Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this special day... especially for the one who's ready for the next phase of inter-species interaction. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.

Hold Your Own

Letting the door to the girls' dormitory click shut behind her, Sango glanced around in the early morning dimness, wondering if she was too early. "Oi, over here," came a gruff call, and Inuyasha strolled out of the shadows. "You sure are a glutton for punishment... barely through finals and you decide to take up jogging?"

"Well, the weather's turned nicer..." she replied uneasily.

The hanyou scanned the lightening sky and tested the air with a deep breath. "Can't deny that, but I still think you shoulda eased up and slacked off for a few days."

Sango shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and shrugged. "I'll be fine. Exercise is supposed to be good for a person, right?"

"Yep, and I'll make sure you reach your goal... whatever it might be," he said with a small smirk. "Oh, and for the record, I'm glad you asked me, so c'mon. We'll take it easy the first few times."

An hour and a half later, Sango arrived at Founder's for the early shift, her hair still damp from a hasty shower. According to the schedule, Miroku was also working this morning, but everyone knew better than to expect him before ten... or eleven. I'm not sure why Inuyasha even bothered to schedule him, but I guess with Sesshoumaru away, there wasn't much choice.

Still knotting her apron, she turned from the bulletin board and nearly bumped into the young man standing directly behind her. She started badly, then froze as Miroku looped his arms around her. "I could get used to mornings if this is what they hold," he said lightly.

Sango quickly put her coworker at arm's length and demanded, "What are you doing here?"

"My meager duty as a longstanding employee of this fine establishment," he glibly replied. Lowering his voice, he confided, "I make coffee pretty."

"I meant at this hour," she retorted.

"I'm scheduled."

"You're never scheduled for the early shift. Ever."

"Well, today's special. I have an appointment I can't afford to sleep through." Nodding towards the schedule sheet, he said, "Inuyasha put me up last night... and put me down for first thing... so I'd be at my best and brightest at the ungodly hour of nine."

"Nine is not early."

"Well, I was raised by a pack of moon-gazers. Late nights came standard," he offered with a small shrug.

It was actually a pretty valid excuse, so she shrugged, too. While he strolled over to snag his apron and tie it on, she asked, "What kind of appointment?"

"Oh, I put myself in a fix, and I need to defend my way out of it," Miroku replied, his violet eyes sparkling.

"What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.

"I've done many things, my dear Sango."

Her brows drew together and she demanded, "Are you in trouble for something?"

"Only if I'm late!" he replied, then smoothly changed the subject. "Would you like coffee? I'm pouring!"

"Make it sweet?"

Miroku beamed. "I know just how you like it!"

Sango never would have admitted that she watched Miroku for any other reason that to watch her own back, but all throughout the morning, her gaze kept straying to her coworker. She supposed he was acting normally—chatting, flirting, and creating his signature latte art. The only problem was... she could tell he was acting. He's fidgety, and it's not because he's been hitting the espressos. Shortly after eight-thirty, there was a brief lull, and she took the opportunity to corner him. "Are you okay?"

He glanced at the clock and sighed. "Yes. No. Well, I will be. Probably," he said nonsensically. "Let's just say I'm not looking forward to facing a room full of academic predators."

"Cold feet?" Inuyasha asked sympathetically.

He's nervous about his appointment? Sango glanced between the two friends, wishing she knew what was going on... but not wanting to admit her curiosity.

"Frigid," Miroku acknowledged ruefully.

"At least Sesshoumaru will be there," the hanyou remarked.

The young man chuckled and asked, "Is that supposed to be reassuring?"

"Oi... he's flying in special just to needle you in the particulars," Inuyasha said gruffly. "He won't let you off easy, but I'm sure you'll hold your own."

"I'll have to."

"Get going, then," the hanyou urged. "Just be sure to drag your butt back here later to let us know how it went."

"Will do," Miroku promised before stepping into the back room.

Sango stared after him, baffled, and Inuyasha bumped her arm with an elbow. "He hasn't done anything to be ashamed of, you know," he declared. "In fact, if he wasn't so damned offhand about his accomplishments, you'd probably be proud of him right along with the rest of us."

"I'm... confused," she admitted.

Her boss snorted, then said, "You're too stubborn to ask, and he's too stubborn to tell, so I'll let you in on his not-so-secret secret. Miroku's not defending himself this morning; he's defending his thesis. If all goes well, coffee boy there will be earning his doctorate."

"I had no idea!" she admitted, eyes wide.

"Yeah, I noticed," he replied, golden eyes intent. "But you've been focused on your own goals, and rightly so."

Just then, Miroku leaned out of the back room and crooked his fingers at Sango. "A moment?" he begged.

She warily obliged, for how much mischief could he make into a moment? But that's all he needed. The second she was through the door, he stepped close and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "For luck," he whispered. Then, he gave a little half-smile, tossed her a wave, and walked out the door.

Taking a deep breath, Sango rushed after him, and from the back step, she called, "Miroku!" He turned, plainly surprised, and she firmly ordered, "Do your best!"

The man's expression brightened, and he wheeled, striding purposefully back towards her. This time, his kisses tickled and teased, an urgent little flurry that left her head spinning. When he eased back, he earnestly declared, "I'm not sure that's my best, but it's certainly better."

Her glare held very little heat; indeed, it could have been mistaken for a warm look. "That's not what I meant at all," she grumbled.

"I know," he admitted in a low voice. "But... you make me want to try."

When Sango slipped into the back room shortly after noon, she was astonished to find that Sesshoumaru had returned. The silent inu-youkai had divested himself of his suit coat and sat in crisply-starched shirt sleeves, his hands folded before him as he stared down the small, two-tailed feline boldly stationed in the center of his desk. Inuyasha leaned against the nearest wall, clearly enjoying the face-off.

"Who is this?" Sesshoumaru inquired in a dangerously light tone.

"Her name's Kirara," his brother supplied.

"Hnn... and who belongs to her?"

"The boy... Sango's kid brother," Inuyasha replied blandly, acknowledging the young woman with a crooked smile.

"Interesting choice."

Without breaking eye contact, Sesshoumaru reached into his desk drawer, withdrew a few coffee beans, and tossed them at the neko-youkai's feet. She blinked, batted at one, then flicked it back at the inu-youkai. He caught it and rolled it back across the desktop before nodding to Sango and addressing his brother. "Did Ginta change our usual order while I was gone?"

"Huh? No one would do something that drastic without your say-so."

Sesshoumaru caught another coffee bean and sent it tumbling. "Hnn... butter, sugar, almonds, cream..." His eyes narrowed as he dissected scents Sango couldn't detect. "Amaretto," he added with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, gotcha," Inuyasha replied casually. "That'll be Kohaku. He's been messing around in my kitchen for days now. Nice, huh?"

And just like that, Sesshoumaru was gone.

"Where did he go?" gasped Sango.

"Well, shit. Upstairs," he growled, already moving towards the door. "If he freaks your brother out, I'm gonna haul him out the window."

"Is he upset?" Sango asked worriedly.

"If Sesshoumaru moves that fast, it's either really good or really bad," Inuyasha called over his shoulder as he took the stairs two at a time. "Let's hope for the best."

Sango dashed into the hanyou's apartment and skidded to a stop in the kitchen doorway right behind him. Peering over his shoulder, she breathed a sigh of relief. The peaceful kitchen was suffused with the warm-sweet smell of baking. Sesshoumaru sat with perfect composure at the tiny table, and an apron-clad Kohaku was shyly placing a plate of pastry before him.

The inu-youkai inspected the small tart with a critical eye, then broke off a fragment of crust with the tips of his claws. With a noncommittal hum, he took up a fork and neatly incised a morsel, sniffing delicately before placing it in his mouth. Inuyasha drew breath to interrupt the tense silence that followed, but Sesshoumaru held up a hand, warning him off. The youkai's eyes slid shut, and an almost serene expression crossed his face.

Sango blinked. Kohaku fidgeted. Inuyasha snorted.

"I will keep him," Sesshoumaru announced.

"Stick around," Inuyasha offered once Sango's shift ended. "Miroku promised to drop by, but it might not be until all hours. His pack's probably going to hang onto him for a while yet, but he'll sneak over later to let us know what's what."

"Wouldn't Sesshoumaru know how it went?" she ventured.

"Yeah, of course," the hanyou replied. "But he's pretty tight-lipped about important stuff. He'll let Miroku have his own say."

Sango spent a quiet evening with Kirara in her lap, scratching her ears and watching the DVDs about youkai culture that Miroku had loaned her brother. Kohaku offered comments here and there, showing off his newfound knowledge of demonkind.

When the coffee shop finally closed, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru joined them, and the conversation turned to the inu-youkai's business trip. As her early morning jog caught up with her, Sango paid less attention to actual words and more to sounds. Sesshoumaru's voice was smooth and dark, and strangely soothing coming from a person she found so intimidating. Inuyasha's tones were rougher, and he seemed to be grumbling half the time; still, he was the one who kept drawing out Kohaku, bringing him into the conversation. It was her brother's voice that finally filtered through the haze. "Sango? Maybe you should take my bed," he said seriously.

"Go on and crash for a while," Inuyasha insisted, flicking his hand towards the guest bedroom. "We'll get you if anything interesting happens."

She glanced Sesshoumaru's way, and the inu-youkai inclined his head. Thus convinced, Sango murmured, "Thanks, I will," and gratefully meandered towards the guest bedroom. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.

Eventually, Inuyasha's long-expected guest arrived, and not alone. Miroku strolled through the apartment door with Ginta and Hakkaku on his heels, saying, "I couldn't shake my tails."

"Hey!" the hanyou greeted. "Kouga actually let you two leave the bakery for a while?"

"Says the dog who always smells of coffee," Ginta jibed in a friendly fashion.

"Oi... you of all people should have sympathy!" Inuyasha protested. "Late nights, early mornings, no vacation time, overbearing boss..." Sesshoumaru offered a token rumble of warning, and his younger brother grinned. "I was talkin' about Kouga, but it seems I hit a nerve."

"Founder-sama is not without conscience," Ginta remarked, his dark eyes sparkling.

"Which means you're not taken for granted," Hakkaku added in placating tones.

Miroku clapped his friend's shoulder and said, "Sesshoumaru knows you're indispensable."

"Hnn," the taiyoukai responded vaguely.

Inuyasha snorted, then eyed Ginta. "You're finally out of the kitchen, and you're sniffing around mine?"

"Smells good," the wolf-youkai replied sheepishly.

"That's the kid's fault," the hanyou reported, nodding to Kohaku.

Both wolf-youkai sidled over to where the teen sat on the couch and made themselves comfortable on either side of him. "Chopped almonds... slivered almonds... almond flour...?" the short-haired wolf inquired avidly.

"Finely chopped," Kohaku replied with a shy smile. "And almond paste."

While Ginta launched into ecstasies over ingredients, Hakkaku glanced curiously towards the guest room and asked, "Does little sister stay here often?"

Miroku's head snapped around. "Sango's here?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha confirmed. "She was tuckered out, so we sent her to bed."

Violet eyes turned pleading, "May I wake sleeping beauty?"

"I did tell her we'd get her if things got interesing," the hanyou drawled.

"Please?" Miroku begged. "Could I talk to her for a minute?"

"I'll give you two minutes," Inuyasha offered magnanimously. "But one squeak of protest out of her, and Sesshoumaru will be in to assess the situation."

"Understood," Miroku agreed with a wan smile in the taiyoukai's direction. He'd answered enough of the taiyoukai's questions that day and didn't relish another grilling. Slipping into the tiny bedroom, he wasted several precious seconds smiling at the picture Sango made, curled up on her side under the blankets. Tempted as he was to take advantage of the moment, the man knew better than to trespass upon the trust he had worked so hard to earn. Gently shaking her shoulder, he softly called, "Sango... can you spare another moment, my dear?"

She glanced blearily between him and the light spilling through the open door behind him. "What time is it?"

"Too early for early birds like you," he replied in a low voice. "But all good, upstanding wolves are on the prowl."

Her big brown eyes blinked, and some of her confusion cleared. "How did your appointment go?" she whispered.

"It went very well," he confided warmly. "Thank you for asking."

Sango glanced again towards the door, picking up on snatches of the conversation going on in the next room. "Is that Hakkaku? Should I come out to say hello?"

Miroku gently tucked her blankets around her shoulders. "No, you need your sleep."

Ignoring his admonition, she pushed herself up on one elbow and argued, "Oh, but this is Kohaku's bed. He shouldn't have to sleep on the couch!"

"He won't," he quickly assured. "I came with Ginta and Hakkaku because I sort of promised your brother a taste of what passes for normal at my place. We'll sack out pack-style in the family room."

"What's pack-style?"

Miroku scooted closer to the bed and replied, "Have you ever seen a litter of puppies sleeping in a pile?"

"He wanted to?" She slowly shook her head, saying, "Wouldn't it be hard to sleep all jumbled together like that?"

"I think this counts as another step in your brother's cross-species experiences." Resting his arms on the edge of the mattress, he explained, "Sleeping together is a show of trust for packmates, though adults don't actually need much sleep. It's usually for the sake of youngsters... in this case, Kohaku."

"Will Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru take part?" she asked in amusement.

"They are pack-type youkai," he replied with a grin. "The invitation will be open."

Giggling softly, she said, "That I'd like to see."

"Would you?" Miroku asked, suddenly serious. "You're more than welcome to join us."

Just then, Inuyasha made good on his warning and ambled into the room. "Oi... time's up, Miroku. Sango, if you want to add to the pile, I think you'll just about make Hakkaku's night. He's already put dibbs on you, so you'd be in between him and Kohaku."

"But...!" Miroku whined.

"Tough break, slowpoke," the hanyou chuckled. "You better get out there and fend for your spot, or you'll be sleeping next to Sesshoumaru." With a groan, Miroku let his head drop onto his arms, and Inuyasha held Sango's gaze before adding, "If you're in, bring your pillow, and don't worry. There's a reason these canine slumber parties are famous for building trust."

"Sure," Sango replied quietly.

Miroku lifted his head, startled. "Really?"

"Sure," she repeated. "It would be a shame to disappoint Hakkaku."

With a genuine smile, he agreed, "It would be."

Futons and blankets were dragged out of the closet in Inuyasha's room, and the Sakamoto siblings were herded into the middle. Then, one by one, the rest claimed places around them. Ginta flopped down beside to Kohaku and with no-nonsense assurance, pulled the teen close, explaining the convoluted pack hierarchy into which he'd been born. By the looks of things, the boy was more intrigued than anything. At least he's not afraid to ask questions... though I'll bet they end up talking more about pastry than pack dynamics.

Miroku watched with a measure of envy as Hakkaku scooted close to Sango and whispered in her ear. She turned towards the wolf-youkai, apparently unfazed by his proximity, and graced him with a soft smile. As the whispering brought a blush to her cheeks, Inuyasha took pity and relayed, "He's telling her how much he misses taking care of little ones... and offering to coddle her babies in true pack fashion." Miroku relaxed a little, but then his best friend smirked and asked, "Did you really sleep with a stuffed tanuki until you were twelve?"

Miroku tugged at his ponytail and murmured, "I hope she falls asleep before Hakkaku tells her too many embarrassing stories."

"He probably knows them all."

"Every last one," he acknowledged.

Kirara stepped daintily over the piled bedding and claimed her rightful place on Kohaku's chest, and with a sigh, Miroku crawled into the growing pile, stretching his lean frame next to Hakkaku, whose tail thumped a greeting. The young man slung his arm around the wolf-youkai's chest, centering his palm over Hakkaku's heart in a silent gesture of affection. Without pausing in the story he was recounting, the demon patted his hand, then coaxed Sango's into range. Miroku peeked over his packmate's shoulder as she threaded her fingers with his, and her sleepy smile might just have been the best part of an incredibly full day.

Inuyasha tossed a blanket over him, then lay down so they were back-to-back, his solid presence as constant a support as ever. Only Sesshoumaru remained aloof, keeping watch over them all from his perch in the window. Miroku drifted off in a haze of nostalgia, glad that Sango and Kohaku were getting the chance to see just how amazing it was to be part of a pack.

End Note: Posted on March 7, 2011. 3,024 words.