Shikuro: A Caribbean Fairy Tale

by Inuma Asahi De

Inuyasha was as bad as pirates came, according to his legend. Kagome was a woman of propriety, destined to marry for her family's honor when all she wanted was to live on the sea. What happens when their eyes meet by chance or perhaps by daring fate?

74. Secrets

Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).

Chapter Seventy Four

Secrets

Hiten buried his nose into the spot behind Kagura's ear, inhaling her scent instinctively in his sleep. The young wind demon moaned upon the contact and pushed herself against him, her ass lining up nicely with the curve of his hip. He growled low in response as his mind began to surface into wakefulness, his body intuitively reacting to the press of her pelvis against his hips. Opening his eyes, he found himself looking directly at a mass of loose tresses, wavy from being held up in her elaborate hair style for so long. The curve of her neck, white skin like porcelain, caught his eye next and he resisted the urge to snarl as he leaned into her, pressing his lips against the spot where neck met shoulder.

"Temptress." He whispered against her skin, causing little welts of goose bumps to form on her flesh.

"Lothario." She mumbled back even as she leaned into him a little more enjoying the sensation of his hot lips against her skin.

"No references to Don Quixote so early in the morning." Hiten told her as he brought his one free hand up to wrap around her midsection. Carefully, he brushed his fingertips against the underside of her breast, the feel of her flesh on the pads of his fingers causing him to hiss. "What you do to me."

"Hiten-sama do it-to himself." Kagura quipped even as she dared to push backwards and rub against him just a little.

"Damn it woman." He growled and wrapped his hands around her just a little tighter, pulling her backwards and rubbing himself against the curve of her slim waist.

"See," Kagura yawned slightly as she spoke not pulling away from him this time but also not pushing herself any closer. "That-o had nothing to do with-u me."

"Fuck," Hiten finally snapped pulling himself away from her and grabbing hold of her hips. Desperately, he turned her until she was flat on her back, his eyes dilated and his body ready as he growled low in his throat. "You're infuriating." He told her as he used his knees to spread her thighs, his hands already positioned on either side of her head, bracing himself.

"So?" Kagura whispered as she looked up at him, her eyes half lidded and her red lips parted just so. "Hiten-sama love it."

Hiten stared at her for just a moment, his eyes watching as her lower lip, still swollen from the previous evenings fiery kisses, pouted. "Shit." He mumbled as his eyes stared at those lips not even noticing the curve of her breast or the heat from the space between her spread thighs. "You are a temptress."

"I'm temptin' yuu?" She asked as she tilted her head to one side and bit her bottom lip with a smirk. "Gomen," She told him in her native tongue but her expression translated the mocking use of the word 'sorry' easily enough. "I'm such-i bad girl." She whispered as she buried one hand in his hair, pulling him down towards her as Hiten started to pant.

"And I love it." He growled low in his throat as he leaned forward and kissed her, their lips molding together as he began to move forward fully prepared to press into her once more. Before he could get any farther than just his tip however, the door opened and Naraku's voice filled the room.

"How disgusting."

Pulling himself away from Kagura hastily, Hiten grabbed for the sheets throwing them towards her without a thought. The demon inside of him snarled from the interruption, silently boiling as it turned and saw Naraku looking right at them; or more specifically, its woman. "Mine!" It screamed in Hiten's head but he ignored the words as he took in the sight of Naraku's oddly vacant expression.

Laying just behind him, holding the sheets tightly around herself Kagura looked over his shoulder fully prepared to literally make the intruder 'fly' before she acknowledged who it was. "What Naraku-sama doin' here?" Her mind raced as she stared at the man standing just inside the cabin's door, watching her closely.

Instantly, she felt a shudder of fear and disgust run up her spin as his hollow black eyes followed the curve of her shoulder to her barely covered breast. There was something about his stare and the wicked glance of his eyes, which made her feel for the first time in her life truly modest. Pulling the blankets more firmly around herself, she looked towards the tensed line of Hiten's shoulders. The man looked for all pretenses prepared to strike and yet he didn't move, appearing frozen.

Bringing her eyes back towards Naraku, she inhaled sharply as she watched his eyes stare at her having not yet moved. Her skin crawled from the scrutiny and her throat tightened as she felt her stomach turn. There was something in that look that made all her instincts tremble with fear. "Something-u," She thought as she watched the man's black eyes continue to stare without so much as a single blink. "Is wrong." She gripped the blankets just a little harder as Naraku finally pulled his eyes away from her looking towards her bed mate instead.

"If you're done with this—base desire, Mr. Hiten," Naraku spoke, his voice innately monotone and eerie to the two naked demons in the bed. "Then return to the deck." He reached for the door handle, gripping it as he stepped backwards slowly out of the room. "I would like to leave this port before dawn fully breaks." The lackluster voice drifted through the air, Naraku's eyes flickering and shining for just a moment before they seemed to extinguish.

Unsure of what he was seeing, Hiten could only find it in himself to release a confused, "Yes, sir," before Naraku fully closed the door, disappearing from the room more like an apparition than a man. For several seconds, he stared at the door, watching it as if afraid it might open once more. Finally, satisfied that the man had gone completely he turned back towards Kagura, his eyes lighting on the whiteness of her knuckles as she held the sheet around her body. "Kagura-hime?" He whispered drawing her attention away from the closed door and to himself.

"Naraku-sama seem-e," Kagura spoke carefully as she looked towards Hiten her red eyes now fully awake and paranoid. "Different to yuu?" She asked him carefully as she scooted closer to him, her hands finally allowing the sheet to fall away from her body once more.

"He did." Hiten nodded as he glanced down at her naked breast, his mind in one place and his body jumping to another. "Something didn't feel right."

Kagura bit her lip at his words, her stomach knotting as she absently scented the air. A dog demon's nose she did not have but her nostrils still could pick up the scent of blood far faster than any human. "He smelt of blood-o."

"Yeah," Hiten agreed as he forced himself to pull away from her and grab for his pants resting on a nearby chair. "But that's not what worried me." He told her as he slipped the pants on, an image of Naraku standing in the forefront of his mind. He could see the cold blankness of the man's eyes, no trace of the child he had known only some months before haunting his vision.

Kagura narrowed her eyes at Hiten's words unsure of what he meant by them. "What-to else did yuu see?"

"His eyes." Hiten answered simply as he finished fastening his belt and moved to grab for his shirt.

"Eyes?" She repeated and nodded as he pulled his shirt over his head and straightened it mechanically. Kagura bit her lip at the sight, she knew what Naraku's eyes had looked like, she had seem them just as well as Hiten. They had been different, darker it seemed and full of some unknown promise that caused her to shudder violently. "Naraku-sama eyes were—," She paused trying to search for the English word but finding it hard to do.

"Dead." Hiten filled in for her as he sat in the chair and began to grab for his boots. He hesitated for only a second as he turned to look back at her, fear actually creeping not only into his facial expression but into his scent as well. "Naraku's eyes were absolutely dead."

-break-

Kaede opened her uncovered eye in the dark cabin her heart clenching tightly in her chest as she did so. Slowly, she sat up in her bed, the covers falling away from her old body with a loud rustling sound that seemed to echo in the room. Blinking back sleep hastily, the old woman allowed a dark frown to cross her face. "He's here." She realized, her mind unconsciously driving her to look towards the shadowed corner of the room.

Standing there, in the darkness of the corner was the outline of a man. She could just discern the way his shoulders were pressed against the wall and how his arms were crossed over his chest in the dank light. Despite her inability to discern more than just these basic features however, she could tell for certain who it was.

"Naraku." She thought his name but didn't say a word as she watched his black eyes snap open. They seemed to glow even though the light didn't touch them. The very fact made Kaede squirm just slightly in her bed but not enough for him to notice.

"You're awake." His voice came across as deliberately measured, his body not making any motions to suggest life other than his lips.

Still not speaking, afraid to upset the possibility of a lucid tongue, Kaede only nodded in response.

"You've come to interest me greatly, deathly I dare say," He continued on as he finally stepped from the shadows, his eyes catching in the light, seeming to reflect the room around him. "Miss Cummings."

Kaede licked her lips slowly as she watched the man standing before her, eyes clearly vacant. "It's happening." She realized easily as the Shinigami eye underneath her eye patch jumped and panicked against the sight of him. She gritted her teeth without allowing the action to be seen by Naraku and shifted in the bed. "I prepared for this," She told herself as instincts brought on by the death god's gift told her she was in more danger than she could even understand. "But right now, it doesn't feel I did near enough."

"You seem to know things." Naraku spoke again, his voice tight and monotone all at the same time. "Things that you shouldn't know." He took a step forward, eyes suddenly flashing with dangerous malice. "Things I should have killed you for long ago."

Kaede felt a small trickle of sweat begin to actually run down her neck, the oddly vicious yet calm way he had spoken shaking her a little more. "The change," She allowed her hands to involuntarily grab hold of the sheet digging into it almost painfully. "I didn't think it would be so—drastic."

"And yet—," The word hung in the air as Naraku finally came to stand just beside her, looking down at her with a smirk now managing to cover his face. "What luck I didn't." He snorted bluntly and turned away from her looking out the window towards the already fading sight of Port Royal. "Hiten has us underway." He licked his lips slightly as he watched the distant light on the horizon begin to shine a little brighter: dawn. "I wonder how long before Steffan's wife awakes and finds her husband dead?" The thought ran through his head, mellow and almost uncaring. "A human wife—that was her saving grace: humanity." He laughed internally, the sound never actually escaping his lips. "You never would share your bed with a human, would you brother? You wouldn't dare be our father." He snorted slightly but the sound barely registered in Kaede's ears. "What a lucky bitch."

Kaede inhaled deeply in order to compose herself as she listened to Naraku's thoughts. "Yes, she will never know how lucky." She vaguely agreed as she stared at him, assessing him. She knew who she was talking to and she knew exactly what had to be said. "I thank you kindly for your tolerance." She spoke as evenly as possible and lowered her head and eyes to appease the man before her. Her Shinigami eye danced behind the patch, tilting itself up so it could see Naraku's face. He was smirking, happily smirking. "Good." She held back her smile, trying to keep her features as contained as possible while she watched him. "I have waited long to meet you properly."

"I suppose you have." The man replied back to her as he watched her bowed head with no small amount of pleasure coursing throughout him. "But—I am rather curious," He reached forward, grabbing for her chin and pulling her face back upwards with surprisingly soft and boyish hands. "How did you know I existed?"

Kaede smiled daintily in such a way that if she had been fifty years younger, her look might have come across as flirting. "I have a gift." She told the part of Naraku that even she feared. "It lies just behind my patch, sir."

The man raised an eyebrow, narrowed his eyes and then moved his hand from her chin to her patch without further words. His long black nails touched the patch first, grasping at the material gingerly before slicing into it with one sharp claw. Instantly, the patch snapped and fell from her face revealing to him one bright blue eye shimmering in the moonlight. Hastily, Naraku moved backwards, the creature actually surprised by what he saw. "What—is that?"

"Just like Kagura." Kaede told him as she pushed the covers off her legs and moved to stand at the side of the bed. "I too have a Shinigami eye."

"Shinigami?" The man's surprise seemed to evaporate as he took in the name. "A death god?" He smiled as if he was crazed. "To think all this time, that was the key—how you knew me when I didn't in fact know myself." He laughed lightly as if he had been talking to himself and not to her at all.

"I know many things." She told him leisurely as she watched him carefully for any changes in his amused expression. "This eye is better than any ear at hearing and any eye at seeing." She watched as his eyes flickered up towards her, staring at her with interest.

"How good is it?" He asked her stealthily, his eyes shining with both warning and curiosity. "Can it see the shards?"

"No," Kaede lied bluntly as she leaned back in the bed, sending Naraku a look of firm conviction. "Kagura is the only one who was given that Shinigami gift." She continued, insuring the girl's future automatically. "I can't give him a reason to kill her—not that she has much time to live."

"Then," Naraku leaned towards her strangely, his whole body posture coming across as dominating and threatening. "What use are you to me?"

"I can see what eyes can't see," Kaede smiled sweetly as she spoke, leaning towards him until their faces were only a few scarce inches apart. "And hear what ears can't hear." She answered cryptically, watching as Naraku smirked at her thoughtfully. "I can do many things for you Naraku—things I want to do."

"You want to see what can't be seen?" He pulled back away from her, eyeing her with a mixture of curiosity and barely contained malevolence. "To hear what can't be heard." He narrowed his eyes as if he didn't trust her at all. "Tell me woman, what the fuck does that mean?" It was strange the way his harsh words contrasted with his abnormally calm voice.

"I see things Naraku—the potential of things," She continued to be as vague as possible, trying to play her cards as close to her shirt as she could. "Outcomes."

"The future?" Naraku's eyes widened with curiosity, a slow smile forming on his face that made Kaede resist the urge to shiver. "You mean the future?"

"The potential of it yes." Kaede responded nonchalantly, turning her eyes away from him calculatingly. "I can tell you the outcomes that are possible." She fingered the sheet absently even as her heart began to race in her chest. Kaede knew she was playing with a raging fire. "I can see them all and with that knowledge," She turned back towards him, watching as Naraku stared straight into her as if evaluating her very soul. "Help you prevent the ones not in your favor."

Naraku raised an eyebrow, his curiosity completely rampant by now within him. "And how will you help me prevent those that aren't—," He paused for only a second as he milled over her own choice of words. "Favorable."

"By using the other power." Kaede told him bluntly, her voice coming off as strangely and tactically feminine.

"You mean—hearing what can't be heard?" Naraku's words were taunting as he openly laughed at her. "How can an eye hear?"

"It is not the eye that makes me hear." Kaede smirked at him even as her hands were swallowed by a cold, nervous sweat. "See there is a difference between Kagura and myself." She explained further even as she cursed herself for having to. "I wanted to keep this in my back pocket." She told herself, knowing that it was already too late to keep the card hidden. "I need Naraku to think I'm indispensible and this is the only way."

"A difference?"

"Kagura has the death god eyes—given to her at the price of her own life." Kaede resisted the urge to grimace as she released the information she had not wanted to tell. "I on the other hand—am simply a god of death myself."

Naraku's eyes went wide and a smile spread quickly across his face. "A god of death." He thought to himself absolutely delighted by the prospect of such a thing. "A bloody god of death at my disposal. Hiten said they have amazing powers, foresight, mind reading, wonderful abilities." He grinned openly, looking straight at Kaede with determined eyes. "You'll be my eyes."

"Yes." Kaede agreed as she held back a sigh of relief from leaving her.

"You'll be my ears." His voice was dripping, literally dripping with saliva as if the very prospect made his mouth water.

"Yes." Kaede nodded her head as she watched him slowly sink into her trap.

"You'll be my informant." He continued on as his smile turned into a smirk that made Kaede feel uneasy.

Licking her lips, sensing that something was going wrong, she replied, "I will."

Pushing himself off the bed, Naraku crossed his arms over his chest before turning to look at her. "You think it's that easy?" He laughed loudly while Kaede's eyes widened in actual horror.

She had not heard his thoughts; she had actually thought he was falling for the ploy. "Damn it." She began to panic as her mind worked overtime trying to figure out what to do next. It wasn't that she feared for her life, her life in the long run could not be touched by such a man as Naraku. It was lives outside herself, Kagome, Inuyasha, even Kagura and Hiten that she worried for. "I have to make this work!"

Abruptly, Naraku allowed his arms to drop and his laughter to stop, his whole demeanor changing. "Of course you don't think that." He spoke as if to himself Kaede's heart stopping at the strange words. "You know I would never accept your words as truth." He glanced down at her, a tiny smile forming on his face. "I need proof."

"Proof?" The word flew from Kaede's mouth, half sigh of relief and half dread. "What kind of proof, Mr. Naraku?"

He leaned forward once more at her words and placed his hands on the edge of the bed. The material of the mattress bent underneath his touch causing the wooden frame to squeak as it too shifted. "A test." He told her as he looked straight into her eyes. "I want you to tell me," His eyes burned into her very soul. "Where I was tonight and what I did, I'm thinking it right now."

"You were at your father's house." Kaede didn't hesitate as she felt all her worries begin to disappear from the easiness of the question. "You saw your brother."

"And," Naraku continued on as he sent her a strangely proud look, his eyes sparkling with knowledge Kaede could easily obtain. "What happened before I left?"

Kaede smiled, a smile that didn't belong on an old woman's face ever. "You took your hand," She leaned closer to Naraku as she spoke quietly. "Held it to his chest," She looked directly into Naraku's dark eyes. "And speared him right through his heart."

Naraku's eyes widened as he heard Kaede's easy explanation, his face appearing surprised for only a few scarce moments before he gave her a slight nod. "And?"

Kaede watched his eyes silently for several seconds as if looking into Naraku while trying to see someone else. "Then," She whispered into the quiet of the room, the sound of her own voice barely registering in her ears. "You woke up."

-break-

The sound of little birds slowly began to bring Kagome back to wakefulness. "What's that noise?" She questioned, her mind still far too close to sleep to actually comprehend the tiny sound.

Her eyes flickered underneath her lids, moving as if they wanted to see but couldn't as she rose into alertness. Finally after several seconds, her eyes managed to open, her lids barely moving more than a scant centimeter apart before they flickered closed once more. Eyes feeling far too heavy to open, Kagome moaned slightly and forced herself to bring her hand up from underneath the covers to brush against her eyelids. The feel of sleep being rubbed away made her come just a little more awake and she blinked into the little bit of sun that was now shining into the room. The sound of the little birds hit her ears once more and she frowned as she looked around the tiny bedroom.

The room was scantly decorated, save a small table with a few pieces of paper on it and a chair in the corner. "Where am I?" She thought as she pushed herself upwards in the bed, her hand coming in contact with something suspiciously warm. "Ah!" She jumped, nearly falling off the edge of the bed as she hastily turned towards the offending object.

Surprise filled her as she recognized the outline of a back covered by a white shirt and a mass of silver hair. Instantly, her hands came up around her body out of instinct, covering herself as she stared at the back of Inuyasha's head in complete astonishment for several seconds. Luckily for the still sleeping half demon, Kagome's mind quickly flooded with memories from the night before and she relaxed.

"That's right." She told herself as she watched the rise and fall of his shoulder as he breathed evenly in his sleep. "We had to share last night," She blushed faintly with embarrassment even as a little smile formed on her face. "He was a perfect gentleman." She giggled slightly, the very thought seeming both logical and contradictory. "What a conundrum." She shook her head dotingly as her hands lowered back to the bed, her fingers touching the sheets gingerly, they were soft. "A gentleman and a pirate all in one."

Just then, movement from behind Inuyasha's sleeping form caught her eye and she lifted her head in time to see curtains from the window dancing with the breeze. They were a pale un-dyed off white and lined with a little bit of ancient lace deteriorated around the edges. The wind teased the bits of old clothe for only a moment before it settled down once more allowing Kagome to see outside the window. The outline of a tree still shadowed by the house met her curious grey eyes and she smiled as she finally saw the source of the prior sound: a few little birds hoping along its branches. They looked black at first but upon closer inspection she noticed the yellowish red of their heads and underneath their wings. They were pretty little birds, playing on the branches of the tree and singing to each other.

"They were the noise when I woke up." She realized as she watched them mesmerized while they played together. "When was the last time," She looked out the opened window, watching as the plain curtains moved with the early morning breeze. "I woke up to the sound of tweeting birds?"

Beside her, Inuyasha groaned, the sound drawing her attention away from the birds and to the man at her side, as he turned in his sleep so that he was now laying on his back instead. Half expecting him to be awake, Kagome was surprised when she saw that the dog demon's eyes were still closed and his features calm and relaxed. Gently, he inhaled through partially opened lips his chest moving up and down in a slow and soothing rhythm. It was a sight Kagome could honestly say she had hardly ever seen. He looked so peaceful as he laid there, even on the Shikuro she could sincerely admit she had never seen him this relaxed. Even in his sleep he always seemed to be somewhat aware but right now he didn't look the least bit troubled at all.

"I wonder if he feels safer here." Kagome thought to herself as she watched him, ignoring for a moment how close together their bodies were and concentrating only on the sight of him. "It is his home, the place he was raised—who wouldn't feel safe in the place they were most loved and protected." She frowned slightly from the thought, her mind wandering just briefly towards her own childhood. "Mama." She said the word softly, the sound barely penetrating her own ears. "I wonder—if you're okay," She continued staring at Inuyasha's face but her eyes no longer truly saw him. "Do you know about Papa?" She pushed the thought away before the pain in her chest could truly trouble her. "Is Souta any taller?" She thought instead, the memory of her little brother a fond one. "I bet he is." She smiled faintly to herself, the sight of her smile provided no chance for mirth, however.

Allowing her thoughts to fall away from her consciousness, Kagome turned her attention back towards Inuyasha, watching as the man continued to sleep. The slight breeze coming from outside ruffled his hair, causing his bangs to fall over his closed eyes. Smiling quietly to herself, she reached forward and brushed his bangs away from his eyes so she could get a better look at the charmingly childish features they hid. Instantly, his eyebrows knitted from the touch and he worried his lip disturbed by the action.

Gold eyes opened sleepily, followed by a fang filled lopsided smile. "Kagome." He whispered towards her before a yawn overtook his features.

"Good morning." Kagome replied with only a slight blush on her face as she watched the dog demon roll towards her. The top of his shirt opened as he stretched, Kagome's eyes naturally watching the little silver hairs on his chest with interest. "You can just barely see them." She thought as the light caused them to shimmer. "What am I doing?" She chastised herself, pulling her eyes away to look anywhere but at the stretching demon.

Sitting up in bed, Inuyasha did his best to pop his back and neck as he forced himself awake. Rolling his head back he opened his mouth and unconsciously stuck out his tongue arching it with a half yawn, half groan. "What time is it?" He mumbled as he turned back towards her only vaguely noting the blush that graced the bridge of her nose. "Cute."

"I'm not sure." Kagome responded as she shifted in the bed, feeling pretty awkward. "Last night—we were nowhere near as awkward last night." She thought as she pursed her lips knowing the main difference between now and the night before was simply the fact he was so wide awake. The man beside her had been so tired when they went to bed that he had simply laid down and fell asleep within moments. She hadn't had to really deal with his eyes on her as she laid down to sleep or with the idea of the things he might have done if he had been awake. "Now that he's awake—," She bit her lip nervously before glancing at him out of the side of her eye. "I can't help but feel," She watched as he brought a hand up to his chest rubbing it over his taunt skin causing his shirt to open up a little more. "Anxious."

Unaware of Kagome's thoughts, Inuyasha turned his head towards the window and frowned. "I always forget this room faces west." He grumbled, wishing he could get a good look outside at the rising sun so as to discern the time. "But—looks like it has to be at least a bit past dawn." He turned back towards her and smiled, the expression only turning into a frown when his eyes found her own nervous ones. "Kagome?"

"Yes?" The girl jumped, her voice coming out in a squeak as she dragged her eyes away from his chest to look him in the eye.

Not catching where she had been intently staring, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in worry as he watched her. "Are you okay?" He asked tilting his head a little bit to the side as he studied her quickly reddening features.

"I'm fine." Kagome told him bluntly as she turned her head away from him deliberately looking towards the other side of the room. Her fingers curled into the covers a little bit more as she found herself looking straight at the door. "Is it locked?" She thought to herself as she watched the keyhole. "Please be locked."

With his eyes now focused on the back of her head, Inuyasha felt his ears lower as if she had outright chastised him. "Damn it." He growled to himself as he watched her shoulder's tense, the fabric of her shirt drawing tight from the action. "I thought she wouldn't be upset—I mean after that kiss, I thought she had forgiven me." He brought a hand up to rub over his eyes absently as he felt the weight of the night before sink onto his shoulders. "Is this about last night?" He asked her honestly as he dropped his hand, watching her for any body language that might give him a more truthful answer than she was willing to verbalize.

Kagome gulped slightly, in her mind thinking he was referring to their sleeping arrangements. "Um—," She raised a hand up towards the chain around her neck, fiddling with the Shikon jewel that rested their. "What do I say?" She bit her lip hastily as she thought. In truth, she really wasn't all that bothered by their sleeping arrangements. After all, they had simply slept. And yet, the fact she wasn't bothered, bothered her. She should be bothered by it, she should feel awkward and strange and wrong, maybe even dirty but she didn't. "I'm bothered by not being bothered." She frowned darkly as she turned just enough to see him staring at her, waiting for a reply. "Um—well—," She finally forced herself to speak. "It kind of is, yes."

Inuyasha sighed heavily at her words and ran a hand through his hair slowly. "I'm sorry." He told her, his voice coming across as pained, the sound of it worrying Kagome. "I—I shouldn't," He paused as he gathered the will to actually say what needed to be said, his pride hindering him. "I know I shouldn't keep secrets," He growled low in his throat as he tried to speak. "At least not, from you," He paused for just a second before adding. "Or Miroku and Sango."

Blinking rapidly, Kagome turned around to fully stare at her intended. "Huh?"

"My secrets," Inuyasha continued even as his pride begged him not to say another word on the subject. "This is Kagome, damn it, just talk to her." He yelled at himself as he stared down at the bed sheets not able to look at her. "I know I can trust you I just—well—."

Kagome finally smiled as she caught on to what the man was trying to say. "We're on two completely different subjects." She realized and shook her head unable to help the feeling of relief that welled within her. She wasn't really necessarily ready to discuss a matter of such intimacy with a man, so the change in subject was sorely welcomed. "Inuyasha." She shook her head back and forth, her expression becoming nothing but fond. "I understand—you told us eventually and that's all that matters."

He lifted his head to look at her, his ears twitching on his head as he took in her words. "She really understands." He smiled at her as the thought ran around his head. "Thank you."

"Always." Kagome sent him a gentle smile, which he returned with a slight one of his own. "I am really glad you took us here." She told him and she shifted in the bed so that she was facing him a little easier. "Even if we didn't know why in the beginning, it was still—," She paused to collect her thoughts for just a moment. "Amazing to meet your family—they're amazing."

"They are something." Inuyasha sent her a smile as he pushed himself upwards in the bed finally. Moving slowly, so as not to startle her too much with the movement, he positioned himself comfortably against the headboard of the old bed. The old oak groaned under the movement but didn't seem to protest any further as he made himself comfortable. "And they really did love you."

She smiled brightly and nodded in agreement as she thought of Eoin's words from the night before, "Welcome to our family. We're happy to have you, Kagome Dresmont." She felt her heart prickle with happiness from the memory, to have been accepted so easily into their family, was a truly amazing thing. "They were happy to have me—my own family wasn't even happy to have me." The smile left her as the thought crossed her mind. "My father maybe." She licked her lips as she remembered the feel of him around her after she had learned he died. The feeling of him had been warm, accepting, and loving but the rest of her family, her mother, she could never feel like that. "Mama." Kagome whispered as she thought of the woman, it felt as if an eternity had passed since she had seen her own mother.

Hearing the soft uttering, Inuyasha frowned and reached forward to gently touch her arm with the tips of his fingers. "Kagome?" He spoke her name softly, his eyes focused on the sadness that seemed to have overwhelmed her every feature.

Coming back to herself from his touch, Kagome turned to look at the man with wide eyes. "Hm?" Her lips formed the word vividly as she felt his calloused fingertips run along her arm.

"You got quiet all the sudden." He told her as he ran the pads of his fingers against the exposed skin of her forearm, being extra mindful of his claws.

Her flesh prickled from the contact and she felt her stomach knot pleasantly, nearly erasing the thoughts from her head. After several seconds of forced concentration however, she managed to ignore the pleasing touch in favor of answering his unasked question. "Sorry, I was just," She inhaled deeply in an attempt to keep herself calm. "Thinking."

Inuyasha's hand stopped running over her arm from her words, something about them causing him pause. "About what?"

Mind refocused on her earlier thoughts, Kagome pulled her knees to her chest in the bed, staring at the white sheets absently. "My—mother."

The dog demon's eyes widened for just a second as he pulled his hand away from her arm and chose to watch her closely instead. "Really?"

"Yeah." Kagome frowned and smiled all at the same time, her eyes misting over slightly. "Being with your family made me think of my own."

"Ah." Inuyasha nodded finally understanding but kept silent otherwise, mainly because he was unsure of what to say exactly.

"I just," Kagome continued, raising her head up to look at the old wooden ceiling. Apparently, there was another floor above this room, an attic perhaps. "I worry." She told him as she stared at the little places between the floorboards above them, she could almost see into the room. Really if it had been brighter, she probably could have. "My father's gone and my mother, she's all alone with my brother." She told him as she finally pulled her eyes away from the ceiling and turned her attention back towards Inuyasha. "I hope they're alright."

"They are." Inuyasha reassured her as he watched her grey eyes swirl with a mixture of pain and unease. "I'm sure."

"But how can we be truly sure?" Kagome denied his comfort, turning away from him once more as she sniffled just a little. "She's all alone and she might not even know it." The girl bit at the inside of her cheek roughly. "If only there was some way I could know—."

Thinking quickly Inuyasha licked his lips. "You grew up in England right?"

"Yes." Kagome nodded turning towards him. "For a little bit, I stayed in France most of the time, at my grandparent's estate."

"Do you have any relatives in either country?" He pressed as he watched her body for any silent language that might arise in his favor.

Her eyes lit up at the prospect, an image from a distant memory popping up in her head. "Thorald," She spoke the name quickly as she looked at the dog demon as if he was made of gold. "My uncle, I haven't seen him in years."

A plan beginning to form in the back of his mind, Inuyasha nodded his head quickly before posing his next question. "Where's he live?"

"France. Mother always wrote him letters; they were really close growing up." Kagome spoke hastily as the idea began to dance in her mind. "If anyone's heard anything from mother, he has." She told Inuyasha, her eyes coming to stare directly into his own, pleading. "If I can visit him, just for a little bit, I could find out and—and—tell him about Papa in case he doesn't know." She continued to speak hastily, not allowing the man a word in edgewise; afraid he might deny her the chance despite it having been his own idea in a way. "You said you'd take me anywhere." She told him watching as his eyes raised and he looked at her somewhat startled. "And you're a man of your word."

Her mouth finally coming to a standstill Inuyasha sent the girl a reassuring smile. "Kagome," He reached out and placed his hand underneath her chin, holding it up as he looked into her shining grey eyes. "I could never deny you anything." His words were so honest that Kagome felt little tears start to prick her eyes. "If you want to go, I'll take you there."

"Really?" Kagome whispered as her lip trembled slightly, happiness budding in her heart.

"Of course." Inuyasha nodded firmly even as an uneasy feeling began to dance in his gut. "Now might have been a good time to deny her though." He thought to himself as he watched the happiness burgeoning in her watery eyes. "Depending on where he lives in France this could be a pain." He resisted the urge to groan loudly, covering up the sound by asking her the proverbial question instead. "Where in France do they live?" He asked as he lowered his hand from her chin allowing the appendage to rest back down on the bed instead.

"Bordeaux." She answered quickly as she shifted on the bed, the covers falling from her as she moved to sit on her knees. She looked downright anxious for his answer as she leaned towards him on the bed gripping at her pants legs with shaking hands. "He lives right around the Port de la Luna."

"The port of the moon?" Inuyasha felt relief fill him at her words. It would not be too difficult at all to take a minor detour to the city of Bordeaux and the Port de la Luna as it was located just down one of the rivers connected to the Bay of Biscay. "Thank god." He smiled slightly as he looked at her, watching as her eyes sparkled with barely contained happiness. "On our way to Italy, we'll take a detour there."

Unable to contain her happiness any longer, Kagome practically leapt forward on the bed, lunging for him. The demon Captain, actually yelped in surprise when he felt her arms wrap around him, holding onto him tightly. "Thank you." She spoke gratefully as she held onto him, her arms clasped tightly around his back and her face buried in his shoulder as she let tears of relief slip down her face. "Thank you so much."

Breath hitching in his throat, Inuyasha inhaled deeply allowing her scent to wash over him as he brought his hands up around her. His fingers moved along her back, the cotton of her shirt soft against his skin as he held onto her, relishing in the feel of her body against his own. His nose found its way into the spot just above her ear where hair met soft flesh, inhaling her scent, he allowed it to wash over him. The smell of slight arousal, hidden underneath tremendous happiness filled him. "Anything for you." He whispered against her ear, loving the way she shivered against him in response.

Kagome opened her mouth as if to reply to him but found herself incapable of forming even the slightest of words. Her voice was caught in her throat, a combination of his comforting hug and sweet words hindering her ability to speak. "What should I say?" She wondered, words of further gratitude seeming inadequate at a moment such as this.

The feel of his hand beginning to rub up and down her back made her thoughts freeze, her mind going to another place entirely. Slowly, she pulled herself away from him, watching as his face came back into view. His gold irises were studying her carefully, watching her it seemed for any signs of disapproval. The hand that had been stroking came to a standstill, resting now just on the curve of her lower back. She felt her heart pound in her chest from the feel of his hand against her, the heat of it seeming to burn her flesh even through her shirt.

The dog demon blinked carefully once then twice, his eyes attempting to gauge Kagome and her reaction. "She seems calm." He told himself as he watched her carefully for any signs of distress but saw not even the hint of one. Daringly, he pushed himself a little closer to her on the bed, one of his hands moving from behind her back to her shoulder, his finger tips teasing her clothed skin as he ran his hand over the mark he had given her.

She gasped from the touch, her body reacting to the marker touching the mark as it always did with instant arousal. "Inu—," She starter to say his name but was cut off by his lips falling seemingly onto her own. Instantly, her grip on his back tightened, her fingernails digging into him as she accepted the gentleness of his lip's caress.

A light knocking at the door made the two jump apart instantly. "I know you're awake." The voice of Aengus sank into their ears, the older man sounding almost as if he knew what he had just interrupted. "Breakfast will be ready soon, so get up and come down stairs."

Resisting the urge to yell at the man, Inuyasha rolled his eyes before calling back at him over the top of Kagome's head. "We'll be there soon."

"You better." Was Aengus' only reply before the man's footsteps were soundly heard retreating down the hall.

Looking down at the bedspread, Kagome listened to the retreating feet with avid interest. "Why does that always happen?" She wondered as she clutched the sheets between her fingers, not even remembering when she had released Inuyasha in lieu of holding the clothe. "Every time."

Sitting across from her, unaware of her thoughts, Inuyasha's mind turned to similar ones. Unlike the shy Kagome however, he wasn't afraid to voice them. "Every time," He shook his head, watching as Kagome raised her own to look at him taken aback. "Have you noticed that? It's like everyone's plotting against us."

Kagome blushed at his words but couldn't even begin to disagree with him. "He is right after all." She told herself silently, as he sighed loudly and turned around so as to place his feet on the opposite side of the bed.

"You hungry?" He asked as he stood from the bed, his hands going above his head to stretch.

Kagome licked her lips at his words, her mind not quite keeping pace with the quick change of subject. "A little." She answered but didn't sound as if she had thought of the answer even slightly before she gave it.

"Good." Inuyasha told her regardless as he leaned across the bed, his hands falling onto the mattress as he leaned towards her. Supporting himself on his hands, he placed his head against the side of her own. She tensed under the contact but soon relaxed as he nuzzled her ear before kissing the side of her temple. "You're still dressed, right?"

"Of course." She commented back a bit defensively as she thought of how scandalous it would be to actually wear night clothes around him. Something she had never done.

"Good, then I won't have to wait—," He pulled away from her, looking down at her with his most charming smile. "I'm starving."

-break-

The table was quiet at breakfast that morning, no one really willing to talk because of the night before. Paedar sat at the head of the table by the stove as was normal, his eyes surveying the crowded room nonchalantly as he ate a simple breakfast of black pudding, fried up eggs, and bacon. The predator within him wouldn't have minded more raw foods being on the menu but years of living with humans made him simply appreciate the blood pudding as his closest contender to something raw being served at the table.

Beside him, never having been an early riser, Eoin laid with his head down and a cup of strong tea in his limp hand. The man probably wouldn't eat for another hour yet but at least they had managed to get him up before the old clock had chimed in at ten. That was a blessing in and of itself. Across from him, Kagome sat with a napkin in her lap and her fork and knife in the proper hands as she happily munched on her own eggs and bacon as well as her own helping of black pudding.

The girl seemed downright immune to the still somewhat cold atmosphere of the room, which wasn't at all surprising to Paedar. It had probably been months since she had a breakfast that reminded her so much of home and it was understandable that it would take all of her attention. The very same could be said of the woman next to her who was also enjoying the breakfast with happiness brimming in her eyes, although she seemed to stay away from the pudding at all cost. The same could not be said of Miroku, however. For the most part, his breakfast seemed limitedly touched and his posture was tense at best.

"He must still be upset." Paedar thought as he watched Miroku sip at his cup of breakfast tea without actually looking anywhere except at the teacup. "I can't really blame him." The old demon turned his eyes towards his great-grandchild, watching as Inuyasha happily consumed every bit of meat on his plate quickly, his table manners dying with each taste of rare cooked bacon prepared specifically with him in mind. "I'd still be upset with him myself if the pup hadn't come and graveled to me last night." He resisted the urge to snicker from the very thought. Never in a million years would Inuyasha allow even these three humans to see him duck his head and bare his throat as he had the night before, begging for forgiveness while the pack leader stared at him with bored eyes.

"Here Inuyasha," The sound of Aengus' voice filling the room caused Paedar to snap his attention to the man still cooking behind him. "I made some boxty," He said as he held out a plate towards Inuyasha filled with what looked like a very flat pancake. "I know its yer favorite."

"Really?" Inuyasha smiled hungrily as he accepted the food onto his plate practically drooling. "You're not one to make things special."

"I kind of like you." The older man laughed slightly as he watched Inuyasha stab the simple potato made pancake with his fork before stuffing it in his mouth.

"Still has a good appetite." Paedar commented with a smile as he made eye contact with Aengus before deliberately glancing towards the sedate Miroku.

Aengus turned his attention discretely towards their youngest pup with a frown and nodded his head. "Inuyasha," He looked towards the boy who was just now finishing up his boxty with gusto. "After breakfast, take that boy of yours and go chop some wood."

The dog demon paused half way through the little pancake and turned a discerning eye towards his grandfather. "I knew there was a price." He frowned slightly but didn't argue as he stood from the table abruptly shoving the last of the boxty into his mouth.

"And use the axe not your claws." Aengus added as Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "If you nick one I don't wanna listen to ya whine."

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha tossed over his shoulder. "Come on as soon as you're done Miroku." He told the boy, his voice brokering no arguments as he turned and walked towards the door.

The man in question held in his loud sigh before standing from the table as well. "Great." He thought dejectedly not really ready to handle the foreseeable conversation. Even after a night of tossing, turning, and inevitably thinking, his anger still outweighed his fatigue and thoughts on the subject. "I just—I don't want to deal with this right now." He told himself even as he started to negotiate his way around the table.

Watching her husband with a discerning eye, Sango frowned. "This won't be good." She told herself as she glanced away from him to his untouched plate. "He's still so mad he can't even eat." She sighed heavily, in her mind she had already come to terms with the Captain's secret keeping. She had secrets of her own, secrets even Miroku didn't know about the life she had once lived and the abuse she had once suffered. They were secrets she would never tell because she knew telling them would mean having to face them herself. "And that—I'm just not ready to do." She reasoned silently just as she reached out her hand managing to touch just the tip of one of Miroku's fingers.

Instantly, Miroku turned back towards her, his eyes appearing hard and irritated. "What?" He snapped, before wincing with instant regret. Closing his eyes he expected the instant onslaught of his wife's fury but it never came.

"You didn't really eat anything." Sango spoke, the sound of her voice surprisingly gentle as she rubbed the back of her husband's hand.

Blinking in surprise at her strange kindness, Miroku shrugged. "Wasn't too hungry." He gave her a pained but appreciative smile as he spoke. "Enjoy the rest of your breakfast." He nodded at her and at Kagome before turning away without another word. Within seconds, he had disappeared through the door, the bright flood of sunshine as he went outside refreshing against the darkness that reappeared when the door clicked back in place.

The room was quiet for several seconds, before Aengus cleared his throat and grabbed for a plate to place his own meal on. "How's that?" He asked as he placed some bacon and a fried egg on his plate and a rather large helping of the pancakes he had made on another.

"Crann draíochta?" Paedar smiled happily as he stood from the table and went back to the stove where a tea kettle sat alongside a burner. "Works every time, even when the boy was little," He commented as he opened the old cupboard beside the stove and rummaged for another teacup. "Always made him talk."

Having witnessed the whole ordeal in silence, Kagome bit her lip before turning towards Paedar with a frown. "Um—what's a crann dra—um?" She stumped through the word even as Sango sat down her fork from beside her and nodded her head in agreement.

"The chopping block outside, that's what we call it," He informed as he found a decent looking little cup and pulled it from the cupboard. "It basically translates to the magic tree, which doesn't really make any sense." Paedar chuckled on as he grabbed a tea cup and proceeded to tip the kettle. "Still, the crann draíochta always had a way of making the pup talk." He sighed before returning to the table with the tea cup in one hand and a spoon in the other. "And those two need to talk."

"Yeah." Sango nodded in agreement even as she looked at the man as if he was crazy for talking about magic trees. "Miroku was pretty upset."

"And yourself?" Paedar prodded gently as he watched the young girl carefully.

"I," Sango hesitated for only a moment as she leaned back in her chair and looked at her own already prepared teacup. "Well, I at least, kind of understand, secrets happen, they're not meant to hurt those they're kept from but to protect those that make 'em."

"And Miroku just doesn't get that." Aengus prodded as he sat down at the table finally, sitting the plate full of boxty cakes down and motioning for the girls to take one if they wanted. "When one is as accustomed to keeping secrets as Inuyasha it becomes a hard habit to break."

The sound of Kagome's fork gently landing on her plate brought all three other occupants of the room to look in the young girl's direction. "Are you sure, it's that simple?" Kagome questioned as she reached out a hand and touched her tea cup absently, her fingers brushing against the hot china.

Glancing towards Aengus for only a second, Paedar turned back to the girl and sat his teacup down on the table. "What do you mean?"

"It's not just habit is it?" Kagome looked up at Paedar, her fingers slipping away from the teacup as she formed her thoughts into words. "It's more than that—its survival and fear of ridicule," She bit her lip and looked back down at her plate. For a moment, she studied the little piece of uneaten fried egg mixed with a smidge of bacon as she thought. The whole issue seemed far too complicated for Inuyasha to merely keep his secrets out of habit, there had to really be another reason. "It's almost like even if he doesn't get it." She shook her head slightly as the thought slipped onto her tongue. "It's a need he doesn't even understand."

"What are you thinking my girl?" Aengus asked bluntly as he watched the girl with intense focus. He had thought for sure she didn't know his great grandchild well enough to see through the holes in his own logic and yet, she appeared to understand them.

"I'm thinking there's more to his secrets than even we know." Kagome raised her head and looked towards Aengus. "I mean, why would he really keep this from Miroku of all people?" She turned towards Sango as if asking the other girl, but Sango merely shrugged. "I can kind of understand me and you Sango," She continued on her brow knitting from her own thoughts. "We've only know him so long and only as adults but Miroku," She felt her neck subconsciously turn itself, looking towards the door as if she could see through it. "Inuyasha raised him—you'd think they'd know everything about one another by now, right?"

"It is odd," Sango agreed as she placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward in thought. "He used to tell Miroku—that is—Miroku thought he told him everything."

"It feels like he should have," Kagome nodded as she finally broke down and reached for her tea, needing the relaxing warmth to calm her thoughts. "At the very least."

"Well," Paedar spoke up as he watched the girl struggle to understand even her own train of thought. "Maybe it's not Miroku he wanted to hide the secrets from."

"Who else would there be?" Sango frowned darkly at the much older man, the soft and knowing smile on his face actually causing her to grimace with irritation.

"Who else indeed?" Paedar continued to send her that smile as he raised his own glass to his lips and sipped at his tea thoughtfully.

Watching him, Kagome's eyes opened wide as realization fully dawned on her. "You mean—?"

"Exactly what I implied." He cut her off as he reached for a boxty cake ignoring the look of confusion Sango sent him bluntly.

-break-

Inuyasha stepped out into the bright sunlight of the early morning, his eyes wincing from the sheer brightness of the light. Blinking back the intensity of the burgeoning day, he sighed as he got his first look in over eleven years of the small garden Aengus tended. He could just see the tops of the various winter vegetables. The asparagus fern was the predominant because of Paedar's fondness for the vegetable when served in soups. The odd and very young celeriac rested in quaint rows, the tops of the underground knob celery bushy with life. He could even make out some potato plants lined up along the fence as well as a few tomato bushes that were simply laying dormant for the winter until it was warm enough for fruit to grow.

"Still the same old garden." He thought as he walked along the little muddy pathway (the rain from the night before having soaked the ground) that lead to the other side of the planted rows. Behind him, he could hear the footsteps of his son, slow and sluggish as they made their way across the mud ridden path. The ears on the top of his head pressed backwards slightly from the sound, knowing that it wasn't just the mud that was making the man move slowly. "Damn." He grunted under his breath as he approached a large chipped stump next to an old worn shed.

Inuyasha bit his lip as he came to stand next to the chopping block, unsure if this was really the wisest way for the two men to discuss the events of the previous day. Rubbing at the back of his head, Inuyasha looked down at the hunk of wood, his eyes studying each little nick carefully. Memories surfaced from the back of his mind, the first time he had ever chopped wood at this particular block dancing before his eyes.

"Alright pup," Eoin stood in front of the wood block, his hands on a well used axe. "Hold yer left hand just a ways from the bottom." He demonstrated to the much younger Inuyasha, the boy barely standing as high as Eoin's waist. "And yer u'tter about a hands or two width away from the top, like this—." He looked down at the boy, watching as the golden eyes blinked from the knowledge. "Understand?"

"Yes." Inuyasha nodded blankly as he shifted in his strange clothes. The feel of wool against his skin was very much different than the cotton of the hakama and haori he normally wore. He had only been in this new country for a little over three months and still he felt completely out of place.

"You want to try then?" Eoin pressed slowly as he kept a studious eye on the young boy.

Inuyasha smiled ever so slightly at the suggestion. "I can?" He questioned as he looked up into the calm face of his elder, gold eyes meeting kind and silver ones.

"Let's see," Eoin feigned thought as he straightened his back, throwing the axe over one shoulder. "Depends, how old are ya?"

The little dog demon frowned at the question, he was only six years old and he knew there was not even a possibility that a pup of six would be allowed to use an axe. Ears dropping slightly he looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet, debating if he could lie to the older man. "Okaa-san probably told him though," He reasoned with himself pouting immaturely before looking back up at the older demon. "If I lie he'll know anyway—he's a demon like Otou-san." He sighed knowing that lying would not be an option anyway because he knew that a good man doesn't lie. "I'm only six."

"Six?" Eoin repeated as he lowered himself down to Inuyasha's position tilting his head downwards so that he was the same size as the little boy. "You're six, I thought you were much older."

"Really?" Inuyasha raised his head up to look at the man, honestly surprised.

"Why yes—," Eoin nodded enthusiastically while he lowered the axe from his shoulder to rest next to the stump. "You're quite tall for your age."

Inuyasha cracked a smile but didn't look convinced as he watched the older man fawn over him. "I guess," He laughed a little as his ears perked back up on his head. "But I'm still not big enough to use that axe, am I?"

"Maybe not by yerself." Eoin agreed motioning for Inuyasha to come towards him. The little demon obeyed, moving to where he was standing next to the man. "With a wee bit of help though, I think a good little demon pup like you could try."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as the ax was placed in his small clawed hands, the weight of it actually a bit heavy even for a demon child. Blinking up at Eoin, he watched the man wide eyed, amazed that he had been given such responsibility. Eoin smiled at him in response, love and affection Inuyasha had often seen in his father's eyes brimming in those silver irises. "Otou-san." He thought as he looked at those big silver eyes, seeing not his grandfather but a father he sorely missed. The makings of tiny tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and sniffling he tried to hold them back. After all, if men didn't lie they certainly didn't cry either. "Sorry." He mumbled as he tried to keep the tears from spilling over, afraid his passage into manhood would be lost if he cried.

"Inuyasha," Eoin spoke kindly, placing a hand on the little boy's head and rubbing softly. "It's okay to cry." He spoke gently as if he knew the exact same pain Inuyasha was experiencing without having to hear a word from the boy's mouth.

"But—," Inuyasha tried to deny even as he lost his battle with his own tears and they spilled onto his cheeks. "I—I—," He hiccupped slightly, not even noticing when Eoin casually slipped the ax from his grip setting it aside. "I miss Otou-san."

"I know." Eoin whispered faintly as he pulled Inuyasha into a tight hug, burying his face into the small boy's hair. "And you always will." He told the small boy even as Inuyasha's body shook from his crying. "But I promise—even if I can't be him, I will be here for you." He spoke into Inuyasha's hair, the words loud to demon ears but soft to those who hid just out of sight.

Inuyasha wouldn't know until years later but, hidden in the shadows was his mother watching with pained eyes as her young son cried. It had been her idea for the two to bond at the chopping block, cranndraíochta she had called it. It was a magic tree that would help the young boy speak about his pains, fears, and worries when he had no desire to do just that.

Inuyasha gulped as the memory faded and he continued passed the stump towards the shed. "Damn old man has a plan." He thought offhandedly to himself. "Damn cranndraíochta, making people talk against their will—arrrr." He growled slightly as he reached for the door to the shed prepared to open it.

"So where's the axe?" Miroku mumbled as he came to stand next to the chopping block, his eyes drawn to the ancient stump.

Inuyasha inhaled sharply and forced his ears to stay upright, appearing unaffected by the boy's obvious tone. "It's in the shed." He replied evenly as he grabbed the door's iron handle, pulling it up and opened with practiced ease.

Miroku watched as his father disappeared inside the old shed with a tempered sigh and snorted. "All these years he's been lying to me and he acts like this is hardest on him." He grumbled internally as he crossed his arms over his chest and took in his surroundings. The garden was modest but bore plenty of food for the three men living in the humble home behind it. "Although—it seems a bit too small to also supply their tavern and the inn." He commented to himself but shrugged the thought off, they seemed to be doing well so how they came about their food for their own businesses seemed far outside of his concern.

Besides even that, Miroku could honestly say he wasn't all that concerned with the three men in the least. At the moment, his unease laid instead with their mutual grandson. The man he had known for the better part of his nineteen years of life, the man whom had raised him, clothed him, feed him, and comforted him when he was scared or in pain. He was concerned with that man and understanding why he had kept so many secrets from the man he claimed was his own flesh and blood.

"It just doesn't add up—why would he fucking lie to me?" Miroku gritted his teeth and grabbed hold of his own sleeves to help control his building temper. "He wasn't really lying." A rational part of his brain argued back but Miroku refuted it quickly. "He never told me. Omitting something as important as you're a fucking prince is the same as lying!" He snorted loudly and turned away from the shed just as Inuyasha pushed the door opened a little wider and reappeared outside.

"I got the axe." He informed as he resurfaced, his eyes immediately going to Miroku only to see the boy's back. "Damn pup won't even look at me." He thought as instinct gnawed at his gut, telling him that Miroku had gone beyond just plain upset to downright furious. That is, if the way his shoulders were drawn tight and his neck veins were pulsing was any indication. "Woods in the shed," He spoke even as the demon within him began to grow antsy from watching its son unwittingly shunning it by turning his back. "Pass it to me and I'll chop it up."

"Okay." Miroku grumbled tightly as he turned back around, refusing to make eye contact with his father as he moved towards the wide opened door of the shed. Within seconds his eyes landed on the wood pile, stored in the elevated and dry hut like structure carefully. Grabbing for a log, he sighed somewhat thankful when his hand came back completely dry. "At least this will be quick." He told himself as he turned back around towards his father handing him the uncut wood. "Here's one." He told the man who nodded in return, taking the log and placing it onto the chopping block.

With hands carefully placed on the axe, Inuyasha eyed its direct center before he brought the axe down swiftly. Instantly, the wood split in two, both pieces seeming to jump apart before landing on opposite sides of the wood block with a slight clatter. Picking up the closest one to his person, he placed it back into an upright position before cutting the already halved piece once more. The ears on the top of his head twitched, but not from the sound of the wood being cut. He could just hear the somewhat shaky breathing of Miroku and the accelerated beat of his heart. Sniffing the air, he took in the scent of upset and fury as well.

"Damn it." He grumbled under his breath but nowhere near loud enough for Miroku to hear. The demon inside of him seemed to tremble with agitation as it listened to its pup and smelt his scent. It didn't like the manner in which the situation was being handled and didn't in the least understand the need for such digression. "I can't blame you," Inuyasha thought, not really speaking to the demon inside of him any more than inadvertently. "It's starting to really fucking irritate me to—why can't the boy just understand?"

Standing behind his father, Miroku watched as the man reached for the other half of the wood and placed it on the chopping block as well before repeating the process easily. The sharp cracking of the wood, as it was cut into its final state, and then the thud as the axe sank into the stump, filled the early morning air. Around them the little birds that had awoken Kagome only an hour or so before continued to dance in the trees, their small black eyes now focused on the two men, untrusting, or perhaps curious. Whatever their motive, their little peeps and tweets did nothing to calm the already angry man.

Picking up the now four individual pieces of wood, Inuyasha handed them to Miroku who accepted them without a word. "Those go inside," He cleared his throat as he offered the direction, motioning towards the shed absently with one clawed hand. "On the left hand side."

"Got it." Miroku answered tightly and turned away from his father once more, the sight of his back and the tone of his voice finally putting Inuyasha over the edge.

"Damn it Miroku!" The dog demon snapped, his voice coming across as one solid growl. "I've had enough."

"Enough?" Miroku's head snapped around, his black eyed brimming with little flecks of red, the sight remarkably similar to his own father. "I've had enough!" He screamed as he threw the wood towards the shed, having only enough common sense left to know throwing them on the muddy ground wouldn't be good. "Eleven fucking years and you never told me shit!"

"So what?" Inuyasha screamed back as he took the axe and with one quick swing stuck it into the chopping block. "A man's allowed bloody secrets, pup."

"Yeah a man is," Miroku agreed with a huff as he resisted the urge to spit on the ground beside him. "But not important ones like that," He slammed his hand into the shed as if to use the motion as a symbol for the lies he had been told. "From his own son."

"What was I supposed to tell you?" Inuyasha shot back as he glared at the boy, every instinct in his body telling him to put the pup in his place.

"The truth for starters." Miroku growled back as he took a step towards his father, his own anger outweighing all his better instincts. "By the way pup you have a grandfather—we could start with that."

"I was going to tell you eventually." Inuyasha bit out, the words actually pretty true. He had thought once to bring Miroku here but that had been before Kagome Dresmont, literally, only months before.

"Eventually," Miroku spat the words not convinced even a little bit. "That's the same as saying never."

Growling, Inuyasha brought a hand up to the bridge of his nose, pinching it as he felt his demon side begin to slowly beg him for control. "Insolent pup!" It yelled loud and angry from being defied but Inuyasha knew for all his posturing and denial that Miroku had every right to feel as he did. "I would have—I was going to," He tried to explain even as the demon inside of him snarled and growled from being challenged so openly. "But then this whole thing with Kagome and the jewel and—fucking everything got in the way."

"And why should I believe you?" Miroku threw back not heeding even of the little warning signs his father was subconsciously giving him. "Because you wouldn't lie to me? That's rich."

"Just—God damn it Miroku." Inuyasha snarled as he let his instincts run away from him and grabbed hastily for Miroku's shoulders. The human was instantly thrown backwards, his back hitting the side of the shed just hard enough that the wood groaned against the contact but not enough to actually hurt him. "Will you shut your fucking mouth and just listen to me?"

Miroku's mouth dropped open as he felt his father's claws begin to nick his flesh. Forcing his whole body to go still, he stared into the red rimmed eyes of his father's demon side. "You've gone and pissed the demon off—just calm down Miroku, just calm down so he'll calm down." He told himself knowing that the more anger he showed the demon the more violence it would feel necessary to inflict to get its way. "Otou-san?" He spoke slowly his body shaking slightly as fear began to course throughout him.

The sound of his son's voice, now calm and more itself, brought Inuyasha back to himself in seemingly no more than a meager second. Eyes clearing, becoming bright gold once more, the demon inside of Inuyasha ebbed just enough for the man to see his son pressed against the wall of the shed looking not terrified but certainly worried. "Damn it." He cursed as he pushed himself away from Miroku as gently as he could so as not to hurt the pup further. "Damn it—damn it." He repeated over and over as he allowed himself to trip backwards, landing in the mud with a solid plopping sound.

Breathing heavily, Miroku allowed his own legs to give out from underneath him, his body sliding down the shed until he too was sitting on the ground. With wide eyes, he watched as his father brought his hands up to cover his face little curse words leaving his lips every now and then. "I just—," He spoke as he watched the man continue to curse under his breath. "Want the truth."

"You don't even get it." Inuyasha began abruptly catching Miroku off guard. "The things I've told you, I've told you things I would've never said to anyone else willingly."

His anger starting to rise again, Miroku bit back a sarcastic remark and spoke shortly instead: "Like what?"

"That I'm a half breed piece of shit." Inuyasha answered as he finally pulled his hands away from his face, revealing still irritated and red rimmed eyes. "You were the first person I ever told."

"What?" Miroku thought in surprise, the notion that the Captain had never actually told anyone else that particular secret actually pretty shocking.

"No one," Inuyasha kept speaking unaware of his son's thoughts. "Not even my first ever Captain." He turned back towards Miroku finally, watching as the boy looked at him with undisguised disbelief. "Fuck—you're the only one I ever told willingly."

"But—," Miroku tried to argued, his mind racing for anyway to dispute what his father had just said. "Myoga, Totosai."

"Knew me before I was born." Inuyasha answered easily as he brought a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. "And before you try, of course those three," He motioned with his head towards the house. "It was obvious to them."

Miroku nodded absently, knowing there was really no way those three wouldn't have known the truth. "Kagome?" He tried fitfully as a last resort but Inuyasha's deliberate shake of the head told him no instantly.

"Kagome found out by chance, I mean I thought of telling her, but the only reason she knows is she saw firsthand—I can't hide that." The man elaborated further as he looked down at the ground, eyes fixed on the muddy earth. "Sango only knows because of this—," Inuyasha breathed heavily as he raised he threw his hand haphazardly towards the house behind them. "You were the tiny pup I raised, I knew you wouldn't care." He told the man across from him, forcing himself to say each word, hoping that would strike some form of understanding from his son. "You were nine, weren't you? I had kept it hidden over a year."

Miroku nodded in response, his memory of the day so many years ago actually pretty hazy. It was as if he hadn't thought the information all that important, at least not important enough for it to stand out in his memory. It had only been a day like any other day, in which his father told him a secret he had to keep, one that seemed wholly appropriate and nothing more.

"I didn't have to tell you Miroku," Inuyasha turned his knees upright and placed his elbows against them for support. "I told you because I wanted you to know."

Miroku found himself nodding in understanding even as his mind raced to process what his father wasn't saying. "But—," He grunted slightly as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. "What about everything else?" The anger began to creep back into his voice. "I think telling me I have demon grandfather's would be far easier than explaining you're a half demon."

"Miroku, I only visit this place every ten years." Inuyasha explained slowly, his voice becoming calmer and calmer with each word. "It's been eleven—I really was planning on bringing you here a year ago, but—." He trailed off knowing Miroku would catch onto what he was saying.

"Okay fine." The boy nodded his understanding but his voice didn't sound any calmer. "Assuming that's true, you could have at least said something, told me, gave me a bloody hint."

"I honestly," Inuyasha spoke slowly, deliberately, the true honesty behind it causing Miroku pause. "Never thought of it—I always figured I'd just take you here for a visit and that would be that."

Miroku couldn't deny that the honest sound of his father's voice made him feel a bit more at ease, even without a demon nose he knew his father well enough to realize he wasn't lying. "It's a stupid reason but at least, he does have one." He crinkled his nose deciding to let the lie of his grandfathers go as he moved on to more pressing matters. "Fine—I can accept that but what about your father, your brother—that's huge and it's not like we're ever gonna visit them."

Inuyasha held back the snap of his tongue. He wanted to tell Miroku that they were going to visit at least Sesshoumaru eventually, pretty soon actually, but he also knew that wouldn't really make a difference in the conversation. "What do I tell him?" He asked himself but his subconscious really had no answers, only more lies. Inhaling deeply, he shook his head before even attempting to answer the boy truthfully; an inanely hard task. "My whole life is a series of secrets." Inuyasha explained as he moved one of his hands up to rub at his taunt shoulders. "Those secrets have kept me alive. To compromise them—," He explained hoping the explanation would be enough for Miroku to be satisfied with the conversation sooner rather than later. "Would be my suicide."

"That's shit and you know it." Miroku fired back, although the heat in his tongue was not nearly as hot as if had been earlier. "You trusted me with your heritage but not with your past?"

Inuyasha inhaled sharply as he felt the conversation begin to drift towards subjects he really didn't feel like discussing neither now nor later. "Miroku, why can't you just let it fucking drop?"

"Come on!" Miroku pushed himself up from the side of the shed, the earlier incident doing nothing to stop him from interrogating his father. "I just don't get it, how can you trust me to keep your human blood a secret but you can't tell me about your father being a fucking king?" Miroku badgered as his father dug his own claws into his pants legs. "Or about my first rate bastard of an uncle?"

"Miroku." Inuyasha tried to stop the man with just the warning in his voice but it didn't work.

"What's so different between the two?" He pressed further not heeding the warning tone once again.

"A lot." Inuyasha tried to say but Miroku cut him off quickly.

"Seems the same to me." The human spoke bluntly as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at his father.

"Because," Inuyasha impulsively snarled his first slamming into the ground as a childhood of unknown abuse and confusion ran throughout him. "I don't like to think about it, okay?"

Miroku felt all the wind that had been backing his rage die instantly. "What?" He questioned as he tried to understand those words. "What do you mean?"

"I get so—pissed thinking about it." Inuyasha spoke as if he was talking to himself his eyes staring at the ground. "You saw me at Kaede's!"

"But why," Miroku pressed as he watched his father clutch his fist tightly, shaking with some unknown rage. "Why does it piss you off so much?"

"Because it's my fault." Inuyasha finally exploded, his fisted hands both punching down at the ground simultaneously. Mud splattered from the impact, coating Inuyasha's pants in the watery substance.

"Fault—?" Miroku started to say but Inuyasha cut him off quickly.

"Sesshoumaru hated me so much he killed our bloody father for even daring to allow me to breathe." Inuyasha looked at the splattered mud on his pants legs, his vision far away from the sight that actually rested there. "And Okaa-san," He continued on, his voice actually faltering as he spoke. "If Otou-san wouldn't have died, she wouldn't have come back here, the fucking country that gave her the bloody plague!" He snorted as if trying to make his own words diminish by not caring about them. "It's my fault—it's all my fucking fault." He tore his eyes away from the ground, raising his fist and slamming it into the mud angrily.

Miroku didn't know what to say as he stared at his father, unable to comprehend the words at all. "Otou-san." He managed to mumble as he watched Inuyasha lean forward and bury his head in his muddy hands, staining his face.

"I killed them, just by being born, I killed my own parents." He growled low in his throat as he stood up suddenly hands clutched into tight fist, mud smeared on either cheek and in his hair. "It's my fault, Miroku!" He screamed at the child, years of pain and frustration finally bursting forth as he let his secrets go. "My mother is dead, my father is dead and it's all because—because—," He turned away from Miroku looking somewhere Miroku couldn't see. "I was born." He lowered his head down slowly, looking for a moment like a lost child and not a man. "If I hadn't been born, they would still be alive."

Miroku watched silently as the man he called father sank back towards the ground slowly depositing his body with a soft plop. Gingerly, he took his own sleeve and rubbed at the mud on his face, cleaning it off the best he could.

"And you wonder why I keep secrets." Inuyasha inhaled sharply as he stared at the mud on his sleeve for a second. "Why would I want to remind myself," He whispered, his hands forming into tight fist, knuckles popping from the action as his nails nicked his skin. "Why would I want to tell you," He turned his eyes towards Miroku, watching the other man carefully. "I'm the reason they're dead?"

"Otou-san," Miroku spoke the word slowly as he watched his father's blood begin to run down his closed hands. Finally, understanding began to dawn. His father had not been keeping secrets about his family because of trust issues. "In some twisted way he thinks he murdered them." Miroku thought to himself as he watched the blood begin to drip down Inuyasha's hands. "He thinks we'll agree, but he doesn't realize we won't." He blinked slightly as the thoughts came to fruition in his mind. "Kagome was right—he didn't want us to think any less of him." Miroku felt his whole demeanor change as he saw his father with truly different eyes. "You killed them, that's what you think." He spoke evenly watching as his father's ears went back against his skull. "But, I'm not dead."

"What?" Inuyasha raised his head to look at his son strangely. "Of course you're not."

"And neither is Sango, or Kagome," Miroku continued on as he finally began to understand his father just a little better. "Or your three grandfathers."

"What the hell, Miroku?" Inuyasha groaned unwilling to listen to what he assumed was some stupid drivel.

"I can't speak for everyone," He said, ignoring Inuyasha's groan as he walked the short distance to the chopping block and took a seat on its edge. "But I know I'd be dead without you."

Inuyasha turned his head to look at his son, "What—that's bull—."

"And Sango," Miroku cut the man off as he leaned back on the stump, managing to miss the axe. "I know she'd be long dead, probably by her own hand." He sighed a bit of pain prickling in his heart at the very thought of losing her. "Kagome—." He glanced down at his father watching as Inuyasha's posture perked up at the woman's name. "She'd be married to that bastard Naraku who would probably spend his days treating her like shit." He spoke as honestly as possible knowing his father would be able to smell lies from a mile away. "Maybe even kill her." He added, truly believing that any man who would kill a woman's father and his own father-in-law wouldn't hesitate to kill his wife. "Without you we're all—fucked."

"Do you have a point?" Inuyasha grumbled trying to understand what the hell his son was truly getting at.

"My point is we're alive and it's because of you." Miroku paused making sure Inuyasha was looking at him before he finished his thought. "You saved us."

Inuyasha opened his mouth as if to argue but found he couldn't think of a single thing to say.

Shaking his head, Miroku turned away from his father, reaching for a small weed that rested along the side of the stump. "You seem to think that things you did when you were a pup are more important than the things you did as a man."

"I don't." Inuyasha growled low in his throat. "You just don't understand."

"Maybe I don't." Miroku agreed as he twirled the weed between his pointer and thumb absently. "But I do know by your logic," He took a deep breath gathering his thoughts before he was finally able to speak. "I killed my mother too."

"What?"

"My mother was once a wealthy woman," Miroku admitted even though Inuyasha already knew that particular truth. "Her husband was a high ranking demon official, a demon official that would have never allowed her to bear a child." The younger man flicked the weed away from him as he spoke, watching as the wind caught it and carried it some feet away. "And yet, here I am—completely human." Miroku tilted his head back and looked up at the high blue sky. "He kicked her out and she died by the time I was six, froze in the winter trying to protect me from the cold." Pain tormenting him from the memories, Miroku shook his head and turned his eyes back towards his adoptive father. "By your logic that was my fault."

"It's not—," Inuyasha started to say but stopped unable to continue. Even he realized the two instances had a striking resemblance.

"We can't chose to be born, that decision is our parents." Miroku reasoned as he turned away from his father once more. "But we can chose who saves us if we need saving." He smiled at his father, his expression still slightly pained. "I didn't have to go with you, neither did Sango but we did." He explained evenly before sending his father a crooked smile. "And Kagome, she spent one week with you and couldn't resist."

"Yeah," Inuyasha drew his lips into a thin line as he thought back to the time eight months before when he had first 'brought' Kagome onto the ship. "We'll just forget the whole—marking thing."

"I think it's best to." Miroku agreed with a shake of his head and a slight grimace for the rather cold memory.

"So what are you getting at pup?" The dog demon finally asked as he looked towards his on perched on the stump.

"You blame yourself for your parent's death," Miroku continued where he had left off easily. "But that wasn't your fault."

Inuyasha was silent as he looked away from his son not willing to make eye contact in the least. Deep down in a more logical of his heart ( or perhaps his head) Inuyasha knew Miroku was speaking the truth.

"You didn't choose to be born." Miroku pointed out physically bringing his hand up to point at his father to reiterate his point. "That was their choice, and I'm sure they didn't regret it." He flicked his wrist before dropping his hand back down to his knees. "It was your choice however, to take in a tossed aside orphan in a London gutter and a raped girl you found in a tavern and a very lonely and oppressed one who literally followed us home." He pressed not hindered at all by his father's turned head. "You brought all of us back from the brink of something and you did that as a man not as some kid whose only crime was to've been born."

The only sound in the air for some minutes was the tweeting of the playful birds. The father and son stared at each other, Inuyasha's gold eyes assessing as he watched his son processing what the man had just told him. "I know he's right but—it's hard to agree." He thought even as a small fear that had always rested inside of him began to ease. "Miroku." Inuyasha drew out the word slowly, the sound of it causing Miroku to bristle.

"What?" Miroku growled waiting for the fight to start once more but it never did.

Inhaling deeply, Inuyasha closed his eyes taking a moment to actually mentally prepare himself for the words he was about to say. "There're some things you just don't talk about." He admitted as he finally loosened his hands, allowing his nails to pull out of his skin. "This was one of those things, it had nothing," He sighed heavily as the words caught in his throat. "To do with you, understand?"

"I do but I'm your son," Miroku nodded his head in understanding, true understanding. "And I don't agree with your reasons." He spot bluntly watching as his father sent him a truly intimidating glare or at least it would have been had Miroku been anyone else in the world.

Inuyasha growled lightly and reached over pushing Miroku off the stump with one large shove. The boy yelped as he fell backwards into the mud, a loud squishing sound filling the air as he sank into the ground.

"Jerk." He growled as he tried to sit up, the feel of sticky hot mud seeping through his clothes painfully disgusting.

"I know but I'm your father." Inuyasha taunted as Miroku glared at him darkly, his hands tightening in the muddy puddle before he slung a huge clog of mud straight at his father's face. Inuyasha barely managed to move out of the way of the mud ball, smirking at his son the whole time. "Who's the jerk now?"

Trying to hold back a smile Miroku pursed his lips tightly. "Like father," He spoke as evenly as possible. "Like son."

Inuyasha laughed at his son's words, tilting his head back and allowing the sound to travel upwards, catching the birds by surprise. Instantly, they squawked with fear and shot from the tree, the sound of Inuyasha's laughter somehow far more terrifying than snarls or screams (A sound they were abnormally used to). Sitting on the ground, still in the mud puddle Miroku also laughed but not at his own words. He laughed at the sight of his father, happy that the man's demeanor seemed to have changed even ever so slightly.

"So no more secrets." Miroku stated as his father's laughter began to ebb.

Something in Miroku's words gave Inuyasha an unintentional pause. The dog demon tilted his head back down and looked at his son, watching him for several long moments. His gold eyes shone brightly in the sunlight, flashing bright with even the slightest move of Inuyasha's head.

"Otou-san?" Miroku narrowed his eyes concerned by the sudden change in his father's mood. "Is there more?" He pressed even as his heartbeat picked up a bit in his chest. "How can there be anymore?" He growled internally, not believing that there even was a possibility of more secrets coming from this man but then again: "I shouldn't be surprised."

"When I was born, people weren't given surnames." He turned towards Miroku, looking at the boy with soft conviction. "Unless they were really rich that is." He reached up and rubbed at his neck, the muscles taunt under his fingers. "I should've told you this long ago." Inuyasha admitted even though his voice came across as tight and still very much forced. "But—when my mother died she left me more than just the Shikon jewel."

"Yeah?" Miroku nodded his head ever so slightly as he watched Inuyasha glance down at his pants, studying the mud that was already caked onto them.

"She gave me a surname," Inuyasha admitted carefully as he brought a hand up to rub at the back of his head. "I never really told anyone because it's very Irish and would label me," He furrowed his brows slightly as if trying to think of the best way to word his sentence. "People might have guessed I wasn't completely human."

Miroku nodded forcing himself to understand his father's reason, this particular reason at least sounding pretty logical. After all, Irish names were only given to humans, for a demon to use an Irish surname was the equivalent of saying he had human blood in him. "What was it?"

"O'Loinsigh," Inuyasha turned his face back around towards Miroku as he said the name. "It's your name too."

The boy's eyes widened and his heart actually skipped a beat in his chest. He had never had a surname because he had never truly had a father and his mother wasn't permitted to use her husband's name. He had always simply been Miroku, to have a surname was a truly amazing thing. "Really?"

Inuyasha nodded appearing somewhat awkward as he looked at his son just out of the corner of his eye. "Miroku O'Loinsigh."

"Son of Inuyasha O'Loinsigh." Miroku added as he looked at his father with a genuine smile finally forming on his face. "I like the sound of that."

"Yeah, yeah," The dog demon grumbled feeling even more awkward as he looked away from Miroku and focused on the mud embedded in his pants. "Let's finish with the wood." He commanded, effectively ending the conversation, an action that Miroku couldn't protest nor disagree with.

Standing up from the wood block, Miroku watched as his father hesitated grabbing the axe, his fingers posed just above the wooden handle. "Something wrong?"

Inuyasha shook his head in response, grabbing the old axe and yanking it out of the chopping block with one swift motion. "Get another log."

"Sure." Miroku agreed and turned towards the shed, disappearing inside of it as his father continued to stare at the old stump.

"Stupid crann draíochta." Inuyasha growled as he studied each and every nick in the old wood with distrusting eyes that soon turned fond. "You never fail do you?"

-break-

The docks at noon were nowhere near as crowded as they had been the night before. In fact, it seemed that half the ships they had seen the previous night were gone already and new ships were slowly taking their place as the day wore on. The people that had filled the docks had moved on as well, perhaps to their homes or tending to their jobs, either way they were no longer present. The only people on the docks were those working in the shipping yards, loading and uploading supplies to be taken to or that had been taken from the mainland.

Overall, the docks seemed almost peaceful as the small family of misfits walked towards the Shikuro which was still sitting unmoved in its berth. The three wolf demons seemed to surround the humans in a way: Paedar and Aengus walking on either side of Miroku and Kagome with Sango in the middle. It was a comforting way to walk (if one trusted demons) and Miroku was pretty much positive the formation was not done on accident. It was almost as if, they were being protected by instincts.

Trailing behind them, Inuyasha at his side, Eoin watched his brother and technical brother-in-law. He knew first hand that they were guarding the humans, it was a sight that made him smile. They had often walked the same way with Izayoi toddling between them when she had been but a little whelp. Nostalgia filled him from the thought, his eyes going just a little blurry as he imagined the small girl, almost seeing her in front of him turning back to look at him with a gap-toothed grin. "Izayoi."

His heart gripped in his chest and he sighed heavily, before glancing towards his grandchild out of the corner of his eye. After Inuyasha had reconciled with his own son, the boy had announced that they needed to leave immediately. It was an announcement that he had dreaded but ultimately knew was coming.

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" Eoin attempted one last time as they came to stand in front of the tall Shikuro, his eyes focused on the ship and not his grandchild. Perhaps it was too painful for him to even attempt to look.

"We can't really delay," Inuyasha offered even as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "We need to get to Nihon and straighten all this out as soon as possible."

Looking back at Eoin, understanding the man's pain but handling his own far better, Paedar smiled. "We know," He spoke firmly, old shoulders squared as he looked at his great-grandchild with a firm upper lip and taunt jaw. "We always knew that once this responsibility was brought to you," He paused for just a second, for all pretenses collecting only his thoughts. "It would take importance over everything else."

"It has to." Inuyasha offered him a knowledgeable smile even as he too felt the pain of separation begin to build within his chest. Instincts that always seemed to leave him after a few days back at sea began to well in his chest full force. It was ingrained in him to want to stay with his pack, to stay in the safety of their ranks but he knew that was currently not an option. "As soon as everything's done," He spoke partially because instincts demanded it and partially because he truly meant his words. "We'll come back and visit," He promised as the three old men across from them nodded their heads at the prospect. "For a whole month."

"A whole month of you?" Aengus laughed slightly even as his eyes grew cheerless with every word Inuyasha spoke. "I don't think we could take it." He joked as he reached out and touched Inuyasha's chin, flicking at it with his finger.

"You'd eat us out of house and home." Eoin added as he too took a step forward towards the Captain and released a little growl that only Inuyasha understood. 'Miss pup.' He said in the language of the canine's not wanting the humans to be privy to the private feelings he was trying to convey to his dear grandson.

'Miss pack.' Inuyasha offered back as he stepped forward, for once unhindered by his pride completely, and wrapped his arms around the other man.

Only slightly taken aback by the affection, Eoin hugged the other man tightly in return as he buried his face in the side of Inuyasha's covered neck, scenting the boy instinctively. "You'll take care of yourself?" He asked once more in the language of the humans, the three humans in question feeling oddly out of place as they watched the Captain so such deep affection so openly.

"I will." Inuyasha said as he pulled back from the hug and looked over at Paedar and Aengus.

"You better." Paedar told him with a barely visible pained smile. The oldest of the demon men was trying to appear as strong as possible, his expression sturdy even though he too looked abnormally emotional. "You take care of the pack." He nodded towards the humans, sending them a gentle smile before he turned back towards Inuyasha. "You understand."

"I'll guard them with my life." He nodded firmly even as he grimaced at the prospect of what was to come. "I'll even go see Kouga to do it." He promised before stepping forward and lowering his head to the other male. In return Paedar too stepped forward, lowering his own head and bumping it against Inuyasha's in a sign of extreme attachment.

Pulling away from Inuyasha quickly so as not to arouse suspicion, Paedar turned his eyes towards two of the three humans sending them a charmingly handsome smile that Kagome could have sworn she had seen somewhere before. "And you, both of ya, that is." He eyed Miroku and Sango critically, his irises flashing with stern meaning suddenly. "Take care of him."

"Always." Miroku spoke for Sango and himself as he stepped forward and offered his hand towards the older demon. Paedar laughed in return and gripped the boy's hand before pulling him forward and hugging him briefly.

"I look forward to seeing you again pup." He told Miroku even as he glanced over the boy's shoulder to look at Sango. "And you as well, my girl."

Sango smiled brilliantly at the man, her warm brown eyes shining brightly. "Till we met again." She offered him a little natural curtsy as he released Miroku and allowed the boy to return to her side.

Watching the exchange with a smile, Aengus stepped forward next, reaching for Inuyasha silently. Obeying without words, Inuyasha moved into Aengus' offered embrace, hugging the man. 'Miss father alpha.' He growled slightly, not wanting his human family to know the significance of his words.

Paedar narrowed his eyes and snorted from beside them while Eoin laughed slightly. In a normal pack there were always two alphas: a male alpha and a higher ranking female alpha (at least in canine demon packs). Since their pack had no clearly defined true female alpha, the title had always gone to Aengus, however, the man refused to be called by the proper demon title, 'mother alpha.' Therefore, Eoin and Inuyasha had resorted to calling both men 'father alpha' in canine tongue, a title that was never shared by any two members within a pack. Needless to say, the decision drove the more hierarchical oriented Paedar insane.

Pulling away from Inuyasha, Aengus gave the boy a gentle smile. "You behave yourself," He spoke sternly but his body language didn't match his words at all. "You understand me?"

"I do." Inuyasha nodded but a smirk formed on his face none the less.

Rolling his eyes, knowing what that particular look meant, Aengus ignored him and turned his eyes towards Kagome who stood just beside Sango, her hands unconsciously opening and closing as if uncomfortable. For a moment, Aengus stared at her, his mind transporting back over four hundred years before to a different girl.

"I'll be fine," Izayoi rolled her eyes at him and laughed at him as Inutaisho at her side shifted awkwardly. "You're paranoid Seanathair."

He heard her voice loud in his head along with her throaty giggle. His stomach knotted as her laughter faded back into a special place in his heart. "She was beautiful." He thought even as his eyes took in a different woman, almost the same age, maybe a little older. The wind had just caught Kagome's hair, the little flecks of red and blond located deep amongst the brown and black shimmering in the sunlight. "She's beautiful as well, just as tragically beautiful." He frowned with worry before inhaling sharply and shaking the thoughts away. "Dear one," He spoke up, his words causing everyone to turn towards him expectantly. "Be happy together."

Kagome's eyes widened at his words for only a fraction of a second before her expression completely calmed. There was something about Aengus' face in that moment that caught her off guard. It was like she could see something in him that she wasn't quite ready to understand. "We will." She answered him, her voice gentle as her fingers finally relaxed and her whole demeanor shifted from nervous and out of place to thoughtful.

Beside her, Inuyasha looked down in astonishment as Kagome's words filled him. "She didn't even blush." He realized as he watched the calm acceptance wash over Kagome's face. "—that's odd, good but odd."

Silence washed over the group as Kagome and Aengus looked at each other some sort of silent communication seeming to occur until Aengus suddenly spoke once more. "Remember," Aengus whispered as the wind caught Kagome's hair almost supernaturally, pulling at it and crowning it around her head. "You're stronger than you think," He spoke carefully, his words sinking into Kagome's ears. "You're more powerful than you will ever realize," He whispered so softly that the humans could scarcely understand his words and yet Kagome heard them as clearly as if he had been yelling. "And the courage that builds in you day after day is more exceptional than you can even imagine."

Kagome nodded her head once and smiled at the man in such a way that the three scalawags thought for a moment they had been transported back in time. They could almost see the young Izayoi, standing on this very dock over four hundred years before, her own chestnut brown eyes full of hope and promise and a future bright yet bleak. "Thank you." She tried to hold the smile but found herself unable as the encouragement nearly took her breath away.

"Captain!" They heard the shout from above, one of the human crewmen having just noticed his Captain and first mate. "I'll lower yer gangplank."

"That's our cue." Inuyasha nodded his head towards the men formally. Now that he knew his crew was watching he could no longer wittingly show them such brash affection. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"It better not be another eleven years." Eoin growled slightly but the sound was actually good natured.

"No more than ten." Inuyasha winked just as the gangplank hit the dock behind him with a rather loud thud.

"That's what you always say." Paedar shot back, his voice thick but light all at the same time.

Rolling his eyes up towards the sky Inuyasha reenacted an expression that all three men knew had come from his mother. "Fine, ten—exactly ten." He offered as he began to walk backwards towards the plank. "And by that I mean ten-ish." He added under his breath before turning around and heading quickly towards the ship.

"Inuya—!" Paedar started to yell towards him but stopped knowing better than to call the man out in the vicinity of a demon crew. "That boy will be the death of me." He shook his head before turning back towards the three humans and smiling at them one last time. "Be safe." He blessed simply not wishing to bore them with a long typical blessing of the Irish people.

"You as well." Miroku replied as Sango and Kagome nodded properly in response. Together, the three headed towards the gangplank where Inuyasha had disappeared moments before without another word.

Keeping his eyes on their backs, Eoin inhaled sharply the smell of them still strong in his nose. "Good to see he still hates goodbyes." He spoke good naturedly to his family just as they entered the ship.

"He was never one for them." Aengus, who had been strangely quiet since he had spoken to Kagome, chimed in.

Glancing at the older man, Eoin narrowed his eyes slowly as he replayed Aengus' words over and over again in his head. They were words he had heard long ago but had forgotten were ever really spoken until this very moment. "Aengus," He drew the man's sole attention towards him, waiting until their eyes met before he spoke again. "You told Izayoi the same thing when she left."

"I know." Aengus spoke calmly even as a little ball of worry formed in the pit of his stomach. Turning his eyes towards the Shikuro, the old demon watched as the crew sprang to life, his eyes searching for Kagome or his grandson but finding neither. Old instincts danced in his head, his heart responding by thumping loudly in his chest. All this felt too familiar and that worried him. "I think she needed to hear it," He told the other two men as he pulled his eyes away from the ship. "The confidence it brings, will do her good when the time comes."

"Aengus?" Paedar questioned the strange sentence but Aengus merely shook his head and offered his mate a smile. "What are you getting at?"

"The truth," Aengus nodded and turned away from the Shikuro, starting back down the street as he threw a few more words over his shoulder. "And nothing more."

End of Chapter

Please Review

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, as of next chapter we will be...you guessed it...in France!And then after that we will meet the infamous cousin.

Bonus Point:

Who resurrected Kikyo?

Last Chapter's Bonus Point:

At the beginning of the manga the Tetsaiga was protected by a 'rule.' A full demon was unable to touch it and in order to use it the person had to have something to protect, specifically a human. In Inuyasha's case, he specifically promised to protect Kagome. Of course throughout the manga this is contradicted many times but this is the basics of it. Congrats to the winners!

Disneyclassics101, 14 inu-kag, Starmoongoddess, cristine44, Glon Morski, scropioprincess18, , SilverMoonLite, Cagome, ravenraymoon, Sharp 8394, TachiMakoto, kan78, AKEMI SHIKON, IkutoTsukiyomi'sGirl, Surfy, HopelessRomantic183, ClowOcean, Suyurilrig, NurNur, AiydanWarrior, Aozora12, TheRealInuyasha, KaUiA,

Notes:

Lothario - A male first name which came to connote an unscrupulous seducer of women in The Impertinent Curiosity, a story-within-the-story in Don Quixote.

Bordeaux – A port city of France located on the Garonne River in the Gironde department. The golden age of Bordeaux was in the 18th century when the majority of its downtown and most famous landmarks were built. It is most famous for being used, throughout the history of France, as a temporary capital: first during the Napoleonic Wars and again during WWII when it became obvious Hitler was going to overtake Paris. It is modernly the 9th largest city in France.

Bay of Biscay – Is the body of water located off of the western shore of France and northern shore of Spain, connected to the Atlantic Ocean.

Port De La Lune or Port of the Moon – A port city/region of Bordeaux in France, is an inhabited historic city, it has more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Lands.

Blood Pudding – A type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The dish exists in various cultures from Asia to Europe and the Americas.

Boxty – In Irish it is called a bacstaí or arán bocht tí which means "poor-house bread." It is a traditional Irish potato pancake.

Next Chapter:

Family

See you then!

UNEDITTED

POSTED

5/12/2013