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Chapter Text

“To the left!”

“Here?”

“Your other left!”

“If you are so sure, you do it!” InuYasha growled as he ripped his arm back out of the pile of demon they had just brought down.

It had not been a hard fight, or even a very long one. The over grown fish had lost all chances in the matter the moment it had flopped itself onto the shore. Really, the only reason InuYasha had had his fist shoved down its throat in the first place was because there was supposedly a jewel shard hanging from the things guts. He had his doubts, but Kagome was adamant that it was there.

“Fine. I will.” She puffed as he held the jaws full of countless jagged teeth open for her.

“Please, be my guest.”

“You sure it’s dead?” Kagome asked as she hesitantly reached a hand towards the mouth.

“As dead as a fish on land, now would ya hurry up? My arm is gettin’ tired.”

Kagome flashed him a sharp glare, one she had perfected over the past few weeks, and sniffed. She moved to shove her arm in and quickly lost all the false bravo that had just been mustered as she no doubt was met with the insides and the sticky slime that led down the things throat. InuYasha did not hide the smirk at her disgust as it grew the longer she dug.

“Got it!” Kagome squeaked as the mouth she was elbow deep in twitched enough to make her scream. She ripped her arm out with such speed that it threw her back onto the sandy shore with a loud thud.

InuYasha roared with laughter. He shoved the jaws back open and twisted hard to roll the monstrosity back towards the water as a job well done when the earth came up to greet him with the force of a small horse drawn carriage out of control. He groaned as spots danced a second longer than they usually did when his face met ground.

“The fuck was that for!?” He snarled once the sand had been coughed up and his airway freed.

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms tight, as if that answered everything. “For making the fish move, you ass!”

“I didn’t- I kept it open! So it twitched in death, not my doing!”

“I don’t believe you.” Kagome ground her heel into the sand and with an arm still covered in fish breakfast she stormed back towards the others waiting over a small fire.

InuYasha heaved the air from his lungs in a slow sigh. Things had been like this between them for awhile now. Longer than he would have liked to admit. Kikyou had made another attempt on his life and suddenly every little thing was his fault. He had even told Kikyou off this time, yet it felt like something had changed. A great shift between them.

Kagome had been far quicker to resort to using the damn ‘sit’ command ever since that day, for one. It was like a perfect defense, and with every body slam into unforgiving ground InuYasha felt that thing that had tethered him to her fray.

InuYasha shook his head hard to clear the sand from his hair, and banish the thoughts that had been creeping in far too easily as of late. When he finally joined the group it was no surprise that Kagome had left him noodles and yet refused to stay as he ate.

The small act of providing his favorite food, however, made him hope he was wrong. Maybe this was nothing more than their usual spurt of ill will. He could wait that out, he always did. Kagome needed time and he could give that.

“You good?” Miroku asked from his place under a close by tree.

InuYasha huffed as he shoveled down the last of the noodles. He wanted to say a number of things to that, fuck off, never better, what’s it to ya, to name a few. What he said shocked even him.

“Don’t think I can keep this up.” InuYasha muttered as he watched the murky water in his cup.

“Keep what up?” Miroku asked. He placed his staff to the side to give his full attention. “Jewel hunting?”

“Not that.” InuYasha took a deep breath and leaned back to stare at the gathering of clouds. It looked like rain, that was fine, it had been dry for awhile. “I meant with Kagome… never mind. Forget I said anything.”

“No, hold on. What do you mean about Kagome? You’re not going to try and send her away again, are you?”

“Naw, tried that, she crawled her way back like a roach. Forget I said anything.”

“If you mean the current state of things, just, give it time. You two always bounce back stronger than ever.” Miroku flashed a semi jealous smirk and InuYasha felt a wave of unease.

“Yeah, must be that we’re all tired.” InuYasha said and watched as Shippou and Kirara raced to the beach. He corrected his words with a soft, “I’m tired.”

“We will be back to the village by dinner time, think you can hold out a bit more?” Sango asked. She had been at the beach edge with Kagome and the others for some time but seemingly chose that moment to jump scare the boys. Her far too clever gaze raked over the two sitting as she paused. “If you are really that tired you can ride back on Kirara, she won’t mind.”

“Not that kind of tired.” InuYasha waved off. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just get going.”

He stood and shoved Kagome’s bike forward to unlock the back tire with a loud clatter. The sound cut through him and he winced hard as the expected argument stormed up from the beaches edge. He was just so tired of fighting for what he…

What he what? Needed? What he needed was nothing. He had food, water, and a usual stable living.

What he wanted? Laughable. His old village, his sibling, even Kikyo had taught him that was worth less than ashes. Since when had he dared to think otherwise?

“Are you even listening?” Kagome shouted as she flailed a hand in his face.

InuYasha reacted on instinct. His hand flashed out and latched onto the wrist inches from his face and squeezed slightly. The shocked gasp brought him crashing back into reality and he released the hold just as fast as it had started. He shuffled back a step, hands raised in apology with his gaze to the ground.

“I didn’t -” He muttered but was cut off with his third mouthful of dirt that day.

He had not meant anything by the grab. He had been deep in his own thoughts and she had startled him. It didn’t matter, he was the half demon. He was wrong by nature, and he hurt her.

Chains rattled, followed by a loud crunch of the dirt under a tire. InuYasha sighed and forced himself up from the ground and watched the retreating form on the bike glide down the road back towards their village. Shippou shuffled next to him as they watched her go and patted his elbow.

“I believe you didn’t mean that.” He said before he too scampered towards the retreating group.

InuYasha sat there, watching the figures of his group slowly shrink into the distance, and felt the tug in his chest harden. It felt like an answer, and one he had not wanted to feel.

As he stood in the road that pointed him back towards the village that had falsely held him under the dominating love of two women, he knew it was never going to be what he needed. There was no way back from this, no amount of fighting or false anger.

He was just so tired.

Chapter Text

By the time InuYasha arrived at the border to Kaede’s village the rain had started to beat down with a vengeance. Every step squelched underfoot as he trudged forwards towards their usual hut on the village outlines. As he passed the old well that held the bridge between his time and Kagome’s he paused.

Something was different. Heavy. The rain became nothing but background.

A quick glance around showed little change beyond the soaking the earth was taking, yet still there was something disturbed about the area. InuYasha took in a deep breath and noted the oddness only increased. Kagome had not been around the well to use it in some time, yet someone had.

Another round of sniffing found that the earthy musk of something not from around here hovered not just around the well, but his own scarred tree. It was hard to place more than that as the rain was working overtime in washing away any residue left behind. All that he could tell was that something had been poking around the area, and recently at that.

With a bit more hurry in his step, InuYasha made his way into the village. The scent lingered here as well, like the thing had moved only along the paths that Kagome and him traveled the most.

If the scent was this thick, even with the rain and his quickly dwindling senses, then the thing that left it felt no fear in doing so. Only those arrogant enough to ask for trouble, or those powerful enough to not care what followed, did something so foolish.

The hut windows glowed as he neared, sounds from inside muffled. A crash and shout spurred InuYasha even faster forwards as he slammed open the door and readied his claws at whatever demon he’d find.

“Kagome!”

“InuYasha!?” Kagome shrieked. “What are you doing?”

InuYasha blinked as his vision adjusted to the change in lighting. Kagome was sat holding a squirming Kirara as Sango had been sweeping up a broken tea cup before he had barged in. Now, all eyes were on him like he had lost his mind.

“Shut the door, you are letting in the rain.” Kagome said as she adjusted her hold on the little cat demon.

InuYasha let the door swing shut on its own. He took another slow look around and noted that the earthy musk was definitely present. It was almost so thick without the rain that he could taste the raw power of it. It was dizzying and warm with a spice to it that nearly made his mouth water.

He swallowed hard and shook his head much to the upset of the others as water flicked from his hair. Added benefit.

“Do that outside, man.” Miroku moaned as he shielded his face.

“Can’t. I’d just get wet all over again and then where would we be? Back to this.” InuYasha rolled his eyes and found himself breathing in the woodsy smell once more. It was so familiar yet he was certain he had never smelt it before. “Do you all seriously not smell anything funny?”

“The only funny thing in here is wet dog.” Kagome retorted as Shippou sniffed the air.

“Just smells like rain to me.” He shrugged.

“Really?” InuYasha tilted his head back and let the scent that was quickly becoming normal to the area fill him. “Because I smell something like deep earth and an old cooking fire.”

“You sure?” Sango asked as she looked to Kirara. Said demon now sat content on Kagome’s lap, purring loudly in her relaxed state. “Kirara doesn’t seem too worried about it. Maybe the thing passed through awhile ago?”

“Maybe your nose is finally broken with how much dirt is up it.” Miroku joked but pulled his staff closer. Even that small act of trust in his words made something deep within InuYasha relax slightly.

“He’s right.” Came an old voice as the door to the hut opened. Lady Kaede, local village priestess and royal pain, waddled in with a far more pronounced limp than usual. InuYasha was up on instinct alone as he helped the old bag sit by the cooking fire. “There has been a demon wondering these parts for some time now.”

“What?” Kagome sucked in a gasp as she moved to be near the priestess. “Why did you not call for us? Tell us this was happening? Are you hurt?”

“No more than usual.” Lady Kaede waved her off as InuYasha released her arm and settled back at his spot against the wall.

“What’s been moving through? The buildings and grounds looked normal when we got here.” Sango asked. She passed a new cup of tea to the priestess as she readied herself for the news.

“It happened three moon cycles ago.” Lady Kaede started. Her eyes glossed over as she recalled the moments of whatever this thing was. “As darkness fell over the land it crept in. At first, no one noticed. The thing moved through the village under the shadows of the moonless night and vanished come dawn. The only thing that tipped us off were the footprints found the following morning. Large, wolf like prints. They littered the lands with the largest cluster being-”

“Let me guess, the well, my tree, and here.” Inuyasha cut in.

Lady Kaede blinked once in surprise before she nodded. “Yes, that’s right. All places you lot traveled around the most. Still, it did nothing to anything so we thought nothing of it. That was, until the following new moon when it showed up again. This time it was not so keen on staying hidden.”

“What did it do?” Kagome asked.

“What was it?” Sango added.

“A wolf. Larger than any I’ve seen. Black as night with streaks of white like a tiger down its back. It stood easily taller than our buildings and forced its way through the village as it hunted something. It ignored us, those who shot it with arrows, threw fire, anything. It simply continued to hunt. That was, until I came to banish it.”

“Did it attack you?”

“That’s a stupid question, Kagome, of course it did! She went to banish it! That shit don’t tickle.”

“It did, and it did not.” Lady Kaede said slowly. She watched the fire pop. “It came for me, yes, jaws snapping. It did not attack outright, however. Instead, it howled and demanded that we ‘return his bride to him’ or he would steal one of our pack until we did.”

“Return his bride?” Sango said. She looked between Lady Kaede and Kagome. “Just, who does that thing think is his bride?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Miroku said. He sat with a deep scowl as his thoughts took the turn everyone else had started to follow. “The well? This hut? The wolf is only going for places Kagome has been.”

“What!?” Kagome squeaked. “N-No no, that can’t be, I’m not even from this time! How could I be some lone wolf’s bride!?”

“He’s a demon. This isn’t like some human marriage.” InuYasha huffed. “For all we know it thinks of you as a mate or some shit.”

Kagome flushed deep and stuttered. “Th-that’s ridiculous! I’m not some weird match for some wolf! Kikyou is out there, anyway, so this demon can go bother her.”

“Not how this works.” InuYasha rolled his eyes. “He scented you first, and has it set that you are its match, mate, bride, whatever it wants to call this. Only one way out now. Granny, you said it comes back and that it threatens to steal others until it gets Kagome. Has that happened as of yet?’

“Aye.” Lady Kaede sighed and bowed her head. “It has returned every start of a moon phase and taken a young woman with it. We do not know where it goes, and there have been little reason for the women he takes.”

“Every change in the moon phase shift for two moon cycles? That’s eight people.” Sango gasped.

“Aye. Eight young women it lures out with a heartbreaking song. Those unaffected hear nothing more than a threatening howl, but without fail one woman has walked out of our stronghold. We’ve tried to stop them, of course, but they fight back. The last few cried out for him and wailed that he is suffering without his heart. If they break away from us they just run out into the open and to the waiting wolf. They seem to fall asleep then and before they hit the ground he swallows them and leaves.

"We’ve tried everything to stop him, but nothing works. He says that he will return our women when we free his bride. We have no way of knowing if that is a lie or not at this point.”

“That’s awful.” Kagome muttered.

“Even worse, is that he will come tonight. I had hoped you all would have stayed away, but since you are here we must ready ourselves for a fight." Lady Kaede asked and eyed her sisters old bow. It had seen better days, but was overall ready for action.

“We will be.” Kagome agreed. “InuYasha, you should stand guard outside and -”

“Can’t.” InuYasha cut in with a shrug.

“What? Why not? This is no time to be petty about things. You are the only one here who has a chance to face off with a wolf as it is.”

“I’m flattered, Kagome, really, but you seem to have forgotten something.”

“I have not! You’re just mad about-” Kagome gasped as Inuyasha moved to stand.

The dusk light, darkened by the storm, worked instantly. He felt the familiar and dizzying pour of his demon self as it drained out of his very being. The silver of his hair shifted to black to match the outside. His energy, usually able to continue moving forever in some regards, vanished in an instant and left him bone tired.

His next step forward was staggered and he found himself seated despite his desire to walk. The shift to human was always taxing, but this one came at a rather poor time where he had already been so drained.

“InuYasha!” Kagome shoved his shoulder to force him to sit up as she looked him over. Concern, deep and sincere etched her features as she watched him and that alone pulled at his heart painfully.

“‘M fine.”

“New moon. Well, rather poor timing on our part but I am sure we can take a lone wolf without putting our mutt into too much danger. We should keep the two of you together with Lady Kaede and the others and let us handle this.” Miroku said as he moved to stand and dust off. Thunder rolled outside as the storm continued to grow.

Sango sighed and threw her boomerang over her shoulder. “Hate to agree, here, but you three are not going to be in a great position to fight.”

“Normally, I’d take offense to that.” Inuyasha huffed. The strange earthy smell had lessened a great deal with his new form but the lingering stench was pulling at his mind and calling for sleep. Why was he so much more tired?

“Normally, you don’t look a step away from passing out.” Miroku snickered. “Wait here, we shall go greet this wolf the proper way and -”

“Jewel shard incoming, and fast!” Kagome gasped as she clutched at the shards that hung free from her neck.

A loud clap of thunder rolled just as the earth shook and knocked the old kettle over, dousing their small fire. A howl ripped through the air with a chilling affect on the village as the windows and doors rattled under its weight.

“Something tells me we’re a little too late.” InuYasha muttered.

Chapter Text

The howl that ripped through the storm shook their hut with enough force that those standing dropped to a knee. Sango was the first up, Kirara burst into flames at her side and together they charged through the main door.

“Wards.” Miroku yelled. “Lady Kaede, help me put up ward scrolls! We need to keep that thing out for as long as we can.”

Lady Kaede grunted her agreement as she shuffled towards the open door. Together, they took a place on either side of it and began chanting words that meant little.

“What do we do?” Kagome breathed. She slumped closer to InuYasha than she had in weeks as she worried her lower lip.

“Nothing we can do.” InuYasha grit out as he clutched his sword tight.

He hated this. Of all times for a demon to come crashing through his very village, it had to be a new moon. The one time he had no way to stop the beast as it made snacks of those who apposed it. He ground his teeth hard as yet another howl rippled through the lands.

Lady Kaede had said when the demon sang it dragged out some random human, and that its song would sound different to those affected. InuYasha risked a glance to Kagome and found she sat just as alert and anxious as ever. No sign of being hypnotized or lured that he could tell so that was good.

Snarls and a loud crash broke the silence that had settled in their space.

“Sounds like Sango found it.” Kagome whispered.

“Sounded close, is what it sounded like.” InuYasha retorted and regretted his words as the hut shook violently.

A snarl, deep and commanding, echoed through the open field around them. Under the sound of the clear threat, words broke through.

“At last, you’ve come! Priestess, release to me my bride!”

Kagome gripped tight to InuYasha’s sleeve. Her color had drained as she stared out the window into the black nothing.

“It can speak? In animal form? Not even Sesshomaru can do that…” She whispered.

“My brother is a man of few words to begin with, and one we should probably avoid mentioning unless we want a bigger problem than what we already got.”

“I hear you, my bride!” The wolf howled. “Come to me. Let us go home.”

“Cover your ears!” Miroku yelled just as an unnaturally high howl filled the air around them.

InuYasha slapped his hands over his ears just as a wave of dizziness washed over him. For a moment, he had been floating on nothing but sound which had finally taken weight off of his tired bones. The moment the sound was cut by his hands, however, the weight returned with a vengeance and the pressure of the howl forced him to the ground.

Kagome had gone down a moment before him. Her hands held tight to her ears as she scrunched her face in pain at the force of it. Odd, the weight was uncomfortable but the sound had not been enough to hurt.

He glanced towards Shippou and Miroku, both wore the same twisted faces of clear discomfort. Even through his hands, the howl was nothing more than a lone wolf’s cry to the moon. Had they not cut the sound in time to be unaffected, he wondered.

The cry stopped short as a deep thud pounded against the ground. Sango must have found her mark again.

InuYasha could have sworn it was only a second or two later, but suddenly Miroku was there hauling him up off the ground. His arm was slung over the others shoulder as a support as they were all but dragged away from the door. Words were being said but they were so far away and he was so tired.

A loud crack and a flash right next to his ear forced the deep fog over his body to snap. His senses were flooded with smoke and screams. The wind outsides thundering blasts, the battle that raged just out of sight, and snarls that grated his nerves and made him want to flee into the dark all slammed his consciousness in unison.

“Fuck!” He growled.

“Good, your with us again.” Miroku nodded and stood once he was sure that his friend was no longer at risk.

“With you again? Where would I have been?” InuYasha grumbled as he rubbed at his head. The world was too much and his head throbbed with the onslaught of it all.

“We don’t know. That thing howled so painfully loud and the next thing we knew you were a puddle on the floor.” Kagome said as she held a hand to his chest like he was a fall risk even sitting.

“Well, I’m back.”

No sooner as his words were out there did the roof of the hut shudder once as teeth, the size of a person and then some, sunk through the wood. Kagome screamed, which was swallowed by the wind as the thatched roof creaked once and gave way easily. Rain doused any lingering light they had as the full storm beat down on them.

The wolf, one that InuYasha thought could have given Sesshomaru a run for his money, stood posed over the new opening. With a flick of its powerful neck the roof smashed to pieces somewhere out of sight. Golden eyes glared down at those huddled inside and locked onto their little group.

InuYasha felt something deep within his gut stir at the sight. It was not fear, no, he’d never admit that even if it were true. His grip on Kagome tightened to keep her close. Whatever this thing was, it was not going to take her.

“Who are you!?” Kagome screamed up into the storm.

“They call me FenriKami, the lone wolf. Demon lord to all wolves yet pack to none.” The wolf breathed once heavily as its jaws clacked in answer. “You will give me my bride, humans. They need me, as I need them, and I will wait no longer.”

“What about the people you took?” Kagome insisted. Inuyasha had half a mind to tell her that bantering with the wolf now was winning no points.

“They are safe, as promised.” FenriKami lowered his head into the hut with a rumbling growl. “Now, give me my bride, Priestess.”

InuYasha was glad he was sitting for once. His knees had lost their ability to lock at the sheer force of that growl and he was in awe that the others stayed standing at all.

“You cannot have her.” Lady Kaede yelled out as she threw a banishing scroll as hard as she could.

FenriKami howled in pain as the sparks lit the darkness. His face vanished just as InuYasha gasped in what he could only describe as sympathy pain. Odd, he had never felt sympathy like that. Especially not for a demon.

A red flash raced through the air after the sparks as Sango caught up to the fight.

“The shard! It’s in his mouth!” Kagome screamed up at her with little hope that she would hear.

“Of course it would be.” InuUasha groaned. That made sense. All the power those vocal reactions held were that of the shard amplifying them. Nothing more.

“ENOUGH!” FenriKami bellowed and all but the rain ceased. “I have played nice, kept all here safe as my bride’s pack lives here. I have done nothing but wait for you and been met with violence.”

A paw half the size of the hut wall crashed through the siding and sent large chunks of debris scattering. Golden eyes once more appeared and glared over those tucked within.

“I will not ask again. Release my bride to me.”

“I’ll never go with you!” Kagome yelled as she fired a poorly timed and equally poorly aimed arrow.

FenriKami huffed in annoyance as the streak of sacred arrow flew past harmlessly. “Foolish priestess, I have no interest in you.”

The wolfs jaws opened wide in answer as he lunged forward. Time seemed to slow as Inuyasha moved on instinct. The need to protect. The need to do something other than sit by. He yelled, pulled Kagome down and behind him just as he stood.

The jaws stretched wider as they rocketed towards them as another howl shook the ground.

InuYasha felt that weightless blanket swaddle him in a warm heat as the howl all but cradled his very soul. His legs buckled instantly and sent him falling lifelessly into the soft darkness that had surrounded him.

The world faded into nothing but a song of pure joy that made his own heart relax and flutter in a way it had not done in years. He was pulled off his feet by the warm weight and a dull snap cut the world out fully. His body felt boneless as a much appreciated deep sleep stole his mind and words he could not quite understand rolled over him.

“Finally, my bride, you are mine.”

Chapter Text

“…is that…” Came a gasp.

“Can’t be… what about his bride?”

“I thought it would be that odd girl…”

Voices, either too far to fully hear or whispered too low to catch wafted over the air above him as he lay suspended between sleep and the reality of what had happened. He knew those voices, but not enough to know how.

“… That can’t be InuYasha…”

Ah, so they did know him. Lovely.

“Has to be, look at the clothes.”

“Look at the necklace!”

“Look at the hair! Last I checked that demon had white hair and…” She faded off. There was little doubt in his mind that she had mimed his ears and that stir of annoyance tipped him further into his own body.

“My bride is tired and deserves their rest.” A gravelly voice joined and this time InuYasha caught every word. “Do tell me, why are we disturbing them?”

“Forgive us, Lord Fenri, we were just surprised is all.” Said one of the voices who had been the first to wake him.

“Yeah, we waited for so long for you to return with this bride of yours. Just, expected someone else is all.”

“Expected a woman, for one.” Cut in a rather curt voice.

InuYasha flinched. If the demon lord acted at all against the disrespect he was in no position to save the foolish human.

“Demons are not bound by your human notions. My bride, my mate, is my other half. My souls match. Their outwardly gender and being is of little concern to me. They could have been nothing but a simple imp and I would have torn the world apart for them, as I was ready to do tonight when they were kept locked away by those foolish priestesses.”

InuYasha’s heart skipped a beat and he swallowed hard to cut through whatever had begun to stir in his abdomen. The demon hummed low at that very moment as he moved into the space where InuYasha lay, eyes still closed. The sound alone sent an uncontrollable shiver down InuYasha’s spine as he desperately tried to keep his sleeping facade.

Light, almost silent footfalls marked the demons slow approach as he circled InuYasha’s prone form once. The room fell into a hushed silence. InuYasha forced his breathing to remain as even and deep as he could, careful to not focus on just how hard his heart pounded or how warm his face had become under the heavy gaze of the demon so close.

Without warning, warm claws graced down InuYasha’s cheek ever so gently. It took every fiber and ounce of control he had not to jerk at the suddenness, to move even a fraction that would give away that he was not as asleep as he appeared.

“My heart, you are as beautiful as I thought you would be. A mysterious creature of two worlds. Pure perfection in many ways.” The deep timber rumbled so close he could feel the words over his skin. The claws moved slowly as strands of hair were brushed out of his face and exposed an ear to catch the private whisper. “But you are a poor actor. Allow me to assist you in your little game, my dear.”

InuYasha’s eyes flew open just in time to catch sight of not a wolf, but a man, who hovered just inches from his own. The mans dark hair had fallen just past his shoulders, streaks of white scattered throughout. Golden eyes the shone like a harvest moon caught his full attention as the softest of sounds mixed into a low hum hooked his soul. With little resistance the song dragged him back under and into the warm nothing.

When next he woke it could not have been but ten minutes later. Still, the area felt empty this time. Void of low timbers, gossiping twitters, or even the shuffle of feet on wood. InuYasha let his eyes pull open, not willing to just lay there again after his last attempt went so poorly.

The room was void of most other things, once he gathered himself enough to glance around. It was a standard bedroom, sliding doors, singular window which looked up at the stars far brighter than usual, and a small table. The flooring was that of well used tatami, and the table held room for cups and a kettle as if one expected guests. The bed, which InuYasha currently occupied, was settled on the floor in a overflowing pile.

With more effort than he would admit, he forced himself to sit up from the fluffy warmth. When he looked down he noted that it was made of a mix of pelts, all well cared for and cradled him like nothing he had slept on before. The blanket was the hardest thing the push away, and even then he only managed to just let its warm weight settle into his lap.

The blanket, just a pelt like the others, yet something was special about it. For one, it was mostly black with streaks of white running from what would have been the spine down like a colorless tiger. Dots like little stars blotted the space between stripes. The texture was course like a wild animals coat, yet softer than any he had run his fingers through.

InuYasha caught himself holding the pelt to his face, desperate to catch the earthy autumn after rain and camp fire smell that had been present when he ran his fingers through the thick fur. He quickly shoved the pelt away with a kick for good measure. The damn room was doing things to his head.

Escape. He needed to get out of here, and fast, but just where was ‘here’ anyway?

With a good shove and a few staggered steps, InuYasha got feeling back into his legs enough to walk like a normal person. Why leaving that bed had been such a fight was beyond him but once he was out the chill of the air rushed in to greet him.

InuYasha moved to pull his coat tighter and noted the lack of his red haori, which he could have sworn he was wearing before he had been taken. It seemed to have gone missing which was tack number two on reasons to get away. No wonder the cold bit a bit harsher than usual, that and his human body seemed far more prone to such things.

The screen door to his room slid open with little resistance. Where he had expected to be locked away, to have to fight his way threw spirits knew what, he was met with nothing. The open hall was empty. Railings hung out into a sea of black with dancing lights dotting the distance like stars. As he approached the ledge and looked over he saw nothing but a clean drop into said stary night.

His black hair slid over his shoulder to hang free, a reminder of just how dangerous a situation he was in. The new moon night made it impossible to make out if there were any shapes to be seen at all, and made sure he was at the mercy of whatever demon he was to face. Even the glow of the torches did not so much as reach beyond the balcony. InuYasha waved a hand over the ledge with no resistance and huffed.

Wherever he was, it was large and no where near Kaede’s village. As he leaned over the railing to look at the side of the building he noted that it seemed to reach around a large corner and continued for who ever knew how long. It was old, made of wood and stone with no iron or metal to be seen, yet it screamed wealth.

Art hung along the wall as he walked, great depictions of demons larger than any he had seen. A bird the size of a mountain and seemingly made of fire, wolves that towered over forests, boars that looked like a mountain if it did not so much as move. There were even some of what could only have been dogs, of all colors, in a large pack facing off against the wolves.

These demons were the demons of old. The ones who rivaled the gods. The art work older than anything he knew to exist. When he reached a blacked out painting of the night sky he paused. It took his eyes a moment to adjust, but as they did the black began to reveal a figure hidden. A demon with golden eyes like the moon, not red like blood. Their tongue lolled out to one side with no real threat yet just their presence was enough to breed unease. Thin stripes of white peppered the otherwise black fur of the demon, making it look as though it wore the night sky itself.

InuYasha knew that wolf in the painting. It was the very one that had attacked them and threatened Kagome. That thought rang as false and InuYasha looked around the empty hall once more. There were no deep scratches. Nothing to show violence of any kind.

No, the demon had not attacked Kagome. It had said it had no interest in her. Then who had it been after?

“Finally, my bride, you are mine… my bride is tired… my heart…allow me to assist you, my dear…”

InuYasha sucked in a deep and shaky breath as his heart began to attempt to beat its way out of his chest. He gripped the front of his undershirt tight, as if that could hold him together, as heat flooded his body. That voice, the smells, the songs to lure out one person.

There was a reason Kagome had not been affected by it all in the slightest, and why he had instantly fallen for it.

No, no way.

His legs buckled as he slid with his arm braced against the wall.

This was not happening! This shit never happened to him! This was the kind of thing Kagome got mixed up in, the very thing he busted his ass to save her from and get a simple thanks for in return!

The rattle of his uneven breaths startled even himself as he tried to steady his nerves. His body screamed to run and go back to where it knew was safe. But, where did he know was safe? Scents of autumn rain drifted through him but he had no way to find their source. He was lost in some unknown manor, with no idea if the others even cared that he had been taken.

That wasn’t true. He knew they would care.

They would freak out, worry, and probably try their best to come for him. The fact was that he was their fighter, and the only one in said group who would have had the skills and chance of tracking down the wolf. Unless Shippou tagged either of them, he was on his own in this.

Distantly, he heard his name being called but the voice was wrong. It was not Kagome, Sango, or even Lady Kaede. He did not recognize the sound of it at all and that only added to the panic that boiled his blood and caused him to curl tighter downwards.

What was he going to do? He could jump the ledge, but there was no telling what would await him on that fall, if it was even a fall at all. He could fight, but his human self was no match for anything like this. He’d be slaughtered or restrained in a laughable amount of time.

He could accept- no.

No, he was going to make it out of here. He just needed time to think and learn where ‘here’ was and then he could-

The floor vanished from under his fingers and he let out a gargled shout. He had not been aware of just how low he had gotten but the loss of something solid under him sent his already panic system into overdrive. When something warm and solid was pressed against his side InuYasha wasted no time digging his fingers into the soft cloth there and pressing closer.

The mass rose and fell in time with the sound of deep breaths from just over his head. Arms wrapped his frame easily as he was pulled into a tight yet not constricting embrace. The earthy spice scent that made his mind slow flooded his every sense as he buried his face into the soft heat.

“My heart, I’ve got you.” FenriKami said in a low whisper.

The words rumbled through his chest and seemed to pass right into InuYasha like a calming wave. That worked for all of two seconds when his brain caught up with him and he shoved hard at his capture. The grasp vanished, and InuYasha fell back and away with a false growl.

“Hands off, creep!” He yelled, an accusing finger pointed right at the… well that wasn’t good. His following arguments died in his throat as he swallowed hard.

FenriKami was a massive specimen. Even without his wolf form he easily stood a head or so taller than InuYasha, built wide with muscles, and sharp angles that could cut stone. He was what the others made paintings of that never did their patron any good. Golden eyes sparkled as a wicked and teasing grin spread to reveal teeth with a set of extended canines. The clothing he wore, InuYasha realized he had neglected to even process this fact until now, was nothing but a loose yukata designed to mimic the night sky.

This place was rotting his brain! That was the only reason for the last thirty seconds of absolute nonsense that had just wormed through his thoughts. This man, demon, had taken him without reason and that was that. For that reason alone he was enemy number one!

FenriKami had the audacity to chuckle as he slowly stood. “I see the cat demon has stolen your tongue. Allow me to return it?”

InuYasha let out a sound he had not known possible as he shuffled away from the demon once. He held one hand, clawless in its human form, out as if that were enough to keep the beast away. It seemed to be, as FenriKami did not move towards him and instead watched his every move.

“Stay away from me!” InuYasha demanded.

FenriKami, to his surprise, only held his hands up in a similar way he had done to Kagome not hours before. A show of apology. An ask for trust without words.

“I did not mean to offend,” he said and InuYasha was inclined to believe this. “Allow me a chance to restart.”

InuYasha swallowed hard. A distant and envious sigh followed by shushing and giggles caught his attention. It was then that he noticed this was no private encounter. The girls from earlier all huddled around a corner, doing very little to keep themselves hidden.

“Fine.” InuYasha agreed once he caught sight of the women and sent them scattering. He was sure they had not gone very far at all. “But I have a lot of questions, and you are going to answer every one of them or else I will beat your ass. Got it?”

While the threat was more empty than he would have liked, the fact was that he meant it. FenriKami did not seem to take the words as a bluff, however, and bowed his head low.

“Very well. Let us speak in your room and away from wandering ears, shall we?”

Chapter Text

InuYasha all but threw himself to the floor under the far window and crossed his arms tight. He glared, not willing to take his eyes off the figure that now entered what had originally been his room with far less dramatics.

Said figure now reached for the kettle and moved to hand it off to waiting hands. When he returned he did not miss the glare, but met it with a wink.

“Start talkin’.” InuYasha growled as low as he could, damn human vocal range.

“I would love to, my dear, but to what am I supposed to talk on?” FenriKami asked as he settled on the other side of the table, providing a great deal of space and an item between them.

InuYasha relaxed despite himself, but he kept his tense position locked. “Where are we? What have you done to the women you took? Where are my things? Just what the fuck are you!?”

FenriKami let out a loud laugh as he shook his head. Without a word he stood to open the room door only to accept the kettle offered before he returned to his spot at the small table. He took his time pouring a cup for them both, but when the offering fell flat, he shrugged and sipped his own drink.

“That was quite a list,” he chuckled. “Forgive if I miss something, but I shall do my best. Where we are, is my domain. Great demons have the power to build their own pocket of existence within this world, as I am sure you are aware. Some choose to hide it within the hilt of a sword they wield. Others, within a piece of their loved ones, though if you ask me I have always found that little trick a bit barbaric.”

“So, where is this domain?” InuYasha asked slowly. The sliver of hope that his friends might have had a chance quickly evaporating.

“We are within the moons shadow, hardest to find when the moon hides away and impossible to enter or leave without my assistance during the time the sun rules the sky.”

FenriKami took a long swig of his tea, clearly oblivious to the turmoil that just took root within the other in the room. InuYasha swallowed hard. His heart felt heavy as the reality that he truly was alone sank in fully. The demon lived in the night sky, for fuck sake!

“As for the women,” continued the low rumble and InuYasha forced himself to put his inner turmoil aside to deal with later. “They are here. You’ve met them, actually. I am surprised you have not noticed that all those who whispered over you, or spy around corners, have been those from your pack. They have been most helpful in getting this place cleaned up for your arrival.”

“I know few from that village. I only hang around for Kagome, and a chance at the jewel.” InuYasha muttered, his line of sight dropped to the spare cup and placement left for him. An action Kagome had not done in so long now that it felt almost out of place.

“Ah yes, that little priestess with the poor aim, I presume. Her stench is all over you, and it has a rather sour note to it. Take it that you two have been at odds for some time now? Good, means I do not have to waste a trip back there to rip her throat out over her false claim over you.

“As for my taking the women, it was never to harm them. Rather, they are guests here for as long as they wish to be. Now that you are finally home they are free to leave and all have been given instructions on just how to do so. The fact that most have chosen to linger is of little concern to me.”

The women were free to leave? They knew how? InuYasha felt a flash of hope rise at this new bit of information. Maybe, if he could find one of them again before the night ended, he could ask just how they were to leave. Get them to take him with, even. He just needed to last a little longer and he could free himself.

“What was the next question?” Fenri poured himself another drink and leaned back. “Ah, yes, your things. I assume you are inquiring about your sword and haori? They were beside the bed furs, did you not see them when you awoke?”

InuYasha’s head snapped around to glare at the bed. There was no way that he would have missed something so crucial. As his eyes raked over the large pile of the softest of materials, a small bundle of red caught his attention.

With a shove, he rose and took the few strides to be next to the blanket that reeked of autumn earth after a good rain and spiced campfire. He toed the pelt, noting that it was warm despite the chill to the air, and flipped it away. Is haori, pressed and folded, lay on the floor inches from the makeshift bed. Laid just next to it, with care to prop it up onto a small pillow sat Tessaiga.

“These…”

FenriKami chuckled low. “Did my scent displease you so that you threw my pelt away and covered your own things from view?”

“Your-!?” InuYasha shuffled back from the pelt as if it were a fire risk.

“Yes. Your last question, I believe, what am I.” FenriKami rose slowly. His golden eyes locked onto InuYasha so intensely that the other found they could no longer move. Like a deer caught by a light, or a hare frozen by fear of the fox, InuYasha watched helplessly as the demon moved in slow paces. Closing the distance between them with every sure step.

“I am FenriKami. The Lone Wolf Demon. I am the last Great Wolf, ruler of the night the holds our great treasure high and gives us strength. With that very pelt, I can take shape and be the night wolf, the Great Wolf, and even just a shadow of a wolf as it runs over the lands below.”

FenriKami stopped his forward pursuit only when he was mere inches from his intended. InuYasha, so focused on the glow of the demons eyes, failed to notice until it was too late that said demon had wrapped an arm around him.

Within one breath, he was pulled flush against the demon. Felt his steady heart hammer under the palms he had rested on the chest before him on reflex. Heat poured from the body pressed so close and it took far too much to not lean into the warmth. Within the next breath FenriKami spoke again.

“All of that is worth nothing more than fancy titles, when compared to the last thing that I am.” He breathed, the ghost of it brushed against InuYasha’s skin as he shuddered. His mind had slowed to a snails pace, his instincts muddled as his world narrowed.

“Wh-what are you?” He asked, a whisper but for how close they stood it could have been a shout.

FenriKami growled low, a wide grin stealing his features as he announced his new title with unbridled joy. His chapped lips sealed over InuYasha’s own as his world tilted and shifted on its axis.

“Yours.”

Chapter Text

The world spun.

All that was true was the warmth that enveloped his chilled body, the steady rhythm that beat against his fingers, and the smell of a spiced campfire after an autumn rain. It was intoxicating, and the more he took in, the more he grew addicted.

He had fallen apart only moments before, and the only thing that kept him upright were the strong bindings around his middle as his being was focused on a singular point.

Every swipe and brush from the firm point of contact was like a key undoing a lock. InuYasha had closed his eyes tight, which only heightened the way his body craved the warmth, or how the lips slotted so solidly over his caused his muscles to quiver. Though, that could have been to the infrequent breaths he was able to steal between contact.

A tongue, hot and sudden, swiped at his bottom lip just as they reconnected and InuYasha gasped at the newness of it. Something solid, woven tight into his hair had prevented him from escape as the muscle took the chance to dive beyond the barrier of teeth. The intrusion sent shock waves down his spine which shorted out the last remaining thought he had tried to form.

He was floating. Gasping in breaths as they were given as he all but crumpled into the man that held him like the world belonged this way. The bitter taste of tea mixed with the smell of autumn and he groaned at how right it seemed.

That was wrong, why was it wrong? His gut twisted in the warning signs that something was amiss.

A swipe of the tongue along his own banished the sense of wrongness. It quickly replaced all thoughts with that of a singular need. For that damn thing to do that again.

InuYasha, not one to back down, rose up to meet the invading mass. This gained him a growl of approval from the owner of the other tongue which fueled InuYasha’s very soul. He pushed back, fought for control over his own mouth and even gained ground into the other with a moan.

Free to explore his new prize, InuYasha did just that. He mapped out as much as he could. The sharper teeth rang a bell of wrongness deep in his mind yet he ignored it. He ignored it all in favor of chasing just how every touch made his skin tingle and his mind fuzz over.

It wasn’t until his tongue found something sharp and smooth as stone embedded within the roof of the mouth he was currently being allowed to explore did reality rise up to meet him like a wave. The tongue that had been waiting for him to finish wasted no time in pushing its way back against InuYasha’s with little resistance.

As they broke again, this time FenriKami’s lips found purchase on the sensitive skin just under InuYasha's jaw. The lips worked the skin in a kiss that buckled his knees and stole his breath, yet this was all wrong! Why did his body bend to the man so much faster than it ever had with Kikyou, or would, he knew, with Kagome if that ever became a possibility.

This was not right, he was supposed to be for Kagome… wasn’t he?

Every kiss had ignited an inferno in his body, the touches brought that fire to his skin. Yet it was wrong! This was a wolf demon, dammit! This was wrong and yet his damn body had stopped listening. He wheezed a breathy whine as teeth scraped over his throat and with that found his vocal cords enough to at least try to right things.

“W-Wait,” he let out in a breathy moan as his bodies need to get closer to the warmth raged against the utter wrongness in his mind.

Instantly, the warmth vanished.

The support that had been what kept him standing disappeared with it and he staggered before his knees sank to the floor in a hollow thud. A feeling of loss echoed through his veins yet his eyes blinked to try and come to understand just what had happened.

FenriKami sat once more at the small table, cup in hand, as he watched InuYasha regain his senses from his peripheral. InuYasha noted that he looked no different, minus the front of his kimono which was now opened much wider. The sight of which made heat flood his face. He had done that. Somehow, he knew it was true as his fingers tingled with the reminder of just how that section of skin felt.

“You… stopped?” InuYasha asked, his voice rasped as he worked on regaining his breath.

“You said to.” FenriKami shrugged as if it was as obvious as the night sky. “Was I to not read that as a refusal of my advances?”

“No- " InuYasha swallowed, just how much heat could build in his face before it risked melting his brain? “I mean, yeah. It was… I Just…”

“Then,” Fenri slowed his movements as he placed the cup back onto the table to fully look towards him, something hard and threatening in his gaze which made InuYasha’s breath hitch involuntarily. “Am I to understand that you were expecting a fight? That you feared I would not heed your words and respect them?”

“Well, I…” InuYasha growled in frustration. Just what had him frustrated so badly he had no clear mind of, but it burned in a far less pleasurable way that their earlier activity had. “Why should you? I was just as deep in that kiss as you were! Why would you stop after…”

“After you asked me to?” FenriKami raised a brow as he took up his tea once more. “Because a stop, no matter when it happens, is a change in intention. Your body and self are of two different minds, and I shall not take you by only the ask of one.”

“You… I don’t understand. That’s a thing?”

“My dear, of course it is. Instinct alone will make a wolf do any number of things, but their mind may override that at any time.”

“Then why…” InuYasha turned his gaze to his hands, the purple of the beads that chained him to a word heavy around his neck.

The collar he had almost been free of those many moons yet after everything Kagome had looped a new band over his head and sealed it with a word before he could even begin to remember what it was to be without them. Kikyou had never used them, had never needed them, had only withheld so much of her affection and left him starving for it until they both unraveled from the weight of it all.

Two women, yet one wanted his body to control and the other his heart. Never both. Never seen as two pieces of a singular whole.

The shattering of glass snapped InuYasha from his wondering thoughts as he snapped his head up to locate the sound. FenriKami sat, seemingly unaware of the glass that trickled down from his hand like water. The thick skin of the palm showed no sign of marring as the glass ground to dust under his grip.

A low, threatening growl radiated from the demon. His golden eyes blazed brighter than physically possible as he drank in every twitch and shift of InuYasha’s body.

“I will see to it that those who have harmed you so shall meet a most unpleasant of ends. Tell me, who has touched you, wronged you in such a way. Was it that monk who kept you sealed away? Or perhaps that poor excuse of a priestess, you reeked of her and I dare say a night in my bed has done little to cut through that foul air.”

The threat of death and promise within every word spurred InuYasha into action far faster than anything. His heart hammered as he thought of his friends and how much danger he had just turned towards them.

“Wha- hey now, hold on! Miroku and Kagome didn’t do shit, so relax would ya?” InuYasha huffed a false deflect of the rage that rolled from the demon in visible waves. The doom and death seemed to ease some so he risked continuing. “You’re being such an alpha or whatever they call it in wolf terms, put it away. I’m fine, alright.”

“Alpha?” FenriKami blinked, the glow of his eyes dimmed to a safer level and InuYasha sighed in relief.

“Yeah, a big bad wolf. Where’d that come from, anyway?”

“That came from nothing but my need to right the wrongs done to my dear bride, my soul bonded, my heart. I am, as you say, an Alpha. I protect what is mine, and my dear, that now includes you.”

InuYasha’s heart did a funny little thing as his face warmed yet again. This man was ridiculous! One second he could be the biggest threat facing the human world, the next he was spewing bullshit like it was poetry. InuYasha could not even bring himself to look the man in the face, not when he spoke such lies. “Yeah, well, I ain’t your play thing either.”

“Of course not.” FenriKami agreed. The trickle and crunch of glass the only warning of his approach as gentle yet rough fingers caught his chin. The hand tugged ever so lightly and InuYasha faught it for only a breath before he caved. His face tilted up though he kept is eyes locked to the side. “You are my whole world, and the night that surrounds it. Your word is law, as long as it is reasonable and not going to harm something… though I get an odd feeling that I must add that the idea of harming something includes you, my dear.”

InuYasha snapped his attention up to the golden eyes that seemed to drink in his very soul with such tender warmth. It almost hurt, that look. Like it was misdirected, so open and caring. It belonged to someone else.

FenriKami hummed. He rubbed a thumb lightly along the side of InuYasha’s jaw as he frowned. With a tsk and a shake of his head, the hand vanished as he moved away.

It took InuYasha’s brain a second longer to realize that he had gone to clean the mess of the cup that had shattered and the image felt odd. Out of place. Here was a massively powerful demon, one who took at least eight women servants, picking up glass.

“What are you doing?”

FenriKami only paused his action for a moment before he answered plainly, “cleaning my mess so that you do not have a room with glass just waiting to embed into your feet.”

“My feet? It would take more than a tea cup to cut-”

“When you are half demon, I am sure.” FenriKami huffed. “But as you are currently not, I will see to it that my mate has a proper and safe den to relax in.”

“M-Mate!?” InuYasha squeaked and instantly regretted it as his vocal cords rubbed.

“Yes?” FenriKami glanced over his shoulder and paused at the clear shock most likely displayed. “I had thought you aware of that fact.”

“Aware!? How could I be aware of that!?”

“My dear,” Fenri chuckled. “My bride, my world, how else was I to say it so clearly. You are my mate, my one and only true equal. As I am yours, you are mine.”

“But, I’m human now.” InuYasha muttered as he tucked his black hair back. It was always so much less willing to stay out of the way like this.

FenriKami grinned wide as his eyes tracked the movement. “Is that supposed to be an issue?”