InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chaos ❯ Warmth ( Chapter 5 )

My previous posting of Chapter 5 was accidentally erased. Sorry! This is a Repost!

This story will eventually be heading towards a slight lemon (it has a point). I don't if I should post that on FanFiction.net. If I get enough response I will, but I haven't seen anything else like on here so I don't know. If I don't; I am ending it with this chapter.

Whew! I finally did it!! I wrote Chapter 5!!! I have this whole story in head but I have school and its taking me some time. Sorry to all my fans!! =) Anyway it might be a bit before I can get back to it. I am putting of Chemistry enough as it is! YUCK! Ok well let me know if you like it.. This chapter is kinda weird in a fluffy sort of way. If I get enough positive reviews I will update sooner, so if you like........Let me know!!! If you don't......well all flames are welcome. Feedback is a cool thing, and I like honest comments. <Big grin>. R&R!

He had been sitting in front of Kaede's hut for a while now. The old woman had taken over the moment he had arrived in the village with Kagome's lifeless body. She had ordered the half-demon to lay Kagome on her bed roll and then insisted that he stay outside, saying that the art of healing held no place for a man. Inu-Yasha had raged at her dismissal of him, but she said that she needed him for other things. He was assigned to gather wood for a fire and to collect certain women of the village who might aid in healing. At the end of his chores he had wanted to stay with Kagome but the hag had denied him again and told Inu-Yasha that he would serve the patient better if he stayed out of the healers' way.

That had been hours ago. To Inu-Yasha the time had felt like an eternity. It hadn't hit him how helpless he was till he had nothing to do but wait. A demon threat he could kill. His brother he could fight. He liked being able to charge into battles. But how do you help if there is nothing to attack??

"Inu-Yasha." The voice startled him. He hadn't realized how lost in thought he had been till he saw that the old woman was staring down at him.

"Out of my face hag", growled the half-demon. His words were coarse but a veil of sorrow hung in his eyes. They were shiny and held a distant look to them.

"Inu-Yasha", Kaede repeated. "Come, take a walk with me." The old woman then began to walk away and left the half-demon to follow in her slow footsteps. They walked in silence, for a while, until Kaede began to speak.

"Do you know what a Kori is?"

"Feh. Did you take me out me out here for riddles, old woman?"

"Hmph. Youth. The Kori, Inu-Yasha, is a horrid curse caused by the touch of ice demons. Most demons choose a physical attack to kill their prey. They use swords, claws, teeth, whatever is useful to their cause. But the Akurei, or ice demons, have a more astral attack. By one touch the Akurei can kill." Kaede took a long pause. "Every heart has a place where it is confused or lonely, and the Akurei can find that place. With one touch they can add their coldness to that of the lonely heart and make it break. The heart and soul freeze, eventually taking the body with them. The Akurei can literally freeze the body from the inside out.

"These demons are rare, but I have seen their inflictions on others before. Usually the victims seep slowly into depression. Symptoms of illness would then begin to follow, and their outer body would begin to freeze and die. The curse of frost, or the Kori, is usually slow, but always fatal."

Inu-Yasha stared at the old lady. The lines around her face held darkness and her expression was grim. "You think that the Kori is what ails Kagome." He made it a statement, fore the old lady's face held nothing back.

"Aye, I do. But in all the times that I have dealt with the Kori, I have never seen it affect a person so quickly. Kagome's body lies as if it has been buried in ice for centuries. The Akurei that spawned this curse in Kagome is either truly powerful or has a strong want to see her dead."

Kagome............................. The priestess' words echoed in his mind. Did she bring me out here to tell me Kagome is dieing?? No! That can't be! Kagome is too strong for such a cheap demon trick!! His mind railed at the thought. "Feh, Kagome will get better," he stated, but his heart still held doubt.

"At the rate her body is cooling I do not expect her to live past tomorrow's sunrise," Kaede replied gravely.

By now the two had walked some distance and the old woman felt out of breath. She paused for a moment and looked around. After surveying her surroundings she took a seat on a nearby stump and waited for the demon to join her. Inu-Yasha dropped down on the ground beside the stump in despair. His eyes shone that his mind was elsewhere and his whole face looked deep in thought. It was an unusual expression for the half-demon.

When he finally looked up to the older woman, his face was drawn in deep sorrow. "Is there anything you can do for her? Anything?"

"Nay, Inu-Yasha there is nothing I can do for the child. The only thing that can cure the cursed touch of the Akurei is by giving the heart warmth again. Whatever first pained the heart must be discovered and remedied. Something weighed on Kagome's heart that allowed this demon's coldness to enter. It was not me that caused her to feel alone or confused. So it is not me that can heal her."

Inu-Yasha stared up at ancient figure near him. Moments passed and anger filled his face.

"Who would do that to Kagome??"

"It is my belief, Inu-Yasha, that you did."

"ME????" his yelled, golden eyes flaring, "I would never do that to Kagome!"

"Aye. I know that it was not you that froze the lass," Kaede said with a weak smile. "But I do believe it was you that caused her heart some confusion. If the two of you were not so busy arguing over petty cares you might have noticed that she has some feelings for you."

"Me?" Despair had crept into his voice and he lowered his head to stare at his hands. Why would.....? Me........no way....................then.......? Words ran through his mind but nothing would form a coherent thought. He was awash in feelings. Emotions played with his spirit as the old lady's words sunk in. It took him a second to realize she was talking to him again. When he finally heard her, he had no idea how do respond.

"Hear me boy," she said sharply, "Do you love her?"

Inu-Yasha opened his mouth to give his usual flippant reply but closed it again as he thought. He pictured Kagome's body as he had seen last seen her. In his mind her figure lay lifeless and cold. Once lively skin, taut and hardened in frost. The image disappeared from his mind then. His thoughts were flooded with her. Images of Kagome played in his mind. Her smiles, her laugher, even her tears danced in his thoughts.

Reaching deep in his heart, he discovered the truth. Kaede looked at the half-demon beside her as surprise sprung upon his face. And then tears. He looked up to meet her gaze and his eyes shone in dampness. A slight nod was all he could manage.

"Good. Because only if you truly love her, can you save her."

________________________________________________________________ _______

Inu-Yasha stared at the girl before him. He was alone in the room with her. Kaede had explained what he needed to do and at the time he had agreed willingly. She had shooed all the other women out of her hut and made certain the two were not to be disturbed.

Now alone with Kagome in the hut, Inu-Yasha felt nervous. Kaede had said that Kagome lacked warmth. And it was his responsibility to share his heat with her. Inu-Yasha blushed at this thought. The hag had told him that Kagome needed his touch.

He began to strip. Kaede had said this was needed. It was nothing sexual, just that the more their bodies touched; the more heat they would share.

Nothing sexual. Feh. Easy for you to say hag.

His sword was the first thing to go. Then his robes. He stared down at the girl below him. She lie in the old woman's bedroll, her face directed away from him. It had seemed silly sense she wasn't awake, but he had not wanted to undress before her. His heart hung heavy and he seemed not to be able to breath.

Damnit girl. No human has made me act such a fool. Not even.......... His thoughts trailed off. I will not loose you too.

He undid the blankets around Kagome and lifted them. To his surprise she lie there naked before him. He had expected this, since it was how he found her. But the sight caught him off guard and he looked away. It seemed wrong to do be doing this. But if Kaede was right, there was no other way.

Inu-Yasha crawled under the blankets clumsily and lie down next to Kagome. The bedroll was made for Kaede only, so it was extremely small for both Kagome and him together. He found that to be completely under the blankets, his entire body had to touch hers. He felt awkward, but knew that this could be the only to save her.

Inu-Yasha gently slid an arm under Kagome and drew her cold body close to him. Her back now lie against his chest and he could feel her shallow breathing. He felt uncomfortable as he spooned the unconscious woman against him. Her coolness spread across his body everywhere their skin touched. The sun was going down now and shadows began to grow in the room around them. He stared at the back of her head; it was the only welcomed blackness in the room and willed her body to take his warmth. He lie staring at her hair, shivering, until sleep finally took him over.

Sometime in the night, he awoke. Darkness was around him. Blackness was as far as the eye could see. It took him a few moments to realize that he held something in his arms. As he began to wake, memories of the past day seized his mind. He sighed in frustration.

It was only after his slight movement that he felt breathing upon his neck. He gently moved his free hand to where the breath came from. To Inu-Yasha's surprise he found that Kagome was now facing him and held him in her own embrace. The two were now wrapped against each other with their front pressed upon the other. For the first time, since he entered into the bedroll, Inu-Yasha felt warmth. The body that lie against him was soft and radiated with heat.

She's alive..............! Excitement and happiness exploded in Inu-Yasha's mind. All traces of the cold that had taken her were gone. The girl that had once seemed little more than a frozen, empty shell, now held him tight against her. He moved his free hand again, but this time to touch her face. His finger traced over the soft warmth, and her body wiggled against him. Inu-Yasha's own body took immediate notice.

"Kagome..." he whispered. He knew that if she were to awake with him like this he would be in great trouble. He could feel his entire self pressed up against her warm skin. "Kagome..."

He couldn't see her in the dark night, but he heard her. A soft, quiet sigh. "Inu-Yasha...." her breath whispered. Her body snuggled in tighter to him. If she had been awake, she could have seen his face grow red. But instead all she felt was strong arms draw her tight against a heated body. Inu-Yasha eventually fell back asleep with Kagome's form pressed tightly against him.