#(ic. inuyasha)

exhaustion … sentence starters

Dog ears twitched and Inuyasha lifted his head to focus on the miko across from him. A soft snort followed. "I can tell."

Like always, he had been content to rest upright with his sword within reach. Youkai didn't need sleep as much as humans did, and old habits were hard to break. Naraku had been dead for three years and life in and around the village had been relatively peaceful, all things considered. But the hanyou didn't think he could ever allow himself to relax completely.

So he was well aware of her tossing and turning, the blanket that neatly covered her form now tangled around her as the night went on.

"There's no point counting shadows if you can't sleep." He wouldn't mind keeping her company until she could. The flame from the hearth that warmed their dinner had died down to glowing embers. Shifting away from the wall, he used a dry stick to coax a bit more light into the room. "Somethin' on your mind?"

He didn't visit his mother often. The place where he grew up was far from where he now resided, and it was pointless to talk to a stone. To Inuyasha, it felt more honest to carry her memory in the lessons she had left him with: hunting, hiding, cleaning his wounds, holding his head high, and walking with pride in the face of humiliation. She knew what kind of life he would lead and, despite what little time they had together, she had done her best in the position she was in.

He didn't like to reminisce about his childhood, either. Some might have said that he had gotten off lucky being born into nobility, where the people around him would wield sharp words to preserve appearances. Before she left him, he would have mere glimpses of the cruelty that awaited him, claws clashing with farming tools and fists about as often as they would bury into demon hides. Today, he would say he preferred the violence over watching his mother cry.

But Kagome had gone home, claiming that it was a day for mothers to be appreciated and honored. While the declared holiday eluded him, for once, he understood. When she left, the bond between mother and child became a focal point, and he watched with mild interest as the village carried on with their day to continue taking care of their families.

By then, Inuyasha knew that he should go. She didn't receive visitors too often, and someone would have to clear the weeds clinging to her grave. He took his time to collect wildflowers in bloom—only the prettiest ones he thought would have caused her to smile.

As he slowly walked up the gentle slope, when he was able to make out her carved name, memories of her sadness came to greet him. Like him, she was alone, but at least now she could rest in peace. He solemnly knelt before her, allowing the breeze to brush his hair back from his shoulders to imagine it was her embrace.

Once shes settled on the branch beside him Neya kicks her feet lightly and grins at him before reaching into her kimono she pulls out a square box and hands it over to him. “We made a bunch of sweets today and I wanted to share!” The lid was slightly ajar, allowing him a peek inside, revealing an assortment of mostly chocolate and some other little candies. ”So I made this one for you!”

Hardly anyone ever thinks to look up, both humans and youkai alike. It leaves the hanyou unbothered to observe and rest for the time being. With his arms curled behind his head, he cracked a wide yawn, closing his eyes against the brightness of the sun as he soaked in its warmth. It was pretty peaceful around these parts, a rarity compared to the wars further inland, and he was enjoying it for all its worth.

Ears flicked at the sound of his name, easily pairing the voice to a face in his mind as he shifted to peek down below. "What's up, Neya?" Slowly, he sat up and shifted away from the trunk when he caught on to the branches shifting and bark snapping. "I could've just dropped down to you, y'know?" But it was a strange change of pace to watch someone come up to meet him. Usually he's the one accommodating them.

He carefully leaned down to offer a hand once she was close enough, hauling her up the rest of the way with ease. Facing her with one leg crossed on the branch they were perched on, he caught on to a more peculiar scent with her when she unveiled a box. It was only vaguely familiar, scratching at some memories back to when he was in Kagome's time, or maybe even further to when he lived in a castle with his mother.

Revealing the chocolate only made the scent stronger after he accepted the box from her. It was almost cloying, with a deep earthy scent tangling with a pleasant sweetness. The closest thing he could relate it to was toasted grains. But food was food, and so he popped a chocolate cube in his mouth without a second thought, blinking as it melted in his mouth before he could even chew.

REASONS TO TACKLE. [ CALM ]: sender tackles the receiver to the ground in an effort to both restrain and calm them down.

The Tessaiga flew from his hands and he could hear the wind howl in his ears as it reverted back to its rusted form. It accompanied the pounding of his heart even as he swiftly adjusted to the use of his talons. He knew what would happen if he's away from his sword when his life was in danger. The fight would be over in an instant.

He would lose himself again. How many innocent people would be cut down before he could return to his senses?

Inuyasha cursed and ripped apart the youkai in front of him before pivoting on his heel. Wild eyes searched for his sword and the sound of arrows flying past drew his gaze to Neya. They were protecting her new village from the sudden swarm that arrived. One that could be seen just over the hill from the valley they intercepted them in.

His blood ran hot through his veins, his pulse spiking with adrenaline. Panic started to set in when he couldn't locate his damned fang. Not when youkai were dead-set on devouring them or making a run for the village itself. He snarled and tore into himself, imbuing his blood with youki to cut through his enemies. There were many, but they were weak. He wouldn't let a single one escape.

Crimson stained the ground he ran on while a red mist coated his vision. He felt pain through his arms and up to his shoulders and a headache growing worse. It felt like it wouldn't end, all of his senses straining to keep everything in his sight. He couldn't think to tell Neya to run and evacuate the others. He couldn't think at all—

It took a rough impact to his back to knock him out of it. Not the weight of claws or fangs, but of a body smaller and softer than his own. He stumbled on his feet, the air leaving him in a huff as he struggled to twist himself around as gravity took him down. The pressure around his chest wouldn't let up until he finally took in a more pleasant scent, with pink hair filling his vision and the sound of "they're running away!" and "it's over!" reaching his ears.

Inuyasha released a short, harsh breath. One of his hands came to lightly rest on her back to keep him steady. Now that he could focus, he noticed the carnage around them was limited to a dozen youkai, with several more seen running and flying as fast as they could away from the scene. He could see that his sleeves were torn to ribbons, barely concealing the self-inflicted wounds that were gouged through his arms.

He may have been wandering the countryside aimlessly for a time, but he was always alert on his feet. No youkai or human would give this lone hanyou a free pass if his name and feats hadn't reached their ears. It was sort of ironic that nothing had changed since the long journey in pursuit of Naraku and the Shikon Jewel had reached its end.

Ever the light sleeper, the sound of Kikyou's footsteps through the grass and the shuffle of her clothes roused him before he could pick up her scent. Inuyasha left himself unguarded, placing his trust in her hands as she neared. An ear flicked when she seemed closer than he was usually comfortable with, a tick in his brow when her comforting scent reached him through the shifting direction of the wind.

He felt her hair brush his cheek and he almost opened his eyes right then and there, just as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. Stilling all his nervous fidgeting, he held his breath until she put some measure of distance between them. Gold eyes opened slow, as if waking up, and drifted up to meet her gentle expression. She was still so close—but it wasn't a bad feeling.