She Likes My Ears
        a fanfic by Elegy
 
 

A/N: SQUEE! I'm so excited. My first ever challenge ficcy! WEEHOO! Okay, so it's InuYasha/Kagome. Ano.... ENJOY!
 
 

There was a problem. There was only one blanket. There were two people. Well, one was a hanyou, but that's not really the point. The point is: there was only one blanket, and two people. These two people were Kagome Higurashi and InuYasha. Now you may see where the problem lay.

It wasn't that anyone would be around to see them if they shared the blanket, plus it would probably save both their lives. The fact was that neither one wanted to be the first to suggest it. That might mean they wanted to, and while both did, they certainly wouldn't admit it to the other. Kagome was convinced InuYasha was still in love with Kikyou, and InuYasha was convinced that Kagome could never return his feelings.

Why the one blanket, you ask? The answer is simple: A sudden snow storm on the way to Kaede's village from the Bone Eater's Well. The snow had already been a good three feet deep, and was now approaching four and a half. InuYasha had managed to find an abandoned hut not too far from the well, so they had taken shelter there from the icy winds outside. Kagome had started a fire in the hearth with what wood she could find just outside, but alas, most of it was wet, and even when it dried, the fire wouldn't last long. It was sputtering even now.

The only other option for warmth was, of course, Kagome's sleeping bag. AKA: the infamous blanket. Kagome had just taken it out of her bag, and unwound it from itself, throwing it on the floor in the process. InuYasha was huddled up close to the dwindling fire. He would never admit it, but he was freezing his ass off. Kagome didn't need to be a mind reader to tell he was cold. 'Stupid InuYasha,' Kagome thought, 'It's just like him not to admit when he's hurt or uncomfortable 'cause he thinks he'll sound weak. This is getting ridiculous!' Kagome walked decidedly toward InuYasha, sleeping bag in hand, and plopped down right next to him. They were so close she could feel his hair tickling her cheek if she moved just a bit. She tried to ignore the sensations she felt at even this feather-light touch, and instead, brought the opened up sleeping bag around InuYasha's shoulder, settling the other side on her own.

"Thanks..." InuYasha muttered. Kagome hid a small smirk, and turned it into a smile upon facing him. It was warm now, deliciously warm. The combination of their body heat within the insulating blanket was enough to make a block of ice melt. Kagome looked at InuYasha, because, let's face it, one can look at bare wood for only so long before feeling the need to render oneself unconscious. Plus, InuYasha was her favorite thing to look at. His hair practically sparkled in the dimming light coming through the only window in the hut. His skin was vibrant, and.... blushing? InuYasha was blushing? A moment later, she realized why. While staring intently at him, Kagome had accidentally placed her hand on his knee. Not only that, but she seemed to be squeezing it.

Her cheeks flushed red as the realization hit her. She immediately took her hand away, and turned away as much as possible in the small space the blanket provided. Her blush deepened as she remembered the feel of his knee, and her thoughts turned to a place they shouldn't. Little did she know that InuYasha was thinking along the same lines as her.

'Don't do it, baka. Just don't.' Apparently, InuYasha's body did not want to listen to his brain. Typical. He leaned over slightly, and kissed Kagome's neck. She straightened immediately, and he knew she'd be disgusted with him. But she didn't move, she barely even spoke other than to whisper his name.

"I... InuYasha?"

"Y-yes, Kagome?" The nervousness in his voice was almost cute. No, it was cute.

"Why... did you... do that?" She almost dreaded the answer. Maybe he was delirious from the cold, and thought she was Kikyou. Though she knew that wasn't really possible, given the warmth surrounding them both, she still couldn't help but think it.

"Uhm... I guess... I uhhh.... I wanted to..." His face was the color of a ripe tomato. Just below his embarrassment, he felt the need to protect Kagome. This time, though, he wanted to protect her from himself. His youkai blood was looking for a mate, and he was in love with Kagome. Her scent intoxicated him every time he took a breath. His instincts were getting harder to control.

"Oh... could you... maybe... InuYasha..." Kagome's voice trailed off at the look in the hanyou's eyes. It was need; it was passion; but it was also caring, and protection, and even love. "InuYasha?" She barely managed to gasp.

"Kagome, I..." there was no need for him to finish his sentence. She knew. He swept her up into a hug. It didn't take much considering their close quarters wrapped up in the blanket. At first she didn't respond, but after a moment of his fingers brushing through her silky hair, she relaxed into his arms.

"InuYasha," her voice was soft, dreamy. She wasn't really thinking about what she was saying, and her secret slipped out. "I love you."

Those three words stopped the earth from spinning. That's what InuYasha felt as he held her close. In that moment, it was as if all of his dreams had come true. Kagome... loved him. Him. A lowly hanyou. She didn't care if he wasn't human, like Kikyou did. And while he had loved Kikyou, all of her, she was dead now. The Kikyou he knew, gone.

"I love you too, Kagome." Kagome nearly cried when she heard it. The look in his eyes had been enough to tell her, but hearing him say it... it filled her with joy, so much that she thought she would burst; and even so, she wanted more of that joy. She reached up slowly, and rubbed the base of his ears. She giggled as a deep growling purr escaped his throat.

He remembered her saying something about his ears before. Yeah, his ears. She liked his ears... He couldn't help it; she was so close, and his ears had never felt so well-treated, not to mention her scent was driving him to near insanity. He pulled away slightly, and bent his head down, kissing her. Her lips were soft, and tasted like cherries. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, allowing the innocent kiss to progress into something more.

The rest of the night was spent making love, and afterward, cuddled in each other's arms. A feeling of wholeness washed over them both every time they touched or looked at one another. The fire burned out sometime near one in the morning, but it didn't matter. They were warm inside; their hearts protecting one another from the freezing cold of the outside world.

OWARI!