Winter

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Inuyasha. I don't think they'd let a 14 year old girl own something that awesome. It's just wrong. Or so they think. I honestly don't think it would be a bad idea, as long as the 14 year old was me. Heh heh...


Chapter Two

The night wore on, the snow developing a mild storm that would most likely delay Miroku and the others. Inuyasha sat next to a crackling fire, feeling relieved and worried at the same time, an awkward feeling that left him restless. He was fortunate that he beat the storm, but he worried about his companions behind him. But that worry was quickly overshadowed by another, Kagome. Impatiently, he waited for Kaede to diagnose Kagome while he watched her check over the sleeping girl. Sango and Miroku were okay; they'd be able to find shelter for the night. But Kagome… He couldn't be too careful about her sickness. People died from strange illnesses that started off tame as hers had, and that scared the hell out of Inuyasha. Finally, Inuyasha's impatience grew into irritation, tired of watching Kaede say nothing.

"So are you going to say anything, old hag? Or are you going to leave me on the edge?" Inuyasha barked at the old woman.

"Inuyasha, ye need to respect ye elders when they are trying to focus," Kaede chastised in a flat tone. Inuyasha said nothing, but growled in a disrespectful, defiant reply. After what seemed like hours to Inuyasha, Kaede turned away from Kagome and faced the half demon.

"Kagome has come down with a bad cold, nothing terrible. But I do think ye should take her home, Inuyasha, for it could become something worse here where she is constantly exposed to the elements. The medical knowledge in her time would greatly benefit her, too," Kaede explained as she began to brew a pot of herbal tea. Inuyasha nodded, satisfied with Kaede's clarification.

"Alright. I'll leave fist thing in the morning," Inuyasha said. Kaede dusted her hands off on her red hakuma and straightened her back, emitting a light pop in doing so.

"Perhaps so, but maybe it would be better if ye left tonight. The snow will be piled high tomorrow morning. Ye should wait for the storm to die down. I could fix ye something to eat, if ye wish. I was just about to make myself something," Kaede offered.

"No, I don't feel like eating," Inuyasha lied, his eyes drifting to Kagome. In truth, he was starving. He hadn't eaten in days because hunting in the winter was hard, but he didn't dare take his sight off of Kagome. Inuyasha feared that if he blinked, she would disappear, taken away by her cold.

"Whatever ye please," Kaede said, tossing ingredients for a fragrant stew into a kettle. "But there will be plenty if ye change ye mind."

"Keh."

But the wafting scent of the stew finally besieged Inuyasha's sensitive nostrils, fighting to make him change his mind. His mouth watered and his stomach knotted painfully in hunger. Without a word, Inuyasha spooned himself a bowl and devoured it. He savored the taste and the feeling of it traveling down his throat. Kaede watched the spectacle and couldn't help but chuckle quietly. Fixing himself another bowl, Inuyasha glared at Kaede, confused and annoyed. Mentally, he brainstormed snide remarks to spit at Kaede, but came up with nothing. So silence presumed with only the quiet interruption of the popping fire and Kagome's heavy breathing.

"Maybe ye should wake Kagome and see if she feels like eating," Kaede suggested, nodding at Kagome before taking a sip of her steaming tea. Saying nothing to the elderly woman, Inuyasha slid over beside Kagome with his bowl. Gently, he shook her by the shoulder as to rouse her from her sleep.

"Kagome? Wake up," Inuyasha called in a hushed voice. Kagome stirred, turning over to face Inuyasha and groaning.

"Uhh… Wha?" Kagome replied.

"Are you hungry? Kaede made some stew."

"Uh-huh."

"Okay then."

Inuyasha helped Kagome sit up, supporting her with one arm around her shoulders and the other holding his bowl of soup. Kaede watched the scene, curious to see what would happen. Never had she seen Inuyasha act so tender or caring towards anyone, not even for Kikyo. A small smirk formed on her lips with an all-knowing wisdom telling her the obvious that no one else seemed to see. Inuyasha raised the bowl to Kagome's mouth, tilting it slightly.

"Careful, it's hot," Inuyasha warned as Kagome let the stew pour into her mouth and glide down to her stomach.

"I will tell Sango and Miroku where ye are. Do not come back until she is well again, do ye understand?" Kaede asked sternly, handing Inuyasha a thick quilt.

"Sure, whatever." Kaede shook her head hopelessly, crossing her arms across her chest. The kindness Inuyasha had shown earlier always hastily masked itself when anyone else expected it of him. Maybe one day he wouldn't feel the need to keep such a side to himself all the time. Inuyasha took the quilt that Kaede had handed him and carefully draped it around Kagome before taking her in his arms again. Then he remembered.

"Kagome's backpack!" Not understanding Inuyasha's abrupt outburst, Kaede stared blankly at the half demon. "I forgot her backpack," Inuyasha explained a little further.

"Oh, the backpack. I'm sure Sango and Miroku have it. Ye can come back and get it another day if ye require it," Kaede reassured him. At this point she was practically shoving him out of the hut, urging him to leave before the storm picked up again. "Take care, Inuyasha."

"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha replied as he exited the small hut. Once outside, Inuyasha was greeted with the cold sting of ice flying into his face. A shiver traveled through Kagome's body, reminding Inuyasha that he had to be quick. Holding the girl close to him, he prepared to take of. But a voice made him hesitate.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called out over the howling wind raucously.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I'm so much trouble," Kagome apologized.

"Don't talk like that. You're no trouble at all," Inuyasha told her. His reply won the smallest of smiles from Kagome, but it was just enough to get him going again. He took of running, shocking Kagome a little as she clung to him. But after a moment, she became accustomed to the feeling and relaxed against Inuyasha's chest. The freezing wind blew on her face, forcing her to turn her face into Inuyasha. She let out a small cough and braced herself as Inuyasha increased his speed. They arrived at the well and Inuyasha stopped at its lip for a moment to reposition Kagome. Holing her tight, he plunged into the well which accepted them and invited them into a shroud of warm blue light. It swallowed both of them, and then softly set them back down at the bottom of the well. Inuyasha and Kagome emerged into the well house of Kagome's time, from where they walked out into Kagome's front yard. Here there was snow on the ground, though not as much as in the feudal era. Inuyasha made his way across the yard, his bare feet sinking into the snow with a crunching sound.

"You're home, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered in a barely audible tone. He opened the front door to Kagome's house, hinges creaking from the stress. Both Kagome and Inuyasha tensed, worried that the sound woke someone in the late of the night, but nobody seemed to be disturbed. The only one who came out to greet the couple was Buyo, who meowed and weaved between Inuyasha's steps. As soundlessly as he could manage, Inuyasha trekked up the staircase and arrived at their final destination: Kagome's room. He turned the brass doorknob and entered the pink room. Gingerly, Inuyasha placed Kagome on her bed, and she welcomed its feathery contours with a content sigh. Finally, a real bed…

"Is there anything else I can do?" Inuyasha asked before the girl fell asleep. Opening her eyes, Kagome looked at the ceiling while she thought about Inuyasha's question. He had already brought her home, and that was enough. It was more of what Kagome needed to do herself now.

"No, thanks. But I do need to change," she told the half demon, reluctantly rising from her mattress. Inuyasha nodded in silent response, watching Kagome walk over to her dresser and pull out a change of clothes from a drawer. Sluggishly, Kagome disappeared into her bathroom, the door knob sounding a small click after the door had been shut. Moments later, Kagome re-entered her room, clad in her lavender flannel pajamas. When she returned, she found a perplexed Inuyasha looking at the framed pictures on her desk. With a small smile on her face, Kagome pretty much collapsed on her bed, burying herself in layers of sheets and quilts. Instead of giving into the drowsiness weighing her eyelids down, Kagome watched Inuyasha examine each photograph at one time with a look of complete fascination on his face.

"What's this?" Inuyasha asked her, carefully picking up the frame sheltering a picture of Kagome and several friends gathered together with dripping ice cream cones in their hands. Kagome chuckled quietly, her voice cracking and her head throbbing in consequence. But she couldn't help it, Inuyasha was like a curious three year old wanting to understand everything every time he came home with Kagome.

"It's a picture, silly."

"Pick… shhure?" Inuyasha attempted to repeat.

"Yeah. But Ill explain those to you later. I'm really tired," Kagome promised. Inuyasha nodded and replaced the frame to where it rightfully belonged.

"Right. You better get to sleep so you can get well again," Inuyasha told her. Closing her yes, Kagome sighed in agreement. Exhausted and ill, Inuyasha's sleeping arrangement completely slipped Kagome's mind. It was understandable enough. But just as Kagome thought she was asleep, she felt movement on the mattress and heard the metal springs squeak. She raised her eyelids and found herself face-to-face with Inuyasha. He had climbed onto the bed and positioned himself between her and the wall. Though this surprised Kagome, she shook it off and relaxed. But she became even more surprised when he draped his arm protectively over her waist. The whole sleeping arrangement was awkward for her, but Kagome made no protest. She knew Inuyasha wouldn't try anything like the lecherous monk Miroku would.

"Inuyasha, thank yo-"

"Shhh… Go to sleep," Inuyasha interrupted Kagome, pulling her slightly closer to him. Before Kagome could say anything else, light snores signaled that Inuyasha had already fallen asleep. Without thinking, Kagome planted a small kiss on his nose before turning over and slipping into her dreams.


Aww… Sweet, sweetfluff. It makes you feel all fuzzy and warm inside, doesn't it?

Go me! Two chapters in one day! I'm a crazy neat-freak, so I always organize the hell out of every story I think of before I actually write it. And it makes getting chapters out easier and faster. Go figure. Okay, so my second chapter is slightly longer… But not by a whole lot. Sorry. They really do get longer though. I promised, right? After the next chapter, updates might be a little slower since I don't have them completely written out yet. Nonetheless, I'm getting them out.

And thank you for the reviews! I don't like taking up space by replying to reviews in the author notes, so I'm going to try my best to reply to them by messaging system thing.

Keep reviewing! And reading! It makes me feel purposeful!

Love, Fake Ninja X3