Imperceptible: Entrusted

Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this oneshot… especially for the boys who will be boys. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.

A Debt of Gratitude: Many thanks to Fenikkusuken, who took one look at the first draft of this fic and tactfully called it crap. (Well, okay… that's not quite true. She said it could work, but the note of hesitation in her tone was a death knell. We shall not settle for less than we can manage.) Never forget, my authorial acquaintances, re-writes are our friends!

This oneshot first appeared on July 25, 2007.

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Entrusted

The minute the brothers stepped into the clearing, Kagome knew something was wrong. Inuyasha was holding himself too stiffly, and Sesshoumaru was walking too close to the hanyou. She looked between the two in confusion, trying to make sense of their unusual body language. It wasn't until Inuyasha stumbled that she saw the dark stain spreading down the front of his red robes. “You're hurt!” she exclaimed, hurrying to his side. With a firm grip under his elbow, Kagome helped steady Inuyasha as he lowered himself to the ground. A quick rummage through her pack yielded her trusty first aid kit, and then she was on her knees beside him. Hands flew to the ties of Inuyasha's clothes, and Kagome groaned sympathetically as she eased saturated fabric aside, exposing a deep puncture just below the ribs. “Here, help me. This has to come off,” she ordered crisply with an insistent tug at the fire-rat.

Inuyasha's ears flattened irritably against his skull. “It ain't nothing,” he grumbled, but obediently worked the suikan off his shoulders. The hanyou winced as the underlying kosode followed. His cautious movements pulled at the gaping wound, and he grunted when Kagome pressed a clean cloth firmly over it in an effort to staunch the sluggish flow of blood.

Sesshoumaru unobtrusively seated himself beside them, watching the proceedings intently. Ignoring the silent taiyoukai, Kagome tended Inuyasha's injury. Yellow-gold eyes followed the miko's hands as she opened strange bottles that assaulted his sensitive nose with their overpoweringly medicinal smells. As she worked, she addressed the half-breed in clipped and impatient tones, but the miko's hands moved gently over damaged skin, tending to the torn flesh with quiet assurance. Her verbal brusqueness baffled the taiyoukai, for it contradicted her manner. She is not truly angry. Is it worry that sharpens her tongue?

The miko paused in her ministrations, catching Inuyasha's eye. “This might sting a bit,” she warned.

“Keh. Just get it over with,” he snapped.

The taiyoukai considered the hanyou. For all his show of stubbornness, Inuyasha did exactly as he was bid, submitting to the miko's care with ill-concealed relief and gratitude. What interesting pack dynamics—neither says what they mean, yet they seem to understand one another in spite of that fact.

“What happened?” Kagome asked in business-like tones as she swabbed some kind of ointment over the hanyou's skin.

Inuyasha hissed between his teeth as the cold salve stung. “Nothing.”

“This isn't nothing,” the miko retorted, reaching for bandages.

“Just a scratch,” insisted Inuyasha, with a pointed glare towards Sesshoumaru before muttering, “Dumb luck is all.” The corner of the taiyoukai's mouth lifted in a faint smirk.

“Lift your arms,” Kagome directed as she began to wrap. “Was it a youkai?”

“Uh, yeah…” Inuyasha admitted slowly.

Kagome spared Sesshoumaru a glance, and he lifted an eyebrow in response. “Was it powerful? It didn't have any shards,” she mused, turning her attention back to the gash.

The hanyou scowled. “No shards.”

“Was it very big?”

“Not especially.”

“It must have been fast to catch you off-guard.”

“I guess.”

“Sounds like trouble to me. Were you two together when it attacked?” she asked, trying to include the uncommunicative taiyoukai in the conversation.

“Sorta,” hedged Inuyasha, cutting a fierce look at his half-brother, whose eyes glinted with smug amusement.

Kagome frowned, easily reading the reluctance in Inuyasha's face. “Did you kill it, then? We might be in trouble if it decides to come back,” she worried, busily unwinding gauze.

“I don't want to talk about it,” Inuyasha mumbled, averting his eyes.

Exasperated, the young woman turned to the Western Lord. “Did you see what happened, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

The taiyoukai placidly held Kagome's gaze and nodded once, then let his eyes drift back to towards his half-brother, who tried to growl his annoyance, but instead clutched at his injury with a muttered curse. “I didn't kill the asshole, but we're in no danger,” Inuyasha assured her gruffly.

Kagome blinked. “How do you know?”

“I just do.”

The young woman sat back on her heels and considered Inuyasha through suddenly-suspicious narrowed eyes. Her next questions were fired off in rapid succession. “Were you attacked?”

“Not… exactly.”

“Yes or no?” she asked flatly.

“No,” Inuyasha sighed resignedly.

“I thought you said a youkai did this to you?” Inuyasha's eyes darted to his brother, and Kagome followed his glance. “Him?” she demanded, pointing at the taiyoukai, her eyes snapping with irritation. “You did this?” Sesshoumaru gazed back, unruffled and unrepentant.

“The bastard got under my guard, okay? Relax, Kagome. We were just sparring. It's not the same as a real fight,” Inuyasha insisted.

“This isn't real?” Kagome asked incredulously, giving the freshly-bandaged wound a firm pat.

“Oi!” Inuyasha grimaced as he caught the young woman's hand, dropping it almost immediately. The hanyou shifted uncomfortably, but looked into Kagome's face with sincerity. “Listen, he offered to show me some stuff.”

Kagome delayed her reaction and gathered her thoughts as she tidied away her first aid supplies. Inuyasha wants this—to grow stronger, to prove himself, to forge a connection. His longing for these things makes him vulnerable. She gave Sesshoumaru a sidelong glance, wondering what other kinds of damage their inscrutable ally might decide to do. He's been cruel towards Inuyasha in the past. She had no doubt that he could hurt her hanyou deeply, and with wounds that were not physical in nature. I trust Sesshoumaru-sama as an ally against Naraku. I have trusted him with my life in battle. I can trust him to take care of Rin. Do I… Do I trust him with Inuyasha?

While the young woman puttered, Inuyasha distracted himself with a little brother-baiting. “Keh. Loyalty ain't gonna stop me from getting the better of you next time,” he boasted. “In fact, you'll be the one Kagome's gotta patch up.”

One brow arched upwards until it disappeared into silvery bangs. “Unlikely,” Sesshoumaru replied, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

“I'll bet I nail you, asshole,” Inuyasha challenged, excitement sparkling in his eyes.

“You can try,” the taiyoukai replied, obviously unconcerned.

The childishness of the exchange drew Kagome's attention, and before she could cover her reaction, a chuckle had escaped her lips. Immediately, two pairs of puzzled golden eyes turned on her, sobering her with their identically wary expressions. Oh dear. Neither likes to be laughed at. “I'm sorry,” she murmured, trying to straighten her face. “I have a request.”

Inuyasha's eyebrows drew down even as Sesshoumaru's face smoothed into an unreadable mask. “What?” the hanyou asked.

The young woman gave them both a faint smile. “Can you wait a bit before your next sparring match? If I'm going to be dressing wounds for the two of you on a regular basis, I'll need to restock my supplies.” Inuyasha drew himself up at what he obviously took as a mark of the miko's faith in his abilities. He fairly radiated confidence, much to Sesshoumaru's annoyance.

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Though he tried to hide it, Inuyasha's injury had sapped his strength. The tension around his eyes and the set of his ears hinted at the pain he would not admit to enduring. He just needs time to mend. Kagome pressed him to take some of her modern pain relievers, and though he grimaced over their bitter aftertaste, he soon showed signs of ease and drowsiness. Once night had fallen, Inuyasha fought against the ensuing lethargy for the better part of an hour, but finally showed the sense to ask his brother to stand guard in his stead. Sesshoumaru nodded his agreement, and Inuyasha stretched out on his makeshift bed and succumbed to his body's need for rest. One by one, the rest followed suit, and the clearing lapsed into stillness under the taiyoukai's watchful eye.

The miko had been distracted throughout the course of the evening, and it had not been difficult for Sesshoumaru to discern the subject of her ruminations, for her eyes lingered speculatively on each of the brothers in turn. Is it the injury or the sparring match itself that bothers her? The taiyoukai had tested and discarded several possible theories during the quiet hours of his watch, idly passing the time in speculation until stirring from beside the campfire interrupted his train of thought. He had known the miko was not asleep, but he had not expected the young woman to disentangle herself from Rin and the kit and make her way towards him on tiptoe. Hnn. This should be interesting.

The fire burned low, casting a dim glow on the surroundings, but Kagome could easily make out the pale form of Sesshoumaru, gleaming against the shadows. His eyes caught and reflected what little light there was so that they glowed eerily in the darkness. She crept as close as she dared before addressing the taiyoukai. “Sesshoumaru-sama, may I speak with you?”

He gazed up at her for an interminable moment, then the hand that was propped on his bent knee rolled over, its fingers spread in a languid gesture for her to take a seat. Feeling slightly breathless, Kagome knelt down before him. Sesshoumaru scrutinized the miko, trying to understand the mixed signals being communicated by her scent. The fluctuations pointed towards indecision, so he waited with guarded curiosity to see where she would settle. Whatever was troubling her, she was taking it very seriously. Interesting indeed.

The young woman gathered her thoughts, self-conscious but determined. Casting a glance over her shoulder at their sleeping companions, she scooted a few inches closer to him. When she spoke, her voice was soft and clear. “Sesshoumaru-sama, why is Inuyasha wounded?”

Wondering if there was some point to stating the obvious, but wanting to see where her question might lead next, the taiyoukai opted to answer. “He was careless.”

“You could not have prevented the injury?”

Well, now—that trap was well-laid. The taiyoukai permitted a moment's appreciation for the miko's cleverness, but admitted nothing. “Perhaps.”

“What reason could you have for intentionally wounding an ally?” she pressed, worry written plainly across her expressive face.

Does she suspect malicious intent?“He will not repeat his error,” Sesshoumaru replied smoothly.

Kagome tipped her head thoughtfully. It seemed a harsh lesson to her, but this was Sesshoumaru. “You stabbed him… to help him?”

His eyes flicked towards his slumbering half-brother. “At times, a demonstration is more effective than words.”

The corners of the miko's mouth turned up a bit. “Is that a diplomatic way of saying he wouldn't listen to you?” The taiyoukai replied with a one-shouldered shrug, and Kagome looked down at her folded hands for a moment before continuing. “I want you to promise me something.” His gaze sharpened, waiting for her to continue. “I don't want Inuyasha to get hurt.”

The miko was trying to shield her hanyou, and the taiyoukai resisted the urge to curl his lip in contempt. “You wish me to stay my hand?”

Kagome seemed taken aback. “No, no,” she replied, waving a hand dismissively. “Inuyasha can certainly handle your… training methods, and if something like this happens again, he does heal quickly.” Sesshoumaru's eyes betrayed a flicker of confusion. “I wasn't talking about physical damage.”

“Explain.”

“I want to know if you intend to hurt him emotionally.” Sesshoumaru huffed lightly, but Kagome couldn't tell if it was in surprise or derision. “Do not scoff,” she warned. “I am quite serious.”

“No doubt,” allowed the taiyoukai, as wisps of energy rose up to dance over her skin. Obviously, the miko's powers were responding to her protective instincts again. Sesshoumaru wondered idly if it would ever be possible to harness powers that acted as erratically as the one who possessed them.

Kagome drew herself up primly and kept her tone level. “You have been cruel to him in the past, Sesshoumaru-sama. Perhaps you do not understand the damage that your words can do, but I will not stand by and allow you to belittle Inuyasha.”

Sesshoumaru was caught between annoyance over the fact that the miko was making demands of him and amusement over her apparent threat to step in and stop him should he act contrary to her wishes. His small frown was hidden from her eyes by the darkness. “You are prepared to oppose me?”

Kagome wavered uncertainly, then chose her words with care. “If we are your allies, we are under your protection, are we not?”

Quashing his frustration over the apparent subject change, Sesshoumaru nodded once. “That is so.”

“That means you will prevent harm from coming to us from enemies, but also that you will not act against us yourself.”

“Of course,” replied the taiyoukai, his calm voice betraying none of his growing impatience.

“So, it would be dishonorable to exploit a known vulnerability—to do harm once you know someone's weakness?” she persisted, edging nearer in an attempt to read the taiyoukai's expression.

Sesshoumaru flexed his claws irritably, not liking the way his brother's miko was trying to manipulate him or the insinuations underlying her reasoning. She thinks me capable of such divisiveness? The insult to his honor was great, and yet the taiyoukai felt a niggling compulsion to allay her unwarranted fears. Though he never explained himself to anyone, he did not like to see that whisper of hesitation in her eyes where he was concerned. Still, her audacity made him defensive, so Sesshoumaru took the offensive. “An alliance involves two parties,” he pointed out with deceptive calm. “You come to me with demands and threats. Do you call this honorable?”

Kagome gasped softly, “That's not what I…”

The taiyoukai didn't even have to raise his voice as he spoke over her denial. “If you doubt my honor, what point is there in giving you my word?”

“I just wanted to be sure… ”

“The promise of a liar is no surety,” Sesshoumaru interrupted flatly.

“I would trust you if you gave your word,” she offered, trying to placate the increasingly icy taiyoukai.

“If you trusted me, you would not need it, for it was already given.”

Kagome's retort died on her lips, and she pursed them thoughtfully. “I think we are having a misunderstanding,” she finally ventured. “Sesshoumaru-sama, I do trust you.”

“You contradict yourself at every turn, human.”

Please, let me try to explain,” she murmured, shifting uncomfortably under the taiyoukai's scrutiny. “I don't need further assurances to have faith in your integrity. I know you to be honorable in your dealings, Sesshoumaru-sama. What I am asking for is confirmation of what I already know to be true. I want to hear you say that Inuyasha is safe, but not because I didn't believe you the first time you offered your protection. Hearing you confirm your pledge is simply… reassuring.”

“You have no need of assurances, yet you crave reassurance,” summed up the taiyoukai neatly.

“Yes!” exclaimed Kagome, though she immediately covered her mouth and peeked back at their slumbering companions. No one stirred. In a lower voice, she went on. “I just wanted to be sure that you had taken Inuyasha's feelings into account when you agreed to take us under your protection.”

Incredulity made the taiyoukai's tone drip with sarcasm. “The matter did not come up in our initial discussions.”

With a soft snort, Kagome rolled her eyes. “It wouldn't have, but I'm bringing it up now, aren't I?” she pointed out. “I'm just… clarifying the boundaries of the original agreement.”

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before addressing the young woman. “You wish for reassurances that I will do nothing to hurt your hanyou by non-physical means—insults, mockery, derision, personal slights, undue criticism, and the like. Is this correct?”

“You do understand,” Kagome breathed with relief.

The taiyoukai nodded once. “You have had my word, and I confirm it.”

Her single nod was accompanied by a warm smile. “Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama.”

With that, she got to her feet and returned to her blankets, reclaiming her spot between the two children and leaving the taiyoukai with his thoughts. She is as protective of him as he is of her, Sesshoumaru realized with sudden insight. He let his eyes wander towards his half-brother, who slept with one hand upon his chest and the other resting lightly against Tetsusaiga's sheath. The taiyoukai was not sure if the soundness of Inuyasha's slumber could be attributed more to his half-brother's trust in him or to the potency of the miko's medicine.

With a slow smirk, Sesshoumaru wondered what the hanyou would say if he knew what the miko had requested on his behalf. Something loud and colorful, no doubt. After further contemplation, he tried to decide if his half-brother realized how deeply the miko's devotion ran. Few have risked my displeasure so boldly or so often. Some time later, it occurred to the taiyoukai that, once again, his brother possessed something that could be considered enviable.

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End Note: This oneshot began as an entry for a drabble challenge, but the word count quickly got out of hand. Rather than cast it aside, I finished it, making this the first non-contest piece to debut in the Imperceptible collection.