Strength

*** Gloops To all reviewers You are ALL utterly wonderful and I thank you sooooo much.

Okay for those who love Yuusha and those who dont like Yuusha, lol I appreciate both responses, and to those who asked I will make it clear this story is very much about Sesshy and Inu, which is why my last line said that Shippo and Yuusha's plans as they are kids don't amount to much – just makes em feel better. The kids have small roles but Sesshy is the main player in saving Inu (if he ever gets his head screwed on right)

I am seriously happy most of you like the pace of the story! :#


Anyway Read Review and Enjoy

Chapter 23 : A Routine (or 'The road to hell is paved by.....')

It had been three weeks since Inuyasha had began sharing Sesshoumaru’s bed, days were beginning to run into each other as everyone seemed to have settled into a routine. The mornings the children would come for their cuddles, Inuyasha spending just a few private minutes with Yuusha, before Mee-chan, Kishi and Sesshoumaru would join them, followed by Shippo and Shiori. Then they all had breakfast together, with Ryuko-Sensei, Hana and Jaken. After which the children would go for their morning lessons, Sesshoumaru would go to deal with main DaiYoukai business, while Inuyasha had the honor of dealing with local matters. Sesshoumaru had the morning he and Inuyasha had shared a bed delegated the administrative running of the small city the Palace was in, to his younger half brother. The position was a respected one and the work involved was similar to Inuyasha’s tasks in Awa, though on a larger scale and he settled into the job rather easily. What Sesshoumaru did not anticipate was Inuyasha ability to delegate and use the tasks to give chosen subordinates rather than himself the limelight. Inuyasha in executing his duties perfectly kept to the shadows; he avoided meeting higher level Youkai and stayed to a large extent under the radar. The townsfolk, now knew that Inuyasha was a close and respected member of the Shiro Inu family, but it was doubtful if more then a small handful realized he was the bearer of the Pups and was currently dancing the horizontal tango with their Lord.

Lunch was usually taken on the job. At around 3, Inuyasha would take over the children’s training and that is when the serious sword play and physical work was carried out. Kouga, took to turning up at these times and helping with the training, he was not there daily, but came every few days stayed a while and than returned to his pack. The children seemed to like the Ookami. The mutual animosity that Yuusha and Kouga had towards the DaiYoukai had given the two a bonding point, and the Pup enjoyed the challenge Kouga added to the practice. The wolf demon, being a great deal more savvy then he let on to being, was careful to never call Inuyasha anything other then his name, in front of Yuusha. So the training sessions with the wolf went extremely well.

Inuyasha could not really fathom why he was taking such an interest in helping with the training. The Hanyou however found himself rather enjoying the Ookami’s presence, it somehow made him feel younger, more like his old self. Strange, but when Kouga was there Inuyasha found it was easier to forget the problems that haunted him, and just focus on enjoying the physical training.

Dinner, was usually a family affair, with Sesshoumaru not always being able to join as he had various duties and at times state functions to attend. Bed time was the time Inuyasha spent time alone with each of the pups (except Shiori, who would be back with her mom), Sesshoumaru when he managed it, spent time with Mee-chan and Kishi before they slept, he would look into both Shippo and Yuusha’s rooms for a moment. If he wasn’t already asleep Shippo would bow nervously and wish him a formal goodnight, while Yuusha would only glare silently at him until he left. Sesshoumaru returned the glare with a cool look, he would deliberately wish his oldest son a good night before leaving. Yuusha may not like it, but he was still the Pup’s father. So as difficult as it was, Sesshoumaru ignored the glares, as he strove to take the high road.

After the children were put to bed, Inuyasha was Sesshoumaru’s. There was no quarter given, every night since the first, Inuyasha fell into an exhausted sleep, with Sesshoumaru still inside him. The Daiyoukai was not satisfied until he milked every cry of pleasure, every ounce of response from the Hanyou. Sesshoumaru was as gentle as he was relentless, he was patient as he demanded a response, lighting the fire of desire in Inuyasha  to an extent that he never imagined possible. As much as Inuyasha had choked on pain in the past, he now drowned in physical pleasure. Lust and desire were new to the Hanyou, any defense he may have tried to put up against it, were smashed by the DaiYoukai’s relentless attack on his pleasure centres. Each night, no matter what Inuyasha’s body writhed and shuddered in hapless response, until sated and spent he fell asleep with the DaiYoukai still deep inside him.

Each morning, before Yuusha came into the room, Inuyasha woke up alone. Sometimes the ache woke him, sometimes the touch of cold, but when he woke in the silence of dawn, Inuyasha knew he was still alone. Like the room, his belly was empty. There was always a whisper of pain at the emptiness , a hollowness that Inuyasha refused to look too closely at. Instead in the echoing stillness he counted his blessing, mainly he was grateful that Sesshoumaru just focused on the conception process and he was relieved at the lack of recriminations; that Sesshoumaru did not outwardly blame him for his failure to conceive was a small source of comfort. As the days passed, he could not help but wonder if he had damaged himself beyond repair, and his hope of bearing another litter, was nothing more then that, a hope. One more stupid hope that would be so easily crushed by the realities of the Hanyou's life, and the endless march of time.

Inuyasha did not ask what the DaiYoukai did so early in the mornings, he realized it was not his place to ask his Alpha of such things, especially when he could not even fulfill his end of the bargain and conceive. At least Sesshoumaru took the trouble to make sure he enjoyed the process, at nights with his body catching fire, his Alpha filling the empty places inside him for a while - it was easier to pretend it meant something more, but the chill of dawn always brought hard reality with it. The emptiness marking his failure. At least this way he did not have to see Sesshoumaru's disappointment in him, Sesshoumaru probably needed the alone time to overcome his disappointment. Inuyasha was grateful that he never felt a hint of it, Sesshoumaru having hidden it before he joined him and the children in the morning.

As the throbbing in his bones began a few moments after he awakened, Inuyasha also figured that Sesshoumaru was in his own way being considerate. Sesshoumaru probably did not want to have to see how weak the bearer of his pups truly was first thing in the morning. One reason he probably left was to give Inuyasha time to manage the waves of pain that sometimes raked his body in the early hours of the dawn. Inuyasha wrapped the thin layer of pride around himself as he shuddered in agony , teeth clenched he rode out the waves of pain that increasing haunted his mornings, as he had for the last 8 years, with stoic silence and desperate strength.

It never really crossed Inuyasha’s mind that he was powerful enough to hide his dawn issues so throughly from one who was his Alpha. Too proud and too independent, the Hanyou was blind to some of the realities of the situation.

Sesshoumaru spent the precious moments he had free, trying to find ways to save his Hanyou. He sought to be considerate and allow his oldest pup to wake his mate in the mornings, he believed he was showing his care by ensuring that the pups were not further traumatized by seeing Inuyasha in his arms. (Something all the pups – including Mee-chan was not yet comfortable seeing) Believing he was doing right by the bearer of his pups and family Sesshoumaru was blissfully unaware of the Hanyou’s dawn issues. Being a proud and independent DaiYoukai it did not cross Sesshoumaru’s mind that though his intentions were good, the way he was going about searching for answers in the library alone, was causing him too miss the main problem all together.

//**

Inuyasha sat quietly in a tree near a small stream. It was the first time he was by himself outdoors since he came to the castle. At this time he was usually practicing sword play with the kids, but today Ryoku had needed more time to do some more complex work with transforming with the children, and Inuyasha had given way to her. So having a rare evening to himself he choose to sit in a tree and just watch sun make its slow trek across the sky. Absently Inuyasha stoked his unblemished neck, as a tiny sparrow landed on his free palm, to chirp inquiringly at him.

There was a woosh and disturbed, the bird gave an annoyed chirp and flew off. Inuyasha watched it with amusement, before smirking at the being below the tree.

“The bird found your stench offensive, wolf!” Inuyasha said insultingly.

“Hah! It probably just got tired at looking at your ugly mug.” Kouga snapped back, as he leapt to the branch beside Inuyasha, and made himself comfortable. Blue eyes narrowed on the clawed hand absently rubbing the flawless skin on Inuyasha’s neck.

“I see your blasted brother has not marked you as mate yet!” Kouga snapped in irritation.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed dangerously, “That is none of your concern Kouga.”

“Fuck that! I want you to be happy you stupid dog! Let me go and kick some sense into his thick skull.” Kouga spat.

Inuyasha eyes gleamed in amusement, “Keh! For some strange reason, probably just for irritation value, I'd rather see you alive then a mass of smelly goop on the heel of Sesshoumaru's boots, which is what would happen if you even tried that bit of stupidity. Relax Kouga, I take care of my own happiness. And if I wanted to, I could kick his butt all by my lonesome but seriously there is no reason too. Im not a weepy chick so it doesn't matter. I am rather satisfied with the situation as it is, the important stuff is being done, we are really coming together as a family, nothing else is necessary.” Inuyasha said simply, his smile seemed sincere and easy.

Kouga stared at the Hanyou, everything about the Hanyou indicated that he was sincere, Kouga could not read Inuyasha at all. Not a smidgen of sadness or regret seemed apparent in the golden eyes. No way the mutt was that good an actor - maybe Inuyasha really was happy to leave things as it was,.. hmmm... actually that made sense to Kouga. After all the Ookami wouldn't want to be bound to that sorry excuse of an overpowered icicle for his whole life either. Heck Kouga was not going to push it, as long as the Hanyou remained unmated, there was still a chance for Kouga to turn their friendship onto something more meaningful, what's a few decades to Youkai. And if not, Kouga was more then pleased to have his rival and -dare he say- best friend back.

The two sat companionably, chatting over what was going on in the wolf dens. Very causally Inuyasha reached across, and with an falsely innocent smile – never showing his intentions – he shoved Kouga off the branch. The sound of Wolf hitting the hard earth was hilarious. The insulted and infuriated Ookami bounced mad, spluttering, and spoiling for revenge. Laughing Inuyasha jumped out of reach and the the two raced across the forest in a mock fight, revisiting the more innocent times that they had lost.

On hearing the ruckus it was not long before the children join in the fun, dragging Ryuko-Sensei into it as well, upsetting her hard earned dignity. The evening ended on a high note.

**//

A parchment hit the far wall hard and scattered, librarians and servant ran around to save the precious documents. Sesshoumaru glared at the seemingly endless numbers of books to read and go though. There was so little real information available. His small success that day had been followed by nothing - Sesshoumaru growled. The he sighed as he gathered his tattered patience around him. He looked at the one useful document that he unearthed, he doubted Inuyasha would like what was suggested very much. A tiny smile crossed Sesshoumaru's face, his little brother really did not have to like it, and if it sparked some real resistance in the Hanyou and lit some of his old fire again all the better. The more Sesshoumaru considered the course of action in the ancient text – the more he realized that it would solve more then one problem. Still it was not a true solution, so... much to do... so little time. The DaiYoukai forced himself to get back to the task of finding the means to save the bearer of his children.

--tbc---

Hmmm... can someone give SOME sense to Sesshy PLEASE!!!!.... arrrggghhh... I write this and find him FRUSTRATING!!!... lol anyway review pretty please! :)