Update ^^

So all my old roomies have moved out and the house feels sorta empty now... *sigh*

Anywho ^^ Enjoy!

The demon heard the soft knocking on his apartment door, his body unfurling from the couch to answer it, his amber eyes looking at both his brother and his son, the boy looking ashamed and at the floor while his brother appeared uncomfortable about the whole thing.

"Hey Sesshomaru," the half-demon murmured, his hand on the back of the boy's head, the amber eyes refusing to meet those of his father's, "um, Akihiko, why don't you go inside and sit down on the couch, I want to talk to your dad for a bit."

The boy nodded and, without looking at his father or his uncle, gently slipped past the two before he made his way over to his father's couch, his back pack moved to the rug beneath it, his hands nervously wringing the straps.

"What's going on?" Sesshomaru asked, his eyes looking from his son to his brother, worry flecked in his eyes at the thought that Rin might have found out about him and their child.

"Well," InuYasha murmured almost bashfully, "see, Rin was thinking she wasn't gonna let him come over."

"Why not?"

"She hasn't found out anything," the half-demon told his brother, his hands held up in his defence, "but… she said Akihiko… did something."

"Did what exactly," Sesshomaru pressed.

"… She said he hit a kid."

Amber eyes widened slightly at the statement, his head turned from his brother to his son, the boy hanging his head, his ears drooping slightly.

"Wh-What?"

"Akihiko admitted it too," InuYasha whispered, "but he wouldn't tell her why and when I asked, he kept his mouth shut. Rin was angrier than I'd ever seen her."

"So… why did she let him come?"

"I think…" his half-brother sucked in a deep breath, "I think she's just really frustrated about all this and just wants a break. Kagome had to convince her but it happened about a week ago so I guess Rin figured he was punished enough." At his brother's sigh, InuYasha pressed on, "look, I think she's tired about the whole thing and keeping this secret from her isn't good for any of us, Akihiko especially."

"I know," Sesshomaru murmured, his hand through his strands while he thought of his next move, "I just need to figure out how to tell her."

"At any rate, do you think you could get him to tell you why he hit that kid? It'll be a real relief to Rin if she knew why."

"Yeah, I'll try and talk to him," the demon murmured, "is that everything?"

"Sure, I'll drop by around ten to pick him up?"

"Thanks," Sesshomaru nodded as he watched his brother turn around to leave for the elevator, the door shutting softly behind him, the demon turning to the small boy on the couch, his head hung and his eyes downcast . "Hey Akihiko," his father murmured, his fingers intertwined as he sat next to the boy, "how are you?"

"M okay," the boy mumbled, his eyes still looking at the floor, his hands wringing the straps of his knapsack.

"If you're sure…"

"Are you gonna punish me?" Akihiko suddenly asked, his eyes tearful as he looked at his father, Sesshomaru tilting his head slightly.

"For what?"

"For… you know…"

"No," Sesshomaru murmured, his hand rubbing the boy's head, "no I'm not gonna punish you, but I would like to know what happened and why you did it, preferably before you leave."

"Kay," the boy mumbled, his ears still flattened on his head but his face began easing into a small smile.

"So," the demon announced, "what did you want for dinner?"

"Dunno…"

"How about pizza?" Sesshomaru asked, smiling as the boy seemed to brighten up at the idea, "but only if you drink something healthy, no soda."

"So like… milk?"

The demon nodded as he picked up the phone, "milk it is."

The two spent an enjoyable evening, the food devoured as swiftly as it had been delivered, Akihiko keeping his promise and drank an entire glass of milk, the boy careful not to spill anything on the couch his father allowed him to eat on before the demon offered the boy to watch a movie, something the child nodded and smiled at, Sesshomaru selecting a movie off the television for the boy to watch.

"Alright," the demon announced at the clock hit nine, "you've been up an hour past your bedtime, it's time you go to bed."

"No~" the boy whined, "please? A little longer…"

"No," Sesshomaru told him, "I can't spoil you all the time, now off to bed."

"But-"

"What if I let you sleep in my bed with me tonight," the demon caved softly, the boy seeming to brighten at the idea.

"Really!?"

"Sure," Sesshomaru sighed smiling, "but just for tonight, understand?"

"Yeah!"

The demon smiled as he followed the practically bouncing boy down the hall to his bedroom, the boy looking at his father before back to the large bed.

"Daddy your bed is so big!" Akihiko commented, Sesshomaru chuckling softly at his son's excitement.

"It is isn't it," the demon smiled, "the bathroom is just through that door, can you get dressed by yourself?"

"Uh-huh," the boy nodded smiling, "yeah!"

"Is it alright if I let you change on your own then?"

"Kay!"

Sesshomaru smiled as he watched his son take his red and gray backpack into the bathroom, the demon slipping into his own closet to slip into grey sweatpants and a white shirt, his own clothes slipped into the laundry hamper.

"Done!"

The demon turned to the open door, his son standing in the doorway, his pyjamas catching Sesshomaru's eye and making the demon chuckle softly, his son looking up at him curiously.

"What is it?"

"Come here," Sesshomaru smiled, keeling as his son walked over to him, long fingers gently turning the boy around before he reached under the hem of the top of his son's pyjamas, his boy groaning softly.

"I put them on backwards again, didn't I?" Akihiko pouted, as he turned around to his father's smiling face.

"Yes you did," the demon told him softly, "but only your shirt."

"Sorry," the child mumbled.

"Don't be," Sesshomaru smiled kindly as his boy raised his arms, the soft cotton slipped over his torso, the fabric adjusted around his arms and body, "that's what parents are for, we're here to help you."

"Thanks," Akihiko smiled timidly, his father taking him by the hand towards the bathroom.

"Alright, brush your teeth and then off to bed," Sesshomaru told him, his arms hoisting the boy up on a stool he had grabbed from the bathroom on their way to his bedroom.

The demon's amber eyes say the second pair glancing at him from his low vantage point, the child smiling with his toothbrush in his mouth when their eyes met. The half-demon finished when his father did, his eyes surprised as he was suddenly lifted up into the demon's arms, the little boy giggling before he was thrown harmlessly onto the large mattress, the boy bouncing before his father bent over the laughing child, the small body gently covered in warm blankets, his hands gentle as he brought the coverings over his child.

"You know," Sesshomaru murmured as he tucked his son into his large bed, "I'm still curious about why your mother was thinking she wasn't going to let you come over."

The boy shuffled uncomfortably in the bed before the demon slid under the sheets next to his child, his amber eyes looking at his son.

"I did a bad thing," Akihiko mumbled, his hands clutching the comforter.

"Which was?"

The boy swallowed, "I was at the playground and I got into a fight."

"Why?" Sesshomaru asked, his head tilting slightly, his face masking his shock.

"Cause," his son explained, "when I was playing a man started talking to mommy and then his kid came up to me and said that since my mommy is always alone and so is his daddy, his daddy's gonna marry my mommy and then we'd be brothers and I said no and then he said yes and-"

"So you hit him," the demon finished softly, the boy nodding regretfully.

"Yeah," the kid sighed, his shoulders sagging, "I got mad and hit him, mommy was real angry at me for it, Kagome had to convince her to let me go but she still seemed a little mad."

"I see," Sesshomaru murmured, "why did that make you mad?"

"Cause you're my daddy," the boy told him, his tiny arms around his father's waist, "I don't want another daddy, I want you!"

"Akihiko," Sesshomaru murmured, touched at the child's innocence and confession, his heart felt elated by the words, "Akihiko… yes, I am your father but… if your mother wants to marry someone else that isn't me, I can't stop it."

"But what if you married mommy first?" Akihiko asked him, amber eyes looking up at his father, "if you did that, then no one else could right?"

"Th-That's right," the demon told him softly, his eyes searching for answers, "but-I don't think I can do that Akihiko."

"Why not?" the boy inquired, tears pricking his eyes, "y-you said you loved her and me and-"

"And we didn't part on the best terms," Sesshomaru told him, his hand brushing away the tears off the chubby cheeks, "I made a big mistake."

"Mommy says mistakes can be forgiven."

"Not mine," the demon murmured sadly, his hand on the boy's head.

"But," Akihiko pressed, Sesshomaru about to cut him off before the boy spoke timidly, "mommy still loves you."

The demon seemed to freeze at his words, his eyes widening slightly as he looked on at his son.

"I asked her," the half demon pressed, "I asked her I said, 'mommy, do you still love daddy?' and she said yes, that she did, but she said it like she was sad."

"She would be, when she thinks about me," Sesshomaru admitted, "my mistake hurt her badly."

"But-"

"That's enough," the demon told him softly, "go to sleep okay?"

"But-"

"Akihiko."

"… okay," the boy conceded, his ears flattening against his skull in defeat, his head drooping, the entire effect disheartening to his father, the demon lowering to kiss his son on the crown, the dog ears flicking up in surprise. "Daddy?"

"Good night Akihiko," Sesshomaru murmured, "I'll see you in the morning."

"G'night," the boy mumbled, a faint blush on his cheeks while his arms were around his father, the demon's thumb rubbing against the skin.

"Okay," the demon sighed, "go to sleep, I'll be right here for you when you wake up."

The boy nodded as his head fell onto the pillow, his body adjusting underneath the covers while his father reached over to shut off the lights, the smaller set of amber eyes looking over at the demon while he too slipped under the covers, his hand rubbing the boy's head while the child slowly fell asleep, Sesshomaru remaining awake a while longer, his eyes sad as he wondered what would happen should Rin find out about their little secret visits.

The morning was bright when Sesshomaru woke, his eyes bleary as he rubbed them, his lips sighing softly. His amber irises searched his bed until he found the small form of the boy sleeping next to him, the demon smiling softly at the child, his hand gently stroking the child's ear. As though on cue, the boy began to stir, his eyes looking around the room to meet his father, the little boy smiling up at the elder.

"Sorry," Sesshomaru murmured, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'okay," the boy mumbled, his hand rubbing his eyes, "I was already awake anyway."

"Well then," the demon smiled, "good morning."

"Morning!" the little child giggled.

"So," Sesshomaru pressed, "what do you want for breakfast?"

"What do you have?" Akihiko asked innocently, his head on the pillow.

"Well," the demon thought, "what would you like?"

"Waffles?" the child asked, his ears flat out of nervousness while Sesshomaru chuckled.

"I have waffles," the demon murmured kindly, his hand patting the soft downy strands, "now if you get out of bed we can have some."

"No."

The demon arched an eyebrow at his son's sudden outburst, the boy looking like he was about to burst into a fit of giggles. "No?" he asked smiling, "why no?"

"Cause," the boy smiled snuggling deeper under the covers, "I'm comfy."

"So?"

"So I don't wanna get up," the child explained grinning, his father leaning over him smiling.

"What if I made you?"

Akihiko giggled, "then catch me!"

Surprise slipped onto Sesshomaru's face as his son he delved under the covers, the small lump moving around as the boy giggled loudly, prompting the demon to laugh lightly as he began chasing the small lump moving around on his bed, extraordinarily careful not to hurt the boy in any way. It only after a few moments before the little boy slipped out from under the covers and ran down the hall, his father catching him quickly, his son giggling and laughing along with the demon who was tickling him, little feet kicking in the air as his father pulled him into his chest, the attacks on the child ceasing once little arms wrapped around his father, the boy smiling as he hugged the demon.

"I love you daddy," the boy sighed as he nuzzled his head into the crook of the demon's neck, Sesshomaru freezing at the sentiment; just like whenever Rin had told him he felt his heart flutter in his chest, his amber eyes widening as he looked at his son.

"P-Pardon?"

"I love you daddy," Akihiko repeated, his body pressing closer to his father's as he snuggled closer, the demon smiling slightly at the words.

"I-I love you too," Sesshomaru murmured, his arms around the child hugging him tightly, "but now that I've caught you, let's go get some breakfast."

"Kay," Akihiko giggled as his father placed him on the ground, his little feet hitting the carpeted ground, Sesshomaru slipping on a robe over his shoulders as he followed the bouncing boy down the hall to his kitchen, the little boy pulling out a stool before he was hoisted by his father to have a seat on the plush leather, his legs dangling over the black material.

"Hey, Daddy?"

The demon turned from the toaster to look at his son, his eyes inquisitive while the boy pressed on.

"Why don't you marry mommy?"

Sesshomaru swallowed thickly at his son's question, though he knew that this was coming at some point in time, he just wasn't prepared for it.

"Well," the demon started, his arms over his chest as he swallowed thickly, "it's… complicated."

"That's what adults say when they don't want to explain anything to me," the boy mumbled, his ears flattening against his head, Sesshomaru chucking for a second before he continued.

"That's true," his father murmured, "but… it's hard for me to explain it. See, I… made a mistake with your mother a long time ago, before you were even born."

"What happened?"

"I… tried to fix a problem without telling your mother," the demon explained as best he could, "and… it didn't work out between us."

"Why not?"

"Well," Sesshomaru pressed, digging though his fridge before he pulled out a container of apple juice for him and his son, "because I ended up hurting your mom. I didn't mean too, but it happened."

"So… you made a mistake?" the little boy asked, the demon nodded as he poured them both a glass and grabbed his son's waffles.

"Yeah, like I said last night, I made a big mistake," Sesshomaru admitted as he placed the food in front of his kid, a knife and fork placed in front of him before the demon grabbed the syrup and butter, his son watching him with flecks of sadness in his eyes, "do you need me to cut your waffles?"

"But… you wanna make things better don't you?"

The dog demon looked up at his son, surprise evident on his face, his heart freezing slightly at the soft words.

"Of course I do," his father murmured gently, "and… I know I need to try."

"So… are you gonna?" the boy asked, his knife and fork cutting into the waffle.

"I promise," the demon told the boy, his hand reaching to touch the eared head, his lips lowering to kiss the boy's head.

"So… when's uncle InuYasha coming to get me?" Akihiko asked through a mouthful of food.

"He isn't," his father calmly replied, the boy turning to look at the elder in surprise, the deep amber eyes meeting the innocent ones, "I'm going to drive you home. And I'm going to talk to your mother about all this."

O.O I know everyone thinks "FINALLY!" but... I was trying to build the relationship between Sesshomaru and Akihiko... anywho, things shall happen!