Author's Notes:
Sorry! I didn't mean to take so long in getting this out but it's been one thing after another here. I'm going to be moving to a new city in the next few months so I've had to apartment shop. Then I got sick, and work is dragging me down… well, you get the picture.
Anyhoo, here's day four, and hopefully day five will come out shortly thereafter. For those of you who follow my fics regularly, I came up with a new plot idea at long last. This one won't likely be an Inu/Kag specifically, though it certainly will have I/K moments. It's more of a post-Naraku epic. Sesshoumaru will be the bad guy, but for good reason. If I can get the time together after finishing this story, I'll start it. I'm having some trouble sorting out minor details in the new story, so if anyone wants to help I'd be happy to send along the basic plot idea (after you promise not to steal it!) and you can help me make some plot decisions before I start.
Okay, on to the story!
Day Four.
If nothing else, Inuyasha had to admit the immune system of a child was a wondrous thing. True, he'd been up almost all night mopping Kano's forehead and cleaning up after his small bout of nausea. Still, the infant's last fever had broken hours ago and he seemed to be breathing easier at the moment. With a sigh of relief, the hanyou let his guard down and tucked his youngest son into the bassinette before retreating towards his own empty bedroom.
He almost preferred to stay in the nursery. There, he wouldn't sleep alone. Grumbling at his weakness, Inuyasha threw himself onto the futon and closed his eyes. He could smell Kagome's gentle fragrance on the sheets and it comforted him. To his estimation, there were still a few hours left in the night. The last several days had taken an immense toll on his strength. After all, he wasn't that young anymore.
Feh, just how old does that make Sesshoumaru? He laughed at the thought.
As his eyes drifted closed, Inuyasha recalled the disastrous dinner earlier the previous day. He'd seen some good temper tantrums in his day – even thrown a few of his own. Inuko went through a rather tiresome period as soon as he'd learned to say "no". But the eldest of the hanyou's sons had never claimed to hate him. Did Jiro truly feel that way? What had he done to make one of his beloved children despise him so?
He'd have to talk to the boy and find out just what made him such a 'mean daddy.' Yawning, Inuyasha pulled the Kagome-scented sheets up to his face, burying his nose in them as he surrendered to sleep. He'd have that talk first thing in the morning…
* * * * *
When the winter's breeze shuffled the trees outside, it allowed a bright stream of sunlight into the bedroom window, flooding the hanyou's eyes with a brilliant red light beneath their closed lids. He squinted, turning away from the unwelcome intrusion into his dreams, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. In the back of his mind he knew he had to get up from the comfortable futon, but was it really that late already?
He shot up suddenly, realizing it had to be close to noon. Had it amazed him more that he'd managed to sleep through the entire morning, or that his normally boisterous sons had been quiet enough to allow it?
Inuyasha rolled off the bed and stretched quickly before striding down the hall in search of the children. He stopped into Kano's room, and found the little one still sleeping peacefully, his breathing even and unlabored. He'd need a feeding soon, and – the hanyou sniffed – a changing as well. But that could wait a moment.
"Inuko? Jiro?"
Peeking his head into the boys' room, he found the eldest stacking wooden blocks in the middle of the floor. He peered up at his father proudly. "Chichi, look at my castle! It has two watchtowers, just like Haku's has."
Nodding absently, Inuyasha scanned the room for Jiro. Finding no sign of the boy, he squatted before Inuko, "where is your otouto?"
The four-year-old shrugged, continuing to build up his fortress. "He went bye-bye."
"When?! Why didn't you tell me?"
Blinking at the hanyou's distressed questioning, he put down the block and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Early. You were slee-ping." After a pause he added, "Daddy, you sleep loud!"
Inuyasha hefted his son up, grabbing a nearby cloak and tossing it at him. "Get dressed."
"But I hafta finish my castle!"
"Later. Right now we need to find your brother." Leaving his eldest to dress himself, Inuyasha began searching the hut, knowing already that the young boy wasn't there but desperately hoping his nose betrayed him.
I guess I am a bad daddy, he angrily berated himself while peaking beneath the kitchen table. I can't even keep track of my own pups!
* * * * *
Ten minutes later, Inuko and Kano found themselves thrust in Shippou's waiting arms as Miroku and Inuyasha ran off into the forest.
"Where'd you pick up his scent last?" Miroku asked as he scanned the tree line for signs of movement or danger.
"Just south of the house," Inuyasha answered quickly. "I passed it on the way to the village but I didn't want to risk losing the other two so I dropped them off first."
"Wow, you did something intelligent for once."
Tamping down the urge to knock the monk senseless, Inuyasha turned his focus back to the task at hand. The forest once named after him was one of the safest on the archipelago, as demons knew better than to invade Inuyasha's territory. Still, any number of natural disasters or accidents could befall the young one, and his small claws would be of little use against wildlife should a hungry bear cross the three-year-old's path.
Wanting to continue teasing the hanyou, but more concerned with the safety of his young child, Miroku put distance between himself and Inuyasha, spreading out their searching party. Several minutes passed in silence broken only by the sounds of sniffing and crunching leaves.
"Oi, Inuyasha! This looks like a piece of Jiro's clothing!"
Coming to Miroku's side, Inuyasha caught his son's scent on the small fabric scrap. "Yes, and it's recent," he agreed. The trail led several feet away toward the edge of the forest.
As they continued the path, going slowly so as not to lose Jiro's scent, Miroku noticed for the first time the depressed slump to his old friend's shoulders.
"Inuyasha, we'll find him, okay? Don't worry."
"I'm not worried, Bouzu!" Inuyasha stomped forward a few more steps in indignant anger before stopping a moment. "Do you think I'm a bad father?" he asked suddenly, looking off into the distance.
The question, almost too silent to be heard by human ears, sent Miroku into a shocked halt. "Bad father? No, of course not! You provide for your family very well, and they seem to be quite happy and healthy. Why would you even ask that question?"
Hesitating, Inuyasha turned back to the monk, his eyes cast to the ground in grief. "Last night… Jiro called me a mean daddy. He said… he said that he hated me."
A long silence reigned between the two, filled only with the lonely howling of the early winter wind. At last, there was a small snort. Followed by a chuckle, and then all-out laughter. Miroku clutched his staff tight in his hands as he wrapped his arms around his stomach.
"Inuyasha, my friend, you are a good one for a laugh."
"Glad to see my son's hatred amuses you," the hanyou spat in irritation.
His amusement subsiding, Miroku took a good look at the expression on Inuyasha's face and quickly sobered. "You're serious?"
"No, I thought I'd lighten the mood with a comedy routine."
Walking the few steps separating them, the monk clasped the inuhanyou's shoulder firmly and peered into his eyes. "Inuyasha, children of Jiro's age always say things like that."
"Inuko never did."
"Just because he didn't say it to your face doesn't mean he didn't think it now and then."
That thought hadn't occurred to him. "But… why?"
"Jealousy, mostly."
Incredulously, Inuyasha jumped back. "Jealous of what?"
"Your relationship to Kagome."
The hanyou blinked, stunned, and then huffed. "Keh, that's crazy. She's his mother, for Kami's sake!"
"Little boys and girls start getting confused at that age. They know that they are male or female, and they are starting to understand that men and women mate. Since the main woman in your son's life is Kagome, it's only natural he attaches himself to her."
"YOU THINK JIRO WANTS TO MATE WITH KAGOME!?"
Laughing again, Miroku released Inuyasha's shoulder and continued to follow their earlier path. "No, Baka. He doesn't understand that kind of thing yet. He just wants to replace you. You're the main competition for his mother's affection. As long as Jiro's in this phase, he's going to be a little envious of you."
The hanyou allowed himself to absorb this information, quickly returning to his search for the young boy. "How do you know all this?" he asked at length.
With a sidelong glance at his friend, Miroku answered, "I have a son too, remember?"
"Keitaro?"
"Hai. Lasted a good year, until shortly after his fifth birthday. He would grab onto Sango's kimono and refuse to let go all night. He'd cry until she agreed he could sleep between us, and for many nights I would find myself pushed to the edge of our bed and quite… frustrated."
"Jiro's only three," Inuyasha realized with a sudden sense of dread. "Until five, you said?"
Smiling, Miroku shook his head. "I doubt it will last so long. Have patience. Besides," he leered at the hanyou, "Kagome-sama isn't the type of wife to allow her son keep her from her mate."
Bopping the houshi on the head at last, Inuyasha leapt ahead whispering under his breath, "I hope you're right, Monk."
Soon the two men found themselves at the clearing where the Bone Eater's Well stood. Racing towards the small structure, Inuyasha felt the dull dread he'd been suffering rise sharply. If Jiro had entered the well, he could be wandering all over Tokyo by now!
His fears calmed significantly at the sound of whimpering from the wooden structure. Leaping over it to land on the opposite side, Inuyasha squatted before the toddler and searched for the cause of his anguish. He found nothing but puffy red eyes leaking oceans of tears and some grass stains on his clothing.
"Jiro," he scolded in his overwhelming relief, "don't you EVER leave home alone again!"
"Mama!" he merely wailed in reply. "Want Mommy!"
Sighing at the sting to his heart, Inuyasha pulled the boy into his arms and soothed his hand over his back. "Sorry I'm not your okaa-san, but she'll be back tomorrow. I promise. Just think how sad she would have been if you'd gotten hurt? Do you want to make Mommy cry?"
Jiro sniffled back some tears, peering up into eyes as golden as his own, and blinked. "Iie, Daddy."
"That's a good boy. Come on, Shippou is watching your brothers and probably already going crazy."
* * * * *
"I've never even seen a picture of them, and she has three!" Yuka tipped back a glass of champagne as she finished.
Ayumi bit her lip, searching her brain for any memory of pictures she might have forgotten. "Come to think of it, you're right. Kagome-chan's had a very strange family life, ne?"
The subject of their pondering returned from the bathroom to sit before her dinner again.
"If you have to powder your nose, I recommend you go now. The line was ridiculous!"
"Kagome-chan," Ayumi glanced conspiratorially at Yuka before turning back to her friend, "why is it that we've never seen pictures of these 'little angels' of yours?"
Eagerly stalling for time, Kagome grabbed at her water glass and downed a huge gulp. I'd have to be nursing and unable to drink now, wouldn't I? She lamented. "I – um – that is – well, you remember the complications I told you about, ne?"
Yuka nodded, her piercing gaze locked on Kagome's face. "So?"
"Well, Inu-chan and I were a little too worried about Inuko dying to take pictures."
"Even after he got better?"
"Hai. I always forget my camera lately."
With narrowed eyes, Ayumi continued to stare at Kagome. "When we were younger you were always the shutterbug, Kagome-chan. You really expect us to believe you, of all people, wouldn't have albums full of baby pictures?"
"I have a few," she admitted, relieved that the latest round had been recently developed. "Since there were so few of Inuko and Jiro, my mother made sure to get a roll full of Kano."
As one, the women at the table squealed. Ayumi leaned in closely, "do you have any with you?"
"Hai, I picked them up this morning. They're still in my purse." She leaned down, grabbing the small packet from the side pocket and removing the exposures for her friends' perusal. "Most of them are in the hospital," she explained as she handed half the stack to Ayumi and half to Yuka. "The last four or five we took at home a month ago."
"Oh Kagome, he's so adorable! Looks just like Inuyasha-san."
Inuyasha in human form, I suppose, Kagome agreed with a smirk to herself. It was Jiro who truly resembled Inuyasha.
"Any of the others?" Yuka inquired as she switched stacks with Ayumi.
A war raged in her mind as she debated removing the small wallet photo she'd kept hidden away. In it, Inuko and Jiro were dressed as pirates for a small costume party her mother had held at the shrine. The headscarves had successfully hidden their ears and allowed Kagome to introduce her children to the rest of the family. Motherly pride won out, and she removed the slightly tattered photograph from her purse.
"This from the party?"
"Hai," Kagome answered. "Inuko insisted on being a pirate when he and Inuyasha read Pirates of the Caribbean together," she laughed warmly. "They both became mildly obsessed with the idea." The young mother's heart froze as Ayumi stared intently at the photograph.
"Kagome-chan… do Jiro and Inuko have yellow eyes?"
You'd have to notice that, wouldn't you, Ayumi-chan? She sighed. Her own family had been easily convinced that the children had a mild birth defect. Ji-chan claimed it was punishment from the gods for not spending more time on shrine grounds, and her somewhat naïve and overly traditional aunts and uncles quickly agreed.
"That's um, the light," she covered quickly. "See? Inuyasha's are yellow in the picture too."
"Oh, yeah, I guess you're right." Ayumi frowned. She'd heard of eyes turning red in photographs but yellow? Well, she'd seen Inuyasha before and his eyes were most definitely violet, so she could only accept Kagome's explanation. Strange camera…
The clinking of a glass interrupted the photo viewing. Kagome quickly retrieved her precious pictures and stuffed them back into the purse, praying to Kami that she'd be off the hook for a long while before they inquired of the children again. Eventually, she knew, she'd have to come up with a better introduction. Hopefully, though, that would be a long way off.
At the head table, a man Kagome recognized as Eri's brother had started speaking. She glanced at her watch silently, and groaned. She missed her family, and had hoped to return in the evening instead of the next morning. It seemed the speeches would never end!
Oh well, she calmed herself, if Inuyasha was having trouble he would have dragged me back long ago. I'm sure everything is going just fine.
* * * * *
Miroku was an excellent father, Inuyasha pondered as he led his small family back to their forest hut. His children – all five but one girls – were so wonderfully well behaved. They adored their father, obeyed him perfectly, and even helped out around the house! Where was he going wrong?
They reached home as the sun was settling over the horizon. Shippou had fed Inuko and Kano lunch during Inuyasha's search, but Jiro and Inuyasha hadn't eaten a thing all day. As though to confirm his suspicions, Jiro's stomach rumbled loudly.
"We are going to eat dinner, men, and then we're going to have a little talk."
The two eldest looked up at him questioningly, Jiro's face holding an expression of apprehension. Was he in trouble?
Kano simply yawned, and snuggled further into his father's arms. Inuyasha brought the infant back to bed and then joined his other sons in the kitchen. The boys sat silently around the table, awaiting their father's words.
"We're still out of ramen," he began quietly. "and that's not going to change until your mother has a chance to go shopping. I don't know how to make dumplings, and I'm not going to let you go hungry or snack on junk food. So tell me, if you were me, what would you make your two sons for dinner?"
"Oden?"
"I think we're out of those noodles too," he answered Inuko.
"Rabbit stew…" Jiro suggested quietly.
"I thought you said meat was yucky?"
"It okay."
"Inuko?" He turned to consider the eldest son praying he, too, would have a change of heart.
"Can I eat mine without the meat?"
"Will you eat the vegetables?"
"Hai."
"All right then," he smiled, a fang peeking out from the corner of his mouth. "Rabbit stew it is."
The boys helped their father put dinner together, Inuko fetching water from the container outside while Jiro picked bits of parsley from Kagome's herb garden. After an hour they'd put together a delicious stew, and eaten it in a comfortable silence. Dunking the bowls in water to soak, Inuyasha returned to the table and sat before his sons.
"This has been an… eventful… four days, hasn't it?"
Inuko nodded, watching his father and younger brother exchange looks. The four-year-old didn't know what exactly was wrong, but he could smell his father's concern and Jiro's fear.
"You boys miss your mother a lot, huh?"
"Hai," Jiro answered silently.
Inuyasha smiled warmly at the two, and sat back, folding his arms behind his head. "How about I make a deal with you?" At their sudden attention, his grin broadened. "You help Daddy clean up the hut, and we'll all camp out in my room tonight, okay?" The boys sat up straighter, eyes glistening with joy at the prospect of snuggling in the scent of their long-absent mother. Inuko's mouth moved to ask a question, but he thought better of it.
"Yes, Inuko, I'll even read you a story."
"Arigato, Daddy!"
"All right then, you boys gather all the toys into your room, and I'll do the dishes. We'll work on the cleaning tomorrow early in the morning."
"Hai!" they chorused, running immediately to their tasks.
It was late, and Inuyasha knew they'd tire out quickly so he rushed through the dishes and then came to assist them in gathering the playthings they'd missed before helping them dress in their pajamas and settling them into bed. Jiro took up Kagome's usual position, and Inuko snuggled up on the hanyou's opposite side, his favorite book in hand.
"Pirates of the Caribbean? Again?"
Inuko nodded eagerly, but Jiro growled. Sighing, Inuyasha scooted so his back was against the wall and he pulled both boys to him, settling them into his embrace. He tossed the book to the foot of the futon and closed his eyes. "How about I tell you a special story, instead?"
"Special story?"
"Yes, this one isn't in a book. At least, not yet. It's a story about your ojiisan."
"Ji-chan?"
"That's your great grandfather," Inuyasha chuckled. "No, this story is about you father's father, the inutaisho."
The boys' eyes widened in awe. They'd never even considered they had another grandfather. Kagome's was the only one they'd ever known. As they settled again, Inuyasha took a deep breath and began to search his mind for the perfect story to tell.
"One hundred years ago, in the Valley of the Rock Demon, my father led ten of his greatest warriors to storm the youkai's castle. The trip from Inutaisho's castle to that of the rock demon took fifteen days, but the battle lasted much longer…"
* * * * *
Vocab:
Haku = uncle