punkish furball – Hello, all! X3

Words to Ponder:

I believe this story is nearing completion. I foresee about three or four more chapters before it's finished. Then I will create the sequel/spinoff entitled Study Abroad.

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Drabble 14: Top Secret Mission

"You're leaving?" Kiku asked, wearing a barely noticeable pout.

"Only for a few days," Kagome insisted, reaching across the kotatsu table and resting her hand on top of Kiku's, "I want to spend part of the holidays with my family. I promise I will come back on Christmas Day!"

"I see," Japan replied, "It is important to spend the holidays with your family."

Japan was sad to see Kagome go after she spent most of her winter break in his home, but he knew that he couldn't realistically expect to monopolize all of her free time. Especially since there were many other countries clamoring for Kagome's attentions after meeting her, some more persistent than others.

"It will only be for a few days," Kagome added with smile as she gently squeezed Kiku's fingers, "Then I'll come back and spend the rest of winter break with you, Kiku-chan!"

"Yes, well," he began with a light dust of pink on his cheeks. He didn't realize his desires for Kagome to remain with him were so transparent.

"You don't have to rush back on my account. Spend as much time as you like with your family!"

Kagome giggled. "Okay, Kiku-chan!

-O0o0O-

China angrily grumbled as he stomped through the streets of Tokyo to the location of one of his many Chinatowns. He recently found out about the Christmas party America planned when Russia showed up to his home uninvited, asking about Japan's pretty, little pet human. It didn't take a lot of thought to figure out that Ivan was referring to Kagome.

'Idiot America!' he raged in his mind, 'How dare he invite all of the other countries to Japan's house except for me?'

He continued his trek until he spotted Kagome walking out of a nearby craft store holding several bulging paper bags.

'Kagome? What is she doing here?' China began to smirk as he quietly regarded her, 'You can't keep anymore secrets from me, aru!'

He approached the girl and cheerfully called out her name. "Kagome-chan!"

"Yao-kun?" she replied curiously, looking up from her purchases.

Kagome stumbled and subsequently dropped one of her bags, spilling its contents on the sidewalk. She quickly kneeled down and placed her other bags at her side before scrambling to repack everything that fell. Yao wasted no time joining her efforts.

'Huh?' he thought as he slowly put the items away, 'Yarn, knitting needles, and knitting patterns?'

"Are you making a gift for someone?" Yao casually asked.

Kagome instantly stilled as she placed the last item in the bag.

"Of course not!" she answered quickly, "I'm just buying these for my Kaa-san! That's right, my Kaa-san. She really likes to make all those little homemade gifts for everyone, so she has a lot of work to do for the holidays, ya know."

"I see, aru," Yao answered suspiciously.

'Kagome-chan's such a bad liar, aru. I wonder what she's really up to. Could she be making something for a boyfriend?' China blanched at that thought. As far as he knew, Kagome didn't have a romantic interest when they reunited. That could only mean that she recently met any potential suitor, and China's mind jumped to hasty conclusions.

'No! I've already lost her to some crude European country!'

"Hey, Yao-kun," Kagome began, still crouched on the ground, "If you're not too busy, would you mind giving me a hand with all this? My house is pretty far from here so—"

"You want me to go to your house?" China interjected excitedly, "Of course I'll help you!"

'I may not have been invited to that stupid party, but I'm to only one who's going to Kagome's house,' he thought triumphantly, 'China will prevail!'

-O0o0O-

Kagome sighed as she closed the door to her bedroom. After staying for dinner, Yao finally decided to leave her home. It wasn't that she didn't like the Chainman or his company; she did very much. She just needed all of the time she could get to finish her little holiday chore.

"Let's see," Kagome thought aloud as she spread all of her earlier purchases across her bed, "I have mostly red, blue, black, and white yarn. There's also a good amount of yellow and green. And I should have enough of any other colors that might pop up in the patterns."

Before she could get started, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in!" she called out over her shoulder.

"Kagome," Nodoka asked as she stepped into her daughter's room, "are you sure you don't need any help? You seem to have a tall order here."

"I can do it!" Kagome insisted, "I already planned out most of the patterns I need. If I get stuck I'll just work it out on my own."

Sota chuckled as he appeared behind Nodoka in the hallway.

"It's all so intimate! Just how many boyfriends do you have, Nee-chan?" he asked in the midst of his laughter, "There has to be more than that guy you've been staying with and that weird foreigner who stayed for dinner tonight. Now that is pretty scandalous!"

"Shut up!" Kagome shouted from her spot in her room.

"Sota, be nice to your sister. These people are her friends and nothing more," Nodoka sternly told her son before turning to her daughter, "Kagome, don't stay up too late working on this. You are coming with us to visit our relatives in Osaka in the morning."

"I got it, Kaa-san," Kagome answered with an obedient nod.

Once her mother and brother left, Kagome closed her door and rolled up her sleeves before going right to work.

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – I hope you've enjoyed this latest installment. Until next time, TCB! ^_^

(edited 03.11.2013)