Yuki sighed as they pressed on for the third night in a row. It was rare that Sesshomaru kept them moving through the night – usually, he just accepted that there were no new leads for the day and settled them in for the night. However, it seemed this time he was determined to find – and kill – Naraku.
Unfortunately, it was coming at the cost of Rin's comfort and Yuki's sleep. The human child had to sleep on A-Un's back at night, not a very comfortable bed, and on top of that it left her chilled. Not stopping meant no camp fire, and there was little Yuki could do to keep Rin warm enough in the chilly nights.
At least Rin got sleep – Yuki could not afford that luxury when they weren't stopping, and so had gone without a good nights' sleep for days. The most she managed was one or two hours during the day when Rin walked and Yuki could collapse atop poor A-Un.
It was ridiculous. One or two nights on low sleep, she could handle easily, but three? It was starting to push on her limits, and she could feel it. By the third day, she didn't really have the energy or heart to eat, her only desire being sleep. It didn't help that the food was raw and often stone-cold – another downside of no camp fires.
By the fourth day, she was barely coherent she was so exhausted.
That was the evening, she finally put her foot down.
"Sesshomaru."
He barely even glanced her way, not even stopping his long strides, and Yuki was tempted to hit him if she didn't think she'd miss with how blurry her eyes were starting to feel. It was still good eyesight for a human, but for a half-demon, she felt as though she was going blind. Another reason to stop.
"Sesshomaru, stop."
He did as she said, surprisingly, though he turned to her with an expectant look on his face – well, as expectant as a guy with almost no facial expression had. Yuki groaned; he expected her to make a case for herself?
'Can't you see the evidence, you jerk!' Her exhausted mind screamed.
Thankfully, she had slightly more brain power, and a high sense of self-preservation, so she merely said calmly – albeit tiredly: "We need to take a break."
"Silence, foolish girl!" Jaken scolded, though even he would admit he was getting tired. Four days of non-stop walking would be enough to do any demon in, he swore.
Yuki ignored Jaken, keeping her eyes on Sesshomaru as she pointed out: "We've been going for four days. Rin's tired, she can't sleep comfortably and it's starting to get very cold for her. I'm tired too, and at this point I'd be useless in a fight."
"It's your fault for being a weak half-demon!" Jaken huffed, but Yuki added: "Even Jaken's feet are dragging."
"They are not!" Jaken cried, before turning to Sesshomaru as he said quickly: "I am fine, mi lord, and can continue to be in your service as you search for Naraku."
Sesshomaru didn't even look down at the other demon, his eyes still on Yuki though she thought she detected a slight thoughtfulness to them. Fueled by the hope that he would consider her proposal, Yuki pressed: "We need to have a decent rest once in a while if we are to fight Naraku."
"You need not concern yourself." Sesshomaru returned coolly. "I shall be the one to fight and kill Naraku."
Yuki bit back a groan and an eye-roll, choosing instead to change her words to: "Then we need to rest if we are to take on Naraku's followers while you fight him."
Sesshomaru regarded her for a moment, before his eyes flicked back to where Rin was sleepily rubbing her eyes while struggling to remain upright on A-Un's back. Yuki cheered secretly as he examined the child, knowing she'd won.
And sure enough, Sesshomaru turned back to the front, saying: "Do as you wish, then."
'Thank the Heavens.' Yuki thought to herself, almost sagging in relief as Sesshomaru disappeared into the trees as he was wont to do when they settled for an evening. Since he would always return before Yuki would be asleep, she didn't pay his absence any mind as she fetched Rin and collected firewood for a quick makeshift camp.
The child was so happy to be able to sleep properly, that as soon as Yuki had rolled the spare robe onto the earth, Rin had collapsed onto it and fallen asleep. Yuki chuckled as Jaken also yawned widely, taking up a seat near the fire as he too closed his eyes. He was snoring almost instantly, and Yuki smiled as she turned to make sure they were safe for the moment before lying down beside Rin.
She looked up as she sensed Sesshomaru's return, and she met his emotionless gold eyes across the fire. Nodding to him in acknowledgement and in thanks, Yuki lay down, cradling Rin automatically as the child snuggled against her, and before long, she too was asleep.
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"Ah~ my love, til the day that I fall," Rin sang as they travelled on again the next day, "Deep in sleep that will be eternal. Let your smile be my comfort and guide... let that smile always be by my side."
Yuki smiled as the child hummed and sang as she pranced about beside A-Un while they walked behind Sesshomaru. The prior night's rest had done them all good – Rin was cheerful again, Yuki was feeling well rested and ready for the day, and even Jaken was in a better mood.
Yuki had feared – in the morning – that Sesshomaru might be annoyed at their delay, but even he seemed content as they travelled.
'Probably because Rin is in a better mood.' Yuki thought fondly.
She was sorely tempted to ruffle Sesshomaru's hair, as she often did with Inuyasha when he was being adorable in her opinion. Thankfully, she wisely kept both her hands and her ideas to herself. The last thing she needed was to also be missing an arm because Sesshomaru ripped it out for impudence.
"Yuki."
Yuki looked over as Rin dashed over, the child asking: "What were the last lines to the song again?"
Yuki smiled, and she sang: "Oh~ how we took the long winding path."
"Ah~ but look now and see where we are." Rin sang with her, remembering the words at Yuki's prompting.
Yuki smiled, as Rin finished happily, her happy child's voice so bright and cheery for the somewhat sorrowful song.
The made her remember Izayoi, and the circumstances that had led to her teaching Yuki the song in the first place. Yuki fell into thought, losing herself momentarily in the memories as she walked automatically beside A-Un and Rin.
"Yuki?"
Yuki broke out of her thoughts, startled, and glanced at Rin again.
"Yes?" She asked, and Rin said in concern: "You weren't answering for a while. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Yuki reassured.
She realized Rin must have been speaking while she'd zoned out, and she explained: "I was just thinking."
"Of what?" Rin wondered, and Yuki explained sheepishly: "About the meaning of that song, and the story behind it."
"Oh." Rin said thoughtfully. "Well, what was it?"
"Hm?" Yuki hummed questioningly, and Rin elaborated: "The story."
"Oh..." Yuki trailed off, her eyes glancing to Sesshomaru before she even realized it.
He didn't appear to be paying attention at all, however, so Yuki took a deep breath and explained to Rin: "It was sung by a woman, who fell in love with a man. But he died before her."
"What happened?" Rin asked, her eyes filling with sorrow, and Yuki smiled sadly.
"I don't really know." She admitted. "I think he died in battle."
Rin nodded, and Yuki went on: "But the woman continued to love him, until the day she died. And this was her song to remember that man, whom she had loved, remembering all the pain but also the happiness of loving him."
Unbeknownst to Yuki, Sesshomaru had been listening the whole time – partially to listen to Yuki singing, though he'd be caught dead before he admitted that even to himself – and he frowned a little, scoffing internally at the human sentiment.
Rin, however, was human, and she asked hopefully: "Did she meet him in the afterlife?"
Yuki smiled, and answered with a slight shrug: "Who knows, Rin? But yes, I'd like to think so."
She winked at the child, who giggled and nodded happily. Rin then paused, and took Yuki by surprise as she asked: "Do you think she loved a demon?"
"What?" Yuki asked, taken aback, and Rin said hopefully: "Do you think it was a demon like Lord Sesshomaru?"
'Oh, Lord, help me.' Yuki thought, her eyes going wide as she snuck a look towards Sesshomaru against her better judgment. 'What do I say?'
Yuki would be caught dead before she admitted aloud within Sesshomaru's hearing range that the song had been one of Izayoi's own compositions... and that Yuki suspected it had been about her lover, the Inu no Taisho. Izayoi had never explicitly said as much, but even as a child Yuki had known it was. The look in Izayoi's eyes when she'd told Yuki about the song's origin...
But she couldn't tell Rin. She would have to be suicidal to do so with Sesshomaru so close by. And yet, she didn't want to lie...
"Maybe." Was Yuki's compromised answer.
Unfortunately, Rin wasn't going to make things easy as she said brightly: "I think it was about someone like Lord Sesshomaru."
"Mhm." Was Yuki's non-committal answer, feeling very uncomfortable.
Sesshomaru had also stiffened just slightly, and she had the sinking feeling that he was listening to them.
Her guess wasn't wrong, and Sesshomaru – though he made no outward sign – was thinking deeply. A slight frown pulled on his brows as he thought about what Yuki was saying, her current awkwardness, and the story she had told.
Suddenly, he remembered something Yuki had said once in passing before – she had known Inuyasha for over 150 years. That meant she'd probably know Inuyasha's mother, the mortal Sesshomaru's father had fallen for... and he abruptly realized the reason for Yuki's current discomfort.
The song was about his father and that mortal woman.
Sesshomaru almost growled, the snarl was building up inside him, but he reigned himself in as Rin suddenly added thoughtfully: "Although, Lord Sesshomaru would never have been killed in battle."
"Yeah." Yuki agreed quickly, hoping to get Rin to drop the subject.
"Oh, Rin, aren't you hungry yet?" Yuki added, changing topics. "It's been a few hours since you last ate."
Rin's stomach grumbled at that moment, and Yuki smiled – secretly cheering at the perfect timing – as Rin held her rumbling stomach sheepishly.
"I guess it has been a while." Rin agreed, and Yuki laughed.
"Sesshomaru." She called, turning to look at the dog demon. Her smile faltered momentarily as he glanced back and she noted that he seemed... cold. Almost angry... and put out?
She shook her head to clear such thoughts, and she informed him: "I'm just going to take Rin to look for food. We can catch up to you if you want to carry on."
"Hn."
Yuki rolled her eyes at his typical response. Taking Rin's hand, she tugged on the child and said cheerfully: "Come on, Rin. Let's go find you something to eat."
They ran off into the woods, and Jaken sniffed: "Hmph! Those two are so unreliable, always wanting to stop and slow us down. Though since Yuki has joined us, we no longer have to waste so much time waiting for Rin- wah!"
He fell back, having bumped into Sesshomaru's leg. Rubbing his nose, Jaken looked up in surprise to see Sesshomaru wasn't moving, and was instead staring after the space where Yuki and Rin had disappeared.
"Mi lord?" He asked, but Sesshomaru ignored him.
Jaken blinked, startled that Sesshomaru was waiting for the women to return from getting lunch, something he had rarely done since Yuki had joined their group. With the half-demoness guarding Rin, it had no longer been necessary to have to wait for the human child whenever she got hungry and ran off.
'Could it be because Rin was abducted recently?' Jaken wondered, and then his gaze hardened. 'Yes, that must be it! Lord Sesshomaru doesn't trust Yuki to be able to protect Rin! And no wonder, after all, she is only a half-demon!'
Sesshomaru, of course, was thinking no such thing.
Instead, he stared after the girls with a slight frown, still lost in his own thoughts. The fact that the song Yuki had been singing and teaching Rin was about his father and that filthy mortal made his hackles rise, but it also piqued his curiosity. The most obvious was the one he avoided like a plague – the idea that the mortal and his father loved each other.
Instead, Sesshomaru focused on the questions about Yuki. How did she know the tale of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's father, and Inuyasha's mother? How had she learnt the song that clearly Izayoi had composed? And, for the first time, Sesshomaru found himself wondering: how had Yuki met Inuyasha and Izayoi?
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Several weeks passed before Sesshomaru finally got some answers.
Everyone had noticed his sour mood since that day, though Rin didn't really understand and Jaken wrote it off as being a byproduct of their so far unsuccessful attempt to track Naraku down.
In fact, it had been Yuki's story that had weighed on Sesshomaru's mind, irritating him. He should be focused on finding Naraku, and instead, he was thinking about Yuki. Yuki, and – what he despised even more – Inuyasha and Izayoi. Sesshomaru thought of the mortal woman even less often than he thought of his half-brother, hating the woman whom his father had died protecting.
But now, it seemed Yuki's song and her story were all he could think about between his search, and it irked him.
When it was finally addressed however, it wasn't by his doing.
"Sesshomaru."
The dog demon raised a brow, eyeing the half-demoness who stood patiently by the fire. Rin and Jaken were already asleep by the time he'd returned, but Yuki was awake and waiting for him.
"What's wrong?"
Sesshomaru frowned at the question, and Yuki elaborated: "You've been in a bad mood for weeks; what's bothering you."
He growled slightly, annoyed both by the subject of her question and the fact that she dared to interrogate him.
"It is nothing to do with you." Sesshomaru returned, though it was a lie.
"You're lying." Yuki informed him, surprising them both.
He was surprised she'd noticed, and she was shocked that she'd seen the lie. He was usually difficult to read, but perhaps their time travelling together had given her more insight to his thoughts than even she'd realized.
"Sesshomaru, what's really bothering you?" She asked, walking over with a look of concern that he despised. Despised... yet found soothing.
He didn't let that one slip, and she was too preoccupied trying to figure out why he was irritated.
"What did I do?"
He remained silent, just staring at her, and Yuki's expression turned annoyed.
"You know, I can't change anything if you don't-"
"How did you meet Inuyasha?"
Yuki blinked at the random question that Sesshomaru had accidentally let slip, and she stared up at Sesshomaru in surprise.
"What?" She asked, staring at his moonlit face, while his jaw locked.
He wasn't sure how that question had escaped him, but there was nothing he could do now as Yuki stared at him strangely.
"Why do you want to know?" Yuki wondered, and Sesshomaru turned his head to the side as he replied coolly: "I wasn't that curious – it was just a question."
Yuki stared, examining him. He looked almost... petulant. Like a stubborn child, she realized. Quickly hiding her amusement, she simply told him lightly:I met Inuyasha almost 200 years ago, when I was six years old and he was eight."
"How did you meet?" Sesshomaru asked, and Yuki cocked her head.
"We met when he and his mother found me after I was orphaned." She informed him, and Sesshomaru looked back at her.
He seemed as impassive as always, but Yuki caught the flicker of surprise.
Sesshomaru meanwhile finally had the pieces to answer his questions. It was clear to him now: Why Yuki considered Izayoi a motherly figure, her friendship with Inuyasha that bordered on a sibling relationship much closer than his own relationship with his half-brother, and her deep understanding of Inuyasha's, and therefore to an extent Sesshomaru's, family.
"Why did you want to know?" Yuki asked curiously, and Sesshomaru replied: "I did not – it was just a curious question."
"I thought you weren't curious." Yuki said dryly, and then smirked at the look he shot her.
"That's what's been bothering you? How I know Inuyasha?" She asked, and Sesshomaru said stiffly: "It was not bothering me."
'Sure it wasn't.' Yuki thought sarcastically, but she simply shook her head and smiled at Sesshomaru.
"Not that it means anything to you," she began and his eyes narrowed slightly at the hint of teasing in her voice, "but just because I've known Inuyasha for almost two centuries, doesn't mean I care any less about Rin, and you. And Jaken. And A-Un."
She wasn't really expecting a reply, but she was surprised when Sesshomaru answered: "Hn."
Yuki looked up in surprise to see the briefest flicker of a smile before he turned away and walked towards the tree he'd picked to lean against for the night.
"Go to sleep, Yuki." He added as he walked, and Yuki blinked.
She smiled, and greeted: "Goodnight, Sesshomaru."
He settled down as she lay down with Rin, smiling as she hugged the child while Rin cuddled automatically against the familiar warmth from the half-demoness.
'He said my name again.' Yuki thought happily as she drifted off to sleep.
*A/N Song of the day: Summer Lights from AIR. The link is: