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“That’s amazing, Kagome-nee,” Rin grinned from ear to ear as she hooked her chin over the priestess’ shoulder and looped her arms around her middle, chattering excitedly while nuzzling her cheek against Kagome’s quivering one. “So in your time, you celebrate your birth on a particular day rather than during the New Year?”
Kagome laughed at the closeness, doing her best to avoid the precarious, ticklish slide of Rin’s hair against her ear. “Mhm, everyone gets together with their friends and family to make plans of how to spend the day. It’s harder when it falls on a weekday,” seeing Rin’s curious head tilt, Kagome clarified, “A day where everyone is working. In my time, only some people work from morning to night like they do here, but it isn’t as physical either. My birthday is on the last day of the year’s fourth month, and if my calendar is still right, it will be soon.”
Rin oohed softly, firelight dancing in her eyes and illuminating her flushed cheeks as she turned back to the firepit. The look of contemplation on her face was one Kagome knew well, having watched the girl grow up over the years. A small smile curved her lips as she settled in Rin’s hold, glancing to her left where Sango sat with a petted Kirara on her lap, a gourd of sake hanging loosely by its cord in her left hand. Occasionally, Sango would sway from side to side, shoulder brushing against Kagome’s as she hummed a little song. The same flush on Rin’s cheeks was faintly present on Sango’s, and even Kirara mewled a few hiccuping sounds.
Kagome covered her mouth with her fingers, giggling at the state of them all.
She’d missed the closeness of her friends in the modern age, and with the villager’s reverence of her and reservedness in ways of social etiquette, touch was hard to come by. Although there was Inuyasha but, despite his obvious affection for her, he still shied from some physical acts of love outside the comfort of their home - at least where other people could see. For the longest time, Sango was the closest she had to a best friend, someone who was unafraid to link arms with her in public or scold her by playfully pinching her cheek and ruffling her hair without fear of the kami ’s retribution.
Rin was the same. She reminded Kagome a lot of Sōta when she was younger, trying to stretch out in independence but still a bit clingy. To someone who’d always had a younger brother, the idea of having a younger sister interested Kagome deeply. How happy she was when the girl started to call her big sister ! But now, the girl had grown into a vivacious, mischievous young woman who hardly stayed in the village for more than a week or two at a time, and rarely listened to anyone other than Granny Kaede. She sorely missed the days when Rin would be under her arm every second the girl could stand to be still.
Whereas Sango was leading her clan as their chief, and was either away on a mission or training the next generation of taijiya. She made time for them to hang out together, and never refused Kagome’s presence when she came to visit.
Though, they were still on opposite paths - Rin with her back to the wind, Sango carrying on her clan’s legacy, and Kagome growing into her own as a priestess - they still found time to be together.
Kagome sighed, leaning her cheek against Rin’s head and laying her hand on Sango’s left one. Crickets chirped in the tall grass, the leaves rustling over their heads, and the fire popping gently sending tiny embers up like sparklers. She missed celebrations like that - birthdays, parties where everyone gathered, moments spent with friends and family. It wasn’t as common in this era, but peaceful nights like this were precious in their own way.
“The last day of Shigatsu, hm?” Sango mused aloud, breaking the silence as she closed in on Kagome’s side, resting her head on top of hers. “It’s the beginning of the rice-planting season, too soon to run off to who knows where.”
Kagome blinked, glancing up at her.
Huh?
“So, we’ll just have to celebrate beforehand..!” Rin sprung to life, jostling Kagome a little, which in turn dislodged Sango from her resting place. The taijiya gave the younger woman a playfully grumpy look, and Kagome glanced to her right, seeing Rin’s cheeky grin. “Just the three of us, oh , four with Kirara… AH , and we can’t forget about Kaede-baachan, Ayame-sama, and Sōten-chan. We’ll need at least a fortnight to travel, A-Un would appreciate the exercise.”
Sango chuckled, uncorking the gourd and then taking a swig from it. When she swallowed, she sighed and sucked her teeth. “Kaede-sama wouldn’t be able to leave the village, so we can use the time to plan our route. As for Sōten-san and Ayame-san…”
“H-Hang on,” Kagome interjected, stiffening briefly when two pairs of eyes turned onto her. Three, including Kirara who opened her eyes and looked up with a curious sound. “You can’t…”
Rin tipped her head, innocently mumbling, “Hang on to what?” She tightened her hold around Kagome’s middle. “Huh, you’re as stiff as a post, nee-chan. You’d make a sturdy tether, I suppose. So, what do I do next?”
Kagome squinted at her, swatting at her hands until she let go, giggling and running to Sango’s side to take refuge behind her. Sango cast a fond, albeit exasperated look at Rin, lightly tapping her on the head with the side of her hand.
“Don’t tease her, Rin.”
“Sorry, sorry! Don’t be mad, Sango-nee…!”
Kagome curled her trembling hand on her thigh as she watched them, bickering and laughing. For a split second, she saw Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi just as she’d left them with big smiles and hope in their eyes for the future. Then in a blink, it was Rin and Sango again. The younger woman clinging to Sango’s shoulders while pleading for mercy while Sango pretended to ignore her, keeping a hand on Rin’s elbow to keep her steady.
“Kagome-chan…”
She snapped out of her staring, looking up to meet Sango’s eyes. The taijiya smiled, and Kagome was struck by the way Sango looped her arm around her, pulling her into an embrace. Her head pressed to Sango’s shoulder in a way that she could only see the taijiya’s mouth as she murmured, “We want to be with you, okay?”
Kagome blinked, her eyes wide and stinging. Fingers threaded in her hair, smoothing it down. Her intuition told her it was Rin, combing her hair with her fingers, scratching soothingly against her scalp.
The touch paused for a moment, and then Rin’s voice asked from the other side of her, “It’s only right that we celebrate you deciding to stay with us, right?”
Another pair of arms wrapped around her, squeezing tight.
Tiny paws lay on top of her trembling hands.
And a rough hand settled upon her head, pushing the tears behind her eyes to the brim, letting them fall.
This place was her home, and these people were her family.