All I Want For Christmas
A/N: Yes, another side story. XD It's a bad habit. I'm going to be completing a second fic (the first was "True to Your Heart") while "Shrine of Love" is still incomplete, even though it was written first. But alas, please be patient with my sudden rushes of inspiration. And I can't help it, I love Christmas stories. :P
Anyways, read, enjoy, and please review!
Disclaimer: "I, Waterlily216, do NOT own Inuyasha. Never did and never will."
Chapter 1: Finding You…On My Doorstep
It was a cold and late December evening.
Kagome Higurashi climbed onto her bike and pedaled off towards home. She clamped her gray-blue eyes shut and shivered as a big gust of wind passed, whipping her black hair across her face.
"Great," she muttered, brushing her hair out of her view. "Of all days, I decided to wear a light jacket today."
For as long as she could remember, she'd had bad luck all her life.
It started when she was five. She remembered the day when her mom answered the door and fell onto her knees a moment later, sobbing uncontrollably. She remembered rushing downstairs and asking her mother what was wrong, like any other five year old kid would do. She remembered her grandfather pulling her aside and telling her the three words that haunted her for years.
Your father died.
After that, her life changed forever. Her mother was no longer the spirited woman who always stood up for her and other people's beliefs. So, she didn't say anything when Kagome was told to train to become a shrine priestess by her grandfather…when really, Kagome had wanted to become a doctor when she grew up.
And that was how it all led to her current life. After she graduated from high school, her grandfather told her she was done with school.
Shrine priestesses don't need to go to college.
For a year, she kept silent and worked the priestess life as she jealously watched her friends go off to colleges and universities. Going off to follow their dreams. And then, something miraculously sparked inside her.
A few months ago on her 19th birthday, she told her grandfather that she quit being a priestess. This, however, only caused her to be kicked out of the house and practically disowned.
How dare you say such a thing! Every Higurashi family member has been raised to be a priest or priestess! You dare to break a tradition that's been going on for generations?
"And that was how I became a practically broke girl who lives in a small apartment and has a part-time job bagging food at the supermarket to pay for her rent," Kagome grumbled. There was only one benefit in all this: she was finally able to go to college and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.
Kagome slowed her bike to a stop in a small parking lot. She glanced at the building she lived in. It was barely viewable since all the lights from nearby houses and apartments were off, including the street lights. She kicked down the breaks and climbed off the bicycle, shoving her hand into her pocket to dig out her house keys.
"I'll show you how successful I'll become," Kagome grunted to herself, walking through the front gate.
"Hello, child," a voice said as she closed the gate behind her. Kagome turned around and found herself facing her landlady.
"Good evening, Kaede-sama," she smiled and gave a small bow to the elderly gray-haired woman. "What are you doing outside in the dark?"
"Only, star-gazing, dear," Kaede answered. It was so dark that Kagome could barely make out her profile. "The stars are lovely, aren't they?"
Kagome glanced up at the night sky.
"Yeah, they sure are," she murmured. "Anyway, I have to be going. Have a good night."
Kaede didn't answer. She just kept staring up at the sparkling stars that filled the pitch blackness of the night. Kagome brushed past her and headed for her apartment door.
"The stars tell me that this Christmas will change your life for the better," Kaede suddenly said. Kagome stopped in her tracks and spun around slowly.
"For the better?" she repeated. She felt like laughing. What was funnier? The fact that her landlady seemed a little out of the ordinary? Or the words that had just fallen out of the woman's mouth?
"Yes, for the better," Kaede paused before continuing. "And they say…that you will meet someone who will make your life happier."
Unable to contain herself any longer, Kagome burst out laughing, "Yeah, right. My life won't be happier until I become a doctor. It was nice talking to you, Kaede-sama. I'll see you later."
She shook her head and continued on her way to her apartment on the other end of the large building. Before she reached her door, Kagome passed by the apartment door of her friend, Sango, who she had met when she moved into the building after being kicked out of Higurashi Shrine.
"Looks like she's asleep," she murmured, noticing that the lights in her friend's apartment were all off. Kagome let out a deep sigh and strolled over to her own apartment door. "I'm so tired, I think I'm just going to crash and skip dinner."
Since the light sensor for the outside lamp was broken, she had to fumble around in the dark for the doorknob. Once her hand finally got a firm grip on it, she stuck her key in and opened the door. When she lifted her foot to step inside, however, she tripped over something, half her body landing on the carpet floor and the rest still outside.
"What the heck," Kagome cursed. She pulled herself upright and flicked on the light switch inside her apartment. The apartment flooded with light and she was able to see what was outside the door that had made her trip.
There were two big bundles lying on her doorstep. She kneeled down and inspected them closer. One seemed to be a duffel bag. And the other…
A human body.
"Oh, Kami," she breathed, her heart beating quicker. Maybe this was one of those cases where a person was murdered and then dumped somewhere in a miscellaneous place. Kagome jabbed a finger hard into the person's side. She heard them let out a small hiss of pain and she immediately backed off when they shifted.
Well, at least she knew that the person was still alive. And the voice told her the person was a male.
Kagome sat thoughtfully as more possibilities ran through her head.
'Maybe he's just some homeless beggar,' she thought and then stiffened. 'Or maybe he's a stalker or rapist.'
Kagome scrambled up onto her feet and ran into her bedroom, opening up her desk drawer and pulling out a flashlight. She dashed back to her door and held the light over the guy's face.
He scowled, "Watch where you're shining that thing, you wench!"
Kagome's blood boiled, "What'd you call me? I'll have you know that I have a name, you bastard!"
Kagome recoiled when he, with difficulty, sat up and glared at her. There were two reasons why she nearly dropped her flashlight at that moment. One, she hadn't expected him to be handsome. Two, she had no idea why, but his face looked familiar to her.
"And I'll have you know that I have a name too, you-" but before the male could finish, his eyes shut and he fell forward. Instinctively, Kagome rushed forward and caught him.
"You have a fever," she realized as she pressed a hand to his forehead. She slowly led him to a couch in her small living room and set him down onto a pillow. "Great, just great. I'm inviting some bum that I just met into my home."
"I'm not a bum," she heard him murmur as she went outside to collect his duffel bag.
"Then, oh, pray tell, please tell me what you are," she rolled her eyes as she shut the door closed.
When he didn't answer, Kagome turned around and saw that he had fallen asleep. She sighed and set down his duffel bag beside the couch.
"I'm too nice," she groaned to herself. She couldn't help it. Her kind and caring side always took over her when she saw someone in need. This was probably her best excuse for becoming a doctor.
Kagome walked into her kitchen, got out a bowl and filled it with cold water. She walked back to the living room, grabbing a small wash cloth on the way. She settled down beside the couch and wet the cloth, then gently wiped at the guy's sweating face. He was hot…and in more ways than one.
Kagome blushed when she recalled his eyes. Even though he'd been glaring at her earlier, she had been lost in his deep violet orbs. Kagome shook her head wildly and then took a deep breath.
'It is no time to be falling for some guy…especially one that you found at your door,' she scolded herself. She laid the wash cloth neatly on his forehead and brushed his black hair from his face. He looked about her age. But most of all, he looked exhausted. As if he had just finished running a long marathon.
"Hey, do you want to take off your jacket? Your body is burning up," Kagome said, lightly shaking his arm. He turned his head away slightly.
"No," he said, his voice barely audible.
"Do you want some medicine? I have some pills that can help you."
When she saw that he'd fallen asleep again, Kagome sighed as she sat down on an armchair. Well, what was there left to do now except leave him be?
She didn't feel like going to sleep now. And she didn't feel hungry.
After a minute of pondering, Kagome picked up the remote and turned on the television. She flipped through some channels and decided to leave it on a news channel.
"It seems the season will be filled with snow," the weatherman said. "Looks like it'll be a white Christmas."
"I'll say," Kagome snorted. "It's so cold…I'd be surprised if it didn't snow."
She continued watching silently as the weather forecasting switched to top news.
"Takashi Corporation's heir, Inuyasha Takashi, was found yesterday after two months' disappearance. However, he eluded before capture could be made. Please be on the lookout. The company's president, Sesshoumaru Takashi, has also offered prize money for his brother's capture…the amount will soon be determined."
Kagome yawned and rubbed her eyes as the screen showed a picture of a young adult male with long silver hair and sharp golden eyes. A banner at the bottom told her that the picture was of Sesshoumaru.
"He looks so serious," Kagome mumbled sleepily. She laid back as the screen moved onto another picture. This one, apparently, was of Inuyasha. Unlike his brother's photo, he had a small smile on his face. And he had black hair and violet eyes.
Kagome blinked and sat up abruptly. She stared at the image on the television screen and then glanced over at the male that was lying on her couch.
"Oh. Kami," she whispered, taking a sharp intake of breath as she noticed the huge similarities between Inuyasha Takashi and the guy sleeping only a few feet away from her. "Inuyasha Takashi is in my apartment!"
Kagome tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. The thought of providing hospitality for one of Japan's most wanted people was keeping her awake. She glimpsed at her digital clock.
4:27 AM
She had gone to bed at 1 o' clock in the morning, yet she was still awake.
Kagome let out a small frustrated shriek into her pillow, "I can't take this!"
She sat up and rested her head on her knees. There were only a few options for her to choose from. One, she could kick Inuyasha out right after he recovered from his fever and stay out of his business. Two, she could call Takashi Corporation and tell them that she'd found their lost heir.
"And then I could get that prize money to help with college funds…" she added quietly, closing her eyes.
But there was also that last option…she could help Inuyasha hide from his brother.
Eventually, Kagome fell asleep. By the time she woke up again, it was almost nine. Since she had signed up for the night shifts at the supermarket for the next few weeks, she didn't have to go to work until early evening. And since she had the whole month of December off for winter break, she had all day to do whatever she wanted.
Kagome silently opened her bedroom door and peeked outside in the living room. Part of her was hoping Inuyasha had snuck out her apartment. Another part was hoping he was still here so that she could turn him in and claim the money. But the last part, a small tiny part in the back of her mind, wanted him to stay for awhile so that she could find out why he'd run away from his rich life in the first place.
Kagome opened the door all the way and saw the television flickering in the curtained living room. It seemed Inuyasha was still here.
He was sitting on the couch and flipping through channels. Kagome walked into the room and sat down on the armchair she'd sat on the night before.
"Hey," she said.
"Morning," Inuyasha replied, his eyes still on the TV. He sounded so casual, as if the both of them had been living together in this apartment for years.
Kagome eyed him warily. He had changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. The look of exhaustion was gone from his face too.
"How's your fever?" she asked. That made Inuyasha shift his violet eyes over to her direction.
"It's gone down," he said, his eyes locking with hers. "Thanks to you."
Kagome squirmed under his penetrating gaze. She coughed, "Well, uh, you should be well by tomorrow if you take good care of yourself."
"Mm hm," Inuyasha murmured, turning his attention back to the TV.
After several minutes of silence, Kagome let out a long sigh, "I know who you are, you know."
Instead of seeing a shocked expression from him like she had expected, Inuyasha gave no reaction.
"So? What are you going to do about it?" he asked. "Turn me in to my brother?"
"Maybe," Kagome said stubbornly. "Then I'll get that prize money he's offering."
"You wouldn't do that," Inuyasha answered. "It's not like you."
"And how would you know if it's not like me or not?" Kagome countered. She watched as he turned off the TV and gave her his full attention.
"Because we went to middle school together," Inuyasha finally said. He smiled. "So I know all about you…Kagome Higurashi."
A/N: I'll warn you all now that unlike "True to Your Heart", this story is going to have more fluff since it's more romance-based. :D
I predict this story is going to be about four chapters…it's not final yet though. But it will definitely end on Christmas.
Please review!