The Next Day:
Kagome woke up, pretty sore in the neck area.
"What in the world? Why does my neck hurt so bad?" Kagome asked herself, crawling out of bed.
She stretched and then went to the bathroom. That's when she noticed the mark on her neck—and everything came flooding back.
"Wh-wha-what?!" Kagome screamed, feel around her neck where Sesshomaru's mark was.
"Well—Kagome's awake." Aya stated, frying up some eggs.
"Yep." Sota agreed, looking at the ceiling.
"What was your first clue?" Grandpa asked, drinking some tea.
"Aren't you supposed to see Kaede?" Aya asked, narrowing her eyes, shutting off the stove.
"Right." Grandpa agreed, standing up—suddenly afraid.
"I'd better go check up on her." Aya sighed, walking to the stairs to head upstairs.
"What was I thinking? I can't believe I let him mark me like that." Kagome sighed, coming to grips with things as she looked at her neck.
"Sesshomaru, yes? He's your one true love. Only he is able to mark you, correct?" Aya asked, appearing out of nowhere.
"Mom! I uh… didn't see you there." Kagome panicked, trying to hide her mark.
"I saw it when he brought you home last night. At least with him, I don't have to worry about him hurting you. You have a date with him in a few days, don't you?" Aya asked, looking at her daughter.
"Saturday." Kagome answered, all dreamy-like.
"I haven't seen you this happy in a long time; it's nice." Aya told Kagome with a smile.
"I haven't felt this happy in a long time. Sesshomaru makes me feel like—I don't know; I can't explain it." Kagome replied, looking at her mother.
"I know sweetie; it's exactly how I felt about your father. It can be indescribable sometimes." Aya stated with a smile.
"I love him, Mom." Kagome softly admitted.
"I know, Dear. Are you planning on moving in with him right away?" Aya asked, looking at her daughter.
"No—not right away. I learned my lesson last time; I want to have a few dates before I move in with anybody this time. I want to take it slow." Kagome answered with a smile.
"We'll see about that. I mean, that's great, but we'll see." Aya told Kagome with a smile.
"Yes, we will." Kagome agreed, smiling from ear to ear.
"Now that you're up, let's get you some breakfast. Come on." Aya sternly told Kagome, putting her foot down.
With Sesshomaru:
"What's the plan?" Jaken asked, looking at Sesshomaru.
"I'm not sure." Sesshomaru replied, thinking.
"I'm soo sorry!" Shiro, Sakira's boyfriend, blubbered in front of Sesshomaru.
Shiro was tall, thin, not very muscular, with shoulder-length light brown hair and brown eyes.
"As you should be." Jaken scolded Shiro, smacking him over the head with his staff.
"Jaken, that's enough! Leave him alone! This isn't helping anything. Like it or not, Shiro is Sakira's mate. Back off!" Sesshomaru growled.
Sesshomaru scared the crap out of Shiro, but the truth was that Sesshomaru did actually somewhat like him. He knew Shiro was good for his sister. However, he wished Shiro would grow a backbone.
Kagura had captured Sakira early this morning while Sakira was sleeping. Shiro, who was coming by to see her, saw Kagura; he tried to stop her, but she used her wind ability, which she kept after being reincarnated.
"Yes, my lord; I apologize." Jaken quickly apologized, bowing.
"You, stand up and stop your sniveling. I'll figure things out." Sesshomaru ordered Shiro.
"Yes." Shiro replied, looking away from Sesshomaru when knocking was heard.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru spoke in that stoic tone of voice.
"Ye-yes?" Jaken nervously asked.
"Go see who's at the door—now." Sesshomaru ordered.
"Yes, of course." Jaken obliged, running to the door.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken yelled seconds later.
As soon as the door opened, Sesshomaru instantly knew who there; he could smell them.
"Sakira!" Shiro yelled, running to Sakira, not even phased by Sesshomaru.
"Kagome, what are you doing here? Where'd you find Sakira?" Sesshomaru asked, shocked, walking over to his mate and younger sister.
"Well, originally, I was just coming to see you; I wanted to talk to you. But on my way, I heard Sakira and Kagura bickering. I know your sister is just as strong as you, so I figured Kagura must've caught her by surprise. It looked as if she was going to try to kill your sister, so I stepped in. I used a small spell on a makeshift bow and arrow. Unfortunately, Kagura got away." Kagome explained.
"Thank you. Sakira?" Sesshomaru thanked Kagome before looking at his sister.
"I thanked her." Sakira replied, too tired to argue.
"She did—several times." Kagome replied.
"Ok. Shiro—take my sister to her room. Mark her, but do not mate her. Let her rest—and wait until I'm not here—and far away." Sesshomaru instructed, not looking at Shiro or Sakira.
"Yes, of course." Shiro happily obliged, thankful he had Sesshomaru's blessing to mark Sakira.
"Thank you, Sesshomaru." Sakira thanked Sesshomaru, shocked as she let Shiro help her to her room.
"Yeah… Go before I change my mind." Sesshomaru warned.
Like that, Sakira and Shiro were gone.
"So, what did you need that brought you to me?" Sesshomaru asked, watching Kagome.
I just really needed to see and talk to you. It's important." Kagome firmly answered with a bit of frantic mixed in her tone.
"What's going on?" Sesshomaru asked, watching his mate.
"I just really wanted to talk to you about us." Kagome firmly stated.
"What about us? Wait. Follow me to somewhere more comfortable." Sesshomaru asked and then insisted, guiding Kagome to his room.
He put up a sign that read, in bold writing:
Do not enter or listen in.
I will know if you are or did.
"So what about us do you need to talk about?" Sesshomaru asked again.
"I let you mark me—when I really shouldn't have. I just got out of a bad relationship, and I think I was rushing or caught up in the moment. With that said: I can't take it back now. And with that being said: I'm glad you were the one who did it." Kagome firmly but happily told Sesshomaru.
"Ok—so is that all?" Sesshomaru asked, watching Kagome, conflicted.
Did she really just come to tell him she should've waited but has no regrets?
"No. I also came to repay you for the other night." Kagome replied before attacking Sesshomaru with a hug; she then kissed him very passionately.
"What was that all about?" Sesshomaru asked, shocked, completely thrown off guard; he wasn't expecting that.
"I love you; I've always loved you." Kagome answered, out of breath.
"I love you as well. Would you like to spend the night tonight?" Sesshomaru replied and then asked.
"I'd love to…" Kagome hesitantly started with a smile.
"But?" Sesshomaru asked, looking at her.
"I have nothing to wear here. And—I wouldn't want to do something that I'm not yet ready for." Kagome answered, blushing.
"Hmm… I suppose I understand. How about our date on Saturday? Would you spend the night then?" Sesshomaru asked.
"I suppose. We'll just have to wait and see then." Kagome coyly answered.
"Something tells me you're going to be trouble. You know—when you do that, I can only wait so long? But ok; I'll play your game. How would you like to stay for dinner; I'm sure Rin, Sakira, and Shiro would love if you did." Sesshomaru noted before asking, looking into Kagome's seductive, chocolate brown eyes.
"Sure. What are we having?" Kagome asked, watching Sesshomaru, completely ignoring what he said before.
"What would you like?" Sesshomaru asked, watching Kagome.
"Hmmm… Fish and rice?" Kagome asked, swaying back and forth.
"Hold on. Jaken, come here." Sesshomaru called for Jaken.
"Yes, my lord?" Jaken asked, looking up at Sesshomaru.
"Go tell the chef to make fish, rice, and some type of green." Sesshomaru ordered.
"Yes, my lord." Jaken quickly obeyed, scurrying away.
"I kind of feel bad for him. You should try being nicer to him." Kagome suggested, watching Jaken hurry around a corner.
"Heh. I am nice to him. He's lucky. We have some time before food's ready… What would you like to do now?" Sesshomaru asked, sitting on his bed, changing the subject.
"I have an idea." Kagome spoke, sitting next to Sesshomaru.
"So do I." Sesshomaru agreed, pulling Kagome onto his lap.
"Kiss me?" Kagome asked, looking at Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru didn't reply; he just sealed her mouth with his and pulled her closer to him.
"Sesshomaru, are you in here? Sorry; I'll come back later." Rin asked before quickly apologizing after walking in on Sesshomaru and Kagome making out.
"What was that?" Kagome asked, out of breath.
"I don't know. Nor do I care." Sesshomaru answered, kissing Kagome again.
While they were making out, Sesshomaru's hands traveled down to Kagome's butt, and he started to squeeze here and there.
"Mmmm…" Kagome moaned into his mouth; she had never felt like this before.
"Sesshomaru—we should stop; I'm not ready to go all the way just yet." Kagome firmly told Sesshomaru when she felt him becoming hard.
"Sorry." Sesshomaru mumbled an apology, only half meaning it.
"It's ok; I'm just not ready right now." Kagome softly replied.
"It's fine. Take your time. I shouldn't push you into something you're not ready for." 'Even back then I never raped anyone.' Sesshomaru sincerely told Kagome before thinking to himself.
"Thank you." Kagome thanked, gently kissing Sesshomaru on the cheek before standing.
"You're welcome. Let's go see how food's coming." Sesshomaru replied and then insisted, taking Kagome's hand; he was trying to think of something to distract him from his growing problem.
"What is it?" Sesshomaru asked when Kagome just stood there.
"You're going to let me see my friends, right—even my male friends? You're not going to stop me from seeing them, are you?" Kagome asked, looking at Sesshomaru, unsure.
"As long as your male friends don't overstep their boundaries, I have no problems with you hanging out with them. As for your girlfriends—they're your friends; I'm not going to take them away from you. Why would you ask me that?" Sesshomaru asked, confused and slightly hurt—only slightly.
"Naraku wouldn't let me see any of my friends—especially my male friends. Not that I have many male friends; I only have Hojo." Kagome softly admitted, looking down.
Then and there, Sesshomaru realized he didn't truly realize just how bad Kagome had been—or was still struggling and suffering. It both hurt and severely pissed him off.
"You can see your friends whenever you want—so long as they don't interfere with us and our time." Sesshomaru told Kagome, trying to be as sensitive as he possibly could.
"Thank you." Kagome thanked, smiling.
"Let's go." Sesshomaru repeated, taking her hand yet again.
"Yes, let's go." Kagome agreed, letting Sesshomaru take her to find out what was going on with dinner.
Two Hours Later:
"I'm so glad you came to dinner tonight." Rin told Kagome with a smile.
"I am too." Kagome said with a smile.
"You've made Lord Sesshomaru very happy." Jaken stated as someone other than him cleaned off the table.
It was a surprise to Jaken when Sesshomaru offered him to sit and eat with them for dinner. But he happily accepted the offer without question.
"He's made me very happy as well." Kagome happily replied as they walked outside.
"Would you like me to walk you home?" Sesshomaru sternly asked, not really giving her a choice. It was late, and he had no clue what Kagura was capable of anymore.
"I'd like that." Kagome replied with a dreamy smile, letting Sesshomaru take her home.
"I'm glad you ate with us tonight." Sesshomaru repeated.
"Me too. I'm just sorry Sakira and Shiro couldn't be with us as well. Please make sure they know I hope they feel better soon." Kagome told Sesshomaru with a smile that made him groan; he hated the thought of his sister and that guy having sex…
