Chapter 4: Answers
The next day she hardly heard a word anyone said to her. It was another sleepless night, but it didn't matter. She was going to get answers today. Although he might not be able to tell her everything, there had to be a few things he could help her with, most importantly, what had been the fate of her and Inuyasha? Her mind was swirling with all the possibilities. What could have possibly killed her Hanyo? He had defeated Naraku. Naraku! Could something have been more powerful? More deadly? She shuddered at the thought.
Once the bell rang she didn't take the time to see anyone off before she headed for the street she had remembered, quickly walking along until she found the familiar house. Stopping at the door she hesitated for a moment, trying to get her head straight before knocking. She took a breath and raised her fist to the door just as it opened for her. "Kagome." He said cooly. She smiled, relieved that he was back in her sight. Some part of her was afraid he'd disappear in the night, just like a dream, leaving her with nothing.
"Sesshomaru." She said back with a small polite bow, entering the house when he gestured for her to do so. She went through the same routine as last time, removing her shoes and bag before following him to the kitchen. A laptop was on the table, and Sesshomaru sat before it to begin typing at an incredible speed. It was so strange, seeing this regal person from another time using the modern convenience. She reminded herself that he had lived in this time just as long as she had. In order to survive this long, he must have learned to adapt. "What are you working on?" she ventured, hoping the question wasn't too invasive. His eyes flicked up to hers before returning to the screen.
"Emails..." He said, sounding annoyed, never pausing in his typing. She hummed an interested note. Emails.
"So you have a job then?" He didn't reply right away, only regarding her presence after finishing his task and closing the laptop with a soft 'click'.
"I do." She nodded, once again interested in knowing exactly what 'business' he was in, but instead deciding to focus on why she was really here.
"What killed him, Sesshomaru?" It was what she most dearly needed to know. If she could, she had to warn him about it. The man in front of her looked mildly displeased. Maybe it was the sudden way she jumped into the conversation. She might not have, but he never struck her as one to enjoy chit chat. She figured it would be best to avoid beating around the bush.
"I can't tell you." He said, leaning back in his chair again. She must have looked truly horrified at his answer, because he saw fit to explain himself, which he almost never did. "I was not there. I had been overseas for a time, only learning of my brother's passing years later. By that time, whatever had done it had died of it's own wounds as well. I didn't seek to investigate." She nodded slowly. 'Brother' was an interesting word choice from Sesshomaru, considering he never passed up a chance to tell someone he doesn't have a brother. At the same time, he didn't investigate, so he must not have cared too deeply about it.
"I was gone too? After... the fight?" The fight with the mystery thing that can kill the world's strongest half-demon warrior. Overcome Tessaiga. Overcome her sacred arrows. Songo and Miroku. Anyone else who would have fought alongside them. All of that... and it still beat them. Sesshomaru nodded, standing to go to his counter.
"You look tired. Did you not sleep?" She blushed a bit as she again stared at his back, knowing she wasn't at her best today. She sighed and began telling him about the dreams that kept her away from sleep for days on end. Time seems to drag on at a snail's pace when you don't sleep, she'd found. It was a particularly cruel element to the hell that had become her life after Inuyasha. He asked about whether or not she had trouble before, which she hadn't, telling her that she apparently did after she was reunited with Inuyasha in the past. She let her complaining end when he returned to the table, sliding her a cup of fragrant coffee.
"Do you know when it happened? This fight?" She asked, taking a testing sip, finding the coffee delicious and soothing. He nodded, unfazed by the change in conversation.
"It was... maybe two hundred years after you two were mated." She nearly choked on her coffee. What did he mean? Two hundred years after they first... That made no sense! It would make her well over two hundred years old at her death, and how did he know about that anyway!?
"Two hundred years after... when?" she coughed lightly into her fist, hoping she didn't sound as shocked as she was, but knowing she wasn't handling this information gracefully. He sat back in his chair, realizing she must not know about her life being extended once the mating was complete. Afterall, his idiot brother probably never explained these things to her until after Naraku was killed, being so obsessed with only that one task.
"After you are mated to a demon, your life extends. You age at the same rate as he does, which is quite slowly, by human standards." His perfectly sound explanation seemed to only confuse her more.
"But..." That can't be right, she thought. "I've been aging normally all this time I've been away from the past...?" Her question made him raise an eyebrow up in surprise. Her own raised in response, surprised at the amount of expression he was showing.
"Really..." He said with a sudden interest, leaning forward and putting his chin on his fist. His eyes were so intense, making her feel like she was being analyzed, like a specimen in a lab. She nodded nervously, thinking that something must be wrong with her to warrant this reaction. She only grew more nervous as he let out a small chuckle, which he quickly tried to cover, but couldn't.
"Oh little brother... you didn't." He muttered to himself, leaning back and covering his eyes with one hand. He crossed his arms and looked at her squarely, letting the light amused smile on his lips show. "Mating..." he began, "Is not the same as having sex." She blushed, suddenly realizing what she had unknowingly admitted to. "It's basically like the demon equivalent of marriage, though much more permanent. You may have been lovers... but not Mates, by demon standards anyway." He sighed contently. Not many things could make him crack his icy facade, but Kagome's innocent face was just too much. Her face stayed tinted with a pretty blush as she sipped her coffee, looking annoyed at his amusement. To tell the truth, she was also mentally congratulating herself on seeing Sesshomaru laugh and living to tell the tale. This Sesshomaru, while technically being the same as the old one, seemed a little looser. He'd smiled, laughed, and even let her hug him, all death penalty offenses in the past she was sure. Still, how embarrassing. She had no idea there was a distinction, though she'd never asked. She didn't even know about this demon equivalent of marriage. She was a little annoyed that Inuyasha had never mentioned it to her. Naughty boy…
Sesshomaru interrupted her embarrassed musings to explain a bit more. "You were mates in the past, so I'm sure he'll tell you eventually." The smug smirk still stayed on his lips as he spoke. Kagome looked down at her cup, the image suddenly a bit too familiar. "I was actually a little surprised by that, not knowing if Inuyasha's half blood would be enough to… achieve it." Her eyes shot up in surprise. Complete… what exactly? She knew he was plenty able to 'complete' anything they'd tried before. What could this 'mating' entail?
"So, how is it 'different,' exactly?" She asked quietly, still sipping casually on her drink. He huffed in amusement.
"It's… It involves…Ah…." He sighed, still wearing that smile. "You know what, I'll let my brother explain it to you when the time comes." She was a bit let down but nodded in agreement, happy to be out of this awkward conversation. Still, he used that word again.
"Brother..." She said softly to herself, making him a bit confused. He hoped she wasn't going to start calling him that. Seeing his confusion she corrected herself. "You keep calling him your brother..." He nodded in understanding. When she disappeared, there was still a risk of being cut down to anyone foolish enough to remind him of his shared blood with Inuyasha.
"Things changed between us." he said plainly. Watching her begin absently playing with a lock of hair that flowed over her shoulder. Though that was really all he cared to say, she was clearly hoping for more. He decided to continue, if only to give information that would be useful later. He wasn't by nature kind, and his willingness to sit here and talk over things of zero consequence to him was no exception. He was playing a long game, little did she know. He wasn't ready just yet to fully explain his request, but she would be of great importance to him in due time.
"After Naraku was defeated, I decided to let Rin live in the village with that priestess. Kaede." Inuyasha, he now realized, most likely only stayed because of the proximity to the old well in the forest. He assumed that was the one she was speaking of traveling through. He finally understood why he usually found his brother there, sitting peacefully against the old wood at the most random times of night and day. "Inuyasha stayed there as well, and I... appreciated his help in keeping Rin safe from harm. How long did you say you've been stuck here? A year, correct?" She perked up at the question, nodding. He hummed a note, trying to remember how old Rin was when she had returned. The 'big brother' comment the other day had jogged his memory a little. He leaned on the table casually, catching her hopeful gaze. "Three years or so... that is how long you were gone from that era. At most." Kagome's lips snapped open with a gasp, her eyes wide. She stood suddenly, this time careful not to spill her coffee.
"Three years? That's all?" The sound in her voice was so hopeful, it was hard not to feel her joy spreading throughout the room, even to Sesshomaru. Though he didn't let it show, choosing instead to maintain his calm gaze to avoid exciting her more.
"Hn." She jumped, making a happy noise that was a bit too loud for his liking. He must have looked annoyed because she settled down quickly, reseating herself at the table. She looked at him like he was some kind of fallen angel making him feel a bit uncomfortable, but he could understand her elation. His brother had been despondent, utterly destroyed by her absence. Even he could he empathetic enough to show some small kindnesses here and there, understanding to some degree his loss, as he had lost Rin. Of course, they were both lucky in that their losses were not permanent. At least, not at that time. Sesshomaru grimaced at a hard memory, allowing his gaze to shift to the window to clear his mind of it.
"Thank you." She said, breaking him out of his mental cage. "Thank you." she repeated, reaching out to touch his arm. He shifted quickly so her hand would fall on his sleeve rather than his wrist, wishing to avoid his marks being touched again. That had been… uncomfortable to say the least. He was sure she had no idea of the significance of the marks, and he wasn't going to tell her. If he was careful with this touchy girl, he wouldn't need to.
She didn't seem to notice his quick correction, finding her staring into his eyes. Maybe it was only the residual memory from the day before, but he was suddenly struck by how luminous her eyes were as they remained locked on his. They almost sparkled with the heavy emotion. He understood, even in the past- though he'd never admit it, why his brother might fall for her. She was a true beauty, and not only for a human. Not that it mattered. He was never concerned with beautiful women, finding them easy enough to come by. Still, there was something about Kagome, the way she looked at him, constantly touching him, begging for his time and attention, that made him want her in ways he shouldn't. Not that he would ever act on those desires. Just as he was about to pull back his arm from her grasp she laughed, her glittering eyes becoming misty with tears. He inwardly groaned in something akin to disgust. Humans were so overly emotional.
She was so overcome with the joy she felt, knowing her future was still out there, waiting for her. Now she knew an end was in sight. Two years, maybe a little less, and that was all it would take to return to Inuyasha! She pulled back her hand, wiping her face, feeling silly for laugh-crying, but also feeling like it was completely justified.
"You should be getting home." He said plainly. She frowned, but glancing out the window she agreed that it was getting dark. Homework. School. She sighed, but began gathering her things to go.
"Will you walk me home?" She asked, pulling on her shoes. He didn't answer, but pulling on his own shoes he went to the door and held it open, only giving her the simple command of 'Come.' before walking with her into the fading sunlight.