InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Parenthood ❯ Parenthood ( One-Shot )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the supporting characters.

This is the second continuation installment of the 'Friends With Benefits' series!

Don't forget to read 'Friends With Benefits' first and 'First Quarter Moon' second, before continuing with this story. Although if you would like to, this one shot could be read all on its own.

Description: How is raising a quarter demon fairing for Inuyasha and Kagome during their first year of parenthood?

Parenthood

"Kagome!"

Kagome rushed into the bedroom with Shippo following close behind. What she saw made her stop in her tracks.

She was cooking up a vegitable stew for dinner when she heard Inuyasha called her name. Immediately, she dropped the ladle and rushed in to make sure everything was alright. Shippo had heard the way Inuyasha yelled, and it worried him also.

Now though, he is staring dumbfounded at his adopted father. The gruff and surely hanyou, is holding his two month old daughter in his arms and is actually smiling down at her, as if there is not a care in the world.

Kagome put her right hand over her racing heart and blinked back the tears that threatened to escape. She quietly walked over to Inuyasha's side and sat down on the cot next to him. She looked down at the infant in his arms. She wiped a stray hair from Moroha's face and then looked up into Inuyasha's golden gaze.

Shippo hopped onto Kagome's shoulder to see what was going on.

"What is it, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha blushed and then realized to his absolute horror, how weak and pathetic he must seem. He quickly averted his gaze from his wife and son.

"Feh, nothin'. It was stupid."

Kagome moved Inuyasha's face by the chin with her fingertips and gave him a short but sweet kiss.

"I bet whatever it was, is not stupid. Will you please tell me?"

He mumbled something incoherent, even to Shippo's advanced hearing.

"What was that?"

He sighed. "The pup.. She smiled.. I think.. I think it was the first time she did it... She smiled at me.." He looked away with an even bigger blush on his face. "Keh. I said it was stupid."

Kagome looked back down at Moroha and noticed the little baby grin. She smiled down at her daughter and gave her cheek a soft caress with her thumb. She then turned Inuyasha's face back to her and kissed him softly, lingering for just a moment longer then necessary.

"That's not stupid, Inuyasha. If our daughter does something that makes you happy, then you shouldn't be embarrassed to express that happiness."

Shippo piped up from Kagome's shoulder, "yeah, father! I've seen you cry, so it's not like you can do anything more embarrassing than that!"

Inuyasha growled and glowered at the kitsune. "Listen here, you little runt -"

"Inuyasha."

He Immediately stopped and looked at his wife. She rolled her eyes and turned to Shippo.

"Shippo. You know that wasn't very nice. There was nothing wrong with him crying. He had thought that I died that day. You cried too, remember?"

Shippo's shoulders slumped and he nodded solemnly. He definitely rememered. That was the day Renkotsu tricked him and set the temple on fire. He was able to preserve his friends bodies long enough for Inuyasha to arrive, but by then.. they had stopped breathing. He cried, thinking he had lost his friends. It wasn't until Myoga had sucked the poison out of their bodies and Kagome had awoken, when Inuyasha had shed tears in front of them.

"I'm sorry father."

Inuyasha pat Shippo on the head with his free hand and then looked back down at the pup in his other arm. He wiggled his ears and Moroha smiled in response.

Kagome laughed and wiped a stray tear from her own face. She rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder and just stared happily at her little girl.

"She likes your ears." Kagome looked back up at Inuyasha's blushing face. "Almost as much as I do." She giggled when Inuyasha flushed an even deeper crimson.

"Keh."

The three of them looked back down at the smiling infant with clear love and adoration in their eyes.

~•~

Kagome is sitting under Goshinboku with Moroha in her arms. Inuyasha is chasing Shippo around the God Tree. Kagome is about to blow a gasket with her husband for acting like a small petulant child.

Shippo jumped high into the branches and stuck his tongue out at Inuyasha. "Ha-ha! I'm a kitsune, you can't catch me!"

Inuyasha's face turned red with fury. He wouldn't be chasing the little brat if he hadn't stolen his food! He had been teaching Shippo how to hunt on his own and instead of doing that, he came up behind him and snagged the fish right out from under his nose!

"Shippo. I swear to fucking -"

He never got to finish that sentence.

"Osuwari!"

Immediately, Inuyasha was plummeted into the earth for the first time since Kagome was pregnant.

"Do NOT say that in front of Moroha!"

"What the hell, bitch!?"

"OSUWARI!"

As Inuyasha slammed into the ground once more, everyone stopped what they were doing when a tiny giggle sounded around them. Kagome had stood up by this point and accidentally gave Moroha a perfect view of her father being slammed face first into the dirt. All anger subsided when she heard the little girl giggle.

"Did you hear that, Inuyasha? Moroha laughed!"

Inuyasha grumbled something incoherent as he sat up on his haunches and shook his head free of the dirt. Shippo jumped out of the tree and onto Kagome's shoulder to look down at the three month old pup.

"She must like it when father gets hurt." Shippo started to laugh and then came up with something he thought would he absolutely hilarious. He jumped behind Inuyasha as soon as the hanyou stood up and shouted, "fox fire!"

Inuyasha put his hands to his scorched butt and yelped like a beaten puppy, immediately causing the infant to giggle even louder then before.

Kagome tried to hide her amusement behind her hand. "Okay, Shippo. That's enough."

Shippo hopped back up onto Kagome's shoulder as Inuyasha tried to grab him.

"But mother! I'm making sister laugh!"

Kagome couldn't hold back her own giggle anymore when she realized that it really was what caused her daughter to laugh for the first time. She turned back to see Inuyasha crossing his arms with his ears lowered on his head.

She walked up to him and held her three month old pup in front of his face. Inuyasha was still scowling but his ears perked up a little bit and wiggled as he saw Moroha smile. As soon as his ears wiggled, the shihanyou giggled once more. Inuyasha couldn't help the small smile that crossed his features.

He reached forward and grabbed his pup to cradle in his arms and Kagome kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Can you please try not to use that language around the pup?"

Inuyasha nodded once before glaring at the kitsune. Kagome rolled her eyes and looked back at Shippo, still on her shoulder.

"Shippo, apologize to your father for taking his fish and for using your fox fire on him."

Shippo jumped over to Inuyasha's shoulder and hugged him around the neck. "I'm sorry, father."

"Keh."

Inuyasha wiggled his ears again and they all watched happily as the three month old shihanyou giggled once more.

~•~

Inuyasha was ready to pull his hair out. Moroha has been crying non-stop for days and it isn't even going to be time for her human night for another week. Kagome is helping deliver a baby in the village and Shippo is outside playing with Rin while she is in the area.

Left to his own devices, he can do nothing but scent her and speak in Inu. The four month old pup is not hungry and does not need to be changed. The only thing she is saying in Inu is, 'hurts.'

He checked her entire body thoroughly and nothing seems to be wrong.

After hours of rocking the crying shihanyou, Kagome finally came home. When she walked into the hut, her heart dropped. She crouched down in front of Inuyasha and the screaming pup. She put a hand to Inuyasha's cheek and wiped the tear that escaped his eye.

"Inuyasha?" She looked down at Moroha. "Is something wrong?"

Inuyasha growled lightly. "She said she's hurt but nothing is there! I checked everywhere and nothing smells off. I don't know what's happening!"

Kagome nodded her head and held her arms out. Inuyasha reluctantly handed Moroha over to Kagome and watched as Kagome checked her over. He was slightly annoyed because he did that so many times and there is absolutely nothing wrong!

He cocked his head to the side when Kagome looked into the pups mouth. Kagome smiled as she kissed Moroha on the forehead and turned to Inuyasha.

"She is teething. We need to give her something safe to chew on while her teeth come in." She checked her mouth again, a little closer this time and noticed the two little white spots where teeth were coming. "It looks like she is getting her fangs in." Her face paled for a moment. "How in the world am I supposed to breast feed her when she has fangs?"

Inuyasha stood and wiped his face of the remaining evidence of tears. He cursed his human side for causing this weakness in him. Then he looked into Moroha's mouth himself and definitely saw the little tiny points where her fangs were starting to appear.

"She is part demon. Once their fangs come in, they can start to eat solids. That's what Myoga said, anyway. So what do we do to make her stop whining?"

Kagome grabbed his hand to lead him outside. As soon as they made it far enough away from the hut, she turned to face Inuyasha.

"Sorry.."

"For wha - "

"Osuwari."

She had held Moroha up to see Inuyasha and as soon as his body smacked into the ground, she stopped her crying and started to sniffle.

As Inuyasha was getting back up, Kagome grimaced. "I love you."

"No, wai - "

"Osuwari."

The sound of baby laughter rang throughout the area and Kagome started to bounce Moroha in her arms.

"See, Moroha? Mama is here to make you smile."

When Kagome had first said that word, Miroku and Sango came over at the sound of the hanyou creating yet another hole in the ground. Shippo and Rin made it over just in time to see the second one. Sesshomaru looked over from his spot where he was watching Rin and smirked slightly.

"What do you think is going ok, Miroku?" Sango whispered to her husband.

He chuckled, "Well, my dear Sango. It seems as though Kagome found a way to make her daughter forget her troubles."

Sesshomaru stepped up to the grumbling hanyou. "How fortuitous, little brother. Your child has a sense of humor."

Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand and kissed him on the cheek. "It made her stop crying. We still need to get her something for teething, though."

"Feh. Whatever. Doesn't hurt anyway."

"I'm sorry. I love you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha blushed and turned away, but laced their fingers together inconspicuously. Kagome smiled to herself. The rest of the group went about their day as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

~•~

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha came barrelling into the main room of the hut with his sword drawn. Immediately, he resheathed it when he saw Kagome sitting in the middle of the floor with Shippo in her lap. His six month old daughter is sitting up looking around.. all on her own.

He crouched down in front of them and couldn't help the grin that broke free. "How..?"

Kagome blinked back tears as she looked into Inuyasha's eyes. "She pulled herself up on my kimono and stayed sitting up! Can you believe it!?"

Moroha noticed the positive attention she was getting and smiled as she happily grabbed her feet and coo'd.

Inuyasha kissed Moroha on the cheek and then on Kagome's lips before grabbing the infant into his arms and holding her in front of him. He smiled at her and yipped something in Inu. It had the immediate effect, and Moroha smiled widely.

Kagome stood up with Shippo and looked at Inuyasha curiously. "What did you say?"

"Good pup."

Kagome reached up and scratched Inuyasha behind the ear. "Didn't you say, you don't like being treated like a dog?"

"Feh. There ain't nothin' wrong with tellin' her she did good."

Kagome shook her head in amusement and took her daughter from his arms. She layed Moroha down and sat down next to her with Inuyasha and Shippo on the other side of the pup. Immediately, Moroha reached over and grabbed onto Shippo's tiny hand. She tugged and Shippo helped her a little bit until Moroha was fully sitting up. He let go of her hand and they all watched happily as Moroha giggled and grabbed her own feet again.

Kagome ruffled the pups hair and reached over to hold onto Inuyasha's clawed hand with her own. He glanced at her but didn't say anything. He understood perfectly. Their little pup is growing up.

~•~

"Come on, Moroha. You can do it!" Kagome happily coo'd.

Kagome and Inuyasha are sitting under Goshinboku. Shippo is about ten feet away from them with a seven month Moroha sitting in front of him.

"I don't think she's big enough." Shippo kindly pointed out.

"Shut up, runt! She's plenty big." He looked back at Moraha. "You can do it pup." He yiped in Inu, 'come.'

Moroha let out a small growl of frustration as she started to scoot closer to her parents on her butt. Kagome giggled and Shippo laughed. Inuyasha growled lightly. Moroha looked around and plopped forward until she was on her hands and knees. She growled louder that time and took a defiant step forward on her hands. Kagome gasped and Inuyasha smirked.

"Come on, Moroha!" Kagome yelled happily.

Moroha giggled and picked up the pace until she was at a steady crawl. Kagome was letting out tears of joy while Inuyasha and Moroha both wore matching smirks. Shippo hopped up and ran to Kagome, sitting in her lap. Moroha crawled up to Inuyasha and smiled as he lifted her up into his arms.

"You did good, pup."

Kagome kissed Moroha on the cheek and then rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"She's getting so big, isn't she?"

Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome and smiled. "She's strong."

Kagome laughed and wiped a tear away as she hugged Shippo tighter and watched her baby girl laugh and smile because she was able to accomplish something new and exciting.

~•~

Kagome and Inuyasha were walking back from the nearby hot spring. Inuyasha had convinced Kagome that Shippo was plenty old enough to watch Moroha for an hour. When she had said there is no way she could leave her little girl with a 9 year old, Inuyasha scoffed and reminded her, once again, that he took plenty care of himself when he was much younger than Shippo.

"Come in, 'Gome." He had said. "Shippo will be ten soon, and I was livin' on my own fightin' demons when I was five! We'll only be gone for an hour."

Kagome tried to argue. "What about Sango and Miroku? Can't they just watch the kids?"

"Keh, Sango and Miroku have their hands full with the little demon twins of theirs." He had grabbed her hands and threw her on his back before she could say anything else. "See ya later Shippo!"

True, Shippo was growing up. He recently had a growth spurt and the top of his hand now reached Kagome's thighs.. But still, she was worried about her baby.

So when they made it back, Kagome all but flew into the hut, wanting to hold her little girl again. Inuyasha and Kagome were surprised at what they saw.

Shippo turned and smiled a full fang smile at his parents. "Mother, father. Look!"

Kagome gasped and Inuyasha stood there flabbergasted.

There, in the center of their fairly large hut was Shippo standing up with an eight month old Moroha, holding her hands while she was standing up with him.

Moroha saw her parents and smiled. She yipped and growled a few times along with some human babbles. Kagome walked up and sat down on the floor, Inuyasha followed suit.

Kagome held her hands out and Moroha stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth in a way that meant she was concentrating hard. She let go of Shippo's hands and wobbled on her feet for a moment. Then she quickly grabbed onto Kagome's hands and giggled.

"Good job my babygirl." Kagome pulled Moroha into her arms and hugged her tight.

Inuyasha patted both Moroha and Shippo on the head and then wrapped his arm around Kagome.

"I can't believe I missed the first time she stood up." Kagome turned her teary eyes to Inuyasha. "I'm not leaving her until she is mated and has pups of her own."

Inuyasha chuckled and kissed Kagome lightly on her forehead. "Don't be so dramatic, Koi. It was one thing and Shippo got to be there with her."

Kagome turned to see a very happy Shippo and she smiled. "You really love your sister, don't you Shippo?"

Shippo nodded excitedly. "Yeah, mother! She loves me too." He looked between Kagome and Inuyasha. "When are you going to have another? I want a baby brother!"

Kagome and Inuyasha both paled. They have talked about it, and they had both decided they want to wait a while to try for another. During the first few months after Moroha's birth, Kagome tracked her monthly cycle like a hawk. Since Inuyasha can only tell the day her 'heat' starts, and she could accidentally get pregnant from the day before, Kagome decided to track it for herself. She noticed her periods are very regular, so it was easy to track. To be on the safe side though, Kagome asked Kaede if there were any herbs for preventing pregnancy. Luckily for her, there are some safe herbs to use while breastfeeding. So she uses this contraceptive each day to prevent pregnancy, and during her 'heat,' they find other means to pleasure each other.

Kagome handed Moroha to Inuyasha and took a deep breath before speaking to the young Kitsune. "Shippo.. We aren't planning on another pup for awhile."

"How long?" Shippo watched them curiously.

The Hanyou and Miko glanced at each other and then back at the young boy. "Ummm... probably a few years. We want to spend this time focusing on you and Moroha. When we do plan on having another pup, you'll be the first to know if he or she is on the way, okay?"

Shippo seemed to contemplate her words for a moment. Inuyasha and Kagome were holding their breath.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Okay!" He bounded over to Moroha and started making faces to get her to laugh. Inuyasha and Kagome let out their breath in a simultaneous 'whoosh.'

Inuyasha sat Moroha down in front of Shippo and put his arm around Kagome. He leaned over to whisper in her ear, his hot breath making her shiver.

"We could still get a ton of practice in."

Kagome blushed and her head snapped to the side to stare at him incredulously. She goanced at the kids laughing together and smiled before looking at her husband.

She leaned in towards his face, a breath away from his lips and smiled. "Practice makes perfect."

Inuyasha smirked, a fang protuding from his lip, and looked down at her lips. "Tonight, wife."

Kagome shivered at his husky tone and the use of that word. "Yes, husband."

They closed the gap between them together, their lips meeting in a delicate embrace.

~•~

"Come on, Moroha. Say it with me. 'Ma-ma.'"

Shippo walked over with a piece of fish hanging out of his mouth. "She's just sitting there. I don't think she's gonna say it, mother."

Kagome glared at him, the same look usually preserved for Inuyasha. Shippo jumped and hid under the dining table. Kagome looked back at Moroha and hopped her up and down in her lap, making the shihanyou giggle.

"Can you say, ma-ma? Come on, say mama."

Inuyasha walked in and dropped his latest catch onto the makeshift counter. As soon as he walked into the dining area, Moroha's big brown and gold speckled eyes lit up. She turned, pulled herself up to stand, and pointed straight at the hanyou.

"Pa!"

Kagome's mouth drops open in complete and utter shock, while Shippo snickers in the background. Moroha tried to take a step forwards but falls immediately. Kagome reached out to catch her, but Inuyasha was faster. He lifted Moroha into the air and looked into her smiling face.

"What did you say pup?"

The ten month old pup clapped her hands together and squealed. "Pa! Pa!"

Kagome stood up and looked at Moroha. "Are you sure you didn't say, Ma?"

Inuyasha grinned and kissed the pup on the cheek. "That's right, I'm your pa." He turned her to Kagome and said, "And that's your mama."

Kagome smiled and reached forward to hold her child in her arms. "That's okay, babygirl. You can say it when your ready." She leaned forward to give Inuyasha a quick kiss, then smiled at her pup. "You're a papa's girl, aren't you?"

Moroha giggled and turned to look at Inuyasha. She held her arms out, "Pa!"

Inuyasha grabbed Moroha into his arms and chuckled. "Sure, she laughs when I get hurt. How could she not love me?" He rolled his eyes.

Shippo laughed. "I laugh too, father. But you have to admit, it is pretty funny."

Kagome stifled a laugh as she hugged Inuyasha around the waist and kissed Moroha on the head. Shippo hopped up onto Inuyasha's shoulder and smiled at the infant. Inuyasha rolled his eyes but couldn't help his content grin also.

"You'll always remember her first word, Inuyasha."

He turned to give Kagome a quick kiss. "Always."

Kagome leaned in and kissed him in return. "Forever."

~•~

Kagome has her one year old daughter and ten year old son inside a barrier. Inuyasha has his Tetsusaiga drawn, fighting off the bear youkai that had lingered too close to the edge of Inuyasha's forest.

They were out in the forest, having a picnic together when the bear youkai came out of nowhere. He had tried to take Moroha for his lunch and Inuyasha immediately jumped into action.

Moroha is screaming and clawing at Kagome's arms because Inuyasha has been injured. Kagome's arms are bleeding profusely and her barrier is wavering from lack of concentration.

"Mother!" Shippo pulled Moroha's hands away from Kagome's arms, watching as the blood trails down and drips to the ground.

Kagome winces. "I'm alright Shippo." She looks over to see Inuyasha has been thrown into a tree. "Inuyasha!" With her concentration being completely shattered, so has her barrier.

"Papa!" Moroha, using a ton more strength then she should possess at just a year old, shoved Shippo away and started to walk towards Inuyasha. Her first few steps turned into a run, faster then even Inuyasha was at two years old. "Papa!"

When Inuyasha first heard Moroha yell for him, he shook his head from the daze. He looked over and saw his daughter shove Shippo out of the way and start to walk towards him. His momentary shock at her first steps, caused him to jump into action. He jumped up and immediately wasted the dumb youkai.

"Kaze no Kizu!"

As soon as the bear was turned to dust, there was another call of "Papa!" He turned just in time to see just how fast his little girl was running before she wrapped her tiny arms around his leg. He lifted her up and off the ground before he noticed the smell of Kagome's blood. His eyes widened as he looked and saw Kagome staggering over to him. She had used up a lot of energy on that barrier and then lost a bit of blood.

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome around the waist as Shippo jumped onto his back, Moroha in the crease of his other arm. He ran to the quickest hut, which happened to be Kaede's. He barged in and layed Kagome down in front of the old miko.

"What has happened?" Kaede asked as she started to get some herbs for healing.

Kagome winced as she spoke up. "Moroha was worried about Inuyasha and clawed me to get away." She saw the worried looks on her mate and children and gave them a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, really."

"Mama?"

Inuyasha set Moroha down and watched as she walked over to Kagome and let out a little whimper. Kagome was holding her arms out to Kaede, getting them cleaned, so she was unable to hold her daughter at the minute.

"It's okay, babygirl. Mama's fine." She kissed her on the cheek as the pup hugged Kagome around the neck.

Moroha whined and growled softly. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and Shippo.

"She said, 'sorry for hurting mama.' Shippo answered for Inuyasha since he seemed overwhelmed at the moment.

Kagome's arms were just finished up being cleaned and wrapped, so she immediately hugged Moroha to her chest.

"It's okay. You didn't mean to." She pulled back and whiped a tear from the childs face. "Look at my big girl. You can walk and even run all by yourself!"

Inuyasha smirked, finally out of his shock. "Keh. She's part youkai. Of course she can."

Kagome choked on a laugh as Moroha hugged her even tighter, Shippo hugged Kagome from the other side and even Inuyasha, in the presence of Kaede, came around behind her and pulled her into his lap. Kaede took that cue to give the family some privacy. She left to go pick some herbs for Kagome's pain.

Kagome pulled back from Moroha's embrace and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you so much. You are such a big girl." Moroha giggled as Kagome hugged her once again. Kagome turned to Shippo and cuddled back into Inuyasha's chest. "I love all of you."

"I love you too, mother." Shippo hugged Kagome tighter and smiled wider when Inuyasha responded.

"Love ya too, Kagome." He wrapped his arms tighter around all three of them and nuzzled his face into Kagome's neck, getting more of her natural scent.

"Mama, Papa!" Moroha pulled back and started bouncing up and down.

"What is it Moroha?" Kagome asked sweetly.

Moroha cocked her head to the side and growled. When she couldn't figure out the human words, she yipped a few times. Inuyasha pulled Moroha into Kagome's chest and hugged all three of them even tighter then before, Moroha giggled.

"She said 'love you.' She growled because she couldn't say it in the human tongue." Inuyasha said softly.

Kagome let a tear fall as she hugged her family even tighter. That's how the family stayed for a while later. After the sun had set, they finally decided to go on home. After thanking Kaede for the herbs, and putting the kids to sleep, Kagome and Inuyasha cuddled up together in bed, facing each other.

"Our little girl is getting too big."

Inuyasha moved a strand of hair from Kagome's face to behind her ear. "She's perfect, just like her mama."

Kagome let out a sob as she laughed. She pulled Inuyasha by the back of the neck and kissed him hungrily. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around Kagome's back and lightly pushed her back with his body so he could crawl on top of her. He let out a content growl when she moaned as his tongue probed her bottom lip.

"Mama! Papa!"

Kagome and Inuyasha sighed as they separated. Kagome gave Inuyasha an apologetic look as she pushed him off of her and went over to the makeshift crib. She came back a moment later and layed Moroha between her and Inuyasha. She kissed the pup on the rop of the head and rested her own head on Inuyasha's chest. Moroha cuddled between her parents and started to growl in contentment the same time Inuyasha did.

Soon, mother and daughter were fast asleep and father was watching over them, like he swore to always do. Protect his mate and pup.

Moments later, Shippo came into the room and crawled into the bed with the trio. Without a word, he curled up - even though he is getting quite big for that - between Moroha and Inuyasha. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around his family and allowed himself to lightly doze while his family slept. His ears are constantly twitching, always on alert, keeping his family well protected within his grasp.

~•~

A/N: I really hope you liked this! I know in some instances, Moroha may have been an early learner. I put into account that not only are some children fast learners, but I'm going with part youkai learn a little quicker than humans. This is only the second addition to the 'Friends With Benefits' series. There will be more! Please, let me know what you think!