Her smell still clung to his clothing. If he closed his eyes and pictured her face, then sorted slowly beneath all the layers of blood and grime and sweat, he could detect it. His Kagome.

Inuyasha had limped away from the hut he'd been confined to. He needed time alone—time to think, to heal. Time to mourn, for he was told that she was dead. Sesshomaru wasn't known to take hostages.

He seated himself atop a pile of crunchy leaves, as far from the village he could get without arousing suspicion. He then stared into nowhere and repeated three words in his mind: 'Kagome is dead'. They felt wrong to think or say, as if admitting she was gone would make it so. Miroku insisted that he'd have to accept her death and move on, and that monk was no stranger to heartbreak. So Inuyasha tried again.

'Kagome is dead'. He felt dirty, right down to his soul, for thinking that unthinkable thought.

"You healed over Kikyo. Give it time, Inuyasha." Miroku's well-meaning words drifted through his sore head. But he hadn't healed over Kikyo, not really. There were still times when he caught shadows out of the corner of his eye and almost, just almost, believed for a second that it was her. Now he'd have two ghosts following him.

Only Kagome couldn't be dead. How could she be, when her scent sto;; lingered around him? He fingered a dead leaf in between in claws before crushing it. He watched the ragged remains filter through his fingers and land beside a few scattered blades of brown grass. An image of Kagome's smiling face swam in front of his eyes. It then faded into a skull, none of her left in the dry bones, and crumbled into dust. A gust of cool wind blew away the broken leaf, and Inuyasha suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He leaned over and thought he would vomit; yet nothing came out. He narrowed his tired, red-ringed eyes at the dirt beneath his feet and wondered how long she would have lived anyway.

She was there, running down a path towards him and the village. She was clad in a large white shirt, so beautiful with her black hair, kicking up colours. She smiled, all radiant and glowing like an angel. It wasn't real--it was Naraku. It was a ghost. It was Kikyo all over again. Then he was up on his feet and running on his broken ankle towards this beautiful illusion. He ran blindly, because it was Kagome.

She jumped into his arms and his ankle gave out. They both fell down laughing. She clung to his chest in the dirt and wished time would stop.

Inuyasha almost cried. He touched her, ran his fingers through her tangled hair, breathed in her life. She was alive; he was whole. "I thought you were dead."

"I'm not." Kagome pretended time didn't exist, and almost forgot the Taiyoukai lurking in the dark.

Inuyasha ran his hand along her shirt. "Why didn't he kill you? Why're you in his shirt?" Hot dread clutched at Inuyasha's throat.

"I was cold and he gave it to me. He… he wants me to show him around Tokyo. Nothing sexual, don't worry. I'm human, remember?"

"Tokyo?" Inuyasha wished that Tetsusaiga sat on his hip. "We can't allow that."

Kagome shifted onto her side and rested her head on her arm. She watched him breathe, watched him think, watched him feel. He showed so much more than his brother. "I have no choice."

"I'll kill him."

Kagome's heart sank. Inuyasha's immaturity always shone through at the worst moments. "Don't. He agreed not to hurt you."

"He what!"

Kagome brushed silver hairs off of Inuyasha's smooth forehead gently, trying to calm him. "Please, Inuyasha. For me."

"So what am I supposed to do? Let him steal you away again?"

"Yes. If I cooperate, he won't kill me. Just let me go along with him. He'll only be with me for a month."

Inuyasha sat up. A few leaves clung to his disheveled hair. "A month! You're going to let that bloodthirsty creature stay with you for a month?"

Kagome plucked out the foliage clinging to the white strands, standing tall against his anger. He didn't scare her anymore. "Yes. I am."

Inuyasha wrapped his arms protectively around her, so that her head lay against his chest. "Don't leave me, Kagome. Please--you can't do this." His voice was cracking.

Guilt hit Kagome head-on. Was did everything always have to be her fault? She resented this part of him: his dependant, childish streak.

Kagome lay against him for a few moments, listening to his heartbeat. She tried to stand up, but his arms held her to him. "Inuyasha, I need to go. I said I'd only be a few minutes."

He tightened his arms and nuzzled her hair. "I won't let you." He purred.

Anger swelled in Kagome's chest. 'He never focuses on the big picture.' She was frustrated with herself because she really wanted to love all of him, and not just the parts she liked. His flaws flashed red in her mind; she felt like a liar in their relationship. "Inuyasha, I need to go. I'm sorry."

Inuyasha let go of her. She stood up and brushed herself off, then extended a hand to him. He simply huffed and pouted at her. She shrugged, and told herself that there wasn't anything else she could do. "Goodbye Inuyasha." She tried to keep it lighthearted. "I'll see you soon, okay? I'll be fine."

He struggled to smile for her. She felt like the biggest bitch; he really did love her. "Bye Kagome. I'll wait here for you! Tell my idiot brother that the next time I see him he'll be six feet under!"

Kagome lingered over the hanyou for just a second, wondering how long he'd wait if she never did come back. He sat dejectedly in the dirt and struggled to hold his composure. She took a long look at him before turning around and walking away.


A white form spiraled down from the treetops and landed gracefully at her side.

"So you mean to tell me that after that that you aren't Inuyasha's bedmate?"

Kagome resisted the urge to punch the demon square in his flawless nose. "Sesshomaru, my sex life is none of your business." She increased her pace along the path so that he wouldn't be walking beside her.

Sesshomaru simply sped up and surveyed her profile out of the corner of his eye. She was too angry at the world to blush at her statement. "If you've been with my half-brother, it is."

The well was in sight. Kagome jogged a little faster. "You brother's sex life is none of your business!" She couldn't believe that they were talking about this.

"It has gotten him into trouble in the past. Kikyo, was it?"

"I'm not gossiping about this with you."

Sesshomaru placed himself between the well and Kagome. "As long as you are not planning to nail him to a tree."

"I'm not! God, I'm not Kikyo! What's with everyone? I'm not going to live somebody else's life!" She marched up to him, squared her jaw, and looked him in the eye. He was quite a tall demon.

Sesshomaru knew the pressure to be someone you aren't. For a second he identified with this small, human female.

Kagome squinted. "Besides, why do you care? Don't you want him dead? If I ever nail him to a tree, you should thank me."

"Yes, dead. By my hand alone."

Kagome tried to walk around him. He moved and blocked her path.

"Sesshomaru, what do you want? Just let me go home!" She flailed her arms in frustration.

Sesshomaru stood with legs shoulder-width apart and one hand resting visibly on the hilt of his sword. "I want to know what you relationship with my brother is."

Kagome was tired and emotionally drained, and she just wanted to get past the demon before her and return home. "It was a mistake!" She blurted out. "There. Happy?"

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrows. He was being downright animated. "What was a mistake? You would rather not know him?"

Kagome blushed bright red and pretended not to hear him.

"Higurashi?"

"Nothing." She looked at her feet and ground a shoe into the ground. It was sprinkled with frost, so she wiped away a semi-circle of white fuzz to reveal dying grass. Back and forth... she hoped absurdly that Sesshomaru would forget his question.

Sesshomaru growled. "Are you engaged?"

Kagome's eyes widened in disbelief. "No! God no!"

There was a long, very awkward silence. Kagome wished that the past few minutes didn't exist. She watched in horror as his smooth, serious expression morphed into one of comprehension.

"Ah. That." Sesshomaru had the nerve to quirk an eyebrow at her. He was obviously enjoying her discomfort. "Was he not gentle?"

Kagome sucked in her breath and gave him a hard look. "I am not talking about this with you. It isn't your business. You are being rude, and I won't stand for it." Hot, shameful tears rose to her throat. She stared at the ground and picked out patterns of grass.

Sesshomaru released a soft, airy sigh. "I will not inquire further." His deep voice was, again, blank.

Kagome relaxed in relief. Sesshomaru stood up on top of the well's rim, and politely extended his hand to her. They locked fingers together before he picked her up and set her gently next to him on the edge. Together, they leapt into the dark.


Sesshomaru scanned Kagome's pink covers critically.

"I'll change the bedding of course!" Kagome awkwardly tugged at one corner of the sheet. Sesshomaru made no move to help. Eventually she managed to drag it off of her bed, exposing an old mattress coated in various stains. She threw her sheets into the wash, and gathered a fresh bundle from out of the closet.

He stood next to her as she wrestled to attach the new sheets to her mattress. She felt a combination of embarrassment, anger, and irritation when he watched her like this. She was so flawed in so many ways, and she could practically hear him ticking off what she's doing wrong. Why didn't he ever leave her side? Granted it had only been two days since he latched onto her.

She finished setting the bed and straightened up, rubbing her sore back. Sesshomaru waded over to the mattress and poked it with a claw. He then sat down and prodded it with his hand. The bottom of the plywood frame bent under his weight.

"Is it suitable?" Kagome asked. She knew that it wasn't up to his standards, but she didn't have a guest bedroom. It was only polite to sleep on the couch and let your guest have his own room.

Sesshomaru's eyes followed the flowery patterns printed on the blankets. Isn't it odd that humans spend so much of their short lives asleep? It didn't seem productive to him. Then again, he didn't require eight hours a night. They ate so often too! He wondered if she was hungry. He hadn't yet seen her eat, and humans require nourishment at least once a day. "How often do humans eat in this era?"

"Three meals daily. So you're okay with sleeping here?"

Three meals daily. So she'd missed nearly two days worth of food on account of him. The bruises around her arms had more of a yellowish tinge to them. Scratches (from the woods?) dotted her face: a few on her cheeks, and one on her chin. Her clothes were smudged with dirt and reeking of sweat. Her arms hung slack as she looked at him with dark half-circles under her eyes. All in all, the girl looked horrible.

"Where will you sleep?" He asked.

Kagome raised her eyebrows at his unusual display of compassion. "The couch."

Sesshomaru stood up and motioned fluently towards the bed. "You will sleep there. I will rest on the couch should I be in need of sleep."

Kagome's weak protestations were cut off by Sesshomaru's statement of, "Do as I say. I require less sleep than you; it is only logical that you rest in you own room."

Kagome smiled. Again, he tried to pinpoint what exactly he found attractive in her. She looked positively ill. Perhaps it was her voice, or her mannerisms. He turned from her and gazed out the window. It was early evening, and he itched to fly off and explore. How could humans build structures that tall? It was amazing, this technology.

"Sesshomaru, do you think we could take a trip to the city tomorrow? I'm hungry and tired, and I just want to rest."

"A wash would benefit you as well," he added.

Kagome shot him an evil look before deciding that yeah, she could use a shower.

"Yes, I will postpone my tour." He paused, and then asked, "Do you still attend school?"

Kagome shook her head. "It was just too much. I had to be a shard hunter full-time."

"Could you not halt your search for the jewel fragments and continue with your education?"

"No!" Kagome looked absolutely insulted. "I can't leave Inuyasha like that!"

Sesshomaru decided not to comment. "Go bathe."

Kagome left the room. Two seconds later her head poked through the doorway. "Sesshomaru, if my family gets back from the store while I'm in the shower could you be nice to them?"

Sesshomaru didn't look at her. He had his eyes fixed on the sky. A few stars had punched through the navy evening. He watched a plane inch through the blanket of night, amazed again at how far humans had progressed in so short a time span. "I will not hurt them."

Kagome paused before deciding that that was the best she'd get out of him. A few moments later he heard the water running.

As luck would have it, it was at that moment that the family bustled through the door in a whirl of loud voices and crinkling plastic. Sesshomaru floated down the stairs to observe them. He stood, silent and still, before the animated people weighed down with heavy white bags. It wasn't long before all three abandoned the groceries and clumped together, eyeing the Taiyoukai. Without Kagome there was no one to bridge the gap in between worlds. They stood awkwardly before the exotic creature until the old man pointed at Sesshomaru and wrinkled his aged face into an accusatory expression.

"DEMON!"

Sesshomaru's hand itched to clutch the hilt of his sword, but he remembered his vow to Kagome. 'Demon? Well, obviously. Perhaps this is some future ritual?' He looked to the woman for guidance, but found only an amused and half-embarrassed expression. He'd never been in a situation as awkward for him as this. He cleared his throat—it came out as a growl, and consequently the boy backed up a few steps—then silkily unfurled his arm and pointed at the red-faced man.

"Human." He lowered his hand slowly to his side, so as not to threaten them. "Now that we have established our respective races, would you care for assistance with your…" He trailed off, wrinkling his nose at the plastic bags. "Food?"

The woman extended her hand. It hung in the air for a few seconds, and then dropped when Sesshomaru responded with a blank expression. She smiled warmly. "My name is Miya, this is Souta, and you can call this guy Grandpa." The old man gave Sesshomaru an evil look before sputtering away to his bedroom, muttering something about 'demon grandchildren' under his breath. Everyone pretended not to hear.

"I am Sesshomaru." He regretted not being able to add: 'Lord of the Western lands.' He reminded himself to find out what had become of his estates.

The boy eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously. "Are you Kagome's boyfriend? Because she's been complaining about Inuyasha for a while, and you seem… what's that thing she wanted… mature!" He smiled at himself for finding the right word.

If Sesshomaru felt uncomfortable before, it was nothing compared to what he was experiencing. The woman surveyed him with narrowed eyes, and the boy fiddled impatiently, awaiting his response. "I am not courting Kagome."

The humans smiled at him. Miya scooped up an armload of groceries and cleared the path towards the kitchen. The boy and demon followed. Once under the yellow kitchen lamplight, she set about opening cupboards and plastic bags efficiently, all the while attempting to make small talk with the demon standing motionless against the doorframe.

"So, how did you meet Kagome?"

Sesshomaru remembered how Kagome lied to her mother, and thought that perhaps she wouldn't wish him to reveal the whole truth. "I dropped by to visit my brother--"

"--Who's your brother?" She interrupted.

"Inuyasha."

"Hm." She pursed her lips while stuffing fish into the overcrowded freezer. Souta watched the scene with an excited smile. "Kagome never mentioned Inuyasha has a brother." She straightened up and wiped her hands on her skirt. "Doesn't surprise me, though. You two are quite alike. Same hair, skin, though you are taller."

On the topic of looks, Souta skirted towards Sesshomaru and gestured at the markings on his glowing skin. "What're those? Inuyasha never had lines."

Sesshomaru remembered his promise to Kagome, and lowered himself to the boy's level. Souta reached out a hand and unabashedly stroked the half-moon resting on his forehead. Sesshomaru went rigid over such intimate contact. It felt odd: rough human skin stroking his. He wasn't often touched outside of battle, with the exception of Kagome. Perplexed as to why her touch didn't make him feel uneasy as the boy's did, he gently enveloped Souta's hand in his own and brought down to the human's side, away from his face. "They are…" He searched for words to explain the thousand-year old tradition to these twenty-first century humans. "They are ceremonial. Human monarchs wear crowns and capes, do they not?"

Souta nodded, wrapped up in the demon's smooth tones.

"My markings serve a similar function. They represent my rank, my status, my power." He stood up, but the boy tugged impatiently on his robe.

"Sayshomaru?"

"Seh-shomaru." The Taiyoukai corrected with narrowed eyes.

The boy didn't seem to notice the demon's irritation, and plowed ahead with his questions. "So you're a king?"

"In a way, yes."

Miya's eyes widened as she plopped a cabbage into the fridge.

Souta gazed at the demon, his brown eyes shining wonder at this new, interesting being. "What's your kingdom like?"

The clock ticked as the room awaited Sesshomaru's response. Miya paused, deflated plastic bags in hand, and looked at Sesshomaru with kind eyes.

"My kingdom is empty."

Souta opened his mouth to ask another question. Luckily his mother intercepted. "Souta? The grown-ups need to talk, dear. Why don't you play video games for a while?"

The boy groaned. "Mama, I'm eight! Can't I stay?"

"No. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Souta cast one last glance at the Taiyoukai before sulking away, shoulders hunched.

Miya pulled a pot out from a cabinet. "So, Sesshomaru, do you like rice?"

Sesshomaru crossed his arms and leveled a weary look at her. "Plants."

"Pardon?"

In a whoosh Sesshomaru sat himself at the table. "Taiyoukai do not eat plants."

Miya set the pot on the stove. "Taiyoukai?"

Sesshomaru was silent, watching her with clear yellow eyes. It was quite unnerving. She continued, "Inuyasha ate plants."

"Miya, do I look like Inuyasha?"

"Of course you do dear."

Sesshomaru huffed ever-so-slightly in indignation. "I am not my brother. He is not taiyoukai—full blooded like I."

Miya set her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. Sesshomaru thought, not for the first time, that she seemed an older, gentler version of Kagome. "Well I can't afford steak every night. You'll have to stomach my veggies."

"I can not." He shifted in exasperation. "Woman, my organs can't process vegetables as yours can. I am not suited to plants."

"Miya—not 'woman.'" She blushed a little in realization that Sesshomaru was a carnivore. She'd assumed that he would be like Inuyasha and eat everything in sight. "Alright, I'll cook you up some meat."

Sesshomaru growled. It was an involuntary reaction stemming from his frustration, but Miya's eyes widened all the same. "Do not cook it!" He clenched his teeth in aggravation. "I will simply not eat."

Miya rushed to his side. "Oh, but you must eat!"

"I ate a cow and three pigs a few days ago. I am not hungry."

Poor Miya, at this point, went a little green. "Okay." She tried to change the topic. "Anyways, what were we talking about? Oh! How you met Kagome! So, you were talking with your brother…"

"When I saw Kagome. She interested me—one does not often see pants on a woman in my time—so I talked to her." The lies streamed over his lips. "She offered me a tour of your time. I had to acquire some documents, however, so we briefly returned to the… past, and I took my papers. She's willing to take me on a tour of the city tomorrow."

Ms. Higurashi checked out the demon critically. There was no way he wouldn't draw attention in the streets. "If I were you Sesshomaru, I'd try to appear human for my tour of Tokyo."

"And how would one do that?"

Miya squinted at him. "A haircut, perhaps. New clothing for sure. Those markings, can you make them go away?"

Sesshomaru rubbed two of his fingers over the blue moon. It was smoother than the surrounding skin, stretched taunt and cold. It felt like scar tissue, almost. "I've had them since birth. They do not go away."

Miya clicked her tongue. "Could I cover them up, then?"

Sesshomaru wouldn't have agreed had they been in his domain. It was dangerous not to have them prominently displayed: without a sign of status and power demons from all over would challenge him for the kingdom. But now he wasn't in his castle; he was in a cozy home bordering Tokyo. "Yes. You may cover them."

Miya opened a drawer and retrieved what appeared to be two dull knives attached at the hilt. "May I cut your hair now?"

Sesshomaru nodded. She jogged upstairs to her bedroom and returned with a black plastic comb. Sesshomaru shifted the chair so that his back was to the open kitchen, as opposed to the wall. He adjusted his hair so that it streamed over the back of the chair and piled neatly into the floor. As a last thought he pulled off his pelt and set it gently out of the way. His hair wavered and shimmered, and Miya felt vaguely guilty about ruining something so beautiful.

"So," She said conversationally as the comb glided through his soft strands. It wasn't tangled, despite its volume and length. "How long did it take you to grow this out?"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and tried to relax. "Seventy-eight years."

Miya made the first cut. A section of the silky white mass was cut off just above his elbows. The hairs fluttered down and rested sadly beneath her feet. "So you've never cut it?"

Sesshomaru frowned. "I cut it during the last war. It isn't convenient to have such long hair while engaged in battle."

"Oh." The cloudy pile at her feet grew. "So, how old are you then?"

"Hundreds of years. I do not count anymore."

Another metallic 'snip' sounded behind his head. "You know," Miya said, "When I first saw you I thought you were a ghost, or a spirit of some sort. I don't know if you could really ever pass for human."

Damp feet padded down the stairs. Kagome rushed into the kitchen, out of breath. She saw her mother cutting Sesshomaru's hair and had the urge to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Sesshomaru didn't open his eyes; he greeted her presence with a 'Good evening, Kagome.'

"Good evening, Sesshomaru." She pulled out a chair and seated herself near to him. She watched his chest rise and fall. It was the only movement his body displayed.

"Kagome, would you mind taking over?" Her mother handed her the scissors and went to check on the water.

Kagome stood and nervously ran her fingers through his half-cut hair. She leveled the line with the comb, then snipped away another section. "You'll need to cover up your moon and stripes, too." She said. "There aren't any demons here to rule over, and they'll only draw attention in the city streets"

Sesshomaru's voice flowed over her, drowning out the sound of a knife on the cutting board in the background. "Inuyasha told you of their purpose?"

Kagome smiled and tucked wet hair behind her ear. "Of course. I've asked him all about you." She bent down and started cutting again.

"Why?"

Kagome thought of her mother in the room, so she bent lower and whispered into his ear, "Know your enemy." Sesshomaru nodded. Miya watched the entire scene out of the corner of her eye.

Finally, his hair was finished. It brushed his elbows like a silver curtain. Kagome swept up the pale remains on the floor, and then deposited them neatly (and a little regretfully) into the garbage. "Would you like a mirror?" She asked as she put the broom back on the corner.

"No." Kagome shot him an odd look, so he explained: "I look as I have looked for hundreds of years. I know my face—I do not need a mirror to see it."

Kagome shrugged, having nothing to say. Sesshomaru watched her buzz around the kitchen, gathering plates and cups. She was wearing light cotton pants and plain, t-shirt. Her hair looked thicker and healthier, her skin seemed brighter, and her smell was markedly sweeter. The table was set. Miss Higurashi (in a surprisingly loud voice) yelled, "Diner!"

The meal could be summed up in one word.

Awkward.

"Sesshomaru dear, would you please pass the salt?"

Really awkward.

"Why're you so white? Are you albino, cause in school I know this kid whose friend had to…"

Awkward beyond belief.

"Demon!"

Kagome wanted to die.

Finally, it was over. The plates were empty, the family was full, and Sesshomaru was thoroughly disgusted. Watching humans eat had never been on of his hobbies.

Kagome glanced at the clock and prayed that her mother wouldn't bring out tea. She didn't think that she could stand anymore of the calm-Sesshomaru-down-so-that-he-doesn't-threaten-my-family game. The demon sitting before her was irritated. She could tell from reading his rigid posture, his tight-lipped expression, and his charged aura. When he was relaxed he seemed to drift smoothly through his actions; now he sat there, calculated and uncomfortable.

Ms. Higurashi entered the room, teapot in hand. Gracefully, she poured the steamy liquid into Sesshomaru and Kagome's mugs. Grandpa had run off. He seemed to have developed a grudge against the white demon, and did everything in his power to either avoid or attack him. Miya had been compelled to forcibly dismiss Souta after he had asked Sesshomaru whether he 'Ate humans', then if they 'taste like ham.'

Sesshomaru cradled his mug and nodded his thanks. Ms. Higurashi watched in interest as he took a delicate sip. She smiled coyly at him. "Those are plants, you know."

Sesshomaru quirked and eyebrow and set the cup down. It was empty, save for a few green leaflets. "I'm aware of that."

"I thought you couldn't digest plants."

Sesshomaru straightened his back and glared at her. "Green tea has many health benefits."

Kagome giggled into her cup.

"What is it?" asked her mother.

The girl just shook her head. Sesshomaru watched her bring the glass to her lips and take a slow drink. Her small, shapely lips seemed dark red against the creamy ceramic mug. Her mouth stretched into a private smile as she tasted comforting tea after a long, stressful day. Her dark hair shimmered in the lamplight. For a moment, watching Kagome smile in this comfortable room, Sesshomaru wondered why demons never shared such peace with one another.

Ms. Higurashi excused herself with a low bow to Sesshomaru and a tight hug for Kagome. He read the pain on her face as she smiled at her daughter. He wondered why she was sad.

The lampshade's warm shadows swam over the walls. Kagome sighed softly and set her empty cup on the table. "You are troubled." Sesshomaru's statement broke Kagome's composure. She hunched over the table with her head in her hands, and her eyes squeezed tightly shut. It was obvious to Sesshomaru that she was trying to block out the world.

"What is troubling you?"

"Everything." She slunk further down towards the wood. "Everything's out of control."

"Accept it."

Kagome turned her tired gaze onto him. "Accept what?"

"Your fate."

She rubbed her face tiredly. "I don't know my fate." She grumbled. "I can't accept what I don't know."

Sesshomaru's hair trembled as he shook his head. "Humans, they are unhappy. They don't accept their place in the world. Always striving to be better, greater; unique in some way. They can't accept that they are nothing."

Kagome huffed. "We aren't unhappy! If anything it's demons that can't realize that they aren't gods." She shot him a pointed look.

He ignored her last attack. "Humans are unhappy. Yes, your inventions are superior to anything my people have produced, but what good has it brought you?" His hands fanned out and gestured to the kitchen. "You have food, shelter, family. What more can you do to make yourselves happy?" He took in her shocked face with a blank stare. "Demons are satisfied with what we are meant to consume. Humans are always searching for things that they can't find."

Kagome was silent for a while as she mulled Sesshomaru's speech. She was determined not to make herself look like an idiot. A part of her admitted that she was excited: this was her first real conversation with the Taiyoukai. "We want…" she placed her hand in Sesshomaru's, and then led him up to her bedroom.

Sesshomaru followed the girl. He thought that she must have a point to make if she was so determined in dragging him around the house. She burst through her door and jogged to her CD player. "It plays music."

He looked at all the buttons and knobs. Kagome inserted a cold, flat disc. The machine shut with a snap. She flipped a button and retreated to his side by the doorway.

"Kagome—"

"—Please, just listen."

Sesshomaru had heard snippets of human music before. He wasn't sure, though, what to expect from this era. Demons did not gravitate towards the arts. A single sound rose and fell against the backdrop of flat fuzz. It wasn't a voice though. It wasn't any animal that he recognized.

"What is that?"

"Violin." She whispered. She'd edged close to him and was half-leaning against his soft pelt.

"Is tha—"

"—Ssh. Listen."

He frowned a little and concentrated on the noise falling out of the human device. The violin formed a simple melody. It went through a series of sad notes, ending on one straining, hopeful beat. It repeated that melody twice, measured and slow. Then another instrument joined the first. They complimented one another perfectly, adding to the growing melody. Sounds in the background wavered back and forth as many voices joined the first two. Soon multiple strings of music danced atop the repetitive beat, illustrating the same line over and over again. It seemed as if the sounds were rising and crashing like waves, struggling to swim over the mathematical timing. The sounds tugged at him; his heart beat to the rhythm and he breathed in the song.

"What is this called?" he whispered.

"Cannon."

The music climbed towards a hopeful, joyous crescendo. He wanted to rise with it above the emptiness that came before the song. He felt the song glide over his body; he saw its story touching his skin. It almost broke free and rose above everything… but then the background faded. Instruments left the song, one by one, until a lone violin remained. It cried out, alone, the chorus that was once so strong and triumphant. It ended wavering on that one sad, hopeful chord before disappearing into the air.

The silence seemed heavier than it did before. He heard their heartbeats, their breaths, the house's sounds.

"Did you feel anything?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "I felt…" He paused and concentrated on the past few minutes. "I felt like I was touching something higher than us. I felt like I was rising with the music."

Kagome smiled. Sometimes, she loved his honestly. "Do you feel emptier now?"

Sesshomaru heard the nothingness. "I do."

She reached out a hand and touched his arm. His head jerked towards her; it was the first time she'd touched him voluntarily. "That emptiness is why we're unhappy."

He looked at her fingers resting in between folds of his shirt. He listened to her melody: her voice's rhythms, her heartbeats timing. "The music though, it helps us read the silence." He looked at her beaming face. "Perhaps the emptiness is actually full; we just need to learn to see it."

Kagome pondered over that. She'd enjoyed talking to him—for the last while he seemed to have forgotten his superiority. He was… respectful.

"It is late."

Kagome followed his gaze to the pitch blackness beyond her window.

"You should sleep." His gaze flickered from her bed to her hand.

She withdrew her touch and turned to him. "Good night, Sesshomaru."

"Good night, Kagome."

He edged the door shut, and then stood still for a few second outside of her bedroom. In his mind he still heard the song rising.