Ten years have passed since the defeat of Naraku and the destruction of the Shikon Jewel. Since then, nearly everyone involved had settled down in the village where the jewel once resided. Sesshōmaru appeared monthly, always a day before the new moon. He did not begin to linger per visit until Rin's twelfth year.

Rather than only a new kimono to accommodate her quick mortal growth, he gifted her a ko-naginata that year, then several years later, a naginata. With this visit, he came to give Rin armor for her eighteenth year, as well as a new naginata made with his own fang and the wood of Bokusenō. She improved at an incredible speed alongside Kohaku, something the daiyōkai silently appreciated. That human boy had put Sesshōmaru at ease for years, so to not see him for two visits in a row troubled him. Upon stepping into the home that Kohaku and Rin shared, he knew she was within and eating her favorite, hare.

"Rin."

"Ah! Lord Sesshōmaru! Good afternoon!" Her close companion may have consistently appeared before the new moon, but the hour always varied. "Lord Sesshōmaru, is Aun and Jaken with you as well?"

"Aun is with Jaken. They will arrive eventually." With his reply, he placed a gorgeous wooden box in between where they sat. "Rin, have you been slaying demons?"

"Yes!"

"That pleases me to hear. Now, open the box."

"Yes." In all honesty she was excited, but done her best to remain composed in his presence. Once opened, she was greeted to a beautiful pole-arm resting alongside elegant armor. "Lord Sesshōmaru..." She was breathless, and could sense something about these gifts. The fur was quite the hint.

"It is made from my fang, and the wood is the same as the sheath of the Tessaiga."

"Is this also your fur on the amor?"

"Yes." Though her happiness gave him a full feeling within the cavities of his chest, he remained ever serious. "Although you can fight many foes of your own now, I want this to remind you that I am always with you. You are not alone in your battles." He paused as he thought about what gave him the push to do this for her. "Rin," in the middle of speaking aloud he suddenly stops, and his lips sealed themselves tightly shut. Eighteen is significant to humans and their short lives...

"Lord Sesshōmaru?"

"Kohaku... Where is he?"

"-Oh. He goes out to villages who requests his services. Sango is pregnant again, Kagome has a newborn now! Um, I stay because though I know you appear before the new moon, I still stay here to wait for you."

"I could find you no matter where you are, Rin."

"Right, your nose," she giggled.

"And with the armor and naginata, it shall pulse if I am near by whenever you decide to travel again."

"Ah. I haven't felt well lately." She grew sheepish from the way Seshōmaru stared more intently. She had a feeling he was secretly sniffing from a distance too. Unlike his younger brother, he was incredibly discreet in his ability to pick up scents.

"Nothing serious! Just easily tired..."

"You haven't finished your meal, Rin."

"Yeah that... I eat a little less too... I'm sure I'm fine!"

"Rin."

"I'm taking care of myself!"

"Are you?"

"Yes!"

"Hm."

"Lord Sesshōmaru," as she spoke his name, sh moved behind him to lean against his back. Instantly comfortable against him, she combed her fingers through his silky silver hair.

"What?"

"Human bodies are weird," she then stated as her fingers continued to work through his oddly perfect hair. It never seem to tangle or break, and it made her wonder if full yōkai hair had some sort of strength to it as well. Inuyasha's hair was like her's or any other human's...

"Yes..." He agreed to what she said, even though she said this as if to enlighten him. Sudden deaths happen to humans of any age as well. Kaede seemed hearty for an old human, but she had recently passed. "Did you confirm with the miko?"

"Ahhhh I'm okay, Lord Sesshōmaru," close to him like this, she had to be mindful of his very strong and sensitive ears. She was growing exasperated with his hyper vigilance, but all the same considerate to his different senses. "Females are even weirder." He could believe it, but said nothing. Not until he felt her directing his hair into a high-class pony tail. "Rin, you are an adult."

"It is only but a pony tail, Lord Sesshōmaru."

"Hmph," He allowed it. She was always careful with how she handled his hair and tail, and if she wanted something so simple...then so be it. She pulled his silver strands into a high and fine pony tail, just like how his dear father had it. Once his hair was secured, Rin returned to her rabbit to offer it to him. "Cheh." It took him back to when they had first met and she was so much more tinier. "I decline, Rin."

"I don't want it's life to go to waste... Oh!" Ideas and solutions always came to Rin quickly, something that was refined during her travels with Sesshomaru in her childhood. "Inuyasha would take it!"

"Hmph..."

"And you need to see the newborn! The baby is but a few days old." Had it been ten years ago he'd be completely repulsed to the idea, and currently, a part of him still was. That child would be a quarter yōkai, something completely unheard of-

"Let's go." The easy answer surprised and excited Rin. It was unfortunate that she wasn't more suspicious of him. She closed her gift and placed it by where she slept, then grabbed a container for the food that she placed her rabbit and left over rice in to share. Sesshōmaru had already stepped out, but did not walk ahead until she was happily beside him. No matter the frequency of his appearances, the villagers still weren't used to having The Lord of the West walking through their humble and dusty roads as frequently he had. Though Rin was a very lovable young lady and the dayōkai didn't bring too much trouble, the bond was still something otherwordly to them all.

Three forth's of a way to the Higurashi residence, Sesshōmaru had abruptly stopped walking. What was in his sight swept all malice out of him. Inuyasha's hair was in the exact same hairstyle as his own. However, Inuyasha's facial marks across his cheeks had become permanent in recent years, and he always had large eyebrows just like their father. The resemblance was uncanny besides the triangular ears he had always personally found stupid.

"Keh!" Very uncanny. For the younger brother, it was weird for his brother to look at him for so long, and even weirder that he had a hint of emotion behind his eyes and twitching eyebrows. "I don't know if this is a coincidence or-"

"It is not..." Right after Sesshōmaru's observation, Inuyasha shot Rin a look. Though Sesshōmaru was annoyed and displeased with what felt like some sort of prank, he still blocked the glare by stepping into view of her.

"I caught a whiff of ya, and then Kagome suggested I go out and see you." Presumably after she fiddled with his hair as well.

"Well," Rin began as she ran from behind Sesshōmaru's protection over to Inuyasha. "Turn back around, Inuyasha! We came to see all three of you!" It was Inuyasha's turn to stare, but not for long, for Rin dragged him along to follow the lead of Sesshōmaru's wake. Though the elder brother arrived first, he did not enter, neither announce his presence until Inuyasha huffed his way into his own home first.

"Got Rin and Sesshōmaru over, Kagome." Soon as his wife showed excitement, he glared at her. The glare grew in strength when she giggled, giving away to the brothers that she and Rin were once again, in cahoots with one another.

"Miko." Sesshōmaru began. He was still unused to her (As it appears the daiyōkai could only work on one relationship at a time). "How have you become aware of father's mobile form when he once lived?" Almost all artifacts of the Inu no Taishō was destroyed in the battle against the dragons...

"Huh?" Inuyasha wasn't aware that Kagome, his own wife, apparently knew how his father looked like while he did not. Sesshōmaru would've gave his ignorant little brother a glare had he not been trained in the habit to look at who he was speaking to straight in the eyes.

"I saw a portrait of him! Myōga and Tōtōsai bickered over it, but I believe it's with Tōtōsai now."

"Ehh?" Inuyasha was loud of course. "So-"

"Inuyasha!" A harsh whisper from Kagome. "Lower you voice!" In reply to Kagome, his cute ears laid flat as he lowly grumbled about being scolded in front of Sesshōmaru.

"Tōtōsai..." Sesshōmaru mused, never one to say thank you to anyone. In the exchange between her and his brother, he caught a glimpse of the offspring of Kagome and Inuyasha,resting in a small bed. His instincts kept him ever patient about certain subjects such as the matters of the home and family. Kagome carefully lifted the sleeping baby from his covers and presented him to his 'uncle'. The child did not inherit either yōkai's ears or markings, and his hair was dark and simple like a mortal. It was visibly confusing, out right peculiar to the eldest one in the room. The child truly was very human with the oh so slightest trace of yōkai heritage. In his many centuries he has never experienced such a creature before.

"You're staring at my son funny," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Hmph. What do you expect from a spawn between a holy human and a hanyō? This child... they feel like a purified..." something, he can't place it.

"What?" Inuyasha growled, his wrist cracked from flexing his claws. Normally Kagome would sit him, but she did not want the ruckus to wake their child. Thankfully Rin got in between the hot blooded dog brothers. While it made Sesshōmaru tense, he knew Inuyasha would never lay a finger on her no matter how his blood boiled.

"Hmph," he chose not to answer nor continue the conversation. Nearly turning to leave before he spoke again, "what is your child's name?" Though the child unsettled him(or was it only his prejudices?) he still gave his respect to Inuyasha's milestone by asking him about his first born in a fairly polite manner.

"...Daisuke." Inuyasha answered. Surprised but happy that his brother bothered to ask him for his son's name.

"Noted." Sesshōmaru answered and turned to leave.

"Where are you headed, Sesshōmaru?" Kagome asked with a disappointed tone of voice.

"I will return," he murmured before he made his exit.

"Are you going with him, Rin?" Kagome asked.

"Yes," she answered before handing her box of food to Inuyasha. "It's hare and rice, I hope you enjoy!" She did not stick around for his reply, immediately trotting off to Sesshōmaru's side like the olden days. "May I see your father too, Lord Sesshōmaru?"

"You may."

A/N: I hate the first chapter of anything I make.