Ok, no one actually believes I own Inuyasha, right? Good. Because I don't. Rumiko Takahashi is the creator and owner of Inuyasha and related stuff.

By the way, I have a question. The thing sesshoumaru wears over his chest. Not the armor bit, the cloth garment. What is that called? I've read many words describing male garments in fanfic, and I'm not sure which applies to what he's wearing. It made writing a description in this particular chapter tricky. I'm using the word pants in the description. There's probably a better word for it, but I don't know it. You lot know what I'm talking about anyway.

Also, for the record, my being a lech has nothing to do with his striping. It didn't seem practical for him to get his cloths all wet, he would just have to take them off to dry anyway.

Ok, now for some explanations.

First off, GothicKirara7 wanted to know why Rin keeps talking in the 3rd person. The short answer is, I am a dork with very little self-restraint. Slightly longer answer, I've only read to vol. 1 so all I have to go on are the shows and the fanfics I read. On the show she doesn't use it, but in many fanfics I read she does. I really enjoy using the wrong perspective; I've been known to go around using the first person plural rather than first person single (ex: "we" instead of "I") just for fun. I realize that even in other fanfics, it isn't used to the extent that I do, but well, I enjoy it, and I got so used to her talking in the 3rd person in short answers in the first couple chapters that when she started speaking more (especially in the chapter where she asks him all those fun questions…) I couldn't use pronouns or the 1st person perspective, it just didn't feel right. So, I indulged myself, and used as little pronouns as I could. It was fun.

Second, this is the longest I've gone in a while without updating, but, my mind was elsewhere- whether I am a lech, a squishy romantic, or a warm and fuzzy cuddles kind of person is based mainly on my mood and inspiration. It is very difficult to persuade my muses to be in a different mode, and quite frankly, if I had forced the chapter, you'd have ended up with a very echi chapter with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru fighting in the rain. Eventually, I will probably write something that indulges the more lecherous aspect of my personality, but right now this story is what is coming to me, and I don't want it warped into something totally different.

Oh, and Neko-Jinx, Jade TeaLeaf, and TigerRoyalty answered my question about AU, OOC and OC. Answer available in Reviews of chapter 3.

I would also like to thank everyone who reviews! Much thanks to HieiAijin1410, mushineko, Kyoumi, Fallen Angel111586, GothicKirara7, kogainuyashashesshylover, Kantra, TigerRoyalty, silvina, DragonLady626, Wind Wanderer, and everyone else who reviews. I think this covers everyone who reviewed who I didn't thank in the last chapter. I'm afraid since I've fallen so behind on writing this chapter I really can't be sure that a review didn't get deleted from my email before the reviewer was properly thanked, and if I missed anyone I am truly, truly sorry. My sincerest thanks to anyone who reviews.

Just one quick reminder and I think that's all my notes (but I haven't finished w/ the chapter, so no guarantee): I absolutely adore reviews, they are a great source of inspiration. I always thought it was silly for a writer to claim to write faster with more reviews, but the fact is reading them not only puts you in the right state of mind, it is literally inspiring. Reviews have literally shaped the direction of this story. So, reviews are cherished! (I freaked out when I saw my email account had deleted my first 5 before I copied them to excel- but then I found out they are listed on the site- and felt really, really silly. Hehehe, really silly is a pretty common feeling for me!)

Ok, if I wait much longer my muses might get bored and wander off before I write this chapter down, which would be terrible since I've had writer's block for what feels like an eternity. I'm gonna start the story now.

Chapter 8- Irritation

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Previously….

"I didn't even strike you and you are already on your back. You are a disgrace, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru turned his back and strode back to the wall of the cave.

He needs to train more. Hanyou or not, he is the son of a great dog demon. He must put up a better fight then that when I destroy him. There is no honor in destroying him in this condition.

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Inuyasha growled as he got up, reaching for Tetsuiga.

"Why you-"

"Inuyasha!" Hissed Kagome, "That's enough! There's no room in here to fight! You'll just have to wait for the rain to stop." Inuyasha grudgingly sat down.

It is not an easy thing, when you are accustomed to spending your time traveling out doors almost constantly, rushing around from battle to battle, to suddenly find yourself in an over crowded cave in questionable company. Needless to say, not everyone was in the best of moods, and in such a situation, people will often look for a stress outlet.

Unfortunately for poor Jaken, he made an easy target.

At first, he did a fairly good job of staying out of everyone's way, he stood far back enough that he was more or less out of the way, yet remained just out of reach of the irritable dragons. Unfortunately for him, the only person in the cave who was not feeling irritable was a very mischievous monk, with a very bad idea of how to lighten the mood.

"Sango, you should relax more often, you poor girl, your shoulders are up around your ears. Here, sit down here, and I'll massage your-"

"What do you take me for?" Shrieked the demon slayer.

"So untrusting! All I wanted to do was help you release the tension in your shoulders so you won't end up hurting yourself, and you-"

"Miroku, I swear if you start acting like-"

"Like what? A lecher? Sango I am shocked that you would insinuate that-"

"Whatever monk." She sat down in front of him. It wasn't that she fell for his little innocence act, just that she new he was right that she might hurt herself if she didn't fix it.

Miroku started rubbing her shoulders. At first Sango tried to act like she felt nothing, but soon she could not help but close her eyes in contentment.

"Mmmm…"

"See," he mumbled, "I'm capable of rubbing a woman's shoulders without behaving like a lecher."

"Yes, I'm sorry Miroku. I shouldn't have doubted you. Thank you, I needed this…" she said, without even opening her eyes.

"Yes you did." Muttered Miroku mischievously.

"What was that?" Sango asked, her former mistrust returned.

"See, you're doing it again, you don't trust me. And you've managed to get your shoulders all tense again." Sango sighed.

"All right…" She sighed once more, and leaned back into his hands. He was her friend, she could trust him right?

Miroku continued to rub her shoulders until they were perfectly relaxed, and then moved down ever so slightly, working the tension out of her upper back and proceeded to move down very, very slowly, by a fraction of an inch at a time. The poor unsuspecting demon slayer had been lulled into a false sense of security, and didn't even notice that he was much lower on her back now then she had originally approved. He worked his way slowly down, until Sango gasped.

"MIROKU YOU LECH!" the sound of her hand connecting with the bare flesh of his face resonated through the cave. Miroku toppled sideways onto the unsuspecting toad demon that had been stroking the fire.

"Get off me you retched human! How dare you! I-" Jaken screeched indignantly. Sesshoumaru just barely managed to suppress a wince at the sharpness of the imp's shrieking.

Damn! Retched imp, must he always shriek like that!

"Jaken! Enough!"

"Y-yes milord!"

"Go groom AhUn."

"Yes milord." And with that the imp tottered off. AhUn, who was a fairly large twin headed dragon, in the company of Sesshoumaru, was used to traveling constantly and moving around a great deal. In this cramped little cave, they had not been allowed to even stand up for over twenty-four hours now- their joints were soar, they had too much energy, and Jaken was an easy target. Jaken hobbled over, muttering about ungrateful dogs, unworthy humans, and dirty dragons, while Sesshoumaru reached down and grabbed a rock.

He will not speak of me like that. I will not allow it.

He threw the rock with the skill of someone with a great deal of practice at throwing rocks at disobedient imps, and hit Jaken squarely in the jaw. He got a nice lump the size of a small child's fist on his jaw. He turned to protest without thinking of whom he was speaking, and was about to tell him off. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the ranting never began, because the second he tried to open his mouth, all he could manage was a muffled whimper. He could not open his mouth without his jaw smarting terribly. Suddenly remembering who he was dealing with, he started simpering as well as he could without speaking, bowing fretfully and backing away, straight towards the heads of the dragon.

"Yaow!" He shrieked, jumping in the air, and rubbing his sore bottom where the dragon had bit him. He ran around in a circle like a headless chicken before dropping to the ground and sobbing.

"Jaken." Jaken tried to speak, but a few muffled sounds were all he could manage. Shrieking in pain a moment ago had not agreed with his jaw at all. He tried his best to be simpering without being able to speak.

I suppose it would be unreasonable expect him to answer verbally when I injured his jaw.

"Jaken. You did not finish grooming AhUn." Jaken bowed earnestly. "Go." And he did.

It took a while to finish, because the dragon was not cooperating. When he finally finished, he kneeled gratefully before the warm fire. The rain had mitigated significantly. It was still too cold, and too wet, to be out and about, but it was not nearly as bad. At that precise moment, Sesshoumaru stood. Everyone looked up from what they were doing, and even Shippo and Rin stopped their skipping game to stare. Without a word, Sesshoumaru started to remove his armor. That done, the demon lord piled his armor carefully at the back of the cave, and removed his upper garments until he was bare from the waist up. He then calmly and silently exited the cave. Every jaw in the cave dropped.

After a minute or so, everyone went back to whatever they were doing. Jaken was still huddled by the fire, Sango and Kagome were chatting about random topics, Inuyasha was sulking, and Miroku was having a very interesting daydream. Rin and Shippo resumed their skipping game, but quickly got bored.

"Let's play something else," whined the young kitsune.

"Ok… Rin know!" she giggled, "Tag! Your it!" and she ran around the cave, Shippo hot on her trail. The children sped around the cave rather recklessly, giggling as they ran. Shippo jumped into the air, and tapped her on the forehead, then bounced off her forehead and started running in front of her. She chased him, running as fast as she could, but never seemed to catch her. She was faster, because unlike Shippo, who had Kagome to carry him all the time, Rin walked almost constantly, and had strong legs for her age and size, but the kitsune would just jump around and even when she caught up she was unable to catch him. Shippo darted off in the direction of the fire, and Rin was sure she had him, there was no where else to go, but Shippo jumped up, bounced on Jaken's head, and leaped straight over the fire. Rin was in such awe that she didn't notice Jaken and bumped into him, knocking him onto his still sore bottom.

"Rin you stupid girl look what you've done you never watch where you're going and-" he started.

"Rin is sorry." The small girl replied, her eyes downcast and looking very guilty. She walked over to where her lord had sat and settled herself next to the empty space where he had been.

A few minutes later, Sesshoumaru returned. He was very wet, and very cold, and it took ever ounce of self-discipline he possessed not to shiver. His long silver hair was plastered to his face and body, and as soon as he was far enough into the shelter to be out of the rain he sat down with his legs crossed. He had brought with him a skinned rabbit, and he put the ears of the skinned rabbit he held between his teeth and began to wring out his hair dripping hair very gently. Everyone stared. Finally, Inuyasha couldn't take the silence.

"All that trouble and all you caught was one measly rabbit?"

Sesshoumaru ignored him. He had eaten his fill outside.

Hmph. Fool. Liked I'd eat in the company you keep.

Sesshoumaru finished wringing out his hair (which was not an easy task with only one arm.) and started to remove his pants. Everyone gasped and shielded their eyes (except for poor Jaken who had passed out exhausted from the days abuse.) He very quietly wrung out his pants and then put them back on. He walked over to Jaken, with the rabbit still between his teeth. Dumped the dead rabbit on top of him. Needless to say, Jaken woke up.

"Wha- ow…" Jaken whimpered, rubbing his sore jaw.

"Cook that for Rin." He then walked over to the back of the cave where he had left his armor and garments, and grabbed a random garment, then turned to walk back to the fire, when he noticed Rin, and walked over to her. He spoke very softly, in a tone that betrayed nothing.

"something is wrong."

"Master Jaken is not nice." She pouted.

"Hm… Rin, no creature acts without reason. Have you stopped to consider why Jaken behaves the way he does?" Rin shook her head. "Consider, if you approached a dog, and the dog began to growl, what would you think?"

"The dog doesn't want Rin to come closer."

"Yes. Why doesn't the dog want you to come closer?"

"Maybe the dog is protecting something. Or maybe the dog is scared. Or hurt."

"Possible. Now, look at Jaken. Tell me, what do you notice?"

"Hmm…" Rin looked Jaken over several times, before declaring, "Master Jaken is hurt. His jaw is hurt, and his butt is hurt, and… Oh! Rin knocked over Master Jaken and he fell on his butt, it must have hurt him. Poor Master Jaken! Maybe Rin can help him?"

"Perhaps Jaken would appreciate it more if you simply let him recover in peace."

"Yes. Rin will do that."

"Now go play."

"Yes milord." And Rin ran off.

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I had intended to leave off with a mild cliffhanger, but it just didn't seem to fit. Besides, it seemed pointless since I was just going to start the next chapter right away. I'm not very good at leaving cliffhangers I noticed. Oh well. One less reason to curse my name.