"Kagome! What the hell is this?" Inuyasha bellowed. Kagome scampered into the kitchen from her room. Inuyasha was standing in the doorway, staring at the ceiling.
"What, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, walking over to him.
He pointed to a green leafy thing hanging from the ceiling. It was small and a red ribbon was tied around the leaves to keep them together. Kagome's face brightened at the sight of the plant. "Oh! Inuyasha, that's mistletoe!"
"Wha? What happened?" Inuyasha barked. He turned and seized Kagome's shoulders. "Where'd your toe go?"
"Huh?"
"You said you were missing a toe…"
"No!" Kagome put her hand up and shook her head, giggling. "Miss-el-toe. It's a Christmas tradition to hang it up. I've already explained Christmas to you."
Inuyasha nodded. He remembered Kagome's explanation when they were in the feudal era about the birth of a blessed baby many, many, many years ago. The baby was going to help others and give the people faith that there was a heaven and a God who loved them all. It had been a long, but serene conversation between the two of them, especially since Inuyasha had been fascinated and found he had so many questions and Kagome had all of the answers. Christmas was celebrating the birth of the special child and it was a once-a-year thing Kagome called a 'holiday'.
"So, what does this 'mees iil toe' do?" Inuyasha asked, looking back up at it.
Kagome's whole face tinted pink. "Uh … well … you see, Inuyasha … um … when there's two people … standing underneath it … well … they have to … um …"
"Spit it out Kagome!" He bared his fangs.
Kagome hesitated, and then said rather fast, "Thepeoplestandingunderneathithavtakiss!!!"
Inuyasha stared blankly at her. "My dog ears can't hear that good."
"The people standing underneath it ... they have to … kiss," Kagome repeated more slowly.
Inuyasha's eyes widened a bit. They both looked up. They were both standing under the mistletoe, Inuyasha's hands still clutching Kagome's shoulders. Inuyasha looked back at her, their noses almost touching. He immediately pulled away and stepped back, feeling his face get hot.
"It's just a stupid tradition, right? I mean, nobody's around to, like … make us do it or anything…" Inuyasha was trying to cover his cheeks that were sporting the color of his haori, not really thinking of what was coming out of his mouth.
Kagome stared at him, with an emotionless expression. Then her look in her eyes changed. She opened her mouth slightly to say something, but nothing escaped her mouth. After a few seconds, she nodded her head slowly and said, "Yeah … right … you're right, Inuyasha. It's just a stupid tradition." She gave him a smile, but the happiness from the smile didn't reach her eyes. They looked sad. She walked past Inuyasha to the staircase, to go back up to her room.
"Would He want us to?"
Kagome turned and looked at Inuyasha. He wasn't looking at her; he was looking at the mistletoe again. "Who, Inuyasha?"
"Him. The baby. Would He want us to kiss?"
Kagome's sad eyes moistened and she smiled. "I-I don't know, Inuyasha, but if …"
"Would doing that give us faith; faith that there is a heaven when you die? That you just die … that you go to a paradise in the sky?"
"I have faith, Inuyasha," Kagome responded after a moment. "…and you believe that … that Kikyo is in heaven, don't you?" Inuyasha was silent. "You really don't believe that she went to hell, do you? She wasn't a bad person. She wasn't evil. If she made a mistake, then that's okay. That's what is expected. We're only human …" Kagome said calmly. "…and hanyou," she added quickly. She paused. "I guess the real question is, although I think you've made it clear already, do you want to, Inuyasha?"
There was silence; the long silence that just broke Kagome's heart. Her smile that had been there in the beginning had long ago faded, and a frown was there in its place. Her eyes were no longer just sad, they were brimming with tears. "L-like I said, y-you've already made it clear …" She said miserably. She turned; ready to climb the stairs in silence back to her room, but felt a tug on her arm.
"Not clear enough then," Inuyasha pulled her into a hug. Kagome snuggled into his haori. Then he lifted her chin delicately with his clawed hand, and his lips met hers. They were sweet and warm. Kagome just wanted to stay like that forever, together … hugging … being with Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha …" Kagome whispered. "We don't have to do this because of this mistletoe …"
"I know. But I want to. Stupid, you never give me a chance," Inuyasha said kissing her again.
Kagome giggled as he licked her ear. Inuyasha pulled her over, his grasp still tight around her back, under the mistletoe. Kagome rubbed his white ear and he growled pleasurably.
"Now I have an explanation if anyone finds out," Inuyasha smirked; glancing up at the mistletoe above them for a second, then began kissing Kagome again.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha mumbled from her hair.
"Uh-huh?"
"Who made up this mistletoe thing?"
"I don't know, Inuyasha," Kagome twisted a few silvery-white locks around her finger. "Why?"
"Because," He said grinning, "whoever it is, he's a damned genius!"
Owari
Happy Holidays everybody!!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!! (...collaspes at desk...snore...)