So Come Home

Inuyasha rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes as he followed Miroku back into their village, his ears perking up slightly as the sound of bell like laughter drifted from his hut. "Sounds like Kagome didn't have any luck tonight, either," Inuyasha chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"She's still awake?" Miroku asked, frowning slightly as he glanced around the village. Almost every fire was out and there were barely any sounds coming from the huts they passed. Usually when their trips brought them home this late at night their mates were long asleep when they returned.

"Sounds like it," Inuyasha huffed.

"The little one still giving her trouble?" Miroku asked, stopping at the path that would separate them. Inuyasha would go left to return to his wife and Miroku would go right to return to his.

"The little bastard never sleeps," Inuyasha laughed, waving slightly to his oldest friend as he headed home. A few moments later he paused outside of his hut and listened to the sounds of his family inside.

"But Mama. I don't want to go to sleep," a bell like voice whined from within, but he recognized the sound of a yawn amidst her words.

"Your father isn't going to be happy with either of us if you're still awake when he gets home," Kagome chastised, but even he could hear the sound of a smile on her voice.

"I'll pretend when he gets here." The first voice huffed, a tone so similar to that which Inuyasha usually used.

"Do you really think you could fool him?" Kagome asked.

"You pretend to be asleep all the time and Grandma Kaede believes you!"

"That's because Kaede doesn't have your fathers hearing or his sense of smell." Kagome scoffed.

"I want to stay up all night like you and Daddy do."

"Izaiyo," Kagome huffed, her voice holding irritation now. "I really think it's time to get to bed. You'll wake up your brother."

"He could sleep through a demon attack," Izaiyo huffed in return.

"Why do you always give your mother such a hard time?" Inuyasha chuckled, entering the hut.

"Daddy!" He knelt down as the small girl catapulted herself into his arms, watching as she moved with graceful steps. She was small, only five years old, with his long silver hair flowing down her back. Her skin was a soft alabaster but her ears were human like her mothers.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Inuyasha asked, trying to look stern.

"I want to stay up all night like you and Mommy do." She spoke through a yawn, giving away her real desires.

"Not tonight." He lifted her into his arms, carrying her into a separate room towards her cot.

"Tomorrow night?" She asked, her eyes already drooping.

"Maybe." Kagome interjected. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight Mama. Goodnight Daddy." Izaiyo whispered, curling up on her cot as Inuyasha tucked her in.

"Is the little bastard asleep, too?" Inuyasha asked, smirking down at his wife as he rose back up to his full height.

"For the last few hours, yes." She sighed in contentment, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. "Maybe if we're quiet he'll stay that way."

Wrapping his arms around Kagome's slender frame, Inuyasha peeked into the crib that rested beside Izaiyo's cot. Inside, swaddled in blankets and sucking on his thumb, was a small boy no more than a few months old. His hair was long, as his father's had been when he was born, but was a dark jet black like his mother's. Atop his head sat two very soft looking black ears. Contented with the fact that his pups were safe, he lifted his wife into his arms.

"We'll be quiet then," he teased playfully, carrying her out of the children's room towards where their cot was nestled near the fire.

"I missed you," she breathed, nestling her nose into the crook of his neck.

"I was only gone two days," he huffed, smiling lightly as he settled down upon the floor, holding her gently in his lap.

"Two days too long." She spoke, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"Oi, stop that." He smirked, using his thumb to free it from her teeth.

"What if I don't want to?" She grinned mischievously before once again nibbling upon her lip.

"Kagome," he growled in what was meant to be a menacing way, but the smile upon his lips was less than threatening. "Stop."

"Make me," she grinned.

The hanyou pushed forward, dropping her off his lap and onto the ground as he closed the distance between them. She let out a shriek as she fell, giggling as he caught her lips with his in a playfully passionate kiss.

These were the moments she lived for. Her husband's strength to keep her safe, a playfulness between them even after six years, a passion still burning within them and her children sleeping peacefully in the next room.

As if on cue, the baby began to cry.

"So much for quiet." Inuyasha smirked.

"So much for staying asleep," Kagome groaned.

"I'll get him," He kissed her nose gently as he rose from their spot on the floor and disappeared into the small room set aside for their children. Quickly he approached the crib, careful to remove the small baby before he could wake his slumbering sister.

"Stop making all that noise, would ya?" He whispered. "That's got to hurt your ears as bad as it hurt mine."

As soon as the small child had been lifted into his Inuyasha's arms, he quieted immediately. His large liquid topaz eyes gazed up at his father.

Quietly Kagome padded over to the wall, leaning against it as she listened to her husband speak softly to their son.

"Now listen up, brat." Inuyasha huffed. "Your Mama and I need some time alone and you need lots of sleep so let's make a deal here. You give me tonight and I'll make sure to hide all these nasty pink blankets so that your Mama will stop emasculating you. Sound good?"

As if in response the small child in his arms cooed.

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other." Inuyasha smirked, instinctively rocking the baby gently in his arms.

Slowly Kagome padded across the floor. She knew immediately that Inuyasha heard her coming just from the way his ears twitched in her direction, but he made no move or sound to acknowledge her. Gently she leaned her cheek against his shoulder blade, wrapping her arms around his waist as he continued to comfort their child.

For a moment she was quiet, breathing in his natural scent and relishing in the way his body swayed as he rocked their baby. The silence was only broken as Kagome began to hum, a soft and sweet lullaby her mother had sung to her when she was smaller than Izaiyo.

"I love you," Inuyasha spoke; his voice soft and quiet as they lulled the baby to sleep.

Kagome smiled, never stopping her soft humming, as she gently pressed herself tighter against him in response.

The End.