InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ 13 Ways to Kinda Say I Like You ❯ 6, (Yes, she reads it out of order...) All You Had To Do Is Ask! ( Chapter 5 )

Hello all, hope you like this chapter! I can't wait for it to snow…Lots of fluff coming up so be warned those who are weak of tooth, major cavities await. Love you all, I own no one they only live under my bed, plotting about NekoCon.

Darth Mer Mer

Dear Diary,

The first snow of the season is so much more beautiful here in the Sengoku Jidai than in modern Tokyo. There are no cars to make the roads slushy and dingy, the sun is so bright here that it's almost impossible not to feel like you're in another world! There's almost two feet of snow outside, which explains why Inuyasha was inside with us this morning. Unfortunately, my hair still feels dirty and I want a bath so badly I'd give up just about anything to get one so I'd be clean. But I guess that it's too cold now to do anything about it. I think I'll read a little more while the others are out doing whatever they do.

Kagome

Chapter 5, All You Have to Do is Ask!

Kagome looked down at the book and read the title of chapter five in her book. 'Common Interests' …the title plagued her. The only thing that she could think of that was a common interest between herself and Inuyasha was the Shikon no Tama and gathering the shards. Well, maybe that was a little too harsh, but still. It was difficult to think of anything at all she had in common with the hanyou. Sighing she shut the book and went to start breakfast since everyone but herself and Shippou had gone out to do who knows what.

Shippou clambered over and curled up in Kagome's lap as she stirred the miso soup in the large cauldron next to the crackling fire. The light lit his fine fur, tingeing it gold in the crisp air. "Kagome, can I ask you something?" He looked up at her, his eyes searching though a curtain of thick hair.

"Sure, Shippou-chan, what is it?" Her hand went down and gently petting his head, like she would have done if Buyo had been there instead.

He hesitated and curled closer to the girl. "Well, what's going on with you and Inuyasha?"

Kagome almost dropped the spoon at the question. She had taken for granted the perceptive powers of the young. Deftly grabbing the end of the spoon before it slipped into breakfast, she quietly whispered, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're doing a lot of nice things for him and no one else…" He bit his lip. "Like the things on his hands…normally you would have made some for everybody, not just him. And those papers…" He shook his head and blew on his tiny hands to keep them warm as if to rub his point in a little deeper.

Kagome sighed and then looked around to make sure that everyone else had left and was safely out of earshot. "Can you keep a secret?"

The baby youkai looked up at her with complete sincerity making his eyes glow in the morning light. Unconsciously wiggling with excitement, he nodded his head, "Of course!"

Kagome stood up, tucking the child under her arm and walked to her futon. Rummaging around under the heavy quilt she pulled out her book. She held it up and started to explain. She had yet to tell anyone other than her mother that she liked the snowy haired hanyou, and even then the concept had been only in the abstract. Was it really wise to tell Shippou? But of all the group, it was probably safest to let him keep her secret. But she was a little worried about what the child would think. She knew that Shippou loved her, would this be too big a shock for him? "See, I am trying to let Inuyasha know how I feel…"

The young kitsune nodded, "Okay…"

"But it's complicated…"

"You love him, right? What's complicated about that?" He cocked his head to the side and peered up at her.

Kagome stopped, blushed and then continued stirring the soup, ignoring Shippou as he flipped the pages of the book in search of pictures. She had underestimated the knowledge of youth as well, it seemed. Kagome only continued to blush… "Ne, Kagome?" He peeked up at her again. "Would this work?" He pointed to a page in Chapter 6...

Kagome looked down, read part of the page and grinned. She tossed Shippou in the air, caught him up in a huge hug and kissed the top of his smart little head.

It was so simple it was absurd. But this way, she could get what she wanted and get a step closer to being able to tell him how she felt. The chapter had outlined one simple thing that she had overlooked. Asking for help…and even thought he didn't admit it, Kagome was positive that Inuyasha didn't mind helping her out. Bundled in every stitch of clothing she had brought with her, she ventured out into the snow bright world.

Her feet crunched through the snow as she cut a trail to the snowy pine tree where she knew her prey was hiding. The cold air kissed her cheeks tingeing them pink. The last of the day's snowflakes landed on her hair and eyelashes as the blue sky fought to rule the sky. The numbness in her feet didn't even bother her as she laid her cold hands on the trunk of the tree. She called up smiling, "Hey, Inuyasha! Are you up there?"

There was a moment of silence, but a few of the snow laden branches moved more than the wind would have power to do.

"Ne, Inuyasha! I need you to help me with something."

Again there was silence, but branched closer to the ground wiggled this time. On a branch cushioned between sweet smelling evergreen and cold, clear snow, Inuyasha stared down at Kagome with wary eyes. She had been acting funny…he had seen her inch away from him as he woke that morning. Now she was asking him to help her with something. In a very hesitant voice he called down, "Help you with what?"

Kagome opened her mouth to reply, then realized that she hadn't thought about what he needed to help her with. Stuck dumb by her own stupidity, it was her turn to be silent for a moment.

"Well, what d'ya want?" He glared down at her. Honestly, what was up with her?

Kagome mind blanked whiter than the new snowfall. "Uh…"

"Close your mouth woman, the snow will melt in there and you'll drown." He chuckled as Kagome's normal glare crossed over her face. "If you don't remember what you wanted, go away an' leave me alone."

That got her thinking. "Inuyasha!" She growled, "SIT!"

The snow at least muffled his fall. He looked up as Kagome started to laugh then chuckled on his own as the entire half of her side of the tree let loose its snow, dumping it right on top of the girl.

With a startled yip, Kagome felt the cold snow snake into her collar, around her face and arms and seep through her clothing. For a split second, the white stuff clogged her mouth and nose, cutting off her air. Then Inuyasha pulled her from the massive snow dune. The light broke through again and she was being toted like a baby in his arms. Shivering she looked up, her teeth chattering as Inuyasha looked down at her, shaking his head. "You okay?"

She tried to nod, but the cold kept her shivering so badly she couldn't even manage that. Startled, she felt Inuyasha pull her closer to his body as he sprinted to the hut. "S-sorry. I g-guess tha-that I lost muh-my temper…"

"Feh," He looked ahead, "Don't worry about it. It's more important that we get you warm soon."

Back at Kaede-barchan's hut, curled up under the cover of her futon, Kagome continued to shiver and glared at Inuyasha as he demanded something of her she really didn't want to do.

"Come on! Take off your clothes!" He growled.

"Nuh-nuh-no!"

His eyes narrowed. "Look, I'm trying to be nice here…" He crept towards her, eyes set just as stubbornly as the girl in front of him.

Shippou looked up silently from his place on Kagome's lap. She was radiating cold, fine drops of melting snow dripped onto his head.

Teeth chattering she shook her head, there was no way.

"Look, you are gonna freeze if you don't get out of those wet clothes." He growled.

"I'll fuh-freeze even faster if I'm neh-naked." She bundled the covers closer around her and scooted away from the fuming hanyou. She was so cold…and shivering so much she looked blurry to Inuyasha's eyes.

He bit back the words that longed to jump off his sharp tongue and snap at her. His white hair bristled as his anger slowly seeped through. He was more mad at himself than Kagome. He had had plenty of time to push her out of the way before the snow buried her. But he hadn't done it…all because he was being petty. Now she was here practically shivering to death before his eyes for no good reason at all. "Look, I'll tell you again. I have a hot bath set up outside, all you have to do is go and get in it and I'll leave you alone!"

Kagome shrunk under the cover… "Tuh-there's no suh-such tuh-tuh-tuh-thing." She spat out between her chattering teeth. Everyone knew that there were no such things as hot baths in the Sengoku Jidai, other than hot springs that was.

Shippou looked up, gently rubbing his tiny hands up and down Kagome's arms, trying to create some sort of warmth. "He's telling the truth Kagome, there's a big metal tub outside that you can stand up in. And he's got a fire under it an' brought up all the water and heated everything up for you."

The look in her eyes faltered just a hair. Her mind was reading the paragraph in the book, safely hidden under her futon. "Sometimes we get so caught up in how we appear to someone we like that we overlook the fact that it means more to lean on them in times of need instead of simply running ahead of them." She shook her head, partly to get rid of the words, half to oppose Inuyasha's absurd idea of her going around naked where he could see her.

He growled one more time. "Fine," The words seethed as he leapt at her, "Sit me all you want, but I won't just sit here and let you freeze!"

Before she could force the word out from behind the prison of her teeth, his warm hands were around her and wrapping her in his red coat. He stepped back before she could do anything else and slipped out the door.

"Just wear that out and get in the tub." He looked over his shoulder, an almost sad look on his face. "I promise I won't look…but I know that you don't trust me so I guess that doesn't mean much to you."

Kagome's eyes went wide. She hadn't meant it like that at all. She just shook her head, wrapped the coat tighter around her as Shippou hopped out after Inuyasha. What a mess she'd made…what a mess indeed.

Outside, Inuyasha was blowing on the fire, getting the water as warm as he could on the cold day. Stupid woman…he thought. As much as he wanted to be angry with her, he was only sad…after all this time, she still didn't trust him. Feh, it had been stupid to expect her to in the first place…he blew on the fire again, but his breath seemed to be taken away by the sad fist that was tightening in the bottom of his stomach. All he'd ever be was just a stupid-

"I'm sorry…" Kagome wrapped her arms gently around his back, her hands hidden by his coat sleeves.

His ears twitched as the last thought in his mind was swept away by Kagome's scent and cold arms. He sighed, "It's okay…I was just worried about you."

She was still shaking, only this time it wasn't just the cold…Inuyasha lifted her up and sat her on the edge of what looked like a metal oil drum. He quickly turned around and started for the hut when Kagome's soft voice stopped him. "No, it's okay, I trust you…" He heard cloth untie and gulped. "Inuyasha, hold onto the back of this while I get in okay?"

Eyes wide, yet averted, he raised a shaking hand to hold the collar of his own coat as Kagome slipped out of it and into the warm water, the pale skin of her neck visible for half a second before her dark hair spread out like ink on the water. Again he tried to retreat to the hut.

"Wait…Inuyasha…" She called out shyly.

He stopped, dropped to his haunches and waited.

"I…"

Ears twitching, he crept closer and started to stoke the fire under the bath again. "Is it warm enough?"

Kagome relished the feel of the water seeping warmth into her icy limbs. She sighed, tilting her head back to watch as the snow started to fall again. "Yes." She smiled, "Thank you for letting me lean on you."

He glanced up, confused for a second, before lowering his head again as a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he continued to stoke the fire.

Wai! Another one done! Yippee. Feedback me please! Or email me, I love hearing from people! DarthMerMer@hotmail.com Night all! Love ya!