InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The curse of the dragon ❯ The Truth ( Chapter 42 )

~<>~ Curse of the Dragon ~<>~

 

~<>~ Chapter 42 ~<>~ Truth

 

-got to add the warning: acidic content.

 

 

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Rin had attempted to help Sesshoumaru up the steps…for that matter; she had attempted to help him out of the cab…into the cab…out of the freakin hospital for that matter but each of her attempts was in vain. He didn't need her help…he brushed it off with a stern look of sheer stubbornness. Now he was lying on the bed, trying to hold in the fact that he was in absolute pain and she merely stared at him. She cocked an eyebrow and slowly crossed her arms, exaggerating every more. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she looked down at the great Youkai before sighing heavily and plopping down on the bed next to him. “I told you…”

 

Sesshoumaru cracked open one eye and gave her a hard stare, “don't…just…don't.”

 

Rin let her jaw fall open before standing up and huffing out, “just don't what? Say I told you so? Say I told you to let me help? Say I told you that you are a stubborn…stubborn…” she felt the words slipping from her mouth as she backed up while Sesshoumaru pulled himself to sit on the bed, his sights set straight on her. Rin licked her lips that she suddenly found so dry and stuck her chin out with a flick of her head, “stubborn mule!”

 

Sesshoumaru stared at the girl for a moment, and then cracked his neck without taking his gaze off of her. He could see the shivers run up her body. Concealing the grin that was growing on his face, he wordlessly beckoned to her with a curled finger.

 

Rin bit her bottom lip and stared at the man on the bed in wonder. He had been in excruciating pain just moments before…was he really feeling frisky now? she gulped realizing he was staring at her like a lion its prey. She could just about feel the adrenaline rushing through her body, guided by hormones, to all the right but oh so wrong places. She coughed once and looked to the door. “Maybe…maybe I should get you a cold cloth…you seem uncomfortable…maybe cause it's hot in here….”

 

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow and slowly stood from the bed, his hand never pausing the `come hither' gesture. He licked his lips and gave the girl a rather cool, “it's not hot in here Rin.”

 

Rin's eyes widened as she reached behind her for the doorknob. “It's not? Sure could fool me. Maybe it's me…maybe I should get…” she turned on her heels and made to pull open the door. She nearly screamed when a hand smacked on the door next to her, slamming the door shut before she could even get an inch closer to the exit. She gasped as she turned to find herself nose to nose with her `injured' lover. `How the hell did he move that fast?' She stared into his deep molten eyes before turning to make a quick escape to her other side, but was caged in by his other arm.

 

Sesshoumaru leaned closer and nestled his nose into her hair, inhaling deeply. He muttered into her ear, “you're not going anywhere except back to that bed…” before nipping at her cartilage.

 

Rin looked to her right then to her left then began to giggle. “You…you're hurt Sesshoumaru…and you still want…jeez, you're almost as bad as your…your…you…..oh.” Rin just about melted as Sesshoumaru shut her up by pressing his lips against her in a tantalizing deep passionate kiss. He grabbed one of her hands, not daring to break the kiss and walked backward towards the bed. Knowing every inch of his room, he walked without hesitation. He reached the bed with room to spare and grabbed the young girl by her waist. He turned swiftly and pushed her to the mattress before nearly jumping on top of her. He pinned her beneath his body, holding himself up on his knees that easily straddled her waist and one arm, and he attacked her lips again, sucking her bottom one into his mouth, lapping over the muscle with his tongue. He closed his eyes, losing himself in her invigorating taste and scent. She was everything to him…she was his world, his sun, his god. She completed him. He let out a staggered breath as he pulled back from the girl and ran one hand through her hair then gently traced her cheekbone with a finger. He stared down at the angel beneath him in amazement. He needed to touch her…he needed to be sure she was really there. “How did I get so lucky?”

 

Rin smiled up at her lover, basking in everything that she had grown to love. `Has it truly only been three weeks?' she thought as she stared up at Sesshoumaru. `I feel like I've know him my whole life…that if I were to have to live a day without him, I would forget how to…that I would die trying.' She swallowed hard and felt her eyes watering, “we're not lucky, Sesshoumaru. We're blessed…blessed to have found each other…blessed to have been brought together…”

 

Sesshoumaru leaned down and kissed her right cheek and then her left cheek, letting his lips slide over her velvet soft skin, “I can't imagine not knowing you Rin.” his eyes softened as a tear streamed from her right eye. He leaned down and placed his mouth over its ragged course, and ran his tongue softy over the delicate skin, removing the offending drop of water. He kissed her afterwards and pulled back to kiss her lips so gently. “Why then do you cry?”

 

Rin sniffled once before bringing her hands up to his face. Letting her palms rest on his cheek, she managed a sad but profoundly deep smile, “because I have never been this happy…I have never had this serenity. My life…these past few years…everything…everything went to hell. I…I wanted to give up…I was going to give up…to give in. but something…something told me to keep fighting…something told me to wait…that the gods weren't done with me.”

 

Sesshoumaru leaned down and kissed Rin's lips, silencing her. He felt her wrap her two arms around his back and pull him towards her. He could feel her labored breath beating away through her chest, he could smell her arousal…it was so potent he could just about taste it…and it was delicious. It called to every part of him…it boiled his Youkai blood in his veins that demanded satisfaction…that demanded her. He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her awaiting mouth as his free hand began to trace down her body.

 

Rin gasped into his mouth as he deepened the kiss and joined in the war of the tongues, letting hers battle for dominance in his mouth. She felt her body shudder as his hands found their way between her pants and her underwear and gently traced over her covered folds. She pulled back and arched her back as he let one finger slide under the material and plunge into her tight core. Her eyes snapped open with a renewed passion and she pulled away from his mouth. “Sesshoumaru…I…”

 

Sesshoumaru was already pulling off her pants before she could even get a word out of her mouth. He kissed her nose, her cheeks, and her chin with butterfly kisses, gently letting his lips dance across her own. “Rin…do you want this?”

 

Rin glared into his amber eyes and without hesitation answered, “more then anything in the world.”

 

Sesshoumaru kissed her lips briefly and gave her a small smile, “this…” he closed his eyes and sighed, “this isn't just…I…I don't,” he kissed the side of her neck and laid his forehead against hers, “much unlike my brother, I don't give into the whims of sex easily. Rin…this…this is special to me. I want…I want us to always be here…together…like this.”

 

Rin looked into his eyes, nearly going cross-eyed at the close distance between their faces. She kissed the brim of his nose and gave him a slightly confused yet hopeful stare. “What are you saying, Sesshoumaru? Of course I only want us to be like this…I never want you to leave me!”

 

Sesshoumaru smiled and kissed her forehead, lifting away from her face. He ran his hand down her cheek and cupped her chin, “Rin, are you sure you want this? To be one?” he seemed like there was more he wanted to say…more at the tip of his tongue that he could not put into words. He stared down at her and lost the building strength he had been collecting to tell her…to ask her…. he closed his eyes and sighed at his inward cowardliness. `One day…soon.'

 

Rin moaned as she thrust her hips upward to meet his and groaned out, “yes…Sesshoumaru, I'm positive. I don't want anyone else…anything else. I always want to be with you.” She let her hips drop back to the bed as an eerie sadness filtered through her once so lustful eyes, “I mean…I'm not…you know…pure….”

 

Sesshoumaru growled, grabbing her chin between two fingers and pulling her face to stare at him. “Don't. Do not dare even think that. Rin…you are pure…you're an angel sent to this world to make my life a better place…don't you dare think for one moment that bastard has taken a bit of that away from you…”

 

Rin opened her mouth to protest before clamping it shut. She blinked once and called out meekly, “I love you.”

Sesshoumaru smiled and leaned down, capturing her in a toe-curling kiss, letting one hand roam through her soft raven hair, tracing over her ear lobe and neck. “I love you too.”

 

Rin smiled and nodded; “now that that's out of the way…” she gave Sesshoumaru a look of complete primal desire before arching her back again to push herself against his hardened member. Her hands were at his pants in a matter of seconds, nearly pulling the button clear off the material.

 

Sesshoumaru smirked at the girls'…eagerness…and kissed the side of her neck. Letting his lips trace the veins in her neck that he knew carried her life's blood, he nipped gently, “relax.”

 

Rin felt his fangs against her skin and automatically obeyed. Letting her head roll to her right shoulder, she bared her neck for her lover, showing complete submission. “I…”

 

Sesshoumaru let his other hand dip between her legs, tracing over her sex with two fingers before dipping them inside of her. She moaned beneath him and he smiled. Nothing would interrupt them. Nothing could stop him from what he wanted to do…what he had longed to do. He pulled back his hand and lowered his hips to meet hers. “Rin…”

 

Rin met his amber eyes in a blur of passion and desire. She nodded once and lifted her head to meet his mouth. `So long we've waited to be together…so long we've longed for this…desired it.' she kissed his mouth as she felt his tip slide into her entrance. She wanted to meet his advance with a hard thrust…she wanted him to be buried inside of her body…she wanted to give into the burning desire that coursed through her veins. But she restrained herself, allowing this time to soak in the love between the two…allow the `making love' process to be just that. She closed her eyes as she pushed her nose against his cheek. The anticipation was beginning to hurt. “Please…Sesshoumaru…”

 

A harsh pounding on the door downstairs earned a very deep growl from both of the two on the satin sheet bed. Sesshoumaru's head snapped towards the door then back down at the girl beneath him. he lowered his lips back to hers and whispered, “ignore it…”

 

Rin laughed and nipped at Sesshoumaru's bottom lip. “consider it done.”

 

Suddenly, a voice cut through the tender atmosphere of the two from outside of the closed window. “Oi, Sesshoumaru, what did you do, lock yourself out you stupid bastard? You shouldn't be on your feet…”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he looked from Rin to the window then back at Rin. He growled and shook his head slowly, “that baka…” he put his forehead against Rin's chin and sighed loudly. “Why…why am I cursed?”

 

Rin grabbed Sesshoumaru's chin and jerked his face up to look at her. “Didn't you just say ignore them?”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked as confusion found it's way into his amber orbs for only a moment before he sniffed the air. It was as if time stopped as the scent hit his nose. Why hadn't he…but how? One word slipped from his awe struck face, “father?”

 

Rin noticed the moment his entire aura changed. It took her by complete surprise as his body went ridged above her, his eyes widening to an eerie extent. It was not like Sesshoumaru to react to outside (of her) stimulus this way. She gasped out right as he stood up with a grunt. He shot her an apologetic glance as he pulled on a pair of jeans. He just about tore the door of its hinge. Rin bit her lip, watching her lover tear out of the room like a tornado. She grabbed his tee shirt off the floor and threw it over her, and slipped on her underwear, muttering on her way down the steps, “just our fucking luck…now the dead can't even let us be.”

 

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InuYasha stared in sheer shock at the man before him, his mouth running dry. So many things he wanted to say bombarded his mind. He wanted to scream at the man before him, he wanted to rant and yell about him abandoning the family…abandoning him. he felt his claws digging into his palms, unaware he was clenching his fists that hard. He felt his lips curl back into a sneer as he slowly shook his head, “you're a piece of fucking work, old man…”

 

Ryen smirked and slowly shook his head, “InuYasha…calm yourself for a moment and let me explain…” his eyes widened as he took a quick step to his left and managed to clothesline an attack from behind him, led by an angry Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru plowed out the front door, knowing the scent that had assailed his nose. `It cannot be.' but what he saw proved him right. In front of him was his father…yet his father, the man he had known, was ten years dead. The man standing in front of him…the man that he knew from somewhere…was real. His eyes widened as he realized from where Sesshoumaru knew him. The posture…his nonchalant attitude; it was Ryen. He felt his hand balled into a fist and before he knew it or could stop himself, he blindly threw himself at the man in front of him. Sesshoumaru was fast…no one he had ever known had ever been able to escape his path when he was pissed. That was…until today. With a fluid motion, the man in front of him just about disappeared to the left and was replaced by a steel like arm that crashed into Sesshoumaru's wind pipe, successfully knocking him backwards to the cement with a deafening thud.

 

Ryen backed up a foot and scowled at the boy on the ground. With a shake of his head, he held out a hand to help him stand. “boy, are you crazy? Never attack a Youkai from behind, didn't your father teach you anything?”

 

Rin appeared in the doorway and ran to Sesshoumaru's side, and busied herself checking him for injury. “What's going on?” she paused and looked to her right to see InuYasha and Kagome staring dumbfounded at them and took quick note of the flashing smirk on Inuyasha's face. She narrowed her eyes at him daring him to say something then looked to her right. Her eyes met the figure of the man and she jumped to her feet, before letting her eyes fall on his face. “Ryen!” she paused as she finally took in his appearance, stopping dead in her tracks. “Uhh…why do you look like Sesshoumaru?”

 

InuYasha scoffed and venomously replied, “Because that bastard is our fucking father!”

 

Ryen scowled and leaned against the brick wall of the house. His eyes darted from the glaring forms of InuYasha and Sesshoumaru then to the confused looks of Rin and Kagome. He sighed and ran a hand over his head. “I think I have to explain…”

 

InuYasha took two steps towards the man, planting himself inches away from his face. He just about screamed, “Explain? You have a fucking lot more to do then just that, you asshole! You left…you fucking left us for ten years to be with that bitch! And you knew…you knew she was dangerous! She fucking tried to kill you!”

 

Ryen held out a hand to the boy, trying to silence him, “let me…”

 

InuYasha smacked away his hand and took a sucker punch towards the man's head. His hand collided with brick as Ryen moved to the side at the last second. InuYasha cringed as he heard his knuckles just about break under the intense impact and he stumbled away, clutching his hand. “Fuck!” his eyes narrowed at the understanding; `he's just as fast, if not faster, then Sesshoumaru.'

 

Ryen clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Honestly, baka, if you would let me speak.”

 

Sesshoumaru was on his feet by this time and was glowering at the man on his steps. He looked him over once and snorted before turning on his heels. “My father is dead.”

 

Ryen nodded once, “yes, he is. “Sesshoumaru paused in the doorway but did not turn around and InuYasha gawked at the man.

 

Rin looked from Ryen to the brothers then back to the older man. The resemblance between Ryen and Sesshoumaru was uncanny. He had the devastatingly handsome and deadly features of her lover; a pointed chin, spotlessly now shaven, two strips on either side of his face, yet his were blue in contrast to Sesshoumaru's magenta. His eyes were just as narrow as Sesshoumaru's and brought to a point at the corner of his face with a darker amber orbs in the center. He was missing the half crescent on his forehead that Sesshoumaru sported though. Yet his eyes were more…alive. He seemed to wear his emotions on his sleeve, or so it seemed at that time. Right now mirth seemed to swirl in the amber vortexes as he regarded the four stunned teens. He was a little taller then Sesshoumaru by only two inches at most, but that left him towering over Rin and Kagome by a foot. He seemed to have more of Inuyasha's body cast though…or should it be said InuYasha had his. He had wider shoulders then Sesshoumaru, built by muscle that fit his slightly broader frame. Rin had no doubt that this man could take down Sesshoumaru with little problem…but it would still make an interesting fight. Looking at the three boys, she quickly came to the conclusion that if they were to be dressed in the same attire, they could easily all be mistaken for brothers, not father and sons.

 

Ryen cleared his throat and held is hands up at the boys. “I know what you're thinking…all of you…that's why I'm here…like this. No holds bar…right? Look…I don't know what psycho bitch…” he cleared his throat and made a face as if he let more slip then he wanted to, “…Launia …told you about your father…but there are things you need to know. I am not your father.” He grimaced at the stares he was now getting from the brothers and quickly added, “my name is Soryeenans Tashio…your father's brother.”

 

InuYasha sneered taking a step towards the man, “like hell. Soryeenans died at the age of nineteen in America. We ain't stupid, bastard. Now out with the fucking truth for once!”

 

Ryen cast the boy a cold glare that made InuYasha stop in his tracks. It was a well-mastered glare that chilled the boy to his bones. Ryen gave the boy a hesitant smirk then continued, “I know what was thought…I know how it seemed. It is a long story that I'm sure neither of you two boys are going to be pleased about.” he sighed and reached into his pocket. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes, he lit one up and marched back to his position of leaning against the house. “I didn't want to tell you this way…but knowing that I would have been interrupting something had I knocked…”he threw Sesshoumaru a knowing smirk then continued, “I waited out here and you honestly caught me off guard being here, InuYasha.” He narrowed his eyes and looked to the Timex on his wrist, “shouldn't you all be in school, anyway?” Getting dead stares for the four, he shrugged, “can't blame me for trying. All right…pay attention, cause I'm only going over this once. Your father and I…we were twins, hence why you thought I was him by smell. We grew up together, went to school together, blah, blah, blah…you get my drift.

 

“In tenth grade, our father was killed in a drive by. He ran a rather influential business at the time and was also a well-accomplished lawyer. Our mother was beside herself with grief but we both knew that there was something more…something that no one was saying. We started hearing rumors around school that a new kingpin had taken over organized crime in Japan…a man by the name of Diegosan. We put two and two together after a while and realized that he was the one who ordered the hit on our dad. Needless to say, we wanted revenge. I took the initiative and dropped out of school to find out more in our senior year. It was one of the harder decisions I had to make…but I knew it had to be done. Inuno and I made is seem like I had fallen into drugs…that I had taken off to be able to sell them and everything. I started hanging around with the dealers who worked for Diegosan…getting information here and there, but it was never enough to get him on. Unfortunately, he was onto me the whole time. He sent me to America to run a drug deal for him, so he told me, and set me up to be killed. Unfortunately for the assassin, they never had dealt with a Tashio before. Needless to say, that's one body that was never found.”

 

Ryen smirked and exhaled a long stream of smoke into the air before sliding down the brick wall to sit on the steps, resting his knees bent and his elbows resting on his knees, letting the cigarette dangle from his mouth. “News got back to Diegosan that I was dead and I managed to get a secure wire to Inuno to tell him otherwise. Yet he was a step ahead of me. He had planned my funereal and had told everyone I was dead and worked the magic real well to cover all tracks. It's easier to slid beneath the grid that way, ya know? So I was then officially dead to the world. Working behind the scenes with some local law agencies under false credentials, I got more and more information on Diegosan. Me and Inuno were only able to talk once in a blue moon but eventually the opportunity came around for him to get in good with a girl who was highly associated with Diegosan…”

 

“My mother.” Sesshoumaru frowned and leaned against the stairs railing, wrapping one arm around Rin and holding her to his chest.

 

Ryen nodded once. “Hai. Launia had been obsessively after your father for years. He made that decision on his own though, figuring it could help him out. We lost contact after he had impregnated that wench.”

 

Rin could feel Sesshoumaru tense but not say a word or let a flicker of emotion cross his face. She narrowed her eyes and laced her hand over his. “You mean that he…That Sesshoumaru…it was all for the act?”

 

Ryen cringed at the girl's words and shot a glare at her. “No, not fully. Yes, marrying Launia had been a set up to get close to her and Diegosan. But never think that he didn't love his sons…” he shot a glance to the stunned hanyou, “either of you. He did. Fiercely. When I would talk to him, both of you were all he would speak of. I begged him to get away from Launia and take you boys with him…told him that it was getting to personal, but he kept insisting that he could get a little more, and a little more turned into a decade of despair and deceit. When I got news that he had been killed…that Launia had finally caught on, I was beside myself with rage. I wanted to go home and get you both away from that lunatic but I was a dead man and just showing up, looking like a more recent dead man, shot that idea to hell. So I stayed as close as I could, using charms I had devised by the few Miko's left in the country.”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he stood up straight, “that day…with the assassins…you're who saved us?”

 

Ryen nodded once, “guilty. Which, mind you, I still need to have words with you about. I took out the remaining assassins before they could reach you boys. Unfortunately, there were the causalities.” A raw emotion of guilt washed across his face as he turned to stare at InuYasha, who seemed to be struggling to keep a cool head and failing miserably. “I'm sorry, InuYasha. I wish I could have saved them…I wish I could have been faster. But there were so many assassins…twenty-two were sent, only four got by my traps. Those I took out after…after they took you down.”

 

InuYasha scoffed and looked to the ground, blinking away the overpowering anger in his eyes. “Keh.”

 

Ryen frowned and shook his head, “after you both returned to Japan, I went to the NPA with all of my information. They tried to tell me to back off but after seeing the background of service of Onuni Ryen in the states; they felt compelled to let me help. They gave me what I needed to take over control of both police stations in Kyushu and Tokyo.” He turned his attention to Rin and gave her a sad smile, “fortunately and yet unfortunately, you were the key to the whole operation. You made it happen. With Tashio blood in both these men, you found the right boys to help you get rid of Naraku. Thankfully, none of you were seriously hurt.”

 

Sesshoumaru had the man by his throat in an instant. He had the upper hand of surprise fueled by pure anger. He growled at the collected Youkai in his grasp, “Rin was killed! Do you understand that? This was a game to you, a game you could have stopped! Her life was a play toy for you in this, wasn't it?” he slammed Ryen back once into the wall and growled, “and when I saw you…at the ruins…you knew about the swords…you knew I could save her and yet you did nothing. You would have sat by…”

 

Ryen placed his hand over Sesshoumaru's and glared at him. “Put me down boy before I seriously hurt you.”

 

Sesshoumaru growled louder before wielding backwards from a powerful punch to the gut. On a better day, it wouldn't have fazed him but now it had him doubling over on the pavement. Ryen walked over and knelt next to his nephew, “you'll be fine. Suck it up.” he held up hands at the glower that Sesshoumaru cast him and backed away. “Rin's life was no toy. I would never…no. I didn't know about her situation with Naraku until she walked into my precinct that day. Following the stories from all of you, and knowing what I had already spied, I was able to get more information to not only shame the name of Onigumo but to put Naraku behind bars. The tape,” he threw Kagome a smile, “that this brilliant girl came up with was the icing on the cake.” He sighed and shook his head, looking up at the ancient manor, “I knew InuYasha had the swords…they called to him. Sesshoumaru, they called to you as well…hell, even I felt it. I knew they were safe and Rin would be as well.”

 

Kagome smiled awkwardly before putting a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, taking notice to the glare of confusion and hurt on his face. “Are you okay?”

 

InuYasha narrowed his eyes, ignoring her question, and took a step towards Ryen, “you mean to tell me that after twenty years of gathering information, you didn't have enough to pin Naraku or Diegosan? Do you suck at reconnaissance or something? That's a long damned time…”

 

Ryen scoffed and glowered at the boy, “keh, you try being a dead man walking while getting all that information. It ain't easy.”

 

Sesshoumaru stood from the ground and stormed past the man, grabbing a hold of Rin's arm and taking her with him. “I've heard enough.”

 

Ryen turned to stare at the fleeing form of his older nephew. “Sesshoumaru…”

 

Sesshoumaru slammed the door in response.

 

Ryen cringed and smote his cigarette out on the cement steps. He shrugged and raised an eyebrow, “that didn't go over to well…” he looked out of the corner of his right eye and caught the burning gaze of InuYasha. “What?”

 

InuYasha narrowed his eyes and shook his head rapidly, crossing his arms over his chest. “All this time…you couldn't tell us…you just left us here with that wench! You put us right in the middle of your fucking personal vendetta!”

 

Ryen sighed deeply and clasped his hands behind his back, his face becoming an emotionless blank slate, “my vendetta? So…you had no interest in hurting Naraku…in getting revenge, is that what you're saying? You didn't care that he nearly killed you…that he nearly raped your mate…””

 

InuYasha glowered at the man and held out a clenched fist, “of course I fuckin cared! Unlike you, I didn't sit by and wait for it to happen! You knew…you knew how dangerous that bastard was yet you let him walk around…you knew how dangerous Launia was and that she would try to have me and Sesshoumaru killed, and let her walk around. what kind of pack member does that?” he felt his lips form a sneer as he turned around slowly, “come on Kagome, this bastard disgusts me.”

 

Kagome pulled her hand away from InuYasha and looked at Ryen, “you…you knew my parents…back…” her eyes widened and she gasped, “that night that me and Sesshoumaru stopped by the house…you…you were there.”

 

Ryen nodded once, rotating his arm backwards then cracking his neck. “Hai.”

 

Kagome let her lips fall into a thin line before carefully continuing, “and you were talking to my mother.”

 

Ryen nodded once, slight amusement winding its way across his pale face. “what of it?”

 

Kagome licked her lips unconsciously and wrapped her arms around her body. “Back in the day…were you two…close? Like uhh…really close?”

 

A small yet sad smirk pulled at the demon's lips as he slowly nodded, “we were.”

 

InuYasha scoffed and shook his head slowly, “great, fan-fuckin-tastic.”

 

Kagome chewed on her lip for a moment before cautiously adding, “You aren't…with her…you two…” she shuddered at the thought of her mother dating again. It had been almost three years since her father died…three years that her mother had been lonely. But if Ryen was Inuyasha's uncle…and he dated her mother and that led to…would that make her and InuYasha cousins? She shuddered at the thought.

 

Ryen laughed ruefully at Kagome's question and its underlying meaning. He shook his head once, “you don't need to worry Kagome. Your mother and me are not…. We were a couple in high school, if you must know…but before I left, knowing what I was doing, we ended it and I set her up with a close friend of mine.” He lowered his eyes to the ground as they clouded with sorrow, “I am terribly sorry to hear of his death…we were close. Of all my friends, I missed him the most. He was a good man with a good heart.”

 

Kagome nodded solemnly, knowing he was speaking of her father. “Thank you…he was a good man. I miss him.” she felt InuYasha wrap and arm around her but it didn't calm the chilling burn in her heart.

 

Ryen looked from InuYasha to Kagome and then laughed quietly. “You two…it brings back memories to see a pair so uncanny. I saw it every time I looked in the mirror.”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes, “keh, I really don't want to hear about your relationship with her mother, thank you.” he let his eyes fall to the ground and scratched his ears under the bandana. “I…that is…” he took a deep breath and looked out towards the main road, “forget it.”

 

Ryen placed a hand on his younger nephews shoulder and gave him a small smile, “you look more like your mother then I would have thought you to.”

 

Inuyasha's head snapped back towards Ryen with alarming speed, “you…knew my mother?”

 

Ryen nodded swiftly, “hai. She was a beautiful woman who your father had always adored. She was two grades below us…and had moved shortly after I dropped out. A wonderful woman with a kind heart…I always told Inuno he should go for her but he always chickened out.”

 

InuYasha scoffed and looked at the man with a vindictive hate looming in his eyes, “your brother was horrible to my mother. He would only show up every once in a while…hardly staying long enough to let me get to know him. She was on the side…”

 

Ryen clicked his teeth and held out a hand towards the boy, warning him not to go any further. “my brother loved your mother with his heart. Why do you think he kept away? He strayed to keep Diegosan away from her…to try to keep you two safe for as long as possible…”

 

InuYasha barked back, “yeah, well he did a poor job of it. She died and Launia knew about her anyway, so what does it matter?”

 

Ryen shook his head, his eyes widening with annoyance, “it mattered about your safety up until he was able to get you into his will to protect your life.”

 

InuYasha recoiled and shook his head once, “what does that matter?”

 

Ryen put his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, “do you know anything about your fathers will, InuYasha? Do you know how much money you are entitled to now that Launia is out of the picture? You could buy your own fucking island…no, three islands for the fortune you are going to receive when you graduate high school…”

 

Kagome's face blanched as she grabbed Inuyasha's arm, “did you…know?”

 

InuYasha blinked once then scoffed, “I don't need his money.”

 

Ryen smiled and shook his head, “I had a feeling you were going to say that.”

 

InuYasha took a step back and frowned at the man, “what does it matter anyway?”

 

Ryen laughed and reached out an arm and patted InuYasha on his shoulder, “it matters everything. I'll explain later. Right now, there are some things I need to see to and people…” he looked back to the mansion to see Sesshoumaru standing in the bay window of the living room, glowering at the three. Ryen shook his head and glanced back to InuYasha, “…I need to talk to.” he looked at his watch again and then gave the two younger kids a small but malicious grin, “now I do believe you two have places to be that don't revolve around issues that Kauai banned you two from partaking in.” he raised an eyebrow to the baffled looks on the kids faces. He rolled his eyes and dug into his pocket for another cigarette. “in other words, get your asses back to school before I call her mother.” he looked from InuYasha to Kagome with an intent stare.

 

InuYasha scoffed and took a step towards Ryen, “I don't know you from a fucking hole in the wall. Who the hell are you to threaten me?”

 

Ryen raised an eyebrow and gave the boy a small smile, “well, you will get to know me from a hole in the wall, I can promise you that…especially since this mansion technically is mine…and I am your uncle after all. And I'm sure your brother missed some of the fine print in the will that says I am in control of his assets until Sesshoumaru is through college and ready to inherit the family business.” He held out both his hands towards the boy in a `hold on' manner for he could see the rage beginning to fester in the boy's eyes. “I'm not trying to hold that above your head, I respect you as an adult and an individual. I'm just saying…”

 

InuYasha gave the man the middle finger and yelled back, “Say this, asshole.”

 

Ryen reached out and grabbed the boy's finger, bending it back far enough to send InuYasha to his knees in a second, “my boy, that is not a very nice gesture and I quite frankly do not appreciate it. Now if you still want full use of this finger for future endeavors I wish not to think about, you will retract it and never wave it at me again, Capisca?”

 

InuYasha grunted back a yes before rubbing his hand and standing up. he glared daggers at Ryen before grabbing Kagome's arm. “come on…” he looked down at the girl and shook his head slowly, “damnit.”

 

Kagome pulled away from Inuyasha's grasp and stared back at the man. “Uhh…Ryen? I have a question.”

 

Ryen lit up the cigarette in his mouth and nodded at her, “shoot.”

 

Kagome gave him a dull smile and asked, “Why do you go by Ryen?”

 

Ryen laughed and blew a cloud of smoke from his mouth, “try getting an American to say Soryeenans…it's easier to teach a dog to walk on its hind legs. So…I cut it down to my nickname, Ryeen…that became Ryen rather quickly. just gone by it ever since.” He shrugged and rolled his eyes, “call me what you want…” he glared at InuYasha, “but old man…you call me old man and I'll break your kneecaps, got it?”

 

InuYasha cringed and pulled Kagome towards the car without another word to the older man. He opened the door for Kagome and closed it behind her. Throwing a very disgruntled glare towards Ryen, he climbed into the drivers seat and paused. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily before turning the key. He felt Kagome's hand cover his but he couldn't manage to get the words to his lips. `All these years…all these fucking years this guy has been around and we never knew. What if he had meant us harm? What if he was like Naraku or Diegosan? Would I ever be able to know if they were hanging around? Would I know if they were following us? Can I truly protect Kagome?' he slowly looked at Kagome and stared sadly at the raven-haired beauty. `How do I know?'

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

-well, I know he's an OC and most of you were hoping for Tashio to come back but I can do more with another character. Get used to Ryen, he'll be around for a while. I like to think of him as a character (with a little more emotion) for those who need something to base the character off of, like that of Auron in Final Fantasy X. (those who don't know the game, sorry, can't help anymore). More to come…bumps in the cooling pavement. R&R!