"Sesshomaru?"
He raised golden eyes to the chocolate brown of hers. She . . . had a question. She always had a question. He could tell just by the way she said his name.
Normally, he hated to be bothered by a lot of questions. Questions were a nuisance, a distraction. One could be killed and quite easily so by answering a question. Yet, from her, he didn't mind answering them. Of course, she often answered his questions . . . when he'd had one to ask over the last several weeks. It had become a need, in a way . . . a dependency. Neither of them could escape it. Thanks to one person. Thanks to Inuyasha . . .
Whether he had realized it or not, Inuyasha had left an endless void in the lives of many. The kitsune, the slayer, the monk, Kagome . . . and himself. All had been affected by his disappearance. Sesshomaru cursed himself for not having realized it sooner.
"Yes, Kagome?"
"Do . . . do you think that Inuyasha's happy . . . wherever he's at?"
He hesitated for a moment. It was certainly an interesting question. Was Inuyasha happy? If he happened to still be alive, had he found someone who could take care of him and ease his loneliness and fears? Or was he still alone and in abject misery? Inuyasha had never handled being on his own very well. Had he died? If he had, certainly the Gods would have smiled (finally) upon him and allowed him to know happiness. Perhaps he was with his mother and their father . . . that would certainly allow Inuyasha to know happiness.
Like the happiness he knew now. With Kagome. He allowed himself a tiny smile. After all, every heart deserved to know a small amount of joy.
"Hai. I think he is."
Little did he know how right he was.
Fin