Depleted, Kagome lay, her weary eyes trained upon the hearth’s dim coals. She had barely mustered the wherewithal to kick off her sandals upon returning home, let alone rebuild the fire. Collapsed on her bed in her priestess attire, she was merely aware of her rumpled, shivering state. Merely aware of her continued existence as she breathed slowly in and out, in and out.

The crimson threads of her furisode scratched at her nose with every absent stirring of her lungs. The tousled ends of her bangs itched into her staring eyes. But Kagome’s fingers remained near her cheek in a listless furl. By the side of the bed, her weapons and satchel lay similarly sprawled.

When Sesshoumaru entered the hut, she didn’t bother to collect herself. Distantly, she knew her brother-in-law wouldn’t approve of such sloppiness. But she had given all she could today. Surely he would see this and cut her some slack.

The dragonhide of his boots gleamed darkly as he drew to a stop at her bedside. “Why aren’t you preparing your evening meal?”

“…I’m not hungry.”

Even managing that handful of words was difficult. They continued to hang in the air between them, suspended by Sesshoumaru’s palpable disapproval.

Kagome shifted, rephrasing, “I mean…I’m exhausted.”

“Perhaps you’re exhausted because you’re famished,” Sesshoumaru said curtly, as if she were whining.

“It’s been a long day.” Kagome’s eyes pricked in frustration at just how whiny that had sounded. “I just want to lie down.” Lifting her gaze to his, she added faintly, “Please.”

Sesshoumaru considered her for a beat. “You need to eat.”

Kagome sighed in resignation, mentally summoning the vestiges of energy that remained to her before he dragged her out of bed. Yet to her surprise, her brother-in-law turned away. There was the sound of hearth flames crackling, the sound of water being poured. As a starchy scent permeated the air, Kagome pushed herself up onto an elbow out of sheer curiosity—just in time to see Sesshoumaru placing a bowl before her.

Kagome stared at what he had given her. Was it rice? Picking up a set of chopsticks, she prodded at the bowl’s milky contents. A few uncooked grains bobbed to the surface. The rest of it was adhered to the bottom of the bowl in a dense, glutinous mass.

It was an unappetizing prospect, to say the least. Steeling herself, Kagome broke off a tiny piece of the rice paste and sampled it. Her features contorted into a grimace at the bland, chalky taste.

“This…” she said, setting down her chopsticks with some gravity, “…is the worst thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed fractionally. To Kagome’s amazement, he seemed offended by what she’d said. It dawned upon her that this wasn’t some sort of punishment for her lethargy—he had actually tried to prepare a decent meal for her. He had tried, and this was the result.

Kagome’s lips twitched. It was too much.

Clapping a hand to her mouth, she struggled to hold back the laughter bubbling in her chest. Her fingers shook. Her eyes watered from the strain.

“Ahaha!” she gasped out, overcome. “I’m sorry, Sesshoumaru, it’s just—it’s just so bad!”

Folding his arms into his sleeves, Sesshoumaru turned up his nose at her. “It is all the same to me,” he said shortly, “the mush you humans eat.”

Kagome laughed again. His defensiveness only added to the hilarity of it all. “No, no,” she snickered, jabbing a finger toward the bowl. “Not that. That abomination is in a league of its own—I wouldn’t feed that to a dog!”

Sesshoumaru’s expression darkened. Realizing the pun she’d made, Kagome clutched her arms around her aching ribs, toppling back in a fit of laughter. A full minute passed before she could breathe again. Still fighting for air, Kagome rolled over onto her side to find Sesshoumaru seated next to her on the floor.

His annoyance with her had lifted, it seemed. Merely contemplative, he observed her from above. Kagome’s panting laughter subsided as his amber gaze trailed over her face.

“You seem to be feeling better.”

Wiping at her eyes, Kagome sat up. “You know,” she said, smiling slightly, “I think I am.”

It had felt indescribably good, to laugh again. In all the long months since Inuyasha’s death, Kagome had never thought she would feel that way again. The mere idea had seemed inconceivable to her. How could she feel anything but miserable, when the one she loved was gone from her life forever? Yet just for a moment, she had forgotten her grief.

Just for a moment, she had forgotten him.

As Sesshoumaru’s lips curved upward in turn, the moment stretched on, until a sharp hiss of boiling sap broke it at last. Kagome tensed at the sound, disquieted and vaguely ashamed. Suddenly restless, she stood, taking up the bowl of rice cement along with her.

“Where are you going?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“To throw this out,” Kagome said, not quite meeting his eye as she glanced back at him from the door. “Then I’m going to make myself a proper ‘mush.'”

---

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Revised 7/7/23

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