Youkai are some of the most fearsome creatures. Back in ancient times, they ruled over the lands, coming and going as they pleased. Once upon a time, a village's survival depended fully on the kind of youkai that overlooked their lands, and even then it was common for lesser tiered youkai to destroy huts, kill livestock, or kidnap unsuspecting villagers. Eventually, times changed, and the human population soared to heights never before seen, prompting the youkai world to completely change their dynamic with humankind. Nowadays, youkai and humans live peacefully together with the knowledge that working together bore bigger fruits than fighting against one another.

Of the more dangerous variants of youkai are the inuyokai, known for their ferocity and superb hunting skills. Sharp fangs, claws that cut better than most swords, and heightened senses all helped their kind become the ultimate predator.

It was a most bewildering sight to witness, two of the deadliest creatures on Earth seated in tiny pink chairs and sipping imaginary tea with a small group of young girls.

Kagome held her hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her giggles. Today was their daughter's fifth birthday, and Koemi's wish was to play tea party with all her friends. Of course, this also included her father and uncle. Inuyasha often played princess and held tea parties with their daughter, although the only audience present during these times would be Kagome and a fleet of plush bears and other assorted toys. It was watching the great Lord Sesshomaru that amused her to no end; a cold-blooded killer, sporting a bright pink feathered boa and a matching sun hat. If only Kagome hadn't left her phone in the kitchen, she would have killed to have photographic evidence of this precious moment.

Luckily for Kagome, Kagura is always ready for moments like these. She has no shame in taking photos of her husband in the most compromising of positions. Kagura has probably hundreds of those kinds of photos, all of them different but equal in the way they soften the 'heart-of-ice' taiyoukai.

"Kagura, make sure you send me copies of those!" Kagome laughed.

"Oh, don't worry, I think I'm going to make this our next Christmas card," Kagura teased. A low growl that went unnoticed by the group of girls reached the two onlookers, although it failed to have its desired effect. Instead, it merely egged the two women on more, the sounds of giggling and camera shutters overshadowing Sesshomaru's irritated growling.

"Hi mommy!"

"Princess Koemi," Kagome flourished, giving the birthday girl a fancy curtsey. "The mid-day snack is ready if it pleases you?"

"Yes!"

"Shall we move to the kitchen then?" Both Kagome and Kagura stuck out their arms for the giddy girls as they left to meet Sango in the kitchen, filling the hallway with their giggling. Koemi was the last to leave as she took the small, purple tiara off of Inuyasha's head so she could switch it with Sesshomaru's sun hat.

"There Uncle Sess, you can wear the tiara next time!" Koemi said, throwing her little arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his nose, before running out to the kitchen. Kagome's heart felt warm watching her daughter interact with her brother-in-law. She knew that his relationship with Inuyasha had always been rocky; they both grew into such different people that it was more difficult for them to be able to connect with one another. She was glad those feelings didn't stick to her children, especially since her daughter is usually Sesshomaru's shadow whenever he was around.

"Ugh, that was so adorable," Kagura sighed, holding one hand to her chest. "Thank you so much for having a daughter who loves tea parties that I can piggyback off of."

"I take it Rin was never a fan of them?"

"No, Rin was far more concerned with picking flowers, climbing trees, and splashing in mud puddles. At least now I get to live the princess stage vicariously through Koemi."

"Easy for you to say dear, when you're the one behind the camera and not in front of it," Sesshomaru said as he stood with Inuyasha, slightly rushing to take off the bright, glittery accessories that were strewn on him.

"Keh, don't be such a stick in the mud Sesshomaru. Not Kagura's fault Koemi's obsessed with you. For reasons unknown." Inuyasha muttered the last part, flopping the oversized sun hat onto his now empty chair, although it did nothing to stop Sesshomaru from hearing it. Sesshomaru sniffed pompously at Inuyasha as he exited the room with Kagura following afterwards. While he exerted a huge amount of patience with the children, Sesshomaru was always one to think highly of his appearance, and no doubt wanted to be completely free of any feathers, glitter, or wrinkles on his person.

Kagome merely smiled at them both as they walked past her. Sesshomaru could huff and puff all he wanted, but Kagome knew that deep down, Sesshomaru was just a big old softie when it came to children. She still remembered how he acted the day that Koemi was born. He acted as though he had better places to be that day than coming to meet his new niece, but his unwillingness on entering the room coupled with a slightly apprehensive look in his eyes told Kagome he was merely attempting to mask his cautious emotions with indifference. Despite his uninterested demeanor, Kagome was adamant about having all immediate family hold her new daughter. They had learned from their first child that it was important for infant inuyoukai to take in the scent of all family members who would help care for the child. This included Sesshomaru, whether he liked it or not.

In order to gain some semblance of control, Sesshomaru waited until he and Kagura were the only people left in the room to hold her, but it was worth every second of it to see her usually emotionless brother-in-law interact with her new daughter. Kagome and Inuyasha had never seen the stone cold taiyoukai hold anything with such care, let alone crack a smile. Suddenly, it was like everyone else in the room didn't exist except for Sesshomaru and their daughter. She babbled for a few seconds before wrapping her tiny little hand around one of his clawed fingers, giving him a warm smile, and falling asleep in his arms. In fact, it was that first smile she gave Sesshomaru that led Kagome and Inuyasha to call her Koemi.

Ever since that day, Koemi's favorite person has been her Uncle Sess. If there are days when the kids need a babysitter, Sesshomaru and Kagura are usually the first called since Koemi is always on her best behaviour for him. Which is much to her brothers' chagrin when that happens; Kichirou would much rather be spoiled and pampered by grandma over at the shrine than forced to go to bed at a reasonable time at Uncle's.

"Where's the other pup?" Inuyasha asked, pulling his wife into a gentle embrace

"I believe Rin and the boys are all outside playing," she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him in for a chaste kiss. "Did you want to go and bring them inside for their snack? I'm sure Rin could use a break from entertaining that rambunctious lot."

"Are you kidding?" he chuckled. "No doubt Rin is putting all those boys through the ringer, no matter how old they are."

Kagome laughed at that statement. If there was one trait Rin picked up from her father, it was competitiveness. Neither age, nor gender, nor species were valid excuses for losing. At least Rin was much kinder to her opponents than her father was.

"Well then, you might want to go and save them from her then," she replied. They came together for one last, lingering kiss before pulling away. Inuyasha walked out into the hallway, leaving Kagome to tear down the tea party that had taken over Rin's room.

It was hard for Kagome to believe that eleven years had passed. So much had transpired in their lives since Inuyasha had proposed. The first couple of years were hectic for the newly engaged couple. A month and a half after their vacation, Kagome found out that she was pregnant. Pregnancy was, in a word, exhausting, between work and house hunting - since it was now imperative for them to find a bigger home with a little one on the way. They decided to have a small ceremony at her grandfather's shrine about six months in, in lieu of a larger affair. A couple of months afterwards, baby Kichirou was born, and five years later, Koemi completed their family of four. Kagome was now the official owner and head chef of the diner she had been working at, and Inuyasha's mechanic shop was doing so well, he was able to hire several new employees to counter the boom in business they had seen in the last few years. Life for her little family could not have been better.

A muffled yelp reached Kagome as she put away the last of Koemi's princess accessories, followed by the shrieking giggles she knew belonged to the group of boys outside. Glancing out the window, she saw Inuyasha crouched on the ground, as if ready to pounce. The small group of boys were howling with laughter as they ran as fast as their little legs would take them; Rin was playfully barking out orders in an attempt to thwart their new enemy, Inuyasha, while Sota stood on the sidelines catching everything on camera. Kagome huffed lightly at her husband; She should have known he would get all caught up in their game instead of herding them inside. She didn't concern herself over it much, though. Inuyasha would soon work up an appetite chasing those boys, and demand everyone to go inside and eat. Little could stop Inuyasha when he was hungry enough.

Kagome was thankful for Sesshomaru and Kagura allowing them use of their home for Koemi's birthday. A couple of years ago, Inuyasha and Kagome had made the decision that when one child had a birthday, the other was allowed to bring a few of their own friends to come and celebrate. It helped keep both kids happily occupied, especially since their interests became extremely varied; Koemi was your typical little girl who loved everything girly and pink, while Kichirou wanted nothing more than to be a great warrior like his inuyoukai ancestors. While their own home was spacious enough for the family of four, it was easy for the house to become cramped, especially as their immediate family grew throughout the years. Sesshomaru's home was practically a mansion - in Kagome's eyes anyways - and provided them space for both the children to run around and for the adults to mingle.

'I'll have to find a way to thank them for this,' Kagome thought as she made her way back downstairs. Sango was still stationed in the kitchen, watching over the girls as they ate their snack. Miroku and her grandfather were seated in the living room chatting up a storm; Miroku had majored in Religion in college, which made him the perfect candidate to talk all about the family shrine to. Mama was guiding Ayumi, Hojo, and Eri, who had just arrived, into the dining room where all of Koemi's presents were sitting just as Sesshomaru and Kagura were making their way downstairs.

Kagome loved birthdays. She loved how everyone would come together to celebrate another year of life. No matter how big or small the affair, there would be nothing but smiles on everyone's face and laughter filling the air. Every year was different; the guest list for a birthday party fluctuated from the death or birth of a family member to new friends and marriages. The older the kids got, the more intricate the party, but Kagome took it all in stride. She'd do anything to make her kid's birthday a day they'd never forget.

Kagome heard the sound of the back door being flung open as the small group of boys stormed through the house with Rin and Sota bringing up the rear.

"All right runts, make sure you wash your hands before grabbing anything in that kitchen. Don't make me sick the dog on ya," Inuyasha yelled to the boys. One look at the mischievous glint in Inuyasha's eyes and Kagome knew that last statement was a jab at Sesshomaru. It wasn't one of his finest jokes, but Inuyasha had learned that sometimes, it didn't take much to rile his brother up.

"Now now, play nice boys, or I'll have to make you hold hand the rest of the night!" Kagome joked. She made her way towards Sango to prepare her and the girls for the onslaught of boys that would invade the kitchen, leaving her husband and brother-in-law to stand in the hallway, a look of pure disgust on their faces.

No matter what, she would hold on to these memories for as long as she could.

《~~~~~~~~~~~》

Kichirou and Koemi were many things. Smart, caring, determined. Sneaky was not one of them, especially when it came to Koemi.

Currently, the two pups were huddled in the living room together, whispering about some 'super top secret birthday plan'. Not like it was a secret for much longer; Kichirou was beginning to get better at keeping his voice low and unintelligible, but Koemi's loud whispers could be discernible by human standards, let alone a youkai's. She didn't seem to have put much thought into what it meant to have an inu hanyou for a father. They might have come out on top in terms of secrecy had Kagome been the one in charge of getting them ready for bed - instead she was putting all of the leftover food and cake they brought back with them into the fridge. Unfortunately for them, Inuyasha could hear every word they said, no matter how quiet they thought they were being. And he was not liking what he was hearing.

Inuyasha would have thought that after a full day of princess duties and warrior battles that the pups would have been in a deep sleep by the time they arrived back home, in need of their father to carry them inside. Instead, they had conversed throughout the entire ride home, keeping both of them awake. After changing into their pajamas, Koemi and Kichirou were sent to go brush their teeth while Inuyasha was turning down beds and plugging in nightlights. He had become suspicious when neither of the pups arrived in their rooms, and had ventured down into the living room to spy on them when a most dreadful word hit his ears.

'Puppy'.

Inuyasha silently groaned. It was definitely near the bottom of Inuyasha's list of 'things he didn't want to talk about tonight'. In hindsight, he should have seen this day coming. This wasn't the first time Kichirou had pleaded his case to his parents for a dog, although this was the first time he was bringing Koemi into the mix. Inuyasha could picture it now. Koemi will prattle on about how much fun she had today, and how she got so many gifts. 'Do you know what would be the best gift though, daddy? A puppy!'. Well, if they thought they could corner one singular parent after a long day of babysitting almost ten children to get what they wanted, then they were sorely mistaken. Inuyasha was not having this conversation tonight, no matter how many cute, puppy eyes they could conjure up.

Inuyasha wasn't sure exactly when he officially decided to never become a dog owner. It wasn't like he had anything against dogs. If he had to pinpoint as exact a moment as he could muster, it was probably sometime in high school. One day after school, Inuyasha had found an injured stray dog near some dumpsters. A small group of two, maybe three people had been trying to get a hold of the dog to get him looked at, but the mongrel was so terrified that he growled and nipped at anyone who attempted to get near him. Wanting to do his part, Inuyasha stuck around and was able to coax the dog out enough to grab him by the scruff of his neck and calm him enough to get into a cage. Inuyasha was barely phased by the whole ordeal, but a couple of students in his class had caught the whole exchange on camera, and the next day at school, Inuyasha was bequeathed the title of 'Dog Whisperer'. It soon became an on-going joke with everyone he went to school with, and by the time the term 'dog parent' was thrown into the mix, Inuyasha had sworn to himself he would never see a dog in his household.

Throughout the years, Inuyasha had finally made his peace with his classmate's generally good-natured jests, but his stubbornness would still not allow him to break his old promise to himself to never get a dog. Besides, Inuyasha had no desire to explain to his children his reasons why he didn't want to get a dog. Kichirou and Koemi had been lucky so far, in that no one had yet made a big deal of their demonic features, especially when paired with their human mother, and Inuyasha wanted to keep it that way. There was no point in opening up a bad can of worms.

"Oi, what's the hold up out here?" Inuyasha barked as he stepped fully into the living room. He had to hold back a smirk as the two pups jumped in surprise at being found out.

"We're not holding anything!"Koemi replied, holding out her empty hands as evidence.

"Hmmm…" Inuyasha walked towards them and grabbed Koemi's wrists, diligently inspecting them as if he was trying to find an invisible object. Koemi giggled at the action, and Inuyasha could see Kichirou's shoulders relax. "I suppose you're right, birthday girl. It's time for bed though, so scamper on upstairs."

"First one upstairs wins, Koemi!" Suddenly, the two pups were a blur as they raced past Inuyasha, laughter floating throughout the house and their thundering footsteps rattling the staircase. Inuyasha let out a soft chuckle before slowly making his way upstairs. He would definitely have to be on his toes tonight.

The first room on the agenda for bedtime is always Koemi's. Either Inuyasha or Kagome will go in to read her a bedtime story and tuck her into bed, making sure there are no monsters in the closet or under her bed. Kichirou's turn for goodnight hugs is afterwards, since he is older and sometimes allowed to stay up a little later than his younger sister. Kichirou used to snuggle up with his sister for the daily bedtime story, which usually led to either parent having to carry him back to his room if he fell asleep, but he had decided a couple of years ago that he was too old for bedtime stories,making bedtime a separate act for both kids. Tonight seemed like it was a special occasion. Inuyasha peered into Koemi's room to find the two of them snuggled up tight in her bed, almost lost among the animal shaped pillows and stuffed toys that took refuge there.

It was a sight that would have melted his heart had he no idea of the scheming that was being planned between them just a few minutes ago.

"Well, Kichi, this is a surprise," Inuyasha marveled, fully walking in the room to stand beside the bed. "Are you joining us for the bedtime story tonight?"

"It's Ko's birthday, so I figured I could sit in on one bedtime story." Koemi squeezed her brother a little tighter at his answer.

"Well, isn't that thoughtful of you," 'Or should I say convenient?' "Alright then pups, what story will it be tonight?"

Koemi immediately shot her hand up. "Tell us the one about Inukane and the dog!"

'Of course they'd choose THAT story…' he thought resignedly, combing through his memories to recall the story.

'Inukane and the Stray', as Kagome had titled it, was a story about a great inu youkai who once came upon an injured dog while scouting in his forest. Inukane felt compassion for the stray dog, so he carried him to a nearby cave to tend to his wounds. After communicating with the dog, Inukane learned that a group of bandits was ravaging villages that lie along the borders of his forest. The dog barely managed to escape with his life when the bandits came through the village his master lived in. Inukane became angry at the dog's story and ventured out to fight the bandits that would hurt the innocent people who lived along his forest. After a long battle, Inukane defeated the bandits. On his way back to the cave, Inukane discovers that there is no one left in the village the dog lived in. The dog is saddened to learn the fate of his master and village, but Inukane makes a deal with the dog. From that moment on, the dog lives with Inukane and helps him guard the forest and villages for the rest of his life.

Inuyasha, truthfully, was a little scared to find out if there was a dog stashed in the backyard somewhere. Making a mental note to check for any stray dogs at the end of the night, he sat at the end of the bed and began his story.

《~~~~~~~~~~~》

'This is definitely Koemi's biggest haul of birthday presents to date.' Kagome thought as she transferred paper plates filled with food and cake. Her mother had gone all out this year, which meant taking heaping plates home so that Kagura's fridge wasn't bogged down with an assortment of different foods. This was definitely the most elaborate party she had held for the now five year old, and Kagome knew she would really have to get her noggin running to think of something just as good for next year. Luckily, her daughter was fairly easy to please, for now anyways.

The slight creaking of the staircase suddenly caught her attention. Thinking Inuyasha had successfully put the kids to bed, Kagome walked towards the living room to see if Inuyasha wanted a drink before bed. She was surprised, instead, to see Koemi and Kichirou whispering next to the television.

Kagome wasn't naive to what her children were whispering about. In fact, this wasn't the first time she had caught them planning out the perfect chance to ask daddy to buy them a puppy. Kichirou was the ringleader, of course his desire to have his own dog was years in the making, although he didn't have to work hard to convince his younger sister to conspire with him. Their plan had been in the works for about two months now. Kagome had learned from Sesshomaru that Kichirou had come to him to learn about pack mentality and alpha status - under the guise of wanting to learn more about their inu youkai heritage - meanwhile Koemi tried to familiarize herself with dogs as much as she could, from movies and television shows to reading all kinds of books that featured dogs. Koemi and Kichirou had even been diligently keeping up with all their chores, plus some.

Most importantly though, Kagome had listened in to a conversation between her two children a month ago about how they could get around convincing their parents to get them a dog, so the proverbial 'cat was out of the bag'. Or dog, in this case.

Kagome had decided not to worry Inuyasha with this new bit of information when she put all the pieces together, intrigued at what their children would come up with to win them over. More so Inuyasha than herself anyways. In a playful sort of way, Kagome also wanted to see how Inuyasha would react to it all. For as long as she had known him, Inuyasha was adamant about not owning a dog. Inuyasha claimed that he "wasn't a dog person", a statement Kagome found incredibly hilarious, seeing as he was a dog demon. After Buyo passed away when Kichirou was only three years old, she had tried to persuade him to think about them having another pet, even if it was just another cat. Inuyasha just wouldn't budge on the issue while also never giving a reason. It was one of the greatest mysteries about her husband that, even after more than ten years, she hadn't figured out.

Which is why when Kagome saw their two children plotting in the living room when they should have been going to bed, she decided to simply let it be and see how things played out.

She had finished putting away the leftover birthday cake and started prepping the kitchen for breakfast the next day when she finally heard Inuyasha break up the gathering. Kagome let out a breathy chuckle; she could almost feel their thundering footsteps pounding against the staircase. Kagome hastily finished prepping for the next morning and quietly bounded up the staircase. She stopped beside of Koemi's door just as Koemi was demanding Inuyasha read 'Inukane and the Stray'.

'I wouldn't have expected anything less,' she bemusedly thought, listening to Inuyasha's soft sigh as he complied to her request. Kagome risked peeking into the room, and she couldn't help but admire the tenacity of their children as she took in the scene before her. Koemi and Kichirou were both snuggled up tight together on the bed. Kagome could barely see Koemi as she was almost lost among her large collection of blankets and pillows. Kichirou, who was laying closest to the wall, held his little sister in the crook of his right arm, the opposite hand entwined with her own.

Kagome couldn't remember the last time they had slept in the same bed together. Kichirou had ended that practice a couple of years ago at least, so she knew this was a tactic being used to amplify their cuteness factor. They probably thought the cuter they could be, the more likely they'd be able to butter Inuyasha up for when the question is finally asked. And Kagome had to give it to them, this was a most heart warming sight.

'I really need to start carrying my phone with me more!' she chastised to herself, giving up on lurking in the dark hallway to lean up against the doorway, soaking up the picture of her family. Inuyasha was nearly done storytelling, his arms waving in the air as he began acting out the big fight scene. Inuyasha must have told this story at least a dozen times over the last year or so, but the children still sat together completely transfixed by their father's gestures. They gasped in all the right places and were still able to quote the legendary Inukane's last words to the dreadful bandit king right before Inukane's sword exacted justice.

Kagome had been a little saddened when Kichirou had said he had grown too old for bedtime stories. She had forgotten how much she missed seeing her two children snuggled up against one another. It was inevitable, as the years went by, that both of them would grow too old to be playing with toys or being read their favourite bedtime stories by their father. She could do nothing to stop the passage of time, her only option to capture these rare fleeting moments and lock them to memory.

"The dog had become very sad to hear about the fate of his village, but Inukane was inspired by the dog's strength despite all the hardships he went through, and offered him a deal. Inukane would look after the dog in exchange for assistance in keeping all bad demons out of his forest and away from the villages. The dog agreed, and from then on became Inukane's most trusted companion. The end."

"And that's why dogs are everyone's best friend!" Koemi exclaimed as she attempted to flourish her entangled hands.

"Well…" Inuyasha never really had the heart to tell his pups that the stories he told them every night weren't real - although he was fairly certain Kichirou knew better. "That is one of many stories out there I'm sure." Inuyasha mentally patted himself on the back for the good save.

"Daddy, you know what that story tells us, right?" Inuyasha had never seen Koemi's eyes enlarge and brighten as they did now. There was no possible way she hadn't rehearsed that just for this moment, and it took him extreme constraint to not groan aloud. He knew exactly what was coming next.

"And what's that pup?" He asked, attempting to tune out that giggling wife of his. He knew he was outnumbered three-to-one when it came to getting a dog, and he needed to be sure of himself in this situation, otherwise he'll be more likely to lose this challenge.

"Inukane wants us to get a puppy!"

"Yeah dad!" Kichirou retorted, backing Koemi up before Inuyasha could get a word in. "Inukane was a great inu youkai warrior. How can we live with not honoring our great ancestor by caring for a dog like he did?"

He knew this line of thought was coming, but he was still baffled by it. Inuyasha shot his son a look from under his bangs, only to receive a humorous glint back. Kichirou knew the story was made up, but Koemi didn't, and if he wanted to refute that last statement Inuyasha would have to confess his lies to his only daughter on the night of her birthday.

'Cheeky little shit.'

"Look-"

"Pleeeeeeeease daddy! I promise to feed the dog everyday, and I'll always keep him brushed. Kichirou said he would help me walk him!" Koemi whined. She had risen onto her knees, untangling herself from Kichirou to clasp her hands together in prayer.

"We'll take good care of the dog, we swear! Please dad?"

Inuyasha was suddenly buried under an endless stream of please's and promises. His ears folded inward in an attempt to drown out his pup's pleading voices. This was not a conversation he wanted now, not at this hour. He needed to buy himself some time, so in an attempt to delay crushing his pup's hearts in a single moment, he slapped a hand on each of their mouths, stifling their voices.

"Alright, look," he started, giving each pup a stern look meant to advise them that he meant business. "I promise that tomorrow night, we will sit down and talk about the possibility of us getting a dog."

Inuyasha could hear the sharp gasps of his daughter and had to lean more forward to keep his hand across her mouth.

"You will not hound either myself or your mother throughout the day. After dinner, you will be allowed to make your case, and your mother and I will decide if it's good enough."

One moment, Inuyasha was upright on the bed, and the next he was toppled over, nearly crashing to the floor. Koemi and Kichirou had managed to pin Inuyasha to the bed, darting out from under his hands so quickly that, to their human observer, they were nothing more than two silver blurs. From the doorway, Kagome's giggling began to morph into a deep laugh as Inuyasha tried to talk over their children. According to him, there was always the possibility he would put his foot down and say no to the dog. But she could see how the laughter and smiles that graced their faces began relentlessly breaking down the walls Inuyasha had worked so hard to put up.

Inuyasha was possibly the most stubborn man she had ever met, but Kagome knew that underneath it all, when it came to their children, Inuyasha would do anything to keep those smiles intact. Even if it meant putting his own feelings aside and getting a dog. He just didn't quite know that last part yet.

Kagome made a split second decision, swiftly and quietly making her way into the bedroom she and Inuyasha shared to grab her phone from within her purse. Rin, who was currently going to school for photography, had volunteered to take all the photos from the party, but Kagome wanted at least one memorable photo to add to her phone's gallery to commemorate the special moment happening just two doors down.

When Kagome made her way back to Koemi's room, she was surprised to find Inuyasha tucking two very sleepy children to bed. It seemed like all the excitement from the day finally wore them down, especially with the knowledge that they could possibly be getting a dog soon. Kagome was slightly disappointed that she wouldn't get a group selfie with her little family, but the sight of Koemi snuggled up into Kichirou's side pushed any melancholic thoughts about it aside.

Kagome came up beside Inuyasha, skimming her hand along his arm. After a few moments, making sure she had a good angle, she snapped a quick photo. Kagome gripped Inuyasha's shoulder, showing him the photo. The lamp that sat on Koemi's bedside table emitted a golden glow that enveloped the sleeping children in an amber blanket of soft light; the light and shadows blended together dying their naturally silver hair into a burnt orange, similar to the kitsune family that lived down the street.

Kagome looked up from the phone to their children. She grabbed his hand and squeezed lightly.

"It's like a sunset," she mused. Kagome was reminded of the day Inuyasha proposed, right at sunrise over the Pacific Ocean. To this day, it was the most beautiful sunrise she had ever witnessed. As Kagome lovingly gazed upon her children, her pups, she saw how the soft amber light that covered them reminded her of a sunset. Except this sight was more beautiful than any other sunset she had ever seen. She smiled warmly at the thought that she spent her best sunrises and sunsets with her husband and children.

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his lap as they sat together and watched their two sleeping children fall deeper and deeper into a restful slumber. They could have watched over Kichirou and Koemi for hours, opting instead to turn off the light and leave the room. Kagome wrapped her arm around Inuyasha's waist as they began heading downstairs toward the kitchen. Kagome and Inuyasha were looking forward to having a drink together to toast to a wonderful birthday for Koemi.

Inuyasha placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head once they arrived in the kitchen, breaking off to grab the bottle of wine they had previously chilled in the fridge. Kagome finally took a moment to collect her thoughts, breathing in deeply. It had been a long and busy day, but Kagome - with their two beautiful children sleeping soundly upstairs and her amazing husband who was pouring wine - took it all in stride. For now, all was quiet throughout the Taisho residence, and Kagome had some time to rest before diving into plans for the next birthday.

'Perhaps I can coordinate with the diner for Inuyasha's birthday,' she pondered lightly, envisioning all the winter themed treats she could concoct for him. Kagome inwardly grinned at herself; not even a full day has passed since and she was already planning another party. She didn't mind though. Kagome had always liked to keep herself busy, and what better way to do that than to plan the next best birthday bash.

Besides, she'd do anything for that wonderful family of hers.

A/N: IT'S FINALLY DONE Y'ALL!

Firstly, a BIG thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my little story! I've gotten a lot of positive reactions from you guys, and it's really helped me crawl out of my shell to be more comfortable in my writing. It's so weird to think all this came from one little White Day one shot. I've had a lot of fun getting back into writing and am ready to take on new challenges!

So, as far as this particular story goes, it's completed. BUT. I didn't realize how attached I would become once I named their children (and yes I am aware of the new Inuyasha sequel coming out), but I love Koemi and Kichirou too much to give them up. I want to start doing prompt writing, and I figured I could expand more on their life through those than a full story. If that makes any sense? I have some other story ideas I've been dying to get into, so I'll take a small break from this AU for a bit.

Before I go, a few name meanings if anyone is interested. Kichirou means 'lucky son' and Koemi is 'smiling'. I liked Ko (meaning baby) as a little nickname that Kagome and Inuyasha would like to use with her, since she's the youngest and will always be their baby. Kichirou's name has a lot to do with his birthday and the stigma some people give Kagome and Inuyasha for getting pregnant before marriage. That's definitely a prompt I'll be writing when I comeback to it though! Inukane is one i came up with myself. Kane can mean 'golden', so I though 'Golden Dog' would be a name Inuyasha would come up with then thinking of that bedtime story!