InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Elixir ❯ Christmas ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

12 Days of Christmas

One-hundred years later…….

Sesshomaru crinkled his nose, looking around at the dirt-laden trees. “Why did you bring me here?” He sneered.

“Oh,” Kagome sighed. “Stop complaining.” She playfully smacked the arm of his black Armani suit with her cotton-covered hand.

“Mommy over here!” Sesshomaru looked down disgustedly at the dusty handprint on his arm as his mate trotted over to their son. “I like this one!” Sesshomaru could hear his son point excitedly as he slowly walked after them, brushing off his suit.

“That's a nice one huh?” She asked, reaching out and standing on her toes to grab the base of it, attempting to stand it up straight from the tilted pile.

Sesshomaru stepped in, pushing it back and lowering her arm. “Stop. I will get some assistance.”

Again, Kagome brushed him off grabbing the tree. “Well you know YOU could help me if you wanted.” She teased, struggling one more time to stand it upright.

Sesshomaru sighed, wincing internally as he reached into the dirty tree and held it up straight with no trouble at all. Kagome looked up and down the nine-foot tree, nodding in approval at the full pine.

“I like it too Yuuta.” Kagome agreed, squatting down to pick up her son, hugging him tightly to her. “What does daddy think?” She smiled over at Sesshomaru's bored face.

“'Daddy' Wants to get out of here.”

“Oh!” She stuck out her tongue. “You're no fun. You wouldn't let me hide eggs for Yuuta on Easter, and the only way I got you to agree was when I convinced you it was good tracking practice. Even then you hired someone to hide the eggs and candy. No to mention for Christmas since I've known you we've hired someone to put up a very nice, but very fake tree.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So?”

“SO,” She sighed. “I want a real one this year. They're nice and they smell good and they make the house smell good.”

“They also track in dirt, leave pine needles everywhere, and house bugs.” He pointed out bluntly.

Kagome had just opened her mouth as a man wearing jeans and a hand-knitted green sweater walked up. “Find the one you like?”

“Why yes I think we finally found the perfect one.” Kagome smiled with her son.

The nice yokai worker smiled. “I know it can be a hard choice-“

“Yes. They are all such pathetic cuts of wood it's hard to tell one piece of chopped down shrub from another.”

Kagome slapped a hand to her face in embarrassment, Yuuta mimicking her movement a few seconds after he watched her do it, giggling.

The dark-haired boy looked from one parent to the other before awkwardly taking the tree from Sesshomaru. “I'll take this to be wrapped.”

Kagome could only nod, hand still wrapped over her eyes, as he carried it off to the wooden table a few yards away to be put through the net wrapping. As soon as she was sure he was gone she pulled down her cloth-coated hand.

“Why would you do that!?” She demanded, setting down Yuuta. “Go watch him wrap our tree Yuuta. But stay far enough away you won't get hurt.”

“Yes mom.” He nodded skipping off to the checkout center.

She turned her attention to Sesshomaru as her cheeks flushed. “Why would you insult that poor young lad like that?! Do you enjoy making everyone look bad?”

“Why do you care?” He looked down at her boredly.

“Because it's rude! And I don't like to be rude to people who work hard.”

Sesshomaru snorted. “He works at a tree stand selling scraps of bark for hundreds.”

“It's a living. Why are you so mean?”

Kagome's heart pounded in her chest as she noticed a light smirk grace his lips, one no one but his mate would really notice. He took steps forward, advancing on her so powerfully, his aura was like a force field that made hers retreat.

“I have my reasons.” He continued to stalk her. “But only one of them is real. And that is…” Kagome's rear hit against one of the dividers with a light thump. Her heart raced as he began to slowly lean in close, resting his cheek against hers as he whispered “I like watching your face get flushed.”

And flushed it was as he pulled away.

A light squeak left her lips, but other than that she was mute. She couldn't even look him in the eyes when he pulled away. Kagome could only mumble a quick excuse before going off quickly to find their son.

Sesshomaru smirked as he watched her run away, brining his hand up to toss his hair as he usually did. However, his hair stuck and it pulled painfully, breaking a few strands in the process. When he freed his hair (and his hand) he looked at the glove, finding it covered in his hair and sap.

A lot of sap.

He struggled to suppress his anger as he shucked off his gloves and threw them off to the side. That was the end of his brand-new leather gloves.

A few yards away he could see Kagome talking with the worker at the check out, pulling out her slender, pink wallet. He shook his head, gracefully striding up to the young man and handing him a one-hundred dollar bill.

“Deliver it to this address.” Kagome idly wondered why he had a small slip of paper with their address written on it in elegant script. His pale hands handed it over to the rough workers hand, catching Kagome's attention.

“Where are your gloves?” She looked around his feet.

He sighed, but remained calm. “I didn't have any today.”

Feeling the tension radiating off of him, she let it go without any ordeal. He seemed in a good mood today. Lately, however, Sesshomaru had been a little edgy.

“Yes sir, we can have it there by three today.” Sesshomaru nodded and informed him this was acceptable.

“Lets go.”

Kagome stared at him, a little annoyed with the fact he had become accustomed to treating her like a pet. Still, she wouldn't press him this time.

“Thank you.” Kagome nodded, taking Yuuta's hand as they walked away. They returned to their car in silence, climbing in the back of the long black car awkwardly.

It would be a good hour until they reached home so Kin sat on the floor in the back of the limo where a step separated the back square of seating from the rectangle of seats in the middle of the car, playing with his action figures.

Kagome sat on the two seats near the door, directly across from Sesshomaru at the other end of the car. As the driver started the engine, Sesshomaru began dialing numbers on the phone, first checking his voicemail, then talking to DireCo about a new business proposition.

Kagome sighed and stared out the window, resting her head on the glass as she did. It would probably take the rest of the drive for him to negotiate with this man before they got home and he retreated to his office to finish.

Somewhere during the tedious ride, Kin had walked over to Kagome, holding out his broken action figure.

“Can you fix it Mommy?”

“Yuuta sit.” Sesshomaru commanded, barely breaking his speech on the phone.

Yuuta nodded and silently sat next to his mom as she worked to put the leg back on, finally hooking it and pressing firmly to pop it back in place. With a loud crack and a few test swings Kagome gave it back to him.

“Thank you Mommy!” He squealed in delight, popping up for a moment to grab the toy in his excitement. Just as he grabbed the toy, the driver made a hard stop due to the crazy lunch-hour traffic. Yuuta fell, hitting his head against the bar counter.

Just like all little kids, he sat up slowly, allowing a few seconds of recognition of the pain before he started crying.

“Are you ok sweetheart?” Kagome kneeled forward, picking him up gently and holding him in her arms as she examined his head.

On the other side Sesshomaru sighed loudly, excusing himself from the call. “I told you to sit down Yuuta.” He scolded, making the little boy more upset.

“It's ok baby, you're ok. You're not bleeding you're ok.” She soothed, leaning back against the seats and lightly rocking him as she rubbed his back.

He continued to sob, dampening Kagome's shirt in tears, snot, and spit. “Cease that noise Yuuta.”

Kagome turned to glare at Sesshomaru. “He hit his head Sesshomaru! He's scared and hurt and you want him to stop?”

“Is everything alright sir?” The driver interrupted from a small crack in the divider.

Sesshomaru nodded slightly before putting it back up. “He is in perfect condition. He must learn to handle pain without crying.”

“He's four!” Kagome gaped at him with disbelief. “He's still a child! What is wrong with you!?”

He didn't say another word for the whole ride. Neither did Kagome or Yuuta, who eventually passed out in Kagome's arms. She was still stroking his back as he slept, kissing his head gently until they pulled up in front of the house.

Kagome scooted onto the seat as Sesshomaru opened the door holding his arms out. Kagome held him against her chest, moving to slide out around him. He growled a warning at her, and she looked up glaring at him. Still she gently handed over Yuuta to Sesshomaru, who cradled his son to him, able to help Kagome out as well.

She brushed past him, stomping into the house and straight into the kitchen, deciding to start on something long and complex for dinner. Of course she had barely started taking out the ingredients before Sesshomaru was beside her, nuzzing her neck and growling soothingly.

“I'm sorry.” He whispered genuinely.

Kagome sighed and set down the potato she was holding, placing both hand on the counter. Finally she caved, reaching back to hold his hand.

“It's alright.” She whispered kissing his palm before laying it against her cheek. “I'm sorry for acting up like that.” She smiled at him from the side, reaching up to cup his cheek.

He smiled down gently at her, twisting his face to kiss her palm.

“We're decorating the tree tonight. ALL OF US.” She reminded him, ruining the moment for Sesshomaru.

He grimaced and pulled away, leaning his back against the island. “Such a disgusting activity.”

She gave a sigh. “If you don't want to then I won't make you.”

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes as he gracefully strutted to his office. She always won the small arguments.

*&*&*&*

The tree never looked better than that night.3

The ballroom was bustling with guests the week before Christmas. Sesshomaru was hosting one of his yearly holiday parties for all of his business associates and potential new employees. It was a good opportunity for the company to grow and for Sesshomaru to show off his model family.

Yuuta obediently stayed by Sesshomaru's side, dressed in a sophisticated (and very expensive) tuxedo, which matched his father's, unless dismissed when he would come to Kagome. He was damn near the spitting image of his father, only differing in hair color. Lately black had begun to grow between the silver strands, dying some of his roots an inky black to match his mother.

Kagome sat at a small round table with several other young wives, discussing their own business per say. She donned a new Christmas dress, which she had designed and Sesshomaru sent out to have custom-made as a surprise for the party.

They were all wives of demons, most of them full-blood as well. However, Kagome assumed it was her position in the rank (Sesshomaru being one of the most powerful demons of Japan) that allowed them to have friendly conversations.

A light clank came from a glass not far from them, and the talking slowed to a stop.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” A handsome man spoke from across the room. “I would like to propose a toast.” Everyone's glass was raised now. “To my friend, Sesshomaru. He is now officially the wealthiest man in this room.”

Though everyone laughed, Sesshomaru gave not a smile.

The man cleared his throat. “He has everything a man could want and then some. Sesshomaru, we all aspire to be as wealthy as you.” Sesshomaru nodded as everyone clapped and took a swig of their drinks, returning to their chatting.

Kagome excused herself, walking over to her husband, who stood solitary. “The party is wonderful Love.”

He glanced side-ways at her. “You should not address me as such in public.”

“Ohhh,” She dismissed it, rubbing his chest with her hand and as she talked to him, lightly feeling his muscles. “No one cares.” She assured him, fixing his tie. “Besides, you need to go and thank Mr. Yamoto, he gave a really rice speech about you.”

He gave a sharp bark in her direction, causing a few to stop and turn to look. “Do not tell me what to do like I'm a child.”

“I'm not trying to-“

“You always try to undermine me in front of others.” He hissed, keeping their conversation low.

“Yuuta, go to bed sweetie.” Kagome said, suddenly noticing his sleep-laden eyes were wide. He obeyed after receiving a dark look from Sesshomaru. “What's going on? You've been acting funny for a few weeks now…”

Sesshomaru growled lightly. “Perhaps I've been stressed by work and other idiotic and incompetent people who surround my person at all times.”

Kagome's face turned red when he gave her a pointed look at the end of the statement. “Perhaps if you weren't on your high horse the rest of us wouldn't seem so small to you, you arrogant, selfish, upscale jackass.”

SLAP

Kagome's eye's stared wide at the wall, still turned to the side. Her eye's stung with tears from the pain on her cheek. She was so stunned she couldn't even move.

He'd hit her.

“How dare you address me with such foul language!” Sesshomaru growled, feeling the anger bubbling inside him at the rudeness she had exhibited in his house. It wasn't until she'd turned her head towards him.

The tears that leaked from her eyes hit his heart like a knife. Her eyes reflected pure horror as her cheek burned pink.

Kagome couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't do anything but turn and run away from everything. Angry eyes followed her, most believing she got what she deserved for talking to Sesshomaru like that, though the women and half-breeds believed completely different.

One knew different. One knew he'd done the worst thing he could. HE'D HIT HER.

Though the party continued like nothing had happened, Sesshomaru had no idea. He was in a daze for the rest of the night, internally punishing himself for being such a monster.

*&*&*&*

He didn't see Kagome until morning light, for she had slept in one of their many guest rooms with the door locked. When he did finally see her in the kitchen, he wished instantly he hadn't.

Her cheek was dark with an angry bruise that stained her pale cheek. He watched her from a small crack in the door for a little while, noting the depressed lag in her movements. The scent of old and new tears told him she'd cried all night and into the morning.

She'd cried while he had laid in bed last night.

He was a jackass.

He wanted to apologize, to do something, but he didn't know how to do it. He knew he had to do something now, so he stepped lightly into the room. He could tell she had thought it was their son when she turned with a bright smile on her face and flour covering her cheek.

Seeing him there, her face dropped and she looked away. “I,” She coughed and cleared her cracked throat. “I made breakfast, it's there on the counter.”

He frowned lightly, looking down at it. Of course it smelled delicious, but he wasn't hungry. He turned back to her, stepping forward. “Kagome,” She flinched when his hand skimmed her shoulder blade causing him to remove his hand as if it was burned.

“I-I'm s-sorry.” She teared up.

He'd hit her and she was apologizing.

He was scum.

Sesshomaru didn't want to pressure her any more, so he'd left for work then with a heavy heart. He had to figure out a way to talk to her and apologize. Dinner. He'd take her out to a nice place for dinner!

*&*&*&*

Awkward.

That was the only word to describe the dinner that they were both having that night. It was mostly silent and tense, with Kagome looking down at only her plate the entire time, and Sesshomaru fidgeting.

Sesshomaru never fidgeted!

He looked over at her, opening his mouth to spark up some from of conversation, but her eyes were focused intently on cutting the chicken pieces into ant-sized bites to eat later and he thought better of it.

Clearing his throat he picked up his glass, downing the full glass of wine in one gulp before patting his lips with the white napkin.

“How was your day?” He asked causally, finding his voice only as he looked at the walls.

“Good.”

If he hadn't been a demon he probably wouldn't have even heard it. This was how she'd been replying to him since he had... since the party. It was really starting to piss him off. Couldn't she forgive him!?

He leaned back in his chair, his muscles tightening the arms of his suit. “Are you going to actually eat or just continue to cut the damn meat?”

The knife and fork slammed down onto the fine china after a moment, their eyes locking for the first time in days. “What do you care if I eat or not!?”

Everything stopped on a dime with all attention focused on them. Wonderful.

He leaned forward, clearing his throat again. “Do not raise your voice in public. It draws unwanted attention to our problem.”

“Your problem not mine.” She hissed, slamming her napkin down on the table, stomping out of the restaurant.

He sat back in his chair, scrubbing his ungroomed cheek. The stubble scratched his soft palm as he contemplated the situation. He'd gone almost a week without any affection from his wife. His dick was hard, he wasn't able to concentrate at work, and he couldn't even get a word out of his wife.

His son was the only one who would talk to him now, and even that was cut short when his mom walked in to take him away from distracting daddy.

What was he going to do? He couldn't keep this up.

*&*&*&*

Though Inuyasha had done it numerous times to his brother, he'd never expected Sesshomaru to return the tradition. The doors did burst open, leaving both Miroku and Inuyasha, gaping in shock as their brother walked in with and angry expression.

“Good afternoon to you Mr-“

“Shut-up Miroku.” Sesshomaru growled. “Does it look like a fucking good afternoon to you?”

Miroku quickly shook his head so fast that Sesshomaru wondered if it was going to fall off.

“What the hell is shoved up your ass?” Inuyasha frowned, fidgeting as a death glare was placed on him.

Sesshomaru picked up a chair, throwing it against the wall. “It's been eleven days since my wife has even talked to me, let alone given me any affection, my business is on the verge of losing a 1.9 billion project and I don't know how to apologize for what I've done!”

There was a long pause before Inuyasha finally asked, “What did you do?”

Sesshomaru instantly tensed, his hands fisting at his sides, raking a hand through his hair. “I got angry at her at the party and I…hit her.”

Men's expressions were so surprised they looked like they could have a heart-attack at any moment.

“You WHAT?!” They both screamed at the same time.

Sesshomaru nodded once, looking ashamedly at the ground. “I know it was bad alright! Now how do I fix this?!”

Miroku uncrossed his legs, stroking his smooth cheek. “Well what have you tried?”

Sesshomaru sighed, falling into a fast pace across the room and back. “I took her out to dinner the first night, then I sent her two sets of earrings, after that was three ball gowns, then four boxes of chocolates, five silk robes, six pieces from her favorite artist, seven originals of her favorite books, eight dozen roses, nine dozen lilies, ten piece tea set, and today I sent eleven collectable teddy-bears.”

“W-well…. Uhh….fuck….I don't know.”

Miroku chuckled a little. “Twelve days of Christmas.”

Sesshomaru glared at him. “I didn't intend it that way, I just went by how many days it had been since I… since the party.” Sesshomaru slammed his hand against the wall of Inuyasha's office angrily. “We have a party tomorrow and I've just about run out of options on what to do!”

“Would you stop ruining my office in the process then?! I may have some money, but if you keep breaking everything I won't have any money at all!” Inuyasha popped up, removing his brother's hand from his wall angrily.

“Whelp!” Sesshomaru threw the first punch into an all-out brawl in the office. Blood was drawn, nails were used, skin was torn, and hair was ripped until Miroku finally spoke up in a quiet voice.

“You need to do something that says a lot about you… something you would never do in a million years…”

Inuyasha landed a punch on his brother's rough cheek. “Bastard!” Sesshomaru knee'd him in the abdomen, tossing him into the wall. Miroku watched the two with deep thought creasing his brow. “It was your fault my house collapsed last year!”

“That was in no way my fault, whelp!”

“THAT'S IT!” Miroku yelled, jumping up from his seat.

*&*&*&*

Kagome came down the stairs in a beautiful, baby-blue evening gown, embroidered with snowflakes along the hem and swooping up to her hip. She also had a white, beaded shawl that hung loosely around her shoulders, matching the white slip-on's she wore with it.

“Are you sure you're ok?” Sango asked, softly rubbing Kagome's arm.

Kagome nodded, flashing her a small smile. “I'm fine. I look like hell, I know, but I'm really ok.” True enough, Kagome looked awful; make-up couldn't conceal the puffy eyes, the dark circles, the red nose, any of it.

“Have you… talked to him?” Sango asked, looking around for a moment, trying to spot Sesshomaru in the crowd. He still hadn't arrived.

Kagome shrugged. “Here and there… he's sent me many gifts since he-“ She looked down at her feet, abruptly abandoning the thought.

“Oh, Kagome.” Sango wrapped her arms around her friend, hugging her close just as the ballroom went silent. Both girls turned to the staircase, finding Sesshomaru (dressed in a black tux with a blue tie) descending the stairs.

Everyone bowed in respect to him, rising again to greet him as he slowly made his way through the crowd, the band playing once more.

As Kagome watched him, she could feel her heart pound, the same way it pounded since the first time she'd met him. Yet there was also and ache in her heart now, one that buried itself deep inside her.

Obediently she stood with her eyes cast to the floor, hands trembling in front of her hips. She looked up briefly to catch his eyes before bowing low to him. “Greetings my lord.”

He stepped closer to her, but her flinch made him step back again. “I can see the issue from our last… gathering has not been resolved properly.” Kagome shut her eyes tightly at the loudly spoken request for submission.

A tear slipped past her eye, her heart threatening to break. `I love you so much Sesshomaru. I gave you everything at my own expense because I love you. Why can't you prove you love me too?'

Her knees went weak and she slowly let herself fall to the floor, her heart tearing the lower she fell. Suddenly, firm arms wrapped around her, catching her and holding her up.

Her surprised, chocolate eyes looked up at him as he softly kissed her, pulling back to smile tenderly down at her. “Not you, Love. Me.”

Hearing him call her `Love' in front of all his guests, for all to hear, made her heart and breathing come to a halt. She didn't think she could have possibly heard him right until he sank to his knees in front of her.

His warm hands held her own as he knelt on both knees, his back gracefully straight even in this awkward pose for him. He looked up at her with emotional eyes, rubbing his cheek against her hands for a moment, apologizing.

He pulled back, squeezing her hands as he said, “Kagome… I knew I loved you, only years after Naraku was defeated and you had come to stay in my era. I saw you one day with Rin in your lap, helping to braid her hair as you hummed a soft melody.”

Kagome could tell by his grip and by how he fidgeted it was taking a lot for him to do this for her.

A needle was threaded.

“It was then that I knew you were to be my mate for life. It was that night that I proposed, and it was that night we were mated. You knew that, to society, I had lowered myself to mate you because you could never give me an heir.

“Still, you raised my pup and suffered to give me a pup of my own of full blood. Though I treated you like you were lower than me in front of anyone, you loved me and obeyed me in everything.”

The needle went through.

“And to repay this obedience, I struck you. For this, I wish to apologize formally and beg your forgiveness.” His head stiffly turned to the side, a hand sweeping the silvery locks away to bear his throat to her. The ultimate submission. “Forgive me Kagome.”

Her heart was mended.

Kagome choked on a sob as she collapsed in front of him, wrapping her arms around him as she cried, nuzzling his neck.

“I forgive you.”

Though no one saw, Sesshomaru smiled into her hair as he cradled her to his body, his hands pressing her against him, tilting her back to kiss her hungrily. His soft lips gently worked their way down her jaw with frantic kisses, eventually working his way down to the side of her throat where he sucked softly at her skin.

Kagome moaned loudly, not caring who heard at the moment, while she wrapped her arms around his neck, fully submitting to his passionate kiss.

“Get a room!”

Both bodies stiffened before laughing and looking over at Inuyasha. Sesshomaru gracefully pulled himself up, bringing Kagome with him as he did. A smirk was still on his lips as he turned to his guests ordering them to continue the festivities.

As the music played, Sesshomaru gently led Kagome over to the head of the table in the ballroom, placing soft kissed on her cheek.

“Oh Sesshomaru,” She breathed, spinning to lean against the table. “You've made me so happy. I don't ever want to fight again. I love you so much.” She whispered the last part, pulling him close once again. This time, she softly laid her head against his chest.

“I love you too. But for the record, I am never doing this again.”

Kagome giggled as she pulled away, her hand rubbing his chest. “What if you do something bad again?”

Sesshomaru's expression turned dead-serious. “Kagome, I will do everything in my power to make sure something like this will never happen again. If it does, I will personally rip off my own hands.”

Kagome shook her head. “Don't do that… I need them too much!”

His hand brushed against her cheek, his smile turning warm. “That's why I love you Kagome.”

“I know,” Kagome smiled up at him, giving him a gentle peck. “Merry Christmas love.”

A/N: And a Merry Christmas to all! Wow I think this third installment went downhill fast. Perhaps I will go back and revise it someday.