The Merry and the Miffed by Stella Mira
Frozen Butts!
December 2013 Challenge: Wreath
Word Count: 1000
"That moody idiot! What's so wrong with celebrating a holiday once in a while? I hope his butt gets frozen and stuck on that tree!" Kagome hissed through gritted teeth, mentally cursing the hanyō.
"I can glue his butt on that tree if you want, Kagome!" Shippō snickered with a cheeky smirk, walking beside her.
"Don't tempt me, squirt!" The miko ruffled his auburn locks, amused.
"Kagome-sama!" A high-pitched squeal echoed in the wintry forest, drawing their attention to the familiar form of a small girl racing towards them.
"Rin-chan!" Kagome exclaimed, panicked when she took in the girl's attire.
"You're going to catch a cold dressed so lightly, Rin-chan! Come here – quick!" the raven haired woman urged her, scooping up the girl and placing her upon a large rock. She then proceeded to dress the girl in her fur, gray jacket, woolen, red gloves, and thick, purple socks.
"Thank you, Kagome-sama! It's so warm and smells so nice!" Rin graced her with a huge smile, burying her face in the furred collar.
"Honestly! What is that useless kappa thinking? Letting you wander around in this chilly weather without even shoes…" Kagome muttered, silently berating Jaken for his negligence.
"What are you doing in the forest, Kagome-sama? Are you looking for food like Rin?" the little girl asked with curiosity.
"No, I'm looking for pine cones to make a Christmas wreath," the miko replied, pushing all thoughts of murdering Jaken aside for now.
"Rin doesn't know what a C-Christm-mas wreath is, but Rin will help you gather pine cones!" Rin offered with palpable enthusiasm.
"Thank you, but I can't let you walk around in the cold without shoes, sweetheart. Wait here until I fill my basket then we'll go back in the village. I'll make a quick trip to my era to buy you boots and winter clothing," Kagome refused with a kind timbre, vowing to buy Rin all the warm clothes she could afford.
"Can't Rin celebrate Christmas with us?" the fox kit asked shyly, anticipation shining in the greenness of his eyes.
"We'll have to ask Sesshōmaru first or he'll think we kidnapped his ward, Shippō-chan," Kagome smiled at him sweetly.
"I can sniff him out and you can ask him!" Shippō suggested, brimming with joyful expectancy.
"Alright," the miko relented, not able to refuse his pleading expression.
"But don't stray too far away!" she called after him when the kit sprinted away.
"What is Christmas, Kagome-sama?" Rin inquired with a puzzled expression.
"It's a holiday where family gets together and celebrates. I wanted to invite you, but Inuyasha refused to find Sesshōmaru for me…" the miko explained, her ire returning full force at the memory.
"But Rin is not your family…" the little girl whispered, lowering her gaze to her lap. Soft hands cupped Rin's rosy cheeks lovingly as Kagome knelt in front of the seated girl, azure gaze full of gentle compassion.
"Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha are siblings whether they like it or not. You belong to Sesshōmaru's pack and – in my book – that makes you family, Rin-chan. Of course I would invite you!" the miko grinned at her, making Rin's eyes sparkle with wonder. She made a move to hug the girl then, but a shrill cry interrupted their tender moment abruptly.
"Kagome! Save me!"
"Shippō-chan!" Kagome hollered, voice oozing with worry. Turning towards the direction of his voice, her gaze widened dramatically at the sight that greeted her.
Sesshōmaru was walking towards her in slow strides, all ethereal beauty and pale skin and stoicism. He would have been the very definition of pure perfection if not for the fox kit caught by his fluffy tail in his grip, flailing wildly while calling for help.
"Does this belong to you, miko?" the daiyōkai queried in his usual apathetic timbre, raising his silken clad arm to present her with a dangling Shippō.
"This has a name; he is called Shippō. So do I – for that matter. My name is Kagome…" the blue eyed woman scowled at him, snatching the trembling fox kit from his proffered clutch. Shippō burrowed deeply in her arms as soon as he was released.
"Hn."
"Rin, come," he commanded, turning his back to leave in an elegant motion, not bothering to converse with her further.
"Wait, Sesshōmaru!" Kagome blurted, deciding to put up with his derisive attitude for Rin's sake. She pinned him with a fiery stare, firm resolution burning hotly within her sapphire depths.
"I promised Rin I would buy her proper attire; she'll freeze to death if she is not dressed warmly!"
"This Sesshōmaru will not be indebted to a human female," the silver haired male stated coolly, however Kagome could tell he was not yet rejecting her offer. Strange softness dwelled within his golden depths as he took in Rin's appearance, melting his icy exterior.
"You can pay me then," the miko suggested with a lopsided grin, offering him the excuse he apparently needed to save his pride.
"State your price, miko," Sesshōmaru inclined his head in an imperceptible motion, finding her solution acceptable. Cobalt eyes perused him with piercing intensity as the miko dragged her gaze all over his tall form, and he nearly regretted his easy agreement. This ningen female's eyes seemed to devour him with scorching longing. Surely, she wouldn't make such a nefarious demand of him –
"Let me borrow your pelt till we reach the village and we'll call it even. I'm freezing my butt off here!" Kagome stuttered, eyeing his fur with adoration.
Her sudden demand broke through his dark musings, the sound of chattering teeth irritating his sensitive hearing, and he finally took note of her shivering body.
"Your posterior – albeit indecently clothed – seems adequately covered, miko," Sesshōmaru remarked with a slight frown, focusing on that specific body part, and wondering why she would mention her rear when it was apparent by her frantic rubbing of her arms that her upper body was feeling the cold more strongly.
"Are you checking out my butt!?"