AN: I should finish what I started previously, currently have two stories but I don't know how to continue it *cries. So I wrote a one shot instead. Hope you enjoy reading this. A story of how Inuyasha's friends deal with him if he became somewhat too depressed over Kagome's farewell after the jewel disappeared.

There was nothing, only the dark cold ground. Yet he waited for it to open, to send him through to her time-once more, to smell the odd scent of the other world from where she lived.

"Let's return to the village Inuyasha." the monk suggested, walking out of the forest and towards the well where his friend sat waiting. Peeping down, he sighed at his state.

"Go ahead, Miroku." Dryly, the hanyou let out, hints of lost determination echoed.

"You may have half the strength of a dog demon but it is not healthy to stay there forever." The monk climbed the well's wooden frames and jumped down in front of Inuyasha, he nearly tripped but avoided it and sat with him, across, facing him.

"If you're not going to leave then I'll stay here."

Inuyasha glared at him for a good minute and Miroku gave up.

"It's the girls, they won't stop bugging me about you starting to live in the well. They said its best if I'm the one to convince you, man to man."

"Why can't they just leave me alone?"

"It's because they can't. Inuyasha, do mind that there are people who are concerned about you and..." Miroku paused, his voice slightly going quieter. "...the well's inability to time travel, we all miss her."

"I know... It's just I can't accept it. That we won't be able to see her again, it was too sudden, not being able to bid our goodbyes...formally."

"I agree, but it kinda feels like it's not going to stay like that forever."

Gold amber eyes lighten up at Miroku, "You have a feeling like that too?"

The monk smiled, "Not just me though, Sango and Old Kaede. Also, yesterday, when Sesshomaru-sama left Rin to us-err specifically under your protection, the little girl said something very similar 'she can't wait for Kagome to return'. I wondered why Rin said that and so I asked."

"What did she say?"

"She felt it. And what I find it very odd is that, normally, children her age would have ask, and not presume."

Inuyasha lifted his head and stared at the pink orange tinges of the skies. "I wish what we feel are true."

"I wish that too, friend."

…

"So?" Sango ran up to the monk when he was out of the forest. Arms crossed, warming his self up from the now dark and cold night.

Miroku shook his head, frowning at her. "I can't, and I tried what you suggested but playing stubborn by staying with him in the well would freeze me to death, a human like me can't withstand the cold weather and the dark energy of all the dead youkai that was thrown in there."

Concerned at what she made the monk do, she patted him at the shoulder "Well at least you tried. But seriously, it's been about two weeks that he hasn't left the well. It worries us."

(○ﾟεﾟ○)

A week added to the long self-prisoned hanyou inside the well. The scent of another human lingered the forest, it belonged to the younger brother of the female Taijiya.

"Are you here to convince me man to man too?" The half's shout echoed from inside the well. Though his voice was slightly livelier from before his past visits and check to deliver him food.

Kohaku guiltily laughed, "Yes. Inuyasha-sama, please come out." The young boy bent forward to see the inside of the dry well.

"Everyone is worried, Old Myouga said that you are prone to sickness when you are depressed."

"That flea knows nothing when I'm depressed! Heck, I'm not depressed, I'm just not okay..."

'That's pretty much the same.' Kohaku thought. "Look, it's going to rain!"

Inuyasha went quiet, but broke the silence by the noise of his hair brushing the ground when he lifted his face upwards. "Kid, I can smell if it's going to rain or not."

Kohaku smiled at him. "Tsk. It was worth the shot. "

"Hey, tell Sango to not worry about what I do. I just need...time." Inuyasha pointed out.

"Well it's not just my sister, there's Kaede Oba-chan."

"The old prune? She just needs me to do some heavy work. "

"There is also Rin. And I heard she was planning on asking Sesshomaru-sama if I can't convince you."

Inuyasha cackled. "As if that would happen!"

Kohaku climbed down the well and expertly landed in front Inuyasha. He pulled out a box, wrapped around by a blue fabric. "Here."

Inuyasha frowned at the sight of the item, glaring at it for bringing something not necessarily needed for the likes of him "I don't intend to starve here you know, if I'm hungry I go out."

The young taijiya left the box filled with Kaede's cooking on the ground and readied to jump out of the well before saying, "I'll try to convince my sister and Old Kaede to give you time, I know the feeling of losing someone and never knowing if you could still see them. Well, I'll be taking off!"

(○ﾟεﾟ○)

Days later, Inuyasha couldn't believe that the girls asked this person to convince him, let alone bring him food. Sharp dark blue eyes pierced the hanyou from above the well's mouth. Fangs revealed when he open his mouth only to spat insults and a mixture of concern.

"Oi mutt-turd! Aren't ya taking this a bit too far!? You're near to finishing the whole moon cycle!"

"Darn it, Kouga! Don't have to shout and shower me with your disgusting wolf saliva!"

Kouga just frowned at him, he jumped to perch on the well's wood frames. "Here, catch!" A blue fabric wrapped around a box fell from the wolf's hand and Inuyasha caught it with ease.

"This again." He complained even before he fully caught the item.

"Hey, Ayame cooked that!"

"I wasn't complaining about the kind of food! There's no need to bring me food here every day, I can hunt whenever I want."

Inuyasha turned his back on Kouga and ignored him, Kouga just rolled his eyes and commented "Have fun staring at the dirt."

Inuyasha stayed silent, and Kouga stayed perched on the well's frame. "Hey, you're no fun when you're like this you know."

"Well, I don't really need to have anyone around! Seriously, can't everyone just leave me alone…"

"But if no one's around, then Sango would end up thinking that you might end up losing your mind cuz she says you're sensitive when it comes to this and your puny heart can't take it."

Then a ball of dirt came from below which hit Kouga in the head making him tumble backwards head first on the ground.

(○ﾟεﾟ○)

Another few days rolled by, nearly sundown, and Inuyasha does not feel comfortable with his visitors. They came to visit him again and convince him to return to the village, or at least treat it like its his home, but they reasoned that it was the girls' ideas why they are doing that. And now a bit irritated by the requests of their female friends, the guys decided to stay overnight at Inuyasha's thinking that it is safer for him since it is going to be the night of the new moon.

"I get why you three are here..." Inuyasha ushered towards Miroku, Hachiemon and Kouga. Then continued to look at their additional and new member, "...Uh why are you here, Sesshomaru?"

"My presence here is required since it is obvious that you are not capable of protecting the village, let alone yourself, in that state, little brother."

Kouga snickered who sat across Inuyasha and next to Sesshomaru "Aw ain't that sweet~ " he cooed and received death glares from the demon lord.

"I am capable enough, I'll be able to get there as soon as I smell something off!"

"Oh, but you can't since you're a human now."

Inuyasha immediately pulled his hands and saw his claws, by looking down some of his locks fell from behind and saw that it was still silvery-white. Feeling that he was bluffing him blaming the obvious depletion of his demonic aura, so he asked obliviously "Wh-what are you spatting on about!?" Getting a glimpse at the sky above, he saw it turning dark and nearly reaching night time. And to avoid his secret reaching Sessshomaru and his pride getting chopped off bit by bit with it, he attempted to jump out of the well and conjure up an excuse to leave. But he can't, now that his transformation is nearing its peak, his half-demon abilities are slowly disappearing.

Hachiemon was just observing while Kouga and Miroku sensed the hanyou's tension and both understood what their friend's tensed face means. Hachiemon was first to act, though clueless of Inuyasha's situation.

"Miroku-sama, I'm going for a stroll, bye!" The raccoon bid and disappeared in a puff of a smoke before the monk ask why.

"I-it's getting very chilly…" Miroku spoke and rub the tips of his elbows. "I know! Inuyasha, why don't you and Kouga go get firewood?" And he elbowed the wolf next to him, trying to convey his proposal.

Kouga understood what Miroku was planning and didn't hesitate to agree "Oi, c'mon mutt." He said while standing up from his place. He remembered Kagome's request when he first discovered Inuyasha's secret and had promised to, or at least, keep it a secret (1). 'For Kagome!' He thought and walked pass Miroku and grabbed Inuyasha by his haori's collar, pulling it up, Inuyasha was forced to stand up.

"What the hell!? Don't just grab me like that!" Inuyasha pried off Kouga's grip on his robe and balanced to stand from the sudden motion.

Sesshomaru raised a brow at the tensed faces of the monk and Inuyasha, the wolf's a bit annoyed at the fact that he requires the assistance of another to simply find firewood. Clueless of their sudden distress he asked, "What have made you three tense at the same time? Was my presence here disrupting something of private importance?" a bored tone he let out.

Three of them glance at the taiyoukai and then back at each other, Kouga shrugged and passed the role of reply to the monk but Inuyasha was the first to react against the question held.

"Truthfully, everyone's presence is." With his striking irritated crossed-arm posed he scoffed.

Feeling that the conversation might led them into an unwanted battle and pretty much one-sided too, the monk acted immediately to dissipate the boiling misinterpretations of Inuyasha's sour mood, "I apologize on behalf of Inuyasha, Sesshomaru-sama, but our acts and causes of his current power-lacking states are held clandestinely and would better not reach your knowledge…"

Inuyasha growled inside a warning, "Miroku." He whispered resignedly. Kouga was left silent, unable to make a helpful move now that the monk just literally gave a hint of Inuyasha's secret.

"Hn." Sesshomaru mused. "To relinquish those unwanted actions of yours, it is best you know that I am well mindful of the other forms this little brother takes during the moonless night of day, half-demon and half-human and so add his uncontrolled demon form."

Both Miroku and Kouga had an 'O' formed with their mouths while Inuyasha felt defeated in some way and made him unable to reply.

"Is that so…"

The three took notice of smoke as it blocked the sunset's light ebbing inside the well. The staff of two heads protruded from the edges of the well and there popped Jaken as he jumped and scurried to balance at the edge of the wooden columns.

"M'Lord, this loyal retainer of yours have created a source of heat and suggests that your company would fit best not inside this well." The imp bowed and then gave the three extra persons warning glares.

Kouga was first to exit the well, jumping at the walls and making it act as a ladder, he shot out summersaulting above Jaken and landed expertly behind him. He then gave the imp a thank-you slap and Jaken slammed at the well's edge.

"How dare you wolf! Acting so disgraceful at the presence of Sesshomaru-sama, have you no manners that it is he who should exit the well first!" Jaken squawked as he tried to lift his planted face.

"Jaken." A warning, his lordship appeared behind him, standing at the edges of the well's frame. Jaken cowered and silenced, bowing to him before he gave way.

Down at the well, Inuyasha had no intention of leaving as usual, Miroku tries to persuade him instead.

"Bet you can't outclimb me, Inuyasha."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Are ya up for it?"

Both nodded and took up the unexpected contest. Kouga heard their conversation from above and bended his upper body down to see, both hands on the well's edge to support him. "Bet Inuyasha would lose. 'Kay? GO!"

And with what Kouga's signal, Miroku and Inuyasha both started to climb out of the well using ropes that were used as a substitute for ladders when Kagome used to pass through. Inuyasha was lucky to have grabbed the newer rope that were tied there and Miroku grabbed the much older and weaker rope but that did not hinder his speed. Miroku tried to swing and maneuvered towards the wall across him, with a foot spiked on the well's earthen wall, he used it to propel his body out and with a similar summersault to what Kouga previously did, and he landed near the imp.

"Tada!" Miroku sung while his arms spread wide.

Kouga snickered at Inuyasha's loss, the hanyou was still halfway through and attempted to give up at leaving the well- it wasn't really his intention anyway. But before he could let go, Sesshomaru who had the same intentions as the wolf, grabbed the rope Inuyasha was climbing with and, with his left arm, pulled it strong enough that the hanyou went flying upwards.

…

"What's wrong Rin?" Kohaku asked when he noticed the little girl spacing out towards the forest, both children were helping Kaede tend her gardens.

"I think I saw Inuyasha-sama fly, Oh! And his hair is black." The child answered.

…

Inuyasha dropped at the ground, face flat, his hands doing that rock'n'roll twitching pose. Jaken guffawed but Miroku got worried instead of doing the same. He shot up as fast as he fell, half of his body lifted from the ground "What the F###! You-mangy-wolf!"

"Hey, it wasn't me." Kouga froze and surrendered his arms and then pointed at Sesshomaru. "It was him."

Inuyasha twisted his head towards Sesshomaru in speed that made his now black hair fly sidewards. Frowning.

"You do not want to take blame and so you pass it on to others? (2)" Sesshomaru let a slightly but sly grin at Kouga. Inuyasha then glared back at him.

"What the!? Reflect on your words! It wasn't me, heck I won't even do that might the mutt get killed while human. " Kouga retorted.

Inuyasha stood and dusted his self, while trying to maintain balance from the fall that did get him hurt since he fully became a human now and muttered words like, "…sadistic bastards…" and dragged his self towards the fire, contemplating the heat, he sat with arms crossed and as usual with a scowl.

Miroku followed, shrugging off his worry and sat next to Inuyasha. Surprisingly, everyone sat with the same formation previously from the well. To Inuyasha's right following were Miroku, Kouga and, by a few distances, sat Sesshomaru who was staring above.

Jaken came running behind his lord when a puff of thick cloud fell above him and a ball of brown fur came crushing down, on him, at each side of Miroku's henchman was galons and galons of liquor containers tied together with him.

"Hachi? From where did you steal these?" Miroku greeted, pointing out the jugs of sake.

Hachiemon moped and defended "Miroku-sama! I didn't steal them. These are all from Mushin-sama…well all that I could save from him."

"All you could save? There's about twenty jugs and they're the big kind." Kouga walked over to them and lifted the chained containers, freeing the imp from getting crushed to death. "Ooh, smells kinda unique."

"Definitely unique, Mushin-sama said it's the legendary sake, Mist of Sages." The tanuki offered him a jug which he opened.

Miroku and Inuyasha shuddered the experience(3) with the said sake they had back then, it was as clear as he could remember- Kirara was unconscious, Shippo and Hachi was Kagome clones, Sango was being weird and Kagome was a terrible singer.

"But why bring here, Hachi?" Miroku asked as he crowded with Kouga around the jugs. Inuyasha just watching them from afar.

"These are gifts, some demons and deities claim news about your search for the legendary sake, and to appreciate their thanks for defeating Naraku, they delivered fifty of these at the temple."

"Absurd, by fifty means that thirty of these were already consumed by this Mushin you speak of, it has not been that long since Naraku died." Sesshomaru spoke as he took one and shook the contents.

"I left five of these at the village, the Old priestess and Sango gladly took them, they said to bring the rest here."

"That scrawny old monk drunkard." Inuyasha scoffed and remained at his position.

Kouga untied the strings chaining the jugs and scooped five with him and sat back at his position. He threw one at Inuyasha and successfully caught it. "Heh, drink up!" Popping up the lid, the wolf was the first to drink. Miroku shrugged at the scene and scooped himself two jugs, walked towards across his position since Kouga took his and sat at Inuyasha's left and started to drink too.

Kouga exhaled "Ha! Man this is good."[AN: ok I have no idea what sake tastes like] He saw Inuyasha just staring at the jug and helped him, snatching the jug he passed, he popped off the lid and gave it back. "There."

Inuyasha backed from the opened container, grimacing at the sight of it, but nonetheless he still drank it but not as mouthful as Kouga's. He glared at Kouga and saw the jug already half-empty, he gaped at how Kouga is able to stand not getting drunk. Or so he thought.

"Oi! Mutt, what's holding you up?" The wolf began, he again snatched Inuyasha's share before emptying his own and forced the hanyou to chug it. "Now drink up!" with a blissful smile he said.

Inuyasha, before getting drowned to death, grabbed the wolf's hand and locked it from moving, the jug fell but stood up perfectly and little amounts of it spilled off, though the wolf managed to make Inuyasha drink a quarter of it, now he too started to feel drunk, seeing the fire multiply is proof of it. [AN: I dunno why but I have a feeling that Inuyasha doesn't do well at drinking.]

Miroku laughed at the scene, Kouga and Inuyasha have started a drinking contest, the imp got drunk-now out cold from just the smell, Hachiemon joined him afterwards. The monk might follow next but decided it is best not to- someone needs to look after them and Sesshomaru isn't the best person to have that role. Taking a teeny sip from the jug he started a conversation with the demon lord, eleven jug-full of sake between them, one half-empty held by Hachiemon and a semi-dead imp.

"How long have you known, Sesshomaru-sama? Inuyasha's secret."

"Fifty years back (4). From when he was sealed by that dead priestess who smelled of ground soil. Jaken relayed the information. "replied Sesshomaru, still holding on to the sake.

"Feel free to drink. " Miroku grinned.

"I do not need permission, monk." And he popped the lid off and started take a sip.

It didn't take too long for Inuyasha and Kouga to babble conversations loudly. Kouga already finished three jugs but Inuyasha was still left with the same one previously though already near empty.

"Inuyasha seems to get drunk easily." Miroku spoke, Inuyasha heard and started to counter.

Slurry he said, "No thanks to that Old drunken potion master! (5) Damn… Oi! F### why's there four of ya!?"

"Ah, that's why." Hummed Miroku and continue to sip in silence. He took notice of Sesshomaru. "Or maybe it runs in the family bloodline." The demon lord already emptied three jugs and was now red-faced, eyes narrowing as he stared at the fire. "Sad but it seems I can't drink till my heart's content." He talked to himself and sighed.

"Ahhh! Why's there ten Sesshom'rus!? Aw F### 'nd ten Kougas!?" Inuyasha stood up wobbly and drew his sword. It didn't transform. He sheathed it back, shrugged and started to wrestle the Kouga copies. Somehow evading the real Kouga who was also determined to start wrestling but instead laughed at Inuyasha. "Hu! Ha! Ya! Jab- jab!" He chanted while punching and kicking and throwing the air.

The silence blew in and Miroku had his attention at Inuyasha and Kouga, so far the two went back to sitting.

"Finally." breathed Sesshomaru, satisfied with the silence. "Drink monk, I will stand guard."

Miroku thought for a bit. "I apologize, Sesshomaru-sama, I assumed you were "He glanced at the two still drinking, forming up words that fit the demon lord's narrative "content with the sake."

"I am, but not much that I will lose my sanity like them."

With a bit of doubt, Miroku still accepted the exchange of roles and chugged a mouthful from his jug. He decided to extract answers from Inuyasha in the process. "Hey Inuyasha, why don't you return to the village?"

Kouga followed. "Yeah mutt!? It's tiring to make sure you don't stray off. Man, Ayame's loud mouth won't stop yapping 'bout it. Hey! Ya hear me?" he was lying sideways now, one leg up and one arm supported his body, lazily swaying the jug he is now emptying.

Grumbling, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at Miroku, mumbling something like he was counting. "…Five… I don't fit there~ you haf Sango, Wolf boy haf wolf girl, Kaede haf veg'tabols, frog-imp haf sessh'mru, sessh'mru haf … ugh… western lands, kohaku is training… shippo haf fox tests, evriwans a happi bunch. And I'm alone… I'm just disturbing everiwan…" [AN: Awww Inuyasha's forever alone XD]

"And everyone has you. " Miroku added. Inuyasha blinked at him. "Inuyasha you're not alone, I already told you that we are concerned too. Don't try to beat yourself up."

"Such words will not reach him, he is too drunk to understand." Sesshomaru said, savoring the, would be, last jug he plans to drink. "Do not forget, Rin is under your care now, Inuyasha. If such unwanted harm would befall her, I would personally have your head."

Miroku eyed the demon lord with one brow raised. "And you said such words will not reach him." Sesshomaru smirked as a reply.

The group chatted on, mostly it was Miroku and Inuyasha, and Kouga was supplying some impractical questions yet Inuyasha still entertained him. Sesshomaru kept his word and stayed on guard duty, feeding the fire with dry wood that the imp had collected earlier, he watched how each of his companions fell asleep. First was Inuyasha, following was the monk and then the wolf.

"Come out there." Sesshomaru called out, eyeing the trees behind Kouga.

Two figures popped out and greeted the demon lord with calm smiles. One was carrying two blankets and one was carrying two more.

"Good evening, Sesshomaru-sama." Sango bowed and followed by Ayame.

The girls walked towards them and each pulled the blankets they carried. Sango covered the sleeping monk and Inuyasha while Ayame covered Kouga. Ayame pulled out the last blanket and gestured it towards Sesshomaru.

"Demons do not need those." He said.

Ayame shrugged and glanced at Kouga. "I know. But it's still kinda romantic." She beamed, pulling back the unused blanket, she walked around Sesshomaru and covered Hachiemon and Jaken instead.

"Sesshomaru-sama." Sango called again, kneeling between Miroku and Inuyasha just after she fixed the blankets covering them. With a smile of relief, she thanked him. "Thank you, for putting up with this absurd idea of ours."

"Hn." Was his reply before the girls took a bow and returned back to the village.

Silence once again. Despite having snores from Kouga, Jaken, and Hachiemon. It was a silent and moonless night.

Disclaimer: Credits to Rumiko Takahashi, author of the manga/ anime Inuyasha.

1. Episode 67 The Howling Wind of Betrayal, not much of a promise though, but Kouga did keep his words.

2. Meh. Blame it on Kouga, Sessh! XD

3. Episode 135 That filler episode where the SangoxInuyasha pairing was born. Also a very very funny episode too.

4. Episode 76, Jaken went to Inuyasha only to find him sealed. I figured that that was not the last time he visits him, he did attempt to unseal him so maybe he tried again or at least had piqued Sessh's interest and unintentionally visits on a one of his human nights… no?

5. Episode 12 of the Final Act, when the Inu-tachi visits the Master of potions in order to repair the hiraikotsu. Few of the funny scenes in the Final Act.