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Fade to Black
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A year passed by and then another. With each new moon, Kagome felt her heart break a little more and slowly but surely, she succumbed to depression. In the back of her mind, she hoped the jewel had followed through with its part of the bargain. That all of her friends were happy and had moved on with their lives. It wasn't until she walked across the stage and had her diploma in hand that she mustered up the courage to determine for herself that everyone was happier without her in their lives. That everyone had managed to move on to bigger and better things. Undoubtedly Inuyasha had married Kikyo by this point. Sango and Miroku probably had many children. Everyone….
Looking down into the well, a cold chill ran down her spine as she realized that the relationships that had been forged during the question had most likely never begun without her there and even if by some miracle they had, the dynamic would undoubtedly be different. Would that be better for her friends, she wondered. Would that mean that Sango's village had been spared and Miroku would be wind-tunnel free? Or had her presence during the quest merely been replaced by memories of Kikyo? Did the jewel change everything from the moment Naraku perished or had it gone back further before a time Naraku existed? If that was the case, it could very well mean that Inuyasha was older now and that Kikyo was older than Kaede had been. Maybe even dead.
What had she done?
Panicking then, she quickly rushed to the shrine's storeroom and began yanking kimono after kimono off the dusty rack. She needed a way to fit in if she went back. A way to check that everyone survived and all was well. Her wish had been foolish. Too vague. Selfish even. All she cared about was that everyone was brought back but that didn't mean everything would be the same. It could be worse. It could be better. Shippo especially…
Oh god, Shippo. His father wouldn't've been brought back by the jewel. If that was the case, was he alone or worse had he too been killed?
Damn near yanking on a blue kimono and the other pieces that came with it, Kagome's heart pounded as she rushed towards the well and jumped in without a second thought. She needed to make sure everyone was alright. She needed this not just for herself and her ability to move on with her life but for them as well.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"My friend, you cannot hide from her all day," a young monk laughed softly as he looked up at a sulking half-demon in the branches of the Sacred Tree, "You know as well as I do that she has little patience."
"Yeah well I can and I will," Inuyasha clipped back as he settled down further into the sturdy tree limb, "She's getting on my last nerve."
"Perhaps you should just address your concerns with her directly," Miroku sighed as he moved to sit down against the rough tree bark, "You never do speak up for yourself where she was involved."
"I do too," Inuyasha protested as he rolled off the brace and gracefully landed in front of the monk who gave him a skeptical, knowing look, "I'm the man in this relationship. I make the decisions dammit."
"Do you though?" Miroku teased, "From my observations, since Lady Kikyo joined us, she has done nothing except hold your leash."
"I am not a fucking dog!" Inuyasha snapped angrily as he bared his fangs to try to intimidate the monk. It didn't work but it was worth a try.
"And there is more passion and anger than I have ever seen directed at her," Miroku laughed softly as he gave his friend a knowing look, "I understand that you two shared a special connection in the past but that was then and this is now. From my limited observations, it appears you have both grown since that time and now…."
"I can't go back on my promise," Inuyasha huffed as he ran his claws through his hair, "You don't get it. I didn't have nothing before I met you guys. And I swore to marry her. I did. Give me some credit. I do have honor. Thats the only thing I have to my name."
"So you would marry her merely to ensure your honor stays intact? How sad to marry someone whom you do not love," Miroku sighed and Inuyasha gave him a withering glare.
"Yeah well people do it all the time," Inuyasha clipped back, "That's just how it is. Besides no one else is ever gunna marry me so why the hell not?"
"If that is true, and you fully intend on marry Lady Kikyo, then why, pray tell, have you not done so already? It has been two years since she joined us and yet you have not even begun the process of building her a hut," Miroku asked innocently. Inuyasha scowled.
"Well in case you hadn't noticed we've been busy," the ha you scoffed, "It's not just exorcisms anymore. There's something bigger out there. He's got a pattern and we've got to stop him."
"Must we?" Miroku laughed and Inuyasha shrugged and sniffed once.
"Who else is gunna do it?"
"I believe you are delaying for more reasons than this unnamed assailant," Miroku hummed, "Lady Kaede has let it slip Lady Kikyo intends to purify and turn you human. Which I imagine wouldn't bother you quite as much were it not for Shippo."
Inuyasha blushed before sighing heavily.
"Well what am I supposed to do?" Inuyasha finally asked with a frustrated groan, "I can't leave him orphaned again. I know how much that sucks and I would never want it to be said about me that I was an orphan who abandoned another orphan."
"Children often outlive their parents," Miroku pointed out and Inuyasha huffed.
"I ain't his father," Inuyasha clipped back, "He's just my ward. Like how Sesshomaru has Rin. It's a thing."
"Is it now?" Miroku hummed, "And yet your concern is the same as that of any parent, you want to ensure he is well cared for after your passing."
"Yeah well, he's about fifty now so he'll be what? Around ten in human years, if that, when my human life ends if I'm lucky?" Inuyasha snorted, "Or better yet whatever Kikyo wants to do will just kill me and he can be alone now."
"It is true that if her proposal is successful and you became human you would die centuries before him," Miroku stated more than asked and Inuyasha nodded, "But are you confident that Kikyo has no interest in..."
"If I had to spend a demon's lifespan with her, she'd annoy me to death," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, "That rod is so far up her ass it makes it hard for her to turn her head. I haven't even bothered asking."
"This sounds like the beginnings of a miserable life," Miroku chuckled sadly, "I will pray for you my friend. You most certainly need it."
"Shut up," Inuyasha sighed as he rolled his eyes, "Don't you have an ass to grab or something?"
"Alas Sango is visiting her village and therefore, no. I am quite committed and quite happy to be so," Miroku hummed happily, "For you see I have married for love whereas..."
Miroku really deserved that blow to the head. He was pretty much asking for it.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Climbing up the well was considerably harder in a kimono as it turned out. By the time she managed to get up the garment was pretty much ruined and her hair was a rats nest. With a flushed, sweaty face, Kagome took a moment to catch her breath before a somewhat familiar voice and the sound of a bow been pulled back caught her attention.
"Who are ye?" a young woman hissed and Kagome's eyes widened in shock as she looked upon Kaede. In her youth, she still had the eye patch but her face was more reminiscent of Kagome's mother which was strange. Or maybe not. Maybe the same souls always got thrown together over and over again. Kagome's lips twitched upwards as she straightened up and had to fight back the desire to mouth the next words.
"Be quick girl lest ye be a half-wit," The young girl barely older than thirteen or fourteen hissed as she nocked her bow and glared. Ah, the feeling of nostalgia was almost tangible. At least she wasn't tied up this time.
"Merely a traveler," Kagome replied a little more nervously than she would have liked, "Seeking a place for the night before I move on."
Kaede seemed to appraise the newcomer's appearance before whistling at a volume that would've impressed even the most obnoxious New Yorker. Cringing at the sound, it wasn't until she felt a sickeningly familiar aura coming closer and closer that she realized who that whistle was supposed to alert.
"This better not be..." came Inuyasha's exasperated voice as he slid to a stop in the clearing before he saw her. Blinking once then twice, his nose twitched madly and he cocked his head to the side as he stared at her.
"Well I'll be damned," he muttered more to himself than her, "She's not a demon Kaede. Lower your bow."
"Inuyasha, she may be..."
"Its fine Kaede. You always get worked up over nothing. Just calm down. Breathe. It's okay," Inuyasha replied quietly, dare she say affectionately, as he continued to stare at Kagome curiously, "Have we met before?"
"I'm going to get sister," Kaede whispered and Inuyasha rolled his eyes before watching her beeline towards the village.
"I swear..." he muttered under his breath as he held back a bemused grin before he casually turned his attention back towards Kagome, "You might not be a demon but I know your scent. Have we met before?"
Kagome was struggling not to cry from sheer joy. The image of his broken body mercifully fading as she drank in the sight of him. Her wish had worked. It had worked and that was worth everything.
"I don't think so," she replied breathlessly as she gave him a teary smile. He was still so perfect. Strong and lean and snarky and...
"You're lying," he chuckled as a wry smile played on his lips before he added, "We've met at some point or another."
"Maybe in passing," she tried and his smile widened as he shook his head. How could she forget he could smell everything? This plan to make sure everyone was okay was going to be short lived at best. She might as well head back now. After all, if Inuyasha was alive, that meant the others must be too, huh? Welp there ya go. Open and shut case of the jewel doing what she asked it to do.
"Nah, it was more than that," he whispered more to himself than to her as his amber eyes gave her a once over and he bit his lip for a moment before shrugging, "S'not important. Who are you? Why are you here? Where are you going? What do you do for a living? Why do you enjoy scaring little girls?"
Kagome snorted at the last question and without thinking began to argue.
"Hey! I didn't mean to scare her and she's the one that pulled the bow on me anyway," Kagome protested but the glint in his eyes told her he was joking. Which was odd. If he didn't remember her, why was he comfortable around her already? If he kept this up, she'd seriously begin to question whether he was just pulling her chain.
"I know. Kaede can be..." he sighed as he looked towards the village, "Well she's a little odd. Anyway, you didn't answer my other questions."
Kagome nodded as her mind scrambled to come up with answers to any of that. Why hadn't she prepared in advance? That seemed like the smart thing to do but she had never been one for planning. Every time she planned to do something, she'd get there and all hell would break out. That had literally been a daily occurrence during their quest not too long ago.
"I ain't got all day. You've got the count of three before I kill you. One. Two..." he drug out the number before smirking when she began blurting out half-assed answers.
"Eri," Kagome lied as his mind scrambled and she began ticking down the questions by counting on her fingers, "Mt. Hakurei. I'm a miko. I did not scare her. She scared me."
That name and that place for whatever reason were the first rational ones she could come up with on the spot. The glint in his eyes and the way he flexed his claws so she could see, however, reminded her of something very important.
He could always smell when she was lying.
"Again with the lies," he chuckled darkly as he narrowed his eyes before he sighed and cocked his head curiously, "All but the last two. So you're a miko and you were scared of a child. Good to know."
Again his eyes twinkled playfully while Kagome's heart nearly beat out of her chest and the cogs turned in his mind. If she didn't know better, she'd almost swear he was flirting with her in a backwards ass way? But that couldn't be right. He didn't know her. Or shouldn't anyway. Besides wasn't he taken?
"Calm down woman," he finally sighed as he rolled his eyes and gave her a slightly hurt look, "Listen I get you don't want to give details to a demon. I get it. But I ain't gunna..."
Stopping suddenly, his ears swivled and his face turned towards the village. Shortly thereafter, Kikyo appeared followed by a very anxious looking Kaede.
"Inuyasha," Kikyo greeted with a warm smile that faded when she laid eyes on Kagome, "Who is this?"
Was she imagining things or did he actually seem annoyed that his wife or girlfriend or whatever the hell Kikyo was to him now showed up? No, that was her imagination and false hope talking surely. He was always so in love with her.
"Traveler," Inuyasha replied in a bored tone as he turned to leave, "She checks all the boxes but if you gotta question her, go ahead. I'm going back."
The once undead miko gave her (probably) husband a sour look that quite clearly said she didn't believe he had done any investigating at all before turning back towards the newcomer with a strange look.
"I apologize for his strange manner," Kikyo sighed almost apologetically, "He often uses strange phrases but he has lived a strange life. Pay him no mind."
A part of Kagome felt quite smug that, despite not remembering her, he remembered at least some of what she taught him. Maybe he even asked about ramen. Would not shock her in the least.
"He's fine," Kagome hummed happily as she watched him disappear into the distance. A soft, relived smile gracing her pictures. That was worth it. That was enough. He was fine, not because what he'd said made perfect sense to her, but because he was alive. Alive and well and...
"What is your name traveler?" Kikyo asked in a sweeter tone than Kagome had ever heard before.
And with Kikyo. Who was apparently the deciding vote as to whether she was threat or not. Her smile faltered as her bruised heart throbbed.
Figures.
Still, she knew what she was doing when she made the wish and as long as he was alive, that was fine. More than fine. Great. Amazing even. He could be with Kikyo. That wasn't a problem. Because he was alive. That's what mattered. Not that he was with Kikyo and not her. He had a pulse. Who the hell cared who he shared his bed with as long as he woke up in the morning?! Not her. Nope. She didn't care. She shouldn't care. Right?
Cringing as she did mental gymnastics to keep her heart from breaking, she nearly forgot the question she was asked and she wrinkled her nose. Whatever the jewel had done she didn't want to accidentally undo and Inuyasha had already figured out that she was lying about her name. And no one here, not even him, had ever called her by her last name so...eh, screw it.
"Higuarashi," Kagome replied after an awkwardly long moment as Kikyo gave her a slightly suspicious look before nodding once.
"Curious name," she opined - seeming to believe her although still obviously skeptical before following up with, "And your profession?"
"Miko," Kagome replied without hesitation and damn it all if Kikyo seemed to expect that answer. Which struck her as strange but maybe she could feel her aura or something.
"And how were you trained?"
"By fire," Kagome joked weakly before amending when Kikyo merely looked confused and even more skeptical, "What I mean is that I wasn't formally trained. I kinda just learned as I went."
"As you went?" Kikyo asked as she gave the young woman a skeptical once over, "Have you seen much of battle then?"
"Unfortunately. As is often the case in times such as these," Kagome replied honestly – quoting something a much older Kaede had once told her, "Anymore, I travel on my own wherever my services are needed."
"Where are your services needed that has warranted your journey here?" the formerly undead miko asked with no accusation or malice but obviously guarded.
"A village near, uh, a fishing village in the South is in need of an additional healer," Kagome answered seamlessly. Well, almost. Kikyo seemed to take this in with a soft hum as those once cold chocolate eyes searched her reincarnation's face. Finally, after a long tense moment, she nodded to herself.
"Have you encountered any villages recently that were victims of an attack?" Kikyo asked suddenly and Kagome startled slightly at the question, "Specifically, those killed by a clean incision. Just over the eye."
"No," she replied shakily as something in the back of her mind crooned that was her fault. How she wasn't sure but that was the first time she'd heard of a demon doing that, "Is that something I should be concerned about during my travels?"
"That is the question," Kikyo sighed before giving her an apologetic smile, "It has only been in recent months that such a thing has occurred. The victims seem to be targeted at random. Human. Demon. Peasants. Lords. There is no pattern. Unfortunately, then, I would dare say yes. You should be on your guard. We have a few exterminators in our village who would be happy to escort you if you wish."
"Why did you ask me about that? The attacks I mean," Kagome finally asked in a confused tone, "Inuyasha said…"
Something flashed in the – up until now – friendly miko's eyes as her jawline tensed.
"I again apologize for his turn of phrase. It's understandable that you are confused. He often says things that have no meaning. For many years, he was on his own and there are times when he..." Kikyo replied and for the first time a little bitterness was in her voice before she seemed to realize herself and she trailed off before forcing a smile on her face, "Permit me to clarify. He meant that he did not deem you a threat and I agree with his assessment."
Kagome had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. Again, he might not remember her but apparently some of the things she taught him hadn't been fully wiped. That knowledge brought her peace and also felt like a dagger in her heart. Even after all this time, she loved him, but he hadn't been hers then and he sure as hell wasn't hers now. That was the price she paid so his heart would beat again and that was worth a little heartache. Still she'd pay money to see him try to get someone to make him ramen when it hadn't been invented yet because if he remembered her homework lists which had all those boxes, she'd be shocked if he didn't remember ramen. Oh yeah, she'd pay good money to see that.
"For someone who travels often, I hoped perhaps you may have some insight about the strange happenings. It has been quite troublesome," Kikyo continued warmly, "It is no matter. Come. We have a hut designated for travelers. Its modest but it will do."
"But sister..." Kaede tried as she regarded Kagome suspiciously, "She looks like ye. Don't ye find that the least..."
"There are many men and women in the world Kaede," Kikyo hummed affectionately as she brushed a few stray hairs out of his sister's face, "Perhaps eventually you will find someone who bears a resemblance to you."
"Except they'll have both eyes," Kaede huffed as she continued to glare at Kagome, "I will respect what ye have said sister but I still don't trust her. Allowing her in the village is a..."
"Kaede," Kikyo chided gently before casting Kagome anapologetic smile, "Forgive my sister for her rudeness. She is young and has developed quite a rebellious streak as of late."
"Probably Inuyasha's influence," Kagome laughed knowingly before realizing what she just said when Kikyo gave her a strange look, "You know because he seemed, uh, rude."
"Not always," Kikyo hummed apparently appeased by her explaination, "His demon heritage aside he is a very good man."
Kagome...didn't like that. At all. What was that supposed to mean? It wasn't like in his human nights he magically became a ball of sunshine. And he was always a good man no matter what form he took. Okay, to be fair, the full demon version of him wasn't the best but...
"Shall we?" Kikyo asked after a moment seemingly perturbed by her new aquaintances silence. Blinking a few times, Kagome nodded. It wasn't her place to say anything. She was only here to make sure the jewel kept it's end of the bargain and nothing more. After making sure the people she cared about were okay, she'd pop back through the well and never come back here again.
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Inuyasha waited until he was out of Kikyo's line of vision before making a beeline to the monk who was meditating on the far side of the village. A monk who saw him coming and groaned at the look on his friend's face. Inuyasha looked far, far too excited which meant one of two things. One, Kikyo was leaving the village for an extended period or two, there was an exorcism for which he was about to be drafted which would take several days. Given the speed at which Inuyasha was traveling, most likely he would not be here when Sango returned which was unfortunate. There was definitely an itch he would like scratched as soon as possible.
"I'm not going," Miroku hummed wryly as he closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree, "Take Shippo. Aren't you always complaining that he doesn't train? What an oppor..."
"What? No," Inuyasha huffed before he knelt down and whispered, "A new girl just came into the village."
"And that impacts me, how?" Miroku sighed as his lformed a thin line.
"I know her scent," Inuyasha continued excitedly, "That scent."
Miroku cracked open one eye to search his friends face before realizing that, in fact, he would not be meditating this fine afternoon.
"From your dream," Miroku acknowledged as he opened both eyes and sighed in a very annoyed fashion, "Inuyasha, as I've said before, while I understand your sense of smell is above my own, I cannot imagine..."
"You don't get it. This girl was lying when I asked if we've met before," Inuyasha informed the monk as though that would throw any argument he had out with the bath water but Miroku merely looked nonplussed.
"Do you remember meeting her?" Miroku groaned in a very annoyed tone and Inuyasha's excited smile faded.
"I'll take that as a no," the monk observed as he chewed on his cheek, "Which means you have, in fact, not met her before. Therefore, my..."
"Just because I don't remember every bitch that crosses my path doesn't mean I haven't met her before," Inuyasha finally replied defensively, "And...and there's always a figure in my dreams. Maybe that's her."
"So what you are telling me," Miroku replied for the first time sounded somewhat amused, "Is that this is the girl of your dreams?"
Inuyasha blushed furiously and cringed.
"Look I know how that sounds," Inuyasha finally replied a little desperately which had the monk's eyes widening in surprise, "But I've been having that dream for years now. Scents are unique and that scent comes from her."
"And what, pray tell, happens in these dreams again?" Miroku asked curiously, "You are never very specific which has often made me..."
"They are not about that," Inuyasha cut him off as he gave him a withering glare, "They're just...normal things, ya know? Campfires. Running...and stuff."
"Stuff," Miroku repeated as a lecherous grin began blossoming on his lips, "My, my..."
"Kissing, alright? I have dreams about kissing," Inuyasha admitted exasperatedly as his blush deepened, "And...and someone petting my ears. But that scent is always the same is the point and that girl..."
Miroku tried and failed to look serious.
"It was only kissing," Inuyasha insisted at the look on Miroku's face before scoffing and rolling his eyes, "Know what? Here I thought you'd be helpful but..."
As Inuyasha got to his feet with a scowl on his face, the monk gave his friend a patient look and sighed.
"Why are you so excited about this particular scent?" Miroku asked a little too innocently, "Does it invoke certain..."
"Shut up," Inuyasha demanded as he suddenly straightened up and tensed.
"Avoiding the..."
"I said shut up," Inuyasha hissed quietly as one ear strained forward and he added, "Say you can't go. Volunteer me."
"Wha-" Miroku began to ask before low and behold Kikyo appeared and began walking towards them.
"There you are," she greeted warmly and the cringe that was missed by her was not missed by the monk, "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"I was gone maybe five minutes," Inuyasha clipped back and Kikyo's smile faltered.
"That was quite rude and I've asked you not to use your phrases," she chided, "That has no meaning. Our guest was most confused and frankly you offended her. You are no longer living like a wild animal. You need to act more civilized. There is no..."
Miroku could visibly see Inuyasha's eye twitch as she continued chastising him for these 'phrases' which were easily understood but didn't comment.
"...Miroku to accompany her," Kikyo finished before addressing the monk directly, "I know Sango will return shortly but would you be so kind as to accompany the young woman on her journey? I'm sure Sango wouldn't mind your absence."
Ah, that's what Inuyasha meant. And yes, the only one of their companions who actively hated Kikyo would most definitely mind being left behind with Kikyo. That was the entire reason Sango went to the slayer's village these past few weeks. The only reason she even bothered staying here at all is that her loyalty to Inuyasha and to himself outweighed any insanity she bore by being in Kikyo's presence. If the miko had been with them throughout those years they sought the elusive assailant on their own, it was quite possible Sango and he would never have been married. Not quite possible. It merely would never have occurred.
"While I would love the opportunity to accompany a beautiful woman, I must decline," Miroku hummed apologetically, "Sango will return any day and it has been quite some time since we last saw each other. I would prefer to stay here as she is expected any day. Perhaps Inuyasha should accompany this woman. He is much faster and the task would be accomplished in no time at all."
A flash of what could be anger shot through her eyes before the smile was back and she nodded.
"Of course, I completely understand," Kikyo hummed as she turned to address Inuyasha, "Would that be too much trouble?"
"Where is she going?" Inuyasha asked as he mentally jumped for joy. Now he had time alone with this woman and maybe, just maybe, figure out where the hell he'd met her before. And for an added bonus he could get the hell away for a minute.
"To a fishing village in the South," Kikyo hummed.
"Shouldn't take more than a week," Inuyasha commented a little too casually, "I wouldn't mind."
"When Sango returns, why don't we meet at the wolf demons den? There are some rumors in the West of incidents we should investigate," Kikyo announced and Inuyasha's eye began twitching again. Miroku held his tongue. For the years before she had entered their lives, Inuyasha had called the shots but this was his life now by his own choice. His to-be-woman made all the decisions and he just had to nod and go along with it. This relationship was doomed to fail from the beginning and he had warned Inuyasha way back when but, at the time, he would not listen. Something about how he had courted her in the past but it had ended badly which he regretted. The details were always vague. As were the details of everything anymore it would seem. For the life of him, Miroku could barely remember his childhood or what he was doing before he had met his friends. Even then, how they met and became friends was honestly a little fuzzy. Not that he minded them being in his life, it just struck him as strange. But perhaps that was just life and getting older.
He barely kept the smirk off his face when Kikyo stood on her tiptoes and kissed Inuyasha's cheek.
"You can be so sweet," she cooed, "Will you come for dinner tonight?"
"Depends on whether I finish helping with that hut or not," he countered, "They're getting married in a week ya know and I promised..."
"You can come late. I have not had much opportunity to be alone with you in many weeks. You have spent all your time building huts for others instead of making time for us," Kikyo pressed and Miroku closed his eyes before leaning back against the tree. How that woman had not noticed the way Inuyasha actively avoided her baffled him. If he treated Sango in such a way, he would suddenly find himself without a wife. But Kikyo only ever seemed to double down after such behavior and guilt her betrothed into spending time with her. Not much worked on the stubborn hanyou but guilt always seemed to do the trick. And it was the constant barrage of guilt combined with her insisting on being in charge that was driving the man she purportedly loved insane. That and insisting he allow her to purify him because whatevercould go wrong.
"Dinner would be great," Inuyasha sighed as his tense posture relaxed and he leaned down to kiss her cheek back, "I'll try to finish early. Why don't you head back? I need to discuss a few things with Miroku, okay?"
"Very well," Kikyo hummed sadly as she pressed her hand against her cheek and gave him a shy smile, "I look forward to this evening."
Inuyasha nodded and waited until she was a fair distance away before turning back towards the monk.
"I need to get out of this," the half-demon groaned as he moved and sat down against the tree, "I can't do it, Miroku. I can't fucking do it. Its like shes trying to drive me insane on purpose."
"Do you refer to your upcoming escort or your beloved?" Miroku chuckled darkly. He didn't need to open his eyes again to know the glare Inuyasha was giving him.
"I thought you valued honor, my friend," the monk teased, "What changed?"
"Maybe nothing," Inuyasha sighed as he repeatedly beat the back of his head against the tree bark,"Maybe everything. Either way, I just need to man up and call the whole thing off."
"Sango would be glad to do it for you I'm sure" Miroku laughed softly and Inuyasha snorted.
"I might not do it but if I do, I can do it myself," Inuyasha groaned, "But if I do, it'll mean we have to travel again. I'll miss this place."
"The central location has been nice," Miroku acknowledged before adding, "Sango's village would allow us to reside there. Or perhaps we could seek shelter with the wolf demons from time to time."
"They do owe us," Inuyasha hummed lazily.
"That they do."
