Disclaimer: This piece is based on 'Inuyasha', owned by Rumiko Takahashi. No copyright infringement intended or implied.

Winter's Tale

The wind howled around the hut, testing its new timbers, seeking any crack through which to send its burden of snow. Sitting next to the fire pit, Kagome warmed her hands with a cup of tea while watching the tiny sparkles of snowflakes swirl through the smoke hole in the ceiling. Kagome mused that Inuyasha had built her a very nice hut, snug and tight, but ... well, this was one occasion that she missed her own era. It would have been nice to wait tucked up at a modern kotatsu with the heater on...

A faint thump on porch made her look towards the entrance. Moments passed, and then the door quickly slid open and then closed, depositing a thoroughly wind-blown Inuyasha and an instant layer of snow inside. He glanced at the floor, grimaced, then walked to the other side of the pit and plopped down. "Sorry about the snow," he muttered, rubbing his hands within his sleeves. "Yuki-onna must be in a bad mood."

"Everyone's safe?" she asked, shrugging off the blanket. Scooping a bowl of stew, she then went in search of her comb.

"Lost a horse," he said between bytes. "People told Shinji to fix that barn. Youkai killed it before I could track it down."

"Let me guess: you went after the youkai." She came up behind him, noticing that half the stew was already down his throat.

"Keh."

He resumed eating-slower this time. Kagome started to comb his hair, then paused. Frowning, she turned an ear back. "You have frostbite," she exclaimed, surprised.

Shrugging, he reached up to free his ear. "It's nothing. It'll be fine by morning."

"But-"

"Kagome."

His irritation stopped her questions, but she couldn't resist checking his other ear, before resuming her combing. Later, after she had prepared a cup of tea for him, she settled beside him.

"Does it happen often?" she asked. "Frostbite, I mean?" She gave a breathy, almost laugh. "I think I've always assumed you weren't bothered by cold. I mean, you're always barefoot..."

"Not often," he said, taking a sip. "Though there was that one time-"

He halted abruptly. Kagome felt his tension. "And?"

Inuyasha didn't answer. Leaning against him, she thought. She'd been back about ten moons, now. Over that time, she had managed to get him to talk about his life, except for one topic-

"It's involves Kikyo, doesn't it?" she asked, straightening.

He looked at her, ears back, uncomfortable. "I don't-"

She touched his face with her fingers, stopping him. "I'd like to know."

"You-would?"

Kagome smiled sadly. "You loved her. You were ready to give up everything for her. I never met that Kikyo. Tell me?"

His eyes went round with wonder and then softened with the hint of tears. Setting his cup down, he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping her in his damp but very warm sleeves. "Kagome..."

She snuggled into his hold. "I'm listening."

He sighed, and she felt him nuzzling her hair. "A mountain village sent for help, against a foreign youkai," he said finally. "Kikyo asked me to go with her..."

Author's Note: The shortened version of this piece was published on the LiveJournal community FirstTweak, for the prompt "Snow." ( http:/ community . livejournal . com/ firsttweak/ #cutid1 ) on January 24, 2010. It took third.

The 'winter's tale' refers to one of the chapters in my "Would Love Have Been Enough" serial.