The Other Side of Kazaana

A/N Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. Here we hit the end of what’s been written…waaaah, no more quick updates! Heck, this would have been out even sooner if my computer didn’t have a hissy at me! Anyway, here it is, a long chapter to try and hold you over until there’s more.

Oh yeah, heavy lime warning

Chapter 6 – The Monk’s Mate

“…eh.” Inuyasha paused a moment, looking at his brother as he thought briefly about what to say, “Okay, right. That Miroku climbed out of Kagome’s well. Kaede caught him, he got away and saved a whole bunch a kids, then I caught him and he was attacked by the Miroku that we all thought he was anyway, and Naraku was there at the same time, so no, it wasn’t the two of those bastards playing a trick. I brought him back and now he’s here.” Sesshoumaru stared at him without speaking.

“Well? Aren’t you gonna say anything?” Inuyasha growled.

“I believe I am temporarily overwhelmed by your complete and total lack of anything remotely resembling eloquence.” Sesshoumaru said slowly. “If nothing else, I have yet to hear who, exactly, you believe this man to be, aside from ‘not the two of those bastards.’ “

“Oh, yeah. Kagome thinks she figured it out, you know, future shit. Somethin’ about there being a place just like here, but the people did different stuff. This Miroku would be one of the people.”

“The people.” Seshoumaru’s voice was bland.

“The people who did different stuff than here.”

“The people who did different stuff than here.” Sesshoumaru held the bridge of his nose a moment. “Inuyasha….why is it that every word you say sounds like it was just recently pulled out of your ass?”

“Hey!”

“Never mind. I’ll speak to the Miko about this later. I’m sure she’ll have a more coherent rendition of events.”

“If you mean it’ll be full of enough polysyllabic words to sound pretentious, sure.” Inuyasha muttered irritably.”

Sesshoumaru sighed and shook his head. “It is fortunate for the ningen that his scent differs from the ronin’s; at least that is clear enough to clear him of previous crimes.”

“So you finally noticed the difference. Took you long enough.” Inuyasha said.

“Unfortunately, yes. I regret attacking so precipitously.”

“You should, jackass. I mean, hell, did you see the little ofuda he tossed at you? Ronin Miroku couldn’t do that shit. You should of stopped going after him right then.”

“I have just said…”

“Yeah, yeah, you regret blah blah blah. Just so you don’t come after him again, Oniisan.”

“I did not say I was convinced that he could be trusted near the family, Inuyasha.” Inuyasha began to glare at him and Seshsoumaru sighed again. “As long as he poses no threat to Rin or the others, I will refrain from taking his head.” Sesshoumaru offered.

“He isn’t gonna do a damn thing to Rin, Hell, you should see him with kids; the man’s crazy about them,” he looked over towards the village, shifting from foot to foot. “C’mon, we’ve taken too long already. I wanna get back.”

One dark eyebrow rose. “Aaaah, the reason for your rather pithy explanation becomes clear.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Uncomfortable letting him out of your sight?” Sesshoumaru said lightly, starting to walk.

“It’s not that…exactly. I just like to keep an eye on him, is all.”

“Of course. How could I think there might be another reason.” He said wryly, glancing over at Inuyasha. “So…you threatened to spank him?” he chuckled.

Flushing, Inuyasha sputtered. “Well, he…dammit, he almost got himself killed! And he doesn’t even care! What the hell am I supposed to do?!”

“Talk to him, possibly?”

“He wouldn’t listen even if I did.” Inuyasha grumbled. Then he grinned. “It was almost worth it, though, just to see that look on his face. He was totally flummoxed.”

“I noticed. I take it this is the first time you’ve made such a threat?”

Inuyasha laughed shortly. “You think?”

They walked quietly for a moment before Inuyasha sighed. “He’s so damn young.”

“Most ningen are.”

“Yeah, but the only other one I ever wanted didn’t seem so young. Crap, the man has no fucking clue what I want. I mean, hell, you saw his face when I slapped his ass. He was so surprised he didn’t even know what to do!” Inuyasha groaned. “Does he have any idea what that look on his face does to me?”

“Makes your scent so aroused that youkai three miles from here are now aware of it?”

Inuyasha flushed and laughed at himself. “Hell yes! Gods, I want to rip off his fucking clothes and look into his eyes and see how surprised that makes him! I want to see his face when he realizes what I want, when I tell him all the things I’m going to…”

“I don’t believe I care to hear all your fantasies out loud, Otouto.” Sesshoumaru said, and Inuyasha blushed a deeper red and put his arms in his sleeves as they walked.

“Are you sure you can rely on him?” Sesshoumaru asked after a few moments.

Inuyasha shrugged uncomfortably. “Not completely, but I think so.” He said softly. “It’s ridiculous. I hardly know anything about him yet, but everything about him feels like it just …fits.“ He ran his hand over his hair a moment. “Pretty stupid reason for trusting someone, especially when we get screwed over so often.”

“One cannot always control one’s emotions.” Sesshoumaru said quietly, “I know that I…do you smell something?”

Inuyasha inhaled briefly and scrunched his nose. “Smoke. More smoke than normal.” They both looked towards the village.

“Oh shit…is Jaken back there!!?”

“We should hurry.” Sesshoumaru said, but Inuyasha was already running.


As soon as Miroku could no longer see Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, he started rubbing his stinging ass. He couldn’t believe Inuyasha had smacked him. And threatened him! With a spanking! He grumbled under his breath as he walked.

“…can’t get a minute to myself…thinks I’m totally helpless…ungrateful hanyou …spanking!”

What in the world had gotten into Inuyasha? His words weren’t those of a friend, no matter how Miroku looked at it. There were more …well, more like a parent afraid for his son’s well-being.

“Does he see me as some sort of child?”

He had assumed their friendship had been slowly developing, but now he wondered if he was he being viewed more as a younger brother or surrogate son. If that was the case, it couldn’t continue. He was not Inuyasha’s responsibility, and he was certainly not going to put up with the hanyou thinking he had some right to – to punish him for perceived wrongs. He was an adult and he would make his own decisions and bear the brunt of whatever consequences came with them. Swallowing, he tried to imagine how a conversation on that particular topic might go over.

He better not even TRY to touch my backside that way or I will…

Well, he’d think of something sufficiently vengeful, he was sure.

Shaking his head over the fact that he was even thinking about Inuyasha’s stupid comment, he tried to simply savor the walk to the village. It was actually a rather nice walk; he was glad he was still alive to enjoy it.

Really, of all the changes he could imagine, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha getting along would have been far down on the list. Still shaking his head over the image of the two standing together as he’d left, he heard childish giggling as he came to the first house, and smiled. It sounded as though almost every child in the village were playing a game, and he was certain to be mobbed if he went anywhere near it, but he couldn’t resist. Sometimes it was just nice to be covered in sticky kisses and small, chubby arms.

He rounded a corner and stopped, staring stupidly at the huge, two headed beast in front of him with laughing children cascading over and around it’s rather scaly, green hide. He barely had time to process the scene before a squeaky, outraged voice penetrated.

“You dare to trespass again on Lord Sesshoumaru’s land?!”

Miroku looked over to see Sesshoumaru’s little kappa waving his two headed staff at him and he leaped to the side as flames shot out of its mouth.

“For the love of the Gods, not here! You’ll hit one of the children!” he yelled, terrified as the children scattered, screaming. The hut behind him was engulfed in flames as the staff’s fire shot out again and he sprinted away from everyone, hoping that Jaken would follow and no one would be hurt.

Jaken hit the house in front of him and he backpedaled desperately. Forced to lunge to the side again as Jaken almost managed to hit him in the back, his mind raced.

He tried to judge where the kappa was aiming next, preparing to dodge in the opposite direction and hopefully have enough time to fling the pair of ofuda he now had in his hand. If he could just hit him once, he’d have enough time to get close and wrestle that damn staff away. Just a moment more…

“JAKEN! CEASE THIS AT ONCE! YOU ARE DESTROYING THE ENTIRE VILLAGE! AND WHERE IS RIN!!?” Sesshoumaru’s voice boomed through the air like a thunder cloud just as Inuyasha leapt forward to swoop Miroku up and jump a safe distance away.

“Crap, I can’t leave you alone for a minute, can I?” Inuyasha grouched, hugging him tightly for a moment before Miroku pushed at him and was put back on the ground.

Miroku let out a frustrated breath, irritated at himself because he was actually relieved…

Relieved!

..that Inuyasha had come. No wonder he treats me like a child! “I appreciate the assistance, Inuyasha, but I am capable of defending myself…”

Inuyasha snorted, waving his hand around him. “Yeah, I could see that by all the running you were doing. Don’t be such an idiot. Now c’mon, we need to help put these fires out.” He turned away and Miroku felt his hands clenching angrily.

Irritating, domineering, condescending… He grumbled in his head as he stomped after the hanyou.


When everyone had finished putting out the fires and found temporary shelter for all the families left homeless, they gathered at Sesshoumaru’s campfire. Rin and Shippou scampered around the outskirts while a disgraced Jaken ran after them, squawking about station and decorum. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha sat together and were already involved in a good natured brotherly spat. Miroku, meanwhile, had carefully chosen to sit next to Kagome and he tried to ignore the rather amused looks Inuyasha threw his way.

If he wanted to chat with Kagome and Sango instead of taking his usual spot next to Inuyasha, it was his own business. And it had absolutely nothing to do with certain threats made by a manhandling, ridiculously over-protective hanyou.

Miroku was finally starting to relax, smiling as he listened to Sango and Kagome tease each other, when Sesshoumaru’s voice cut through the conversation. “Inuyasha claims that you are from another world, houshi. One peopled with others like ourselves. Is that true?”

“Eh? I- I don’t have any other explanation to offer, so for the moment, I believe it’s true.” Miroku said slowly, putting his bowl of food down by his side.

“Hn.”

Miroku waited silently, wondering if the taiyoukai had more to say or if he planned to stop with the one question.

“You will tell me of your experiences with Inuyasha in this other place. This Inuyasha has not questioned you sufficiently.”

“Eh?”

“Leave him be.” Inuyasha barked. “He doesn’t have to talk about it if he doesn’t want to. It’s probably too painful…”

Painful?

“I don’t mind talking about it.”

Inuyasha turned to him and scowled. “Yes, you do. I’ve seen you when you’re thinking about them. I can tell it hurts the hell out of you. You’re not doing it.”

Taking a deep breath to keep himself from getting up to konk the stubborn, irrationally protective hanyou over the head, Miroku clasped his hands together tightly. “Inuyasha, I will talk about whatever I wish.” He said through gritted teeth.

“You tell him, Miroku. Gotta stand up to him now or he’ll walk all over you.” Kagome advised, grinning widely at Miroku’s confused expression. “Anyway, we’re all interested in our other selves. We would have talked about it before but the big dummy here wouldn’t let anybody ask anything. Thought you might be too ‘delicate’ for it.”

With Inuyasha growling at Kagome, and Miroku glaring at Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat loudly. “Your story, if you please.”

Inuyasha bit his tongue to stop himself from objecting again. He didn’t want to hear about Miroku’s past. That is, he wanted to know about Miroku, but…he didn’t want the image he had of Miroku to be changed by whatever he’d done before they’d met. And he really, really didn’t want to know about Miroku and…the other Inuyasha. It made his claws itch to think that the another him might have touched that pale skin or felt his soft lips against his, or…

“Well…I…I’m not certain where to start.” Miroku said. “Is there something you wish to know?”

“How did you meet me.” Inuyasha blurted.

Fuck! What the hell did I say THAT for?”

“The-the other me, I mean.”

Miroku squirmed uncomfortably and Inuyasha saw that he was flushing.

Shit, what did the other me do to him the first time they met? Fuck!

“…my first meeting with you, Inuyasha, I, ah...” Miroku sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I stole the shikon jewel pieces you’d collected to date, along with Kagome’s iron cart.” He said softly, looking down at the ground.

Everyone’s gaze grew hard and Inuyasha grimaced. “And then what, houshi?” he rasped out, feeling as though cracks had suddenly speared the perfect surface of the monk’s image. So, the ronin wasn’t the only Miroku who’d sought the power of the jewel.

“Ah, well, I’d thought that a demon shouldn’t have possession of the jewel, so we fought.”

A demon shouldn’t possess the jewel? Did that mean…it wasn’t about power?

“…and then I opened the kazaana. I doubt I would have been able to meet Inuyasha at all if Kagome hadn’t put herself in between him and the air rip.”

Damn, just how powerful was the other Kagome? “How the hell did Kagome stop the kazaana?!”

“Kagome? Oh, she would have been sucked in. I simply closed it. I mean, I couldn’t suck in an innocent human being! Especially not a woman!” He shuddered, missing the looks of surprise on their faces.

He didn’t use the kazaana on human beings?

“What, you’ve never sucked in a human being?” Miroku shook his head. “Never??”

“No.” The houshi looked confused over why he was so insistent, and Inuyasha grunted.

Sango looked at Miroku, a little of her previous ice returning. “So…was this a first time theft for you, or were you a thief all the time?”

Miroku closed his eyes again, looking pained. “I- I was a thief all the time.” he whispered.

A thief? He was a thief? Little, delicate, baby-faced Miroku was a thief??

“How many have you killed during your thefts?” Sesshoumaru asked, and Inuyasha felt his body tense. He didn’t want to know, he really didn’t want to know. He didn’t want the dream to so totally die…

“What? None!” Miroku looked shocked they’d even asked.

“None? What method did you use, then, Houshi? Seduction? Drugs?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“No!” With Sesshoumaru’s eyebrow urging him to go on, Miroku’s words stumbled. “I- I usually just lied. I could pretend to exorcise an evil spirit or youkai and then steal their possessions as they waited outside, usually. Sometimes I even exorcised a true youkai.” When no one spoke, Miroku looked up unhappily.

“I stopped once I met Inuyasha.”

“You no longer lie?” Sesshoumaru asked skeptically.

“Eh, no, I still …lie… fairly often. Usually so we can have a place to stay and some food for the night as we travel. People are very grateful when you ward their homes from evil spirits that might be nearby.”

Inuyasha felt his body relax somewhat. So, Miroku had been a thief, but not a killer. Eyeing Miroku’s sweet, sad face, he thought about what he would have done if he’d caught a thief like Miroku. It took only a moment before Sesshoumaru looked at him in amusement at the new scent in the air, and he had to bend his knee up so he could cover up the bulge in front of his pants.

He could definitely live with Miroku the thief.

What else hadn’t Miroku told him, though?

“You got any other bad habits we need to know about, monk?” Inuyasha asked

Miroku started blushing and closed his eyes. He was obviously nervous as hell.

Shit, what had he done??

“I’m a bit of a – a- “ he winced. “A hentai. I never seduced someone in order to steal from them.” he said quickly, “But I – I did talk a number into sleeping with me.”

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha exchanged glances before the hanyou snorted. “Oh, pull the other one. You’re so fucking innocent it’s not even funny.”

Miroku couldn’t hide his surprise. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t make up shit.” Inuyasha ordered.

“I am not! I’ve slept with women I had no intention of marrying or otherwise seeing again. I’ve lied to women to try and get them to sleep with me. I’ve groped women’s bottoms in every village I’ve ever been in!” Inuyasha looked unconvinced and Miroku huffed. “Look, I couldn’t even count the number of times Sango slapped me for assaulting her. I am a hentai.”

Inuyasha shook his head.

“If you’re such a hentai, why haven’t you tried seducing these two, yet?” he asked, nodding to Kagome and Sango. “Hell, you haven’t tried to assault them.”

Miroku shrugged uncomfortably. “The man I resemble did terrible things to all of you, to everyone in the village. I would hate for you to gain new memories that involved his visage and unexpected caresses,” he looked at Sango and Kagome. “I won’t grope without your permission, I promise you.”

Poor Miroku, thought Inuyasha, feeling guilty. I wish you didn’t have those memories of his touch, either.

“A hentai who refrains from lechery to protect a woman’s peace of mind? You must not have been a very dedicated pervert, monk.” Sesshoumaru said quietly.

“Oh no, I was! I am! Trust me, Sango used to hit me dozens of times a day for fondling her behind without permission.”

Inuyasha tried to speak and had to clear his throat a moment. “So, you tried to seduce Sango?” Sango made a sound and he looked at her repressively, with twinkling eyes, before he focused back on Miroku. “How’d you do it?”

“Eh?” So, that question had seemed to shock him. But it was just so ridiculous, he had to know…

“What did you do to try and seduce her, houshi?”

“Well, I- I- I told you. I fondled her person, and I asked her to bear my child…”

“And?”

“A-and what?” Was the monk blushing now?

“What else did you do?”

“Well, I used to talk to her, a-and I peeped at her while she bathed. And I tried to kiss her a number of times.”

Inuyasha bit his lip so hard he thought he might be drawing blood. It was killing him, but he just had to know. “How many times?”

“Uh…three?”

Inuyasha started to choke. “Um, I- I think that’s all I can take right now, Miroku. C-could we have some privacy to discuss this a moment? Maybe you could…use the bushes for a minute or something?”

Miroku nodded sadly and headed out of camp, taking Shippou and Rin with him as Shesshoumaru nodded his permission.

When he was out of hearing range, Inuyasha finally gave up and started laughing. “Oh fucking Gods… he thinks that’s being a hentai?”

Kagome and Sango started giggling so hard they were holding their sides and even Sesshoumaru had a broad grin.

Sango wheezed out. “Three times? All he did was touch her bottom and try to kiss her three times, and he thinks he’s a pervert??” She started laughing again. “He’s just an –an oversexed teen! Oh! Oh, I think I’m gonna pee!” she said, clamping her legs together as she laughed harder.

Inuyasha couldn’t stop beaming. It was incredibly odd to think of Miroku liking women instead of men, but if he thought a little sweet talking and groping made one a hentai….

Kagome finally managed to stop laughing and smiled. “I suppose I might call that lecherous behavior. But it seems like he must have been a rather harmless, sweet kind of hentai, really. The kind you could say no to and he’d smile and not push it.” She said.

Inuyasha nodded to himself. That was his impression exactly. This Miroku was not as bad as he obviously thought he was.

“It seems that even in his flaws, this Houshi Miroku is proving to be…acceptable.” Sesshoumaru said quietly.

“Yeah. Damn cute, too.” Inuyasha added, and Sango and Kagome looked at him.

“Really, Inuyasha, the more I get to know the poor man, the more I’m thinking we should be watching him like a hawk just to protect him from you.” Kagome teased.

“Kagome, I don’t think anything on this earth is going to be able to protect him from me at this point.” Inuyasha said seriously as he felt his demon half rage slightly at even the idea of someone trying to keep Miroku away from him.

Hearing the determined tone to his voice, Sango and Kagome quieted. “You like him quite a bit, don’t you?” Kagome asked with a little smile

“I might be a fool, but yeah, I really do.”

“His heart rate and voice patterns in the past few minutes are consistent with honesty, at least.” Shesshoumaru said.seriously, and Inuyasha snorted.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru, ningen lie detector. Where were you when ronin Miroku was around?”

“It is not infallible. I am merely telling you that it is likely. If he is very skilled, it is unlikely I would be able to determine it. A good liar can keep their body calm while they -”

“Good to know.” Inuyasha interrupted, rolling his eyes. Pedantic know-it-all, that was Sesshoumaru. “You know, you should really get to know Miroku more. The way the both of you carry on about boring crap like this, you’ll love each other. Hell, he even likes to talk about all that politics and philosophy shit you’re so keen on.”

“Then maybe I shall court him for you myself. The Gods know you could use all the help you can get on anything remotely intellectual.” Sesshoumaru said dryly.

Punching him in the arm with a mild “Asshole,” Inuyasha turned away from them to watch Miroku arrive back at camp with the children hanging off of him, a crown of flowers sitting in lopsided glory on top of his head.

He is just, absolutely adorable.

Well, I suppose this is the end now, Miroku thought to himself as he sat down. Inuyasha had insisted on Miroku sitting near as he returned, and Miroku wondered if it was because they worried about his…proclivities with women. He looked at the almost too sober faces surrounding him. “Would you like me to take my leave now?” he asked quietly.

“What? “ Inuyasha glared down at him.

“I only thought that, now that you know…my past, you might wish for me to leave.”

“Don’t be an idiot. We don’t want you to go, you baka.” Inuyasha put his arm around the monk’s shoulders casually and Miroku squirmed internally. He found the warmth of him rather comforting, but something about having him touch him right now was…discomposing.

“So, monk, we got a little sidetracked before. I wanna know what happened on your side of the Kazaana. “

“My side of the-? Well, that’s as apt a description as any, I suppose.” Miroku muttered. “Eh, where should I start?”

“After you met us.”

They all listened as he started to tell about his life with Inuyasha and the others, enumerating many of the same encounters that had happened in this world. Although not all of them were familiar…

“Sesshoumaru tried to do what??”

“Kill you in order to take the Tessaiga.” Miroku said cautiously.

“Why the hell would he do that?? He’s got his own swords!” he paused. “He did have his own swords, didn’t he?”

“Yes, I believe he had three at last count. However, he felt you were unworthy of the gift of Tessaiga. After you cut off his arm during the first battle for it…”

“I cut off his arm?? Shit!” Inuyasha looked at his brother a moment as if to ensure that he had 4 limbs, just as he’d always had.” “No wonder he wanted to kill me. That’s pretty low.”

“Eh, I believe he had just pretended to torture someone in the guise of your mother in order to find your father’s tomb.”

“What? Why the hell would he do that?”

“Because that’s where your father had hidden Tessaiga.”

“What?! Why didn’t the old man just give me the damn sword?”

“Because Sesshoumaru would have taken it from him before you could defend yourself.” Miroku said quietly.

“What? What was I, a wuss? You’d think the old man would have more respect for a 100 year old, shit.”

“Aaaaah, that would be the difference then.” Miroku said, nodding to himself.

“Eh?”

“In my world, your father died soon after your birth, leaving your mother alone to fend for herself. She died when you were still a small child.”

“Dad…died that early?” Inuyasha asked in a subdued voice. “God, that must have killed mother. H-how did he die?”

“From what I understand, he was protecting you both in some way and died as a result of his wounds.”

“Shit. That…sucks. But still, why the hell would he think Sesshoumaru would steal the swords? Hell, the man was going to raise me and all, you’d think he’d trust him.”

Miroku looked at Sesshoumaru warily. “He didn’t raise you.”

“No? Who the hell did, then?”

Miroku smiled sadly. “No one. After your mother died, you had to survive on your own. You’ve never said, but I believe you simply hid in the woods for the first few decades.”

Sesshoumaru’s jaw was tight as he listened. “And where was my other self during all of this?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry. I do know he blamed Inuyasha for his father’s death, and hated humans with a passion, and Inuyasha in part because of that. He tried to kill Inuyasha and the rest of us many times, usually for the Tessaiga, although simply being in his way was probably enough reason.”

Sesshoumaru hissed between his teeth. “My other self sounds like a self-absorbed, homicidal ass.”

“Inuyasha usually called him something a bit more profane.” Miroku said, smiling fondly at the memory.

“I cannot say that I would blame him.” Sesshoumaru replied.


“…Shippou and I didn’t realize the well took you to your time, of course, Kagome, so we both thought Inuyasha had tried to kill you at first.” Miroku stopped and looked around as everyone stared at him in horror.

“I’m sorry…did I say something wrong?” he asked as everyone started exchanging glances.

Inuyasha’s arm tightened a moment before he spoke. “I guess we’re all just a little…surprised. Y-you’re saying you know about Kagome and…where’s she’s from?”

“Of course. We all do.”

“Ronin Miroku didn’t.” Inuyasha said.

“No, I never felt entirely comfortable telling him.” Kagome added, “and Inuyasha respected my wishes and didn’t expose my secret. I can’t tell you how thankful I am about that now.”

“It really sucked for a while, though.” Inuyasha groused, glad Kagome hadn’t mentioned how much of a whiny ass he’d been that she’d made him promise not to tell. It hadn’t been one of his best moments. “She wouldn’t bring anything from her time over while he was around.”

Miroku laughed lightly. “Aaah, no ramen. It’s a miracle you survived, I’m sure.”

“Well, it’s good! And it was a stupid idea anyway.” He grumbled, “If you wanted to pass as someone from around here, you should have ditched that fucking school uniform.”

Kagome flicked a pebble at him.

“Kouga liked my skirt.” She said tartly.

“I just bet he did.” Inuyasha leered and she tossed a stone at his head.

“Shut up, baka hentai.”

Miroku stared at the two of them and seemed about to ask something when Sesshoumaru interrupted.

“We’ve talked enough for now, I think.” Sesshoumaru said, and everyone quieted to listen. “I need to speak to my brother alone. If you could excuse us?” He stood walked out of the camp, Inuyasha following him after a reassuring pat on the shoulder for Miroku.

Enclosed in a deeper part of the nearby woods, Inuyasha turned to look at his brother “So what the hell’s so important you had to drag me out here to talk, Oniisan?”

“Kouga’s runner caught up with me just before we arrived. It seems Kouga’s finally finished searching the Northern Mountains. He’ll be here by tomorrow morning.”

“Whoopee. And I care, why?”

“Have you thought of the implications of Miroku’s knowledge once Kouga finds out?” he asked softly.

“Eh? What?”

“Miroku knows about Kagome’s time, and Kouga doesn’t know him. He’ll view him as a threat to Kagome.” Sesshoumaru said gently.

“Aw shit…” Inuyasha sucked in his breath, thinking. “He’ll kill him.”

Nodding, Sesshoumaru put a hand on Inuyasha’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Inuyasha.”

“Sorry? Why the hell would you be sorry? I’ll just take Miroku away until you can explain it to him and Kouga will –“

“- hunt him down wherever you take him. This is his mate’s safety we’re talking about here; he won’t just let it go, and he certainly won’t take my word on the man’s reliability.”

“So I’ll take him to the Western Fort, he should be safe there.” Inuyasha thought quickly, trying to decide what they’d need to take, how long they had.

“Would you start a war over this man, Otouto?” Sesshoumaru asked in a quiet voice. “Kouga will not give up on this, and his pack will stand behind him.”

Imagining the number of youkai who would likely die if the inu and ookami started fighting, inuyasha cursed. “Maybe if I was the one who told him that Miroku wouldn’t betray Kagome’s secret…”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “The only person who would positively be able to tell what is inside Miroku’s heart would be a mate, and he has none.”

Inuyasha noticed a particular emphasis to Sesshoumaru’s words and his brain froze as he realized what he was trying to say. He thought the only way to save Miroku without bloodshed was to mate him to some youkai bitch…

There had to be another way. It was stupid; Kouga couldn’t be so intractable that he’d never give up on Miroku, could he?

Dammit all, yes he could be. Fuck, the man was the most pig-headed asshole he’d ever met, aside from his brother. He’d follow them even if they fled to the mainland, and with the damn shards in his legs, he’d probably catch them before they even got there.

“I could find a- a mate for him, someone Kouga would trust…” Inuyasha choked, trying not to gag on the words as his youkai howled in his head.

After a brief silence, Sesshoumaru nodded. “If you can take him away tonight…” Sesshoumaru paused. “Kouga has a number of friends among your cousins that might be amenable to taking a ningen to mate, especially if they thought it curried favor with the family.”

Inuyasha’s heart felt like it was going to rip apart as he nodded. He couldn’t let the little monk die, but to give him to someone else… Gods.

“L-let me get some sake from the village.” He said hoarsely. “I’ll need to get him a bit drunk for this. I don’t think he’ll agree, otherwise.” Well, he wouldn’t agree with what Inuyasha wanted him to, anyway.

“I’ll meet you back at the camp.” Sesshoumaru murmured, embracing him briefly “I’m so terribly sorry, Otouto. I know you’d take him as your mate if you could.”

“Yeah, I would.” His voice broke and Sesshoumaru held him tightly a moment more before heading back to camp. Inuyasha watched him go with empty eyes.

Inuyasha showed up in camp, trying to smile, and brought out the bottle of sake for everyone to share. Toasting to new friends, he and Sesshoumaru made sure Miroku continued to get a generous helping and by the time the sake bottle was gone, Miroku was stumbling drunk. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was simply cursing himself. He hadn’t thought that the young man might not hold his liquor as well as his double; he’d meant to get him pleasantly buzzed, not completely sotted.

Damn it. He helped Miroku up and offered take him to ‘shake the weasel’ before they went to bed. The girls nodded absently, already busy with their own ablutions. Sesshoumaru looked at him sadly, nodding his goodbye.

Inuyasha took Miroku through the woods until he found a moss covered patch of ground near one of his favorite trees. He stopped and let the dizzy monk lay down on the soft earth.

Miroku smiled up at him. “I drank way too much. Although the sake was good. Are there two of you? “ His eyes crossed briefly and then he laughed. “I think I made a haiku.” He closed his eyes, murmuring to himself.

“Miroku,” Inuyasha said quietly, crouching down next to him. “There’s something I want to ask you. I - I really want… Just once, Miroku. I won’t ever get another chance, and just one time, I want to…” he stopped and clenched his teeth together. Should he really do this? Miroku was so drunk…


Seeing Miroku blink up at him innocently, he cursed and leaned down, pressing his lips against Miroku’s gently, trying not to scare him. After one surprised gasp, which let Inuyasha slip his tongue inside to taste him, Miroku gave himself in to the feel of it.

Inuyasha grasped Miroku’s head in both hands, running the silky dark hair through his fingers as he tasted every slick, hidden recess of his mouth. Miroku moaned against him faintly, and Inuyasha closed his eyes in relief as he smelled the man’s arousal start to climb.

Thank the Gods, it’s not just with women.

He pulled back. “C’mon, monk, let’s get you outta these clothes.” He muttered, and his hands shook as he undid the unfamiliar kesa. “Crap, how long does it take you to get into this shit?” he muttered, feeling like he should be shouting in triumph by the time he took the damn things off.

“Inuyasha?” Miroku looked up at him as he lay on the ground, his kesa rumpled beneath him. ‘Why am I naked? Are we going to bathe again?”

“Not exactly.” Inuyasha muttered. Son of a bitch, the man didn’t have a clue, did he? He’d just kissed him, for the love of Buddha, and he was wondering if they were going bathing? There shouldn’t be enough sake in the world to make a person that oblivious.

“No?” Miroku murmured. “What‘re we doing then?” Looking up at Inuyasha, sleepy eyes dark and curious, Miroku smiled.

Dammit. He couldn’t do this without his permission. Maybe it was drunken permission, but he couldn’t just take him. His youkai was going crazy to just grab him and plunge into his body, but…it wasn’t right. Not his first time, not like this. He wasn’t a fucking rapist.

“You want to…you want to have sex, Miroku?” he asked tentatively.

Please let him say yes. Please. It’s the only time we’ll ever have…

Inuyasha’s eyes widened as Miroku’s dick immediately started to rise. With enough alcohol to make him this loopy, and he still got it up at the thought of making love? Maybe he was a lecher… He felt a warm glow settle over him.

He’s getting this hard thinking of me!

“Have sex with who? “ Miroku asked, looking around in a daze, and Inuyasha’s ego deflated.

“With me, stupid.” He growled, wrapping his hand around the man’s member and gripping tightly.

“Ooooh, “ Miroku nodded in false sagacity before he stopped and stared up at Inuyasha. “Really? With you? I- I dunno…will it feel good?” he asked, blinking owlishly.

Inuyasha smiled gently and caressed Miroku’s cheek with his other hand. “Yeah, I think it will. And it would mean ….more to me than I can say.”

“Oh,” Miroku blinked again and smiled dopily. “All right. What do I need to …aaaaaaah. Oh, that’s really nice.” His eyes close as Inuyasha started moving immediately, his hand caressing up and down carefully over his manhood, watching it closely and happy to see it growing larger.

He wanted this so badly. His youkai wanted it even worse. Just one time to feel Miroku’s tight warmth. One time to pretend for just a moment that he could take him as a mate, biting into his flesh as Miroku pulsed around him. One time for him to remember and hold close for all the times he would never, ever, EVER have, and then he’d take him to the West and give him to the woman who could save his life. Swallowing back tears, he cleared his throat.

“Does that feel good?” he asked hoarsely.

“Mmmmm, yesss.” Miroku didn’t even to bother to open his eyes, obviously enjoying the sensations flowing up from his groin “Wha…Aaaah, that’s so…aaaaaah!!” Inuyasha brought his mouth down over Miroku’s staff, pressing in with his lips over the ridge near the head, a low, pleased growl in his chest when Miroku pushed hard against him.

“Inuyasha, what’re you…oh, yess. I – I want to…Gods!” Inuyasha let himself get swept up in his arousal, savoring the sight of Miroku underneath him, writhing, his hands gripping the kesa beneath him as he moaned. A few touches and a little mouth and the man looked like he was going to cum already.

He didn’t want that. If this was all he ever had, he wanted them to come together. He withdrew his mouth and gently turned the monk over.

When he heard plaintive whining, he smiled again. “Don’t worry. Trust me, this’ll feel good. ” He gulped, looking at the pale, tight bottom of the man below him. Oh Dear Gods, he wanted to just come into him and fuck him like there was no tomorrow, but he couldn’t. He didn’t think Miroku had ever done this before. He’d need to be stretched out first, if he was a virgin. He’d be so small and tight…

He gulped again at the thought. He had to keep it slow. He wanted this to be the best damn sex Miroku ever had in his whole damn life, and the only way he could do that was to keep it really, really slow. Inuyasha bit his lip and leaned over Miroku’s back, running his hand down it, feeling the smooth flesh quivering under the sensitive pads of his fingers. By the time he got to the man’s amazing ass, Miroku was squirming, his hands clenching the ground up by his head.

Placing his hand over Miroku’s firm backside, he felt the muscles jump in surprise. “Shhhhh, little monk. I won’t do anything you won’t enjoy. I promised.” He licked his finger and spread Miroku’s cheeks apart gently so he could slowly insert his slick finger into the small opening.

Miroku reared up, or tried to, before his arms lost what little stability they had and he faceplanted. “Wha- what are you doing? Nnnnn, that’s not…Aaaaaaah, O GODS!” Inuyasha smiled as the man’s inner muscles clenched against him and Miroku’s aroused scent jumped pleasurably. He carefully pushed in further, not stopping until the rest of his hand could caress feathery strokes along the monk’s bottom as he twisted the finger inside slightly. He was so tight, Inuyasha could just imagine what it would feel like around his dick. Shit…

He was leaning forward, nibbling along Miroku’s lower back and the curve of his bottom when he smelled…wolf.

No! His youkai started howling again, desperate to protect Miroku, and he knew his eyes were probably crackling with ribbons of clashing color. But he couldn’t do anything! He couldn’t kill Kouga, he couldn’t let Kouga kill Miroku, what was he going to do!

His hand jerked in fear as he fought himself, pressing against the inside of Miroku’s body as his fingers curled into the soft cheeks.

“AAAAAH!” Miroku yelled out and Inuyasha felt him convulse beneath him as he came.

He had to get him a mate before Kouga came, he had to! He tried to get up and grab the little monk and run for the nearest female youkai he could find, but his body wouldn’t move. His fucking youkai refused to let someone else have Miroku and was clawing its way out so strongly he couldn’t fight it off. He could feel his finger inside of Miroku as his body pulsed, could feel him cum hard, and suddenly he realized what his youkai was going to try and do. He screamed inside his head as his youkai forced him to bite down hard, his fangs puncturing the soft flesh along the top of Miroku’s bottom. Feeling another faint contraction of Miroku’s inner muscles around his finger, evidence that they hadn’t missed his peaking, his youkai slowly retreated, replete with smug satisfaction.

Inuyasha kept his face pressed against Miroku’s flesh, fangs still embedded as he fought the urge to keen in anguish. He’d killed them both. His stupid inability to control his damned youkai had killed them both. Because it never worked. They would die like every single male couple who’d tried before them, because every single time, the damn, territorial male essence couldn’t mix with another male’s without fighting the encroaching male to the death. Male youkai just couldn’t back down.

They were both going to die…

At least he won’t die scared and in pain. Inuyasha thought, tears dropping from his eyes onto Miroku’s lower back as he felt the monk’s orgasm slowly finish. He tried not to move other than closing his eyes, hoping even though he knew it was pointless. Please let this work. Please, please, please let this work. I don’t want him to die…

I don’t want him to die.

He froze as he felt something swirl inside his head. A faint purple haze that crept across his mind like a breeze, and then just like that, he could SEE. He pulled his fangs from Miroku’s skin in shocked disbelief. Shaking, he closed his eyes, and he could see him. The real Miroku, down to his soul. Shining and clean and so very NOT evil. Just like that, he had the knowledge that would save him: Miroku wouldn’t betray them. The man would rather die before he betrayed them to Naraku.

“You were right. Felt really nice.” Miroku mumbled sleepily, and Inuyasha laughed a little hysterically, nauseous with relief.

They were both still alive! Inuyasha stared, still having a hard time believing it, as the bloody wound closed and shifted until it formed the shape of a small fang in bright red. Inuyasha couldn’t tear his eyes away, entranced by an actual, honest to goodness mating mark. HIS matting mark. Pulling his finger from inside Miroku, who twitched but didn’t bother to move, he continued to stare.

He had a mate.

He’d really done it. He had a mate.

He had a male mate.

Holy Shit.

The youkai world was going to be in for a shock.