Make You Well

Chapter 4

Possession & a Capybara

'Thoughts'

Flashbacks

"Speaking"

"Speaking English" / "Speaking Japanese" / "Hablando Español"

Original Publish Date: 2/26/2018

He couldn't sleep.

Sesshomaru stared at the smooth, white ceiling above him in the dark. The only sounds were Rin's steady, soft breathing, and the occasional muffled rumbling of a car engine passing on the street below. He lowered his gaze to his side; the woman had originally passed out on the opposite side the moment her body hit the mattress, but as the night when on, she rolled restlessly in her sleep until he pulled her beside him like the night before and she finally settled in.

That was hours ago, and unlike the night before, he couldn't fall into the comfort of slumber.

Maybe he didn't need as much rest as everyone else... Or maybe it was how distracting her chest pressed against his body was or the warmth of the hand resting on the top of his abs. He recalled the moment he last healed and how her touch electrified his hot skin, wanting to feel it all over. He shut his eyes, his lips pulling back into a hard frown at his indecent thoughts, he didn't have any trouble the other night, why now?

He needed to get away. Sesshomaru slipped out the bed and into the living room, shaking his head in self-disappointment. He shouldn't be thinking those things about her. After all she had done for him, and even believing what little memory he had – he had no right. The man stepped out into the balcony, and rested his arms against the top of the cool railing. The smell of the city wasn't pleasant but he preferred to give his senses a break of her scent. Maybe then he could…

His gaze narrowed at the familiar owl perched on the tree directly north west of the balcony, preening itself. There was something about the animal that didn't feel right or 'normal'. It was almost as if it had the same type of energy that surrounded himself and Kagura.

"Come here." The owl abruptly paused, swinging it's large yellow eyes to the left and right before landing on him. A wing came up in front, as if pointing to itself and asking, 'Me?'

"Yes, you. Come here." Sesshomaru tried again and the owl gave a low hoot before it flew over and landed on the handrail of the balcony, giving him a curious look with an unnatural bent at its neck. "What are you?"

It hooted twice with a proud look, its eyes shut and chest puffed high.

… He didn't know what he was expecting.

Was he really outside talking to an owl?

The man shook his head as he rubbed the back of his neck, turning to go back inside – perhaps he needed sleep more than he thought - when the owl screeched. He winced at sharp sound, glaring at the animal; suddenly, the bird began to glow white, taking shape and turning into a lean, towering figure.

"Emperor Sesshomaru." The transformed man greeted with a slight bow at the waist, "It has been quite a while."

His jaw clenched, he hated meeting someone who knew him but he couldn't phantom a single reference to them. It didn't help that his instincts were telling him this man before him was powerful, a possible threat to her home. He doubted he could scare this one off like the woman on the train. His eyes narrowed, and his youki unknowingly flared. "Who are you?"

"I am Lord Satoshi." The older man replied, unfazed by his glare. "I'm glad you willing to speak to me, pup, though I can't help but wonder what you are doing out here with such a... a, uh, conflicted look."

"What are you doing outside this apartment?" He snapped back, perturbed by the stranger's casualness. He didn't know this man and he was clearly watching them.

"Protecting you. You had few problems buzzing around..."

"I can take care of them."

"True... if you remembered your centuries of training. Get angrier, pup, and you'll suffocate every human on the block."

Sesshomaru blinked in shock, he never realized how dark and wild his aura had gotten. He took a deep breath, concentrating on reeling in his energy back in its cage. Satoshi had quite a pleased look on his face. "Why are you calling me that?"

"You are several hundred years younger than me..."

Several... hundred...? "I'm not an animal."

"You are inu- a dog, like I am an owl."

Sesshomaru stared at the man for several seconds in disbelief. He wasn't... He couldn't change into a dog. He must be mistaken, but Satoshi continued,

"You have a strong nose and ears, no? Though, I wonder where your markings have gone..." Satoshi made two slashing motions across his cheeks.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing. I'm just protecting you, as I said. Until you remember everything."

Sesshomaru gave him a once-over. Even if he didn't trust this man, its wasn't as if he could fight off at this moment. That aside, he already knew where he lived, where she worked... which deeply unsettled him. He couldn't verify if the man was friendly, only that he stopped a bug from getting too close to them. But he has also attacked Dr. Asano…

"Why did you attack the doctor at the hospital?"

"Because she's a harlot!" Satoshi exclaimed, nearly screeching. He seemed very passionate about his opinion on her.

"I don't understand."

The owl-man calmed, "She began flirting with you the moment Dr. Yukamura left."

Sesshomaru furrowed his brows and tilted his head in confusion, 'She was?' He did think something was odd about how she was touching him. Satoshi gave him an exasperated look before mumbling, "At least now you have a legitimate reason for being so socially inept." He leaned his backside against the railing, "I never intended to truly harm her, just a scare. Regardless, she's not important. What is important, is that, in the meantime, we should insure you don't accidentally harm anyone with your youki."

"My youki...?" Did he mean his energy?

"Yes, after all, you are a powerful daiyoukai. To leave you like this, well, it's reckless with how... possessive... you are with Rin..."

He ignored the 'possessive' comment, he was not. "She mentioned something about youkai -"

"OH! So she's already in the know?" Satoshi stood up straight with a grin, "Then what are we doing out here? Let's go inside and ch -" He never let him touch the handle. Sesshomaru grabbed the man by his black vest and slammed his back onto the patch of wall next to the sliding glass door. All he saw was red. He felt the growl rumbling off his chest, his fangs and claws elongating.

He would not let a stranger in her home.

"Oh my..." Satoshi said, breathlessly, staring at him with widened yellow eyes and raising his hands, palms out. "I... apologize. I should have asked permission first." His nose twitched as he took the owl-man's scent. Instinct told him that he learned his lesson. Just as he was going to let go, he heard a sleepy feminine voice call his name from inside and footsteps heading towards the balcony.

Without much thought, Sesshomaru threw the man off over the railing of the 10th floor apartment.

He had wings. It should be fine.

"Sesshomaru?" Rin opened the sliding door, her eyes blinking tiredly, "What are you doing out here? Is something wrong?"

"No, I -"

Satoshi returned back to the railing, in his owl form, his feathers fluffed up to their fullest as he screeched and chattered angrily at him. Rin gasped in shock, clutching his side, away from the animal. He glared at the bird and before he got to shoo him away, the woman spoke again, her fright quickly forgotten, "Oh, it's that same owl! He's so pretty!"

At the compliment, Satoshi instantly returned to a more friendly posture as his feathers calmed to their natural position, letting out a friendly hoot. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as Rin knelt down, as if afraid to scare to off the bird, and began talking to it in a tone that he witnessed nurses use for babies. "What are you doing all the way out here? You're so pretty! Can I touch you?" He felt his brow twitching as the owl hooted again and lowered his head toward her, and watched as Rin softly scratched the bird's neck.

He didn't want him touching her. He couldn't stop it. It just happened - a snarl cracked the pleasant moment between them and it took all he had to not knock the owl cold off the balcony. Rin was on him in an instant, ignoring everything that should have been telling her to back off from him, her face tight with worry. "Sesshomaru? What's wrong…?" She looked back at the owl and at him, "What… What's going on?" She asked again, her hands cupping his face and directing his glare off the animal and onto her. "...Do you know that owl?"

From his peripheral vision, he could see the bird shake his head viciously. He didn't understand and didn't want to lie again, but until everything was more clear to him, it would be for the best, wouldn't it? "No, I don't. Let's…" He winced at one particular hard push from what beast dwelled in his mind, one that wanted to tear every perfect white feather from the owl with his jaws, "Let's go back inside…" When the woman frowned and tried to speak again, he interrupted, "Please."

Rin relented and both went back inside, while the owl stared at them, both intrigued and worried, before flying off.

:~;

"She is going to kill you." Shizu stated, her cheek resting on her raised hand as she listened to her owl friend retelling his late night escapade while they lounged inside their hotel room. It was early morning and the daiyoukai appeared at the door with an almost somber look. Her partner was luckily in the shower at the moment.

"That isn't the point! I believe we should call upon Enzo's assistance." Satoshi suggested, sitting across from her. "He is mad, Shizu-kun, he can't control himself around her."

"Are you sure you didn't provoke him?" She asked once more, finding it hard to believe Sesshomaru could lose his cool so many times in such a short period… and that Satoshi was completely innocent.

"No! Not intentionally." The owl youkai scoffed, "You give a stray dog food, water, shelter and affection and watch how quickly and vehemently they will protect you and yours."

"I don't understand, this wasn't a big problem before we arrived, was it?"

"They weren't going out as much before we found them due to her work, and I believe his misunderstanding of us and our constant presence is turning him into a vicious guard dog." Sango replied as she left the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel and dressed in a simple tank top and jeans. "Satoshi-sama might be right to suggest Enzo-sama join us. He has an impeccable record of reverting rogue youkai - this isn't exactly the same but…" She sighed and shook her head, "The constant spikes of youki are going to get the attention of federal officials - or already has - and we don't have clearance to be here from them."

"I can get a hold of him but it will likely take him a couple of days to arrive." Satoshi volunteered, rising from his seat.

"Do it then. The sooner the better." Sango nodded, before her eyes narrowed and she dug a pink-painted nail into the owl youkai's chest, "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook for what you did last night!"

Satoshi smiled, sly and wicked, "I look forward for what you have in mind, Sango-kun."

Red in the face, the woman sputtered obscenities at the owl as she kicked him out of the hotel room with her partner laughing in the background.

:~;

"Sesshomaru?" The inu-youkai was purchasing ingredients for Rin's preferred dish and dessert to apologize for waking her so late, and for the crack in the wall outside that she had yet to notice, when a man about his age and height approached him with a friendly face. The man had an aura - but it was calm and undeterred by his own much more powerful one.

"Yes? And you are?" He replied, getting tired of all the people who suddenly know him.

"I am Enzo Ferreira. We never spoke personally before. I am a friend of Satoshi." Sesshomaru reluctantly accepted his handshake.

"What do you want?"

The large man shrugged, running a hand through his cropped reddish-brown hair, "To talk.. If you don't mind?"

He did mind, but something… something about the man was so serene. Frowning, he replied back, "I suppose that's fine…"

Enzo smiled, "That's great." His black eyes peeked into his hand basket, "So what are you getting?"

The man's aura was so comforting, so calm, but at same time unmovable, as if nothing could disturb his peace. By the time the two left the grocery store, Sesshomaru felt like they were old friends, talking about nothing, despite Enzo admitting he didn't know anything more than his name before. It was so strange to him. Was there something he was doing to him?

When Enzo asked to join him back to the apartment, he hesitated. He did have to put the groceries away and start chopping some of the vegetables.. And they hadn't spoken of anything of use yet due to being out in the open… But he did seem harmless… "Very well."

Once the two made it up, Enzo sat at the breakfast bar and watched as Sesshomaru put away meat in the fridge and laid out the produce on the counter. "You cook for your lady?" He 'hmmed' in agreement, not bothering to protest the 'your lady' comment, and Enzo smiled, "I'm sure she appreciates that. My wife wishes I could cook, but I just eat grass and reeds."

"Grass…?" Sesshomaru asked, glancing up at him from the cutting board, "What are you?"

"I'm a capybara."

"A what?"

Enzo slid off the bar stool and backed a few steps away, "Don't freak out. I'm just going to show you my true form." White light engulfed the man and turned into a giant… rodent? With a barrel-shaped body, black eyes, a mixture of reddish-brown and yellowish fur. He changed back quickly, and returned to the stool. "See? Capybara."

"Ah… Alright... What is that you wished to speak about?"

"I guess we can start with how ya feelin'? Satoshi was worried about your temper." The accusation from the owl made him chop an onion roughly before replying,

"I'm fine."

"Hmm… Seems like you are mad at him." Enzo crossed his arms on the counter, "Did he do something? He always looks for horns on a horse's head."

"He touched her." That chop almost caught his own fingers and he sneered at himself, annoyed that maybe the owl was right...

"He said she touched him." Chop.

"He asked her." Chop.

"He said she asked first?" CHOP.

"It doesn't matter!" Sesshomaru snarled before a loud CRACK got his attention and he looked down to find a snapped handle on the chef's knife. "Shit…" He hissed under his breath, putting aside the broken knife and grabbing the next best one from the block. Maybe his temper was an issue.

After a few more moments, and the knot between his shoulder blades released, Enzo spoke again. "I didn't let Satoshi explain to me what was going on. He just told me you were protective over a lady and to approach like you were any normal person." His nose twitched, and he could tell the capybara was telling the truth, "Reason for that was, I wanted you tell me what is going on. Would you be willing to tell me?"

Sesshomaru considered the question - a glance at the clock told him he still had hours until Rin would be back - "I suppose we have the time…"

And he spilled everything to the capybara who listened to every word, never interrupted, never questioned, never got impatient when he struggled with recalling the earlier memories - before Rin. When it was all done, Enzo nodded a few times before speaking, "Sounds like Naraku really stepped on the ball with you. He's nasty guy, my friend, and it would have been disastrous in a million ways if he was able to take your power.

Your lady friend, Rin, sounds like a good woman. You want to make sure nothing happens to her because of all that surrounding you, right?" He didn't answer, quietly stirring the warming mixture of condensed and evaporated milk in the saucepan. "I think, as long as you are here, with Satoshi and the rest of your friends and family aware, she will be safe-"

"Family?"

"Yeah… Your step-brother. He ain't here in Miami, but he is out there, looking for Naraku, so you don't have to worry about that. He's got you."

"What…" Sesshomaru cleared his throat, trying to figure out the heavy feeling that was weighing on him. "What is his name?"

"Inuyasha… Does that ring a bell?"

He swallowed thickly and thought, 'No… It doesn't.' And it made him feel terrible. He had a brother he couldn't remember, he never even considered he had family with how different he was from everyone else. "Do… do I have other family?"

"Like a wife and kids, you mean? Nah. You have a mother but I don't think you two are super close. Your father passed away almost a century ago, I think."

"Do you have any pictures or…?"

"Ah, no, sorry, man… Satoshi probably has, if not Sango or Kagome. Let me ask them..." Enzo replied, pulling out his phone and tapping the screen.

"Sango? Kagome?" All these people were protecting him?

"Sango and Shizu are head of the unit protecting Rin and you. Kagome is your sister-in-law, she's still in Japan with Inuyasha." Sesshomaru tempered the egg yolks absently, thinking upon what the capybara had told him, feeling guilt ebb at him. Perhaps the woman on the train was one of those he named, and her along with Satoshi, he snarled and threatened, afraid for Rin's safety when they were working to ensure it.

"Don't beat yourself up about it." Enzo abruptly stated, were his thoughts so obvious to the man? "They understand. Inuyoukai are fiercely loyal and that can turn to fiercely possessive real quick. That's what I'm here for."

"I don't understand."

"I'm a capybara. I calm youki. Help you chill and relax…" He considered it, and had realized he wasn't fighting himself or struggling with the animal inside his mind despite the capybara being in Rin's home… but Rin wasn't here, that would change everything, wouldn't it? "I can't stick around when your lady comes back… but my concern is really just when you guys are out, you know? So, if you're fine with it, I'm thinking I stay nearby wherever you guys go. If I feel you're getting too amped up, I swoop in, get you out of there before anything blows up.

Think that'd would be cool? Will that work for you?" Sesshomaru nodded and put aside the sweetened milk mixture to cool, then turned from the stove to face the man when his phone went off. "Oh, here you go. That's your brother." He took the phone from him and studied the photo of a younger man who had large eyes of the same color, long silver hair that a bit more on the grey-side, and…

"Dog ears…?"

Enzo laughed, "Yeah, he's got cute little ears on his head. Just don't tell him they're cute or he loses his mind. The woman next to him is Kagome, his wife." She had long raven hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a sincere smile.

"She's beautiful… Do they have any children?" He asked as he handed the phone back, not sure how he would feel about finding out he is an uncle.

"Nah, they got married about 6 months ago. Kagome wants to finish her miko training before starting a family. I'm guessing the photo didn't help either?" Sesshomaru shook his head. Their faces only made a strange, painful feeling pang his chest but nothing stirred in his memories. "It was worth a shot -"

The house phone rang unexpectedly and Sesshomaru answered call, his expression soon crumbling with worry.

Outside the apartment, two human women sat across the street at a tiny cafe with outdoor seating, drinking shots of cuban espresso. Shizu had been glancing at the aura monitor device, which was about the size and the aesthetic of a late 80's cell phone, since Enzo had entered the apartment. "I can't believe it. His levels haven't been this stable and normal since all this started…"

"A capybara is everyone's best friend." Sango commented, wondering if the photo she sent to Enzo helped at all.

"Oh no… No, no…" The monitor began to blink from green, to yellow, to orange, to red within just a few moments, signalling an abnormal rise in powerful youki in the area… and it was coming from the apartment. Before the two got to react further, a shot of light blasted from a 10th floor balcony and disappearing from sight in just seconds. "What… Where…?!"

"I don't know, we won't be able to catch up to him. No one we have can."

End of Chapter 4

Author's Note: So, like this has been sitting here forever. Thought I should I put it as I try to wriggle out some inspiration. The next chapter is already done, just needs a bit of review and editing before I add it. Lots more 'story' in that one if that makes sense! And chapter 6 is already started on!

Thanks to all those who reviewed and to those that are still sticking with it! =D