A/N: And here is chapter twenty. To all of you new and old to this story, I'm glad you're reading it. I really massively enjoyed your comments from last chapter (from every chapter actually^^) and I hope you'll keep enjoying it!

Enjoy

o.O.o

Chapter Twenty, Repeated exposure

The endless sky painted in the vestiges of sunlight. Chiharu was warm, although not completely comfortable with her head bent at a slightly odd angle. Yet, she had a bit of a headache and slowly snuggled against the warmth next to her. It took her a moment to realise the one she normally cuddled with — Shippō — was a lot smaller and as her eyelashes fluttered again the figure next to her tensed.

"Wake up!"

Inuyasha's voice filtered in through her muddled brain and slowly she opened her eyes wincing against the daylight. She was leaning heavily against Inuyasha's side, her cheek still resting against his chest and she felt her cheeks reddening.

"Oh, my—" She started, jumping to her feet. "What the hell happened?"

There was a slight ache behind her temple and she had to blink against the morning light again. "Oh my God, I got drunk!" she looked at Inuyasha again. The Hanyō's face had reddened and was now matching hers. The skin of her bottom lip was caught on her teeth when she remembered their very awkward drunken sharing. "And you— Oh my God!"

He turned even redder and she tried to find the words in her mind.

"We won't speak a word about this." She whispered urgently and Inuyasha nodded.

"Not a word."

They stood there momentarily, the only sound audible was the water flowing and she inhaled softly, trying to calm her jagged nerves. Sun rays fell warmly on her back, yet she shivered. Normally she would enjoy the warm morning sun, but now she was rather agitated. "Kagome would sit me, wouldn't she?"

Chiharu snorted. "I'm her baby-sister. I don't doubt for a second that she would sit you."

"Sit you— Oh Kami my head!" Miroku mumbled, suddenly emerging from the trees. He was holding his head in both of his hands and a large red handprint was visible on his left cheek.

Chiharu felt her cheeks redden and Inuyasha jumped away from her until there was at least six foot between them. Miroku didn't seem to notice it. He was still quite disorientated by the massive hangover. While rubbing his temples the world slowly seemed to come back to him and with the grace, her grandfather would have used he combed his tousled dark hair back and smiled.

"Tōtōsai is here." He told them and Chiharu nodded, face still flushed, but the excitement of getting a sword overpowered her anxiety. "You two deal with him— I'm going to sleep this off."

"Keep yourself hydrated!"

"Will do that, Chiharu-sama." the monk muttered before retreating his steps towards the village. She watched him go and ran her fingers through her hair, which was a tangled mess. They remained silent until Miroku's footsteps were no longer audible.

"You're really not going to mention this to Kagome?" Inuyasha asked slowly and Chiharu carefully peered at his face.

"It won't be just you, she'll be angry with, if she hears, Inuyasha." Chiharu answered and they slowly returned to the village. Crossing her arms over her chest, peering at a rotting log to the side.

It was still early and the villagers were still in the process of their morning rituals. Tōtōsai was sitting on his three-eyed ox, in the middle of the marketplace. He seemed odd against the neatly dressed humans and Chiharu quickened her pace when she noticed the katana he was holding.

Large eyes with small pupils peered down at her and he slowly slipped off from the ox. He was holding a katana with a red handle and a darkish scabbard. She slowly inched closer eyeing the weapon curiously and the old man held it out for her. He hadn't uttered a word and although she was somewhat suspicious, she still held her hand out.

"It looks great, Tōtōsai-san." She breathed out as she slowly accepted the sword, carefully weighing it in her hands and letting her fingers trail over the unfamiliar bindings of the hilt. It wasn't heavy as she had expected and the weight was so it rotation point was a few inches to the hilt. It felt pleasant in her hands and she had a strange feeling engulfed her.

"What did you use for it?" Sango asked curiously, stepping up next to her. She was looking a bit sluggish, but other than that seemed fine.

"A fang," Tōtōsai replied evasively and Chiharu frowned, peering at the katana again. There was something awfully familiar to the aura around the sword and she felt the beginnings of worry start at her midsection.

"A fang?" She echoed slowly, tentatively peering at the sword. Her fingers trembled as she pushed her aura outwards, and stiffened when she recognised the youki around it. Her eyes widened and she could feel the blood run from her face.

"It isn't his, is it?" she squeaked, now holding the sword at arm's length as if it would somehow call for his master and summon him in an instant.

"He left it with me when he commissioned me," Tōtōsai answered slowly.

"You want me dead?" She asked and almost dropped the sword from her hands. She knew Tōtōsai was a bit strange, but she hadn't realised he was completely insane. "Have you any idea what he would do if he knows of this? Using his fang? Are you insane?"

"I don't have anything else that is suitable for you." The man answered, stroking his goatee. "To support your ki and the youki inside of you, I needed something more sturdy."

"Sturdy?" she asked scandalised. "Well, good luck explaining that to him, because let's face it, he will find out."

"Yep," Tōtōsai nodded, "but I'm not waiting around for that to happen."

The old man, still rather fast on his feet, jumped back on his ox and took to the air. Chiharu blinked owlishly

"He left me to die." She yelped and Inuyasha stared at the sword smith's retreating back.

"I can hunt him down if you want." He asked her slowly, but he made no move to track him whatsoever. As Tōtōsai became no more than a small little dot on the horizon, Inuyasha's eyes flitted towards the katana. Fingers of his left hand gripped at the scabbard of his sword and Chiharu found it a trifle unnerving.

"I could—"

"No."

"You don't even know what I want to do, wench!"

"You want to test the sword because of your stupid sibling rivalry with your brother." She huffed, pinning the dog-eared male with a hard glare. "No matter how slim the chances of you breaking it might be, I won't get another and quite frankly, I need something to defend myself with. Especially when said the brother comes to suffocate me…"

"The slim chances? Why you!" Inuyasha snapped, curling his upper lip over one sharp fang, sneering. "I would be easily capable to break that sword."

Chiharu rolled her eyes, peering at the sword again. That lousy excuse of a swordsmith had just given her a sword and she knew without really knowing it would only work for her. She had realised long since that he held grudges like that and part of her relished in the knowledge she got a sword while he hadn't gotten one when requested. The previous problem and awkwardness between her and Inuyasha were completely forgotten.

"Ha, serves your right." She mumbled. "Perhaps that would teach you to talk to people, and not threaten."

With a heavy sigh, she stepped into Kaede's hut. Shippō lay on his stomach, still asleep and she gave him an envious look. It had been years since she could sleep that much and that deep. She sat down next to him, carefully trailing her fingers through his sandy hair and smiled at Kaede when the elderly Miko stepped inside, starting her daily preparations for breakfast. Chiharu smiled and within the hour they all had a warm bowl of stew. Shippō, completely awake by the time he smelled the food, chatted happily and Chiharu peered at sword again. He would not be happy if he knew.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Sesshōmaru stared at Inuyasha's little group with a cold glare. One of the Mikos had gone home, through the strange Bone-Eaters Well, and now his brother and the humans were surrounding the fire drinking from a large stone sake bottle. The Taijiya was pressed up against a tree, humming softly to herself, and the Monk was out cold, his face flushed red. The Monk was a lecherous man and Sesshōmaru felt his eyes narrow when the Miko Chiharu started to drag him towards the cover of the trees. He could feel the alcohol in her system, pulsing through her like a liquid fire. Humans had no alcohol tolerance. His human was no exception it seemed, although the girl did hold her liquid better than the usual human did.

His brother hadn't transformed the last few days, nor had he fought any great battles so Sesshōmaru was none the wiser. They had started a drinking game. Answer a question or drink and Sesshōmaru snorted. How foolishly immature his brother and companions were.

His eyes drew back to the girl again. The neck of her haori had opened slightly, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight. His sharp eyes could detailedly trace the curve of her collarbone to the delicate angle of her jaw. Her eyes glittered in the slight darkness and she laughed when the Taijiya said something that amused her.

They had started with each a cup of sake and it went downhill from there. The Monk only sporadically reacted to a question and the Taijiya was already slurring over her words. He watched his half-brother drink from the bottle and frowned. He'd never gotten along with the brazen hanyō. He might have been the arrogant full-yōkai sibling, but Inuyasha was the selfish one. His brother had always been an irritant, but an irritant could be ignored. He had ignored the boy the better part of his life after Inuyasha could fend for himself. Though, that was before he came in possession of chich-ue's sword he had been less easy to ignore.

Sesshōmaru peered at his half-brother's group again. The girl and his brother were the only one not yet passed out and frowned. He could feel the alcohol curl around her blood through their bond as Inuyasha offered her the bottle. Usually, the young Miko would have curled up with the kitsune by now, into her shimmery tube.

Not now it seemed, because both were on their feet, stumbling through the forest until they stepped into the clearing with the Bone-Eater's well. The girl laughed and slumped down, leaning her back against the timber of the old well. She didn't bring her bow and arrows. He snorted, though the sound was not even audible to his ears. Her fighting strategy consisted mostly out of distracting an opponent. He barely ever seen her go for the kill and if she did, it was mostly because one of those infernal friends were involved.

He felt himself stiffen. Inuyasha, his movements sluggish, moved forward towards the girl. Although he wasn't particularly attached to the her, he felt his muscles lock. The Half-breed leant over her, his mouth brushing over hers, in away he knew humans often liked to show affection. He had partaken in such an act before, but never had it seem to infuriate him like this. How dare that half-breed touch something that was his. His claws bit into the skin of his palms and he carefully unclenched them. The Miko didn't even seem aware and her eyes fluttered before unconsciousness finally claimed her.

He was before them in a second, claws itching to rip his brother's heart out, but the smell of alcohol was so strong around them he hesitated. Even with his senses, his half-brother should have been able to sense him, but the boy didn't even move. Sesshōmaru pushed his index and middle finger against the Hanyō's forehead. The boy's eyes didn't even flutter and his head lolled back.

There was no honour in hurting a man — even a disgrace to his house — when he could not even dream to defend himself and Sesshōmaru took a step back. His brother's life would be his eventually.

Black boots moved silently upon the scrubby grass and the tussocks stretched out in all directions. Breathing in slowly, he leapt high into the air. His haori flailed around him, yet he was as silent phantom winter gale. The air was chilly against his face and at the far eastern horizon a purple light was starting, yet the sky above was still riddled with stars. He descended on a branch on the large Goshinboku. He was close enough when both his brother and the Miko awoke to the harsh morning light.

He peered out over the woods and at the village when Tōtōsai arrived. Watched his Miko and brother awoke from their slumbering. Apparently, the arrival of the swordsmith was expected and Sesshōmaru almost did a double-take when the old man offered her a sword.

'The little brat had requested a sword?'

More importantly, the old senile fool had granted it, while he hadn't for this Sesshōmaru? He felt more than a little irritation start at his temples and slowly rubbed his fingers in soothing circles over his temples.

She was looking awed at the sword. He almost sneered and slowly took it from him. "It looks great, Tōtōsai-san." She whispered.

"What did you use for it?" the Monk asked curiously.

"A fang," Tōtōsai replied evasively and he was immediately suspicious. He wouldn't dare…

"A fang?" the girl asked slowly, tentatively peering at the sword. He felt it when she pushed her aura out, and he recognised the youki around the sword easily.

"That little—" he whispered, cracking his knuckles, noxious gas leaking from his hands and melted away at the tree branch he was standing on.

"It isn't his, is it?" she squeaked, now holding the sword at arm's length as if it would come alive and slash her in to her by itself.

"He left it with me when he commissioned me." Tōtōsai answered dryly and the girl eyed him with large eyes and a paling face.

"You want me dead?" She asked and almost dropped the sword from her hands. "Have you any idea what he would do if he knows of this? Using his fang? Are you insane?"

"I don't have anything else that is suitable for you." The man answered, stroking his goatee. "To support your ki and the youki inside of you, I needed something more sturdy."

"Sturdy?" she asked and he was slightly, unusually amused by the panicked tone of her voice.

"Yep," Tōtōsai nodded, "but if he might come, then I'm not waiting around for that to happen."

Sesshōmaru watched the old man step onto his ox and ascended to the sky. The girl fidgeted, sending a panicking look towards his brother. "He left me to die." She yelped and Inuyasha stared at the swordsmith's retreating back.

"I can hunt him down if you want?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshōmaru tuned out the rest of their conversation. He stood there seething, feet balancing on the thick branch of a large oak tree and knuckles tracking threateningly. The girl was not sensing him as of yet, he had his youki perfectly concealed after all, but as he felt his anger rise, the girl tilted her head faintly in question. The air stilled in his lungs as she peered at him, eyes wide and a slight knit in her brow. With every encounter, he had with his half-brother his preoccupation with this girl was intensifying. His hand automatically gripped at the hilt of Tōkijin and his eyes narrowed. Her scent was, even when surrounded by alcohol, rather pleasant and he found himself taking every ample opportunity to observe her.

His awareness of her life-force made him itch. The sound of her voice made his skin crawl in a way that was not enterable unpleasant. He had found himself trace the delicate contours of her face and follow the pale column of her neck. He shook his head. It was hardly the time to confront the girl about the fang. Hardly the time, after observing her all night.

He couldn't deny that he wanted her. His upper lip curled and he took to the sky. There were more urgent matters to attend to. Obviously, watching his brother's group, waiting for explanations for the change in his scent didn't solve the problem. More importantly, did spying on her, only add fuel to a quickly growing obsession. As long as she ran through his bloodstream, he would never be free of that girl. Sesshōmaru tore through the sky, trampling over the clouds. He had better things to do…

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

It took him several days to remember his father's late acquaintance. Rin the little human girl was swinging her legs happily while riding on Sesshōmaru's gigantic dragon Ah-Un. Jaken, his face pinched and his bulbous eyes solemn, tracked through the forest beside her and for once was silent. The Daiyōkai peered through the forest and his features darkened.

The ancient magnolia tree stood tall mere metres away, deep inside the old remote forest. A thick youki curled around the bark and branches. Sesshōmaru peered at the old bark and noticed that the branches and the leaves — still perfectly in place — remained motionless against the soft breeze.

If Bokusenō didn't know how his younger half-sibling could take up the air of a full-blooded yōkai than no one could.

"I'd thought you'd be coming to visit me sometime soon, Sesshōmaru." A deep booming voice remarked.

"Bokusenō, you expected this Sesshōmaru to visit?"

"That you've come to see me means that you've come to me with the swords, haven't you?" The voice asked again and suddenly, in the centre of the tree, a humanoid face appeared. Eyes, dark and made out of bark peered out at the yōkai-lord who came to visit him. "It's about your Oyaji-dono's memento, Tetsusaiga, right?"

Sesshōmaru nodded slowly. Little Rin clapped her hands together softly before slipping off of Ah-Un and stepped up next to Jaken. "Master Jaken, is this a tree spirit?"

His companion didn't know either and yellow bulbous eyes peered up at him. "Sesshōmaru-sama, who on earth is this?"

The Daiyōkai sighed. "A 2000-year-old Magnolia tree."

"Indeed," the tree answered, "also, Tetsusaiga and tenseiga were both carved from branches of mine."

"Yes," Sesshōmaru nodded, "you'd know, wouldn't you? The connection between Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga that is."

"Ah, yes, your younger brother, hm?"

"Hn," Sesshōmaru answered as affirmative. "During battle, first when the Tetsusaiga was bitten apart by an oni and the second time when he relinquished the fang in battle against me, his Hanyō blood scent became similar to mine and that of Chichi-ue's"

"The same yōkai's blood, hm? I wonder about that…"

"What do you mean?"

"In a time of battle, you Sesshōmaru, have a near perfect control over yourself. You remain calm even when pressured."

Sesshōmaru acknowledged that statement with a small nod. He was hardly ever pressed. After all, as a Daiyōkai he was feared throughout all of his lands and far beyond. Bokusenō seemed to realise that too because after a moment of silence he continued.

"The pure yōkai blood of his father is too much for a hanyō. In essence, after repeated transformation, Inuyasha will eventually lose his soul, not recognising himself. He will feel no fear, no pain and no remorse. He'll make sure to keep on fighting until he'll die."

"I see," he answered, remaining silent for a moment.

"Dosing a human with youki," he slowly started, "in theory, what would that do?"

"Initial marking?"

"Hn,"

"Humans aren't meant to have youki." The Magnolia tree started. "Radiating through their bodies it causes an inflammatory reaction. Humans will eventually die, complete mark or not."

Yes, that was what Sesshōmaru had thought too, yet the Miko was not being hurt by his youki anymore. "And a priestess?"

"Uncommon, young Lord, but with the right amount of holy power, it might balance it. It could intensify the human's physical strength, speed and power."

"Seems fitting," Jaken responded and Sesshōmaru felt a muscle in his cheek tense. He must have noticed the flare in the Daiyōkai's aura as the small imp yōkai scuffled away.

Bokusenō peered curiously at the yōkai lord's face and Sesshōmaru nodded slowly. So that was what happened. He would have to verify of course, yet it would explain the change in scent. After a moment of silence, Sesshōmaru turned away and started to walk away. Bokusenō's face slid back inside the rough bark of the tree.

To be continued…

A/N: Miroku is a lecherous man, Sesshōmaru? I'm shocked that you noticed. And of course, we now know why Chiharu is not as affected by the youki than she probably should. Either way, that doesn't mean it won't remain a problem in the future. Next chapter will have massive Sesshōmaru and Chiharu interaction (especially for the Daiyōkai's standarts^^), so stay tuned.

Next update upcoming Thursday. Please leave a review!

Inuyasha does NOT belong to me