Let It Snow

Hi guys! Amarine Nightshade won my latest contest...and since she got me her request info before Suaru did, I'm writing hers first. (Come on Suaru...send me your info so I can write yours too! I'm not picking favorites!)

Amarine Nightshade, thank you so much for reading my stories; it gives me an incredible feeling when reviewers like you, (and Suaru,) take part in my contests, because it shows me just how much you care about my work.

Ladies and Gents, Amarine requested a Hekele/Sesshoumaru pairing, (YAY! XD!) as well as a Christmas theme. AU is fair game, (though I didn't use it...) So, I selected 'Let It Snow' as my Christmas song of choice for this piece. I was thinking of 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland', but changed my mind. I do that a lot don't I?

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru would be my smexy cabana boy...and since that isn't going to happen until Hell freezes over...(looks at the news and watches as snow falls in Hell, Michigan) Ok, so that was a bad insinuation, but you get the basic idea...oh yeah, and the same goes for the song...

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Let It Snow...

Hekele peeked over the lip of the well a couple of times before hopping over; she wanted to surprise Sesshoumaru by spending the day with him. School had been cancelled due to roughly six inches of snow, so despite how cold and wet the stuff was, Hekele loved it right then.

As a matter of fact, a light snow was falling in the feudal era at that very moment. As Hekele looked to the sky and watched the tiny flakes float to the ground, she couldn't help but smile at the serenity of everything. It looked so wonderful outside with the snow covering the trees and the morning sun casting long shadows stretching towards the west.

She dallied too long, she realized, as soon as a bold voice sounded behind her, "What are you doing here? Is it not still a weekday?" Hekele turned to regard the tall handsome figure that was Sesshoumaru, and when she saw the slight confusion barely being betrayed on his face, she smiled.

"Well, so much snow fell in my era last night that it made it difficult for everyone to get there, so it was cancelled for today. We get a three day weekend...and an early start on our vacation!" she explained happily. Yes, it was Friday, the Friday before Christmas. It was just as well that there was a snow day on that day anyway...there was no reason for Christmas Vacation to start so close to the big day.

Sesshoumaru nodded a bit, "I see...and where are Kagome and Kachie on this fortuitous day?" Hekele laughed.

"As soon as I told Kachie that we had a snow day, she crawled back into bed...I honestly don't think even Inuyasha's constant yelling could wake her. As for Kagome...she didn't quite finish a huge report that was due today...it's worth one third of our overall score this semester, and hers was half done...she was saved by the snow day and decided to stop procrastinating..." she relayed.

Sesshoumaru smirked, "You are the greatest procrastinator I know; how is it you were finished with this assignment before she?"

Hekele gave a hurt look, "Why Sesshoumaru, I'm devastated by your insinuations...besides, I happen to be very, very, very good at Biology, so I did most of it in one night even though we had a distant deadline. Then I did a little bit here and there...and was finished and turned in my paper last week...Kagome nearly killed me for not helping her when she found out..."

"And Kachie?"

"Slept the conversation away...it happened right before I came..." she admitted. The two began walking side-by-side towards the village in a comforting silence, neither minding the snow flakes dancing around them very much.

They were almost to the village when Sesshoumaru spoke again "Why is it that you've come here? You could have gotten some extra rest as well..." he asked, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

Hekele grinned. "Once I'm up, Hell can't rock me back to sleep...so I thought about what I wanted to do with my day and decided that I'd prefer to spend it bickering with you..." she said, joking with him lightly.

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Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,

"Wow...the snow's picked up quite a bit hasn't it? I'm glad I turned Kohaku and kanna down for a snowball fight..." Hekele said candidly as she looked out of Kaede's window. Sesshoumaru nodded his agreement as he placed a few extra logs on the fire in the middle of the room. He himself had pondered chucking a random snowball at Hekele, but decided that such pranks could wait until the weather calmed a bit; there was no reason for him to get more cold and wet than required.

"Are you cold?" he instead asked her as he came to sit next to her. Hekele shook her head and smiled at him warmly.

"Nope...not really," she verbally responded. Her eyes widened a bit as she felt Sesshoumaru wrap his tail around her lightly. She smiled a bit and blushed.

"Arigato Sesshoumaru..."

And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

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It doesn't show signs of pausing,
And I've brought some corn for popping,

"Hey, Sesshoumaru? Have you ever had popcorn?" Hekele asked after a few hours of idle chi-chat. Kagome had finished her report and was currently pestering Inuyasha about why he had just thrown Shippo into a snow-covered tree, Kachie was grumbling to Koga about wanting to rest more, despite the fact that he had let her sleep for three whole hours before getting bored and coming to wake her up. Sango and Miroku were playing with the kids, thus leaving Hekele and Sesshoumaru to do really nothing throughout the day. Not that either minded much...

Sesshoumaru looked down at her oddly and shook his head in reply to her question. Hekele smiled and carefully maneuvered out of his tail as to not harm it like the last time she had tried to make a hasty getaway. She walked over to the small pack that she had brought with her from home and fished out some kettle corn in a pie tin and carefully put it close to the fire.

Sesshoumaru watched curiously as popping noises emitted from the covered pie tin, and as Hekele carefully spun it around to 'evenly heat' the kernels. After a moment or so, Hekele carefully took the tin and uncovered it, being mindful not to burn her hands. In the tin was a delectable smelling puffy treat, otherwise known as popcorn.

Hekele held the tray out to him and smiled, "Try some!" Sesshoumaru, eyeing her suspiciously, took a small handful and popped some into his mouth. After a moment of mulling over the flavor in his head, (in which Hekele had consumed some of the treat as well,) he gave a satisfied nod.

"Not bad...it could use a little-"

Hekele grinned, "Salt? Way ahead of you..." She reached back into her pack and pulled out two small salt packs and evenly emptied it over the treat.

Sesshoumaru eyed her once more with curiosity, "You are an odd one aren't you?"

Hekele feigned hurt, "You've just now figured that out? Come on Sesshoumaru, I thought you knew me better than that..."

The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

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Hekele dodged a snowball as she ran. The snowfall hadn't ceased at all, but the group had, nonetheless, decided to have a giant snowball fight. Needless to say, Hekele's teammate seemed more interested in pelting her than the rest of the group.

"Sesshoumaru, this isn't funny! Stop throwing them at me you cheater!" she squealed as yet another snowball whizzed past her head. Inuyasha took advantage of her attention on his brother and threw a giant snowball at her. It wasn't until she saw a huge round shadow around her feet that she realized that she was in trouble.

And, of course, she was right. After digging her way out of her icy prison, she glared daggers at both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Feeling pity, Sesshoumaru held out his hand and gingerly helped her up. After brushing as much of the snow off as possible, Hekele resumed her glaring. Her blue eyes shone with defiance as the sun began to cast shadows that reached for the east, and Sesshoumaru smirked to himself.

"Perhaps that is enough snow for the day...let us get you home so that you can get some dry clothes...if you end up catching cold, especially as a demon, I'll have an earful from Ms. Higurashi..." he stated firmly, guiding her away from the continuing snow battle.

Hekele sighed and nodded, "Yeah...and I'll get a chance to pack..." Sesshoumaru looked at her quizzically.

"Pack?" he asked. Hekele smiled brightly.

"Mmmhmm, I'm going to spend most of my Christmas break here with you guys...so are Kags and Kachie...they just haven't said so to their beloved idiots yet...Just think of it as an early Christmas present..." she said happily. Sesshoumaru nodded, a bit surprised that she was going to stay for so long, and gave her a small smile.

"A fine gift," was all he said. Hekele couldn't help but blush.

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!

Smiling at her reaction, Sesshoumaru gently entwined his fingers with hers as they walked. Hekele's blush deepened and Sesshoumaru's smiled widened a bit.

"You're turning a bit red Hekele, are you well?" he asked teasingly. Hekele narrowed her eyes at him slightly.

"I'm not sure...you tell me..." she retorted. Sesshoumaru smile turned into a smirk as he wrapped their entwined hands behind her back and drew her to him. Satisfied with the shocked reaction she graced him with, he leaned down and lightly kissed her lips.

Completely shocked, Hekele blushed crimson for a moment before returning the kiss. When the two parted, he smiled at her teasingly, "Well look at this; now you're redder than ever, are you sure that you're quite all right?"

Hekele narrowed her eyes at him, but her blush eradicated its desired effect, "Cheater..."

But if you'll really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

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It was late, and a good portion of the group was asleep. Inuyasha himself put a few logs on the fire as Miroku brought more inside to last them throughout the night. Then the two soon were deep in a game of 'War' with some cards that the girls had brought.

Hekele smiled lightly as she and Rin rested against Sesshoumaru in their fatigue from the day's events. Rin was already deep in dreamland, but Hekele and Sesshoumaru had yet to join her. The two just sat there contently watching their friends. Hekele had to stifle a giggle when a few cards slipped out of Miroku's sleeve, causing Inuyasha's jaw to drop. As soon as his shock had worn off, however, Miroku was running for his life from the angered hanyou as shouts of 'cheater' and 'bastard' rang into the crisp snowy night.

Sesshoumaru looked at Hekele after a moment of pondering to himself, completely oblivious to the scene playing out around them. "You have never been to the Western Lands...have you?" he asked evenly. Hekele sighed and shook her head.

"Nope...I haven't traveled around Feudal much really...since we almost always stay here when those two and I come to visit," she replied, nodding towards a sleeping Kagome and bored looking Kachie, (who was wide awake ever since after the snowball fight.)

Sesshoumaru nodded a bit to himself, "Then it is good that you're still packed...I'm due for a visit back to my palace...and would very much like it if you and Rin would accompany me..." Hekele looked at him for a moment, her lips parted slightly in awe.

"Really? You'd let me come along?" she asked, surprised and quite thrilled. She had always wanted to see his palace and his lands...but he had never before offered and she had never asked...

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bying,

Sesshoumaru was a bit taken aback by her enthusiasm, he hadn't expected her to be so happy about it, or to really care so much about his request. Feeling a bit warmed by her reaction, he smiled softly "...Just think of it as an early Christmas present..." he said lightly. Hekele smiled from ear to ear.

"A fine gift...as long as I get to squash Jakken at least once..." she replied. Sesshoumaru smirked.

"But of course...now get some sleep...we're leaving early tomorrow..." he told her. Hekele smiled and snuggled into him a bit, and Sesshoumaru wrapped Rin and herself tightly in his tail to keep them warm.

"When do you think we'll be back?" she asked as she closed her eyes. Sesshoumaru smiled at her, content.

"A day or so after Christmas...is that acceptable?" he questioned. Hekele nodded.

"It's fine by me...arigato for asking me to come..." she replied honestly.

Sesshoumaru gently pecked her forehead in response. "Good-night," he bid her as he too closed his eyes.

Hekele opened her eyes to look at him again as she spoke. "Good-night Sesshoumaru." Hekele peeked outside lazily as she said it, looking at the snow still falling, albeit much calmer than before.

But as long as you love me so...

Hekele smiled as she closed her eyes again in an attempt to sleep. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

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Me- Amarine Nightshade, I really hoped you liked the story! It wasn't as long as I would have liked it...but the song is on the short side too...so...it was harder for me to make it long. I sincerely hope it was long enough for you. I worked hard to make it fluff-tastic without making Sesshoumaru OOC...and gosh darn it that's hard! How did I do? I await your feedback!

Sesshoumaru- I think the story was just fine...and you haven't been to my palace in you other story either have you!

Me- Nope...but who knows...maybe in a future chapter...I'm not sure yet...because although I know what I'm going to be doing in the chappies...I'm not sure how I'm doing them 100 of the time...

Sesshoumaru- Oh well, for now, review you readers, and let her gather her mental plot...