Chapter 21
The Funeral
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"Are you going to tell your brother, now?" Cassandra's soothing voice asked.
InuYasha, who was staring down at the photo album still in his lap, looked up. "Well. . . shouldn't we? He deserves to know."
Cassandra squeezed his hand. "You tell him. I'd rather not say it all again."
InuYasha looked back down and nodded. "Alright. Mom?"
"Yes?"
"I love you, Mom."
Cassandra's eyes filed with tears, and she hugged her son. "I love you, too."
"I want you to find your true love."
Cassandra was silent. "It's too late now, InuYasha."
"No, it's not!"
"My true love is in America. And he is married. And they have children who are your age - "
"When did you stop writing each other?"
"Huh?"
"When did you two stop writing each other?"
"About. . . ten years ago."
"A lot can happen in ten years."
"InuYasha. . . please. Don't worry about me. You worry about building *yourself* a life. I love you and I want you to be happy. And also. . . I have a question."
"Yeah?"
"Why haven't we spoken in two years?"
InuYasha laughed. "Uh. . . me. I was moving around a lot with different jobs. Still thought about you guys a lot, though."
Cassandra smiled. "So what are you doing now? Are you happy?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome yawned. She and Sesshoumaru were still in the library, and it was getting late.
"We should turn in," Sesshoumaru said, reading her thoughts. He had and arm around her shoulder, and was brushing her hair with his fingers.
She sighed. "Yeah. . . are you ready for tomorrow?"
She felt his jaw tighten against her forehead. "Yes. I suppose."
"Are you going to miss him?"
"I don't know. . ."
Behind them, there was the tap of shoes on the marble floor at the door, and someone cleared their throat. "Sesshoumaru?"
They turned their heads to see InuYasha. Kagome caught eyes with him, and he looked away. She and Sesshoumaru stood and went over to him.
InuYasha had what looked like a photo album in his hands, and he looked a little pale. 'He's always looking pale these days,' Kagome told herself grimly.
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"
InuYasha licked his bottom lip self-consciously and said, "Uh, there's something I need to talk to you about."
"We were about to retire."
"You need to know this before tomorrow."
Sesshoumaru's indifferent expression toward his brother softened, but he still kept his guard up. "What is it?"
"It's something about Dad. And your mother. Elizabeth."
Sesshoumaru eyed InuYasha, then nodded a little. "All right."
Kagome watched the entire exchange with interest. They were starting to be nicer to each other. She was proud of them both.
"I'll go to bed, then," she spoke up. "Goodnight." Sesshoumaru smiled at her, and she realized she needed to give him a kiss, but she didn't want to do it in front of InuYasha, who looked like he was expecting it. She settled for kissing him on the cheek, and it was awkward for everyone. When she passed InuYasha, he didn't look at her. She put a hand on his arm meaningfully, then left the room.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
InuYasha's jaw tightened when Kagome touched him. That wasn't what he needed. Images flashed in his mind of their one night together, touching each other, kissing. . . but everything was gone as soon as she left the room. He looked back up at Sesshoumaru and nodded toward the couch.
They sat down a little awkwardly beside one another, and Sesshoumaru asked, "What is that?"
InuYasha looked at the album in his hands. "Look through this," he told his brother, handing it to him.
Sesshoumaru eyed him curiously and did as he was told without argument. At one page, he stopped.
InuYasha saw that he wasn't even all the way through the book. "What?"
Humor in his voice, Sesshoumaru asked, "This is you?" He held the book up and pointed to the picture of InuYasha with a haircut.
InuYasha clenched his teeth. "Yeah."
"You look like a mouse." Smirking.
"I know. Keep going."
Sesshoumaru turned the page and sighed. "Is there a point to this, InuYasha?"
"Yes. If there wasn't, I wouldn't be here." he growled in return. "Keep going."
He watched Sesshoumaru's face as he turned the next two pages without comment. It was bored at first, then his mouth tightened a little. InuYasha reluctantly scooted a little closer to see the page. It was the first picture of Sesshouamru. InuYasha leaned back and continued to watch now that he knew what page he was on.
Sesshoumaru turned to the next page. It would be the one of them and their father, InuYasha remembered. Sesshoumaru's eyes held a little recognition. He turned the page. This would be the picture of him as a baby, his mother and their father. There was no reaction that InuYasha could see as Sesshoumaru turned to the next page.
InuYasha's jaw dropped slightly. He hadn't expected Sesshouamru to cry. It was only little bit, one wouldn't have noticed if they hadn't really looked, but InuYasha saw it. Sesshoumaru's eyes had misted over a little as he looked at the picture of his mother in the red dress.
His brother rubbed his brow, composing himself. He still made no comment as he turned through the rest of the book, shifting in his seat at the pictures, his surprise finally showing when he spoke. "What is this, InuYasha?"
"He always loved her, Sesshoumaru. I know you've always hated him because you thought he didn't, be he never stopped."
"How do you know?'
"My mother told me just now." He finally dove into the whole long story, Sesshoumaru saying nothing the entire time, just listening.
When he finished, InuYasha looked Sesshoumaru expectantly. There was no expression on his face, no reaction.
"Say something."
Sesshoumaru sighed and handed the album back to InuYasha. "I don't *know* what to say. But. . . thank you. . . for telling me." he got up, then looked down at his feet. "I just wish I could've discussed this with one of them."
InuYasha nodded.
Sesshoumaru's eyes searched the rug under his feet. "I. . . InuYasha. . . I want to apologize. . . for the rotten treatment I've always given you. . . I had no idea."
InuYasha's chest swelled at hearing his brother's words. "Thanks, Sesshoumaru. . . that means a lot. But, you didn't know."
Sesshoumaru nodded, then muttered goodnight, and turned away to leave.
InuYasha was left on the couch, where he stayed for a little while longer, the weight of the next day resettling on his shoulders.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome felt someone nudging her bare shoulder, leaning over her in the dark. "Kagome," Sesshoumaru's voice whispered to her.
She rolled over and blinked up at where she assumed he was; she couldn't see a thing.
"Move over," he was saying to her.
Sleepily, she did so, and he climbed in beside her, putting his arms around her. She snuggled her face into his chest and mumbled, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Everything's all right, I'll tell you in the morning."
"Okay." She fell back asleep, and soon, she heard his breathing deepen, nearly in time with her own.
When she awoke the next morning, he was still there, holding her, deep asleep. She took a moment to reflect back on the day she had run back to him, and smiled. She had woken up that morning with that lonely feeling and had tried to imagine his sleeping face in front of her. It had been a mere fantasy then. . . But look at her, now. The thought made the butterflies in Kagome's stomach flutter their wings with excitement.
She then watched with fascination as his eyes opened very slowly, two golden orbs appearing before her. They peered back at her with interest.
She jumped a little when he spoke. "Good morning."
She smiled. "Good morning."
"What time is it?"
"I don't know."
"Better check." his voice sounded thick and gloomy. "The funeral is at 9:00."
Oh, yeah. "Yeah, uh. . . "Kagome checked the clock, "It's 7:30."
He kissed her on the forehead, then sat up, rubbing his eyes. Kagome lay there watching him from behind, as he got up and stretched his arms above his head. She looked at his hair, silky and white, the way it lay down to his shoulder blades. He was still in his clothes from the night before, with the exception of his tux coat and bow tie. He looked absolutely adorable to Kagome as he turned around and looked at her. "Aren't you getting up?"
"Eventually."
"Come on."
"I say *you* should climb back in."
He coughed a little laugh, and smiled, blushing. "Get up." He pulled the covers off her body, revealing her white top and pajama pants, and she shivered and curled up in a ball. He laughed at her.
"Not fair!" she yelled at him, her voice muffled in the pillow.
Still laughing, he grabbed her hands and pulled her up, so she stood in front of him. He stared down at her with a smirk as she yawned, reminding him bizarrely of a cat, and she then wrapped her arms around his neck in a comfortable hug.
When she pulled back, she looked at him with concern. "What was last night about?"
"Last night?"
"With InuYasha."
"Oh, yeah. . . "
She laid out her clothes as he told her the story, and when he was finished, she was brushing her hair, a thoughtful expression on her features. "Wow. . . so he really did love your mother. But I feel so sorry for Cassandra. She never got to be with. . . Jonathan, right?"
"Right. He got married, had children. . ."
Kagome shook her head. "It's a shame."
Sesshoumaru nodded.
She approached him, and ticked her head to the side. "How do you feel about the funeral, now?"
He stared back at her meaningfully. "Very differently. I regret everything. Never getting to know him. Always hating him. . . " he shook his head and his eyes filled with tears.
Kagome could only hug him; she wished she could take back all of those things for him, but she knew she could only help by being there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The casket closed with a muffled *click*. Kagome sat next to Sesshoumaru in the family section of the chapel, squeezing his hand as he stared at his lap, preparing to sit through the prolonged goodbye to his father.
Every now and then, she could hear someone cough; women were sniffling and wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs. InuYasha sat up front with his mother, his arm around her as she sniffled and blew her nose.
The ride out to the cemetery was silent; Sesshouamru drove, and Kagome clicked the radio off. It was grey and cold as they followed behind the hearse and other cars.
Sesshoumaru and InuYasha were pallbearers; they each carried the front end of the casket on either side, for once not glaring at one another or making tense gestures. Today, they were simply two very sad brothers, burying their one and only father.
The ceremony outside was sad; Kagome felt she would be depressed for a good while afterward.
Before everyone turned to leave, something happened that Kagome hadn't expected.
Sesshouamru and InuYasha took a white rose each, and laid it on top of the casket at the same time. They then shook hands over the coffin.
Cassandra watched with fascination; Kagome was simply dumbfounded. When had they made up? The night before, perhaps. . . or maybe, their father would have wanted that.
Not questioning it any further, Kagome left on Sesshouamru's arm to go back to the manor.
When they got in the car she said, "That was sweet."
Sesshoumaru said nothing, just followed the other cars back.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dinner that night was gloomier than the night before. At least, though, the seating arrangements were different. Kagome sat across from one of InuYasha's great aunts; a very chubby woman with jet black hair. She kept referring to her relationship with Sesshoumaru.
"So, tell me dear, how did you two meet?"
Deciding to skip the more complicated parts of the story, she replied simply, "Sesshoumaru is my editor."
"Oh, you're a writer? How delightful! What do you write?"
"Oh, uh, science-fiction, fantasy. . . romance."
At that, the aunt giggled. "Oh, my, that all sounds very interesting. Tell me, what is your book called. . .?"
Later, Kagome escorted a very tired Sesshoumaru back to his room. It had seem like a long day to her, but she knew it really had been for him.
He rubbed his eyes, and smiled at her. She hugged him and left him to rest.
"Wait."
She stopped. "What is it?"
"Are you going straight to bed?"
"No. . . I might read a little. I'm feeling restless."
"Oh. . . all right. Well, when you decide to come to bed. . . stay with me?"
That brought a smile to her lips. "I will."
She left him to himself and went back to her room. She read for about a half hour; she couldn't concentrate. She decided to go downstairs; the marble was cold underneath her feet, and the manor was dark, the blue moonlight making everything look illuminated and surreal.
Her feet took her out into the garden. The night was cool, as it had been for the past few days, and she shivered a little in her black dress.
She walked along, setting a little goal for herself to reach the end of the path. But about halfway, she came across InuYasha.
He was sitting on one of the little white benches, his head down. She seemed to have disturbed him from some deep thinking. He looked up, and when he saw it was her, his eyes shone a little, then died out. The moonlight made his white shirt look crisp, and his hair even more so. "Kagome. . . you're not in bed?"
"Obviously." she sat down beside him. "You don't mind if I join you?"
He shook his head vaguely, not looking at her.
She decided to ask him something that had been on her mind. "How are you, InuYasha? This has been hard for you."
He looked ahead, and sighed. "I'm. . . still in shock. I couldn't tell you right now."
Not knowing how to reply to that, she asked, "How is your mother holding up?"
"About as nicely as I am."
"Sesshoumaru told me what happened with your parents."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She lightened the mood. "You guys have one hell of a confusing family."
He smirked a little. "Tokunawas like to do everything the hard way." he said softly.
She snorted and looked ahead, growing silent once again.
"I miss you, Kagome."
Uh-oh. Kagome sighed. "I don't know what to say to you, InuYasha." she told him helplessly, but kindly.
"You don't have to say anything," he replied, standing up. "I was just letting you know. Good night, Kagome."
She looked up at him and watched him turn away. "Goodnight."
Soon after, she went back inside as well, to Sesshouamru's room. She joined him in bed and melted into his arms, InuYasha's comment not bothering her as much for the rest of the night.
There was nothing she could do about it. So he missed her; he would get over it. She was in love with Sesshoumaru.
That's just the way things were.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Depressing chappie. -_-
But hey - guess what! Over 200 reivews! Pat yourselves on the back! You deserve some news!
*drum roll, please*
There's gonna be a sequal! Ta-da! Does that excite you? I hope it does! It excites me, anyway! A sequal! Yay!
It will be based on InuYasha's quest to find love and will touch up on Sango&Miroku and Kagome&Sesshie's relationships.
"Finding Happiness" has only a few chapters left until completion; the thought made me sad, so I decided to make a yummy, lemony sequal! And - there might be some lemon in one of the next chappies of Happiness. . . I don't know. . . I haven't decided yet. . . but I do look forward to it. ^_~
Love you guys! I love your reviews!
Honey Bee
P.S. Hey, everyone! Check out this fic:
Survivor: Modern day villa by Elementsofmine
You will laugh your ass off. I promise. ^_^ Oh, yeah, review and bug her so she'll update more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"Are you going to tell your brother, now?" Cassandra's soothing voice asked.
InuYasha, who was staring down at the photo album still in his lap, looked up. "Well. . . shouldn't we? He deserves to know."
Cassandra squeezed his hand. "You tell him. I'd rather not say it all again."
InuYasha looked back down and nodded. "Alright. Mom?"
"Yes?"
"I love you, Mom."
Cassandra's eyes filed with tears, and she hugged her son. "I love you, too."
"I want you to find your true love."
Cassandra was silent. "It's too late now, InuYasha."
"No, it's not!"
"My true love is in America. And he is married. And they have children who are your age - "
"When did you stop writing each other?"
"Huh?"
"When did you two stop writing each other?"
"About. . . ten years ago."
"A lot can happen in ten years."
"InuYasha. . . please. Don't worry about me. You worry about building *yourself* a life. I love you and I want you to be happy. And also. . . I have a question."
"Yeah?"
"Why haven't we spoken in two years?"
InuYasha laughed. "Uh. . . me. I was moving around a lot with different jobs. Still thought about you guys a lot, though."
Cassandra smiled. "So what are you doing now? Are you happy?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome yawned. She and Sesshoumaru were still in the library, and it was getting late.
"We should turn in," Sesshoumaru said, reading her thoughts. He had and arm around her shoulder, and was brushing her hair with his fingers.
She sighed. "Yeah. . . are you ready for tomorrow?"
She felt his jaw tighten against her forehead. "Yes. I suppose."
"Are you going to miss him?"
"I don't know. . ."
Behind them, there was the tap of shoes on the marble floor at the door, and someone cleared their throat. "Sesshoumaru?"
They turned their heads to see InuYasha. Kagome caught eyes with him, and he looked away. She and Sesshoumaru stood and went over to him.
InuYasha had what looked like a photo album in his hands, and he looked a little pale. 'He's always looking pale these days,' Kagome told herself grimly.
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"
InuYasha licked his bottom lip self-consciously and said, "Uh, there's something I need to talk to you about."
"We were about to retire."
"You need to know this before tomorrow."
Sesshoumaru's indifferent expression toward his brother softened, but he still kept his guard up. "What is it?"
"It's something about Dad. And your mother. Elizabeth."
Sesshoumaru eyed InuYasha, then nodded a little. "All right."
Kagome watched the entire exchange with interest. They were starting to be nicer to each other. She was proud of them both.
"I'll go to bed, then," she spoke up. "Goodnight." Sesshoumaru smiled at her, and she realized she needed to give him a kiss, but she didn't want to do it in front of InuYasha, who looked like he was expecting it. She settled for kissing him on the cheek, and it was awkward for everyone. When she passed InuYasha, he didn't look at her. She put a hand on his arm meaningfully, then left the room.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
InuYasha's jaw tightened when Kagome touched him. That wasn't what he needed. Images flashed in his mind of their one night together, touching each other, kissing. . . but everything was gone as soon as she left the room. He looked back up at Sesshoumaru and nodded toward the couch.
They sat down a little awkwardly beside one another, and Sesshoumaru asked, "What is that?"
InuYasha looked at the album in his hands. "Look through this," he told his brother, handing it to him.
Sesshoumaru eyed him curiously and did as he was told without argument. At one page, he stopped.
InuYasha saw that he wasn't even all the way through the book. "What?"
Humor in his voice, Sesshoumaru asked, "This is you?" He held the book up and pointed to the picture of InuYasha with a haircut.
InuYasha clenched his teeth. "Yeah."
"You look like a mouse." Smirking.
"I know. Keep going."
Sesshoumaru turned the page and sighed. "Is there a point to this, InuYasha?"
"Yes. If there wasn't, I wouldn't be here." he growled in return. "Keep going."
He watched Sesshoumaru's face as he turned the next two pages without comment. It was bored at first, then his mouth tightened a little. InuYasha reluctantly scooted a little closer to see the page. It was the first picture of Sesshouamru. InuYasha leaned back and continued to watch now that he knew what page he was on.
Sesshoumaru turned to the next page. It would be the one of them and their father, InuYasha remembered. Sesshoumaru's eyes held a little recognition. He turned the page. This would be the picture of him as a baby, his mother and their father. There was no reaction that InuYasha could see as Sesshoumaru turned to the next page.
InuYasha's jaw dropped slightly. He hadn't expected Sesshouamru to cry. It was only little bit, one wouldn't have noticed if they hadn't really looked, but InuYasha saw it. Sesshoumaru's eyes had misted over a little as he looked at the picture of his mother in the red dress.
His brother rubbed his brow, composing himself. He still made no comment as he turned through the rest of the book, shifting in his seat at the pictures, his surprise finally showing when he spoke. "What is this, InuYasha?"
"He always loved her, Sesshoumaru. I know you've always hated him because you thought he didn't, be he never stopped."
"How do you know?'
"My mother told me just now." He finally dove into the whole long story, Sesshoumaru saying nothing the entire time, just listening.
When he finished, InuYasha looked Sesshoumaru expectantly. There was no expression on his face, no reaction.
"Say something."
Sesshoumaru sighed and handed the album back to InuYasha. "I don't *know* what to say. But. . . thank you. . . for telling me." he got up, then looked down at his feet. "I just wish I could've discussed this with one of them."
InuYasha nodded.
Sesshoumaru's eyes searched the rug under his feet. "I. . . InuYasha. . . I want to apologize. . . for the rotten treatment I've always given you. . . I had no idea."
InuYasha's chest swelled at hearing his brother's words. "Thanks, Sesshoumaru. . . that means a lot. But, you didn't know."
Sesshoumaru nodded, then muttered goodnight, and turned away to leave.
InuYasha was left on the couch, where he stayed for a little while longer, the weight of the next day resettling on his shoulders.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome felt someone nudging her bare shoulder, leaning over her in the dark. "Kagome," Sesshoumaru's voice whispered to her.
She rolled over and blinked up at where she assumed he was; she couldn't see a thing.
"Move over," he was saying to her.
Sleepily, she did so, and he climbed in beside her, putting his arms around her. She snuggled her face into his chest and mumbled, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Everything's all right, I'll tell you in the morning."
"Okay." She fell back asleep, and soon, she heard his breathing deepen, nearly in time with her own.
When she awoke the next morning, he was still there, holding her, deep asleep. She took a moment to reflect back on the day she had run back to him, and smiled. She had woken up that morning with that lonely feeling and had tried to imagine his sleeping face in front of her. It had been a mere fantasy then. . . But look at her, now. The thought made the butterflies in Kagome's stomach flutter their wings with excitement.
She then watched with fascination as his eyes opened very slowly, two golden orbs appearing before her. They peered back at her with interest.
She jumped a little when he spoke. "Good morning."
She smiled. "Good morning."
"What time is it?"
"I don't know."
"Better check." his voice sounded thick and gloomy. "The funeral is at 9:00."
Oh, yeah. "Yeah, uh. . . "Kagome checked the clock, "It's 7:30."
He kissed her on the forehead, then sat up, rubbing his eyes. Kagome lay there watching him from behind, as he got up and stretched his arms above his head. She looked at his hair, silky and white, the way it lay down to his shoulder blades. He was still in his clothes from the night before, with the exception of his tux coat and bow tie. He looked absolutely adorable to Kagome as he turned around and looked at her. "Aren't you getting up?"
"Eventually."
"Come on."
"I say *you* should climb back in."
He coughed a little laugh, and smiled, blushing. "Get up." He pulled the covers off her body, revealing her white top and pajama pants, and she shivered and curled up in a ball. He laughed at her.
"Not fair!" she yelled at him, her voice muffled in the pillow.
Still laughing, he grabbed her hands and pulled her up, so she stood in front of him. He stared down at her with a smirk as she yawned, reminding him bizarrely of a cat, and she then wrapped her arms around his neck in a comfortable hug.
When she pulled back, she looked at him with concern. "What was last night about?"
"Last night?"
"With InuYasha."
"Oh, yeah. . . "
She laid out her clothes as he told her the story, and when he was finished, she was brushing her hair, a thoughtful expression on her features. "Wow. . . so he really did love your mother. But I feel so sorry for Cassandra. She never got to be with. . . Jonathan, right?"
"Right. He got married, had children. . ."
Kagome shook her head. "It's a shame."
Sesshoumaru nodded.
She approached him, and ticked her head to the side. "How do you feel about the funeral, now?"
He stared back at her meaningfully. "Very differently. I regret everything. Never getting to know him. Always hating him. . . " he shook his head and his eyes filled with tears.
Kagome could only hug him; she wished she could take back all of those things for him, but she knew she could only help by being there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The casket closed with a muffled *click*. Kagome sat next to Sesshoumaru in the family section of the chapel, squeezing his hand as he stared at his lap, preparing to sit through the prolonged goodbye to his father.
Every now and then, she could hear someone cough; women were sniffling and wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs. InuYasha sat up front with his mother, his arm around her as she sniffled and blew her nose.
The ride out to the cemetery was silent; Sesshouamru drove, and Kagome clicked the radio off. It was grey and cold as they followed behind the hearse and other cars.
Sesshoumaru and InuYasha were pallbearers; they each carried the front end of the casket on either side, for once not glaring at one another or making tense gestures. Today, they were simply two very sad brothers, burying their one and only father.
The ceremony outside was sad; Kagome felt she would be depressed for a good while afterward.
Before everyone turned to leave, something happened that Kagome hadn't expected.
Sesshouamru and InuYasha took a white rose each, and laid it on top of the casket at the same time. They then shook hands over the coffin.
Cassandra watched with fascination; Kagome was simply dumbfounded. When had they made up? The night before, perhaps. . . or maybe, their father would have wanted that.
Not questioning it any further, Kagome left on Sesshouamru's arm to go back to the manor.
When they got in the car she said, "That was sweet."
Sesshoumaru said nothing, just followed the other cars back.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dinner that night was gloomier than the night before. At least, though, the seating arrangements were different. Kagome sat across from one of InuYasha's great aunts; a very chubby woman with jet black hair. She kept referring to her relationship with Sesshoumaru.
"So, tell me dear, how did you two meet?"
Deciding to skip the more complicated parts of the story, she replied simply, "Sesshoumaru is my editor."
"Oh, you're a writer? How delightful! What do you write?"
"Oh, uh, science-fiction, fantasy. . . romance."
At that, the aunt giggled. "Oh, my, that all sounds very interesting. Tell me, what is your book called. . .?"
Later, Kagome escorted a very tired Sesshoumaru back to his room. It had seem like a long day to her, but she knew it really had been for him.
He rubbed his eyes, and smiled at her. She hugged him and left him to rest.
"Wait."
She stopped. "What is it?"
"Are you going straight to bed?"
"No. . . I might read a little. I'm feeling restless."
"Oh. . . all right. Well, when you decide to come to bed. . . stay with me?"
That brought a smile to her lips. "I will."
She left him to himself and went back to her room. She read for about a half hour; she couldn't concentrate. She decided to go downstairs; the marble was cold underneath her feet, and the manor was dark, the blue moonlight making everything look illuminated and surreal.
Her feet took her out into the garden. The night was cool, as it had been for the past few days, and she shivered a little in her black dress.
She walked along, setting a little goal for herself to reach the end of the path. But about halfway, she came across InuYasha.
He was sitting on one of the little white benches, his head down. She seemed to have disturbed him from some deep thinking. He looked up, and when he saw it was her, his eyes shone a little, then died out. The moonlight made his white shirt look crisp, and his hair even more so. "Kagome. . . you're not in bed?"
"Obviously." she sat down beside him. "You don't mind if I join you?"
He shook his head vaguely, not looking at her.
She decided to ask him something that had been on her mind. "How are you, InuYasha? This has been hard for you."
He looked ahead, and sighed. "I'm. . . still in shock. I couldn't tell you right now."
Not knowing how to reply to that, she asked, "How is your mother holding up?"
"About as nicely as I am."
"Sesshoumaru told me what happened with your parents."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She lightened the mood. "You guys have one hell of a confusing family."
He smirked a little. "Tokunawas like to do everything the hard way." he said softly.
She snorted and looked ahead, growing silent once again.
"I miss you, Kagome."
Uh-oh. Kagome sighed. "I don't know what to say to you, InuYasha." she told him helplessly, but kindly.
"You don't have to say anything," he replied, standing up. "I was just letting you know. Good night, Kagome."
She looked up at him and watched him turn away. "Goodnight."
Soon after, she went back inside as well, to Sesshouamru's room. She joined him in bed and melted into his arms, InuYasha's comment not bothering her as much for the rest of the night.
There was nothing she could do about it. So he missed her; he would get over it. She was in love with Sesshoumaru.
That's just the way things were.
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Depressing chappie. -_-
But hey - guess what! Over 200 reivews! Pat yourselves on the back! You deserve some news!
*drum roll, please*
There's gonna be a sequal! Ta-da! Does that excite you? I hope it does! It excites me, anyway! A sequal! Yay!
It will be based on InuYasha's quest to find love and will touch up on Sango&Miroku and Kagome&Sesshie's relationships.
"Finding Happiness" has only a few chapters left until completion; the thought made me sad, so I decided to make a yummy, lemony sequal! And - there might be some lemon in one of the next chappies of Happiness. . . I don't know. . . I haven't decided yet. . . but I do look forward to it. ^_~
Love you guys! I love your reviews!
Honey Bee
P.S. Hey, everyone! Check out this fic:
Survivor: Modern day villa by Elementsofmine
You will laugh your ass off. I promise. ^_^ Oh, yeah, review and bug her so she'll update more.