Sesshōmaru did not return that night.

Rin and I ate roasted mushrooms and fish for our dinner, and I stayed up pretty late trying to keep guard, but eventually grew too tired to keep my eyes open and fell asleep. When I woke the next day, Rin was still asleep and a familiar Shikigami was wagging his tail, his fiery fur tickling my face.

"Roh…?"

"Master!" He cried, and I had just pushed myself up onto my knees when the dog tackled me to the ground. I yelped, and Rin groggily opened her eyes, the girl waking up upon hearing my shout. "Good morning, Master!"

"M-Morning!" I tried to sit up, but his paws on my chest kept me pinned down. I settled for reaching up to scratch behind his ear and under his chin. "I missed you, too! What's… going on?"

"Roh just wanted to see Master and hear her voice." Roh nuzzled his face against mine, quite happy. "I thought I'd be lost forever without you… but now you're back. I knew you were the right master for us!"

Before I could say anything, his nose twitched and he jumped off of me, his ears flicking as he turned to face the thicker part of the forest.

"I can smell friend nearby! Friend is the one who helped you, right? Roh shall thank him!"

Wait, what?

I quickly became alarmed when the dog spirit leapt off of my lap and dashed into the forest. "Roh, stop! Come back!" I stretched out my hand to try and grab him, but it was too late. He was already gone. I had no idea how far a spirit could go from their summoner, but he didn't seem bothered.

I just hoped that he would be okay…

Hanging my head, I let out a defeated sigh. "Really, Roh? Really?"

Was running off that necessary?

"Big Sister?" Rin asked, rubbing at her eyes sleepily. "What just happened?"

"My Shikigami familiar." I sighed. "I think he went off to find Sesshōmaru."

He knew Inuyasha was a friend by scent alone, but Sesshōmaru was a full demon. Because of what I said before, he seemed to view the cold-hearted demon as a friend. Even more so since they were both dogs. It was cute, but also… very worrisome.

Pushing myself onto my feet, I made to brush the dirt off my clothes before pausing, realizing there was no point as they were all tattered and stained with dried blood. Shaking my head, I looked down at Rin. "Stay with Ah-Un, okay? I'm going to go get Roh."

"Okay." She yawned. Rin curled right back up to the dragon's side. "I'll do that… hmm…"

Gosh, what a cutie.

Giving my hair one last exhausted ruffle, I hurried over to the stream and brushed my teeth quickly, washing my face, before standing and making my way into the forest. Roh was a spirit, so he should be fine- but I wasn't about to talk to Sesshōmaru without having decently clean breath.

I almost decided to stay back and just let the dog spirit do what he wanted, uncomfortable leaving Rin and Ah-Un behind, but the two have been traveling on their own together far longer than what I'm probably assuming and nothing terrible has happened to them yet, so it should be fine to wander off on my own for a bit.

I just… hope I can find my way back.

"Roh! Roh~ where did you go!?"

I held a hand up to my mouth, calling out for the spirit.

"No? Nothing? Roh~!" I've been walking for nearly five minutes now. Jeez. "Where on earth is he…?"

He said Sesshōmaru was nearby. This was not nearby. Speaking of Sesshōmaru, I should probably tell him about the conversation I had with his father- or, at the very least, let him know that I did meet his father. I'm sure he would want to know about the connection between his soul and the tenseiga. I should probably leave out the weird confusing stuff, though.

He might not like to hear about all of that.

"Seriously, what the heck did he mean…?" I sighed, brushing my bangs out of my face. I wasn't really watching where I was going now, one foot moving after the other as I slowed down my pace. I was so distracted I didn't notice the silver-haired demon appear from the foliage. "Someone to protect…? What the heck does it mean to be- whoa!"

I barely stopped myself in time from crashing into a set of bone-made armor, leaning back and flailing my hands as I stumbled, attempting to catch my balance. Once I had managed to do so, I struck a startled pose, looking up at the demon lord in front of me with wide eyes.

"S-Sesshōmaru!? Hi, hey, hello! H-How're you doin' today?"

He was staring down at me intently, golden eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "What nonsense were you mumbling on about?"

"Huh?" Oh, gods, he heard. "Um, n-nothing! Just… about… a conversation I had… a while ago. Ahem! Anyways." I cleared my throat and stood up, arms moving to rest stiffly against my sides. "One of my Shikigami ran away from the camp. Roh said you were nearby and…" I blinked, looking down and around him, noticing that the dog spirit wasn't with him. "...left to find you. Uh… huh. Well. That's not good."

The demon lord said nothing, his stare merely intensifying.

Blowing a small raspberry and letting out a sigh, I placed my hands on my waist. I leaned my head to the side, making a face. "Welp. I have no idea where he could be… He should be fine, but… I dunno…"

Maybe I should just let him do what he wants. Let sleeping dogs lie, and all that.

"Bah, it'll be fine." Shaking my head, I turned to face Sesshōmaru and smiled up at him, lacing my hands behind my back. The conversation I had with Rin echoed in my mind. "I'm glad you're back! I wanted to thank you- y'know, for letting me tag along? I don't think I did that yet, so…"

I beamed up at him.

"Thank you, Sesshōmaru."

He was completely silent, merely staring down at me. I searched his face, looking for any possible sign of reaction or change. The demon lord was as expressionless as ever; I couldn't find anything that could have hinted that he might have saved me for a reason other than finding the scent of my blood disgusting, such as wanting to see my smile.

He just looked at me with those strange eyes from before, the ones that held a look I didn't quite understand.

Maybe… that was what Rin meant? I guess?

He didn't look happy, but he didn't look displeased either. Smile faltering a bit, I felt my face warm and I stood up straight, looking away and clearing my throat. "I… should, um, go looking for Roh. Thanks again for everything. I'll see you back at-"

"Irene."

I had just started to walk away when he called my name, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest at the sound. Foot freezing mid-step, I whirled my head around, eyes wide, wondering what he could possible want to say to me, but… Sesshōmaru wasn't looking at me.

He was looking into the distance, at some bushes not far from us. Following his gaze in confusion, I squinted- listening intently- and paused when I heard some rustling and… high-pitched screams?

Alarmed, my fingertips lit up with flame, and I found myself taking an instinctive step closer to Sesshōmaru. "I-Is it an enemy?"

He remained silent.

The screaming grew louder. It went from a buzzing to a shriek, to something audible and easy to make out.

"-save meeeee!"

Hold on. I recognize that nasally voice! I lowered my hands, baffled. "I-I'm sorry, but is that Jaken screaming?"

"U-Unhand me, you foul beast! Lord Sesshōmaru~! Heeeelp!"

Yeah, that was definitely him.

After several seconds of just staring, waiting for something to happen, the bushes shook and out jumped Roh- the annoying imp dangling from his jaws. Tears were spilling out of Jaken's eyes, and when he looked up he only cried harder, throwing his hands out towards his lord who was staring at him coldly. "M'loooord! I found you!"

"You're late, Jaken." Was all Sesshōmaru said, gaze hardening. "I expected you to return last night."

"B… But, Lord Sesshōmaru! I can not fly in the way that you or Ah-Un are capable of! I had to walk on my own two feet! I-!" When the demon lord's amber gaze darkened even more, Jaken choked and bowed his head, letting his body go limp in Roh's hold. "Forgive me, m'lord…"

Sesshōmaru just turned his nose up at the imp. "Be faster next time."

"Yes, Lord Sesshōmaru…"

Suddenly, Jaken froze. He blinked and looked up, and then his eyes practically bugged out of his skull as he shrieked, pointing at me.

"Wait, what is that woman doing here!? Haven't you bothered M'lord enough!? Why didn't you leave after Ah-Un carried you to safety!? Actually, why aren't you dead!? I saw you! I could smell the death that coveted your flesh! You were standing on its very doorstep! Must you cling to Lord Sesshōmaru at every opportunity!? Where is your sense of gratitude!?"

Wow. Rude much? When did I ever cling to him?

"For your information," I said, scrunching up my nose and making a face at him, "I did die. And it was your lord who revived me. And I showed him plenty of gratitude, thanks."

"What!?" Jaken's mouth hung wide open in his shock. "Th-That-That's impossible! M'lord would never revive the likes of you!"

"Well. I hate to break it to you, but…" I gestured to Sesshōmaru with a flourish, crossing an ankle in front of my leg, bowing dramatically with the slightest hint of sarcasm. "He did revive the likes of me. He also gave me permission to travel with you guys. But now that you're here, Jaken, we need to have a talk."

"Talk? About what!?"

I stepped forward, expression growing harsh and cold as I looked down at him. I squatted down, glaring at the imp with a harshness usually reserved only for the most hateful of enemies.

"You. Made. Rin. Cry." I hissed. "You made her feel like a burden. You told her she was a nuisance. If you didn't insult her, she wouldn't have ran away and we wouldn't have gotten kidnapped. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have died the other night!"

Jaken's face paled considerably, sweat starting to drip down his forehead. "I-I didn't mean to-"

"Roh." I said, catching the dog spirit's attention, tilting my head and watching the imp squirm with narrowed eyes. "Shake 'im."

The intensity of which Roh shook him caused Jaken to scream, the imp wailing loudly as he was tossed about like a chew toy. When I had deemed enough was enough, I clapped my hands together and Roh stopped shaking him, the imp dangling loosely with his staff draped against the ground.

"Jaken." The dazed demon groaned and blinked, looking up at me.

"Wh-What is it…?"

I leaned in closely, voice a threatening whisper. "If you ever say anything to hurt Rin or make her cry again, I will feed you to my dragon. Do you understand me? I've melted demons bigger than than you and I will not hesitate to do the same to you. Got it?"

To his credit, Jaken actually looked a little afraid. "Y-Yes, ma'am."

"I'm a priestess, Jaken." I grinned, lips curling widely in a cruel smile. "That's Lady Irene to you."

He opened his mouth to argue, thought better of it, then looked at Sesshōmaru for help- but the demon lord merely shot him down with a cold stare. The imp lowered his head with teary eyes, defeated. He looked like he had eaten something sour, having to spit the words out. "Y… Yes… M'lady."

Oh gods, that was so satisfying to hear.

Beaming brightly, I reached over and pat him on the head. "Good boy! I knew you could do it! It didn't kill you to treat me with some respect, now did it? That said, don't ever insult me for being a human, a woman, or a foreigner again. Please and thank you~! Oh, and Roh, honey, you can set him down now."

The dog spirit tilted his head at me, then did as told, dropping Jaken unceremoniously on the ground. I snorted and let out a short laugh, clapping my hands together.

"Thank you, Roh! You're such a sweetheart."

"If Master is happy, Roh is too!" He barked, rushing over to jump on me, his front paws resting on my shoulders as his fiery nose tickled my face. "Demon is a friend of Master's friend, so I bring him as thanks! Roh does not like him, but I like friend and Master, so here is demon!"

"And we appreciate it." I gave him a few scratches under his chin. "I'm sure Sesshōmaru is very pleased to have his gremlin back."

Roh barked excitedly.

As Jaken pulled his face out of the dirt, flashing me a venomous glare, the dog spirit rushed over to run circles around Sesshōmaru, the demon lord standing completely still and staring at the spirit with the barest trace of curiosity. "Friend saved Master! So Roh helped friend! Thank you, friend!"

When Roh continued to bark, Sesshōmaru glanced at me. "What is he saying? He is capable of speech, is he not?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." I guess it would be pretty obvious to him, who knows I can communicate with spirits. I scratched my cheek, grinning awkwardly. "He's, um, thanking you for saving me."

"…Interesting." Really? "Can all your spirits speak, or is it merely your familiar that is capable of communication with it's master?"

"They all speak. Though it wasn't until I started dying that I could actually hear them. Roh is the friendliest one out of the bunch." I tried to ignore the rising excitement as we spoke, realizing this was my second real conversation with Sesshōmaru and that he had taken an interest in something involving me. "There's an eagle, two koi, a bull, a rhinoceros, and a dragon."

He hummed in acknowledgment. "The eagle is what breaks the barriers."

"And removes impurities." I informed. "The eagle saved my life when Naraku poisoned me with his miasma back in the castle town- just before I met you."

Thinking about it, I tried to recall what each individual spirit could do.

"Rhino and Bull are offensive spirits, but the Koi heal wounds. Dragon is support and attack, and is also one of the most ancient and wise spirits… I think. He comes off that way, at least. Roh is my Shikigami familiar, and… has healed me at least once. But…" I flashed Sesshōmaru another smile, grinning brightly. "You already knew that."

He did not respond that time, merely gazing at me for a moment, before turning to look at Jaken. "Return to camp and look after Rin."

"H-Huh?" Jaken stood up, eyes wide. "What about you, M'lord? A-And the priestess!?"

When Sesshōmaru narrowed his eyes, the imp choked and stepped back, bowing his head. He held his staff close to his chest.

"M-My apologies. I… will do as commanded. Um, which way is to camp, i-if I may be so bold as to ask…?" Jaken stammered, looking quite nervous as he fiddled with his staff. "I-I'm afraid I do not know the way."

"Oh! I will bring you there!" Roh exclaimed, ceasing his circling of the demon lord. "This way!"

Jaken blinked, and barely had time to react when the dog spirit suddenly bounded over and grabbed him by the collar again, carrying him away in the direction I had come from. The imp screamed as he was abducted, wailing and trying to smack Roh with his staff to get him to set him down.

It didn't work.

I couldn't help but laugh as they ran off, the duo fading from view, and I clapped my hands together in amusement. "Go, Roh, go! Pfft…"

Goodness gracious, I love him.

I should head back to camp, too. I had come out to find Roh and had accomplished my mission. Rin was going to wake up soon- if she wasn't already up. Casting a glance at Sesshōmaru, I waved a hand at him and pointed in the direction Roh and Jaken had left. "Welp, I'm gonna go follow them, so-"

"Wait."

I jumped a little at that, freezing in place. Smile plastered on my face, I stared up at him with wide eyes. "Y-Yeah?"

His amber gaze burned like pools of molten gold.

Yet instead of explaining himself, he just turned around, walking in the direction opposite of camp. "Come. This way."

Uh… "O-Okay."

I didn't do anything to upset him, did I? He didn't seem to mind me telling Jaken off, or having Roh shake him up a little. Freaking heck; I knew it. I knew he didn't like me. I knew smiling to try and test his reaction was a bad idea.

I'm walking after him like he said to, but he's not saying a word.

No. No, stay calm. Everything is fine.

If he was mad, he would just kill me, right? There'd be no point in having me walk with him to some strange remote location in the forest just to get rid of me. It went against his entire personality. I remember how he fought in the destroyed castle; he didn't seem to care where he killed so long as the enemy was out of his way.

Wait- he wasn't annoyed by the Shikigami, right?

I know Roh can be a little excitable, but he wasn't anywhere near as annoying as Jaken. If anything, I thought he was intrigued by him. Still, the more I thought about it and the reasons why he could be having me walk with him, the more my anxiety grew.

It grew until it became too much to bear. "Y…You're not… mad at me, are you?"

The only answer I got was a side-eye glance.

I worried my bottom lip. "Is… that a yes? O-Or is that a no?"

Sesshōmaru came to a halt. I yelped, barely stopping myself from walking into his back. Throwing my hands up defensively, I hurriedly took a step away, and could only watch as he turned around to face me.

The next thing I knew, he had raised his arm.

There was no hiding the fearful squeak that left my lips. As much as I admired him, there was a part of me that was afraid of him. Sesshōmaru was a demon, not to mention an exceptionally powerful one. If he wanted to kill me, I would have no chance of survival. I didn't have the strength or power to resist. He had been kind to me thus far, but it was near impossible to read him from what little I knew about him, especially since so many stories contradicted everything I've experienced.

So, I flinched. I ducked my head, bracing for pain.

I had no idea what it was I did wrong to make him want to kill me after he went through the trouble of reviving me, but I fully expected to feel his claws rake through my flesh. And yet… they never did.

My heart thudded inside of my chest, threatening to burst out of my ribcage, and when I realized I was still alive I paused, cautiously peering an eye open before slowly lowering my hands, turning to stare at what he was holding out to me.

Absolutely dumbfounded by what was happening, I glanced up at Sesshōmaru with wide eyes and then turned to look at the striped light-and-dark purple furoshiki that was dangling from his slender hand. It was tied in a way that made it clear it was holding something inside of it. Several somethings, to be precise. The silver-haired demon lord was staring at me expectantly, irritably, waiting for me to take it from him. All this time we spent walking, and I hadn't even noticed he had been carrying it.

Then again, his sleeves are really long… and he has all that fur wrapped around his arm.

"Um…" Flustered by this sudden development, I held my hands out, and Sesshōmaru casually plopped the furoshiki onto them. Stunned, I lifted my gaze from the furoshiki package to stare at Sesshōmaru again. After about three seconds passed by, an awkward and very confused smile curled onto my lips. "Th… Thank you…?"

Was… Was Sesshōmaru actually gifting me clothes, like Rin had said?

Sesshōmaru just narrowed his eyes and turned back around, speaking to me from over his shoulder. "What's with that ridiculous look on your face?"

I tensed. "…H-Hah?"

His gaze shifted then, cooling into hardened gold. "Don't tell me you were intending to continue wearing those rags whilst in my company?"

"I-I… uh…" Frick. My face flushed from embarrassment and I cringed, having been intending to do exactly that. "M-Maybe? I-It's not like I… had anything else I could wear, so…"

My extra kimono was left behind in Naraku's castle, and my normal clothes were back with Kagome and the others. All I had was the bloody, shredded mess I was wearing now. I didn't like wearing it; it was disgusting. But it was all I had. It's not like I believed Rin's words either, expecting Sesshōmaru to go out of his way to get me something to wear. I thought I would be stuck wearing these rags until I met back up with my friends.

"I… I'm sorry." I could feel the heat reach to the very tips of my ears, lowering my head shamefully.

Sesshōmaru let out a small, "Hmph," and started to walk once more.

I guess this just goes to show how little I actually know about him…

…Wait.

If he just wanted to give me something to wear, why are we walking in some random direction? Couldn't I just get changed behind a nearby tree? Why is he still heading this way? It doesn't make sense. Am I missing something again?

Picking up the pace, I hurried to walk beside him, careful not to drop the furoshiki.

"Where are we going?" I asked, curiosity starting to eat away at me. It still felt so strange to move without running out of breath or needing to take a rest for my poor lungs to recover. My legs were definitely tired, not use to all this exercise anymore, but that was something I could handle. "I-Is there something you want to do? Is it something I can help with? Oh! Could it be you need my spirits for something?"

"…There is a spring up ahead."

"Okay…?" I don't get it.

"Even if you change now, you will still reek of blood and miasma." Sesshōmaru stated, not bothering to look at me he spoke. "You could not bathe in the river stream, so the spring will suffice. That is all."

Oh. Wait, what? "…Spring? You mean, like, a hot spring?" I've been told about those by Kagome and Sango, but I've never actually gotten in one myself before.

Hearing my question, the demon lord just gave me a look from the corner of his eyes before picking up pace. "This way."

"…Sir, yes, sir!"

The rest of the walk was a peaceful one. I held the furoshiki carefully in front of me, making sure it didn't touch the blood on the front of my red kimono, and observed Sesshōmaru for a while before looking around at the forest around us.

"You know… I never really got the chance to see just how pretty the forest was until now."

Silence. Another glance. Golden eyes gazed at me, listening, even if not speaking. I paused in my walk only briefly to admire some flowers, taking note of a few familiar herbs, before catching up with the demon lord again. To my surprise he had slowed down his pace, ensuring I was not left behind. When I caught up, he had slowed down even more- matching my steps exactly.

A subtle action, but a sweet one nonetheless.

He had done the same back in the destroyed castle, if I'm remembering things right. Despite it all, Sesshōmaru really was kind, wasn't he?

"When I first arrived here, I was so scared of everything." I found myself saying, encouraged to speak by his recent behavior. I eyed the trees and foliage, and gazed up at the morning sky. "I was in a different time and a different country, demons were suddenly real and wanted to eat me, even strangers wanted to kill me. Just stepping out of the village felt like a death sentence. And when I was finally able to leave, I was too sick to really pay attention to anything except trying to survive and finding my older sister."

It was one terrifying threat after another.

"But then I just got worse, and I spent so many days asleep…" It was awful. "I got beaten and kidnapped, escaped, then got beaten and kidnapped again. I couldn't do much of anything. It was so frustrating having to wait to be saved. Honestly, with the shape I was in, I'm amazed I was even able to lead you to the castle tower when we met. But, I was also terrified of being left alone and killed, and you were my greatest chance at survival, so…"

I laughed a bit at the memory, recalling the way I had straight-up told him I was going to stick by him since he was the one thing keeping me alive. With all the things I said to him before, it's a wonder why I'm so anxious to talk to him now. He spared me back then, with me at my most delirious and tactless, so why would he kill me now? My fear felt so silly when I think about it that way.

"I guess it makes sense."

Expression softening considerably, I smiled brightly up at Sesshōmaru, eyes full of warmth. He looked at me then, his gaze not pulling away from mine. They had softened from their hardened gold, melting back into a more relaxed amber. There was that indecipherable look in them again.

"Thank you. If you didn't show up when you did…" I closed my eyes and let out a weak laugh. "Heh. It's kind of weird, now that I think about it. You're always showing up when I need help the most. Back then in the castle, with the panther demons, and even now- with Naraku."

I raised my brows at the demon lord, amused, leaning to the side in a silly attempt to be cute.

"You didn't plan any of that, right? It's just one great big coincidence?"

He said nothing.

Sesshōmaru merely held my stare for a moment. One second passed, two. Then he turned away, but as he did so there was no hiding the sheer gentleness that was in those pools of molten gold.

I think… I understand it, now.

I saw it, clear as day. The look I had such a hard time reading. There was no strong feelings of affection, nor a strange sense of fascination.

We were neither friends, nor allies. We were not master and servant, and we were not simply acquaintances. There was just a sort of… sincerity between us, which led to a certain and most unusual type of trust. He knew exactly who I was and who I was friends with, and I knew who he was and what he had done to those dear friends of mine, but he did not despise me and I did not despise him.

He was Sesshōmaru, a demon lord of incredible power. I was Irene, a human brought from another time, with a unique connection to spirits.

And… there seemed to be an unspoken promise between us, one that's lasted ever since our original deal was completed.

As long as I remained in his party, I would be under his protection.

"What else would it be?" I heard him ask, the demon lord waking several steps ahead of me now. "I don't go out of my way to save stray humans."

Chest feeling quite warm and fuzzy, butterflies dancing in my stomach, I couldn't help but let out a laugh. "I figured you'd say that! Yeah, I didn't think you saved me just because." My heart beat quite joyously in my chest, and I held the furoshiki like it was a most precious gift. "You didn't have to save me, Sesshōmaru, but you did… and I'll never forget that."

His pace slowed just slightly, giving me the chance to run up and walk at his side. I beamed up at him.

"I wouldn't have met you if you didn't, after all."

He was silent.

…

It took about five more minutes before we reached the spring he had mentioned. After showing me to its location, he left- probably to sit guard by a tree.

It was… a little unnerving to undress in the middle of the woods, especially without Kagome or Sango for company, but I tried to keep myself calm by reminding myself that Sesshōmaru was an incredibly powerful demon lord. No wild demon or even bandit would be able to get close. If something happened, he would protect me.

I still can't believe he gave me clothes of all things, but… I'm not going to complain.

I can't wait to be properly clean again.

Taking a deep breath, I approached the hot spring- setting the furoshiki down on the grassy ground and opening it, curious as to what was inside and what he had picked out for me to wear. This was the first time someone outside of my family had given me something. Okay, rephrase; it was the first time a man- that wasn't my father or my brother-had given me a gift. Ever. In all nineteen years of my life.

And… it was beautiful.

Navy blue fabric with patches dyed a gorgeous sky blue, embroidered with pale yellow flowers. There was even a pure white mobokama. Underneath seemed to be anotherkimono, this one much plainer in design- the base dark blue with lighter blue stripes, but otherwise still just as lovely. They were soft to the touch and thick enough that they would keep me warm in colder weather, but not so thick that I would melt in the heat.

"Wait, what's…?" I picked up a small bottle that was tucked into the fabric, carefully uncorking it to figure out what it was. With a single sniff, my eyes widened and I pulled away, surprised. "Camellia oil?"

Sango uses this stuff all the time- mostly on her hair. A couple village women I've spoken to used it as well. Huh.

Deciding not to question it and carefully corking the bottle back up, I set it down and got to work discarding my bloody clothes, grabbing one of the stray cloths that were resting in the pile and wiping the remainder of the blood off of me. It was mostly just my side that was still covered in blood and dirt, but I gave the rest of my body a good scrubbing just to be safe. I despised being gross, and I had no idea when I would be able to take another bath after this one.

Once done, I cautiously sunk into the spring- body shuddering at the hot water before relaxing, a pleased sigh escaping my lips. "This feels amazing…"

Rin was absolutely right in every sense of the word.

Sesshōmaru really did care- if only a little.

Good gods, this was heavenly.

I don't think I realized how stressed I wasuntil this very moment. There was so much guilt from not telling anyone of my impending death, and from the worry of not learning the truth from Anastasia before then, and the fear from facing Naraku, of not being able to protect Rin, and of being so sick and not being able to do anything. Of… leaving Maria all alone. But now I was alive.

I was alive and at full health. I was stronger than ever.

Sinking down to my shoulders, I hummed a random song and glanced up at the sky and the trees.

It's been so long since I last sang to myself, or had time alone. I could barely even talk two days ago, nonetheless walk. This all feels like a dream. Gathering some of the hot water into my hands, I brought it up to my face, basking in its warmth. I wracked my brain for song lyrics.

"You fell into~ love, of a gentle kind… with a flower on top of a high~ high cliff. It's so hard to reach, I know~ you know~ so this time you will have to go alone…"

Man, it's been ages since I last heard this one. I miss modern technology.

"A long, long~ time ago, in a tragedy; if ever comes a day that I go away… In a forest deep, you'll sink like a stone. From that moment on~ you'll go alone…"

Hah… really?

"…and I am one of a kind, when I walk I'm alone. I've grown weary of lying to~ the bone… Now I bow my head~ in this golden room, I was here with~ you and now it's gone too soon…"

I genuinely do not remember the song being this depressing. Hrm.

"In a forest deep~ I sank and I knew… I'm a charred and dirty forsaken fruit… and that is the end, there's nothing more to recount; from this moment on, you'll go alone…"

Yeah, okay, no.

Let's not. This song is going to make me cry. Letting out a small huff, I burrowed myself in the water, making a face of frustration. Of course the one time I have time to myself and am able to sing all I can think of is the most depressing song ever.

Then again, I did listen to a lot of sad music in general… oh, how I miss the internet. Going back home is going to be such a wild experience. Everything is going to be so familiar and yet so not at the same time. Living day-to-day, traveling around the country from village-to-village and forest-to-mountain… fighting to survive and hunting for food, and sleeping beneath the sky… that had all become my normal. Now that I'm healthy, I can't even imagine what my life will be like if I return home.

…If?

No. It should be when I return home. Maria's behavior has made it perfectly clear that she doesn't want to stay here. I made my decision to do whatever she wants. And yet…

I sat back up and gazed at my reflection, and a worried brow and anxiously bitten lip were what gazed back at me. "I… don't want to go."

I want to stay.

With Sango and Kagome, and Shippō and Inuyasha and Miroku, and Kaede, Kakuju, Rin, and Sesshōmaru.

I want to stay here in this terrifying world, where I've met all these wonderful people. I want to stay with my friends. I want to stay where I'm accepted and loved, and where I can be of use. I want to stay where I can make sure the people I love are safe. I've changed so much since coming here, too. I'm not even sure if anyone back home will recognize me.

"But if I defeat Anastasia…" I looked up at the sky again, bringing a hand up and brushing my bangs back out of my face. "Will defeating her even send us home? She summoned us here, so will she have to send us back? Or will defeating her break the spell that brought us here…?"

A heavy sigh escaped my lips and I found myself hanging my head, exhausted by the very thought of it.

"I don't understand how any of this works…"

I should just deal with it when I get to it. I'm pretty sure she's my ancestor, anyway. An undead one, but an ancestor nonetheless. Thankfully, killing her won't be much different from killing a demon.

It's not like she's acting anything like a family member should, anyway. She's been trying to kill me and take my soul ever since I first arrived in this place.

Sinking down to my chin, I sighed. "I wish there was a way to travel to-and-from like Kagome can…"

Taking a deep breath and shaking my head clear away the slowly gathering dark thoughts, I rose out of the hot spring and snatched a cloth to dry myself off with. Then I grabbed the prettier of the two kimonos, pulling the sleeves on and tying the front in place, amazed by how comfortable the fabric was against my skin.

It wasn't silk, but it wasn't necessarily cotton either. I'm not sure what it was.

Wrapping the white mobokama on, I patted the fabric, ensuring it was all tied correctly, surprised by how well it fit me considering it seemed to be made ready-to-wear rather than a fabric for me to try and sew together myself as most kimonos in this time were. The sleeve length and hem length were perfect, hiding my scars from any who were unaware of them.

Hmm…

Sesshōmaru probably had the foresight to know that, what with my being a foreigner, I had no idea how to put together a kimono.

Supposedly evil demon lord saves me once again. This time from my inadequacy of not knowing how to sew outside of making a few stitches. I do know how to work in the fields due to my early days here, and which herbs could be used as medicine, but that was about it. It probably wouldn't hurt to learn how to put a kimono together at some point.

Placing the tiniest drop of camellia oil on my hand, I rubbed it against my fingers and then ran them through the strands of my hair. It didn't take too long, having such short hair, and not wanting to keep Sesshōmaru waiting any longer I carefully wrapped everything back up in the furoshiki and tied it around my shoulders in the way I had seen Sango do so often.

With that, I left the hotspring.

I was a bit surprised to see his fur boa sticking out from a nearby tree. I knew he'd be close, but I didn't think he'd be that close. Oh gods, he didn't hear me singing or talking to myself… did he? Probably. Frick. Let's not think about it. Sesshōmaru was sitting down as expected, leaning against the trunk with his eyes closed. There was no doubt that he could hear me approach him.

Still… I couldn't help myself from taking the opportunity to poke out from behind the tree, leaning to the side and grinning down at him. "I'm back~! I didn't make you wait too long, did I?"

He slowly opened his eyes, unperturbed by the unusual greeting, and turned his head, looking up at me.

I stepped out from behind the tree, moving to stand in front of him. Ignoring the way my heart picked up pace, I held my arms out and beamed, doing a little spin to show off the kimono I was wearing. "Well? What do you think? Does it look okay?"

Unsurprisingly, he said nothing.

Facing him once more, I placed my hands on my waist, waiting expectantly for a response. When I continued to receive only silence, I tilted my head with a small pout.

"No? Not even a nod or a shake of the head?" I sighed. It was mostly for show, however, so I perked up near immediately- ignoring the mild disappointment I felt. "Also, how did you know blue was my favorite color? Did I tell you that back in the castle? I don't think I did… but, then again, I don't remember half of what I said. Also, I love the flowers!"

I held an arm up, pointing to the yellow embroidery on the sleeves.

"The color scheme in general makes me think of forget-me-nots, which makes me super happy. Those are my favorite. Where did you get these, anyway? …Did you steal them? Did you buy them? They're so fancy."

As I spoke the demon lord pushed himself onto his feet, rising steadily and starting to walk in the direction of camp. I, of course, followed after, clean and healthy and in a very good mood.

"The kimono you gave Rin was really cute, too. Green and orange are definitely her colors. I can't really imagine you walking into a human village to get them, though…" I folded my arms over my chest, going deep into thought. It felt so nice to be wearing something that wasn't ruined. "Hmm. Did you have a demon make them? Are there demons who make kimonos? I know there's a demon named Totosai who makes swords, so I'm guessing there could be a kimono-making demon…"

Suddenly, I remembered.

I stopped walking, nearly jumping in place at the memory. "Oh, frick! That's right! Sesshōmaru, I need to talk to you about something!"

"…What is it?" He asked, coming to a halt.

"It's about tenseiga!"

Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed, the demon lord looking at me from over his shoulder.

Seeing that, I faltered- mildly intimidated- and tried to get to the point. "Y… You remember how I said that… it might hold your father's soul since it was crafted from his fang? Well, uh…" I cleared my throat, giving an awkward if not dramatic wave towards the sword at his hip. "I was right. It does hold part of his soul."

His gaze hardened.

Panicking even further, I attempted to explain, retracting my hand to ruffle my hair. "It… just… before you revived me, I, uh… ahem. Oh gods, this is going to sound crazy. Um, when I died… I sort of…" I squinted, holding my hands out in front of me, moving them around as I talked. "...kind of… spoke to him? Maybe?"

I chanced a glance at Sesshōmaru, and nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of his golden glare. He may not hate me, but if I didn't phrase my words very carefully from this point on he might actually decide to kill me out of anger. A lump caught in my throat, and I held my hands up defensively, taking a small step back.

"He was a spirit! I-I can talk to spirits, remember? I was on my way to the afterlife, since I… y'know, died, and I was just surrounded by all this mist! There was also this really weird invisible force pushing me around which I didn't really like, and I could see some bones poking out from beneath the mist so I dove under to check things out- and I saw this gigantic skeleton! And I mean giant!"

I held my hands in the air to try and emphasize how tall it was, even standing on my toes.

"It was all decked out in this… really fancy armor! But it also… felt reallyfamiliar to me for some reason? So I went near it. And when I got close enough, bam! A hand shot out and grabbed me, and pulled me into the skeleton!"

I thought I might have imagined it for a moment, but Sesshōmaru's brows furrowed.

"We ended up in its belly, where there was this circular platform and a bunch of bones- and over half of those bones were melted, as if a huge battle took place there. And when I looked up, your dad was there! He was… um…"

Gods, how do I describe him?

"He was taller than you, I think, with dark skin and blue jagged markings…" One on each cheek. "Oh, and he wore his hair tied up! He was really pretty. Like- ruggedly handsome, kind of pretty? And he had two fur tail thingies that looked a lot like yours!"

"You…" Sesshōmaru actually looked frustrated by this information, his expression contorting ever-so-slightly yet in a way that spoke a thousand words. His hand lifted and coiled around the handle of tenseiga. "You actually spoke to him? You… spoke to my father?"

This was a subject that hit a nerve, it seemed.

I found myself tuning down some of my dramatics, forcing myself to calm down and lower my hands, fiddling with my fingers. Unsure of what else to say, I could only make myself give a small nod. "Y-Yeah… just a little, though."

Sesshōmaru glanced away, staring down at the sword in his grasp, before unsheathing it- holding it up to observe. I never got too good of a look at tenseiga before, having been dazed and delirious the last time I saw it, but it really was quite a beautiful sword. It was shaped like a fang, reminding me of a much smaller version of tetsusaiga. The demonic blade glinted in the light, and it hummed with a familiar warmth.

His father's warmth.

Without thinking about it, I stepped forward- instinctively reaching out and brushing my fingers against the dull blade, recalling the way his father's hand had felt as I held it in my own, before my brown gaze rose to meet Sesshōmaru's inquiring golden stare. The blade resembled its creator more than it did its master, and yet… I could feel his warmth, too, standing as close as I was.

"You know…" When I spoke, my voice was soft. I didn't wish to anger him. I simply wished to inform of all that had happened, as he had the right to know. As that person's son, he deserved to know. "It was because of tenseiga that I recognized him. Because… you saved me from the panther demons."

"Tenseiga demanded I save you." Was his blunt reply.

I shook my head slowly, not falling for such an obvious lie. "Tenseiga called out to me, Sesshōmaru. It was what woke me up. But…"

My free hand curled around his own- which was still grasping the handle of the blade. His grip tightened, and I felt his stare intensify; harden, even, but not in a way that scared me. Unlike his father's and even his brother's, his hand was smooth- not nearly as calloused or rough to the touch. And unlike his father, he was alive. Alive and so very warm.

"It was only because you used tenseiga that it could do that."

Sesshōmaru was the one who drew the blade. It was this hand of his that made the decision to wake my sleeping self.

"His soul called out to me," I said, unwavering as my eyes bore deep into his own, "but you were the one who saved me."

I was in denial before. I didn't understand why he would want to help me. But after reviving me, gifting me the new kimonos, and even guiding me to a hot spring so I clean myself up properly; it was hard to ignore it. As his father said, he was a proud demon- yet in that way he was still immature. He refused to acknowledge certain emotions, especially if they could be deemed a weakness.

Sesshōmaru would never admit he went out of his way to save me, just as he would never admit that he cared about Rin or Jaken.

But that was okay.

I didn't really know what his relationship was with his father; I know Miroku and Sango said that he felt that Inuyasha was the favored son, as he had been gifted tetsusaiga- a sword that can kill, while Sesshōmaru himself had been gifted with tenseiga, a blade that can heal. Sesshōmaru had felt betrayed by his father when he made that decision. He was not a compassionate person, at least not to begin with. He believed that being bequeathed such a "useless" sword was an insult. But somewhere along the way his heart began to grow, and even now it's still growing. We're a lot alike in that way.

There's so much we still have to learn.

"Sesshōmaru…" I wasn't entirely sure how long we stood there, staring at each other. A part of me was surprised he didn't push me away, or yank his hand and the sword away from my own. But tenseiga began to hum, and that gave me the confidence needed to speak again after such an intense silence. My eyes felt like they were starting to water, having been holding his gaze for so long. There was so much hidden in his golden stare that I didn't understand. "He…"

Gods, I don't know what to tell him.

"I don't know what your relationship is with him," From what I learned from the man himself, it sounded a bit like an estranged relationship, as he had deemed himself a neglectful father who learned his wrongs too late, "but… he seemed proud of you. What exactly it is you did that he's proud of, I don't know. But part of his soul is there in tenseiga, watching over you. And…"

I tried to find the words to say, but came up short. After a few seconds, I awkwardly pulled away and stepped back, hands in the air as I realized what I had just done.

"And I-" I fumbled, stammering as I brought a hand to rest against the back of my head, ruffling my hair, my face burning red, "I just… felt like you should know that. S-Sorry if… I, uh… overstepped any, um… boundaries."

I cringed and looked away, unable to bring myself to face him.

I really hoped that didn't upset him. This was terrifying.

When I finally gathered the courage to glance at him again, I saw he was staring at his sword, the blade held in front of him now rather than to the side. "Proud of me, you say…? Hmph." He closed his eyes, sheathing tenseiga. "You always say such nonsensical things."

"...Y-Yeah, I… kinda do, huh?"

I watched nervously as he turned around, his back facing me. Sesshōmaru looked like he was about to walk away, but instead of doing so he just stood there for a few seconds, most likely processing the conversation. When he spoke, he didn't look at me, his stare facing forward in the direction of camp. "Did he say else anything to you? Anything… important?"

"Important?" I echoed. "Uh…"

Frick. I can't think. My brain is going blank.

"Aside from the whole tenseiga thing? I mean…" I'm definitely not going to mention the whole smile thing; that was way too embarrassing. "He said that I shouldn't have been able to summon him? That I should have already passed on? And that… I was a pretty powerful priestess for having summoned him? I-I don't… hrm. Ah! He said a connection had formed between me and tenseiga, though… I think you already knew that."

Wait, I got it!

"Oh! When I asked him why half of him was melted, he said it was because you and Inuyasha fought inside of his remains- and was really disappointed in both of you for not respecting him more! He said something like, "I planned ahead for their rivalry, and yet they're still such handfuls"! I don't think he was actually that upset though. Also, now that I'm thinking about it, how the heck did you two wind up there in the first place? It's the… the border? Yeah, the border between the living world and the afterlife, right? Why were you guys even fighting in him? You two are still alive, so how did you end up there?"

The more I talk about it, the weirder it sounds.

"You know what?" I held my hands up in a dismissive shrug, making a face and shaking my head. "I don't wanna know. I can only handle so much Feudal Era weirdness."

Sesshōmaru said nothing in response to what I rambled, simply starting to make his way back to camp. I blinked, realizing a bit too late that he was leaving.

"...Gah! Sesshōmaru- wait for me!"

As always, thanks for reading and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are! Let me know what you think in the comments. 💕