A/N: Shout out to akitoki for being a gem and editing today of all days! I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe holiday season!

A Christmas Story
Chapter 10: Silver Bells

"What about this one?"

Inuyasha's amber eyes stole themselves away from watching the crowded department store to the green, knit scarf Kagome held in her hands. "Sure."

She frowned, her fingers working their way over the fabric delicately as she struggled with her decision. Finally, she sighed and dropped the scarf to continue her way through the store, seemingly unbothered by the throng of people pushing past her.

Inuyasha and Kagome had been weaving through crowds all day, holiday music telling them how joyous they were to be parting with savings it had taken them months to accrue. Inuyasha scoffed bitterly at the thought. Now who was getting his hard-earned money? Some fat CEO? If it was up to him, he would have canceled the present exchange part of Christmas, but he knew Kagome would've baulked at the idea.

She never minded the holiday rush or the amount of stress it caused. Inuyasha, however, despised shopping during this time of year. People were rude, children screamed, and prices were usually outrageous. He believed Christmas was the biggest con job of all time. Some slick marketing jocks told everyone that Christmas came in a box with a pretty ribbon and a prettier price tag . The higher the price, the more the love, right? The commercialization of it all made Inuyasha sick, and always put him in a foul mood.

"Why don't we finish our shopping online?" he grumbled as he followed Kagome through another aisle of sweaters. At least online shopping meant he didn't have to deal with the holiday crowds.

"That's so impersonal," she quipped, throwing him a look over her shoulder. "What if the fabric is itchy? Or the design isn't as pretty as you had hoped?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Everyone will love anything you get them." And his words rang true, because although Kagome didn't know it, she had a knack for choosing gifts. During the rest of the year, she was frugal and spent her money wisely, but when it came to Christmas time, she always went all out.

"I don't know," she mused, fingering another sweater before moving on. "Some people are always so hard to shop for. Like, Miroku and Shippo."

A heavy-set man shoved past Inuyasha, nearly causing him to fall into a display. "Hey, watch it!" he yelled out to him, only receiving a dirty look in return before the man hurried away. Annoyed, Inuyasha shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket as he followed Kagome out of the department store, both empty-handed. "Kagome, why do you even care about this stuff, anyway? Christmas ain't about the presents."

She smiled up at him with a thoughtful hum. "Well, you're right. Christmas isn't about the gifts." He raised a brow when she didn't offer a further explanation, and opened his mouth to question her, but was interrupted by- "Oh, look! It's Santa Claus!"

Inuyasha's eyes followed to where Kagome was pointing to see the big man himself all dressed in red. Santa had two elves at his side as he sat on his big throne, a few "ho ho ho"'s being bellowed. A line of eager children and their parents weaved through the town square, the kids bright-eyed in amazement at the sight of Santa.

"Come on!" Kagome said, tugging on Inuyasha's hand. "I want a picture with Santa."

"No way," he refused, pulling his hand out of her grasp. "No way am I getting a picture with some strange man in a red suit."

Kagome pouted, looking up at him with the saddest eyes she could muster. "But, Inuyasha… I really want a picture. It'll be a great memory!"

Inuyasha hated caroling. He hated crowds. He hated taking pictures with Santa, especially with him being an adult now. But, somehow, Kagome always managed to convince him to do things he otherwise wouldn't, even more so during the holiday season.

It didn't help that Kagome's teeth were sunk into her lower lip, a sensual pout making itself known as she pleaded with him. Inuyasha groaned in reluctance, a grumbled, "fine," falling from his mouth as she practically skipped with joy to the back of the line.

They shuffled through the queue slowly as each child eagerly sat on Santa's lap to indulge their Christmas wishes this year. The kid in front of them tugged on his mother's jacket insistently, excited about the elves and feeling star-struck at meeting THE Santa Claus. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the stupidity of it all.

"I'm excited to share Christmas with our kids someday," Kagome off-handedly commented, catching Inuyasha completely off-guard.

He swung wide amber eyes in her direction, feeling a heated blush work its way up his neck and flush his cheeks. "Our-our kids?!"

A light pink tinged Kagome's cheeks as she toyed with a lock of her hair. Her brown eyes quickly glanced up at him before averting away. "Well… yeah. I mean… Do you want kids someday?"

He cleared his throat awkwardly trying to look at anything but the blushing girl beside him. "I-I guess I never thought about it."

"Well," she said, grabbing his hand and holding it in hers, smiling up at him. "Think about it."

They stayed silent during the rest of their trek through the line. Inuyasha's mind had been shocked into a muddle of several thoughts, all of which he had a hard time focusing on. Kagome brought up kids and yet he could barely think of where they would be in a few months, let alone a few years. She had taken him completely by surprise.

Before he knew it, it was their turn to see Santa, and Kagome eagerly moved to stand beside the man in red, with Inuyasha standing on his other.

"Well, now," Santa greeted, smiling up at them with a voice filled with cheer. "What's your name, young lady?"

"Kagome," she spoke, the blush from earlier now gone.

He turned to ask Inuyasha the same, but Inuyasha simply scowled at the man. Santa studied him for just a moment before turning his attention back to Kagome, obviously feeling Inuyasha's disinterest in this little adventure. "And what would you like for Christmas this year, Kagome?" he asked her, eyes sparkling with amusement.

Kagome exchanged a brief glance with Inuyasha, before leaning down and whispering her answer into Santa's ear . When she'd finished, Santa chuckled merrily before replying with, "I'll see what I can do," in a hushed tone.

Inuyasha didn't have time to question the exchange before the photographer called for their attention and snapped a quick picture - after which, of course, Kagome purchased.

The pair continued their shopping around the town, a slow pile of bags of presents beginning to fill their arms as the hours ticked by. Finally, as the clock struck eight, Kagome had declared their shopping complete while she looked up at him with an accomplished smile.

The evening streets had thinned as stores began to close for the night. Inuyasha felt himself relax, the bustling of the shopping rush dwindling to no more than a few last-minute shoppers. He breathed in the crisp, evening air, listening to the stillness of the night. Allured by the scent of freshly baked cookies coming from a bakery, Inuyasha tore his gaze off of the enormous Christmas tree in the square, adorned with glistening ornaments and flowing fairy lights draped around it. The sky had turned beautiful, dark shades of blue while the amber light of street lamps spilled onto the stone-paved streets.

"Feeling better?" Kagome's voice drew him back, his eyes meeting hers in the dim lighting of a decorated storefront.

"Yeah," he grumbled. "Never liked the crowds."

"I know, but thank you for coming with me. I enjoyed your company."

Inuyasha studied her as they paused in walking, her warm gaze meeting his own. Her smile shined like the stars in the sky, with no bright city lights to dim them. She had a touch of exhaustion to her, but she was beautiful all the same.

"Here," he mumbled, pulling the shopping bags out of her hands before crouching down in front of her. "Get on."

Kagome blushed and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh no, Inuyasha. I'm fine. I can walk."

He shot her a look over his shoulder that clearly stated he wasn't taking no for an answer. "Come on, you've been running around all day."

She looked around reluctantly before finally resigning to his request with a sigh. "I swear if you drop me, Inuyasha, there will be no hot chocolate for you."

He chuckled with a shake of his head. "Whatever you say."

Inuyasha felt her cautiously grab a hold of his shoulders before clasping her legs around his waist, and his hands folded together beneath her to make her feel secure. Once she was settled, he began walking again, closing the distance between the last few blocks to her home. She rested her head against his back as she relaxed against him.

They were quiet for a while, Inuyasha simply listening to her steady breath near his ear. The lights around them began to fade as the last few stores shuttered, leaving only the streetlamps and a few strands of Christmas lights decorating the walkway to light their way. Silver bells jingled as they passed by a man dressed in a Santa suit. He smiled at them, wishing them a "Merry Christmas!" as they passed.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome murmured, startling him out of his thoughts.

"What is it?"

"Christmas isn't about the presents," she said, repeating their conversation earlier.

"Yeah?"

She nodded against his back. "When you have so much, you can only really receive by giving."

He raised a brow, glancing back at her questioningly.

"Love doesn't come in a box. It can't be bought or sold. But, the joy someone feels from receiving a gift, from knowing that you had been thinking of them… that feeling can't be bought or sold either. It's not about the money spent."

The snow fell down softly, gently laying itself on the earth. Inuyasha smiled, his thoughts encompassed by a cold, winter night, a brightly lit Christmas tree, and the shining, brown eyes of a child who had silver hair.

"Daddy!"