Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.
Last time:
"Hey! I could change my mind, you know." She reminded him with a shake of a finger.
His lips upturned in amusement, and his eyes flicked to her for a second before returning to the road. "You could, but you won't."
"I just might." She threatened mockingly and watched that amused smirk spread even wider.
"Hn. We will see." Came the confident retort causing Kagome to stick her tongue out at him then return her focus to the passing scenery, wondering if she should have said anything at all.
'Kamigami, am I doing the right thing?' The raven headed teen silently prayed to the gods while she eyed the yōkai walking alongside her. As usual, Sesshōmaru appeared cool and collected as if nothing had changed. Wasn't he nervous? Granted, he had already met Malakai briefly, but this was different. This time the demon would officially meet his son, and there would be more interaction with him. Shit, the man was more nervous asking to talk to her then he is now. Maybe she was nervous for them both because hers were quite frazzled and seemed to get worse the closer they came to the house.
When they reach the entrance, Kagome fished out her keys and shakily unlocked the wooden door. Pushing it open, she made her way in and stopped to allow Sesshōmaru entry before shutting it behind them.
Tossing her keys in a glass bowl on a side table, the young mother went about slipping off her shoes and turned to see Sesshōmaru doing the same. She set her messenger bag on the bench then motioned for the yōkai to follow. They slowly and silently made their way down the hallway and into the large kitchen.
In the room, Kagome spotted her mother kneeling on the tiled floor, cleaning up a squirming toddler. She cleared her throat, drawing her mother's attention away from the pup and waved anxiously. "Hi, Mama. I'm back."
The older woman's brows furrowed in confusion and stood up from her position on the floor tossing the rag into the sink before she spoke. "Kagome, aren't you supposed to on the bus? Why are you not there? Did you miss it?"
It was obvious the other woman hadn't noticed her silent companion. How her mother didn't see the large inuyōkai standing behind her was beyond Kagome. Well, that was going to be a surprise when she did. Now the teen just had to figure out what she was going to tell her mother as for why she wasn't on the bus going to school. It would probably not be best to say, 'Oh you see Mama I'm not in school because I finally hashed it out with my baby's daddy. I also told him he could see his child today. By the way, here he is.' Yeah, that would go over well. Maybe it was best to cut as close to the truth without saying it all outright.
The schoolgirl bit into her bottom lip and tilted her head toward the Inuyōkai standing in the doorway. "Something came up." There, it was simple, and way better than her cheeky imagination had come up with.
Her mother's brown gaze trailed in the direction she had indicated and widened at the sight of the tall yōkai standing in the doorway. Her eyes flickered to Kagome and quiet demon several times before returning to her daughter with a knowing glint in her chocolate eyes and encouraging smile.
A considerable weight seemed to lift at the sight, and Kagome finally let the sigh go that begged to be released. Her mama wasn't angry, nor did she look displeased by the appearance of the unknown male. It was evident the older woman knew exactly who this man was and why he was there. Rocking gently on the balls of her feet, she began the introductions. "Mama, this is Sesshōmaru." Kagome twisted to the man behind her and motioned to her mother. "Sesshōmaru, this is my mom, Yuna."
Sesshōmaru stepped away from the entrance and came to stand beside her to bow respectively as he greeted the older woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Higurashi." His silver mane fell like a curtain, obscuring his muted features for a second before he gracefully straightened.
Yuna bowed in return and sent him a warm and welcoming smile. "It's nice to meet you as well, Sesshōmaru." Her attention was quickly adverted from the stunning yōkai to the small child hiding within the folds of fabric. Her hand ran through his onyx waves as she softly coaxed the child from his hiding place. "Sweetheart come out and say hello to our guest."
The tiny Inuyōkai shyly stepped away from his grandmother, hand still clinging to her skirt as he timidly looked up at the older demon. His brow furrowed slightly, his nose twitched, while he took in the other male's scent. Malakai's honey eyes widened in recognition and levelled a tiny finger at the man. "Ahmaoo!"
Surprised that the young yōkai recalled who he was by scent alone days after meeting, Sesshōmaru snapped out of his shock. He produced a slight tender smile before gently greeting the toddler. "Hello, Malakai."
The little boy grinned from ear to ear and squealed happily. He stepped away from his grandmother and toddled closer to the Inuyōkai. He cocked his head and his bright eyes blinked widely, while they flitted back and forth between the older demon and his mama. His nose seemed to be twitching like crazy as he did so.
Kagome could see the little gears working inside her son's head, and that meant he was trying to work through something. What that was she wasn't sure, but it had him quiet for several minutes. It looked like he was going to say something then stopped and shook his shaggy mane. A big toothy grin broke out on his chubby face. Malakai hurried to Sesshōmaru and grabbed at his large hand. "Come." Ordered the pup as he dragged the demon out the kitchen doorway and disappeared.
'Uh. What just happened?' Thought Kagome while staring stupidly after the vanishing pair and scratching at her scalp. Where did her son take his father? Why was she so calm and not freaking out? Well, it wasn't like Sesshōmaru was going to mistreat him, and they were still in the house somewhere. Plus, it would allow her a chance to explain to her mother without sensitive ears listening in; young and old.
A throat cleared, drawing her attention from the entrance to the lone woman leaning against the counter. "I think we need to talk," stated her mother who motioned to the table.
Silently agreeing, Kagome strolled to a chair and plopped down. The soothing matriarch promptly followed and sat across the way, reaching out to grab the warm teapot and carefully poured them both a glass. She tentatively set the cup in front Kagome then picked up her own and took a long pull before voicing her earnest thoughts. "When did this happen?" Her mother's slim pale hand moved from her to the door then back again.
The juvenile twisted in her seat to glance at the entrance then returned to her mother's knowledgeable regard. Fingers toyed with the rim of the glass as the other hand combed through her tangled locks. "He was waiting for me at the bottom of the shrine steps. He wished to talk before school," admitted Kagome while staring at the manicured finger circling the edge.
Mild curiosity was evident in her mama's tone as she asked another question, "He was the young man from that one night?"
Kagome nodded earnestly and continued to finger the rim of the glass some more. "Yes, he is." She was surprised her mother would bring that up now since the mature woman hadn't said a word about the unknown demon. Nor did she demand to know why they were arguing in the first place. Could it be possible her mother had figured out who he was but preferred not to say anything? Why would she do that?
A soft remark interrupted the inner monologue and snapped her focus back to the woman peering keenly over her teacup. "Malakai looks so much like him."
Ah so her dear mama had noticed. Whether it was a few minutes ago or that night, Kagome didn't know. It was also the second time someone had mentioned the remarkable similarities between the two inuyōkai. She was astonished that no one had spotted the likenesses before then. "He does," agreed the teen while picking up the warm glass and cradling it within her hands.
The matriarch hummed lightly and carried on with the inquiry. "It looks like you two have come to a comprise of sorts."
Was it a comprise of sorts? Kagome guessed it was. Even though the teen mom was angry with the yōkai, she had decided to set aside her bitter feelings so Sesshōmaru could have a rapport with their son. Both of them still had many issues to work out, but it was a start. "We still have some things to hash out, but yeah, we've come to a middle ground." She swirled the brown liquid in the cup before taking a large swig. The flavor hit her tongue and recognized the tea used. It was sweet and had a nice roast to it. It was most definitely Houjicha Karigane and was one of her and her mother's favorites for breakfast time. She swirled the small amount once more and looked up when her mother broke through her wandering.
"It will be good for Malakai to foster a relationship with his father. Maybe with time, you can rebuild the one you had with him," commented her mother with a hesitant smile.
To have a relationship with Sesshōmaru again was very unlikely. Kagome didn't see that coming to pass any time soon. Not with what seems like a whole ocean between them. "I don't see that happening Mama. That ship had sailed a long time ago."
Sighing wistfully, the brunette set down the empty cup. Her kind eyes filled with understanding before reaching out to rest on top of her daughter's hand. "Every so often a ship loses its course, but as long as there is a light shining bright, it will always find its way home."
"And sometimes it crashes on the rocky shore," quipped Kagome darkly and tossed back the rest of her tea.
Her mother ignored the twisted sarcasm and delivered the dreary girl a dose of wisdom. "Yes, it can. Though anyway you look at it the ship still found its way back." The older woman patted her hand lovingly then grabbed the empty cups and stood up, ending the bleak conversation. She carried the glasses to the sink setting them down to be washed then looked over her shoulder. "Why don't you go see what those two are doing? I will call you three when lunch is ready."
Okay, it was clear that their little chat was over. Had her mother found what she had been searching for? It seemed like the woman might have since she was dismissing her so abruptly.
Standing, Kagome nodded with a smile then scurried out of the room to look for her son and his father. She heard the tv from the family room echo into the hallway and realized this was where Malakai must have dragged Sesshōmaru. What could her son possibly want to show the older yōkai?
Resting against the doorjamb, a mirthful smirk played at her full lips as she spied the duo planted on the couch. Malakai was sitting on Sesshōmaru's lap leaning against his chest while his father had a hand on his little waist to keep him steady. They looked so comfortable together; like they had never been separated and this was a frequent occurrence. Malakai pointed at the television and Kagome could see the familiar van scene. It looked like they were watching Scooby-Doo. A chuckle threatened to bubble forth at the sight of the cool demon watching a movie about a crime snooping dog and a bunch of meddling kids.
"Oobee," noted Malakai as the large Great Dane scrambled within the vehicle and tried to escape with the food. His tiny fingers pointed again at the big screen and called out curiously. "Oom?" this time it was directed at Scooby's scruffy looking companion.
Sesshōmaru didn't even bat an eye as he answered the questioning child. "I believe his name is Shaggy." Malakai's lips made an 'O' and quickly turned his attention back to the movie.
She bit her lip and slowly slid the rest of the way into the room sitting at the other end of the large couch. Both demons turned their attention on her, and Malakai greeted his mother with a cheerful and bright smile. "Mama!" His eyes darted back to the TV then returned to her waiting form. "Oobee!"
Kagome giggled loudly and tossed her raven mane about. "Yes, I see him."
Malakai grin widened and seemed happy with her answer. He smiled some more than quickly reverted his attention to the new scene playing.
Her blue eyes swept from her adorable son to the silent Inu who was staring at her. A lean brow rose at the attention and tried not to giggle at the grown man. "So you know who Shaggy is, Huh."
A sigh escaped his perfect lips and shifted the toddler into a more comfortable position before answering. "Yes, this is one of Rin's favorite movies. I have seen it several times."
Ah yes, Rin. She had forgotten how close those two were, and it shouldn't have surprised her that he had seen this movie. The demon did live with the six-year-old after all. However, Sesshōmaru hadn't sounded very excited when he had said that so it must mean that Rin had seen this movie more than just a few times. The young mother was familiar with that routine since Malakai's obsession with Blue's Clues had him watching the tv show constantly. She was amazed that they weren't watching the blue puppy right now. How Sesshōmaru managed that was a miracle within itself? Though this movie could have been the first one he spotted on the list, and the yōkai simply clicked on it.
Eyeing the inuyōkai sympathetically, she tucked her legs underneath her and quietly commented, "It's Malakai's favorite too. I've seen it too many times to count when it came to the streaming service." Her vision dropped to the motion picture then back to the demon and snorted loudly, "Though it's better than Blue's Clues. She may be an adorable blue puppy, but it gets daunting when all you see is the same episodes over and over. I'm certain in a couple of months he'll be interested in something new." The priestess hoped. No, she prayed he would. Kagome could deal with any show other than Shokupan Mimi. There was something about a bunch of pieces of bread running around and using jam for makeup that freaked her out. A shudder ran through her as she thought of the odd animation.
They seemed to be of the same opinion because the yōkai's brow crinkled in frustration and another sigh left him before he spoke. "We're hoping for the same thing at home as well. The family room seems to have cartoons on regularly, and it is always the same episodes. I believe they don't update very often since the children do not notice, and it is the grown-ups who suffer."
Kagome couldn't hold the laugh that sprang forth and acquiesced. "I thought I was the only person who realized that. It drives me crazy to see the same episodes repeatedly."
"Indeed." He replied with a twitch of his lips and returned to the television screen.
She scoffed playfully at his retort then tried to ignore the yōkai and concentrate on the film.
A few hours later, minus one diaper change and several babbling sessions, the trio finished another motion picture.
Malakai slipped off his father's lap landing with a light thud then extended his tiny arms above his head to stretch. He lowered his extremities and toddled to his mama, pointing eagerly out the lofty window. "Pway." His honey eyes sending her a silent plea while his bottom lip thrust forth.
She couldn't help but melt at the adorable sight and reached out to fluff the tuff of his hair. "Sure baby. We can go outside," said the teen with a happy grin.
The Inu pup clapped his chubby hands happily and ran back to this father grabbing his hand. "Come," Ordered the child while he tugged on the man's arm to get him up from the couch and began to drag him out of the room.
The bossiness of their small child had her smirking and reminded her of how much he resembled the older yōkai; both in looks and temperament. Jumping up from the sofa, Kagome went to grab the remote and shut off the television with a press of a button. She tossed the device on the cushion then made her way out of the room to find the waiting pair.
Hurrying down the hall, her eyes drifted to the duo standing by the open front door. Malakai was squirming in his spot as he waited as patiently as he could next to the perfectly still yōkai. His golden eyes lit with joy at the sight of her and pounced in place. "Go?"
Swallowing the laugh that wanted spill out, she bobbed her dark head and answered the animated pup. "Yes." As soon as to words left her lips, the young yōkai wiggled out of the large hand holding him in place and took off out the open door.
"Crap," swore Kagome lightly as she ran passed the demon and hurried after their child with Sesshōmaru trailing quickly behind her.
Dashing down the path that led to the backyard, the couple watched as their youthful child toddled towards a medium-sized jungle gym. It was an older model and one that Kagome's father had put in when she was younger, but it was still functional.
Moving in the direction of a wooden bench near the playground equipment, Kagome motion for Sesshōmaru to follow and plopped down the worn wood. Her bright gaze tracked the pup as he climbed the tiny steps of the structure.
The bench creaked when her companion sat down and carefully cleared his throat. "He is very well-behaved. Usually, Inu pups can be rather difficult," pointed out the inuyokai as he observed the child playing.
So she has heard by countless individuals, but that didn't seem to be the issue with Malakai. Granted, he was a little excitable at times though that was it. He rarely threw fits and had never attempted to hurt her in any way. A smile flickered to life as she observed the small child swinging on the low bars. "Yes, he is. Malakai has been like that since he was a baby though he does have quite a temper and will hold his breath when angry."
"Was your pregnancy well?" Sesshōmaru asked with a great deal of hesitance in his deep tone.
Kagome blinked her eyes for a few minutes as if trying to register the question. Did she want to discuss this topic with him? It was rather personal, but then she had decided to let him in for Malakai's sake. It would be only right to answer any questions he might have regarding their child. She drew a deep breath of cool air and forged into uncharted waters. "Other than the low blood sugar I experienced. Yes, I had a rather normal pregnancy."
She glanced at the demon and watched his silvers brows dip while his gaze flicked to Malakai then returned with another question. "Low blood sugar? Why did you experience that?"
The priestess shifted on the bench and flicked over to see if Malakai was okay. He looked up from what he was doing and waved cheerfully at them then resumed playing. She waved back and turned to the waiting yōkai. "Malakai's growth was rapid, and it took a toll on my body. If my blood sugar dropped, then I would get light headed and feel like I was going to pass out. I had to make sure I had something to snack on when it did." She shrugged her shoulders and continued. "They told me it was expected since I'm human and he's part demon."
"I see." The Inu nodded and resumed his questioning. "His birth went as planned?"
A hand came up to rest over her heart, and a light laugh shook her tiny form. "God no, it didn't go as planned. I was in labor for 18 hours, three of those hours I was pushing." Oh dear. That wasn't too much information, was it?
A warm laugh surprised the young mother, and his lips curled up as if he were enjoying the way the conversation was going. "I take it he did not want to leave."
Kagome giggled some more and eyed the small child once more. "It was something like that. Eventually, he did and was a healthy seven-pound, one point five ounces of baby boy with ten fingers and ten toes."
There was silence for some time before Sesshōmaru spoke again. "I would like some photos."
Photos? It never occurred to her that he would want any photographs. She had tons of them on an external hard drive in her room. There was nothing wrong with giving him a couple of pictures, right? "Sure. I have them stored on an external hard drive, and if you want, I will save some to a USB for you."
He let out a soft sigh of relief as he responded to her words. "I would like that. Give me whatever you feel comfortable with."
Oh, she would. There were some more personal photos that she would like to keep to herself; he didn't need to see the ones of her in a sports bra showing off her rounding belly. She had plenty where she was clothed. "Okay. I will round them up tonight after Malakai is in bed," Kagome promised with a gentle smile then went back to watching Malakai.
The silence stretched over the pair as they both keep an eye on the active inuyōkai. It wasn't until Kagome spoke that the stillness was broken. "Sesshōmaru?" whispered the teen uncertainly.
His gaze never wavered from Malakai while he answered the anxious woman. "Yes."
Her fingers twisted together nervously as she sucked up the nerve to ask what was on her mind. "Do you know why Malakai doesn't have ears like Inuyasha? He is a hanyō, so shouldn't he have them?"
Sesshōmaru's eyes flickered to her then to the young yōkai staring at him in contemplation for a few minutes. She started to get worried by the unresponsiveness and was about to tell him never mind when he twisted his focus to her once again. He shrugged his broad shoulders and voiced what he knew about half-demons. "It depends really. Every hanyō is different so the results vary from hanyō to hanyō though him being half Miko could have influenced the result. Does he change to human every new moon?"
It never crossed her mind to consider the moon cycle into the situation nor has Malakai ever changed. Hanyōs were supposed to have a day of weakness, and he had none. That wasn't normal, was it? Could it be like Sesshōmaru had said and it was because he was half miko? Worry began to knot up in her belly, and her hold on her fingers tightened. "No, Malakai doesn't change at all. Is…is that normal?"
The demon's brows burrowed while he shook his head about and glanced uneasily at the little yōkai. "I do not know. As I said, they all vary from hanyō to hanyō, so it could be possible that only Inuyasha is affected with that side-effect. If his doctor has not said anything, then I would not worry about it. He is very active and appears to be healthy."
Yeah, his doctor hadn't said a word, so it mustn't be that big of a concern then. The doctor had also said he was right where he needed to be in his age percentile. The knot in her stomach loosened with each word and caused her to expel a relieved breath. "Okay." She returned to observe the small child play only to spy something in her peripheral vision.
Turning, Kagome witnessed her mother hurrying down the stone pathway carrying a blanket on one arm and a wicker basket in the other. The older woman waved the blanket covered arm beaming brightly as she halted a few feet in front of the pair. "Kagome dear, I made a basket lunch since I have to run to the hospital. Your grandfather is having another bad day, and they are hoping I will be able to calm him."
Oh no, not again. Grandfather's bad days were growing with each passing hour. The teen stood up and seized the blanket and basket from her grasp. "Do you want me to fix supper?" offered Kagome with an understanding smile.
Her mother shook her head and waved the offer away with a shake of her hand. "No. I will pick something up on the way home." She quickly checked her watch and sighed, "I should get going." Yuna turned her gaze from her daughter to the gorgeous young man and smiled gently. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Sesshōmaru. Please do come again."
"The same, Mrs. Higurashi. I'm sure you will see much more of me from now on."
"Wonderful." The woman leaned, and kissed Kagome on the cheek then patted the crown of her head. "Love you, and I will see you later."
She rolled her eyes at the dismissal and bid her mother goodbye. "Bye, Mama. Tell grandfather hello and that we love him."
"I will." Yuna had thrown over her shoulder before she disappeared around the side of the house.
Placing the basket on the bench, the pretty priestess laid out the blanket on the soft grass. She picked up the wicker and set it in the middle. Kneeling, Kagome opened the carrier and inspected the contents. Inside were three Bento boxes with two thermoses and some utensils. She withdrew the three Bento boxes and set them out on the throw. Reaching into the basket again, she pulled out the two thermoses, three sets of chopsticks and two drinking cups along with Malakai's Sippy.
With each item in its place, Kagome straightened to call Malakai for lunch only to notice that Sesshōmaru had beat her to it. While she had been setting everything up, the inuyōkai had gone to get the small child. He was now being pulled by the toddler once more. The happy puppy released his father's hand and plopped down in front of the bento box with his sippy and training sticks. "Hungee." Malakai rubbed his tummy enthusiastically.
Kagome laughed at the pup's antics and patted her stomach too. "Me too, Kai Kai." She opened his box then hers. The aroma was mouthwatering, and the food inside was arranged so beautifully. Her mother loved making Bento boxes, and unfortunately, she hadn't had time to make them recently. A delighted moan left her as she stared at what was inside. The boxes were filled with Onigiri sprinkled with Furikake, celery sticks, baby carrots, Umeboshi, and glazed meatballs. It all looks so yummy, and she could not wait to dig in.
Her eyes slid to the two males kneeling alongside her and observed Sesshōmaru opening Malakai's sippy filling it with what looked to be soy milk from one of the thermoses. He reached out for his chopsticks, and his brow rose at the froggy topped plastic utensil. His curious gaze flashed to her in question while he held it up. "What are these?"
"They're training chopsticks to help Malakai. He had had some problems with the regular chopsticks. These will help him get used to the feel of the sticks as well as how to properly hold them." informed Kagome and opened the other thermos pouring each of them what looked to be tea. She handed the yōkai a cup while asking a question. "Didn't Rin have something like that?"
Sesshōmaru set down the cup next to his bento box then passed the training sticks to the hungry pup. "No. By the time that my father had adopted Rin, she was old enough to eat with regular chopsticks. You've met my father. He is rather old school about certain things. The old way worked for him, and they would work for his offspring."
Kagome could detect the evident disgust in his tone as he spoke about his father. She wondered if a small part of him felt the same way. 'Does he think it's silly for Malakai to employ them as an aide?' The teen started pushing around the pieces of food before nervously asking the demon. "Do you believe that too?" She nibbled her glossy lip and waited for his response.
The Inuyōkai let out a soft snort and pinched a glazed meatball between his chopsticks lifting it to examine it. "No. If Malakai needs something to help him, then he should have it. I will not deter my child just because he needs things to assist him." He popped the ball into his mouth and made a pleased sound then reached for another one.
His response was not what she was expecting though she shouldn't be surprised with the Inuyōkai and the things that he does anymore. Kagome couldn't believe how much the man sounded like a parent. Well, he was one and had always been good with children. Rin was proof of that.
Her gaze drifted to Malakai, who was babbling away while Sesshōmaru listened with all his interest. She nibbled her bottom lip some more and watched the yōkai interact so easily with their child. It was just weird to see him slip into their life with the greatest of ease as if he never left. Even now he fit into the role so well, and it had only been a couple of hours. The father and son were already bonding, and it appeared that she had made the right decision when coming to an agreement with the man.
Dragging her gaze away from the budding duo, Kagome began digging slowly into her meal and let them continue to bond.
The glowing sun was starting to set by the time Sesshōmaru announced he had to go home. Damage control is what he dubbed it. She was guessing his dad was not going to be thrilled he ditched school; it had been well worth it, though. Malakai was happy and if he was, then so was she.
Sesshōmaru assisted her by rounding up Malakai as she cleaned up the picnic and placed everything either in or on the wicker basket. Lugging the carrier on one limb while their son was in his father's arms, the trio steadily walked the path back to the front door.
Coming to a stop outside of the house, the inuyōkai passed the sleepy child to his mother then ruffled his ebony tresses telling him goodbye. "Bye, little man. I will see you later. Goodnight."
Though a sleepy daze, Malakai rubbed at his eyes and rested his head on his mother's shoulder. "Nite." replied the toddler groggily.
The dog demon ruffled his mane once more before turning his focus to the priestess watching silently. "Thank you for today. We should do this again."
It hadn't been so bad, and she had to admit she did have a good time. As long as it wasn't on an everyday basis, they could do this again. Kagome's smile grew larger and bobbed her onyx head in agreement. "Yes, we should."
Disbelief flashed across his eyes for a second then he collected his wits and sharply agreed. "Good."
Before she could reply, he quickly kissed her cheek and opened the door behind her, lightly pushing them passed the threshold before walking away.
The young Miko watched the Inuyōkai vanish down the shrine steps and slowly stepped back to shut the door. Kagome turned around and lean against it, dropping the basket on the floor. Her one arm holding tightly onto Malakai while the other one rose to the cheek he had just kissed. A flush of color washed over her features as her mind wandered to the mystifying yōkai. Why did he do that?
A little hand touched the other side startling her out of her thoughts, causing her to turn to her child wide-eyed. Malakai cocked his head to the side and blinked his sleepy eyes his tiny voice heavy with sleep. "Mama?"
"Yes baby," whispered the startled teen.
He pointed at the door before he spoke again. "Dada?"
Her mouth ran dry and gapped like a fish at the adolescent boy. Had Malakai just asked if Sesshōmaru was his father? How did he know? Was it a yōkai thing? It had to be because if he had not been yōkai but a human, then it would have never crossed his young mind.
Well, the puppy was now out of the bag, so it was best just to reveal the truth. She took in a deep breath and answered honestly. "Yes, baby. He's your dada."
