Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

I. Fushigi Tama - Wisdom

It was the night of the new moon and as always, Inuyasha felt at his most vulnerable. He had enough enemies who wished him dead, even a brother who wanted to kill him off and take what their father had left to his youngest son – the Tetsuseiga. Said sword lay currently over his lap as he sat cross-legged outside their nightly camp. While Kagome had argued that their number was their safety, he didn't want to endanger anyone. The women were now asleep, but Inuyasha was not alone.
Miroku sat with his back against a large rock, his staff against one shoulder, hands stuffed into the sleeves of his robes. Dark eyes met the brown ones of the now human half-demon and a reassuring smile played over the familiar lips. Inuyasha wished they were somewhere much safer than the open ground with a few rocks and gnarled trees for cover. But there hadn't been a village near enough and the last ones he hadn't really liked. Too many wary looks.
So they had come here.
"Relax," Miroku said calmly.
"I can't!"
His lover was just about to say something when Inuyasha tensed. He might be human, but his senses were still as finely tuned as before, even though he couldn't smell and hear as acutely as he was used to. Miroku's expression changed as he himself began to feel the aura of evil approaching. He grabbed his staff and rose fluidly.
Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsuseiga, even though the fang couldn't transform while he was human and looked little more than a rusty, old sword.
The two youkai were larger than the average human, a lot more ugly, and they were flashing teeth and claws. Swiping at the apparently weak humans they each took a victim. Inuyasha smiled coldly as he cut off the arm of the youkai who had so foolishly chosen him, while the second howled under Miroku's seals.
A movement to the left.
He whirled around.
There was a sharp pain in his head, followed by immediate darkness.

* * *

They hadn't stopped after they had beaten their victim unconscious. One had kicked him hard in the side, talons slicing through the red fabric of his robes, while another had rammed his weapon into the unprotected body.
Sesshoumaru looked down at the bleeding form, the human form of his half brother. There was a deep wound in his shoulder where a spear had pierced the fragile human skin, one attacker had ripped deep gauges into his side, and the blow to the head had resulted in another open and bleeding wound. Inuyasha had fought well even for such a frail body, but in the end his enemies had been too many.
They were dead now, disposed off, and their body parts lay around him. His claws still dripped of their blood.
Dispassionate eyes studied the black hair, the blunt nails, the humanized features. So different but still his brother. A weakness brought on by his tainted blood, by his dirty blood. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly at the thought. For a hanyou, his brother was strong, had defeated powerful and much stronger opponents, and he had mastered the Tetsuseiga in a way the demon lord had never thought possible.
"You are stronger than I thought," he murmured, almost to himself.
His gaze traveled to the second human body, that of the monk. Like Inuyasha he had been struck down, but he looked less bloody. More of Inuyasha's companions were not far away, cornered by the youkai, fighting for their lives. Sesshoumaru's features settled in a mask and he pulled Toukijin.
It was time to end this.

* * *

He was awake from one second to the next, eyes snapping open even while his body remained in the position, frozen, ready to spring.
The air smelled different than before.
The sounds were… no longer those of open ground.
His wounds had healed. He was his hanyou self again --
-- and he wasn't lying on hard ground but a soft bed.
Someone touched him, a voice spoke, and before his demon instincts could eliminate the threat, recognition set in.
Miroku.
Inuyasha turned his head and sat up, each movement lithe and controlled, expecting an attack or something unpleasant. What he didn't expect was the sight of the large room he was in. It was a chamber, with a futon he currently sat on, expensive floors and exquisite tapestries. There was a huge door leading to a balcony, overlooking what had to be a valley.
He still had Tetsuseiga, which lay just next to him.
"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked and he became aware of his lover's repeated question.
Golden eyes fell on the slender form, took in his slightly pinched expression, noticed the wound at the side of his head that spoke of a fight, and he frowned.
"What happened?" he asked. "Where the hell are the others?"
"Long story and I doubt you'd believe it." Miroku gave him a tight smile as the hanyou's eyes flashed. "Kagome, Sango and Shippo are fine. They're in the adjacent chamber, sleeping. You, I think, are fine, since you're so obviously back to normal."
The small taunt made Inuyasha look up sharply and he saw the slivers of worry in his lover's face.
"I'm okay," he reassured him. "Just a headache."
And he was back to normal concerning his powers. It was morning and the new moon's magic had evaporated.
"I don't know who brought us here. I remember the fight against the youkai, something hitting me… and then I woke up here."
Inuyasha slid off the bed, biting back a growl of pain as the headache flared. He wanted to see how the others were. They would get out of this together. As a team.

Miroku followed his lover into the second room and they were greeted by Kagome, Sango and Shippo, who looked a bit ruffled but not too bad. No one had an idea just what had happened, just that they had been attacked – and apparently they had been taken prisoner.
"Strange way to lock someone up," Sango mused. "Especially with all our weapons."
"I also still have the Shikon no Tama," Kagome announced, holding up the wrapped and sealed jewel.
Shippo walked over to the door and surprise crossed his features when it opened. There was no guard outside their room and after a brief exchange of looks, they left. Inuyasha brought up the front, Sango the rear.
The hallways were silent, well-lit and there wasn't a sign of dust, debris or rot. Everything was in perfect condition, as if someone was taking care of it, but there was no sound or sign of anyone else but them. They ended up in a large room, almost a hall, with an unobstructed view into a beautiful garden. The sun was out and illuminated everything like in a picture book.
"This is amazing," Kagome murmured. "I wonder who it belongs to."
Inuyasha frowned, sniffing the air. "I know that scent…"
Miroku was about to say something when the other sliding door opened and someone entered the large room.

Kagome froze as she saw the girl walk into the room. She was dressed in a clean, multi-colored robe, her long, dark hair bound back by an orange tie that matched the color in her kimono. She looked older than the last time Kagome had seen her, had grown and appeared quite healthy. There was a smile on her lips, a curious expression in her lively eyes, and when the group stared at her, she didn't so much as blush or look embarrassed.
"Hello," she said.
If that was the girl that had been with Sesshoumaru… Kagome didn't want to continue the thought.
"Uh, hello," she answered.
"I know you," the girl addressed her, smiling widely. "And you." She transferred her gaze at Inuyasha.
"Yes, we met before," Kagome answered. "Your name is Rin, right?"
"Yes. And I know all your names," she declared proudly.
"That's her. She's the one who came to find Sesshoumaru…" Sango whispered.
She nodded. "Yes, the human girl who I saw twice before."
"She doesn't look like a servant."
"She didn't strike me as one. And why would he keep human servants?"
Inuyasha frowned slightly and looked around, searching for a second presence. There was none.
"Do you live here all by yourself?" Miroku asked, pouring a lot of his charm into his voice.
"No. We used to travel a lot and it was always nice to meet all the different people," she answered, smiling. "But we came here a while ago and it's fun."
"Who else is here?"
"Aun and Sesshoumaru. I like playing with Aun and Sesshoumaru."
Inuyasha blinked. Playing with… Sesshoumaru.
"But it must be lonely, being here," Kagome spoke up, placing a hand on his arm to keep him calm. "Not now," she whispered.
"No," was the honest answer.
"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled. "He's here somewhere. I should have smelled him right away."
Rin looked at him, wide-eyed. "He saved you from the bad youkai. You were hurt."
Inuyasha tensed more. "Sesshoumaru!" he called. "Show yourself, you coward! I'm tired of games!"
"You always liked to play them," a baritone voice answered.
"Today I'm not in the mood!"
Sesshoumaru entered the room and Rin smiled brightly, clearly adoring the tall youkai, and Kagome wondered what had triggered this kind of loyalty to a being she could hardly picture as something even remotely like a parent.
"Why did you bring us here?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Naraku's minions are out there, looking for you."
"Keh. I'm not afraid of him."
"No, you never were, were you?"
Golden eyes looked at the smaller hanyou and Kagome wondered what was going on behind that smooth, controlled face.

Inuyasha sized his brother up, noting the lack of battle armor and the different robes he was wearing. Gone was the white kimono with the red markings. Gone were the chest armor and the elaborate additions. He was looking at plain clothes, expensive but almost too simple for the youkai his brother was. Of course, Sesshoumaru's outfit had been shredded when Inuyasha had nearly killed him because of Naraku's strange poison, but it shouldn't have been hard for the demon to get himself a replacement.
And then he noticed it.
"Stole another arm?" he taunted.
Sesshoumaru raised his left arm and flexed the five digits. It looked almost human, except for the claws matching those on his right hand, but it had none of the stripes that decorated part of his body.
"A gift," was the calm answer.
"What do you want from us?" Sango demanded. "We didn't ask for you help!"
"I'm offering you my hospitality."
Inuyasha snorted. "Don't make me laugh, brother."
A smile graced the smooth features, and it was far from pleasant. "So far, you haven't managed to defeat Naraku. He plays with you. He moves you like puppets."
"I'm no one's puppet!" Inuyasha growled.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "Up until now you've played his game."
Another growl.
"Soon that game will be over and it will end with your deaths."
It didn't sound like Sesshoumaru felt a single emotion at that fate. His voice lacked any kind of inflection, but there was something in his eyes… something new.
The hanyou snarled. "Naraku will die at my hands!"
"And you will die with him, Inuyasha."
"Why should you care?" he demanded.

Sango looked at the tall, slender figure. Sesshoumaru was his usual aloof self. No emotion touched his features. They were smooth, his true self hidden behind the impassive mask of disinterest in the affairs of mere humans. He saw them as bugs, as Inuyasha had once remarked, but so much had changed since then. Sango frowned as she studied the ageless features. Yes, compared to before, there was an emotion there. Well-hidden and for outsiders undetectable, but they had seen the youkai at his worst.
She still remembered the horror at seeing the terrible wounds inflicted by Inuyasha, all the broken bones, the eyes filled with agony and so so vulnerable. It had been the first time she had seen him as more than the arrogant son-of-a-bitch she had taken him for all the time. A worthy, strong opponent who was enragingly aloof.
But not the terrified, hurting being she had treated. Not he man who had fought to live despite the wounds Inuyasha had opened. Not the man who had moaned in pain, trying to be strong and failing. Those had been mere hours, but something inside her had been touched. Seeing the amber eyes, glazed in feverish light, the claws digging into the ground as his body healed, mending bone, muscle and tendons.
She had changed her thinking then. No longer arrogant, but self-centered… centered. Very balanced. Sesshoumaru was very much aware of how powerful he was, where his limits lay and where his strength resided. He would turn his back on a fight, unafraid to be called a coward, because he was a survivor.
Now he was their host. He was the one who had saved Inuyasha from the youkai that had nearly killed him. He was the one who had brought them here. Part of her was curious as to why, the other ready to fight should the youkai simply want to toy with them.
"Why?" Inuyasha repeated the question.
It was strange to notice how much in control of his emotions the young hanyou was. Instead of yelling, his voice was just slightly raised, underlined with a little growl to bring his point across, and he hadn't even drawn Tetsuseiga.
"It's not like you would shed a tear over my loss."
Sesshoumaru's expression changed minutely. There was a barely perceptible twitch around his lips. "True, but you have proven to be useful in the past."
"You mean I saved your arrogant ass before," Inuyasha corrected sarcastically.
Another twitch. "You took care of enemies I would have spent too much of my precious time on."
Inuyasha snorted, clearly amused. "So why now?"
"You were always a fool, brother. Exposing yourself to your enemies in that frail human form your weak human mother gifted you with."
Inuyasha's ears briefly laid back and he flashed a warning snarl. His brows dipped deeper, but he still didn't make any moves to attack.
"But it seems," Sesshoumaru went on, "you and that sword of yours are my only way of truly defeating Naraku."
They had been close before. Oh so close, and it had only been because of their combined strength that they had nearly turned the hated evil creature into the dust it had come from.
"Is he proposing an alliance?" Kagome muttered to Sango.
"Sounds like it," the demon slayer replied. "But Sesshoumaru and… Inuyasha… Working together?"
Kagome nodded. "Highly doubtful."
Inuyasha studied his older brother and his frown deepened. "What are you saying, Sesshoumaru?"
"Tetsuseiga has the strength to bring down Naraku."
"Keh. I always knew that. So why not let me get killed and use it yourself? Run out of human arms and Shikon splinters?" he taunted.
Sesshoumaru smiled all of a sudden, catching all of them off guard. Especially Sango, who felt warmth curl in her stomach.
"It's not the sword alone, runt. It's more. We couldn't defeat him the last time you used Tetsuseiga because back then you didn't have the complete Shikon no Tama. The sword and the jewel, together with your human-loving heart can rid the world of this nuisance Naraku forever."
"How do you know that?" Miroku asked quietly, drawing the youkai's attention to himself.
"The prophecy, monk. The simple prophecy every youkai knows by now. The prophecy that has Naraku's minions hunting you." Sesshoumaru smirked a little. "The youkai who nearly killed you were part of his hunting party."
Inuyasha just glared at him.
"And you think the one mentioned in the prophecy… that's Inuyasha?" Kagome wanted to know.
"Yes."

* * *

They sat together in their room, each and every one looking thoughtful, maybe even a little suspicious. While they had been gone, food had been brought to their room, but there was no sign of servants. There were towels and bowls of water to freshen up, all sorts of delicacies on expensive platters, and different drinks.
"You think it's poisoned?" Shippo asked as he studied the laden table.
"If Sesshoumaru wanted us dead, he wouldn't feed us first," Inuyasha told him and settled down cross-legged, arms in the sleeves of his kimono. He closed his eyes, an expression of intense thought on his features.
"You trust him?" Sango asked, breaking the silence that was only filled with Shippo's happy munching.
"Concerning what?" was the question in return. "The prophecy? I never believed in it. His intentions to kill Naraku? Yes, I do. He hates him, and Sesshoumaru is one of the few powerful youkai left. Naraku will want to absorb him again. As for his offer to work with us…" Inuyasha's eyes opened. "Strangely, yes."
Kagome nodded slowly. "He could have killed us all, taken Tetsuseiga and the Shikon Jewel, but he didn't. He left us our weapons, too."
Sango frowned. "Maybe it's a trick."
"To accomplish what?" Miroku wanted to know.
She was silent, unable to answer that.
"You think it's you meant in that prophecy?" Shippo asked, looking up at the hanyou.
"Keh. No."
Kagome's eyes widened. "But it says…"
"What it says is that someone with youkai blood, wielding a sword made by a demon dog's fang, and possessing the power of the Shikon no Tama can rid the world of Naraku." He looked into their eyes. "We assume it's Tetsuseiga."
"It can't be Tenseiga," Miroku murmured. "Tenseiga cannot kill. You're the only one who can use your father's sword."
"But I cannot use the jewel."
They fell silent again.
"Sesshoumaru doesn't know that," Kagome said after a while.
"Yeah."
"So what do we do?" Sango demanded. "Trust in some faulty prophecy?"
Inuyasha raised his eyes and looked at his friends. "Sesshoumaru is powerful, even I will grant him that. And we worked together before – reluctantly. We all follow the same goal."
"You want to trust into that alliance?" Miroku queried.
Inuyasha just nodded. Kagome made a startled sound, then suddenly smiled.
"What?" the hanyou demanded.
"I think it's a good decision."
Miroku nodded his head once in agreement. Sango looked doubtful, but Shippo grinned.
"You beat that cat demon monster together, and you slayed Naraku before," he exclaimed. "You can do it again."
"But Sesshoumaru believes in the prophecy," Kagome interrupted. "He thinks you can use the Shikon's power…"
"For now, let's leave it at that."
They had gone through a lot in the last years, had grown as a team, and Sesshoumaru had changed along with them, in his own way. There had been attempts of cooperation, cease fires and alliances… today another step had been taken.
Maybe for something permanent.

* * *

Staying in close quarters with Sesshoumaru was a new experience for everyone, especially Inuyasha who wasn't used to be within five feet of Sesshoumaru and not try to kill him.
Kagome was the only one who almost took it easily. Then again, she had always been open, Inuyasha mused. She accepted that there was more than met the eye and he had learned from her not to judge by appearance alone. Actions spoke louder than words, but sometimes, looking beneath the surface told a whole different story. So while he stayed guarded and on alert, he was ready to learn more about his brother.
Sesshoumaru worked with youkai spies, never leaving his castle, and it became clear just how much a danger Naraku considered him and the others by the news from the lesser youkai. The evil that was Naraku was scouting the land to find any trace of them. He was after the Shikon no Tama, but he also wanted the last opposing forces wiped out or absorbed. He had tried to absorb Sesshoumaru before and it hadn't worked, thanks to Inuyasha. Back then, Inuyasha hadn't lost a thought about his brother's near miss, but some part of him had wondered about their joined battle. Together they had defeated Naraku that day. Together they had wreaked havoc upon that ugly creature out of hell. Together… they were a force to be reckoned with.
Toutousai had once remarked cryptically on that, too. Kagome and Miroku had mumbled about it. He had always ignored it. Sesshoumaru had been a pain in the ass, so to speak, and his enemy. He had wanted Tetsuseiga and Inuyasha had been intent on wiping the floor with the arrogant and aloof bastard's ass.
Now… now they had truly joined forces.
The hanyou inhaled the clear, cold air, his gaze traveling over the rough mountains, the deep valley below, and his sharp eyes made out a frozen lake not far from here. Old trees grew up the mountain side, gnarled and battered by the forces of nature.
"Inuyasha?"
The gentle, soothing voice penetrated his thoughts and he glanced over his shoulder, looking into the dark violet eyes of his lover. Miroku gazed at him, features settled in a solemn expression.
"What are you thinking about?" he wanted to know, joining him at the stone railing.
Inuyasha had chosen to sit cross-legged on the broad stones, the wind tugging slightly at his hair and robes.
"Things have changed," he murmured. "And I think they're finally what they're supposed to be."
Miroku tilted his head, the smile deepening. "You think so?"
A nod. "Our father gave us two swords. One for healing, one for killing. In Sesshoumaru's eyes, he mismatched them, chose the wrong son. In my eyes, it served the bastard right that he got a weak sword." He smirked slightly. "But we worked well together against the cat demons' leader, and when we took out Naraku…"
"Your father had a plan when he made those gifts to you."
Inuyasha chuckled. "Yes. Took me only how long to realize that?"
Miroku grinned. "Long enough, you stubborn idiot."
The hanyou twitched a slight smile.
"But to seal that truce… and that trust we all need in a fight, you have to tell him about the Shikon, Inuyasha."
"Yes."
"Soon."
Inuyasha sighed and jumped off the railing. He looked at his human lover and suddenly leaned forward, catching his lips. Miroku kissed him back, pulling him closer.
"Soon," he promised.

* * *

Miroku had started to explore the large castle and while he had seen signs of servants being present, he had yet to meet any of them. They were like silent ghosts, always around but never to be seen. His explorations took him to the stables, which were empty except for the creature Sesshoumaru used as others would a horse. It was a two-headed dragon, without wings, and currently it was getting a firm scratching behind the ears by none other than Rin.
One of the heads turned his way and it snorted. Rin stopped and looked, then smiled, waving.
"Hello, Miroku!"
She was truly an amazing girl. Living with someone like Sesshoumaru… Miroku would have thought her to be an emotionally starved little human, but she was lively, clearly happy and very healthy looking. He wondered if she had had contact with other humans, other children, because he couldn't believe that she had grown into this from staying with Sesshoumaru and his annoying toad Jaken all that time.
"Hello, Rin," he greeted her.
"This is Aun," she introduced the strange beast. "He's my friend."
Miroku smiled at the dragon being. It was an impressive beast, fearsome, but so very calm around the girl. Rin petted its black mane and one of the heads turned to blow air into her hair. She giggled.
"Do you want me to show you the palace?" the girl asked eagerly.
"That would be nice."
Rin left the stables with him, clearly excited to meet someone new, and he happily answered her questions about himself and the others.
"Rin? May I ask a question of you?" he finally addressed a topic he had been wondering about ever since seeing this little girl in a youkai's company.
"Sure."
"How did you come to live with Sesshoumaru? Where are your parents?"
Her large eyes were suddenly very serious and Miroku briefly regretted asking such a question.
"My parents were killed," Rin answered softly, her voice filled with remembered pain and sadness. "I saw how it happened."
"By whom?"
Please, don't let her say a youkai or even…
"Thieves," she whispered. "I ran until I reached a village and they took me in. But I was never really one of them. I lived outside, found my own food… sometimes stole."
Miroku placed a hand on the small shoulder. "I am sorry, Rin."
"But one day," she continued, her voice audibly brighter, "I found Sesshoumaru in the forest. He was hurt and I took care of him. When the wolves took the village and hurt me, he made me whole again."
Tenseiga, Miroku thought with a flash of realization. Sesshoumaru had resurrected a child that had been killed by the wolves…
Why? What had been his reason back then? And why had he let her stay?
"So you owe him your life?"
Rin shrugged slightly.
"Is that why you stayed?"
"No. He was nice to me. I wanted to go with him. I had nowhere else to go and he didn't turn me away." Her large eyes held nothing but adoration and love. "We went to so many nice places, I saw the stars in the sky at night, and I saw the great falls, and we flew on Aun…"
"You never wanted to stay in any of the villages?"
Rin shook her head immediately. "No one loved me there."
And Sesshoumaru loves you? he wondered quietly.
"But with Sesshoumaru, there are adventures," she went on, much brighter than before. "I've been to so many places, some scary, some fun. I want to see all of the world," she added.
"You're a brave girl, Rin, with a brave heart. One day you'll be a brave woman. Men will want you to be their wife and have their children. Well, I would be honored if you were the mother of my children," he teased the girl.
"Really?"
Miroku had no time to answer. There was a flash of movement, too fast for the human eye to see, and before he could even cry out in surprise, he was caught around the throat and slammed into a wall.
"Don't you dare touch my daughter, monk!" the chilling voice cut into him like a blade.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin's voice echoed over the empty yard, clearly frightened.
"Daughter?" Miroku gasped, trying to dislodge the vice grip around his throat and failing.
Golden eyes glowed almost red and he could see the youkai lurking underneath the almost human exterior. Sesshoumaru's teeth were bared, canines glinting, and the hand squeezed.
Miroku fought for air, his hands clawing uselessly at the iron grip. "I… I… didn't…"
"Keep your filthy paws off Rin," Sesshoumaru whispered, voice low and dangerous. "She is none of the whores you want to bear your seeds, understood?"
"I wasn't…" he wheezed.
"Let him go!"
The voice rang out over the yard, but the infuriated eyes didn't waver from their victim for a second.
"I said, let him go!" Inuyasha demanded.
Sesshoumaru's gaze never left the man fighting for breath in his grip. His eyes narrowed a fraction and Miroku saw his jaw clench. He almost forgot to breathe under the intensity of the yellow eyes.
"Why do you care about your toy so much, Inuyasha, when you can so easily find a new one?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly, studying the struggling monk.
He knows, Miroku thought desperately. He can probably smell it or something.
"So can you!" Inuyasha hissed. "Or is it you feel more for that little girl? Your daughter?"
Sesshoumaru growled and his claws dug into the fragile skin of Miroku's neck, making him cry out hoarsely. Before Inuyasha could react to his lover's exclamation of pain, Sesshoumaru flung the man in his grasp at Inuyasha. The hanyou went down under the weight, instinctively curling an arm around the coughing and gasping man.
"Miroku," he whispered.
"I… I'm fine," he managed, throat sore and hurting, just like his neck. His eyes were watering.
Inuyasha ran a hand over the mistreated and by now bruising area, making Miroku flinch slightly. The hanyou's eyes narrowed in anger and he growled at Sesshoumaru. Miroku grabbed his lover's arm.
"No," he coughed. "Don't!"
Inuyasha snarled.
"Like our father you sully our blood by taking up with a human mate," Sesshoumaru said dispassionately, looking down on them.
"And you take a human as your own," Inuyasha countered.
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and he looked at Rin, who had watched the confrontation with wide eyes.
"Sesshoumaru?" she asked softly. "Why are you angry?"
"Rin. Go to your room."
For a moment it looked like she would argue, then she turned and ran into the castle.
"I didn't touch her," Miroku said hoarsely. "We were just talking."
"I heard your talk, monk. Your perversion is known."
Inuyasha frowned. "Miroku…"
"I didn't," he protested. "I only said she will grow into a fine woman one day and make a man happy. I'm not interested in her!"
Sesshoumaru rumbled softly, visibly rattled, and Miroku wondered when the youkai had developed such a protective streak toward the girl. And why.
He suddenly turned and walked away, without saying another word. Inuyasha pulled his lover to his feet and their eyes met. Inuyasha walked into the castle and the monk followed, silent, thinking. When they arrived in their room, he finally broke the silence.
"I didn't come on to her, Inuyasha," Miroku said softly, voice and expression serious.
He needed his lover to understand. He had no interest in women, of any kind, and he knew how possessive Inuyasha could be.
"I know," the hanyou answered, one clawed hand carefully touching the injured neck.
Miroku flinched a little as gentle fingers explored the depth of the injury, finding no bleeding wounds. There were only reddish indentions where Sesshoumaru's claws had come close to breaking the skin, and the bruises.
"Let's clean you up," Inuyasha said calmly.
Walking into the bathing chamber they were surprised to find not only fresh towels, but also herbal salve. Inuyasha looked around but discovered no sign of anyone present.
Miroku did the same, frowning. The servants worked as silently and invisibly as ever.
"Sit," Inuyasha told him.
Opening the robes, he exposed a wide area around his lover's neck and Miroku relaxed into the tender treatment of his injuries. Inuyasha knew more about medical help than he let on. Kagome had told him about how he had brewed a, though foul-smelling, medicine that had cured her cold.
When he was done, Miroku rose and pulled the other man close, kissing him gently. Careful arms wrapped around his waist and he let himself sink into that strength, deepening the kiss. His throat muscles protested mildly and he had to pull back, looking into the open, amber eyes.
"I love you," he murmured.
Inuyasha's face seemed to brighten at the words and he caressed his cheek. "You should rest," he murmured. "Come."
Miroku didn't protest when he was stripped and Inuyasha crawled onto the futon with him, holding him close.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had no idea what had brought on this temper flare. He had heard the words of the monk, his mind had suddenly gone blank, and the next moment he was looking at his hapless victim which was dangling in his grasp. He had felt the demon inside of him, had felt the urge to let this insolent man experience what it meant to piss him off.
… this man.
Sesshoumaru gazed at the dark sky.
The monk was known to be a lecherous pervert, but he was now in a relationship with his brother, so why did he feel threatened by him anyway? Why did he assume that he would still pursue women? And why would he think he would touch Rin?
Because he felt protective toward the little girl. He was her self-appointed guardian; he, a youkai. She was a human. Frail, weak… and the source of his recent changes. She had touched him more deeply than anything else in the past. And if some man was about to pursue her, Sesshoumaru would beg to differ.
He sighed softly.
He wondered whether it was for the better.
A soft flapping noise and a shift in the energies around him told him of the arrival of a messenger. It was a small, bird-like youkai, unshakingly loyal to Sesshoumaru, and one of the best spies he had out in the world beyond the protective barrier that kept them hidden from Naraku.

* * *

He had left the warm bed with his sleeping lover, wandering the silent, empty corridors of the large castle. Torches lit up the stone hallways and now and then Inuyasha thought he could hear the silent footsteps of servants. His ears twitched at the slightest noise, but he saw neither hide nor hair of whoever it was who took care of his brother's home.
He entered the hall that was the center of the building and wasn't very much surprised to discover Sesshoumaru standing at the open sliding doors that led out into the perfectly groomed and taken care of garden. The water of the small spring was the only sound that penetrated the silence and Inuyasha walked slowly closer. A shadow whisked past one of the small trees and disappeared into the night sky. A tiny, winged youkai, he realized.
"News?" he asked.
Sesshoumaru's eyes were on the dark sky and he gave no indication of having heard the question.
"Naraku is terrorizing the land, looking for those in hiding," came the quiet answer after a while. "He destroys whatever lies in his way."
"Keh. Bastard."
"He's unaware of where we are, but he is looking."
"Does he know his death has been foretold?"
Golden eyes glanced at him. "Naraku is well aware of the danger you are to him."
Inuyasha grinned insolently. "Busted his ass in the past too many times. He knows he can't win against me."
Sesshoumaru made a noise like a soft laugh. "He toys with you, Inuyasha. He moves us like pawns, but I've seen through his game. I refuse to play."
"You think the prophecy is true?"
"Yes."
"I doubt it."
Another glance.
"True, I have mastered the Tetsuseiga and I have the jewel, but there's only one small problem."
Sesshoumaru frowned minutely.
"I can't use the Shikon. It would kill me if I unleashed its powers. I wouldn't be able to do anything with it."
Now there was a definite reaction in those smooth features.
"What?"
Inuyasha refused to look at his older brother. Confessing to this weakness was harder than he thought. They weren't enemies, but Sesshoumaru was a youkai who held nothing but disdain for anything lesser. He had told Inuyasha often enough what he thought of his 'dirty' blood.
"When we finally got it all back together, it rejected my touch… it nearly killed me to be close to it. I'm… allergic to it."
Inuyasha watched as the mighty youkai lord was reduced to simple gaping. It lasted only a second or two, but for that moment his expression was priceless. There was little that could get him to lose his reserved cool, but his brother telling him he was allergic to the Shikon no Tama was such a thing.
Inuyasha drew out a small bundle from his robes. "We sealed it in here, for me to carry it safely."
He tossed it at Sesshoumaru.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed.
He had smelled her close by for the last minute or two, but he hadn't reacted to her presence. Now she ran toward him, face aghast. She was dressed in night robes and looked like she had woken and followed him down here.
"What are you doing?" she demanded.
He gave her a quick smile to calm her.
Sesshoumaru caught the wrapped-up jewel and looked at it, aghast and fascinated in one.
"It can't be," he murmured. "The prophecy hasn't been wrong so far!"
"Looks like it is now."
The smooth mask fell over the incredulous features again and Sesshoumaru closed his fist over the stone. "No. Impossible."

Kagome didn't know what had woken her, but she had seen Inuyasha walk down the silent hallways, finally coming to the main room and standing next to his brother to talk to him. It was a strange scene, like out of a movie she had never thought she might see. The two sons of the great dog demon, peacefully side by side, allied against a force that had and still was trying to kill them.
Looking at Sesshoumaru with the Shikon ball in his hand, something suddenly struck her.
"Uh, isn't Sesshoumaru a son of the great dog demon, too?" Kagome spoke up.
Both looked at her and Inuyasha shook his head.
"He can't wield Tetsuseiga. The barrier will reject him."
"Then again…" she argued. "He used it once before… successfully…"
Inuyasha's ears twitched. "What are you saying, Kagome?"
Her dark eyes held the cool, collected gaze of the youkai. She remembered the occasions she had seen the human girl, Rin, with him. She remembered how happily the child had followed, how he had, in his own way, saved her from Naraku. How he had spared Kohaku's life. How there had been something like compassion there. For a fraction of a second, but it had been there.
"The prophecy speaks of a human heart," she said, voice strong and even as she didn't let him break her gaze. "Because Inuyasha's mother was human, you thought it meant his hanyou blood. Inuyasha can wield Tetsuseiga because of his human heritage, but he can't touch the jewel any more. You can touch the jewel, but you were rejected by the sword because of your disdain for humanity before. But what if that has changed?"
Sesshoumaru blinked.
"You claim the human girl as your daughter, which implies feelings," Kagome drove her point home. "You have feelings for her, you worry for her, you saved her before from dangers. You love that girl, Sesshoumaru, and that makes a human heart."
Sesshoumaru seemed to rock back under her words, his eyes widening slightly. His jaw clenched.
Inuyasha was simply intrigued. Suddenly he pulled Tetsuseiga and twirled it lazily until it came to rest with the hilt pointing toward his older brother.
"You think the prophecy can't be wrong?" the hanyou asked. "Well, how about you try it out."
And with that he held the sword out to Sesshoumaru, who was simply staring at him, hesitating.
"Take it," Inuyasha offered. "Just take it. Maybe it is you, brother.
Careful fingers curled around the hilt of the sword and Kagome held her breath.
Nothing happened.
No sudden lighting, no shield flaring to life, just Sesshoumaru standing in the middle of the room, holding Tetsuseiga. He stared at the sword, completely at a loss, his awe and shock showing quite clearly on his ageless features.
Inuyasha smiled and his eyes met his brother's. "Looks like your prophecy was right. You just got the real bearer of the sword wrong."
"You would let me take the sword?"
"I'll give it to you to defeat Naraku," Inuyasha said.
After that, was the unspoken addition, he would get it back, by force should Sesshoumaru decide not to surrender it.
The youkai studied his hanyou brother, then nodded once. In one smooth move, he offered the Tetsuseiga back and Inuyasha sheathed it again in the scabbard.
"You need us, Sesshoumaru, and whether I… we… like it or not, we need you."
A small smirk appeared on the other's lips.
Inuyasha looked seriously at him. "We've got to work together to defeat Naraku."
Golden eyes bore into him. "You would trust me."
It wasn't even a question.
"To kill Naraku with Tetsuseiga? Yes."
No hesitation, no lie. Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose.
Inuyasha barely refrained from rolling his eyes, but a sigh escaped his lips.
"I know I've been an immature ass in the past, but even I got it into my head now that we can only win as a team. We worked together before and though I hate to confess it, we were damn good."
Sesshoumaru twitched a barely visible smile.
"Naraku fears us. You, me and my friends. We're all his enemies and he's tried to get rid of us in various ways. It means we're a force to be reckoned with. You're the one the prophecy says can defeat him with Tetsuseiga, and we're the ones who can keep you covered."
"You think so?" Sesshoumaru taunted.
"Yes," the hanyou replied, silent conviction in his voice. "I do."
Sesshoumaru suddenly smiled and while it held the usual coldness, there was also something else. Something Kagome had seen before.
"You say we're protected in this place, that Naraku can't touch us here. Then we have a place to prepare," Inuyasha went on. "We'll get ready to take him down for good. He won't come back."

* * *

She had come to the battle court early, using the time of dawn to warm up and go through some easy moves with her weapons. Sango knew she was a professional, she had fought many battles, but Naraku was an opponent they had yet to really beat. He had always come up with new ways and strategies, had surprised them over and over again, and he possessed the barrier that even deflected the Tetsuseiga.
Sesshoumaru's battle court was a vast arena, equipped with easy targets for simple practice, but also animated opponents that, while mindless, were still to be taken seriously. Sango had no plans of getting herself run over by some lesser youkai who weren't even worth her time, but she was aware of the fact that Naraku would throw whatever he had at them, and it was their task to protect Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, who would take down the main threat.
Two hours into the training, Sango finally decided to give it a rest. She eliminated her opponent with one hard slash of her boomerang and was just about to end the fight when a new enemy appeared. She had barely a second to react to the claws going for her neck, and she ducked instinctively, rolling away. Coming to her knees, Sango reached for the boomerang, but it was torn out of her grasp with ease. Gasping, she somersaulted back, breathing hard.
"Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed, shocked.
What was going on here? Why had he attacked?
The silver-haired youkai stood where she had just been, the impassive features looking at her like he would study a worm. Well, humans were bugs to him, she reminded herself. A nuisance. She noticed his lack of battle attire, the absence of the flamboyant robes. The light gray kimono, adorned with simple markings, and the black armor protecting his chest were almost as shocking as his unprovoked attack.
Without a word, Sesshoumaru rushed toward her, golden eyes cold, his face unreadable. Sango's mind whirled as she evaded the new attack, but she had no time to think as his moves blurred before her eyes and she was hard-pressed just to stay out of reach. She only reacted, didn't think, and it got her cornered against the wall of the battle court, which suddenly pressed into her armor. Parrying his ceaseless slashes, she clenched her teeth against the numbing in her arms. With one hard strike against her arm he disarmed her and the taller warrior looked down at his smaller opponent.
"Pitiful," he remarked.
Sango glared at him, seething.
"And I thought you were a trained exterminator."
She lashed out at the words, driven by her wounded pride, but she didn't even come close to getting at him. He easily got out of the way. There wasn't a drop of sweat anywhere to be seen on his face.
"You would have no chance against Naraku in your current condition," Sesshoumaru told her.
"Shut up!"
He chuckled softly, evading again as Sango put her anger into her strikes. She glared and reached for her poison pellets. He was too quick and out of harms way before the poison had even a chance to touch him. Still, she hadn't believed her poison would actually have much effect. She was following another plan. Sango attacked the moment he moved, her sword getting parried by his claws.
Damn that youkai! He was strong and he was fast. She had seen him in battle before and he could move like lightning if he wanted to.
"A child could counter your attacks."
Landing in a crouch, breathing hard, she coughed slightly from the dust around her.
"Too bad," he commented and turned, walking away.
"Don't turn your back on me! We haven't finished!" Sango yelled, furious.
"Yes, we have."
"You want us to prepare against Naraku and all you can do is this?" she called after him. "Who's pitiful?"
He froze in mid-step and Sango straightened.
"Treat me like an opponent, not like a student," she challenged. "And I'll show you what a true slayer can do!"
His head turned and the golden eyes studied her, his features indifferent. "You challenge me?"
Sango's features were set in a grim mask. "Yes."
"So be it."
And the battle started in earnest.
Sango parried the attacks, charged forward, countered his moves, and she started to follow his evasive maneuvers. He was good, yes, but he was also convinced she was too slow, so he didn't use his full potential. Her father had taught her about youkai, all that he knew, all his grandfather had taught him in turn. Youkai believed to be superior to humans and while some were in powers and body, those could be brought down with quick thinking and simply watching their style.
Sesshoumaru would be vulnerable the moment he lost his cool, the moment he let his emotions take over, and she knew he possessed them. He could get angry and when he did, it was her chance.
Feigning a sword attack, she threw another poison pellet. Sesshoumaru gave a snarl, the first sound she had heard him utter, and before he could react, her sword suddenly slashed his cheek. A thin cut appeared on the smooth skin, red and bleeding.
Sango allowed herself a smile of satisfaction, which widened at his briefly incredulous expression. She charged again, not giving him the time to think about what had just occurred, and he made the next mistake.
This time she saw his eyes flash red as her sword caught in the robes, not even close to touching skin but closer than any weapon ever. Sango stuck out her chin in defiance and a renewed challenge, and Sesshoumaru minutely flexed his claws. His growl was soft and dangerous this time.
Gotcha, she thought. Here we go.
Their fight turned more intense, both participants not holding back, though Sango doubted that Sesshoumaru was using all his potential. He had gone up against larger youkai, stronger youkai, and she was just a mere human, but she had wounded him. It had wounded his pride in turn.
In a flurry of moves, the two fighters continued, and Sango knew it had to end soon. She felt the protest of muscles and the exhaustion down to her bones. Sesshoumaru showed no signs of tiring. Stumbling away under a vicious strike, she was unprepared for his underhanded move of kicking her legs out from under her, and she landed hard on her back, winded.
It was over.
At least she had fought a good fight.
As he came in for the final strike, she brought up the hilt of her sword in a last countermove and, be it his own superiority or just a simple mistake on his part, she hit him hard in the temple with it.
Sesshoumaru snarled, sounding like an angry animal, and his hands grabbed her wrists, pushing them down left and right of her head. Sango stared into the blood red eyes of one pissed off youkai, who was breathing harder than usual. Lips pulled back over impressive fangs and he glared at her, a rumble still audible.
Sango bucked against him. "Get off me!" she demanded, twisting under the much heavier man. "I said, get off me!"
His face showed no signs of relenting.
"Game over," he snarled, sounding rattled, though his voice was rough and dangerous.
She met the crimson eyes and felt strangely calm all of a sudden. Sango let her muscles relax and the feeling intensified. It was disconcerting, almost dangerous, but it felt good. The way he rested his weight on her, where his body touched hers… Unexpectedly nice…
"Okay," she said softly. "You win. Now what?"
He was still looking at her.
"You might want to let go," Sango suggested.
And then she saw the expression in his eyes, witnessed them turning amber again, and suddenly he let go of her, standing in one smooth motion. He wasn't as calm and collected as before, looking disheveled and slightly off balance.
Sesshoumaru turned wordlessly and left the battle court. Sango watched him, breathing hard, covered in sweat and dust from head to toe, her body trembling from exhaustion. And something inside her shivered, too. Something warm and strange and…
She clenched her teeth. No! No way!
Collecting her boomerang, she made her way to her room to take a bath and simply relax in the hot water. A small part still wondered about what exactly had happened today.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had retreated into his chambers for the first time in his life confused. He gazed into the mirror, long fingers tracing the healing cut in his face. It would be gone soon, with no marks left, but right now it reminded him of his mistakes against the slayer.
Something had happened in that fight, had made him lose control. He had never lost it before. Not even against Inuyasha or Naraku. He had always prided himself with his control, but now… Suddenly, fighting against the slayer, something had snapped, and when he had her pinned to the ground…
The youkai stopped and stared out of the window. The battle court wasn't visible from here. He shouldn't have touched her, but even without, something had happened between them. Even now he felt her body against his, her warmth, her power, her energy. He had looked into those dark eyes and it had been like a lightning strike.
Why?
What was wrong with him?
Why did he… feel?
-- for a human?

* * *

Kagome had come to approve the cease fire between the two brothers. Both were a force to be reckoned with – if they fought together. She had seen it in the past and she had hoped Inuyasha would come to understand this. Then there had been Sesshoumaru's changing behavior toward his half-blood brother. Where earlier encounters had always been marked by vicious battles, later Sesshoumaru had actually intervened when Inuyasha had been in need of help. Like when he had been overwhelmed by his youkai blood, had been unable to tell friend from foe. He had knocked Inuyasha out, had told her to give him Tetsuseiga, the very sword he was after himself. He had seen no honor in killing the unconscious hanyou at his feet.
Even today she thought it had been a weak excuse not to get rid of his brother – who he proclaimed he wanted dead.
Sesshoumaru had stopped Inuyasha – and he had saved him.
So many occasions, so many little hints that the youkai lord was actually following his half-brother's development, how he grew in strength of body and mind, how he evolved Tetsuseiga. And now this, the alliance.
She smiled.
For Kagome this whole truce had only one major drawback – she had been unable to return to the well and with it to her time so far. She needed to go home, tell her mother and grandfather that she was okay, that she might be gone for a longer time. If her memory served her right, school holidays were soon to start and it wouldn't matter if she stayed for so long. She just needed them to know.
It came as a surprise when Sesshoumaru appeared in the garden where she sat with Shippo, enjoying the rare peace. The tall youkai looked down on her with those unreadable features and closed-off eyes.
"You wish to visit your home?" he asked.
Kagome nodded. "Yes."
"He will bring you there and wait until you have returned."
Sesshoumaru gestured at a figure now approaching her and Kagome looked at the bipedal youkai with its large wings, clawed hand and feet, and leathery, deeply purple skin. It looked like a gargoyle out of old stories.
Shippo gaped at the thing. "You want us to trust a youkai?"
Sesshoumaru's brows twitched and he almost smirked; almost. "His loyalties have been proven. He can shift from this place to the well and back."
"A teleporter?" Kagome blurted. "Amazing!"
The gargoylesque demon tilted its head. "I'm sworn to protect you, Kagome-sama," it said, voice a deep rumble. "I will serve as your guardian for your journey."
It bowed its head.
"Th… thank you," she stuttered. "I'll… just pack my bags, okay?"
The youkai nodded once. "I will await your return, Kagome-sama."
With a last look at Sesshoumaru she smiled a thanks at him, then darted off to her room, followed by Shippo. She had to tell Inuyasha and the others that she was returning home for a day or two, that she would be back.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stood on the balcony overlooking the vast valley stretching out underneath his palace. The wind was howling around the mountains, bringing with it thick, heavy clouds of rain that was now beating against the castle walls. In his little niche, he was protected from the elements, except for the occasional gust of wind.
"How long are you going to stand there?"
His voice broke the silence between the howls and he smiled to himself as his brother joined him out here, in the middle of the storm that couldn't touch them. Inuyasha was dressed in his usual outfit, but he wasn't carrying Tetsuseiga. It was strange and slightly disturbing.
"You puzzle me," Inuyasha said calmly.
An eyebrow arched.
"Your motives are… rather clear."
"They always have been," Sesshoumaru answered coldly.
"No, not always. Actually, I'm rather confused about them most of the time. But now, for the first time, I think there's nothing but what you say you want behind your plans. You want to destroy Naraku."
"Of course. He's a threat to me."
"He's a threat to everything," Inuyasha begged to differ.
Sesshoumaru looked at his younger sibling and was stunned to see the serious expression in those amber eyes. No fire, no anger, no rage. Just the secure knowledge that there was something they had to do, and he would do it no matter what.
"Naraku can be stopped and will be," the hanyou went on. "I never thought it would be you who would give us the edge."
"Life is full of surprises."
"Like discovering that humans aren't that bad?" Inuyasha teased, a fine smile around his lips.
Sesshoumaru shot him a warning look, but the younger one ignored hit. As he had ignored so much in the past. He had risen above what he had been and become something different. A lot in him had changed. Gone were the uncontrolled temper flashes, the yelling and challenges, the way he fought first and thought later.
"You adopted a human girl, Sesshoumaru. Don't tell me it was because of some nether motives or devious plan. You like her. She likes you. It's obvious."
He chose to ignore the words.
"There was a time I hated them, too," the hanyou went on. "Well, disliked them anyway. I wanted to be a full demon, not half human. That changed. Kagome was a part of that change."
The youkai lord cocked an eyebrow. "You found a human mate," he remarked.
Inuyasha bristled slightly at the undertone to his brother's voice, but except for the deep frown, he showed no other reaction to the taunt.
"Kagome and I are not mated," he growled.
He chuckled. What kind of fool did Inuyasha think Sesshoumaru was?
"No. You chose the monk. At least this way you can't sully our blood any more."
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at the renewed stab.
"He's a worthy opponent," Sesshoumaru acknowledged. "But he's human."
"So was my mother," was the tight reply. "Father loved her. Unlike some of us, he followed his heart, not his heritage."
Oh, weak spot. Sore spot. And the first emotional eruption.
Sesshoumaru didn't hate his father for taking a human mate. On the contrary, he had accepted it like he had accepted so much – until the day he had found out that the great dog demon had left him only a healing sword while granting his half-blood brother the great Tetsuseiga.
"Yes," he only murmured. "Love. A strange emotion. A dangerous emotion."
Inuyasha looked at him, a warning in his whole posture.
"For a human, she was beautiful," Sesshoumaru remarked, catching his brother completely off guard.
Amber eyes widened.
"But you come more after our father."
Now he had him.
"I never met him," Inuyasha ground out, rallying for control.
"No. He only saw you when you were a baby. Then you and his mate left. He visited once or twice, but then he died while trying to seal Ryuukossei."
Inuyasha gazed at him, then his eyes were drawn to the churning clouds. His whole posture suddenly changed. "It's not a bad thing to feel, Sesshoumaru. It made me realize that sometimes what you have is the best. I hate being fully human, but if I ever chose to be the demon that lies in wait inside me, I'd forget everything."
"You can't control the youkai blood," the demon lord murmured. "Your mind can't take it."
Another light barb, but there was no reaction anymore. His brother had truly evolved.
"I don't want to anyway," Inuyasha continued. "I have what I was looking for."
"Except that Naraku's curse will take it from you if we don't defeat him."
A sliver of pain crossed his younger brother's features and the clawed fingers curled into fists. Inuyasha briefly closed his eyes and forced himself to relax.
"Yes," he ground out. "And we will defeat him."
They lapsed into silence and Sesshoumaru studied the hanyou at his side, saw the remaining pain in the smooth features and he wondered how it was possible to love so deeply, to feel so deeply for someone. He remembered feeling affection for his mother, respect for his father, and something he couldn't define for Rin. These feelings were the strongest, only mirrored by the eruption of unnamed emotions when it came to the slayer. She… ticked him off.
"A mate is special," he murmured, slightly astounded by his own words.
Sesshoumaru had never chosen a partner. He had never felt the need. In all the time he had been on this earth, he had never felt the longing for a companion. Jaken had been a trusted servant, but except for him, there had been no one close to him. It had been and still was too dangerous. Even Rin presented a danger to the great youkai lord and she had been used to control him before.
Inuyasha's head snapped around and he glared briefly, then suddenly sighed. "Yes."
"You are lucky, brother."
A frown. "Why?"
"Finding your mate. I've never met a woman I'd deign worthy to be mine."
Inuyasha smirked and the youkai frowned slightly.
"What?"
"Have you ever treated them like anything less than servants?"
"They are servants."
Another smirk, but Inuyasha didn't comment. Sesshoumaru harrumphed, feeling slightly unsettled. He had had many bed partners, all of them female, some of them human, some not. He had never felt anything for them despite lust. There had never been love and for some there had been nothing but the feeling of disgust at their willingness to sell their bodies for his favors. Especially the youkai or hanyou among them. All beautiful, all submissive. It had been a satisfaction for his sex drive, but never for his mind. He had never taken them more than once, since none had ever been worth it.
"Speaking of servants, where has that little toad Jaken gone off to?" Inuyasha broke the silence, changing the subject all of a sudden.
Sesshoumaru felt a stab of pain. There was an emptiness at his side he had never perceived more clearly than in the last few days, surrounded by the humans his brother called friends.
"He was killed," he ground out.
Inuyasha blinked. "Killed?"
He stared down into the valley below, his features set in a frozen mask. "By Naraku. He was running an errand. Naraku sent his… detachments to get rid of him. It was his warning to me."
Jaken had been completely pulverized. Not even Tenseiga had been able to restore the body. Part of him had melted, another had been pulverized, the rest… was gone.
"I'm not gonna say I'll miss the toad, but I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru."
At the soft tone of voice, Sesshoumaru looked at his brother and saw only genuine emotions there.
Yes, half-blood, you have changed, he thought.
"He was a servant," he said out loud, trying to be dismissive.
"He was someone you always had along. For quite some time, hm? I guess you get used to that."
"Like you got used to those humans and worthless youkai around you?"
A slight grin. "Yes." Then the grin was wiped off. "At least you still have Rin for company. Well, us now too."
Sesshoumaru carefully schooled his features. Rin was a factor he had never considered before she had stormed into his life, had helped him even though he had been a youkai and probably an enemy in her people's eyes. She had attached herself to him and somehow, his life before the appearance of the little girl seemed to gray when compared to today.
And now his brother and his human friends had arrived. Well, one kitsune, too. He had saved them from death and had brought them into his home – because he had believed them to be his only way to defeat Naraku. As it was, he had had more friendly contact with them in the last week than in all the time before. Especially his brother with whom he was just now talking like to an old friend.
"Sesshoumaru, if there's one thing I've learned in my travels with these people – we're pack animals. The wolves as well as the dogs. Kouga showed me when I wasn't ready to accept it, but Miroku just added to that lesson. You're a dog demon, I'm a half-blood. The pack instinct runs deep inside us. I followed it. What about you?"
With that, Inuyasha left him alone.
Sesshoumaru turned to watch the smaller figure disappear.
'When did you grow up?' he thought, puzzled.