Only Human

by effinsusie

[COMPLETE] Winter is coming, and Kagome is prepared. A thoughtless wish binds Kagome to Sesshoumaru. Winner- FC Awards 2021 Q2, Best Angst- 3rd place Winner-FC Awards 2021 Q3, Best AU/AR- 3rd Place

28. Exes and Ohs

Sesshoumaru led Toran to the kitchen building down by the compound's entrance, and out of Inuyasha's range. Kagome told herself the privacy was most likely needed to spare the proud lord the indignity of being overheard asking – if not begging – for help, just in case that was what the panther youkai had in mind, but it took work to keep her jealous thoughts at bay while he was off alone with the overly-familiar female from his past.

Even Kagome was aware of her own rampant distrust, and was disgusted with herself for immediately assuming the worst about him yet again. But even though she was trying her best to ignore her overactive imagination, there was nothing she could do for the churning in her gut induced by his sudden escorted absence.

'There really is something wrong with me. We just talked about this! Why can't I just trust him? He's more than earned it.'

There was nothing left to do but wait for them at this point, but while the others got comfortable again, Kagome attempted to work off some of her anxiety by indulging in a slow - and hopefully subtle - pace around her makeshift couch.

She tried to focus on the implications of this new development in regards to its effect on their mission, as opposed to her love life. She didn't know what this Toran had in store for them, but if she meant to offer them some form of aid, her timing couldn't have been better. Kagome hoped that was the case.

But she didn't know anything about this demon, other than she was apparently related to those panther youkai that caused them so much trouble last year. That little incident had at least ended on a somewhat amicable note. Maybe Sesshoumaru's generosity with Tenseiga was enough to earn him a favor or two from their tribe. It would save them the risk of involving some other opportunistic youkai that might attempt to exploit his humanity. She just hoped that wasn't Toran's aim.

Inuyasha at least seemed somewhat comfortable with her. At least comfortable enough to let her walk out of here with his brother's dangerous secret. Maybe he could tell her something to set her mind at ease.

"You know her, Inuyasha?" she finally prompted, as he went back to inspecting his sword for damage.

"Keh, unfortunately," he muttered into his chest. "She's one of Sesshoumaru's old chums from way back." He didn't bother looking up from his weapon to answer her, opting instead to run his claw along its sharp edge in search of any nicks in the blade.

She supposed his apparent lack of concern was promising. "I haven't seen her in years," he deigned further, and offered a casual shrug. "Didn't know he still talked to her."

"Is she going to be trouble?" she asked warily, avoiding the ugly part of her that was more interested in learning the extent of their relationship than the possible impact on their mission.

"Most definitely," he confirmed with confidence, causing all of his packmate's hackles to rise. "But I doubt she'll cause any real harm. She's got a soft spot for the ice prick, no matter what she says." He paused his fussing momentarily to look down the length of his sword with one eye closed. "Crazy bitch might even be able to help us."

"How did she know we were here?" Sango wondered, but her guess was as good as his, as relayed by his answering shrug. Miroku chimed in with his own concern.

"She seemed like she knew he would be human," he observed thoughtfully. "Do you think she'll tell anyone?"

Another troubling question was; who told her in the first place? Had someone recognized him on their travels? With all the villages they'd been through, it was very possible, even if they were careful.

If word was out about Sesshoumaru, they had a whole new set of problems on their hands. If not, this demon still had an uncomfortable amount of leverage over them at the moment. Either way, their safety, as well as their mission, could very well be in jeopardy here. Hopefully, Sesshoumaru could find a way to mitigate this new development.

"That depends on what she wants," Inuyasha pointed out reasonably. "I bet that's what their talking about right now."

There was no point in dwelling on it, because there was no way to know what she wanted until Sesshoumaru returned and told them. All Kagome could do was trust him to handle the panther's demands with some tact, and negotiate the terms as best he could.

He had all their best interests in mind, and Kagome was confident he wouldn't do anything stupid. That was the mantra she was using to assuage her baser self.

"At least she's... friendly," the miko offered, trying to keep the glass half-full. "with Sesshoumaru."

But Inuyasha's scoff in response took all the wind from her sails, and his accompanying smirk tore a hole in them.

"That's a way of putting it."

---

Once in the kitchen, Sesshoumaru again prompted Toran to get to the point and inform him the reason for her visit. He had no interest in drawing this out, and if she had information that was in any way useful to him, he needed to know it now so he could factor it into his plans... whatever they would be.

Not to mention, other than the woodworker, and his own trusted vassals, this was the first youkai he had known to become aware of his humiliating secret. Aside from putting him in the unfamiliar position of being at someone else's mercy, he was forced to endure the discomfort brought on by having one of his peers witness him being anything less than perfect. He wanted to get through this as quickly and painlessly as possible, and hoped she would handle this encounter graciously.

But considering who it was, he supposed he should have known better.

"Stop laughing," he demanded passionlessly, when as soon as the door closed behind him and he turned to stand face to face, the demoness from his past took one good look at him and burst into a shameless fit of merriment. Five seconds in, and she was already enjoying herself far too much at his expense. And there was nothing he could do about it but stand there and take it. "It isn't funny."

Her taunting laughter took him back to a very different time, and he instantly remembered why, though much simpler and not entirely unpleasant, he rarely allowed his thoughts to meander far and long into an indulgent fit of nostalgia.

It made him feel like a pup.

There were a very seldom few who could say they knew him then, and even fewer could claim to have known him well enough to elicit such an undignified reaction. But when Toran laughed at him just as she had done so many times and so long ago, it mattered not how many years, decades, even centuries had passed since they had last seen each other; she still managed to pull him down from his noble stature, strip him of his impressive accomplishments and dismantle his towering pride, and render him to no more than the hubristic youth who, while promising, had neither the skill nor experience to support his arrogant air.

Things had changed since then, of course. He'd done more than enough to justify his lordly self-importance. But she could claim to recall a time when he was just a child, barely strong enough to bear the heavy weight of oppressive expectation heaved upon him at birth that only seemed to grow as he did, and threatened to break him the very moment his power failed to meet the demands of his ever-increasing load. And she could claim so honestly.

Before he was Lord of the West, back when he was merely a prince of his lands, his rigorous training was already well underway. Everything in his life was a brutal test, with the bar purposely placed just out of his reach. Every time he would progress, and he thought he might get out from under its crippling mass, every time without fail, more burden would be added to his back to prevent any satisfaction he might have won in his achievements.

Until eventually, he did. Impressively, and steadily, he began to gain some ground on his lordly requirements, as one expectation after the next was met to satisfaction, and there was simply nothing left that could even hope to level him. As his power increased, his load became lighter – not lessened, by any means, but easier to carry - until nothing could ever hope to wobble him under its might. It was all leading to a crescendo, culminating to a glorious peak that once reached, would prove him to be beyond the reach of anything that may hope to conquer him.

A god among youkai.

But he would never get there, and now, he never would.

New burden and duties laid claim to him then, and he continued to meet them beyond satisfactorily and with little difficulty. But his ultimate purpose would never be realized, and in the absence of that, he was forced to clamor for new purpose. Purpose he had yet to find.

But back then, back when she knew him, he was still that determined young pup striving to earn the stripes he was forced to wear long before he'd done so. She was a witness to a time when he was less than what he was, and acknowledging her was acknowledging that he had ever been less than perfection.

She'd never been shy about pointing that out to him, and no matter what incredible feats he'd toppled, no matter what heights he'd risen to, it would never be enough to wipe her memory clean of the willful child who yearned to be great enough to merit the arrogance he projected.

And when she laughed at him like she did back then, as she'd continued to do throughout their lives and would always do, no matter who he was or what he'd done or what he could do to her, she made him feel like a pup.

The most degrading thing of all was; he couldn't say he hated it. There was something familiar, even comforting about the consistency she brought with her. Now more than ever that was something he appreciated. And though they weren't all pleasant, his memories of her were not all unpleasant either.

Still, for a cat, she could be a real bitch.

"It is a little funny," she insisted, and delighted in the sight of his trademark icy glare delivered via his human visage. She soaked it in good and long before catching his black bangs audaciously between her fingers to twiddle a bit. "Look at you; you're adorable," she declared condescendingly. "Perfectly harmless." When she released his hair to cup his cheek, he finally swatted her away.

"You are well aware what will be wrought should anyone learn of my predicament," he warned irritably. "You would do well to take this seriously."

But the dangerous edge to his voice failed to deter her, and she offered a playful smirk. If he didn't scare her when he was scary, he certainly wouldn't now. And if he couldn't bully her into submission before, he wasn't about to start.

"You're usually serious enough for the both of us," she reminded him. "but perhaps you need to take your own advice. You sure looked mighty comfortable with your hands all over that miko." She knew she'd hit gold when human features hardened at the mention of the priestess, and a knowing smile told him of her discovery. "She's a pretty one, isn't she? I bet your father would have loved her."

He refused to rise to the bait. If she wasn't going to get to the point, he would at least demand some answers. He was hoping to torture a tiger, but was willing to settle for grilling a panther.

"How did you know I was here?"

He felt his temper rise when she gave him another assessing once over, but thankfully, she deigned to answer.

"As luck would have it, I was just passing through a few days ago," she informed him. "I scented your little imp and I got excited. I thought you were finally paying me a long overdue visit."

She turned to lead them deeper into the kitchen. His brow furrowed determinedly at the mention of his long-absent minion, and he followed her over to a long counter as she rummaged casually through a few unmarked sacks and jars.

"Jaken was here?"

He was beginning to wonder where the imp had run off to. He was to report back to him with any information, or else meet him here. When he found the compound empty, he considered something may have happened to him.

"And your dragon, yes." Toran abandoned her snooping to spin around, and leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. "Imagine my surprise when I got here and found them chained up in the dungeons, and without you. I assumed the worst."

His eyes perceptibly widened, and his brows disappeared into his black bangs. The dungeons? So Jaken had actually managed to locate them. Unless, it was he who had been located.

"I freed your vassals, and got him to tell me everything."

That explained how she knew, and provided him some relief. If she'd heard it straight from the annoying little kappa, his secret could still be relatively safe, for a little longer at least. He'd take what he could get.

When Sesshoumaru's rapt focus removed itself from her, she could see his gears beginning to turn. Mercifully, she answered his anticipated next question.

"Apparently the tigers got wind of your arrival and fled. Even as a human, you manage to strike fear in the hearts of demons."

If she was trying to mock him or flatter him was unclear. It so often was with her, and could very well have been both, or neither. Either way, the statement barely registered. Her account didn't make sense to him, and when that happened, it usually meant something was wrong.

"Jaken would have returned to inform me of this," he reasoned. There was very little chance the toad would disregard his orders and go rouge.

"I assured him I would do it." He returned his gaze to her, not incredibly surprised at her audacity, but very curious as to why she would do such a thing. "The tigers left a scent leading east, north of the ookami territories; I encouraged him to follow it while the trail was still fresh. There are several compounds past the cave lands, it could stand to reason they would be there."

That all sounded plausible. He was aware there were more compounds, but he didn't know where. It was something he'd hoped his torture methods would reveal for him. Apparently Toran knew - which was unsurprising - and that's where Jaken was headed. But he knew that tone. There was more she wasn't saying.

"However..." he prompted expectantly when she failed to elaborate. She smirked again at his perceptiveness.

"However, knowing what I know, there is a chance they went further north instead."

Remaining patient, his eyes pled respectfully for her to continue, and she obliged.

"My cousin told me of a place far up from here that no one knows," she informed him, and his ears picked up hopefully. "Only those in the family are aware of its existence; a large, reinforced stronghold, suitable for riding out an armageddon. When the Lord of the West is after you, it is a smart thing to prepare for."

Once again, the last sentence could have been mockery as easily as flattery, and the coy smile she delivered it with had him slightly irked at her flippancy. But he let it slide.

He knew he was getting good information. Though obviously no tiger, Toran was a cat. Even though they were not in the same clan, they were all in the same family. Cousins. And though the separate clans fought literally tooth and nail, and attempted to fell each other at every turn, they were known to unite against any other race who would try to conquer them. She would be made privy of places outsiders were never to know of, because they would never suspect her to divulge it. Telling him would be an outrageous betrayal, and punished severely if they ever learned of it.

"If they know you are trailing them, with your merry band of humans, it would be foolish to go where you are expecting." She became serious for a moment. "The east is a good bet, but all my money is on further north."

Teasing aside, he accepted her reasoning, and trusted her judgement. He would get no better assessment than this. In these lands she was a valuable resource, and he was simply fortunate she saw fit to aid him. He was considering that perhaps he'd made a miscalculation in not contacting her sooner. He hated to think he let his pride get in the way of getting Rin home safe.

"Where?" he demanded as he held her gaze intently. She returned it, marveling a bit at how even though those molten honeyed depths she knew so well were gone, the violet ones taking their place were unmistakably him. Even if she didn't know he was human, if she got a look into these eyes, she would know it was him the second she glimpsed him. The raw intensity of his determined, intelligent glare told her plainly and without doubt that the demon she'd known for centuries was still in there. She had to pull herself out of them.

"It is far," she admitted. "Far beyond even your map. I will take you there myself, but I can only take you. You have to leave the others behind."

She was more than a little shocked when something akin to panic flashed in those eyes, before quickly correcting and reverting back to that fierce determination holding court a moment prior.

"We travel together," he insisted with finality. "I shall not abandon them"

A smile graced her lips, as he'd confirmed what she'd only just suspected until now. This was interesting.

"Hn. Finally man's best friend after all this time." Her taunting caused his unamused mask to slip seamlessly back into place. "Say what you will about canines, they are loyal to a fault. I do miss that about you."

She didn't expect a reaction, and took advantage of his aggressive silence, losing herself to memory for the briefest of moments.

"I know how you feel about your half-brother. So which of these humans do you slow for?"

His mouth was already set in a disdainful scowl, so not a muscle needed to move to relay is disapproval of her assessment. It was those eyes again - the only part of him that ever gave anything away - that made him look colder, and warned to tread lightly. She rarely obeyed, but threw him a bone due to his circumstances.

"Very well," she relented. "I will take you north to a village just beyond the mountains, but no further. Thanks to my father's treaty, I am unable to enter into those lands unescorted, and if you insist on bringing your entourage, I cannot hope to fly in undetected." He definitely understood, and it would not do well to rouse suspicion anyway.

"It's a demon village, but you will be safe there. There is a decent place I can put you up in until you are ready to head for the stronghold, and I will draw you a map for the rest of the way. In the meantime, I will reach out to my father and get all of my tribe in on the manhunt. We will spread out and leave no stone unturned."

It took her a moment to realize his sudden discomfort was not a simply a reaction to her generous offer. Well, not all of it.

"And don't worry, I'll leave out the tiny, insignificant detail that his tentative ally is currently no more harmful than a fresh litter of kittens." His body seemed to relax a bit, as she noticed his stick straight posture slacken just a smidge, and the bulge of his tightly coiled muscles deflate almost imperceptibly.

And he was right to be tense. She was well aware what would happen if her father learned of this, and Sesshoumaru was no fool.

"You know how father is, at times, too ambitious for his own good. His long-standing victories over all the other neko clans has only seen his confidence bolster in recent years." She fixed him with a pointed glare. "Of course, you would know that if you ever came to visit."

"I do know it," he finally bit, and inwardly she preened. "Why do you think I have not attempted to contact you in my time here?"

With an unhurried once over, her lips curled up slightly.

"I have my suspicions."

She was enjoying herself too much again, but that was fine. He had more important things to do than spar with her frivolously. He finally had someone who could give him answers, and he wasn't going to waste the chance to get them.

"Who have you told?" he demanded next, and she gave him an admonishing look as if his assumption wasn't justified.

"I'm insulted. You know I don't' gossip about you." An amused smile grew slowly, as if she just recalled a dirty joke, and her eyes traveled over him again; this time, even slower. "Well, not anything unflattering, I assure you."

He brushed her flirtatious taunts aside with practiced ease, willing to take her at her word.

"Does anyone else know? What have you heard?"

She was a bit disappointed not to succeed in riling him this time, and his reward for his steadfastness was a short pout before a serious answer.

"It's around, that your human," she told him, sliding her gaze away. Both clawed hands sought the counter's edge behind her as traces of anxiety finally began to show. "It's only a rumor at this point, not much traction. But your extended absence from the West is beginning to raise questions." That had concerned him.

It wasn't entirely unusual for him to disappear for long periods of time, but there was usually word of some task or encounter to keep a few individuals reasonably abreast. The fact that he hadn't emerged to refute any claims, added with the possibility of having been spotted was enough to make him nervous. He had absolutely no idea what was going on back home.

"You're safe for now," she assured him, "but it won't be long before others start figuring it out. Then, you will have a problem on your hands."

He was well aware of that, as she surely knew. But he was grateful for her update on the matter. Not to mention her continued silence. He considered himself fortunate that the panther was smart enough to know how to keep her mouth shut, and that it was she who found his vassals, as opposed to literally anyone else.

She allowed him to mull in silence for a moment, as he considered his next question. With how long it took him to frame it, she'd been able to correctly guess what it would be.

"Do you know if she is with them?"

It was obvious he was working to keep an even tone, but the gentle tint lent by his humanity made his task considerably more difficult. She finally considered that beyond his appearance, his mortal body was susceptible to all sorts of weakness, and the implications made her falter. But she corrected, pushing through.

"The scent of tiger is overpowering," she explained, sobering a bit. "There is no indication any human was ever here as far as I can tell."

His new vulnerability was showcased even more brutally when he let his disappointment break the human version of his stoic mask, and she felt the foreign urge to soothe him, and wash it away.

"Though my nose is not as good as yours is - was, so it is possible."

Though Jaken had run into the tigers, Rin had not been with them. At least, not with the ones he found. But that didn't mean his ward hadn't been there. She wanted to give him some hope, and she wished desperately in that moment she had a better answer for him. Seeing him like this was harder than she had expected.

She thought she might get a little fun kick out of mocking him - she always did. But this was serious, and the gravity of it all was only just hitting her.

"Have you discovered what happened to you?" she asked, dropping any evidence of amusement to venture a question of her own. "Who made you like this?"

Any pain he might have involuntarily shown her was chased away by the dark, sinister look that was all too familiar, and she was much more comfortable with. Now he looked like him again, and that pleased her.

"I do not know, but I will find out," he insisted gravely, looking somewhere beyond her right shoulder. "Believe me, when I do, they will pay dearly. And then I will kill them."

That was him. That was the demon she knew. His low, confident timbre had her tingling with excitement, and leaning forward slightly.

"Stop, you know it gets me hot to hear you talk like that." Taking a step forward, she placed her hand on his arm, and managed to distract him from his violent fantasies. He stared silently at her a moment, until she retreated to lean against the counter again.

"So, who are the others?" she asked, changing course, and crossing her arms again. "New friends?"

"Inuyasha's pack. They have elected to aid This One in his search."

She knew him too well not to pick up on the forced the bored tone he usually made without trying. She was an observant youkai, and his behavior thus far was pointing to one very unexpected outcome.

"They seem very cozy with you," she began all too casually. "Especially that priestess."

When he scowled in another warning he knew she wouldn't heed, Toran lifted the right corner of her lips and lifted a brow.

"Are you fucking her?"

She let the question hang, knowing full well he wouldn't answer, but he didn't need to. His silences spoke well enough for him, you just had to know how to read them.

Something was going on there, though she couldn't say exactly what. With all he'd spouted in the past, she had to wonder if it wasn't his humanity rendering him suddenly sympathetic. Or perhaps, he simply had no choice but to cavort with these mortals. It wasn't like he could risk exposing the new him to any demons. She was an exception, and he'd still been forced to avoid her out of self-preservation.

And then there was the possibility that he hadn't changed his tune at all, but was still so incredibly opposed to mixing the races that he wouldn't participate in the defiling of a demon with his filthy human cock. That would make sense, because any demon who would have him now would be a human sympathizer, and therefore, unworthy. It would be ironic if he hated humans so much, they'd be the only ones he could bed with a clean conscious. Couldn't risk making a hanyou bastard of his own.

But then, maybe he was just his father's son after all.

"Hm. I obviously knew you went outside your species, but a human?" She paused her condemnation of him long enough to let him deny it, but Sesshoumaru remained silent. "Never thought I'd see the day. Always thought you'd keep with your kind, at least in the broadest sense."

"Hn, there is keeping with your kind, and then there is keeping it in family," he quipped back. "Unlike felines, not everyone wishes to take pleasure within their own brood. Some new blood might strengthen your ranks."

She was well aware he was simply attempting to cleverly sidestep her question, but it was so hard not to encourage him when he finally saw fit to engage her. He likely knew that too. But that was fine. If the Western Lord finally was ready to play, she would put a pin in that one for later.

"Like your brother, you mean?" she asked, though the subject of Inuyasha apparently wasn't so touchy anymore, which was also interesting. "You more than anyone know I do not keep exclusively with felines."

"But you certainly do not avoid them." He graced her with a saccharine smile rarely employed since their youth, but she decided it looked funny without the fangs. "How is your dear cousin faring these days?"

"Still jealous about that?" she asked innocently, and the accusation wiped the sickly grin from him in an instant. "I thought you'd gotten over it."

"I am not-" he insisted sharply, but stifled himself after the brief lapse. She smiled victoriously at his loss of composure, earning a humorless smirk as he acknowledged defeat.

"What do you know?" he demanded dangerously, narrowing his eyes at her. "If he had anything to do with this..."

It was wishful thinking. He loathed the tigers she used to cavort with back when she was friendlier with her cousin's clan, and it was her fondness for them alone which had kept his claws previously at bay. Rin's abduction was more than enough justification to finally settle a few scores. It was those relationships that gave her such unique insight to their inner workings and locale – which was very useful to him at the moment – but he couldn't rule out her possible motive to keep a few of them protected.

Were that the case, however, she likely wouldn't be here double-crossing her own kin by helping him. Unless she meant to throw him off their trail, but again, that was wishful thinking.

"You give Reo too much credit," she insisted, and earned a scoff. He was rarely accused of that. Never, in fact. But he had to agree with her assessment. "He's great in bed, but not smart enough to pull off something like this." Toran watched with amusement as Sesshoumaru tried not to react, but his human face was just so much more expressive, not that it took much to accomplish. "If you're sweet to me, I'll look him up and see what he knows. He owes me a favor."

"For what, I'd rather not know." He was smug, but still humorless as Toran put less space between them. He didn't back down or retreat when she looked into his eyes none too innocently.

"I'd be happy to show you."

She was so close now that their clothing touched, but he didn't respond verbally or otherwise.

She was used to that from him, however, and tried to look inviting as he stared superiorly down at her. That, she was also used to.

"Come on, I'm still the best you've ever had, aren't I?" Her ability to decipher his telling silences had her confident in her assessment.

She smiled to herself at that, because it had been some time... Though knowing him, he probably didn't spend many nights looking to see her dethroned. Unlike her, which made his continuing reign all the more impressive.

"You are still my favorite lover," she freely admitted, and finally lifted her hands to fiddle with the lapels of his kimono. His remained at his sides as he watched her attempt to paw at him enticingly. "Mechanically of course," she clarified. "Outside the bedroom, you are no good for me at all. But those hips are lethal." Biting her lip, she leaned back to gaze appreciatively at the area in question. It was clear she was conjuring memories of one of their many previous encounters, but before he could think to care which, her eyes snapped back to his. "At least they were," she amended, and gestured back down with her head. "How's that powerhouse these days?"

She felt a thrill when he leaned in, and lowered his voice in a threatening tone.

"Trust me, I could still leave you begging," he purred. "As I always do."

Perhaps he was overly confident, as he couldn't honestly say she would enjoy his human body nearly as much as the original. He'd yet to take it for a spin, and inventory his arsenal. But he knew this panther's body as well as she did, if not better. And if her previous enjoyment of him was any indication, he had plenty of room for error.

She didn't seem willing to refute him. Instead, she laughed and flattened the palms at his chest, smoothing them upwards and over the crest of his shoulders.

"Yes, we are amazing together, aren't we?" she asked, he assumed rhetorically, and sought his eyes. It had been a particularly long stretch since she had seen him last, but every reunion was picking up right where they left off, like they'd never missed a beat.

"Perfectly compatible. Too bad you're such a bore the rest of the time." She genuinely seemed to lament that fact a moment, looking up into his face with a mixture of longing and regret. Then she pressed herself flush against him. "We could have really been something."

Her gaze only drifted to his human lips a moment before she finally gave into her body's call to claim them. Leaning forward, she tilted her head in preparation, only to be stopped short when he abruptly turned his head to the side before she could make contact. The movement caused her forehead to brush his ear, and he felt her nose dig lightly into his cheek as she held herself there a moment.

"See? Boring," she accused, before gently pushing herself away from him and stepping back again. "At least that hasn't changed."

She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small clamshell that contained her red rouge. She popped it open to dip her finger in the paint before applying a generous layer to quickly touch herself up.

"I'll pay him a visit, see what he knows," she offered, pressing her lips to complete her application.

Sesshoumaru raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"You think he will tell you?"

Just because they were family, it didn't mean the clans shared all of their secrets. They kept reasonably separate unless they had a compelling reason, and her attachment to the rival inu clan was more than enough to keep them wary of her. Especially in this matter.

But Toran was confident.

"If there is anything worth knowing, I will find it," she assured him. "Even if he wanted to keep it from me, he isn't incredibly bright, remember?"

"Well, he is feline." His recent refusal of her boosted his human confidence some, and justified the return of that too-sweet smile.

'Twice in one day,' she mused, and couldn't help but smirk in response.

"Cheeky. Being human has made you particularly petulant." But one lingering look at his inferior form left no doubt who had the upper hand here. She began to turn from him. "Perhaps I should leave you this way."

His firm hand on her bicep prevented it, and she turned back to see him struggling with his instincts.

"I apologize," he bit out forcefully.

He was in no position to be playing fast and loose with his allies. Especially this one. Not only did Toran know these lands well, she also had an in with the clan he was so desperate to find. Until she appeared out of thin air to offer her aid to him on a silver platter, he was desperate enough to risk everything by outing himself to those who were almost certain to take advantage of him the first chance they got.

She was the only one who could help him, and she had a good plan. And really, he was lucky she regarded him well enough to stick her neck out like this. He should not be so callous with her.

Even though she was almost intolerable.

Seeing his desperation and resigned helplessness, she instantly found her way back to smiling. She wasn't really going to leave him anyway, but he apparently wasn't going to take that chance. If only he was always so indebted to her.

"No, I like it." She snapped her clamshell shut near his face, and used it to gesture at the length of him.

"It's nice to see you enjoying yourself for once. It's good for you."

"There is nothing enjoyable about this," he insisted, his miserable expression on full display.

Faint shadows were beginning to show beneath his eyes, and though he appeared to be a man of only 19, he looked older and more tired than she'd ever seen him. Humanity was already starting to take its toll, and if he didn't find out how to come back soon, he might suffer even more damage. In the meantime, he needed to find a way to make it work for him.

"Maybe you're not doing it right."

That, he conceded, was entirely possible. But he wasn't even sure there was a right way to be human. He considered her suggestion a moment as she watched on thoughtfully.

Well, that appeared to be everything. Toran's plan was his own, and until she got them to the village, their success was in her hands. He simply had to trust her to follow through.

There was just one more thing to square away.

"What do you require as payment?" he asked, more than a little nervous of the answer.

Without her, he was in big trouble. This she knew. All that was left was to find out how she wished to use that leverage to enrich herself. She could ask him for anything at all in that moment, and he would have no choice but to agree. Even though she was fond of him, it would be foolish of her to squander this opportunity.

"I'm offended. Can I not simply do my old friend a solid?"

His narrowed glare dared her to refute him.

"Very well," she easily relented. "When you are you again, I wish for a position in your council. I desire influence, since you refuse to bestow it through our original agreement."

The relief he felt in that moment was monumental. That was an easy enough concession to make. In all truth, he likely would have appointed her anyway. Especially after all this. It's so hard to find trustworthy allies, and politically savvy ones at that.

Not to mention, her faith in him was encouraging. His confidence had hit a record low, and he needed all that he could salvage. And now, she had a vested interest in his success as well.

He appreciated her gracious request, and even wondered if she only made it to save him the further humiliation of helping him pro bono. But he would wait until his mission was over before examining that any further. For now, he was more than happy to take her generosity at face value.

"Agreed," he nodded once. "Your loyalty in this time will not be forgotten. I accept your terms."

After returning her rouge to her sleeve, a wicked look crossed Toran's face that was all too familiar to the former dog youkai, and he braced himself out of habit.

With a smirk, she lifted her hands to rest once again on his slightly smaller but still sturdy human chest, and test out the new dips and bulges of his mortal muscles.

"Of course, if you wanted to sweeten the deal, you could warm my bed tonight. I am curious as to what a human man may be able to accomplish, if anything."

Seizing her hands tightly in his put an end to her fondling, and she seemed more amused than hopeful at the cold look she received.

"It doesn't interest me."

He was grateful, however, that had not been her original request. He very much doubted that Kagome would forgive another transactional indiscretion on his part.

He hoped she realized all the sacrifices he was making just to please her. The worst part was, she wasn't even letting him please her.

Not many demonesses would be willing to lower themselves to lay with a mortal, and the one offering herself he knew was more than qualified to please him. She hadn't been mistaken when she claimed to top his list of worthy bedmates. But he wouldn't let her know that.

"Bore," she accused again, and wrenched her hands away from him. But her case against him was only mounting. He'd still yet to answer her previous question, and he was a fool if he thought she was going to let that one drop. As far as she could tell, however, the answer was obvious.

"Fine. Inform your pack; we leave at dawn. I will return for you then." Before removing herself, she placed her palm on that unfamiliar chest one more time, and used the other to wrap behind his neck. Slowly, gently, and without cooperation, she pressed a tender kiss to the very corner of his closed mouth.

When she pulled back, she took in her oldest friend, dearest ally, and occasional lover, and smirked sadly.

"I am sorry this happened to you." She had prayed it wasn't true, and now that she'd had her fun, she was forced to deal with the ramifications of Sesshoumaru's transformation. "No matter what has occurred between us in the past, I wish nothing but the best for you. I hope you know that."

Once again, she was left to interpret his silence to her best ability. What she found in this one had her struggling to hold her tears.

---

With Toran off to make the necessary arrangements for their daybreak trip up north, it was left to Sesshoumaru to return to his packmates and get them up to speed.

All heads turned eagerly his way when he finally emerged alone through the doorway, and already high anxieties seemed to climb even higher as he approached them. He supposed he could understand that. He had left to decide their fates with some demon they'd never met, and they had no way of knowing what that demon might want with them. He could appreciate how maddening it was to not have control of your circumstances, and sitting idly by was never something he was comfortable with.

In an attempt to be merciful, he briefed them as quickly and clearly as possible.

"Toran has agreed to assist us."

That appeared to be a rather large shock to them, as the faces he was suddenly greeted with looked to be varying degrees of shock, outrage, and in the slayer's case, disgust for some reason.

'Perhaps she had an aversion to cats? With Kirara, it wouldn't make much sense. Maybe she was just particular. At any rate...'

"There is a lead worth exploring beyond the northern mountain range, and she will return tomorrow to take us there. We leave at dawn." There. He thought he'd relayed that fairly clearly. And, not one to mince words, quickly as well. When the monk slapped his hand hard against his forehead in response, he was a bit thrown off by it.

Usually the man was reasonably flexible, and operated with a cautious optimism that was appreciated in the most difficult of times. Sesshoumaru didn't see the problem with this plan. It was better than several that had been pitched not an hour ago, and far better than the previous 'nothing' they had decided upon before Toran's arrival.

'Perhaps he is displeased to be waking so early. Too bad.'

Suddenly, the miko's aura flared aggressively, and when he turned to investigate, the fire in her eyes was hot enough to scold him, which she looked seconds away from doing, actually. Her unjustified hostility confounded him, and he wondered what he had missed that had affected her temper so terribly. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear it was aimed at him, but that couldn't be right. He hadn't done anything wrong; he hadn't even been here.

Ah, maybe that was it. That conversation with Toran did take longer than he had quoted them. Perhaps the miko was upset at him for keeping them waiting so long. But it wasn't like they had anything else going on at the moment. In fact, he was about to suggest they head back to the kitchen and pick out something edible for dinner. He'd spotted quite a few items that humans could safely eat, and figured everyone would be pleased to be spared the trouble of hunting and cooking. He was even going to suggest that the miko show him how to prepare another human meal for when they find Rin, but with the way her jaw was clenching in barely contained rage, he surmised that now might not be a great time to ask.

Just as he was going to inquire what her ailment was, she stormed past him, and without a word to anyone, made for the staircase to go back to the room he had trashed in a fit of rage. If she was looking to take out her anger as he had, he was afraid she was too late. Only the bed remained untarnished, and he had planned on sleeping there tonight. If she wished to sleep there with him - as previously expressed - she would do well to leave it intact.

Once she was out of sight, Sesshoumaru turned back to the others to hopefully get some answers. The slayer and the miko were close, and if it was some sort of female issue, perhaps she would know of it. He was rather startled, however, to turn back to the woman only to find her glaring at him with even more distaste than before. He was beginning to think it was not Toran she had the issue with.

The monk's head was still cradled hopelessly in his hands. So, thoroughly confused, he finally turned his increasingly bewildered expression to his half-brother, to find the hanyou's mouth agape. Great, the one time he needed him to yammer, the boy had managed to become speechless.

Knitting his brow, Sesshoumaru was just about to demand answers, when Inuyasha pointed to the corner of his own lips, and gave it a couple taps. His eyes flew wide in instant panic as he ran a finger beside his mouth, only to draw it back and see the telltale red rouge Toran had applied moments earlier. He whispered a curse to himself, though he was sure everyone got to enjoy it.

He immediately bolted for the stairway, rubbing the rest of the lipstick off of him with his hand and cursing the troublesome panther demon all the way. She'd done that on purpose.

Why? Because he'd refused to warm her bed? How petty. But then, he shouldn't be surprised.

How did he not notice that? Why did he not suspect anything? He blamed a combination of his inferior human senses, his overtaxed body and stress that allowed for the distraction.

Kami, he really needed a blowjob right now. And the only thing worse than not getting it despite having one basically offered to him, was having the miko think that he had. He had all the fun of paying the social costs without enjoying the gratification of the act. It was the worst of both worlds.

Her ire became increasingly palpable as he ascended the stairway to the bedroom, and even his human senses could detect her holy aura simmering dangerously beneath her skin. If he were a youkai at the moment, his legs would likely cease to function in an effort to save him from the deadly burn of her power.

He arrived to find her back to him as she stood clear across the room, staring resentfully out the window while she attempted to rein in her anger. Her shoulders looked incredibly tense, and every muscle clenched painfully as one would do to brace themselves for impact.

"Is that how you negotiate?" she spat disdainfully. "Or was this another life of death scenario?"

"Miko-"

"I know I have no right to condemn you, after what I did." She crossed her arms as he began to approach her cautiously. "But it just hurts too much to look at you right now."

"Miko, you promised you would trust me," he reminded her calmly, if not somewhat admonishingly. "Do you not?"

When she finally turned around, she found him only a few paces away, advancing slowly. And despite her instinct to trust her own eyes over the word of some man, she was sensitive to the fact that she'd misjudged him before. She had promised herself - not to mention him - that she wouldn't do that anymore.

She forced her feelings of betrayal to temper, and softened some as she answered honestly.

"Of course."

He stopped a respectable distance away, pleased with her answer but too concerned with her behavior to relish it.

"Then trust me that it meant nothing."

The bed that they'd agreed to share was only a few feet away, and next to the window on the other side of them was a wooden dresser, freshly mangled and weathered courtesy of the former dog demon. Atop that was a rather large vanity mirror, cracked and broken after his vicious assault, but enough remained intact to get a clear glimpse of his human face when he stood before it.

He hadn't taken many good, long looks at himself since his transformation, in part due to the scarcity of reflective surfaces throughout their travels, and partly due to his reluctance to appraise himself in his current form. That was a stranger looking back at him in that mirror, and though he was compelled to gawk, he forced his attention forward quickly to appease the insecure woman before him.

"So she kissed you?" Kagome demanded, wanting to justify the willing lips on him, desperate to make his indiscretion acceptable to her. She didn't want to be mad at him.

"Yes."

She wasn't as relieved as she'd hoped she'd be by the confirmation, so she decided to push for more.

"Did you try to stop her?" she asked hopefully, tentatively skeptical for good measure. After Kikyo, she vowed to never put up with any perceived infidelity again, no matter what excuses she would receive or assurances she would be awarded. It injured her self-respect to think she'd allow a man to be forgiven after disrespecting her that way. She knew she shouldn't put up with it.

But she wanted badly to give him the benefit of the doubt, and that made her feel kind of pathetic.

"There was nothing to stop," he insisted seriously. "We have known each other a very long time; it wasn't sexual."

"But you have had sex with her." Her blunt observation was unexpected, and he wondered if it was really that obvious, or if she was just that perceptive.

Or, he considered, that the hanyou had filled her in. He was going to go with that one.

"It was a long time ago," he assured her, but she cocked a suspicious brow.

"A long time for humans, or demons?"

When he didn't immediately respond, Kagome got her answer.

"Would you have told me about it if it wasn't literally written all over your face?" she asked, and gestured to the patch of skin that was still red from being rubbed clean.

Indignant exasperation produced something from him that resembled a scoff.

"Honestly, no," he answered unexpectedly, startling her a bit. "I would not have even considered such a platonic act as betrayal. I have seen you kiss your kit with more fervor."

It wasn't that she didn't believe him; the man was honest to a fault. But she couldn't get the image out of her head of that demon putting her mouth on his, probably touching him, and despite not initiating the contact, having him accepting her advance without resistance. Probably kissing back a little.

She should be more sympathetic; something very similar had just happened to her, and he was incredibly understanding. A little too understanding for her tastes, actually. But that image in her head made it hurt to look at him, and reason was no match for the involuntary jealousy it spurred.

It didn't help that the panther youkai had so easily agreed to help them, and to such an extent. Kagome couldn't help but assume if she had been properly rebuffed, she would not be so willing – if not eager – to offer her aid.

But, then where would they be? Damn, it seemed wherever he went, there was some horny female trying finagle their way into his pants. No wonder he thought she rescued him that night just to get on his dick. She thought he was just a narcissist, but apparently this happens all the time.

Sesshoumaru watched with a frown as the miko continued to struggle to remedy the incident in her mind. This was one of those times when no matter how well he articulated himself, she just couldn't get the wires to connect in her brain. It didn't matter what he said at this point, that troubled look on her face told him she wasn't going to be able to interpret him clearly. He would have to try something else to get through to her.

Spotting her bookbag propped beside the bed from earlier, he reached for it with obvious purpose.

When he lifted it to rest on top of the pile of furs and proceeded to rifle through it, she became incredulously irate.

"Hey, what are you doing in my bag? We've talked about this!"

She took a step closer, unfolding her arms but stopped short of physically prying him away from her property.

"You have your rouge?" he asked, not looking at her as he abandoned the main pocket of her backpack to unzip the smaller one in front.

There, he found what he was looking for, and pulled out a tube of lipstick.

She furrowed her brow when he presented it to her.

"What's that have to-"

"Put in on."

She looked from him, to where he held it out, and back up to his determined features once more.

"What are-"

"Just put it on," he demanded again, shaking the item impatiently. "Humor me."

She looked uncertainly into his imploring face, obvious displeasure emanating from her in thick waves. But she relented. With an annoyed huff, she indulged in a childish eye roll before snatching the makeup from his hand and doing as he had asked.

She turned to the smashed mirror, ensuring she hadn't gone outside the lines of her lips, before putting the cap back on and turning to face him once more. He took a step closer, well within touching range.

"Now," he began instructively. "Kiss me the way you think she kissed me. By your most conservative of estimates."

Disbelief gave way to incredulity all over again, and she prepared herself refuse none-too-politely. Did he really think she was going to kiss him after what just occurred with Toran?

Looking at his expectant, entitled features as he attempted to will her to him using only his eyes, she realized he did.

What surprised her most, however, was right after that, when she realized she would.

Kami, she hated herself.

Somewhat begrudgingly, yet more eager than she'd like to admit, she ventured forward. He allowed her to come to him, still standing straight, but inclining his head slightly in anticipation of her arrival. She got the feeling he was expending effort to keep the smirk off his lips, and the closer she got to them, the more unruly the butterflies in her stomach became.

She placed her hands on his chest, curling her fingers slightly into the familiar silk as she got up onto her toes. His hands lifted to cradle her elbows as she continued to close the distance, tilting her head just enough to avoid bumping noses, and pressed her lips to his.

Her mouth parted only slightly, and encouraged his to respond in kind, but she refrained from deepening it, as this was supposed to be a conservative estimation of events.

He kissed her back, eyes closed just as hers had, as she used to light grip on his haori to pull him down to her just a little harder.

It was over in a matter of seconds, and now she was ready to resume demanding answers. But when her heels hit the floor and she opened her eyes, the sight that greeted her threw a wrench in her plans.

Involuntary laughter escaped her unrestrained as she took in the image of the Lord of the West with burgundy lipstick smeared generously over his patented smug smirk – ah, there it was. Somehow both above and below his lips had been painted with the substance, coloring only portions of his mouth with makeup.

She hadn't even kissed him that hard. At least, she didn't think so. Certainly not as hard as her teenage hormones would have preferred. But she couldn't deny the result transferred a good deal more of the substance than the small amount he'd worn previously. She got the picture.

His smile seemed to grow with her amusement, and he allowed her to enjoy the sight of him as he watched her anger fade. Finally, he turned from her silly grin back to the mirror beside them, and took a look for himself.

"That really is your color," she mocked, and turned to look into the mirror with him.

"You think?" She giggled when he peered closer to get a better look, and noticed when he seemed to be inspecting himself more critically.

"Hn." The contemplative sound drew an amusing conclusion from her.

"What? Like what you see?" she teased, but it didn't seem to offend him. When he turned to look down at her, she kept her eyes glued to the mirror, enjoying the sight of them together.

"This One is curious as to what your boldest estimate would have wrought."

She turned to face him as she realized what he was getting at, and pushed her shyness aside in favor of a bolder response. She'd been waiting for him to finally initiate something. Ever since the river, he'd been keeping his distance, and not just physically. She kind of wished he didn't think he had to operate under a thinly-veiled ruse, but she was willing to take what she could get. She wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by. She managed to keep the pink from her cheeks, but removed the cap from the tube again to add some more burgundy to her mouth.

"Are you now?" she asked, and he smiled as he watched her apply a gratuitous amount of paint to her pouty, maddening lips.

Once the cap was back on, she fisted a handful of his silk and pulled him down to her with impressive strength. This time, he bent generously to meet her, and placed his hands on her hips upon contact.

As her boldest estimate, this kiss was considerably more involved. Her tongue instantly found his while she made sure to drag her lips harshly across his mouth. He groaned low in his throat as she moved feverishly against him, sliding his hands up her back, and into her hair when she took his lower lip gently between her teeth.

He pulled her to him, pressing forward to accept her assault as she released his poor clothing to slide her hands up each side of his neck, hooking one behind and weaving the other through the short hair at the back of his head.

She used the new leverage to pull herself against him even harder, smashing her tits against his chest while he slid a hand down her bare thigh, eventually encouraging her knee to bend so he could yank her body flush against his.

He knew what she was doing when moved her mouth to drag down his chin, and back up to his cheek while she ground her face into him. He ground her hips into him in response, and let her feel his excitement as she continued painting him with her lips.

He used the break in suction to make up a few breaths he'd missed out on, and lightly panted while she continued to rub her mouth all over him.

He was disappointed when she finally pulled back to assess her handiwork, and reluctantly released her thigh so she could stand on her own. Her smug smile relayed satisfaction, and he chanced a look back in the cracked mirror atop the busted dresser for confirmation he didn't really need.

Yep, he looked ridiculous. But she looked happy. And, he got some decent groping in, so he was willing to consider it a worthy exchange for a slice of his pride. But her next suggestion was pushing it.

"Need some on the collar."

Apparently his input was irrelevant, because before he could consent, she pulled the material of his expensive haori taut and lowered her lips down to his shoulder, proceeding to wipe the remainder of her generously supplied lipstick off of her mouth. That kind of hurt.

"Oh, not the silk, miko," he protested, but wrapped his arms around her again instead of wrenching her away from him. It was too late anyhow.

"What do you care?" she asked. The words left her mouth funny as she was still wiping it off on his clothes. "I wash the thing."

He squeezed her tighter, and she finally halted her cruel attack on his silk.

"Exactly. I only wish to save you from yourself."

But she didn't seem too beat up about it. She smiled in victory at the mess she'd made of him, and he cut his gaze over to the mirror yet again.

While he mourned his shirt and pride, he registered the feeling of her body pressing closer.

"Worth it," she declared. When he looked back down to see the happiness sparkling in her eyes like two shiny blue diamonds, he had to agree. "Now, some on the neck."

There was nothing left on her lips to transfer to him at this point, but he didn't see fit to point that out to her. Her hands rested softly on his chest as she kissed the hollow of his throat, but soon her fingers slid back through his hair, and grabbed onto his shoulder to force his neck to bare.

She had to get back on her tip toes to lick a broken trail past his adam's apple, and placed open mouthed kisses under his ear. The action caused him to tilt his head back and allow unrestricted access. His breath became shakier when he felt her tongue lapping greedily down the side of his neck, and his fingers curled into the back of her shirt when she pinched the skin atop his shoulder between her teeth and clamped down gently. Enjoying his reaction, she nipped and sucked her way across that firm rope of muscle, and made her way back.

When she reached the crook of his shoulder, the strong, wet appendage returned full force, hidden behind the cloak of her lips which attached themselves to him firmly. His eye flicked back over to the mirror, and was greeted with the image of Kagome from behind while she went to work fervently feasting on whatever parts of him she desired. He looked at himself a moment, seeing that stranger again with dark hair and no markings, accepting the amorous attentions of a human girl, and loving every minute of it.

He looked into strange violet eyes paralyzed with lust as he helplessly withstood this frenzied attack from a powerful miko, and he truly couldn't recognize who that man was, or what he thought he was doing. But he didn't care. Not anymore.

He felt her attentions become more pointed when she took to sucking on that spot she seemed to love so much, and he could do naught but close his eyes in blissful pleasure.

It felt too good. Her lips were too strong. He couldn't help but imagine how good they would feel doing what they were doing on other, more sensitive locations, and when he closed his eyes, he did just that.

She felt his breathing become more ragged, and a rumbling turbulence manifesting high in his chest sounded like he was trying to manufacture some sort of bestial noise or growl, but simply no longer had the equipment to do so. She forced herself to stop thinking about that, or else she wouldn't be able to enjoy herself properly.

A sharp gasp entered his lungs when she sucked him even harder into her mouth, and when she finally unlatched herself, he released a long, low hiss mourning the loss.

Left breathless by her unanticipated enthusiasm, Sesshoumaru looked down to the miko before him fully intending to relay his appreciation – in one way or another. He wasn't sure how much appreciation she would allow, exactly, but the boldness she just displayed was very promising. He sought her eyes, hoping the answer might be there, only to find her attention still fixed upon the surprisingly sensitive juncture at the base of his neck, with such a satisfied expression he wondered if she'd managed to find release on her own. It would be a shame if he'd missed it.

His gaze returned to the mirror to get another look at them, and was momentarily shaken by how disheveled he appeared from just a moment ago. His hair was unruly from her hands gliding through it, his skin slightly flushed. His clothing, in addition to being smeared with lipstick, was wrinkled and stretched and untucked from her abuse. He wasn't upset – far from it – it was just startling to see himself so unkempt and riled. The hunger in those violet eyes spoke of a demon deep within, poked and prodded and driven half-wild by only a moment of this woman's affection, and they hadn't even taken their clothes off yet. If anyone was able to rouse his dormant beast from this human shell, it would be her. He was certain he'd never looked so keyed up.

As he marveled at the sight he made, something in the mirror caught his eye. Maneuvering slightly to see himself from behind the miko, he now understood what she found so fascinating.

"A mark."

Just when he thought he couldn't appear even more bewildering, the vision of himself marked by a female was enough to shock him out of his lust.

Typically, the male is the one to lay claim to his mate with permanent bite deep into the shoulder, but it was not unheard of for powerful or aggressive females to mark their males as well.

He certainly never expected to see himself bitten as such, and the implications managed to stir something so deeply ingrained within him that even his humanity hadn't been able to snuff it out completely.

"You were asking for it."

Gazing dumbfounded into the mirror, he lifted his hand to run his fingers experimentally across the small purple patch of broken blood vessels, only to acquire a nice thick coating of miko slobber on the pads of them.

Pleased with herself, Kagome spun around to join him in admiring their reflection, and enjoyed the look on his face as he realized she'd managed to sneak a hickey under his radar. When she did, he was able to take in the sight of her own flushed skin, frazzled hair and lipstick-stained mouth.

His arm snaked naturally around her middle, and when he rested his palm to lay flat on her stomach, he managed to pull her back against him with almost no effort. Twisting himself over her shoulder and bending to accommodate for the height disparity, he put a question in her ear before returning his gaze to the mirror with hers.

"You would mark me as yours?"

He was watching her intently in their reflection, and his heart ached a little when, though her smile did not vanish, it lost some of its volume at his question. She turned her head slightly to address the curious face looming over her shoulder.

"That's not really what it means when humans do it," she explained to him, knowing what he was referring to. Truthfully, the demonic ritual hadn't crossed her mind at all as she was putting her mouth all over him. What started out as an act driven by instinct and lust morphed spontaneously into a little revenge for kissing his ex. But she didn't want to upset him... too badly, and she hoped she didn't. "Maybe, some do it to mark their territory, so to speak," she amended. "But not like a dog demon does."

He continued to stare at himself - or rather, at his mark - in disbelief. He was just... captivated by the sight. He'd never imagined himself bearing a female's mark, never even considered it. But he couldn't deny that the thought of belonging to someone wasn't completely distasteful. So long as it was someone like her.

"What does it mean?" he asked, while she watched him watching himself with wide, curious eyes. It wasn't a real bite, but it looked to be about the best he'd expect a human to manage without harming one another. He was admittedly still ignorant on much regarding human customs and way of life, despite living as one for almost a full moon cycle. He was also aware that the company he kept were a group of misfit outliers that did not conform to much of their species' societal norms.

But it was right there, right where a mating mark would go if she were youkai. And it felt so good. He had to wonder if the monumental demon rite had any resemblance to how humans chose a mate.

But her answer was light and superficial, derailing those particular thoughts.

"That you taste good." She finally turned her head to him, placing her lips close enough to kiss him on the cheek without much effort. "And you're fun to bite."

Perhaps he'd been overthinking it. But then again, in her funny little group of misfits, the miko was the furthest removed from human society, he'd wager just as much here as in her own time 500 years from now. It was possible instinct had driven her to do something her mind had yet to comprehend.

At any rate, it didn't make the experience any less enjoyable. But something within him was left unfulfilled. Because while not all females marked their mates, all males did. To harbor a bite from a woman without bestowing one of his own suggested he was too weak to lay claim, and his female put him under her protection. Even though that's not what she intended, and even though he was human, it just didn't sit right. His spirit needed appeasement.

"Would you permit a mark?" he asked hopefully, removing his attention from Mirror!kagome to level it at the real deal. His other arm found its way around her hip to encase her in his hold. In response, she placed her hands on top of his, and threaded their fingers together affectionately.

He was supporting her now; she relaxed most of her weight to lean back against him, and rested her head on his shoulder as she tilted her face toward his. He was watching her so raptly that it would have been nerve-wracking if it wasn't so flattering.

Still, she was hesitant to answer.

"Um, depends. What will it mean?" Fair was fair, but she didn't want to accidentally agree to something in the demon world that she didn't understand yet. But the slight upturn of his blotchy lipstick job eased her fears, and made something warm and tingly surge its way through her system.

"That you taste good," he responded in a tone so smooth and deep that it felt like he was making love to her eardrums. When he leaned closer to attempt and persuade another kiss from her, he was met with no resistance. Kagome lifted her chin to let him slant his mouth over hers softly, and soon the soft slide of his tongue against hers overwhelmed her senses, and forced her to squeeze his hands within hers as an outlet.

She whimpered when the kiss ended too soon, but she soon found the affectionate display was far from over. Licking his lips in preparation, he then lowered them to the side of her throat, making her moan deep within it in genuine physical relief. As she'd done with him, he let his tongue travel across the skin beneath the drag of his mouth, as he explored the territory with open mouthed kisses that left a trail of his saliva in their wake.

"That I enjoy putting my mouth on you," he added, before scraping his teeth along her flesh. The noise that elicited from her was magnificent.

"And you enjoy having my mouth on you." His voice was coming quieter, and huskier the more ground he covered, and between that and the feel of him toying with her overly-receptive nerve endings, Kagome shivered. His next statement came out in a whisper.

"And I wish for everyone to know it."

He'd finally zeroed in on the exact spot a mating mark would be. The exact spot she'd marked him. He'd prodded the area with his tongue until the rapid beat of her pulse was felt hammering against the tip, and he pressed down on it.

It was a good thing he held her so tightly, because her legs seemed to turn to jelly in response, and before she had the chance to recover, he gave her chills by clamping down around her with his blunt human teeth.

It wasn't enough to even break the skin, but just enough to appease his restless instincts. He couldn't deny feeling impotent, however, at no longer having the equipment to bestow his permanent bite. Though, with the way his control often eluded him in her presence, perhaps that was for the best.

She gasped at the feeling of being between his teeth. Most who have found themselves within his jaws did not live to tell about it, but this woman would be getting considerably better treatment. She certainly wasn't complaining.

He relaxed his mouth a bit in favor of applying vicious suction on that place above her shoulder, and once he got started, he vowed not to release her until she had a mark to match the one he now wore at her behest.

Her pathetic mewling only spurred him forward, leading to slightly more aggressive treatment. But when she released her death grip on one of his hands so she could reach up behind her and grab the back of his head, he couldn't prevent himself from grinding his hips into her to let her feel how she affected him.

Stabbing his hard, large cock into her ass only caused the incredible sounds to increase. And when she pulled his head down into her shoulder encouragingly, he boldly dragged his hand from the place at her hip up the length of her torso. Her hand was still stacked on top of his, her fingers still woven between his own when he finally breached the swell of her breast, and set himself to rest comfortably upon it.

She cried even louder, more gratefully at the long-desired contact, and she whispered his name reverently when he squeezed, and began kneading and rubbing her just the way she'd been wanting.

Well, maybe not just the way. When she fantasized about him touching her like this, it wasn't with all of these annoying layers of clothing preventing skin on skin contact. And maybe instead of her neck, he could be doing that to the hardened peaks of her nipples as she writhed beneath him. But still, she appreciated it.

He couldn't resist lifting his eyes to the mirror again, and get a look at the picture they made. He saw Kagome reeling, thoroughly enjoying his attentions, and enthusiastically accepting his mark, begging for it. Maybe not outright, but with her body, her reactions... she was begging for many things at the moment.

It was making him too feral. Any other time, he would relish the opportunity to embrace the lost part of himself, but with the way she was encouraging him, he feared he may cause more damage to her body than he intended on.

With that in mind, he regretfully removed his lips from her skin to get a look at his progress. When he did, he was glad he'd stopped.

Her mark was only a little bigger than his, but much darker. That would take several days to heal, so he was proud of himself for holding back. She didn't make it easy.

He stopped fondling her chest to hug her back against him, and gave her a moment to gather herself enough to stand on her own. While he waited, he laved the skin he'd broken gently with his tongue, and offered apologetic kisses to soothe any pain she might be feeling.

If he were a demon, he'd be able to sense her pain. He'd be able to heal her with his poison. If only he had his youki, so he could care for her properly. But then, if he had his youki, he couldn't be with her. She still deserved better.

As a human, he was so woefully unequipped. But he'd do all he could with what he had.

As the dizziness stopped, she managed to open her eyes to assess the damage in the mirror and immediately noticed the deep purple bruise on her shoulder. Before her breathing was righted, she panted out a breathy question to the attentive ex-inuyoukai behind her.

"Are you sure it doesn't mean... that I have a very aggressive, very protective, very feral male who cares about me... and unless you want to tangle with him, you better keep your distance?"

She got the feeling the demonic practice had something to do with marking territory, and despite this being framed as turnabout, she couldn't help but suspect there was an element of possessiveness at play here.

When he didn't answer her, she assumed she wasn't way off base.

He held her to him as she found her legs, and got lost in the image of them together so comfortably. He studied her face like he was trying to read her thoughts, and noticed how her expression turned melancholy the longer she appraised her bite mark. He had worried about that.

"Does it displease you?" he asked gently, hoping the answer was no. So he was slightly devastated when she nodded in response.

"Why?"

Because she is human. Because she is not youkai. Because he was youkai.

Because he tried to kill her.

There were several correct answers to his question, and she hadn't landed on any of them.

"Because it's temporary."

He didn't react, even though her response did surprise him. But he couldn't deny having similar misgivings. It was so hard to push down the deep-seated desire to elongate his fangs and do this properly. Perhaps she felt something similar.

But nothing could be done about that.

And not one to wallow in the unchangeable, Sesshoumaru searched his mind for a solution.

"Hn, I see." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders to pull her back into his chest. When he rubbed his cheek against hers, her somber mood seemed to improve a bit. "I suppose I will need to keep biting you to ensure it remains."

By the time his statement registered, his lips were already back on her hickey, and she squealed as she resisted half-heartedly.

"No! I have a couple days before this one wears off; you can wait until then." She tried to turn around in his hold, bit his strong arms locked her into place and stifled any movement.

"I do not wish to wait." Finally, he gave her enough slack to spin and face him, but that didn't stop his mouth from returning to the bruise he'd made, and for all her protests, she threw her head back to give him even a clearer shot.

It only took a couple steps to reach the bed of furs, and it didn't take much to topple her balance enough to get her off her feet and onto her back. He crawled on top of her, straddling her to pin her down, and continued to seek her mark again. She was giggling and shrieking with enjoyment at his attack, but she was still attempting to pry him off her – by the shoulder, by the hair, anyway she could think of.

But he was determined. And sturdy. Luckily, he wasn't being so rough with her skin this time around.

He didn't really want to bruise her any further, and she didn't really want him to stop, but pride and desire kept the fight going as they battled for nothing more than bragging rights. And amusement.

Just like their bickering sessions, this little competitive back and forth was a game. A sport. But apparently, they'd graduated to physical sparring, with just a side of verbal.

"What about what I want? Doesn't that matter?" She scoffed in mock indignance when he lifted a brow at her, before taking a wrist in each hand and pinning them above her head. He descended on her mark once more.

"Of course it does," he assured her between licks. "and you do not wish me to stop."

She smiled even wider, because he was right. He was right, and they both knew it. But she continued to writhe, so he transferred both of her wrists into one of his hands, freeing up the other one to explore.

But in lieu of a more lascivious expedition, he'd opted to stroke her cheek gently as he looked down at her with inconceivable fondness. He stretched himself long to loom over her, trapping himself as well as her in his hypnotic gaze.

"I swear, I'm not playing hard to get."

He had to grin at that, and the sight of his true, un-sarcastic, un-cruel, un-mocking smile of genuine happiness took away all her troubles and banished this difficult day from existence. When she thought back on this day in the future, all she would remember was this. Was him.

He leaned down slowly, and she became giddy with excitement when his intentions became clear. Stopping to hover just an inch from her face, he seemed to be etching her into his memory as well. His fingertips played at her jaw.

"As prey, I concede, you are not as easy as you appear."

And then, he guided her to his lips, and kissed her softly, but good and long.

When he pulled back, he stayed close, and continued to stare. Unrushed and unconcerned with anything else; he simply soaked her in.

Smiling back with her hands still trapped over her head, she attempted to appeal to his momentary softness.

"Alright I give. You can let me go."

He only considered her suggestion a moment before finally complying, and she used her newfound freedom to wrap her hands behind his neck and pull him down to her again. She was going for a deeper kiss, but after a quick teasing peck, he returned to his original mission, kissing her throat and threatening to bite her again.

With both his hands now free, he ran one languidly down to her leg, and back up her hip, exploring and teasing and testing the waters gently. When he felt her shift beneath him and lift her hips up into his, he took it as a request to handle her more pointedly.

She seemed to like it earlier when he massaged her breasts, so he dragged his hand up over her shirt until he was cupping her, and offered a gentle squeeze. His name again from her lips in a thankful whine had the hairs on his neck standing at attention, and that wasn't all.

Drawn to her mark like a moth to a flame, he kept the bulk of his attention there, however. He couldn't help it, it was just so exciting to him, knowing that he'd put it there. Knowing he had one too. It was hard to concentrate on anything else. That was how he didn't notice until it was too late.

He felt the smear of Kagome's lipstick as she streaked it across his cheek, and finally succeeded in stopping his assault. Stunned at her audacity, and surprised to have been tricked, he lifted his head from her neck to see Kagome smiling just as smugly, just as pleased with herself as she had been when she'd given him the hickey. She was not afraid to use her allure to her advantage, and he had to respect that.

He turned his head to see her lipstick firmly in her hand with the cap off, before slowly panning back to her smiling, sparkly-eyed features, and blinked.

She watched in fascination as the man's usually stoic face ran the gamete of emotions before her eyes. Confusion, shock, admiration... it was amazing. But when diabolically retaliatory made an appearance on his vengeful façade, hers dropped in impending doom.

Before she could reason with him, his smirk turned evil and he made a play for the lipstick. It took no time at all to wrestle it away from her, and once in his hand, he drew a long streak of burgundy down her own cheek, right where she had gotten him. An eye for an eye was the theme for today. Or, a mark for a mark.

Her squeals of protests hadn't saved her from his payback, but he enjoyed the sight of her trapped beneath him and squirming. He took a moment to admire his handiwork; first her bruise, and then her cheek... He was an artist all of a sudden, with Kagome as his canvas. His muse. His fucking medium.

But as he continued to stare, something caught his attention, and like flipping a switch, his proud, contented features were washed away. A distressed look settled over him, and Kagome noticed the difference immediately.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, but he only answered by turning his head to look at that stranger in the mirror one more time.

Finally, for the first time that night – and in a good, long while, actually – he noticed something familiar in his reflection. Sure, he had black hair, and a mating mark, and lipstick all over his face. But his focus was fixed on the solitary burgundy stripe the miko had drawn over his cheekbone.

He didn't think she did it on purpose, or even subconsciously. Perhaps it was just an accident. Perhaps the mark was as well. Not instinct, or intention, just... a coincidence.

And maybe she hadn't intended to remind him of who he was in that moment, but she had. The man in that mirror was so different from everything he ever thought he was, everything he'd prided himself in being and worked so hard to achieve. And every day he walked in his skin, his true self became more and more lost to time. He could feel himself slipping away. He could see it.

Because each day he lived as this human, he found it just a bit more tolerable, just a bit more acceptable. And each day he spent with this miko, he enjoyed himself just a bit more, thought of his old self less. When he was with her, he forgot about his lands, and his duties and his power. Everything important, no longer was while in her presence.

He was starting to feel that, as long as he could be with her, maybe he wouldn't mind being human so much. Maybe he could even like it. It terrified him.

He wondered then, if it weren't for Rin and needing to find her; would he even want to change back? Would he be trying to? The urge to shirk his duties and play make believe with this woman was getting stronger by the day. Was this how his father felt? Was this how he'd so easily abandoned him?

This curse was beginning to feel less like a curse to him. To him, it looked like an out.

This was his ticket out of that life of responsibilities and expectation. His ticket to freedom. And all he had to do to get it was nothing. Not a thing, and he could disappear forever with this new identity.

He hated that he was considering it. He was losing sight of himself, and he hated that he liked it.

Kagome was about to demand he talk to her when with a sorrowful look at himself, he lifted his arm and drew a second burgundy stripe on his cheek, right beneath the other line. And after it was drawn, he continued to stare at human pretending to be a demon, and not the other way around.

A look of horror stuck her face as realization dawned, and he continued to look side-eyed, sadly at the former Lord of the West.

Two crudely drawn stripes were enough to remind himself of that demon... for now. But it wouldn't be much longer before that demon would be lost to him forever, never to return. How long would it take? Another month? A year? Ten years? Was he ever going to return to himself? Would he even care if he did?

The thought of walking away from her was already excruciating. How hard would it be when more time had passed, and his affection for her had grown even stronger? How much longer until leaving would be impossible?

As his desire for Kagome grew, he could feel himself slipping away.

"I am so sorry."

Her hushed voice took his focus off that damn mirror, but he couldn't find it in him to alter his expression for her benefit. He was troubled, and sad, and he looked it. And she knew it; he could see it in her empathetic face. But it wasn't her problem.

"It is nothing."

He was no longer feeling playful, or amorous, so he pulled himself away from her to sit back on the furs. Kagome immediately pushed herself up, and followed him onto her knees. She crawled close, and rested between his outstretched legs as he leaned back on his hands.

"No, I mean, I've been having fun with you," she clarified, and his passionless expression returned. Guilt, and worry rolled off her in waves thick enough to choke him, and he couldn't decipher why.

"Why apologize for that?" he wondered dismissively, and returned the lipstick to her possession. She quickly took it and put the cap back on before throwing it carelessly onto the floor. Then, she dove into him, throwing her arms around his middle as she hugged her ear to his chest. In response, he sat up more stably so he could wrap her in his hold as well.

"I've only been thinking how much I like you like this," she admitted shamefully. "How much I like being with you as a human." She paused a moment while she considered whether she should continue. "I even thought that I hoped you would never change back." She felt him stiffen in her arms, and squeezed him tighter. "But you must be dying to return to your old self. I've been so selfish."

She tried to keep the quiver from her voice as she felt her eyes begin to prick with tears, but he likely noticed. Sensing her distress, he stroked her gently across the back to reassure her.

"It is not your fault I am human, Kagome."

The quiet declaration made her go rigid, and from within her whole body screamed in frustration and fear at the terrible secret she still kept from him. Keeping it locked away inside her was weighing her down more every day, and the one person who she could talk to about it was the one person who must never know. Not after all this time, and all they'd shared. She was way past the event horizon on this one. Living with her deception was just going to have to be her burden from now on.

When she seized up, Sesshoumaru misinterpreted her reaction, and drew her closer.

"I will find a way to change back, I am certain of it."

Gods, she hoped so. But then, she also didn't. She was so ashamed of her selfish desires, but no matter how she tried to ignore them, she could no longer deny them. She wanted him to stay with them. With her. And as much as she wanted to help him return to his life, she dreaded the day when he finally didn't need them anymore.

Even if he couldn't be with her, would he write her off all together? Shut her out of his life, so as not to remind himself of the embarrassment he'd suffered during his distasteful stint as a human?

He could feel her jaw moving against stomach as he watched her cling to him.

"When you change back, what will happen to us? Will you just go back to the West?"

"I must return to my duties," he reminded her gently. Not like she'd forgotten. He was still rubbing soothing patterns on her back when she finally pulled away from him. He allowed her up, but didn't release her.

"Will you forget about me?"

She looked him dead in the eye, her own wide with fear of his answer, and preemptively resentful of what it might be. He didn't like to see her this way, but her response pleased him. He was flattered, and relieved that it mattered so much to her. That he mattered.

With a gentle smile, he lifted his hand to softly cradle her cheek, and used his thumb to remove the lone tear that had managed to escape down it. She leaned into his touch.

"I do not see how that is possible."

She reached up to rest her hand on top of his. He grabbed it, and lowered them down to rest between them – still together.

"Will you let me visit you sometimes?"

Something flashed in his eyes, and for a brief moment she thought he would refuse her. And when he hugged her to him even tighter than before, and rested his cheek upon her crown, her fears doubled.

"If you wish to."

She was mollified with his answer – at the moment, she figured it was the best she would do. But when she considered his statement a bit longer, she finally read between the lines.

With Sesshoumaru, you had to listen to what he wasn't saying. When he says 'if you wish to,' what he really means is 'you will not.'

But rather than argue, she was willing to take what she could get on that front. Looking to push her success a bit further, she ventured to wrest another promise from him.

"Will you visit me?"

In the silence that ensued, she worried he might not answer at all.

"If I am welcome."

'I am not.'

This time, she couldn't hold her tongue.

"Of course you are."

An amused snort disturbed the hair at the top of her head.

"Perhaps you should consult your alpha before extending any invitations to This One."

"What do you mean? Inuyasha's totally fine with you now." She pulled herself away from him again, and this time he let her go. "But even if he wasn't, he's not the boss of me. I can see anyone I wish to."

The way she lifted her chin with disobedient petulance made him smile, he couldn't help it. "He's just going to have to deal with it. Besides, it never stopped you before."

"And how did that work out?" he prompted, trying to jump-start her memory of a time not incredibly long ago. It seemed she'd already forgotten.

"Things change."

Him most of all. But before he could remind her of all the reasons she should hate him, a knock at the door drew their attention to the entrance.

"Are you guys descent?"

Inuyasha's voice was clear from the other side, and Kagome rolled her eyes while they both answered that they were. Hearing that, the hanyou let himself inside.

"Hey Kagome! Everyone's getting hungry, so I'm gonna..."

Her friend's bemusement was momentarily confusing, until she remembered that they had lipstick smeared all over them like a couple of psychos.

"What the fuck is all over your faces?" he asked, then, thought better of it. "Do I even want to know?

"Probably not," Kagome answered honestly. Suddenly, he looked more annoyed than bewildered, and she couldn't hear exactly what he was muttering as he turned right around and made for the stairs.

She turned back to Sesshoumaru with a smile to see him already smiling at her. Satisfied to end on a good note, she made her way off the bed, and he followed.

"Come on, let's get cleaned up and see if they need any help. We can go over the new plan after dinner."

---

Having awoken before dawn the previous day as well, it didn't take long after dinner settled in their stomachs for sleep to claim the traveling search party. Toran had returned at dawn as promised, and after a brief run-down, handed Sesshoumaru the map she'd drawn for them.

She'd take them as far as she could go, and the rest would be up to them. But after dropping them off at the village, she would be making whatever moves she could to help them on her end. Mostly, that amounted to issuing orders to soldiers and contacting a few relevant allies. She would do what Sesshoumaru couldn't without outing himself completely.

Packed and ready to go, the group had all gathered into the courtyard and prepared to depart. The only thing left was determine the travel arrangements.

Due to her recent injury, Kirara was still in recovery mode. After flying three humans and their belongings on a day-long trip to the compound, the strength she needed to heal had been severely depleted. She could still escort them safely, but it had been decided that to lighten her load and ease her burden, somebody would have to travel with Toran

"Sesshoumaru can ride with me," she suggested immediately. "Inuyasha can carry his woman, and the others ride on the cat."

Toran couldn't fly like Sesshoumaru had been able to, but her ability to manipulate the elements was just as useful. Freezing water beneath her feet allowed her walk on top of it, and the water in the air was just as easy for her to control. She could create a bridge of ice through the sky that materialized the moment she touched it, and fell away the moment she left. She could also manufacture wind to blow at her back hard enough to make her glide across the slippery surface at incredible speeds, so to any human looking up from below, it actually appeared like she was flying.

Kagome definitely didn't like her idea for several reasons, but apparently, neither did Sesshoumaru.

"The miko will not ride alone with the lecher," he decreed with a cold glare at the monk. "Inuyasha will carry her."

The hanyou's scoff begged to differ.

"Feh, Sango ain't riding with that perv either."

A guilty, nervous grin was plastered on Miroku's face as his friends' totally justified opinion of him, and Sesshoumaru looked from that, over to each of the members of his party thoughtfully.

Resigned, he came up with the most acceptable solution available to him.

"Very well. The miko will travel with Toran." Kagome's eyes expanded at the notion, and she snapped her distressed gaze over to him. It became even more desperate when she recognized the determined set to his jaw. "I shall ride with the monk."

"It is not ideal, my lord," Miroku bemoaned in obvious disappointment, and Kagome was grateful for his opposition. But Sesshoumaru's response was less than sympathetic.

"Nor are your unfortunate hands," he informed him, and then glared. "Try it with me, and see what occurs." The monk hung his head at the prospect of an all-male seating arrangement, but had no course to refuse.

"Is Kagome gonna be safe with her?" Inuyasha asked, but Toran didn't seem concerned with his wariness.

Sesshoumaru didn't look over at her, nor did he pay any heed to her eavesdropping.

"Toran in insufferable, but she will not harm the miko." Inuyasha seemed satisfied with his brother's response, and took him at his word. He knew he didn't take any chances when it came to Kagome's safety.

Sesshoumaru turned from him over to Kagome, who was anxiously adjusting her over-stuffed backpack on her shoulders. "Does such an arrangement sound acceptable?"

Miroku was right. It wasn't ideal. But she was willing to suck it up, and do what she had to do. Honestly, she would prefer Miroku's groping, but if the monk found out, her ass was never going to get a break after that. She looked up to him confidently.

"If you say I am safe, then I trust you, Sesshoumaru."

Toran smirked at the display, taking detailed mental notes on how the two interacted with each other and adding it to her growing pile of evidence. For the most part, her old friend could imitate his former self pretty accurately. When he spoke to the miko, however, was when the change was undeniable.

With that settled, Sesshoumaru wordlessly relieved her of her cargo, and strapped the backpack gracefully over his own shoulders. Going back out onto the road meant getting back into his disguise, so the hoodie sweatshirt Kagome had been lending him in addition made him look more like a modern-day student than ever. She smiled in thanks, and everyone got ready to leave.

The Western Lord got settled in behind Miroku on Kirara, while Sango took her spot on Inuyasha's back. Nervously, Kagome approached the panther demon, and prepared to surrender her will in lieu of a more efficient journey, and was instantly gathered to the youkai's side. With a startled shriek, she felt the water harden beneath her feet, and the wind at her back pushed Kagome heavenward at a very steep incline.

As Sesshoumaru turned around to watch the two females ascend the sky on a road made of ice, he wondered if he'd made a grave error.

It was scary at first – being so high up. But the most nerve-wracking part was looking down at her feet to see nothing but the earth far down below... so she stopped doing that. The panther seemed more amused than annoyed when Kagome clutched onto her side for dear life, but as the minutes rolled on, she became more comfortable with the sensation of being constantly airborne, and was able to relax a little. She still held onto the demon's hand, however, and if she minded terribly, she didn't show it.

Not a word had been spoken, and they still had a ways to go before they got to the village. The two of them were in the lead, as it was Toran's route they were following to get there. Kirara was a short distance behind, and when she looked down, Kagome could barely make out the red of Inuyasha's clothing as he raced across the terrain and easily kept their pace while he followed.

She felt guilty for not engaging Toran in conversation so far, despite having many, many questions for her. At her continued silence, she suspected that perhaps the female preferred not to talk.

'Maybe that's something they have in common,' she thought bitterly, then chided herself for her sour attitude.

But every time she looked over at the panther demon, a small, pleasant smile rested contentedly upon her features that made the intimidating youkai appear more approachable.

'This is stupid. Just talk to her! She'd probably perfectly nice.'

She already knew which topic she wanted to breach, but thought good and hard about the most appropriate way to do it. Finally, she decided.

"So, you and Sesshoumaru used to date?" She tried to ask casually, but faltered the second appraising demon eyes slid her way. Then, they were back out ahead of them.

"If humans take 'dating' to mean that we occasionally slept together, then yes."

Her bored, blunt response made Kagome tense involuntarily, and the panther's lip ticked upward at the girl's reaction.

"It was long ago," she assured her. "Long before his father died. The bulk of it anyway."

Kagome accepted the information, and seeing how she didn't appear to be offended by the question, she ventured another.

"How did you meet?"

Her attention jumped back and forth between the empty pathway ahead and miko at her side.

"My father is Lord of the North," she finally confessed after brief consideration. "He and no Taisho were allies." She supposed she shouldn't be that surprised. It would explain why she knew the area so well, and why Sesshoumaru seemed to think she was so crucial to their success here.

Toran saw the young woman absorbing the information with mild fascination, and decided to elaborate for her education.

"It was even decreed that Sesshoumaru and I would mate at one point." That definitely seemed to surprise her, and she knew she had the miko's full attention. But rather than letting her squirm, she generously resolved to put her at ease. "But those ambitions died with his father. Now that he is lord, Sesshoumaru may choose for himself."

Well, that was good. For him, anyway. Kagome couldn't imagine being forced to marry someone she didn't love. But she didn't know how to respond, because she really didn't know how the panther felt about it. She certainly didn't seem too broken up.

While she tried to think of a safe reply, Toran interrupted with a question of her own.

"So, how is he as a human? Still orally fixated?"

Toran smirked as her question registered, and was pleased that the young woman was at least able to trudge through her embarrassment far enough to become indignant. Human modesty always fascinated her.

"I'm sure I don't know!" But as she vehemently refuted her, she adjusted her scarf to ensure her mark was still covered.

"Oh, you should consider it." Her smirk grew suggestively. "All that ice melts away in the throes of passion, I assure you."

Kagome tried not to look too shaken by the statement, but the unanticipated advice definitely threw her. She didn't know what she'd been expecting the panther to say to her, but encouraging her to hook up with her ex was definitely not a contender.

But after the last week or so, she wasn't even sure it was an option anyway.

"It's not like that between us," she insisted with just a hint of bitterness. Now it was Toran's turn to look confused, and she turned to her.

"Why not?"

That's what Kagome would like to know. They'd had some close calls. Even last night felt like it might be finally going that way, until he pulled back again. Granted, that one was kind of her fault, but still. She couldn't help but think that if he wanted to be with her like that, he would have by now. He certainly could have.

"We're friends."

An amused snort immediately dismissed that notion.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't have friends."

"He has you," Kagome countered, and the panther shot her another look.

"Yes," she agreed patronizingly. "And he has been inside me."

Kagome frowned. That was not something she wanted to think about, and neither was her own relationship status with the former daiyoukai. She decided that the best course at this point was a change of topic.

"Did you know Inuyasha's mother?" That was a question she would never dare ask Sesshoumaru. Toran raised a brow and spared her another brief glance.

"The hime? I never had the pleasure. Didn't even know about her until after he died."

"Really?"

She wondered if Sesshoumaru knew, and how he learned about it.

"There were rumors, sure, but I thought they were just that." Her gaze turned wistful as she stared off ahead. "We all did."

"He never brought her around?" Kagome scrunched her brow. "Why not?"

"Because he was smart." She replied instantly, finally turning her head to meet the young woman's eyes. "Bringing his human mistress into the West would have been devastating."

Kagome recoiled at her confident estimation before responding.

"Would it really have been so bad?"

"Yes," she immediately replied again, as if it wasn't up for dispute. Seeing the miko's disheartened reaction, she softened a bit. "Don't get me wrong, I have no moral objection to it. But politically, it would have been a nightmare for him."

Sesshoumaru had mentioned something about the trouble such a thing would bring, but Kagome assumed it had more to do with the personal opinions of a few individuals. She hadn't really considered how it could possibly affect anyone beyond that.

"It would?"

Toran nodded.

"Not just for him. The entire Western realm would have been in danger."

"Over one human woman?" Kagome asked skeptically, if not outright dismissive. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I find that hard to believe."

The panther took a moment to assess the strange young woman her trusted ally had become so taken with. Granted, she hadn't much experience in the company of humans, but they seemed to operate with at least a basic understanding of the youkai world and how it worked, as well as their place in it.

This girl appeared to be completely ignorant of such matters. Accompanied by her odd manner of dress and speech, she gathered this girl must not be from here. But where, she could not discern.

She graciously decided to enlighten the young woman.

"Like it or not, demons view attachment to humans as a weakness. Had his enemies known, there would have been challenger after challenger vying for his title." She noticed how the girl's concern seemed to grow as she continued her explanation, so she felt it was important to give her as much detail as possible. "And not just enemies. His own allies, advisors and subjects would have sought to overthrow him."

"Why?" Kagome immediately demanded, slightly horrified at the notion. Toran shrugged.

"To ensure he wasn't as weak as he appeared," she replied simply. "To rid themselves of the shame of having a human woman for a lady."

Kagome frowned, disgusted by the response. Hating being hated. Resentful of youkai reaction to her kind, and how she knew most of her kind returned the sentiment.

Toran was aware of her inner turmoil, yet continued.

"His entire army would constantly be tested. Demon subjects would not want to bow to a human."

"What if she didn't make them bow?" she demanded. Angry. Hopeful. Frustrated.

Toran couldn't help but smile at the woman's innocence, and resulting ignorance.

"Even worse. They want a strong leader they can live up to. Sesshou- I mean, no Taisho," she corrected, and Kagome pretended not to notice, "is of one of the last pure inu bloodlines. To delude it is considered sacrilege. Taking that hime was a slap in the face to all who have supported him over the years."

"It's so stupid." She was finally unable to contain her frustration, and Toran listened on patiently. "It shouldn't matter what race someone is. If they really loved him, they would want him to be happy."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, miko," the cat supplied, and Kagome couldn't say that didn't shock her. "But it was not just for love of his lands he kept her hidden. To bring her would have put her in peril as well." The miko's tempered cooled just a bit as she focused on the panther's words. Toran continued to look into the distance as she recited her spiel.

"With everyone after his head, she would have been an easy mark to hurt him. Instead of battling him, all they would need to do would be to harm her, or their son, and he would easily be destroyed." A whole new round of sadness flooded Kagome's system as she thought of Inuyasha being harmed. He'd been dealing with people's hatred of him even before he was born. She wondered if he could sense it in his mother's womb, wondered if his demon sense could tell him even then that he was an outcast.

"If she were taken hostage, they could have demand anything they wanted."

Something hard, and spiteful passed over the panther's face then, but left the second Kagome could recognize it.

"In fact, I believe that was why he died. Were it not for Tenseiga, all three of them would have burned up in that fire."

The fire!

Sesshoumaru had told her about that, but not the circumstances surrounding it. Was that how he died? Saving his human mistress?

No wonder he felt so bitter about it. His distaste of mixing the races finally made a lot more sense.

"Any bitches who wanted her place would be right to challenge her as well," Toran continued. "He would have been looking over his shoulder for the rest of her short life."

When she looked down at the miko once again, Toran could see the conflict roaring in her mind as she tried to understand the troubling truths she yearned to change, and the increasingly dejected countenance as she realized she could not.

"No, he loved his lands, his people, and her too much to ever bring her to the West. It would have been foolish and reckless and detrimental."

That was the moral of that story, Kagome was sure. And though she wasn't pleased to hear it, her anger was not for Toran, but for the whole intolerant society she came from. She still lived in.

"I see," she replied simply. Toran could practically taste her disdain.

But that wasn't her intention. She wasn't trying to upset the poor girl, just make her aware of the seriousness of her predicament.

"Don't fret miko," she said, adopting a lighter tone. "From what I heard, the hime had a great life. He set her up in a beautiful palace in a human village." Attempting to assuage, she flashed the girl a pleasant grin. "She wanted for nothing, and she got pleasured by him whenever she requested it. What a life!" Kagome rolled her eyes. As if that was the important thing.

Toran could tell she was losing her, so she hurried the miko to her point.

"She loved him enough to take what he was able to give her. He even gave her the son she longed for. She was a good woman."

But it wasn't enough for Kagome. All she could think of what that hime was denied. Even when they tried to keep the peace, ignorance and intolerance still made them suffer. What was the point in even trying to play by their rules?

"But then she lost her love due to that bigotry anyway."

"Exactly," Toran agreed. But Kagome got the feeling she was missing her point.

"So, some might say it didn't matter if he hid her, they still got torn apart regardless."

The panther pinned her with an intelligent glare.

"Others might say that is why he should have not touched her in the first place." The miko scowled, not willing to condone that opinion, but she couldn't formulate a suitable response. "He was a goner either way, but his decision saved her life. And Inuyasha's."

Talk of her friend once again had her thinking of how hard it must have been for him. Not to mention his parents. The whole thing just made her terribly sad.

"What a terrible choice."

"But an easy one," the panther insisted. "Had anything happened to her, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself. He wouldn't have wanted to."

And Tenseiga was forged to stave off that inevitability as long as possible. Sesshoumaru's father went to every extreme available to him to protect a human woman, but Kagome couldn't imagine what it would be like to live knowing the man she loved gave his life in doing so. Knowing she was only here because he wasn't, and that if she wasn't, he still might be. She'd feel terrible.

And all because of a few cowards who are so scared of something they don't understand. It was so unfair.

"You don't always get what you want, just because you deserve it," Toran imparted further, sensing the young woman's resentment. "It's just not how the world works. You have to accept reality for what it is, and take what you can scrape out of it. Live in the moment."

Gods, she was getting really tired of people cramming that advice down her throat. But the panther youkai felt inclined to reveal a few of life's secrets to the miko who seemed to be overflowing in abundance with naiveté. She would give her the benefit of her centuries, and in her opinion, this woman was too old to be living in such an idealistic world. It would do her no favors.

"Especially you mortals, who have so few to spare. If I was human, I would take what I could get, and just enjoy the ride."

Kagome glowered, face darkening with contempt. "Until you become human, you can't possibly know that."

"Who knows," Toran continued on as if she hadn't heard her. "maybe you'll be lucky and come back as something more long-lived next time around."

Her condescending cadence was starting to get on Kagome's nerves. Why did every demon think they were so much better than her? Think they knew better? With their long lives, there was something to be said of age and experience, but when it came to love and emotions most of them appeared to be totally clueless. That was where they could stand to learn a thing or two from their mortal counterparts. If only they could work together, and help each other with their deficiencies instead of always fighting and killing over them.

"Sesshoumaru is special." Toran could tell Kagome was still struggling with what she was attempting to get across to her. If she wanted to get the miko all boned up on the plight and ramifications of interspecies relations, she was going to have to be more direct.

"He was always destined for great things, anybody who has spent 5 minutes with him can plainly see it; I'm sure you can too." She could. It was impossible to miss. But she didn't see what the point of bringing that up was. Regardless, she allowed Toran to say her piece.

"That is why we are so protective over him and what he does. We all want what is best for him, because he is going to be the one to lead us to greatness." She smiled proudly, chin high, and spoke with confidence. "I always knew that if we follow him, he will show us the way."

Kagome was a little surprised at the depth of regard his people seemed to have for him, but she supposed she shouldn't have been. She knew how Sesshoumaru was, powerful and sure-handed. But she didn't realize how much stock and faith his fellow demons seemed to put into him. Didn't know he did what he did for anyone other than himself.

She didn't know exactly what it is he was supposed to do for them, or lead them to. What greatness exactly meant to this demon. Having seen how the majority of youkai operate, she surmised it had something to do with power and prevalence.

But it sounded like the expectations placed upon him was more for their own good than his. They wanted him a certain way so they could live and thrive, but what about him? What cost would he pay?

"If you really cared for him," Kagome opined, "you would let him follow his heart without judging him or shunning him."

She chanced a look behind her, and caught a glimpse of the man in question. Not too far behind, he was watching her too, from behind the monk on top of Kirara.

"Sesshoumaru is very important; not just to me, but yes, to me specifically." She turned back around to find the panther demon staring right at her, giving her full attention to demand it returned. She seemed to think this was important for her to hear. "I've known him my whole life. I would kill for that demon, and have many times. I know him well, that's how I know the influence you now hold."

Kagome scoffed, and prepared to tell her that nobody had influence over the former dog demon, but was cut off by the intense female. Her insistent eyes relayed the weight, and significance of her words.

"He's in your hands right now, miko," she informed her gravely. "I'm relying on you to take care of him for me. You need to do whatever you can to keep him safe." Her plea was easily detected in her orders, and Toran attempted to appeal to her compassion to help appreciate the gravity. "The hopes and welfare of millions ride on his shoulders. This is bigger than just you or even him. If he falls, we all fall."

It was right there, on the tip of the cat's tongue, but she stopped short of spoon feeding the bitter reality to her. But Kagome didn't need her to. Just like Sesshoumaru, she had to listen to what was not being said. She wasn't asking her to protect him from physical harm, or human ailments of which he was now susceptible. Mortal hazards were not what she was referring to.

"Do the right thing," she commanded sternly. "If you look in your heart, I think you will know what that is."

The clever cat was not a fool. And she had known Sesshoumaru forever; she likely noticed the changes he had undergone in his time with them. Judging by her first question to her, she probably also noticed how close they'd become.

Who Toran wanted her to protect him from was her. To not lead him down the road that led to his father's demise. She probably looked at her and saw the hime who took away their great ruler, and threw everything into disarray. She saw her as the threat all of them would see her as.

What he did when he was human was inconsequential, but once he returned to them, it had to be alone. She was making sure the miko threat didn't chip away at his judgement, and persuade his weak human heart otherwise.

"I will help all I am able," the youkai assured her, "but I can't be there for him like you can. He is your responsibility. Protect him for me until he changes back."

"What if he doesn't?" Kagome challenged. It was the outcome nobody was supposed to entertain, but gnawed at her heart constantly. It was her biggest fear and greatest hope all rolled up into one dense, painful burden. She couldn't talk about it, but she couldn't ignore it either.

Toran finally released her from her heavy gaze to look out on the path ahead of them. Into nothing.

"Then kami help us."

She watched the demoness stare out ahead, stoic and passionless, but with obvious turbulence wreaking havoc within. Resentful of the expectations put on her, as well as Sesshoumaru, Kagome no longer feared offending her with her questions.

"Are you in love with him?" she demanded, and only earned the briefest glances.

"I'm not sure I know what love is." Kagome's scoff startled the female. Who was she kidding?

Maybe demons didn't know what love was, but that didn't mean they didn't feel it. Perhaps they were just bad at identifying it. Because, call it what you want, but her devotion to Sesshoumaru - her concern - seemed a whole lot more involved than simply wanting her race to thrive.

But, like Sesshoumaru, she seemed determined to deny it at all costs. As if it was some terrible, detrimental scourge.

"Demons don't bother with such things. He's strong and powerful and good in bed. That is all I require."

She was trying to distract her from her point, just like Sesshoumaru would do. But she wouldn't let Toran rattle her. Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"Then why didn't it work out between you? Why did you break up?"

For the first time, the miko could identify a hint of displeasure at her demanding question, and she waited expectantly while the panther demon continued to look thoughtfully ahead. It looked like she was trying to decide upon an answer.

"Life is too short," was what she finally went with.

"Not for you."

'Live in the moment' was her advice to a human, but demons were not afforded that luxury. Their lives were painfully long, and any decisions they made would affect them for many, many years. Any mistakes or regrets made would be something they lived with for centuries. So, she figured, a demon would have to make their choices very carefully, and with great consideration.

She thought human lives were disposable, because they were over in a blink of their own. But just because it was short, it didn't mean it didn't matter. And just because love could be painful, it didn't mean it was better to avoid it, or pretend it didn't exist.

"I think he wants someone to love him, but he doesn't think anyone can. He doesn't think he is allowed to." Hearing Toran talk just like Sesshoumaru, repeating the same ideas on love verbatim, reminded her of a cult. Someone told them these things. Those were views they were raised to believe as true. And with how their society seemed to look down upon emotional attachments, it was likely quite easy to reinforce the ridiculous notion. In telling them it was a weakness that only fools subscribed to, demons like Sesshoumaru and Toran were taught to put their race first – value good breeding and advantageous alliances – to help them thrive.

But no matter how hard Sesshoumaru tries to be the demon everyone wants him to be, he cannot deny it forever. It's in his blood. His father followed the call of his heart, and his brother did too.

Sesshoumaru, however, was strong enough and stubborn enough to ignore his heart forever, if that was what was required of him. But with a little encouragement, Kagome was sure that she could get him to see it.

"I'm gonna love him so hard, he won't be able to deny it." That was her vow, and Toran was slightly taken aback by the bashful young woman's sudden resolve.

"Maybe you should start by opening your legs, priestess," she quipped, through humorless lips. "That's what he needs right now. I've never seen him so pent up." If she was trying to throw her off her game again, Kagome wasn't having it. If anything, she was simply annoyed with her flippant commentary on their personal business. "If you love him so much, for kami sake, take care of the poor man. He is so obviously frustrated; I've never seen him in such a state." When she fixed her with a pointed look, she could see the miko was growing irritated. "But then again, with me, he'd never get the chance."

"Yeah, you want him so bad, why don't you do it?" she spat back resentfully, but Toran smiled at her.

"I offered to. He declined."

The cat had managed to stun her with that one, and suddenly, she felt defensive.

"Then maybe he doesn't need it that bad," she reasoned, losing some of her confidence as Toran's seemed to bolster.

"Maybe he'd rather be with you," she countered, and made Kagome blush under her heavy scrutiny. "I can't see why. What makes you so different from anyone else?"

She began appraising the miko like she would find the answer written on her skin. Kagome couldn't help but fidget under the shameless perusal.

"I don't know," she admitted honestly. "Why don't you ask him that?"

"Why don't you?" With a taunting smile, she returned her gaze to wild, discomfited blue eyes. "Then again, he always has enjoyed a challenge."

"Then I can see why you didn't last."

Toran's smile grew friendlier at the quick retort, and she now seemed genuinely amused. If she didn't know any better, Kagome would swear she saw approval dancing in her eyes as well.

"Never mind. I see it now," she said with a grin. "Fiery and petulant is just his type." Kagome wanted to be irritated with her assessment, but she could feel her cheeks heating in embarrassment. She averted her eyes. "He hates getting everything he wants," she declared further. "Simpering, obedient little bitches can be bought for a song. But he likes to prove himself. He likes to earn what he has." She raised a brow at her. "Has he earned you?"

Kagome wasn't quite certain what she meant by that, but she was afraid to ask.

"If you appreciate his efforts, you should show him," she clarified. "A good male deserves his due."

Oh. Now she understood, and dismissed the notion completely. She didn't owe that to anybody, no matter how wonderful they were to her...

"Believe me; once he's conquered you, you will wonder how you ever got on without it. And you'll miss it when it's gone."

Despite her annoyance with the panther's counsel, she couldn't help but voice another of her buried fears.

"That's what I'm worried about," she admitted softly. Toran, with knowing eyes, seemed at least to understand. She returned her gaze forward as her lesson continued.

"There is not a female in these lands past her first bleed who hasn't had the Western Lord star in her in her wet dreams at least once," she imparted, and Kagome couldn't help but snort. She was becoming aware of how true that probably was. "They would all kill to be in your strange little kimono right now. You're never going to get a finer specimen to crawl beneath that human body of yours, so you'd do well to strike while the iron is hot."

Kagome said nothing. She disagreed on principle, but she couldn't deny that the same thoughts had made their way through her sexually frustrated teenage brain more than once. More than twice.

"Why deny yourself the pleasure?" Toran demanded. "Why deny him? Who do you think you are, cruel miko?"

Pleased to see her apparently considering her words, Toran mercifully let her be after that. It was a quiet trip the rest of the way to the village as both females gave some thought to what had been discussed. There certainly was a lot to mull over.

As they finally arrived and began their descent back down to earth, Toran leaned in, and spoke lowly just in case Inuyasha's hearing had gotten any better since she'd seen him last.

"I hope to see you again miko, when all of this is over." Kagome was actually kind of surprised to hear her say that. She couldn't tell if this demon liked her or not. "Hopefully you have slept together by then; we can compare notes."

She at least didn't seem to mind her close relationship to Sesshoumaru. She was far more... encouraging than Kagome had expected. At least she didn't hate her for it.

"Think about what I have said." That was pretty much a given, like it or not.

Right before they touched down with the other's not far behind, she offered the miko one more piece of advice.

"I don't know about now," she began conspiratorially, leaning in even closer, "but when he was youkai, his ears were incredibly sensitive..."

---

They touched down in the middle of what appeared to be a ghost town. But a well-manufactured ghost town, at least. The roads were clean and orderly; the greenery well-maintained. Before they landed, Kagome had spotted a serene looking lake not too far off, and the woods nearby appeared to have the beauty and charm of a national forest, as opposed to a horror movie. It looked like somewhere an upper middle-class family would take their summer vacation in her era.

What she assumed were living spaces were set up equal distances away, lining the long main dirt road through town, and though not too much bigger than their huts back home, they were quite a bit nicer. She couldn't even call these huts, and 'tiny house' didn't do them justice either.

Down the road a bit on the other side was a much larger building that – from the outside - resembled some kind of lodge or an activity center. She couldn't say what it was used for, but it seemed like a place people might congregate. Whatever it was, it looked to be where Toran was going, as she'd cast a couple glances in that direction before issuing her orders to the rest of them.

"Wait here," she demanded, while they dismounted and reassembled after their journey. "I'll go get everything squared away with the village elder. He will set you up from there."

So apparently this town wasn't completely deserted.

A few nods of acquiescence sent Toran on her way down the road, and Sesshoumaru instantly made his way over to return Kagome's backpack into her possession. He took the opportunity to do a quick inventory of the miko's person, assuring himself she was in as good condition as he'd left her in. Physically, she appeared unharmed, but the young woman definitely looked somewhat shaken, and he was skeptical of it being purely on account of the flight.

"Are you alright?" he asked, studying her face for any signs of foul play. "Did she do anything?"

He knew Toran could be a lot if you didn't know her. And even if you did. When he saw the two conversing during the flight, he immediately worried he'd made a mistake in insisting the females travel together. The panther demon liked to rile, and the miko riled easily. He just hoped the demoness hadn't done anything to make her upset, at him most of all. He frowned.

"What did she say to you?"

His gentle concern drew Kagome's eyes up to his, and she smiled weakly.

"Nothing." His frown deepened, but said nothing in response.

Now Kagome was appraising him. Toran's assessment was still ringing in her ears, and she let her eyes rake over the former demon suspiciously.

"What about you?" she asked. "Do you feel alright?" She hadn't noticed anything particularly different about him today, but his old friend seemed to detect a change that maybe the miko wasn't sensitive to. "You're not feeling... tense, or anything, are you?"

He gave her a questioning look at the odd inquiry, which became even more curious as a faint blush crept its way into her cheeks. But he had been dealing with discomfort during their journey, and he felt slightly ashamed at letting it show through enough for the young woman to notice. She was getting more astute, at least where he was concerned. It was troubling, and nice in a strange sort of way.

"I may have overextended myself digging that well," he admitted, and adjusted his right shoulder awkwardly. "Without the adrenaline of an impending battle, my human body has finally deemed fit to tell me of its weakness. As if I needed a reminder."

He hadn't wanted to trouble her, or make her feel responsible for his pain. He was getting the hang of his body and its limitations, but was still learning through trial and error just how far he could push himself in certain regards before paying for it in the days to come.

Kagome watched him shift with a slight grimace.

"Is it your shoulder again?" she asked sympathetically. She remembered how damaged his sore muscle had felt beneath her fingers when she'd discovered it by the river. She'd scolded him for not saying anything, and demanded he alert her of such things in the future. She was pleased he was telling her now, but worried he still may have been living with it for a few days in secret. Maybe that was what Toran had noticed? At any rate, she needed to keep a better eye on him if she was going to sniff out all of his well concealed discomforts.

"I believe I aggravated my previous injury. I apologize for nulling your efforts."

She knew it was hard for him to admit to being in pain, and she smiled gratefully that he shared it with her instead of trying to hide it this time. Such honesty, she decided, should be rewarded.

"Well how about this," she began, and piqued his interest with her tone. "Later, after we get all checked in here, I can work on you again. How does that sound?"

The faint blush returned to her cheeks, lending her proposal a suggestive air. He began to heat as well as he recalled the last time she'd tended to his broken body in such a way. Her hands on him were amazing that night, and like nothing he'd ever experienced. The pleasurable pain of her repairing him was enough on its own to tempt him, but what it led to after was almost enough to make him hurt himself on purpose, just for the attention he'd receive.

A small, knowing smile was her answer, and she blushed a little harder.

Toran returned with an older man who looked to be about in his 50's. This was a surprise to them, since she had told them they would be staying in a demon village. But his friendly smile made them feel welcome, and his non-threatening air put them all at ease.

"Alright, everything's been taken care of," Toran told them, and gestured to the man at her side. "Daichi here will take you all to get settled in. If you need anything, talk to him and I trust he will be able to help you." Nods of understanding were issued, and simple greetings bid. Daichi remained silent, and seemed comfortable letting the panther youkai speak on his behalf. "You are welcome to stay as long as you wish, but knowing Sesshoumaru, he will want to get out of the North as swiftly as possible."

"Correct," he confirmed. "We shall inspect your map tonight and discuss our route. In the morning, we depart for the stronghold."

Everyone seemed to be on board with that decision, and when no further concerns were addressed, Toran was prepared to depart.

"Well, it's been a pleasure," she announced, looking around to each of them. "but I suddenly have several pressing matters to see to. I wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances, but perhaps next time we will have the opportunity to get to know each other better."

The until now quiet monk took the opportunity to step forward, and irked the panther demon by reaching out audaciously and taking her hand in his.

"I look forward to getting to know as much of you as possible." She didn't resist when he lifted her hand to his lips, and held her somewhat baffled gaze as he did so. "It will be an even greater pleasure, I am sure."

As soon as lips met skin, she ripped her hand away, almost amused as she was incredulous.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew, human," she commanded, but the chronically rebuffed monk was not offended by her refusal. "Even if you had the first idea what to do with me, you would scarcely be able to handle it."

But he was hardly deterred, and his lips curled upward in a mischievous smile.

"I eagerly await the chance to find out. Surely you wouldn't pass up the chance to bear such a charming, beautiful child."

He'd never had the pleasure of laying with a demon, but something about this one had him boldly wishing to expand his horizons. Not quite sure what to make of the strange man and his ridiculous advances, Toran eyed him disapprovingly. She could kill him in an instant. Surely, this man had something wrong with him.

"Sesshoumaru, I need your ear before I go." She gestured for him to lead them off away from the group. Before falling into step behind him, she made eye contact with her travel buddy, and gave her own ear a light tug. Kagome flushed as she remembered the last piece of advice the panther had given her, and averted her eyes.

"I will call on you soon, monk."

Miroku's eyes lit up, and he called after the retreating youkai hopefully.

"Really?"

She was smirking when she turned over her shoulder to yell back. "No."

Inuyasha laughed cruelly at his friend's dejected appearance, and Sango tried to stifle her own amusement as she led him to follow Daichi back to the large building he emerged from.

The hanyou began to join them, but the sight of Kagome staring off after the other two caused him to approach her instead.

Sesshoumaru stood with Toran a few yards away as they engaged in what appeared to be a spirited conversation. His arms were crossed in front of him in a somewhat defensive pose, while she was slightly more animated, not that it took much.

Kagome watched the show a moment, oblivious to her friends' departure, or the hanyou creeping up behind her.

"You wanna know what they are saying?" he asked with a smirk as he leaned in closer.

Just then, Toran put her hands on her hips in what looked like amusement, or perhaps mockery, while Sesshoumaru responded while issuing his usual glare.

She turned back to smile at Inuyasha as she adjusted her pack on her shoulders more comfortably.

"No. I trust him." He smiled back as she brushed passed. "Come on, let's go get settled."

---

A/N: I just wanna say how much I appreciate every one of you! I know these chapters are getting long, and I really appreciate all the hours of your time you have given to this story. I really hope I am making it worth it for you, because you are definitely making it worth it for me. You guys have written some of the most incredible stuff in my comments, so if you are one of the awesome people who has taken the time to review, I wanna give a special shout out, and let you know how much your reactions mean to me 3

I'm convinced I have the best readers out there, and if you're inspired, I would love to hear some more of your thoughts and feelings! Thanks for reading.

P.S. This chapter had to get cut in half, lol. I think you're gonna like the next chapter XD