Tokyo was sparkling. Golden orbs took in the cityscape. It was just after midnight, and the city was lit up underneath the darkness of the sky. The moon was shining bright above, a few stars were able to be seen, but not nearly enough for the half demon's liking.

Inuyasha sat perched up high in one of the pine trees on the estate's property.

He had been there for hours. Just staring into space. Letting the wind sway the branches of the pine tree he resided in, he himself stayed stagnant. He wanted to press pause in the evening, giving himself a few more moments before he had to face the inevitable. Kagome.

Kagome Higurashi.

It had been so, so very long since he had last really seen her. Over 500 years to be exact.

Inuyasha's facial expression was pained when he reappeared through the Bone Eater's Well, back in the Feudal Era. He couldn't get Kagome's crying face out of his mind. Her shouts for her family continued on a loop, his heart bleeding at the despair he had felt in the moment she jumped over the lip of the well and fell into her family's arms.

Looking over at his friends, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara were clumped together, shocked expressions painted across their faces, he spoke.

"She's safe," nothing less, nothing more.

They understood the severity of that comment and the reality that came with the fact he had appeared on their side of the well without Kagome. The intricacies of the how and why weren't needed right then, what was needed was an understanding that Inuyasha would talk to them when he was ready.

It took him almost six months to be ready.

Those first six months without Kagome were complete agony. He wanted to rip his own heart out, his soul crying out for its companion. Inuyasha had thought he knew pain: when his mother had died, when he was rejected by the only family he had, when the one he thought he loved betrayed him, when he learned that the betrayal was a farce, when that first love had finally, finally found peace in the afterlife... but none of those compared to the pain he felt without Kagome.

Life without Kagome was… akin to death.

He tried his best to put on a brave face for his friends, not wanting to put a damper on their joy. Miroku and Sango were finally embracing their love, tying the knot within the first two weeks after Naraku's defeat. They were even expanding their family—Sango was pregnant within the first month of their union. They often were solemn over Kagome's sudden departure but were able to find solace in one another to help with the grief. Inuyasha didn't feel comfortable confiding in them over his constant pain. At least not yet.

Shippo was away from the village often, working on becoming a stronger fox demon, learning from the elders of his kind, deep in the mountains. The young fox kit chose the avoidance route when it came to missing Kagome: if he did not talk about it, it couldn't hurt him. Inuyasha understood.

With the defeat of Naraku, the people of Kaede's village began to welcome the presence of those with demon blood more, specifically Inuyasha and his friends. Upon his return from Kagome's time, they welcomed him into the village with great thanks. They offered him a space in the village as an equal, a hut to call his own, and a position with the village guard. Inuyasha accepted the encouragement of Kaede and his friends, but he showed no real emotion over the ordeal. He went through the movements in the days, weeks, and months following Naraku's defeat: cleaning up the village, rebuilding homes, building his own hut in addition to helping with Miroku and Sango's.

In between the work he would go on perimeter runs around the village, to ensure no low-level demons were encroaching on the territory he now protected.

And at night? At night he would try the well.

When it would not work, he would find himself sitting within Goshinboku, staring up at the stars, wishing for Kagome's presence. Her soft laughter. Her kind smile. Her sweet scent. Her joy. Her love.

Her.

All the wishing was for nothing.

As six months after her departure slowly approached, Miroku had been the one to have had enough of the half-demon's silence on the topic of Kagome.

The monk spoke softly to his wife, "I'm going to go talk to Inuyasha, with it being the new moon tonight..." he didn't need to say anymore, Sango understood completely. She offered him a quick peck on the lips as he shuffled over to leave their hut.

"Please be patient with him," she whispered. Sango was all too familiar with using a gruff exterior to hide one's pain. She had done it often during their time traveling together as a group. Her heart hurt for the hanyo.

"Always," Miroku smiled over his shoulder at his beautiful, very pregnant wife, and began his trek into the forest where Inuyasha's hut resided. When given the choice of where to live, the half demon had chosen to stay close to his forest, as well as closer to the Bone Eater's Well. No one asked why he chose this, as it was already understood.

The night breeze brought goosebumps to the monk's arms beneath his robes. That and the nervousness of trying to get his friend to open up, Miroku was definitely feeling the chill. He decided to stop by Kaede's first on his journey to approach Inuyasha. It was common for him to spend his moonless nights with the elderly woman since they had settled in the village.

As he made his way down the path to Kaede's hut, he felt the approach of a very familiar aura.

"Shippo, what are you doing back so soon?" he asked seemingly to nothing but the air, but then there was a round puff of orange fur and the scent of smoke.

"I, um," Shippo tried to get the words out. He was fiddling with his hands, his eyes facing the ground.

Miroku hummed, "You came back to be here for Inuyasha during the new moon, yes?"

At this Shippo nodded, and let his bright green eyes connect with the monk's, "I did. I've been trying to be here every moonless night… but he, um. He's just sitting at the bottom of the well…" he jumped onto Miroku's shoulder, his face taking on a sad expression.

"Ah, alright then. Listen here, Shippo, I'm going to go to him," he pet the fox kit's head, "how about you stay here and guard Sango for me? I'd appreciate the extra protection, especially with me out in the forest."

Shippo beamed at this, "Sure thing, Miroku! I'll go to her now." Miroku gave him a quick smile, letting him off his shoulder.

As the fox kit made his way to Sango, Miroku bypassed Kaede's hut and made a beeline to the old well. Oh, Inuyasha. Why do you let yourself grieve alone?

At the bottom of the well, a very human Inuyasha sat, head down, hands gripping onto Kagome's yellow backpack. He had crawled in here before his transformation took place, inhaling the remnants of the scent of Kagome from her backpack. His friends had allowed him to take ownership of the belongings she had left behind. He was thankful for the lifeline.

So, here he sat. Typically, he had spent the new moon within the confines of Kaede's hut, but this evening he couldn't. He needed to be close to Kagome. The bottom of the well would suffice.

It had been a strange past few weeks. His demon blood had been boiling near the surface, something that typically only occurred when he was near death. Emotionally, he felt he was, the mental exhaustion he had been feeling for the past months taking its toll. Perhaps that is why his demon was enraged. He was weak.

He just didn't know what was going on, and he didn't care enough to go looking for answers.

Taking a deep inhale, he mentally growled. He couldn't smell her scent. Of course, this was because of his human nose, but his demon was pissed and did not recognize that fact. The absence of her scent this moonless night was causing a deeper turmoil within his soul. He felt like he was on fire.

"What the fuck is going on with me?" he spat out.

"Well, friend, I would say you are heartbroken," Miroku called down the well.

Inuyasha flinched at the responding words, "Ah, monk. What the fuck." He ran his clawless hand over his face, "What do you want?" This came out harsher than intended, but Inuyasha didn't care.

"I simply was craving your company. Of course, I would have preferred we were on the same footing, but I don't see you climbing out of there until sunrise, do I?" He hummed.

"Got that right," Inuyasha grunted, letting his head lean back against the inner wall of the well, bringing his legs out in front of him. "Shouldn't you be watching over Sango?"

"Shippo is taking care of that."

"Ah, well. I don't need you here to babysit me," Inuyasha let out a long sigh. He knew he was being difficult. He just did not have it in him to care how his emotions landed for his friends. He had enough trouble handling them on his own. And he especially did not need his friends watching over him. He was stronger than that. They needed him, he didn't need them. Or so he lied to himself.

"That is where you are wrong," Miroku called out.

"What the hell do you think you're saying? I ain't no weak ass hum-" Inuyasha started.

"But you are tonight."

Inuyasha shut up at that statement, "Whatever." He looked back down at the yellow backpack, running his hands across the rough fabric. Silence settled between the two men.

"Kagome would not want you to be sitting alone at the bottom of the well at night, especially not a moonless night, Inuyasha," Miroku finally said.

Inuyasha felt his stomach stir at the sound of Kagome's name, he balled his hands into fists, "What would you know, monk?" he yelled.

"I know that she loves you. I know she always will. And I know she would want you to spend your evenings in comfort, even while you miss her. She would not want you to isolate yourself to the bottom of the well, sitting in the dirt all night," he continued, "I have no problem with you checking the well, hells if I could, I would too. But isolating yourself and not talking to us about what you're feeling is not okay with me and I know Kagome wouldn't be okay with it either." Miroku let the silence of the night take over then, his eyes drifting upward to take in the stars.

The two men sat in silence, the only sounds being the soft calls of evening wildlife. Inuyasha took a deep breath, letting his eyes drift upwards. He knew the monk was still there and he knew he was not leaving. Inuyasha worried his bottom lip, the absence of his fangs allowing him to bite down harder than normal. He felt a rush of pain settle itself into the flesh there, helping to distract him from the other pain radiating throughout the rest of him, within his soul.

"I miss her," he whispered, letting the wind carry the admittance up to his friend.

"I know," Miroku called down, "you aren't alone. Please don't forget that she wouldn't want you to feel alone."

"Without her, I am nothing," Inuyasha attempted to admit.

"You are wrong. You are so much, Inuyasha. You are a friend. A protector. A brother," Miroku let his words settle into the night air. "I don't expect you to bare your heart to me, but know I see you as my family and if you ever feel the need to confide in someone, I am here. Always."

Inuyasha let Miroku's words replay in his mind. His heart cried at the sentiment, family. He hadn't truly ever felt the impacts of having a family, having a pack. But that is what they had formed while hunting Naraku, was it not? A family unit, a pack. Hearing Miroku say so, helped settle a little something within his soul. He let his shoulders droop.

The two men spent the rest of the moonless night in silence, but the comfort Miroku had provided had woven itself inch by inch into Inuyasha's soul. At sunrise, with the return of his demonic blood, he hopped out of the well to awaken the monk.

"Oi," he said loudly, "monk." Miroku stirred at the brash tone, awakening from his slumber.

"Ah, Inuyasha. Sleep well?" he let out a yawn. Standing up, he dusted off his robes and grabbed his staff.

Inuyasha, with his arms crossed and hands hidden within his fire rat robe, waited for Miroku to face him before he made direct eye contact with him and spoke, "Thank you."

Miroku knew this was hard for Inuyasha. He knew how much the half demon loved Kagome. He also knew this past night would not necessarily change his friend's behavior or take away the pain, but he did know that reminding his friend that he wasn't alone was important.

"Anytime, my friend," Miroku spoke before turning slowly and making his way back into the village, his staff chiming all the way.

Inuyasha was deep in his memories when he felt his brother's aura brush up against his own.

"I'm honestly fine," he let out the breath he had been holding in.

Sesshomaru had let his brother sulk alone long enough, "I am sure you are little brother, and yet you are out here still. Why don't you retire for the evening?" Inuyasha peered down at his brother, who was now leaning up against the pine tree.

Jumping down, Inuyasha landed a few feet in front of Sesshomaru, "Ain't tired." He folded his arms across his chest, "Isn't it past your bedtime anyway? Rin must be annoyed."

"Mhmm. Rin is fine." He let his head tilt to one side, staring at his brother, "Are you sure you do not wish to be present at the meeting tomorrow morning? It may help with everything you are experiencing. We could avoid the turmoil on the day of the celebration…" Sesshomaru let his thoughts trail off as he made eye contact with Inuyasha. Locking glances, he let his yoki overwhelm Inuyasha's.

"Hey! Cut that shit out. You don't intimidate me, thought you'd understand that by now," Inuyasha let his own yoki push strongly against his brother's, "I do not want to overwhelm Kagome with my presence just yet. She's dealing with enough as it is right now."

Sesshomaru shook his head at this, reeling in his aura, "You are a fool. No matter when, she will be overwhelmed. She has spent the past ten years believing she would never see you or any of us again. And here we are," Sesshomaru spread his arms wide, motioning to the nature around them, "alive and well. Thriving, truly. And she is a part of that. She deserves to know."

"And what do you think will happen, brother? She will magically fall into my arms, agree to be my mate, and we will spend the rest of our lives together? That we will live happily ever after? This is not some fairytale. She is a grown woman. She can make her own decisions and has every right to," Inuyasha let the last bit of his sentence come out harshly.

"Exactly. You should listen clearly to yourself, let the woman decide for herself what she does and does not want," Sesshomaru let out a sigh. "I just want to see you happy. I think she would help with that; you've waited long enough."

"No shit," Inuyasha scoffed, "Just, give me until tomorrow night, okay? I'll let you know what I'm thinking then. And remember, don't tell her anything about the old man tomorrow morning. I want to be the one to tell her."

Sesshomaru responded with a curt nod, turning away from his brother, and walking back towards the estate, "I agree to your terms, but if she figures out who I am tomorrow, I will not lie."

Inuyasha had been waiting for his older brother to come forward with this sentiment and understood it greatly. Honor was not something the Takahashi's would bend.

"I wouldn't ask you to. Just don't answer any questions about me, alright?"

Sesshomaru was already a good distance away but answered nonetheless, knowing Inuyasha would hear, "I will not."

The conversation ended there, with Inuyasha jumping back up into the elder pine tree, fixing his stare back on the twinkling Tokyo.