Me: Happy Valentine's Day! I wanted to get this up before the day was over, so if it seems rushed, I am sorry.
Disclaimer: "InuYasha" is property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sunrise, Viz, and all those other people who bring this series to us!
Melted Chocolate
The sweet scent of chocolate was wafting through the Higurashi's kitchen. Valentine's Day was coming up, so Kagome decided she was going to treat her friends in the Sengoku Jidai. Humming to herself, she took the chocolate off the pot and began pouring them into molds. Souta leant against the table watching her.
"Are you giving chocolate to Inu no niichan?" he asked her.
"Not just Inuyasha," Kagome corrected him. "Not just Inuyasha. There's also Miroku-sama and Shippo-chan…"
"Hm?" Souta raised himself off the table. "But you've got an extra chocolate mold there. Who's it for?"
"Uh… well…" Kagome shifted her eyes. She had yet to say anything to her family about her relationship with Sango, and she wasn't about to admit like this. Her response was simply, "It's just for someone special."
-Sengoku Jidai -
Kagome skipped down to Kaede's village with her backpack, carrying her carefully packaged chocolates. She smiled to herself as she wondered what everyone's reaction would be. When she got to Kaede's she pulled the curtain aside with anticipation.
"Hey, every… one…"
The others looked at her when she came in. They were sitting around inside, snacking on goodies Kagome had left with them previously. Kagome gaped at her friends.
"Hey! Welcome back, Kagome!" Shippo grinned at her as he hugged a bag of cookies.
"It's about time you got back," Inuyasha said, popping a potato chip in his mouth.
"Uh…" Kagome's expression was a three-way mix of surprise, confusion, and disheartenment.
Miroku stared at her. "Is something wrong, Kagome-sama?"
The girl's eyes darted to look at Sango. She was sharing a box of Pocky with Miroku, and had the strawberry end of a stick of the stuff in her mouth, with her hand holding onto the other. Sango blinked when she found Kagome's gaze set on her.
Slightly frustrated, Kagome stamped over to her. In one swift movement, she bent down and bit off the remaining end of the stick, brushing her lips against Sango's while doing so. This sudden action in front of the others caused Sango's face to flush pink, whilst Kagome straightened back up.
"Alright, listen up!" Kagome stood prominently in front of the others. "Today is Valentine's Day in my time."
"'Valentine's Day?'" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar word.
"Mm!" Kagome nodded. "On Valentine's Day, girls give chocolate to boys."
"Chocolate…" Shippo mused. He scanned the floor and picked something up. "You mean like this?" He held out a bar of chocolate to Kagome.
"Yes, that's right. Except if you make the chocolate yourself, it makes the exchange more meaningful." She held out her hand, sticking up her index and middle fingers. "There are two types of chocolate – duty chocolate, and chocolate you give to someone you like. Duty chocolate is like doing it out of obligation, such as giving it to a male friend. The other kind is when you give it to a boy you like. Then on White Day, the boy gives something back to the girl."
Inuyasha furrowed his brow. "Okay… so why are you telling us all this?"
Kagome pouted. "Because, I made chocolate for all of you!"
"Oh! Really?" This seemed to raise some excitement in Shippo.
"Mm-hm!" Kagome smiled. She placed her bag on the ground and began rummaging around in it, pulling out three unique packages. "Here, you go." She handed out one to each of the boys.
"Wow, thanks Kagome!" Shippo hugged his chocolate with a smile.
"You're welcome, Shippo-chan." She returned the smile with one of her own.
"Are you sure this is duty chocolate you're giving me?" Miroku grinned.
Kagome narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure, Miroku-sama."
Inuyasha sniffed his box. "I don't really like this sweet stuff."
"What did you say?" Kagome lowered her voice and glared at him.
"I-I mean I'll take it. Thanks."
Kagome closed her eyes and sighed. "Okay…" She reached her arm into her bag. "And this one is for… eh?" Kagome was alarmed to find that her last package was missing – as was Sango. "Ah – wha? Sango-chan?" She whipped her head around.
"I think she left," Miroku pointed out for her.
"Ah – oh, no!" Kagome shot up and ran out the door, leaving her bag and the others behind.
"Hrm?" Inuyasha blinked. "What's with her?"
Miroku closed his eyes and gathered his composure. "Best to let these things solve themselves."
"Ah – Sango-chan!" Kagome caught sight of her walking up ahead. At the sound of her name, Sango stopped and turned to face her.
"Hm? Kagome-chan, what is it?"
Kagome paused to catch her breath. "Where are you going?"
"No where in particular. I left because you were going to give chocolate to the boys, weren't you?"
"But I made some for you too!"
"You did?" Sango was surprised to hear this. "But I thought you said only girls give chocolate to boys on Valentine's Day."
"I made an exception for you," Kagome said quietly. "Because… because you're my Valentine!"
Sango blinked at her. "I'm your… what?"
"Except, I think I left yours at home so I'm going to go get it now." Kagome began heading for the well when Sango stopped her.
"But you don't have to do that; the next time you go home you can bring it."
"Today is Valentine's Day though," Kagome insisted. "It's better to give it on the day you're supposed to." She started to run off. "I'm going to go get it now, so wait for me!"
- Present -
"Mama!" Kagome burst into the kitchen.
"Kagome?" Kagome's grandfather looked over his paper at her.
"Nee-chan, what are you doing back so soon?" Souta asked from across the table.
Kagome quickly directed her eyes at them. "Have either of you seen a red and pink bag of chocolate with a green ribbon tied around it?"
Her grandfather squinted at her. "A bag of chocolate?"
"Kagome." In walked Kagome's mother carrying the alleged package. "Were you looking for this? It was next to the hot water dispenser."
"Oh, yes!" Kagome's face brightened. "Thank you, Mama!" She snatched up the bag and was out of the kitchen in the blink of an eye. "I'll see you later!"
"Wait, Kagome!" Her mother tried to catch her before she left, but instead heard the front door close shut. "Oh, dear…"
- Sengoku Jidai -
Sango was waiting for Kagome at the well. She sat on the ledge, thinking absentmindedly to herself.
"Sango-chan!" Kagome leapt out of the well and grabbed Sango from behind.
"Ah!" Sango flung her arms out to the side, grabbing the well's ledge before she fell down the abyss. "K-Kagome-chan, let go!"
Kagome obliged and climbed back on to the side of the well, much to Sango's relief.
"Sorry," Kagome apologized with a smile. She pulled herself out and swung her legs over so she could sit next to Sango. "Are you okay?"
The taiji-ya put a hand to her chest to help calm herself down. "Yeah… just don't do that again…"
"Oh, I don't know about that…" Kagome glanced to the side.
"Eh?"
"Anyways," Kagome lit up. "Here you go." She held out the bag. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sango-chan."
"Uh… mm… Thank you, Kagome-chan." She took the package from her hands and tugged on the ribbon holding it together.
Kagome's face fell when she saw the inside. The chocolate had melted so that its original shape was indefinable. Then it dawned on her – the hot water dispenser. "Oh, no…" she muttered sadly. "I can't believe it melted…" She slouched in her seat and stared at her shoes.
Sango watched the unwavering disappointment on Kagome's face. She glanced at the chocolate in her hand, then back to Kagome. "It's okay." She smiled at her. "It's the thought that counts. Besides, I bet it still tastes good." Sango dipped her index finger in the melted chocolate and gave it a taste. "Delicious!"
Kagome looked up at her warily. "Really?"
"Mm!" Sango nodded. She spread some more chocolate on her finger. "Do you want to try some?" She held out the package to Kagome.
She glanced at the chocolate in the wrapping. Sango watched her expectantly, but was surprised when Kagome leant over with her eyes closed, and took her finger in her mouth instead. Sango blushed as she felt Kagome's tongue licking off the chocolate on her finger. When Kagome felt content that she had sucked out as much sweetness as she could, she slipped her lips off Sango's finger. She sat back and looked at Sango, who was still red in the face.
Kagome smiled at her. "You know, I think chocolate tastes better melted."
Me: Mm… chocolate… I think I'll go have another Pocky stick now. Ja ne!