I wonder…
By kira
Author's notes: Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for holding my hand, and listening to me whine about Sessh and Mir not behaving, while I wrote this. Special thanks to Hime-sama for yelling at Mir to behave.
For nomdeplume13...
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Rin was leaning up against him, her eyes half closed and her cheeks flushed. Sesshomaru also noted that she felt much warmer than normal. He looked at her, quirking his eyebrow, and silently questioning her.
"Rin–chan don't feel so good…" she wailed plaintively, coughing coarsely. Her eyes were watery and shiny with fever as she looked up at him.
"Indeed," he said, briefly laying a hand on top of her head. "Jaken."
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!" The lil green imp scurried over to them.
"Stay with Rin."
"I'll help him, Sesshomaru-sama," Kohaku added, earning a nod from the taiyoukai.
Gathering his yoki around him, Sesshomaru floated upwards, taking flight.
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Hiccupping from the one cup too many of sake he had consumed while securing lodging for the night, Miroku slowly made his way back to their makeshift camp. He would occasionally check his way, by looking up at the stars as they shone through the breaks in the tree tops. That's when he saw it, a brilliant streak of white that flew by, like a falling star, except this particular star flew parallel to the ground. Miroku blinked, thinking perhaps he had imagined it, when the white streak seemed to materialize out of nowhere in the guise of Inuyasha's older brother Sesshomaru.
The taiyoukai frowned at him, or what passed for a frown on his face, and Miroku wondered what it was that had affected him so badly that the slightest hint of emotion flickered across it. Before he could even open his mouth to ask, Sesshomaru spoke.
"Where is the miko? This Sesshomaru has need of her."
Something about his demeanor had Miroku answering him just as directly, "Back at our camp."
Sesshomaru nodded. "You will take this Sesshomaru there."
"Ummm…" This time words seem to fail the normally glib monk.
The taiyoukai's eyes narrowed. "Rin is ill and requires the assistance of a human healer. This Sesshomaru has heard the miko carries with her many strange and powerful remedies."
Sighing softly, Miroku nodded his assent. "Let's go." He started to walk away, figuring Sesshomaru would follow. What he had not counted on was the taiyoukai suddenly appearing in front of him and, gathering him into his arms. Miroku bit back the cheeky comment he would have made if it was anyone else and hung on for dear life as he felt himself being lifted skyward.
"Which way?"
"Uh, that way…" Sweet Kami-sama, and the Buddha, please whatever fate you have in store for your humble servant, don't let him drop me…
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Just as Miroku had predicted in his head, the others came running when they set down in the middle of camp. Inuyasha was brandishing his sword while standing protectively in front Kagome. The hanyou was demanding answers from his brother, but before their bickering could escalate into another battle, Miroku held up a hand and stepped forward. "Kagome-sama," he said, and laying a hand on the Inuyasha's shoulder as he stood by his side, he gave it a slight squeeze to shut him up. "Rin is sick and needs your help."
"Sure, I will need my bag" she said, hurrying over to gather her things. "Inuyasha, go get Sango."
He nodded. "I'll deal with you later," the hanyou said to his brother, before hurrying off toward the town Miroku had just left.
Sesshomaru snorted in disgust, and dismissing him from his thoughts, he focused his attention on the miko.
"She went to go look for you when you took too long getting back," Kagome said pointedly.
"Hehehe," Miroku sheepishly replied, scratching the back of his head with his free hand as she rolled her eyes at him.
"Anyways, although I'd rather have Sango's help, it's going to take her a while to get back. You're going to have to come along and lend me a hand if I need it," Kagome told the monk, the look in her eyes promising him all of the vomit cleaning duty. "So how far away are we from your camp, Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Instead, he simply walked up to her and like he had done moments ago with the monk, scooped her up in his arms. He watched, mildly amused, as the monk stood there, looking foolish. It was painfully evident he was unsure of what to do and Sesshomaru twitched the end of his fluffy. When that failed to get the desired result, he caught the monk's eye, and staring pointedly at his fluffy, something clicked. As Sesshomaru gathered his yoki around him and floated upwards, Miroku did what he had seen Jaken do on a few occasions and grabbed the end of his fluffy.
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While Kagome tended to Rin, Miroku studied Sesshomaru's profile. He noted the very subtle signs of upset etched on the taiyoukai's face, the tight set to his jaw, the faint crease between his brows and the narrowing of his eyes on an otherwise blank face.
"She's going to be fine, right, Kagome-sama?"
"Yeah…" She gave Miroku a funny look, before going back to wiping the sick child's forehead with a wet washcloth. "I think she has the measles, Sesshomaru, and she should be better in a week with the right care."
Sesshomaru nodded; apparently satisfied that Rin was in good hands, he turned neatly on his heel and simply walked away. Without saying a word the monk trailed after him, leaving Kagome to deal with the sick child and the rest of their group, who had just arrived.
"Why do you follow this Sesshomaru?"
Good question… Miroku thought.
Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder at the monk, while waiting for his reply.
"Rin's going to be fine; the Lady Kagome brought medicine and it's already helping some-"
"This Sesshomaru can see that," the taiyoukai replied, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice.
"Caring about someone doesn't make you weak," Miroku blurted out, before he could think better of it
Sesshomaru turned to face him, silently regarding him though narrowed eyes. After what felt like eternity in the space of a heartbeat, he nodded at the monk. Chichi-ue used to say that…
Miroku smiled. He really does have a heart beneath all that ice…
Perhaps he is wiser than this Sesshomaru first thought…interesting…Chichi-ue also drank and chased women, and he was a great leader…But this Sesshomaru suspects he would never leave Inuyasha and the others…A pity…
Sesshomaru looked off in the direction of the others, seemingly lost in thought. He cocked his head to the side as if listening to some unheard voice, his body tense.
"Sesshomaru-sama…"
Miroku heard it too, Rin's faint plaintive cry.
With a soft rustle of silk, the taiyoukai hurried back towards her side, amazing Miroku with his ability to move swiftly, while appearing to glide gracefully like a courtesan of the highest rank. He briefly watched, before spurring himself into action. Miroku found Sesshomaru moments later, kneeling by Rin's side and listening intently to the child's feverish babblings. It was all Miroku could do not to stand there with his mouth hanging open in shock. Who knew this fearsome warrior, who would not even think twice about killing his younger brother, could and would be so kind as to listen to a child. A small useless girl-child who was no more related to him than I am to Kirara, and yet Sesshomaru shows the same devotion to her that the fire-cat does to Sango… Is this something inherent in all youkai, or is it something more rare and precious to behold?
Sesshomaru, feeling the stare, looked up at the monk, raising a delicate eyebrow at him.
Miroku blinked. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he blushed like a young maiden. Looking quickly away and back, he was surprised to find his heart racing not from fear, but something else. What he would not give to be able to explore this intriguing new feeling. Meeting the taiyoukai's gaze and, holding it, the monk briefly wondered if there were any chance he felt the same…