Chapter 21

Author's note: Wrote this chapter to go along with the beautiful, though extremely temperamental weather outside. Warning this chapter may get a little messy, and a little intense. Labor and birthing ensue.

Inuyasha woke up to paralyzing pain. It forced him to sit up in reflex, his claws digging into the furs and tearing small holes into them. He gasped out when the pain ebbed away suddenly, his eyes forcing open and searching for his mate. However, Sesshomaru wasn't in the hut, Inuyasha vaguely remembering him stating he would go to the hot spring to wash off the blood of a hunt. Inuyasha tried hard to push back his tears as he shakily grabbed the furs covering his thighs, moving them slowly off as he prepared himself mentally for what might be present.

His kimono obstructed any sight between his legs, though Inuyasha could feel it. He prayed for the contractions to not be close together as he slowly moved to undo his kimonos, trying not to scream when he saw blood staining his thighs. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to warn him the pups were very much on their way.

He tried to wake his youkai to call for his mate, but it was too weak to even stir. Inuyasha tried to breathe deeply as he tried to let his body do what it wanted, though something became blaring obvious.

He was still male.

By the sounds of the villagers outside it was possibly early afternoon, but the new moon would not be till tomorrow night. Inuyasha closed his eyes, feeling a tear fall. He hoped Sesshomaru would be able to feel his fear, and would return soon. He didn't want to scream out though, no, everybody would come running then.

Inuyasha tried hard to swallow his pride as he felt another contraction move through him, digging his claws into the board beneath him. He whimpered softly as the pain intensified, shaking as he felt the contraction tighten impossibly further. He looked to the door when it opened, praying his mate had returned. Kaede stood there however with a bowl of what smelled like soup, her aged eye widening.

"Inuyasha…?"

"They're coming," Inuyasha whispered as the contraction ebbed away, Kaede quickly moving into the hut and closing the shoji. Inuyasha panted through grit teeth as he tried to calm down, Kaede moving to his shaking legs and meeting his eyes.

"I need you to lift your legs, like this… yes." Inuyasha followed her directions as she tried to get him to get in the right position, the old hag moving to place some furs beneath his back.

"When did it start?" Kaede asked, her voice calm as she tried to convey the same emotion onto the hanyou. Inuyasha closed his eyes as he tried to calm his breathing, feeling his youkai grow stronger suddenly. He looked to the shoji, seeing it rattle with the force of his mate.

Inuyasha sobbed softly, the shoji slamming open to show his alarmed mate.

"Lord Sesshomaru you must leave," Kaede spoke calmly, the demon looking over his distressed mate for any sign of injury. Inuyasha closed his eyes and tensed as his stomach tightened, feeling a pressure build against his spine. Miroku came up by the demon, trying feebly to pull the demon away. The demon shoved off the human and stepped inside, slamming the shoji shut behind him. Whether Miroku stayed outside due to fear or surprise, Inuyasha was glad he didn't see him like this.

"What can I do?" Sesshomaru asked, growling at Miroku who tried to open the shoji behind him when the surprise ebbed away. Kaede called the monk to stop, seeing the derangement in the demon's eyes.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I need you to keep Inuyasha calm. If thee does not, I will have Miroku place a-"

"Shut up human," Sesshomaru growled, Inuyasha gritting his teeth as the pain ebbed away for the moment.

"If you idiots are done," Inuyasha growled, the two looking to him with surprise. Inuyasha dug his claws into the wood beneath him, leveling Kaede with his glare.

"See what's happening, I can't tell," Inuyasha growled out, Kaede nodding as she moved again between his legs. Sesshomaru moved next to him and grabbed his hand, offering him the little comfort he could.

"When did it start Inuyasha?" Kaede asked again as she reached down, Inuyasha feeling the invasions of her fingers against his ass. He could hardly care as he felt another contraction rip through him, tearing a groaning cry from him.

"When I woke up, maybe five minutes," Inuyasha grit out, Kaede nodding as she pressed in with two fingers after careful stretching. She felt for a cervix, trying not to show how happy she was to find something that felt somewhat similar to one. It was pulsing however against her fingers, and she could only guess that his body could no longer hold the babies without causing harm to them. She tried to feel around more to get a guess, hearing Inuyasha hiss above her as she searched for anything else that might help give her an idea of the strange situation. She felt the cervix dilation and breathed a soft sigh of relief at realizing at least that part of the pregnancy would be somewhat normal.

However…

She felt for how dilated he was, feeling a pang of worry as she realized he was at eight centimeters. That could only mean he had dilated while he slept, which meant his labor could have started at any time over the past few hours. She slowly pulled her fingers out, only to feel a slow dribble of liquid follow.

She pressed her fingers together to see the viscosity, looking up when Inuyasha closed his legs. His face was pale as he looked away from her, Kaede trying to remain calm. Inuyasha was proceeding normally, though something was wrong. Since the water didn't stop in it's slow release she could only assume the babies were coming fast.

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered, Sesshomaru scowling in worry as he looked down to Inuyasha's slowly wetting kimonos.

"Thee water broke, it is merely releasing slow." The words didn't calm Inuyasha at all, though with a gentle tug from Kaede's small hands he reluctantly opened his legs again.

"Is that normal?" Sesshomaru asked, Kaede nodding as she stood slowly from her kneeled position. She went over to the shoji, opening it to see a slightly terrified Miroku.

"Get me blankets and two bowls of water with a few clean rags. Ask Sango to come and accompany me." Miroku nodded before he turned to retrieve the necessities, Kaede turning around when Inuyasha cried out in pain. She closed the shoji and went back to his side, Sesshomaru seeming even more alarmed than before.

"When can you get them out of me?" Inuyasha grit out, his face beaded with sweat as he seemed to shake uncontrollably. Kaede remained calm as she patted his knee, giving him a small hopeful smile.

"I cannot fully tell. Yee is close to delivery, though now we must wait."

"Fuck your stupid waiting! Get them out of me!" Inuyasha growled, Kaede nodding as she looked between the hanyou's legs. She gently maneuvered him with the help of Sesshomaru, removing the soaked furs and kimonos. Inuyasha could only whimper through the process, feeling as if something was trying to physically claw its way out of him.

"The process is different for every delivery, Inuyasha. It all depends on thee own body. If it is multiple thee may deliver faster, though it is uncertain." Inuyasha whimpered softly, gripping Sesshomaru's hand tighter as he felt another contraction move through him.

"I can't do this," Inuyasha suddenly whimpered, Sesshomaru moving closer and softly moving his fingers over his mates' sensitive ears.

"It'll all be over soon," Sesshomaru whispered, Inuyasha growling at his mate as he wished he could make the demon feel his pain. Kaede looked to them both, rising up when Miroku opened the shoji slightly. The villager children were curious of the screams, though many mothers looked on as they merely wished for a quick delivery for the expecting mother.

"I'm here Kaede," Sango spoke behind him, Kaede letting Miroku place down the supplies before shooing him out. Inuyasha nodded to Sango who gave him a small smile, Kaede having her stay on the other side of Inuyasha as she returned between his legs.

"Inuyasha, do yee feel a need to push?" Kaede asked, Inuyasha laughing, if only to make a mockery of the pain he felt radiating through his pelvic region. He tilted his head back with a muffled cry, letting out a low whimper after it seemed the pain ebbed away once again.

"I feel like I'm dying old hag," Inuyasha replied in turn, Kaede frowning as she looked down to the wetness still escaping. She could only tell by his reactions to the pain, but it very much seemed the contractions were two minutes apart. She made Inuyasha look at her, guiding him to breathe calmly with her. Once he was no longer gasping for breath she nodded, looking down to see a little more blood than she wanted to see escaping at the moment.

"Yee is not dying, they will come soon." Inuyasha scoffed, though there was obvious pain and fear in his voice.

"They couldn't wait till the new moon?" Inuyasha whispered, Kaede holding back a scoff herself. She stayed calm though, hoping her calmness helped the hanyou stay calm as well. Inuyasha still was calm, so she hoped it was working.

"They wish to see you now," Sango joked lightly, Inuyasha cracking a small smile at that. After his water stopped leaking out Kaede released a soft sigh, moving the wet blankets from beneath him.

"I need to check how far you are," she spoke softly, Inuyasha closing his eyes as he nodded. Kaede moved her fingers down and gently stretched the lightly convulsing region, moving her fingers in deeper and searching for that same area of tissue. She felt alarm move through her as she realized that he was fully dilated, though stayed calm as she pulled her fingers away. She could only assume, but these babies wanted out now, and Inuyasha's body was in agreement.

"How do you feel?" Kaede asked, Inuyasha unable to respond as he arched with a pained yell.

"Take them out!" Inuyasha yelled, crying out as Kaede witnessed his muscles contract. She helped him lower back down, having his head rest on Sesshomaru's lap with Sango on his left side. She saw some discharge, though his hole was still not expanding yet.

"I don't wanna do this," Inuyasha whimpered, Kaede nodding sympathetically as she prepared more blankets. Sango wrung out a rag and placed it on the hanyou's head, Sesshomaru focusing on comforting his mate with soft scratches behind his ears.

"I wanna push," Inuyasha suddenly gasped, Kaede nodding in understanding as she wet a rag with the bowl of warm water and placed it against the lightly convulsing region.

"Push towards this," she spoke softly, Inuyasha suddenly shaking his head as he gasped on a breath.

"Tomorrow, I'll do this tomorrow," he pleaded, Kaede shaking her head as she rubbed one of his shaking knees.

"Thee wish to come now Inuyasha, now push," Kaede spoke with some authority in her voice, Inuyasha slamming a hand into the wood beneath him.

"Die old hag!" He yelled, though his legs rose up and his stomach convulsed as he began to push with his body. He screamed in a way that even left Kaede feeling sick to her stomach, the hanyou suddenly a being in motion. He slapped away everybody and found the strength to stand, Kaede gasping as he pressed himself against a wall. His legs shook as he screamed again, Kaede seeing some discharge flow down his leg.

The sight put them all in motion, Sesshomaru moving to grab Inuyasha and letting him lean against his body. Kaede urged him to move the hanyou to his knees, the act tearing a pained whimper from the hanyou. Sango moved beside Sesshomaru, making Inuyasha look to her as she spoke soft words of encouragement.

Kaede went behind him and looked at his hole, seeing more mucus like discharge escape him. She had wanted him to lay down and push, but she wouldn't force him into that position now. If he moved around too much he could hurt himself or the oncoming babies, and that was the last thing she wanted.

"How do thee feel?" Kaede asked, if only to keep the hanyou aware of his current state of pushing. Inuyasha dug his claws into Sesshomaru's shoulders, Kaede seeing the blood. Sesshomaru's face stayed unreadable as he held onto his mate, seemingly lost in a trance as he looked down to the bloody discharge escaping his mate.

"It hurts! It fucking hurts!" Inuyasha sobbed, Kaede feeling something almost akin to guilt. She buried it however, nodding to Sango who began to guide the hanyou to breathe. Inuyasha slowly unclenched his claws as he nodded, trying to slow his breathing and focus on pushing. Once they had him calm enough Kaede wet the rag again in warm water, placing it against his convulsing hole.

"Now push," she ordered, Inuyasha gritting his teeth as he stopped fighting his body. He stopped pushing after the feeling passed, Sango keeping him focused on breathing. Kaede prayed as time seemed to pass on, wishing the pups would arrive soon as it became apparent the hanyou was becoming weak. She silently thanked Sesshomaru for going against her orders, the demon feeding his mate his own energy to keep him going.

Kaede tried not to gasp when she saw the beginnings of a head, the baby finally low enough. She looked to Sango who gave her a blanket, Kaede feeling excitement run through her.

"Inuyasha yee is almost there," she spoke calmly, though loudly enough for the hanyou to hear over his soft sobs. Inuyasha nodded and pushed once again, the head coming out some only to go back in. Kaede was about to say something else when the hanyou screamed on a push, the head coming out more.

"It burns!" Inuyasha yelled, Kaede nodding as she watched the baby come out further with another hard push.

"Breathe Inuyasha," Kaede ordered, the hanyou stopping to take in a deep gasping breathe. If anybody had asked Inuyasha how he felt, he would have described it as the worst possible torture. He would have rather have his stomach torn out multiple times, have his body be pierced by a million arrows. The pain was unlike anything he could explain, and felt almost like his ass was being blown open and torn to shreds.

He could feel when Kaede tried to stretch him to help reduce the likelihood of tearing, but he felt no matter what it would never be the same. He prayed he was only carrying twins, if to merely make the pain stop. He felt an urge to push and obeyed, feeling literal fire burn along his hole. He bit back a scream, instead transferring his pain to Sesshomaru who took it all without complaint.

Kaede gasped when the baby's head popped out, seeing the demon markings along its cheeks. She placed the blanket against the small head, urging Inuyasha to give her another strong push. The shoulders passed through and the rest slid out, Kaede catching the baby and smiling when it began to scream bloody murder.

"It's a boy!" she rejoiced, Inuyasha moving quickly but clumsily to see their new addition. Kaede calmed him so she could cut the cord, letting him hold the baby boy against his chest afterwards.

Inuyasha couldn't believe his eyes.

This was his pup.

The baby calmed when it came into contact with Inuyasha's chest, allowing Inuyasha to see the markings along its body more clearly. He was a splitting replica of Sesshomaru, which only made the hanyou want to laugh at the irony. He felt tears fall down his face, kissing the top of the pup's sticky head. Kaede slowly took him away, having Inuyasha return to the position he felt most comfortable in. He looked to Sango who cleaned his pup next to him, his heart breaking when he began to cry again.

"Gentle," Inuyasha whispered as he felt the second one start to come, Sango giving him a small smile as she finished cleaning him with a wet rag. He was then wrapped up as Inuyasha cried through another round of horrible contractions. The second one was a lot more impatient and came out minutes later, another healthy little baby boy. He had Inuyasha's demon markings with a crescent moon on his little forehead, with Inuyasha's eyes and Sesshomaru's nose and mouth. He had more hair than his first brother, the whiteness of it almost shining.

The third was just as impatient, Inuyasha screaming as it felt it was trying to tear its way out of him.

"It's a girl!" Kaede gasped, Inuyasha moving to look at his little girl. She had Inuyasha's demon markings without a crescent moon, her all white hair wavy like his own. She took more after him than the others, which surprised the hanyou. After her however his body calmed down, and after delivering his afterbirth he was allowed to hold them along with Sesshomaru.

He almost completely forgot about all the pain he just went through at the sight of them, cooing over them all. Sesshomaru held their daughter possessively, running soft fingers along his son's chubby cheeks. Sesshomaru agreed on the names Inuyasha spoke of previously, Their first born son was named Kazuhiko, their second son was named Takeo, and their little girl was named Moriko. After a check Inuyasha was glad to know he could in fact lactate. He fed all three before they all settled down and rested, Kaede checking him once over before allowing the mother and father be alone with their new pups.

Inuyasha didn't wake up for another two hours, though soft cries awoke him. He sat up with a soft grunt, his entire lower half feeling sore and torn apart. He looked over to the pups, feeling pride well in his chest at seeing his mate trying to calm his first-born son. The other two woke up however, the demon seeming a bit overwhelmed.

Inuyasha wondered how much of his life would be spent seeing his mate over whelmed. He would be okay with that.

Author's note: Normally I end it here, but not this time. I will keep updating about their lives with little pups running around!