Title: A Christmas to Remember
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha and Co.
Summary: "Tell me Higurashi, did you and the mythological Lord have tea together?" Her teacher asked sarcastically. "No professor, The Lord of the Western lands and I never had tea together, although we did spend Christmas together." was her simple reply. S/K

A/N: Guys, I should have an update within a few days now that i'm all caught up on revising/editing. Yay!

She continued tossing and turning on the unfamiliar bed in frustration. She had not left her room since he had left and told her to rest. She was not sure if her hiding was due to guilt or embarrassment. He had blatantly told her, in his own way, that her behavior towards Koga needed to stop and was selfish. His facial expression and tone had told her that not only was he disappointed, but that her behavior irritated her. No amount of hiding would erase her embarrassment and discomfort—yet that did not stop her from hiding nonetheless.

In fact, that had been exactly what she did.

She had laid on the bed lost in her thoughts. After the Feudal Era, she had spent years trying to locate her former companions. Depression, anxiety and determination had made her cling on to the thoughts and memories of the past. Yet, even now, she could see that those actions alone had created the person she was now. Mentally, she had not been truly in the present. Every action held less and less importance as she continued to clutch to the past.

She had persistently searched for anything or even a reference of her former companions. It felt like a piece of her soul kept getting chipped away each time she realized that there was nothing. Her determination and surety of finding someone had disappeared after time. Then she clung on to the only thing she had left—the past. The problem with that had been the results. The more she clung to the past, the less she cared about the present.

Perhaps that had made her to be this way. It was not until he gave her that look that she realized what had happened. Without realizing it, she had given up the present and become a shadow what whom she used to be. She had been able to hear his unspoken words as well as see the flicker of disappointment in his eyes. Irritated, she wondered what he could have possibly expected.

Years of her life had consisted of saving the world. There was adrenaline—there was a purpose.

Then there was nothing. Well, not nothing. There was the normal world. How had he truly thought she would have fared? Most individuals would have had five hundred years to adjust to the changes of such a bland lifestyle. She had not had such a luxury. Of course, she had lost her spirit—her fire. After all, what was there to fight for?

Standing up, she stared at the clock on the wall.

1:37 AM

She was not tired and knew that sleep would not be arriving anytime soon. Opening the door to her bedroom, she silently prayed that there would be some tea in the kitchen. Walking past several rooms, she finally managed to find the kitchen. Being as quiet as possible, she turned on one of the lights and made her way to the kettle that caught her eyes. Filling it with water, she placed it on the stove and noticed that there was a large box on the kitchen table.

Telling herself that she was a guest in this home, she resisted the urge to take a glance. However, curiosity got the best of her and she glanced around the room. She was alone. Tiptoeing to the package, she opened the box. Eyes wide, she let out a gasp. There, inside the package was what appeared to be a skillfully crafted bow as well a quiver of arrows. Not being able to control herself, she lifted the beautiful bow carefully out of the box.

She had expected the familiarity and excitement. What she had not expected was the pulse of the arrow and the shock that she received. Yelping in shock, the weapon fell out of her hands and hit the ground loudly.

"Crap!"

She glanced around the room to make sure it was still empty and that the noise had not waken anyone up. Yet, there he was—leaning against the counter with a raised brow in all his glory. The shock of his presence in the room made her eyes widen. Within seconds, her gaze traveled to the fact that the Inu was topless with a pair of black pajama bottoms. She would have had laughed at the thought of Lord Sesshoumaru in modern day pajamas but instead, she gazed at the naked torso in her view. Shaking her head of the inappropriate thoughts that had begun to surface, she quickly grabbed the bow off the ground.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snoop."

Awkwardly setting down the bow on the table, she wondered if her life would consist of constantly appearing like an idiot in front of him.

"It is of no matter. If you wish to treat your bow in such a manner—"

Her bow? Glancing back at the elegant weapon, she turned her gaze back to Sesshoumaru.

"My? My weapon?"

"It is too late in the night to repeat myself."

He broke her gaze and made his way to the kettle on the stove. Quickly, she took that moment to examine his chiseled chest and six-pack that her eyes seemed to not be able to look away from. How in the world was such a being allowed to be so attractive? Never in her life had she thought she would be witness to such a sight. Here was the Lord of the Western Land topless with silk black pajama bottoms with an element of drowsiness about him. In the dim light, he looked so much like a god that it made her shiver.

"Tea."

It had not been a question but more a statement—a statement to make her aware that now she was the one being gazed at. Handing her a cup, he began to get himself one as well.

"What do I do with a bow?"

She hadn't meant to blurt it out in confusion but she had nonetheless. Once again, she received the look of boredom from the Inu.

"I was under the impression such an item is used to shoot arrows."

His comment had been said between sips of tea while he sat himself down at the table. She knew it had been a stupid question but she had also assumed he had known what she had really meant to ask. Why would she need a weapon? It was no longer the Feudal Era—there was no danger.

"There is no danger here—why would I need a weapon?"

This time he narrowed his gaze at her and set down his tea.

"If you truly believe that then you are not the warrior I remember you to be."

Before she could stop herself, she glared at the Inu. "I thought you had already established that fact, Lord Sesshoumaru." Slightly shaking in anger, she wondered how many more ways he would reference that she had lost her fight.

"I shall dispose of the gift." His tone held amusement but as he stood up to grab the arrow, Kagome panicked.

"Don't."

Amber eyes met sapphire and neither individual moved. His eyes twinkled in amusement while he raised a brow once more. Your move. If his eyes could speak, she was sure it would be this. Fidgeting with her mug, she let out defeated sigh.

"Where do I—"

"The range is outside."

Much like last time, Sesshoumaru must have decided that the conversation was over for he stood up and put his mug in the sink. Leaving her standing there, he began to make his way out of the kitchen.

"Sesshoumaru—" His walking ceased but he did not turn around.

"Thank you." She did know what else she could say other than those two simple words. She was not sure why he had gotten her such a gift but she was grateful nonetheless. Perhaps he had realized that somehow, along the way, she had truly lost her way in more than one way. While this was not going to solve all her problems, it would bring familiarity back in her life.

"Go to bed, little miko." With those words, his figure disappeared out of the kitchen.

A/N: It's starting! I probably shouldn't be as excited for this as I am-but, whatever! ;)