Deceitful Time
Chapter Eleven: Trophies

"I can't believe I'm bothering with this," Akiko grumbled bitterly while her finely manicured hands worked their way through the knotted Christmas lights she had been trying to untangle for almost thirty minutes. "You have to come to Kyoto now and you have to give me a very, very amazing endorsement speech, Inu."

"I told you already I would," he barked from across the living room where he had finally set up the stupid tree. Who would have thought it was so difficult to go and get a tree? It took him two hours to find a place that still had one that didn't look like it was near death and another hour to get it back to his place—he had to leave Tokyo to find it—then the whole bothersome processes of setting it up…

"What's so important about this year, huh? I thought you liked France."

"I do but I'm from here, I'd prefer to take over an area in a smaller and very well kept country," she taunted with a small yelp at the end, finally she freed the last knot, "I did it!"

"Congrats," he muttered before uncorking a bottle he pulled out from below his bar, "seriously, Akiko, what's going on—?"

"Shouldn't you know?" She sassed back with a roll of her eyes before disappearing from the room, when she returned she had two wine glasses in hand for him to pour the red joy into, "it's always nice to see some traditions never die."

"Uh-huh," he nodded meekly. Wine was never his first drink of choice, it probably wasn't even in the top twenty but it was always Akiko's favorite—particularly red wine—so he always broke out a bottle on the day she left. "You just stopped by to make sure that I—"

"Inu, I haven't seen you in years, I wanted to come make sure you are OK still," she chimed in with a gentle pat to his cheek after he took his glass from her, "I am happy that you finally found that girl."

"Thanks," he guessed.

"She must be awfully important if you haven't fucked her yet, after all," she jabbed before heading to the door.

Right as she lifted her hand to knock upon the door it opened up and there the still ever so pretty Akiko stood. Her chocolates still evaluating her with a condescending sense, without even a greeting she just took a drink from her glass and stepped aside so Kagome could enter.

"Hi," if Akiko wasn't going to say anything then she would, "how are you…?"

"On my way out, don't worry," Akiko assured as she closed the door and leaned against it while Kagome took her shoes off in the entryway, "did you have a happy birthday yesterday?"

"I did, thank you for the tickets to that party."

She almost opened her mouth to inquire about that but decided against it and just smiled with a nod, "right, so Inu went through a lot of trouble to put all this awful nonsense together," she whispered as she took a few steps closer to Kagome, "and he's been waiting five hundred years for you. I get that your little mortal mind can't comprehend that," Akiko pouted playfully as she tapped the side of Kagome's head, "but that is a very long time, even to us. The least you can do is repay him," and to make sure she got her point across she winked with a lustful grin before finishing off her glass with one final, large, gulp.

"W-W—" Kagome began but Akiko just patted her own the back as she passed her, obviously not caring for the answer whatsoever.

"Don't listen to her," she heard from not too far behind her but still couldn't calm her flustered mind enough to tell her feet to move, "Akiko's never been in a relationship where she doesn't screw a person within the first three nights."

Relationship… he thought they were in a relationship? That was what he was implying by saying that, right? Could she really say they weren't? Even at the simplest level, friendship was still a relationship so she took a breath in and let Akiko's unneeded comment move to the back of her mind as she turned around to follow Shiro into the living room where… he had gone all out. There were a few boxes of ornaments, some garland and even a wreath or two. He even got a real evergreen tree.

"Shiro…" she awed as she walked about examining it all with a slight smile on her face, "this is great!"

"Good, good," that look was what he was going for, the cute childish awe that had illuminated her face the night before as she watched the fireworks crash about in the sky. "You wanna decorate or study?"

"Decorate, of course," she giddily retorted as she dropped to her knees to remove her jacket and begin to dig threw one of the boxes of ornaments, "are these all new…?"

"Why would you say that?" He inquired as he sat down on the couch not too far from her, still an almost full glass of red wine in his hand.

"Oh, I don't know," she mocked as she pulled some of them out, "probably because the price tag are still on them."

He cringed at that, did he really need to tell Akiko to take those off when she bought them?

"You bought all this just because I wanted to celebrate Christmas…?"

"It's fine, don't worry about it," he sped, "I got plenty of money, it's the least I can do."

A petite pout formed as she tore off some of the price tags… Akiko's words echoed about her head no matter how much she'd rather them not. "Why do you say that?"

"Say what?" he muttered before taking his first sip of the drink, honestly, he didn't like wine. Rice wine? Yes, very much, but no matter how 'grand' or 'well aged' a bottle of grape wine was he just never got a kick out of drinking it. It was still alcohol, though—waste not, want not.

"It's the least you can do?" She repeated before pushing the box over to the tree more so she could start to line the tree in a seemingly random pattern.

"You know why," he whispered as his gaze followed each of her bends for a new ornament and stretch to put it on the tree.

The well? She guessed that must be what he was talking about… 'it's alright, I forgive you for that,' was what she planned on saying as she turned around to look at him but his eyes were fixated on a part of her body she'd rather them not so instead she just clinched her teeth and threw the ornament she had in her hand at his head.

His hand flew up and caught it before it could smash against his head, "you are a violent little girl."

"You were staring at my!" Muddle words collided together before they could fully leave her lips, so instead she just snorted and returned to her project at hand.

"I can't help it," he murmured. She jumped slightly from the feeling of his breath upon her ear as he spoke his words. He had gotten up from the couch to place the ornament she had flung at him upon the tree; apparently, that meant he had to stand right behind her and reach over her shoulder to place it on one of the highest branches. He lingered there for longer than needed but she didn't push him away, she didn't tell him to move, she didn't even really breathe… her heart just picked up pace.

"Do you want some wine?" He asked after taking a step back and heading back to the couch.

Right away she found her breath and loosened up before bending down to get another set of ornaments, "n-no, that's OK."

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"Do you have eggnog?" She laughed lightly while giving him a glance over her shoulder—the lazy bum could be helping instead of lying on the couch with a glass of wine in hand… why'd he always have a glass of something?

"No," he hadn't thought about that, "I could go—"

"No, I was just kidding," she assured with another giggle, "don't worry, but you could help this is your place."

He grunted something so low to himself that she didn't catch it. She did watch him long enough to see him finish off his glass and get up to grab some garland.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

The most 'awkward' part of the whole decoration session was one that she started, she wanted to put the star on top of the tree and had asked him to pick her up to do so. He obliged without protesting, it wasn't until he wrapped his arms around her waist to lift her up that the fluttering of her unsteady heart began again and she realized her mistake. It was Shiro who didn't set her down even after she had accomplished her goal, she didn't say anything, again, though. She just placed her hands on his shoulder and looked down at him, to those eyes that hid something she wished ever so hard she could make go away.

For a moment, while her hazels looked to his suddenly seeming more amber than auburn gaze, it seemed that something was gone before he gently set her down. Her hands still lingered on his shoulders, his arms still hung about her hips. She felt another kiss coming but before he was given the chance to lean forward she abruptly pushed him away and decided it was time to study.

It had been an hour since then and her heart had only recently returned to its regular beat. It helped that there was nothing but a hush around her, he was letting her try a few math problems—her worst subject—by herself from the college exam prep books that he had bought for her.

"I think… I got it," she nodded only half sure of herself. A minute eloped before she looked over to the too silent Shiro. He… had fallen asleep? He was supposed to be helping her, tutoring her like he promised her mom, but instead he fell asleep? In quiet the awkward position, too. His elbow rested on the table as his arm propped his face up, he leaned more one way than the other. How one could sleep like that was beyond her but she was very sure he had fallen asleep…

Akiko's words came back to the surface as she stared at him. He looked so peaceful like that, granted he'd probably have a kink in his neck when he woke up, but for the moment… she couldn't help but smile.

Instead of waking him like she had first planned to she got up and grabbed a cushion off of the couch and the blanked that was draped over the back. After she situated the cushion she gently, gradually, readjusted him so he had his head rested on that then placed the blanket on top of him. She could just look at the back of the book to see what she had done wrong with her math problems, after all.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"Hm… Kagome…?" He mumbled while rolling over on the ground. Steadily, he opened his eyes until he could see her sitting at the coffee table not too far from him, still with her face in the prep-book.

"Hey," she replied with a smile, "you're awake."

He rubbed his neck as he sat up, "when'd I fall asleep?"

"About two hours ago," she guessed, "I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"I'm sorry," he muttered before he stood up to stretch his back, "I didn't mean to fall asleep," he meant to help her study, "it's just I haven't slept well lately."

"Oh? Why?" She asked as she flipped through the pages to the answer key in the back to compare her answers.

"No reason," he lied before kneeling down by her again, "what section are you on?"

"Don't lie, Inu," Akiko asserted, causing the most subtle of winces to leave his lips.

"Aren't you gone yet?" He snickered before she could open her freshly painted, pouting, lips.

"I'm on my way out," she hushed while she pointed to her bag.

"Lie about what?" Kagome butted in before Shiro could edge her to leave quicker. Her glance flickered between the man to her left and the woman to her right as their eyes locked ever so intently with each other. It seemed that whatever their stare match was over Shiro won because she just sighed and he ended up with a smirk on his face.

"Now, what section—" he began as he turned his attention back to Kagome and her prep-book.

"He can't sleep because of you," Akiko couldn't help but let slip before she quickly snatched up her bag and disappeared to the door, and before her dear friend could retort she had the door shut behind her.

With closed eyes he shook his head and returned his attention back to the book, "math—?"

"What's that mean?" Kagome countered as she slammed the book close. Was it because she wouldn't… with him? Was that bothering him so much that he couldn't sleep? That was ridiculous. So what? Did he really not like to just spend time with her? Was that not enough? Why couldn't that be enough…?

"Nothing, she's full of shit," he assured after taking the book into his hand and flipping it open to see how far she had gotten.

"No, Shiro," she kept up as her hand grabbed his chin to make him look at her, "tell me."

He hadn't planned on it, another lie had crept towards the tip of his tongue but when her firm hazels glared into his gaze he couldn't seem to remember what it is. The truth came out, regrettably; instead, "I just… can't sleep since my memories have started to come back."

"Why?"

If she'd only let go he was sure he could deceive her, tell her a wholesome lie that would make her feel better, but she didn't. Her soft fingertips were still upon his skin, "that scene… that one where you're dead… I can't get it out of my head, whenever I close my eyes…" why couldn't one of the good ones come to mind? One of the ones when she was nude? When she was professing her love to him? Why that one? Why the one of the battered beauty?

A frown pulled her lips down as her fingertips glided down his skin until they were free to return to her neck, "how long has this been going on?"

He just shook his head, "never mind it, let's get back to—"

"How much sleep do you get a night?"

"It. Does. Not. Matter," he thoroughly assured before setting the book back down on the coffee table rather harshly.

"Did it happen when you took a nap? Just now?"

"No," it couldn't hurt to say that, but he wouldn't tell her why. She was there, safely beside him, he was sure that was why the image didn't reappear.

"Good," she mumbled before allowing him to encourage her to return to her studying… was she thinking to highly of herself when she decided it must have been because she was there that he slept soundly? Maybe just having her there, alive and in one piece, was enough to push those thoughts out of his mind…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"I got you something," she eagerly smiled after she decided she had her fill of studying. It was winter break and Christmas Eve—the inky darkness had cascaded over the light—so why bore herself like that? "It's just a little something but I thought you might like it anyway."

"You didn't have to," he assured as she pulled out a properly wrapped present from her purse to hand it to him.

"I wanted to. I saw it and thought of you right away."

It was a necklace, one that brought a half-smile half 'ha-ha' nod. The chain looked an awful lot like those that were ghostly wrapped around the well; there was a charm on it that read 'luck' in Kanji. It was luck—fate?—that they had even crossed each other's path that day, after all.

"You like it?" She laughed.

"Mm-hm," he mumbled before she snatched it from his hand and placed it around his neck. "I have something for you, too."

"You really shouldn't have, you already bought me my phone and you are the one paying the monthly bill and you bought all of this for me," she waved towards the finely decorated living room while smiling at the tree she was ever so proud of.

"It's something small," because he had thought she'd have that reaction.

It was a petite present, just a small two inch wide box that took her no time to open it. A smile flashed across her face as she extracted the phone charm, a jewel on the end of it that looked an awful lot like the shikon no tama dangled there. "Thank you, happy Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Kagome."

"Even though my family doesn't really celebrate it, we still exchange gifts and spend the day together," she began after they rearranged themselves on the couch, the blanket draped over their legs since they lied opposite of each other.

"That's nice."

"Maybe you should come over for dinner tomorrow," she suggested in a bit of a hush, her fingers fiddling with the frayed pieces of the blanket.

"It's alright, I don't want to infringe on—"

"No, I want you to come," she assured rather quickly; her eyes moved up from the blanket to him, "I don't like the idea of you spending the holiday all by yourself. I'll just tell my mom how you don't have any family nearby, she'll be happy to have you over. After all, she thinks you are just so grand."

"Ha, are you still mad about that?"

"Not really," it had actually been oddly helpful to have him sit there and explain whatever she had gotten wrong. She had read the answer key and explanation at the end of the book for all the questions she did while he was asleep but she understood her mistakes so much better when he pointed it out then took her through a step by step of what to do next time.

"It's getting late…" he murmured as he rearranged himself so he was lying down on the couch more, which meant he had to drape his legs over hers, "do you want me to walk you home?"

"Actually…" again, Akiko's words haunted her. She really should repay him… even though he took the well from her—to save her life, she had to remind herself. He did so much for her recently and had been on his best behavior so… yes, she was sure she had to repay him.

"Actually…?" he dragged out as he let his eyes close again.

"I… was thinking," her cheeks reddened as her fingers began to mess with the blanket more fervently, "that maybe… I'd just spend the night instead of heading back? It's so cold and such a long way back and I'm a little tired… I can just get up early and sneak in so my mom doesn't notice I never came home. Everyone at my house goes to sleep so early they'd never notice."

His eyes fluttered open; did she really just say that…? "Oh?"

"Not so we can do anything!" She assured, "OK? Don't get any funny ideas, Shiro."

A few scenarios still came to mind, he couldn't help it, but he wouldn't try to act on any of them. "Alright, you can take the bed I'll just sleep here."

"You don't… need to," she whispered while she got up, "I have an idea."

Of course, he could have taken the bed in the spare room, but she didn't think about that and he didn't mention it. Instead, they both ended up in his king sized bed but with a wall of pillows in between of them.

"If you try anything, Shiro, I'll never forgive you!" She shouted before snuggling in the comforter.

"I promise I won't…" he mumbled while sleep took him. It was really the best Christmas gift she could give him, a sleep free of nightmares.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

Morning's light crept in through the slender crack in the drapes. Unfortunately, Kagome had taken the side that faced all the windows so she was the one who's eyes the light struck. With a small moan she flipped around in the bed so she was facing away from it, it took a bit more time before her eyes find a way to open.

The pillowed wall that had separated them had fallen down through the night but they were still on the opposite side of the bed from each other. Serene sleep was written across his face, his arms were wrapped around his pillow, and his body was turned to face her… she couldn't help but smile as she move to rest on the bundle of pillows, closer to him to see him. For just a moment, she assured herself, she'd just lie there. He had the same look on his face when he slept as five hundred years ago. It warmed her heart like never before, though.

Could she really be called fickle when her heart fluttered between the same man…? She didn't really want to know the answer.