A/N: ~does her best Lemony Snicket impression~ Do you know that feel when you think you found a tasty new candy and it turns out to be absolutely not to your liking? This is that candy.
This is posted two days before I first planned for all my lovely followers to cringe over before the Valentine's Day.

Thanks for MeTheAnimeLover7 :3

Part 2

That was stupid, Inuyasha knew it. He was cursing himself as he ran across the snow-covered forest, actually following with his declaration and making sure there was no youkai or predator hunting near the cave. As if any youkai was stupid enough to be out at that time.

Besides it always helped him to think when he had something to do with his body. Sitting and pondering things wasn't his style, he had to move.

The paranoid part of him, driven by emotions and seeing usually the worst in everything, was telling him how the chocolate for him wasn't 'lost' that it never 'was', or that it was left behind. But the more logical and pragmatic part of him, the one that examined all the data he had and never jumped to conclusions without thinking (okay, sometimes thinking just for a few seconds) reminded him that Kagome wasn't a person to lie. And that she had looked and smelled really distressed when she hadn't found the gift where it should be.

He knew he shouldn't have left. It was immature to run away because he felt miserable. A strong youkai wouldn't let anyone see that he was hurt in any way, could act indifferent despite their emotions. But he was not a strong youkai, he was a weak hanyou, he craved the affection and acceptance, the friendship and care of the future-born miko. And... He really had wanted to get a gift from Kagome, being included on her friend list. Even Kikyou, the one who had showed him the most kindness in the past, hadn't given him any present.

And Kagome had said that she had wanted to give him one, wasn't that enough? The fact that she wanted to do that, even if there wasn't anything to give? Maybe she really wanted to bring him the bar of brown sticky stuff, but the heavens prevented that one way or another, because he was a hanyou and hanyou weren't supposed to get gifts an have friends? After all, Kikyou had once told him about her wish to give him something, but had forgot to bring it. Was it yet another point where the paths of the relationships between Inuyasha and those two mikos were similar? Was it fate? Following this logic it'd be his own fault he didn't get the present from the miko, who was innocent and kind. It seemed very possible, after all he had been reminded often that he wasn't supposed to be happy and get gifts like normal people. The Kikyou incident had happened not too long before her death. Inuyasha felt a shiver run down his spine and he bit his lip, promising to himself he wouldn't let the young girl die like Kikyou.

Inuyasha slowed to a stop as he finished his run. He didn't go back, not just yet, while his emotions weren't under control. He didn't want to go there and say something that would not only cause Kagome pain, but also prompt her to sit him.

Still, taught by the past experiences, he stayed near, where he could see the mouth of the cave. It wouldn't do for him to go far away to be lonely while someone could hurt the only people he cared for. Besides, he didn't want to be lonely, not anymore. Even staying on the edge of the group, watching them interact, was better than everything he had knew before.

A part of him thought that it didn't matter if Kagome had a gift for him or not. He was a half-breed, being able to be close to her, being treated like a real person was the most amazing gift of all. Wanting anything more seemed to be outrageous. She was the heart of the group and it was only thanks to her the rest tolerated him. After all, it was only thanks to her example they had dropped their hostile attitude towards him. Still, receiving something from her as a token of her affection wouldn't be something he'd scoff at.

He thought about her tears that he had smelled before leaving the cave. He thought about the way she had looked at him earlier, telling him she hadn't forgotten about him, her eyes full of nervous joy and hope. He didn't deserve her friendship nor her trust, but she still gave them to him, with the easy grace of someone who didn't cared about what he was.

The hanyou stood up and schooled his face in a look of calm indifference akin to Sesshomaru's demeanor, but less distant. He should go back and tell her it didn't matter, that he didn't need that stinking chocolate, that he was fine.

He didn't expect he could actually tell her that the only chocolate he cared for was the color of her eyes when she laughed, that the only sweet thing he liked was the scent of her, that the only gift he wanted from her was her staying at his side forever, as his wife and mate.

He already knew such a confession would, at some point between his heart and mouth, change into a pile of curses, insults and sneers. He knew that from experience.

But still, he had to go back. To make sure she didn't feel bad about forgetting his chocolate or losing it, or even not preparing it in the first place. He had to go there and - somehow - make her smile. It wasn't her fault heavens hated him.

And he really had to get his feet out of the snow.

Just as he took his first steps towards the cave, leaving the shade of the trees, something fell on top of him. In the split second between detecting the assault and the attacker hitting his body he recognized them and that was the only reason he didn't strike them.

"The hell?!" Inuyasha looked up from his vulnerable position, laying on his back and pinned down by a heavy weight. The shape on top of him moved, making sure its paws wouldn't get wet as she switched her position on top of the hanyou.

Kirara purred as she arched her back in a way that made whatever was on top of her to slide down and just on the boy. Then she leaped into the air to return to the cave, pleased that she brought the hanyou and miko together and hoping that now the alpha couple of their pack could work some of their issues out. She wasn't deluding herself that they'd clear all the stuff between them, humans were too weird for that.

Meanwhile, in the hole in the snow drift, Inuyasha carefully touched the object on top of him. It uncurled and it was revealed that it was Kagome, wrapped in her quilted jacket and hat covering her head. Her pale face shone in the moonlight reflected by the snow when she looked at him.

"Kagome," he whispered and the girl tucked her head under his chin with a quiet cry of mixed distress and relief. Despite laying in cold wet snow he felt warm and cozy with her curled up on top of him, only one thing bothering him was the scent of her distress.

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," she whimpered, hot tears dripping from her cheeks on the skin of his throat. "I really had the chocolate for you, I swear, I didn't forget about you and I care for you so..."

"It's alright, wench," he wrapped his arms around her, knowing that there was no use to try to sit up. She was shaking despite her warm clothing and he hoped she wouldn't get sick. "Quit crying and let's go back before you get cold."

"Inuyasha..." Kagome looked up into his face. He was so caring, so forgiving, even if he was trying to hide that side of himself. "I will make chocolate for you again the next time I'm back home."

"Feh, I don't need your sticky chocolate, wench," he said, trying to sound more confident and relaxed than he really was. He hoped to make her less stressed about the gift, but one look at her crestfallen expression told him he failed.

"You.. You don't want it?" she whispered, her lower lip trembling before she pulled it between her teeth. How could one so loved and respected by others sound so dejected, so miserable? He had to act fast.

"Kagome... I mean..." he started, but Kagome already was curled in a ball of miserable sobbing on top of his chest. It was a miracle she wasn't running for the trees already. "Look, hanyou don't get gifts, wench."

A pair of brown eyes looked at him, fire blazing in them.

"Why not? It's Valentine's Day and I care for you, so you should get a chocolate from me. I don't care if my friends are hanyou or youkai, or whatever. Everyone deserves a gift, you too! I wanted to give you something special, Inuyasha... I spent hours preparing it, just for you," she added in a softer voice, looking to the side.

"See? And all that work was for nothing." he did the best shrug he could in his current position. His heart was beating faster than it should after hearing that she had made that damned gift just for him, that she thought he deserved a gift more special than anyone else from her friend circle "I'd rather have you here at my side. I don't need fancy food that's too sweet to eat anyway."

Kagome opened her mouth to argue, demand of him to accept and appreciate her hard work, then she actually thought about his words. It was pretty dark but she could see that he was looking awkwardly to the side. She forgot how upset she was when her brain processed his statement. She realized that not even once had he accused her of not caring, that he actually wanted to spend time with her. She wondered if he thought that as a hanyou he didn't deserve love and gifts, that seemed to be the case. Kagome bit her bottom lip, thinking fast. She refused to dwell on the fact she had nothing special to offer him and tried to find a solution.

"So... You don't want a gift?" she asked slowly. Golden eyes turned her way. "Even if you most definitely should get one?"

"Not really," he grumbled. "I mean it kinda stung that you had gifts for the scumbags Kouga and Sesshomaru..."

"I told you, I had the chocolate for you and it was twice as big as theirs!" she exclaimed. "It wasn't my fault Shippou ate it by a mistake!"

"Keh, whatever," he shrugged, then tensed before... "What?!"

"Ooops!" Kagome gasped, realizing that she had told too much, she had to act fast, before he went after the kit. "Don't be angry at him, you said it yourself that you don't like chocolate."

"Feh!" he pouted. A spark in his eye told her he wasn't really angry enough to maim the boy, but she thought it wouldn't do to just make sure Shippou's hide was safe. After all she still wanted to give him something for the Valentine's Day, so he wouldn't think she cared less for him than for Kouga and his brother.

"What if I gave you an extra cup of Valentine's Day ramen instead?" she tried to sound seductive. It seemed to work, because his ears twitched in interest. "Two? And you can come visit me when I'm in the future when I'm at home, okay?"

She looked at his face and found a pair of wide, awed eyes looking straight back at her. And before she could say anything more a warm tongue swept against her cheek.

"Deal," came his rough voice before she could exclaim her opinion about being licked so suddenly.

"But you have to behave, dog-boy," Kagome teased and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek without really thinking what she was doing. She glanced at the stunned, blushing boy and hid her face on his chest when she saw the intense gaze of his inhuman eyes glued to her.

Ten minutes later a smiling miko with puffy eyes entered the cave where their friends wanted for her arrival, followed by a hanyou that looked like he had spent quite a while laying in a snow drift. To their friends' surprise the pain seemed much more relaxed than usually after a quarrel.

As the pair got seated near the fire and Kagome started to prepare what had to be the Ramen Cups of Appeasement,, Shippou glanced to the older couple for support. When they gave him encouraging nods he approached Inuyasha, his tail dragging behind him,

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," Shippou said unhappily. "I ate your special chocolate gift from Kagome. And I'm sorry for making fun of you earlier," he confessed and squeezed his eyes, awaiting a pounding of his life.

"Feh! You steal food without asking again and I'm cutting off your tail, brat," Inuyasha grumbled. Shippou looked at him in surprise, but Inuyasha was already looking towards Kagome pouring boiled water into his ramen.

"We would like to share," Miroku said when Shippou got his forgiveness, because that was the closest Inuyasha could get to voicing one. In a flash Inuyasha was at Kagome's side, protectively shielding his ramen from any threat of sharing. It took him a moment - and Sango bursting into laughter - to realize the monk haven't meant the instant noodles, but the pile of chocolate squares laid out on a paper plate. The hanyou pouted and was about to go and sulk in a corner, but Kagome tweaked his ear, giggling and looking at him with those beautiful eyes, stopped him. After all seeing her smile at him like that was what he wanted the most.

Well, he wouldn't mind another kiss, he decided when their hands touched while she passed the cup to him and he saw her blushing and looking away.