Supplies replenished and embarrassing conversation over, Kagome made haste in returning to her companions in the past. She couldn't wait to get away from her suddenly- and very unjustly- overly concerned mother. But once she passed through the portal, she became reluctant to return.
Sure, she was very eager to find Rin, and hopefully rescue her from her captors before anything terrible happened. But things were suddenly very heavy in the village.
She'd vouched for Sesshoumaru to the rest of the group. And though she was confident that he wouldn't hurt her friends, she was less convinced that he would be a pleasant addition to the pack.
She felt responsible for bringing him into their midst, and maintaining any sort of status quo seemed like an unsurmountable task. It was a lot of pressure.
She wished Shippo was here. Her little kit could always lighten the mood, and made her feel better when times got tough. But the boy had grown a lot in the last couple of years, and the time had finally come for him to go to kitsune school to hone his skills. Her little boy was growing up, and the pride she felt was bittersweet.
She allowed herself to drag her feet as she became lost to memories of the small fox demon. So consumed in her musings was she, that she almost collided with the newest member of the team, who had apparently been awaiting her return rather impatiently.
"You certainly took your time," Sesshoumaru accused, startling the poor girl back to present. She was so caught off guard by his appearance, that she hadn't the time to respond before he laid into her again.
"We must wait on your return to devise a plan to recover Rin, yet you seem to find this an appropriate time for a vacation."
She looked around for any sign of Inuyasha. Or, literally anyone else to protect her from his assertions. She was disappointed to find they were alone. But as his words registered, she quickly forgot her distress.
Inuyasha never failed to give her grief every time she left to go to the future. But there was no way she was going to put up with both brothers whining about the trips she took home. Particularly not when the journeys were made for them in the first place.
Taking in his bored expression, she remembered her anger immediately.
"Don't even start! Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused me? My mother just-"
"And have you any indication what your dallying has wrought?" The ice in his tone caused her to slowly withdraw the scolding finger she placed only inches from his face. "Hours were lost awaiting your return. And the victim of your negligence is a small human child." She faltered at his assessment. Was she really delaying Rin's rescue? He recognized her uncertainty, and relished it. He took the opportunity to pounce. "This One foolishly believed that you harbored a measure of compassion. However, it appears that you are either cleverly deceptive, or dangerously ignorant."
Her nerves were shot. What was supposed to have been a reprieve for a very difficult night had turned into her second humiliating affair in as many days. And with the catalyst for both standing not paces before her, it took all she had not to explode with rage.
If he were Inuyasha, she would have sat him. But unfortunately, the elder brother would require a different tactic. She was not one for cruel words, but something about him brought out the worst in her. With no other recourse, she leveled him with an impressive withering glare that would make...well, him proud.
"Oh, it is my negligence she is the victim of? I thought she was in your care."
She wanted to find the little girl just as badly as he did. But that didn't mean she was going to take his abuse lying down. Letting him come in and throw his weight around now would set a dangerous precedent. They were doing him a favor by letting him stay with them as far as she was concerned, and he was going to have to do things their way.
But he was not fazed by her attack on his ability to protect. Though she was certain her cutting remark had gotten through, his transformation had done nothing to hamper his ability to appear stoically unaffected.
"Time is of the essence, miko. I had thought that would be more than clear to a pathetic mortal with only decades to spare. Now return to the village at once. We must devise our plan immediately."
Nor had it affected his ability to offer insults and hand out orders. She supposed she shouldn't really be that surprised. He had probably spent centuries making more commands than concessions. It would take longer than a few days to correct his behavior.
But hopefully, if they found his young ward soon, he would be out of their hair before it was necessary. At the moment, Rin's rescue seemed much more attainable than the great Sesshoumaru having any life-changing epiphanies.
"Yeah, where do you think I was going? Jesus, I'd already be there by now if you hadn't stopped me to be a jerk." She looked around again. "Where is Inuyasha?"
"It is not This One's duty to keep tabs on your packmates. Gather your companions and bring them to my hut. I will explain my expectations once all of you have arrived."
With his demands issued, he turned and left the sputtering miko alone in the field.
When Sesshoumaru was at his worst, she cooled her temper by reminding herself that he was like this because of her, and the result that he would travel with them was all her fault.
And his world had only been completely torn asunder a few days ago. She vowed to show grace, and give him a little time to adjust to the new way of things.
But if he didn't soften his approach soon, she would be forced to confront him.
She stomped back to her hut to find it was empty. Grateful for that fact, she took the opportunity to mutter a few words under her breath which she refused to allow in the company of others.
She set her bag down and removed a few items, when Inuyasha finally appeared.
He greeted her warmly. But noticing her temper, he approached her cautiously.
"How'd it go with your mom?"
It was usually safe territory, but he appeared to touch on a sore subject.
Kagome flinched and shook her head, as if trying to rattle the memories from her brain.
"I don't want to talk about it." She continued unpacking some of her cargo, and threw a glance over her shoulder. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"
He shrugged, leaning against the wall informally while he watched her.
"I caught a bunch of fish for dinner. Sure do miss the brat right about now. Shippo might be annoying, but he sure was useful when it came to finding food. We should have more than enough though. Sango is cleaning them right now."
Mention of her kit caused an ache in her heart, but it was easily repressed. Their group had had their fair share of rough times. But lately everything seemed to just click. They all knew each other so well at this point, and each would do anything for the benefit of the others.
Even Inuyasha had been taking on his share of the chores without needing be asked. They all knew their part, and everyone played it wonderfully. She smiled inwardly at the knowledge of just how much they all cared about one another. It was a shame that his brother had to come along to disturb that.
'My fault,' she reminded herself, yet again. Speaking of him...
"I meant with Sesshoumaru. Did he do anything?"
"Keh, nothing." He pushed himself off the wall to step closer to her. "I tried to ask about his face, but that fucker won't give anything up. Just took those demon followers of his and sat under that tree over there the whole time you were gone." He gestured out the window as he spoke. "Did he tell you what happened?"
He tried to get Sesshoumaru's version of what was sure to be a great story, but the icy bastard was tight lipped as ever. He would never share personal things with him anyway, and he surmised that the tale of his humiliating defeat would not be easy in coming. But Kagome had a way about her. Hell, just last night she had probably gotten closer to the fucker than almost anyone ever had. Literally. He did his best to ignore the jealousy the reminder stirred.
"No," she admitted, turning from her half-emptied pack. "But I got it out of Jaken that it was those tigers that took Rin. Speaking of which, his highness is demanding an audience with all of us right now in his hut. Did you guys come up with a plan?"
"I told him we had to wait for you. Didn't want to decide on anything until we were all together again."
She smiled at the admission. He really had come such a long way from when they had first met. He was being so thoughtful lately, and it caused her heart to flutter in excitement. It was like he finally realized how important she was to him. Was he like her, and hoping to finally explore the unspoken something between them?
But now wasn't the time for such thoughts. Getting Sesshoumaru to allow her to help him was as far ahead as she'd thought. Now that he was here, they needed to figure out what they were going to do.
"Do you have any ideas?"
"Feh. It's his brat."
She finally scowled. She refused to make Rin pay for her guardian's unfortunate demeanor. And she didn't have to look too deep to know that Inuyasha didn't mean to be so dismissive towards her.
"But we are all going to help," she reminded him. "What are we going to do?"
That seemed to snap him out of his funk, and he flicked his gaze to the door. He was anxious, but determined.
"Probably should hear him out. It ain't like him to be unprepared."
As much as he hated his brother, he couldn't deny that the guy had a mind for strategy. Sesshoumaru had spent his whole life waging wars, tracking enemies and dishing out punishments. He almost felt sorry for the poor saps who crossed him in this manner.
Just because he was human, he doubted he had lost his touch when it came to his capacity for spite and payback. And with them to help him, he was sure he could locate the offenders. Whatever Sesshoumaru had planned for them when they caught them, it wouldn't be pretty.
"I don't think any of us were prepared for this. Even him." Inuyasha couldn't contain the chuckle that escaped him at her assessment. If you ignored the severity, it really was pretty funny. Kagome's smile showed him that she shared his sentiment.
She stepped closer, and placed a hand on his arm. He smiled warmly in return.
"All right, let's go see what he says. I'll get Sango and meet you guys there."
She brushed past to lead the way out of her hut. He let himself enjoy the fact that she was finally back home for a moment, before heading out to what was sure to be an unpleasant encounter.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kagome entered the hut with Sango to find the others in a circle on the floor; facing one another on their knees. Sesshoumaru spared her a somewhat accusatory glance, which she pointedly ignored to take her seat on Inuyasha's other side. It was obvious that they had been waiting for her.
Without preamble, Sesshoumaru unrolled a map; one of the few items he appeared to bring with him.
"The tiger clan abducted Rin near a river on the northern border to This One's lands."
He pointed to the area which Kagome recognized as very close to the spot where Ah-Un had taken her on the evening she had found him in the snow.
The accuracy and beauty of the map had her captivated. Not to mention the vastness. The Western Lands were clearly outlined, as well as the territories far beyond. She had no idea he controlled so much land.
Most of her contact with Sesshoumaru had amounted to exchanging insults and blows from the sidelines while he battled his half-brother for usually petty purposes. She never really actually saw him as a ruler; simply the cruel pest who occasionally crossed her path to berate the hanyou she loved. Even though she was aware of his title, the enormity had not clicked in her brain until this moment. Briefly, she wondered what his new human state would mean for those who lived within the areas he saw over. Or everyone else, for that matter.
But while she was marveling over his map, it seemed that everyone else was assessing the Western Lord with poorly concealed awe. None were given the opportunity to study him up close since his arrival. In such close quarters, it was now impossible to ignore. Miroku and Sango wisely saw fit not to comment, but he was not unaware of their silent perusal of his new form. He wondered if it was his humanity they gawked at, or the unprecedented mangled state of his features. He supposed it didn't matter. He only hoped that after today, everyone will have gotten their fill and moved on.
For once, Inuyasha seemed to be the only other one of them able to focus on the task at hand. Though he was likely more concerned with getting this whole episode over with quickly, and getting his brother out of his company.
"Do you know them? Do you know where they went?"
Pleased with his priorities, Sesshoumaru turned his focus on him to answer.
"I have never encountered that clan specifically. However, tigers occasionally venture to wreak havoc near my boarders." Inuyasha nodded, accepting the information and obviously filing it in his memory.
"I have never known of them to reside anywhere other than deep in the Northern Lands." Sesshoumaru pointed to a spot on his map that was much further up from where Rin was abducted. "The best course of action is to pursue them there."
"Are you sure that's where they went?" Kagome decided to chime in. Just because tigers typically congregated in one area, that didn't mean it was where they were headed. In fact, if Sesshoumaru knew where they lived, it was likely they wouldn't be there.
"There is no way to be certain. I am simply using logic to determine the best chance for success."
With no intimate knowledge on where they could have gone, one guess was as good as another. They didn't have the resources to split up in every direction, which was unfortunate. Inuyasha seemed to share in her sentiment.
"Well, you know these lands better than the rest of us, so I guess north it is," he conceded. He shot a quick glance to the others in his pack for their approval, though he didn't expect any push back. And he would receive none. He accepted the counsel of every member of the group. But he was their alpha, and everyone recognized that.
"I don't think I've ever seen a tiger demon before." She had encountered countless varieties of demons in her travels ever since making her first journey to the past. But other than Kirara, the only ones of the feline persuasion had been the panther tribe that had seemed to have some sort of vendetta against the dog demons in the past. If she recalled, they had hailed from the North as well. She wondered if it was of any significance.
"Unsurprising," Sesshoumaru informed her. "Tigers wisely steer clear of This One's lands. It is uncommon for them to venture so far West."
Then why were they here now? And why would Sesshoumaru leave his territory while in such a vulnerable state? Kagome had so many questions, but she focused on the most important.
"Why did they take her? Can you think of any reason?"
"I can only surmise that those pathetic fools saw a chance for retribution and seized on it."
She raised an eyebrow at his statement.
"Retribution? I thought you said you have never met them before."
Sesshoumaru turned his focus to his brother for a moment. He was the self-proclaimed alpha of this oddball little pack. So why was the miko seeming to take charge of these negotiations? And why was the hanyou allowing it?
When his silent question appeared to go unanswered, he deigned to respond. So long as planning was underway, he supposed it did not matter to whom he offered his information. Though if it were him, he certainly wouldn't allow any other to show dominance in front of others.
It was clear that the miko would be a larger presence to contend with than he had initially anticipated. He was beginning to grow weary of indulging her, but he kept his opinions to himself for the time being.
"Not them specifically. However, I have been forced to teach their kinsmen their place on more than one occasion." Kagome wasn't certain if he intended to boast, but it defiantly came off that way to her. She resisted a very unladylike eye roll in favor of letting him continue.
"Though I do not know them, any would no doubt be aware of the Lord of the Western Lands." This time, her eyes did venture heavenward for a brief second, and it did not go unnoticed. He nearly faltered in confusion, but pressed on regardless. "Their motives are their own, though it is likely they saw an opportunity to strike in a moment of weakness."
It was probably as strange for them to hear him admit his shortcomings as it was for him to say it. But there was no point in avoiding it. His inadequacies were painfully clear.
"So maybe you hadn't handled the tiger clan as tactfully as you could have?"
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the miko for her commentary. But his disdain was soon followed by an arrogant lift of his chin, and a haughty lowering of his lids. She knew without a word she was being terribly patronized.
'He's still got it,' she admitted to herself, and hated that he even managed to look regal as he replied dismissively.
"I rule as I see fit. When there is a threat on my lands, I extinguish it. I make no apologies for that."
"And now Rin is paying the price."
She wasn't sure why she was baiting him. It was her idea to help. But something about him just grated so terribly on her nerves. And she managed to find pleasure as he fixed her with an annoyed glare once more. If he insisted on being condescending, she would match it with petulance. Maybe this whole 'no killing her' oath was going to her head. Still, she couldn't resist.
Inuyasha decided to interrupt the tense exchange.
"So what do you propose we do?"
When had his brother become the sensible one in the group? It seemed like the whole world had turned upside down at the moment. But Sesshoumaru was grateful for the reprieve. Finally, he could get down to business. He returned focus to his map.
"All demons present will accompany This One into the Northern Lands. Inuyasha may take your fire cat," he gestured to Sango, who was watching on intently. She nodded quickly in agreement. Then he indicated to the imp at his side. "Jaken and I shall ride Ah-Un. We shall scour the lands northbound until Rin is found." He ran his fingers over the areas he was referring to. "Or, at the very least, until any of the tiger clan is located and information can be obtained."
Inuyasha didn't miss the tone Sesshoumaru carried. He knew exactly what he meant. Any tiger they would come across would be tortured, and eventually killed. Even those with nothing to do with this had their fates sealed by association.
Sesshoumaru probably couldn't do much to them until he changed back. And Inuyasha hoped that would be soon. Otherwise, it was implied that the unsavory deeds would fall to the half demon. Though he wasn't opposed to putting evil demons in their place, he didn't like the idea of doing Sesshoumaru's dirty work. Hopefully Jaken would be up to the task.
"Okay. What about the rest of us?" Sango finally ventured, apparently eager to offer whatever help that she could. Sesshoumaru slid his gaze to her only briefly.
"Humans are of no use to me," he informed her matter of factly. "You shall all stay behind."
"What?!" He was beginning to predict the miko's indignant reactions. He refused to acknowledge them, however.
"There is no time to cater to the needs of humans. You will only stifle This One's progress."
"What about you?" she demanded, well past tolerant of his insulting behavior. Sesshoumaru resisted a sigh at her response. He never thought he would long for his brother's interference. "If you go with the demons, they will have to stop every few hours for you to rest, or eat. You can't even use your scent to track anything down."
"She's right. It ain't much of a plan." Turning to regard his brother, Sesshoumaru spoke to him as if he were speaking to a child.
"And what do you propose, little brother? Charging around blindly with Father's sword will not see to her rescue, and from what This Sesshoumaru has witnessed, it is your only course of action."
"We should go North, if that's where you think they are," he replied confidently. "But you will only slow us down. I can take the demons up ahead, and we can cover ground more quickly without you."
Inuyasha wasn't goaded by his insults, and Sesshoumaru was actually annoyed. His brother's reasonable response was offered with a maturity that he wasn't expecting. He was aware of how childish it had made him appear in comparison.
"You propose that I stay behind?" Inuyasha shook his head.
"No. We all go together." He took a moment to make eye contact with each one in his pack before regarding his brother once more. "But humans are welcomed in the villages, unlike us. There, you guys can ask around. Network. See if anyone has seen or heard anything. While you are doing that in the next village north of here," he pointed on the map to show them the neighboring town, "us demons will spread out and go ahead to see if we can catch a whiff. We will come back at the end of the day for you. If anyone has found anything, we will all go together. If not, we will take you to the next village up and start again."
Sesshoumaru took a moment to consider his proposal. He had to admit, the idea was not without merit. He would never have considered consulting other humans on the matter, mostly because he didn't want to. He normally worked alone. Allowing this pack to aid him was already demeaning enough. He certainly didn't wish to include any more people in this than was necessary.
"I do not see the point in wasting time in a human village. The tiger clan will not be there."
"Maybe not," Inuyasha conceded. "But humans talk to each other. They see things. They are usually the ones who get attacked by travelling demons, and they will be able to tell us if they have heard about any problems. If these tigers were willing to beat you up and take your brat, I'd say the chances are pretty good that they have ruffled some feathers along the way. It would be stupid not to use every resource available, and humans can be useful this way."
Sesshoumaru hid his discomfort in being reminded of how he lost his last battle. He certainly didn't appreciate how Inuyasha brought it up so casually, and in front of the others. But the boy spoke no untruths.
When had Inuyasha begun acquiring fortitude in these matters? He could have sworn that the last time he encountered him, he was as brash and ignorant as he had always been. Perhaps being rendered to this human state had bolstered some untapped confidence in the hanyou. It was not necessarily a comforting thought.
"But hey, it's your call," he offered informally; almost tauntingly. "It's your kid out there. You really want to slow us down so you can tag along, it ain't no skin off my nose. But when they eat her alive, or whatever they plan to do, it will be 'cause of your own damn pride, not ours."
Yes, he was hating his brother's confidence at the moment. Hating how comfortable the boy felt in his own skin. A half-breed should be the one to feel out of place, not The Lord of the Western Lands. Certainly not him.
But most of all, he hated that the whelp's plan seemed to hold more water than his own. It was a good idea. It was his best course of action.
"You would leave your pack unprotected?" he tried; a last-ditch effort to render Inuyasha's plan unacceptable. The half demon scoffed.
"Keh, they ain't weak. Kagome and Miroku can protect themselves. And Sango is a hella good fighter." The others perked up at the praise their leader offered; smiling and blushing slightly at his acknowledgment of their abilities.
"Are you guys okay with that? If I go, I mean?"
They appreciated him placing value in their input, though none would hesitate in nodding their approval. Their trust in him was as palpable as his in them.
"What do you think, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked hopefully. Teasing aside, she wanted to help him. She wanted to find Rin. And Inuyasha's plan sounded like the best way to do it, considering what they had at their disposal. She only hoped he would see past his pride, and his feelings about his brother, and reach the same conclusion.
Sesshoumaru eyed her contemplatively for a moment, before addressing his half-brother.
"It is acceptable. We shall leave tonight."
"It's pointless." Inuyasha shook his head, but Sesshoumaru was tired of being countered. He needed a win, and leaving immediately was at the top of his wish list.
"The miko has wasted enough of our time with her own traveling." He thought he noticed Jaken flinch, but he easily ignored it. "The time for waiting has ended. We must act now."
"We won't make it to the next village before dark," Inuyasha informed him firmly. He turned to address his pack. "The rest of you won't be able to see nothing, and when we get there, there won't be anyone to get any information from. Not to mention, we haven't eaten or prepared for the journey yet. The best thing to do is stay here tonight. We will get everything ready, and leave first thing in the morning."
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at him again, but he knew he was beaten.
"I do not wish to wait-"
"Yeah, well I am alpha here," the half breed interrupted, enjoying his status more by the minute. "I gotta make sure my pack stays safe and healthy." His grim countenance took on a more jovial one. "But I am a fair leader, so I'll put it to a vote. Everyone who wants to leave in the morning, raise your hand."
Only Jaken joined Sesshoumaru in remaining still, and loathing every moment of this democratic process.
"That's a majority," he announced with a smirk, and rose from his seat. "It's decided." Kagome stood when he did, and Sango and Miroku slowly followed suit.
She had never been so proud of the half demon she had grown to love. And honestly, had never been so attracted to him. Leadership suited him, and she was elated to see him finally taking charge of his role. Maybe, when this was all over, she would find the courage to tell him so. Maybe, she hoped, he would beat her to it. The prospect excited her.
Before exiting the hut, Inuyasha gave a friendly dismissal.
"I'll see everyone at dinner." He smiled, looking to Kagome. "We're having fish."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After the meeting, Sesshoumaru returned to take purchase under his chosen tree. Though he had resigned himself to joining forces with his brother's pack for a time, he decided he needn't spend any more time around them than absolutely necessary.
The harsh winter cold was somehow easier to endure than the uneasy smiles and forced conversation of the humans he had allied himself with. Not to mention his brother.
But surprisingly, Inuyasha hadn't been the most insufferable member of the little group to withstand.
The miko had never registered significantly on his radar. Not since the day he first made her acquaintance in his father's tomb.
Her ability to pull the sword had been irksome. However, after that, she merely served him as a device through which to taunt and torment the halfling. Insinuating that his brother would indulge in a relationship with a human had obviously been a sore point for the boy, at one point. But with time, it became clear that he had accepted the place the girl had held in his heart. Which was funny...
For at first, he had only done it to amuse himself by watching Inuyasha embarrass and fluster at the implied romantic association. It was now clear that he refused to deny that he did indeed have love for the girl. To a degree, at least.
The miko's protectiveness of her pack was obvious. But her affection for the hanyou was of a deeper claim. Sesshoumaru wondered why it was that their relationship seemed to only be that of a friendly nature. Kagome clearly wanted more from him. So why was he holding back? Not that he cared.
What was also irksome was how he had dismissed the woman outright after the tomb incident. She clearly had power, of that there was no question. So why had the demon lord written her off as no more than a nuisance to his purposes? Sure, her childish attitude and clumsy demeanor made her easy to discard. But by no means duplicitous, her manner was clearly deceptive. He considered it a fault in his judgment to ignore the sway she held over others; or the threat she could pose.
Though certain it had been unintentional, she had officially now made his radar. He was sure she would live to regret rising herself above his notice. In fact, he vowed it. If nothing else, he could spend this time as a temporary – and it would be temporary- member of this pack to study the strange female and assess her abilities. It would be an experiment. The thought distracted him from the overall unpleasantness of the situation.
But in the meantime, he would sit. The cover the tree provided allowed his clothing to remain unsoaked from the otherwise snow-covered hill. And though out of earshot- thankfully- he was still very much in sight of the others.
Ever the loyal followers, Jaken and Ah-Un joined him to rest nearby. It appeared more like when the two packs were forced to meet briefly, instead of now being one.
As the others prepared dinner, Sesshoumaru sat lazily against the base of the tree. Looking passively off to the distance, he didn't acknowledge the irritated miko holding a basket of laundry at her hip.
Her patience in demanding his attention was short-lived, as she was apparently running low on it, in regards to him, at least.
"I'm going to start washing clothes."
He spared her an assessing glance only a moment, before finally making to remove his haori. Once aware of what he intended, she flushed briefly, before halting his actions to clarify.
"And you are going to help me."
He scoffed dismissively.
"We all pull our weight around here. Inuyasha caught the fish. Sango is cooking the meal, and Miroku will wash the dishes. The only one not contributing is you. And if you want your dinner, you are going to have to work for it."
She held out the clothing and paused for him to stand, but he didn't.
He waited for her to take the hint and leave. A powerful aristocrat such as he did not perform menial chores. Certainly not one who could wink out her existence with the flick of his wrist.
He acknowledged that he currently no longer possessed his impressive and terrifying abilities. But even though not a demon, he still was a lord. Such tasks were beneath him.
But she didn't appear to be moving.
He regarded her coolly a long moment, trying to convey his obstinance. When it failed, he huffed internally, and turned his head with an order.
"Jaken. Aid the miko-"
"No," she interrupted, fully prepared for his resistance. He faltered a moment, violet eyes widening slightly at the disrespect. "YOU will do it. Jaken did his part by starting the fire. Staring off into space all day feeling sorry for yourself is not work."
Stunned into momentary silence, his brain was working overdrive in how to respond to the demand. He knew what the appropriate action to take was, but his oath to her in the cave prevented it from seeing it through.
He was still larger than her. She couldn't make him do anything. But how could they proceed as travel companions if she were suddenly to take issue? Would she withhold her aid to Rin at his refusal? The aid of her packmates? Somehow, he doubted it. But what he didn't doubt was that the wrong response could make his life much harder than if he simply complied. He was unaccustomed to being in such a precarious position. How should he proceed?
Just then, Inuyasha approached the couple; interrupting the stare down whether unknowingly or not.
A large axe hung casually over his shoulder, in a way which reminded Sesshoumaru of how he occasionally brandished Tetsusaiga; on the rare instances when not simply aiming it in his face.
He seemed to be aware that he had intruded upon a tense scene. And when neither party greeted him, he inserted himself cautiously; looking from packmate to new packmate.
"I got some time before dinner, so I'm gonna go take care of that firewood," he gestured to the nearby trees he had leveled recently. "I figure it'll save us the trouble for a while."
She grabbed the axe from his hand, as he looked on curiously.
"No. You have done enough work for today." She turned to Sesshoumaru.
"If you don't want to help me wash clothes, then you can go chop wood. I'll let you make the call."
It was another intense stare down for a long moment, and Inuyasha watched uncomfortably, but wisely, in silence.
After a moment Sesshoumaru finally stood, and finished removing his haori. Kagome tried not to flush as she averted her eyes. Though she wasn't certain why she did. It was nothing she hadn't seen up close. Nothing she hadn't felt. Perhaps her intimate knowledge of his body is what made so uncomfortable to witness.
He took it off at threw it over Kagome's head, earning a high-pitched scoff. He then proceeded to grab the axe from her hand roughly, before the scolding that was sure to ensue.
"I will chop."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As it would have been easy to become distracted watching the shirtless Sesshoumaru chop his large pile of wood from her nearby spot at the stream, Kagome elected to focus on washing the laundry, and nothing else. The temperature had warmed with the help of the lasting sun, but she still worried that his ignorance of a human's susceptibility to cold could render him ill once again.
She was tempted to demand that he cover himself- not just for his benefit-, but she conceded that at the rate he was chopping, he was likely keeping warm enough. Besides, she didn't want him to think that he had any sort of effect on her.
Sango made her way to the miko, and crouched beside her to assist.
"You already did your part, Sango! You don't have to help."
"And miss the show? No way!"
Her eyes never left Sesshoumaru as she fumbled with the clothing uselessly in the stream.
After splitting another log, he stopped his progress a moment to wipe the sheen of sweat off of his brow.
Sango all but moaned at the sight, biting her lip as she wrung the clothing in her hands.
"Get a grip! It's only Sesshoumaru," Kagome reminded, not at all distracted from her duties.
"There's no 'only' about him. That is, hands down, the hottest fucking guy I've ever seen!"
Now Kagome's progress was halted, as she stared dumbly at her honorary sister.
"But it's Sesshoumaru! He's such a jerk!"
"Mmm, pointless details..." she informed her. "When you look that good, you can act however you want."
Kagome fixed her friend with a glare that was both scolding and unamused, before turning her attention back to the laundry in her grasp.
"That is exactly what he is banking on. I'd hoped that being a human would knock him down a few pegs. But it is clear that he is just as insufferable as ever. Maybe even more so."
Sango wasn't listening, as Sesshoumaru had resumed his task, and his perfect muscles flexed deliciously in the sun's gleam.
"I mean, you've heard the way he talks. Everything out of that man's mouth is either horribly cruel, or pompously demanding."
"I don't care. Speaking isn't required for what I want with him."
Kagome was nearly speechless at the confession. She couldn't tell if she was more disgusted or mortified with her friend's statement.
"But... what about Miroku?" She stammered. Sango snorted.
"You think I'm worried about him? The last village we were at, he hit on half the girls, and slept with at least two. That was the last straw," she insisted, visibly irritated. "I'm sick of his philandering. It's time I taught him a lesson about what cheating does to those who care about you, and Sesshoumaru is the perfect tool."
She couldn't exactly argue. Everyone was aware of Miroku's extra-curricular activities. Though she didn't admire it, she realized that this was a different time. Because Sango obviously knew what was going on, she dumbly assumed that she was somehow okay with it. Though she had picked up on some tension between the couple lately. Still...
"Don't let him hear you call him a tool," she suggested, in no small way trying to sidestep the uncomfortable topic. Sango only smirked, and leaned in close to whisper.
"He won't if you don't tell him. Human hearing, remember?"
She returned her longing gaze to him, and continued making her case.
"Besides, I doubt he will mind. If he is like any other human man now, some casual sex won't offend him."
"You just said he is like no other man..." Kagome tried, offering whatever she could to dissuade her.
But she only sighed dreamily, "And how."
She shouldn't be so bothered. Sango was a big girl, and she apparently knew what she wanted. But she couldn't help the feelings that caused her discomfort in Sango's reaction to him. It must be because she didn't want her friend to get hurt... and didn't want the former demon to reap any rewards for his awful behavior.
She finally sighed in resignation, and refocused on her task.
"Do what you want. But I am going on record as totally against the idea."
"Noted. Just don't say anything to the guys. I don't want anyone else trying to 'talk some sense' onto me."
As Sango swooned over the intolerable, albeit handsome, sweaty, shirtless dog...man, Kagome continued her washing, trying to temper her tense annoyance at her friend.