Chapter Eight - Sunset Confessions

Upon his return, Inuyasha stopped at Kaede's village because he knew the others would be bringing back Mirouku sometime soon. He sat atop the old miko's hut, curious about how Anko had coped for the two weeks he had been gone. The hanyou sighed and leapt down just as the hakama-wearing child walked out, a basket in her hand. Her violet eyes widened and she started towards him, then stopped. Anko gave him a courteous nod and continue down to the crop fields.

The dog-eared boy blinked several times before following her. "Anko?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"Welcome back," she stated in a calm and collected voice, devoid of all the excitement the child normally bubbled with.

Inuyasha stopped and spun around to face the hut, claw grasping Tetsusaiga. "You old hag..." he growled. "What did you do to Anko?!" Kaede was sipping her tea calmly as the hanyou stormed in, the Fang menacingly grasped and wielded. "What happened to my Anko?" he snapped.

"Your Anko?" Kaede chuckled, placing her cup down. "Your Anko had nightmares every other night of the first week."

Inuyasha dropped his stance and the sword, eyes widening.

"Your Anko refused to eat," Kaede continued. "I had to make her a special herbal tea to calm her nerves. That's when she decided she was better off severing her connection with you."

"She can't do that! She's a child. Do you know how long I've been around? I know what's best for her," Inuyasha yelled.

"And you're still a child that's only learning what's best for you," the miko sighed.

"That's not true!" His ears twitched and he looked towards the front of the hut.

Anko stepped inside and looked up at the white-haired demi-dog demon. "Excuse me," she said softly, making her way around him to sit beside Kaede and sort her pickings.

"You broke her," Inuyasha stated. "Now she only looks like me."

"Is that what you wanted, Inuyasha? A clone?"

Anko lowered her head, slowing the movement of her hands. They talked as if she wasn't even in the room.

"No," the hanyou muttered, scowling. "And I never even thought of her as a clone. But you wouldn't understand, would you, baba?" He glanced at the girl while sheathing Tetsusaiga, then walked out.

Kaede sighed and placed her now empty tea cup aside. "When you're finished here, Anko—Anko!"

The brunette child scrambled to her feet and ran out of the hut. She halted, violet eyes reflecting her broad smile, for Inuyasha had not gone anywhere. He stood at the bottom of the stoop, lips quirked in a pleasant smirk. "Onii-chan!" she cried, springing into his open arms.

The miko shuffled out, hands behind her back and a weary smile on her face. 'Some things you just can't change.'

"Inuyasha!"

All three heads turned upwards at the shout to see Kirara descending. Kagome jumped off, taking Shippo with her, and rushed to the hanyou and child.

"Welcome back, Kagome," Anko giggled.

"And who is this young lady?" Mirouku chuckled, hopping down from the feline mononoke.

"You must be the houshi they went to retrieve," the child commented.

"I am."

"And your neck?" Anko placed a hand to her own, pouting cutely.

Mirouku touched his neck lightly and Sango scowled, noticing his smile as she jumped down from Kirara. "He was a fool who allowed himself to get injured," she scoffed. Kagome laughed nervously, shaking her head to the hanyou and old woman's questioning stares.

"A fool, huh?" The monk looked over his shoulder, still smiling. "At least this fool found love."

The taijiya's eyes flared and she gripped Hiraikotsu firmly between her hands. Anko's laughter halted all action and Sango looked down to see the child had moved closer to admire the boomerang. Anko would always hold Inuyasha dear—he had rescued her—but his absence had opened her eyes. Sango smiled and removed the weapon from her back, kneeling to chat. Inuyasha smirked at them then glared at Mirouku. The brunet smiled sheepishly, shrugging, and headed into the hut.

§§§

By the evening, nothing had been resolved and things almost seemed worse. Mirouku, Inuyasha, and Anko sat to the right of Kaede, while Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Kirara sat to the left, each side stoical and speechless. Speechless, that is, all except Anko. The young child sat in the hanyou's lap, excitedly telling him about everything she did while he was away. Inuyasha nodded occasionally, glaring at the women and children.

Kaede placed down her cup with a loud sigh and folded her hands in her lap. She noticed, where this group was concerned, she drank more tea to calm her nerves that usual. "Someone mind enlightening me about what happened?" she murmured, looking back and forth.

"Mirouku slept with some guy," the white-haired demon said curtly. Anko blinked and turned a wide-eyed, innocent gaze to the monk. Mirouku laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. He raised his arm, then brought his fist down atop the hanyou's head. Inuyasha rubbed the bump on his head, snarling.

"Is that true?" the elderly miko drawled, eyeing the brunet male.

"It is," Sango chimed in, words clipped and hands tightly clenched atop her large boomerang. Kagome nodded. Mirouku glared at her because of the slight motion, then back at the taijiya.

"Do you wish to disclose who it was? Maybe that will clear up the misunderstanding," Kaede suggested.

"Sango already knows," the monk said softly. "But she disapproves."

"I'm sure Inuyasha would also," Sango replied with a smug smirk.

The male's cobalt eyes widened as his entire body tensed, and he risked shooting the hanyou a panicked look. "Why would I disapprove?" Inuyasha mumbled, amber eyes narrowing. Anko took his claw, placing it on her head with a giggle. Mirouku opened his mouth, but the dog-eared boy cut him off, "Is it someone I know?"

"Yes," the taijiya smiled.

The hanyou's ebony eyebrow rose. "Kouga?"

"...No." 'The wolf prince is cute, though.' Mirouku smiled, then shook his head firmly. "No, it's not."

"What about—"

"I just remembered!" the human child cried, shooting up.

Inuyasha placed his hand back into his lap as the child ran off, still glaring at the monk at his side. Sango dug her nails into Hiraikotsu, knowing Inuyasha had been on the verge of calling out his brother's name. She shook her head and decided it would do them no good if they continued to argue and tire themselves out for no reason. Besides, Kaede was listening to Anko now. She stood and unfolded the futon laid out for them. "I'm turning in," the young taijiya stated.

"Me too," Shippo chirped, jumping from Kagome's shoulder. He and Kirara took up the space at the edge of the futon, knowing Kagome would put hers next to it, completing their usual sleeping patterns.

Kaede watched from the corner of her eye, smiling, then gave Anko her full attention.

Mirouku retrieved his own futon, while Inuyasha scooted back to sit against the wall. His new appendage gave a quick bow to her teacher upon finishing her conversation, then rushed over to him, settling between his legs. He smirked and draped an arm over her, closing his eyes.

"Good night," the old miko told the entire hut, lessening the light that came in to as much as nothing, if possible. She shot the figures each a final glare before going down the hall to her own separate room. Anko turned in the hanyou's lap, hugging his arm, and slowly fell asleep. Everyone else followed suit.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cried, hands turning red from pounding on the large iron doors for so long. She had never seen her lord like this and knew the cause had to be Mirouku's return to his original team. The young girl sighed, frowning. "Rin will go find Mirouku-sama herself if it will cheer Sesshoumaru-sama up!" Rin turned and ran down the hall.

The youkai on the other side of the doors stood slowly from his bed, the fur on his shoulder trailing along the floor. He dragged open the door and shuffled down the hall. This was not like him at all. Never in his life had he moped, and if it must be done, he wouldn't have suspected a human to be the cause. Sesshoumaru made his way to the front of the castle after almost two minutes of walking, and, standing just outside the door, watched Rin try and convince Ah-Un to take her to find the monk. "Rin," he called out.

The girl stopped, eyes brightening, and ran over. "Sesshoumaru-sama! You left your room. Are we going to look for Mirouku-sama now?"

"No," the silver-haired youkai said, life and determination returning to his golden eyes. "We're going to continue looking for Naraku to end this ridiculous reign of his."

"That's good too," Rin murmured, smiling weakly. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at her and he turned to head back inside. The girl grabbed the fur that was being dragged behind, dusting it off, and carried it for the lord as she trailed after him. "Do you think Mirouku-sama will find us?" she questioned, smoothing out the soft object.

Sesshoumaru scowled. He was going to put the monk as far from his mind as possible, if that was possible. What they had only came about by chance and Sesshoumaru didn't live by taking chances. "No," he replied. "It's not likely." With Rin still attached, and surprised that she continued smiling even after what he had just told her, the youkai pulled the fur up and wrapped it back over his shoulder after removing the young child.

Rin giggled, "Rin is glad Sesshoumaru-sama is back to normal."

Sesshoumaru scoffed, "There was nothing wrong with me."

"Jaken-sama was scared of you," the girl added, stretching her arms high above her head.

"I was not!" said toad youkai cried, running out from behind a wall to join the pair. "I was just... waiting..." Jaken tumbled over his words, already providing them his answer.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru started in a sharp voice. "Wait outside with Ah-Un. I'll be there shortly."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," the diminutive lackey grumbled, scurrying back down the hall.

The long-haired male stared at the bright beaming child skipping along beside him. If he only knew how much he and his half-brother were alike—they both had human mates; they both rescued a child that now revered them to no extent; they both hated the other. Sesshoumaru sighed and reverted his gaze to the long hall he walked. 'For Rin's sake... that monk had better find a way to keep his promise.'

Try as he might between those short moments in deciding, Mirouku couldn't be forgotten. A smirk tugged at his lips at how much easier he could make the task for them all. Rin noticed and laughed, taking the lord's claw in both of her hands. The youkai also made a mental note to let his servant get a salve for the girl's raw hands.

In the following week, the tension in the village from just the two humans kept many far away because there was no desire to be sliced in half or sucked into a black hole. Ever since that night in the forest and the one in the hut directly after their return to the village, the demon slayer and monk had stopped talking. At the moment, Mirouku sat atop a large boulder just at the end of the village's road, a leg folded over the other and his arms crossed. His eyes slowly opened at the soft footsteps and he found himself staring at a deadpan Sango. "What's wrong?" he sighed, taking his staff into his hand. She had been the last person he was expecting to see.

"I'm sorry," the young woman whispered, head bowed. "I guess I was jealous. Jealous over the fact that you would choose a youkai rather than a human such as yourself."

Mirouku smiled faintly. "It is peculiar," he replied, raising a hand to shield the direct glare of the sun as he looked towards the sky. "What's even more peculiar is that out of all the youkai out there, I picked him... but... I accept your apology. Now, can you can keep it a secret?"

"Of course," Sango sighed enthusiastically, glad they were on speaking terms again. Suddenly, it was as if the entire village was rocked with a sigh of relief as the pair hugged in reconciliation.

"Can you also cover for me when I have to see Sesshoumaru?"

"What?"

"I promised the little girl," Mirouku added with a blush of embarrassment, looking away. "I don't want to break that promise."

Sango's brown eyes twinkled and the monk raised an eyebrow after looking back. She kept to herself as a few working men pulling carts walked by, nodding politely in greeting, then turned back to Mirouku. "I'll cover for you now," the demon slayer whispered. "Just until tomorrow evening." The monk allowed himself a shout of laughter as he jumped up, lifting Sango high into the air.

Kagome grinned as she continued looking at the duo through the binoculars Inuyasha had gotten from Hojou. "Kagome," the hanyou whined, dancing around her. He was so engrossed in wanting to play with his "toy" that the child that had seemed to become his own was temporarily forgotten, even though she stood right at his side.

"Fine," the reincarnated miko scoffed, only able to take so much.

"Heh." Inuyasha grinned and took them, placing them before his eyes. "Amazing!" he exclaimed, mouth hanging open.

"Me next, me next!" Shippo proclaimed, jumping onto his shoulder.

A clawed hand reached out as though trying to touch who was at the other end of the binoculars. "Oi. Where's he going...?"

"Lemme see!"

The white-haired male swatted the fox away, glaring through the binoculars. "Mirouku! Damn monk," he snorted.

Kagome touched her fingers to her shaking head and sighed, "Sit."

Shippo squealed, grabbing the objects as the hanyou ate dirt. Anko's mouth opened in a soft "oh" and she knelt, poking the rosary beads that had shone. Kagome opened one eye with a groan, even more curious as to who Mirouku was secretly seeing if he could get Sango on his side. She drowned out the continuous bickering, issued three more "sits", and ran out to meet the other girl.

§§§

'I have no idea where you are.' Mirouku ran breathlessly through the forest, staff held before him to block the branches that could do more damage, without the faintest idea what direction he traveled in. What he followed was the sensation his heart tugged him in. A laugh escaped from his throat as he realized the chance he took, and he increased his speed.

The forest began thinning out the further south he went and the monk almost felt the change in the air as he cleared the trees and stumbled onto the rocky plains. "Sesshoumaru!" he yelled.

The youkai's head turned slowly, golden eyes bright and a smirk on his light features.

"Mirouku-sama!" Rin jumped to her feet and practically flew to the dark-haired monk.

Mirouku fell to his knees, ignoring the pain shooting through his body from the action, and pulled the girl into his arms, crushing her body to his. 'Why do I feel like this... Why...?!'

"Mirouku-sama...?" Rin gasped as he pressed her head back onto his shoulder.

"I don't want to leave," Mirouku sniffled. "If I go with you, the results will be the same... so I don't want to leave."

"Then don't."

Red-rimmed, blue orbs raised to the youkai lord and he reached up a hand. Sesshoumaru took it, pulling the human to his feet and against him. Rin bounced back, beaming brightly. Mirouku sniffled again and smiled shakily as his remaining tears were kissed away and the warm lips moved over the path the first set had taken.

"Never cry again," Sesshoumaru said gruffly against the human's lips, searching the blue eyes.

"That's a promise..." Mirouku took the youkai's bottom lip between his teeth gently then released it with a gasp. "...I can't keep."

Rin spun as the two father-figures in her life continued expressing their love for each other and hugged Jaken with a laugh. The small youkai scowled but didn't push her away. "Look. The sun's setting!" she giggled. "How romantic."

"Quiet, Rin," Jaken snorted.

Mirouku pulled back and looked where the child was looking, leaning his head atop the fur on Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

"Travel with me. For someone so young to look so sad is a shame. Travel with me and I'll show you the world."

Blue eyes widened at the lord's words. Mirouku's staff fell, rings clattering, as he raised his hands to his face, scrubbing at the tears.

"Sentimental fool. Another stigma for humankind." In spite of having said that, the youkai's arm slid around the robed waist and the quartet continued to watch the sun set, even though Sesshoumaru found the entire thing pointless and a waste of time. He wasn't about to admit that to Mirouku; he liked him best happy—No. He lowered his head with a smile. 'I don't like him.'

"Mirouku," the lord whispered into the human's ear. "I love you."

.Fin.

A/N: (curls up in a content ball) That's the end. Yup yup yup. I didn't mean to make Mirouku cry, it just... happened X3 You know... I'd started some spin-offs and I thought one of them was capable of becoming a sequel, but I can't find it! (sigh) Oh, well. I really hoped that those of you that read this enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and maybe I'll see you around!