It had been a full week and still InuYasha had not seen the woman named Kagome, he was starting to wonder if he'd ever lay his golden eyes on her again. He felt his emotions getting the better of him. And he knew it wouldn't be long till the night of the new moon would be here. 'Damn, my human emotions will be getting stronger as the days get closer to that horrible night.'

A voice came from behind him, causing InuYasha to growl. "Now is that anyway to greet your older brother, InuYasha?" Slowly Sesshōmaru walked out from the shadows. A young woman had her arms wrapped around his right arm. She was wearing a pink sleeveless dress that showed only her back. "Rin and I have a special party we will be hosting here in two days. Of course you know that on that very night you will be a weak human. Mind you most of our guests will be youkai. So I would advise you to be on your guard."

InuYasha knew there was no use getting angry, after all his brother pulled these tricks on him many times before. "So what's this pointless party for anyway or is it just a way to make my life even more hellish?"

Sesshōmaru softly smiled down at the woman at his side. The woman smiled back and hugged his arm. "This is for my future wife. It is her human to youkia initiation ceremony. One I doubt you'll ever have, little brother."

InuYasha bared his fangs at his brother's words and clinched his fists tight. He hated to be reminded of the things he would not get to do, or be a part of. "I'm not dead yet Sesshōmaru, I still have time to find a wife."

Sesshōmaru only "hmph". Moving closer, Sesshōmaru whispered into InuYasha's dog ear. "No little brother you won't because you are a hanyou. And as you should know, you will never delight in this type of ceremony. Only when a full blooded youkai takes a human bride can this ceremony happen. You are a half breed and have no full blooded youkai side to you, Little brother, or should I say Little bastard.."

This time InuYasha was tired of being insulted and left his claws go. Only his brother's speed out numbered his. When InuYasha went to slice his brother, Sesshōmaru easily caught InuYasha by the wrists. As InuYasha seethed with anger, his brother only grinned as his claws started to glow a greenish color. "Honestly InuYasha, getting this angry over a simple party? You should be grateful you're still alive and that I allow you to keep living."

With his teeth clenched InuYasha replied. "As if you're some kind of god that chooses my day of death. I'll die when I'm ready to die, not when you tell me to." Sesshōmaru smirked at his brother's words, before easily tossing InuYasha to the other side of the room. Of course the flight and the landing wasn't all too pleasant. InuYasha managed to hit three tables and sent them crashing to the floor, before hitting the main wall. Those who witnessed the incident were mostly those who worked at the bar.

Slowly InuYasha stood and brushed off the broken pieces of wood from the tables. After a few coughs, he growled in anger at his half brother. As much as InuYasha wanted to continue till one of them died, he couldn't. Not with Rin there he knew she was a good woman and she always made him feel like an equal being to her. In fact it was Rin who stopped the next events from happening. "Sesshōmaru, I think you've made your point. Let's not ruin the joyous events that are soon to come."

Sesshōmaru agreed with a nod, then turned and walked away without another word. InuYasha did the same and went back to his post behind the bar. The rest of the workers started cleaning up the broken tables, all while staying completely quiet as they worked. One of the other bartenders approached InuYasha and placed a hand on the hanyou's shoulder. "Are you alright my friend?" InuYasha didn't reply and shrugged the man's hand off his shoulder. "I know after something like that you would rather not be bothered, but I feel it is only right that I ask."

InuYasha glanced over at the man and only "Feh" before moving away from the man. He wasn't in the mood to make friends, even though this guy seemed to think he was his friend. "Sorry buddy, but I'm no one's friend. I just work here and I don't want to be bothered. So just stand at your end of the bar and tend there!"

The said man smiled. "Well if you ever need one I'd be happy to listen as your friend. You seem so lonely and miserable. My name is Miroku by the way, I'll be working here from now on."

InuYasha just stared at the guy for a minute, he wasn't quite sure what to think. Why would this human give a shit about him, especially when he doesn't even know him? With his back turned, InuYasha mumbled. "Whatever…I'm InuYasha, not that it matters though."

Miroku smiled, as he walked back to the other end of the bar. 'At least InuYasha talked. If one could call it that.' Miroku thought; he had a feeling the hanyou would open up some day. 'I can see it in his eyes, the rejection of so many years. However I saw how he looked at Rin and how he had a softness to him. He longs for love from a woman and at least have some kind of friendship too.'

As the evening progressed slowly, a few humans would come in as well as youkai. InuYasha noticed that one youkai was getting a little too uptight and went to help escort him from the bar. Miroku wasn't having any with the youkai after all. "Okay let's go you stinking fox, I swear you teen youkai can't ever hold your liquor." And so after taking the fox by the back of his shirt collar, InuYasha dragged him out of the bar.

"Thanks for the help." Miroku said, as InuYasha returned. "I know I seem weak like all the other humans who work here."

InuYasha was silent for a moment, but replied. "Yeah well those foxes can be a handful and very hard headed. You did very well with trying to get him to leave. Well considering you are a weak human that is."

Miroku chuckled at InuYasha's words. "Well I guess I'm not as strong as you physically. Still I'm not truly weak, you see I'm training to become a monk. I have some skills, but not many."

Now it was InuYasha that chuckled. "Heh, you want to be a monk? Surely you know you'll be killed before that happens. It's something that you don't just go telling everyone."

Miroku smiled. "You're right it's not, but you're the only one I've ever told, InuYasha." There's was a silence between the two the rest of the night, until…

"That scent!" InuYasha said to himself, as he looked towards the door. His eyes widened and his heart started to beat faster. Miroku noticed too. He could see the look on InuYasha's and knew what it all meant.

'Ah!' Miroku thought. 'So she's the one you're longing for. Well InuYasha I thought I saw something the first night she walked in here. The anger and jealousy in your eyes when the wolf placed a hand on her naked back and led her out the door was no mistake.'