�God gives us our relatives. Thank God we can choose our friends.�
-- Ethel Watts Mumford --

Kagome sighed loudly, scooping out a portion of freshly cooked rice, the same rice that Inuyasha and Miroku had unloaded the day before when Inuyasha realized Sesshoumaru�s nearby location.

Speaking of which, that damned taiyoukai was causing quite a mess in Kagome�s mind right about now. He hadn�t done anything to upset her, of course, at least not recently. In fact, he had been the sweetest demon ever for the past few nights, and even the day before, when she had caught him playing with the glass lily she gave him, and he had acted so uncharacteristically polite � not that it was a bad thing, because it wasn�t.

Still, though, she feared that although she cherished her "friendship" with Sesshoumaru (although he hadn�t specifically said that they were friends, and she had just made her judgment on her own), such a relationship would cause many problems.

First of all, Kagome hadn�t easily forgotten about Nayida�s outburst. How could she, when Nayida was her dearest friend from her underwater kingdom? She knew that her friend was trying to protect her, seeing as she was the princess, but she had made certain accusations that made Kagome�s blood boil, although she could not explain why.

Nayida�s lack of trust in Sesshoumaru was understandable, Kagome could admit, but she still couldn�t help but stand up for him. He was her new friend, whether he or Nayida liked it or not, and her kind heart welcomed him rather than shunning him for all that he was and for all that he�d done; she would not condemn him for his past mistakes.

Sesshoumaru wasn�t innocent, like she was, and he had killed and tortured many. Still, though, he had done things to be proud of, like reviving the young girl, Rin, when he didn�t need to bring back her ningen blood to the world, as well as that annoying little Jaken. He hadn�t killed Inuyasha, when Kagome believed he was strong enough to easily do so. And, of course, he had his soft side, the one he opened up to �Kohana�.

This was another problem that revolved around Sesshoumaru. Kagome was hiding her identity from him purposefully, and she was slightly ashamed for lying to him, a deed worthy to betray his trust in her, if he had it. And the only reason he had even opened up to Kohana in the first place, Kagome thought, was most likely because she was different and did not seem to be close to Inuyasha.

If she told him who she really was, then that would definitely be a problem. Still, she had never liked lying, although she had to do it from time to time, especially to her modern-day friends about her �illnesses�, and although she knew that she couldn�t tell the truth about her identity, at least not yet, she was wary about it, and she wished to let Sesshoumaru in on her secret.

Kagome couldn�t help but feel slightly down at the fact that Sesshoumaru would never like the real her, but easily accepted the mermaid Kohana, the being that she escaped to without even Inuyasha�s knowing. Kagome wasn�t a boastful or cocky person, but her self-esteem decreased when she remembered when she, Kagome, spoke to Sesshoumaru, and he did not even think to look at her because he was so absorbed in the flower �Kohana� had given him. Was her real self so unimportant that Sesshoumaru would rather spend time with her celestial self?

Speaking of which, why was it that Sesshoumaru liked Kohana in the first place? Everyone knew that Sesshoumaru was the most cold-hearted demon in the Feudal Era, even icier than Naraku was before he was defeated. Sesshoumaru was merciless and powerful, and his racism and sexism, among his other prejudices, was well known. How was it that a simple mermaid, plain old Kohana, was able to interest him so much for him to be kind to her? He wasn�t even as emotionless as usual, and although he wasn�t nearly as open as anyone else, he expressed more emotions than ever before, and Kagome couldn�t understand why.

The way he had acted was so�strange. She wasn�t exactly complaining, having liked his softer, kinder side, but it was extremely difficult to comprehend how it was that Sesshoumaru was able to change so rapidly and suddenly. Why was he so different around Kohana? He had smiled and his eyes had held the slightest ounce of warmth, and he had accepted her request of swimming with her and making good luck charms, for Kami-sama�s sake! And although she had embraced him first last night, he still hugged her back. If that wasn�t enough evidence for Sesshoumaru�s change, then she didn�t know what was.

But he wasn�t the only one changing. She herself was altering in his presence, and she didn�t know if it was because of him or simply because of her mermaid instincts. She had kissed him two nights ago! Ano, it had only been for a split second, on his cheek, but it was a kiss nonetheless, and Kagome couldn�t fathom the reason she had done so to Sesshoumaru, the brother of the first and only other person she had ever kissed in the first place.

And why had she acted so kindly to Sesshoumaru? Yes, it was in her miko nature, and she was always so kind-hearted, but she expected that she would act so much differently from the moment she learned that he had discovered her mermaid form. She remembered how shocked she was that first night, but although she was surprised, she immediately opened herself for the youkai lord with barely any doubt. She had instantly accepted his presence at the lake and acted as though they had always been the best of friends, but she did not scream, hide, nor swim away. And her plan to preserve her secret? She found she didn't much care about it anymore!

Why was it so easy to be with him? And why was he so willing to be with her?

Kagome sighed again, her thoughts confusing her immensely. She couldn�t explain any of these things, but whenever she was with Sesshoumaru, explanations didn�t seem to matter at all. The reasoning was useless.

And thus, she opted to, at least for now, ignore reason.

�Ye alright, child?� Kaede watched her with her one good eye before she, like Kagome, ate a mouthful of rice.

�Yeah, I�m fine,� Kagome answered after she had swallowed, although her voice sounded the slightest bit strained.

Kaede shook her head. �Ye could at least sound believable, Kagome.�

Kagome smiled softly as she ate another bite, honestly considering what she should tell Kaede about the past few nights. She was the only person on land who knew both of Kagome�s identities, and she was wise and could most likely give encouraging advice without hesitation. But Sesshoumaru�s sudden appearances lately� Telling anyone, even Kaede, could be risky.

�Kaede?� she finally acknowledged, a bit uneasily. She set down her half-finished bowl of rice and spoke again once the old miko showed she was at full attention. �Is it possible to regenerate severed body parts using a miko�s powers?� Nervously, she moved her hand to her opposite arm, secretly playing with the bracelet Sesshoumaru had made for her the night before, which was hiding underneath the long sleeve of her school blouse.

Kaede was obviously shocked at the random question. �Ano�hai, of course, but such an act would take plenty of training. Why is it ye are interested, Kagome?�

Kagome paused, hesitating. She knew that the way she had asked Kaede made things more obvious than they should�ve been, but she was grateful that Kaede, who knew only so much about Sesshoumaru, did not realize it, at least not as far as she was aware. Still, Kagome was slightly nervous, the butterflies fluttering their wings in her stomach, and her fingers fidgeted with the bracelet even more frantically.

Kaede could not know. She couldn�t discover Sesshoumaru. If she did, there was a better chance that Inuyasha would find out, even if Kaede was definitely able to be trusted. Inuyasha or anyone else could easily overhear any conversation the two mikos would have that concerned the taiyoukai, or if something happened, such as the others worrying about her disappearance, should they wake up in the middle of the night, Kaede could possibly give away everything to console her friends.

No, she would not � could not tell Kaede.

And now that Kagome had made her decision, her paranoia began to pile up inside of her, and she was self-conscious of her mouth. What if she accidentally blurted something out that no one else was supposed to know? Kagome bit her bottom lip for a bit, anxious at Kaede�s questioning glance at her silence, and Kagome, eager to get a straight-out answer and change the subject, put her hands on her knees and clenched her eyes nervously, quickly bowing her head. �Please, teach me how to do it!�

The elderly woman blinked. This was not like Kagome, to beat around the bush like that. Kagome was a calm, trusting girl, but it was extremely clear that she was hiding something. Kagome seemed tense on this subject, and her fidgeting made that clear, but Kaede did not know why; yet she was not stupid, and she was aware that Kagome had indeed met someone who was in need of a limb. Who it was, Kaede did not know, but she respected Kagome�s edginess and protective request, and she knew not to ask, not yet.

For now, it would do well to simply ignore reason.

�Hai,� she nodded, her eyes soft but concerned nevertheless, �but be warned that such an incredible skill is not so easy. If ye are willing, however, Kagome, I shall do my best in training ye.� She smiled slightly, mentally trying to calm Kagome down, which she began to do once Kaede had agreed.

�Of course!� Kagome chirped, a grin beginning to form on her face, although she still watched herself carefully as to not give anything away. She got what she wanted, both the information and the promise of training. If she started her training now, perhaps she would be able to help Sesshoumaru even sooner, if he wanted the help. �Arigatou!�

Kaede nodded in response, going back to her rice and gesturing Kagome to do the same. She was still unsure as to why Kagome was acting this way, but she stayed silent on that matter. Instead, she changed the subject, or at least, she believed she did.

�How has it been on the other side of the barrier?�

Kagome stiffened slightly, but it was enough for Kaede to notice, although she said nothing about it. �Fine. I�ve been mostly just swimming around, you know.�

Kaede threw her a puzzled glance. �Hai, I would expect ye to do so, being what ye are.�

�Oh, right,� Kagome blushed a bit, her chopsticks moving toward her mouth again. �Ano, it�s been fine.�

The older miko nodded, keeping the conversation going. �Have ye been bored all alone at night?�

Kagome fidgeted, nibbling on her bottom lip in her habit of nervousness. She had never really been alone these past few nights, except for the night of her return. �No, I�ve had fun. I had to visit my otou-san again, though.� She purposely steered their topic elsewhere, although as soon as she said it, she mentally berated herself for bringing up her father.

�Oh? And how was the meeting this time?�

�Not good,� she shrugged, �but I shouldn�t be expecting anything otherwise.�

Kaede frowned softly. �Ye should give him a chance, Kagome. He may want to start over again. Ye never know.�

�Nah, I know well enough,� Kagome shook her head as she put her half-empty bowl down beside her, chopsticks placed on top of the rims. �I mean, that�s true, that I have to see his side of things in order to know what I�m doing, but he acted just the same as he always has, so I don�t think he�s exactly planning on fixing things up just yet.� She shrugged. �Even now he doesn�t seem to be making any effort to help me with my decision. It�s almost time to make it, you know, and I still don�t know fully what to do.�

Kaede nodded in understanding. �It is a hard choice that one must make, but I am certain ye shall decide wisely.�

Kagome smiled kindly. Kaede was the only one above water who knew of �the decision�. Everyone below the sea was aware of it as well, and they were all also aware of Kagome�s hesitation, which they accepted compassionately. It was not time yet, but the clock was ticking, and Kagome was fully aware that she needed to start thinking about Her Choice.

It should have been an easy decision to make, but Kagome was still hesitant. Things were not as they seemed, and she was dreading the day when she had to make up her mind. It wasn�t easy, not at all. Once the question was asked to her, Kagome had immediately come up with a straight-out answer, but then she continued to think on the matter, and now she knew she could not easily decide what Her Choice would be.

She was already beginning to think about what decision she would make, although the time was not quite right yet, and there were many things to be done first, but once she had brought up the topic, she zoned out, her uncertainty puzzling her into stillness.

She did not notice how many minutes had passed, nor how Kaede�s rice bowl was suddenly void of any remaining grains, and she did not notice that the sun had risen higher, and they were no longer alone.

�I still don�t know what to do,� Kagome sighed after a long pause, not paying attention as Kaede began filling a new bowl of steaming rice, which happened to be for the new presence�s breakfast.

�About what?� a sleepy voice cut in.

Kagome jumped in surprise, harshly swerving her head to look behind her at the intruder. �It�s nothing. Ohayo, Inuyasha.�

He surprised her, that much was obvious, and Kagome couldn�t stop the slight blush that colored her cheeks, one shade for the fact that Inuyasha had made her jump when all he had done was come into the room for food, and the other shade because she did not know how much time had passed since she and Kaede�s conversation ended.

What if he had come in as they were talking about her time behind the barrier? And what about Her Choice? What if he came in at the wrong time and heard what he was not supposed to?

But he hadn�t, obviously. If he had, things would have been a bit�loud at the moment. Still, though, the chance that Inuyasha could have overheard their conversation unnerved her slightly, and her uneasiness rose, although she did her best to urge it down.

Don�t be silly, Kagome, she mentally scolded herself, you�re overreacting. There�s no way anyone can find out about Sesshoumaru, not unless you continue acting like a bumbling idiot!

Gulping, Kagome managed a smile at Inuyasha, following her �good morning�.

�If it was nothing, you wouldn't be looking so stupid,� he gave her a side-glance.

She glared up at him uneasily. �Well, I didn't ask you to be so nosy!�

�You're the one who said it right in front of me, baka!�

�That doesn't mean that��

�Yeah, whatever,� the hanyou shrugged, interrupting her and walking towards Kaede, who was holding out the rice and chopsticks she had just put together for him as Kagome mentally beat herself up. Stupid Kagome! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why can't you just keep your mouth shut? If she kept getting so touchy, he was bound to notice that something was wrong with her sooner or later. She was at least relieved that he didn�t seem to notice her mental restlessness yet, or so she thought.

Inuyasha noticed clearly. He was just being kind enough to not mention it yet; it was too early. Besides, just because he was a hanyou, it didn�t mean he couldn�t smell Kagome�s unease as well as he did.

He was about to comment about it, though, like his usual outspoken self, but one look at Kaede shaking her head seriously as she handed him his breakfast shut him up. He could make fun of her later in the day, if she was being lazy � not that she ever was, compared to him. It didn�t matter. Knowing Inuyasha, he was obviously going to bring Kagome�s twitchiness up eventually.

Still, though�why was she so nervous? It couldn�t have been him, could it? After all, the smell of her anxiousness was what woke him up in the first place. It may have strengthened once he showed up behind her, but he passed that off as the fact that he just spooked her a bit. Still, her guard should have been up. He never really scared her every other morning once he woke up.

Needless to say, Inuyasha was somewhat concerned. He cared deeply for Kagome, that much was palpable, but he couldn�t be sure if her discomfort was anything to be worried about at all. All the same, he was hoping she was alright, but the scent of her restlessness wasn�t dying out as quickly as he hoped, and Kaede�s gesture to leave her alone didn�t exactly settle him to well.

But he would just ignore reason.

Taking his first mouthful of rice, Inuyasha shrugged to himself. If Kagome was in a tight spot, she�d either find her way out of it or get help. She was a smart and responsible girl, not that the would admit that out loud anytime soon. Still, that much was enough information to console him into a comfortable mood.

�So, Inuyasha,� Kagome broke the silence, trying to ease away her discomfort, �what are we doing today?�

The hanyou paused in his vigorous eating skills � or as Kagome called them, terrible table manners � but he soon resumed his task of shoveling the grains inside of him. �Actually,� he said, his mouth full, but his tone slightly more serious than Kagome was used to this early in the morning, �there�s something I have to do first, before we get started on whatever work Kaede makes us do.�

He ignored the look the older miko threw at him and swallowed his rice. Usually, he would make it a point to go shard-hunting, even with Sango and Kirara not present, but Kagome, Miroku, and Shippou constantly protested for a few days rest while they had the chance, and they opted to help Kaede with her chores instead. Inuyasha gave in after a small argument and four �osuwari�s later, but he was still a bit peeved that the search for the Shikon shards was put on hiatus while Sango mourned, miles away.

Because of Inuyasha�s persistence of searching for the shards, Kagome was confused at his lack of annoyance this morning. What had come up for Inuyasha to do that could have possibly distracted him from his ambition?

It couldn�t be Kikyou, like Kagome would�ve thought before Naraku was defeated, for she was dragged to the afterlife along with him, although she died peacefully with Inuyasha by her side, and Naraku�s demise was more drastic. Now with her own spirit completely back inside of her, and the talent Kikyou held within their shared soul now passed on to her, Kagome was stumped at the fact that Inuyasha was distracted.

Stop complaining, Kagome, she told herself again. He�s finally off your back about hunting for those shards, so be grateful!

And she was, so she did her best to push it past her, just as she did with her nervousness that still slightly lingered in her belly.

She would just ignore reason.

�Okay,� Kagome agreed to Inuyasha�s silent proposition, smiling at Miroku, who had just entered the hut without her being completely aware of him; she supposed Shippou and Myouga were still resting elsewhere.

She handed the young monk a new portion of rice, and breakfast was resumed.

He liked her � a lot � and he couldn�t even explain why.

Sesshoumaru sighed softly, his hidden mix of distress and happiness thankfully unnoticed by his wards.

He couldn�t get Kohana out of his head.

It had only been a few hours since he had last seen her. She left early again, to his displeasure; he had wanted to be with her longer. He had yet to spend a whole night with her, at her side, other than the first night he discovered her, which didn�t count, as she did not notice his presence at the time.

But now they were both perfectly aware of each other, and Sesshoumaru could not help but grow frustrated with that Nayida girl, the one who continued to interrupt his precious moments with Kohana. He spent little to no time with her, when it all came down to it, and Sesshoumaru was aggravated.

But at the same time, he was filled with delight and invisible smiles as he remembered his moments with the beautiful mermaid.

How she smiled so brightly at him, showing that he mattered to her; how she laughed for him because he could not lower himself to do so, although within her presence; how she understood, comforted, and, most of all, accepted him for his lack of a left arm without him even asking her to.

She was a magnificent being, and his heart beat faster at every thought of her. Even now, he could feel the organ pumping and swelling in his chest, nearly overcoming him with the attraction he felt to the hime.

He had blushed � blushed � because of her. He had gained a new view of the Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga after she spoke with him about the swords. He had felt such painful, pleasurable emotions running through his veins because she plagued his every thought.

He was pleased at this fact. He enjoyed thinking of her and remembering their moments together for the past few nights. The glass lily she had given him two nights before was kept safely in his pocket, and he would run a clawed finger across the perfect petals every now and then. Her handmade good luck necklace was still draped around his neck, but hiding beneath both his inner and outer haori, as well as his spiked armor, so that Rin and Jaken would not see, nor ask about it.

Sesshoumaru had, after only four nights, grown rather fond of the mermaid princess, and he could not stop thinking of her, although he did not want to in the first place. He could not help but want to embrace her again, to feel her lips on his cheek again, and to be with her again.

But the problem was that he wasn�t supposed to want these things.

Every night, he grew restless until he could be with her again, and once they were together, he was content. However, every morning and afternoon, he berated himself countless times for ever even beginning to fall for the enigma that was Kohana.

All reasoning explained to Sesshoumaru that all of this was wrong. She was a mermaid, he was a demon. She had a fin, he had legs. She was able to love, and he was only able to crave.

But as they say: opposites attract.

All the same, Sesshoumaru knew this was wrong. He was the taiyoukai of the Western Lands, and he was betraying all that he was and stood for. He detested all of the female population, and now he had seen one that had captivated him so suddenly, and he could not help but allow the feelings she had stirred inside of him to flow and overcome his icy demeanor.

He was supposed to be cold and cruel, but when he was around her � when he thought of her � he wanted to be understanding, like she was. He wanted to impress her with his kindness that he had never had, and he wanted to prove to her that he wasn�t the stoic, cruel youkai that everyone believed him to be.

But it was not simply that everyone believed him to be like that. He knew himself that he was a cold-hearted demon, and that his lack of love for another being doomed him to loneliness.

But his loneliness was subdued when he was with Kohana. She stirred up these emotions within him, and she had silently offered her companionship, convincing him that she would be there for him at all times. She would put an end to his loneliness because she wanted to be with him almost as much as he wished to be with her, he believed.

Throughout all his centuries of life, Sesshoumaru had been lonely, but up until now, he had never admitted it. He had never needed anyone to make him feel deserving, and he never craved for a companion to confide in, one reason that he took on his wards.

Speaking of them, Rin was the one who had begun to melt his cold exterior by opening up the possibilities of childlike innocence. She had allowed him to see that his ruthless killing of innocent people, despite them being humans, was, to an extent, wrong. Although Rin had not said that out loud, Sesshoumaru began to understand. Thus, he opened his eyes to such insight, although he did not always follow it, and, at times, killed who he needed to, including innocent ningens.

But now Kohana had come in.

The understanding that Rin had given to him was mediocre, yet true, but it could not give Sesshoumaru as much awareness as he needed. Rin was just a child, and the changes she put upon him was the change to act more fatherly and to accept the carefree life of a child. She had given him the happy and caring childhood he had never been able to have for his own.

Because Rin�s lessons to Sesshoumaru were based on childlike memories, he had changed in the slightest, accepting the human girl, but he had not come close to accepting all humans, nor all females, and before he met Kohana, he was content with knowing only so much.

But now that the mermaid had come into his life, he was learning even more lifelong lessons at a rapid pace. Kohana was teaching him, unbeknownst to her, how to relax, how to have fun, and how to be more open. She had shown him how to see things from different points of view, as well as how to be comfortable and not so stiff, like he usually was. She had taught him that he was not as alone as he seemed, and that he indeed had a friend.

All in all, she was the perfect being for Sesshoumaru to be around. She was improving his faults that he had never believed he had, but he still remained himself, Sesshoumaru. She was already beginning to change him, but at the same time, he was not changing. All of this was happening over the span of four nights.

Still, Sesshoumaru�s mental obsession of Kohana was not an all-around pleasant thing. While the beautiful mermaid had already begun to spin a web of emotions within him, causing him to react as he did, his inner pleasure caused him to feel unease.

He was simply not used to this kind of attention from�anyone, other than Rin and Jaken, of course, and even they could only do so much for him. But he was cold and stoic, and no one was supposed to make him feel this way, and no one was supposed to feel for him in any other way than fear or frustration.

He was obsessed with her, and it was all her fault. Myouga had confirmed that his suspicions of Kohana casting a spell on him were false, but Sesshoumaru could still not be so sure. After only four nights, the mermaid had plagued herself into his thoughts, and everything about her made him crave for more of her.

She had practically made him bow down to her, and his yearning and desire for her twisted his heart until it hurt. Never before had Sesshoumaru even dreamed of succumbing to another, let alone so easily when he had known Kohana for such a short amount of time. Now, though, he couldn�t get her out of his head, and his body craved for the chance to be near her again; to see her again; to feel her embrace again.

Sesshoumaru had thought once that he was becoming ill, but that was before he remembered that, as a youkai, sickness did not fall on him; but he could not fathom any reason as to why he could be submitting to Kohana like he was.

What was so special about her? Ano, that was a silly question, but Sesshoumaru was running out of reasons that could explain his mental, physical, and social lust for the mermaid.

He was about to think more on this matter, but the wind blew from the north, and Inuyasha�s scent surrounded Sesshoumaru�s sensitive nose. He did not know why, but his half-brother�s scent was coming closer and closer at every second, and Sesshoumaru was curious as to why he would be confronting him, alone, at this particular moment.

But the taiyoukai was calm and continued to sit underneath the very same tree Inuyasha had discovered him under the day before, and he awaited his onii-chan�s presence.

For the moment, Sesshoumaru would have to shrug back his thoughts of Kohana. He was going through inner turmoil because of her, but his attraction for her was slowly beginning to conquer him. Even now, with Inuyasha sprinting towards his figure, Sesshoumaru could feel his heart thumping against his chest at the reminder of her.

But he would have to think about this later. He was at conflict with knowledgeable reason and emotional instincts, but for now�

Until Inuyasha left, he would have to ignore reason.

Inuyasha sprinted through the forest, jumping on tree branches every now and then.

He hoped that Sesshoumaru was still where had had found him the day before, because he still couldn�t seem to track down his aniki�s scent. He cursed him for being a taiyoukai: his skill at masking his scent was really beginning to get on his nerves.

Passing the Bone-Eater�s Well, Inuyasha quickened his pace.

He had waited until Miroku, Myouga, and Shippou were fully awake and they, along with Kagome, were preoccupied with Kaede�s chores before he had told them that he had something to take care of first. Kagome, already aware that he had plans for the morning, for he had told her during breakfast, immediately agreed at his announcement, shocking the other four of their friends (including Kaede), who expected Kagome to �sit� him for trying to get out of any work.

Inuyasha scoffed, still running through the thick forest. When he was leaving, he had heard Kagome telling them that they didn�t need to look for jewel shards today, and Shippou cheered happily at the hanyou�s lack of stubbornness today.

Whatever, Inuyasha thought to himself smugly. If those guys think we�re going to be sitting around here for the next two weeks doing nothing, they�ve got another thing coming.

A few moments later, Inuyasha found himself near the edge of the clearing in which he hoped Sesshoumaru lay. He threw in another boost of speed, and barging in to the clearing loudly, he noticed Sesshoumaru in the same position as he was in the day before, under the same exact tree, not even acknowledging Inuyasha�s presence.

The girl and the imp, Jaken, jumped in surprise and grew quiet, but they did not seem scared of him in the slightest.

Jaken, however, grew fussy, breaking the silence as Rin stood beside Ah-Uhn. �Inuyasha!� the green toad-like creature squawked. �What are you doing here? How dare you intrude Lord Sesshoumaru�s rest! Remove yourself from the premises! You�re presence is unnecessary! My lord does not wish for you to��

�Shut up, you slimy toad!� Inuyasha cried out, annoyed. �I came to talk with that damn Sesshoumaru, not you.�

Sesshoumaru remained silent for a moment, but he soon replied, still not looking at Inuyasha. �If you wish to speak, then do so, but do so quickly. I have no time for petty conversation.�

Inuyasha huffed, glaring at his half-brother. Who does he think he is, acting all high and mighty like that? �If that�s the case, then shut up and listen, Sesshoumaru.�

At this, the taiyoukai finally made eye contact, gold clashing with gold. �Do not believe that you are in the position to order me about, Inuyasha,� his eyes narrowed. �I have given you permission to speak. If you are not going to make your point, I suggest you leave.�

Inuyasha�s glare intensified. Their sibling rivalry was still great, despite their weapons� seclusion, as Tetsusaiga was sheathed, and Toukijin lay beside Ah-Uhn�s feet.

�Listen, Sesshoumaru,� he said angrily, trying to calm himself so an unneeded fight would not break out, �I just came back here to ask you what you�re doing here. Last time, my friends dragged me away before you could answer properly.�

�I have already told you, Inuyasha,� Sesshoumaru said calmly, �that it is none of your business. My attendance here does not concern you.�

�Lies!� Inuyasha accused. �No way in hell did you just feel like taking a walk here just to sit under that damn tree of yours!�

Sesshoumaru glared amber. �That is correct, I did not. However, my purpose of being here has nothing to do with you, and therefore, I have no right to explain to you.�

Jaken looked as though he was about to say something in protest to what Sesshoumaru replied, but one look at his lord�s warning glare shut him up, and Inuyasha wondered that was all about, although he said nothing of it.

�You have a right to explain to me,� he said instead, �because this is my forest, and we rest at the nearby village all the time, not you. You�re the one intruding! This is my turf, and you ain�t welcome here!�

�Your welcome matters not to me,� Sesshoumaru replied smoothly. �As I have said before, I do not rest here because of you.�

�Then why are you here?� Inuyasha cried, leaning forward in his frustrated rage.

Sesshoumaru�s eye nearly twitched at Inuyasha�s annoyance and gave in, not wanting to deal with his presence any longer. �If you must know, Inuyasha,� he said from behind his sparkling fangs, �I am here simply because I wish to be, and because I await a meeting with another.�

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. �A meeting?� he cried out incredulously. �With who?�

Sesshoumaru turned away, moving back into his calm position. �It is none of your business. Your question has been answered. This conversation is over.�

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted. �That�s right, half-breed!� Jaken cried out again. �My lord has dismissed you! He has made it clear that it is time for you to leave!�

�Shut up, you little imp!� Inuyasha moved his glare to Jaken. �No one asked you!�

�Inuyasha,� Sesshoumaru spat out, �leave.�

Inuyasha threw him another heated glare, but his aniki didn�t seem affected by it. After a moment of silence, he gave in, his anger swelling all the same. �Fine,� he surrendered, �but don�t think that this is that end of it, Sesshoumaru! If you go anywhere near our village, I�ll kill you!�

Sesshoumaru scoffed, �I highly doubt that.�

A growl emitted from behind Inuyasha�s fangs. �Shut up! Just stay the hell away from us, got it?�

�Fine.�

�Fine!�

Rin giggled softly at the obvious childlike banter. Even she picked up the immature aura in this clearing. Even Ah-Uhn looked as though they would roll their eyes anytime soon.

A short moment of stillness passed before Inuyasha finally turned around and sprinted back to camp.

The whole meeting seemed slightly pointless to him, now that he thought about it, but at least it wasn�t completely in vain. Now he had Sesshoumaru�s word that he would stay away from he and his friends, as well as their village, not to mention that now Inuyasha was aware that there was someone Sesshoumaru was meeting with.

But why here? Why was it that Sesshoumaru had a rendezvous with another in this specific area? Things did not seem right�

Inuyasha wasn�t stupid, despite what some others believed. He saw how Sesshoumaru was reacting to his protests and loud arguments. Inuyasha never remembered another time in which Sesshoumaru grew so angry so quickly.

He seemed more boisterous than ever before, although he remained impassive at the same time. He was easily fed up with Inuyasha, and he slouched a bit more in his sitting position, which was both good and bad. While it seemed as though his aniki was finally loosening up a bit, Inuyasha was utterly confused. Why was he acting like that? Something was amiss. Since when was Sesshoumaru relaxed? What made him act in that way?

Inuyasha shook his head, at the edge of the forest and by the village fields. It was probably nothing. He was most likely just over-analyzing things, for once. Sesshoumaru, relaxed? Nah!

Huffily making his way back to the village where his friends worked, Inuyasha shrugged off the matter.

And he ignored reason.

--TBC--