I know Christmas is far behind, but Im in the Christmas mood all the sudden and I cant stop writing Christmas stuff, drawing Christmas stuff and listening to Christmas songs (like I am now) So here we go!
Disclaimer: I dont own Inuyasha
Chapter 1
:necko:
Christmas Lists
Inuyasha plopped down onto the comfortable sofa and flipped on the wide screen black television. Something about a stupid reindeer with a glowing red nose appeared on the screen and he groaned with irritation. "Damn," he muttered, flipping through all the channels they had, failing to find a single channel without any stupid ass Christmas special on. He gave up searching and just turned it off altogether and leaned back against the sofa. "Nothing good on during Christmas time," Inuyasha grumbled, his silver hair pressed against his back. His dog ears flicked on the top of his head. He grew irritated with the silence and was somewhat grateful for Sesshomaru's entry into the house.
The freezing breeze of winter swooped into the house upon Sesshomaru's appearance and he was quick to slam the door shut and put up his coat and hat. He swept into the living room and stopped at the sofa chair and stared at Inuyasha curiously. It was unlike his younger brother to just be sitting around doing nothing...other then nothing as usual. But the television was strangely switched off and Inuyasha looked pissed off out of his mind. Then Sesshomaru remembered it was nearing Christmas and realized his little brother still hated the holiday.
Sesshomaru took a seat in a navy blue chair with a checkered quilt hanging over the back. The quilt itself had been a gift from their parents, so Sesshomaru thought the perfect place for it would be the chair. Inuyasha didnt approve, but Sesshomaru could care less. Afterall, he was the only one keeping up a job, while Inuyasha pratically was fired from every job he ever got. He shook himself and stared back to his bored brother and Inuyasha glared back at him in return. "What?" the hanyou snorted. Sesshomaru sighed but said nothing. He redirected his eyes to the turned off television then after a while to Inuyasha.
When Inuyasha began to grow awkward with his older brothers piercing stare, he finally thrust his attention to him at last. "What is it?" he asked immediatly. "Wanna ask me something or what?" Sesshomaru rose a dismissive hand. "Nothing," he murmured. "It's just a small question that I doubt you'd answer. Just forget it." Sesshomaru distracted himself in the kitchen, preparing some fresh brewed coffee in a mug and diliberatly sipping loudly to ignore questions. But Inuyasha persisted anyway, following Sesshomaru into the kitchen and into the halls all the way up the stairs to his room.
Sesshomaru grew weary of the hanyou following him. It began to grow irritating. Finally he headed back downstairs with Inuyasha following and he gave up trying to ignore Inuyasha's persistence. "I was just curious if you'd care to write out what you expect for Christmas this year," Sesshomaru explained. "Now will you please leave me alone? Your rather irritating...."
"Thats all? Just some stupid Christmas list? What do you take me for, a five year old?! I dont believe in that Santa Claus crap anymore! I gave that up long ago." Sesshomaru raised a hand for silence and cut into Inuyasha's sentence. "On the contrary, dear brother," he began. "You never gave up on the Santa Claus idea till you were twelve. Your only seventeen now...so it hasnt been that long." Inuyasha tensed up and slouched his shoulders. "Shut up!" Inuyasha spat.
Sesshomaru chuckled quietly to himself and half smiled in amusement. Inuyasha huffed. Inuyasha went to the coat rack and slipped on his crimson red jacket. Sesshomaru frowned and raised a curious brow. "Where are you going this early in the morning?" Sesshomaru questioned. Inuyasha straightened his jacket over his shoulders and sighed. "In case you havent guessed already, I'm headin' out. I have stuff to do."
As he reached for the doorknob, Inuyasha turned back to Sesshomaru momentarily, shutting his eyes calmly. "By the way, if I come back and find one thing out of place in my room, your dead." An with that, Inuyasha went out the door and left Sesshomaru in the house alone.
Sesshomaru threw his glance up at the staircase, knowing that beyond that was his room and next up Inuyasha's. The gray walls of the house were firm and straight while the carpet all around the house was black. Even the staircase was black. Sesshomaru never thought it over before, but he came to realize that their house was dull without color. But somehow the feeling of the room was always feeling best without bright reds or greens or whites of Christmas. Nothing seemed to be changed about the house to him. Inuyasha might have a different opinion. He'd just have to ask his younger brother later.
Heading up the steps to his own room, he paused and glanced at Inuyasha's opened bedroom door. He sighed. You think he'd know better then to leave his door wide open. Taking his sweet time, Sesshomaru stepped to the door and began to shut it. However, something on his brothers navy blue bed caught his eye and he stopped trying to shut the door. Instead, he stepped into the room and strolled over to the bed to see what it was. A cream colored envelope lied cleanly and neatly on his pillow. It was shut firmly with clear tape and had nothing written on it, though it seemed Inuyasha had begun to write something. It read, 'Inuyasha's Christ' and that was the only thing written. He didnt seem to finish the title.
Sesshomaru furrowed his brows. Intresting. Slowly and cautiously, Sesshomaru began to slip the envelope open with his claw.A white folded sheet of paper flew out the bottom of the envelope before Sesshomaru even finished opening it. Careful not to leave any noticable marks on it, he flipped it open with a finger and scimmed the page. It read:
Well, not much Im wanting for Christmas really. Maybe a skateboard. Possibly a laptop too.... Well, thats it I guess.
See ya
-Inuyasha
Sesshomaru nodded slowly, skimming through the letter once more before slipping it back into the envelope and shut the door behind him as he left the room. He stepped down the steps and put on his deep blue coat and went outside. Might as well start on the Christmas shopping then, he told himself as he got to his deep blue mustang, unlocked it, hopped in, backed out of the driveway and drove off.
[Break]
Chapter 2
A Special Guest
Inuyasha ran up the concrete steps to his friend, Yumi Kumiko's, house. He figured with his hatred of Christmas, he might as well see if Yumi was up to anything. Maybe we can go to see a movie or something... He knocked on the birch wooden door and noticed something odd. A reiff hung on the front of the door at his height. Before Inuyasha had time to figure out the meaning of it, the door swung open and a young girl with flowing brown hair and green eyes stood in the doorway. Inuyasha's eyes were large when he saw what the hell she wore: A red sweater with skinny jeans and a Santa hat. She smiled warmly at him as her eyes locked with his.
"Wanna come in or freeze out there, stupid?" she joked with a beutiful, clear laugh. What the hell is she wearing?! Inuyasha didnt say it outloud, but thought it with dread. Yumi opened the door wider and motioned him to come in. Dreading he'd even thought of coming, he hesitated but reluctantly came in.
The smell of peppermint and pine needles struck his nose. Inuyasha's nose wrinkled. Yumi giggled, grabbed his arm and pulled him into her living room. Wall to wall decorations of lights, ornaments, reiff strings, and much more things hung on the walls and around the house. Inuyasha could swear the inside of her house looked like Santa's workshop exploded in here. Damn, he cursed in his head. She's a Christmas freak too. "Well come on, stupid," Yumi said, taking a seat on the red couch with a green Christmassy quilt hanging over it and patting a seat next to her, looking back at him expectantly.
With a mournful sigh, Inuyasha stalked over and plopped down next to her glumly. Frowning and ruing the day he ever heard of Christmas, he sighed again and slumped back. Yumi stared at him for a long while, her smile fading and her eyes glimmering with worry. She rested her hand on his and looked into his eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You look like your about to die or something. Is everything alright?" I feel like I'm in a annoying Christmas Hell, so yeah, I guess you can count that as 'about to die'. "Well....." Inuyasha hesitated and scratched behind his head.
Yumi leaned in. "I'm listening," she told him reassuringly with another brilliant warm smile. I wish you werent. "Well.....erm....you see...." Yumi blinked and got closer. "Yes? What is it?" Inuyasha sighed heavily. "Yumi.....theres not any easy way to tell you this.... but I'm not that big of a Christmas fan. I hate Christmas." Yumi's expression sadened and her eyes clouded. Sitting back against the chair, she stared at the ground and slumped. "Oh," Yumi murmured, eyes quivering. "So....you hate me now....dont you?"
Inuyasha's eyes widened. "W-what do you mean?!" he stammered. "I-I could never hate you Y-" Yumi shook her head. "I love Christmas....you hate it....there for you must hate me too then.....right?" Her eyes were round and teary as she locked her eyes with Inuyasha's again. Inuyasha shook his head and wrapped his arms around her for comfort. "I swear I dont hate you, Yumi," Inuyasha told her, beginning to feel sad himself. He tightened his grip around her. "I never can hate you."
Yumi sniffed and Inuyasha smiled alittle. He pushed her away gently and began to wipe her tears with his finger. "Now come on," Inuyasha said gently. "Just because I hate Christmas doesnt mean you cant celebrate with your family......" Yumi's eyes lit and she smiled happily. "Your right!" Yumi exclaimed excitedly. Inuyasha brightened up. "See? What did I tell you-" Yumi interrupted with a grab of both his hands and big, happy eyes. "I can help you and your brother get into the Christmas spirit! Then maybe you wont hate Christmas anymore!" Inuyasha chuckled awkwardly and slid his hands free. "Y-yeah....sure. Hehehe...." Damn, that sure twisted around on me!
"I'll spend Christmas with you guys this year!" Yumi chirped on. Inuyasha waved his hands frantically. "Wait! Wait! What about your family? A-arent you gonna celebrate with them?" Yumi shook her head. "This is far more important!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure they'll understand. Now come on!" She started pulling on his arm, sweeping to the door, giggling and smiling. "Mom, dad!" she called. "I'm gonna spend Christmas this year with my boyfriend if thats alright with you!" Her moms head popped through the kitchen doorway, cheerful and smiley. "Alright darling," she said. "Have fun!" Boyfriend? Did she just call me....her boyfriend?!
Yumi dragged Inuyasha out the door forcefully and Inuyasha lagged on behind.
.:~*~:.
Sesshomaru was in the middle of watching something about a talking snowman on t.v. when he heard the door swoop open. Wondering if it was Inuyasha, he leaned to the side and caught the sight of a girl with brown hair and twinkling green eyes barging through the door, dragging by the arm his defenseless younger brother, Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru sat down the remote. Pissed, he silently went to the door and tried to hide how annoyed he was. He gave a small wave to the girl and smiled smally. "Hello," Sesshomaru greeted, glaring at Inuyasha. The hanyou shrugged, looking baffled and helpless. Sesshomaru's attention returned and he cocked his head. "And you are.....?" Yumi smiled and held out a friendly hand. "Yumi Kumiko," she chirped. "Inuyasha's friend....whose a girl." Bringing out his own hand and shaking hers politely, he invited her into the living room and beckoned Inuyasha to the kitchen.
Inuyasha made no motion to go. He was about to sit next to his Yuki but Sesshomaru jerked him backwards and into the kitchen quickly and gruffly. Inuyasha growled and bared his teeth. "What is it?" he hissed at Sesshomaru. "This better be good." Sesshomaru folded his arms and leaned through the doorway to examine what Yumi was doing. The girl was standing up, looking over the walls and couch then the staircase and sticking her tongue out in disgust. Sesshomaru furrowed his brows then pulled his eyes away from Yumi.
Inuyasha could tell his brother was pissed. He wasnt sure why, but he guessed he'd be finding out. "Your girlfriend isnt staying with us," Sesshomaru sternly hissed at Inuyasha. "She wants to spend Christmas with us!" Inuyasha shot back, nearing the urge to bash Sesshomaru in the face. "It aint my fault she invited herself!" Sesshomaru got nose to nose with Inuyasha and his gold eyes turned to slits. "You could have simply told her no," Sesshomaru whispered. Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak but shut it again.
He grunted. "Whatever," Inuyasha replied in a gruff voice. "The point of the matter is, all she's wanting is to spend Christmas with us. After Christmas is over, she's out of here. Okay?" Sesshomaru, sighing, dipped his head. "Fine." Inuyasha zipped back into the living room,but not before mentioning lowly to Sesshomaru, "And shes not my girlfriend!" When he entered, Inuyasha noticed Yumi trying to find something. He went by her side. He touched her shoulder which made her jump. "Is there something your looking for?" Inuyasha asked her, smiling.
Yumi nodded, not looking at Inuyasha as she replied. "Yeah....sort of I guess...." She paused for a couple of seconds to investigate under the staircase before she continued. "Where do you keep the decorations?" Inuyasha blinked, puzzled. "What decorations?" he inquired. Yumi twisted her head around and stared at him like he should know. "Christmas decorations? What else?"
Inuyasha waved his hands. "Wait! Your not gonna try and-"
"Decorate the house for Christmas?" Yumi finished his sentence. She nodded firmly. "Of course, yes. Now where do you keep them?"
"They should be right up the stairs in the closet next to Inuyasha's room down the hall, miss," directed Sesshomaru with a small, warm, fake smile. Yumi nodded and pattered up the steps gleefully. Inuyasha scowled at Sesshomaru but Sesshomaru merely chuckled and whisked away into the kitchen. Yumi reappeared down the steps with a box marked 'Useless Christmas Crap'. She sat it on the couch and dusted it off with a hand. Dust flew off and smacked into their faces and she and Inuyasha coughed. Yumi waved a hand in front of her face to ward off any more dust and coughed again. "Man, this must have been up in that closet for ages!" she exclaimed. Inuyasha chuckled. You have no idea.
"Here, allow me to help." Sesshomaru made his reappearance into the room and easily slid the cardboard box open. Yumi gave a grateful smile and Sesshomaru returned the gratitude with a roll of his eyes. Inuyasha growled and flamed with a hint of jelousy. The box fluttered open and more dust rose to greet them, but Sesshomaru popped out a traditional pale japanese fan and began fanning away the dust into Inuyasha's face instead. Inuyasha spluttered and coughed. He scowled again at Sesshomaru and his brother shrugged.
Yumi shifted through the box and pulled out a bundle of Christmas lights. She threw them at Inuyasha with great accuracy and he caught them in his arms. "Hold that please," she instructed while pulling out more decorations such as ornaments, reiffs and candles. She gave the other half of the load to Sesshomaru to hold and pulled out three big books. "Oh my!" Yumi exclaimed excitedly. "Would you look at that? Photo albums! I'll have to keep an eye on those." Yumi sat them on the mantel of the unlit fireplace.
She jumped and clasped her hands together. "Do you two own a real or artificial Christmas tree?" Sesshomaru raised a finger. "Why actually, we have an artificial tree. That, too, is up in the cl-" Yumi was already gone. Sesshomaru scowled and groaned. "Not much of a listener, is she?" Inuyasha nodded proudly. "Yep, she hardly needs 'ta listen though. She pretty much gets the idea what a persons talkin' 'bout. Yumi's smart that way."
Yumi struggled dragging down the large artificial tree. Inuyasha hoisted it the rest of the way down the steps and she sat it up in the corner of the room. And hours later of work, Inuyasha returned to the room, sipping hot cocoa but nearly choking on it. Sesshomaru came into the room at the same time and looked like he was in pain. The entire house was decked with decorations and the walls were now painted green, lined with red ribbon, and the once black carpet was now crimson red. Yumi stood in the center of the room. She appeared proud and happy and when she saw the expressions on Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's faces, she lightened even more.
"So?" she began. "What do you two think?" The corner of Inuyasha's mouth twitched and he forced a painful smile that made him look constipated. "I-t looks....g-great." Yumi's hopeful eyes cast to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru shrugged and cast his eyes upward. "It seems intresting," he mumbled. Yumi lightened brighter then the stars and yelped with joy. "I'm so happy you both like it!" she chirped. Yumi ran up to Inuyasha and hugged him tight. "Oh boogeybear! This is gonna be the best Christmas ever!" Sesshomaru snickered and Inuyasha stiffened.
"Boogeybear? Is that a nickname or something?" Sesshomaru snickered. Yumi chimed in and gladly answered. "Actually, its been his nickname since we were young. I call him boogeybear because he's such a big soft bear beneath that rough fur of his, isnt that right Inuyasha?" She snuggled up close to Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha blushed slightly and coughed. "Ahem....um...yes?" She punched him playfully in the arm. "Arent you gonna tell your brother the nickname you gave me?" Inuyasha hesitated for a while, not really wanting too.
He pushed away from Yumi and quickly came up with a distraction by grabbing the lights and diliberately twisting them around himself. "Damn! How the hell do you untangle these things?!" he yelped loudly. He knew very well how to, but he was lying to distract them both from the topic. Yumi giggled and made her way gracefully to his side. "Silly goose," she giggled, freeing him from the lights and busying herself untangling them. In a matter of five seconds, they were cleanly hanging loosely from her hands. Yumi cheerfully flashed him a smile and filed them into Inuyasha's arms. "There you go boodeybear. Thats how you do it."
Sesshomaru glared at Inuyasha suspiciosly. Inuyasha tried to avoid his brothers piercing, icy cold glare. "Thanks for helping Yumi," Inuyasha thanked her. She giggled again and blushed alittle. "No problem. Now then, we're going to take these lights and hang them outside." Yumi hurried out the door after putting on her jacket and Inuyasha followed fast behind. Sesshomaru came a minute later.
Yumi retrieved a ladder leaning against a tree and propped it up against the side of the house until it clanked against the gutter of the roof. She clapped her hands together and pulled Inuyasha to her side, pointing up. "Could you possibly climb up there and hang up the lights?" she asked. "I would do it myself, but I'm fragile." Inuyasha, grumbling and cursing under his breath, smiled brightly at her and nodded. "Sure thing." But as he climbed the ladder, he muttered, "Fragile my ass."
And he made it to the roof, almost slipping off the first couple times he took a step. He decked the lights around and made sure they stayed firmly in place before returning to the front. "Damn," he grumbled. "Stupid fucking lights and stupid fucking Christmas. When its over, I'm gonna spend three days to sleep in." Inuyasha dragged the two pluggins to activate the lights toward him, held them in his hands and swallowed nervously.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Yumi stood silently,nervously, next to Sesshomaru. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, shifted her feet akwardly, and tried making confersation. "So, your Inuyasha's older brother, right?" "Yes," Sesshomaru snorted and shot a flaring glare at her. "What of it?" Yumi stiffened up and straightened, terrified, and stared ahead. "N-nothing!" she stuttered. "I-I was just c-c-comfirming it, thats all!"
After another moments past of silence, Yumi spoke up again. "I guess I should get use to callin' you Inuyasha's bro'." She nudged him when she said 'bro' and he grunted. Yumi drew her arm away quickly and fell quiet again. But she yelled up to Inuyasha just to check up on him. "Are you alright Inuyasha?" Yumi called. "Yeah, I'm about to plug in the lights. Im okay snookie, dont worry!" Sesshomaru smirked. "So thats the nickname," he murmured, amused. "Did you say something?" asked Yumi but recieved no answer.
Trembling, Inuyasha tried connecting the plugs but every attempt was a failure, his hands too shaky and sweaty. He grunted with annoyance. "Damn, stupid ass lights!" he hissed. "Why wont my damn hands steady....!" The plugs snapped together and Inuyasha tightened his eyes shut, expecting to get zapped with eletricity. Nothing happened, surprisingly. He opened an eye and peered at the plugs. Not even a tiny crackle of electricity hissed. He smiled triumphantly. "Alright! I did it!"
Yumi laughed and shouted up to him. "Good job! I knew you could do it! Now all you have to worry about is turning them on!" Inuyasha raised his brows. "Turn them on? Arent they on already?" Yumi shook her head. "No, stupid. They dont work like that. You have to plug them in then...." But Inuyasha, nevertheless allowing his ego in the way, interrupted her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Dont worry snookie!" He grinned determinely. "Im a man. I'll figure out how to turn them on somehow!"
Yumi desperately tried to speak up, but Inuyasha ignored her calls and decided to try and figure out a way to turn them on. Yumi sighed in defeat. Sesshomaru glanced at her and raised a brow. "How do you activate the lights, anyway?" Sesshomaru couldnt help but ask. Yumi sighed again and slouched. "You have to clap for them to turn on, then clap again to turn them off. But Inuyasha's being alittle stubborn again." Sesshomaru crossed his arms and smiled inwardly. "Your telling me."
"Now lets see.....do you maybe replug them?" Inuyasha pulled the plugs free and forced them together again. Nothing. Growling, he tensed and tried to figure out another solution. "Maybe if I snap the cord itself?" Inuyasha punched his fist into his hand, realizing he might have reached the solution. "Oh yeah! That has to be it! Damn, am I smart or what?"
Rolling up the sleeves of his jacket, he prepared to snap the cord.
"So its a clapper?" Sesshomaru asked again, just to clerify. "Yep, sure is. You clap once to turn it on and off." Sesshomaru nodded. Then I might as well hand Inuyasha a helping hand with his problem... At the same time Sesshomaru clapped his hands together, Inuyasha snapped the forest green cord with a grunt.....
And instantly the electricity went zapping through his body and lighting him up like a extremely bright Christmas tree. And Sesshomaru was blinking as the lights seemed to magically come on. "Huh, I guess they were clappers," he murmured. Then he heard sharp cries coming from the rooftop and guessed Inuyasha had done something very stupid. Yumi gasped in worry. "Oh damn, Inuyasha, are you alright!"
Sesshomaru thought for a second. So if one clap turns them on...then another clap should turn it off.
Before Sesshomaru clapped again, he could see Inuyasha, lit like a star, jumping around on the rooftop like a rabbit. He chuckled. Sesshomaru drew out a video camera and flipped it on. He handed it to Yumi and pointed to Inuyasha. She clasped a hand over her mouth and gasped. "Inuyasha's getting electricuded!" she exclaimed. Sesshomaru nodded. "Just video tape his every move for me while I turn off the lights." Yumi nodded determingly and video taped him while Sesshomaru turned and clapped. The lights switched off.
Inuyasha staggered and wobbled to the side, almost toppling off the rooftop. He caught his footing alittle too late. With a slip of his feet, Inuyasha slid off the rooftop and flew in mid air, screaming. "Sesshomaru! Anyone! Do something!!!" Sesshomaru hurried to the side of the yard Inuyasha was flying toward and outstretched his arms. "I'll catch you!" he told Inuyasha. Sesshomaru was alittle ways off and Inuyasha zipped past him into the neighbors yard and landed in a large snow drift. "Damn it!" cursed the hanyou as his head smashed into a hidden rock beneath the snow.
Sesshomaru and Yumi rushed over to the yard, Yumi still holding tight to the video camera and recording. And quickly aided in dragging the snow covered hanyou. "Sesshomaru," Yumi said sternly. "Quick! Wrap your arms around my waist and on the count of three, pull." Nodding, Sesshomaru did as he was told and embraced her hard. "Okay, on three! One.....two......THREE!"
With a heave, both the two pulled on the hanyou, Yumi gripping what she could: Inuyasha's pants legs. Something slipped free of the snow drift, not Inuyasha though. Yumi yelped and her face turned crimson red in embarrassment as she brought up what they had pulled out instead of her friend. It was Inuyasha's snow clotted pants, dripping wet at the end of both the pants legs. Inuyasha now only wore his underwear, which beared a small pattern of rainbow designs on them. Inuyasha, despite the cold, was reddening and heating up in embarrassment.
"Why does my back end suddenly feel cold?" he called back, hoping to get an answer different then what he was thinking. Yumi started giggling, but broke into laughter. Sesshomaru cracked a smile and soon was caught in the laughter too. Inuyasha twisted his head in the free space he had and blushed more when he saw his underwear instead of his pants. Damn it! he thought with dread and wished he could bury himself into the snowdrift and just die.
