6 large demon exorcisms had filled up Inuyasha's long day. The sun was already setting, casting the forest behind him to a black profile against the gentle orange sky.
Inuyasha ducked, lifting up the brown flap of their small hut. The flap swung in the air and created a small breeze that carried a variety of scents towards his nose. But amid the all of them stood out the warm, welcoming scent of his wife. Kagome was blowing on a small fire she had started in the hearth. Resting against the side of the entrance, Inuyasha watched her for a while, a crooked smile across his face, as she adjusted the rusty cauldron over the fire, tore off a few herb leaves, and added it to her soup. She was humming a little song that she had overheard the village children singing.
Kagome swiveled around at the creak his foot made against the wooden floor. Her humming faded and the content smile she was wearing grew wider, her blue eyes seeming to sparkle. "Welcome back!" She jumped up eagerly.
No matter how many times it happened, Inuyasha's eyes never ceased to widen when his wife came running up to him, throwing her arms around his neck. And as always, he didn't hesitate at the chance to hold her close to him. After 3 long years, she had come back to him, and he was never going to take these moments for granted.
Kagome leaned back, pulling a little away in his arms. Her eyes worried over at the scruffy dirt on his cheeks. "Are you ok?" she pushed his white bangs away from his face, fussing over him.
"Keh, I'm fine," he bragged. "Don't you know that already?" He took her small hand away from his face, holding it in his.
"Were there a lot of exorcisms today?" she asked, slowly intertwining her fingers in his. His long claws gently rested against her knuckles.
Inuyasha smirked. "Nah, just like 6 of 'em," he said nonchalantly, boyishly hoping she would be impressed. "Me and Miroku finished them off."
"Mmmmm." He was rewarded with a smile of admiration. "Hey," he leaned closer towards her face, "Sorry I've been busy a lot, Kagome."
Her heart pounded, excited and happy at his closeness. Kagome stared back into his yellow eyes, which tonight held a serious expression. "It's ok, Inuyasha," she said. "I've been busy as well."
Ever since they had gotten married 3 months ago, Kagome had been worrying, despite Sango's reassurance, over whether she was good enough a wife or not. Many evenings she felt kind of anxious, wondering if she had made some kind of mistake. Was the hut clean enough? Were all the clothes washed? Was the dinner she had made too salty? Today, she had herself prepared. This time she would succeed. Hopefully.
"So…" Kagome began.
"Hmmmm?" Inuyasha said, not really hearing her. He had been busy thinking about something.
Kagome fidgeted. "Um... do you want to do…" she stumbled over her words.
Huh? Suddenly her voice was loud and clear in his ears. Inuyasha panicked at her proposition. D-do? Did she mean that "do"? Were his thoughts that obvious? He sneaked a look down at her, embarrassed. Kagome was twiddling her fingers bashfully. In his eyes, she was looking even cuter than usual. Do I say yes? Inuyasha didn't want to sound so eager...like Miroku.
I can do this! Kagome thought. Now, I will ask him the first question. "Inuyasha," she boldly declared, "Do you want your tea?" She hoped she was saying the right thing. She remembered that her mother, among the other advice she had given Kagome when they had gone back to tell her family that she was getting married, said she should offer Inuyasha some tea if he was tired at night.
Tea! Oh, so that's what she meant. Inuyasha did enjoy Kagome's warm herb teas, but right now he had kinda wanted to do...something else. He tried to hide his disappointment.
"Oh, you don't want tea?" Kagome feared that she messed up. "Well," never one to give up, she kept her eager, peppy voice, "H-how about dinner? I made some extra soup!" She took his arm towards the direction of the cauldron that was boiling over the fire.
"Y-yeah, soup," he mumbled. Um, but I kinda really wanna do somethin' else…
Kagome was sad. "You don't want the soup, do you?" she looked away.
"Ah, um," Inuyasha murmured. How the hell do I say this without sounding like a pervert?
Kagome looked at him. I'm a horrible wife! she despaired. But...why does Inuyasha look so flushed and embarrassed?
"Hey…" his hair fell forward towards his face. "Um, c-can we do that, um, thing?" He would not meet her eyes.
The thing...Kagome wondered. Ah! Recognition dawned over her. Did he mean that? Was that what he was blushing about?
Kagome was confused, wasn't she? Did he confuse her? "That thing we do…" he tightened his hand around hers. "That thing that feels really good…" now he was too embarrassed to say the word. Oh no, was she mad at him?
Kagome was red."Ah, did you want that?" Sex was still new to both of them; Inuyasha had been afraid to touch her like that until a month ago because he had been too worried about hurting her. But now, usually he never asked outright, it just happened. Sometimes they would be sitting together at night talking or resting, and he would pull her over close to him. Or she would be brave, grip his robe, and give him a slow kiss.
"Um I mean, if you don't wanna…" he tried to drop her hand, but Kagome's hug stopped him. She pushed herself towards him, cuddling back in his chest. His robes were dirty but she didn't mind that as she got to listen to his heartbeat, his human heart that made up part of who he was. Inuyasha, relieved that he hadn't upset her, held her again, enjoying her scent.
"Inuyasha," Kagome smiled against him. "I do...want to do it."
His lips were resting on her hair, his eyes were closed. "Yeah," he replied gruffly.
