Memories of Love and Holy by summerbirdy

Memories of Love and Holy

This is my entry for TangerineDream's Second Annual Fanfiction tournament. (http://www.dokuga.com/forum/29-challenges/64798-second-annual-fanfiction-tournament)

 I do not own IY or its characters, nor do I make any kind of profit from this. I write purely for fun. 

This story is unbetaed, so I apologize in advantage of any spelling or grammar mistakes you'll be sure to find.

Title: Memories of Love and Holy

Round Three: Heilig

Paired with: naqaashi

Genre: Romance

AU/CU: CU

Rating: T, just in case

I'd love to read your opinions of my story so please, review. But remember to vote by sending TangerineDream a PM. And remember to read naq's story as well. 

I post this before naq, but with her permission, due our time difference. Please make sure to read her story before voting.

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There was one thing Kagome hated with passion, and that was getting sick just before special dates or celebrations. Like tomorrow's Christmas party at her work. Not everyone got invitations to the famous Taisho Christmas, so when her boss asked her to be his date, she had been very eager to participate. Just like every time last five years. But the soreness in her throat and her shivering body under thick blanket told her clearly, that tomorrow's party would be just a dream.

Sighing heavily Kagome reached for her phone and dialed the number of her date. He just might have time to find someone to cover for her. That son-of-a-bitch did have women flocking around him on daily basis. Which is why the invitation on this year too had been so dream-come-true. Even if her boss would use her as a cover and excuse for not inviting any of the ”bride-candidates” his mother tried to set him up with. It killed her to admit it, but spending a Christmas with her boss was something she really did not want to give away.

While listening the dial sound, Kagome thought that maybe this year she just might have had a chance to ask him how her friends had fared in their lives, five hundred years ago. If anyone knew it, it would be him. Sesshoumaru.

~~~

Sesshoumaru Taisho was, for the lack of better word, seriously pissed off. First his mother had arrived without notice to his office, dragging a beautiful but air-headed demon female with her. Why his mother could not see that none of those candidates were suitable for him, was a mystery.

If his mother's antics were not enough to cause him a headache, then his adopted son sure did. After half a decade of not hearing a peep from him, now he calls and asks for help after pulling an immature prank over someone. If that kit did not stay in the States, he would have received a punishment he would remember for rest of his life, adult or not.

After sorting things out for his son he demanded the boy to return to Japan immediately At least he could keep him out of too much trouble if the kit was in his sight.

With all the headaches he'd had during that day, he was looking forward his mother's Christmas party. Not because he liked these social gatherings. Actually he hated them with passion. But this year he would at least have a date that would be interesting and could hold up conversations. True, it wasn't everyday that owner of famous company would take his assistant as his date, but it also wasn’t unheard of. But he could care less what his peers would think of him, he had finally managed to keep an assistant for more that half a year and he thought the girl deserved to have a one more Christmas to remember. He was not easiest person to get a long and Kagome had survived five years as his assistant. And four lady Taisho's Christmas parties.

A shrilling sound of his phone interrupted his thoughts. Not checking the caller ID, he flipped the phone open and barked his name.

”Uh-oh. I called in bad time, didn't I?” Kagome's voice said.

”Kagome.” Sesshoumaru acknowledged ”You could say that. What is it that I can do for you at... 10 pm on Friday night?”

There was a short silence before Kagome's voice drifted to him again.

”I'm sorry to bring you more bad news. But it seems I can't make it tomorrow.” The woman cought and continued. ”I think I have a flue. And I simply can't make it tomorrow. I know I won't be at my best and I simply refuse to humiliate you in front of you mother. Or be humiliated for that matter.”

It never ceased to wonder Sesshoumaru how this woman could talk so much. While the woman continued her little rant of how she had been eager and that, Sesshoumaru listened the sound of her voice. He noticed the raspyness of it, and the pauses when Kagome needed to swallow were longer than usual, like she was having troubles Even the flow of the words came out more forced than usual. He sighed.

”...and I just know you could have a date for tomorrow in no time at all, since I bet your mother would just love to help you...” Kagome's voice continued her endless chatter at the other end of the line.

”By Kami, woman, don't you ever shut up?” Sesshoumaru snapped.

Silence that spread had offended feeling, and he sighed.

”For the Kami's sake, if you keep talking like that you'll never get rid of the sore throat.” Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the headache fortify behind his eyes.

”The party is of no consequence. I rather have you up and working in the office after holidays than hauled up in hospital because you strained yourself being sick. It costs me less that way.”

Kagome harrumphed but said nothing else. But Sesshoumaru knew she hated spending money, so he had pulled that string on purpose. He smirked inwardly at how easy it was to manipulate this woman. Well, in some matters anyway.

”I just really wanted to go” Kagome said softly, so softly he almost didn't hear her.

”Yes, me too. Now rest woman.” Sesshoumaru said and snapped the phone shut. He had big decisions to make now.

~~~

Next day found Kagome in a better condition. Her throat was still raw, but not as much as day before. She was thankful that Sesshoumaru had ordered her to rest and was hoping to getter better by the Christmas day, so she could go to the party that her friends from her college days were having.

But what to do today? It was Christmas Eve and she was sick and forced to stay indoors. And she had just moved in her new apartment not too many months ago and had left much of her stuff to her mother's. Stuff like books and movies, since she didn't really have time for them. She was too busy with work.

She could call her mother, but then she would dash in forgetting all about her own house and Christmas preparations and Kagome couldn't let her do that. Souta would never forgive her if he was left without her mother's Christmas cake. That reminded her that she had not had time to get herself one just yet, as she had thought she wouldn't need one. And there was no way she was going to go out at this condition.

Her musings were cut short when she heard doorbell ring. Quite demanding too. Kagome sighed. Only one person in the world could ring a doorbell like that.

”Coming!” She said, wrapped a blanket more securely around herself and walked to the front door.

A sight that faced her when she opened the door was not what she expected. There was a pile or presents and other packages, bags that looked to be from various restaurants and well-known stores. And then there was a really fabulous Christmas cake.

”Sesshoumaru. Why are you ringing my doorbell when you should be getting ready to your mother's party? And what is all this?” She asked, shocked.

”I believe it's common courtesy to let your guests in, before starting the third degree questioning.” Sesshoumaru's voice said, sounding strained and tired.

”Considering that I did not invite you, you should be grateful I'm even opening the door.” Kagome snapped back, jokingly. How many times they had bantered like this at work?

Kagome stepped away from the door, letting her boss walk in before shutting the door and proceeding to help him with the groceries and various packages.

”So, mind telling me what all of this is?” She asked, curiously.

”Our Christmas.”

Kagome choked.

”Our?”

”I was planning on staying with you this Christmas. This is the last place Mother will look for me. And since you were planning on staying at the party today and not home, I thought you might not have much to celebrate with.” Sesshoumaru explained while putting groceries

Now Kagome was seriously flabbergasted. First Sesshoumaru was explaining himself, second he brought food and decorations with him, and was obviously planning to use them too, and third he wasn't going to the lady Taisho's party, something he had never missed before.

”Okay. Who are you and what did you do to the Sesshoumaru I know?” She asked, eying him warily. ”What happened to the boss who loves to make my life hell?”

”Rin and her descendants did.”

Kagome fell silent.

”Go, drink this and go to sit to the couch. When I'm done, we talk.” Sesshoumaru said, pushing a shot glass to her hand.

”And this is?” She asked unsure.

”I call it Shadow's Cocktail. Just drink it. It's good for your throat.” The demon lord said, disappearing towards kitchen, stopping only to put a CD on Kagome's player.

A smooth voice started to sing Christmas carols in different languages. Kagome sipped her drink, feeling the alcohol burning it's way down her throat.

Much later, when the meal was eaten and Sesshoumaru had decorated the apartment, they sat down watching the rare occasion of snow falling in Tokyo, and enjoyed the silence. During the meal Sesshoumaru had been telling her everything that had happened after she left the Feudal Era with the Jewel. Rin, Shippo, Sango and Miroku and Inuyasha and their descendants had been part of his life and still were.

The meal had been spiced with laughter and tears, but Kagome didn't mind at all. She even forgot all about being sick. She was surprised to hear that Sesshoumaru had adopted Shippo, but was very happy that they got a long and that Shippo was still alive. She also made Sesshoumaru promise that they would meet their son soon.

The CD Sesshoumaru had put on player some time earlier was now playing a song that Kagome had sang to her friends in Feudal Era during the Christmas. It was her favorite carol and it always brought her peace. The boy's choir that was singing it made it real justice and she sat back eyes closed and just listened. And first time in ages she could actually enjoy her Christmas.

”I was there you know, when you sang it.” Sesshoumaru said softly, making Kagome sat back up, shocked.

”Your voice was soft and beautiful and the song haunted me for years. I took on traveling somewhere during the 1700's, roamed around the New World and Europe and then in 1818 somehow happened to pass a little church at winter. It was filled with people and there was someone playing that same melody that had haunted me ever since I first heard it, with a guitar.”

Sesshoumaru took a sip from his wine and continued, watching Kagome who was listening eagerly, with lit eyes.

”I realized then and there that I was missing something from my life. Or someone. I had my daughter's descendants, my adopted son and even my half-brother's family, but I did not have you. That you had been the one haunting my dreams and that now I would need to get back home, to get ready for you.”

Kagome was speechless. She herself had been harboring a little crush on him, but had not wanted to hope on it, as she had been kind-of-relationship with Inuyasha at that time. And even though she and Inuyasha had found out that there was nothing but sisterly feelings between them, she still had not dared to hope that the inuyoukai lord would even notice her. To hear that he had been waiting her for over a century was mind boggling at least.

”This song, ” Sesshoumaru continued, pointing slightly with his head towards the player, ”was my reason to come home, to search your family and shrine and keep them safe during the wars. I had to flee from here, when you were born, or I would have interfered with your quest. And I only dared to come back when I knew for certain you were back here.”

The inuyoukai then pulled his hand through his short cut silver hair, a gesture so unlike him that it made Kagome stare in awe.

”And when I came back, I just had to have you near me somehow. So I invited you to job interview and wished for Kami to help you through it, because I knew you wouldn't like me to just hire you, without any merit of your own. And when you started as my assistant, it was good to have you there, even if the relationship was professional and you sometimes made me want to rip your outfit of off you and just... ”

Sesshoumaru chuckled at Kagome's blushing face.

”To be honest, I don't think I can survive anymore without you. And even the thought of spending a Christmas alone with Mother's guests made me want to run away from the country. And it would please me to spend every Christmas with you from now on.”

Kagome gasped. Had he really said what she thought he did?

” I think I fell in love with you when you first sang this song for us. I knew I loved you when I heard them play it for the very first time in that little church. And I'd be honored if you'd marry me, Kagome Higurashi, Miko of the Shikon.”

Sesshoumaru's voice was soft and he couldn't completely hide its trembling. Kagome looked at the beautiful but simple ring he was holding to her, and his eyes that shone like liquid amber with the love he felt for her. And the she answered with the only way she knew she could.

She kissed him, softly, lovingly and tenderly.

And in the background a boy's choir continued singing the song that has touched the hearts of so many.

”Stille Nacht... Heilige Nacht....”

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Heilig means "holy" or "sacred" in German. And to me that word almost without exception bring to mind the Christmast time, the snow and the song "Silent Night, Holy Night" or "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" as the original name is. And even though the song is very much a Christian carol, it's also one of the best known all over the world. To me it made perfect sence that Kagome would sing it during her Christmas in Feudal Era and that during his long life Sesshoumaru just might have been there when this song was performed the first time. Maybe just out of curiosity. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little story of mine.