Snowflakes by Bunny-chan

Chapter One

The wind blows past, blowing strands of my silver-white hair along with it.

The snow is beginning to fall again. Do you think it's aware that the ground is already covered? What causes my mind to be plagued with such pointless thoughts? I don't care about such trivial things as snowflakes and the cold... and why should I? One day, the flames of hell shall take it away. What's the point in bothering with something that cannot, will not, survive?

In her world, winter is treasured. Every year, the mortals celebrate.

Who is she, you ask?

Under the usual circumstances of years past, I would just kill you for your arrogance, but things have changed since those dark times. She... They taught me that without their own knowledge. The fact that all life has meaning somehow. We all taught each other lessons of life and hardships.

I remember when I first met her. Nothing but a silly girl back then. A foolish mortal trying to take her shot at destiny. A dumb wench traveling with my bastard half-brother, Inu-Yasha. Nevertheless, as the years began to go by, she became determined to always come out on top. She was brave, loving, beautiful... And I loved her for it. It didn't matter much to her though... She loved him.

For once, my brother had won. I had seen that I wasn't as powerful and masterful as I'd thought.

How was it that I, Lord Sessho-Maru, one of Feudal Japan's most powerful youkai, should happen to fall in love with a mere mortal? Even I cannot answer such a question. I don't think any being, mortal, hanyou, or youkai could ever. Even Naraku would be unable to provide a believable lie.

Maybe I should explain it to you. Could you be the first to understand?

It had been one of the few times any had managed to injure me. I had been in an unavoidable fight with Kikyou's soulless shell. She had overcome me, bringing me nearly to death.

In the few moments afterward, as I was calmly bidding the world, my world, goodbye, that very group found me, lying helplessly in my own blood. I was clearly on my way to walking the eternal path of death and Inu-Yasha was more than intent on leaving me there to continue on my way. But Kagome... No. She could never leave any behind. Not even I, who tried to kill her so many times. She convinced my brother to help her in her quest to heal me, and, by some unforeseen miracle, succeeded.

It had been barely two nights later, when I had been sitting by the frozen riverbed, watching the snow fall.

"You know, back home, everyone's celebrating Christmas Eve right now." I looked up, startled to hear the voice of one of my many sworn enemies.

"Christmas?" I had never heard of such a festival, and was therefore surely welcome to the knowledge. She sat beside me. Something that none have ever dared to do. Few would even dare to speak with me for fear that I might betray them.

"Yes! The whole family gathers together to celebrate! We give each other presents, decorate the tree, and then me and my cousins and Souta all go outside and throw snow at each other!" She giggled, something I was unused to, especially seeing as I rarely laughed myself. I was mostly my own company.

That night, I talked more to Kagome than I had to even myself over my many years of existence. I had never known that anyone could be so pure and beautiful. I had fallen in love with someone whom I had ridiculed and hated.

Perhaps you've noticed that I speak of all this in the tense of years past? It's true, for it has been nearly 30 years since Kagome's death. Naraku had finally quit his days of playing. He slaughtered them one by one. Sango, Miroku, Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and the kitsune. Each and every one with their own terribly torturous demise.

Rumors have passed since that Inu-Yasha and Kagome ran off to have the happy life that Inu-Yasha and Kikyou were never granted. I let them have their dreams. I allow them to not know that I have seen their shredded and bleeding bodies... They died on Kagome's holiday. Christmas. Perhaps it wasn't as wonderful as she had always led me to believe.

I'm pulled away from my memories as a snowflake lands on my nose. I brush it away, angry at it for being so cold. I still have not uncovered the secret that caused a creature so wonderful to love something so frozen.

We all are that way I guess... We make our long journey. It seems to take such a long time and to be filled with so many treasures that it seems that perhaps it will never end. But of course, we eventually come to the end of our fall, and disappear, melting away into history. Like snowflakes. And that thought gives me new hope as I look into the full moon. The snow may melt, but then it always comes again.

Perhaps we are like that as well. One day, I may begin a new life and have the chance to be with Kagome as well as to understand my halfling brother, Inu-Yasha. Using a clawed finger, I draw and angel into the soft snow.

"Merry Christmas Kagome." I watched for a few moments as the lines filled with Kagome's favorite thing. The snowflake.