AN: SO! It has been a super long time since any updates….well, I don't know what to tell you other than I forgot? It is really quite simple, I was supposed to update, got distracted, let my crazy whims take me away, but now I am back and trying really hard to get back in the groove of things. So, anyway, I was rereading the story and noticed a lot of discrepancies, so if anyone has any questions about the story, please just ask and I will totally explain because I found some old notes and started remembering a bit. Still not sure where I'm going with this, but I think I'll figure it out eventually!

Chapter 9: It was Great, Until it Wasn't

Inuyasha~

Inuyasha was starting to think he was in Hell. Mating season never really bothered him too much before, but he definitely never spent it around an in-heat hanyou before. Maybe that is why it was affecting him so strongly? He usually hid off in the woods far away from any village, much like when he reverted to his human self during the nights of the new moon. However, he already messed up once, letting Ryoga slip away so he couldn't leave again, but his insistent arousal kept him annoyed and frustrated. The sounds from the cave didn't help much either.

It had been five days since they arrived at the cave, four since 'The Incident' where Ryoga 'escaped' (It was his own mind, damnit, he was allowed to blame someone else right now!), and two day since their odd conversation and since then, his thoughts hadn't become less confused. He was still worried about Kouga (for some unknown freakin reason!), he was still horny (not helped by the nearby wolf-hanyou who had been rutting against the cave floor for quite some time now), and he couldn't leave to let out his pent up frustrations, find something to eat, or even fetch some water!

Reasonably, he knew that both of them could go an extra couple days without water or food, due to their demon halves, but with the energy they were wasting (Ryoga rutting constantly and Inuyasha fretting) they would need food, drink, and sleep soon or they would become very sickly, or worse Ryoga could go all feral again.

'Ugh, why did I volunteer for this?' It was hot out, he'd already removed his upper layers in hopes that it'd help (it didn't), but the worst of it was his own body was over heating because of all the pent up frustration. 'Well, if it cools me down, I think I'll just relieve myself right freakin here! Who cares! I don't! Then I'll go to the creek for some water, it isn't too far and I'll be able to hear him if he leaves from there. He's probably thirsty anyway, too. '

Ryoga~

He couldn't even think anymore. He'd stopped trying to rationalize anything days ago, well, he thought it was days ago, he couldn't tell anymore. Didn't care either. He wasn't worried about why Kouga pushed him away, didn't care that Inuyasha had shown slight interest in him earlier, and wasn't ashamed that he was covered in sweat, dirt, and his own bodily fluids. The only thing on his mind was the constant need to jack off. He'd prefer a nice warm body, but he wasn't sure he could even stand up right now. He felt weak. The only thing he could do was lie on the cave floor and touch himself, it was the only thing his body seemed capable of doing. He'd be embarrassed but he didn't care anymore. He was hungry (for more than just food) and thirsty and he felt his body slowly shutting down.

First his thoughts turned sluggish, then his movements slowed, eventually his eyes drooped closed, and now his whole body felt like lead. He couldn't even twitch his arm or flex his fingers anymore. He was still hard but his body made it abundantly clear that it was going to be able to fulfill that function, or his needs, any time soon.

'This must be what dying feels like…'

The thought popped out of nowhere, considering his thoughts had gone blank seemingly hours ago, it kind of surprised him. He felt a deep growl bubble in his chest, a sound he'd never made before all this happened to him, and work its way out of his mouth. He didn't want this to be it. Moments ago he'd felt weak and strung out, but now he had energy. He wasn't sure where it came from and it wasn't much, but he'd use it to find…something. He wasn't sure, but he knew it wasn't sitting in this stupid cave.

He could already feel his energy waning, so he staggered to his hands and knees to crawl out of the cave. The cave wasn't very deep, but he still struggled toward the opening, faltering and pausing when he felt his arms or legs shaking and about to give. Once he reached the opening he felt like he could breathe again. The cave stunk, mostly his own fault for that one, but the air was clear and warm and he felt his arms and legs steady a bit.

He heard shifting and grunting to his right and smelt a musky odor.

'Hanyou. Dog.' His brain supplied helpfully and it made him pause for a second. Didn't he know someone like that? Did it matter? From what he could see, that half-dog demon was submitting to the call of mating season, at least slightly. The hanyou was strong, could sense it, probably as strong as the wolf demon that rejected him.

'Not mate material.' Somehow he knew that, but he didn't question it. He could help though, right? In a way that masturbation couldn't. It would be simple. He was frustrated, the other hanyou was frustrated, they could help each other.

'What if he refuses, like the other did?' A tiny voice whispered in his mind. Ryoga whimpered in remembrance. The noises stopped abruptly and Ryoga's and Inuyasha's eyes met a moment later. They both blinked, golden and chocolate eyes boring into each other for what seemed like forever. Ryoga tensed, wondering what would happen next.

What happened next would forever embarrass both Ryoga and Inuyasha. Inuyasha because he had let his long suppressed instincts during mating season off the leash [Heh get it. Leash. Dog….its funny], and Ryoga, because he hadn't imagined his first time having sex to be: 1. On a dirt path in the mountains, 2. In a strange time that he had no recollection of how he got there, 3. As a half demon during his first heat or mating season with someone who was basically a stranger, and 4. That stranger also being a half demon.

Both would claim it was the other that pounced first, but in all actuality, they pounced at the same time, meeting in the middle and kicking up dust as they wrestled each other to the ground. They were both weak from the combination of sexual frustration, lack of food and water, and the unbearable heat of the day, but Ryoga was more so, while Inuyasha was still had some adrenaline going from his interrupted masturbation, so Inuyasha inevitably won their weak scuffling.

It only took seconds for Ryoga to hit the ground on his stomach and a few more seconds for them both to remove their pants. Ryoga was already panting while Inuyasha plastered himself to his back, tongue and lips lathering the back of Ryoga's shoulders and neck. There was no intent for marking and Inuyasha blatantly shied away from the mark already adorning Ryoga's neck. A small part of Ryoga was soothed by that.

However soothed he might have felt by that quickly flew out the window though, when Inuyasha prodded at his entrance for just a moment with the head of his dick. Ryoga's breath hitched, slightly in fear but mostly in pleasure. They were both panting, sweaty, and blush with pleasure and Ryoga thanked whatever gods were out there that as a horny demon he had already fingered the ever loving daylights out of himself, because the other half demon slid in without any warning. Ryoga bit his lip, muffling the overly loud groan that probably would have echoed off the mountains around them, while Inuyasha sighed in pleasure.

Inuyasha hadn't really had much sex before. He had of course, he went through his hormonal stage some time ago, but it had been a long time and he wondered why he waited so long because all he felt was pure bliss and pleasure. He kept his mind away from the guilt he felt, because this was still a weird situation.

Ryoga was still young, regardless of what his biology so clearly stated by going into heat. Kouga was somewhere out there mooning over this very same teen. What would Kagome- 'No, stop right there!' He didn't want to think about that stuff. He'd deal with the consequences later, right now, he felt like he needed this. Ryoga clearly did. They'd deal later.

Their coupling was brief, both spent after a matter of minutes, but their after-glow lingered as they lay side by side on the warm mountain pathway, neither one worrying about the consequences just yet. They both fell into a peaceful exhausted slumber after a short while.

~Present time~

Kagome, as usual, was happy to be home. For all of about 5 seconds. She knew the necessity of leaving during mating season 'thankfully it only comes once a year' and during her monthly cycle, but it didn't make it any easier. It was difficult to balance her life here with her life in the Feudal Era. She'd already dropped out of school because of how frequently she missed classes, tests, assignments, and projects. She stopped hanging out with her friends from this era while simultaneously growing more embroiled in the lives of her friends in the other. She missed her family, of course, but not nearly as much as she missed her friends through the well.

She'd spent the last five days moping around home and trying to distract herself, but it just wasn't working. Not even her family could do anything to brighten her mood for longer than a moment. She'd spend a lot of time inside the well house, reading or napping, or just staring into nothingness.

Which is where she encountered a strange woman with jet black hair and chocolate eyes, wearing a green beanie, jeans, sneakers, and a zip-up hoody. She appeared to be in her late twenties but something about her seemed wiser than her years. None of this was particularly odd, except the casual breaking and entering she just exhibited, but the fact that she had her nose to the ground tipped Kagome off that this was no ordinary woman.

"Um, excuse me?" Kagome knew that this was probably some strange demony thing that was better suited to the Feudal Era, but seeing someone exhibit such strange behavior in the modern era (excluding the few times Inuyasha traveled here) and looking so at home in this era struck her as extremely odd.

The woman stood up, brushing herself off casually, not at all ruffled that someone saw her crawling around sniffing the ground and looked at Kagome steadily. Kagome suddenly realized that this woman was most definitely dangerous (her priestess senses were tingling). The woman's gaze went from Kagome to the well she was sitting next to and back, never once blinking. She was calm as she held her hand out to Kagome, staring her down.

"My name is Kazu Hibiki." Her voice was strong, commanding, with an edge, even in the small greeting, that signified that she was on a mission. Her eyes stared steadily as I took her hand. She pulled me up without effort.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi." My voice seemed weak in comparison. I felt weak. It was like she sucked all the strength out of the room with her mere presence. She released my hand and stepped toward the well with purpose, like she knew what was on the other side. "U-um, if I may? Why are you in my family's well-house?"

"Why indeed." I heard her mutter, staring into the well.

"Can I help you, then?" This woman was strange, this whole situation was strange and the frustration was getting to me but my annoyance didn't faze her.

"I am seeking my son. His trail leads here." She turned to me then, giving me an once-over. "You haven't happened to stumble upon him, have you?" Her gaze was sharp and her words were airy, as if she already knew where he was but was looking for confirmation. I gulped.

"Is his name Ryoga?" The slight pursing of her lips verified what I needed to know. "He must've fallen through the well." She turned to well and nodded to herself. Without another word she jumped into the well, a blue light signifying that she had passed through into the past.

"Whew." I sat back down by the well and tried to rationalize the last five minutes in my head.

~Feudal Era~

When she'd left this time with her parents, she'd hoped it would be the last time she'd ever see it. This era only held bad memories and heartbreak. Her mind clouded over with the memory of the deaths of most of her pack, all but her, her parents, and her son, at the hands of warriors who'd lived in the village nearby and the death of her mate, who'd been one of those warriors up until his brothers in arms, betrayed him because of his love for her

Her parents managed to spirit she and her son away but eventually the murderers caught up to them days later. Her parents begged a powerful magic user to save her and her son, so she did. She sent the demoness and hanyou centuries into the future at the cost of her parent's lives. The sorcerous also managed to suppress the young hanyou's demon blood, making him entirely human, but only as long as he stayed out of this time. If he were to return, so would his demon blood.

She shook the memories from her mind and focused on trying to find her son. He was here, she followed his sent to the well and she could smell it here too, but it wasn't the same as it was in the other time. It was the same scent he had as a baby, meaning his demon blood had returned. She'd known something was wrong when she could no longer feel the connection between the two of them, the connection only a mother could have to her child. No matter where he wandered to, she could always sense him, like their souls were connected. She just knew.

So when it disappeared, she had feared the worst, but she had caught his sent fairly easy, considering it criss-crossed Nerima sporadically. She felt for her son, his missing demon blood caused his unfortunate ability to get lost so easily. His senses were dulled and many of his instincts were gone, but he was alive, and to her that was what mattered most. Now he is lost in a world that is many times more dangerous than the one he grew up in and she can only hope his previously dormant instincts are strong enough to keep him alive until she finds him.

The two of them had woken up snuggled lightly together and completely naked. They'd stared at each other for a few moments, confusion, shock, and embarrassment crossing both their faces before jumping away from each other, only to stare at each other's naked body for longer than they should have. Ryoga had flailed and attempted to cover himself while simultaneously staring at anything other than Inuyasha. Inuyasha turned beat red and turned away with a 'hmph'. After an awkward minute they both tried to locate their clothing without looking at each other, which just caused them to bump into each other and make things ten times more awkward.

Finally they managed to make themselves semi-presentable, Inuyasha with his bottoms on and Ryoga with his borrowed boxers. Ryoga retreated to the cave and Inuyasha leaned against the wall near the opening, the silence tense.

Ryoga couldn't look at the other hanyou. He was too embarrassed. His face was still beat red and every time he shifted his weight he was reminded of what they'd done. He felt his emotions swirling, never settling on one for too long, but the chief amongst them were guilt, shame, and regret. He didn't want to sound girly, but he'd hoped his first time would have been different, with someone he loved in a comfy bed where they could take their time and worship each other. He wanted that perfect moment like in those stupid rom-coms Akane would watch with P-chan.

He was ashamed because he'd let himself get into this whole situation. There was one moment that could have prevented everything from happening. If only he hadn't of masqueraded as P-chan for all those years, had told Akane the truth from the beginning none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have run away and try to drink his sorrow away and he never would have come here to this place.

As for the guilt? He felt guilty because somewhere out there Kouga was probably thinking about him. Ryoga didn't completely understand all this demon business, but Inuyasha had said Kouga had followed his instincts, had marked Ryoga so now Kouga would forever be bound to him, regardless of whether Ryoga wanted him or not. He remembered when he'd found Kouga in that clearing. His instincts had told him that Kouga should be his mate, that they'd be perfect for each other. He felt guilty because it felt a lot like he'd just cheated on his boyfriend (not that he'd know from experience but that is the closest thing he could think of for this feeling).

Inuyasha wasn't fairing any better. He was ashamed for giving into his instincts when he knew he shouldn't have. He regretted doing that and everything that followed. He felt guilty for promising Kouga that he would protect Ryoga, and instead turning around and screwing him. He'd betrayed Kouga and Ryoga in one fell swoop. He couldn't even think of Kagome because he was already stressed and anxious. He just wanted this season to be over, he wanted to run away and hide his head in a hole for the next century or two. He couldn't though. Ryoga still needed protecting.

'Yeah, like you were doing such a good job of that!'

Alright, so that is the end of this chapter! Hopefully, you all like it and I know it is surprising after all this time (like years!) and I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting. I know there isn't a lot of dialogue but I think a lot happened! It became really angsty there; hopefully I can make up for that! Also, I wanted to give an explanation for how Ryoga ended up going through the well, since he isn't connected to the shikon jewel. Hopefully I did well! Plus, I really wanted to introduce a character that could sufficiently explain all that while still being bamf without going all OC-mary sue, because I hate that. Plus, a little Kagome face-time. I may find her a little evil for sitting Inuyasha all the time, but I don't want to completely bash the crap out of her ya know? I reserve that for only a select few XP.

The story was really fast paced in the beginning, which is good, but it also had some weird discrepancies, which I already mentioned but I'm not gonna go through the trouble of rewriting it all because chances are I would just get frustrated with it all. Not what I wanna do at all. So from here on out, the story may slow down a bit but hopefully that will make it better.

Well, peace people and hopefully someone out there is still waiting patiently for me to update. Enjoy and comments are amaze-balls!