Title: Rough Settlements

Author: SakuraRyuu

Prompt: Puppy Love Challenge – Sick 'em!

Genre: Comedy, Friendship, Hentai

AU/CU: AU

Rating: T

Warnings: Language, Implied Sexual Situations

A/N: Inuyasha and all characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

"What did you do, Kagome teach the dog attack anyone who comes through the door?" Sesshomaru was more than a little pissed off. Kagome had to slap the leash on the dog's collar and literally drag him through the house to get him back outside. Once she got the sliding glass door closed behind her she had to lock it because Berney was digging where the door and wall met, trying to wedge it back open. And for good measure she closed the curtain so the two dogs couldn't see each other, and had the chance to calm down.

"See, now you're just being ridiculous. He's been with me for only…" she checked her watch. "Three hours, almost four. How am I going to teach a dog "sick 'em" in such a short amount of time without people to sick him on?" It was her lame attempt at using humor to ease the tension, and it didn't work.

Sesshomaru was definitely not amused. He stopped to look at her over his spoon full of kem chi. They weren't arguing, but it was one of their more heated conversations over dinner. Kagome decided to try and refocus the discussion.

"Ok, look. I'm going to try and look at this in terms of a canine and see if I understand." Sesshomaru nodded at her to continue. "You are obviously the male, alpha dog around here, and Berney obviously has a male alpha dog mindset, yes?" He nodded again. "So, how do we fix this? Do you two need to go outside and sniff each other's butts or something? I've never had two dogs at once before, so I really don't know what I should do."

"Well, we are not going to sniff butts, as you so eloquently put it, but we do need to scent each other out. Really, the best thing to do would be for me to go outside, transform, and handle him myself." He sat back in his dining chair and looked at his wife across the table.

"But you won't hurt him?" Kagome was very concerned for her dog. She knew Sesshomaru would be fine, but Berney had been her caretaker all day, and she didn't want him to be hurt.

"I have no intention of hurting him. He's simply a young pup who needs to learn his place in our home. If he does not do so now, it will be hard on him when I am home."

She sat and thought over what he had said, and she could see the logic in it. Finally, she nodded. "Alright. You go out back and do what you have to do while I clean up, but don't hurt him. And be sure to take your suit off before you transform. I don't want you to end up tearing this one to shreds, too." The last time he transformed his clothes had just fallen at his feet in tatters. She had really liked that particular pair of jeans on him, too. Sesshomaru agreed and headed for the living room.

Being the pervert she was Kagome watched him undress from the safety of the kitchen doorway. She could never resist seeing any part of him naked. Just before he unlocked the sliding doors and walked out to deal with Berney he looked over his left shoulder at his wife and grinned, letting a fang peak out purely for her benefit. Kagome continued to leer until he stepped out the door, closing it behind him.

Stepping back into the kitchen she tried to ignore the ruckus in the backyard. She knew if she went out to coddle either of them it would show favoritism, giving an unfair advantage to one canine over the other. Instead she set about cleaning up the remainder of dinner, and doing the dishes. By the time she was finished, Sesshomaru and Berney were back in the house, but not in the same room. She found Berney sulking in his bed in the family room. Smiling at him she offered a rawhide bone, which he accepted happily.

Walking down the hallway she found Sesshomaru in their room, not looking nearly as pitiful as Berney. Sitting on the edge of the bed she watched him put on running shorts and a t-shirt. He sat down next to her to tie his running shoes.

"So how'd it go out there." Kagome leaned back on her hands.

"As I expected it would. There was a lot of threats thrown about, but we were able to reach an amicable compromise." Sesshomaru lay back on the bed, stretching out next to her.

"Really? That sounds… odd."

"We agreed that when are you alone or I am incapacitated, her will care for you. Otherwise, your care is left up to me. I remain the top dog around here." This last made Kagome giggle-snort at him. "I thought you would appreciate that."

"Well, let me show you what else I appreciate." She stood and crawled over his body. When she was eye level she straddled his waist and leaned in for a kiss. "I already gave one dog a bone. Now it's time for a dog to give me mine."