Ahh sorry for this taking so long to post to. I gotta put this story in order but I promised another post.
I have a few more requests to get through, but this was requested by Esther247. All about what life is like directly after having a baby. This is after Harutoga was born.
After Harutoga's Birth
Her screams rippled across his chest, as if the soundwaves biting against his skin could soothe the pain she was in. As she pushed, she bit down on his collarbone crying while he stroked her hair and whispered in her ears. She was strong, he knew that, but there was something about seeing her writhing against him in pain and sobbing for him to make it stop that made his heart ache. He had done this to her, again, and the elder Miko had the gall to tell him to leave.
The first birth Sesshomaru ever saw was when he was nearing two hundred. His father had woken him in the middle of the night and carried him out to the courtyard while he was still in his pajamas. The elder demon transformed and his son followed suit. Together they flew into the air and landed in the forest where a giant female paced nervously back and forth between a smaller female whose backside looked swollen and her lover who held her giant brown head in his own black paws, licking her neck and nuzzling her nose. It's good luck for children to be present at a birth, his father had told him. That was why he was there, he was their good luck charm.
It only occurred to him as he held Rin while she cried that his father had been teaching him how a lover comforts the one bearing their child. Curiosity got the better of him that night as he went to the backside of the mother. Her tail flipped over to reveal a bubble of amniotic fluid, and in a howl that he never forgot the puppy splashed out, soaking him from head to toe, but it was the tenderness of the black furred father licking and nuzzling the female that struck him. He spoke his heart to his lover.
Two weeks later his father woke him again without a word and together they flew to a human village. This time they were in humanoid form as they landed and hidden in a copse of bushes. Inside the hut the mother screamed and cried and begged the gods to kill her and the father sat with other men outside the hut, drinking sake and when he was presented with a female heir, the baby was roughly handed back to the mother and the men left to get drunk. Sesshomaru knew exactly what his father had been trying to teach him that night. You don't abandon your "she".
"Shh," he soothed her as the pain subsided. Rin buried her face into his mokomoko and as the next contraction tore into her body he could no longer hear his own thoughts, all he could hear were her cries and all he could feel was the pressure of her teeth against his shoulder. He closed his eyes and pressed his nose into her neck, willing the pain to stop, for him to be anything but useless as he held her.
Suddenly he could see the lips of her vagina change from pink to red, pucker and then spread to reveal two furry ears and then a face that was so like his own and stripes, a nose and a face. He vaguely heard something about a ring of fire but all he could concentrate on was the face slowly revealing itself between her legs and the pressure of her teeth against his collar bone. Her eyes were that of a raccoon and in that moment, as she blessed him with another child, he spoke his heart as he heard the father do the night the puppy was born. He told her how proud he was of her, how strong she was, how much he loved her and how she had changed his life forever.
She cried more when the pain passed and the body seemed to sit there, part of its mother and not, all at once. He shushed her, kissed her neck, wiped her tears and waited for the next pain to come. It seemed like hours that she sat there puffing air against his neck before the rest of the body came out, and then she began to bleed. He was reassured it was normal. The baby was set on Rin's chest and his heart alighted in delight as Rin opened the baby's legs, revealing a boy, his first son. They named him together, for his father and for hers. When the two Mikos and the Slayer were done caring for her nether regions he lifted her into his arms, tired and weak, and carried her to bed. It was there he had been for hours while she slept against him.
Every so often she whined in her sleep as he held her and he soothed her with his lips. He closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall thinking, is that what you went through with Yuki? While I stupidly left you in pain, alone? He had to push back the guilt as he gazed at the infant they made together. His hair was silver like his father's, except for a black streak over his left ear. He had a single stripe on his chest and double stripes on his cheeks. He smiled thinking of how much of himself he saw in his son.
A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts, "O-nisama?"
"What?" he called back. If it were one of his servants there was a significant chance he would have killed them. Even Yuki knew not to disturb them in their bedroom.
"I need to check her bleeding, may I come in?" Kagome said.
"Enter," he said, and sat up straighter as she came in.
"She's so tired," Kagome said as she knelt down and removed the blanket. Kagome chuckled "You are such a man. You didn't put anything between her legs. She's getting the sheet dirty now. Do you have towels?"
"In Yuki's room," he answered, stroking Rin's shoulder.
She came back with a wad of towels and he watched intrigued as Kagome balled one up between her legs and wrapped a second one around her hips. "We change them every few hours. She knows that. Can I check the baby?"
"Leave," he said tersely.
He glanced down at Rin, who seemed unbothered by her legs being moved and only snuggled further into his chest. If he was going to stay more than a few hours, someone else needed to deal with his borders. He loosened himself from her grip. "Sesshomaru?" Her eyes fluttered as she lost the heat of his body next to her.
"Quiet," he knelt next to her on the bed and kissed her again. "Go back to sleep. I'm not leaving." I'm not leaving. But that didn't mean he didn't need to deal with his lands. He wasn't meant to come back for two more days and the borders weren't stable. He set Harutoga down and grabbed a black kimono and threw it over his shoulders, dressing quickly. Harutoga slept peacefully, wrapped in his blankets. He hesitated before lifting the child up again and tucking him into his mokomoko. He left the room to find Rin's guard Hisato standing casually outside the door. "Hisato," he said quickly. "Take the sentinels. You will ensure my borders are maintained."
"Until when?" Hisato inquired.
"Until I send a messenger to retrieve you. I will maintain the safety of my home and the village," he left the room and searched for Kagome and Inuyasha. They were with their children in the front of his house, while they played with Sango and Miroku's children. Yuki ran between all the children, giggling and laughing. Kaede sat on the ground drinking tea served to her by Atsuko. He sat down next to her and asked, "How long was her labor?"
"Very long, Sesshomaru-sama," Kaede spoke quietly, eye off in the distance. "She sent for us yesterday afternoon. She had already been in labor from the morning. It was a long time. She was very tired."
"She doesn't look well," he removed the baby from his fluff and cradled him in his arms. Rin's eyes were black, her face red with burst blood vessels and she fell asleep so quickly it was as if she had passed out.
"He's beautiful, Sesshomaru-sama. May I hold him?"
He handed the baby to Kaede. If there was ever a debt that he would be unable to repay in life, it was what he owed to the elderly woman sitting next to him. She had cared for what was dearest to him, giving her a life of warmth and love until Rin returned to his side. "Was she injured down there?"
"No more than most women. You don't need to worry, Sesshomaru-sama. Your wife is strong."
"She is not my wife," he snarled, detesting human terms.
"Then what would you call her?"
My heart, he thought. "Wives are given in exchange for goods, they are bedded and left unsatisfied. They are treated as a means to an end to bear heirs. Pathetic human term that does not suit the status Rin has in the life of this Sesshomaru." And he meant it, remembering the father that had rejected his female offspring. Yuki was beautiful and would one day be powerful.
"Chichiue!" she called, running up to him and bounding into his lap. She leaned over looking at the baby, her little nose wiggling. "He smells like rain and dirt."
He tensed his cheeks to keep from smiling. Harutoga did smell like freshly tilled soil and rain and the first blooms of summer. "What are you playing?" he asked his daughter.
"Um…hide and seek, but this Yuki isn't very good at it."
"Use your nose," he gave her a quick peck on her silky, silver hair and sent her back to the other children.
"Whatever she is to you, she's strong. She will heal. You just didn't see it last time. The tearing was less than it was with Yuki, but she will be sore for some time. I assume you know it's not safe to be intimate with her so soon after having a baby?"
He nodded.
"Will you be here? Or leave her in the care of your servants? Look at these ears." She tickled the black one and then the white one.
"I will stay until she is healed."
"She will need to rest. For the first week, she should stay in bed, eat and drink plenty and sleep. Most fathers do not take the babies after they are born."
"Humans."
"Men don't usually come to the birthing either."
"A bad omen when a father misses the birth of his child," he said while removing his baby from her arms.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken came running from the part of the house that was still under construction. "She is awake, Sesshomaru-sama. She is asking for you."
He nodded and rose from his place, walking quickly through the house until he found her in their attached outhouse. The room was down the hall from their bedroom, he could scent the blood from inside. "Are you okay?" He knocked on the door.
"Yes," Rin called as she staggered out and leaned on the wall. He could tell walking was difficult for her and immediately cursed leaving her unattended. "I'm just sore. You don't need to worry. He's sleeping so soundly." She pulled his fluff away from the baby's face.
He picked her up without asking and carried her back to their bedroom. "You are to rest."
"I had to use the bathroom," she protested as she held onto him. "Ouch," she rolled onto her side to avoid hitting her bottom as she scooted up the bed.
He gathered towels and helped her pack them between her legs before setting Harutoga down to nurse on her side. He threw his kimono off and slid into bed with her, pressing his chest against her side. "When do you have to leave?" her voice broke as she asked.
"I'm not leaving you." He smoothed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm staying home until you are healed."
A slow, happy smile spread across her face. "I should have babies more often."
He shook his head and said, "No. It hurts," he stopped and grit his teeth, but he had promised to speak his heart. "It hurts, to see you hurt. Is it more than with Yuki?"
"The labor was longer but it's not as bad. It just hurts here," she patted the blanket between her legs.
"May I see it?" he said.
"What?"
"I will heal you."
"I don't want a fever after just having a baby, Sesshomaru." She pulled on his chin and pressed her lips into his. "I'm fine."
"You ache." He stroked her shoulder.
"How did you know to come home?"
"You called for me." He buried his nose into her neck.
"I did not." She rolled over to face him, painfully bringing the baby with her. "I mean, I wanted you with me. But I didn't send for you. Did I?"
"I felt your yearning, desperation. I knew you needed me. Let me take your pain away. I can clean the area. I'll be gentle."
She groaned leaning back. "It's going to hurt."
"But it will heal faster. Let me heal you." He wanted to beat the twinging in his heart, it wasn't just that. He opened his mouth to speak, staring down at his son sucking on her nipple then back at her and turned his head to avoid her gaze. "I am useless in labor. Let me be of some use now."
"You weren't useless, my love." Fingers dappled across his chin pulling his face back to hers. "You were what I needed. I'll let you look. You can clean it, if it makes you feel better."
"It will make you feel better," he reminded her, sitting up. Her cheeks flushed, radiating a storm of emotion into their bond. "Why are you embarrassed? I've seen you before."
"Not like this," she whispered quietly, turning away from him. "It's not…I've seen many women after. Most husbands don't spend the time in bed with their wives. They drink sake and celebrate."
"We will celebrate when you are healed," he said, tugging the cover off her middle.
She grabbed it, trying to stop him. "I don't want you to see."
"Rin," he said firmly, taking her hand off the blanket. "You ache, I will clean it. The swelling will go down faster. Let me see." He parted her yukata by her legs and folded down the white cloths between her legs. He hissed seeing the swollen flesh as he helped her part her legs, folding them like a frog off to the sides. "My heart," he said tenderly. "It's very red."
She stared up at their ceiling. "It doesn't feel as bad as it did with Yuki. I can't believe you're looking."
He touched her blood clotted curls with his palm. "I couldn't take your pain while you birthed our son. Let me take it now. The pain will subside. When you are healed, we will celebrate with our village."
"I thought you didn't like the taste of human blood?" she yawned out.
"I don't." He picked up a bucket and left the room to the garden. The sun was still shining as it would until late into the evening. Summer-suns were always long and he was bathed in the humidity of the afternoon. He dipped the bucket into the hot springs and came back into their room. He sat between her parted legs and dabbed at her opening with a wet-cloth to smooth away the clotted blood so he could reach her skin with his tongue. "I won't make you peak."
"I know you," she said playfully. "You will be very stiff soon."
"Then we have a bet. I clean you," he knelt down by her slit, "and if I become stiff you name the terms and if I am not, then I name the terms."
"And what will these terms be?" She smiled at him.
He became pensive. "When you are healed, you will spend an entire day naked in bed with this Sesshomaru. And if you win?"
"You take me with you when I have healed to see the borders."
"Too dangerous."
"Please? What's the point of being the lady of the land if I don't know what our land looks like?"
She had a point and he knew it. He hadn't taken her to see their lands and she was in charge of so much here it would make sense, not to mention he enjoyed when she expressed pride in his accomplishments. "Very well. But you will not engage in battle. I will move slowly. Tell me when it hurts."
Fingers danced along the side of his face as she reached for one of his hands. He held her fingers, feeling her fear radiate in their bond. He knew that if he reduced her discomfort, it wouldn't be nearly as difficult for her to move. He started with her lips, licking around the flesh. He felt her skin warm against his mouth as he caressed her with his tongue. Every so often she exclaimed how sore it was and he would kiss the area as if it would make her heal faster. He came down to where she opened and touched it almost reverently. "I need to open you."
"Okay," she whispered.
He gently parted her and even he could see the cut inside. "What are these?" Inside there was a string that looked like she had been sewn back together.
"Stitches," she said with a confused look on her face. "I thought you knew about them."
"I didn't watch when they cared for you. Why did they sew you?"
"It puts the skin back together," she chuckled, rubbing his head. "Kagome-sama said they use it in her time for many wounds. Especially deep cuts and scrapes. She learned from a friend how to do them. It's not a common practice, but very effective."
"What happens when you are healed?"
"They dissolve. These are special ones from her time."
"Odd," he said shrugging his shoulders. He kissed her lower lips tenderly, before lapping at the skin in and around the stitches, he could feel himself hardening. She was going to win. He let his yoki rise to quiet his lust, then felt the tip of his ear pinched. "Cheater. No using your yoki."
"How do you know that is what I am using it for?" he said playfully. "I'm going to care for the injury now." He couldn't reach very far in with his tongue alone, but was able to swish it around the area. She gripped his free hand tighter, he stopped. "Does it hurt?"
"It stings," she said honestly.
"Almost done," he said, quickly finishing the rest then coming back up to bring her into his chest.
"Where is Yuki?" Rin asked him, while wrapping her hands around his chest and snuggling into his warmth. "I love you."
"And I you. She's with her cousins. You can sleep, my heart. Kaede said it was a long labor."
"So long," she agreed, exhausted. "What are you going to do? Watch me sleep?"
He brought her mouth up to his. "Watch you and my son sleep, spend time with our daughter. Bring dinner to your bedside and ensure you stay in bed and heal. I'm so proud of you. My warrior."
"It hurts less, thank you," she sighed into him, her eyes closing again. "I think I won."
There was something stiff between his legs, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Stay?"
"Forever."
Please review! It was fun writing Sesshomaru helping Rin recover. I don't know how many readers have experienced childbirth but the first few days after are not fun! I've only done it four times LOL...
Mechine: HAHAHA I know drunk Sesshomaru was great. I hope this one was also more on the lighter side. It's not nearly as funny but I really liked writing it. The time after a baby is born is so special for parents to bond.
Ch27 Mechine: Ahh why did Sesshomaru say he would not be fulfilled? Because the time in the Villa was meant to rebuild their relationship on truth and how they both felt about the events in Instinct. Instinct tore them apart and they came to the point where they needed to talk about both their feelings. It was probably forced in a way that extra night with Natsuki but most of that came from not wanting to just go to her one day out of instinct. If he satiated both of them, then Rin/Sess could live in peace. It's hard to understand but both were hurt in Instinct despite the audience only wanting to side with Rin.
Guest#1: Someone read this review and asked me to ask you if you watched the Anime...think about it, Inuyasha was not a better mate. He went back and forth between Kikyo and Kagome and the only thing that stopped that was Kikyo dying. Um when is Sesshomaru not a snobby brat in the series? No offense but...Sesshomaru has never in the canon script been well behaved and Rin is a spitfire in my story. It only makes sense that their children would be too.
Guest#2: Like it or not Tsukimaru is also his son and also Inuyasha and Kagome's nephew and family is family no matter how they are conceived. Strange why can't Tsukimaru be part of the family other than you think he shouldn't be?
Consistentguest: Thank you! I also laughed my ass off writing Drunk Sesshomaru. It was amazing. Have you been reading the Disease?
Guesswho: I got 20 on the first chapter of the Disease but 9 on the last chapter, so I like it :). We did good. Thank you thank you! It was hilarious writing Drunk Sess. I try to bring humor in where I can.
Guest#3: I know right? That was awesome!
Smmahamazing: I swear I have to look at your username like 10x every time I respond because I simply can't spell. I love when the twos fams get together. It's amazing how close they have become. I have always dreamed of the two finding peace and allies with each other and by the time the Disease happens friendship. Drunk sess is the best!
Esther247x2: I'm so happy you liked chapter 38! I also love writing sess as the father it's soo much fun! Yeah, drunk, impotent Sesshomaru was freaking hilarious. I was laughing so hard my husband had to read it and then he was laughing hysterically.
Angel Wing 92: You are going to have to ask Gobodo-sama. She loves her son and she knew that if he met Natsuki randomly they would bond without choice. His mother doesn't want him to suffer and that's how any mom feels. Question do you have kids? Children make the dumbest comments...here is one real one my kids said. I've been working on losing weight and my son yells no I want a fat mommy and if you get too skinny I will pump you up with air and make you fat again. And if changing a diaper makes someone a good father, no one back then would be because in sengoku that was a woman's job...so NO ONE would be a good husband. Sengoku not 21st century...
