Crouched and snug on the lip of the window-sill, the one right next to their bed, Sesshomaru watched Inuyasha sleep as he worried silently over the new developments transpiring in his life.

All the things he'd left behind, he was the one thing to come back around. Guess that's just Karma for you- getting revenge that was long overdue. God knows he deserves it. Watching Inuyasha helped calm him, though.

There was something almost magical in the way someone slept- the rhythm of deep breathing, steady hearts soft and pleasing to hear. Inuyasha had a one up on most people, in that his lightly fuzzed ears seemed to take a mind of their own in his sleep. They'd flicker and twitch at the slightest noise, providing an endless amount of distraction. But even tonight it was hard to leave the day behind and focus on his lover.

Naraku.

Every time he thought about it he felt sick, angry, and disgusted all at the same time, and so he tried so, so hard to shove the name into the furthest recesses of his mind, hoping against hope that if he tried hard enough, it'd vanish from him like it'd never even been there. Never even existed. But that would never happen and now here he was, unprepared for something he should have saw coming at one point or another.

He shuddered, a chill running through his bones that had nothing how cold the room was. Shaking his head, he run the thought out of his head. He wouldn't think about it, any of it. He refused to break stride because of some miscalculation. He could get through this, he told himself, repeating it over in his head.

He could get through this. He'd be fine.

A dull sound pierced the silence in the house. He recognized it was his cell, ringing from the other side of the house.

::::::

When he woke, instantly he knew something was out of place. He didn't know what it was, but there was an uneasy ache in his body he couldn't quite shake.

He leaned up, onto his shoulders, and paused, willing his brain into translate what he felt into an actual thought. Something was off. Different, he thought, sitting completely straight, shivering slightly as the cold air hit his bare skin. What was different?

There was something missing. Sesshomaru? Looking around, he confirmed that yes, he was gone, but that wasn't what was wrong. Sesshomaru always went to get coffee early in the morning, since he knew it was his passion and got up before him anyway. It was a nice little something he did for him that he was so grateful for, as he constantly reminds him.

So it was nothing, then. He should go back to sleep.

Except, he still couldn't

shooting back up, he glared around the room. He made a short check list to make sure everything was in where it should be, and everything important was safe where he left it the night before. Everything was where it was supposed to be. So was it Sesshomaru?

But, Sesshomaru had gotten coffee. Right? All the sudden, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Soundlessly stumbled out of his bed, an unknown paranoia pulling him out sleep and into the hallway, scouring the rooms for his brother.

"Sesshomaru?," He called. No answer. So, he was getting coffee? No, he thought. It's something different. It was getting harder to breathe the longer he thought about it- He was easily freaked out, and even more so when he was still half-asleep.

He was on the verge of a completely irrational melt-down, when the sound of the front door successfully distracted him. In strode Sesshomaru, on the dott, with both hands occupied by coffee- a frappe and an iced tea latte.

All the tension left Inuyasha in a wave of relief. Why the hell did he freak out in the first place? God, was he stupid sometimes. Maybe he had attachment issues.

Sesshomaru's eyes rolled over him once, expression remaining neutral, save for the lift of a single eyebrow, a small expression Inuyasha now knew as mild interest. "You're up early."

"What? Oh," He hadn't even looked at the clock. Glancing over his shoulder, he cursed when he realized he woke a full half hour before he needed to. "Yeah, I guess I am..."

Ignoring the odd look Sesshomaru was giving him, he took the frappe from him, and sipped loudly while he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. He also ignored the more-than-just-a-kinda awkward silence hanging between them. He knew Sesshomaru wanted to know what he was doing up at the ass-crack of dawn, even if it was just out of curiosity, but for the life of him he couldn't explain what had driven him to stumble out of bed in a panicked haze. He didn't even know if he wanted to tell Sesshomaru, the surprising king of worries.

The other week he'd burned himself on a pot and had to spend an hour talking a hysteric demon out of calling nine-one-one. Never thought that would ever happen.

But he wasn't just about to ignore it his instincts, because if Inuyasha was anything, he was a man of instincts. So, turning towards the fridge to scour for food, he asked, "So, where've you been?"

If he'd hadn't been looking inside the fridge, and instead at Sesshomaru, he'd have noticed him flinch and freeze, before once again acting like nothing was amiss. As it was, he didn't, and Sesshomaru's answered casually and calmly, "Getting you coffee, as usual. Why?"

"Mmmm." He craned his head to look at him, expecting him to be in the same place was standing. Instead, Sesshomaru sidled by and reached into the fridge, pulling out eggs, sliced ham, and milk, and carried them over to the stove.

Watching him work, the idea that Sesshomaru had done anything but get coffee, let alone anything suspicious, left his mind. If he had, he trusted that Sesshomaru would tell him

"No reason," He said finally, smiling and walking up behind Sesshomaru, and leaned into him, breathing him in.

Sesshomaru didn't make any acknowledgment to Inuyasha latching onto his waist, but didn't push him off either, and when Inuyasha thought it was well enough he pulled away, Sesshomaru dragged him back against him and continued cooking. Smiling, he rested his cheek between his shoulder blades and sighed, content.

::::::

Sesshomaru was silently panicking. He didn't think Inuyasha would be suspicious; he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. But he forgot Inuyasha always seemed to know that things were wrong when it concerned him. He didn't even think Inuyasha was aware he did so.

While they ate he stayed relatively silent, passing short and general answers while Inuyasha rambled away about something he saw on television or about his dream. His mind was preoccupied with last night, when the phone rang.

The thing was, no one ever called him. At least not after nine. He didn't have anyone who spoke to regularly outside of work, and for the life of him he couldn't think of a single person who could be calling. He stayed were he was, dismissing the call as unimportant if he couldn't even tell who it was, but the longer the ringer continued the greater his curiosity became, until finally he gave in and rose from the window, walking quickly to where he left his cell in the dining area.

"Hello?," he answered, easily masking all curiosity and all from his voice.

When there was an answer he froze, shock numbing his mind as a smooth, drawled voice said, "Hello, Sesshomaru."

Panic beat through his veins, silence stretching between the lines, and it took half of what he could do to keep throwing the phone against the wall on impulse, and so much more to keep from having an anxiety attack. It was a long moment before he was able to compose himself enough to say, in a clipped tone, "What the hell do you want?"

He heard Naraku laugh, strong and convincing, like he was actually an honest person, and it put a bitter taste in Sesshomaru's mouth. "Is that how you greet old friends now a days?"

"You're no my friend. You never were."

"You're right- I was much more than that, wasn't I?"

Sesshomaru bite the inside of his cheek, fighting tooth and claw to snap and deny it. But it was true, and the both knew it. Instead he decided to cut the formalities short. "Why are you calling?," he asked, his tone tired and much softer than he'd wanted.

"I wanted to invite you to Dinner." He felt his temper flare and once again bit down an unnecessary retort.

"It's almost two in the morning, Naraku," He snapped. "Breakfast, than," Naraku said back, amusement wrapped around his voice like oil. Sesshomaru had a feeling he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on him just by talking to him, and he had a feeling he enjoyed it so much.

Sick fuck, he thought viciously. Inhaling deeply, he tried to calm himself, again. He hadn't gotten this angry in years, and to think a single phone call could break his streak of apathy.

Why hadn't he just hang up as soon as he answered anyway? He had no business talking to Naraku- he was Kagome's Lawyer in Inuyasha's court case, he need not talk to Kagome or her lawyer. He wouldn't be getting this headache or this panicked if he'd done so. It was a very, very, tempting idea. A good idea.

He was prepared to hit the 'end call' button when Naraku stopped him. "I can get Inuyasha his kids~," He said, singing his way through the sentence.

Slowly, Sesshomaru brought the phone back to his ear. "Excuse me?"

"You heard right. Breakfast with me, and I'll have you're brother's- or should I say boyfriend's kids back to him in as little as one court case. Well, you'll have to do more than just breakfast, but it's a start."

A spike a fear ran through him. Breakfast was easy, if all he had to do was sit through a meal with him in order to get Inuyasha's kids than he'd have no problem with it. But whatever 'more' he'd have to do put him on edge, automatically thinking to the past when Naraku always wanted him 'to do more' than anything.

"You're Kagome's lawyer." He said simply, half hoping Naraku would just say 'oh yeah that's right' and they could end this entire phone call then. Instead Naraku hummed low and said, "And that is you're advantage, Dear."

Literally filling with hate and rage, Sesshomaru fucking had it.

"Don't ever call me dear again, you swine." He bit out, deceivingly calm as he said it, but he trusted Naraku picked up on the venom laced in his words. He was a lawyer, after all, if he couldn't do something as simple as heard tone than Kagome was screwed.

"Shh, no need to be so aggressive." Naraku laughed. "Being Kagome's lawyer, if you are to upset to realize it, means that I can assure that she won't win. Now, do we have a deal?"

He stood there, silent, trying to rationally think through his rage. If he sucked up his pride and forgot about the past for only the morning and a little longer, he could helping his love, get back his kids who he himself had grown quite fond of, and easily forget this whole event. But this was Naraku, he reminded himself. The guy who- who essentially ruined his life. Who wanted more than just breakfast from him, who he promised himself he'd never associate with by choice again, the person who solidified the idea that he could never trust anyone, ever again.

But, even still. Thinking about Inuyasha, and how happy he'd be to have his children back...

He owed Inuyasha so much. He was healing him, slowly, but definitely. He could at least do this.

Sighing, he asked, "Where do you wish to go?"

On the other side of the phone, Naraku smiled, lips peeling back in a sinister manner.

A/N: Not much happening in this chapter but i hope you like it regardless, and get better feel of how Sesshomaru feels about- and around- Naraku~

Also, as a warning- i just realized this is gonna be more angsty than Sleep With Me, and i might have to change the rating to explicit, depending : T

and i think my tenses might be off. ill get a handle on that 3