Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me

Chapter Twenty-Three: Mistletoe

December 10th

The last box was carefully set in the living room. Kikyo had been looking through the boxes with wonder. The decorations were beautiful. There were glass balls, cloth angels, little ceramic figures, tinsel, bows, and wrapping paper of silver and gold.

On the first of December they had put up the tree, one of the family traditions. At first it was a little awkward. Kikyo felt out of place and felt even guiltier that she was stealing Kagome's life. The guilt would have consumed her if it hadn't been for her mother's constant smile and her brother's endless enthusiasm.

Kagome had been a little sad when she saw the girl last in the mirror. Kikyo knew that she had probably said too much about how much she was enjoying decorating the trees and about the cookies they were going to bake later that week.

It's not my fault… I didn't ask for her life. Kikyo bit her bottom lip. She did not want to listen to the little voice inside her head that called her a liar.

"Even if I did, I did not think it would really happen."

"Think what would happen?" asked her mother as she entered the living room carrying a box filled to the brim with garland and ribbon.

Kikyo blushed and looked down at her clasped hands. Suddenly she felt very ashamed. "I did not mean to do it," she said softly.

Her mother put down the box and pulled Kikyo in for a hug. She smoothed her hair gently. "I know you didn't." She gave her a quick squeeze then pushed her adopted daughter to arms length.

"We have a guest!" She announced then merrily called the person in from the kitchen to the living room.

Kikyo smiled when she saw Hojo bashfully enter the room carrying a colorful tin.

"I brought some fudge."

Her mother took the tin and patted the young man on the cheek. "How wonderful! Thank you. Now why don't you and Kikyo finish hanging up the decorations while I make some hot cocoa and dish out some of this fudge. Do you want marshmallows?"

"Yes!" Kikyo and Hojo answered in unison, then grinned at each other.

Kikyo turned her attention to the box her mother brought in and began digging through it, pulling out the green garland and setting the ribbon off to the side. Together she and Hojo hung the greenery across the doorway. They laughed when it fell the first two times, and cheered when it finally stayed in place.

When it was finished her mother came back in the room with the hot drinks and sugary treat. She praised their hanging job then excused herself to start preparing for dinner. Kikyo and Hojo drank hot cocoa and ate the fudge he had brought.

Eventually most of the box was emptied. All that was left was a small sprig of leaves tied together with a little red ribbon.

"What's this?" she asked. "It's too small to be a decoration." She began examining the other green leafy decorations. "Did it fall off of something?"

Hojo's cheeks turned a nice shade of red. "Umm… that's mistletoe."

Kikyo turned a confused gaze towards him as she held the little plant. "Mistletoe? Isnt' that a poisonous plant?"

"Yes, but it is a Christmas tradition to hang mistletoe in doorways."

Kikyo smiled. She was enjoying the traditions so far. Of course, she had no idea why anyone would want to hang this poisonous little piece of plant in a doorway, but so far everything else seemed to work out nicely, maybe she just wasn't giving the silly little thing a chance.

"Let's hang it!"

She wasn't sure why Hojo was turning red. At first she thought that maybe the room was too warm, but then realized that he embarrassed about something. What could he possibly be embarrassed about? She replayed in her head things he had said and done in the past few minutes, but couldn't think of anything to be embarrassed about.

The mistletoe was hung. Kikyo stood underneath it and looked up. It didn't look all that special to her.

Then it happened.

He kissed her.

It was a light kiss. She barely felt his lips brush against hers. And it was over so fast she almost thought she imagined it. But he had kissed her.

She raised her fingers to her mouth when he backed away, still sporting his blush. She could swear that she could still feel his lips. Her mouth opened slightly, wanting to ask the question, but not sure how to phrase it, or even how to get her voice to work anymore. It was her first kiss!

"It's a tradition," he explained, "to kiss the person you are under the mistletoe with."

Kikyo looked up at the little plant above her head and suddenly it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

I love this life!