Still taint owning these characters. Trust me, the characters are so not mine; I could never create something as popular as Inuyasha.
Chapter 12
Sesshomaru decided that it might be best for him to leave his wife alone and allow her to work things out on her own because that was what it seemed like she wanted. Actually, she seemed to just want him to leave her alone point blank and end of story. It seemed like the best thing for him to do since she was not trying to take anything that he was offering her.
The bad thing was that Kikyo did not seem to be helping herself either. She did not even seem to be trying to do anything. Sesshomaru was tempted to recommend that she see a doctor about it, but he remembered that he was giving her the space that she wanted.
She retreated deeper into the shell that she was building around herself until she came to a point where Sesshomaru was certain that she would be cold to the touch, if he touched her anymore anyway. She seemed so offended by his mere presence sometimes that he figured that she might strike him should he even think to touch her. It seemed that he was the only one that noticed that she was now dead because no one else brought the subject up.
The silver-haired male was thankful to be working on a few time-consuming cases. It gave him an excuse to not go home and he did not have to put up with that ghost woman that was once his wife. It was not that she had a vexing disposition or anything, but she ignored him and he did not feel like sharing a space with someone who acted like she did not want to be there. Who would want to deal with a woman that acted like a zombie, anyway? She was a passionless phantom, floating around the house in a neutral misery, and he felt that it would be best to just let her go for the moment. Surely, she would get herself together at some point in time; he had faith in her to do so.
All right, after a while, Sesshomaru conceded that his wife was not getting any better, nor was she attempting to get any better from what he could tell. Fine, he mentally sighed. She could go ahead and act like the world was coming to an end and she was the only one that knew it. He did not need to put up with her attitude anymore and he refused to even consider putting up with any longer. The decision was easy since she was not acknowledging him anymore, so he could not even offer up any assistance. She was not his problem anymore, he decided, not that he would ever figure out how he came to that conclusion.
Sesshomaru was not sure how the next mishap came into being, but it was a mishap indeed. Actually it was more like a catastrophe by anyone's calculations. It might be the only thing he actually admitted to as a mistake on his part because of the severity of it. He knew for certain that it had been wrong of him to do, but he had done a lot of so-called wrong things in his life.
It was something that happened gradually. Tsubaki had been a client, a good-looking and intelligent client. She had invited him to dinner to celebrate him saving her from a couple of years worth of jail time on charges that she had been embezzling from the company that she worked for, which she actually had been. One thing led to another thing and another thing pretty much led to what he believed was equivalent to the collapse of the Roman Empire.
The first time that Sesshomaru woke up next to Tsubaki, all he could ask himself was what was he thinking. How could he do such a thing? He could hardly fathom that he had done such a thing as to sleep with a woman when his wife was home and grieving. He actually felt like the scum of the Earth, as if he had not only betrayed his beloved, but himself as well. He had played his honor, loyalty, and love cheaply with his actions.
So, the golden-eyed male immediately went home and looked at Kikyo, who was sleeping; she appeared angelic and fragile when she was out in such a manner. She seemed like the opposite of what he knew about Tsubaki. He showered and lay down next to his wife. He tried to hold her, but she resisted him in even in her sleep, which he did not appreciate in the slightest. He guessed that was the reason why the next time he woke up next to Tsubaki, he went back to sleep and no troubling thoughts crept into his mind.
Kikyo never showed any signs of suspecting Sesshomaru of any infidelity. She dragged around the house like always, like the walking corpse she had turned into. She eyed him with a gaze that seemed to look through him when he was home. He remained stoic, so as not to show any signs of his disloyalty.
Sesshomaru disliked looking at his actions as not being loyal to Kikyo. She had been the one that acted like she despised being near him; she was the one that acted as if she did not need him. He was merely giving her all of the space that she desired. He was not going to stop his life just because she was trying to stop hers.
-8-8-8-8-
"Beloved, would you like to do anything for our third anniversary?" Sesshomaru asked Kikyo over breakfast.
"No," Kikyo answered plainly.
"Are you certain?" he asked curiously, taken aback by her blunt reply. It seemed like an odd response to him. What woman did not want to do something with her husband on their anniversary? Besides, she had shown signs of being partial to the day in the past. So, why did she not wish to do anything now?
"I am," she responded dispassionately, as if his offer meant nothing to her anyway.
"You don't want to go out?" he inquired to be certain.
"You'll be working," she replied in an almost dismissive tone. She had learned better than to think of their anniversary as something special. Their marriage hardly existed and what was there certainly did not need to be celebrated; she was aware that he knew that as well as she did.
"Well, yes, I will, but I can come home at a decent hour and take you out," he offered rather politely, not even sounding like himself, which he was not aware of.
"It's all right," she assured him. She did not want him to pretend to have any obligation toward her when it was clear from his past actions that she meant very little to him.
Sesshomaru was not sure why, but he thought that it was very peculiar that Kikyo did not want to do anything for their anniversary. He thought that he would be able to make up for forgetting their first anniversary, not to mention being out of town on their second one to do research for a case. She was not giving him the chance to make up for his earlier actions, he thought. Difficult zombie woman, he mentally huffed. He decided to leave her to her death-like state, where she seemed so thoroughly pleased to stay, and he actually spent his third wedding anniversary with Tsubaki.
Sesshomaru took Tsubaki out for a very expensive meal at a very exclusive restaurant. It was something that he would have never done with Kikyo because such things did not impress her; in fact, he knew that over-the-top elegance made Kikyo uncomfortable. Tsubaki was thoroughly entertained by all of the glamour, so he indulged her with an even more elaborate hotel room. He refused to acknowledge the fact that he was not nearly as entertained by everything as she was. In fact, he was kind of bored, but he did not want to admit that to himself. What he was doing now, he mentally insisted, was better than being with that dead woman in his home.
-8-8-8-8-
For their anniversary, Kikyo sat at home at the table, which was empty. She had not bothered to cook; she knew better than to do that. She was just staring at the table as if she was attempting to burn a hole in it with her gaze. She was more than aware that her husband was not going to come home, but she sat there anyway. She seethed in silence, wishing that things were different between her and her husband.
Sesshomaru came in the next morning to find Kikyo sitting up in their bed. She stared at him while he ignored her. He went to take a shower and changed into some new clothes. He was about to walk out of the door to go to work, but she stopped him by actually speaking to him. He was almost surprised to hear her voice.
"What is it about her that makes you go to her?" Kikyo asked in a curious, but plain tone. It was like she was asking any other question that held trivial importance rather than showing that she was very aware of what her husband did when he stayed away from home.
"Excuse me?" Sesshomaru asked as if he had no clue as to what she was talking about.
"What is it about her that makes you go to her?"
He wanted to tell her it was that Tsubaki had a pulse, but he did not even want to acknowledge Tsubaki to her. That would make the betrayal real. That would make it his fault and he was never at fault. So, he decided to dance around the issue.
"What is it you're trying to imply?" Sesshomaru inquired.
"You're just like Inuyasha," Kikyo replied, even though she knew that would get a charge out of her husband. She did not care since it was the truth. She guessed that he was where Inuyasha got his talent for betrayal.
Sesshomaru frowned. "And what's that supposed to mean?" he inquired while getting his emotions under control. How dare she compare him to his stupid little brother? He just wanted to yell at her for being who she was, the dead woman living in his house, because of her distasteful words. Why did he even bother with her?
"Never mind it," Kikyo said in a dismissive tone. It did not make a difference, she supposed. Getting her answers would not make him halt and it would not set her at ease in any way, shape, or form.
"Kikyo …" Sesshomaru muttered. "Perhaps we should get a divorce," he proposed in his usual tone of voice, as if it was nothing at all, as if that was what he originally planned to suggest.
"Perhaps," she answered. Apparently, their marriage was dead and it was time to bury it unceremoniously without any honors.
Sesshomaru did not say anything further. He left for work and then he went to go pick Kikyo up from work, as she decided to do summer school that year. She knew that if she did not work, then she would be alone for two months. He found that she was not there waiting for him like she was supposed to. He looked around, wondering where she was, and then waited for almost an hour. She never showed up. He went to the house, thinking that she might be home already. He just wanted to make sure that she was all right. She was not home, though.
Sesshomaru searched the house and found that all of Kikyo's things were gone. She acted quickly, he would give her that. She had only taken the things that were exclusively hers; her movie collection, her books, her clothes, and of course Fluffy. She even left him a note that merely said "Bye." He expected as much from her, even though deep down in a place he did not even want to acknowledge, he wanted more from her than that.
The silver-haired male was thankful that his wife was not particularly malicious. If she were truly malevolent, she would have at least destroyed his things while she was gathering her belongings. She had not molested any of his possessions; the worse thing she had done was obey him.
Sesshomaru tried to tell himself that he was glad to be rid of Kikyo. There was no reason to want to be around a person that acted so dead all of the time when she had such a nice life. He gave her everything that she could possibly need and want, yet she acted as if it was not good enough. She acted as if nothing was ever good enough for her. If she wanted to pretend that the world was Hell, then that was her business, but he certainly did not need that in his life.
Without having Kikyo to worry about, Sesshomaru thought that there would be some order in his life. He could work as late as necessary without thinking about picking her up, or how she was home alone. He could see Tsubaki whenever he wished without having it bother his conscience. He could do whatever pleased him and he did not have to ponder on Kikyo.
It took a while, but Sesshomaru did begin to wonder about his wife. She was fragile creature, well he thought so anyway, and he had not heard from her since the day that he suggested they divorce. He wondered if he should call her or if he should go by her job. He decided against both of those; he told himself that he did not need to put up with her anymore.
Sesshomaru told himself that he was free of Kikyo. He was unburdened by her haunting presence. He did not need or what to be bothered by her. Yet, he ended up calling her anyway after some days of separation.
"Yes?" Kikyo answered her cell phone in her usual monotone voice, even though she was well aware who was phoning her.
"Kikyo?" Sesshomaru asked, even though he knew that it was her. He did not think it was possible for him to forget her low, almost sultry voice.
"Yes."
"How are you?" he inquired for lack of a better question to ask.
"Well. And yourself?"
"I am well also," he answered.
"To what do I owe the honor of this call?" she asked.
"I was merely wondering how you are doing, where you are staying, and if you need anything," he answered.
"I am with my mother," she informed him, which answered all three of his questions.
"Oh." Sesshomaru could imagine how her mother was graciously gloating about being right about him. He wondered if she told her mother about the fact that he had another woman. He doubted that she told her mother such news because it was a rather private matter and, even though she was close to her mother, he did not think such words would ever leave her mouth about their problems.
"Anything else?" Kikyo inquired, sounding normal for her, but the question seemed to imply a desire to get off of the phone with him.
"No," he stated plainly because he could not think of anything else to ask her. He did not think that he should have called in the first anyway.
"All right. Goodbye," Kikyo said and she disconnected the call.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: So, divorce or no divorce that is the question. Next chapter has the answer.