A/N: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters from said show. I am making no profit from the posting of this story. The plot and original characters are mine.
Christmas Together (A DISCOVERIES Oneshot)
By Jaded_Samuri (GLH)
It had been ten years since that fateful night when he had almost lost the love of his life due to a misunderstanding. Thinking back now, Sesshomaru could honestly say that he would have only changed one thing. If he could go back in time and change anything, he would not have waited to reveal his feelings towards Kagome, his wife and the mother of their three children. His desire to wait until he was more financially stable had almost cost him.
Due to a misunderstanding, Kagome had mistaken his intentions towards her and had abruptly broken off their relationship on Christmas Eve before a dinner at his family’s home. She had left in tears, venturing out into the cold, wintry night. Confused as to why she had broken it off, Sesshomaru had followed her into the night and demanded answers. Learning of her misconceptions, he had bitten the bullet and proposed to her, albeit earlier than he had originally planned. His stalling had almost cost him triple. She had been pregnant with their twins at the time.
Things had not been easy for them, despite the fact that he had a permanent position at a prominent television station. Kagome had struggled to take care of their family while finishing her marketing degree. Her grades had suffered. They had added another child to their clan. The cost of living had risen and everyone was struggling. But they had survived, and their family was closer for it.
But things had taken a downward turn about 3 months earlier. Kagome had been laid off from her position of 6 years with Takeda clothing and had been replaced with a bombshell beauty that was fresh out of her teens and had no experience in marketing whatsoever. What she did have was a killer body and nice legs that she was not averse to spreading, so long as it got her what she wanted.
Kagome had become increasingly depressed, her old insecurities resurfacing more and more frequently. Even the children had had begun to notice it. She had tried to put up a happy front, but Sesshomaru could see right through it. She had been applying for positions everywhere, but nothing was panning out.
But Sesshomaru had a surprise for her. He had been promoted to CEO of the television station, though he had not told her yet. As CEO, he had the authority to hire or fire anyone. The station’s profits had been suffering slightly due to a lack of effort from their advertising department. Problem solved. He would hire Kagome to head their marketing team. He knew that she would most likely protest, but he also knew that he could persuade her to take the position. Takeda’s folly in letting her go would be to his benefit. Sesshomaru had purchased stock with the Takeda Corporation when Kagome had been asked to head their international team. But he had been monitoring their stocks lately and things had taken a turn for the worse. Their new head of marketing was not such a good idea. Their stocks had dropped in value. Sesshomaru had sold his Takeda stocks before taking a loss and reinvested them. He knew that hiring Kagome on in marketing would benefit the station and it would show in their profits. It would also help bring Kagome out of the slump that she was in.
With that in mind, he had gone to the heads of personnel and had given them Kagome’s portfolio. They had agreed that she would be an asset to the station and had drawn up an offer for Sesshomaru to present to Kagome. He had everything planned out. He would offer her the job on Christmas Eve. He had already arranged for the entire family to go up to the cabins to spend Christmas. He had even invited InuYasha and Sango, seeing how things were no longer strained between them and his wife.
Kagome had agreed to the impromptu trip, seeing as she was getting tired of moping around the house. The twins were out of school for the holidays and their youngest one had never been up to the cabin. It would be nice to get out of town for a couple of weeks.
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When Kagome and Sesshomaru arrived at the cabins, everyone else was already there. Mr. and Mrs. Tsukishida had taken the smallest of the three cabins. InuYasha, Sango and their son had taken up residence in the middle cabin, leaving the largest one for Sesshomaru and Kagome’s family. His parents had come up early and decorated the cabins, even going so far as to set up a lavish Christmas tree in the den of the main house. Kagome had no idea what to expect.
Exiting the SUV, Sesshomaru helped Kagome out onto the snowy ground and then began working on the bags while Kagome helped the children get out of their seatbelts. The twins immediately ran for the main house when they saw their grandfather open the door to see if anyone needed any help. Gathering Chinsei in her arms, Kagome made her way through the snow and handed her off to her grandmother before turning to help Sesshomaru with the bags.
“Go inside, koi,” he told her, “I will be along shortly.”
Stubbornly she jerked her suitcase from the back of the vehicle. “I might as well be of some use,” she muttered darkly before turning to go inside.
Scowling, Sesshomaru followed her inside while thinking, ‘I hope this works.’
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Three days later, everyone seemed the worse for wear. Kagome spent most of her time walking alone in the woods, doing her best to avoid human contact. The children were upset that their mother seemed to not want anything to do with them. Sesshomaru was at his wits end, fed up with Kagome’s sulking. Mr. and Mrs. Tsukishida didn’t know what to make of the entire situation, but they tried their best to keep the children distracted. InuYasha and Sango were at a complete loss, neither knowing what the problem was or how to help fix it, though Sango had a sneaking suspicion about Kagome’s depression.
Following Kagome into the woods one evening, Sesshomaru got an inside glimpse of just how much losing her job to a girl ten years her junior had affected her. He came upon her as she was sitting on the snowy bank of a small stream. She was crying as she angrily poked at the ice along the edge with a stick.
“How stupid can I be?” she asked angrily. “How could I possibly compete with all these little hussies? I mean really, who would want to hire me – a mother of three with a marketing degree when they can have a hot little tart in a short skirt willing to give everyone a peepshow?”
“I am sure that there are plenty of companies out there that would consider themselves lucky to have you,” Sesshomaru said as he approached her.
Kagome startled a bit, but remained seated on the cold ground. She glanced at him and turned her attention back to poking at the ice.
“Kagome,” he said as he grabbed her arm and helped her to her feet, “walk with me a bit.” He steered her onto the path that led back to the cabin and turned in the opposite direction.
“I know that you are disappointed with Takeda’s decision to replace you.” He saw that she was about to speak and cut her off. “Do not interrupt me, Kagome.”
“I am fed up with you putting yourself down and selling yourself short, Kagome. You are my wife. You are my heart and my soul. Seeing you like this is killing me. I know that you desire to contribute to the household, but it is not necessary. Our financial situation is not as bad as you seem to think. The twins are beginning to think that you no longer care for them. The children do not understand what is going on. They only see that you do not wish to spend any time with them.”
Kagome threw her arms around Sesshomaru and sobbed into his chest. “I knew it! I am a horrible mother,” she cried.
“No you are not,” he corrected her as he stroked her hair. “I want you to take the next month and spend time with the children before you go looking for another job. Trust me when I say that we do not need the extra income.”
Kagome pulled away and looked up at him, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “What are you not telling me?” she asked.
“I have been promoted.”
“Really?” she exclaimed as she hugged him. “That’s wonderful.”
“Indeed it is. And I know that you wish to continue with your career, but it is not necessary. It is not imperative that you compete with young girls who are willing to fuck their way up the corporate ladder. The stress is not good for you, nor is it healthy for our family.”
“I’m sorry, Sesshomaru – it’s just that this was all so unexpected. How would you feel if you were replaced out of the blue with someone almost half your age, no experience and only got the job because they were fucking the president of the company?”
“Indeed I would be angry. But I would not take it out on my family. I would seek other employment in a dignified manner and show them the error of their ways by helping my new employer to surpass them.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. “Now, about fucking the president of the company…” he said with a grin.
“You are such a shameless man, Sesshomaru,” she replied in a husky manner that told him that she was just as interested as he was. “But I, love you for it.”
Sliding his hands down to grip the cheeks of her ass, Sesshomaru pulled her to him and began nipping at her neck. “You are just as shameless as I,” he murmured as he tugged her earlobe with his teeth. “You can be such a nasty bitch when you want to be.”
Kagome blushed prettily as he unbuttoned her jeans and slid his hands around to roughly grip her ass. With only a tug or two, he had her jeans pushed down to her ankles, taking her panties with them. Kagome stepped out of them without a thought. Reaching for the zipper of Sesshomaru’s jeans, Kagome quickly worked to release the monster that she knew was lying trapped beneath his flannel boxers.
Gripping Sesshomaru’s length tightly in her hand, Kagome began to stroke him as she shoved his jeans and boxers down over his hips. Altering her stance slightly, Kagome ground herself against Sesshomaru’s hand as he cupped her sex, sliding his thick fingers inside her dripping petals. It was not long before Kagome’s concentration was shot and her rhythm faltered.
Removing her hand from his aching length, Sesshomaru picked Kagome up and pinned her against a large pine tree.
“COLD!” she squealed as the snow pressed against her heated skin.
Sesshomaru ignored her and pulled her legs to lock around his waist. Without further thought, he slid home, seating his cock inside the blessed heat of her core. He immediately began to move, slamming into her at an almost brutal pace while swallowing her cries as he kissed her. Her hands fisted in his hair, his pale locks shining in contrast to her darker skin.
All around them, the snow continued blanket the woods in white..
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When they made it back to the cabin, Sango met them at the door with cups of freshly made hot cocoa, courtesy of Sesshomaru’s mother, who insisted on grating the chocolate herself, complaining that those instant packets of hot chocolate were garbage. InuYasha smirked at the satisfied glow that radiated from Kagome. That, coupled with the fact that her clothes were wet while Sesshomaru’s were not, was pretty telling. Yoshii and Keichi came barreling through the den to greet their parents, almost knocking over Chinsei in the process.
A stern look from Sesshomaru halted them in their tracks. Heads down in shame, they walked the rest of the way to their parents. Keichi latched onto Kagome’s legs as she smiled softly at them. Yoshii stood silently, waiting for acknowledgement from his father. Sesshomaru patted the child on the head.
“Why don’t you two help your mother in the kitchen,” he suggested as he headed over to the fireplace to warm his hands.
Kagome hugged the boys and herded them into the kitchen.
“You think she’s gonna accept it?” InuYasha asked once Kagome was out of earshot.
“She will,” Sesshomaru replied. “She is still adamant about helping support the family, and it is a prime opportunity. Not only will she be able to provide extra income, but she will also be able to spend time with the children when they get home from school in the evenings. It is the perfect position for her.”
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~CHRISTMAS EVE~
Everyone sat gathered in front of the fireplace in the main lodge, the adults conversing amicably while the children danced about on pins and needles, waiting to be allowed to open presents, the movie that they had insisted upon being completely ignored. Kagome sat on the couch, snuggled under a blanket next to Sesshomaru. Izayoi brought a tray full of freshly-baked gingerbread cookies from the kitchen for the children and a bottle of wine that Kagome’s mother had sent for the adults.
“It’s about time to let these little hellions open some presents,” Shiro commented as he took in the eager faces of the children. “I fear that we may not survive should we not.”
“Agreed,” Sesshomaru stated as he scooped Chinsei off the floor so that Kagome didn’t have to step over her to get to the tree. “Honey, why don’t you hand out a few presents?”
“M’kay,” Kagome said as she slid off the couch and made her way to the tree, eyeing the handmade ornaments belonging to the children scattered amongst the lavish glass globes and pine cones that they had gathered from the woods outside. The elder three children scrambled to sit at her feet, each vying to be the closest in hopes that they would receive their present first.
“If you three don’t stop shoving,” she admonished, “I will make you all wait until morning.” She chuckled as each of them struggled to sit up straight and proper.
Closing her eyes, Kagome randomly grabbed a package from the pile beneath the tree. Looking at the eager faces of the children, she decided to draw out the suspense a bit.
“Let me see,” she joked. “I’m not sure I can read this.” She watched them squirm in anticipation for a moment before handing it to the little chocolate-haired boy. “Here you go, Taichen. This one’s for you. Can you read who it’s from?”
“It’s from Mimi and PawPaw,” he exclaimed as he began to rip into the decorative wrapping paper.
Kagome fished out a couple of presents and handed them over to her boys. “These came from America. Your Gramma sent them earlier this week.”
“Yay!” they cried in unison, thinking that it must be something good since Gramma had sent them.”
The sounds of ripping paper and pieces of cardboard boxes filled the air as the adults looked on. Kagome handed a present to everyone else before turning back to the tree. As she looked at the tree, she noticed a large envelope with a bow on it that had been buried beneath the other presents. Digging it out, she saw that it had her name on it.
Oblivious to everyone else, Kagome opened it. Sesshomaru watched her scan over the documents, flinching when she began to grind her teeth. It was obvious that she had gotten the wrong impression. Her back stiffened and she turned to face her husband.
“How could you?!” she accused.
Sesshomaru stood and walked over to her. “Do not insult me, Kagome,” he corrected. “I merely gave them a copy of your portfolio. They decided to offer you a position on their own. I do, however, agree that it would be a smart move on the part of the station to hire you. You have the credentials and your track record with Takeda speaks for itself. That said, you do not have to accept it if you think that my influence is the sole reason for the offer.”
“I would have never even considered the television station,” she admitted.
“I am aware,” he said as he drew her into an embrace. “But I am also aware that you will be a great asset to our company. You are smart and driven, and have proven that you have what it takes head a marketing team.”
“But the kids…”
“Will be back in school at the end of the month. You will be keeping the same hours as me. You will be able to get the boys off to school in the morning. Chinsei can stay in the daycare center at the station until she starts school next year. We will be able to spend time with the boys when they get home from school in the evenings and on weekends. There is nothing to worry about.”
“But,”she tried again.
“You don’t have to decide right now. Take a few days to think it over. I will give them your decision when we return.”
Kagome threw her arms around his neck and kissed him fervently.
“EEEEwwww!” all three boys groaned in unison.
With a laugh, Sesshomaru and Kagome separated and returned to the couch.
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As they lay in bed later that night, Kagome snuggled into Sesshomaru’s side. Trailing her fingers across his bare chest, she hugged him tightly and contemplated the contract that she had looked over. It was a very good opportunity, and she knew that she would be a fool to pass it up, but she had to be certain that she had gotten it on her own merit, and not with the help of her husband.
“You really didn’t influence them at all,” she asked.
“No,” he answered crossly, “and I am offended that you would even think that of me.”
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I just wanted to be sure before I gave you an answer.”
“Kagome, I want you to be happy. That is all I have ever wanted. I know that you would not accept it if I were to pull strings to make sure that you are given a position. You would not be happy with that, and neither would I. You got this position on your own. All I did was hand in your portfolio.”
“Good,” she said as she climbed on top of him, straddling his stomach. Splaying her hands across his upper chest, she ground her hips against him. Gripping the cheeks of her ass, Sesshomaru groaned in pleasure.
~END~