This Life by S'revan

This Life

Kagome and Sesshoumaru and a discussion that turns out alright in the end. 350 words.

"I am not in love with you," he said.

"Uh huh," she said.

"I'm not!" he insisted.

"Of course you aren't," she said. "That much was always obvious." It sounded too much like she was humoring him.

"Kagome."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru?"

"I really am not in love with you. I'm not capable of love."

"I know," she said, but she was smiling.

"So why did I marry you?"

She twiddled the pen in her fingers, staring off into the distance with a faint, lightly mocking smile. "Because you've never done a day's work in your life, and even you can't live on nothing."

"And why did you marry me?"

She shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"And why do we have children?"

"Even you know the answer to that," she said, and looked at him through her lashes.

He swallowed. "Ah."

"What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Kobe steak."

"Alright."

"We always have Kobe steak."

"It's what you always want."

"Kagome, how did we end up like this?"

She stopped smiling, and actually looked right at him. "I'm not sure."

"Are you happy like this?"

She thought about it, and finally produced, "I don't want a different life."

He nodded and reached for her. "Come here."

"Yes?"

"We are not having Kobe steak."

"Alright. What would you like instead?"

"We are not having dinner."

"What do you – Sesshoumaru!"

"Hmmm," he said on a long, drawn-out sigh some time later. "Maybe I do love you after all."

"The thought of that makes me happy," Kagome admitted.

"Then I do," he said with decision. "If I would willingly do something as ridiculous as fall in love to make you happy, then I must be besotted already."

"Uh huh." She grinned and tapped his nose. "Now the trick is to remember that tomorrow."

"I'm getting there," he said, smiling.

"I'm glad. I do love you," she added, surprising him.

"Is that why you married me?"

"No, I married you because you asked me to."

"That's the same thing," he said. "Isn't it?"

"Pretty much," she said.

They slept.