In The Bleak Midwinter
Disclaimer ~ I might become the proud owner of a laptop, but Inuyasha will always be a fantasy… ::Sighs dreamily::
A/N ~ On my trip, I realized that the story was lacking not because my writing is bad or that the plot needs revamping. In fact, the fatal flaw lies in the fact that I'm rushing it. So from now on, I'll take a deep breath after I spend time writing, and send this off to be checked and re-checked by a few people. Up until now, this has basically been put out as soon as it was written. But no more! And you had better appreciate the extra time. I'm putting off extremely important work to do this instead. ^_^;
I forgot to mention this: Life's Menagerie is rated R for language and possible sexual innuendo. Better than much of what you find on prime-time TV. So no worries, younger folk. Unless you can't handle the "F" word from Inuyasha… ^_^;;;
Chapter Three- Simple Kind of Life
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Muted light filtered in through the snow-encrusted windows. The pale sunlight painted everything an ivory hue, washing away color and leaving the fragile essence behind. The dying embers of the fire gave off a faint, warm glow. The stark contrast between the ambiences threw everything into sharp relief. It was if heaven and hell were intermixing, creating a strange blend that both fascinated and repelled. Kagome lay directly in the center of this unholy union.
Skin tinted alabaster slipped easily into a warmer, rosy-cheeked hue. Her sweeping lashes and smooth forehead were illuminated by the ghostly light, but her full lips and the curve of her graceful neck were painted in dusky roses and delicate golds.
Her soft breath fluttered against the worn quilt beneath her cheek, and her slight form was draped between the armchair and her large bed. A small hand was outstretched, fallen during the night. It rested upon a warm surface, one that moved steadily, a rhythmic heartbeat emanating outward. The warmth shifted, and a frown graced her face for a moment, then she slipped back into her mysterious dreams.
~~~
Long black lashes twitched, then swept slowly upward, revealing drowsy golden eyes. Blinking, they gazed uncomprehendingly up at the beams of the wooden ceiling. Dark brows met, confusion darkening the orbs to a rusty orange.
A strange sensation tugged the tawny eyes downward. They alighted on a delicate hand, curled upon his chest. A large, callused hand slowly crept up the bare expanse of skin, examining the bandage, then coming to rest on top of the smaller hand. The hand beneath his instinctively lay flat, pressing a soft, dry palm against him.
Following the extremity up to its owner's face, he gazed down at the young woman dozing before him. She was settled precariously on the edge of her chair, her dark hair tumbled haphazardly across her face. One arm was pillowing her head, and the strands of her silky hair moved softly when ever her breath blew gently across them.
He tilted his head slightly, hooded eyes assessing. She seemed to be deeply asleep. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and she was dressed in rumpled, slept-in clothing. His questing eyes noted that she had a dried cloth clutched in her hand, and that a half-empty bowl of water sat on the nearby nightstand. Gaze wandering, the man surveyed the rest of the room. Finding nothing to be immediately threatening, he returned to his bemused study of the woman before him.
Slowly, as though he moved without thought, he removed his hand from its position atop hers, and reached out to brush away a lock of hair. His callused thumb stroked the smooth skin revealed by his ministrations, and a foreign emotion flitted across his hard face. The woman stirred, brows coming together in a dainty frown. Her eyelashes flickered, brushing against her creamy skin.
Her gray eyes opened slowly, squinting from the sudden light. Upon seeing that the man before her was awake, her eyes flew open wide, and a breathy gasp of surprise filled the quiet air of the room. Gray met gold, and a moment of silent consideration passed before either spoke.
After the initial shock, the woman's surprise softened, and she gazed inquisitively up at the man. Inclining her head slowly, she offered up a shy smile.
"Good morning."
He spoke, voice low and scratchy from sleep and pain.
"Good morning…"
After this quiet exchange, a moment passed in which they merely studied each other. The man tensed when he saw her gaze drift up to his ears, but when nothing more than curiosity showed on her face, he allowed himself to relax. Not wanting to break the spell of serenity that had fallen, neither spoke.
Suddenly, the woman seemed to realize that her hand still lay on his bare chest. The faintest hint of color graced her cheeks as she slid her hand away. Easing herself off the bed, she gave him an earnest, embarrassed smile. Speaking evenly in an attempt to hide her discomfiture, she addressed the man.
"I am Kagome Higurashi, your rescuer. You should be praising whatever god you worship that I have some skill with healing." She offered him another smile, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. It had been many years since he had seen something so exquisite as this tired, unkempt woman.
Kagome looked at the injured man, considering his exotic appearance. "I won't ask you to tell me anything about yourself. If I learned nothing else when dealing with warriors, it's that they are generally obnoxious when questioned. So I've decided to avoid any such unpleasantness and let you tell me whatever you feel like." Grinning wearily, she leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees.
"You aren't well enough yet to leave, but you are free to go whenever you desire. However, I would at least wait until you had some clothes on." Smiling dryly, Kagome waited for him to respond to her banter.
Her wait was in vain, as the man merely quirked an eyebrow at her. She shifted uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny of his unusual eyes. He seemed to be judging and weighing her with critical precision. After a long moment, he seemed to come to a decision.
"Call me Inuyasha."
Kagome started at the odd name. Then his outlandish features re-asserted themselves; the soft ears, the claws, the sharp fangs that were revealed when he spoke. She nodded once, giving a tired grin.
"Inuyasha. How original..." Ducking her head to hide her amusement, she pushed back the large armchair. When she straightened and met his gaze, his golden eyes smoldered with suspicious anger. Kagome, however, had managed to pull a mask of straight-faced sincerity over her amusement. After another moment of dubious study, he huffed. Rather indignantly, she realized…
"Feh. Sarcastic woman." He crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the sharp stab of pain as he pulled his stitches.
Kagome huffed a bit herself. Leaning over, she pried his arms apart. "Don't you dare strain that wound! It's far too new to go about re-injuring it." She gathered the scattered pillows that had been knocked to the ground in her rush to care for him. Plumping them, she gently slipped them behind his back, propping him up.
"While you're recovering here, you aren't to strain yourself." Pausing, she smiled down at him. "Consider me your personal nurse. Besides, we're most certainly snowed in. Unless you have some magical ability to melt several feet of the stuff, you're stuck here for a while. So why not just sit back and relax?" With that, she pushed him down into the pillows and tucked the covers around him.
Inuyasha was nonplussed by her strange but amusing behavior; she was like a whirlwind of witty jokes and helpful comments. For such a slight woman, she exuded so much confidence and reassurance that she seemed three times her real size. He mused, wondering if she always acted this way, or if it was a product of sleep deprivation.
Unexpectedly, Kagome leaned over him and began inspecting his bandages. Inuyasha tensed under the sudden contact. Forcing himself to relax his tense muscles, he gazed up at her as she clicked her tongue in exasperation over his wound.
Kagome did not seem to be any more or less than she claimed. Tanned skin and toned physique from long days working the farm, and old clothes of good quality lent a feeling of homey simplicity. Not many assassins moved with the innate knowledge of a woman learned in the art of home-making.
He'd been traveling so long, been fighting so long, that even allowing this straightforward woman to treat him seemed dangerous. Mentally berating himself, he watched her putter about the room, coaxing the fire back to life, gathering her scattered belongings and putting them in their various places.
Without even meaning to, he began to consider what it would be like to be free of his burdens, if only for a brief time. Her very domesticity lulled him into a feeling of safety, and she had promised not to ask questions. He would be safe, he could rest without deception and lies. The idea of spending his time healing in a warm and happy home, instead of hiding himself away in an grimy inn as he usually did was incredibly appealing.
And what would his staying here matter, anyway? The woman couldn't spend much time with her neighbors, living in the middle of nowhere like this. She was intelligent enough to realize that going about talking about the injured warrior she was tending, when his attackers could still be lurking about, would be detrimental to her health. What was the worst that could come of him accepting the kindness of a stranger who had already saved his life once?
'What's the harm of a few days?'
Kagome jumped slightly as Inuyasha's low, growling voice rumbled through the room. "Alright, wench, have it your way. But may I request something of my 'personal nurse'?" Kagome winced at the use of 'wench', but managed to smile attentively at him. He gazed back at her, and his mouth curved in an small answering smirk.
Kagome cocked her head to the side questioningly, and his smirk widened. "I'd like some clothes. As much as I enjoy lounging naked in a lady's bed, I wouldn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities when I need to use the outhouse."
Secret delight welled inside him as Kagome blushed. He'd never seen a woman so prone to embarrassment, especially a hard-working farmer. Usually, girls of her type were dour, quiet things, their lives run by the monotony of daily chores. But this girl, Kagome… She was so clever, so utterly carefree... Almost bewildering in her bright cheerfulness. She intrigued him, and reminded him of happier days. He wondered irrationally how far that blush reached… And if he stayed, perhaps he would have an opportunity to find out.
Maybe this stay would be just what he needed; a welcome break from the stress and struggle of his long journey. That decided, Inuyasha leaned back into the comfortable bed and watched as Kagome searched valiantly, trying to find him something to wear. Yes indeed, a few days of rest was just what the doctor ordered.
A/N ~ Thanks to the lovely and talented Evanscent for the beta. I worship at her goddess-like feet. And I hope you all realize how ironic his little "what's the harm in a few days" comment is going to be…