Rough written: 2005-12-12
Edited: 2005-12-16 by Princess Pixie, Dominique-kun and FOG
Good copy done: 2005 -12-16 (until I decide to fix it again)
Revised: n/a
This is my first one-shot. I will confess, this story wrote itself 100. My original plot line was on the other side of the spectrum. I hope you enjoy.
Bouzo - Insulting term for monk
Baka -Idiot
Hanyou - Half Demon
Haori - Inuyasha'souter coat
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, only the creator, Rumiko Takahashi, does.
I'm never going to understand her he thought to himself as he stared at her profile. It was night and the lech had secured yet another room with his the infamous 'ominous aura' crap. At the line the headman completely forgot that he was currently trying to throw the bouzo out on his lecherous ass for groping his eldest daughter. I think by the time he remembered he had already invited us in. The hanyou had to suppress a chuckle at that.
A small sigh from the girl in front of him caused him to focus his attention back to her. Her body was sitting just inside the door, wrapped in a blanket provided by the headman. He could see her breath as it left her mouth float softy in the air before her face as it disappeared. Her cheeks were rosy from what he could tell from the full moon's light. Even her cute nose had a light dusting of red from the cold air of the winter's night. Although Inuyasha could help but admit that Kagome looked adorable with her relaxed features staring out into the night. However, what captured him the most were her eyes; they were a tranquil sea of blue, mixed with a hint of grey. Anyone looking at them would be immediately put at peace. As he looked at her eyes he found them more expressive and open than they were normally. How could they get more expressive dammit! She's going to get hurt one day if she keeps being too trusting. At the thoughts of someone hurting the girl in front of him he started to emit a light growl. Once he realized that he was growling he tried to stop it before she heard.
Unfortunately his efforts were in vain. Kagome heard his growl and startled from her thoughts turned her head to look at the hanyou sitting in the corner of the room nearest her. The moon's light couldn't reach him from where he was sitting, but that didn't stop it from reflecting off his snowy hair as it did with the flakes that was gently falling outside, nor did it stop from reflecting in his golden eyes.
Even though Inuyasha tried to act like he never cared for any of them or acted like he wasn't interested she could always tell. Despite what he said or how he acted Kagome could always read him when she looked him in the eyes. They were the gates to his soul, to his thoughts and feelings, they were the gates to the boy that lived within. The boy that was afraid of getting hurt and betrayed. He needs to be protected and loved.
"What's wrong Inuyasha?" came her soft whisper. Any normal human wouldn't be able to hear her, but she knew that those fuzzy white triangles on his head that were trained in her direction would have picked up her voice.
"Nothing important, wench." His reply was gruff and seemingly uncaring.
"Are you sure?"
"Feh." After that there was another pause. Though this one was not a comfortable as the one before was. Kagome searched his eyes. She could see he was curious about something but wasn't saying anything about it. He's not going to ask. Giving another soft sigh, she turned back to watch that snow that was falling slowly to the earth.
It was the first snow of the year. Ever since she could remember she had always had a white Christmas. The holiday was only a week away she had thought that there wouldn't have been any in time. I'm never disappointed. The snow was falling in fluffy balls, silent on the still wind. The moon was illuminating each flake so that it seemed to glow with its own light until it landed to coat the frozen ground. Already a soft blanket of snow had hidden the imperfections of the land, the footprints, holes and rocks were gone. There was only a smooth endless sea of white powder with little jewels that sparkled and danced in the pale light of the peaceful night. For one moment in time there were no evils, no jewel shards to find, nor any death. All that existed was a bubble where everything was perfect.
Seeing the content look in Kagome's eyes Inuyasha wondered, not for the first time, what it was that made her so content. Sighing he gave in.
"What are you looking at?" Startled once again, Kagome settled her gaze back onto the hanyou.
"The snow."
"The snow?" There was an unmistakable hint of doubt in his voice, "What the hell is so interesting about snow, wench?
She was so at peace that she decided to let him get away with that comment. Once again she turned her eyes back to the scene outside before answering him. "Because."
He waited a little longer to see if there was anything else to her answer but there wasn't. "'Because' why?"
Glancing out the corner of her eye at Inuyasha, "Come here, and look outside." She watched as he complied with her request. Settling down behind her so he could see over her head he looked outside. What he saw was snow, snow falling on the ground.
"All I see is snow."
"Exactly."
"Huh. What is that supposed to mean?"
"Can't you see the way that the light reflects off the snow? The patterns that the snow flakes make as they fall to the ground? The way that the gentle wind makes them dance? Or the way that they cover the scars in the ground from human hands, reclaiming it back for the Earth?"
As she questioned him, never taking her blue orbs off the sight before her, Inuyasha began to see what she was. With little more than open awe at the world that was now open to him he too stared out into the night. He also found himself in a world where there were no decisions between living or dying, no choices between turning demon or human. Both of the were at peace. No thoughts flowed through their heads as they watched the dance of the snow.
He didn't know how long they had sat there watching. He retreated to his memories trying to find what it was that awakened him from his trance. As Inuyasha sat there thinking, he was once again awoken by the shivering form of Kagome. Of course, the door is open baka. He almost had to hit himself on the head for that one. Reaching over her form to close the door, he stopped as her soft voice came to his ears.
"Don't please, the snow hasn't stopped yet."
"But you're cold" He was surprised that his own voice was just as soft and caring. Her only reply was a shake of her head. He didn't know what to do. Do as she asked and let her freeze, or close the door and lose the calm between them. Looking once more out at the softly falling snow he knew what to do.
Carefully he untied his haori and lifted Kagome so that she was sitting on his lap. Once she was in place he wrapped the edges of his haori around her small frame. She was tense, why was he doing this? I should move, but oh it's so warm. Slowly she leaned back into the source of the heat. Her head resting on his shoulder and Inuyasha's chin on her head. They both continued to watch the flow of ice crystals as they rained from the heavens.
Only one thought went though Kagome's mind, before she fell back into the sleep-like trance of the falling snow. Now everything is perfect.
Thanks for reading,
SIH