Disclaimer: I own nothing…except for a really nasty cold. Yuck.
A/N: To the readers who reviewed chapter five…
Perelandra: Thanks for reading so late. I've pulled that one before too. I hope your eyes feel better, and I agree. Inuyasha needs less stupid pills. And be as corny as you want! If you want to hear how corny I am, I'll include my favorite joke in the next chapter!
UsAgI-ChAn206: I laughed when I read your review. You're one of the first to blatantly insult Inuyasha. It gave me a good laugh, thanks!
Xxspit-firexX: Thank you very much for the compliment, and I'm glad that you are enjoying it!
sweetdaeth: Thanks for the encouragement, and believe me when I say that I can understand your "Ah!" frustration. Thanks!
---: Thank you for the enthusiasm!
loveyaa: (I like the penname) Thanks for the support and here's that update you asked for!
blahblahHOBO: I typed like the wind to get this done. Hope you enjoy!
InuyashazFukaiMori: I'm glad this is intriguing you, and thanks for the good luck wishes!
silentmiko242: Great talking to you a while back and thanks for reading and reviewing the story!
Beezle: Lol…Booya! Thanks!
KougasMyMan: A Kouga lover with a great penname (Hey, I like him too)! Thanks for reading!
CraziAznGurl: I liked your review. That's how I feel after a lot of stories I read. Thanks!
Kaboko: I'm glad my papers are done too! Thanks for commenting on it. It lets me know others care about some of the stuff I have to put up with. And I'm glad you're enjoying the story also. Thanks!
insane general: Thanks for loving the story!
NR: Hey! Something you wanted is in this chapter!
Dearest: I hope that you enjoyed your vacation too and had a good holiday! I read your profile. Dearest is one of my favorite songs too. Gonna listen to it now!
xo-Kagome-ox: J Thanks! Please enjoy the update!
Jade Catseye: Hey, thanks for reading! I'm not sure if Kikyo is going to show up yet, but if she does, I don't think that I'm going to have her being a jerk. She gets picked on a lot, so I'd try to keep her a bit more passive. She won't cause trouble if she shows up, don't worry!
Jabba1: Hey, Abby! Thanks for the understanding about the holidays. Things were crazy. Glad you're enjoying!
Tenma Koneko: Lol, never had anyone offer me money for a story before. Here's your update!
lilemmy: Hope you handled okay! Here's the next chapter!
Vernie: I love your stories! I was so happy to see that you had reviewed one of mine! Thanks, and I'm glad you like it!
Serina Tsuki: Lol…here's more!
merlyn1382: Thanks for paying attention to emotional detail. I appreciate it!
katergator: Hey, I hope your finals went okay. They aren't fun. As for Miroku and Sango, I'm not sure yet…lol. What do you think?
JadesRose: Another frustrated person. I didn't like him too much either at that moment. But don't worry, things are getting better. And thanks again for helping get me moving with that paper!
dennisud: Hey! I completely agree that it's time more more fluff and less angst. Thank you so much for all of your advice!
Sammyosa92: I envy your sister…money is a pain. But I liked your review, and here's your fluff!
Hououza: I hope you had a good Christmas too! And thank you for paying attention to detail and being understanding about updates!
jammies2000: Thank you for support and questions. I think that Kagome is going to stay with him.
Wow, that's a lot. I am SO sorry if I missed anyone. And thank you to all of the other readers! I really appreciate all of your comments. Well, on with the story!
Mates
By: Of Memories Past
Chapter 6: To Sit or Not to Sit…
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"Ooooh, he makes me so angry!"
Kagome carefully lifted her clothing from around her ankles to avoid getting them completely wet from the snow that covered the ground. She lifted her face to the sky and frowned. It was cold and miserable outside, and she had at least a mile walk back to her home. The gray skies were growing darker as the minutes passed even though it was only midmorning. She sighed. The sky darkening this early definitely foretold a nasty snowstorm—one that would be coming on quickly. Secretly praying that she would make it home before the storm hit, Kagome lifted her miko clothing higher and set her pace quicker.
Her thoughts began to wander as she laboriously trekked back to her hut. She scowled darkly. It was his fault that she was out here in the first place. If he had not been so stubborn, rude, and mulish, she would have never left for the village first thing in the morning to find solace in Kaede and Sango. Truth was, she always felt better after talking to them. They gave her some hope that she and Inuyasha would eventually work everything out, and right now just that would make all of her dreams come true.
Kagome stumbled as a sudden sick feeling washed over her, and she pressed her hand to her stomach as a strong wave of nausea hit her like and oncoming train. "Oh no."
Oh no was right. She had just enough sense to lean over the barren bushes before the stew that Kaede had made that morning decided to come up with full force. Kagome retched until her stomach was completely empty. When she stood up a dark grimace crossed her lips.
"Great, now I'm getting sick. See what arguing with him and running around in the snow all day has done to me?" She pushed on once more, worry filling her being as the first, fat flakes began to fall. "Oh, please let me make it home." Images of their cozy hut and the warm fire in her room snuck into her mind as the wind grew chillier. Oh, how she coveted that warm fire at the moment!
But she would have no suck luck when it came to making it home. After landing unceremoniously into a deep snowdrift, the blizzard hit vehemently. Now wet and freezing cold, Kagome found that it was becoming more difficult to move her legs. Actually, it was becoming difficult for her to even feel her legs. Not to mention that she could not see two feet in front of her.
"Not now," she protested. "I'm not going to freeze to death out here!" But even as she spoke, her knees buckled and she fell forward into the wet snow. "Argh."
A sudden flash of red crossed her line of vision when she looked up, and for a moment she thought that she was imagining things. But things soon proved to be truth and not her imagination. She suddenly felt herself being lifted out of the wet, cold snow into a pair of strong, warm arms. Kagome looked up into the amber eyes of her husband and mouthed her thanks. Angry with him as she was, she knew that there was no way she would be getting out of the snowstorm alone. Besides, the fact that he came out looking for her gave her some assurance that he did care. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her back home bridal style. Pressing closer to him to keep warm, that she was thoroughly soaked became even more evident.
Kagome lightly dusted the flakes off of his snowy hair as Inuyasha stepped through the doorway to their home. She did not even bother with herself, knowing that the action would be hopeless and continued to brush off the snowflakes that clung to his haori.
Inuyasha growled when one of her hands struck one of his sensitive ears in an attempt to flick the snow off. He flatted the offended ear to his skull and shifted her onto his back while he coaxed the fire in the main room back to life, still a little irritated at having his ear flicked. But his annoyance disappeared when he felt Kagome lean up and kiss the tip of it. He smirked unknowingly to her at the apology.
The fire slowly came back to life, and Kagome rested her head against his back as she waited for him to finish. It was so much warmer inside of their hut. She was content to be carried around like a pup would be on her mate's back. He was warm while she was not; he was strong while at the moment she felt as if she would fall apart. Kagome suddenly shivered as the icy dampness of her clothing finally sunk down deep into her skin. She sneezed.
Inuyasha threw a golden glance behind him and looked at her just as the fire blazed fully to life. Chuckling, he shook his head and carried her into their bedroom. He gently placed her on the floor, watching with interest as Kagome intently watch the colors the amber flames of the fire in their bedroom painted on the walls. While she was distracted he pulled out a large basin from the corner and settled it near the fire.
"You are taking a hot bath," he said, leaving the room to retrieve a few wooden buckets.
Kagome was not about to argue as she sneezed again. A hot bath sounded wonderful. She anxiously pulled a trunk out from underneath their bed and searched for some bubble bath. Nothing was more relaxing.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha stepped back out into the storm to fill the buckets with snow. When he came back in, he pulled out a large caldron and set it up over the fire before emptying the buckets of snow into it. After that was complete, he quickly ran outside to get more snow and melt it before the new water in the caldron boiled. It would not do him any good to scald his mate. But luckily for him, he was able to complete the task in perfect timing, and he removed the caldron from the flames.
He carefully refilled the buckets with the comfortably hot water and walked back into their room to see Kagome wearing a little pink kimono that she called a "bathrobe" and holding a bottle of bubble bath. Inuyasha silently poured the first two buckets into the basin and allowed Kagome to get in and start making her bubbles before leaving to retrieve the rest of her bath water. When he came back, Kagome was busily scrubbing at her skin with the scented soap that she liked to use, sneezing from time to time. She smiled up at him gratefully when he added more water to her bath. Inuyasha returned one last time with three buckets. Two of them were emptied into the basin, leaving Kagome up to her shoulders in water and bubbles, and the third he left sitting beside the tub in case she wanted to wash her hair.
"Warm enough?"
"It's perfect, thank you," Kagome answered, lifting her foot out of the water to get the bottom of it with a scrub brush.
Inuyasha suppressed a smile when the slick bottom of the basin got the best of her, causing her to slip. Kagome's feet flew up into the air as her head disappeared underneath the water. Her startled screech turned into a gurgle when the water took over, and she kicked around a bit before she got her bearings straight. A bit of soapy water splashed over onto the floor as she struggled to get up, and Inuyasha finally gave into his laughter as he leaned over and grasped her arms to help her. However, he did not anticipate the floor to be as slippery as it was.
He felt his feet sliding out from under him before he even knew what was happening. Amber eyes growing wide as he felt himself fall, he could only pray that Kagome had the common sense to move her legs. This was not a fall that he was going to recover from.
But fortunately, Kagome did see him slip, and she had her knees pulled up to her chest just in time to see her mate crash into the basin with her. She giggled at the sight before her.
His legs hung over the edge of the basin as he surfaced to glare at the floor that had caused him to slip. Ears flattened against his head to keep the water out, Inuyasha's silvery hair was plastered down all around him, and his clothing was now drenched. He grimaced. This was not exactly how he had planned his morning. First there was the case of his missing mate, then there was the snowstorm, and now he was soaked just because some soapy water had caused him to slip. A sudden giggle came from Kagome and he glared at her.
Kagome merely shrugged and giggled some more. "Scrub brush?"
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"You like having your back rubbed?"
Inuyasha drowsily opened his amber eyes before yawning and turning his head so that the right side of his face rested on his arms. He was stretched out on the floor in the main room in front of the fire, wearing his pajama pants while Kagome tried to towel dry him because of his little accident in the basin earlier. He had almost been asleep when her quiet voice had awoken him. Closing his eyes again, Inuyasha began to drift off as Kagome continued rubbing at his bare back with the towel.
"Inuyasha?"
"Hmmm?"
Her soft laughter filled the room. "You really do like having your back rubbed, but I'm afraid that it's dry now." She carefully moved her hands forward to begin drying his hair.
"No, don't stop," he murmured, closing his eyes yet again. He was warm and comfortable, and her hands rubbing gently across his back and in his hair was relaxing him to no end. Unbeknownst to him, low vibrations rumbled deep in his chest, sounding like a purr.
"You can purr?"
He looked up to find Kagome staring at him in amazement. Her hands had stopped their ministrations and now inertly held the towel that had been used for drying him, and her deep, brown eyes were simply wide.
Inuyasha grumbled grouchily. "It's not purring." That's right, make him sound like little feline.
He started when he felt her press her ear against his upper back, not having expected her to do something like that. Her even breathing gently blew over him and warmed his skin as she lay there listening intently. He rolled his eyes. One minute she did not want him near her, and the next she was all over him. Women.
"Hear anything interesting?" Inuyasha murmured. He uninterestedly lifted his claws to inspect them. Women could be so strange at times.
"Do it again."
"What?" He whirled around and looked at her excited, flushed face. His eyes also took notice of the way her wet hair carefully had been knotted atop her head, and he noticed yet another pair of pajamas that he had never seen before. A good view of the slightly lower neckline made him determine that he liked these pajamas also, even though they did look a bit strange. She wore silky, lime colored shorts with aqua and yellow flowers that challenged the length of her old school uniform's skirt and a simple aqua, thin-strapped tank top that fit her perfectly. A bit strange to wear in the winter, but their home was plenty warm enough.
"Do the purr thing again," she smiled.
Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha turned over on his back and sat up. A smile tugged at his lips when Kagome scrambled into his lap to keep him from going anywhere. When she had firmly planted herself there, she looked straight at him and made her request once more.
"I can't, Kagome!" he insisted. "It's not something I can just do. It just…happens." Inuyasha watched her warily as she grinned.
"It just happens when you're comfortable?" she questioned. Her hands rested neatly folded in her lap.
Inuyasha's gaze turned suspicious when she started fidgeting with her hands. "What do you want, Kagome?"
Kagome smiled and draped her arms around his neck. "I just want to hear you purr again."
"It's not…" his words slacked off when those hands that had previously been fidgeting began rubbing his ears and running through his damp hair. "…purring." Inuyasha's head fell forward to rest on her shoulder, while Kagome took her time stroking the soft ears and silver hair.
She smiled successfully when Inuyasha began to purr again, and she quickly pressed her ear to his chest to listen. A giggle escaped her and she began rubbing harder, giggling again when the sounds resonating in his chest grew louder.
Wrapping his arms around her, Inuyasha lay back on the ground beside the fire and held her in his arms while she continued to listen and rub his ears.
Satisfied that she had heard the low vibrations, Kagome gave his ears a final tweak before propping herself up on his chest with her arms. She watched as his eyes drowsily opened and looked at her. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.
"You happy now?" he whispered.
Kagome nodded, smiling. "It's a very nice sound."
She was rewarded with another very nice sound when Inuyasha chuckled and smiled again. Feeling brave, Kagome leaned down and pressed her lips to his.
His lips were hot against hers as he kissed her back, resting his hands against her back. He tilted his head to bring the kiss to the next step and smiled against her lips when she responded immediately. A chill ran up his spine when she ran her hands underneath his hair. Inuyasha angled his neck and began to press his mouth against her neck and shoulder, listening to her breathing becoming more staggered.
"I feel…" Kagome breathed, inhaling harshly.
Inuyasha placed his mouth against hers again for a few moments before turning his attention back to her neck. He bit her lightly, able to both smell and taste the sweat on her body. "You feel?"
Kagome groaned and all of a sudden brought her hand out from his hair to push against his stomach and lift herself off of him. "I feel sick."
"I didn't think I kissed that bad," Inuyasha grumbled.
"You kiss great," Kagome answered with difficulty as she stood up.
Clutching her stomach, she ran for the entrance and flung back the covering as a violent wave of nausea hit her like a gunshot. Kagome ran straight into the blizzard, ignoring the biting and bitter cold as she purged herself of nothing but stomach acid and bodily fluids since she had earlier rid herself of everything that she had eaten.
Inuyasha blinked for a few moments, recognizing signs that he was not quite sure he was ready to handle yet and then was by her side in an instant, shielding her from as much of the snow and wind as he could while she heaved. When she was through, he picked her up and carefully carried her to their room to lay her on the bed. While Kagome reached under the bed to get into the trunk to retrieve mouthwash, Inuyasha took bit of their drinking water supply and a rag and brought it back to their room. After Kagome had finished with the mouthwash and lay back down, he dipped the cloth into the water and began sponging her sweaty face. He grimaced, knowing that she did not feel well at all.
"I'm tired, cold, I feel sick, and now my throat hurts from throwing up." Kagome made a face. Stomach acids would do that to you.
"It's okay, Kagome," he soothed, pulling back the covers so that she could crawl under them. He tucked them around her warmly when she did and then sat on the edge of the bed and reached forward to massage her sore throat.
"Why do I feel like this?" she murmured.
Inuyasha carefully bent over her to catch as much of her scent as possible and rested his face in the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, the fact that she scent had changed more than literally hitting him in the face, and he cursed himself for not noticing it sooner before gently pressing his palm against her lower abdomen.
"Inuyasha," Kagome scolded, "I don't feel good right now!"
"Ssshh," he said quietly, and he rested his ear where his hand had been. His eyes widened at what he heard, and it only went to confirm what he already knew. It was difficult to hear, but he had definitely heard it.
Inuyasha smiled contently and pressed his ear against her a bit firmer, listening to the small sounds of life being knit together in her womb. The smile was still on his lips as he tenderly kissed her stomach and then gently stretched out over her to press a kiss against her mouth. He rested his weight on her carefully and then slid his arms behind her and pushed them up until he could gently rub the back of her neck and stroke her cheek.
"What's gotten into you?" Kagome asked with a small, confused smile on her face. The smile grew larger when Inuyasha grinned at her and then leaned down to give her a warm, lingering kiss. She quickly pecked his lips once more when he pulled away. "Not that I'm complaining."
"You're pregnant," Inuyasha said simply, but his eyes glowed with a pride and tender love that only males get when they find out that their wife is pregnant with their child. And Inuyasha was ecstatic.
Kagome's eyes widened as she looked up at him in shock. "I'm going to have a baby?"
"You're going to have our baby. Our pup."
The look in his amber eyes and the words he just said brought tears to her chocolate orbs. Most youkai males claimed the pup for their own, leaving the female out of the matter entirely. They saw her as a mate and one there for caring for the young they sired. But Inuyasha had looked at her lovingly and had recognized something that they had done together. He willingly acknowledged and accepted that she was a part of this and wanted her to be a part of this.
"Our pup?" she choked.
"Our pup," he answered. He smiled and brushed her tears away. "I'm human also, Kagome. I won't see everything as a demon sees it." He leaned down to kiss her lightly. "This is our baby."
Kagome reached up and brushed his bangs from his eyes and smiled threw her tears before throwing her arms around his neck and laughing. His laughter joined hers as they rejoice in the fact that they were going to have a child. A child that was part of him and part of her.
Inuyasha looked down at her affectionately, a warm glow in his molten eyes. "The pup is ours," he whispered, nuzzling her cheek. "Mine and my wife's. Mine and my mate's."
Tears of happiness streamed down Kagome's cheeks, and she closed her eyes as he settled beside her under the covers for a midday nap. The harsh winds, snow, and frigid air still blew around relentlessly outside, but it could not penetrate the warmth of their hut as they peacefully fell asleep.
It was the first time that either of them had ever felt that they were husband and wife—felt that they were mates.
A/N: Lot's of fluff, but that's an okay thing! They needed it. Yuck, I have to work tomorrow. I hope to get another chapter out soon and I never thought I'd say it, but I think things will be easier to do once I'm back at school. Go figure. Oh well, I hope that you all enjoyed. Please review! I do read and consider them. God Bless! ~Of Memories Past
