Crazy crazy year, y'all. Yashahime will not alter my fanfic in anyway, but can we all just take a moment to appreciate how fucking cute Moroha is? Please forgive any mistakes, I am an essential worker in a red state and stress aggravates my dyslexia. And my ADHD. And my ASD. And my... well.. everything.

Sesshomaru sat with his wife, brother, and Kagome the day after they returned and watched the boy play with Hoshii and Shippo. The boy's name was Hiro, Melissa struggled a little, mispronouncing it as hero at first. She had then explained a hero was a word for someone who protected others and Sesshomaru had explained why the mispronunciation fit.

Now Inuyasha and the women were speculating on how Miroku and Sango would take the news. A pointless endeavor, they would react as they would react and worrying about it would not change things. In any case they could not tell them about the boy yet, Kilala had returned home after bringing Inuyasha's family to visit and would not be back for them for a few days.

There was a lull in the conversation and everyone was lost in their thoughts for a moment, then Melissa spoke. "It's considered a bad thing to have a baby without being married here, isn't it."

"A concubine can produce a child without stigma. But it is seen as dishonorable for a woman to bare a child if she is neither wife nor concubine" Sesshomaru confirmed.

"A couple of the women we ran into from Miroku's past seemed to think he'd asked them to marry him because he asked them to have his kid." Inuyasha added.

"Then maybe Hero... Hiro... doesn't know."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe they said his father died." She reasoned.

"You're right. They probably said his father went off to war to protect him. If he thinks his father's dead it might be hard for him to believe Miroku is actually his father."

"Even if they did lie someone probably told him the truth to be an asshole. Kids over hear shit, and they are vicious" Inuyasha replied.

There was another long lull in the conversation. Granny announced it was time for Melissa and Kagome to do their exercises and the women left leaving Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to sit in awkward silence for a few minutes. Sesshomaru then noticed the children were taking a break from their game and went over to them. Hiro got to his feet when he noticed Sesshomaru looking at him.

"You appear not to be busy at the moment. Come." He turned and began to walk away. Hiro said a quick goodbye to Hoshii and Shippo then hurried after the youkai. "We have been discussing your future. Where you are to live and who is to train you, among other things."

"I'm not staying here with you guys?" The boy asked, confused.

"It is one of a few possibilities. However you requested Inuyasha train you, he and his family are merely visitors here. He and Kagome are more than willing to keep you, but I am unsure Inuyasha can train you. While he does know how to fight he has never had any formal training. I am not sure he'd know how to pass along what he has learned.

My wife and I would also be willing to keep you, but as I am a youkai and you are a human I would have trouble knowing when you have reached your limits in training. I have run into that problem while training humans before.

There is one other option, perhaps the best one, if they will have you, Miroku and Sango. Sango is a very talented youkai slayer and will soon be training her own children to fight. It would best for her to teach you, if she is willing."

"If she is willing? I guess I have to prove myself, right? Pass a test?"

Sesshomaru gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head. "No. Her husband has not lived a blameless life. It is an area of contention between them even now I am told. You greatly resemble Miroku, it is no fault of your own, but you could generate negative feelings between them."

"How come?"

Sesshomaru was silent for a moment then asked "What do you know of the things that happen between men and women?"

The boy shrugged. "Enough I guess." Then a thought seem to occur to him, "Oh. I know how to respect women if that's what you mean. My Grampa made sure I know how to act around women!"

"And how did your grandfather teach you to treat a woman?"

"Well." The boy paused to think. "The most important thing is a man doesn't hit women, no matter how mad he gets. Grampa said "women should only be touched with love." He also said you shouldn't cuss or say dirty things around women and he said a real man doesn't make babies until he marries the girl."

Sesshomaru gave the slightest hint of a nod. "That is a good start. In this household as well as Inuyasha's and Miroku's you will find women hold a good deal of power and that is for good reason, a woman's wisdom and strength should not be underestimated because of her sex. I have known several women who are the equal of any man. You will listen when they speak and show the same respect you would show a man"

The boy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! My Grampa always talked to Gramma before big decisions. He said she'd been around as long as he had."

"Your grandfather sounds like a wise man, you certainly have learned much from him."

"Yeah. He was the best. He and gramma helped Ma raise me. Then there was an earthquake. He and I were out in the fields, but Gramma and Ma were in the house... About a year ago there was a bad disease in town..."

"And your father?"

The boys eyes showed panic, he knew. Hiro considered lying, Sesshomaru could see it in his eyes. Then they filled with resignation and shame. He hung his head. "I don't have one sir, I'm a bastard."

"You were born an illegitimate child, that is your father's doing. You decide who you are going forward." Sesshomaru started to walk away then paused, "I appreciate your honesty." Then he continued on and allowed the boy to do as he wished.

Sesshomaru went to the dojo to practice his swordsmanship for a while then sought out his wife. Along the way he was intercepted by Jakken, who had just returned from his errand. As Jakken was bragging about his success Melissa appeared at the other end of the hallway. Sesshomaru quickly 'carelessly' trod upon Jakken to silence him lest he spoil the surprise.

once he had rejoined his wife he looked over at her maid in waiting, Yuki, "Shino requires your assistance in the kitchens"

Yuki was shocked, she hadn't been summoned to the kitchens since she was assigned to help guard Melissa but she bowed and turned to go to the kitchen.

"You have unique abilities that Shino is in need of. Once you have helped her you will rejoin us in my chambers." he explained.

"Yes my lord." She replied as she hurried away.

Sesshomaru took his wife's hand and led her to his chambers where they talked about the preparations for the babies. Melissa showed him two cute blankets she'd had made for them then he pulled out two large bones.

"What?" She asked a little shocked by the sudden appearance of bones in the bedchamber.

"Femurs" He explained. "For the children to cut their teeth, unless you would prefer them to chew shoes. It may sound cute but is considered a bad habit and a hard one to break."

Seeing she was still confused he continued "We call them babies for your sake, but as much as they are human babies they are also dog pups. They will like bones to cut their teeth. These are from a deer."

"How soon will they teeth though?" she asked, confused. "They haven't even been born yet."

Sesshomaru had been proud of his foresight, but now felt a bit foolish. It would be best to give them fresh bones when the time came. He put the bones to the side, perhaps Kin's boys would like them.

A short while later Yuki returned holding a covered rice bowl. She set a small table in front of Melissa and place the bowl on it with a smile. She bowed and sat beside Granny trying to watch discreetly. Melissa opened it to find several pale pink disks inside. They were cold as ice. She placed one in her mouth.

"Milk?" she asked in shock looking around at Sesshomaru. She tried another, it was definitely strawberry milk.

"You told me you once enjoyed a frozen confection made from sweetened, frozen milk. I had Jakken go to the main land and procure a dairy cow and a milk maid to tend her. Shino mixed it with fruit and sugar and Yuki froze it. Shino can adjust the recipe if need be."

"I can show her how to make ice-cream. This is still good, but more like a popsicle. You want some?"

Sesshomaru hesitated momentarily then tried one of the pink disks, it was good! They sat there eating the frozen milk and making sweet plans together. Then a strange gurgling sound emitted from Sesshomaru's stomach. Everyone stared in shock, even Sesshomaru himself looked momentarily surprised.

He tried to pretend that nothing unusual had happened and they continued talking and finished of the milk disks. after a few minutes Sesshomaru's stomach gave an even louder gurgling rumble. He couldn't pretend it hadn't happened this time so very briefly apologized. Mellissa couldn't help but notice that her husband seemed suddenly uncomfortable.

It happened a third time and this time Sesshomaru's discomfort could not be denied. "Please excuse me dear." He told Melissa as he rose to his feet. As he did so what he had been holding back escaped with a loud, drawn out squeak.

Granny covered her mouth and turned away quickly. Yuki stared with wide eyes and covered her mouth with both hands. Melissa had to bite her lip not to laugh. Sesshomaru looked momentarily ready to die and left without another sound, spoken or otherwise.

As soon as the door shut behind him all the women broke out in gales of laughter and a truely horrid stench made it's presence known. It was a noxious mix of lactose intolerance and dog fart. The women, still laughing, opened the doors to the garden and began wafting the smell outside with cushions.

As the breeze blew the smell by the two guards on the wall the younger wrinkled his nose and the older chuckled. "The princess is still just a woman after all and that's how pregnant bellies work."