Prompt: Charade
Genre: Humor
Rating: G
Word Count: 570
Summary: Kagome is accused of spoiling her pet.

"Come see mama! Have you been a good girl? Yes you have! You're a gooood girl!" Kagome spoke to her six-month-old puppy in a high-pitched baby voice that drove the chocolate Labrador nuts, and Sesshoumaru crazy.

"Kagome, why do you insist on exciting Suki to this level? You are not the pup's mother, and we have only been gone an hour. This display of attention is unwarranted and she is becoming spoiled."

Ignoring him, she knelt down on the floor and wrapped up the wiggling canine in her arms, holding her in a tight embrace, still crooning to her.

"You HAVE been a good girl! Oh, mama is so proud of her puppy…"

After receiving a few slurps in the face, Kagome stood up, clapping her hands together in delight.

"I think you deserve a treat!"

At the word 'treat', the half-grown dog snapped to attention. Her bottom became glued to the floor, her head directed at Kagome. Suki's ears were perked forward and her eyes never left her mistress for a second. She looked like a still photograph, save for the non-stop tail action going on behind.

"She's not spoiled! Look at how pretty she sits… she's a good girl!" Her voice slid back into baby-talk.

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to 'hn'.

Suki held her position, but thumped her tail in agreement. Kagome turned and popped open the door to the pantry to retrieve the pouch of dog treats. She rummaged around for a bit and finally withdrew a new bag of Beggin' Strips. She stood there for a moment, a confused look on her face.

"That's funny; I could swear I had another half-bag of these in here yesterday."

Sesshoumaru spoke up. "It was not a half-bag, and I finished it yesterday."

Kagome eyed him sharply. "It was half a bag! You talk about me spoiling… I'll put them on the list for the grocery store, but you really need to slow down on the number of treats. Dogs can become obese from the extra calories very quickly." She poked him in the ribs to emphasize her seriousness.

Sesshoumaru snorted at the rebuking remark. "You give her far more than I do."

All this time, Suki had been waiting anxiously. She became more agitated as Kagome tore open the bag and removed a strip. Her eyes darted nervously from Kagome, to the treat, to Sesshoumaru. She whined slightly, eager to claim her prize.

"Now what has gotten into her, do you suppose?" Kagome wondered aloud as she passed the treat to the pup.

"As I said, you spoil her."

Suki took the treat nicely, then gobbled it down hastily. "That's a good dog!" Kagome handed her another one. "All gone! Good girl, Suki!"

Kagome returned the pouch to the pantry and walked across the room to let Suki outside. As she started to close the kitchen's back door behind them, she heard the pantry door quietly pop open again. She fought the urge to suddenly return and expose his little charade.

She heard the rustle of the bag and Suki whined to her mistress in complaint of another dog raiding her treats. Kagome laughed to herself and resolved to remember to buy extra Beggin' Strips the next time she was out. If she was going to spoil one dog, she may as well spoil both.

"Don't worry, Suki. I'll remember to keep a stash hidden just for you."

A/N: Posted Dec. 30, 2008. The idea of him covertly sneaking their dog's treats still makes me laugh. :) Thanks for reading!