Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Par Tout Autre Nom ❯ Behind the Crescent Moon ( Chapter 39 )

Disclaimers: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho belong respectively to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi.

A/N: Actually, I wasn't intending to do this chapter quite yet, but at the same time… it nagged at me that it was the best place. So here you have it. -grins- Why do I suddenly have an ominous feeling trailing down my spine? Ah well, like I said, these next chapters are going to be important, so as much as I try to keep them a decent size, they like to run away with me and become beastly. -sighs- This nearly ran over and tried to just ignore the need for a next chapter, but… well, you'll see.

My lovely junkies, buddies, reviewers, and readers… as always I have to come back and say how very much I adore hearing from you. And considering they've been saying something every chapter from the beginning, or very nearly: tessa, Gravidy, Lil_lo, Fallon, tbiris, Marilyn, SuzumeTenshi, Silver Neko, Sylvanna, Blue… you guys are uber, telling me so often what you enjoyed with such details. Mou, but that's one reason I try not to name names… I don't want anyone to feel left out and there are just so many that I want to glomp and squeal over, but if I did that, there wouldn't be any room for the story. Believe me when I say that I think every single one of you guys is absolutely fabulous, and you always make my day that much more fun. And so… in my supreme gratitude… here is the latest installment. ^__^

<~*~*~*~>

By Any Other Name

~Behind the Crescent Moon~

<:"Ow, all right, I'll go now!"

Kagome blinked and looked up from the picture Shippou was enthusiastically holding up for her perusal, eyes drawn over to where Miroku sat rubbing the back of his head with an rather chagrined, even reluctant expression. Curious and confused, her gaze slid to the exterminator responsible for his newest minor injury, cocking her head to one side when she noted the way the woman was clenching her jaw, her face devoid of the usual exasperation that accompanied such swats. A niggling feeling of worry bubbled up in her chest the longer she stared at the married couple, ruffling Shippou's hair and nodding in their direction to show she needed to address the sudden tension.

"Miroku-sama? Sango-chan? Is everything all right?" Kagome made sure her voice was loud enough to travel, but soft enough not to disrupt any of the other guests in the house they had stopped in for the night.

Sango averted her face, her fingers curling into fists against her thighs for a moment before she was suddenly digging her elbow into Miroku's ribs, prompting another yelp of protest as the monk hurried to speak, "Ah, Kagome-sama… Actually, there is something-"

Kagome shared a confused look with Shippou at the odd behavior, causing the little kitsune to shrug before he bounded up onto her shoulder to try and help her figure out why neither of their friends were making eye contact with the concerned miko. "Something-?" she prodded when he uncharacteristically seemed to be at a loss for words, but then understanding dawned and her cheeks turned pink. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Shippou-chan and I will go sit with Inuyasha until-"

"No, not that," Miroku held out his hand, a look of discomfort crossing his face as he shared a private, serious look with his wife before taking a deep breath and fully turning his attention to her. "Kagome-sama… Would you-? Would you walk with me a moment?"

Kagome blinked silently, searching his face at the myriad of guarded emotions darkening those somber violet eyes before again glancing at Sango. Her brow furrowed under an odd sense of foreboding when she realized there was a hint of color staining the older girl's cheeks in the lamplight, but she was already nodding in an effort to reassure the fear making the air seem almost suffocating, "I- Yes, Miroku-sama, if you need to talk…"

His shoulders seemed to slump with relief, reaching over briefly to take Sango's hand and squeeze before he rose with fluid grace, "There is a matter that I would like your advice in… alone, please."

Shippou reluctantly hopped down at Kagome's prodding, turning a suspicious frown on the lecherous monk until the miko whispered in his ear that she would call for him first should the need arise. Puffing up importantly at the distinction, and even ignoring the sound from outside the door that sounded like a "Keh," Shippou grinned and settled down with his arms folded, "I'll be listening for you, I promise!"

Kagome smiled affectionately and ruffled his hair again before she stood, stretching to relieve the stiffness in her muscles from sitting in the same position too long before she followed the monk to the shoji. The summer air was balmy against her face as the screen parted to allow it into the room, but Kagome attention was far removed from such banal things as she turned a surreptitious look back at Sango. Only to have her confusion sink deeper at the almost pleading hope she could see in the eyes watching them step outside.

What in the world is going on? Kagome frowned and shook her head as Miroku turned and murmured a few words to Inuyasha, waiting for the hanyou to nod and wave a hand dismissively before he gestured for her to walk with him.

She wasn't sure how long they had walked, but she was certain time had slowed, considering how long it felt only to see that they had only moved into the deserted garden of the wealthy home. Anxiety made her heart beat loudly in her ears, stepping forward and reaching out hesitantly to rest her hand on Miroku's shoulder when the monk stopped and simply stared up at the sky. "Miroku-sama… what's wrong?"

Miroku's gaze stayed fixed upwards, but the moonlight clearly revealed the faintly bitter smile that touched his lips, "The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it, Kagome-sama?"

Sighing slightly, she obediently turned to look up at it, trying not to let her imagination run wild at the thought that Miroku was so deeply troubled by what he wanted to discuss that he was putting it off under pleasantries, "Very beautiful."

"I love Sango very much."

Kagome's eyes widened, the moon completely forgotten as she stared hard at his profile, "I've always known that… but- why did you need to bring me out here to tell me that? We all know how you feel."

Miroku sighed again, eyes closing as his chin tilted down in a thoughtful gesture, the rings of his shakujou filling the still air with their soft melody when he readjusted his grip on the weapon, "Because I need you to understand, Kagome-sama. More than anyone."

The curse, Kagome's eyes filled with understanding, making a soft noise of sympathy as she gave his shoulder a light squeeze. "We'll finish it, Miroku-sama, we're close. And then you and Sango-chan will settle down with all your children and live out happy lives until you're old and senile."

The smile that pulled at his lips was amused at her words, but a bit sad at the same time, sending off warning bells in her head when he finally turned the full weight of his eyes onto her own, "We have been trying."

"Trying-?" Kagome started to question when the answer nearly slapped her in the face and stopped her words. Trying… they've been trying to have a baby? Already?

As though reading the thoughts, Miroku dipped his head in acknowledgment, "Sango- Sango does not want to think that there could be nothing left of me… should the uncertainty of our fates hold something darker than we wish. And I have no fears that Inuyasha or you would allow any child of mine to suffer my curse, even if I-"

"Don't say it," Kagome's voice turned sharp, glaring at him angrily as she took a step forward to hiss her next words in his face. "You aren't going to die, Miroku-sama, we won't let you. But if you're looking for my support about you and Sango trying to have children, you should already know that I love you both, and you don't need to ask to know you have it."

Miroku stared down at her silently, the emotions in his eyes unreadable as Kagome felt the anger melt from her expression back into concerned insecurity at his strange reaction, "Kagome-sama… Sango is unable to have children."

This time the silence that settled over them was deafening, Kagome's face blank in her shock at hearing those damning words fall so quietly from his lips, shrouded in pain, regret, and too many other things to fully define. She shook her head, folding her arms in an absent gesture over her stomach as though doing so would make those words a lie, "You don't know that. It hasn't been that long, Miroku-sama, you shouldn't give up."

"The lifestyle that taijiya choose to live is not easy on the body, Kagome-sama," he spoke gently, offering her a smile that only reflected the melancholy light in his eyes. "We knew it was possible, and even Sango is aware that the infrequency of her cycle does not suggest we will succeed no matter how long we try for a child."

"Miroku-sama," Kagome whispered, hardly knowing what she could say to the monk to make the situation seem any more hopeful. Biting her lip, she turned to look back up at the moon, struggling for anything that wouldn't sound shallow and pedantic. But finally she just shook her head, "I- I don't know what to say."

Silence again fell between them, weighing heavily on Kagome's spirit until she could feel the prick of tears against the back of her eyes, It's not fair. Sango-chan and Miroku-sama deserve children more than anyone! She always talks to me about what she intends to do with her family, all the plans and the dreams…

"Sango and I have spoken about this for some time," Miroku was finally the one to speak again, standing shoulder to shoulder with her as his eyes followed her line of focus. "We still want a family… with as many children as we can possibly have. If the gods are only willing to grant us the answer we seek."

Kagome could feel him tense beside her, fiddling with his staff in a nervous gesture that seemed so very out of place in the monk she had come to know so well since their paths first crossed. Still not trusting her voice, Kagome let her hand fall away from his shoulder to clasp them in front of her rather than let him see the way they were shaking, No wonder Sango-chan has been so withdrawn lately.

"Sango… asked me to discuss this with you."

Confusion tried to edge into her mind again until her eyes opened in realization, turning to face him as she rushed out in sudden, hopeful eagerness, "My time! My time has things that could help! Maybe if I asked the next time I went back, I could-"

Miroku had lifted two fingers to press against her lips and stop the flood of words, smiling warmly at the perplexed question in her eyes as he shook his head at her. He glanced briefly to find a place to rest his staff, leaning it carefully against one of the boulders adorning the garden before he sighed and took both her hands in his, "Kagome-sama… would you do me the great honor of bearing my child?"

Kagome's mind went completely blank, lips parting as her jaw went slack under the absolute seriousness in the dark eyes meeting hers with that unflinching plea. How much time passed as she stared up at him, she didn't know, but it felt like an eternity until she was choking out, "Wh-what?"

"Sango and I are from this time, Kagome-sama," he squeezed her lax hands, swallowing hard as he tried to explain what it had taken he and Sango so many nights to think of the words they needed to use. "As much as we respect the things that come through the well with you, neither of us believe that we should try them for something that should be a natural thing between husband and wife. I would… It would be a great gift to us if you would join our family. We could ask Kaede or even one of the elders we impose on in these villages to marry us."

Kagome's mouth went dry, He… Oh gods, they mean it.

"Sango would never accept another woman as my second wife the way she accepts you," his voice lowered as he struggled to assuage the fears and questions they had planned for her having, his anxiety rising under her continued silence. "She loves you as much as I do, Kagome-sama, and we… we could be happy together. We could be a real family."

"Sango-chan… asked?" Kagome heard herself asking in awe.

"She told me she had spoken with you about the way things were done in your time," Miroku nodded in answer to her question. "She wanted to be certain that asking another woman to bear the children of your husband in such an event was not offensive to you."

Sango asked, Kagome's mind repeated again, scarcely believing it was true, but then again- There had been conversations during their baths, discussions that Kagome had thought were nothing more than curiosity rather than a woman searching for another wife to her own husband. It had never occurred to her. And yet, this was not something Miroku would consider lightly, not when he was literally proposing marriage to her here with his eyes filled with such hope and longing. They want to have children so badly that they're willing to come to me like this.

"I would promise to love you, Kagome," Miroku dropped the honorific, startling her when she found his hand cupping her cheek with such care that she might as well have been made of glass. "I would take care of you in any way you wished me to, and… if you are taken away from us in the end-"

Kagome's eyes closed, unable to keep her thoughts collected under the way he was looking at her. Her mind was racing, everything in her pulling in different directions as her conscience and desires warred against themselves until she again heard her own voice. Something from deep within her soul already murmuring her answer softly, "You and Sango-chan shouldn't be nearby when I talk to Inuyasha…":>

<>

Kagome opened her eyes, sucking a breath as her mind pulled back from the disturbingly clear images of her fever-dreams. Her back arched, reflexively stretching in protest at having been in one position for so long as she inwardly shook off the fuzzy disorientation clinging to her thoughts and struggled to settle her racing heartbeat. Miroku-sama, she sighed, rolling over onto her side as she curled into a ball, closing her eyes again to cling to those poignant feelings just a little while longer.

She hadn't anticipated the sheer strength of Hiei's emotions, and even now her soul still felt raw under the effort it took to purge the tainted edge she'd absorbed out of him. All her own memories were resurfacing in random bursts, mingling in with the things she knew had come out of his own experiences, making her groan and reach up to rub her temples to help banish the ache starting there, I knew he was strong, but dammit… I didn't need him knocking all this loose while I was inside him. He's going to be confused if he's catching any echoes from these.

Kagome forced her eyes to open, working her hands down underneath her to help her sit up as she fanned out her senses to search for Shippou and Sesshoumaru's auras in the house and relieved when she found them both sleeping easily. The last thing she wanted was to give the two of them nightmares of what she'd seen in Hiei's head, or the other things filtering out while her control was focused on more important matters.

I might as well stay awake now, she raked a hand through her hair, blinking to bring the dark room into focus and find her kimono folded neatly beside the futon. The sight brought an amused smile to her lips, the details of the room's setup screaming of Sesshoumaru's efficiency and foresight regarding the things she would need when her energy returned. Although she did have a passing moment of curiosity over how long it had taken the taiyoukai to convince Shippou that she didn't need a constant watcher, given how badly the kitsune hovered at times like these.

But then… Shippou only seen the difficult ones in the past, and she knew better than anyone how those memories had stuck with him.

I'll have to talk to him again so he doesn't lash out at Hiei, Kagome made a face, habitually tying the kimono closed on her way to the shoji, reaching out to take Miroku's shakujou from it's place beside that doorway and carry it with her out onto the porch. Damn overprotective youkai males.

However, she was still smiling as she looked up at the waning crescent hanging low in the sky, breathing in a deep breath of the untainted air as she slowly sat down on the edge to brush her feet against the grass. It was later than she had anticipated, lazily sweeping out her senses again to find out who was home and if she was the only one up at this ungodly hour.

One discordant pulse had her brows snapping down in confusion, turning towards the direction she could feel his aura, Shinju? What in the world is he doing up this late after the day we had?

Blowing out a sigh of affectionate exasperation, she rolled to her feet and stepped down into the grass, following the feel of that vibration as she muttered to herself over just how similar the young monk was to the one who had started the line. How many nights had she woken up only to find her bed empty and the feel of Miroku somewhere away from them all, lost in his thoughts or meditations when doubts or dreams kept him from his needed sleep?

Funny how close you could think you were to someone… only to realize that you hardly knew them at all. For Kagome, it had taken marriage to get past that last wall and finally see every last thing that made up her "husband's" character, to see the bad with the good. She had never suspected the charming, easy-going monk had held the depths of emotion he had taught her how to feel, but the memories were so treasured now. The trust alone that he had placed in her…

She sighed as she walked through the trees, reaching out a hand now and then to lovingly trace her fingers over the bark to draw the ki inside each one up to the surface and warm the air around her. A smile crossed her lips when she reached the grove Shippou had called the "thinking spot," not in the least surprised to see the familiar figure seated on the time-worn boulder centered in the flat space and staring up at the night sky.

Just like Miroku, Kagome shook her head, well aware that he knew she was there if only from the soft jingle of the shakujou's rings as she stepped away from the trees to pull herself up beside him. Keeping her eyes trained upwards as well, she gently set the staff aside, tracing her fingertip along the razor edge before she murmured, "Beautiful night."

Her peripheral vision picked up the familiar gloved hand folding into his lap, the innocent rosary beads clicking against each other as he reached over to absently curl his fingers over hers, "Shippou and Sesshoumaru have been very meticulous in preserving these lands since our family reclaimed them."

Kagome's attention was trapped on the hand loosely holding hers, memories of sitting in this same position with Miroku on such clear nights rising to blur the clarity of the scene around her. Voices from her dreams whispered through her head, jumbled and overlapping until she pushed them back with effort and brought herself back to the present. She squeezed his hand tightly, biting her lip against the sudden sting of tears as she answered, "I'd almost forgotten what it was like to see the moon without the pollution from the city."

"Sometimes there are more important things to think of than old memories," he shifted closer to her as he sensed the change in her mood, bumping her with his hip until she instinctively readjusted her position. He waited until her head came to rest on his shoulder, the tension easing out of her body a little at a time, "Not to say those memories should be forgotten, but the past can only bring a measure of the happiness to be found in the present."

Kagome's lips curved upwards in amusement, "I should have known the descendants of Miroku-sama would be so much like him. He always did know exactly what to say to me."

"You were very precious to him, Kagome," the monk answered her with a sigh, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and tucking her up against his side before resting his chin comfortably on her head. "The family he always wanted, the children that came to him were all because of you."

She slipped her arm easily around his waist, closing her eyes to pretend she was still in the dream; that for another moment she really was still sitting with Miroku and letting all the suppressed emotions wash over her, "Shippou told me that Sango finally had her own. After the jewel threw me back here…"

"Kazenatsu and Kyuuei gave off powerful auras together as they grew older," she felt him nod against her. "The family records clearly show it was the mix of your blood and quite probably your wishes that made Sango's healing possible."

Kagome snorted at that, "I don't know how they could give me that kind of credit. I didn't even have time to think, let alone focus to make an elaborate wish like that when I felt myself being taken. I'm half surprised I didn't accidentally level the whole damn mountain."

"It wouldn't have been possible without you," he repeated firmly.

Kagome turned her face towards him, pressing her cheek against his chest and breathing in the scent and feel of Miroku's presence so strongly pulsing through his body, "I loved them, Shinju-chan. Even if I knew it would end the same way, I would still do it a million times over again."

They sat in comfortable silence for a long moment, watching the sky until he shifted against her, the arm across her shoulders tightening before he lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, "So would I."

Kagome went perfectly still, her eyes snapping open as she felt the bottom abruptly drop out of her stomach. She could practically feel her pupils dilate, eyes starting to glow as adrenaline flushed through her veins until her thoughts reconnected with a sharp jolt. Shoving back out of his arms, she twisted around to stare up into the violet eyes trained on her face-

Violet eyes…

"Miroku?"

<::………::>

Kurama muttered a few choice words when he entered the bedroom he was sharing with the hybrid, rubbing his hand over his eyes at the number of empty ice-cream pints and assorted bentos littering the floor, "Hungry, my ass… Goddammit, he could have at least cleaned up after himself."

`At least we know we're on the right track,' Youko snorted dryly. `I told you I always suspected that if Hiei ever unwound a little he'd go straight for something sweet. Or didn't you notice how many times he's taken nothing but our dessert?'

Just lovely, Kurama leaned out the window, searching the trees in the hope that he would be that easy to find, and not the least bit surprised that the youkai was nowhere in sight. So… where would Hiei go after consuming enough sugar to kill a small human?

Youko sighed thoughtfully, pulling them up to rest on the windowsill as he scanned the night air with more intent, `If it was any other time, I'd say he'd be in the Makai looking for something to kill. The way he was though, I'm not sure what the hell he'd do.'

It's better than nothing, Kurama dropped from that small ledge soundlessly to walk into the moonlit woods, searching out any traces of disruption that would indicate a portal being torn open. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he briefly closed his eyes and let the energy around him soothe his rattled nerves before they opened again to gleaming gold, If it hasn't been too long, maybe we can force open the point he used and track him more effectively from his starting point.

`I'm going to hit him for the hell of it when we find him, you know that right?' Youko informed him just as casually as if he'd remarked on picking out a pair of shoes. `He's lying to us, running off to gods know where when he knows we can't feel him, and his information regarding our lover's condition was unsatisfactory. I want details and I want answers to why he stopped us from going to her when she's hurt-'

We'll get them, Kurama didn't even bother calming him down as he made the assurance, feeding off the angry energy to heighten his senses. I don't care what Sesshoumaru did to him, or what he said, we'll pin his ass down and beat it out of him if we have to.

Youko managed to squelch his surprise at the violent growl edging his counterpart's voice, blinking as he turned his attention inward to find just how deeply they had been effected, `Well, shit… I didn't think we were that upset.'

Kurama didn't respond to that aside from gritting his teeth and lengthening his stride to move through the trees that much faster.

Youko's sigh was deep enough that Kurama echoed it physically just as the kitsune wound his arms around their soul and brought him to a jerking stop. Shaking his head, his gave Kurama the impression of bringing his lips up to his ear to whisper, `These creatures will not take away the things that belong to us so easily, Kurama. Whatever they have done to Hiei, we can fix it. And then we will find our lover and make sure that we are so deep inside her soul that they can't think to try this against us another time.'

Kurama closed his eyes, willingly sinking into the feeling of comfort Youko was exuding as he took a cleansing breath, I know that.

`Then why are you allowing yourself to be unsettled?' he clucked his tongue in disapproval.

Times like this, Kurama wished there was some way to actually sit face-to-face with Youko, to be able to read his expression and his eyes as he dredged up the very thing the kitsune was pushing back, trying to ignore, We were scared.

And just as he'd anticipated, Youko's wariness snapped instantly back into place, `Speak for yourself, Kurama. I had no reason to-'

When she was hit, we were scared, Kurama interrupted in a hard voice. We smelled her blood, but we told ourselves it wasn't enough to be serious and focused on the rest of the fight. Why did we do that, Youko?

Youko gritted his teeth, `Hiei was with her, we knew she would be safe.'

He could feel a reluctant smile tug at his lips with the determination Youko had infused in his voice, Do you think I can't read your moods? You felt it too.

`I told you that I do not want to discuss this, Kurama,' Youko retracted his arms with a growl.

We can't ignore this, Youko, he shook his head in disagreement. Besides, it isn't like you to ignore a problem just because you don't think you're going to like the solution. Or are you still calling this a fixation?

Youko's tail twitched back and forth in his only outward show of discomfort with the topic he was trying to let die, `Why are you pushing this now, Kurama? We have more important matters to handle than putting our feelings into human words.'

Kurama glanced up at the sky through the branches for a moment, letting Youko have his moment to withdraw before he took in a deep breath to search for hints of magic in the air. He was frowning as he started to walk again, trying to focus on the feel of the grass brushing his ankles rather than the confusing thoughts racing through his head, but it was nearly impossible, This is silly.

`I agree.'

I meant you, baka, Kurama snorted. You're being silly.

`I resent those words. I am not being "silly" about this in the least.'

Then stop growling at me and sulking every time I try to talk about this, Kurama shot back easily. Why do we need her to become ours so badly? Why Kagome out of every other human?

`Don't you think I would have said something by now if I had an answer to that?' Youko reluctantly drawled out when Kurama gave him a hard mental poke to show he wasn't willing to let this drop. `I saw her, I decided I wanted her, and now I'll have her.'

Breathing out a frustrated sigh, Kurama reached over and trailed his fingertips up the vine sleeping around his wrist as he reiterated, We've never been afraid like that before.

`Is that what's bothering you?' Youko arched an eyebrow. `After the hell you put us through to find a suitable lover, it's only natural that we would be protective of her. Any youkai or human who tries to cause her pain is insulting us in the gravest regard, and we will answer it in the way it deserves.'

You're still a master of dancing around the issue when you don't like what I have to say, Kurama clucked his tongue, coming to a stop as he felt the faint curl of energy tickling at his senses from off to his left. You can't tell yourself that's the reason we're feeling this way forever, Youko.

`Watch me.'

Now you're just being obstinate, he rolled his eyes. She's even in our dreams, Youko. We can still taste her and feel the heat from her body hours after she's been taken away from us. I can't stand the thought of not having her where I can hold her and be sure that she's safe and healthy. So many things, Youko, and we've never felt any of them before, so why now?

Youko blew out a sigh, scowling off at nothing, `Or sleep is being effected.'

Kurama felt the tension across his shoulders start to loosen at the admission, it wasn't much, but it was enough to show his stubbornness was easing enough to discuss their odd behavior, We need her beside us at night.

`We need her against us, Kurama, if you insist on doing this now at least get it right,' Youko folded his arms behind his head and flopped back, kicking one foot back and forth. `We need to feel her reaching for us with everything inside herself, craving our touch and our presence. I want to hear her beg me to give her my baby, to feel and watch it grow inside her, pouring our blood through her body until her entire soul is ours.'

Our baby, Kurama corrected with a frown as he walked towards that faint echo of ki, eyes intent on searching for signs of Hiei's passage, and trying his hardest not to shiver under the thoughts those words were bringing to him.

`Same thing,' Youko flicked a hand impatiently. `But we have chosen, and for whatever reason, we feel this need for her, and for all her adoration to belong to us. We won't wait peacefully much longer, Kurama, is that what you want to hear me say? Your plan to get closer only increases our "fixation" that much faster.'

I know, Kurama closed his eyes as Youko completed his little tantrum with a flood of images and emotions, the all too few moments they'd had the little miko right where they wanted her. But be patient a little, Youko, we'll have her for as long as we want her if we do this right.

Youko's lip curled up off one fang, `I don't intend to let any other creature have her at all, Kurama. That is my miko, and her partners stop with us. No one will give her the satisfaction that we will give her, and I will not allow any other male to so much as think they would possibly ever be good enough to touch the mother of our children with lustful intentions.'

Kurama nearly stumbled in his surprise at hearing such dark possessiveness coloring his other half's voice, suddenly not quite certain he was as ready to hear the kitsune put the extent of his feelings into human words as he had thought. Youko was intense by nature, even more by experience, and gaining his complete attention… Kurama ran a hand through his hair in a calming gesture, soothing their upset instincts back down to a more manageable state before Youko could really get worked up, She is not the type of woman to search for lovers when she has one that satisfies her, when she has a husband. Calm down before you work yourself into a fit over something that hasn't happened yet, Youko.

`I am not afraid of the state of her loyalty once she realizes what we will be to her,' Youko turned up his nose. `Kagome will love only us when we are her lover, her husband as humans insist on saying. My distrust is to males that will not respect her selection.'

I think she's proven that she's strong enough to fight back, Kurama felt a truly affectionate smile curve his lips upward. Not to mention, the youkai surrounding her would tear any intruders limb from limb if they overstepped their bounds.

`Once it is my right to do so, they would not dare,' Youko closed his eyes and started to piece together his favorite fantasies, purring softly as the thoughts calmed him somewhat with the added help of Kurama's touch. `I will handle any such attacks personally if they live through my lover's purification. But I've given into your `silly' need to speak about this as long as I intend to, so look to your right. That's where the magic in strongest, the base of that tree.'

If he'd been any less accustomed to Youko's habit of going from one topic to another so abruptly, he might have had a moment of disorientation or at least confusion. But being who and what he was, Kurama simply turned in the indicated direction and reached out to splay his fingers wide at the heaviest point in the air. The mingled sense of hot and cold tingled across his palm, making his eyes flash in victory and Youko sit up to re-mingle their ki enough to find the woven threads of magic.

Perhaps the effects Hiei is suffering are only temporary, Kurama watched intently until the air seemed to bow inwards, letting their fingertips slide into the invisible barrier between the realms as they carefully worked it open until it had widened to fit their passage.

`He's most comfortable in Makai,' Youko pointed out, not so willing to jump on that hopeful thought yet. `Once we know where he came out, we might have a better chance of second-guessing the little bastard's intentions.'

I'm not going to let you hit him just to blow off some steam, Youko, Kurama rolled his eyes and finally answered that promise now that he had the path clearly defined and could afford to dampen the kitsune's agitation. You know Hiei. If we attack him, he'll just fight back until we're both exhausted just for the fun of it, and then he still won't tell us what we want to know to annoy us. If we're going to figure out what happened we have to… be…

Even Youko was stunned into silence as the portal closed seamlessly behind them, eyes wide and mouth slightly open as they stared across the smoldering, violently disrupted landscape.

Or… more accurately…

At the massive youkai dog snarling down at the black shape it had pinned under one of its paws, eyes blazing scarlet and blood-stained white fur fluidly rippling under the spiraling winds as it starkly reflected the lurid hues of the Makai sunset.