InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Memories of the Bell Flower ❯ The Night of Snow ( Chapter 1 )

Memories of the Bell Flower

Chapter One: The Night of Snow

by Sephira jo (contact at: sephirajo@yahoo.com)

Rating R: For limey and lemony goodness, tons of angst and other lovely fluffy things.

Authors Note: This story may piss of those of you who hate Kikyou. Yep, this story is an Inu Yasha/Kikyou fic. Those of you who don't like it, well you get the idea. Don't read. For your sanity and mine however please remember that this fic is set 50 years in the past before Naraku and endorses the PRE-ZOMBIEFIED Kikyou ONLY. Remember that this is before she became the star of "Night of the undead Miko." Please remember that and don't send the Spanish Inquisition after me. (Oh no, not the horror of the comfy chair!!! NOOOOOOO.)

Notes to the REVISED edition: Hey guys, I've revised! Some things changed, some things added, and some things taken away. I hope you enjoy it! I've also tried to fix all the dumb ass errors I managed to make at 3 o'clock in the morning. *grins sheepishly* So I hope you enjoy, remember reviews are always welcome!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, I never have!! *sniffle sniffle* and If I did, he'd be mine! All mine. . . .

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The snow fell, leaving a freshly created blanket of white lightly covering the ground. Kikyou walked briskly through the fallen powder smiling to herself about the one that followed her from the trees above. Inu Yasha insisted that it was easier to see oncoming threats from the trees and followed her from above ground instead of walking with her. She just wished, even if only for a moment, that he would leave his wooden posts to walk beside her. She knew that such a thing shouldn't, no couldn't be allowed to happen. A relationship between a Miko and a hanyou was something ludicrous, something that could be seen as a weakness on both their parts. And as the protector of the Shikon no Tama, weakness were something that she could not afford.

Night was coming on, darkening the shadows on the snow to a pale blue. Kikyou looked up at the sky and felt the falling flakes brush past her face. She wished, if only for one night, that she could be a normal woman. Seventeen years untouched; childhood friends of her had long ago married and started families, leaving her single and alone.

Kikyou looked up at her arboreal follower and smiled sadly, admiring the strong form of the hanyou that moved from tree to tree with his unique, inhuman grace. How handsome he was, with his long silver hair and red robes. Inu Yasha looked down at her then. Although she couldn't see his face very well from her vantage point she was sure he smiled down at her. Kikyou felt her face flush and she looked away quickly.

She heard the branches above her rustle and she smiled softly to herself as Inu Yasha flew to the ground beside her. He looked at Kikyou and the shy smile she had begun to coax out of him pulled at the corners of his lips. As Kikyou smiled back she admired the golden eyes, the silver hair and his inhuman ears.

"Um, did you hear me Kikyou?" Inu Yasha's voice broke through her stare. Kikyou flushed, shook her head and chided herself. Such lapses in concentration were not called for. They could be deadly. Inu Yasha chuckled slightly, the sound adding to Kikyou's ire at herself, she didn't need to be reminded of her tendency to get lost in thought around him.

"I said that there's an abandoned cabin ahead. With night coming on, I thought you might need some rest."

Kikyou smiled and nodded. Inu Yasha grinned back, pleased that he was able to do something for her. In so many ways, she found herself caring for the dog demon. Little things like this always managed to remind her how much she cared. Normally she would not have stopped for the night, had it been just her, preferring to instead head back to the village as soon as possible. A night in an abandoned cabin was something that she would only consider when accompanied. It also helped that her companion was as handsome as he was, making the notion of spending the night in the cabin much more appealing.

Kikyou smiled with an enthusiasm that she thought long lost. Yes, a night alone with Inu Yasha was more then appealing.

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The interior of the small cabin was sparse. It showed signs of having been furnished: a large square where a futon had been laid and evidence of a table and other things but these comforts had gone long ago, leaving only dusty traces of evidence visible in their wake. Kikyou walked into the old cabin, breathing out in relief for getting out of the cold. Inu Yasha followed her in, his light foot falls barely audible on the dusty floor boards. Kikyou could hear him get a fire going in what was left of a fire pit. Still not facing him, nor saying anything, Kikyou set down her bow and quiver in the corner then felt her hand stray to the Shikon no Tama fixed on the necklace she had made for it.

Kikyou always wore the jewel while traveling, if for no other reason then a moving target was harder to hit. Having it in the village for extended periods of time led youkai, oni and dark hearted men to her home. Traveling made it easier to avoid the risk of an attack on the village that could cost her the lives of her sister and neighbors. Even Inu Yasha had been seeking the jewel for his own reasons. Kikyou stole a quick glance back at him.

He was down on one knee stoking the small fire with a stick. The light reflected of his silver hair, making it glow in the dim, dancing light. Kikyou sighed, not only did she care for him deeply, but she also found him very attractive. Ridiculous! She thought to herself angrily as she flushed and quickly looked away when his gaze met hers. She tried to stop the thoughts that raced through her mind; however, images of his body pressed against her, low pants and moans, broken whispers and half-heard promises ran through her mind. He was a hanyou, she a miko. Just for once she wanted to be with him, like a normal woman would be with a lover.

Taking care not to look at Inu Yasha's face she walked over to the fire and sat down close to him, hoping that he would attribute the flush in her cheeks to warmth of the fire. Kikyou let the warmth from the fire soak into her body, warming her. Her hand absently moved to the Shikon jewel hanging from her neck, she moved it idly through her fingers as she watched Inu Yasha sit next to her. Her eyes moved over every part of him, but out of a combination of embarrassment and nervousness of getting caught, avoided his eyes.

Kikyou smiled softly, it seemed to her that fate had brought them together. In their own ways, they were so alike. Both of them lived lives that separated them from others. His mixed blood made him an outcast to both humans and youkai, her inborn power and responsibilities as a miko set her apart from humans, and made her a foe to all others. At least when together, they would never be alone.

"Kikyou?" The whispered question shocked her out of her train of thought and she lifted her eyes to Inu Yasha's. She could feel a blush in her cheeks and quickly looked away.

Damn it! She thought vehemently, he's a dog demon. He can SMELL these kind of things for sure. Kikyou tried to fight down the desire that arose within her, but she could still fell the blood rush to her face and cause her to blush even more.

"Kikyou?" Again he spoke her name as a question and this time he gently took her face in his hand and turned it to face his. The look in his golden eyes was questioning and confused, but tinged with something else. It was something darker and dangerous. Something that, despite her better judgment excited and enticed her.

"Uh, what's wrong, Kikyou?" Inu Yasha's voice was husky, like a man caught surprised.

"Inu Yasha?" Kikyou whispered, letting her eyes stay locked with his, those golden pools shifting and changing With the light of the fire.

"Yes?" The questioning reply was barely above a whisper. Kikyou watched him answer, fascinated by the movement of his lips and she imagined them in other places, occupied with other things.

"How do you see me?" Kikyou asked softly, the question calling on courage she didn't know she had.

"What?" Inu Yasha asked, apparently confused and shocked by her question. His fingers starting to slowly stroke the soft skin of her cheek.

"What am I to you?" She asked, trying to find the words to clarify her question. She shifted, moving closer to the hanyou, feeling the heat of his body move over hers. "Do you see me as a woman?" She asked, glancing downward, afraid to see his face as she gave voice to the last question.

"Eh? What's that supposed to mean?" He answered, his hands dropping away from her face and down to his side as he looked away from her and stared into the fire. His face flushed and he looked embarrassed.

Kikyou sighed. No, of course he wouldn't see her as a woman. She was an idol kept on a pedestal, far away from even the thought of the touch of another. Inu Yasha's answer reflected this.

"I mean, you're a miko, you. . . I . . . we . . . can't think about things like that." His face was red and he shook his head as if trying to dispel unwanted thoughts.

"It would make me happy . . . if you could . . ." Kikyou said quietly wrapping her arms around herself. Trying to give herself some small comfort, "If you could see me as a woman."

Damn this jewel! Kikyou thought, damn it, damn this THING that keeps us from being together.

Kikyou looked over at him and smiled sadly. She felt tears in her eyes as she looked back at Inu Yasha, his eyes conflicted, stared back at her.

"You won't taint me. You never could . . ."

The next thing she said, she couldn't believe as the words slid out of her mouth of their own volition, "I love you, Inu Yasha." When she realized what she had said, she clapped a small hand over her mouth as if she could take the words she spoke back.

Inu Yasha's hand gently took hers from her mouth and held it in his own, Kikyou could tell he was being gentle With her; he avoided touching her With his claws. His smile was one that was half arrogant triumph and half shared compassion. It was something human and inhuman at the same time and it entranced Kikyou, and drew her in.

"I love you too, Kikyou. But that doesn't change anything. The 'love' of a hanyou would taint you." Kikyou felt the tears that had been welling up behind her eyes spill on to her cheek.

"So, I can never be a woman to you. . ." Kikyou sighed, closing her eyes as the feelings of loneliness and isolation were nothing new to the young woman, but she wished that they weren't. She wished that for one night at least she could be a normal woman alone with the man she wanted so deeply.

"Damnit, Kikyou, that's not what I meant." Inu Yasha's voice was harsh, the reprimand clear. Kikyou opened her eyes to find his face a hairbreadth away from her own. Her breath caught as his eyes locked with hers, their deep amber color tinged with an animalistic need that stole her heart, heated her body and fired her emotions.

Kikyou felt the needs and wants she had thought long buried began to rise with the look that he gave her. She wanted, no needed to be with him.

"I can smell you, you know. And when we're alone like this, its very, very hard for me to control myself. But I don't want to hurt you. Damnit Kikyou, I don't want to taint you!"

Inu Yasha's voice was cut off as Kikyou pressed her lips to his, silencing him with an unpracticed kiss. Kikyou hadn't been sure what type of reaction to expect from him, so when his lips moved against hers with a passion and force that she hadn't expected, she gasped, only to find that he took the opportunity her open mouth presented to slide his tongue inside her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss that laid claim to her in a way she had never expected.

Shyly, she answered back With her own tongue, tasting him. She heard him growl as he took her action as an invitation to deepen their kiss even further. She felt a fang brush against her tongue, bite at her lip. Kikyou heard herself moan, but she was so removed from the sound that for a moment, she wasn't even sure that it had come from her at all.

Inu Yasha pushed Kikyou back and she grunted when she hit the floor, the force of the blow something unexpected. She opened her eyes to find Inu Yasha over her, his legs straddled over her waist, pinning her to the floor with his weight. He was looking down at her, his eyes alight with dark fire.

"Well, Kikyou, you do know what happens next, don't you?" Inu Yasha asked, his voice dark as he ground his body against hers, trying to convey without words what he wanted. Kikyou nodded, assent and love tinged with fear coloring her eyes. Inu Yasha snarled and leaned down to bite her on the neck, the last strains of his control snapping. He needed to be sure.

"I don't want to taint you, Kikyou." He said, one last time, giving her a chance to back out.

"You could never taint me." The answer was simple and heartfelt, with that the last of his control snapped.