Stay at Home Puppy
Great News for the Western Lands (Sesshoumaru)
All the servants scampered away from the hall Lord Sesshoumaru was currently occupying at top speed and without being overt. The still mostly stoic demon was wearing an ear to ear grin. Even Akira was creeped out by the display of happiness that was on his nephews face. It was times like these that he wished that a channel-er had the ability to touch others in the way that Mother Earth instead of merely being forced to follow the wind to wherever it blows. He wanted to know who put that smile their and whether it was because that poor, demented soul was dead or being tortured. Then Akira witnessed something else, something that had even the servants in the peaceful, sane embrace of unconsciousness. Sesshoumaru, lord of the Western Lands, and one of the most emotionally stunted demons someone would ever come across was humming!
Sesshoumaru looked behind him when he heard several objects hitting the floor, but he only saw his uncle and the servants. Maybe he should get rid of the servants if they were going to lay down on the job like that. He did not get why his uncle was on the ground with them, but then again he had never claimed to know the inner, slightly insane workings of the channel-er's mind. He merely shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to return to his mate who had been keeping a naughty secret from him.
Sesshoumaru stealthily stalked his mate to the pond in their private gardens. He was teaching the kit and Rin how to swim, though Shippou was being difficult about as he refused to let go of Inuyasha and try to swim on his own as Rin was attempting. Inuyasha settled for keeping one hand under the little kitsune for support and getting splashed in the face by tiny kicking feet. Rin on the other hand was swimming circles about the demon and hanyou in the knee deep water. Sesshoumaru continued to watch as Inuyasha parented their eldest children and could not help but feel a bit of resent at his father because the little ones that Inuyasha lost would be all over that pond. That was in the past and he was going to allow sleeping dogs to lie, especially in the light of the news he had just weaseled out of an old friend.
"You have been naughty, pup." Sesshoumaru called from the shore. Inuyasha stopped what he was doing to look at his mate as though he had lost every marble in his head out of his ears, like that gumball machine he once broke while in the future (yes that was a horrible metaphor, but I couldn't help but picture it on Sesshoumaru and laugh til it hurt). The thought brought giggles to the hanyous throat before he was in full out laughter. He picked Shippou up from the water and called Rin in before attempting to talk to his mate.
"How have I been naughty, Sesshoumaru-sama?" The TaiYoukai growled. He knew the brat was doing that on purpose, he much preferred his mate to call him Sesshy than to call him -sama like a mere servant.
"Keeping secrets from this Sesshoumaru, pup. You will be thoroughly punished for your deviance." Rin and Shippou looked back and forth between the two not understanding what was going on, but believing that Inuyasha was actually in trouble and wisely decided to keep out of it.
"Let's go prank the guards," Shippou whispered to Rin who smiled and nodded before they both addressed their parents. "Later Momma, Papa!" With that the two scamps were gone.
"You think that you can keep secrets from me, my Inuyasha? I know everything about what happens in this palace."
"Oh really. Did you know that Jaken finally mated the kitchen imp and they are expecting their first off-spring within the week, or that Father and his mate have finally allowed the little one to interact with other children, what about the front gate guards that have finally figured out that they are bet-" Sesshoumaru shut up the incessant ramblings of his mate with a hard, dominating kiss. When he was sure the pup was going to stay silent, he pulled away.
"Why did you not tell me when you found out?"
"Well, I was going to tell you, but I kinda got side tracked by trying to keep a promise of swimming lessons because someone else has neglected to do so." Inuyasha glared at the older demon, but Sesshoumaru only looked confused and the pup had to sigh.
"You ass! Were you even listening when they begged you to give them swimming lessons last month?! No, you were too involved in your conversation with Jaken about the treaty with the lord of the Eastern Lands. I told you not to bring business to the dinner table, but do you listen to me? No. Your hopeless. Let this be a lesson to you, though, personally I think I should have left you with two upset and crying children to deal with on top of your work so you would actually pay attention to their needs once in a while. You better straighten your priorities before our litter gets here or there will be hell to pay. You hear me, Mr. Know-It-All-of-the-Western-Lands?!" Sesshoumaru looked taken aback, but put his arms around his mate and tried to calm his ranting mate. Key word is tried.
"I will not calm down! Do you know how disappointed they were because you backed out on your promise. How are they supposed to grow up with honor, integrity, pride if the example they are lead by cannot keep his word." Sesshoumaru conceded to Inuyasha's point and was happy that the little male was finally calming down. He would think about Inuyasha's words later, but right now he was concerned with trying to keep Inuyasha and the pups that he held healthy.
"When do we have to tell the family?" Inuyasha was resigned to the fact that since their father and uncle had returned they would have to be informed of the pregnancy. Sesshoumaru looked down at his resigned otouto.
"We tell them only when you are ready to."
"How 'bout we tell them when I give birth?!" Inuyasha gave a snort of laughter at that thought.
"If that is what you want, but I highly doubt that you want to be confined to our wing and the private garden." Inuyasha looked up at him with seriousness.
"I think I would be able to handle it for the simple fact that I do not trust either of them not to something incredibly stupid. I do not want history to repeat itself. Call me paranoid, but I have a feeling in my soul that I should not be near them at all during this nor should they know. I also know that neither Rin nor Shippou would tell and they would need to know."
"What excuse would you have me give them."
"Invite the healer and have him declare me on bedrest."
"You have really thought this out have you not?"
"I want what is best for our children and my soul is telling me that them not knowing it the best thing I can do."
"Your wish is my command, pup."
"Sesshoumaru?"
"What is it, Yasha?" Sesshoumaru tightened his hold on his little mate.
"Thank you. I love you so much." Inuyasha leaned onto his tiptoes and kissed Sesshoumaru sweetly. Sesshoumaru was surprised for a moment before happily kissing the hanyou back.
A/N: What do you think? REVIEW PLEASE!!! I worked really hard on this chapter too. I did it all for my readers. It is not as long as the last, but only by two hundred words. I really worked hard for you guys. PLEASE REVIEW!!!)