tails are utterly stunning, matching your hair in their beauty. When you smile, it lights the world up."

Kagome blushed deeply at such an intensely detailed description of her put into such a positive light, and her breath caught. Did this mean – could her feelings really be returned? "What else?"

She barely managed to get the words out, her breath still caught in her chest, her heart pounding against her ribcage as she prayed for her feelings to be returned, for him to love her as she loved him. She did not worry about his mortality and her immortality – if she mated him he would match her lifespan, and then they could both live to see her sons grow up and take the world by storm. As well as any children they might have together… Oh, but the idea of that made her shiver.

He smiled a beautiful smile at her, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek as he leaned closer to her, "Is it not clear yet, Kagome? I love you very, very much. I have been in love with you for longer than I am willing to admit to anyone, including myself."

Miroku waited and watched. He still felt completely, wholly unworthy of Kagome-sama, but he also knew that his presence, at least somewhat, pleased her and made her happy; otherwise she would not seek him out so often, spend so much time with him, watch him so frequently. What was more, Mushin – who despite being a drunkard had very good instincts – was pushing the two of them together in a way that Miroku was beyond familiar with, having seen the older man do such to patrons of theirs who had feelings for each other that were either unknown or simply unacknowledged more times than he could remember.

And it was no use fighting against such a force if it was already in play – if she already felt for him, then those feelings would never leave her. Kitsune were just like that – they did not fall out of love, ever, although they very frequently were able to love multiple beings at the same time. Once a kitsune's heart was captured by someone, it would stay that way forever. He had known from the moment he met her that she would always be in love with Inari Ōkami-sama, and this did not bother him at all – kitsune loved deeply and equally amongst their beloved ones, and if he had miraculously secured a place for himself in her heart then he would just be grateful for her feelings.

So he watched, as her eyes closed, as her body trembled, his hand still cupping her cheek as he awaited her response. She had asked for his feelings, and so he knew that the response he would be met with would not be rejection – Kagome-sa—no, she had said to drop that suffix—Kagome was not the kind of person who would ask for a person's feelings only to meet them with dismissal or rejection. The only real question hanging in the air between the two of them was whether he would be met with returned feelings, simple acceptance, or cautious consideration. Finally, after what seemed like forever, her eyes opened again, and her hands reached out to touch each side of his face.

He dropped his hand from her cheek as she stroked from his forehead down to his chin, her breath coming to her unevenly as she leaned forwards, then pressed her lips against his. Miroku wasted not one single moment, gently wrapping his arms around her and tugging her into his lap, closing his eyes and returning her kiss with all the passion he had. When he finally pulled back from the kiss, he was smugly satisfied to see a completely dazed and adorably flustered look upon his beloved's face. He smiled gently at her, however, and pressed his forehead against hers, murmuring, "Kagome… What do you think of me?"

Kagome was much more direct than Miroku was, as she responded to him simply with a soft, sweet, "I love you, Miroku, and have for I do not even know how long."

He pressed the matter with a grin, teasing her gently as he said, "And?"

Miroku was pleased with her startled giggle, "Someone certainly is being smug. And..."

He awaited her actual response, pleased when she rested her head against his shoulder, before moving and tucking it under his chin, before speaking, her words carefully articulated. "You have the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen. Even from the moment I first met you, your smile has always filled my heart with warmth. Never have I seen anything more artful than when you are at work – your calligraphy is the most beautiful I have ever seen, and you make the brush dance across the paper as if it were perfectly choreographed. When you meditate, your energy relaxes me and makes me feel as if I have come home. I love you more than I have words to express."

The room was quiet, for a time, the two of them basking in their feelings for each other, before Miroku spoke up, hesitation lacing his voice. An important matter had to be addressed. "Shippō-kun-"

Kagome interrupted him before he could get any further, "He already looks up to you like a father, Miroku. There is no need to worry about that. I noticed it a moon ago. He treats you very much like how he treated Inari – he will be incredibly pleased with this development. And Naraku and Byakuya have seen you in such a manner for an even longer period of time, ever since the day after Setsubun last year, when you had me helping to bless your patrons for the first time."

He relaxed and held her tighter to him, his hand stroking over her side and his fingers trailing over her kimono as he teasingly – but with a soft seriousness lacing his voice – asked her, "Kagome, would you do me the honour of bearing my child?"

Her sharp intake of breath was followed by a soft shiver through her body, and he couldn't help but grin. That was a definite yes, then. "I want a daughter first."

Miroku hummed lowly, "Mm. A daughter, then, as we already have three sons."

This time, it was Kagome's voice that was hesitant, as she asked him, "Miroku… I… I will not die, at least, not any time even remotely soon – I will last on until the world itself ends… Will you…?"

He nodded, the action pressing his chin comfortingly against her hair, "I would be honoured beyond belief if you were to take me as your mate, Kagome. Mortality is not something I am particularly attached to, especially not compared to how attached I am to you."

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, making him smile and stroke her side again. "I never thought I would have this again. Thank you, Miroku. Thank you, for just being yourself."

He chuckled softly, "I should be the one thanking you, Kagome mine. I doubt I will ever feel that I am worthy of your attention, much less your affection – but I know that your choice is yours to make, and such things do not matter to you."

"I was about to say. Whomever I choose to be with is my decision, and you are more than worthy of both my attention and my love."

He responded to her vehement declaration with, "If you insist, one who holds my heart."

This time she was the one to nod, "I insist."

"Then it must be so."

Kagome leaned up and kissed him softly again, and this time his return kiss was gentle, but just as filled with all of his love for her as his first one had been. When the kiss ended, she murmured against his lips, "Let us go to bed, my love."

He smiled and kissed her again, picking her up and standing, heading towards her bedroom. Tonight would mark the beginning of the rest of their life together.

Kagome opened her eyes slowly, only to see her mate (Kami was it amazing to say that word again) resting his chin in his palm and watching her, a combination of contentment and wonder lacing his gorgeous eyes. When he saw her watching him, she was gifted with a slow smile and a gentle kiss. "It is time for my morning meditation. Will you be joining me as usual this morning or do you need to rest more?"

She hummed underneath her breath and snuggled into his chest, rubbing her cheek against the bare expanse of heated skin. "Hmm. I do not need to rest more. I just wish to spend time with you."

His fingers stroked through her hair, scratching her scalp gently and making her shiver lightly. She pressed a kiss to his chest and murmured, "Tease," to him. After last night he knew what that did to her.

She felt his chuckle reverberate through his chest and sat up, stretching and arching her body lightly, watching idly as he sat up after her, then stood up and shrugged his robes on. Kagome simply stayed in her yukata – she never dressed before breakfast was over and done with – and followed him out of the room, her hand intertwined with his. She still blushed every time she caught sight of it, and Mushin found them walking together like that. Kagome was tempted to stick her tongue out at his smug smirk, but instead just sent him a wink as he commented. "I knew you two were meant for each other. Congratulations."

Miroku rolled his eyes but Kagome softly said, "Thank you, Mushin. For everything."

Because if Mushin had not invited her to stay in his temple, this never would have happened, and Miroku seemed to remember that as he bowed his head lightly towards the older monk and murmured, "Yes, thank you Mushin."

Then as they walked past he muttered, "Even though you're just a nosy old drunk."

Kagome burst into giggles, helplessly cradled against Miroku's side as Mushin grumbled discontentedly on his way towards the place where he did his morning meditation. She was still giggling when they reached their spot, and Miroku kissed her softly – just enough to shut her up, which made her smile shyly towards him. Then she settled herself in, sitting seiza comfortably as he crossed his legs beneath himself and began to meditate. She almost immediately relaxed, as he hummed a low tone. There was something magical about Miroku when he meditated – a touch of the supernatural, as his body glowed with violet light, and his humming echoed into her bones, seeming to relax her from the inside out.

By the time he was finished meditating, her body was lax and thrumming with contentment. Really, thinking about it, this reaction alone should have notified her that something was up – usually holy powers did not have a positive effect on yōkai; even ones as old as Kagome was. At best they had no effect whatsoever, at worst they stung a little; assuming their owner was of unusually strong power amongst humans, which Miroku definitely was. Of course, for normal yōkai, and even the younger and less powerful daiyōkai, even weaker spiritual abilities could kill with just a touch.

Kagome, however, was no normal yōkai, or even a daiyōkai. Kagome was a relic of an ancient era, unique in her very core. Her mating Inari had mate her truly immortal, because Inari had been truly immortal, in that even upon his death his spirit lingered so his body could be remade. Being yōkai rather than Kami, however, gave Kagome a different sort of immortality – she simply could not cease to exist any more.

Before Miroku, that thought had distressed her to no end – it was very likely that she would outlive all of her children. But now she had a mate to live out her eternity with, one who wanted more children, and so she would never be alone again. Thinking about that made Kagome's heart warm, and she leaned over to kiss her mate, sharing her happiness with him through their bond.

She knew he had received her feelings when he pulled her into his lap and cradled her close to him, returning her kiss passionately.

Things were very wonderful right now.

Shippō was a good kitsune. He knew that very well, and it wasn't just because his mama told him so and because Miroku-sama told him so. Back when he had lived with Inari Ōkami-sama, who was the Kami of kitsune, Inari Ōkami-sama had told him he was very talented and a very good kitsune. Even Inari Ōkami-sama had had difficulty dispelling Shippō's tricks sometimes.

Shippō's skills had not diminished during his nearly-fifteen year sleep, and he was constantly and continually sharpening them, especially because now he had playmates! Naraku and Byakuya were his amazing ani-sans, helped him with his pranks, and helped him with his observational skills. Mostly by confirming things that he suspected – like that Mushin-sama wasn't as much of a drunkard as he pretended to be, and that Miroku-sama was completely head-over-heels for Mama, and that more and more people were coming to the temple solely to see his mama and get blessings from her, instead of seeing her as a bad thing to be avoided.

That last item was Miroku-sama's fault and Miroku-sama's fault alone, and was a real blessing, because the temple couldn't keep itself going without its patrons, and Shippō and Mama were social beings – they couldn't be happy just staying hidden away from everybody. Mama would have been willing to do that even though she wouldn't have been happy doing it, and had been doing it for quite a long time, but… Miroku-sama had asked Mama to bless people the day after Setsubun last year, attired in her birthday presents, and people hadn't looked at Mama and seen a "nogitsune," they had looked at Mama and seen a very powerful nine-tailed kitsune who was clearly blessed by Inari Ōkami-sama. Because Mama had looked heavenly in her new kimono and the pretty comb Miroku-sama had made for her.

All of this meant that Shippō noticed things were different when Mama came to wake him up. Mama always smelled a little bit like Miroku-sama, because Mama loved Miroku-sama back and just hadn't noticed it yet, so she spent lots of time around him.

But today… Today Mama really smelled a lot like Miroku-sama! Way more than just hugging him would make her smell, too! That meant that Mama had finally realised her feelings! So before he even said good morning to her, he exclaimed happily, "You finally noticed! Are you happier now, Mama? Does Miroku-sama make you happier?"

His mama looked startled, before she laughed softly, "Nothing gets past you, does it, musuko mine. Did everyone notice what was going on before we did?"

Shippō nodded solemnly. "I noticed it first, then Naraku noticed it, and we told Byakuya because we didn't wanna keep such a happy secret from him! We all helped Mushin-sama give you more things to do together, and helped out with the chores so that Miroku-sama had more time to be with you."

He giggled at the stunned look on his mama's face, saying excitedly, "It was a conspiracy! And a fun one, too!"

She smiled at that, and he snuggled into her stomach as she wrapped her arms around him. "Then thank you very much, Shippō. To answer your question, Miroku makes me incredibly happy. So you don't need to worry any more, precious one."

"I haven't been worried ever since I noticed that Miroku-sama loved you, Mama, because I knew that he would do anything in his power to make you happier, even if it hurt him, like giving you up. Miroku-sama is just that kind of person. I'm glad you're with him now. Are you mated, Mama? Or not yet?"

She stroked her claws through his ponytail and he murred happily, listening as she confirmed, "Yes, we are mated."

Shippō nodded again, then took a deep breath and tentatively asked, "Does… Does this mean I can finally call Miroku-sama "Daddy" now?"

His mama laughed softly, which made him smile – his smile widened when she said, "If you want to that badly, I am absolutely positive that Miroku would be incredibly pleased to have you call him that. I suppose Naraku and Byakuya feel the same way, then?"

"Yep! We all want Miroku-sama to be our daddy. You're sure he'll say yes, Mama?"

Her smile was happy and gentle as she replied, "Yes, I am, Shippō mine. Would you like to be the one to tell your brothers the news, then?"

He gasped, bouncing up and down happily, "Can I?! Oh yes please!"

At her laugh and nod, he rushed out of the room to spread the news. His ani-sans would be so happy!

Naraku focused on the pattern in front of him, carefully making sure that each thread was in the right place, that each thread was dyed in the proper way to ensure that the pattern was seamless and perfect. This kimono was going to be a match for Mama's birthday kimono, made for Daddy to wear when he and Mama got married. They didn't need to get married, since they had mated already, and mating was way more important, because now their lives were tied together by their souls – but Mushin-sama said that the patrons of the temple would be very happy to see Mama and Daddy get married. It was kind of weird, because for humans, if you spent three nights together, that was it. You were married. But Mama wasn't human, she was yōkai, and yōkai had a simple ceremony to celebrate and cement matings – so they were using that as a marriage ceremony for the people that appreciated Mama and Daddy to watch.

Mama had blushingly agreed (Mama was still not used to all the temple patrons liking her instead of people trying to drive her away like everybody had before they came to the temple) and Naraku and Byakuya had immediately gotten to work.

This kimono was going to be swirling patterns of autumn leaves – a deep burnt orange backdrop with red, yellow, brighter orange, and brown leaves flying around in flurries, with piles of multicoloured leaves adorning the bottom hem of the garment and the ends of the sleeves. Shippō had already created the gold dye that was needed to make the burnt orange base of the fabric shimmer like Mama's teal kimono shimmered with silver, and the obi he was making was a deep evergreen shade that had more of Shippō's dye, this time silver, making it shimmer as well.

The kimono wasn't only designed because it would look good on Daddy, it was designed to be an opposite from Mama's spring-themed kimono, this one representing autumn. Autumn happened to be Daddy's favourite season too, just like spring was Mama's favourite season, so this worked out very well.

Naraku hummed softly as the loom moved back and forth, weaving the intricately dyed threads together tightly. When Naraku was older, Mama told him she would teach him how to weave without using a loom, but for now he still needed it – he was still quite young, after all, and had a lot of things to learn before he grew up!

Byakuya stretched lightly, placing the piece he was working on down onto his table. It was almost finished! The body of the kimono that Byakuya, Naraku, and Shippō were making for Daddy was hemmed and sewn properly – now he was sewing the trailing pockets of the sleeves closed, and then, after hemming the ends of the sleeves where Daddy's hands would exit, he would sew the arms onto the body of the kimono. The left sleeve was almost completed – he had finished sewing the seam for the trailing pocket of it, and now only had to hem it.

Even turned inside out for him to work on the seams and hems properly so that they would look seamless, the fabric he was working on was brilliantly beautiful. Just like with Mama's birthday kimono, Naraku had outdone himself. Not only would Mama and Daddy's kimono's contrast each other, they would compliment each other, and Byakuya was incredibly proud of his ani-san and his talent and creativity. Mama and Daddy would be amazed when they saw this kimono, for certain sure. Mushin-sama had already seen the fabric, and his reaction had been very pleasant to see. This time they weren't actively hiding what they were doing though – Daddy knew they were making him a kimono, but he was, as always, respecting their wishes and not peeking. Mama wasn't peeking either.

Sighing, Byakuya picked the sleeve up and began the work of hemming it. He still had a ways to go before Daddy's wedding present was finished!

The largest room of the temple that was now Kagome's home was completely packed with people, all of them eager to witness the ceremony about to happen. Generally, for a ceremony like this, only very close friends and family of the yōkai involved were invited to watch the ceremony, whilst more people were invited to the reception afterwards for the celebration, but in this case… Even though she did not know these people as well as Miroku and Mushin did, they were all incredibly dear and special to her, as they saw her for herself, and did not judge her for being a nogitsune.

They respected and appreciated her, just as often asking her for blessings from Inari Ōkami-sama as they asked Miroku or Mushin for their various blessings and abilities. Kagome was more than happy to pray for these people who saw her for her personality, rather than the colouring of her hair and fur.

With Miroku standing next to her, attired in an absolutely stunning kimono that both complimented and contrasted with her own, she walked down the empty space in the centre of the room, until she reached the table in front of the room and knelt down on the right side of it, Miroku kneeling across from her on the left side, seeming to be as comfortable in his fancy new kimono as he was in his traditional robes.

Mushin was facing the occupants of the room, a sake bottle by his side and three sake cups – the smallest on the right and the largest on the left – lined up in front of him. As he cleared his throat, the room quieted down, and Kagome flushed from the force of attention she could feel upon the three of them. Mushin then poured the first cup of sake, offering it to Miroku, who drank half of it in a sip, before offering it to Kagome, who drank her half in a sip, then handed the cup back to Mushin, who placed it back in front of him.

Then Mushin poured the next-largest cup, offering it this time to Kagome first – she dutifully took her sip, larger than the last one, and offered the cup to Miroku. He took his sip and handed the cup back to Mushin, who placed it back where it had been previously, before pouring the final dish of sake. This one was once again handed to Miroku, who drank from it before giving it over to Kagome. She finished the sake off, and waited. They each said a set of vows now; written by themselves and not having let their partner know them.

"I take you, Kagome, to be mine for the rest of our lives together; I swear to treasure and adore you with all of my heart, and to protect you at all times, regardless of the situation surrounding us."

His voice was steady, and completely serious, his intent to follow through his vows and his complete willingness to do so shown clearly in his posture and in the adoring smile gracing his face. Kagome shivered with the force of that intent. It was her turn now, and she returned his intent with her own as she carefully spoke the vows she had decided upon after much deliberation. Their sets of vows were awfully similar, but that was really a good thing; it showed how well they complimented each other.

"I take you, Miroku, to be my love for the rest of our lives together. I swear to cherish and prize you with my very being, and to care for you no matter what happens in our lives that might cause us distress."

Mushin stood up then, raising the sake bottle, and pronounced loudly, "I proclaim thee to be wed and mated in the eyes of the Kami!"

A cheer erupted from the room, and Miroku reached his hand out to her; Kagome took it, and Miroku led her away from the table. Now it was time to mingle with the guests, before they would spend another wonderful night together.

"Mama?"

Shippō's voice was soft and quiet as he peered into the nursery, his tail flicking lightly with excitement. Kagome smiled and beckoned him to enter. "It's fine, Shippō dear, Reiko is awake."

He walked into the nursery, his body filled with suppressed, contained energy, and Kagome wondered what could be making him so excited, as she placed her two year old daughter into her play-pen, focusing on her youngest son. He had grown up so well; he was going to be twenty in two more years, and would be gaining his second tail then. It had taken Kagome and Miroku a while to decide when they would have their daughter – in the end it had been decided to wait until their sons were grown and settled before they had her; four children at once would be a bit much for the temple to handle.

Mushin had passed away many decades ago now, and Miroku ran the temple; they had a few boys that were training up to be fine young monks – even capable of withstanding Shippō's constant pranking. Well, okay – and Kagome's pranks as well. Their home was lively and joyful and always entertaining for visitors, of which there were many.

Kagome was jerked back into the present as Shippō bounced up and down, grinning gleefully as he waved about a piece of parchment. "Naraku and Byakuya's raven stopped by with a letter! They're closing their shop down for a whole moon and coming back to visit us!"

She gasped, her cerulean eyes widening and her own tails flicking with exuberant joy. It was rare that her eldest sons were able to visit – just over a decade ago they had opened up what they had intended to be a small business in the nearest yōkai village, but within five years it had exploded, and they were getting commissions from everyone who could afford their products. Many very powerful people patronised their shop, just as she had suspected would happen. The world had not been ready for Naraku and Byakuya when they finally emerged, and it wasn't often that they were able to visit any more. Of course, part of that "not being ready" had been because of the depth of their personalities as they grew older.

Byakuya, her sweet, once shy middle son, had grown up into a completely outrageous flirt. Nobody could resist his charms either – male or female, human or yōkai, nearly everyone who met him was taken in by Byakuya's gorgeous good looks and outgoing personality. It was entirely Miroku's fault, too. After a few moons of being her mate – well before their public wedding – Miroku had seemed to settle into himself, and Kagome had gotten to see what he had been like before he met her, as he became a completely devastating and relentless flirt towards her. Kagome, of course, had adored it – and Byakuya, who had come to idolise Miroku by that point in time, had grown up to mimic his father and learned those skills from him, using them to good purpose.

Byakuya was the face of their operations, interacting with all the customers and subtly manipulating them as well as bartering with them to gain himself and Naraku the best prices for their pieces.

Naraku, however, was the power behind the doors, ruling their accounts and their budget, controlling their choices in taking commissions and how the business was run with an iron fist. Naraku was still a complete sweetheart, but whatever he said, went, especially with regards to their business, and Byakuya easily and eagerly followed his ani-san's will. Which really was a good thing, because Naraku seriously was displeased when things did not go his way. If he wanted something done a certain way, that was how it would be done, and there was no budging him on it.

"Oh, I must go let Miroku know! Shippō, would you stay here and play with-"

Suddenly her mate walked into the room, an eyebrow arched curiously as he made a beeline for her and picked her up, twirling her around in a tight embrace before kissing her deeply. "You must tell Miroku what, exactly, my gorgeous, dark little love?"

She giggled and nuzzled under his chin. Shippō was practically vibrating right now, so she waved her hand permissively at him, laughing more fully. Might as well let him to be the one to tell his father. "Well, they sent their raven to you so it is your news to share, I suppose, musuko mine."

Miroku turned his head to gaze at their son, humming teasingly, "I suppose you don't want me to guess…"

Shippō shook his head firmly, bouncing up and down lightly on the balls of his feet, "No way! No guessing!"

He continued before Miroku could tease him any more, excitedly relaying the good news to his father. "Naraku and Byakuya are coming to visit us, Dad! They're closing their shop down for an entire moon, so they'll be here for an extra long time! I'm so happy! It's been such a long time since they visited us!"

Miroku squeezed her more tightly, and she squeezed back. They both missed their eldest sons terribly, despite being incredibly proud of their success and their achievements, so this truly was something worth celebrating. "We'll have to throw a wild party when they get here, then, Shippō. I expect you to find us the finest sake, and to rope the others into helping decorate the dining room for their arrival; I'm certain you can come up with something far more suitable than anything I could create."

Shippō puffed up with pride at that – the temple frequently hosted celebrations these days, and Shippō was their party planner and decorator for those occasions, something he was incredibly talented at, and also something he was incredibly pleased with. He had a unique occupation, one that afforded him plenty of free time with periods of fervent work in between the calmer times; which was exactly to his tastes, and suited his mischievous – but determined – temperament very well.

"I'll get right on it, Dad!"

Their youngest son dashed out of the room eagerly after that, leaving behind his parents, both of them chuckling softly. Then Miroku leaned down and kissed Kagome into dazed contentment. "It will be good to see them again – I have missed Naraku and Byakuya quite badly."

Kagome nodded, before rubbing her cheek against his chest, "Me too. I'm so proud of them, but it is difficult to see them so rarely nowadays."

Miroku picked her up and sat down, settling her into his lap as he watched their little girl playing around with her toys. "Mm, true, but they will be here for three sennights within just a few days. It will be wonderful to have the whole family together again – although I pity the newer monks; they have no idea whatsoever what they are in for when our three sons get together."

Kagome smirked at that, nipping his chin, "You will thoroughly enjoy the chaos and you know it. I swear, you get far too much excitement out of traumatising your poor trainees. Far too much – if you weren't so damn good at what you do, I would be seriously questioning your suitability as a monk, mate of mine."

He laughed heartily and nipped the tip of her nose in return, "Says the lively and sneaky kitsune who goes out of her way to make sure that each time we get a new monk, he cannot escape his bed on the first morning he is living here."

She hummed innocently, making her mate laugh again. "I love you, my precious Kagome."

Kagome smiled, feeling utterly content and pleased with her life, and leaned up to kiss her mate and show him her appreciation of him. "I love you, my wonderful Miroku."

Her life really could not get any better than it was at this moment.