InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Once Upon a Snowstorm ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimers: I don't suppose Takahashi-sama would be willing to give me Inuyasha, would she?

*crickets chirp*

*Sigh* That's what I thought…

Chapter Two

There was approximately one blanket folded haphazardly in a rotting wooden trunk at the very back of the cave, and it had clearly seen better days, to put it politely. Kagome stared at the disintegrating piece of material in her hands and wondered if it had been used as a puppy's chew-toy at one point, or maybe as food for an army of refugee mice, because it clearly could not be described as an actual blanket anymore. Which was a shame, really, because while she appreciated the fire, it was not large enough to warm the entire cave (and there was that pesky draft to contend with), and she really, really wanted to be warm. Even Miroku's robe wasn't enough to do the trick, and short of sleeping directly on the fire, which would be hazardous to her health, there was only one other solution that she really, really didn't want to think about…

Unfortunately, Miroku had no intention of letting her forget it.

"Really, Kagome-sama, must you be so difficult?" he chided with amused patience, watching her as she paced like a caged kitten before him. "The blanket is useless, the fire is too small, it's cold, and I'm warm. So are you, for that matter. Is sleeping next to me really such a troublesome idea? Two bodies, after all, are much better-"

"Don't finish that sentence," she growled, and he looked up at her through wounded eyes. She glared back. "I know you! Y-you'll use the opportunity to take advantage of me!" she accused. "I'm not that stupid!"

Miroku kindly decided not to point out the fact that, because of her being…not stupid, they were both stuck in a chilly cave in the middle of a blizzard. "If I promise to be good?" he wheedled, then grinned at the incredulous glance she shot him. Okay, okay. So even he didn't believe that one…

Kagome took the lull in conversation to release several explosive sneezes, each one harder than the last, then sniffled pathetically and wiped her nose on Miroku's sleeve. He eyed it with distaste, his own nose wrinkling slightly, and she noticed. "Thad's whad you ged for making me wear id," she told him snidely, still sounding a little stuffy. Miroku frowned, deciding that enough was enough, and the next time she paced past him in her pathetic attempts to keep warm, he reached out, grabbed the hem of the robe, and gave it a hard yank which sent her tumbling back unceremoniously with a startled yelp…right into his welcoming lap.

"There," he proclaimed cheerfully, locking his arms around her waist to keep her with him. "That's much better."

"Miroku! I'm gonna kill you!" she shrieked, attempting to wrest away…or to turn around and strangle him, neither of which he was about to let her succeed in. She hadn't even noticed that she'd dropped her usual honorific…but Miroku did, and the sound of his name…and only his name…falling from her lips (even if she was threatening his life at that point) was oddly…pleasing.

"Now, now, Kagome," he purred soothingly, taking delight in the way she suddenly stilled at the mention of her own honorific-less name. "You must admit that this is much warmer, is it not? Quite comfortable."

"You've got three seconds to let me go, or I'm gonna start removing body parts," she grumbled. "If Inuyasha was here, you'd be headless by now."

He merely grinned, knowing that she was bluffing (really, the girl couldn't hurt a fly if she tried), and settled himself against the wall, relinquishing one hand from his claim to drag his outer robe over and wrap it around his bare shoulders. "There. Now if we both just sit here quietly and share body heat we'll be quite comfortable," he stated with pleasure. "Shall we play a game?"

"Yes. I've got one. It's called, 'Fifty Ways to Murder a Monk'," she retorted. "I'll go first. We can take that staff of yours and ram it so far up your ass that it comes out through your nose."

"Kagome!" The exclamation came out on a startled laugh as Miroku eyed her with a touch of wonder. He gave her a lascivious wink. "I had no idea that such a naughty mind resided inside that sweet head of yours!"

She pouted at him. "Only you would think that was anything…naughty," she grumbled, then smiled sweetly. "Alright, it's your turn. How would you kill yourself?" she questioned innocently.

A slow, disturbingly sensual smile curled over Miroku's lips, and her eyes widened as she belatedly realized that she'd practically handed him the chance to make a lewd comment. She wondered if there was still time to take it back...

"Why, dear Kagome, I can think of a most delightful way to die…fifty times over, in fact," he began innocently, as his hand-which had until then been resting innocently on her waist-began to slide lower to her outer thigh and begin a slow journey inward. "What better way to die than to spend all of one's energy continually lost in the throes of pleasure? Plunging in and out of a willing partner over…and over…and ov-" He was cut off abruptly by a pair of hands slapping sharply over his mouth with such force that he smacked the back of his head against the wall. Kagome had managed to turn herself around so that she was practically straddling him (a fact that he wasn't about to point out to her, lest she remove herself from this most pleasant position post-haste). Her entire body was practically glowing with embarrassment.

"Okay. Game's over," the beet-faced girl muttered, glaring at the wall, the floor, the ceiling, his shoulder…anywhere but his face. "Frankly, I like my idea much better," she added sulkily. Miroku's eyes crinkled with merriment, and in another moment, Kagome gave a sudden shriek and jerked her hands away from his lips, staring at him, open-mouthed. "Y-you licked me!" she accused, pointing a shaking finger at his face. "That's so…so…eeewwww! That's disgusting! I've got germs on my hand!" She scrubbed her palm frantically against her leg while Miroku pouted at her.

"You've picked shards out of steaming piles of youkai guts without so much as a wince and now you're complaining because I accidentally touched your hand with my tongue?" he sniffed, mortally insulted.

"That was no accident!" she yelled, poking him in the forehead with a finger. "That wasn't a touch, that was a…an outright lick! Like…like…I got kissed by a dog or something!"

Miroku smirked. "I believe Inuyasha would be mortally offended if he heard you say that."

She blinked, then scowled. "That's not what I meant," she muttered. "Besides, Inuyasha wouldn't kiss like that, anyway. He's a person!"

And what am I then? Chopped eggroll? Miroku thought sulkily. Now he was insulted again, and surprisingly miffed that Inuyasha had-as always-managed to worm his way into the conversation when he wasn't even there. "And how would you know how Inuyasha kisses?" he questioned with sly innocence, allowing his indignation free reign. Just a little bit. "Are you saying that you've kissed him before?"

"What?!" she yelped. Then, "No! I-I'm not saying that at all! We-we're not like that!" As much as she wished it otherwise sometimes. "I-I'm just saying that Inuyasha wouldn't lick me like an actual dog! H-he'd kiss like a man would-at least I'd assume so-and…and…" She trailed off, aware that she was somehow digging herself into a ditch, yet having no idea how to climb to safer ground again.

Miroku watched her intently, relishing the adorably confused, embarrassed, and slightly angry expression that covered her flushed face. "So…" he began slowly, thoroughly enjoying himself, "What you're saying is that Inuyasha kisses like a man…while I kiss like a dog?"

"Yes. I mean…No!" She blinked at him, looking spooked. "I never said you kissed like a dog! How would I know how you kiss? A-and I don't want to know either, so don't go getting any funny ideas!" she added hastily, seeing the smirk on his face. "I just said…you licked my hand…"

"But you did say it was like you got kissed by a dog," he pointed out smugly.

"Well…yeah…but…that is…" She blinked and trailed off, looking more confused than ever. "I-in my time, when a puppy licks your hand or something, we say it's giving you a kiss…" Her confusion cleared as a smug smile graced her lips. "That's what I was saying," she finished triumphantly.

"So in other words, I kissed you, doggie-style," he proclaimed with perfect seriousness.

"Arrrgh!" Kagome grabbed her hair with both hands and yanked. "You are impossible!"

He sighed deeply, shaking his head with a sorrowful expression. "I'm afraid you've gravely wounded my pride," he told her mournfully. "I feel that I, as a man, must defend my honor, and prove to you that I do not kiss like a puppy."

Her eyes widened nearly to the size of saucers, as she immediately attempted to scramble off his lap and away, but he was much too quick for her. Before she could even move, one arm had already snaked around her waist, pulling her firmly against his solid, naked chest, while his other hand cupped her face and tilted her chin upward with his thumb. "Be calm, Kagome," he murmured in his deep, sensual voice, his lidded eyes laughing down into hers. "I promise this won't hurt a bit."

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