Chapter 6
"Nauki, would you stop hopping around, constantly looking out the window?" Inu-Yasha turned to quietly glare at the girl. She was slightly getting on his nerves. "Seems to me, she is waiting for Kagome," Kaede said, stirring the fire. "That doesn't make any sense. She growled at her yesterday." "Growled?" "Yeah. Kind of shocked Kagome a little." He laid back resting his chin in his hand. "Nauki, calm down..." "It is not normal for a child to growl, Inu-Yasha." "You're telling me.." "There are so many riddles about yon child." She closed her eyes, thinking. "Riddles? She was a girl hanging in a tree left to die, old woman." He glanced back at her, then back to Nauki who was still hopping up and down trying to look out the window. "But why was she hanging in a tree? Who put her there? What purpose would someone want in killing a small child?" Inu-Yasha sighed. "I don't know, but I don't like it, none the same." "Neither do I. What threat could a small child have against anyone?" As they sat there pondering, Nauki started to sniff the air. She hopped up and down faster. *She's coming! She's coming!* She ran to the door, ready to pounce on Kagome. As soon as Kagome stepped in, brushing the curtain aside, Nauki pounced her. "Oof!" She looked up at the girl sitting on her stomach. "I thought you didn't like me..." Nauki tilted her head like she didn't know what she was talking about. She cooed at her, bouncing a little more on Kagome's stomach. "Well, that's a change." "Nauki, get off of her. If you pounce her to death, you can't play with her later." Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. "You certainly are a strange kid," Kagome said as she sat up. *Strange? You call me strange with what you're wearing?* Nauki blinked her eyes in response. "So, you still want to try and give her a bath?" Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome. "Yeah, I guess so. She hasn't had one in a week since we found her." "If ye put her in the river, she will get sick," Kaede said. "Oh, I'm not planning on doing that. That river stays cold even in the summer," Kagome said. "I was thinking more about heating water and putting it in something to bathe her." "That may be a problem, child. Ye'd have to carry the water bucket by bucket from the river back here, heat it, and then find something to put that large amount of water in," Kaede said. "It is a nice thought, though." "Oh, yeah, I forgot how far the river is," Kagome sulked, sighing. "Why not just take her to the hot springs?" Inu-Yasha laid fully on his back. "Isn't that a little far from here," Kagome asked as Nauki sniffed her hair. "Yeah, but you forget, I'm the fastest thing on two legs," He smiled at her. **************************************************************************** ** As Inu-Yasha ran through the snow-covered forest, Kagome held tightly onto his back with Nauki underneath her. The girl had no idea he could move that fast. She had her eyes closed, and her head covered. "It's o.k., Nauki, I won't let you fall off," Kagome said, looking down at her. *Too fast..* Nauki wanted badly to scream because she wanted him to slow down. She had no idea what a hot springs was, or where they were going. As fast as he was moving, she figured he could reach the end of time. "Hah, there it is." He started to slow down. "O.k., ride's over." "We can get off now," Kagome told the girl. Nauki looked up slowly. *Everything stopped moving so fast.* She felt sick to her stomach. "Uh, oh." "What do you mean "Uh-oh"?" Inu-Yasha turned around trying to look behind himself. "I think she's carsick. Or um, she has motion sickness." "If she's gonna hurl, get her off of me," Inu-Yasha moved his arms up and down, not really wanting vomit on his back. Kagome grabbed Nauki and jumped down. Once she set her on the ground, the girl was fine. "O.k., you two have fun. I'll be over here." Inu-Yasha walked to a large rock, sitting on it. "You're coming, too," Kagome said, pointing at him. He froze. "Hey, you didn't say anything about me getting a bath!" "Of course not! If I had said anything, you wouldn't have came!" "Has anyone told you that you are coniving?" "It seems to have rubbed off on me, from some demon that I know," She crossed her arms. "I can't get out of this, can I?" He smiled a little, hoping it would pay off. Kagome walked up to him, grabbed him by the kimono, and started pulling him towards the hot springs. "Not on your life, pal." Nauki sniffed the water. *Why is it hot?* She really didn't want to go in it. Kagome took off her coat, laying it on a small boulder. As Inu-Yasha watched, she put her hair up to keep it from getting wet. "Do you need one of these to keep your hair dry?" "What is it?" "It's a hair tye. If your hair gets wet, you could get sick." "I'll take my chances. I don't think I want to look like a girl." "O.k., don't say I didn't warn ya." She took her shirt off. Kagome smirked when Inu-Yasha got a stumped look on his face. "Thought you were going to see something, didn't you?" "What the heck is that you're wearing," He pointed. "It's called a bathing suit. Keeps guys from looking at things they shouldn't see yet." She smiled at him. "Oh, yeah, that's real fair." He crossed his arms. "What'd you say?" "Nothing," Inu-Yasha chimed. "O.k. squirt, time to get in." Kagome stepped into the water slowly. "Hot, hot, hot." She glanced back to see Nauki still standing, looking at her. "It's o.k. it's just water." Nauki was kind of scared of the water. She had never been in it before. She moved back some till she felt Inu-Yasha's kimono. Nauki grabbed the loose pants legs and hid herself in them. Inu-Yasha just looked down at her. "Nauki!" Kagome turned around. "Huh?" "That's private! Get out of there!" Kagome started laughing. Inu-Yasha lifted his legs, trying to keep Nauki from hiding between his legs. He kept stepping back until Nauki wasn't able to hide anymore. "It's just water." He looked at the expression on her face. She was totally terrified. Kagome noticed the expression on the girl's face. "Inu-Yasha, I don't think she's been around water before." "How can that be possible? She has to drink it, doesn't she?" "I don't know, but she's completely mortified." Kagome came out of the water, stepping into the snow. She squatted down touching Nauki's face lightly. "Hey, you o.k.?" Nauki turned around grabbing Kagome around her chest. She laid her head on her shoulder, not looking at Inu-Yasha. Nauki started to whimper as she trembled. *She's seriously afraid.* Kagome put her arms around her. "Inu-Yasha, she's really afraid." "Huh?" Inu-Yasha walked back over, kneeling behind Nauki. "Nauki, what's wrong?" He touched her face with his claw. "You act like you've never seen water before." *I haven't.* She shook her head. "Where did she come from?" Kagome looked at him with a surprised look on her face. "I don't know. That's what Old Kaede was trying to figure out. It doesn't make any sense...She was left to die in a forest miles from here, where no one could have found her. What threat could a six-year-old girl be?" "P-Pa..pa..," Nauki called softly, afraid of what he was going to say. She didn't think he liked her calling him that. "You know, she's afraid to call you that. She knows you don't like it, but there's a reason she refers to you that way." Kagome stroked Nauki's hair. "I'm not her...," He paused looking at the expression on Kagome's face. Inu-Yasha sighed. "I don't know how to be a father, Kagome." He stroked Nauki's cheek. "Especially to a little girl who really needs one." Nauki closed her eyes. Tears flowed down her face, dropping onto the snow. *He's my papa...And I love him whether he knows it, or not...* She grabbed Kagome's bathing suit in her hands, clasping onto it. Inu-Yasha bent closer. He could see that she was crying. The feeling that he had felt earlier, washed over him. Nauki needed him. He needed her. Very slowly, he kissed her cheek, then rubbed his nose against it. "I don't know how to be a father, Nauki, but if I can defeat other demons, then I can try to do this." Kagome smiled inwardly. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. She touched his face. "You are so incredibly wonderful, Inu-Yasha." "Well, she needs me. Just like you do." He smiled at her. "Besides, I'm quite attached to her." Nauki opened her eyes, turning her head a little. *You..want me around?* She closed her eyes, nudging his nose with hers. *Maybe you'll realize who and what I am when you're ready.*
Once they were in the water, Nauki was more at ease, but she was still kind of weary at touching the hot liquid. She held on tightly to Inu- Yasha. She had figured that since he was the tallest, he was the farthest away from the water. Kagome kept smiling at them. She laughed a little each time Inu-Yasha almost fell, and how Nauki pulled his hair. Kagome put her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to giggle. "Ow, ow, ow!" Inu-Yasha tried to balance out each time he almost fell. He'd put his arms out to from his sides right when he was leaning forward, and Nauki would immediatly go towards his back. The girl had the most horrified look on her face, praying each time that they wouldn't fall in. "You're going to have to get in the water sooner or later," Inu-Yasha told Nauki. She just smiled at him in return. He crossed his arms as Nauki kept crawling farther and farther up, until she was perched on his shoulder. "This is too funny," Kagome said in between giggles. "I'm glad you think so because you're getting her next," He shook his fist at Kagome. Inu-Yasha didn't think it was funny at all, with the way his hair was getting pulled. But he didn't complain much because Nauki could be pulling on his ears, which would hurt worse. Nauki patted the top of Inu-Yasha's head. He looked up at her, and she down. She smiled at him, kissing the top of his forehead, then rubbed his temples. "You have to admit, she is a cute kid," Kagome said. "Yeah, I know." Inu-Yasha blew up at Nauki, causing her bangs to flutter. "Papa," she said happily, kicking her feet. Kagome smiled as she lowered herself into the water. "I think you made her day." She watched Inu-Yasha blow more air up at Nauki. *They look so cute together. Who would have ever thought a half-demon, like Inu-Yasha, would be so open to the innocent happiness of a small child like Nauki?* *Hmm...If I can keep her occupied, maybe she won't notice she's going into the water.* Inu-Yasha kept blowing up at Nauki while he slowly lowered himself into the water. He was right. Nauki didn't notice. "Huh?" *Oh, yeah...Why didn't I think of that? Most kids don't pay attention to two things happening at once.* Nauki tilted her head, hearing a splashing sound. She looked around. *Where's that coming from?* She glanced at Kagome. That's when she noticed her feet were in the water. *I'm the one making that sound!* She slowly lifted her toes above the water, staring at them like they were an alien from space. Inu-Yasha smirked at his new daughter's reaction. Nauki got closer to the water, running her fingers through it. *It doesn't look so bad.* "Want to go further in?" He looked up at her as she stuided the liquid. She nodded slowly, clasping her hands around his head for dear life. He dipped down slowly till he was sitting on his rear like Kagome. "See? Nothing to it." Nauki was up to her knees in the water. Kagome splashed both of them with a big wave of water. She chuckled. "Sorry, coudn't resist!" Inu-Yasha shook his head free of the water. "Oh, you want to play rough do you?" Kagome froze. "Woman, you can't handle the roughness!" He sent a huge wave of water back at her. She yelped as it splashed her hard, causing her to go under. She came back up, narrowing her eyes. "It would help if you'd remember that you're a lot stronger than me!" Inu-Yasha tilted his head as Nauki popped him. He looked at the girl as she shook her finger at him. *No hurting the Kagome person!* "Oh, so now you're going to start, too.." He grabbed a hold of Nauki. Just as he was about to dunk her, Kagome interferred. "Inu-Yasha, don't!" He glanced at her. "If you dunk her, she'll be so terrified of the water, she won't get back in, or go near it!" He sighed. "I guess you're right.." Inu-Yasha placed Nauki on his knees. "Still..it would have been fun." He smiled a little. Nauki yawned wide, rubbing her eyes. "Somebody needs a nap." Just as Nauki was starting to lean to put her head on Inu-Yasha, he freaked. He was completely nude. "Nauki, no! Nauki..Nauki!" Kagome swam over. She caught the girl just as she was leaning over. "I got her. Now who can't handle it?" She lifted Nauki off of him, placing the child in her lap. Reluctantly, Nauki laid her head over Kagome's heart, closing her eyes. In a short while, she was lightly scratching at her arm. Inu-Yasha was watching Kagome handle the girl with a faint smile across his lips. *Kagome'd make a good mother some day.* "O.k. it's time to go. If we stay out here any longer, we'll be a bunch of snowmen." Kagome got up from the water. She felt the cold air immediatly. Shivering, she got out of the hot springs to put her clothes on. "What's a snowman?" "It's a bunch of snow put together to resemble a person." He didn't quite understand that bit. "Inu-Yasha, could you come hold her while I get dressed? I'll dress her once I'm done." "Kagome I'm still.." "She's asleep. She won't see a thing." He got up slowly, cautioned. Walking over, he took Nauki from Kagome. The girl moved a little. When she did, he got really tense, afraid she was going to wake up. She didn't. Once Kagome had put her coat back on, she hurridly dressed Nauki fearing the child would catch her death of cold. "There we go." She picked Nauki back up. "You better get dressed real fast. I might turn around." "I'm not about to fall for that one," Inu-Yasha walked past her already dressed. "That was fast." "Told you I wasn't going to fall for it," He smiled at her. "Ready to go?" Kagome hopped on and off they went.
When they got back, Inu-Yasha went straight to the well. He knew Kagome couldn't stay any longer. She handed Nauki over to him. "Will you be back tomorrow?" She smiled at him. "Don't know. Depends on how much you like hanging around me." Inu-Yasha kissed her on the forehead. "Oh, I'd say at this rate, you might as well stay." "You know, I still can't get over how you're adopting Nauki." She ran her fingers through the girl's hair. Nauki moved a little, turning her head over, her mouth slightly open as she breathed. "It's like you said before..She doesn't have anyone, and she needs me. I think I need her, too.." He closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek on the girl's head. "She reminds me so much of how it was when my mom died." "It's still a major change in you. You used to hate children." "I know, but she's different." "How different?" "She's a girl. Girl's are more affectionate. But if she acts anything like you, I'm turning her out," He joked. Kagome pulled one of his tresses. "Hey...Acting like me might help her in the long run." "Depends on which race we're talking about." Another yank. "I know you're only kidding." She pinched his arm lightly. "Just don't try to do too much at one time with her. Take it slow. She's still getting used to us, and the way things are at Kaede's. Oh, and don't let her walk around barefoot, like you..She might catch a cold, or worse. And.." Kagome started to think. Inu-Yasha placed a finger over her lips, hushing her. "You're starting to act like her mother, Kagome." She blinked. "I am?" He nodded. She kissed his finger, then hopped over the well not giving him time to answer. All she could hear as she went down into the darkness was, "That was a pure tease!" She laughed.
"Nauki, would you stop hopping around, constantly looking out the window?" Inu-Yasha turned to quietly glare at the girl. She was slightly getting on his nerves. "Seems to me, she is waiting for Kagome," Kaede said, stirring the fire. "That doesn't make any sense. She growled at her yesterday." "Growled?" "Yeah. Kind of shocked Kagome a little." He laid back resting his chin in his hand. "Nauki, calm down..." "It is not normal for a child to growl, Inu-Yasha." "You're telling me.." "There are so many riddles about yon child." She closed her eyes, thinking. "Riddles? She was a girl hanging in a tree left to die, old woman." He glanced back at her, then back to Nauki who was still hopping up and down trying to look out the window. "But why was she hanging in a tree? Who put her there? What purpose would someone want in killing a small child?" Inu-Yasha sighed. "I don't know, but I don't like it, none the same." "Neither do I. What threat could a small child have against anyone?" As they sat there pondering, Nauki started to sniff the air. She hopped up and down faster. *She's coming! She's coming!* She ran to the door, ready to pounce on Kagome. As soon as Kagome stepped in, brushing the curtain aside, Nauki pounced her. "Oof!" She looked up at the girl sitting on her stomach. "I thought you didn't like me..." Nauki tilted her head like she didn't know what she was talking about. She cooed at her, bouncing a little more on Kagome's stomach. "Well, that's a change." "Nauki, get off of her. If you pounce her to death, you can't play with her later." Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. "You certainly are a strange kid," Kagome said as she sat up. *Strange? You call me strange with what you're wearing?* Nauki blinked her eyes in response. "So, you still want to try and give her a bath?" Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome. "Yeah, I guess so. She hasn't had one in a week since we found her." "If ye put her in the river, she will get sick," Kaede said. "Oh, I'm not planning on doing that. That river stays cold even in the summer," Kagome said. "I was thinking more about heating water and putting it in something to bathe her." "That may be a problem, child. Ye'd have to carry the water bucket by bucket from the river back here, heat it, and then find something to put that large amount of water in," Kaede said. "It is a nice thought, though." "Oh, yeah, I forgot how far the river is," Kagome sulked, sighing. "Why not just take her to the hot springs?" Inu-Yasha laid fully on his back. "Isn't that a little far from here," Kagome asked as Nauki sniffed her hair. "Yeah, but you forget, I'm the fastest thing on two legs," He smiled at her. **************************************************************************** ** As Inu-Yasha ran through the snow-covered forest, Kagome held tightly onto his back with Nauki underneath her. The girl had no idea he could move that fast. She had her eyes closed, and her head covered. "It's o.k., Nauki, I won't let you fall off," Kagome said, looking down at her. *Too fast..* Nauki wanted badly to scream because she wanted him to slow down. She had no idea what a hot springs was, or where they were going. As fast as he was moving, she figured he could reach the end of time. "Hah, there it is." He started to slow down. "O.k., ride's over." "We can get off now," Kagome told the girl. Nauki looked up slowly. *Everything stopped moving so fast.* She felt sick to her stomach. "Uh, oh." "What do you mean "Uh-oh"?" Inu-Yasha turned around trying to look behind himself. "I think she's carsick. Or um, she has motion sickness." "If she's gonna hurl, get her off of me," Inu-Yasha moved his arms up and down, not really wanting vomit on his back. Kagome grabbed Nauki and jumped down. Once she set her on the ground, the girl was fine. "O.k., you two have fun. I'll be over here." Inu-Yasha walked to a large rock, sitting on it. "You're coming, too," Kagome said, pointing at him. He froze. "Hey, you didn't say anything about me getting a bath!" "Of course not! If I had said anything, you wouldn't have came!" "Has anyone told you that you are coniving?" "It seems to have rubbed off on me, from some demon that I know," She crossed her arms. "I can't get out of this, can I?" He smiled a little, hoping it would pay off. Kagome walked up to him, grabbed him by the kimono, and started pulling him towards the hot springs. "Not on your life, pal." Nauki sniffed the water. *Why is it hot?* She really didn't want to go in it. Kagome took off her coat, laying it on a small boulder. As Inu-Yasha watched, she put her hair up to keep it from getting wet. "Do you need one of these to keep your hair dry?" "What is it?" "It's a hair tye. If your hair gets wet, you could get sick." "I'll take my chances. I don't think I want to look like a girl." "O.k., don't say I didn't warn ya." She took her shirt off. Kagome smirked when Inu-Yasha got a stumped look on his face. "Thought you were going to see something, didn't you?" "What the heck is that you're wearing," He pointed. "It's called a bathing suit. Keeps guys from looking at things they shouldn't see yet." She smiled at him. "Oh, yeah, that's real fair." He crossed his arms. "What'd you say?" "Nothing," Inu-Yasha chimed. "O.k. squirt, time to get in." Kagome stepped into the water slowly. "Hot, hot, hot." She glanced back to see Nauki still standing, looking at her. "It's o.k. it's just water." Nauki was kind of scared of the water. She had never been in it before. She moved back some till she felt Inu-Yasha's kimono. Nauki grabbed the loose pants legs and hid herself in them. Inu-Yasha just looked down at her. "Nauki!" Kagome turned around. "Huh?" "That's private! Get out of there!" Kagome started laughing. Inu-Yasha lifted his legs, trying to keep Nauki from hiding between his legs. He kept stepping back until Nauki wasn't able to hide anymore. "It's just water." He looked at the expression on her face. She was totally terrified. Kagome noticed the expression on the girl's face. "Inu-Yasha, I don't think she's been around water before." "How can that be possible? She has to drink it, doesn't she?" "I don't know, but she's completely mortified." Kagome came out of the water, stepping into the snow. She squatted down touching Nauki's face lightly. "Hey, you o.k.?" Nauki turned around grabbing Kagome around her chest. She laid her head on her shoulder, not looking at Inu-Yasha. Nauki started to whimper as she trembled. *She's seriously afraid.* Kagome put her arms around her. "Inu-Yasha, she's really afraid." "Huh?" Inu-Yasha walked back over, kneeling behind Nauki. "Nauki, what's wrong?" He touched her face with his claw. "You act like you've never seen water before." *I haven't.* She shook her head. "Where did she come from?" Kagome looked at him with a surprised look on her face. "I don't know. That's what Old Kaede was trying to figure out. It doesn't make any sense...She was left to die in a forest miles from here, where no one could have found her. What threat could a six-year-old girl be?" "P-Pa..pa..," Nauki called softly, afraid of what he was going to say. She didn't think he liked her calling him that. "You know, she's afraid to call you that. She knows you don't like it, but there's a reason she refers to you that way." Kagome stroked Nauki's hair. "I'm not her...," He paused looking at the expression on Kagome's face. Inu-Yasha sighed. "I don't know how to be a father, Kagome." He stroked Nauki's cheek. "Especially to a little girl who really needs one." Nauki closed her eyes. Tears flowed down her face, dropping onto the snow. *He's my papa...And I love him whether he knows it, or not...* She grabbed Kagome's bathing suit in her hands, clasping onto it. Inu-Yasha bent closer. He could see that she was crying. The feeling that he had felt earlier, washed over him. Nauki needed him. He needed her. Very slowly, he kissed her cheek, then rubbed his nose against it. "I don't know how to be a father, Nauki, but if I can defeat other demons, then I can try to do this." Kagome smiled inwardly. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. She touched his face. "You are so incredibly wonderful, Inu-Yasha." "Well, she needs me. Just like you do." He smiled at her. "Besides, I'm quite attached to her." Nauki opened her eyes, turning her head a little. *You..want me around?* She closed her eyes, nudging his nose with hers. *Maybe you'll realize who and what I am when you're ready.*
Once they were in the water, Nauki was more at ease, but she was still kind of weary at touching the hot liquid. She held on tightly to Inu- Yasha. She had figured that since he was the tallest, he was the farthest away from the water. Kagome kept smiling at them. She laughed a little each time Inu-Yasha almost fell, and how Nauki pulled his hair. Kagome put her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to giggle. "Ow, ow, ow!" Inu-Yasha tried to balance out each time he almost fell. He'd put his arms out to from his sides right when he was leaning forward, and Nauki would immediatly go towards his back. The girl had the most horrified look on her face, praying each time that they wouldn't fall in. "You're going to have to get in the water sooner or later," Inu-Yasha told Nauki. She just smiled at him in return. He crossed his arms as Nauki kept crawling farther and farther up, until she was perched on his shoulder. "This is too funny," Kagome said in between giggles. "I'm glad you think so because you're getting her next," He shook his fist at Kagome. Inu-Yasha didn't think it was funny at all, with the way his hair was getting pulled. But he didn't complain much because Nauki could be pulling on his ears, which would hurt worse. Nauki patted the top of Inu-Yasha's head. He looked up at her, and she down. She smiled at him, kissing the top of his forehead, then rubbed his temples. "You have to admit, she is a cute kid," Kagome said. "Yeah, I know." Inu-Yasha blew up at Nauki, causing her bangs to flutter. "Papa," she said happily, kicking her feet. Kagome smiled as she lowered herself into the water. "I think you made her day." She watched Inu-Yasha blow more air up at Nauki. *They look so cute together. Who would have ever thought a half-demon, like Inu-Yasha, would be so open to the innocent happiness of a small child like Nauki?* *Hmm...If I can keep her occupied, maybe she won't notice she's going into the water.* Inu-Yasha kept blowing up at Nauki while he slowly lowered himself into the water. He was right. Nauki didn't notice. "Huh?" *Oh, yeah...Why didn't I think of that? Most kids don't pay attention to two things happening at once.* Nauki tilted her head, hearing a splashing sound. She looked around. *Where's that coming from?* She glanced at Kagome. That's when she noticed her feet were in the water. *I'm the one making that sound!* She slowly lifted her toes above the water, staring at them like they were an alien from space. Inu-Yasha smirked at his new daughter's reaction. Nauki got closer to the water, running her fingers through it. *It doesn't look so bad.* "Want to go further in?" He looked up at her as she stuided the liquid. She nodded slowly, clasping her hands around his head for dear life. He dipped down slowly till he was sitting on his rear like Kagome. "See? Nothing to it." Nauki was up to her knees in the water. Kagome splashed both of them with a big wave of water. She chuckled. "Sorry, coudn't resist!" Inu-Yasha shook his head free of the water. "Oh, you want to play rough do you?" Kagome froze. "Woman, you can't handle the roughness!" He sent a huge wave of water back at her. She yelped as it splashed her hard, causing her to go under. She came back up, narrowing her eyes. "It would help if you'd remember that you're a lot stronger than me!" Inu-Yasha tilted his head as Nauki popped him. He looked at the girl as she shook her finger at him. *No hurting the Kagome person!* "Oh, so now you're going to start, too.." He grabbed a hold of Nauki. Just as he was about to dunk her, Kagome interferred. "Inu-Yasha, don't!" He glanced at her. "If you dunk her, she'll be so terrified of the water, she won't get back in, or go near it!" He sighed. "I guess you're right.." Inu-Yasha placed Nauki on his knees. "Still..it would have been fun." He smiled a little. Nauki yawned wide, rubbing her eyes. "Somebody needs a nap." Just as Nauki was starting to lean to put her head on Inu-Yasha, he freaked. He was completely nude. "Nauki, no! Nauki..Nauki!" Kagome swam over. She caught the girl just as she was leaning over. "I got her. Now who can't handle it?" She lifted Nauki off of him, placing the child in her lap. Reluctantly, Nauki laid her head over Kagome's heart, closing her eyes. In a short while, she was lightly scratching at her arm. Inu-Yasha was watching Kagome handle the girl with a faint smile across his lips. *Kagome'd make a good mother some day.* "O.k. it's time to go. If we stay out here any longer, we'll be a bunch of snowmen." Kagome got up from the water. She felt the cold air immediatly. Shivering, she got out of the hot springs to put her clothes on. "What's a snowman?" "It's a bunch of snow put together to resemble a person." He didn't quite understand that bit. "Inu-Yasha, could you come hold her while I get dressed? I'll dress her once I'm done." "Kagome I'm still.." "She's asleep. She won't see a thing." He got up slowly, cautioned. Walking over, he took Nauki from Kagome. The girl moved a little. When she did, he got really tense, afraid she was going to wake up. She didn't. Once Kagome had put her coat back on, she hurridly dressed Nauki fearing the child would catch her death of cold. "There we go." She picked Nauki back up. "You better get dressed real fast. I might turn around." "I'm not about to fall for that one," Inu-Yasha walked past her already dressed. "That was fast." "Told you I wasn't going to fall for it," He smiled at her. "Ready to go?" Kagome hopped on and off they went.
When they got back, Inu-Yasha went straight to the well. He knew Kagome couldn't stay any longer. She handed Nauki over to him. "Will you be back tomorrow?" She smiled at him. "Don't know. Depends on how much you like hanging around me." Inu-Yasha kissed her on the forehead. "Oh, I'd say at this rate, you might as well stay." "You know, I still can't get over how you're adopting Nauki." She ran her fingers through the girl's hair. Nauki moved a little, turning her head over, her mouth slightly open as she breathed. "It's like you said before..She doesn't have anyone, and she needs me. I think I need her, too.." He closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek on the girl's head. "She reminds me so much of how it was when my mom died." "It's still a major change in you. You used to hate children." "I know, but she's different." "How different?" "She's a girl. Girl's are more affectionate. But if she acts anything like you, I'm turning her out," He joked. Kagome pulled one of his tresses. "Hey...Acting like me might help her in the long run." "Depends on which race we're talking about." Another yank. "I know you're only kidding." She pinched his arm lightly. "Just don't try to do too much at one time with her. Take it slow. She's still getting used to us, and the way things are at Kaede's. Oh, and don't let her walk around barefoot, like you..She might catch a cold, or worse. And.." Kagome started to think. Inu-Yasha placed a finger over her lips, hushing her. "You're starting to act like her mother, Kagome." She blinked. "I am?" He nodded. She kissed his finger, then hopped over the well not giving him time to answer. All she could hear as she went down into the darkness was, "That was a pure tease!" She laughed.