Drenched, Frozen, Warmed

By: Lilin's Gal

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, blah, blah, blah...

Inu Yasha get stranded in the wild. What ever shall become of them? And now that they have returned to the village, how will they deal with new situations?

A/N: Second half of all the talks. Next chapter has a little more 'action.'

Also thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, especially RedHerring, who's three comments in one day inspired me to get off my ass and continue this. ************************************************************************

Sango was pulling on her kimono when she spotted a red form in the forest. Picking up a rock, she prepared to shoo Inu Yasha away until she noticed that his back was to the hot springs and only his ears were turned their way. 'I hope he didn't hear us, I wouldn't want to make things more difficult for the two of them.' Turning back to her friend still soaking in the water, she decided to let them have their time together. "Kagome? I'm going to go back now if you don't mind."

"Hmmm? No go ahead." She was finally relaxed and calm enough to think and was not about to give that up. "If you see Inu Yahsa though, could you tell him I'd like to talk to him sometime tonight."

" Of course," Sango replied, glancing at the tree-line, where Inu Yasha's ears were now twitching rapidly. "I'll make sure he get's the message."

Kagome watched as her friend left, before leaning back against the bank of the springs and running her hands over her face. 'What's going on lately? Can't things just figure themselves out?' Of course she knew that thing wouldn't just magically change on their own. She would need to talk to Inu Yasha soon.

As if answering her thoughts, the soft padding of approaching footsteps reached her ears and she seriously doubted that it was Sango. "Inu Yasha, can I please at least get dressed, or are you becoming like Miroku?"

She heard the snort of laughter from a few feet behind her and couldn't help her own small smile. "No way. You can use the soak and as long as you stay low enough in the water all I'll see is your shoulders."

Sighing in defeat, she turned around to face him, making sure she stayed submerged the entire time. She rested her chin on her crossed arms, resting on the bank. "So time for that talk, I guess?"
"Yah," he muttered, glancing away. "I want you to know I don't regret what happened and I hope that you don't either. I would have preferred if we had waited a few years..."

Kagome waited patiently after he trailed off until finally he glanced back at her. Stretching one arm out, she rested it on his thigh before she spoke.
"Inu Yasha, I know that most of the time you still think I'm some little girl who can't take care of herself," she raised a hand to silence him when his lips parted to object. "and in my own time I'm still not quite considered an adult. But I've lived more in the last two years than some do in a lifetime. I've... we've seen things that only haunt the nightmares of most."
Brushing hair out of her face, she took a breath before continuing. "I've almost died. I've killed. And I've loved my family, both the old one and the new. So if your waiting for me to grow up, you'll be waiting a long time, cause I'm not sure how much more growing up I can handle."

Inu Yasha sat dazed, a smile playing on the corner of his lips. Of course he had known all of this, but to hear Kagome, so confident, so different from when he first met her years ago... it made his heart ache with love for her. He leaned forward cupping her cheek with his hand and brushing his fingers across her face.
"I know," he stated simply. "and I told you before, I don't think your too young and I certainly don't think your too weak or incapable of handling yourself. You just haven't been... informed of what could happen of we mated."

Well then," she spread her hands wide, "inform away."

He chuckled softly at her actions as he thought quickly. 'Just how should I go about the finer points of inu mating? The beginning i guess.' "If we did mate, you'd have to realize that it would be us, just you and me Kagome, forever. There would be no others."

"But Sango said-" she suddenly broke off, a guilty look on her face.

"Sango said what, exactly?" he asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

"Well I was a bit curious," she stared at her fingers, feeling bad about going behind his back, "she didn't know much. She said that some males were monogamous, but that others... that they'll take many female mates at once."

This last bit was rushed out quickly and she heard him sigh deeply. "That does happen sometimes, usually when a pack needs to be rebuilt. Or if the male doesn't love his mate."

"You love me?" she questioned, surprise and hope hidden in her eyes. He smiled warmly, brushing his fingertips across her lips.

"We're getting off subject, koibito. Some mates do that," he said shaking his head. "But the thought of another man touching you pulls me apart inside. I couldn't do that to you."

"God," Kagome nodded firmly, "now turn around, I'm getting all pruney in here."

Inu Yahs smirked, but complied, even holding her towel out for her. His ears swiveled in her direction though. listening to the rustle of fabric, remembering just how smooth her skin had been. Giving into temptation he peaked over one shoulder, just catching a glimpse of skin as her shirt traveled down the curve of her spine and over the dip of her lower back. Turning back before he was caught, he thought longingly about a day when he would be able to see her whenever he wanted

"Ok, you can turn back now." She had changed into a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt, sitting down near him. "So if we mated-"

"When," she heard him mumble under his breath. She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Ok, when we become mates what would happen and what are these consequences?"

"Well the first way, we would rut, I would mark you and you would be bound to me," he almost laughed at the look on her face, like she had a bad taste in her mouth. He was glad that she wasn't excited by the idea of such an unequal relationship. 'I don't need some bitch who is required to be near me.' "There's another way, but it's rare. I doubt it's ever been done by a human and a demon, much less a miko and a hanyou. It's used by demons with different abilities, a way to sort of even them out."

"Even them out?" Kagome repeated perplexed.

"Yah, there's more ritual to it, it'd have to take place on a certain date and it's a much more in depth situation. Our abilities would meld together. You would probably take on some youkia traits. And I'd probably get some miko abilities." Kagome couldn't help but laugh at this.

"You? You would get the powers of a priestess?"

"Hey!" he attempted to pout, but ended up grinning. "For all we know, you could end up with some furry little ears."

This stopped her laughing and Inu Yasha chewed nervously at his bottom lips, worried that maybe he'd said the wrong thing. Until a shy smile twitched across her lips. "Really? Cause I have to admit, I've always been a fan of your."

She started laughing again as he twitched his ears in her direction.

"Ok," she said, finally settling back down. "So this evening out thing, will it make you weaker or anything? You know, having to share with me?"

"Nah," he shook his head. He looked at her for a moment before giving into his urges. Pulling her into his lap he embraced her tightly. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he whispered into her ear, "No koi, you would make me stronger. And you'll be stronger too. Together we can be more than either could ever be apart."

Leaning into him more, she was silent as she processed all the new information. 'It could be good being stronger. Make it easier for both of us actually, he wouldn't put him self in as much danger trying to save my life all the time.'

"It could help us defeat Naraku," she mumbled. She could feel him nod his head in agreement. "Then wouldn't it be better, the sooner we mated?"

"It would, but there are consequences you don't know about, Kagome. People would know, they would figure out and they would come after you. They would attack you to get to me," Kagome simply shrugged at this.
"So, they already come after me. As long as the shikon no tama exists I'll always have someone after me. This way maybe I'll have a chance to defend myself."

"You wont need to. I will always be around to protect you."

"I know that," she answered, turning her head to lean her cheek against his chest. "but think about it this way, I wont be a distraction and you'll get injured less often."

"Well I guess not bleeding to death would be a good thing," he smirked at her, "but there's one other thing that you don't know about. You could get pregnant Kagome. And with all the traveling and fights we get into I wouldn't want to put you or a pup in danger."

"Inu Yasha...," she trailed off looking at her hands. "That could have happened already."
"No, it couldn't have. Inu males are only fertile after they have mated."

"Well," she kept looking at her hands, taking a moment to think. "There are ways in my time to take care of that, so we wouldn't have to worry about it."

"No!" he growled at her. "I would not allow you to abort our pup!"

"What?" the confusion on her face was quickly replaced by shock. "No, I didn't mean it like that! In my time woman can control when they are fertile. A child wouldn't be conceived at all while taking this medicine."

"Would you stay like that forever?" he asked, looking away.

"No, after a few weeks of not taking it I would return to normal. Would you want me to stay like that forever?" She had a hard time asking this, sadness lacing her voice.

"Hell no!" he responded firmly. "I watch you with Shippo and think about... and think about how good you would be with our pup someday."
"You've thought about it before? For how long now?"

"About a year maybe," he looked away again, embarrassed to admit it. He was taken aback when Kagome's soft lips pressed against his cheek. A moment later Kagome pulled back and slapped one hand on his shoulder. "And you still won't make me your mate?!"

"Damn, you are a persistent bitch," he teased, smirking. Quickly, before she knew what was happening, he rolled her under him and captured her lips, plundering her mouth briefly. Pulling back he was pleased to leave her gasping. "You want this, than ok. On the next new moon, you'll be mine."

"And you'll be mine too?" she asked, finally opening her eyes.

"Of course," he responded quietly, before leaning down to kiss her again. This one calmer, but leaving her trembling.

They returned to Kaede's hut soon after, both very happy. Kagome with a look of contentment on her face, Inu Yasha with a large grin, pride gleaming in his eyes. 'She's mine. She wants to be mine. Hell, she fought to be with me.'

The rest of the occupants of the dwelling we settling down for the night and seemed surprised when Inu Yasha and Kagome entered. Miroku and Keade were both shocked to see Inu Yasha's arm wrapped firmly around the young miko's waist, while Sango and Shippo were both pleased. The young demon couldn't contain himself for long and leapt into Kagome's arms.

"Why Kagome," Miroku cleared his throat, "I was almost positive you had returned to the well."

"Hmm? Why would you think that?" she asked distractedly.

"Well, I just assumed that when did not return with Sango, that you and Inu Yasha had gotten into a fight," Taking a careful look at the scowl on the half demon's face and the possessive manner in which he was holding Kagome... "Apparently I was wrong."

"That's right monk, you were wrong," he growled, before stepping away from Kagome and taking up his usual position against the wall. 'Wel I guess I'm not the only one wanting to keep this a little quiet for a while. We have to tell them sometime, but I guess we can wait a bit to get into details. Of course if I showed up one day with new ears, it might just give it away.'

As the rest of the groups drifted off to sleep, Kagome had a hard time sleeping. She had laid out her sleeping bag as usual, Shippo asleep curled against her hip, but she couldn't get comfortable. 'It's like there is something missing.' She sighed heavily, re-arranging as best she could without waking up the young demon, but halted mid struggle as a warm set of arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Shh..." he whispered into her ear, "you need to stop fidgeting and get some sleep."

She rolled her eyes, but snuggled back onto his warm chest anyway. She sighed in contentment as one hand wrapped around her just below her breast and the slipped under her shirt tracing designs on her stomach as she drifted to sleep.

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A/N 2: Ok, I have no idea what they did for birth control back then. Also, abortion was brought up briefly, but I hope no one thought i was preaching. I'm pro-choice personally, but more importantly I belive people need to do what's right for them. I hope no one was offended.