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Chapter Ten: A Matter of Respect & Trust
Kagome's mother looked around her living room. Her son, Sota, was playing video games with younger girl named Rin. Grandpa, who was supposed to be watching them was fast asleep on his favorite chair. Instead the demon, whom was Rin's guardian, stood off to the side, his amber eyes fixated on the two children. Kagome was no where to be seen.
Still up in her room, I see, Mrs. Higurashi thought. "Sesshomaru-sama," she saw the demon's gaze snapped to meet her own. "Kagome has been up in her room all day. Could you check on her for me? I'll watch the little ones." Hesitantly, he went upstairs, and Kagome's mother smiled to herself, knowingly.
No one had ever asked him to do something before with actually thinking he'd do it. Kagome's mother seemed not to care that he was a full demon unlike his half-breed brother who had also come here before. He wasn't sure if that bothered him or not. It was nice that Mrs. Higurashi didn't stare at him or show any prejudice toward him because of what he was. With that came no massive amount of fear. It was a different feeling then he was used to.
Kagome's family was a mystery to him. Her father wasn't around anymore. It went unsaid that he had passed on already. Her younger brother, Sota, was a good playmate for Rin. He hardly had to keep an eye on her due to Kagome's brother always being present. Then there was the old man, her grandfather. He was the main mystery. He was quite eccentric. When Sesshomaru had first arrived, the old man had tried to use spells against him, fearing for the safety of his family from a demon.
Lastly there was Mrs. Higurashi. Of all the members in the Higurashi family, she was his favorite. She didn't hate him immediately on sight, she didn't' pest him with a million questions and most importantly, she didn't constantly draw conclusions dealing with traits shared between him and Inuyasha. He had a weird feeling that somehow she understood him.
This place, Tokyo, was also strange. The buildings were tall and narrow. Everything seemed to be made of metal. There were awkward demons running around at all hours covered in steel armor. Kagome had told him they were modes of transportation called automobiles. Some were referred to as cars, others buses, and still others were named trucks.
In this time, hundreds of years in the present, people knew little of demons, so he wasn't permitted to leave the Shrine area. The restriction on his freedom didn't bother him because it kept him indoors. He was outraged that he had to obey mortals. Never had he taken a direct order from anyone, least of all a human, yet he was doing it right now without complaint.
Kagome's bedroom door was partially open. Sesshomaru assumed she was decent and walked inside. She was sitting at her desk by the window. In front of her was a paper along with one of the textbooks she had shown Rin. She was scratching madly away, not acknowledging him at all. She must have not heard him come in. "What are you doing in here?" Or so he had thought.
Clearing his throat, he said, "Your mother asked me to check on you."
"I don't need a babysitter," she grumbled in reply, turning away from him to stare out the window.
"I didn't say you did," he replied dryly. Why was everything a battle with her? He hadn't used a deliberate tone with her or shown an attitude, and yet she still had to be difficult.
Silence.
Kagome said nothing, just continued to stare out the window. Sesshomaru hadn't been the one to put her in a bad mood. The moment she had begun to catch up on her homework, Hojo had called. As usual, he had wanted a date. When she declined, telling him she had too much work, he had told her he was coming to pick her up in an hour anyway so they could catch a movie.
"I never finished my interrogation," Sesshomaru told her. She was a bit startled. She had thought he had returned downstairs. He had certainly been quite. "I had one more question to ask you that night in the garden."
"Okay," she sighed, "since you obviously aren't going to leave me alone, you might as well ask me now, your lordliness."
"Do you still love my brother?"
Questions didn't get more straight to the point then that. Kagome closed her eyes, trying to think, searching for the truth within her own heart. How could she love someone who was in love with another? When she had come back to the Bone Eater's Well to visit her family, he had been there, waiting for her. Kikyo was not around. He had waited an entire month. What did that mean? Inuyasha still maintained that he was in love with Kikyo, so where did that leave her? Where it always leaves me, she thought, with more confusion and less answers.
Sesshomaru watched mixed emotions run across Kagome's face. It was her own inner battle to have feelings for his half-demon brother or not. For some reason he was hoping her love for Inuyasha had withered away. He didn't have feelings for Kagome, but he felt protective of her. He didn't want her to be hurt by Inuyasha again.
"Kagome?"
She glanced up at him. "I don't know," she whispered, ashamed with herself for maybe still loving a man who would never return her love.
An anger that rivaled his longing to protect her coursed through his veins. He stepped forward, pulling her up out of her chair, so she was standing in front of him. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he shook the human girl. "Dammit Kagome! Don't you see it? He's not worth it. He can't see what he has lost. Everyday I watch you missing him as if he'd going to come back for you. He doesn't see you for what you are and can be!" Sesshomaru shouted, his voice carrying through the house.
"Which is?" Kagome questioned, irritated.
Realizing what he was doing, he loosened his firm grip on her, his eyes calming down as he took a good look at her. He inhaled deeply. "You were born to be a priestess and you were blessed with a tremendous amount of power," he told her softly. "That doesn't make you who you are. Kikyo had the same powers, but her heart was easily corrupted by hate and mistrust. I have seen your inner suffering, but you have yet to fall victim to the same thing that she did. You are beautiful, young, full of hope and love. Let no one take that from you."
"Is that the real reason this bothers you, or just because you don't want your brother to beat you again?"
"You think this is about something as childish as that?" he hollered. Kagome nodded, a simple gesture that made him flip out. "It would shock you if I actually showed some small form of caring since you've been so kind to Rin, wouldn't it?" he snarled. "You berate me for having no emotions, but at the same time, I'm too much of a monster to have any emotions. Which is it, Kagome?"
Tears brimmed at the edges of her eyes at the harshness of his words. "Get out of my room," she hissed angrily, pointing toward the door.
"Fine," he growled, "I do not care to stay." And with that he stormed out, leaving Kagome all alone.
He returned downstairs storming into the kitchen where Mrs. Higurashi happened to be.
"You look unhappy, Sesshomaru," she remarked, pouring herself a cup of tea. Thinking better of it, she poured another cup for him. "Was Kagome angry with you?"
"She wants me to have feelings but in those feelings she had no faith. She is just too stubborn to let me be good. In her eyes I will always be nothing more than a demon monster."
Kagome's mother shook her head. "You are going about this the wrong way. It's not so much a matter of stubbornness, it's a matter of trust. She needs to trust you and hold your trust for her in return." The wise woman paused, taking a sip of her tea. "You are mad with Kagome because she won't give you a chance, but have you given her a chance with her conflicting thoughts toward your brother?"
Sesshomaru opened his mouth to answer when the doorbell rang. His large ears twitched at the sound and he stared down at Mrs. Higurashi expectantly. "Someone's at the front door," she explained, leaving the kitchen to answer it. As she did, a blaze of color went past her. "Kagome Gena Higurashi," the woman cried, "Just where do you think you are going?"
Kagome's shoulders slumped as she opened the front door to reveal Hojo. He was holding flowers. When he saw her, he handed them over. "You look lovely, Kagome," he beamed, his eyes going up and down her body.
Sesshomaru knew his eyes were turning red again. No matter how he tried he couldn't force the angry possessive growl in his throat down. This human was trying to court Kagome. Past her false smile he could sense her unease at going with him. Before he could stop himself, he stepped forward, wrapping one arm around her waist. "And who are you?" he demanded, aware of Kagome's confused eyes on him.
Hojo fidgeted nervously. "My name is Hojo. I'm a friend of Kagome's from school."
Maybe it was the way this mortal quaked with obvious fear, or how jealous he was becoming. Either way, Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome, dressed in a short khaki shirt and a red top and he couldn't let her walk out the door. Instead he slammed it shut, wordlessly, right in Hojo's face, emanating a giggle from Mrs. Higurashi.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Kagome shouted at him.
"I'm surprised you care what I do," he replied. "You did not want to go with him and you know it. I can see it in your eyes and smell it in the air. You do not like that Hojo character at all," he insisted.
"At least he has manners," she shouted, reaching for the doorknob.
Sesshomaru grabbed her from behind, tossing her over his shoulder. "You are not leaving this house until we discuss some things," he told her.
"I have a date!" she screamed, beating her fists on his muscular back.
"Not today you don't," he dropped her onto the couch aside of Rin, who had been watching this entire exchange along with Sota. Grandpa had now woken up due to the yelling. As for Mrs. Higurashi, Kagome's mother was standing by the kitchen, smiling. "Stay here," he ordered.
The great demon lord went to the front door, and opened it. Hojo, naïve and confused as ever, was still standing there. "Hi, I'm here to pick up Kagome."
"Yes, well, I'm afraid she is no longer interested in your offer. Good day." And for the second time that day in the last five minutes, Hojo was met by Kagome's front door.
Outraged that Sesshomaru would dare to do such a think to her, Kagome ran up to her room. If he wasn't going to let her go where she pleased, he wasn't' going to get his discussion. She made a point of locking the door when she gave it a good slam shut.
He had no respect for her at all. It was positively rude the way he treated her. Had it not been for Rin there was no way she would be staying with him. In fact she would have kicked him out of the shrine the very moment he dared to interfere with Hojo. He had her stuck though. He knew she was in a position where his charge mattered more to her than she should have. He knew she wasn't going to leave Rin just because of how he behaved. And this annoyed her to no end.
Why did he have to be so cold? First he yelled at her, telling her she contradicted herself, then he made her date leave. What was next? Was he going to tease her about the feelings she might still have Inuyasha? Would he tell his brother so she would be so humiliated she'd work in his castle forever? What was he going to do to her?
She wondered what her mother thought of all this. Maybe she could convince her to send Sesshomaru away. If it was just her and Rin things would be fine. Somehow she doubted Sesshomaru would let her stay in Tokyo with his charge. After all, he didn't trust her at all.
Downstairs, in the kitchen, Sesshomaru was pacing back and forth, his hands behind his back. "What does she want of me?" he asked out loud.
"I've told you once, don't make me repeat myself," Mrs. Higurashi commented, entering the kitchen from the living room. She was carrying a snack tray, which the children had emptied of food. "Kagome is a tough one and you are too. It makes sense that the two of you butt heads. What you two need to learn is some respect and trust. Now would you please give me a hand with dinner?"
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Sota turned off his game. Rin was pouting, but she wasn't too upset since they were going to eat dinner. Mrs. Higurashi had asked Sota to go fetch Kagome, since Sesshomaru was not speaking to his sister. The two were worse than when Inuyasha came to stay with them. Sota wondered when his sister was going to come to her senses and just tell the Lord of the Western Lands that she loved him.
If he could tell that she had feelings for the demon, why didn't she acknowledge them? It wasn't like Sesshomaru would send her away. Sota had a pretty good feeling that the great youkai cared for his sister in return. The only problem was getting them to admit their feelings so they could be together.
"Sis," he rapped on Kagome's door, "it's time for dinner."
"Thanks Sota," Kagome called out, from within her bedroom. After what had happened with Hojo, she had confined herself to her room, not wanting to speak to anyone. She was mad at Hojo for insisting that she go on the date with him. She was mad at her mother for not stopping the Lord of the Western Lands. She was mad at Sesshomaru for making Hojo leave, but mostly, she was mad at herself.
Opening the door, she walked out, leaving her "safe house" for the kitchen where they would be eating. Rin was sitting aside of Sesshomaru. Grandpa and her mother were at opposite heads of the table. There were only two empty places on the other side, as Sota had not yet come in the room. Kagome took the seat closest to her mother and across from Rin, doing anything in her power to get away from Sesshomaru.
His amber eyes flashed everywhere in the room besides where she was. Kagome wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. Finally, Sota took his seat and dinner began in silence, at least for a few precious minutes.
"I thought of a really good sickness for you!" Grandpa announced, grinning in her direction. Oh no! Kagome panicked, turning red. "When you're gone this time, you can be suffering from a cold."
Kagome nearly choked on her oden. "A cold, Grandpa?"
"Yes."
"Oye," she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. She had survived countless numbers of demon attacks and helped bring down Naraku, but a tiny cold could keep her home. Amazing.
The rest of dinner was less eventful. After eating, Kagome ventured outside to the shrine, thankful that it was Sota's turn to do the dishes. Using a ladder, she climbed up onto the well house's roof so she could gaze at the stars. Alone without the noisy ruckus of the others, she relaxed under the night sky.
Closing her eyes, she leaned back on her elbows. A cool night's breeze passed over her, fanning her face. The long day's stress slowly dissolved until she was at peace. She didn't see or hear the silent approach of Sesshomaru as he flew over to her side and landed on the roof.
"Mind if I join you?"
Kagome lifted her face, opening her eyes to look at him. "Why are you so nasty to me?" she asked, innocently. He sat there for a moment, gazing at her house, but not saying a word in response. "Don't' you respect me at all?"
That word made his ears twitch. Wasn't respect and trust what Kagome's mother had been talking about? He cleared his throat, ignoring her first question. "I trust you Kagome," he told her softly, using her first name for the first time. This made her stare at him, her eyes going wide. "You have proven to me that you will do all you can to help Rin. I would trust someone, who treats a child like that, at my back. Therefore, I have complete trust in you, Kagome Higurashi."
She didn't know what to say. Her throat seemed to close up. Inuyasha had never apologized in such a formal or moving way before. This was completely unexpected. She wasn't sure if Sesshomaru was ill or finally deciding to be kinder to her.
"Do you trust me?"
Before she could reply, he had pulled her closer, one arm wrapped around the front of her and one wrapped around the back. Kagome glanced up at him, surprised. She was all but sitting on his lap.
"Trust me," he whispered, his proximity making her shiver. He pulled her raven hair away from her neck until her pale skin was exposed. She gasped as she felt his razor sharp fangs glide across her neck. His arms tightened around her so she couldn't move. One wrong twitch and he could accidentally pierce her throat. He ran his fangs down the length of her bare skin again, delighted when she didn't seem to repulse him.
Kagome knew that when a demon mated, it was for life. Koga had taught her that. Also, when they did this, the demon marked the female as his own by leaving a mark on the area of her skin, either the neck or the collarbone. The dangerous game Sesshomaru was playing could easily kill her, or mark her forever as his, either way, he could take advantage of this moment, but he didn't and she trusted him.
What happened next was the inevitable. He kissed her. Pulling back from her, he had had the desire, the great sudden urgency to feel that skin on his lips. Within a split second he had made up his mind and his mouth was pressed where his teeth had once been. For the second time in the last five minutes, Kagome gasped.
Realizing what he had done, he jerked back, his golden eyes staring into her doe brown ones. For several long moments, they only looked at one another, breathing in unison, unsure what to do next. Thoughts rushed through their minds, clouding their main priorities.
"I ask for forgiveness," Sesshomaru broke the silence. "That was out of line. I'm sorry for chasing your suitor away this afternoon, and I apologize for that."
It took Kagome a moment to recover. She had been baffled by his first apology, but now it was being followed by another two. "It's alright," she whispered, running a finger down her neckline. "I don't care about Hojo that way. We could only ever be friends, just like Koga and I. I've just never been able to turn Hojo away before."
Sesshomaru glanced down at the girl he was holding, careful not to lock gazes with her. It could do dangerous things to one's mind. He had already kissed her once. He'd be breaking all he stood for if he did it again. He wasn't meant to care for humans. He took care of Rin only because she attempted to help him. But Kagome helps me, he thought. Shaking his head, he gracefully leapt off the roof to the ground. Kagome had no time to call after him before he disappeared back inside her house.
She wondered what had unnerved him so. Was he upset about the kiss? If so, why had he waited until now to leave? Worried about what was going on, she climbed down, off the roof, and followed him into her home.
Entering the house, she wasn't surprised to find Sota, Rin, and Grandpa asleep in front of the television. Over the past few days, Grandpa had taken an interest in the video games Sota was teaching Rin. Together the three had tried to beat the newest one of Sota's collection.
Mom must already be sleeping, she though. Gathering Rin up in her arms, she moved the child, carrying her up into her Grandpa's room so she wouldn't be disturbed in the morning. Returning back to the living room, she tucked Grandpa away under a blanket so he wouldn't catch cold. Finally, it came to Sota. It was harder to pick him up off the floor, but she did and she placed him on the couch so he wouldn't wake Sesshomaru if the lord were asleep.
Content, she returned to her room, but paused in the doorway. Trust me, Sesshomaru's voice filled her brain. She took a deep breath. Thinking it through, she changed into her pajamas, turned around, and went to Sota's room. Lying on his back, Sesshomaru was sleeping on the bed, propped up by his white boa. She hesitated for a moment, then walked over, settling down by his side. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and shoulder, letting one arm lie across his chest. Then, she drifted off to sleep.
Sesshomaru smiled, though he would never have admitted it to anyone else. As soon as the girl's breathing had slowed and he knew she was asleep, he wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. Mrs. Higurashi had been right. You need to learn some respect and trust. That was what she had said. Obviously the woman was wise, because now, he was lying here with a beautiful miko in his arms. And so, as the moon rode across the sky, the Lord of the Western Lands crossed into sleep.
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Warmth. The comfort of another's body pressed against him. Sesshomaru dared to open his eyes. Kagome was lying curled up against him. As he had the night before, he grinned down at her pretty face, so angelic in slumber. How could it have taken this long for him to realize it?
He trailed one finger down her cheekbone. Her skin was soft, like the pure white feather of a dove. His smile widened. What had he done to deserve a moment like this? He wondered what it would be like to wake up every morning with her in his arms. Just then, there was a huge crash from downstairs. Feeling immediately protective, he left a low growl come free of his throat as he got off the bed.
"KAGOME!" a familiar roar echoed through the house. It was only his half-breed brother, Inuyasha. "KAGOME, where are YOU!?!"
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A/N: So what did you think? This was the first real time that Kagome and Fluffy had some romantic time, but of course, just when things were getting good, Inuyasha has to come in to ruin it all. Alas! What is a young couple to do? REVIEW! Please? ~ Nev