Revised and Adapted 9/5/2010

Chapter XXIX: Kuroikeme

Oh sweet heaven,

This lady here before me

Is something undeniably endearing

And as I hold her

I wish to hear her laugh

I wish to see her smile

I wish for her and I to become one

One mind, of body, one soul, one life

Flower Five

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath as he focused on the now a very small cry coming from the hut. It had only taken two, very long hours, for him to hear it but when he did he rose to his feet, his eyes focused on the hut.

Miroku stood with him. Mika and Shokuro were too busy playing in the dirt nearby to even notice them. Shippo was with them, showing them magic tricks with his fox fire.

"That's a good sound." Miroku said to the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru appeared to ignore him as he took a step forward. The sound of the pup was calming him, making the demon in him cool. It had been a horrible experience for Sesshoumaru, he had even knocked over a tree at one point which earned him a tongue lashing from the old woman between contractions.

A nearby villager grumbled about the pup's birth having been successful and Miroku turned to glare at him. The man hurried off at the monk's glare.

"Ignorant fool." Miroku said as he looked at Sesshoumaru to gauged how he felt about it.

It appeared that Sesshoumaru hadn't even heard. His entire body was trained on the hut in front of him, listening as the pup's cries lessened and the sound of water hit his ears. Someone was rubbing the pup down and it was causing the pup to whimper.

He couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face when he heard the pup whimper out the Inu term for mother and father and food, nearly all at the same time.

He couldn't stop the swell of fatherly pride when he heard Kaede say the pup was beautiful. The swelling in his heart increased as the infant let out a small growl, demanding to see his father.

"You can go in, Sesshoumaru." Miroku encouraged with a slight motion forward.

The demon acknowledged him with a glance and attempted to step forward. He stopped when he heard a small growl for mother again. He heard the pup being passed to Rin and the little gasp that came from her mouth was endearing.

A feeling of joy came into his heart when he heard Rin talking to the pup softly in a language he couldn't understand. Sango came out of the hut and walked over to him with a tired smile. She reached for him and pulled him forward.

He barely attempted to move so Sango ended up dragging him most of the way with Miroku pushing.

Finally he stood in the hut and saw Rin for the first time in over two hours.

Rin was laid out on a messy futon; her knees bent but covered by a thick blanket. Around her was a mess of towels and other strange things he didn't even bother with as he saw them.

Sango pushed him forward a little as she made her way into the room to help clean. He growled as she touched him but moved forward anyway towards Rin and his newborn.

In her arms was a strong smelling male pup that was fussing and whining out the words for father in Inu. She was trying to calm the boy child but he knew it was impossible as he moved over to her and knelt beside her, ignoring the mess of blankets and water on the ground and the old woman, Sango, and the midwife cleaning.

The boy smelled strongly of rain with the slight scent of trees. It reminded him of his father's scent, so earthy and natural, just like Inuyasha's.

He took in Rin's scent and smiled as well. It was the same as always but held a faint milk scent in it that he would further investigate later, after the pup had drank. He took another deep breath of Rin's scent and smelled the bubbly brooks and the crisp winter snow.

It was intoxicating and made him dizzy. Mentally Sesshoumaru shut off his other senses and focused only on Rin and the new whelp.

Rin looked up at him and seemed to glow with pride of holding their child for the first time. The girl looked one-hundred percent exhausted as she smiled for him and then looked down at the small boy in her arms. Sesshoumaru looked at the child and was almost in shock after having focused on him for the first time.

The boy had black hair and small black dog-ears on his head, Sesshoumaru had been expecting the dog-ears but not the black hair. He had thought the child would take a resemblance to Inuyasha but he had been proven wrong. But when the child opened his eyes he was greeted by two sharp golden eyes, the same eyes as him, his father, and his brother.

Sesshoumaru smiled and touched the child's little cheeks. On them were red strips like his own and on his forehead was the same moon that he had on his head as well.

The pup continued to fuss so he let out a slight growl, it caused the pup to stop and turn towards him. He took his fist and planted it in his mouth before letting out a small growl that Sesshoumaru knew meant food and then another deeper one that he knew meant father or alpha.

"He's hungry." Sesshoumaru said in a small voice as he looked at Rin expectantly.

Rin jumped but then took the corner of her yukata down and allowed the child to her breast. He took the tit happily and began to suckle his eyes still opened and staring at her as he took in the sight of his mother.

The midwife had been watching this all with interest. She had never been a midwife for a demon child and she had to admit she wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been for lady Kaede's insistence. The old woman had talked her into it some time ago but for Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-sama.

"Excuse me?" She said as she moved closer to the demon and his wife.

Sesshoumaru turned to her and growled smartly as he grew closer to his new pup and mate. Rin took a hand and placed it on Sesshoumaru's cheek calming him with her touch as the pup dislodged himself to look at his father, he whimpered out and Sesshoumaru turned to him with a gentle fatherly smile.

A growl left his throat and the little demon took Rin's nipple back into his mouth. This time his eyes closed and one small hand reached up to hold onto her robes as he focused all his energy on what he was doing. Rin smiled and rubbed his bottom with pleasure before turning back to the midwife with curiosity.

"Yes?" She replied to the women as the boy nursed.

"Why is the baby so alert, human babies aren't like this?

Rin didn't know how to answer. She had never been around little babies before of either species so she didn't even know that this wasn't normal. The young mother looked to Sesshoumaru who sighed and let out a small growl that the pup responded to with a fuss before going back to suckling.

"Inu-youki are born being able to see, hear, and talk a little in our tongue. It keeps them alive."

The midwife nodded and set down in front of Sesshoumaru. She tucked her dress under her legs and found herself staring at the pup and then back to his father.

"What can they say?"

He huffed and turned away from her not wanting to answer but when he saw Rin's face he sighed. She wanted to know too and it would be easier to explain things to her now, so what if the midwife overheard.

"Only five words, Mother, Father." He said it as simply as he could. It was not a good translation but it would do. "They say Beta—which would be Inuyasha—and they say food. They can understand more."

"How much do they understand?" Rin said as the pup sucked especially hard. She gasped at the slight pain and the midwife looked at her with sympathy.

"It will hurt to nurse him for a few days until you get used to it, Rin-sama."

Rin nodded and looked back at Sesshoumaru. He nodded back and started where he had left off at the last question. "They understand just some basic commands, like stop, be quite, danger, don't move, things that would keep them from getting hurt. It's all instinctual."

Rin smiled and looked at the pup with an endearing affection lighting her eyes.

"I wish my children were born knowing those things. I should have married a demon." The midwife said before she gasped and covered her mouth. To say such a thing could get her in horrible trouble should it be repeated in the village. Hastily she got up to leave with a semi-valid excuse of needing to see to her own children.

The pup finished his first meal and detached himself with a comical pop. He yawned before turning to Sesshoumaru and letting out the same deep growl he had before. The older man smirked and growled back to the pup that scrunched up his nose and looked up at his mother. He growled for her but she didn't respond only looked at him with curiosity. His father responded instead and caused him to turn back with his wide golden eyes.

He was scared at the moment because someone was missing from the pack. He could smell his mother and his father but there was a member missing, he could barely smell it in the hut and on his father and mother's cloths.

He watched as the older man seemed to take in what he was saying and nodded; an action the pup didn't understand. Then a sound reached his ears from his father's throat, it was a sound he instinctively knew—Beta.

He didn't know how to tell his father he understood so instead he just snuggled deeper into his mother's chest.

"You should hold him." Rin said as she hugged the pup to her lovingly.

Sesshoumaru grew tense as he looked at the little bundle of pup.

"Rin—" He started but before he could finish she had deposited the pup into his arms. He went ridged. The pup didn't seem to care but snuggled into his arms like he had his mother. The pup gurgled and soon fell asleep.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you look good like that." Giggled out Rin as the demon growled gently at her before sitting down behind her and handing the pup back. He spread his legs and allowed her to rest between his upturned knees while she held their infant. She rubbed one of the boys small doggie ears.

"Rin?"

"Yes?"

He was quiet for several minutes his eyes watching the pup over her shoulder. He had never really thought that he would ever find a mate and have a child. He was not that easy to get along with, he was cold and stoic but Rin had loved him anyway. She had found her way into his heart so easily it seemed. And now this little child sitting in her lap was a testament to how much she loved him.

"Thank you." He whispered so low that she was the only person who could hear him.

"For what?" She said back low enough that no one could overhear them.

He smiled slightly but she couldn't see it since she was in front of him. The pup's lip quivered and then suckled in his sleep as he whimpered and turned into Rin more fully taking in her scent and calming. Sesshoumaru reached and touched him with his one good arm. "For baring me a perfect son."

"You're welcome." She said as she smiled and leaned into him. The pup sighed and moved his lips a little. "What will you name him?" She asked louder this time as she brushed the black locks of hair.

Sesshoumaru was silent. It was customary for the man to name his child but—. "I want you to name him."

She gasped and turned to him while holding the boy tightly to her chest. The pup protested the movement but stayed asleep as his mother looked at his father with wide dazzling irises of happiness. "I can name him?"

"Yes. I think you would give him a better name than I."

A tear escaped her eye as she turned back to the perfect blacked haired demon in her arms. And as she brushed that hair away from the moon on his forehead she came up with the faultless name for the faultless child. "Kuroikeme."

He smiled at her as the name ran through his head. It was a good name, one that people could remember and fear when the pup turned into an adult and became the ruler of his lands.

Rin was nodding off, the little pup tucked into her arms effortlessly. Sesshoumaru smiled and kissed her hair as he inhaled her scent. He looked at the little pup, so tiny in her arms as she feel asleep. "Kuroikeme."

-break-

Kagome was smiling brighter than she ever had as Inuyasha held onto her tightly. His hand was running circles on her stomach and his thumb was lightly rubbing just under her breast bone as he rocked them.

She giggled unconsciously before looking at his hands on her stomach and giggling again. It was too good, too great. The best dream she had ever had in her life, the most excellent dream she would ever remember having.

Inuyasha sighed behind her and kissed her neck. She grinned and moved her head to rest on his shoulder while his hands moved up and cupped her breast rubbing them.

A thought ran through her head that made her laugh, then smugly chuckle as she turned in his arms and looked him in the eyes.

"When the baby's born those won't be yours anymore."

He gave her a smug grin before moving his hands to the material at her hips. She moved with him and they swayed back and forth, him leaning back as their lips pressed together happily. He pulled away and gave her a toothy grin. "Pup's gotta be weaned sometime but I don't."

She slapped at him and he ducked away kissing her breast through the material of her kimono. She swatted him away and he chuckled before moving to kiss her once again lightly on her cheek. His lips came away and brushed over her forehead.

"I love you Kagome."

"If you say that too much it'll lose meaning."

His eyes turned soft even though it had been a joke and he snuggled his head between her breasts while his lips worried at the material of the kimono. She rubbed one hand over an ear as he let out a small rumble of contentment. It was deep and tender meant to sooth both her and him.

"Kagome, it will never lose its meaning, never."

She nodded at him and bent to kiss him but she pulled away and moved her lips up to an ear. She kissed the tip slightly before breathing over the fur and smiling as he took deep breaths to calm himself. A giggle came from her throat when he picked her up and moved over to the futon in the corner of the room.

"Again?" She asked with a laugh.

"All the time," He said as he laid her down.

-break-

Laying completely naked under his mother Kimono Inuyasha kissed Kagome's shoulder. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"You are impossible." She huffed. "And I'm so tired."

"Sleep." He said as he pulled the kimono tighter around them. He looked at the pattern on it and smirked. "It looks like Okaa-san got some of her wish."

She opened her eyes and looked at the pervert smile on his face. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the kimono. "It's not a wedding but it's something."

"Inuyasha!" She yelled and pushed him away from her. He howled with laughter. "I don't think this is what your Okaa-san wanted.

"Well it's what I wanted!"

"Inuyasha!" She scolded as she tried to keep the laughter at bay. She failed and began to giggle uncontrollably.

His fingers rubbed her stomach and he looked at the Kimono covering them.

"It's a tradition. Like the one Sango gave us."

She nodded. "We'll use both." She said as she fingered the fabric of her Gibo's kimono.

"We need to get back soon," He said with a sigh as he turned onto his back and looked up at the ceiling.

"I don't want to go." She said as she looked at him. He looked back at her and nodded in agreement.

"Neither do I." he looked outside and pointed at a little flower that was trying hard to live in the snow. "You see that flower? It's name is Celandine."

"What does it mean?"

He took her hands into his and tried his hardest to think of a poem to tell her what it meant, but nothing came to mind, nothing seemed meaningful enough until his eyes came to rest on her stomach.

Inside her is a resting place,

Something hidden I have explored,

And resting there, hidden from sight,

She holds a part of me I'm glad she took.

It's endless joy, unhindered and unbound,

And there is grows becoming more and more,

Until it becomes a joy to come.

"Joys to come?"

He touched her stomach and looked her deeply in the eyes. "This is our joy to come Kagome. A part of you and a part of me."

They kissed and as they pulled away, his hand on her stomach she felt a part of her grow sad. "When we leave I'll miss it here."

"So will I." He replied back to her as he bent forward and carefully took his lips to hers. She sighed against his lips and brought herself away before turning to him and taking his hand in hers. Their fingers intertwined and he pulled her up with him. They dressed in their light underclothes and he pulled her out the door.

"Where are we going?" She asked as they made their way over a small bridge. He stopped on the other side of it and pointed to a small cove of bushes.

"A long time ago, I saw my Okaa-san cry here, for the first time."

Kagome nodded and watched as he let her hand go, letting it fall to her side heavily, as he knelt down in the whiteness and ran his hand over the snow.

"That was one of the last times I saw her. I was five at the time and I asked her for the first time what a 'hanyou' was." He shook his head and stood up to look at her with his neck bent and tilted a little to the side, like a confused puppy.

She watched as his ears dropped to the back of his head and his eyes grew heavy and sad before turning into a more intense gold that she had ever seen them. He took a dead shaky breath before holding out his hand and taking hers into it. He then leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers while letting out a soft growl that she could barely hear.

"Kagome, I brought you here for a reason." He whispered as he drew her into a hug and let them both slowly sink into the snow. "I thought—no, I knew, that if you came here you would replace the bad memories I have with good ones."

She put her arms around his torso and held on tight as she felt him press his hand into the back of her head. He was clinging to her.

"I'm glad I'm a hanyou Kagome because if I would have been born her human son I would have died long before I could met you."

She smiled as his nose came in contact with the marking on her shoulder and he smelled it before licking over it slightly.

"I know that wherever my mother is, she was glad I was her hanyou son."

"I'm glad too Inuyasha. I am so glad."

They set like that, in each other's arms kneeling in the snow for several minutes before she noticed a slight wetness on her shoulder. It continued to come as she felt Inuyasha shudder and his hand came up to wipe his face as he turned away from her.

"Why did I have to become so emotional?" He sniffled and turned away blinking his eyes in an attempt to clear the tears away.

"I like you like this." She said with a smile as he moved away from her and let out the infamous 'keh' that she had missed so much.

"Only for you."

"And Sango, and Miroku oh and Mika and Shokuro and Kaede and Shippo—." She added, he laughed.

"Kagome, we should head back—everyone expects us today."

She nodded her head sadly and they both got up and walked back across the bridge. For a moment she let herself feel downhearted but it didn't last long because she noticed the way he looked back at the spot. A fondness now rested in his eyes that hadn't been there before—it was almost like he could look at it in happiness now and he hadn't been able to before.

This place, she realized, was an oversize bad memory that had been eating away at him for years and now because of her it was a great big good memory that he would never forget. She watched as he smiled before grabbing his bags and hers only to move sluggishly down the hallways with her not far behind.

He was smiling at everything. They had made so many memories in the castle for the past two weeks and as he smiled she realized something, the reason he brought them here was deeper than he said. It was deeper than she had previously realized and thought—so much deeper.

This was where he learned how horrible he was, that he was lower than dirt, and not fit to be on the bottom of someone's foot. This was the memory of the first scar, of the first step into manhood, of the first time he and his mother had cried.

She could almost make out the villager's sneering faces looking at him and burning holes into the back of his neck. She could feel the pain in his young heart becoming excruciating, to the point of killing her.

But now—now it was filled with a hundred good ones and he was able to smile at it, he was able to smile at those men and women now. He was able to laugh at them now, he knew they had been wrong.

"I hope," She said as she took his hand. "We make a lot more happy memories together from now on.

Inuyasha looked at her and shyly brought her hand to his lips. He kissed it softly and Kagome thought it was the sexiest thing she had ever seen.

End of Chapter

Reviews Welcomed