Fancy Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not my own.

Warning(s): Sexual references.
A/N: Houshi-sama means monk; Hai means yes; Kaa-san means mother.

II. Melancholy, Pt. 1

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For three weeks, I resided within the outskirts of the foreign village. Takashi continued to provide me with food and shelter in exchange for manual labor. Every morning, I would fetch water from the well, collect fish from the stream, and chop wood for the cookfire. Months of inactivity were shed, and my body grew stronger with each passing day.

One morning, I had a feeling that it would be my last with Takashi and Katsuyori. I owed the two my life—Katsuyori had apparently been the one to lead Kouga to Takashi. My feelings towards Katsuyori hadn't changed much. I did not trust him, and I did not like him. Still, I was grateful.

"It looks like the weather has improved," I commented as I stacked the wood outside of the meager hut.

"A good day for traveling," Katsuyori replied, taking the fish inside.

"I packed you some fruit, bread, and meat for your journey. You might want to think of getting some new clothing too. Those robes are a little baggy on you. Hm...so thin," Takashi frowned and shook his head.

A small smile settled on my face, and I followed the old man inside. He handed me a sack filled with food. His expression turned serious as soon as Katsuyori left the hut.

"You spoke a few names while under the fever. Whatever happened to you, it is best to move forward. Do not falter, Houshi-sama." Takashi patted me on the shoulder and then retrieved my shakujou (staff). "Have you any destination?" He asked as he followed me back outside.

I placed my straw hat back atop my head, and then looked in all directions. I had one more grave to visit—one more friend to see. The Bone Eater's Well was my destination.

"Hai, I have a place in mind. Thank you for your help," I spoke, giving him a polite bow.

As I walked away from the hut, I felt someone watching me. From the edge of the forest, partially hidden within the shadows, Katsuyori watched me leaving. He wore no clear expression, and he didn't return my friendly wave. I felt a chill rush down my spine, but I continued on my way. He gave off no demonic aura, and so my abilities were useless.

The Bone Eater's Well wasn't far off—just two days of travel. In just two months, things were quickly changing. Demon exterminators were very popular, and they kept the main roads clear of any threat. Healers were readily available, and they were very skilled at what they did. Ever since the defeat of Naraku, things had only improved. Did anyone know the cost?

It was a rather sunny day, so I found myself frequently clearing my brow of perspiration. The roads weren't any busier than usual, but I found the crowds a little overbearing. A flash of pink and green caught my attention.

"Sango...," I whispered, taking a few steps towards her figure.

The gentle sway of her hair in the breeze made my heart flutter. I could hear her voice, and she turned to me with a warm smile upon her face.

"Perverted monk," she teased, reaching for my outstretched hand.

Just as her fingertips were about to brush against my own, her image faded. I dropped the cloth sack and struggled to gather the remainder of her image. I could smell her scent upon the wind, but she was gone. A light tug on my robes brought me out of my grave stupor.

"You dropped this," a young girl spoke.

She was offering me my cloth sack, and it seemed as if she had replaced the items that had scattered across the ground. Her expression was a kind one, but my words were forced and polite.

"Thank you. I can be a little clumsy," I said with a forced smile.

"Kaa-san told me that everyone gets that way. Who were you talking to?" The little girl tilted her head to the side, glancing at the empty space where Sango had once been.

"Talking?" I loosened my grip on my shakujou (staff).

"You—," the little girl was interrupted by her mother's calls, and she rushed off without so much as a quick farewell.

I blamed the occurrence on the heat. For the rest of my travels, I avoided the main roads. I sensed many a demonic aura within the shady forests, but none seemed to want a confrontation. When I could force my feet to stop walking, I paused for a snack and something cool to drink. Late into the night, I came upon the first village in several hours.

A bathhouse caught my attention, and I searched through my satchel for the bit of money I knew I had. Sighing, I kept my coins tightly in my left hand and made my ways towards the torches of the quaint bathhouse.

"Welcome! Will you be needing a room and a bath, sir?" A hearty man announced from behind the welcoming desk.

"Actually, I am a little low on money...," I said with a rather embarrassed expression.

"For a man of the religion, I will take what you can spare. I won't deny a monk a bath and a hot meal," the man smiled, accepting the bit of cash I offered.

I could hear giggling coming from one of the ones, but I couldn't see any shadows through the shoji doors—the steam ruined the images. As the desk clerk counted my money, I watched a few happy customers exit from their assigned rooms. A young woman emerged from the steam, her hair pulled back into a tight bun. The fine hair clip holding her ebony locks down held my attention—it was a dragonfly.

It had been well over two months since the last time I was with a woman. Just the sight of her beautiful complexion and her peach-colored kimono was enough to excite me. Ashamed, I let my dark orbs go back to the kind desk clerk.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" The desk clerk smiled.

"She is," I agreed in a polite way.

"Go ahead," he said, waving me towards her.

"No, I couldn't," I laughed, scratching the back of my neck.

"She works here. You look like you could use the relaxation." I don't remember when I stopped arguing with him, but I found myself walking over to the beautiful woman without another regard.

Her expression immediately showed a new warmth, and she led me towards my section of the bathhouse. Her lips were moving, I remembered that much, but I wasn't listening. The perfect tint of her lips seemed to inspire more tension in my loins. Did she notice?

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Author Rant

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The rating will change for the next chapter. I will state why in the warning section at the beginning of the chapter. If readers are interested in the yaoi pair, perhaps a review will persuade me to reveal the lucky man sooner. Hint, hint.

Possible Question(s): Is this really yaoi...? Yes; be patient.

Reviews are loverly!

Ja ne.