The flight back to the Western Palace passed in dismal silence. Once again, another means of restoring Kagome’s body to perfect form had come to nothing.

After months of fruitless searching, investigating far-flung rumors and dubious claims, the failures were beginning to weigh on Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha both. Seated cross-legged atop Ah-Un, the hanyou’s shoulders were slumped, his expression beaten. Each failed attempt chipped away that much more at even his stubborn resolve. Still, Sesshoumaru knew that neither he nor his brother would abandon their quest.

As the lone castle came into sight at last, he could see that his cousin had flown ahead to greet them—ostensibly, at least. He stood near the torii arch, along with the other guardsmen and servants who had assembled. Hikari was unfailingly among them, and as Sesshoumaru ascended the steps toward the gate, he could see that Ryouken had already sidled up to her. Tucking a purple lily flower behind the point of her ear, he braced his forearm against the gatepost as he leaned in toward her, oblivious to her polite deflections and the embarrassed shuffling of those around him.

“Oi, Hikari!”

“Ah!” the maidservant exclaimed, an expression of happy relief blooming across her face as she slipped around Ryouken’s armored bulk. “Excuse me, my lord.”

The blossom fell forgotten from her hair as she hurried down the steps, Ryouken staring glumly after her. In the yard below, Inuyasha stood waiting for her atop Ah-Un, his arms crossed in impatience.

“Inuyasha-sama,” Hikari hailed him breathlessly as she bowed.

Dropping to a crouch next to the massive dead boar slung across the dragon’s back, the hanyou lifted the beast’s head by one broken tusk. “Think this ugly bastard is any good for eating?”

“I have told you already, the meat is too tough!” Jakken snapped up at him from beneath Ah-Un’s bridle.

“Yeah, well I ain’t askin’ you, am I?” Inuyasha shot back, his ears going flat.

“It was a powerful beast,” Hikari interceded gently. “I am sure its broth would be fortifying for Kagome-sama.”

Inuyasha’s chest swelled as he rose, dragging the boar up with him. “See?—I knew a pig this big and mean had to be good for something.”

As Jakken grumbled, the hanyou hefted the boar fully into the air before pitching it down to the unsuspecting demoness—who let loose a short startled cry as she crumpled beneath the creature’s prodigious weight. Inuyasha’s eyes flared wide in alarm.

“Shit!” he gasped, leaping down from the dragon’s back and wrenching the dead boar off of her. “Sorry, Hikari—I thought you could handle it…seeing as how you’re a demon and all.”

“…Yes, my lord,” the maidservant managed, rising shakily with a flush, “but I am not so strong as that…”

As Inuyasha sheepishly shouldered his kill and headed off along a side path to the kitchens, Hikari followed quickly after, using her levitating mist to keep the boar’s dragging hooves from destroying the garden. Having watched this scene play out alongside Sesshoumaru, Ryouken snorted in amusement.

“That brutish pup. He should learn to soften his ways, if ever he hopes to find a bitch that will bed him.”

Sesshoumaru’s dry glance was lost on his cousin.

As the demon lord resumed his climb to the castle, the captain of the guard fell into step beside him.

“I assume this latest venture of yours was not a success?” Ryouken asked after a moment, glancing at him aside.

“It was not,” Sesshoumaru replied, the crisp tone of his voice indicating his unwillingness to elaborate further than that.

Nodding to himself, his cousin escorted him the rest of the way with careful reserve.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Just a little bittersweet Christmas fluff. Happy holidays y’all 🙂