He opened the door. There she was. Beautiful as ever.

He let her in. She hadn't brought anything with her. So she wasn't staying? She turned around and kissed him. Kissed him hard with her soft lips.

He could taste the salt of her tears as they streamed from her eyes, he could hear her soft whimper. She'd grown so thin. She hadn't been eating.

Bringing her arms around his neck she pushed her body against his, almost desperately, deepening the kiss. He complied. Using her small, nimble hands she lifted his shirt over his head. The cold of her skin gave him goosebumps. Inuyasha wanted to make her warm.

She wrapped her long legs around his waist and he grabbed her bottom to support her as he brought her over to the kitchen counter. Sitting her down he lifted her shirt over her head and tugged her pants off her legs. The tears continued to stream down her face.

Inuyasha stopped. Gently he dried her cheeks with his thumbs. He kissed her forehead, her chin, her nose, her eyes. She took a deep breath.

"Kagome, we don't have to do this." He whispered.

Her eyes flew open. Her cold, tiny hands grasped his face until her nose was a hairs-width away from his.

"No. I want this. Please." She said. He'd never seen her like this before. Tears clung to her long lashes but the look of longing in her eyes said more. It was the same look she had when she was wanting, except this time she wanted him. I want this. She said it with passion, fiercely, like she really did. Inuyasha stared deep into her eyes. Those eyes he'd been afraid to meet.

"Make me feel, Inuyasha." She said.

He brought his lips roughly against hers and she responded immediately, arching against his bare chest. Inuyasha reached behind her back and unclasped her bra, sliding it from between them and throwing it to the floor. His kisses traveled downwards to her neck and he began to suckle at her pulse point. She moaned, tightening her legs around his waist, pressing his arousal harder in between her legs. Inuyasha's legs buckled beneath him as he fought for control.

She was perfect, this tiny woman that could bring him to his knees. He watched her face the whole time as he kicked off his own clothes and ripped off her panties. He took in her closed eyes and her parted pink lips as he thrust into her again and again. He fell in love with her even more as they stared into each other's eyes, as they came simultaneously and as she collapsed into his arms, bringing her sweaty forehead against his hot neck. He kissed her shoulder. Still inside of her, he carried her to his bed and lay them down under the blankets, with her little form tucked under his arm.

"Inuyasha…"

"Yes."

"I…"

She paused. He waited. Suddenly, she snored. She was fast asleep. He smiled. Whatever she had to tell him, she could say in the morning.

He'd never felt more complete. He hoped that whatever plagued her mind, he'd helped alleviate, if only a little bit. He tenderly stroked her arms, which were more bruised then ever. Her whole body was a painting of black and blue. He wanted to die, but at the same time live, as she gave him a reason to.

Slowly, he pulled out of her. She squirmed, but remained sleeping. Slowly, he reached over her to his bedside table, where his camera was, and picked it up. He knew it was strange, doing it like this when she was sleeping, but she'd never been more beautiful and he'd never been more in love.

He took a picture of her. He wanted to remember this moment forever, with Kagome exactly as she was; black hair splayed around her head, thick lashes resting on her cheek. One hand beneath her head, the other across her chest with the white sheets crinkled and tucked beneath her arm. The bare ball of her shoulder was smooth, and the bruises on her arms so dark. Even with the massive bags under her eyes and her whole body consisting of skin and bone, she was still a work of art.