A/N: I'm hoping to push out one more chapter for you guys by the end of the year, but no promises. But here is a little Christmas present for everyone. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and I'm sending the best wishes and good tidings your way!

Many thanks to my beta for being so quick with her edits, especially during the holidays :)

A Christmas Story
Chapter 6: My Only Wish (This Year)
(Part 2 of 2)

Inuyasha knew he was blushing.

He wasn't entirely sure as to why – maybe it was from his confusion, the warmth of the fire, or perhaps the inkling thought in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite admit to – but he could feel the blush creep up his neck and flush his cheeks.

Brown eyes nervously blinked up at him. It took a few moments for her answer to sink in. He watched her curl her hands tighter around her cup of hot chocolate as he furrowed his brows, not really sure how to respond.

"Kagome, what do you mean—"

"Come on, Kagome!" Sango suddenly appeared beside them, effectively drawing their attention. She laughed and pulled eagerly on Kagome's arm. "Shippo's here!"

Sending Inuyasha a wavering glance, Kagome hesitantly stood and greeted Sango with a shaky smile. "It's about time," she offered facetiously, allowing Sango to pull her away.

That was nearly an hour ago. Kagome's answer played over and over again in his mind. Inuyasha's eyes were drawn across the room to where she laughed with Sango and Shippo about something, throwing her head back as her obsidian hair shined under the lights of the tree.

Her answer had left him baffled.

"Dude, you're killing my Christmas spirit," Miroku said as he sauntered up to him, clapping a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and grinning up at him. "You look constipated."

"I'm thinking," he grumbled in return.

"Ah, that explains it."

Inuyasha shrugged off his hand. "You're one to talk."

Taking note of his friend's odd behavior, Miroku followed his gaze to where Kagome and Sango stood. "The girls look beautiful tonight, don't they?"

It was true, but Inuyasha only had eyes for one girl that evening. Kagome had her hair pinned back by a glittery star barrette, and she wore a long beige cardigan sweater coupled with some Christmas leggings. "Uh, yeah," Inuyasha agreed, clearing his throat.

Miroku took a sip of his eggnog. "Something on your mind?"

Heat seared his cheeks as Inuyasha slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks, wondering if he should really confide in Miroku. After all, the lecher never took anything seriously and would probably laugh at him. But as Miroku continued to wait patiently, and considering Inuyasha had no one else to talk to about it, he finally relented and sighed, running a hand over the back of his neck.

"I asked Kagome what she wanted for Christmas."

"And?"

"She said 'you'."

Miroku chuckled and shook his head. "Me?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "No, not you, stupid. 'You'. As in me."

He stopped mid-sip and raised his brows. "Oh."

"'Oh'." Amber eyes glared at him incredulously. "That's all you got for me?"

"What would you like me to say?"

He shrugged. "I don't get it. What did she mean by that?"

Miroku grinned. "Inuyasha, she meant that she wants you for Christmas. As in, she wants to date you."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and his throat ran dry. "D-Date me?"

"Yeah. She wants you to take her out, hold hands with her, kiss her… you know."

A pit formed in the pit of his stomach as the burning realization that Kagome wanted him – him of all people – sank in. "I… Uh… What am I supposed to do?"

"Ah, my poor man. That is the question to end all questions." He placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "But only you can answer that. Do you want to date her, too?"

Inuyasha thought about it, reflecting on his relationship with Kagome. He had never really given dating her much thought, because Kagome was always simply there. She had always been nearby, immersing herself in his life anyways possible. But wasn't that what best friends were supposed to do? Wasn't it all just them being really good friends?

"I-I don't know."

Miroku shrugged. "Not many men do. But think of it this way – if another man came along and swept her off her feet, would you be okay with that?"

No. Definitely not.

"Miroku, my boy! Come here!" a drunk Mushin called from across the room.

Miroku lifted his glass in acknowledgement before returning his attention to Inuyasha. "Just don't lead her along. Give her an answer, and soon."

Left to his thoughts, Inuyasha turned back to watching Kagome as she laughed beneath the Christmas tree, her eyes shining like starlight.

It had always been easy with Kagome. He never had to think about what he said or what he did, because she didn't care. She never judged him. But now he felt his throat tighten and his heartbeat quicken. He suddenly felt like the only thing that would come out of his mouth would be word vomit.

Well, crap.

ACS

The evening had quickly gone from bad to worse.

Kagome nibbled on her thumbnail nervously as she stood by the front windows, watching the snow cover the street in white. Confessing to Inuyasha about her feelings had never been on her agenda that evening – or ever for that matter. It had unintentionally slipped out, and now she would give anything to take it back.

The way he looked at her made her internally groan. He looked at her as if she had grown a second head! Was it that much of a shock that she had fallen for her best friend? That she had fallen for him?"

"So stupid," she quietly berated herself.

How could she have been so careless? Developing feelings for Inuyasha had been a dangerous thing to begin with. After all, if he didn't feel the same way, their relationship would alter forever. She wasn't sure if they would be able to share the carefree relationship again that they had up until now.

Her feelings hung like the proverbial elephant in the room, and God she didn't want to deal with that.

Can you say awkward?

But… Kagome couldn't deny that she felt a weight had been lifted off her chest. She had fallen for him a couple of years before and had never done anything about it. Part of her always wondered if he felt the same, or if her feelings were simply one-sided.

Now, her secret was out, and the ball was in his court. Whatever happened, she would deal with it. If he rejected her, it would be okay. She would grant him a smile, and years from now they would be able to laugh about the little 'puppy love' she once had for him.

Suddenly, Inuyasha's reflection appeared in the window, and Kagome stiffened, her eyes growing wide. He furrowed his brows, watching as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Her reaction made him nervous, but after a moment, her shoulders relaxed the slightest. "Look, Inuyasha," she said smoothly.

He followed her gaze. "It's snowing," he replied lamely.

She hummed her agreement. "It's going to be a white Christmas."

Inuyasha crossed his arms, taking note of her empty hands. "No hot chocolate?" he asked, surprised.

Kagome still refused to look at him. "Ran out. Sango went to get more."

"Hn."

They fell into an awkward silence, watching the blizzard coat the world in white. He could feel Kagome's anxiety coming off her in waves. Finally, she cleared her throat and said, "I should see what's taking Sango so long," as she turned to leave.

"Wait."

His words made her pause.

He shifted his feet nervously. "Did you mean it?"

Kagome worried her bottom lip before exhaling a shaky breath. He glanced down at her, watching the array of emotions across her face, and she closed her eyes. "What if I did?" she whispered meekly.

His heart felt like it was beating right out of his chest.

As the silence dragged on, she swallowed her nerves. "I'm sorry." She shook her head with a humorless laugh. "This was silly. Forget I said anything. We can just go back to being best friends and pretend as if this never happened—"

He suddenly took her hand in his, cutting her off, and pulled her to him.

"Ask me."

She quickly spun around, turning wide eyes on him – finally looking at him. "W-What?"

Looking into her eyes made his courage suddenly disappear, no longer a lion, but a small mouse. Now he understood why she had avoided him. He tried to ignore the pit in his stomach as he worked to form words. It was now or never. "Ask me what I want for Christmas."

She wrung her hands together apprehensively. "Inuyasha, I don't think—"

"Just ask me," he demanded gruffly, flushing pink.

Kagome sighed deeply and stepped closer to him, tightening her hand around his. "Okay. What do you want for Christmas, Inuyasha?"

He lifted his hand and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, listening as her breath caught. "You," he whispered, amber eyes flickering between hers. "I didn't know it until now, but it's you, Kagome."

Speechless, Kagome stared up at him, unsure if she heard him correctly. He ran the pad of his thumb over her cheek, waiting with bated breath for her to say something – anything – that would calm his racing heart.

So enthralled with each other, Inuyasha and Kagome didn't hear their friends approach. Sango returned with some hot chocolate, with Miroku in tow, and they happened upon the couple staring deep into each other's eyes.

Sango suddenly stopped short, all laughter gone, as Miroku ran into her with an audible "oof".

"What was that for?" he grumbled, expertly steadying his cups of cooca, making sure not to spill a drop. "I almost—"

"Shh," she quieted him, nodding with her head in Kagome and Inuyasha's direction. "Look."

Miroku followed her gaze, his eyes lighting up with amusement at seeing their friend's position, and grinned mischievously. "Ah, seems as though Inuyasha finally manned up."

The brunette raised a brow quizzically. "Meaning?"

He ignored her, instead calling out to them with, "You have to kiss!"

His voice effectively caught them unaware, bringing them back down to earth, as they turned startled eyes on the newcomers. Realizing what he said, Kagome turned bright red, hands flying to her cheeks to hide her blush. "Wh-What?!"

Using one hand holding a mug of hot chocolate, Miroku grinned and pointed above them. "Mistletoe," he explained. "You're standing beneath mistletoe. Tradition says you have to kiss."

Sango's mouth dropped open. "Miroku!" she hissed. "They don't have to—"

"Ah, but it's tradition, dear," he said with a smug smile.

Inuyasha and Kagome gazed upward, blushing profusely, and sure enough there hung a bough of mistletoe.

"Whoever stuck that mistletoe up is a real jerk," Kagome mumbled, folding her arms over her chest.

Fidgeting with his shirt collar, Inuyasha shot Miroku a glare. "Oh, I have an idea," he grumbled, as Miroku attempted to hide his snickering. Shaking his head with a sigh, he followed up with, "Well, guess we should get it over with."

Panicking, Kagome waved her hands in front of her in protest. "Ah, we… uh… we really don't have to," she tried to tell Inuyasha, still not over his confession only moments earlier.

He averted his gaze to the window, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah… but, uh, it's tradition, right?"

He knew Miroku would never let him hear the end of this one.

Brown eyes flickered up to him with surprise. "Yeah, but traditions change." Kagome was attempting to give him a way out – and perhaps herself, too – because although she had fantasized about kissing Inuyasha, she was not prepared to actually, well, kiss him.

Inuyasha took a step closer to her and watched as she squeezed her eyes shut, keeping her head down and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. He thought back on the years he spent with Kagome. She had done more for him than he could ever hope for, and then some.

He recalled a frigid Christmas Eve only a year ago, where she sat wrapped beneath a blanket beside him in front of the fire. She would never know how much that night meant to him, simply having her there in that big empty house. Perhaps that's when he knew his feelings for her had grown. He just never acknowledged it.

Because that's when he knew for sure Kagome loved him in some way. She always figured out what he needed and gave it to him – without asking.

Placing his hand beneath her chin, Inuyasha guided her gaze to his own. Her wide eyes were full of panic, with a hint of excitement, but warm like hot chocolate on a cold, winter night.

"Some traditions should stay the same."

He placed his lips gently upon hers, and the rest of the room fell away. He kissed her slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. It was just a simple chaste kiss, but an explosion of warmth filled him from the tips of his ears to the tips of his toes.

Slowly, Inuyasha pulled away, resting his forehead against hers to steady himself. His breath came short and his head spun. He could barely form a coherent thought as he watched her eyes slowly open in a daze. He smiled softly down at her.

"Merry Christmas, Kagome."