InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Uke ❯ Why We Do the Things We Do ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

 

WARNING- This chapter MAY contain: angst, fluff, foul language, Male/Male, anal sex, oral sex, non-consensual sexual acts, spanking, incest, or violence.

 

 

Chapter 10 - Why We Do the Things We Do

 

Miroku looked at Inuyasha, his eyes wide. His friend hadn't even been gone an entire day, why was he back already? As his eyes took in his friend's appearance, dread replaced surprise.

 

“Inuyasha, what happened to you? Where's Kagome?!” He and Sango ran up to the hanyou who was stumbling slowly towards them. He looked even worse than when he'd left. A spectacular bruise covered the side of his face and his movements were slower than when he'd walked to the well following Kagome. What the hell happened to him in Kagome's time, Miroku thought. What had happened to Kagome?

 

“Kagome's fine,” Inuyasha said hoarsely, a peculiar almost hopeless look in his eyes that made Miroku worry even more.

 

“So what has happened?”

 

Inuyasha opened his mouth and Miroku spoke before he could make a sound.

 

“Don't lie.”

 

“I haven't even said anything!”

 

“I recognize the look. Inuyasha, you wouldn't tell us what happened between you and Sesshoumaru, and we could have at least helped to tend your wounds before the damage was so great. Please, if something is going on, let us help this time.”

 

Inuyasha stared at him. “You can't help,” he said flatly.

 

“Then this does have to do with Sesshoumaru,” Miroku confirmed. “Did he...confront you on the way back from the well?” Miroku asked, cursing himself at the same time. He and Sango should have thought of the possibility and waited for the couple to return. The daiyoukai had actually seemed concerned about Inuyasha the last time they'd seen him, though. Miroku wouldn't have thought that he would attack Inuyasha when he was still barely recovered. He stared at just how much pain Inuyasha looked to be in, and felt something shift inside, just slightly. Sesshoumaru had no right to do this, whether or not he was Inuyasha's mate. He could have killed him, attacking Inuyasha in the condition he was in now! There were still things that were private between a couple, yes, but hurting him this badly? That was going too far.

 

“He didn't catch me at the well, “Inuyasha said reluctantly. “He came through it, the bastard.”

 

“Through it?” Sango gripped her Hiraikotsu tightly. “He can go through the well too!?”

 

Inuyasha laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah. Fucking kick in the ass, isn't it?” Miroku would have thought he truly found it amusing if not for the lines of pain around his mouth.

 

“Why…” Miroku stopped himself.

 

“Why'd he smack me around?” Inuyasha shrugged. “Cause I left the fucking village. What it sounded like, anyway. He…”

 

Inuyasha's eyes went dark and blank for a moment. “It just pisses him off,” he said abruptly. “You guys might want to…stay away from me for a little while. He's back on this side again, and I don't know what he'll do when he comes after me.”

 

Miroku and Sango looked at him. Neither of them had any intention of leaving. “You think he'll come soon?” Sango asked softly.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Miroku and Sango waited for more in vain.

 

“What does he want from you?” Sango's voice was worried and uncertain.

 

Miroku's sharp gaze saw the faint flush on Inuyasha's cheeks even as the hanyou shuddered slightly. He controlled his own reaction with an effort as he realized what it was that Sesshoumaru probably wanted from his mate.

 

He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. The two males WERE mates now; he simply hadn't thought that Sesshoumaru would want to do anything of that nature with his hanyou brother. Not the way he'd been acting. Looking at Inuyasha's bruised face, he winced. What were the odds that Inuyasha would find even the slightest pleasure in the act, with someone brutal enough to hurt him even when he was in such a weakened state? What a truly sad thing, that Inuyasha's first experience with sex was likely to be violent.

 

At least, he assumed it would be his first. Miroku was pretty damn sure the hanyou was a virgin. He still remembered when Inuyasha had caught him touching himself at a hot springs soon after they'd started traveling together. Apparently, he'd heard Miroku all the way from camp and had come to help him, sure he must be in agony from the sounds he'd been making. He'd gotten quite a shock, as Miroku remembered it. Miroku's personal embarrassment might have been just as extreme if Inuyasha hadn't been so obviously stunned by what he'd seen. It might have been the first of that type of behavior that Inuyasha had ever witnessed. He'd looked at Miroku's hand on himself, asking in a strangled voice what was wrong as Miroku had ducked lower into the water. Inuyasha hadn't lasted three words into the explanation before he'd fled back to camp.

 

To Miroku's mind, his reaction strongly implied that Inuyasha had never engaged in such an activity himself. Had he been too young, Miroku wondered, if he hadn't matured yet? And if that was the case… he looked at Inuyasha again, the hanyou's face still unhappy and blushing.

 

Myouga was usually Inuyasha's main source of information, but he wasn't here…and Sesshoumaru might be coming soon to consummate their relationship. Did Inuyasha even have the faintest idea what to expect? It would be twice as bad if he was shocked by the act as much as the pain of it, Miroku thought. Someone needed to talk to him about this before Sesshoumaru came. He blew out his breath, contemplating just what a talk about sex and self-pleasuring with Inuyasha might involve, and resolved to bring his shakujou and not let it leave his hands until the end. He might need to defend himself.

 

And possibly defend Inuyasha as well, if Sesshoumaru had violence instead of sex on his mind.

 

“Inuyasha?” Sango asked again, when there was no reply from the hanyou. “What does he want?”

 

“He's…he's just really pissed. I left before he was done ranting. He'll probably be here soon, so you should leave.”

 

“We're staying,” Miroku said calmly.

 

“Then you're both idiots.”

 

“Perhaps, but even idiots can stand up for their friends. We should have done so a few days ago when he arrived in the first place.”

 

“Feh, like I care about that shit. Right now, I… Look, I don't want you to stay!” Inuyasha said, glaring. “I can just…fuck. I don't know why I even came back this far into the village anyway. You damn well stay here, and I'll go to the edge of the village or my forest or something. Somewhere there aren't as many people and shit. That's gotta count as `in' the damn village, if he can still find me. Really, you don't want to get involved in this, all right?”

 

“Kagome was right, Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru shouldn't hurt you like this,” Sango said, her voice apologetic. “You're not healed yet. You'll need help…”

 

“Look, “Inuyasha growled. “you CAN'T help, okay? The only thing you can do is get killed!”

 

Miroku held up his hand to forestall Sango's argument so he could present his own ultimatum. “Sango will stay here and keep an eye out for Kagome, and I will accompany you to the edge of the village to wait, Inuyasha,” Miroku said firmly. “You cannot stop me in your current condition, and you know it.” Miroku added when Inuyasha opened his mouth to disagree.

 

After one rather sullen glare, Inuyasha's shoulders slumped. “Fine. As long as you don't do anything stupid to get yourself killed, you can come. But I'm not gonna wait for you, so you'd better fucking keep up.”

 

Miroku didn't bother to respond to Inuyasha's obvious attempt to hang onto his pride and quickly walked back to grab his staff from where it leaned against Kaede's hut. “You should gather up Shippou and Kirara and guard the well,” he said quietly to Sango. “Keep Kagome in the village when she gets back. Inuyasha would not want her trying to involve herself in this.”

 

“I'm coming to agree with Kagome's viewpoint of this, Miroku,” Sango whispered back. “We can't let Inuyasha be injured this way again.”

 

“I know, but there's more to it than that right now.” Miroku responded, and shook his head at her inquiring look. “He can tell you if he wishes. For right now, trust me when I say that Kagome and your presence would only make things worse, in his mind.” Actually, Kagome's presence would be what Inuyasha would object to most, but this was a good excuse for keeping Sango out of danger, as well.

 

“I'll do what I can to ensure he returns to us relatively unharmed,” Miroku said, and Sango nodded reluctantly at his already retreating back as he trotted after Inuyasha.

 

He caught up to Inuyasha almost immediately and smiled to himself. Inuyasha wasn't going to wait? More like Miroku would have to walk slowly so Inuyasha's rather battered body wouldn't be left behind. He kept his pace light, ignoring Inuyasha's muttering and sidelong glares.

 

Once they were past the outskirts of the village, Miroku decided it was time to start talking. This was going to be a very delicate topic; he hoped he was up to the challenge.

 

“Inuyasha,” he said quietly, and received only continued mutters as a reply.

 

“Inuyasha.”

 

“Inuyasha!”

 

“I'm letting you come along; I didn't say I'd talk to you,” Inuyasha snarled. “You don't like it, go back to the damn village like I told you to.”

 

“I know what you think he's going to do to you,” Miroku said quietly, and he stopped walking as Inuyasha whirled to look at him.

 

“O-of course you know, asshole, I told you! He's planning to beat the shit out of me, like usual.”

 

“Getting pounded on doesn't make you blush, Inuyasha.” Inuyasha blushed again, cursing.

 

“Yeah, so…. Aw, what the fuck does it matter whether you know what's gonna happen or not. Like I said before, you can't fucking do anything about it.”

 

“Maybe not,” Miroku murmured sadly, unhappy to admit that Inuyasha was likely right. “But that doesn't mean my presence is without value, Inuyasha.”

 

“Just the value of extra humiliation,” Inuyasha said. “Look, I'll admit it, I think he's got something other than a beating planned for me. Satisfied? You're right, as usual. Too smart for your own damn good. And I don't want you peeping at this anymore than the girls want you peeping at their baths, baka, so go back to the village!”

 

Miroku gripped his staff tighter. And here he'd thought Inuyasha would be the only one getting angry in this conversation. “Inuyasha, you idiot, I'm trying to see if you… dammit, do you know about sex? Do you even know what he's planning for you?”

 

Inuyasha growled. “Of course I know! I'm not a fucking idiot!”

 

Miroku looked at him doubtfully. Did he? Or was he blustering? Only one way to find out.

 

“Oh really? You know all about sex? Why don't you tell me, then: what is Sesshoumaru going to do when he comes for you, hmmm?”

 

Inuyasha snarled. “I don't have to tell you, you fucking pervert!”

 

“That's just because you don't really know,” Miroku said, yawning.

 

“I do too!”

 

“I have a hard time believing that,” Miroku said.

 

“I do, damn you!”

 

“Sure you do,” Miroku said, rolling his eyes.

 

“He's going to fucking take me in the ass, you fucking bastard!” Inuyasha yelled, his eyes pained, and then his face flushed bright red and he turned from Miroku to limp away angrily, his fists clenched.

 

Well damn, he really did know. Miroku had to admit he was shocked. He followed after the hanyou. “I'm sorry, Inuyasha.”

 

“Yeah, everybody's sorry. Everybody doesn't have some daiyoukai after their ass, though, do they!” Inuyasha spat, his voice cracking at the end.

 

Miroku swallowed painfully. Maybe it wasn't better to know what was going to happen. Seeing that brief flash of fear in Inuyasha's eyes as he told Miroku what Sesshoumaru planned for him was truly heartrending.

 

“Inuyasha…” Miroku couldn't quite think of what to say. “Truly. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to… I didn't want everything to be a complete shock to you,” he said softly, putting his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, stopping him.

 

“Yeah, well, it won't be,” Inuyasha said, shrugging his shoulder out from underneath Miroku's hand. “Not like it fucking matters or anything,” he added under his breath.

 

Miroku looked at him as Inuyasha started walking again. Something wasn't right here. Inuyasha's body language wasn't right. As upset as he seemed over Sesshoumaru, he didn't seem to be worrying about his future as much as he was looking into himself. That was the best way Miroku could think of to describe it. His eyes, his ears, his posture, it was as though everything was directed inward and hiding there. Even scared to death of Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha still usually verbally attacked at the idea of him. This…

 

He was hiding from something.

 

Sex. They had been talking about sex and he'd totally shut down. It could be fear for the future, he supposed. It was possible; it just didn't quite fit. If he was still a virgin as Miroku thought, that might explain it as well, but that scenario didn't work for him either. Miroku was so sure Inuyasha was a virgin, and a pretty innocent one at that. Every reaction he'd ever seen from Inuyasha indicated someone who was unaware of flesh and pleasure. The blank looks alone at Miroku's innuendos seemed like those from someone who hadn't been in a physical relationship. So how had he learned about this type of sex? It wasn't as though Inuyasha had anyone to discuss the concept with, unless maybe Myouaga had talked to him? That didn't seem like Inuyasha's style.

 

And Miroku had received enough bruises from the hanyou to know that he really didn't approve of peeping. So how did Inuyasha know about this? Miroku watched him walking with hunched shoulders, and he suddenly wondered: was Inuyasha really a virgin? What if Miroku was wrong, and the hanyou had already had a sexual experience?

 

“Inuyasha, have you had sex before?”

 

“None of your fucking business,” Inuyash said, looking away from him as he walked.

 

Miroku watched him closely. He wasn't flushing as Inuyasha likely would, if he was embarrassed about still being a virgin. He wasn't bragging about it, either. Not even an `of course I have, you idiot' that Miroku might have expected. If he had to guess just using that reaction, he'd say Inuyasha wasn't a virgin, as surprising as the thought was. But it didn't look like the sex he'd experienced had been all that enjoyable. The only thing he didn't know was…

 

“Inuyasha, “ he said quietly, “were you raped?”

 

Inuyasha stopped dead, staring at him. “How did… Dammit, Miroku, it's none of you're fucking business!!”

 

Inuyasha tried to limp even faster and Miroku followed after him, biting his tongue. He might as well have screamed `yes' at the top of his lungs.

 

“Inuyasha…it wasn't Sesshoumaru, was it?” he asked, hoping he was wrong.

 

Inuyasha stopped again, his head bowed as Miroku caught up. “No, it wasn't fucking Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha said on a sigh. He looked back up at Miroku, examined his face, and blew out his breath. “And you already got that `pick at me until I wanna kill you' look on your face, too. Fuck.”

 

Taking a lungful of air, Inuyasha leaned his head back, staring at the leaf covered limbs above them. “Look, it was a long fucking time ago, and it was stupid. I just used to…hide out near people on the nights I turned human. Thought most demons wouldn't come near a big group of humans, and I might actually have help if they did, you know? The only thing that happened is I had a good lesson in the fact that humans aren't safe either. Helped me stop clinging to `em so much anyway. Taught me to be more independent, get a place deeper in the woods.”

 

“Inuyasha, I'm sorry…” He felt so angry on Inuyasha's behalf. As if the hanyou hadn't had enough terrible things happen to him. He'd lost his father and been rejected by his mother's people when he was still a child. He was despised by humans and youkai alike, attacked by either side more often than not. And on top of that he'd been raped? And from his words, that was the catalyst that finally convinced him that there was, literally, no one he could trust.

 

Until Kagome at least. And now because of fate and a large daiyoukai, he'd lost her, as well.

 

“Look, don't get all weepy and shit,” Inuyasha said gruffly, and Miroku brought his hand up to wipe away a tear he hadn't even realized was there. “Won't change anything. And it still doesn't fucking matter. That asshole died as soon as the sun came up, anyway.”

 

“Good,” Miroku said.

 

“Good? I woulda thought…”

 

“What, that I would look down on your for this? It's not your fault, Inuyasha. I'm glad the bastard is dead.”

 

“Oh, well…fine,” Inuyasha said. He slowly started walking again, glancing at Miroku periodically as though waiting for him to say something else, but Miroku was lost in his own thoughts. He needed to readjust his original strategy.

 

About twenty minutes later, when Inuyasha decided they were far enough from the village to have a little privacy, they both stopped in a small clearing, setting themselves up against the most comfortable trees they could find. Miroku thought enough time had passed that he could start discussing sex again. After all, Inuyasha might not be a virgin in body anymore, but as far as Miroku was concerned, the hanyou's soul was still pretty damn innocent when it came to matters of the flesh.

 

“Inuyasha, have you ever touched yourself?” Miroku asked, trying for nonchalance.

 

“What the hell are you talking about now?” Inuyasha sighed. “Of course I've touched myself. You can't not touch yourself, you idiot.”

 

“I'm asking if you've ever touched yourself sexually,” Miroku said patiently.

 

“No.” Inuyasha stared at him. “Don't be stupid. That would be…weird.”

 

“It's really not,” Miroku said. “It's a perfectly normal way to bring your body to release. You've never tried it?”

 

“I just said so, dammit!” Inuyasha flushed.

 

He was flushing and annoyed. That was a good sign. At least if he was embarrassed he was thinking about it rather than afraid of the very idea.

 

“You should try it,” Miroku said softly. “All sexual activity doesn't have to be about pain. Truly. And giving yourself a little pleasure is perfectly normal.”

 

Inuyasha didn't say anything for a minute. “It still sounds weird.”

 

“Well, I'll admit it's a little different the first few times, but trust me, it feels much better with a little practice.” Miroku smiled.

 

Inuyasha stayed silent again for a few more moments. “Not that I'd do it, or anything,” he said slowly. “But what exactly are we talking about here? W-What kind of touching is supposed to …feel good?”

 

Miroku made sure not to jump around like he wanted to. Hooked. Good. He refused, absolutely refused, to leave Inuyasha in ignorance on this. A man had to have at least one way to enjoy the sensations of sex, dammit. Especially if Sesshoumaru wasn't going to make it feel good...the thought ate at him painfully. That wasn't right. Inuyasha shouldn't have to go through a painful sexual experience again.

 

The least Miroku could do was give him some way to experience pleasure, he thought, feeling for the first time like he should be doing something more.

 

Seeing Inuyasha's impatient expression, he shook his head. He should deal with this first. All he had to do was… explain just how to accomplish…

 

Well, this was going to be a bit awkward, now that he thought it all the way through.

 

He sucked in his lower lip a moment, thinking. “You know which part goes in…”

 

“I don't need lessons in the mechanics of sex, dumbass.” Inuyasha interrupted, flushing again.

 

“Ah, of course not,” Miroku said, flushing himself. “Well, you simply…um, I suppose the simplest way is to wrap your hand around your, eh, member.”

 

Inuyasha's eyebrows both rose up. “You're telling me I should grab my dick?”

 

Trust Inuyasha to boil it down to its essentials, Miroku thought. “In a manner of speaking. You…move your hand while…holding on. L-like this…” he tried to seem casual as he held up a finger and grasped it, moving his hand up and down.

 

“That doesn't work. I've done that before and it just kinda… I mean, it feels a little nice, but that's about it.” Inuyasha's tone was doubtful.

 

“It's different after you're an adult, Inuyasha. You can't reach completion when your body is too young. But now, now you should be able to take yourself to a climax, and that's… well, it can feel quite amazing.” Miroku noted Inuyasha's intent stare, and figured he'd better go on. “That's really just something to start off with, anyway. What you decide to do honestly depends on what your body responds to. Some men only touch their member. Some find touching their nipples to be really arousing. Or sucking on something, like a finger, or even...ah…self-penetration.” Miroku flushed again, seeing the shocked looked on Inuyasha's face. Now he felt like he was despoiling a virgin.

 

“Self-penetration—how the hell would you do that!?”

 

“With your own fingers,” Miroku said. He wasn't even going to bring up the subject of sexual toys at this point. He wasn't sure Inuyasha's brain could handle it, not with how surprised he was already.

 

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. “I don't know. This is sounding weirder and weirder. You aren't just making up this shit, are you?”

 

“No, I wouldn't tease you like this. Men really do touch themselves. I think you'd like it quite a bit if you tried it,” Miroku said.

 

“Well…don't expect to fucking watch if I ever do, pervert,” Inuyasha said gruffly, and Miroku choked at the image.

 

“Gods no. I have no interest in watching you doing something that intimate.” He thought of Sango touching herself and he sighed. THAT, now, he'd be interested in. He felt himself getting hard at the thought, and sighed again.

 

“So, is this what you were doing that one time you were moaning and shit in the springs?”

 

Of course. Inuyasha WOULD have to remember that. “Yes.”

 

“And it actually feels good?”

 

“Yes. You might have to start out slow, and listen to your body and what it likes, but it can be a very nice experience,” Miroku said.

 

“Huh.” Inuyasha watched him, his teeth just barely catching his lip as he quite obviously thought about something. “Miroku,” he said quietly, “Why do women do it?”

 

Miroku flushed wildly as an image of Sango bringing herself to climax exploded into his mind in full color. “Ah, well, I mean, touching themselves f-feels good, too.”

 

“No, dumbass, I don't mean-- they touch themselves too?”

 

Miroku nodded, still wincing at how quickly he'd gotten hard thinking of Sango. His imagination was a little too focused on the woman lately.

 

“Huh. But that wasn't what I meant. I just meant sex. Why do women do it?”

 

“Aside from a desire for children? It's for the same reason, Inuyasha. It feels good.”

 

“Oh.” Inuyasha's ears dropped slightly and Miroku went out on a limb, a suspicion about Inuyasha's line of thinking creeping in.

 

“It's the same reason two men make love as well,” he said softly. “It's a very pleasurable experience.”

 

“Pleasurable?” Inuyasha snorted harshly, his face suddenly dark. “Don't lie. There's no fucking pleasure for the uke. It's all about the seme and what he gets out of it. Trust me, I know all about this kind of sex. The uke is a sheath, nothin' more.”

 

So he WAS trying to find out about sex, Miroku thought. “That's not true, Inuyasha,” Miroku said carefully. “And you don't know what sex feels like until you've actually had it.”

 

“I just told you…”

 

“That was rape.” Miroku interrupted, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. It wasn't aimed at Inuyasha, and he didn't want the hanyou to think that it was. “Sex resembles rape about as much as you resemble a dog, Inuyasha. There's no real comparison. When you actually make love, it's a truly amazing experience. Pain doesn't have to be a part of the equation.”

 

Inuyasha humphed softly. “Maybe with your kinda sex.”

 

“ANY kind of sex,” Miroku corrected, grabbing Inuyasha's arm, forcing him to acknowledge him. “I've known many male monks who have relationships with each other, and both partners were happy with their sexual relations. Done right, sex should be pleasurable, no matter who is involved.”

 

Inuyasha stared into Miroku's eyes for a moment before his own dropped and his hands buried themselves back in his sleeves. “Don't know that I believe you or not, houshi,” he muttered. “Doesn't matter, though. Somehow I doubt Sesshoumaru is gonna bother to make it `feel good.' If he even pauses to make sure I don't get too injured to walk, I'll be fucking shocked.” Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree, sighing softly.

 

Miroku didn't respond. After Sesshoumaru's recent behavior, Miroku had the same worries, after all. But for Inuyasha to think that sex was only about pain and humiliation, that wasn't right. It wasn't right that sexual ecstasy was denied his friend, forever, because his mate was a cold-hearted asshole. Miroku scowled as he thought about it, growing angrier as he did. He'd hoped, for a moment, that Inuyasha would be all right with Sesshoumaru for a mate. The youkai had marked him against his will, yes, but then he'd come to make sure Inuyasha was healed. After hurting him again, however, Miroku was wondering if he'd just wanted Inuyasha healed enough to survive whatever Sesshoumaru wanted to do to him.

 

The bastard. Miroku scowled to himself. He'd always thought there was a point where he wouldn't interfere between a couple, where whatever happened became their own business. But he just couldn't get the image of Sesshoumaru attacking Inuyasha out of his head. Inuyasha shouldn't have to put up with what amounted to another rape, no matter that it was his own mate doing the raping. He shouldn't EVER have to put up with that again, he thought angrily. Miroku couldn't help but feel a little sick to his stomach that less than an hour before, he'd had no real thought of preventing what Sesshoumaru might do to the hanyou, sexually.

 

He'd been an ass.

 

He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down, now, if he was going to be any good to Inuyasha. He didn't know what he would do, when the time came, but he was damn well going to do something. He began the ritual to meditate and find some way center himself. As his emotions started to calm, however, he suddenly took note of the sensation at the very edge of his awareness. A very strong demonic aura. He froze, gripping his staff tightly. Miroku was not letting Sesshoumaru hurt Inuyasha again without a fight, not this time. Inuyasha had been through too damn much. Miroku waited tensely, slowly relaxing into confusion as the aura stayed in place rather than approaching. Was he wrong? Was it not Sesshoumaru?

 

Glancing over, he glanced at Inuyasha slumped against the tree, defeat and worry written across his friend's face like a tattoo. He grit his teeth.

 

“Inuyasha, I think I need to walk and clear my head a bit,” Miroku said as he stood up. “I'll be back soon.”

 

Inuyasha nodded, and Miroku could see his face relaxing. “Yeah, go ahead. Take all the time you want,” he said quickly. “You could stop by the village if you wanna, too. Check on Sango and…stuff.”

 

He's still trying to get me out of here, Miroku realized. Is he trying to protect me? From Sesshoumaru?

 

“I'll be back, Inuyasha,” he said softly, and hoped he was telling the truth.

 

Heading off in the direction of the aura, he prepared himself for a bit of a walk. If Inuyasha hadn't smelled anything yet, it had to be relatively far away. Maybe that was better. It gave him time to think about what he could say. If he was lucky, if he wasn't killed in the first few seconds, maybe he could succeed in talking some sense into the arrogant head of Lord Sesshoumaru. He owed it to Inuyasha to at least try.

 

And if that didn't work, he always had his sutras. He might damage the youkai enough before he died that he could at least give Inuyasha a fighting chance.