Sesshomaru stared at the boy in the water shocked, a deep growl emitting from the back of his throat. Rin made a small scared sound backing behind Sesshomaru as his eyes bled red at the edges. Miroku looked at him calmly from where he treaded in the water.
"You do not fear for your life, monk? What about the life of that onna demon slayer who travels with you?" Sesshomaru's voice was menacing.
"Sesshomaru- you will never understand... the feeling of helplessness and the hopeless emotion that comes with it. When you know no matter what you do, you will never be able to see the face of your son as he grows, to grow old with your wife is something you dare not dream of. To fear being with a woman who may love you and you may learn to love because of the time you know will come, when your swallowed up by a curse you cannot fix- leaving her alone in the world, but knowing you must do it for the sake of continuing the hunt- the search. You do not understand me, don't try and judge me- I am not one of the many minions you deal with everyday. I have feelings and you need to learn to see that, you're not better than me just because your blood runs black. I am just as good a person as you are, and that's what we are when it comes down to it we are all people. Kill me Sesshomaru, save me the trouble of waiting... which only makes it more painful when the time finally comes. Every moment I live," Miroku paused to look into Sesshomaru's wide eyes. "I wish for the moment in which I can peacefully die, with no ties and no bonds holding me back. Every day I still have breath in this body and life giving blood running through my veins I force myself to see the beauty in the world and to stop and catch those little things, because I may never get the chance to see them afterwards. Do you know how it feels to wake up every morning wanting to die, while the euphoria of having people actually care surrounds me? People who can move on without me but who would still mourn me... do you Sesshomaru?"
The monk's face was a stone mask, but Sesshomaru could see the sorrow pool up in the violet depths that he was currently lost in. Sesshomaru felt the ice surrounding his heart melt a little at the boy's speech. His eyes softened slightly and he turned, all red in his eyes completely gone. He picked up the discarded clothing and turned holding it up for his own private inspection.
"Jaken," Sesshomaru spoke the word confidently.
"Yes, my lord?" the toad demon hopped around, appearing from behind a rather large tree trunk where he had hidden himself.
"Escort Rin back to the castle, you may use Ah and Un as transportation," Sesshomaru draped the garment over his shoulder and lifted the girl to her high seat.
"Yes, my lord," he bowed and jumped to sit in front of the now silent girl, the beast took off soaring into the sky.
Sesshomaru turned back to the once again blushing monk, as he took what he could see. He looked resigned as he surveyed the clothes once more. Miroku watched trying to decide if the Taiyoukai was kind enough to return the garments.
"Sesshomaru, look in my side pocket, there is a small vial of liquid..." Miroku spoke softly and almost bashfully, the demon pulled out the small container looking at the green liquid.
"Drink it," Miroku instructed from his place in the freezing water, he shivered as he sunk farther down into the water so only his nose and eyes were visible above the water.
The Taiyoukai deciding to trust him for some odd and out of place reason, opened the vial and drunk the contents. He clutched his throat, glaring at Miroku. He fell to his knees and wrapped both his hands around his neck. He pointed his left arm at Miroku accusingly, then stared down in wonderment at the appendage. The searing pain suddenly disappeared and he looked to the blue faced houshii in the water. He gasped and held out the monk's robe for him to step into, he moved out of the water quickly wrapping and securing his robes before donning his pants. He lips were fringed with blue and his face looked unhealthily pale, he sat on the pant shivering uncontrollably.
He froze as he felt furs being draped about him, he looked up into the tranquil face of Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru sat beside him, looking slightly dazed. Miroku shook some of the water from his loose hair, spraying the demon who gave him a well deserved glare, before pulling it back severely into a small ponytail. Sesshomaru seemed to study him for a moment.
"Thank you, houshii. But I can't help but asking why?" Sesshomaru's voice was soft.
"It has always bothered me, the fact that you had to live without your arm for fighting with your brother while Inuyasha came away without a scar... so I worked on that," Miroku spoke truthfully.
"Ah, just as it has always entranced me- your violet eyes... and your ningen wooing ways, I suppose we have both had more than just a passing interest in the other," Sesshomaru smirked at him slightly.
"Perhaps, but we will always be enemies, fighting on opposite sides," Miroku skillfully sidestepped the dangerous path Sesshomaru was leading their conversation towards.
Sesshomaru suddenly remembered with absolute clarity the dream he had awakened from this morning. The monk in this very clearing, Sesshomaru himself watching quietly from the bushes. The kiss that had left him winded and confused. But most of all he remembered the violet eyes, staring into him. He moved to face the monk fully, wrapping his newly restored arm around the monk. He pulled him flush against his body, basking in the unfamiliar sensations of a man's body against his own. The houshii's startled gasp turned into a moan of pleasure as he felt something hard press into him, he rubbed sensually against the other man.
Sesshomaru purred slightly, kissing the houshii slightly and pushing him down onto the cold ground. Miroku looked up at him slightly startled but smiled as he realized what Sesshomaru had in mind. Sesshomaru began to unclothe the man below him.
Miroku's hands suddenly came alive, moving to stop Sesshomaru's. He whispered something softly, Sesshomaru's keen hearing picking it up clearly.
"Not like this."
It then occurred to the Demon Lord that perhaps the houshii below him, despite all his wooing and wanton actions had never actually lain with another person. Sesshomaru sat back for a moment watching the shorter man, trying to even out his erratic breathing. Then he knelt beside the younger man, scooping him up in his arms. Miroku gasped quietly in surprise before wrapping his arms around the silver haired man's neck, securing himself. Suddenly they were flying, moving over the trees and earth, a rush of adrenalin shot through Miroku's system.
Eventually they gradually floated back to the earth, and right in front of a very irate Inu Hanyou. Sesshomaru gently placed the mussed but unscathed Miroku before him, unintentionally giving himself a barrier of safety. Miroku blinked owlishly at Inuyasha for a moment as his mind slowly caught up from the rush of flying.
"Where were you?" Inuyasha directed at the monk.
"Bathing, after Sango left me I felt the urge to wash and having the stream right there I just acted on the feeling," Miroku spoke calmly, the voice of reason.
"What is that vile creature doing with you?" the hanyou demanded.
"He escorted me home after coming upon me in the stream with his charge and servant," Miroku quietly explained.
"Why would you need an escort?" Inuyasha glared at the man mostly hidden by the monk.
"The stream flows pure, from the snow on the mountains. Snow is usually cold, so the runoff from such a substance usually is not much warmer. When he came upon me with his charge I had already been bathing for quite a while and had meant to leave the cold recesses, but with his charge along I could not, honorably, do such a thing. After assuring himself that I was safe and not a danger to himself or those in his protection he realized what I had all along knew and sent the girl away. By the time I could remove myself from the water my body had taken leave from normal activity such as walking such a long distance," Miroku explained slowly, pausing at certain times to take a few deep breaths.
"Well I suppose that is a good reason," Inuyasha conceded grudgingly.
"Yeah, that's what I told myself," Miroku jested slightly, breathing harshly.