Chapter Four:

-This is a few month time skip since the last chapter-

Youko knew he was going to deliver soon, the fox was going through his whole nesting thing again, and once again had himself in a blanket burrow. Much to his mates displeasure, but you try telling a snarly pregnant and hormonal fox no. See how well you fare.

Youko panted softly as he laid on his side, the familiar pains were going through his abdomen.

Once again, his mate was on patrol, and Youko was in labor. He still couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the irony of it. Every pup was born while his mate was patrolling the lands. Youko wondered if his womb had a vendetta against Sesshoumaru getting to be there for the birthings.

It felt like hours before he knew his body was ready. He pushed when the time came crying out in pain as his kit was born. At least having gone through this a couple times before it wasn't as bad. The tired fox set about cleaning up his little kit to only wince. Ugh god. What the hell?

Youko cried out as he trembled. Holy shit... Another one? He was having two!? Oh that dog was so going to hear it! Youko yelped in pain as his body trembled. At least the second waited long enough for him to clean up his first.

Youko cried out as his body was forced to push again. Once the second was born Youko wanted nothing more than to just lay down and rest, but he knew he had to clean up his second little kit first.

Cleaning both up, he found them to be identical. Not in just looks, but their scents were the same. The fox was mildly surprised, but he never met demon twins before. Maybe it was normal? He just knew he'd have trouble telling them apart...

Once both of his new little girls were cleaned, Youko watched the two of them, smiling softly despite how tired he was. All of the soiled fabrics were tossed out of his blanket burrow before he laid down with two newest daughters. He was to exhausted to do much else and he napped lightly beside them.

He wasn't sure how many hours of rest he got before his new kits started to fuss. He shifted and gently held them close so they could eat. Glancing out of his blanket-burrow. He wondered when any of the staff might stop buy, or when his mate would get home.

Sesshoumaru, mildly exhausted and strained from the newest territory dispute with incorrigible rejects of the youkai gene pool, was flying on his youki cloud back to his castle - covered in so much blood it wasn't even funny - when his keen senses caught an alarming scent coming from his castle. Blood. Fox blood.

His already strained control over the beast inside of him snapped. Angry crimson eyes glared at the glass panes of the balcony door barring him from his mate.

With a furious snarl, the silver dog burst through the flimsy barrier in a shower of glass shards, an explosion of sound, and the overwhelming scent of blood. The same blood that clogged his nostrils and made it impossible for him to realize that his fox was not in danger, but, rather, had repeated his trick of giving birth each time he went off on patrol.

When the balcony doors shattered Youko gasped, all he could smell was blood. It was not blood that belonged anyone he knew either, so the weak fox released a vicious snarl, moving to protect his kits. He would fight to his last breath to protect his kits if he had to. Just having given birth or not.

Sesshoumaru froze at the sound of his mate's snarl, and his furious eyes found no sign of any other intruder. Cautiously, he edged forward, and whuffed lowly, the sound ending in a concerned whine.

Hearing the sound brought pause from the fox. He snarled for only a moment longer before he forced his aching body to move. A soft whine escaped him from the movement but he managed to look out at his mate. It was Sesshoumaru. Covered in blood... "What happened?" was asked softly as he stayed where he was, not seeing the point in moving any more and making his body hurt more than it was all ready.

Maroon and teal met gold before the beast calmed, and the amber irises of the fox's mate returned to show the dog lord was once more in control of his mind and body. "A heavy battle. This Sesshoumaru won, of course." His stance stiffened a bit as his nose twitched, "This Sesshoumaru finds a pattern in his pups being born only when this one is away." His lips twitched.

Youko watched him, staying where he was. A battle huh? He was glad his mate won, Sesshoumarus 'won' usually mean he wasn't harmed. But to be sure, "You're unhurt, yea?" the fox asked softly. His arm trembled a bit holding himself up where he was half laying half crouched at the entrance of his blanket burrow. At his mates words about how he had the kits while he was always away. A tired smile made its way to Youkos face. "Its just as well, you probably don't have the stomach for it."

The dog's lips twitched a second time, "This one will return after the blood is washed away, fox. Take your bath, then." It was more of a command, really, but after so long the fox must be used to the inu's high handed manner.

That normally was fine with him, but decided to bring it up once the dog demon returned... The fox slowly moved to lay back down only wincing slightly.

-Small time skip-

Once Sesshoumaru did return, no longer covered in the blood of other demons, the fox was resting. Knowing his mate was back in their 'den' allowed him to rest easier. So when the door clicked shut a silvery ear twitched and he whimpered as he moved to look over. He watched him a moment, but sighed softly, not budging from his place despite Sesshoumaru wanting him to get cleaned up. "You now have two new daughters" he stated softly, letting his mate know he had twins.

The dog's nose twitched furiously as his brows furrowed. Twins? But he smelled only two scents (one being Youko)... Crouching by the blanket burrow, he carefully lifted the mouth of the den up to peer curiously at his newest pups. Identical in every single way, including scent. How odd.

If it had been anyone other than his mate Youko would of started snarling as soon as he walked closer. He wasn't to fond of him moving the blankets about, but he didn't complain. The exhausted fox just laid his head down again, still not wanting to move... "You need to name them" he whispered softly before he let his eyes closed intending to get more sleep.

His lips twitched a bit as his keen ears caught the near silent growl of his mate over disturbing the den. Well, the fox would need to deal with it, the dog wanted to see his pups, and there was no way he was crawling into those blankets.

Name them? Then perhaps he could break the fox of naming his kits You. Chuckling lowly, his clawed finger gently traced across his pup's silver fuzzed heads, noting that they deeply resembled their mother. "Ataira," he hummed, "and Tiara."

Youko released a faint 'hum' type sound to acknowledge he heard the names. But he was to tired to comment on them more than the sound he released. The exhausted fox felt very safe with his mate so close, so it was then and there he pretty much passed out. Birthing one kit was hard. Two... He never wanted to do two at the same time again.

Sesshomaru was mildly concerned when he realized his mate had essentially passed out, but the fox's breathing was steady, and the dog had no intention of leaving his pups unattended - or the room. Pulling his moko-moko from his shoulder, he draped the length of fluff around the sleeping twins before pulling the blankets back into place to 'seal' the den while he retreated to his bed to keep watch while dozing lightly. Despite his restful state his senses were on high alert for even the slightest noise.

-Few day Time Skip-

Despite his mates grumblings about needing cleaned up, the fox had been unwilling to move. And very unwilling to let someone other than his mate move let alone bath him - and watch the two new born kits. So Youko pretty much just slept and vegetated for the next few days.

Once most of the pains ebbed off he slowly moved from the blanket burrow. Youko sighed softly, he was so looking forward to a bath. He had felt dirty from the birthing but hadn't been willing to trust anyone other than his mate with himself or his kits. His kits took priority. His mate had agreed.

With a slow stretch the fox groaned and gently set his kits on the mattress as they slept. Sighing softly as he kept himself off it since he was still a mess. He glanced to the door giving a soft huff as it opened. Golden eyes watched Jaken walking in with the tray.

The toad was surprised to see Youko finally out of the mess of blankets. He gulped and set the tray down and decided to get his lord.

So the wet slap sounded down the hall before he opened his lords office door, "Lord Sesshoumaru, your fox is out of the burrow."

Hearing the toads words Sesshoumaru didn't waste time. He stood and headed for the office door. The stupid toad decided to just stand there, and instead of just stepping over him, Sesshoumaru just stepped on him to get through. Not bothered by the sound of pain that escaped the toad.

Once he was in the hall the dog lord wasted no time getting to his bed chambers. Seeing the fox who looked like he should be laying down he rose a brow.

Youko looked over when the door opened again and he gave a faint smile. "Watch them." he stated softly, before he moved, snatching a kimono then slipped pass the dog lord.

Sesshoumaru stepped over to the bed and looked down to his two pups, the faintest hint of a smile on his face as he watched the two identical children.

Youko had gone straight to the baths, it was there he wasted no time getting undressed and into the water. He ached, but he pushed through it to get cleaned up, and once done he dried off then got out of the water once more.

Deciding he didn't want to deal with whatever Jaken had prepared, the smell of it hadn't caught his attention, so he went to the kitchen.

It was there the fox did a bit of raiding. Getting a little bit of this and that. He couldn't help it he was craving something-He just had no idea what that something was.

Sesshoumaru, meanwhile, had his pups wrapped up in his moko-moko once more.

Youko entered into the room with a tray of different things smiling a bit at his mate, "Hungry?" he asked softly as he set the tray down where he'd be able to reach it as he sat down gently on the bed to not wake his two kits. Youko smiled softly watching them before he looked up at Sesshoumaru, "Have you ever heard of demon twins before?" he asked curiously... "Well, that smell the same and everything?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged, "Demon twins are not unheard of, but this Sesshoumaru has not personally encountered a living pair. One or both usually end up dead. There is a foolish superstition about identical twins." His lip curled in distaste at the stupidity of certain demons for believing such nonsense.

Youko tilted his head, a brow raised, "A superstition? What would that be?" Youko by nature was curious. So it was probably no wonder to his mate he asked.

Sesshoumaru grunted, one hand splaying protectively over his pups, "That identical pups are a crime against the kami. They were meant to be one pup, and to be split brings disasters to the village or family they were born to. One of them is usually killed, the second born, to 'reunite their soul'." He scowled, upper lip curling away from his pointed canine in distaste for the ridiculous rumor.

Youko rose a brow, "Well that is a stupid superstition." He stated gently, Youko wasn't very religious. He wasn't all 'the Kami doesn't exists' but he wasn't a 'oh my god if i don't do this the Kami will smite me' either. Youko smiled softly as he moved slowly to lay down sort of curling around his two girls fingers gently going through the ones hair. "It doesn't matter to me even if they are of the same soul. They are each their own now." he purred watching his children... That and after birthing the both of them? Like hell he'd let someone kill one just because of some stupid superstition.

Youko looked up at his mate with a soft smile, before he sighed and let his eyes close. He felt exhausted from having moved around so much for his bath and raiding the kitchen. Hum, speaking of which he forced his eyes open and his body to sit up. The picky fox picked through what even he had brought up, and when he felt he didn't want anything else he laid down again, curling up with his two kits. Intent on getting a nap...

"Wake me for dinner?" Youko asked his mate softly without opening his eyes again. He knew he probably didn't have to ask, but he did.

Sesshoumaru hummed his answer as he picked up an apple the fox had brought and bit into it. Dinner would be a while.

-End Chapter four-

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