22. Family

Kagome entered the hut she was sharing with Inuyasha just when the sun was touching the western horizon. The evening was quite chilly, but when she stepped inside the hut she felt warmth spreading across her whole body. It was their house, their village, where their friends lived. She belonged her as did he. It was still so new to both of them - a miko born five centuries in the future and a hanyou hated by both humans and youkai alike.

The three months they were married and living in this hut were amazing. They were learning so many things - how to live together, how to make love, how to balance each other. They had lessons they had to learn on their own - her how to b a miko and him how to be a part of the small village society. But they had the other to lean on, they had their friends, so it was all well, even if sometimes the ground would shake with the force of a sit or two.

She had had a busy day today - an intense training with Kaede and Miroku, some time spent helping Sango, some teaching village children. And whatever she had been doing her thoughts would often stray to the village protector patrolling his domain and the technique he had used to wake her up this morning after keeping her awake for long hours.

She found a rabbit roasting above the fire pit - their dinner for tonight. She looked further inside and found her hanyou laying on his side on their bed, his back turned at her. His robes were hanging above the fire, drying. Which meant he was naked under the blanket... A wicked idea came to her mind - one Miroku would br surely proud of - when she realized he hadn't noticed her yet. She took a step inside when his low voice reached her ears.

"That's my girl. You're such a precious one," Kagome froze, looking at her husband, his voice so soft, full of affection and kindness.

"Inu-?" Kagome breathed out. Both fuzzy ears swiveled her way and Inuyasha looked back at her with a smirk.

"Kagome!" he greeted and sat up. "Come here, I want you to meet someone."

Kagome quickly removed her sandals and stepped on the raised floor to come and kneel beside the bedding. Inuyasha looked at her and placed in her lap a ball of white and brown fur. The ball shivered and sniffed her sleeve. She looked down in surprise to find a puppy with the most adorable brown eyes looking up at her.

"This is alpha female, girl, listen to her or she's going to give you hell," Inuysha introduced with a grin and leaned in to steal a kiss before Kagome could say anything.

The puppy in her lap licked her hand cautiously, as if afraid she'd give it hell right now. But since all Kagome did was relax the little furball got bolder and started sniffing her more - the scent of the inu hanyou was strong on the woman and it was calming and reassuring for the animal.

"So... From where did you get this puppy?" Kagome asked when the kiss ended. Inuyasha gave her a boyish grin when he saw her look at the puppy and scratch behind one tiny ear.

"A man in the village we visited with Miroku had a bitch who gave birth some time ago and he was giving the pups away because he couldn't keep them. I kinda thought keeping a pup can be a good exercise before we have pups of out own," he explained, Kagome looked up to gaze in his eyes and reply to this, but during its way up her gaze strayed to his bare chest. "Oi, my face is up here!"

Kagome glared at the amused hanyou, trying not to blush and failing miserably.

"So what's her name?" she asked to stick to the puppy subject and looking away from her husband. The little dog was making herself comfortable in her lap.

"Yukinu," he replied simply. Kagome raised a brow.

"I see being not creative with names runs in the family, huh?" she shook her head and stroked the puppy's back.

"Feh!"

"But it's pretty smart of you to get a puppy. We will have to take care of Yukinu and it will prepare us for our own pups," she praised and smiled when she saw the hanyou preen.

"I was thinking about a kitten first," he confessed. "But then I thought that a dog would be easier. You know, I can talk to her in inu and her instincts tell her to obey me."

"That might be helpful," Kagome smiled. Who would know Inuyasha was so thoughtful?

They spent a nice evening, eating supper and playing with Yukinu, letting her sniff everything and carrying her out before she could pee inside the hut. Inuyasha was also having fun teaching Kagome some commands in inu. After a small mishap with a certain command the lesson was over and Yukinu had a chance to climb on the hanyou sprawled out on the floor. It was so nice to relax and enjoy each other's comapny like this, Kagome was laughing and smiling all the time. She couldn't wait to see their baby join them. It would be hard at first, being parents, but she knew Inuyasha and herself were willing to do their best. Finally the couple put the puppy to sleep in her basket and went to their own bed.

Not a minute passed before Kagome felt mouth nibbling at her earlobe. She stretched lazily, pushing her back against her husband laying behind her and he threw his arm saround her waist to keep her close. She smiled and turned her head to receive a passionate kiss. But just as she was about to turn around and lay her hands on her hanyou she heard a soft yip from the basket. She looked to it and saw the puppy looking back at them, her tail moving happily.

She felt awkward when she shook her head and tried to move away from her amorous mate.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, worry seeping into his golden eyes.

"Yukinu's looking," she whispered awkwardly. She knew it was silly, but she felt anxious and weird. It wasn't like they were doing something wrong, but Kagome couldn't relax, knowing there was a pair of eyes watching her. Inuyasha let out a sound of mild annoyance and stood up to walk to the basket. After a minute he was back, a barrier of a privacy screen separating the basket from the rest of the hut.

"Done," said the male and nuzzled his wife's neck. She was still tense.

"But.. Will she be alright? I don't want her to feel anxious or left alone..." Kagome voiced her worries. Her husband shook his head.

"She can smell and hear us good enough," he assured her. "Don't worry about her."

"W-wait... She can hear us?" Kagome blinked and realized he was right, after all the screen was only obscuringthe view. He licked and kissed the side of her neck. "Inu-"

"It ain't a problem. It's not like the rest of the village can't hear us," she felt his mouth curve in a smirk. "Not with you screaming who is with you and how good it feels."

Well, it explained why so many women were giving her those odd jealous glances and the men were strangely respectful of Inuyasha. She had tried to ask Sango and Miroku if there had been something wrong, but all she had got was Sango's blush and Miroku snickering.

"B-but..." she blushed fiercely.

"Keh, I guess I have to make sure you can't think about that," he pressed his lips against hers to silence his miko. She was talking way too much.