CatLover260...very smart. XD I love it when people read between the lines.

It was raining.

Soft and beautiful rain hit Kagome's form as she stood surrounded by her friends in the feudal era. Her fingers clutched the pink jewel that was glowing ever so softly before she looked at those she considered like a family. They'd already said their goodbyes earlier, well aware that perhaps, just perhaps, this time Kagome wouldn't make it through the well in one way or another.

Inuyasha pulled her into a hug suddenly, ignoring his blush and the way his ears flattened. "Be careful okay?"

"Inuyasha.."

"I'll find you! So keep alive all right?!"

Kagome laughed softly at her hanyou's fierce words before smiling. "Okay." She'd given them warnings that he had promised to heed. Such as to be away from a place called Hiroshima..and not to share the information she gave with any he didn't trust completely. Kagome just couldn't help the selfishness of keeping those she cared for alive when she had information for it.

"Take care of them."

"Take care of yourself for once Wench." Inuyasha harumphed then and backed off as Kagome smiled and waved before falling into the well once last time.

Inuyasha stared down into the depths for hours, long past when the others returned to shelter from the rain. In his hands he held the rosary Kagome had removed from him. Sesshomaru had reassured him that his hanyou blood because of their sire wouldn't allow him to die before he had the chance of meetng Kagome again. Whether or not he'd be a wrinkled copy of Totosai he didn't know. Sighing the hanyou shoved his hands in his sleeves before taking off to swallow his pride and get help from the only demon he knew who could now help him.

Sesshomaru was gonna finally play big brother. In Youkai fashion.

It would be a long 500 years.

"Feh! Move it already ya fuckin-OW! What the Hell OW! Sesshomaru!" Every time that Inuyasha swore, Sesshomaru was flicking his whip at his delicate ears. The healers had already had to step in a few times over the past week and aid his naturally swift regeneration due to a lack of hearing whatsoever. Somehow, Sesshomaru was determined to break Inuyasha of his unconscious swearing habit.

"Once again, little brother. Need I remind you that such language is not fitting for one related to this Sesshomaru?"

"Feh." Inuyasha glared at him and then kicked Jaken across the room to vent his anger. It was one thing Sesshomaru didn't scold him for. Actually they seemed to have a running tally of who had punted the toad youkai the farthest. Sighing Inuyasha finally slumped down in his chair and went to grab his chopsticks to eat.

-Fwip-

"OW! What the He..I mean what was that for?!" Inuyasha grumped and shook his hand with a wince. Sesshomaru really had to be getting off on this or something. What did Kagome call it? Sadistic foreplay or what not?

"You do not begin to eat before the highest ranking lord at the table. Which would be this Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha managed somehow to ignore the growling of his stomach. This was after all the third such reminder he'd gotten this day. Not to mention all the times this week, it just wasn't able to stick in his head when dealing with his ravenous appetite.

Then again he was convinced Sesshomaru was more then content to let the food go completely cold before allowing Inuyasha to have a moment without discomfort. Not that the hanyou could really complain. Aside from the whip and arrogance Sesshomaru had been almost understanding. Besides, it kept Inuyasha distracted so he didn't focus too much on how much he missed Kagome.
"So when are you gonna eat then, Sesshomaru?" He still refused, flat out, to give his brother any honorific. Then again all he was referred to was hanyou or little brother and not by name so maybe it was a fair trade. Privately though he had a nickname he wouldn't voice for Sesshomaru that incorporated every foul term in any language he knew and a few noises that just sounded right. It was a very good thing his brother couldn't read minds.

For an answer Sesshomaru lifted a single grain of rice to his lips and ate it before moving on to tea. Oh yeah, that was the other fun thing. The man didn't actually eat human food like Inuyasha. So the whole wait for the lord thing was even more torture for his stomach. Which was probably why Inuyasha was having such a hard time not laughing at the barely hidden disgust at even eating a single grain of perfect white rice that was on Sesshomaru's face. Instead Inuyasha sighed and began the very long very strenuous task of eating politely.

Gods but he missed those days of shoveling ramen into his face on the battlefield.

Inuyasha blinked as the memory came to him in a rush while he looked over at Sesshomaru, actually going so far as to halt the movement of his sushi halfway to his mouth before a low chuckle erupted.

"Hey, Sesshomaru. Remember when you first started ettiquette with me?"

"How could I forget, little brother. I nearly sprained my wrist hitting you so often. A pity you behave now." Sesshomaru had gotten over his habit of speaking in third person while they were out in public. It did not mean things had changed at all when they were by themselves and every so often a whip would still make it's way near his ear. Inuyasha just chuckled and finished his sushi before grinning lazily. Sesshomaru never did allow anyone to cut his hair. Instead he'd taken to using an illusion that made it appear a light blonde and short. The one time Inuyasha had seen him with black hair when they had to appear like normal humans was during the early years of modern society. Sesshomaru had constantly growled about looking like Inuyasha's human self. Inuyasha had simply dyed his hair. Was a lot easier to do so and cut it, just hiding his eyes. Of course now it was fine-if a little rebellious-to have white hair.

"You are fidgeting, little brother. Cease before I stop you." It was no idle threat and caused Inuyasha to sigh.

"It's just..two more years and her journey begins. I can't even go to see her or.."

"She is a child."

"Doesn't matter. She's Kagome. She's my friend."

"You've had 'friends' enough over the years."

"Feh, and you've all but been a monk."

Sesshomaru moved one elegant eyebrow up and actually looked away from his paper while sipping his tea.

"Hardly."

Inuyasha was forced to admit that if anyone had suggested to him, or even Kagome, that in five hundred years he'd be casually talking with his older half brother and sipping tea he'd have hit them. After howling with laughter. Instead more then the time Sesshomaru was allowed to 'torture' him with training one thing had bonded the two together closer then twins. Time. They needed each other to have someone to push their limits with, someone who understood. Someone who wouldn't scream seeing a youkai.

The years had brought many things that despite Kagome's warnings they had figured themselves ready for. Hiroshima had been the warning Inuyasha had insisted they listen to. It was also the first night he saw Sesshomaru cry after Rin's death. It had numbed them both and made them realize that they were not elite races amongst the humans but rather truly endangered. They were caged.

Sesshomaru sought freedom in his business deals, ruthless in the boardroom to make up for the lack of killing. Not that he didn't also have a hand in assassinations but he'd never been good at taking orders from anyone. Inuyasha had Kagome to look forward to. It was curious watching time evolve and seeing how Kagome was very much a product of her time. Yet he always had to ask, how many would have kept going when their lives were in danger and they didn't HAVE to do the things she did?

Not many.

Well, a few. Mother Theresa had nothing on Kagome though. Kagome had ramen.