A/N: No note! Just enjoy!
Kagome's POV
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Chapter Twenty-Three: Proposal
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My heart screamed "Yes!"
My mind screeched "No!"
It was a reaction that startled me. Had Chisaki's revelation affected me so much?
Setting aside my warring emotions, I understood why he was asking me this, but I still had to say it. "We're married, Sesshoumaru."
It appeared that he was expecting this response. "Kagome," he said, a warning tone in his voice, "do not play coy with me."
Coy? How was stating the obvious truth coy?"I do not 'play coy', Sesshoumaru."
"Don't you?" His expression was bemused. "If I may, would you let me ask you something?"
Was he confusing me on purpose? "Of course, but I fail to see what—"
"Hear my question," he interrupted, topaz eyes twinkling, "and then you will see." Elegant fingers crept up to hold my face and his full mouth quirked in a playful smile. "My question is: when a man and a woman love each other," he started, and cast me a meaningful glance, making me blush, "is it not customary for them to marry?"
"I-It is," I stammered out.
"Then I have yet another question for you," he continued. I was beginning to lose focus on his words, and concentrated instead on the shadows his lashes made against his cheekbones. He was so unearthly beautiful, it was a wonder I'd heard anything he said. He had to know what his closeness did to me.
His thumbs pressed my cheeks gently and my eyes snapped to his. "Are you listening?"
Blood rushed to my face, and I cursed the pink that stained my skin. "Oh, yes. I'm listening."
It was clear he thought otherwise, but he said nothing. "Here is my second question, then, Kagome: do you know," he whispered, so lowly I could scarcely understand him, "how much I love you?"
My previously racing heart stopped altogether.
All my surroundings fell away, and there was only him, and my own disbelief. Had . . . had I heard him correctly? Did he honestly . . . love me? Me?
"Your expression tells me everything." Unexpectedly, he laughed. "Your opinion of yourself must be low, indeed, Kagome. How could you not think I loved you?"
Blinking, I forced myself to speak. "It isn't that I thought you didn't love me," I answered, and as I said the words I knew them to be true. "I suppose I just never . . . I never did think about it. I've never wondered about it."
He seemed to find my answer satisfactory. "Well, this leads me to my third and final question." He paused, and I saw uncertainty flash in his eyes for the briefest of moments before it disappeared. "Do you . . . love me?"
I could've sworn I saw him swallow in nervousness, and I held back a chuckle. The answer was so absurdly obvious it was ridiculous he even asked, but I hesitated. I remembered Chisaki's words from earlier in the day, and I wondered if what I'd been told made me view Sesshoumaru in a different light.
So I looked at him, reallylooked at him, and contemplated everything I saw: the curve of his jaw, the line of his mouth, even the way his wet eyelashes clumped together, and, as I watched him seemingly fidget under my scrutiny, I smiled.
"Yes."
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A/N: Please review dears!