A pair of white, fluffy ears twitched when he heard something very strange. His entire body spun around to try and find where the noise was from, his golden eyes scanning the forest around him. It wasn't just one, but multiple thumping noises. This is something that he has noticed before, but simply played it off like it was nothing, but now it was seriously starting to bother him. What could it possibly be? Not only did this occur at during the day, but at night too. Yesterday it actually kept him up for a good few hours, since his sense of hearing was that good! Was someone messing with him? It definitely wouldn't be the first time, that's for sure. What with being only half a demon and the other half a human, beings from both liked to attack him just for existing. Yes it was hard growing up like this, but he has gotten used to it over the years. Now it barely even bothers him.

Why care so much what complete strangers think of him?

Lately Inuyasha has been feeling...off. It has been so long since he was last sick, that he couldn't even remember when the last time was! But for the past month he has been puking his guts out, which leads to his stomach aching for a while. Not only that, but he craved weird food combinations. And if he was moody before, now it was a whole lot worse! It was something he found to be impossible to control, since it happens so fast that he doesn't realize it before it's too late. Also, he couldn't help but notice how bloated he has gotten. There was a very small, rounded bump towards the lower part of his abdomen. Since when has he ever been so unfit? No matter how hard he tries to work it off by running around aimlessly, it just doesn't seem to want to go away. And instead of shrinking, it seems to be growing!

Why was he losing energy as well? It shouldn't be normal to feel so tired all the time, especially when he isn't doing anything. A part of him wants to just crawl into a comfy bed and lay there all day, but the other part of him wants to get out of that damn hut and get some fresh air. There was only so much he could take of that perverted monk and his little brats. It wasn't fun having them tug at his precious ears. Did they think that felt nice? Because it certainly did not! Luckily Sango always steps in and tells them to knock it off. If it weren't for her, then he would have snapped by now. At least he was getting more used to it, but still. That is something they can't continue to get away with.

'Keh! I'm losin' my mind, aren't I? I bet Kagome would laugh at me for being so stupid...' It has been three years since he has seen the human girl. The well closed up when she returned back to her era, making it so that they could no longer see each other. For most of that time he would go and sit in front of it, hoping that someday it would re-open. But he lost hope after about two years had passed and still no Kagome. At this point she must have already moved on with her life. What if she fell in love with some other guy? That was okay though, since he didn't exactly wait around for her either. In fact...he has already slept with someone. It was more of an accident, but oh was it a good one! And no he did not regret it all that much. Sure it was wrong in a way. People were already beginning to find out about his secret relationship with said person.

It wasn't normal to fall in love with your own brother.

It doesn't matter that Sesshomaru is his half brother, they still shared the same demon blood! And family were not supposed to sleep with each other. The main reason, was because it could create some messed up offspring. But their situation was a tad bit different because of what they were. It's funny, because they used to hate each other so much that they were willing to kill the other off. A lot of things have changed during these past three years, both good and bad things. He felt grateful that everyone stuck with him though. If he had lost all of his friends, then he would have been even more depressed and lonely. Yeah they miss Kagome too, but they also know that she's were she's supposed to be. Her era is where she truly belongs.

And speaking of the devil...

The demon lord slowly descended from the sky, landing right before him. A blank look rested on his face, as usual. This time it was just him... No little girl or his annoying servant, who only seems to get in the way and make a mess of things. It was just Sesshomaru in all of his glory, gracing his brother with his presence. Since claiming him as his that night a month ago, he has become more...protective of him. He was his and no one else's! Love was a word he didn't like to think about, or say for that matter. It's not like he understood that feeling, so why would he go and blurt it out loud? That was just silly. His own gold-colored eyes locked onto Inuyasha's for a brief moment as he stood there, staring at him. It has been a week since he has last seen him, since he couldn't stand the smell of vomit anymore.

Plus he cried the last time he saw him, which made him feel somewhat...uncomfortable.

"Inuyasha." His voice was deeper than usual while saying that. This was something he didn't even notice either. But when he noticed that his brother wasn't really paying attention to him, that's when he followed his gaze. What was he looking at? It was like he was on guard about something... But what? He blinked a few times in confusion. Just what has gotten into him? This isn't how he normally acts. Does he have rabies or something? That sure would explain a lot about how he has been acting. It didn't help that he was twitching before him.

When hearing his name being called out like that, he turned his head to the side with his ears still twitching. There were dark circles underneath his eyes due to the lack of sleep he has gotten. With his eyes wide like this, it only made him look as though he really was going crazy. "Do you hear that, Sesshomaru? That sound is making me mad!" He huffed out in frustration.

He raised a brow at his brother's nonsense. "What are you talking about? I do not hear anything..." That was only because he didn't know what he was hearing. What type of sound was he trying to look for? Well he didn't come here to play this game, which is why he grabbed the hanyou's hand and pulled him towards him, a look of lust in his eyes.

Inuyasha squirmed slightly in his hold, and yanked his hand away. "I'm being serious here! There's been this...this thumping noise, and it sounds so damn close. Like it's right next to me, but...there's no one else around but us two..." He muttered. Why couldn't anyone else hear this sound? When he asked his friends about it, they just shrugged it off like it was nothing, and said that he was hearing things. But he knew that it wasn't all in his head though! Which is why he refused to give up on it. He pulled at his hair, a low growling noise escaping from his throat.

"..." Thumping noises? Sesshomaru stood completely still as he tried to pick out said noise. There really wasn't anyone else around here but them, so they couldn't blame it on someone messing with him. And no animal makes that kind of noise either. He closed his eyes then and inhaled deeply, getting ready to smack him alongside the head for being so stupid and annoying. That was...until he too picked up on it. And it really was close to them too! Like it was standing right in front of him. His eyes opened back up to stare at his brother, taking a step forward. Since he himself is a full demon, he has much better hearing than him. Not only that, but his sense of smell was also a lot better. This is why he wasn't a fan of those who were only a half demon.

It sounded like a heartbeat. Yes he could hear Inuyasha's, but that wasn't the only one. There were three others he could hear in such a close proximity. That's when he found his own ears twitching, since the sound was starting to get on his nerves. Why were they so...fast? It was like they had just gotten done doing a whole lot of running, causing their hearts to speed up like that. He then took another step forward, and another...until he finally stopped. The closer he got to his brother, the louder those thumping noises got. This was such an odd thing, because there was absolutely no one standing behind him! That was when he did something very unpredictable... He pressed his ear against his chest. "..."

It was definitely inside of him.

The hanyou raised a brow at this. "I didn't take you for the type to want to cuddle with me." He said, feeling slightly amused at the moment. His older brother did not like being close to other people, even if said person was another full-blooded demon just like him. He just hated having his personal space invaded, which was something he could understand, since he hated having his invaded as well. Guess that was something they had in common. And that was really saying something, since they don't really have much in common to begin with. Plus having him so close like this was actually having the opposite effect on him right now. Why was his heart racing so fast right now? It was like he couldn't handle that distance being closed off so suddenly. Well they haven't been this close ever since that one night, so could you blame him for feeling this way?

Sesshomaru just ignored that comment, as he was still focused on those heartbeats. "...?" Slowly sliding down so that he was crouching, his ear was now pressed flat against his brother's stomach. The feel of that oh so small bump did catch him off guard, but his thoughts were quickly erupted when he found the source of all of that thumping. It was coming from one spot inside of Inuyasha, right where a woman's womb would be. His eyes narrowed as it all began to sink in. This couldn't be real, right? Men weren't designed to bare children, and yet...here was his own brother, carrying three small pups inside of him! He could even smell their scent from the outside! "..."

'He's being awfully quiet. Just what is he doing down there? This is starting to creep me out...' Inuyasha thought, with a confused look on his face. If any of his friends were around to see this, they would never let it go. They would tease the crap out of him for many, many years. That is why he felt so grateful for it being just the two of them right now. At least...that is what he thought. He cleared his throat then, awkwardly looking away from him. "So...watcha doing there?" He asked. It was probably a stupid question to ask, but he didn't care. That was when he felt a hand press against his lower abdomen, and flinched slightly. This was just way too weird for him!

"Gah! S-Sesshomaru, don't touch me there-" He blushed deeply in embarrassment. Just what was he searching for anyways? Not to mention he has gained a little bit of weight in that specific area, and so he felt ashamed about it. Even a half-breed wouldn't let themselves go like this, so it was just so unacceptable. His hands clenched into tight fists as they rested at his sides, as he fought off the urge to push him away.

In an instant he was back up on his feet, his face merely inches away from Inuyasha's as he just stared intensely into his. It was hard to tell how he was feeling, due to the expression he currently held. Was he mad? Was he shocked? Who knows. Even he himself didn't know how to feel after finding such huge news out. Never did he expect to actually start a family like this with his own brother! This wasn't supposed to happen anyways. How was it possible for him to be pregnant? It's not like he ever planned on having children of his own. Being a parent just seemed like way too much work for him, and he did not have the patience to deal with a whiny, crying, poopy pups who demanded all of your attention.

He did not have the time to be placing house like this.

At the same time though...he could not bring himself to tell Inuyasha to get rid of them. All three of them were already growing and thriving within his brother's womb, and they were already beginning to show themselves on the outside. That bump he felt before were the pups themselves. They were literally underneath the palm of his hand at the time! His hand came back down to touch it, feeling all of the warmth that was radiating from them. It was too soon to physically feel them moving around and kicking at their mother, but that was fine. This alone was proof enough. At least this explains why only his brother could hear all of these thumping noises lately.

It was coming from his unborn pups.

"Fool! How did you not notice these three new life forms growing within you?" Sesshomaru stated bitterly. Neither of their mothers carried more than one pup at a time, so this was all so new. It wasn't two, but three! Why did he have to have such luck with this? Taking care of one was going to be bad enough, but to add two more onto that? He wasn't even sure if they could do it. Not having been close to his full-blooded mother and Inuyasha losing his at such a young age, they didn't really know how to be parents. And their own father wasn't around much. Not only that, but only he himself actually knew him. Just what were they going to do about this? It was easy to just drive his hand through his stomach, killing every single one of them.

But he didn't want his own pups to die, and especially by his own hand.

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side, and actually snorted at how absurd that sounded. "Three new life forms, as in...pups? And they say I'm the one who has been acting crazy. What you just said was way out there." There was just no way that he, a man, was pregnant! He just packed on a few pounds due to all of the food he has been eating lately... Despite throwing most of it back up. Hey if he's hungry, he's going to eat. It doesn't matter if he knows he's going to throw it back up or not.

The great dog demon just stared at him like he was stupid. "Those thumping noises are from the pups growing inside of you. It is their heartbeats..." He stated, before taking a step back. Well he didn't like being close to others. And so there was only so much he could take when being so close to his brother. It was just something he wasn't used to. Maybe this pregnancy will bring them closer? Only time can tell.

"The hell are you on Sesshomaru? I swear you're actin' all weird on me, because I didn't come crawling after you like you expected me to. Well I can't just leave the village and travel with you! I have people that I need to protect here. Either stick around, or-" He was cut off when the rope around his waist was untied, causing his kimono to loosen up a bit. And then just like that, a warm hand was slipped in between the folds of it. His heart jumped a little when it brushed against his stomach, a shiver going down his spine. Okay, this was getting even weirder. Why did he keep touching him there?

"Our pups. Do not do anything stupid to risk their lives, just because you can't bring yourself to accept them." His voice had a hint of coldness in it. Like he was getting ready to fight if he had to, in order to protect these innocent little lives that were growing in his brother. Such strong heartbeats...they could very well be full-blooded demons. It is much stronger than human genes, so them both probably cancelled out all of the human traits. Knowing this, it made him feel naturally curious to see what these pups will look like once they are born. But until then, Inuyasha has to be more careful. And in order to do that, he needs to bring himself to accept them.

Inuyasha let out a long and heavy sigh, shaking his head. "You're still on about that, huh? I suppose...it does all add up. But still! I'm a dude, or have you forgotten? J-just because I, you know...bottomed, doesn't mean I'm a chick. So therefore I shouldn't have anything growin' in my gut!" He then jabbed a finger at his stomach, and frowned when he noticed how hard it was. Usually it was more soft, but now? Well...it was very different than how it usually was. His gaze slowly shifted so that he was now looking down at himself, and grasped at his brother's wrist. Okay it made perfect sense actually. He just didn't want to accept this. He wasn't ready to become a father! Or...a mother? He wasn't sure what he would be.

"Sesshomaru... Please tell me this isn't really happening. T-tell me this is just a nightmare, and that I'm going to wake up from it any minute." He, very slowly, pressed his own hand against the small bump just below his belly button. Not only could he hear it, but he could also feel their tiny hearts beating away underneath it. One of his fangs sank deep into his bottom lip at this, causing it to bleed a little. 'Why did my mother not inform me of this? It would have been nice to know, so that this could have been easily avoided. But now that they're sort of there, I can't just...get rid of them. That would make me a baby murderer, and no one forgives those type of people. I would have to run away and never look back. Plus this is my own flesh and blood here.'

"So now you have finally come to realize what is happening with your body? It shouldn't have taken you this long." Sesshomaru could only hope that there wasn't any damage done to these pups during the time it took their 'mother' to find out about their existence. He wrapped an arm around his waist and yanked him forward, and ran his long tongue over the blood that trickled down his brother's chin. Now he really can't leave him alone... Not when he is baring his pups.

A light blush dusted Inuyasha's cheeks when he did this. Did he really have to do that? He could have at least used his hands. "D-don't do that. It's embarrassing..." He muttered. Like he wanted someone like him to see him like this! Now he just felt all pathetic. What would their father think of him, being stuck in this situation? Would he disown him for being the one to carry his grandpups? Or would he welcome it with open arms? If only he knew more about him. But no, he never got the chance to meet him and get to know him.

"You are mine. I can do as I please with you..." Sesshomaru growled softly. Brushing his hands over his brother's shoulder, he just watched as it slipped off and caused the entire front to fall down, exposing both his chest and stomach. His eyes then locked onto the lower part of him, noticing how perfectly round that bump was. And for some odd reason this aroused him. He opened his mouth and licked at his canines. Was it normal to want to sleep with your pregnant lover? There was just something about Inuyasha that turned him on even more than the last time.

This caused the hanyou to twitch. "I aint no damn object, you asshole!" He snapped. But when he tried to squirm out of his hold, that was when he was silenced by a pair of lips crushing against his. His golden eyes widened with shock at first, but soon softened when that same hand rested against his back, holding him gently against his body. "..." Closing his eyes, he leaned in just enough so that he could return the kiss. This meant that they were going to be doing this whole pregnancy thing together. Knowing this made him feel sort of better, since he knew that he wouldn't be able to do it all on his own.

Both of them were bound to make many mistakes throughout this entire journey, but that's okay because no parent was perfect. Plus they will have Sango's and Miroku's help too, since they have three children of their own, so they weren't totally alone in this. Maybe...they really could do this after all. He just never thought he would have children of his own too. It was such a weird feeling, knowing that soon...they were going to have little pups of their own running around to take care of and call their own. But deep down inside, Inuyasha wanted to give it his all to make sure that they came into this world as healthy and safely as they possibly could.

"Try to be more gentle this time." He muttered between kisses.