Holiday Gifts; Chapter One

Snow. Lightly falling in a soft, icy blanket over Feudal Japan. Everyone was inside on this day, this chillingly beautiful day, warming themselves by their fires and telling tales of old. Or, something to that nature.

Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Inu Yasha were sitting 'round the fire in Lady Kaede's hut, as Kaede was out treating the recent bout of colds in the village. The group was discussing where to find the next Shikon Shard while sipping their tea sedately. Well, mostly that is.

"Inu Yasha, why don't you just go get her?" Miroku asked putting down him tea.

"Feh! I don't know what you're implying monk." Inu Yasha replied stupidly, crossing his arms.

"Yes you do Inu Yasha," Miroku sighed in exasperation, "Your ears keep twitching and every few minutes you sniff the air, trying to catch a hint of Lady Kagome. Just go get her!"

Inu Yasha stared dumbfounded at the monk who-noticed-all. Quickly though, he switched to his favorite defense mode; violent anger.

"Is that what you think?" He growled, claws bared and body tensing. Sango, bless her, quickly noticed and bid Shippo assist Lady Kaede throughout the village. Once the young kit had scampered off, she spoke.

"Inu Yasha, violence will not help this, why not just admit you like her?" Sango demanded, glaring at the hanyou.

"As if I could like someone like Kagome-"

"You did and you do," Miroku interrupted, "It's plain to everyone except Lady Kagome. She comes from a time where feelings are expressed openly, and doesn't understand your way of dealing with these things."

"It's amazing she comes back anymore, the way you treat her," Sango added, "A girl can only stand so much heartbreak Inu Yasha."

"H-heartbreak?" Inu Yasha stammered, going slightly red.

"Well, of course! Lady Kagome has serious feelings for you." Miroku stated, looking surprised Inu Yasha hadn't already noticed. Heavenly Buddha, the hanyou was dense.

"She may have already decided to not return, "Miroku continued, attempting to prod Inu Yasha into action, "She may have sealed off the well already."

Inu Yasha' face filled with fear, much to Miroku and Sango's amusement. He muttered to himself shortly, arms crossed silently. After a few moments of silence, he jumped up and left the hut abruptly.

Sango and Miroku laughed heartily after Inu Yasha's exit.

"The poor demon, he's too dense to do anything himself!" Miroku laughed, full of mirth. After a long while, the quieted and sat, drinking their tea.

"Pervert!" Sango yelled, slapping away the hand creeping towards her bum. "Can't you try and behave like a monk?"

"Ah, but I am, dear Sango," Miroku smiled while rubbing his injured hand, "It is the duty of Buddha's followers to take pleasure in observing the great beauty around them.

Miroku grinned as Sango blushed and busied herself with her tea.

~~*~~*~~

Inu Yasha was rushing to the well, fear flooding his thoughts.

'She wouldn't really leave forever. Would she? I can't of hurt her that much . . .'

Quickly, he reached the well, and cautiously peered in. It all looked and smelled all right. Taking a deep breath, he jumped in. Landing with a thud on the bottom, he warily sniffed the air. It was different, and he caught a hint of something else.

"Kagome," he whispered, and jumped out of the well.

Kagome climbed up the ladder to the roof of her house with strings of light wrapped 'round her shoulders. Her cheeks were red with cold, but her eyes were sparkling.

'Hmm, will I be glad when Sota's old enough to do this,' she thought grumpily, climbing on the roof. 'It'd figure Mom is afraid of heights.'

Slinging the strands off herself she set herself to setting up the family's Christmas lights. Humming to herself a little, she strung up the lights, accidentally dropping part of the strand on a lower roof section.

"Oh no!" she thought aloud and leaned over the edge of the roof, grabbing onto the gutter. 'Almost, got it,' Reaching for the strand, she heard something. Her name being called by a familiar voice.

'Inu Yasha?"

Inu Yasha exited the well house, scanning for Kagome. He saw her on top of the roof, leaning over the edge. '

'Is she trying to kill herself?' he thought wildly, staring at her, "Kagome!"

He saw her start to wobble. Jumping, he flew up on to the roof without thought, grabbed her round the waist and hauled her back on the roof with such force he lost his balance and fell to his bum, Kagome still in his arms.

Kagome found herself slightly disoriented. She had been falling, but now she was back on the roof, feeling very safe with the light strand clutched in her hand. 'Why do I feel so right?' she wondered, when she noticed warmth behind her. Looking down, she saw a familiar pair of clawed hands round her middle.

"Inu Yasha?"

Turning round, she saw him sitting there, looking at her very oddly. "Are you alright, Kagome?"

"Yes," Kagome watched as relief seemed to flood his face. "Thank you, Inu Yasha. But, why are you here?"

Inu Yasha's face turned arrogant again though slightly more softened than usual. "You've been gone three days wench." He replied, arms crossed.

"I just need to finish putting up these lights, Inu Yasha, than I can go with you for a week."

"A week?"

"Yes, a week. It's almost Christmas, and I want to spend the days with my family."

"Christmas?" Inu Yasha asked, head cocked slightly, "What's that?"

"It's a holiday. You get together with all your loved ones and exchange gifts and are kind and generous to everyone all around you. That's why I'm putting these lights up. It's an American custom, to have your house light up the darkness," Kagome explained to the hanyou sitting on her roof, "So, if you let me finish, I'll be able to go with you." She reached for the lights Inu Yasha had drug up with her, but a clawed hand beat her to it.

Kagome looked up and Inu Yasha, lights in his hands.

"Well, lets get this done with, so you can get off this roof." And he drug the lights off to where Kagome had left off. She found herself grinning at the dog demon as he struggled with the strand. Shaking her head, she walked over to him and showed him how to set the lights up, smiling all the while.

~~*~~*~~

End of Chapter 1

Hmm, theoretically, mommy_tomoyo thinks she could leave off the story here, but that would ruin the whole romance she's leading up to later in the story. Tell her what you think!