Title: Drown
Author: DeityOfDeath
Archive: Yes please...
Pairings: Inu Yasha/Kouga, Kouga/Ayame, Inuyasha/Kouga/Ayame, mentions of Inu Yasha/Kagome and Inu Yasha/Kikyo InuYasha/OC
Category: Drama, romance, slash, Mpreg, yaoi
rating: NC-17/R
Spoilers: Most likely.
Warnings: Yaoi, Lemon, Non-con, Mpreg, SPOILERS!
Disclaimers: I never have nor will I ever own Inu Yasha or its chars. They are property of Rumiko Takashi and major companies.

Note from Author: Thank You for reading and supporting fan fiction! Enjoy and please review!

The chapter titles are lyrics from the song "Drown" by Bring Me The Horizon

Chapter 26: What doesn't destroy you

Spring was in full bloom in the eastern caves and all around old couples acted like newly mated youngin's.

I couldn't help but feel guilty as Kouga and I found any time we had free to slip away and participate in any love making activity we could think of. In the middle of the day or before the evening meal I would often ask Koname and Shizuka to watch after the boys and Hime and when I apologized she simply grinned and shooed me out.

"I am simply happy that you and Kou have each other."

And I took her words and actions to heart as we did as she said. The boys seemed happy at seeing us happy and so we huddled around our smaller family glad that we were together.

Things had quieted down and I was busy setting the den to rights. It was filthy and in our depression we had made quite the mess the past few months. I had the boys help but when I realized it only made things a bigger hassle I sent them out to play with Haruna and the other young ones so that they weren't underfoot.

Hime enjoyed herself strapped to my back as she was bounced and jostled during my cleaning, often cooing and giggling as we went about the den. Sachi and Kira had stopped by on a few occasions and laughed at the sight of us. I suppose we were a sight covered in dust with cleaning rags and straw broom in hand with cloths tied around our heads and in front of our mouths; though Hime kept pulling hers off.

It had taken me over a week to set everything in order and that included washing all the bed furs and hanging them out in the spring air to dry along with all blankets, spare clothes and seat cushions.

I only spared two items; a rugged blanket and soft pillow. Both had been gifts from Sesshomaru and both had been Ayame's favorites and so they had become hers and hers alone. Her smell was strong on them and I couldn't bring myself to lose that just yet. Her scent had been so soft and delicate; a mix of wolf, jasmine, milk and honey with the soft smell of a spring breeze.

Kouga had noticed and said nothing, simply kissing my forehead and sitting down for the evening meal with the boys.

The den was clean and with it I felt a smidge better, even after punching Kouga on the jaw for making den mother jokes, though I hadn't truly minded all that much.

Spring soon turned to summer and once more we found ourselves suffering the heat while the world around us seemed once again to be at war. I often worried for our friends and companions as the feuds between lords continued and many humans found themselves lost in the battles or somehow caught in or around them. I started writing letters which Kouga would have sent out with the help of our wolves. It wasn't until the end of summer and the early beginnings of fall when I received a reply.

The letter was large and had included a drawing from Shippo who seemed to still be with Miroku and Sango in the hunter village.

The letter read:

"Inuyasha,

We are glad to hear that you are doing well. Congratulations on bonding with Kouga. We are saddened to also hear of Ayame's death. She was a bright soul and will be missed.

Sesshomaru visits often to see Rin and he deemed us worthy enough to occasionally talk to. He says very little but we can tell that cares for you especially since he makes sure to mention you every visit.

Rin and Kohaku are to be wed mid-fall and Kohaku is a nervous groom. I have a feeling Rin will run circles around my poor brother, especially with such an intimidating father in law like Sesshomaru. Our family grows larger and larger and I am sure that you are not surprised to hear I am expecting again. I'm pretty sure that Miroku plans to repopulate the Hunter village with us alone.

Shippo is great and is passing all his kitsune exams. He's grown so tall in these past years and is excited to see you. We would love to visit sometime in the future if you will have us. Well I must make this letter short, seems the boys are causing havoc as usual.

Your friend,

Sango"

I couldn't help but grin as I refolded the letter and put it away safely into a wooden box that Kouga had made for me.

It became habit to save letters I had received and even drawings or writings from Ranken and Yuki. Kouga had gifted me with a cedar wood box that easily fit in my lap which had running wolves carved onto the lid that he himself had done. He had caught me stashing things away in-between dried linens in our storage basket and so made me this precious gift.

Fall was quick to pass us by in a flurry of gathering foods that could be stored such as nuts, grains and rice and prepping foods that could be stored with the aide of drying, salting and pickling. It grossed the Ran and Yuki out to see us salting and drying sardines and other small fish. It was an important source of protein and should we be unable to go out hunting it would be vital to our survival. I was taught by Koname how to pickle vegetables and what few we could find in the wilds or received from bartering were soon in brine to become tasty treats in the future.

Kou and the hunters brought in plenty of fresh meat which helped to further fatten us up as well as leaving plenty to be salted and dried. We had quite the winter supply which came in quite handy because the snow came early and the winter was harsh.

We did anything to stay warm and more often than not I spent the my time between the hot springs, snuggled under thick furs with Hime; when she chose to stay still long enough and sometimes even the boys. When I could do neither I would sit close to the fire and try to busy myself with the many things Ayame had taught me. I did a decent enough job of repairing clothes and had even made a decent enough job at making a pair or two of fur breeches and tops for the boys with matching cloaks to keep their ever growing bodies covered and warm and as safe from the elements as possible.

The two of them were bundles of trouble as they turned eight. They were growing by leaps and bounds and seemed to shoot up faster than weeds in the spring. Ran was loud and rambunctious and seemed to have his father's gift for running his mouth without letting his brain catch up. He wasn't dumb or even stupid, just a tidbit overzealous; too much energy and confidence for one so small.

Yuki was often Ran's voice of reason when Ran chose to. My Yuki was still small compared to Ran and was far more delicately built. He could handle himself fine and in the few tussles involving other older boys in the pack and even the rare occasion he fought with Ran he would win at least half if not more. Ran was an easy opponent to defeat when it came to Yuki; I was pretty sure he lost on purpose or simply conceded half the time.

Yuki still hid his fiery bronze eye when he was around others but when he was alone with just us his family he would push his bangs and sides back and out of the way. His eyes were gorgeous and I often told him so. His eyes were even livelier and bright when filled with happiness and I couldn't help but think back on how Ayame had described Kiba's eyes when he was younger. Yuki's auburn streak was special and though it was bright in his moonlit pale locks it was just as special as he was. His hair was thick like my own and was halfway down his small back.

Hime was such a strong little one. Her eyes had begun to develop the soft shades of green and I was amused as I realized they would more than likely be like her father's, a deep shade of cerulean blue. She would be a little heartbreaker when she was older.

She amused me by howling and yipping at me when simple fussing didn't get her what she wanted or when I simply told her "no" when she had requested or demanded something in her single word requests.

"Chew-way" was her way of calling me and "Toh" was Kouga. She called Ran "Ra" and Yuki was "Yu". When she wanted to nurse she'd call me and gesture with her hands at my chest or simply climbed into my lap even at the most inopportune times and would start to pull at my clothes so that she could get to her "mil" or milk. She was certainly a demanding little princess and I was guilty of spoiling her, Kou had said as much.

I could see now how Kagome turned out the way she had. It was hard to tell little girls "no", especially when that little girl was yours.

I was in a world of trouble with our little Hime. She definitely had us wrapped around her little fingers, even her brothers.

To Be Continued…

Yay~! Should have about 6-10 more chapters to go for this series. I suppose it depends on where the muse takes me. If you read my other series "Do what you have to do" you should check out my profile on Archive of our own. The talented LagunaL8 gifted me with sketches of InuYasha from various chapters as well as a beautiful image of Yasha and Ryusei. I am blown away and humbled at such amazing art.

Thank you all for reading and providing me with awesome reviews, kudos and art~!

Kat