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Soon, as the night turned later, the group ended their session at the lounge and the boys made their way toward the exit, Rin followed behind them. Kagome traced her best friend, knowing that the girl was still in a dull mood. She trotted up to her, wishing to cheer her up if possible. "Rin, did you and Sesshoumaru have a fight?"
Hearing that, Rin heaved an even louder sigh. "If only he would give the time to fight with me." She admitted to her friend honestly. "I think, I'm the only one here being angry and he doesn't even notice."
A gentle smile surfaced on Kagome's lips. "Rin, boys are like that. You must know that our male counterpart have very simple brain cells. We could be brooding and thinking for the umpteenth circle and they wouldn't have the first figured out. You shouldn't be thinking too much."
Perhaps, I should tell them that I'll be going home first… Rin thought to herself.
Their conversation was crudely interrupted by the thunderous voice of Naraku, Kagura and the rest of the team.
"What should we do now?"
"Where should we go?"
Everyone was involved in the heated discussion of the oncoming programme and Sesshoumaru silenced the crowd. "May I suggest… we play… Hide and Seek."
"Hide and Seek?" Everyone echoed back in unison.
Hide and Seek? Rin mused in cohesion.
"Though a little childish, I think it's a wonderful idea." Hojo seconded it right away, pointing one finger to the air. "It's Christmas Eve and everywhere's filled with people and it's also expensive."
"We'll play it at the park round the front and that will also be the boundaries." Sesshoumaru coolly instructed the rest. "The time limit's an hour and to make the game more interesting, the last person who stays unfound will be able to receive a victory kiss from anyone he wishes." He turned to Rin, a smug glint ornamenting his mesmerizing ambers.
A victory kiss? Rin repeated inwardly as she noticed how excited Kagura had become. Her initial thoughts of retreating home early dissipated into thin air.
"Hey, Prince… is it the same for both girls and boys?" Kagura's eyes beamed as though with heinous ideas already formulating itself in her mind.
"Absolutely!" Sesshoumaru's reply almost made the girl explode in desperation.
Why that no good Kagura! Slut! Rin rolled her eyes at her love rival, her knuckles tightened. She wants Sesshoumaru's kiss. I think I'd better stay on and fight it out with her. She decided internally.
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The basketball captain gathered everyone, his chosen tone solemn and seemingly formal. "I'd like to announce the opening of the first Hide and Seek Victory kiss competition of the school basketball team! Ready, get set…."
"SCISSORS, PAPER, STONEEEEEEEEEEE!"
A screeching overlapping squeal burst echoed through the crisp night air.
"DARN!" Inuyasha cursed and stamped his feet as he realized he had the misfortune to become the seeker. "Now, I'll miss the chance to compete." He turned, passing a puppy eye look to Kagome, realizing the equally disappointed look on her face.
"It's okay, Yash!" Sesshoumaru patted his shoulder, parting his lips slightly with a small chuckle. "That's your responsibility of being the captain. It is fate, get over it and start counting to hundred."
Swallowing his resentment, Inuyasha folded his arms, still could not figure out how he could be so unlucky. He had wanted Kagome's kiss just as badly. "Do not say I did not remind you guys…" He spat, fanning his finger at the group. "You have one hour. If I managed to catch hold of all of you before that…" He sniggered devilishly. "I'll be the winner then…. ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!"
With a loud screech, the whole group scattered, each one having their own plans of where to hide… all except Rin. She stood beside the captain, her eyes only focusing on how eagerly Kagura was running away. Her lips puffed up with an unnamed rage. "Why that Kagura? She's going all out to get a free kiss from Sesshoumaru." She heaved in anger, completely forgetting that she should also be hiding.
"FIVE! SIX! SEVEN!"
Sesshoumaru turned his head, his brows constricted as he noticed that ONLY his girl was still standing there without the slightest sense of urgency to hurry. What the? What's that silly girl thinking about standing there like that? His ambers momentarily flicking red and with an exasperated sigh, he dashed full force back to get Rin.
"What're you doing here… Ikuzo…Come…" Reaching her side, Sesshoumaru took Rin's hand in his with definite sense of urgency, pulling her along…
"EIGHT! NINE! TEN! ELEVEN!"
A slight smile finally appeared on the girl's face as she followed Sesshoumaru's lead, feeling his warmth through his palm, her mind still sorting out what she couldn't understand.
Rin's narration
The December wind's really strong and harsh. The chill's hurting my cheeks even as we ran. Why did Sessh suggest we play Hide and Seek at this temperature?
"NINETY-EIGHT! NINETY-NINE! ONE HUNDREDDDDDDD!"
Inuyasha began his search, trying his best to spot the colors of the winter clothing on his friends in the darkness. He had made it a point to memorize all of them to aid himself the moment he was announced the seeker. That was part of his strategy.
Kagome's kiss is my target for the night. He pressed his palm together, greatly spurred on by the romantic prospects itself.
As he was pacing down some low shrubs, a faint ringing of mobile phone was heard. Hiding behind a low bush, Kagura almost screamed when the mobile in her handbag chimed its usual song. With unbridle jitters, she slammed on the phone, desperately wanting to silence but she just knew it. It was too late. Lifting her head, she spotted the captain gazing down at her, beaming with pride.
She stood up, her glowing fiery eyes throwing out flames as she answered the call.
"What? You're calling to wish me merry Christmas?" She didn't know whether to laugh or sulk. She shouted into the phone with full sarcasm. "Wow! I've known you for so long but I've never know that you're so…. So thoughtful!" She purposefully twisted her voice to show her frustration. "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO!" She threw her phone back into her bag, knowing fully well that it was all over for her. She'll never get Sesshoumaru to kiss her now.
Kagome wandered through the dimly lit park by herself, her heart beat increased with every step. It was so quiet and deserted here. Perhaps, she should have followed some of the other instead of choosing to hide alone. First, the only sound she could hear was the clicking from her own boots. Then, something else was heard, another set of footsteps, she decided, getting more nervous and afraid. Her hands started to tremble as she grabbed her bag, all ready to hit any stranger who would dare attempt to touch her in any way.
As the sounds of the footsteps neared, Kagome found that she could no longer deny it wasn't there or that it was only a figment of her imagination. She stopped dead in her tracks and summoning up all her courage, she turned around raising her bag, all ready to strike.
"Kags!" She heaved a sigh of relief. It was Inuyasha!
"Oh! I'm found!" Clearly forgetting her initial fears, Kagome was now smeared with slight disappointment. Her eyes shot up to meet the basketball captain and the minute she did that, Inuyasha sank his lips on hers with a deepen kiss.
As soon as he broke free from her, Kagome yelled out innocently in protest. "You broke the rules, Yash! You're not supposed to kiss now. You're supposed to…" Her words were stopped by another more determined kiss by the captain. This time, the girl relented, her resolve softened significantly, joining him and meeting him with her own seams.
"Kags, I'm serious about you and to me, kissing is never a game." He intoned firmly, making Kagome more than touched by his words. In his heart, he could sense that something was always on his girlfriend's mind, something was bothering her. Yet, she hadn't the courage to tell him and he didn't wish to force it out of her either. Perhaps, time is all she needs. One day, Kagome would trust him enough to confide in him. But for tonight, he just wanted her to know that he was serious about this relationship, about wanting to be with her.
Clearly, for this special night, Kagome was in the mood for fun. With a smile and a wink, she signaled Inuyasha toward the direction Rin and Sesshoumaru had headed.
Her cheeks reddened by the on-blowing winter freeze, Rin ran following Sesshoumaru's lead till he gave her a tug, pushing her back against a bricked wall. He lurched forward, gazing straight into her hazels, his breath hot upon hers.
Rin swallowed hard, trying to catch her breath as she searched for reasons. "Sessh…"
"Shh… They'll hear us…." He placed a light finger on her lips, his nose stroking hers lovingly.
Rin blushed as she felt the tenderness behind his voice. It was the first that night and somehow, after the chain of disappointments, a part of her still could not believe that it was actually happening. "Erm… I wonder how long more do we have before the hour's up?" She tried to search for a light topic, at the same time, shunning and not wanting to meet Sesshoumaru's eyes.
"I don't care about them. This hour belongs to us, just Sesshoumaru and Rin…" He replied, a corner of his lips lifted in a grin. "Isn't this what you wanted, a time for just the two of us?" He had correctly guessed half of what she was sulking about but Rin's mood had already begun to lighten at those gently spoken words.
She lifted her head, meeting his gaze lovingly, feeling a strange warmth rising in her heart, battling the December night chill. "I-I want time for just the two of us…" She intoned shyly.
Rin' narration
Sessh…. He wants to hear it from me, I know…. (grins) …because he's smiling so broadly at me…
I can't…. outsmart the demon's naughty plot…
And I know, he wants me to do this too…
Moving closer, Rin placed a soft, chaste peck on Sesshoumaru's nose, knowing that he was watching her intently as she did it. Of course, that alone wasn't enough for the boy. He let his eyes drift shut, leaning in and wanting nothing else than to sink into her mouth tasting her thoroughly. He moved closer and closer….
Suddenly, a strange woolen sensation alerted Sesshoumaru. This wasn't how Rin's lips feel like. He opened his eyes, utterly disgusted to discover that it was a huge hand, a foreign one…decidedly male…belonging to… Inuyasha!
"Heh, heh, heh, got ya both at the same time!" Heaving a couple of sniggers, the basketball was so pleased with himself that he didn't realize that his untimely intervention had ruin all possibilities of a romantic moment between the two.
Rin stared rolling her eyes at the crude interrupter while Sesshoumaru swallowed an irritated breath. He gave a harder than amiable pat on Inuyasha's shoulder, causing the captain to almost yell out in pain. "Yash, YOU…" Sesshoumaru pointed on finger to his nose, then resignedly letting off a resigned smirk. "You certainly have a perfect sense of timing… I must say… One day… I will return the favor…" Shoving him aside, the boy reached to pick up Rin's hand, then heading back to the assembly point.
With the captain's perseverance and wit, he had recovered the members of his team one at a time. As the time was almost up, Kagome inspected all who were around her, then tugged Inuyasha's sleeves. "Yash, Yash, I think someone's still not here…"
Rin's narration
Even when Yash has managed to find almost everyone, a certain power of love remains out there, still striving and defying his destiny…
"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX!" The countdown had begun, one particular competitor becoming increasingly agitated as he bent absolutely still in a low shrub not far away. A slithering shadow caught his eyes, coming closer and closer to him. Still, he held his stance.. all for…
"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"
"Ahhh….." With that last syllable, Naraku hopped out of his hiding place, jumping and screeching on the top of his voice. "Snake! Snake! Help! My jacket! It's inside my jacket!" A brave Hojo dashed up from behind him, assisting him to pull out the slippery reptile while everyone cheered for the victor.
"Nak is the winner!" A member spoke.
"He's going to get the victory kiss!" Another shouted from the back.
Sesshoumaru silenced the chantings. "Nak, you shall now choose the one whom you wish to receive the victory kiss."
Yes, it was all for this moment, Nakaru had waited and persisted the whole night. He couldn't wait to speak the name of the one he secretly had the hearts for. "I want… I want… Kag…"
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Before Naraku could finish his last word, a dark slender figure moved out from behind the crowd. Kagura knew fully well who the boy would choose. He had given too many hints before.
"Ooooo…" Everyone kept their silence.
"I want Kagura." Summoning all the courage that was left in him, Naraku said her name.
"NO! I don't want to!" Again, Kagura spat out, not wanting to abide to the rules of the game. No way! She was not going to kiss seomone in public like this… especially if it wasn't Sesshoumaru.
Again, the crowd went, "Ooooo…"
"Hey Kagura!" It was Kagome who finally spoke up for the boy. "If you want to play game, you have to be prepared for the consequences. How could you such a poor sport? Especially when you're also the basketball team manager?"
Her clever words out the grumbles of the heinous girl to a silent halt and Kagura merely stared hard at Naraku, as if daring that he tries.
"Just the cheek…" Nakaru relented. "I do not mind… just the cheek." Deep in him, he didn't want force her either. It was supposed to be something happy, exciting, not like this. Kagura let off a muted sigh, knowing that there was no way she could escape from her fate.
"KISS! KISS! KISS!"
A strong rhythmic clapping echoed out as the two took their position in the face of all that was in the game. His face slightly flushed, Naraku turned his cheek for the girl as she moved in little by little, in a painfully slow pace. Quietly and away from the main attraction, Inuyasha sneaked behind Naraku waiting for the right moment to strike. Yes, his team mate needed help and he, as his captain…..should….
Just a second away before Kagura's lips touched the boy's cheek, the captain wittily turned Naraku's face, causing the girl to kiss straight on his lips! Everyone shrieked in complete exhilaration, cheering and shouting for encore!
Rin herself was just too elated that she laughed out loudly, slapping her knee. Not only was Kagura not able to succeed in her malicious plan to get Sesshoumaru's kiss, she had to kiss Naraku. What an ending!
Suddenly right in front of her very eyes, a familiar brown paper bag swung, causing her to instantly freeze in complete shock! It was her gift for Sesshoumaru! What was it doing here? Didn't she…..?
"One of the Karaoke staff picked this up." Inuyasha held the bag high up as everyone stared. "He said that it must something important. Rin-san, this is yours, isn't it? I thought I saw holding onto it the entire night."
Still, the girl was speechless, guilt and embarrassment cross written all over her rosy cheeks. Taking a moment to inhale a lengthen breath, Rin's hand flung out, wanting to grab the bag. "No! It's not mine." Slightly taken aback at the girl's exaggerated reaction, the captain tugged on the bag too. A brief struggle proceeded between the two and finally, the paper gave way, tearing into two, Rin's gloves fell in full view on the ground.
Hojo was the first to charge up at the item. His mischievous eyes sparkled, realizing what it was. "It can't be! This is none other than the third lousiest on the billboard…. A pair of lovey dovey hand knitted gloves!"
He was about to carry on teasing the girl but a voice emerged from the crowd. "This is mine." Rin's eyes glowed, recognizing that uniquely deep familiar voice. She watched as Sesshoumaru coolly took over the item from Hojo, briefly flashing her a knowing grin as he passed her side.
Instantly, the girl's heart kindled with contentment. At long last, her present was finally in the hands of the one she had intended it for.
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On their way home, the girl kept silent as she passed occasional glances at the one beside her. Sesshoumaru was seemingly in deep thought and she did not wish to intrude.
"Rin…" He finally began, placing the pair of gloves in her hands, his ambers fixed on her with a certain gentleness. "Why did you deny that these are yours?"
"That's because they said that these are old fashioned and lousy." She admitted to him, letting her glance dipped to the ground but he stopped her, lifting her chin, wanting to meet her eyes.
"You don't have to care what the others say." He intoned, a perpetual smile clung to his handsome features. "It is how you feel that's most important, isn't it?"
Finally at that, a smile rainbowed on the girl's face as she nodded in agreement. "I-I… Sessh… I really wanted to make you something special this Christmas, it being our first…" With a twinkle in her eyes, Rin picked up Sesshoumaru's left hand, growing gradually more excited. "You know Sessh, I took so long to make these and that was the reason why I was late today." She slid one glove into his palm, flipping it in front of him with pride. It fitted perfectly. "You see Sessh, it's perfect, no holes, no messy jumps, just perfect!" Completely consumed by her own ego at the moment, Rin proceeded to assist him in the other but to her great dismay, she realized…..
Sesshoumaru chuckled at the error. "Yes indeed, there weren't holes and it wasn't messy… But why is this one over here smaller than the other?" He shook his head, watching with amusement that Rin was beginning to blush with immense embarrassment. "Hojo was right. These definitely have a place on the Lousiest Presents Billboard."
Her lips pursed up, Rin turned away, pulling off the glove that didn't fit, too small for the boy's right hand. "Okay! I'll dump it then, if you hate it so much!" But Sesshoumaru merely offered a soothing smile, placing a soft hand kneading on her shoulder.
"I have a way to solve this…" With a clipped kiss on her temple, he held out Rin's right hand, sliding the glove into hers. It was a perfect fit. "Now, we can be embarrassed together…" He whispered into her ears softly.
Not able to hide her broad smile, Rin was deeply moved but still, something was still amiss. She swung her other hand in the air and blinked fluttering her sensuous lashes. "Then Sessh, what about our other hand?"
The intelligent boy took only a second to come up with the second solution. Raising his right hand, Sesshoumaru caught Rin's left in his, lacing his fingers with hers, holding it firmly. Spying her from the corner of his eyes, he noted her elation. "Can you feel the warmth of my hand passing on to yours?"
Rin giggled, her eyes shut only into a tiny slit. This… is soooo romantic, she mused, looking down at herself, a hand tugged warmly into the knitted glove and the other, held tightly with the one she loved.
At the same time, an idea sparked. "I'm having a sudden inspiration!" Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.
"What inspiration do you have, Sessh?" Rin couldn't stop herself from getting all jumping and spirited again.
"I'm not telling. It's a secret." He intoned, giving her a wry wink. "You'll know soon enough." With that, he brought her into him, lowering his lips to match hers for a kiss, one that they missed out in the earlier part of the night, being crudely interrupted.
When he broke free from her, his brows furrowed noting that the girl was giggling. "What is it?"
Rin shook her head. "Nothing really. I just remembered how I first met."
Inuyasha, you're my favorite basketball player. I like you. Please go out with me…
She snuggled into his arms as Sesshoumaru gave her a gentle poke on her nose. "You were so silly then."
"But, I did get it right in the end." Rin's hazels lifted to meet ambers. "The right letter… the right person…"
"Really?" Sesshoumaru tested her, pretending to be absolutely ignorant of what was said. "I don't recall receiving any love letters from you…"
She held up the glove. "This Sessh, this is the letter I'm sending to you. All that I wanted to say, all my love, I've knitted them into this." She smiled, pleased with her own spark of intelligence.
"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru took in a deep breath, thinking of how he should continue with this rather interesting topic. "Then, I shall return your letter… in due time…"
Before she could make any reply, Sesshoumaru had sunk his mouth into hers again and this time, he didn't intend to let her go so easy. Again and again, the young lovers indulged themselves in the tasting of each other, their lips meshed passionately, their tongues mingled and twirled eagerly, the faint echo of carols ringing behind their ears…
"Tonight…wait for me…" He breathed huskily into her ear. "I'll come over to your room when dad and aunty's asleep…" He licked the soft edges of the curves. "Don't wear anything under the covers…except the glove…"
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hey, everyone
A special thanks to all who reviewed, Secret Angel Forever21, Indomitable Spirit, Thoughts13, Hinata-chan, Wolf-InuYasha38, emi-chan. I'm so glad you liked the story as well as I did. (Like I've said before, this is a partially adapted tale from Akumo. I've cried so many times.) And I'm happy that you've allowed me to share it with all of you.
Emi-chan: Devil Beside you originates from Akumo and yes, I watched it, loved it and the Sesshoumaru in it is just sooooo hot! Haha.
I'm trying to upload the fic as fast as I could. I've come to realize that some of the symbols I've chosen for the story is not compatible in fanfiction net so I've got to do minor changes before being able to upload it.
Hinata-chan: Actually, I've come to know that email addresses, websites will be automatically deleted once it's posted on this site. I guess it's a way which they try to protect the author. But on the other hand, it made it difficult for me to link you to mediaminer. But an intelligent friend of mine (Indomitable Spirit) succeeded in by passing the system. So I'm going to try her method too. This is the link to my site at mediaminer
http(colon)(slash)(slash)www(dot)mediaminer(dot)org(slash)fanfic(slash)src(dot)php(slash)u(slash)122108
You'll have to convert all those in brackets back to their actual represented symbols. If you can't get to the link, you can email me direct
evilbunny(at)duriantree(dot)com