Nauki cooed sweetly as Inu-Yasha blew a raspberry on the toddler's
neck. She squirmed a little, the feeling tickeling her soft baby skin. Inu-
Yasha leaned back, his ears twitching as he heard Kagome approach. He
turned around to meet her smiling face. "She sure has opened up a lot in
the past few months," Kagome said smiling as Nauki pawed at Inu-Yasha.
"Pway," the little girl said as she lunged forward. She held onto her adopted father's kimono, tugging gently. Nauki cooed again through the pacifer Kagome had given her. Inu-Yasha turned his attention back to the small child. "Hmm?" He blinked his eyes, then tilted his head slightly. He smiled at her. Months ago, she had been a frightened, abused small child who had been left to die. Now she was a happy, sweet, playful little girl.
"Pway, Papa," Nauki begged, not understanding why he always froze when someone approached. Kagome kneeled down. She smiled at the toddler. "You don't have to stop on my account." She reached forward, then pressed Nauki's stomach.
" 'Ou pokes my bewwy," Nauki said looking down. Inu-Yasha reached forward poking Nauki's tummy as well. He kept on poking her until she squealed. She tried to shoo his claw away. Inu-Yasha smirked.
"Inu-Yasha...." Kagome grabbed his arms, holding them up high. "Get him, Bubbles," she said to Nauki.
Nauki poked his stomach numerous times. "Bewwy." She cooed then moved her fingers up under his arms. "Tickle."
Kagome was surprised that he wasn't fighting them. Inu-Yasha was letting Nauki tickle him. She watched him grit his teeth as he started to squirm. He was trying his best not to laugh. Kagome yelled as Inu-Yasha suddenly pushed her backwards. As he fell, he started to laugh, his body moving up and down as he tried to avoid Nauki's small hands.
"I..I can't...can't take it anymore," he breathed, laughing still. "Make her stop!"
Kagome narrowed her eyes. "So much for the all powerful Inu-Yasha," she said disappointedly.
Kagome watched Nauki pat the mud as the toddler sat on her rear, legs sprawled out. She still couldn't get over how playful the girl was. It certainly was a drastic change. "Inu-Yasha, you don't have to be so close to her. She's only playing; nothing's going to harm her."
Inu-Yasha crossed his arms. "I'm just making sure she doesn't get mud all over her kimono." He reached forward putting an acorn on top of the mud pile. He added a stick, then some small pebbles around the base of it. "There. Now you have a fortress."
Nauki looked at the newly re-modeled mud pile. She squealed with delight. Inu-Yasha noted her approval of his adjustment.
Kagome kept watching them, smiling. *He loves her so much and isn't sure of what he feels. If only Inu-Yasha knew that the way he is acting, is as if he were her real father. He watches over her like a hawk and won't let her stray far from his sight.* She looked down noticing his arms. They were laid on either side of the child in a protective manner. *Maybe he's afraid to lose her,* Kagome thought.
"Alright, you've gotten dirty," Inu-Yasha said as he wrapped his arms around the toddler's waist. He pulled her towards him, then rose up, standing as Nauki tried to grab a little bit of mud to take home. "Kagome, are you coming?"
She looked up then rose as she followed him. "Where are we going?"
"To give Little a bath. I think she's gotten mud in between her ears," he said.
"You know, it was a wise idea to build a small bath house onto the hut, but don't you think expanding the hut would be appropriate as well?"
"What do you mean," Inu-Yasha asked as he stripped Nauki down.
"Well, I understand that the bath house is to bathe Nauki so she doesn't get sick from the water in the creek. It's just simply too cold and it would take a lot of effort to haul water back and forth."
"And your point is?"
"What I'm trying to say is, if you went to that much trouble, it means you are serious about raising her. It's kind of cramped for you and Nauki. She needs room to run around in," Kagome said. She blinked as he started to strip off his kimono and the undershirt.
"What? I don't let her get in by herself, you know. She can't swim. Besides, I built the hut for myself. I had no intentions of letting someone live with me," he said as he let the clothes fall to the floor.
Kagome turned around as the clothes hit the floor. She blushed, wondering if his trousers were going to come off, too. Nauki jumped up several times trying to see the water. Kagome continued. "Inu-Yasha, you've changed in the past few years. Ever since you found Nauki, you've been a whole different per...I mean, demon."
Inu-Yasha picked Nauki up. "Yeah, I guess I am." Nauki pointed to the water. "Wat'r, " she said cutely. He ran his claw through her hair. "I never thought I would ever be happy. Not with how obsessed I was with Kikyou."
"Was," Kagome asked. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"Yes...'was'. By allowing myself to be drawn to her, I remained unhappy. I couldn't enjoy being with you, Kagome. No matter what I have done in the past, you have always been by my side. I want to stay with you. "Little" has made me realize a lot when I take care of her. She needs me. She's so...afraid...when I'm not around. I don't know why it is, but..I'm attached to her," he said softly.
Kagome turned fully around. "You love her is why." She smiled at him, knowing he didn't understand what he was feeling.
"The only person I have ever loved was my mother. I cared for Kikyou, but...I didn't have a chance to love her. She never gave me the chance...," he said sadly. "From what you've taught me....Love is trust. She never trusted me."
Kagome walked to him. She moved his bangs out of his face, then kissed his forehead tenderly. "All I want is for you to be happy. No one deserves to go through life being alone, or suffer the obstacles you have had to overcome."
Inu-Yasha leaned foreward as Nauki cooed. He laid his forehead against Kagome's, his eyes closed. "I'm finally happy," he said softly. Kagome blushed as she closed her eyes.
"Mah-ma," Nauki said happily as she pushed her stomach. She giggled.
Kagome tickeled Nauki. "You're so cute! Espeically when you call me "mama" like that." She smiled at the little girl.
"Mah-ma," Nauki said again.
"I hope she'll be your mother," Inu-Yasha said absentmindedly.
Kagome looked up quickly in shock. "Be her m-mother..? Inu-Yasha are you..?"
He looked away some. Swallowing hard, he gained his composure. "I...I was hoping you'd help me..um...raise "Little"."
"Oh." Kagome looked away also, her heart relaxing. She thought he was trying to ask her to marry him.
"And...I was hoping you'd marry me," he said slowly. Inu-Yasha watched the expression on her face. Kagome was surprised, yet happy. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
She wiped her eyes slowly. "I have loved you for so long, Inu-Yasha. It's been so hard trying to keep the feelings I've had under control while you were unsure of your feelings about me."
Inu-Yasha moved his claw to the back of her head. He pressed Kagome close to him. He held her, trying to comfort her as she slowly cried. Inu- Yasha knew it hadn't been easy for either of them over the years. Soon, Nauki started to cry. He looked down, baffled.
Kagome rubbed her eyes some. She turned Nauki around to face her, wipping her eyes again. "Why are you crying?"
"Mah-ma cwy," Nauki said sadly. "I no 'ant 'er tad."
*Aw.* Kagome hugged her softly. "Mama's sorry, sweetheart. I'm not sad anymore, see?" She smiled gently. Kagome had never referred to herself as Nauki's mother before. At that moment, Inu-Yasha knew they were engaged. He smiled then kissed Nauki on the forehead. Ater he kissed her, he rubbed his cheek against Kagome's.
"How does it feel having a family," Kagome asked him as she wrapped her arms around him and Nauki.
Inu-Yasha tilted her chin up. He looked at her lovingly, his eyes softening. "I've had a family for a little while now; just never realized it before." He bent down, kissing Kagome dead on the lips. Inu-Yasha and Kagome both closed their eyes.
Nauki whimpered. She looked up at her parents kissing. I 'ant a tiss. I 'ant a tiss..."
Inu-Yasha smirked. He broke the kiss gently.
"I 'ant a tiss from Pa-pa," Nauki said tugging on Kagome. "Make 'im gimmie one, Mah-ma. I tute, too..."
Inu-Yasha bent down and kissed Nauki on the cheek. Kagome kissed her on the other one. Nauki cooed happily as she playfully pawed at both of them.
"Pway," the little girl said as she lunged forward. She held onto her adopted father's kimono, tugging gently. Nauki cooed again through the pacifer Kagome had given her. Inu-Yasha turned his attention back to the small child. "Hmm?" He blinked his eyes, then tilted his head slightly. He smiled at her. Months ago, she had been a frightened, abused small child who had been left to die. Now she was a happy, sweet, playful little girl.
"Pway, Papa," Nauki begged, not understanding why he always froze when someone approached. Kagome kneeled down. She smiled at the toddler. "You don't have to stop on my account." She reached forward, then pressed Nauki's stomach.
" 'Ou pokes my bewwy," Nauki said looking down. Inu-Yasha reached forward poking Nauki's tummy as well. He kept on poking her until she squealed. She tried to shoo his claw away. Inu-Yasha smirked.
"Inu-Yasha...." Kagome grabbed his arms, holding them up high. "Get him, Bubbles," she said to Nauki.
Nauki poked his stomach numerous times. "Bewwy." She cooed then moved her fingers up under his arms. "Tickle."
Kagome was surprised that he wasn't fighting them. Inu-Yasha was letting Nauki tickle him. She watched him grit his teeth as he started to squirm. He was trying his best not to laugh. Kagome yelled as Inu-Yasha suddenly pushed her backwards. As he fell, he started to laugh, his body moving up and down as he tried to avoid Nauki's small hands.
"I..I can't...can't take it anymore," he breathed, laughing still. "Make her stop!"
Kagome narrowed her eyes. "So much for the all powerful Inu-Yasha," she said disappointedly.
Kagome watched Nauki pat the mud as the toddler sat on her rear, legs sprawled out. She still couldn't get over how playful the girl was. It certainly was a drastic change. "Inu-Yasha, you don't have to be so close to her. She's only playing; nothing's going to harm her."
Inu-Yasha crossed his arms. "I'm just making sure she doesn't get mud all over her kimono." He reached forward putting an acorn on top of the mud pile. He added a stick, then some small pebbles around the base of it. "There. Now you have a fortress."
Nauki looked at the newly re-modeled mud pile. She squealed with delight. Inu-Yasha noted her approval of his adjustment.
Kagome kept watching them, smiling. *He loves her so much and isn't sure of what he feels. If only Inu-Yasha knew that the way he is acting, is as if he were her real father. He watches over her like a hawk and won't let her stray far from his sight.* She looked down noticing his arms. They were laid on either side of the child in a protective manner. *Maybe he's afraid to lose her,* Kagome thought.
"Alright, you've gotten dirty," Inu-Yasha said as he wrapped his arms around the toddler's waist. He pulled her towards him, then rose up, standing as Nauki tried to grab a little bit of mud to take home. "Kagome, are you coming?"
She looked up then rose as she followed him. "Where are we going?"
"To give Little a bath. I think she's gotten mud in between her ears," he said.
"You know, it was a wise idea to build a small bath house onto the hut, but don't you think expanding the hut would be appropriate as well?"
"What do you mean," Inu-Yasha asked as he stripped Nauki down.
"Well, I understand that the bath house is to bathe Nauki so she doesn't get sick from the water in the creek. It's just simply too cold and it would take a lot of effort to haul water back and forth."
"And your point is?"
"What I'm trying to say is, if you went to that much trouble, it means you are serious about raising her. It's kind of cramped for you and Nauki. She needs room to run around in," Kagome said. She blinked as he started to strip off his kimono and the undershirt.
"What? I don't let her get in by herself, you know. She can't swim. Besides, I built the hut for myself. I had no intentions of letting someone live with me," he said as he let the clothes fall to the floor.
Kagome turned around as the clothes hit the floor. She blushed, wondering if his trousers were going to come off, too. Nauki jumped up several times trying to see the water. Kagome continued. "Inu-Yasha, you've changed in the past few years. Ever since you found Nauki, you've been a whole different per...I mean, demon."
Inu-Yasha picked Nauki up. "Yeah, I guess I am." Nauki pointed to the water. "Wat'r, " she said cutely. He ran his claw through her hair. "I never thought I would ever be happy. Not with how obsessed I was with Kikyou."
"Was," Kagome asked. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"Yes...'was'. By allowing myself to be drawn to her, I remained unhappy. I couldn't enjoy being with you, Kagome. No matter what I have done in the past, you have always been by my side. I want to stay with you. "Little" has made me realize a lot when I take care of her. She needs me. She's so...afraid...when I'm not around. I don't know why it is, but..I'm attached to her," he said softly.
Kagome turned fully around. "You love her is why." She smiled at him, knowing he didn't understand what he was feeling.
"The only person I have ever loved was my mother. I cared for Kikyou, but...I didn't have a chance to love her. She never gave me the chance...," he said sadly. "From what you've taught me....Love is trust. She never trusted me."
Kagome walked to him. She moved his bangs out of his face, then kissed his forehead tenderly. "All I want is for you to be happy. No one deserves to go through life being alone, or suffer the obstacles you have had to overcome."
Inu-Yasha leaned foreward as Nauki cooed. He laid his forehead against Kagome's, his eyes closed. "I'm finally happy," he said softly. Kagome blushed as she closed her eyes.
"Mah-ma," Nauki said happily as she pushed her stomach. She giggled.
Kagome tickeled Nauki. "You're so cute! Espeically when you call me "mama" like that." She smiled at the little girl.
"Mah-ma," Nauki said again.
"I hope she'll be your mother," Inu-Yasha said absentmindedly.
Kagome looked up quickly in shock. "Be her m-mother..? Inu-Yasha are you..?"
He looked away some. Swallowing hard, he gained his composure. "I...I was hoping you'd help me..um...raise "Little"."
"Oh." Kagome looked away also, her heart relaxing. She thought he was trying to ask her to marry him.
"And...I was hoping you'd marry me," he said slowly. Inu-Yasha watched the expression on her face. Kagome was surprised, yet happy. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
She wiped her eyes slowly. "I have loved you for so long, Inu-Yasha. It's been so hard trying to keep the feelings I've had under control while you were unsure of your feelings about me."
Inu-Yasha moved his claw to the back of her head. He pressed Kagome close to him. He held her, trying to comfort her as she slowly cried. Inu- Yasha knew it hadn't been easy for either of them over the years. Soon, Nauki started to cry. He looked down, baffled.
Kagome rubbed her eyes some. She turned Nauki around to face her, wipping her eyes again. "Why are you crying?"
"Mah-ma cwy," Nauki said sadly. "I no 'ant 'er tad."
*Aw.* Kagome hugged her softly. "Mama's sorry, sweetheart. I'm not sad anymore, see?" She smiled gently. Kagome had never referred to herself as Nauki's mother before. At that moment, Inu-Yasha knew they were engaged. He smiled then kissed Nauki on the forehead. Ater he kissed her, he rubbed his cheek against Kagome's.
"How does it feel having a family," Kagome asked him as she wrapped her arms around him and Nauki.
Inu-Yasha tilted her chin up. He looked at her lovingly, his eyes softening. "I've had a family for a little while now; just never realized it before." He bent down, kissing Kagome dead on the lips. Inu-Yasha and Kagome both closed their eyes.
Nauki whimpered. She looked up at her parents kissing. I 'ant a tiss. I 'ant a tiss..."
Inu-Yasha smirked. He broke the kiss gently.
"I 'ant a tiss from Pa-pa," Nauki said tugging on Kagome. "Make 'im gimmie one, Mah-ma. I tute, too..."
Inu-Yasha bent down and kissed Nauki on the cheek. Kagome kissed her on the other one. Nauki cooed happily as she playfully pawed at both of them.