An Off-White Christmas by UnknownRandomness

Assassination Attempts Lead To Battles

A/N: This chapter didn't come out the way I wanted it to :( I hope you like it though and please review. 

Prompt: Cards

Word Count: 752

Kagome sat opposite her mate, blue eyes interlocked on his emotionless golden ones as they had the seated equivalent of a duel. Well, not really a duel, it was more like a battle of wills. They had been sitting like this for at least ten minutes and the miko could feel herself fighting the urge to fidget. If she moved or spoke first, he would win. 

But it was so very hard! Sesshoumaru had the ability to turn into marble when he wanted, perfected through centuries of stoicism. She hadn't been able to sit still through morning assemblies when she was at school and she'd had far less practice than he had! It was unfair! He had the tactical advantage! The young woman wanted to scowl, but that would mean losing, so she remained aloof (or tried to, at least). 

The circumstances which prompted this type of "battle" weren't exactly unprecedented. She had done this many times before with her friends at university- namely Miroku and Sango- whenever they had to decide who would host the bi-monthly booze-fest. Being Kagome, she'd hosted it every time. It was basically a substitute for flipping a coin, but required far more determination and free time. 

Sesshoumaru had come home from work and gone straight to his study, refusing to greet her with a warm hug and kiss as he would have done if they weren't fighting. Kagome had turned down the volume on the television to hear the door close. She'd waited for a few seconds... And a startled bark had echoed through the house as the miko laughed uproariously, choking on her own saliva as she sucked in huge gulps of air. The inuyoukai had emerged from his study with the holly sprigs in hand, stalking down the stairs towards her and she'd fled to the kitchen, only to be cornered before she even arrived. Sometimes she really hated his demonic abilities.

He'd looked homicidal, so she'd hastily (and genuinely) apologised, but he hadn't taken it seriously, what with her still laughing her head off. Before she was killed, the quick-thinking woman had mentioned the fact that her mother was waiting for one of his customary hand-made Christmas cards and he'd pounced on the chance, delivering the terms for their fight: "If you win a duel with me, I will send her the most intricate and festive card anyone shall ever see. If I win, you will find yourself short of much more than a few jumpers."

Kagome sucked in a shaking breath as she desperately fought to sit still- of course she would want to go to the bathroom now! Throwing silent curses at her bladder, the woman stared at her mate, marvelling at his perfect features. When he was completely still- like now- he really looked like he had been carved from the most precious of jewels by the Kami themselves. His striking colours, the sheen of his silver hair, the subtle glow of his alabaster skin... Sometimes the miko couldn't believe that such a god had fallen for her; especially since they had first met when she had snot pouring down her eight years old face. 

Her stomach growled loudly and she groaned in response. She couldn't take this any longer! He would win and something else she held dear would be turned into toxic gloop.

But before she could announce her surrender, Sesshoumaru stood and stretched his arms. Kagome's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"What are you doing?! You were just about to win!"

The daiyoukai turned to her, a smirk crawling across his face.

"It wouldn't be very chivalrous of me to let a hungry woman who is also bursting to use the toilet suffer any longer... I had every intention of sending your mother a card regardless of whether or not I was victorious. I would never let her suffer from a lack of one of my incredible cards due to the imbecilic actions of her daughter."

Kagome's mouth had long since fallen open in disbelief. Her mate was so damn rude! So he had done all of this just to watch her suffer?!

She glared at his retreating figure, before shouting after him as he walked back to his study, "I hope that card gives you a papercut!"

When his deep chuckle floated back to her, the scowl she had been withholding sprung onto her face with a vengeance. Clearly this rivalry was out of her depth... She would need to enlist some professional help.