The sensation of being mated was different. A good different, but different. For one, they had a better sense of the other's emotions. It wasn't like reading each other's thoughts per se, but close enough now that they understood on a deeper level.
For one, Inuyasha knew when Sesshomaru felt the annoying aches on his chest. He would reach to massage away the aches without even being asked or ask if he could. He earned a sigh of relief from the daiyokai when he did this.
He also sensed when Sesshomaru simply wanted to be held. And Inuyasha didn't mind, for it was rare to feel calm in their usually chaotic every day life. That evening his wounds healed and he could finally see properly out of his other eye. His back didn't sting anymore either.
As Sesshomaru slept that night Inuyasha watched over him. He studied their respective marks. The mark he had given the daiyokai was directly on his neck, on his left side. The bite has already healed but the mark is still visible, a permanent reminder of their bond sealed.
Inuyasha raised a hand to feel over his own. While Sesshomaru marked on a slightly different place, it was still a true enough mating mark. He softly chuckled at the notion Sesshomaru had copied him and chose Inuyasha's left side.
A memory resurfaced. He saw himself pushing Sesshomaru towards his neck and shoulder. Encouraging him to mark. Did the youkai version of himself have the knowledge Kenji told him about a mated pair he knew? Or was his youkai being driven by instinct and accepted to be marked in return?
Either way, Inuyasha didn't mind. He felt the acceptance and desires Sesshomaru had for him. It put his insecurities at ease. And if Kenji was correct that so long as the mating was pure in intentions, then the markings wouldn't hurt him during his monthly curse.
Inuyasha nuzzled against his mate. He breathed in their mixed scents. Although he could smell their coupling heavy in the air, Inuyasha felt a bit selfish that he didn't immediately want to wash it away. He wanted their scents to be mixed together well before they cleaned themselves of their love making.
The scents put him at ease and Inuyasha fell asleep. Even though he ended up having less sleep, the hanyou was the first to wake up as the crystals brightened.
"Aniki, it's time." He whispered into Sesshomaru's ear.
The daiyokai furrowed his eyebrows, slightly frowning in his sleep. Inuyasha chuckled as Sesshomaru nuzzled into his shoulder as he tried to go back to sleep. He cherished that his mate was being adorable.
"Mate, you agreed to my deal. We need to get back to the others." Inuyasha kissed a cheek.
Sesshomaru could only groan in protest. This time the hanyou laughed softly. Who knew Sesshomaru had a cute side? He felt a sense of pride knowing he would be the only one to see this side of the proud daiyokai.
"I'll give you a reward if you don't don't go back to sleep." Inuyasha smirked as those eyes blinked opened.
"It better be worth it." Sesshomaru softly spoke as he pushed away the want to sleep more. He had been way too comfortable. The first time in years.
Actually, since father's passing. Sesshomaru couldn't relax as he slept. Hence why he hardly slept unless he absolutely had to. This was the first time he slept so deeply and so comfortable that he didn't want to be awake.
"It will, I promise." Inuyasha got to work. He decided to try something different. The hanyou started with playing with the daiyokai's nipples. As Sesshomaru began to feel effected, Inuyasha reached down to grasp the growing erection.
Once he was fully hard Inuyasha pulled away to scoot down. Sesshomaru caught on and before he could say that Inuyasha didn't have to do this, a hot mouth made his words die in his throat and replaced by soft moans.
Sesshomaru didn't last long, having just been awoken from a deep slumber. He arched his back as he panted, releasing a final cry as he found release. Inuyasha eagerly swallowed his load, giving one last lick before pulling away.
"You..." Sesshomaru knew his mate was aroused.
"It's fine. We need to make our way back to the others then find the shrine." Inuyasha was putting others before himself.
"No mate of mine will be that selfless." Sesshomaru snarled before pushing him down, earning a surprised yelp that turned into a moan as a mouth claimed his own length.
Inuyasha couldn't tear his gaze away from his mate as he worked his mouth on him. It was amazing and hot and he couldn't believe it was actually happening. Soon enough it overwhelmed him to his point of release and he came with a groan. To his greater surprise Sesshomaru accepted his load.
"You...I..." Inuyasha was at a loss for words.
"I know." Sesshomaru sensed what he wanted to say through the bond. Inuyasha groaned at the sight of a pink tongue licking those damned kissable lips. Who knew his mate would be so openly lewd?
"Come, as you said, we need to get moving. Are you sure you're up for it so early? The sight of Kenji might send you into a fit of rage." Sesshomaru began to gather their clothes.
"It's not like I have a choice, do I? Besides, you'll be with me. And with the Tessaiga back in my possession I can mostly control that side of me." At least Inuyasha hoped so.
"I suppose we will have to see." Sesshomaru sighed, still not looking forward to the awkwardness.
Once they were both fully dressed, they followed their own scent trail back. Many heads turned at their approach. Kenji backed away, overly paranoid and rightfully so.
"Honeymoon over already?" Miroku asked for everyone.
"No. But uh, we kind of learned a few things. Oh, I got the Tessaiga back." Inuyasha motioned to the sword back in its rightful place.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin smiled. She picked up Mokomoko and carried it towards him, holding it up. Some people tensed at how freely she could approach a newly mated pair without fear.
"Thank you for letting me borrow this. I don't feel so sick anymore."
"Thank you, Rin." Sesshomaru accepted Mokomoko back. He placed it at its rightful place over his right shoulder.
"So what did you guys learn?" Sango was curious.
"There's a shrine with two spirits guarding it. One of them acted of its own accord to push along the claiming process." Sesshomaru was straight to the point.
"And the other explained that this place used to be a place of worship. And then the main entrance was sealed off. He further explained that one of us can actually open it, because he shares the blood of the one that sealed it." Inuyasha stared at Kenji, who tilted his head.
"What? My family doesn't worship anything." He was confused.
"Your father sealed this place off when he became Lord, breaking traditions. Lao gave us directions to the shrine to show you. He also wishes to speak with you." Sesshomaru elaborated further.
"Let me guess, he won't show us the way unless he talks to Kenji first." Kagome connected the dots.
"That's...kinda why we came back so early." Inuyasha grew nervous. He didn't want to be near any of them. Least of all Kenji, who used to be viewed as competition.
Sensing his mate's distress, Sesshomaru reached to grasp his hand. Inuyasha accepted the open gesture and gripped tightly. Through the bond Sesshomaru shared assurance, and Inuyasha calmed.
"Show me. Until I see for myself I don't know what to believe." Kenji frowned. Although he could see that his father could be stupid enough to go against traditions, this was the first he had heard of such things.
"How about we all go? We've been stuck in one spot for too long. This way if something happens then we can help." Miroku suggested, and everyone agreed.
So they got to work packing. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stayed where they were. Once everyone was packed and ready to go, the mated pair turned to lead the way. Halfway to the spring, they caught sight of the dark robed spirit and pale mask.
"Are you Kuma?" Inuyasha asked.
The spirit silently nodded.
"Can you show us the way to the shrine?" The hanyou asked.
Kuma turned and lead the way. Reluctantly the large group followed.
"Are you sure about trusting in it? It did set you two up to mark each other." Shippo was suspicious.
"Lao said she was only trying to help. He also apologized for the method. I guess she doesn't speak? I have no idea, I've never heard Kuma speak once." Inuyasha shrugged.
"So what exactly did my family worship?" Kenji was curious.
"The mountain, as it protects your lands from invasions. Lao became the permanent voice between the mountain and your family. Over time there was some confusion over the matter if Lao was actually the mountain god or not. And that drove your father to turn his back on family traditions." Sesshomaru explained calmly.
"Why should that matter to my old man? I get it, he was stupid sometimes, but he's cunning. He wouldn't do something like that if the long term results would bite him in the ass." Kenji was skeptical.
"Lao was a kitsune. He held that form when he became a spirit. I suppose he wished not to change his form to better accommodate the minds of arrogance. In the end I suspect it was both of their faults for this bridge between your family and the mountain." The daiyokai theorized.
"A fox like me?" Shippo blinked in surprise.
"Yeah, except he's an adult and got nine tails." Inuyasha tried to picture Shippo the same age and couldn't.
"Whoa. All nine tails? He's ancient!" The young fox was amazed.
"Shh! Even spirits can be finicky about their age." Miroku reprimanded gently.
"Hey, I think we're almost there." Inuyasha realized they were coming up to something. And where did Kuma go? She was just in front of them.
Instead they approached a massive shrine. It was carved out of the same rock as the mountain. The paint eroded away from time and being untouched for so long.
On either side of the shrine guarding it were two statues. They towered above by nine feet. They were two armored figures with dog heads. One of them had a sword at his hip. The other had twin swords. Sesshomaru stared. Why were these familiar?
"These are the same statues that guard my castle gates." Kenji was in awe.
"...Why are these familiar to me?" Sesshomaru knew he had never seen such works before. And yet he couldn't shake the feeling he had seen them before.
"Oh, so you remember the statues but not myself or my brother?" Kenji snorted.
"What?" Sesshomaru turned to study the other dog demon.
"You were three when you followed your father to our home for peace treaties. I pulled you along to play with me. We dragged Asahi from his lessons to play with us."
"...I don't believe you." Sesshomaru tensed. This meant there was more history between himself and the dark haired brothers.
"Sesshomaru, how else was I able to track you down? I only met you once, when we were children. I teased my brother about his crush towards you. It instigated him to go forward with proposing to your mother."
"He speaks the truth." Lao stated as he appeared out of thin air and everyone turned their gaze upon him. "Even though I was cut off from the outside world, I can watch over from the statues that adorn the gates of the castle. That day of your arrival with your father stood out to me, for I had never seen such power that could very well end the line of the Mountain Dogs."
"Mountain Dogs? That's what our clan is named." Kenji tensed, as the realization hit him that this was all true.
"Welcome to the Shrine of Mauntenrodo."