Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

'thoughts and inner voices'

"talking"

"What happened!?" The head of the village stared at the returning couple in horror.

"Help me," said Koimizu as he dragged Naraku's battered form towards the old man. He had carried Naraku all the way back to the village when the hanyou had fainted from the wounds inflicted upon him. The old man nodded and extended his hand. Together they carried Naraku back to the hut where the couple had resided earlier that day.

Koimizu took Naraku's clothes off and examined the wounds. He blinked a little surprised staring at them. 'They don't seem all that bad,' he mused, having expected much worse from those poisonous slashes. 'Well, he is a youkai after all.'

Koimizu considered his last thought and corrected himself. 'No, not a youkai… That white haired man had called him a hanyou.' Gently Koimizu brushed a few dark strands from Naraku's face. 'I wonder… am I a fool for befriending a villain like you?'

Koimizu stared at Naraku's pained face. A soft moan escaped the hanyou's parted lips. Koimizu bent down and kissed Naraku's forehead. "I'll get some herbs to ease your pain," he whispered and he got up and left the hut, leaving Naraku behind.

Slowly Naraku opened his eyes, his fake moans stopping. Youkai did not moan. They gritted their teeth and held their pains to themselves. 'Why does that brat care for a villain like me?' thought Naraku. He didn't understand. 'Why did Kikyou care for Onigumi? Why? Koimizu… why do you care for me?'

THE ANCIENT FOREST:

Koimizu wiped his head with his sleeve as he bent down to pick up another flower that would be needed to help ease Naraku's pain. He heard footsteps come his way and looked up. A shocked expression made its way to his face. His very own eyes were lying to him.

"Mother…?"

Kikyou stared at the boy-miko before him. "Do you love this hanyou?" she asked sharply as she glared Koimizu down. The boy could only stare at her in disbelieve. How could this be?

Suddenly Koimizu remembered the white-haired youkai talking.

Miko Hijiri shall take your life without mercy.

That youkai had said those words to Naraku. His mother's name was Hijiri. And here she was standing before him alive and well. What about that white kuromiko Kanna? And his mother's death? Koimizu could not understand.

"Mother… you're alive?"

Kikyou ignored his question. "Remember your duty, Koimizu," she said. "Remember the mission that you live for. Remember the meaning of your name." She narrowed her eyes on him as she continued speaking. "Koimizu means Tears of Love. You live because I created you out of my tears and your father's blood."

"Mother…" Koimizu whispered. "You want Naraku's death?"

Kikyou grinned darkly. "What I want is of no concern to you. You only need to carry out your mission, as is your duty." She reached inside her kimono and retrieved two pink shards. "You have one of these, do you not?" she asked Koimizu. He nodded and she continued. "Profess your love to Naraku and ask him if he returns your feelings. If he does, then give your three shards to him as a proof of your love." In a swift move she threw her shards towards Koimizu and he caught them. She disappeared into the darkness, her Shinidamachuu faithfully trailing behind her.

"Yes mother," Koimizu called after her shadows. 'Mother… what are you trying to do?'

KOIMIZU'S VILLAGE:

Naraku tried to sit up as Koimizu entered the hut with the prepared herbs. Quickly Koimizu ran up to him and helped him get up. "Be careful he," he said, gently admonishing the hanyou. Naraku just glared at him in response, but remained quiet.

He was Naraku, a mighty villain. He did not feel comfortable being left in the dark. And yet he didn't understand Koimizu's intentions towards him. Nor did he understand Sesshoumaru's words.

The lifeless already linger around you. Miko Hijiri shall take your life without mercy.

What lifeless? Who was the miko Hijiri? Was she the one who revived Kanna? Naraku thought of the Shikon shard Sesshoumaru had given him. It was Kohaku's shard. This could only mean that Kohaku was dead. Kanna must have been supported by the Shikon shard as well. Someone had used the remaining shard to revive her, but not InuYasha's group…

Naraku's eyes widened in realization.

Kikyou. She had named herself Hijiri-sama once. Only she could have done such a thing. Had she stolen InuYasha's Shikon shard to do this? But why…?

Naraku cringed slightly when Koimizu applied the herbs onto his wounds. The stinging sensations brought him out of his musings. He stared at the boy's face that resembled those of Kikyou and InuYasha, the two that constantly haunted his nightmares.

"Koimizu…" he mumbled trying to get Koimizu's attention. The boy looked up and stared at him questioningly. He didn't stop attending the wound. "Koimizu, was your mother's name Hijiri?"

Koimizu's hands froze, stopping their motions.

"Heh," Naraku let out a short laugh. "I should have known. You really were theirs."

Koimizu resumed attending to his wounds. "I don't know what happened between you and my mother, nor do I wish to know. What happened so far… it's all confusing to me." He applied the last bandages and then sat down beside Naraku in silence.

Thoughts lingered through Naraku's head. He felt cornered. How could he get out of this trap? Even his companion could not be trusted anymore. He was their son, he was his enemy. And yet…

Flashes of Koimizu and him appeared in his mind. Koimizu caring for him in that dark cave. Fighting with Kanna. His smile and his touch. And his resemblance to… Kikyou? Or InuYasha?

No… Koimizu was different. He had no feelings of hate coming off of him in waves, unlike those other two who resented him. He sensed that Koimizu harbored no feelings of hate towards him. Could he be trusted?

"Naraku…?"

The silence between them was broken.

"Do you love me?"

He stared at him with that smile on his face and those golden eyes shimmering with an unknown emotion. It was a captivating sight and Naraku could not resist its alluring beauty that gently yet forcefully pulled him in. He retaliated and leaned in. His lips touched Koimizu's and he pulled the boy-miko with him onto the futon where they kissed and made love.

That night, the sounds of passion were heard between the ruins of a fallen village.

THANK YOU FOR READING. PLEASE STAY TUNED…
Dictionary: Shinidamachuu (Soul collectors, dead soul insects, the long snake-like demons that follow Kikyou around)