Curiosity Caught the Miko by Stella Mira

The Twelve Labors of Hercules

Kagome had been cooking lunch when she felt a familiar powerful yōki approaching the village. A slow smile formed on the corners of her lips when she caught the faint waves of displeasure coating the demonic energy he usually kept leashed. This past month, Sesshōmaru had been appearing each week with a clear purpose – to drive away the impertinent man who had dared ask for Rin's hand. He had been subjecting the poor ningen in strange tests to gauge his skills before he deemed him suitable for his ward. Kagome had been enjoying seeing the slight marring on his features each time Tatsuma managed to complete the tasks given to him proficiently.

What ridiculous test has he come up with this time? Kagome hurried to finish her cooking in order to witness the display that was about to begin outside.

Rin was gazing toward the forest with a defeated expression when Kagome finally reached her.

"Rin-chan, did I miss anything?"

The girl sighed deeply. "Sesshōmaru-sama made a grand speech about how a male has a duty to provide for his mate and took Tatsuma on a deer hunt to test his abilities."

"Hunting?" Kagome reeled back with confusion. "This is bear breeding season. All hunters dare not approach the forest for fear of disturbing their mating rituals. What was Sesshōmaru thinking?"

"I think Sesshōmaru-sama was bothered that Tatsuma-kun had emerged victorious from any task he was assigned so far and wanted to give him a scare. I do not think him cruel enough to let Tatsuma-kun get mortally wounded, but I will have to do a lot of bandaging on minor cuts and bruises when they return. Not to mention mending a male's bruised ego…that one would be harder to heal than physical wounds. Sesshōmaru-sama is acting rather…childish." Rin shook her head, disappointment evident in her voice.

"I thought so, too. He has been acting more like Inuyasha ever since he learned of Tatsuma-kun's intentions to marry you." Kagome gave a light snort and both women erupted in laughter at the apt comparison. It soon ebbed under identical sighs.

"I warned you regarding this, Rin-chan. You should have confided in him when you first started developing feelings for Tatsuma-kun instead of hiding it and sneaking around behind his back. If you had given him more time to adjust to the idea of you belonging to another man, he might have taken it more demurely. Tatsuma-kun's marriage proposal must have been a gigantic shock for him." Kagome chastised the girl's unwise decision once more. When she had first caught whiff of the budding romance between the chief's son and Rin, she had taken the girl aside to give her the talk on men – humans and demons. It had ended just as she had predicted when Tatsuma finally mustered the courage to speak to the daiyōkai of his intentions after months of secret trysts and courting.

"I did have a rough idea of what would happen, but this is ridiculous. It's been a month now, yet Sesshōmaru-sama shows no inclination to cease these…what did you call them the other day, Kagome-sama?" Rin shot Kagome with a puzzled stare, a frown wedged between her brows.

"Hercules' Twelve Labors?" Kagome burst out in renewed laughter when Rin nodded, still quite miffed.

"I really hope that's not the case here because those were impossible for a mere mortal to accomplish. Do you wish for me to talk to him, Rin-chan? It might not bear any fruit, but I can at least try to sway the stubborn dog's opinion a little. I've suffered through Inuyasha's whining for years now… Sesshōmaru's juvenile behavior is right up my alley." Kagome squeezed Rin's hands in reassurance with a lop-sided grin.

"That would be wonderful, Kagome-sama. Thank you so much!" Hope birthed itself in Rin's eyes, and she hugged the older woman gratefully.

"Alright then. Let's go inside for now. There is no point waiting here all day… Inuyasha will be back soon for lunch, too. Maybe he can offer some insight on this as well. Like it or not, he shares this annoying trait of male obstinacy with his half-brother." The priestess winked at her as she stood, motioning for Rin to follow.

They had been enjoying some idle conversation when Inuyasha stormed in and headed straight for the stew with a hungry expression. Before he managed to reach the pot though, he got a sitting and an order to go clean himself, to which he obliged without a word back however with a pouting expression. They had been eating quietly after that until Kagome broached the matter at hand and Inuyasha surprisingly took his brother's side much to the women's shock and indignation.

"Keh, I might not like the jerk, but he's right in doing this. You are part of his pack, brat. It's his duty as an alpha to see to it that you'll be well cared for," was the silver haired hanyō's reply when Rin claimed these tests were unnecessary and harsh.

Kagome huffed. "Normally, I would agree with his logic, but he's being unreasonable, Inuyasha. I think he's already established that Tatsuma-kun is a suitable husband for Rin-chan. These trials only serve to soothe his wounded pride and to torture the poor man for stealing his ward."

"I will not be compared to a petulant whelp, miko." A deep voice echoed through the hut's thin walls. Kagome yelped in surprise while the hanyō laughed at her sudden cry. The daiyōkai had masked his aura but not his scent. Inuyasha thought it would be funny to see a verbal spat between his frosty brother and the volatile miko, so he had kept his mouth shut about Sesshōmaru's return. He would not be disappointed either…

"Then you should stop acting like one." Kagome hissed, peeved that he had managed to sneak up on her without her knowledge.

A highly uncomfortable and awkward silence filled the small hut as they stared each other down, mutely measuring one another up when Rin decided to intervene, concerned for her loved one's state.

"Sesshōmaru-sama, I do not see Tatsuma-kun. Did something happen to him during the hunt?" Trepidation colored her voice as Rin waited for her guardian's reply.

"I instructed him to skin the deer. You will find him outside." It was a low rumble. Sesshōmaru didn't even break eye contact with the impertinent miko.

Rin let out a relieved sigh as she hurried outside to help the man in his task and ask details about the hunt and his experience.

"Come on, Sesshōmaru. Don't be an asshole, let it go… She's just yapping out her mouth like she usually does. The wench can't keep quiet and you know it." Inuyasha tried to smooth things out in his usual rude manner, but all he achieved was to draw the attention of two heated stares.

"You will not command me ever again, hanyō."

"You should keep your mouth shut, Inuyasha. Sit."