Christmas through the Well

Chapter three: Strange Ways

Disclaimer: Already said I don't own it, but I'll say it again. I can't risk having all my money taken. I need that money for Inuyasha DVD's, dammit!

~*~

Inuyasha awoke with a groan, sharp pains shooting through his temples. The world was dark around him, making him think for a moment that it was still night; the distant but shrill chirping of birds told him otherwise.

One unfocused eye opened, followed by the other. He was scrunched uncomfortably at the bottom of the well, one cheek pressed flat to the cold earth beneath him. Through the pounding in his head, it was hard to remember just what had possessed him to make a bed out of the cramped space. That is, until a single name flitted across his hazy memory.

Miroku.

Inuyasha growled to himself, sitting up and rubbing his aching neck as he tried to recall the events of the previous night. He'd been at the well with the monk, trying to decide whether or not he should leave to see Kagome when Miroku had slapped him on the back. After losing his balance and toppling into the well, Inuyasha had gone through time and landed on his head on the other side—a fall that would have been fatal to a normal human. Thankfully, much more serious blows had failed to kill him. Nearly breaking his neck was a drop in the bucket for the hanyou.

Swearing to strangle the monk when he returned to his home time, Inuyasha leapt out of the well.

His muscles felt stiff and sore from his uncomfortable rest, and he was suddenly very thankful of the fact that he healed abnormally fast. Upon exiting the well house he hesitated, staring at the Higurashi residence that stood only a few yards away. As long as he was here he might as well go to see Kagome, right? And if she asked any questions, he could put all the blame on Miroku. Simple as that!

So why did he still feel nervous about the entire situation?

His ears flattened just slightly as he advanced towards Kagome's home, a miniscule pout playing along his bottom lip. Knowing Kagome, she'd mistake his presence as wanting to drag her back to the Sengoku Jidai, and 'sit' him a dozen times before he could get a word in edge-wise. He supposed he couldn't really blame her, though. He'd come to do so many times before, and if she misinterpreted his visits now, he only had himself to blame. Steeling himself against the inevitable sits to come, Inuyasha made his way to the front door of the Higurashi residence, promptly entering.

The moment he stepped into the house, a barrage of pleasant aromas assaulted his nose. From the smell of things there was much cooking going on-- the thick scent of roasting meat being overlaid with the sugary-sweetness of cookies. Advancing farther into the house, he continued to curiously sniff at the air. As he came upon the living room he could detect the faint scent of wilderness; the source being a strange tree that stood in a corner of the Higurashi family room. Silver brows knitting together, Inuyasha crept closer to the tree for further investigation.

It was strange, no doubt about it. The pine before him clearly was not growing up from out of the floor, and was instead being sustained by a pot of water at its base. The tree sprouted the queerest fruit the hanyou had ever seen; most of them being round and coming in a myriad of different colors. To top it all off, it appeared that someone had thrown clumps of shiny gold-and-silver paper onto the pine's branches, as well as stringing tiny colored lights all around it. Reaching out he poked one of these lights, then quickly retracted the digit. While not searing hot, the light had in fact been warm, and Inuyasha couldn't help but think how unsafe it was to put such contraptions on a tree, of all things!

Curiosity having killed the cat—or, in this case, the Inuyasha—he reached out and claimed one of the peculiar fruit, clutching it firmly in his clawed hand. Bringing it up to his face he sniffed at it, confused to find that it held no scent. How, then, were the people of this time able to tell when the fruits were ripe? His tight grip, however, soon proved too much for the object of his inspection, and after but another moment it shattered within his palm.

Inuyasha blinked, staring at the hollowed remains in his hand, several shards slipping through his fingers and falling to the floor. A fruit made of glass? He would never understand the time from which Kagome hailed…

An inquiring mewl snapped Inuyasha from his thoughts, and his amber gaze fell from the tree to the gigantic cat sitting at his feet. Buyo stared up at Inuyasha, his face terribly expressive for that of a simple animal. He seemed to be saying, 'You're an idiot.'

Before the hanyou could angrily kick at the cat, the sound of footsteps coming down the hall met his ears. Afraid of being caught in the act of shattering one of the Higurashi family's ornate fruits, Inuyasha shoved the remains under the tree, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his haori and entirely too innocent. When they found the broken ornament they'd never suspect him. No, not in a million years.

Moment's later Souta popped around the corner, staring with wide-eyed surprise as he spied Inuyasha standing in front of the Christmas tree. A beaming smile grew across the boy's lips, and he was across the floor in a flash, pouncing the hanyou before he had time to react.

"Inuyasha-nee-san!" exclaimed Souta, arms flying around Inuyasha's middle. Caught off guard, Inuyasha took a single step back before regaining his balance. Feeling the slightest bit awkward, he hesitantly patted the youngest of the Higurashi siblings atop the head.

"Uh…hey," Inuyasha greeted, clearing his throat and trying to pry the boy off. "Where's Kagome?"

Souta slowly released the object of his adoration, staring up at him dumbly.

"Isn't she with you?"

At that, worry flickered across Inuyasha's face. Kagome had now been gone from the Sengoku Jidai for three days; wouldn't she have returned to her home during that time? What would provoke her little brother to ask if Kagome was still with him when she should have been home?

Inuyasha was about to question Souta when Kagome's mother entered the room, a tray of freshly baked cookies held between her hands. For a moment, she didn't even notice the worried hanyou standing stiff in front of the tree.

"Souta, the cookies are done—" glancing up, Mrs. Higurashi's hold on the tray nearly slipped, but she quickly righted herself. "Oh, Inuyasha! You surprised me!"

Souta, who was already shoving several cookies into his mouth, tugged on his mother's sleeve.

"He wants to know where Kagome is," he said between bites. "But didn't she sneak back out last night?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded, turning her full attention to Inuyasha.

"I checked her room this morning and she was gone. I don't think she planned on staying long, though. She'd planned on going out with some of her friends today. You must have just missed her, is all." she stated, just before offering Inuyasha a beaming smile. "Cookie?"

Inuyasha absently took a cookie, nibbling on it with slight disinterest. How strange. Kagome must have returned to his time just as he was falling into hers, otherwise he would have definitely been aware of her presence.

The sound of the doorbell suddenly echoed throughout the house, disrupting Inuyasha from his thoughts.

"Oh, dear. That must be Eri and Ayumi, and Kagome isn't home yet… Souta, could you answer the door? I'll be right there," said Mrs. Higurashi, to which Souta nodded and disappeared from the room. Setting her tray of cookies down, Mrs. Higurashi grabbed hold of Inuyasha's sleeve, gently tugging him over towards the closet.

Inuyasha frowned, glaring suspiciously at the back of the woman's head. He knew that it was best to stay out of sight of most people from this modern era, considering his ears, hair, and clothing, but she wasn't honestly going to shove him in the closet.

… was she?

Much to his surprise, when she opened the closet door, she did not push him into it. Releasing his sleeve, Mrs. Higurashi stood on her tiptoes, searching a high shelf for something. Moments later she lowered herself back down, holding a hat within her hands. Smiling up at him, she hitched her finger in a gesture indicating that she wanted him to lower his head. He obediently complied with the silent request.

Sending him a most apologetic look, Mrs. Higurashi placed the hat on his head, pulling it down snuggly over his ears. He winced just slightly; the hat forced his ears to flatten to his head at a slightly unnatural angle, and proved to be most uncomfortable. He quickly understood the necessity of the unpleasant cap, however, as two teenaged girl's followed Souta into the room.

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi!" one of them greeted, waving enthusiastically. "Is Kagome ready yet? We're going to hit the Christmas Eve sales!"

"She isn't sick again, is she?" asked the other, looking terribly worried. Mrs. Higurashi laughed gently.

"No, no. She's fine. I just… sent her to the grocery store to pick up a few things. She should be returning soon." she explained. Inuyasha couldn't help but be impressed by the quick wit of Kagome's mother.

Nodding in understanding, a silence suddenly settled over the group. It was during this time that the two girls finally noticed the hanyou, their eyes going wide. Albeit strangely dressed, the silver-haired boy standing beside Kagome's mother was most handsome, and their minds simultaneously wondered just who he was. Noticing their bewildered stares, Mrs. Higurashi cleared her throat.

"Oh, how rude of me! Eri, Ayumi, this is Inuyasha. He's a… friend… of Kagome's. Inuyasha, these are two of Kagome's friends from school."

Inuaysha suddenly found himself flanked by two google-eyed girls, and it was all he could do to keep from running.

"A friend of Kagome's that we haven't met? Has she been keeping secrets from us?" wondered Eri, pouting. "Maybe she just wanted to keep him all to herself."

"I doubt it," replied Ayumi, smiling softly. "He probably just goes to another school or something. Is that right, Inuyasha-san?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, then quickly snapped it shut. Helplessly he looked from Mrs. Higurashi to Souta, then back. What the hell was he supposed to say to them?

"He doesn't go to school. He, er, works!" supplied Souta, trying his best to be helpful. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief, grateful of the boy's interjection. That is, up until the moment he spoke next.

"He's Kagome's boyfriend."

Inuyasha nearly choked while Eri and Ayumi squealed with excitement. As if they hadn't been flocking over him before, now it was ten times worse, as they were both right in his face.

"How long has this been going on?!" questioned Eri, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Inuyasha's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, and in that moment he resembled a fish out of water.

"Hmm," began Ayumi, thoughtfully. "I hope this isn't the two-timing boyfriend we've heard so much about."

"Oooh, good point, Ayumi-chan!" Eri exclaimed, accusingly poking Inuyasha in the chest. "So, mister. Is Kagome your one and only or not?"

An unbidden whimper escaped the hanyou's lips and, underneath the hat, his ears flattened ever farther. There were too many thoughts rushing through his mind at once, and it was nearly impossible for him to latch on to one and stick with it.

Kagome had told her friends about him? That was certainly a thought worth the butterflies in his stomach—though he would have appreciated her not including the 'two-timing' bit. And why had Souta gone and opened his big mouth, lying about the non-existent relationship between himself and Kagome? Currently, the two females in front of him were more terrifying than any demon he had ever encountered, and poor Inuyasha had no idea how he was going to get out of this situation.

"Give him a chance to speak, Eri," countered the ever-reasonable Ayumi, much to Inuyasha's relief. "Maybe he's here to drop off Kagome's Christmas gift? A good present can make up for almost anything."

"Ah, you're right." Eri agreed, exhaling deeply. "So… what did you get her?"

Inuyasha blanched, his face nearly matching his hair in color. Damn, what the hell was he supposed to say? And furthermore, what had he ever done to deserve this?!

"U-Uhm… gift?" he squeaked, taking several steps backwards. The way the two girl's had suddenly looked at him, he was honestly beginning to fear for his life. Mrs. Higurashi finally stepped in, trying her best to salvage the situation created by her son.

"Inuyasha had actually just come over to ask for suggestions on what to get Kagome. But now that you're here, perhaps you could help him?" said Mrs. Higurashi, her face as serene as ever; you would have never guessed that she was lying. Inuyasha's respect for the woman rose yet another notch.

While still appearing somewhat suspicious, Eri and Ayumi calmed at that. The girls then exchanged a meaningful glance; Eri placing her hands on her hips while Ayumi stared thoughtfully at her wristwatch.

"We could help him shop." suggested Eri to Ayumi, as if the hanyou weren't standing a mere foot away. Ayumi nibbled slightly on her bottom lip.

"I suppose. After all, Kagome-chan hasn't returned yet." Ayumi agreed. "If we go now we can catch a train and be to the department store and back within an hour or so."

"Then it's settled," said Eri, reaching out and grabbing Inuyasha by the sleeve. Ayumi, in turn, grabbed his other sleeve, and the girl's began to drag him towards the door. "C'mon, Inuyasha-san. We'll help you find the perfect gift for Kagome-chan!"

Inuyasha shot Souta and Mrs. Higurashi a pleading look over his shoulder, mouth forming soundless cries for help. Sure, he may have been a hanyou, strong enough to rip himself from the two girls presently dragging him, but he had a feeling that in doing so he would only make matters worse. Especially with Kagome. Mrs. Higurashi suddenly rushed forth, and for a moment Inuyasha thought she was going to rescue him for the teen terrors--

Much to his surprise, she merely hugged him from behind.

"Good luck in shopping, Inuyasha!" she chirped, much to merrily for his liking. With that, she released him, returning to Souta's side—who stood defensively behind his mother, meekly peeking out at the hanyou from his safe position. He looked guilty, and for a damn good reason, too!

Too busy mentally grumbling to himself and engraving Souta's name onto his list of "people to throttle", Inuyasha nearly missed the strange, miniscule stiffness within the folds of his haori, where the cloth crossed and then tucked into his sash. At long last Eri and Ayumi released him, leaving him with his hands free. Curiously, Inuyasha reached within his haori, his fingers retrieving a small wad of folded paper.

They were all rectangular, mutely colored with each depicting a different man's face on the front. Eri glanced back at him then, checking to make sure that he was following, and grinned broadly.

"Oh, good! Looks like you have plenty enough money to get Kagome a good gift. I was worrying that you'd be a dead-beat on top of the whole two-timing thing—"

"Eri-chan!" scolded Ayumi, lightly whapping her friend on the shoulder.

"Oh, sorry! Heh heh!"

And as the girl's turned their attention back to the sidewalk before them, Inuyasha was left to glare daggers at the back of their heads. Somehow, he had the feeling that this afternoon spent among the harpies was going to last a lot longer than a mere hour. And even if it was only that, he knew it would still feel like an eternity to him. Had this whole thing had been a bad idea? Perhaps he should have just stayed in his time and waited for Kagome to return? Was all of this just bad karma coming back on him?

Arg! Damn the monk and kid for getting him into this whole, messy situation. And more importantly, damn him wanting to see her so badly…

~*~

It was morning in the Sengoku Jidai, and on a day miraculously void of any demon activity, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to sleep in. That is, it would have been, if the small group within Kaede's hut hadn't had a sugar-high Shippou to deal with.

During the night, the entire five-pound box of chocolates Kagome had brought the fox kit had been consumed, and now it was showing. Constantly switching from kitsune to his pink, bubble-like form, Shippou was quite literally bouncing off the walls. After forty-five minutes straight of chasing the hyperactive kit around, Sango had finally managed to pin him as gently as she could to the ground, where Kaede proceeded to force water into him, hoping it would help to flush the sugar from his system more quickly.

Head pounding, Kagome took this temporary moment of clam to slip outside. Honestly, she was surprised that Inuyasha had yet to return. If he had gone to her time and found her absent, wouldn't he have immediately come back?

Or maybe he hadn't even bothered to ask her family about her, and was instead rampaging around the city, angrily trying to find her. Her expression flattened at that, and a faint sigh escaped her lips. She really wouldn't have put it past him…

Behind her the hanging mat covering the entrance to the hut rustled, and moments later, Miroku joined her. He stood a little too close for her comfort; but then again, he always did, so it was really no surprise. For several moments they stood beside one another in silence, both enjoying the first stretch of calm they'd received all morning.

"So," began Miroku, clearing his throat. "Why the long face, Kagome-sama?"

Kagome looked up to the houshi, gently shrugging her shoulders.

"Just wondering when Inuyasha is going to get back, is all." she replied, honestly. Miroku stared up at the sky, brows knitted together.

"Hmm. I've been wondering the same thing. Perhaps he hurt himself…"

Blinking, the young miko gave Miroku an extremely confused glance.

"Hurt himself?"

"Hai. I was with him at the well last night. He had been miserable for the past few days, so I suggested that he go to visit you. He was unsure of whether you would take his presence as an intrusion or not, so I gave him a, ah, gentle nudge in the right direction. Needless to say it wasn't his most graceful moment, and he toppled hand-over-heels into the well."

Kagome, much to Miroku's surprise, was completely silent long after his explanation, seemingly caught up in thought. Biting at the inside of her lip, Kagome absent mindedly toyed with the bow at the front of her uniform. So, it would seem that she had been getting mad at Inuyasha for no reason. He hadn't gone to her time trying to drag her back with him; he'd just wanted to see her. The thought made her insides flutter in the giddiest of ways. Miroku, at her silence, decided to continue speaking.

"Though, considering his demon healing abilities, nothing outside of breaking something should have kept him from returning. Perhaps you should investigate, Kagome-sama?"

Smiling, Kagome nodded in agreement. She was greatly curious as to what would keep Inuyasha in her time all night long. The mental images of him chaotically ripping apart Tokyo in search of her had shifted greatly with Miroku's words, turning to thoughts of Inuyasha in a Santa hat, enjoying his first Christmas in the company of her family. She wanted to get back, and most importantly, she wanted to hug him.

It was something she'd probably never get around to doing, but it was still a heart-fluttering thought.

Before she could move away, however, the monk had caught her shoulder in one hand, forcing her to look at him. In his free hand was a small object made of plastic, made to look green and leafy with little white berries. It brought a blush to her cheeks.

"During his hyperactive fit, Shippou spilled the contents of your bag all over the floor. Before I forget, Kaede asked me to inquire as to whether or not this has any medicinal value…?"

Kagome's speech faltered, and she couldn't properly form words. How was she supposed to explain to him what the plastic object was meant for without it getting them both into trouble? Miroku for no doubt putting it to good use and Kagome for explaining to him what it meant.

By her expression, the houshi had a feeling that the plastic plant had a very interesting explanation behind it, and he gently urged her on.

"Well…?" he probed, expectantly.

Finding the ground between them immensely entertaining, Kagome began to speak very slowly.

"It's… called mistletoe, and its part of the Christmas traditions from the west. It gets hung in doorways and, whenever two people pass beneath it, they have to kiss."

As expected, Miroku's expression quickly became lecherous and opportunistic. Holding the plastic plant high above his head he advanced upon her, forcing Kagome to take a few quick steps back, hands held out before her in defense.

"BUT! There's a downside!" she practically shouted, eyes squinted shut. Though she couldn't see it, Miroku stopped in his advances and gave her a thoughtful look, inclining his head to one side.

"Oh, and what's that?"

"When two people are beneath it, they have to kiss, no matter what." she further explained, peeking one eye open. The monk smiled.

"I understood that part just fine, Kagome-sama…"

"N-No, what I mean is… even if the two under the mistletoe are both guys, or both girls. So if you were to put it up and then step under it the same time as, say, Shippou…"

Kagome trailed off, and Miroku's ever-so-happy expression faltered the slightest bit.

"Hmm, I see your point. I suppose I'll just have to be very timely in when I enter and exit the hut." replied Miroku, chuckling throatily to himself. "Heh. If all that you say is true, does that mean, should both you and Sango enter Kaede's hut at the same time, that you'd have to—Kagome-sama?"

While the houshi had been entertaining himself with his thoughts, Kagome had craftily slipped away. Disappointment sparkled in the deep-blue depths of Miroku's eyes, and a pout played over his lips. Sighing, he stared at the mistletoe, which was now his only companion. His sadness was short lived, however, as Sango's voice reached him from within the hut, and he hastily re-entered.

"Oi, Sango! Kagome-sama just told me of the most delightful Christmas tradition concerning this plant…"

The slap that almost immediately followed resounded throughout the entire village, making even Kagome, who was already at the edge of Inuyasha's forest, wince.

Heaven help the women of the village while she was away…

~*~

Chapter three complete!

This chapter and the next to come were actually meant to be one, but it began getting so long that I decided to split it up into two. Ah, well. I'll try to get chapter four out as soon as possible. Thankfully, it looks like the next chapter just might end it. And if not? Chapter five most defiantly will. Here's hoping I can complete the story before the end of the holidays!

As always, I hope that you enjoyed this installment and that you will stick around for the next!

-MsImp