Even faced with dismemberment, the monk had refused to let it go, engaging him in conversation that constantly brought up Kagome's name.
Sesshoumaru had revelled in it, though only due to his intended's delicious reaction. He found he enjoyed teasing her. The discovery of his identity had put them through a rough patch, and no matter how many observations he made, his lack of knowledge of human females had not aided him in preventing the initial argument.
Which was why he was slightly more inclined to listen to the monk's advice.
His anecdotes were not to be taken seriously, especially given the slayer's reaction, but every so often, he would feign interest, biting back a smirk when he caught the tail-end of Kagome's horrified expression.
She couldn't decipher whether he was taking said advice seriously, and each time she got close enough to listen in, Sesshoumaru would murmur her name, causing her to turn on her heel, face flushed as she marched to the other end of their campsite.
The monk caught on quite quickly, noticing the pattern of behaviour, and lowered his voice after her latest exit. "I'm glad you're taking this so seriously, my lord."
Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow, wondering which tangent he would go off on this time, but his expression was solemn.
"Lady Kagome is very precious to us," he continued, leaning against his staff. "She gives her affection freely but loves deeply, so we hate to see her taken advantage of."
Reading between the lines, Sesshoumaru flipped his hair over his shoulder. "She is more than capable of seeing through any ruse that would seek to victimize her. Even those laced in magic and deceit."
"So it seems," the monk mused, glancing over his shoulder. "We only wish for her happiness."
"Then we are in agreement."
The man's expression softened, and he offered Sesshoumaru a genuine smile before it grew into something more lecherous. Turning around, he sauntered back over to the women. "Lady Kagome! Tell us again how you won the heart of the elusive Western Lord! He informs me that you swept him off his feet at first glance."
Kagome scowled at her friend, then caught his eye, and a feral smirk tilted the corner of his mouth. Hers fell open when he didn't deny the monk's claim, leaving her a sputtering mess as his brother groaned from a distance.