"Hey sweetie. You're still up?"

I was tired. My body felt like it weighed 1000 pounds and counting with the added weight of the Inuyasha's arm around my waist. It was 3am but at least I didn't have class on Saturdays because I don't think I'd have the energy to attend.

I fainted.

I fainted from the pain of my headaches and Inuyasha took me to a 24 hour clinic that was nearby. They gave me some meds and Inuyasha promised to watch me if they persisted. I went right back to sleep once we got back in the car and i didn't wake till now.

The warmth coming from Inuyasha's body almost made me fall back to sleep but I got up. And with the dull ache still permeating my skull, I video called my mom.

My mother and my aunt would wake super early Saturday morning to prepare for the farmer's market back home. They made jams and they were really good, quite the seller. Hopefully I don't forget to ask them to send some here.

"Yea, I woke up a few minutes ago," I say, giving my mother a tired smile.

" You know, I was telling Mirai we should check up and see how our baby boy is doing."

"...is that Miroku? It's after 3 in the morning, Nejiri. You could have at least waited for day break." I hear my aunt in the background before her face came into view. My mother gave her an incredulous look.

" Our baby called us."

"Mom, I'm 21."

" And? The sky is mostly blue, water is definitely wet, you can be 61 and still be our baby," my aunt retorted, "now, what's got you up, love? You look a lil under it."

"I…I had an episode last night."

Both of them looked at each in surprise before turning back to me.

" You haven't had one of those since you were 17. Can we ask what triggered it?"

I haven't told them about Inuyasha or the inner workings of my love life so I conveniently left that out.

"I was trying to remember something that was part of the memories I pushed back. It was so bad I fainted in the shopping mall parking lot."

"Oh no!" My mother gasped, " did you hit your head? Were you alone? Did you-"

" No, no I wasn't alone," I cut them before they started a rant of questions," I had uh…I was with a friend. They took me to a night clinic and have been watching over me, I'm better now."

Both of the older women visibly deflated with a sigh of relief.

" Oh, thank goodness. At least you weren't alone. We'll send some orange marmalade up as a thank you to them. But this just means you'll recall something soon. Don't neglect yourself and try to see the school psychiatrist or whoever's on call. They could help," my mom said.

" And I still have your prescription for the meds somewhere. If not, I'll call Dr. Hajime. He owes me a favour anyway," my aunt added.

"Thanks moms." They smiled and bid me farewell for it was late and they had to get packing and said they'd call in a few days to see how I'm doing again.

I stood in the darkness of the kitchen as my head pulsed slightly. The light from my phone had been a bit much on my eyes, light sensitivity being a side effect of my migraines.

So I took a minute to lean my head back on the cupboard behind it.

I now discover I wasn't wearing my clothes I dressed in for the night. I could only guess Inuyasha put me in the soft white shirt and boxer. I felt so fucking useless and weak right now. I shouldn't have someone else taking care of me like this.

" Nothing is wrong with letting someone else take care of you and If I didn't want to, I wouldn't."

Inuyasha was leaning against the door frame of the kitchen. He had heard me. He had heard me? Did I say all of that out loud?

I was a bit mortified that someone else overheard my bout of self loathing, feeling my face heat with embarrassment.

I see his dark figure move from the door frame and approach me with his hands outstretched for me to take.

" Come on, friend. Let's get you back to bed."

I didn't fight him when he took my hands and put them around his neck. I didn't fight him when he lifted me, like I was nothing, up the stairs back to his room.

I didn't want to fight anymore.

~~•~~

The school was pretty empty at this point. There were still a few exams going on but most students had opted to leave for the summer vacation early once their exams were over. Or some would spend most of their time in the city.

We had just finished an exam for an elective we took together. The girls and I decided to chill in the empty lounge in the guild to waited for the evening exams to end for our other friends to come out. We sat on the large bean bags and I decided I'd let the girls in on some things.

"I…..think I was wrong."

They both looked at me, waiting for me to elaborate and make more sense. I was feeling a little nervous. I try to keep my personal life close to me so I'm a lil out of my comfort zone.

"There were some events that happened recently that have made me realise that I've been wrong…..for years."

" We are talking about Inuyasha? Right, darling?" asked Kagura.

Sighing, I nodded to affirm her question and Sango jumped to her feet with her eyes as if she just had an ephiany.

"Oh my god, it's happening. It's finally happening!"

Now it was my turn to be confused as I gave Kagura a raised brow in question.

" Sweetheart's placed bets on you and Inuyasha. She just needed you to confirm. It's because you two have been hanging around each other a lot lately and you have been very cordial with said man."

"You two have danced around each other for probably as long as I have known you two. And I've noticed the way he looks at you too. So for all the times you've told us you two hated each other, I was least convinced he felt the same." Sango said, walking in a circle with a finger tapping against her chin in contemplation. She was a psychology student and trying to understand human behaviour while connecting them did make a lil more….. eccentric. Though, it seems they haven't noticed everything. Seems my less than holy acts with the man in question were not under inspection.

"He didn't. Well…not compared to what he's got going on with Bankotsu," I added.

" Holy shit, do not get me started on that guy. I've seen them cross paths before on campus and every single time it's like they're about to whip swords out of nowhere and duke it out," Kagura noted.

"You think they would agree to do an interview?" Sango asked, her eyes sparkled with a newfound interest.

"I think it'll be safer to get seperate accounts reports from them. Unless you wanna try to stop two 6ft plus, 200 plus pound grown ass men from killing each other?"

I couldn't agree more with Kagura.

Sango stopped her pacing and pointed her finger at me.

"Back to you. I've thought that something might have happened between you two. And he said you met early but you don't remember?"

"Well, there's a reason for th-" I was cut off by Sango grabbing my shoulders and shaking me back and forth against the bean bag.

" You gotta remember, Miroku. You gotta. I need to know You need to remember -"

I hadn't told her about my past and I honestly didn't want to bother anyone with it. I tried not to think about it after the incident in the parking lot of the mall. Inuyasha hadn't brought it up but I didn't give him a chance by asking him to give me some time and space.

Begrudgingly he agreed and I continued to neglect myself.

I don't think her shaking would trigger anything but it did. Time slowed down and my vision turned to grayscale as her face morphed in the same angry one in the parking lot. The memory of his heavy hand connecting with the side of my face and head flashed in my mind and I sobbed.

I tried to cover my mouth with my own hand, trying to stop another sob from escaping as my eyes filled with tears.

The two looked shocked, clearly not expecting me to start weeping. Sango started to apologise profusely though I didn't blame her. She didn't know. They tried to call out to me, their voice sounding muffled in my ears amongst the ringing. My body had moved on its own and before I knew it I was on my feet by the door of the guild.

"I'm sorry…I just need…I n-neeed to go," I stuttered back to them before taking off.