Miroku didn't especially like being woken up at three in the morning by his buzzing phone, but the message made it worth his while.

Giving a low groan, he sat up in bed, pulling blankets up to his bare chest to ward off the cold of the stone monastery. Wrinkling up his nose with a yawn, he squinted down at the pristine screen to see a text from "The Big Guns."

A choke. He leapt from his bed and blindly groped along his dresser for a shirt; if Sesshomaru texted at this time of night, that had to mean something was wrong with Inuyasha. After today, Miroku had been especially worried about his friends as it was. That fight Kagome and Inuyasha had had been of epic standards, even for them. While Sango left to comfort Kagome and Shippo had glared at Inuyasha, Miroku had been left to clean up the raging and hurt half-demon. Which was even harder than it sounds.

While Miroku knew that what Kagome said had to be said, and it was for the best, he felt his heart ache for his friend. After enduring decades of hate, violence, and abandonment, Miroku could only begin to imagine how confused and broken up Inuyasha would be to be told that the first girl he thought loved him hadn't loved him after all. He'd made Inuyasha come back to the school after he had made sure the girls got home safe, so that Inuyasha wouldn't incur Kagome's wrath. He'd told Shippo to wait on the benches while he talked Inuyasha down from shouting to hissing, and then from anger to remorse and sadness.

He'd tried all the comfort things that he thought he could get away with-a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, buying him miso ramen (Inuyasha ended up mournfully growling, if that was a thing, about how Kagome's was better and she'd probably never make it for him again.), and challenging him to a spar that Miroku was still sore from. Inuyasha may be an ass half the time, but he was a good man, and an even better, protective friend.

Miroku had called Sango like he did most nights to hear her calming and lovely voice. She had told him, with relief, that she'd left Kagome in a better state. Now they just had to pray for the best.

While he stumbled around to find his keys and wallet, sure that he'd have to run out and help Inuyasha with some ridiculous problem, Miroku finally opened Sesshomaru's message.

[This must be stopped.] said the text. The picture attached showed Inuyasha and Kagome cuddled up and passed out on their couch. There was a blanket over them.

Miroku burst out laughing, relaxing against his wardrobe. He began to type back vigorously:

[Omfg I'm posting this everywhere. Send more. Btw, you have a black marker?]

[Far ahead of you, human. But truly, how do I make it stop? It is disgusting.]

"Funny, coming from a guy that obviously put the blanket over them like a mother hen," murmured Miroku to himself. The next picture showed Inuyasha with a black-tipped nose and whiskers like a puppy with Kagome still curled against him.

Snickering evilly, Miroku responded immediately:

[Ah, let the kids be in love while they're young and unwrinkled. Besides, they won't do that in the middle of your flat anymore once I post these everywhere and forward the pictures to him in the morning.]

Miroku switched over to his Instagram app, where he tagged everyone on the site he knew and wrote the caption: View the exotic hanyo and his cute human in their natural habitat. Such cuddle. Much adorable. I regret nothing.

Another text notification from Sesshomaru.

[I owe you my thanks, monk.]

Then:

[Are this human girl and Naraku causing his grades to diminish?]

"I swear, this guy is a closet suburban mom," Miroku muttered while he typed: [Nope. Still getting As and Bs, same as when you asked last week. There's also a scholarship for half-demons that he's looking into. The school should be giving him an academic scholarship as well. For a slacker, he's pretty smart.]

[I see. That is because he has lived longer and therefore naturally has acquired more knowledge before entering high school. Any fights this week that he has not discussed with me?]

Miroku was tempted to tell Sesshomaru to just ask Inuyasha himself like a normal person, but he didn't say that because he had a sense of self preservation. [No Naraku since the night at Gehenna. Just one more fistfight with Koga that got broken up by Kagome again before it got too bad. He also raided a party by himself and burned a box of Shikon that he found.]

[I suspect he was the reason for the five Spider members that were knocked out, tied up, and gagged outside of the police station on Wednesday?]

[Yep. I mean, who even has a party on a Wednesday?]

[He has not been sleeping well this week. I have heard him up in the middle of the night. Is there a reason for this?]

Frowning, Miroku typed back: [Well, he did have a pretty bad fight with Kagome today and last week, but they made up before they went to bed. And then there was an emotional encounter with his ex. Maybe he's just brooding and shit. He's seemed rather energetic to me. More than usual, actually.]

Sesshomaru's answer was clipped. [Yes. It is strange. I suppose it does not matter, since he is sleeping now. Thank you for your input and internet shaming, human.]

[No problem.] And before he could lose his nerve, he messaged out a last text. [You know, sir, you should really just ask Inuyasha these things. I'm sure he'd be willing to answer if you went about it without sounding like you're interrogating him.]

As Miroku stiffly climbed into bed (still in pain from his spar with Inuyasha in which the half-demon had not held back like a decent person), he set his phone down on the nightstand. He didn't expect Sesshomaru to answer that. But to his surprise, the screen lit up one more time.

[My brother is friends with the most presumptuous little shits.]

Miroku rolled his eyes, but he let out a snort and snuggled down into his covers. Presumptuous, maybe. But Miroku drifted easily back to sleep knowing that his presumptuous little shit friends were safe and happy again.

Hallo dorks,

Another short, this time from the eyes of our precious Miroku, taking place the night of last chapter. He and the Big Guns have a super weird and dorky relationship but there you go. Thanks to Akela-Nakamura for editing, and to the wonderful people that take the time to tell me what they think of my story! For the work I put into it, I can't explain how much the comments mean to me. Since I can't PM them, a shout out of gratitude for Guest 1, fricklefrackle (lol), and Guest 2 for reviewing!

See you next week with chapter ten!

Mizpah,

~LoneStorm