Ornamental by CookieAsylum

Tepid Times

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. It is copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi. I merely torture the characters with horrible plot bunnies.

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"... Expect heavy snowfall over the weekend. With a front coming in from the north, that big patch of white is the blizzard that will be hitting this city. Those flurries aren't going anywhere anytime soon. I'm Sousuke with the weather. Over to you, Takemaru-" 

The static voice of the meteorologist was swallowed up by the melody of holiday carols. The aroma of fresh brew and hot cocoa hung in the air. Children giggled heartily around the gas fireplace, happily going on about what they wanted for Christmas. The glow of smiling faces lit up the little cafe. And nestled in a quaint corner of the diner, a young woman stared out into the darkened streets. Already, a thin layer of snow blanketed the sidewalks. Sighing heavily, her hot breath fogged the glass of the coffee shop window. Dark hair spilling over her shoulders, lonely blue orbs peered down into her steaming cup. 

The holidays, bursting at the seams with bright colors and cheer, brought out the worst in her. Years ago, she would be just like everyone else. Hustling about to do her last minute shopping. Hauling back bags and bags of gifts for her new friends, Kagome enjoyed sharing the customs of her time with the group. 

But that was then, and this now.

 Today, she doesn't even put candles in the window. 

It's been four years... 

Four years since she fell down the well. 

Four years since she freed the dog-eared boy from his slumber. 

She was fifteen when it all began. 

"I'm nineteen," she murmured emptily.

Nineteen and attending community college, Kagome knew there was no future for her. That ship had sailed. And though she applied herself during high school, there was a definite disconnection. She lost touch with the people of this era. The air, too polluted, and the water, not as sweet, was the flavor of her time. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, she thought wistfully. 

Clutching the cup tightly, she shook her head. 

"Well, Merry Christmas, Higurashi. I hope you get everything you wish," she muttered. 

As she went to toss back the rest of her drink, a sudden chill raced down her spine. Unlike the feeling of a cold draft, it was a sensation she had missed so dearly. 

And as a long shadow blotted out the light, a smooth baritone drifted into her ears. 

"Mind if I sit here?"

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End Note - This chapter was written for dokuga_contest's Christmas Challenge: Hot Cocoa theme. 402 words.