Ahem, before I begin this chapter I have something very important to say:

WOOOHOOO!!!!!! 101 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE OVER 100 REVIEWS!!!!! NOT 98! NOT 99! NOT EVEN 100! 101!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE SAME EXACT NUMBER AS THERE ARE DALMATIANS!!!! GLORY HALLELUJAH!!!!

With that out of the way onward to chapter 7!

~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 7 ~*~*~*~*~

Botan woke up the next day in a slightly better mood. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. And if Botan strained her ear enough she could catch snippets of Christmas carols being sung down in the park.

It was Christmas! Nothing- absolutely nothing- could possibly ruin her day.

Just to prove to herself exactly how joyous she was feeling this morning, Botan skipped merrily to the kitchen to fix herself a good Christmas breakfast.

She pulled open the refrigerator and took out the gallon of milk and then waltzed over to the pantry and found herself a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. All the while singing the only Christmas carol Botan had committed to memory.

"Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Jingle all the way! Oh! What fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!"

As she brought the cereal to the counter Botan pirouetted with glee and mixed the cereal and milk into the bowl. Then a thought struck her. Keiko wasn't home. She'd gone to spend Christmas over at her parent's. So Botan added a cup of sugar into the mix.

Normally, Keiko would have insisted Botan would eat breakfast at the table. But Keiko wasn't home was she?

She ate her breakfast on the coffee table. Settling on herself on the couch, it became Botan's primary mission to find the remote. She located it with ease and turned the TV on.

She gave a little exclamation of delight as a little claymation Rudolph waddled into view.

That was how her Christmas morning was spent. On the couch eating pure sugar and watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The cereal had disappeared from the bowl and had found its home in Botan's stomach. With a satisfied grunt Botan reclined on the couch and did something that would have had Keiko absolutely livid.

She put her feet up on the coffee table.

Eventually Rudolph ended and Frosty the Snowman began. Botan was still an obstinate lump on the couch.

Her neck was itching and Botan was resisting the urge to scratch it. But the itch was becoming unbearable.

Don't scratch. Don't scratch. Don't scratch.

She stared fixedly at the TV. Trying to ignore it.

Don't scratch. Don't scratch. Don't scratch.

Botan sighed and moved her arm to scratch it. Her fingers met something cold. Botan raised a bemused eyebrow and took hold of this cold thing. It was a chain. It then occurred to her what it was. With a gasp of revelation, Botan glanced down and saw the Peony charm still laced around her neck.

Funny, she'd forgotten all about it.

The phone rang and disrupted Botan from her thoughts.

She got up with a disgruntled expression and slumped over to the phone. She was determined to show who ever had called that she was extremely disappointed in being interrupted from her day of ultimate relaxation. So in a very drawling voice answered, "Hello?" And at the end of the word she added a bit of venom, just for spice.

"Botan?"

Botan choked. Her tongue turned to wood. Her venom had been given to none other than Kurama. She was forced to put the phone at a distance to regain her composure. Her stomach went all in knots again and her face felt as though it were on fire. At length, Botan had regained herself enough to speak and brought the phone back.

"Hi, Kurama!"

Should she have added "kun" to the end of it? What if he suspected something? How should she act? What was she to say?

"Merry Christmas!" Kurama's voice chirped.

How should she reply? Should she just say "Merry Christmas!" back or was he expecting more? What would she say normally?

"Merry Christmas to you too!"

Pathetic, Botan! Absolutely pathetic! Can't you think of anything better to say?

"I was wondering when you and Keiko were going to take these decorations down."

"Erm...I don't know. How does tomorrow sound?" She felt as though she were squeaking. It was all too pathetic.

"That would do."

There was an unsettling silence. He expected her to reply didn't he? She bit her lip and ventured to do something that she, at the time, thought was extremely bold.

"So what are you doing for Christmas?" She piped. She didn't want this conversation to end. And yet, at the same time she did. A very confusing emotion Love.

"I'm spending it with my mother. You?"

Botan tried her best to sound like herself, "Nothing much. Just hanging around the apartment."

"Why don't you go spend it with Keiko? I'd hate to see you alone on Christmas."

Botan shrugged, "No, I'd hate to intrude. Keiko rarely gets to see her parents."

"What about me then? My mother and I could use the extra company."

Every fiber in her being was screaming "Yes!" But amazingly her mouth said "No."

"No, I wouldn't want to disrupt your family togetherness or anything."

"Oh! But I insist."

Once again her mouth disagreed with the fibers of her being, "It's okay. I'm quite happy now."

Kurama didn't say anything for awhile. He seemed to be thinking.

"Well, how about afterwards? I could take you for a Christmas dinner or something."

Botan's mouth was once again ready to refuse but Kurama continued.

"I absolutely insist! I won't take no for an answer."

This gave time for Botan to seize control of her mouth, "I'd love to! What time?"

"Around 5?"

"Okay!"

"It's a date!"

Click!

A smile broke out over Botan's face.

It's a date.

~*~*~*~*~

I originally wanted to make this chapter MUCH longer but I have to get up early tomorrow. But I will update with the next chapter shortly. After I get back from my trip that is.

I feel the need to reiterate: I HAVE OVER ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS!!!!

And to my reviewers, THANK YOU!

And just as a little note Kurama won't have his big jealousy moment for a few chapters yet. But it gives you something to look forward to doesn't it? And as for the gifts exchanged during Secret Santa that will remain a mystery. We may never find out who knows Hiei's shoe size.

One more thing...I was bored a couple of nights ago so I read through my story. I encountered those mistakes everyone keeps talking about,. They weren't as bad as expected but one just cracked me up. "He slid into the driver's seat and put the key into the starter and with a noisy jolt the engine turned over and the car turned over." from Chapter 5. That must have confused quite a lot of you. Just so you know, the line was supposed to read, "and the car started."

Till next time! Later days!

-Mogget