Chapter Eight: The Reveal
When everyone woke up the next morning, there were two things wrong: Inuyasha wasn't waking up and Sesshomaru was sitting in the corner of the hut. When Kagome opened her eyes, it took Kaede interrupting her with a bowl of stew to not scream out of her mind.
"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked fearfully.
"Lord Sesshomaru has decided to stay for a while." Kaede explained, keeping up a smile.
"Wh-What? Why?" Kagome looked from Kaede to the brooding demon lord in the corner, but gave him no chance to answer, "It doesn't matter. Y-You can't stay here. Go. Leave. Now."
"Kagome, what's wrong? Sesshomaru is the only reason we're alive." Sango spoke up, surprised by Kagome's fear and immediate rejection of the one who saved them all.
Kagome took a moment to remember the previous day. The wild demon didn't give Sango a chance to fight back and Inuyasha was almost killed. The two most skilled fighters she knew, and she herself, were going to be killed by it and Sesshomaru showed up out of nowhere. No, that wasn't entirely true and knowing that helped Kagome calm down. She remembered that he came the moment she called for him. She called for his help and he showed up like a knight in shining armor and saved all of them.
Kagome looked over to Shippo who was eating his stew, humming a tune, and not paying attention to the adults talking in the room. Kagome relaxed and turned back to Sesshomaru. She was still concerned about him staying, but it was because of him that Shippo didn't lose a second mother.
"Okay." Kagome took a deep breath, "I'm sorry for my reaction, Sesshomaru. If you wish to stay, please, stay as long as you like. I'm just confused on why you would want to be here."
"We'll see what Inuyasha says once he wakes up." Miroku said from his side of the hut, filling another bowl of stew and then glaring at Sesshomaru, "I doubt he'll be okay with this."
"Is he okay?" Kagome asked, moving over to Inuyasha's side.
"Yes, we gave him some of the medicines you brought from your time and his fever broke shortly after." Sango explained as she revealed newly wrapped bandages around Inuyasha's chest.
"From your time?" Sesshomaru spoke up, a curious eyebrow raised at the words he caught. Sango reflexively covered her mouth, looking apologetically at Kagome.
Sesshomaru watched everyone in the room act like they were hiding a secret and looked to the oldest in the room for answers. Kaede looked back and nodded at him, confirming a silent question between the two. There was something special about Kagome. Maybe this was worth looking into.
"You're from a different time?" Sesshomaru asked and Kagome rubbed the back of her head, trying to come up with an answer, "That does explain the strange clothing you wear and the contraption you often have with you."
"Contraption?" Kagome questioned.
"The contraption I've seen you riding similarly to a horse, but it's more compact and made of some sort of metal." Sesshomaru explained, his arms crossed along his chest.
"Oh, my bike." Kagome confirmed with a nod, realizing what he was talking about.
"Bike." Sesshomaru repeated to remember the phrase, but he sounded like a child learning to talk, which struck a chord with the three women in the room. They looked to each other and began chuckling, but tried really hard to hold it back because of who they were chuckling at.
"Would you like some stew, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kaede offered him a bowl.
"No. What is it you're all laughing at?" he asked, his eyes narrowed at them.
"Who would have thought that you were so talkative?" Sango asked, her hand over her mouth, giggling freely, but this only bothered Sesshomaru more.
"I was merely inquiring about the strange contraption she brought from a different time." He explained.
"Her bike." Sango said.
"Yes, the bike." He nodded sternly.
For some reason, this caused the girls to start laughing a bit harder. Maybe it was the awkwardness of Sesshomaru's presence or the need for some levity due to the day before, but they could not help themselves. Seeing Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, the older full-demon brother of Inuyasha, who was always ominous and uncaring, try and learn about something new was entertaining.
"Ha. Ha." Miroku fake laughed, killing the decent mood the women were in.
"Miroku, what's your problem?" Sango asked, but he shot her a glare and she looked away sadly.
"Hey, what the hell, Miroku?" Kagome asked when she saw Sango's reaction.
Miroku said nothing more. He just shot Sesshomaru a hateful glare before standing up and walking out of the hut. The girls looked to each other out of worry for Miroku.
"Go talk to him. Something is obviously up." Kagome tried to convince Sango.
"Alright. He's never glared at me like that before…" Sango shook the thoughts from her mind and stood up, "I'll be right back."
Sango stood up and hurried out of the hut. Everyone else but Sesshomaru chose to continue eating. Sesshomaru sat in the corner quietly, staring at Kagome more than she liked.
Sango saw Miroku walking over one of the few bridges that crossed the river and hurried after him. She called out to him, catching his attention. He stopped and turned around to face her.
"I was just going for a walk, Sango." He explained himself.
"May I join you?" she asked.
"If you'd like." He said and continued his walk.
The two walked in silence for a short time, moving along the river until Miroku decided to sit in the grass alongside it. Sango joined him, sitting by his side in silence. However, she couldn't stay silent forever.
"Mirok-…" she started.
"He raped her." Miroku interrupted and looked to the wide-eyed Sango.
"Wh-What?" she replied.
"It wasn't a random demon that he stopped. Sesshomaru is the one who raped her." He said bluntly.
"Sesshomaru, but… why would he…" Sango's heart began to race and she went to stand up, "I left her back there with him. W-With Inuyasha hurt, she's…"
"She's fine." Miroku reassured her and placed a hand on her shoulder, so she sat back down, "It wasn't completely his fault, but it definitely was not a choice he'd make."
"Miroku, what do you mean?" Sango asked, raising her voice in frustration.
"I don't fully understand it, but when a demon hits a certain time in their life, if they have not already taken a mate, their inner demon forces them to." He explained as clearly as he could, but it only confused her more, "You know how Inuyasha sometimes loses himself when he does not have hold of the Tetsusaiga? His demonic aura feels more like a full demon and his eyes change? He gets stronger?"
"Yeah…"
"It's like that, but more powerful and with mating being the goal." Miroku explained, "Sesshomaru never wanted to have sex with Kagome. He lost control of himself and his inner demon forced him to take a mate. Kagome was a victim of opportunity, attacked by a prideful man that had no control over his mind or body. In a way, he is also a victim in this."
"You think he's a victim?" Sango's protectiveness of Kagome immediately took hold.
"To a degree, but not completely." Miroku said.
"Miroku, in what way is he the victim? After what he did, how could yo-…"
"Do you blame Kohaku for the things he's done since Naraku gained control of him?" Miroku asked bluntly and Sango's thoughts began to race, "Kohaku is not in control of himself. He does not know who he is, and because of that, has hurt many people. But that's not the Kohaku you know. In that same way, Sesshomaru lost himself and committed an act that he is extremely ashamed of."
"If these are your thoughts about it, then why did you act like that back in the hut?" Sango asked.
"Because it doesn't end there." Miroku said.
"What do you mean?" Sango looked worriedly at him.
"Sesshomaru is the one that threatened Genzo. He also sent the demon that almost killed all of you yesterday." Miroku explained and he saw the rage build up in Sango's eyes.
"She's there with him now, Miroku."
"He cannot hurt her, or us." He reassured her, but she looked doubtfully at him, "That scar on Kagome's neck prevents him from hurting her, and from what I can tell, anyone she cares about too."
"Then why send the demon?"
"Because the demon can. It's technically not Sesshomaru harming her if someone else does it." Miroku said, rolling his eyes at Sesshomaru's devious tactics, "Unfortunately for Sesshomaru, it doesn't seem to work that way. He still stepped in when she was about to die and saved you all. He was trying to find a loophole to free him from the grasp that mark has on him, but failed. Thank the gods."
"Miroku, if what you say is true, then this is a good thing." Sango said when something came to her mind, "If he is forced to protect her and us, then him sticking around means she's safe."
"That is true." He nodded, his head lowered and his hand placed over his face in frustration.
"Then… what's wrong?"
"They're mated, Sango." Miroku said.
"What… does… that mean?" Sango hesitated asking, not really wanting, but needing the answer.
"It means that by the laws of demon kind…" Miroku looked up to Sango with a look of anguish plastered on his face, "Kagome is his wife."
"Oh, my god." Sango put a hand over her heart, feeling it pound in her chest, "We have to remove it."
"We can't."
"What, why?"
"Because Sesshomaru doesn't know of a way to do that." Miroku said and stood up, unable to sit down with the frustration of this situation building within him, "That's why I wanted to see Kikyo and got excited when Inuyasha first brought her up. I figured that someone as wise as she is would know the answer. Maybe she could tell us something or point us in the direction of someone who can."
"It makes sense, but… Miroku, how long have you known?"
"Since he saved her during Kagura's attack on that village."
"And you didn't think to tell us?" Sango asked angrily and stood as well.
"Tell you what, Sango?" Miroku retorted in frustration, "Tell you all about Kagome's darkest, horrifying, and most painful secret? Tell her that I know, that Sesshomaru admitted it to me? That I knew she and Inuyasha would likely never be together like she wants? That Shippo's technical Dad is the scariest demon he's ever met? Tell Kagome, who is more fragile than she's ever been, that she is married to the brother of the man she loves and there is no undoing it? Tell you that your best friend was keeping something this big from you because it is that terrifying for her? That this one time, we're completely helpless?"
"I knew she was raped…" Sango admitted and hit herself when she realized how stupid she was the night Kagome told her, "She was blunt about it, but she didn't say specifically who, so I… I just assumed that it was the demon Sesshomaru said he rescued her from… I didn't even think-... There wasn't a moment in my mind that I thought Sesshomaru did this himself. Miroku, what do we do?"
"I don't know. The only plan I have right now is Kikyo." He said, shrugging in defeat, "I have been trying so hard to come up with something to save Kagome from this fate. I've got nothing."
"She deserves to know, Miroku."
"I know…" he sighed and looked back to the hut, "I don't think I have the courage to do it."
"We can do it." Sango put a hand on his cheek and turned him to face her, "Together."
Miroku looked into Sango's eyes and felt his confidence return. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded before taking her hand and standing up. The two walked back to Kaede's hut together, becoming more nervous with every step they took. They stopped outside the hut and nodded to each other. They stepped inside and were both stopped by the scene before them.
Shippo was testing Sesshomaru's patience by messing with the large line of fur he always had over his shoulder, but Sesshomaru was just watching the young pup curiously. Kagome was watching with nervous wide eyes, waiting for Sesshomaru to snap at Shippo, but it wasn't coming. Inuyasha had apparently woken and scooted over to a corner behind Kaede, hiding from his older brother.
Sango's confidence weakened because of this, but feeling Miroku's grip tighten on her own, she looked to him. He looked at her, pleading with his eyes. For both of their sakes and the sake of Kagome, they could not back out now. Sango nodded and took a deep breath. Suddenly, she bent over and pretended to be in pain.
"Sango, are you okay?" Miroku asked.
"Yeah, my stomach is just bothering me." Sango replied and sat down, looking to Shippo, "Hey, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Sango." Shippo hopped off of Sesshomaru's shoulder and walked over.
"Remember those nuts you found south of the village?" Sango asked and Shippo nodded, "Those really helped my stomach last time. Do you mind getting some for me?"
"Of course! I'll be back soon." Shippo nodded and hurried out with Kilala. There was a brief moment of silence and Sango took a deep breath.
"Thank you." Sesshomaru said, surprising everyone. However, the anger that changed Sango's expression brought her to her feet. She stomped over to Sesshomaru and slapped the demon across the face. He barely turned his head, but he stood up in response to the hit, looking angrily down at her.
"Do. Not. Thank. Me. For. Shit." Sango practically spat each word his way, "I know the truth now."
Sesshomaru would have been more surprised by the behavior, but a glance toward the monk revealed everything he needed to know. He stared at Sango as Kagome lightly pulled her away from him.
"Um, alright now. Let's not do anything to crazy." Kagome pleaded with Sango.
"I'm not. I'm just SERIOUSLY FUCKING PISSED OFF." Sango said, her eyes not shifting from Sesshomaru.
"You… know… Don't you?" Kagome asked shakily, fear overtaking her words.
"Kagome, child…" Kaede held Kagome's hands, "I'm sure there is only one here who doesn't."
"You all know?" Kagome looked from Kaede, to Sango, to Miroku, who all nodded, and then to Inuyasha.
"Know what?" Inuyasha asked cluelessly, glaring back and forth between the others, "What don't I know?"
"I thought…" Kagome turned to Sesshomaru, "I thought you wanted to keep it a secret?"
"Your friends are very intuitive, Kagome." Sesshomaru told her.
"Don't you even speak her name, you disgusti-…" Sango started, but Miroku pulled her back.
"Sango! Do you remember what I told you?" Miroku asked and she nodded, "Then think and think calmly. You've already slapped him and he didn't even throw an insult back. Calm down."
Inuyasha struggled to his feet and held on to the wall to brace himself. He groaned in pain as he did and caught everyone's attention. They looked to him and he glared back at all of them. He took a few deep breaths, trying to overcome the pain of the gaping hole in his chest. Normally, it'd heal by now, but this one was going to take another day or so, likely an effect of the lightning he was shocked with.
"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha asked through grit teeth, not liking that he was in the dark.
"I raped her, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru blatantly admitted it.
The tension in the hut thickened even more. Miroku and Sango stared at Sesshomaru, waiting for him to say something more than that. Was he going to just leave it all at that? Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru, turning his head toward his brother a bit more. He took a step toward Sesshomaru and as if the pain in his body completely vanished, he stood up straight and balled his fists tightly.
"Say that again, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha challenged his older brother.
"You heard me the first time." Sesshomaru replied dully.
"Inuyasha, please wait." Miroku stepped forward to get Inuyasha's attention.
"Shut up, Miroku." Inuyasha shot a glare toward him and then realized something, "How long have you all known? Am I the last to know about this?"
"I've known long enough. I just told Sango." Miroku explained, trying to keep things calm.
"I've known since the beginning." Kaede admitted, sighing as she stood and put her hands behind her back, "It's not an easy subject to speak of. There was a lot I did not understand."
"So, everyone gets to know, but me?" Inuyasha asked, his accusing tone highlighting a betrayal he felt.
"I only found out a few minutes ago." Sango said, "Kagome did tell me that she was actually raped, but I had no idea and never would have thought that Sesshomaru was the one who did it."
"But you knew!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Inuyasha, please… I sh-…" Kagome began, but was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders.
"And you. Why wouldn't you tell me this?" Inuyasha asked, demanding an answer as he shook her once, his strength not allowing her to fight him at all, "HOW COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME, KAGOME?"
Before Kagome could answer, Inuyasha's head was pushed up against the hut wall, Sesshomaru's hand pinning him there with his other arm having pulled Kagome away from Inuyasha. She was held tightly against him, a gesture that seemed involuntary.
"Don't dare touch her like that again." Sesshomaru threatened, his fangs growing and eyes flashing red, "Do you understand me, Inuyasha?"
"Me? HOW ABOUT YOU, SESSHOMARU? YOU'RE THE ONE THAT HURT HER!" Inuyasha crushed the hut wood under his hand as he tried fighting against Sesshomaru's pin.
"And yet he is the one protecting her now, Inuyasha!" Kaede spoke up and tapped Sesshomaru's wrist as a sign for him to let go, which he did, "Now hear me, boy. This is a very complicated situation, a scary and painful circumstance for every single one of us here, including your brother."
"I doubt my brother cares about what he's done."
"Are you sure about that?" Kaede said and motioned toward Sesshomaru. At first, Sesshomaru looked confused, but when he looked down to the woman he was shielding from his younger brother, he understood the implications Kaede was making. Sesshomaru gently let Kagome go and took a step back.
"Inuyasha, do you know anything about demon mating rituals?" Miroku asked and sat down, motioning for everyone else to follow suit. Sango did and so did Kagome, followed by Sesshomaru.
"No, I was raised by humans, damn it!" Inuyasha shouted, having reminded them about this before. He sat down carefully, crossing his arms angrily along his chest, unable to look at any of them.
"Monk." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes curiously at him.
"Well," Miroku glared at Sesshomaru, so the demon realized his intentions, "Let me explain one."
"Monk, this is unwise." Sesshomaru warned.
"We have to, Sesshomaru, so let us do this the best way we know how, okay?" Sango raised her voice toward Sesshomaru, who closed his eyes and just waited, "Now let him talk."
"And correct me if I'm wrong," Miroku said to Sesshomaru and then turned to Inuyasha and Kagome, "When a demon reaches a certain point in their life, if they have not…" Miroku stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath to relax some and then continued, trying to keep his nerves under control, "If they have not taken a mate, their inner demon, similar to how Inuyasha loses control when he's not holding his sword, takes over. It forces them to take a mate, so when this happened, Sesshomaru was not in control of himself. Kagome was a very unfortunate victim in all of this."
"You think that makes any of this better?" Inuyasha growled at them.
"It's not meant to make it better, ye' stubborn dog." Kaede spoke up, "It's for clarity. Now listen."
"But Kagome…" Miroku turned fully to her and took her hand, "There's more."
"M-Miroku, you're scaring me." Kagome said, her hand shaking beneath Miroku's. When Sango also came and sat down next to her, taking her other hand, Kagome's heart began pounding.
"Because a demon has no control of anything during this time, certain things happen and it is something that can't be undone." Miroku explained and Kagome looked back and forth between all of them, her eyes falling on Sesshomaru for a moment before tightening her hands around both Sango and Miroku's.
"Spit it out." Kagome practically begged.
"Sesshomaru accidentally marked you during that night." Miroku informed as gently as he could, but was only met with confusion. Kagome shifted around some, but shook her head.
"What does that even mean?" Kagome asked, truly confused.
"It's the way demons choose their mate." Sesshomaru spoke up, cringing slightly as Kagome's horrified eyes fell upon him, "Humans refer to it as marriage, however, it's stronger than that."
Kagome's entire body froze as she tried to absorb the information. There were few times that she was going to speak, but no words would form. Her eyes began darting toward random spots around the hut, trying think of something to say. She was married to Sesshomaru? How was this possible? When did he mark her? She thought back to the night he attacked her and could only think of one thing. She released Miroku's hand and looked to Sesshomaru as she touched her neck, looking questioningly at him.
"Yes." Sesshomaru replied adding a single curt nod. Kagome gasped as she felt her world coming down around her. Her heart was beating so fast that it hurt. She put her hand over her heart and began breathing heavily, having a hard time keeping it under control.
"Oh my god…" Kagome spoke through stressed words as sweat beaded down her face.
"Kagome?" Sango tried to keep her friend upright.
Soon, her vision blurred and with one last look at her 'husband', Kagome's eyes rolled to the back of her head, her body went completely weak, and she fell back into Sango's arms, passed out.
