Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha.
Author's Note: This story is not meant to discriminate or in any way offend. It does discuss a bit of religion, to which I put my own twist.
The Meaning of Christmas
Winter: a sign of death, absence of life, emotional numbness.
The snow piles so high you begin to wonder if any seed currently living feebly beneath the surface will ever dare to show its face again.
It was winter when Kikyo had pulled the arrow: the trees had been green, and the sky had been blue, but he'd felt the cold seep into his heart from the shaft of her arrow.
He could have sworn it had snowed; big, white flakes covering his slumbering form, cutting the warmth of his heart, leading away his consciousness and the picture of Kikyo with her poised bow and arrow.
Nothing, he thought at that moment, could hurt him any more. He was dead, his feelings buried underneath the heavy sheet of white life had thrown onto him.
In passing, he mused that it had also snowed in Kagome's time, after she had pinned him to the tree.
Her arrow had not chilled him to the core as Kikyo's had done; it had struck his beating heart spreading warmth as his blood boiled at the pain he saw in Kagome's eyes.
She had fought. She hadn't wanted to shoot that arrow.
He remembered seeing the snow dance its way to the ground, wafting around Kagome's frail form as she tried to tell him she could no longer return-but it had felt warm.
He had held her tightly as the snow swirled, yet he felt no cold.
The snow continued to fall outside the hut.
Inside Kagome had convinced everyone to celebrate something she called "Christmas".
It involved putting decorations in a fir tree and sitting around waiting for the night to come so they could open presents.
He had thought it was stupid, but hadn't dared to tell her so.
Everyone was gathered around the tree and were engaged in amiable conversation. Their voices swirled and mingled.
"Everything is dead."
"What?"
He hadn't realised he had spoken aloud.
"Keh, nothing."
"I hear you Inuyasha. You said everything was dead."
He continued looking toward the window relieved that the monk, the taijiya and the kitsune were still engrossed in their analysis of the tree.
"It's winter." he said simply.
Kagome smiled.
"Things aren't dead Inuyasha, they're just sleeping, and come spring, you'll see..."
"Keh. Winter is death."
Kagome shook her head.
"Do you know why we celebrate Christmas?"
A flick of his ears in her direction told her he was listening.
"It's because we are rejoicing in the birth of a very wonderful being."
"Keh."
"He came to take all our mistakes, every single one we ever did or would do, upon Him, so that we wouldn't have to suffer."
"What an idiot." but his tone was soft.
"And so, winter is a symbol of life...the life he granted us by being born."
"Kagome..." he paused and looked at her very seriously. "You're not planning to go out with this guy are you?"
The sound of the storm outside faded, covered by the loud yells of the miko and the cracking of the floor.
Author's Note: Merry Christmas everyone!!! I hope you will all have a wonderful and special day filled with joy and blessings.
Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!