Christmas through the Well
Chapter five: Happy Holidays
Author's dribble: So! How'd you all like that cliffhanger, eh? Well, don't worry. I'm really not very evil, as you'll see as soon as you begin reading the chapter. This story's original purpose was to end in mush, after all, and not angst or depression. That wouldn't be very Christmas-ey, now would it?
Oh! And this goes out to Anime-mistress585:
If there are, in fact, character flaws within this story, I apologize. I've only seen Inuyasha up through episode 54, and I've read the first three volumes of the manga. That's it. My knowledge beyond that is minimal, so I'm working with what I know. So sorry if I get a few things wrong here and there, and I hope that it doesn't take away too much from the story. *^_^* Thank you for your observation, though!
Anwho, onward to chapter five!
~*~
Inuyasha's tense moment was shattered by the sound of screeching tires, a noise so horrible that it made his ears completely flatten against his skull. It did, however, prove to snap him out of his present stupor.
Though the driver of the car had slammed down on his breaks, there was still not enough time to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. It continued to ominously skid towards the hanyou who, at the very last moment, took a dive forward and flung himself onto the hood of the car. His body impacted the metal with enough force to leave a nasty dent, but that was the least of Inuyasha's worries; instead he concentrated on clinging to the infernal contraption until it had stopped moving.
Several minutes later, with yards of skid-marks left behind it, the car came to a halt. Both Inuyasha and the crowd that had assembled took a collective sigh of relief. Sure, it might not have been his most graceful or daring of escapes, but had certainly been the most human. That was what he'd been going for. Through the windshield he and the driver exchanged evil glares, just before Inuyasha rolled off the hood of the car and began to brush himself off.
Frowning, the hanyou's amber eyes warily traveled along the ring of people that had accumulated around him. At first they were all silent, too silent for his liking, though within minutes an awed hush had come over the crowd. From what he could make out, most of them were convinced that what had just transpired had been a miracle. The thought made Inuyasha snort. Miracle his ass! If he had have been a human, he would have been flattened to a pancake—
A cold gust of wind blew past Inuyasha, rustling clothing and hair alike. Even as he was swarmed with concerned citizens inquiring as to whether or not he was okay, the most important thought on his might was making sure that his hat was still securely on his head, hiding his dog-ears from view. Had he not been so wound up, this whole situation might have been amusing. Or, you know, infuriating. Whichever happened to come first.
Shoving past the horde of people, Inuyasha stalked his way back to Eri and Ayumi, both of whom were gawking at him in wonder. With a growl he hastily grabbed every bag and box the girls had accumulated, turning on his heel and beginning to stomp off down the sidewalk.
"That's it. This shopping trip from hell is over!" he barked to them over his shoulder, and there was no room for argument in his voice. Nodding dumbly they collected what was left of their shocked wits, stumbling after him.
After what seemed like an eternity of uncomfortable silence, Eri looked to Ayumi, offering her friend a faint smile as she held up the sheet of pictures taken of Inuyasha in the photo booth.
"Well, at least a couple of these came out really nice? Heh eh?"
Her only reply was an incredibly flat stare from Ayumi, coupled with her own nervous laughter.
~*~
Kagome, who was presently in the kitchen helping to prepare dinner, found herself staring at the clock for the umpteenth time that day. It was getting late, and there was still no sign of either her friends or Inuyasha. She was really, really beginning to get worried! Who knew what kind of trouble the three of them could get into? Especially with Inuyasha's temper!
Frowning, Kagome forced herself to take several calming breaths, returning her attention back to the task at hand—making onigiri. Her mind screamed at her, told her that she should be worried to death; and deep down inside, she was. Her worrying wasn't going to help anything, however, so she'd just have to hope that everything was all right and patiently await Inuyasha's return. Besides, she thought with a mental giggle, it wasn't like shopping with Eri and Ayumi was going to kill him!
… Right?!
Squeaking, Kagome hung her head. It was simply hopeless to try and concentrate on anything at the moment! Shoulder's slouched in defeat, Kagome wiped her hands off with a dishtowel, leaning heavily against the kitchen counter.
Minutes later the front door jingled, making Kagome's heart flutter. She raced towards the door just as it was carelessly flung open, an all too familiar form coming into view. Normally she would have been relieved, but something about the mean set of his jaw and the slightly cowering Eri and Ayumi peeking out at her from behind him stole from her that comfort. She skidded to a halt a few feet in front of him.
"Er… Welcome back?" she offered, smiling weakly.
If looks could kill, Kagome was sure that Inuyasha's eyes would have reduced her to ash then and there. The parcels he held were thoughtlessly tossed to the floor as he advanced forward, Kagome's two friends meekly entering behind him. They waited until the hanyou had disappeared into the living room before glancing to Kagome, neither looking particularly thrilled.
"You're a saint, Kagome-chan." Eri muttered at last, folding her arms tightly over her chest. Kagome stared at her in confusion.
"Eri is right! To be able to love such a… a…" Ayumi trailed off, at an uncharacteristic loss for words.
"Maniac? Lunatic? Whacko?" thoughtfully supplied Eri, her bottom lip forming a pout. Ayumi nodded enthusiastically.
"All of the above."
"Oh, come on now," defended Kagome, scratching at the back of her neck as she stared at the floor. "He's really not that bad! You just have to get to know him, is all."
Eri and Ayumi exchanged glances, then sighed and shook their heads. Love truly was blind, so it would seem; or perhaps not blind, as Inuyasha was quite attractive. Love being brain-dead made much more sense to the girls. Turning to their discarded purchases, they began to gather them up.
"I think I'll pass on that, thank you." mumbled Eri, handing Kagome a folded slip of paper. "That's for you, sort of. Sorry to run out on you so quick, but I really am bushed."
"Me too, actually." Ayumi agreed, smiling apologetically to Kagome. Pouting, the young miko took a step after her fleeting friends.
"Was… was it really that bad?" she questioned, unconsciously nibbling on her lip. Ayumi sighed.
"You should ask him. He's the one who nearly got ran over!"
"See you day after tomorrow. Yuka-chan will be back by then. Ja ne, Kagome-chan!" said Eri, and with that she grabbed Ayumi by the arm, dragging her off.
Eyes going wide, Kagome was left to stare after her friends as they left, both waving and calling out apologetic good-byes. Closing the door behind him she looked down to the folded sheet of paper in her hand, carefully straightening it. The front was glossy, containing numerous little squares depicting Inuyasha's picture. The first were cute, she had to admit. He was staring straightforward, the hat atop his head shoving his bangs down into his eyes, which were bewildered pools of honey. The corners of his lips were twitched upwards into a tentative, confused smile; it brought butterflies to life within her stomach.
They were short lived, however, as her eyes scanned over the rest of the pictures. They became increasingly less cheerful, several showing him with an almost pained expression. The last few photos were, in fact, of his blurred form as he fled the booth. Between these pictures and the thought of Inuyasha nearly getting hit by a car, Kagome was itching to ask him just what had gone on during his outing with her friends.
Re-folding the photo sheet and tucking it into the pocket of her jeans, Kagome headed towards the family room in pursuit of the hanyou. She found him sitting on the couch, legs folded Indian-style and his back ram-rod straight. The hat, which had formerly hid his ears from view, lay in pieces on the floor in front of him. Kagome winced, hesitating before continuing to approach him. He was, most obviously, in a bad mood. Would he want her company?
Logically, if he didn't, he wouldn't still be here in her time, sitting on her couch. That thought giving her a tiny shred of hope, Kagome stepped around the furniture and hesitantly seated herself beside him.
"…Hey. Sounds like you had a pretty rough day."
Inuyasha's eyes shot to her at that, narrowed into golden slats on his face. Her breath caught in her throat, and she almost recoiled; she hated it when he got that look. When several long minutes passed and she had yet to receive any answer from him, not even so much as an annoyed 'keh', Kagome continued speaking.
"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. We just kept missing each other. If I had gotten back just a little earlier this morning, you wouldn't have had to go through all that with Eri and Ayumi…"
Inuyasha continued to glare wordlessly, countless curses at her expense filtering through his mind. He'd had a positively horrible day, and it was all her fault! Not only had she left him in the first place, despite his obvious protest, but then she couldn't even sit and stay put once she was gone! God, sometimes she could be so infuriating! And now here she was, sitting beside him and staring up at him like a kicked puppy. Damn her and those wide, shimmering eyes, those pouty lips that were parted just slightly, that sad little expression that made every angry thought within his mind sprout wings and fly away.
Without even realizing it, the tension drained from Inuyasha's shoulder's, along with his fury. It wasn't fair that he couldn't stay mad at her. It just wasn't! On top of that, she was already putting all the blame on herself, just as he had a tendency to do; the thought made him feel terribly guilty…
Releasing a heavy sigh, Inuyasha forced his expression to relax.
"It's fine, Kagome. Today's just been...ugh."
Relieved that the blow-up Kagome had foreseen coming had been miraculously avoided, she actually managed a faint giggle at his words. One brow arching, Inuyasha shot her a curious glance. He may not have understood what was so funny, but at least she didn't look so sad anymore. He hated it when she looked sad.
"What? Did I say something funny?" he questioned, prodding her lightly in the side. She smiled at him, causing his heart to flutter. Damn sentimentality.
"No, it's nothing. I'm just relieved that you aren't mad at me." Kagome explained, shrugging and letting her gaze fall to her lap. "So… You almost got ran over today, I heard? Are you hurt?"
"Keh! As if. The only reason the situation got so drawn out was because I didn't want to expose my demon abilities to anyone. That's the problem with this time! To many damn people around, not enough trees. How are you supposed to keep anything private?!"
Kagome smirked, reaching out in order to pat him on the shoulder. Had she been Miroku, she could have easily found an accidental innuendo in his last question; thankfully, she wasn't. Bringing her hand away from him, she dug the photos back out of her pocket and unfolded them, allowing him to see.
"And just what's the deal behind these, hmm?"
Inuyasha blushed slightly, grumbling to himself.
"They're… to go with your gift." He explained, fidgeting uncomfortably. Now that he'd bought her one, he'd actually have to give it to her. Not only were the customs that went along with this holiday foreign to him, but Inuyasha had never given a gift in his life! What if he messed the whole thing up?
Kagome, unbeknownst to him, was blushing as well. She'd known that Eri and Ayumi ha dragged him off with the intention of forcing him to get her a Christmas present, but she'd never really expected him to go through with it. The thought of receiving a gift from Inuyasha, of all people, was enough to make her want jump for joy!
It could have been a shiny rock, for all she cared. If it were from him, she would treasure it always.
"Oh, really?" Kagome asked cordially, a grin spreading from ear to ear. "I got you a gift too, actually. Well… sort of. It's hard to explain."
Inuyasha, lost and confused, stared at her helplessly.
"Um… thank you?" he replied, hesitantly. "So now what do we do?"
"We exchange the gifts, of course! What did you think?"
Pouting, Inuyasha stood, disappearing from the room. He felt horribly embarrassed for not knowing how to deal with gift giving, and he feared that Kagome would think him stupid. He hoped giving her what Eri and Ayumi had picked out would make up for his lack of knowledge. Stopping by the door, the hanyou knelt in order to retrieve the only thing left behind by Kagome's friends; the long silver box containing the locket rested on the floor, waiting patiently to be scooped up.
Grabbing it, Inuyasha was quick to return to the family room. Reseating himself beside Kagome, he nervously held the tiny package out to her. He hadn't been sure if there were any words that needed to be said, but thankfully, the look on her face assured him that speaking wasn't necessary. Which was good, considering the act of saying sweet things had never been his strong point.
He watched intently as her slender fingers pulled off the lid, slowly revealing the golden chain and heart within. A tiny, choked squeak escaped her throat, and for a split second Inuyasha thought that she was unhappy with what he'd gotten her—
That is, until she pounced him in a hug.
Eyes going wide with surprise, Inuyasha nearly lost his balance. One arm braced behind him in order to keep them both upright, his other shyly snaked around her waist in order to return the gesture.
"Oh, Inuyasha! It's so cute! I'll wear it always!" exclaimed Kagome, unconsciously nuzzling her cheek against his collarbone. The hanyou gulped, feeling the heat within his cheeks as it intensified.
"I-it's nothing. I didn't even pick it out. You're friends did. A-And…uhm… you're welcome?" he finished, lamely, his voice cracking just slightly.
After several minutes Kagome pulled away, and though he'd never admit it, Inuyasha was disappointed that the embrace had to end so soon. Though his hand itched to linger in the delicate dip of her back he was quick to snatch it away, not wanting her to think of him as some kind of pervert. Instead he was content to gaze up at her while she knelt over his half-fallen form, sweeping her dark tresses to one side as she clasped the golden chain around her neck.
The heart hung low, yet it still looked cute and innocent as it rested between her breasts. It had never before occurred to Inuyasha, but now that it thought about it, as soon as she placed his picture within the locket he would always be close to her heat. Quite literally. The thought warmed him, even so much as bringing a smug little quirk to his lips. Take that, Kouga!
Still on a giddy high, Kagome finally tore her attention away from her gift, returning her full attention to Inuyasha. It was time for him to receive her present, and she prayed that he would appreciate what she was about to do for him.
"Okay," she began, flashing him a grin. "Now your turn!"
Kagome suddenly went silent as she leaned over him; eyes half-lidded in concentration, she stared down on the enchanted beads that hung around his neck. Inuyasha, who had no idea what she had in mind, was more than a little lost. He in no was resembled a certain houshi, but that didn't mean he was completely devoid of hormones. Presently she was extremely close to him, the warmth of her body seeping into his, while one hand rested firmly on his chest; fighting off every impassioned thought that sprang to mind in that moment would have been futile.
"K-Kagome? What're you…?"
Trailing off, the hanyou was quite surprised when she wrapped her fingers around his subduing rosary. Slowly, but surely, she began pulling them upwards, and the cool beads were brushing the sides of his cheeks before it registered in his brain just what she was doing.
"Kagome?!" he asked again, one hand shooting up and clasping over her own, halting its movement. "What the hell are you doing?"
Afraid that he didn't appreciate what she'd thought to give him, Kagome leaned back, refusing to meet his probing gaze.
"It's the only gift I could think of, Inuyasha. I know how much you've always hated them, so I thought if I took them off…"
Inuyasha straightened at that, scooting just a little closer. Reaching out he used his free hand to lift her head up, fingers resting gently beneath her chin. Amber eyes searched chocolate brown, finding nothing but sincerity.
"You really meant to take them off, didn't you?" said Inuyasha, more of a bewildered statement than a real question. Kagome nodded. "But… what about all the times we disagree? Without these beads, You'd never win an argument!" he pointed out, brows scrunching together. "And you'd hardly ever get to come home. Without being able to subdue me long enough to escape on Kirara, you must know there'd be no hope of—"
"I trust you, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha snapped his mouth shut, one ear twitching. Had he just heard her right?
"…Wha?"
"I trust you." Kagome repeated, finally meeting his gaze dead on. "You act tough, but you're not really as mean as you like to make people think. I use the subduing spell when you're out of hand, but I think… I hope… that we've become good enough friends that we can work beyond it. Besides, most of the time the things we fight about are pretty silly. And I'd like to think that, if it really meant a lot to me to come home, in the end you'd let me."
Her words hit him like a tidal wave, leaving him speechless. No one had ever trusted him so completely as Kagome did, and Inuyasha seriously doubted anyone ever would. Not even Kikyou had placed such a great amount of confidence in him, which had been made obvious by how easily they were both led astray by Naraku's deceptions. As heartwarming as it was, Kagome's friendship almost felt too good to be true.
Being a hot-tempered hanyou, if left without the comfort of having an 'osuwari' or two up her sleeve, Inuyasha could easily overpower Kagome no matter what their argument. It was almost funny to think back over their time spent together-- not too long ago he would have so readily jumped at this offer to be rid of the curse that hung around his neck. So why the hell was he now so hesitant?!
Because he didn't trust himself.
If given such freedom, Inuyasha wasn't sure he could hold back. He didn't trust himself not to rip Kouga to shreds next time they met. He didn't trust himself to keep Kagome safe when and if he ever lost the tetsuaiga in battle again, succumbing to his youkai blood. But most of all, despite what she seemed to think, he didn't trust himself too ever again let her go. As far as the hanyou was concerned, Kagome belonged with him in the Sengoku Jidai, always. The only thing sitting between him and keeping her there by his side at all times was a strategically planned "OSUWARI!"
It was ironic to think that the very thing that empowered her while infuriating him had become a security blanket to them both.
At long last, Inuyasha replied, his tone soft and strained.
"No, Kagome. I wouldn't." he spoke, his hand still resting atop hers. He gave it a feeble squeeze. "What you're offering means a lot to me, and it's the best gift—the only gift—I've ever received. But I can't let you give this up. If I knew I could keep you there, with me, I would. I know how much coming home means to you, so I wouldn't be able to stand to making you miserable like that. But I don't think I could stop myself, either. It'd be best for both our sakes if we kept this on." He confessed, face solemn and stern.
Kagome, for the most part, was unsure of how to react. On one hand, he was refusing the gift she'd put so much thought into. He was also blatantly stating that, if given the opportunity, he'd rarely let her return home from the feudal era. Then again, he was being honest enough to admit that fact to her, and it earned him a few brownie points. The fact that he'd given her so much thought as to consider her feelings was enough for her.
Besides, he'd said that the thought in itself had meant a lot to him, and that made her happy. Turning her hand beneath his, she lightly traced her thumb down the side of his palm.
"Have you honestly never received a gift before, Inuyasha?" she asked, causing him to blink in surprise. Of all the things he'd just said, he hadn't expected that to be the point of speech she'd pick up on.
"Uh, well. When I was little my mother would often give me toys, but that was a long time ago. And that's… different." He replied, staring down at their unintentionally clasped hands. He liked the feel of her palm pressed to his.
"Oh… I'm sorry. And now I can't give to you what I'd intended." said Kagome, frowning. Inuyasha once again caught her chin with his fingers, lifting her head so that she could see his soft smile.
"I told you. Your amount of trust in me is gift enough." he murmured, enjoying how his words made her smile. He was usually the first to make her sad or upset; those rare moments when he brought her joy came with a great feeling of accomplishment for the hanyou.
Kagome giggled once again, her cheeks the most delightful shade of pink. Lifting her free hand she playfully swatted at him, whapping him very lightly atop the head.
"See? Underneath it all, you are nice! There's no denying it!" she proclaimed, smirking triumphantly. Inuyasha puffed up, snorting.
"Keh! I don't know what you're talking about!" he defended; part of him was relieved that the serious moment between them had passed, and yet another part was sad to see it go. But even as a spark of their usual routine began to resurface through their playful bickering, a shred of their previous sentiment remained in the form of their joined hands.
Their play argument slowly erupted into a full-blown fight—with pillows, that is. Just when it seemed like Inuyasha was about to win, Kagome would dive pounce him, pinning him to the couch and then proceeding to relentlessly clobber him with her 'weapon'. Abandoning his own pillow, Inuyasha's hands flashed forward, grabbing Kagome by her wrists. Grinning evilly up at her, he shifted their weight and rolled them over…
Right onto the floor.
Kagome let out a soft 'oof!' and her back hit the carpet, and as to not crush her, Inuyasha straddled her hips, hands braced on either side of her head. Despite their sudden compromising position, Kagome seemed unfazed, and she merely folded her arms over her chest as she stared up at him.
"Cheater." she accused, poking her tongue out at him. The hanyou chuckled, a rare occurrence for him, and the feel of his chest rumbling slightly as it was pressed against hers nearly made her shiver.
"Hey. I do whatever it takes to win, so there!" Inuyasha replied, surprising Kagome by capturing the tip of her tongue in-between two fingers.
"Eh! Leggo!" slurred Kagome, wriggling beneath him. Inuyasha smirked above her.
"Uh uh. This'll teach you to not poke you're tongue out at me! Hnf!"
Eyes narrowed, Kagome summoned up her best growl, placing her hands on his chest and trying to shove him off. Their pillow fight may have ended but their lightheartedness prevailed, and it was a moment Kagome felt she would always treasure. It was in their peculiar position—Inuyasha sitting over Kagome, her hands braced on his chest, Inuyasha's fingers at Kagome's lips—that Souta found the two. He simply stood in the doorway for a long while, staring at them wide-eyed. Just what the heck were they doing, anyway?!
Finding his voice, Souta cleared his throat, glaring suspiciously at Kagome and Inuyasha.
"Ew! I dunno what's going on, but mama says dinner's ready." Souta muttered, looking disgusted in the way only a 3rd grader looking upon two lovesick teens can. Talk about major cooties!
While Inuyasha blushed profusely, Kagome giggled in amusement, watching as her brother disappeared from the room-- all the while grumbling about how they were acting. Inuyasha was just beginning to move off her when her hands moved forward, gently seizing him by the face. One palm resting on either cheek, she slowly began guiding him back down to her.
"Inuyasha?" she spoke softly, in a voice that made a pleasurable spark of electricity flash down his spine. Gulping, the hanyou stared at her curiously.
"H-Huh?"
Grinning, Kagome lifted her head, pressing a quick but firm kiss to his cheek.
"Merry Christmas."
And with that, she released his face, sliding out from beneath him and stranding. Offering him a tiny wink, she turned on her heel and darted off towards the kitchen.
"C'mon, Inuyasha! Dinner!" she teasingly scolded before disappearing from the room, leaving a delightfully bewildered Inuyasha alone on the floor. Smiling to himself, Inuyasha stood, pressing his fingers to the spot on his cheek where her lips had touched.
Merry Christmas indeed…
~*~
Three days later, Kagome's pack stuffed to the brim with ramen noodles, the pair was finally climbing out of the well on the side of the Sengoku Jidai. Inuyasha, being the first out, reached back and easily hoisted his companion up and out of the old well, carefully sitting her on the ground. They were just beginning to make the trek back to Kaede's village when Sango, Miroku, and Shippou emerged from the bushes-- Miroku looking sufficiently ruffled.
"Kagome-chan! I'm so glad you're finally back! We've missed you." Said Sango, a warm smile on her lips. Much to Kagome's delight, Sango wore the rhinestone clip she'd received as a gift, and it glittered beautifully in the suns light. Unable to contain himself any longer, the fox kit pounced his surrogate mother.
"KAGOME!" Shippou exclaimed, wrapping his tiny arms around her neck. Kagome giggled, patting him atop the head.
"Hello, Shippou. How long did it take for you to finally come down off your sugar high?"
"A day. But now I'm going through withdrawals. Did you bring me more?" asked the kit, batting his eyes up at her. Both Sango and Miroku donned horrified expressions, pleading eyes staring at the young miko as if to say, 'Please, god, no!'. Kagome smiled nervously.
"Uhm, Sorry, Shippou. I'm fresh out of chocolate." she replied, much to Shippou's dismay. Snorting, Inuyasha stepped forward, arms tightly folded over his chest.
"Hn. Glad to see I was so sorely missed." he grumbled, causing Sango to arch an eyebrow.
"My apologies, Inuyasha. We had no idea you'd care for our concern."
"Keh! I don't give a shit. I'm only saying… you people don't appreciate me enough!"
The group shared a small laugh at Inuyasha's expense, causing the hanyou to pout and grouchily kick at the ground. Clasping a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, the houshi produced the mistletoe he'd found three days prior from within the folds of his robe.
"If you're feeling unloved, simply employ the services of this plant. Though I must warn you, it's gotten me in quite some trouble over the past few days." said the monk, absently rubbing at one of his cheeks. It would seem all the women in town always went for the same one…
Inuyasha eyed Miroku suspiciously, grasping the plastic plant between his thumb and forefinger. Bringing it to his nose he sniffed at it, finding that it held no scent.
"Obviously. You look like you've had the crap beat out of you more times than you can count," he replied, staring down on what the houshi had given him. "What's it do, anyway?"
"Ah, I think that is a question best answered by Kagome-sama," said Miroku, chuckling evilly as he turned on his heel, starting back towards the village. Confused, Inuyasha looked to Kagome, whose cheeks held a very mysterious blush.
"So. What the hell is this thing for?" he questioned, taking a few steps towards her. Squeaking, Kagome rose both her hands in defense.
"U-Uh! Nothing! It's not for anything at all!" Kagome rambled, pausing only to glare after the retreating monk. "IT DOESN'T COUNT AFTER CHRISTMAS!" she shouted after him. Innocently shrugging his shoulders, Miroku looked to Kagome over his shoulder, winking.
He was leaving it up to her to take advantage of the situation. If she chose not to partake in the opportunity he'd oh-so-graciously provided for her, it was her own fault.
Kagome blushed harder as Inuyasha rose the mistletoe high above his head, trying to investigate it farther. Sango chuckled lightly to herself, having discovered full well the meaning behind the plastic plant. Plucking Shippou off of Kagome as she passed, the exterminator followed after Miroku, leaving the two behind in the clearing around the well.
"What doesn't count after Christmas? Kagome! I wanna know what this damn thing is for!"
Deciding that his questions were best left ignored, Kagome steadied her heavy knapsack on her shoulders, darting after Sango. Inuyasha fumed as he watched her pass, quickly giving chase—All the while, the mistletoe was still held high above his head, as he remained lost to it's meaning.
"Kagome? Get back here! KAGOMEEEEEEEE!"
And so, it would seem, their routine picked up right where it had left off, just like it had many times before. The holiday had passed, taking with it the days spent peacefully with the hanyou, but they were precious moments that Kagome would keep with her always. She giggled to herself as she ran from Inuyasha, his voice calling after her all the while. As Kagome ran, her locket bounced against her chest, slowly coming open to reveal the tiny pictures within—a bewildered hanyou and an overjoyed young miko, both their faces contained within golden hearts.
For years to come, it would be the best gift she'd ever received.
~*~
And there we go. The end. Finally!
Sorry that this wasn't out yesterday, but I was late returning home from my evening with the family. Never the less, Happy Holidays, and I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter!
I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who reviewed this story. Being my first chapter fic, I was very nervous about it, but you all helped me through. If not for your kind reviews, I doubt I would have been inspired to continue. Thank you all so very much! I love you guys!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
-MsImp