A/N: As promised a nice, low drama, chapter.
Enjoy!
Hearing the small whine Sesshomaru glanced down beside the futon platform. Hisashi had made his way into his and Rins room.
Since the pup had begun to walk better he had made it a habit of going between the rooms at night with each door being cracked open to allow him to come and go as he pleased.
At first they had kept an eye on him making sure that he didn't wander to far making sure the soldiers knew he had begun to move about the house in case he somehow made his way outside.
He just seemed to walk from one room to the next until he decided where he wanted to sleep that particular night. Sesshomaru held Hotaru against his chest listening to her soft breaths when he had heard his son.
"Come on then." He encouraged softly tapping his claws on the step. Placing his front paws up Hisashi sniffed at the step, licked it, and whined again. "You are peculiar. Then again, I have been told I am as well."
Picking him up by his scruff the pup wiggled in his grasp making a sniffling sound. Placing him on his lap he sat up straighter as the little one sniffed at his yukata and licked his hand eagerly.
Yipping happily at the attention he was receiving from his father Sesshomaru batted his snout gently knocking him down.
Shaking his head making his ears flop slightly he clamored back into his lap and nuzzled his hand as if he wanted him to do it again.
"Not tonight son. We will play in the morning. Your mother Rin and sister are both asleep. They need their sleep more than we do."
Grunting and yipping again he grasped him under his front legs lifting him up to settle against his chest. Growing low Hisashi curled into his arm resting his head against Hotaru.
Sesshomaru was pleased that both of his children seemed to be getting along, of course they were both only some months old at this point so who was to say what the future would bring.
He certainly didn't have a clue as to how Hotaru would grow, if it would be slowly as Inuyasha had or fast as a human would.
Bringing his face down to both his children he nuzzled against them. Whichever way it was suited him just fine.
Coming awake Rin stretched before rubbing her eyes looking up at the skylight, the first streaks of morning light were making their way across the sky.
Smiling sleepily she turned her head to see Sesshomaru sitting up against the moko-moko with their children. Sighing at the sight of both cuddled against his chest made her heart swell.
'And he was worried he'd be a bad father.' She thought to herself. Sitting herself up slowly as not to alert any of them Rin crawled to the end of the futon to slink out of the house to do her morning business.
"Good morning Rin." Nen greeted.
"Good morning Nen." She returned pushing her messy hair aside. "How was your night?"
"Uneventful, fortunately."
"Boring but good." She giggled out. "I'm just going to the back house. I won't be far." Nodding at her Nen watched her as she went to the small shed used as an outhouse.
Finishing she went back inside the house and to her room dipping her water basin into the barrel of water in the room. Making sure she had shut the door for modesty she undressed and began to wash herself with a cloth.
Even though it was early the day was already hot with the air, sticky. It would be a day of no reprieve for her from the heat. Drying off she took out a light kimono that only came to her knees with short sleeves.
"Perfect." She whispered placing the plain undergarment over her head before the summer kimono. "Definitely is a no shoes day today." Wiggling her toes she tied her hair up to sit on top of her head in a messy bun placing hair sticks into the center of it
Tiptoeing out of the room again she glanced at her husband as he slept cracking the door if Hisashi awoke and wanted to wander back to Izumi and Kohaku.
It was to warm for a fire in the hearth so Rin opted to just drinking some water instead of tea and eating day old rice she had.
Watching the world outside through the open front doors she heard the birds begin to sing and she wondered how Emi and Mitsuo were faring with their eggs.
"Good morning." Izumi greeted sitting beside her taking a cup and pouring herself some water as well.
"Morning Izu." Sipping from her own they sat in companionable silence for a while.
"You look comfortable." She commented to Rin.
"And you appear to be overdressed." Rin replied seeing that Izumi was in a long kimono with an outer robe.
"The heat doesn't affect me as it does you." She said.
"Must be so very nice."
"That was why it bothered me so when I was carrying Hisashi. Do not get me wrong I can feel the heat and the cold but it doesn't bother me." She explained.
"I remember. You were quite miserable with those flashes of heat." Giggling Rin brought her attention to her friend. "Lord Sesshomaru and I have decided to have another pup soon."
"Really?" Izumi turned her gaze to Rin who nodded her head eagerly. "When?"
"When we feel the time is right, once we know that all is well within the pack again." Rin stated. "You should get pregnant again too, with Kohakus child."
"I can't unless I am in heat. From what Iku had said it will be a few years time." Izumi said.
"Oh yes. I had forgotten she had said that." Rin sat back slightly. "Now is that what as humans we would consider a few years time or what you would consider it as a demon?"
"Depends. What do you think of it as?"
"Five years? Maybe a few more. How often did you go into heat?"
"That was my first time so I don't know."
"Wait, wait…" Rin stared at her incredulously. "You just became able to have a baby and your father shipped you off to get pregnant?"
"I know what you think of him and the entire situation but it is common. Granted I came into my heat later than others, for reasons I am unsure of." Izumi explained.
"I think we need to talk with Iku. It's important for you to understand your body and your cycles to make sure that you are healthy." Rin said seriously.
"Makes sense." Izumi said albeit with a shrug.
"If you could, right now have another pup, would you? Or do you want to wait?" Rin questioned.
"I want to give Kohaku his own offspring, yes, but I don't know if I want one so soon. To go through all of that all over again…I didn't enjoy it the way that you did." She said.
"I understand." Rin nodded her head. Hearing Hotarus cry from her room Rin smiled. "Come on. I'm sure Hisashi isn't to far behind her in waking up."
"Probably not." Izumi agreed. Standing they both went to gather their children to nurse. Sesshomaru roused from sleep handed the children to their respective mothers.
Izumi took Hisashi back to her own room to allow him the privacy to wash and dress to ready himself for the day.
Kohaku himself was up and smiled at her as she walked in with Hisashi nipping at her kimono eagerly to nurse.
"Good morning you two." Kissing Izumi on her forehead before placing one to Hisashis she smiled at him.
"You as well mate." Sitting on the futon she watched as he took out his pants, top, and armor he wore when he patrolled. "Heading out today?"
"Yes. I'm ready to get back to work." He stated.
"Are you sure?" Concerned she gripped Hisashi closer to her as he began to nurse.
"Absolutely." Kohaku smiled at her. "No worries love."
"Alright. Just please don't push yourself." Walking over to her Kohaku wrapped his arm around her shoulder and rubbed her arm.
"I won't." Leaning against her slightly he kissed one of her ears causing it to twitch involuntarily. "I will only go out for the morning and be back before afternoon."
"Okay." Izumi sighed some relief resting against him. "Even still, we will miss you."
Placing his hand to the top of Hisashis head he too sighed. "Kohaku, if I were able to get pregnant would you want to have another one sooner or later on?"
Kohaku stilled his hand taking in a breath. "It is up to you ultimately. If it were my decision you already would be."
"I am being serious. Rin told me that she and Sesshomaru will have another one soon. She asked me if I would as well but I don't know when I will be able to again, it depends on when I go into heat." Izumi said.
"Eventually, we will. Of that I have no doubt Izumi. Whether it is in a few months time or twenty years, it will happen for us." He said kissing the side of her head again and standing.
Watching him as he washed and dressed Izumi decided then and there she would do what she could to make sure it was sooner than later.
She would give Kohaku a child while he was still young and able to enjoy his own for the rest of his life.