InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It's my Life ❯ Day three. ( Chapter 21 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Ok, now obviously I don’t own this, any original characters that pop up, yeah those are mine. But everyone else, those are all owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

Warning, this chapter is a tad heavy on the dialogue. Be prepared hehe.

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For the first time in his life Sesshomaru was almost terrified to get out of bed. He knew that it was stupid, but it was also true. Inuyasha seemed to be beyond furious with him and he had no idea why. Rin was ill and there was nothing he could do about that either.

He had not felt such pressure since he had first become Lord of the West, and none of this should have carried THAT much weight.

He had heard all about Inuyasha’s rampage through the halls, smashing a wall, busting down a door and freaking the hell out of everyone he came across.

Apparently Inuyasha had found something else that had upset him, Sesshomaru wasn’t sure what, granted he could find out, but he had been so distraught that he had barely even been able to read the report. Plus it was apparently something only the humans knew….and Sesshomaru was in no mood to speak with them.

Never in his life had he witnessed something go so horribly wrong with such speed. It was unbelievable.

A cold fear ate away at his belly.

What if he could not fix this? Maybe no matter how hard he tried he just could not do this. Maybe Inuyasha hated him…and would continue to do so for the rest of their lives.

It was almost impossible to believe that he, the Sesshomaru, could not do something so simple as be a brother.

But he was rapidly running out of ideas and he had a sick feeling in his heart that even if he dropped down onto his knee’s and begged for forgiveness that it would have no effect on his hanyou brother.

But he didn’t understand any of this, had he missed something? He must have, there was no other explanation. There was some snare, some trap, that he had blundered into. But for the life of him he was not sure what.

He wished he could just step back and take a fresh, calculated look at things, but he could not, he was far to wrapped up in all of it.

Out of the blue his stomach growled and it was then that he realized just how hungry he was, he had not eaten since yesterday morning. Normally that might not be such a problem, he could go weeks without food before it seriously affected him. But all the stress he had been under lately had thrown his body into overdrive, consuming far more energy then it should.

Sesshomaru sighed and sat up, breakfast then. That was safe right?

Nothing horrible could happen at breakfast.

….right?

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The walk to the dinning hall had been blessedly uneventful, though he knew he had attracted a few stares. Probably from his appearance, he had thrown on a plain white set of clothing and had barely run his comb through his hair.

It was rather simple really, right now, he, the immaculate Lord Sesshomaru….just didn’t give a shit.

However his anxiety did not dissipate when he entered the hall. For it was completely empty, granted it was a little past normal breakfast time, but he was still surprised to see only a nervous looking Retsu.

“Good morning my Lord.” The chef said quietly. He didn’t really care that the human group was not at the table, but for some reason he had expected to see Inuyasha.

“Good morning Retsu….I see I am a bit late.” Sesshomaru replied.

The brown haired demon shook his head.

“You are the first that I have seen all day.”

“My brother has not been down?” Sesshomaru asked. That was not something he would have guessed, even angry Sesshomaru would have expected Inuyasha to come to eat.

“No milord. I have not seen the Lord Inuyasha since yesterday. He did not call upon me for dinner either. Have I upset him? I only try to do my very best.” Retsu groaned. Sesshomaru sighed as he seated himself.

“No…he is upset with me. I am positive that it has nothing to do with you.”

Retsu bit his lower lip, his ears drooping.

“However I do have a great desire to test your talents today.” Retsu perked up slightly. “I find myself rather famished. I would like a rather hearty breakfast today….dazzle me my friend.” Sesshomaru stated. Retsu chuckled.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

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Ses shomaru ran his tongue around the inside of his mouth as he made his way down the hall. Good gods that man could cook. That was one thing that he had inherited from his father…an appreciation of good food, and right now his belly was very full. It was hard to believe he had once eaten food not prepared by such a master.

But the pleased feeling that such a meal brought him quickly began to fade as he neared Inuyasha’s room. There was really no point in avoiding it…he needed to find out what was wrong and how to correct it. He had already decided that there would be no games with this, pride be damned, he was just going to come right out and ask what was wrong, what he had done, and he was even debating asking Inuyasha himself what needed to be done to correct it.

The guard saluted him as he neared, Sesshomaru has to chuckle a little, an uptight new boy, always humorous to break them in.

“Is my brother in?” Sesshomaru asked.

“No sire.” The boy-guard answered, his tone clipped and precise.

“Oh?” Sesshomaru muttered. That was strange, the boy’s scent was very fresh here.

“I myself observed him leaving his room early this morning, and he has not yet returned.” The guard informed. Sesshomaru nodded and began to leave, but something stopped him. Straining his ears he was almost positive that he could hear light breathing within the room. But the other sounds within the castle, including the guard at the doors own breathing made it difficult to tell if he was really hearing it, or just imagining it.

Sighing he altered his course, the hanyou was probably avoiding him as it was, might as well head to Daigon’s office and check up on Rin.

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Inuyasha grinned as he continued to gnaw on one of the several rabbit carcasses he had brought with him, the others on the floor awaiting his attention. He had heard Sesshomaru outside his door, and it had not been easy to be so quiet that Sesshomaru had not heard him, going still and controlling his breathing was harder then it sounded, but he had done it.

Sure he had left the room earlier, but he had circled around, hopped a few walls, and came back in through the balcony, after he had caught his breakfast that was.
So far his plan seemed to be working, the guard at the door had turned away at least three others. He was sure at least one of them had been Kagome, granted a part of him felt a rather guilty for avoiding the girl, and the rest of his group, especially Shippo. But the rest of him was just pleased to be getting his own way for once.

Sinking his teeth into anther rabbit Inuyasha tore off a large chunk, as be began to chew another plan began to formulate in his mind.

He couldn’t stay in here all day, sooner or alter someone might catch on, someone being Sesshomaru. Fortunately he had spotted a few places on his hunt where he felt no one would look for him. It wasn’t so much that he wanted to be alone, as much as he wanted not to be hassled today, he couldn’t take much more of that for sure…..

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Hours alter Inuyasha was grumbling to himself, it would seem that nearly all of his hiding places were actually spots of interest, which baffled him. They were all just so…secluded, so out of the way uninteresting. Which he guessed was what brought people to them to unwind or in the case of one twosome….to mate.

At first when he had come to his third attempted spot and found two males there he had been rather annoyed, but that had shifted to mild interest when the one behind the other grabbed his shoulder, spun him around and used his whole body to shove the other into a tree. In those first moments Inuyasha had thought there was about to be a fight, which had been what caused the interest, might pick up a new technique or two.

They were both about the same size, both with medium builds. One with red hair, one with bright blond. The red head had sandwiched the blond against the three and his own body, Inuyasha had been curious as to what kind of tactic would have you press your bodies together so tightly.

However his interest had exploded into full blown shock when the two young men suddenly kissed, if you wanted to call it that, they had practically been devouring each other. Inuyasha was sure the blond had to of bruised the red heads back with how tightly he had griped it.

“Eight weeks!” the blond had snapped. “I have not been able to see you, smell you, touch you, in eight weeks!”
“Well maybe if you had not called Imalia a bitch when she could hear you she would not have stationed you on the other side of the castle love.” Red had muttered back against Blondie’s lips.

“She has no right to keep me from my mate!” Blondie had snarled.

Poor Inuyasha’s brain has just about exploded then. It had been said a few times, two men mating, but he had not believe it really. But this had been right up in his face.

“I need you…take me.” Blondie had moaned.

“Take you where?” Red had teased.

Inuyasha had watched as Red had continued to tease the blond.

“Tell me what you want.” He had said. “Otherwise I won’t know what to do.”

Finally, apparently fed up with the game Blondie had knocked Red to the ground and pinned him there.

“Listen you.” Blondie had snarled. “You will undress me, you will touch me, lick me, and taste me just how I like, then you will stretch and prepare me. Then you will slide you cock into my ass and you will fuck me or I WILLhurt you!”

That had been Inuyasha cue to leave. It had nearly broke his poor little hanyou brain. A male, first begging then ordering another male to stick his dick into his ass and fuck him. Yes Inuyasha had done the same to Sesshomaru, but he had just filed that as a bizarre, perverse accident. But here was a man expressing a extreme desire for the very same thing.

It just didn’t seem possible, how could any man want that?

His youkai had butt in, listing all kinds of reasons for it. Stupid thing.

But if all that had not been bad enough, the red heads next words had actually forced Inuyasha to check his ears and nose just to make sure his brain was NOT leaking out.

“Aww….little brother wants his big brother inside him soooo bad.”

“Yes….gods yes….” Blondie had answered. “For you…only for you, my brother, my beloved mate.”

Inuyasha had run like he had fifty Sesshomaru’s chasing him.

It made no sense, two men, two brothers, Mates? About to have sex? It was…no…it….didn’t….no…just…how 230;.NO.

He could almost believe that males truly mated, but siblings? No that could not be normal. As a matter of fact they were probably in such an isolated spot just to hide in the first place.

Inuyasha had been so off balance from what he had just witnessed that when he got to spot number four and saw what was there he was ready to call the day quits and find a tree to curl up in.

There was a young looking, though honestly that might not mean a thing, dark haired, raven haired was more like it and Inuyasha could smell raven, demon.

He was jerking off.

On all fours.

With his face pressed against the ground, weight on his shoulder.

Ass in the air.

With the hand NOT on his dick thrusting some smooth…kinda coned shaped thing into his ass.

“They are out to get me….that’s all there is to it. The pervert gods are after me.” Inuyasha thought.

“Oooh yes….ah…gods….” Raven moaned. The sight just froze Inuyasha’s feet, and he realized with a certain amount of horror that his body was reacting!

Both the Raven’s hands sped up.

“Its so good….” he sobbed.” But its not enough! I need it to be real!”

“Oh! Lets go help him!” Inu-youkai enthusiastically suggested.

“What?” Inuyasha balked.

“Go over there, pull that….thing out and push yourself in! Lets have fun!” Inu-youkai shouted.

“That’s it….fucking hell that is it…..I’m going back to bed.” Inuyasha muttered, quickly fleeing from the displayed demon, much to his youkai’s displeasure.

“No! No! Go back! Come on!! He’s begging for help!”

He was so distracted from everything he had seen in such a short period of time, and from glancing behind him to check and see ifs someone had noticed him and was following him….hey you never knew who might be working for the pervert gods…..evil bastards, that he never noticed Sesshomaru.

A fact that ended right when he turned his head and smashed face first into Sesshomaru’s chest, which knocked him flat on his ass. Didn’t feel to good either.

“Not…the way I WOULD suggest burying our face in his chest.” Inu-youkai muttered.
Sesshomaru’s hand appeared near Inuyasha’s face.

“My goodness little brother…after you alright? Let me help you up…”

Scoffing Inuyasha brushed aside the offered hand, and stood on his own.

“I’m fine, and I don’t need help.” Inuyasha grumbled.

Despite the brush off Sesshomaru looked relieved.

“I have been looking all over for you Inuyasha. I’m glad I found you…I…I have a favor to ask of you.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Inuyasha thought.

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They were all out to get him…every last one of them.

In a way Inuyasha was confused as to how he had ended up in this position. When Sesshomaru had asked for a favor Inuyasha had not been sure what to think or what was about to happen. But he really had not expected what had finally come out of Sesshomaru’s mouth, turns out that while the girl, Rin, was rather ill, it was nothing that Daigon couldn’t handle.

Why Sesshomaru felt the need to inform him of that he might never know, but what he had said next is what really stunned Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru stated that he was considering delaying their departure to meet with the other Lords as he was reluctant to leave Rin’s side while she was ill. Seems se had a habit of asking for him when he wasn’t in sight.

Sesshomaru justified this by stating that his scouts had reported that although the other two Lords were on the move, they certainly did not seem to be in any hurry.
But more then all that what really got to them was when Sesshomaru asked “The Favor.”

Sesshomaru apparently had some sort of important errand to run and out of each and every since person in the castle Sesshomaru had picked him to ask if he would watch over the girl in his absence.

Just hearing that had stunned him stupid.

Which is probably why he found himself here, in a room that screamed. “Little girl lives here!!” and how he found himself standing in front of a bed, with a sick little human girl in it.

Had to have knocked him stupid.

Now had it been anyone else Inuyasha would have been touched by the display of compassion from. Sesshomaru was caring for the child, not just physically but emotionally as well. Inuyasha also would have been touched by the display of trust in being picked to watch over someone who clearly meant so much.

But as it was Sesshomaru, and the bitch Rin, all he really felt was a overwhelming sense of annoyance. He wasn’t angry, yet anyway, just…well he felt so inconvenienced, he didn’t want to do this, hell he had not even said he would, Sesshomaru had just led him into the room and left, stating that he would return as soon as he could.
So here he was, in the very same room with one of the last -scratch that- the LAST person he wanted to be near. At least with Sesshomaru in the room he could get some satisfaction by punching his face in.

But the girl? Well….he wasn’t Sesshomaru so he wasn’t going to abuse some little child…that was just disgusting and contrary to what nearly everyone he had ever met had told him, he was not slime.

Sighing Inuyasha leaned up against the wall, it wasn’t like he had anything else to do, and he was willing to bet that he wouldn’t encounter anymore…perversion while in this room. He was still trying to get the images out of his mind. He wasn’t even going to recognize the slight throbbing of his body, or the little rush of adrenaline that was still coursing through him.

“Are we never going to get any? Your killing me!! Its going to fall off…I just know it…its going to shrivel up and fall off from lack of use!” Inu-youkai whined.

“Shut up.” Inuyasha thought. “I really think I liked you better when you didn’t talk. If all your going to do is bitch that I didn’t fuck someone, Sesshomaru, Komar, Atrius, Daigon, that Raven kid….then shut the fuck up. Don’t talk unless you have something useful to say. Like oh….why you wouldn’t focus on men!”

“Haven’t seen a woman around here that caught my interest.” Inu-youkai replied coolly. Inuyasha scoffed, well…that was almost an answer.

Granted while Imalia had actually been attractive, though might just not be anymore, she had still be nothing but nasty to him. So in a way Inuyasha was glad his youkai had not advocated jumping into her pond.

Crossing his arms Inuyasha sighed again, he didn’t want to do a whole lot of thinking about crap like that, so just what could he do until Sesshomaru got back? Of course he could always leave, he didn’t want to be here, but he was hoping the girl wouldn’t wake up….and start reminding him she existed.

But then, of course, as if on cue the child started coughing, a harsh, painful sounding one at that. It easily jarred her out of her state of -sleep and don’t annoy Inuyasha-. Turning the girl caught a hold of a cup on a near by table, water by the smell of it and downed it quickly. Groaning she rolled back over to lie flat, then blinking set her gaze on Inuyasha himself.

“Lord Sesshomaru?” Her town was so hopeful and pitiful in that -oh my god I am so sick- kinda way. It should have brought out the paternal part of him, but instead it just got on his nerves.

“He ain’t here kid.” Inuyasha stated. It seemed to take a moment for the girl to understand him but she soon answered.

“Oh…it is you Lord Inuyasha, I’m sorry, Rin’s eyes are all blurry.”

“It happens…your sick.” Inuyasha grunted, he could sympathize, he remembered being a sick child, though the girl wasn’t half as bad as he had been.

“You both kinda look alike.” Rin said. “Maybe it’s the hair.”
A second later she started coughing again. To be honest Inuyasha almost felt guilty for not feeling bad for her, for almost enjoying what she was going through.

“Well we are brothers….not that that has ever meant anything.” Inuyasha muttered.

Even now, at her most vulnerable he didn’t see what was so special about here. She had taken everything from him, yet had done nothing but exist to do it.

“Lord Inuyasha?” Rin suddenly said.

“Yeah kid?” Inuyasha replied.

“Would you…could you tell me a story?” She asked. That surprised Inuyasha, and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was what Sesshomaru would be doing if he were here, listening to the kid babble, caring for her, telling her stories.

It made him angry.

“Well I only know one story, it isn’t very long, and its not very happy.” Inuyasha answered.

“That’s ok…Lord…*cough*…Lord Sesshomaru says not all stories can be happy….though he never lets anyone tell me other kinds.” Rin replied.

So…Sesshomaru didn’t want her hearing unpleasant tales eh?

“Alright then….let me tell you the story of the Boy and his Brother.”

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Cosmically screwed, that’s what he was, some otherworldly force was out to get him. Sesshomaru was sure of it now. Why else would the market manager decide to completely change the layout of the market today of all days, which forced Sesshomaru to have to learn where everything was all over again.

This was going to delay him even longer, which just figured considering all he really wanted to do was get back to Inuyasha and Rin.

“Oh yes….” Sesshomaru thought as he turned a corner that SHOULD have taken him right where he wanted to go, but led to another dead end. “I will be having words with that man….”

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Inuyasha stretched himself out as best he could in the chair that he had pulled next to Rin’s bed. He didn’t know why he as doing this…but hell…why not?

“Well it all begins with a wealthy merchant, one who was known throughout the land, very successful he was. But he was very lonely, for you see, his wife was long dead and all he had was his son by her.” Inuyasha started. “Still…life was not to bad for him, he did after all have nearly everything else he could possibly want. But one day, while out on his travels he met a young woman.”

“Was she pretty?” Rin interrupted.

“She was, perhaps the most beautiful in all the world. The merchant fell in love almost immediately, and the woman had very much the same reaction. So it was not long before they were wed, and the woman was carrying the merchant’s second child.” Inuyasha continued. “But there was a problem.”

“A problem?” Rin puzzled. Inuyasha nodded.

“Yes, for you see, the merchants first child was none to happy about the recent turn of events, he didn’t like the woman, he felt she was unworthy because she was of a lower class then them.”

“That doesn’t’ have anything to do with love!” Rin protested.

“Perhaps not, but still the first son was angry and became more so when he learned that he would be a brother very soon.” Inuyasha said. “Still…things were not to bad until the merchant died unrepentantly one day.”

“Oh no!” Rin gasped. “What happened?”

“He had….an accident, and after that the older son took over. Now it fell to him to care for the woman and his newborn baby brother. But he didn’t.”

“He didn’t?” Rin muttered.

“Nope, he threw them out, or more specifically he just never came for them.”

“Why? Wasn’t it his job?” Rin asked.

“Yes it was, but he didn’t care. The real problem came when no one would accept the woman and her son. Neither the merchants people, nor the woman’s own wanted anything to do with them, especially the second son.” Inuyasha stated.

“Why?” the girl asked.

“Well….because he was half high class and half low. The high class thought he was slime because of his low class blood and the low hated him for the opposite reason.

“I don’t understand.” Rin said.

Neither did he, but it didn’t really matter whether he understood or not, it was how the world was. Life was very hard, but the two managed to get by. But then…one day….the boy’s mother fell ill.”

“Oh no…” Rin whispered.

“Yet still no one would help them. Most doctors just turned them away and when one finally did see them they were told that nothing could be done.” Inuyasha continued, struggling to keep the anger and anguish out of his tone. It had been so hard….to see his mother grow sicker and sicker every day….

“Finally….one night….they went to bed, the mother tucked her son in, gave him a little goodnight kiss, all in spite of how weak she was. But in the morning…the son woke up….but the mother did not. The boy tried everything he could think of to wake her, but she would never rise again. The before had been more then goodnight….it was….goodbye.” Inuyasha stopped for a moment, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, pushing back the tears that threatened. It was always so hard to talk about….

“The boy tried to get help from the other people in the village that they lived in, but it was not aid they gave him, but abuse. They drove him out and burned the home he and his mother had shared to the ground…and everything inside. He never learned if they had the decency to remove his mother’s body and bury it, or if they just burned it with the rest.” Inuyasha said.

“That’s horrible!’ Rin exclaimed.

“Cast out the boy was not entirely without hope, he knew he had a half brother out there somewhere, his mother had told him about his sibling a few times and just the day before her death had told him that if anything should ever happen to her that he should go to his elder brother. So the little boy, who was younger then you are now, with barely any food, any water, with no clue of where his brother was, who he was, or even what he looked like. With no aid and only the clothing on his back….he set out.”

“Then what?” Rin asked.

“Well he traveled alone for a long time, it was so hard, the rocky ground pummeled his bare feet, the rain would soak him, and the wind would knock him to the ground at times. It was dangerous as well, death was around every corner, and he was so small. He didn’t know how to take care of himself, didn’t know how to do much of anything at that age really. He just kept asking himself, where is my brother? Why does he not come fro me?” Inuyasha continued. “The people he met were also rather cruel to him, his mothers people beat him and would rob him of whatever he had. His fathers people would just try to kill him on sight.”

“Oh my goodness…the poor boy.” Rin choked.

“This continued for a very long time, until one night, when things changed…slightly. You see the boy had not been able to find shelter, a place to hide, for the night, and three monsters found him. Their desire was quite clear. They wanted to eat him. So he ran…ran for his life. But he was just to little, his legs were not long enough to out run them no matter how hard he tried. He would have to hide, for they would catch him sooner or alter.” Inuyasha said, shivering slightly from the memory of the terror from that night.

“But then it happened, at long last the boy found his older brother, or he found him. The little brother was unbelievably relieved, for the monsters were afraid of the older brother. The little brother tried to talk to his older sibling, confirming that yes, he was the man he had sought. The older brother began to walk, and the younger followed. He was so happy, he had found his family at last, he was safe, the nightmare was over. The little brother asked where they were going, the elder brother remarked that he was heading home. This thrilled the boy, home…a real home.” Inuyasha continued.

“Home is good.” Rin whispered. Inuyasha snorted softly.

“However then…the unthinkable happened. The older brother reached his….horse. He pulled himself up on it, yet made no effort to help the little brother up and then….and then he began to ride away. The little brother panicked, if it was a joke…it was not very funny, and began to chase after the man who was responsible for him. But he couldn’t catch up with him. Screaming the little brother begged his sibling not to leave him, to wait for him to catch up, but soon the elder brother was so far way that it was no longer wait up…but come back. But the older brother never stopped, and now…utterly terrified the little brother cried out that they would kill him, and still the older brother did not stop. Soon he was gone, the little brother was alone…..and the monsters were coming.”

Rin whimpered, the fur that covered her body now pulled up to her face.

“He left?” She asked.

“Yes…..so the boy ran for all he was worth, for his very life. But now he had nothing, no hope, no where to go and one final thought bore into his brain. He was going to die, his short lie would soon be over….and it would not be pleasant. It was so dark however that the boy never saw the cliff in front of him until he went over it. Down, down, down he fell, away from the hungry monsters who screamed for his blood. But fate was not being kind. He was bashed around on the rocks as he fell, before he was sent head first into a raging river. Death was still there, only changed from being devoured to drowning.” Inuyasha paused for a moment, wetting his lips before continuing.

“Still fight, still refusing to give up and die, he was able to use the last strength he had in his little body to pull himself ashore. He managed to crawl into a near by cave, curl into a ball and pass out, safe for a moment. But the future looked so very bleak. He was a small child, alone in the wild, with no where to go, and apparently no family to care for him. And that…was the first time he met the last member of his family.”

“What happened next?” Rin asked.

“Well…life went on. A harsh life…the boy was on the edge of starvation almost always, he nearly froze to death every winter and sickness crippled him more then once. Every. Single. Day was an incredible struggle, and each day was nothing but the same. No one would help him, people would hurt him or try to kill him. All because he was what he was. Then one day he found his brother again, and for a brief moment thought he might just be safe, but the older brother soon showed him how their meetings would be. He kicked his little brother, right in the face, breaking his nose and hurling him through the air. Then the elder left him there, laying on the earth, bleeding and bruised, just as so many others had. But before he left, abandoning his little brother to the world once more, the older brother had one last thing to inform his little brother about. Not now he said, but one day when you are older…I will kill you.”

“Oh…oh my god!” Rin gasped. “He didn’t!” Inuyasha nodded.

“He did. It set the tone for their entire relationship. The younger brother learned that the elder was to be feared. Every time the little brother would see his older brother, catch his scent, he would wonder. Is today the day? Will he kill me today?” Inuyasha paused, it had been nerve wrecking, Sesshomaru had just said when he was older…but did not say how much older.

“Each meeting of theirs was filled with pain for the little brother, if not physical then emotional. Your slime, the elder brother would sneer, a stain on our family’s name, I must kill you to erase the shame of your birth. This continued for years, till finally, through a series of mishaps and a bizarre sense of luck, the little brother was able to avoid the older brother for a very long period of time. Though that didn’t mean life became any easier for him.”

“Why would the older brother do all that?” Rin asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

“It was just how it was, the older brother felt he was in the right and no one other then the little brother himself seemed to disagree.” Inuyasha sighed. “Perhaps it was only a matter of time, or perhaps it was fate once more, but one day after over fifty years since their last meeting the two brothers were reunited. The little brother had another small moment, to hope, to dream. So much time had passed, maybe things would be different? They were not of course, it was a foolish thing to hope for, to dream for, for almost immediately the older brother attacked, gouging out one of the little brothers eye’s. It becomes interesting because you see…the elder brother had inherited everything from their father, the home, the belongings, the wealth. Everything but one little thing. A…..walking stick that was left for the younger brother. But though the elder had everythingelse, he wanted what was to be the little brothers as well.”

“But why? Couldn’t he just get one of his own?” Rin asked.

“Of course he could. But the older brother felt that it should have been his in the first place, that the little brother did not deserve it and thus he would see to it that he, not his younger brother, owed it. But it was also special, for it would make travel much easier, it had the unique ability to….clear a path for the one who held it, no matter how dense or difficult. So the elder tried to take it, there was a nasty fight between the siblings and in the end the little brother was just able to repel his half brothers attack and keep what was his.”

“Good for him!” Rin exclaimed before another bout of coughing had her reaching for her cup once more. Inuyasha waited for her to finish before continuing, and even refilled the cup from one of the many jugs of water that sat near the table.

“Still….that did not stop the older brother, he continued to try and take what he wanted and so…another negative element was added to their relationship. Then one day the elder brother was seen to have a new little boy with him, it was no unusual for the older brother to have a servant with him, but a small child? The little brother was now mostly grown when this occurred, his own childhood long behind him. Still he was confused, who was this new boy? Finally the truth behind the new boy came to light. The older brother had adopted the boy and was now raising him. This really confused the younger brother, why had this child been accepted while he had been cast out?

“Maybe the older brother got married?” Rin suggested. Inuyasha chuckled and even to his ears it sounded dark.

“Nope….the new boy was an orphan, just like the little brother. The real interesting part was that the new boy was one of the little brother’s mother’s people. Yet that was what the older brother had always said was the problem with the little brother was, his mother’s blood. But the little brother had half of his father’s as well, this new boy had none….so why was he not hated as well?” Inuyasha paused, though he didn’t really expect an answer.

“And really…that’s kind of the end to this story, the two just continue on like always for the rest of their lives.”

“But what happens to the older brother?” Rin asked. Inuyasha had to resist the urge to laugh. Of course she would ask about Sesshomaru first.

“Well he just goes through life like he always had. Does what he wants to do, he still is in charge of the merchants empire. I’m sure after a time he marries and ahs children of his own as well.” Inuyasha answered.

“And the little brother?” Inuyasha took a deep breath.

“He…..dies.”

“No!” Rin gasped. “How? Why?” Inuyasha shrugged.

“Maybe his body finally gave up on him. Maybe he finally dies in some battle field. But many think….the elder brother finally made good on his promise and ended his little brother’s life.”

It was basically true, Inuyasha had held the firm belief in his heart for years, that when he finally did die, it would be because of Sesshomaru’s actions. As time wore on Inuyasha had become more and more certain that it would be from Sesshomaru’s direct actions rather then something he allowed to happen.

It hurt to admit, and Inuyasha knew he would fight with all he had that day, he still had the chilling premonition that he would end up on Sesshomaru’s sword. Though that wasn’t as bad as the thought that Sesshomaru might drown him in the mud or something. If it was going to happen Inuyasha wanted it quick, right through the heart, he didn’t want time to think about it.

Which probably meant he was going to have time to think about it….

“That is so sad…” Rin muttered, breaking Inuyasha way from his morbid thoughts. The hanyou shot the little human a disdainful look, one that she didn’t catch.

“That’s right…I’ll end up a corpse rotting on the ground and you’ll probably still be here, cared for and content.” Inuyasha thought bitterly.

Well that was it, he had humored her and given Sesshomaru plenty of time to do whatever the fuck he needed to do.

But for his own sanity he needed to get away from the girl. Cracking his knuckles and exhaling forcefully Inuyasha rose from the chair.

“Well…that’s it for me. I’m out of here.” Inuyasha said as he turned for the door.

“Your leaving?” Rin asked. Inuyasha nodded, just being around the girl tended to make his blood boil, he didn’t need to lose his temper around her. “Why? Won’t you stay with me?” The girls voice held a pitiful edge that brought out the declaration of -I’m a small sick child!-

But instead of bring out any sympathy in him it only brought out a feeling of bitterness and disgust.

“No…I won’t stay with you.” Inuyasha grown out. “No one ever stayed with me.” he added on mentally.

“Why?” The girl asked again softly.

Turning back to face the child Inuyasha snarled. She wanted to know so badly huh? Fine.

“Because I hate you.” Inuyasha stated flatly. Rin’s eyes grew big and wide.

Y-you…h-hate me?” The girl stammered.

“Oh yes, from the very bottom of my heart.” Inuyasha said as he tapped his chest where his heart sat.

“But…why?…I’ve never…never.” Rin coughed again, growing more and more upset with each passing second.

“Its not so much what you have done, but that you exist, that you are here, you don’t belong here, deserve to be here. Your only here because of Sesshomaru and in case your wondering….I hate that bastard too.” Inuyasha spat. “Every time I see you I just want to wrap my hands around your skull and pop it like a grape.” To accentuate his point Inuyasha clapped his hands together forcefully.

The girl jumped, pulling the fur up to her eyes. Inuyasha sighed and tried to drop the menacing demeanor. He could smell fear coming off of her and that made him feel a little guilty.

“But I want you to know.” Inuyasha said as he sat on the edge of her bed. “That I would never do that. I would never hurt you. I’m not my brother, so you don’t have to worry about me laying on finger on you. I’m not like that.” To his surprise her fear actually went down several notches.

How trusting….

“So!” Inuyasha exclaimed, slapping his thighs as he stood once more, before walking to a open window. “Enjoy the bed, the food, the care, the home. Enjoy the fruits of my fathers hard work. But a word of advice to those who know better, you can’t trust Sesshomaru and the moment he gets whatever it is he wants from you….watch out. Bad things could happen.”

Pulling himself up into the window frame Inuyasha prepared to jump only to be halted by Rin’s voice.

“You shouldn’t say such things about Lord Sesshomaru. He saved me, he is a good man. He would never do anything to hurt me.”

What really pissed Inuyasha off….was the fact hat the bitch was probably completely right about that.

“And that is why I hate you.” Inuyasha muttered right as he hurled himself out of the castle and into the forest below.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

To say that the mighty Lord Sesshomaru was unhappy would be a understatement. That had taken far to long….

Just as soon as he got the chance he was drawing up a plan for how the market should be organized and it had damn well better be followed. As it was he was taking the longer route through the castle just to try and lower his irritation levels, he didn’t need to be in a foul mood when he reached Inuyasha and Rin.

Especially NOT with Inuyasha…

He had already left the market manager cowering in his office. It was probably unfair of him to take such large amounts of his frustration out on the man. But he was pissed, so much time spent wandering around, hell even the guides put in place to help aid anyone looking for particular items or hops were confused, and nearly as annoyed as Sesshomaru himself. Many of them had arrived for duty only to find the changes already in place, they were struggling just to perform their jobs and then they could not even answer a question from the Lord of the West.

Which in turn meant Sesshomaru had to listen to a massive heap of apologizing.

Which meant headache…..

After Sesshomaru had finished with his business in the jumbled up market he had promptly rushed to the manager’s office, practically storming it. He had demanded to know why the market place had been re-arranged in the first place and more importantly, why he had not been informed before it happened.

To the first he had been told that the man, who wasn’t even important enough to have his named remembered, felt it would energize the market, everything would look new and fresh, thus people would be more interested, by more and that would add more revenue to the market.

Which was just…..stupid.

First of all, all it would do is confuse everyone, Sesshomaru could testify to that personally, they wouldn’t be able to find anything, and end up being LESS, thus lowering total revenue.

Secondly, what did they need an increase for? It wasn’t like they were competing with anyone, the castle’s market place was THE biggest collection of shops and items in the West, perhaps out of all three kingdoms.

But apparently the fool manager felt rather threatened by one or two specialty shops in a small village over three hundred miles away. Plus Sesshomaru felt he was aiming for a promotion, and figured he could get it by adding more to the Western treasury, thus earning Sesshomaru’s favor.

But in that sense the dolt had made the same mistake that more then a few had made. The Western treasury and his own private account were not one in the same, so the twit could earn as much as he liked, it didn’t go into Sesshomaru’s pocket. Not that he did not appreciate people who worked to better their country, quite the opposite, Sesshomaru enjoyed rewarding such individuals. But those who did it for the sole mistaken purpose of fattening his personal purse….well that always annoyed him. He was the Lord of the West, his respect and gratitude could not be bought.

But what had been even MORE infuriating was the man’s excuse for the new layout not reaching Sesshomaru’s ears.

He had not gotten around to it.

When those words had left the moron’s lips Sesshomaru had thought it to simply be a poor attempt at humor. But once he realized it was the truth he had up and left without a word.

The simpleton had probably thought that was the end of it, a harsh reprimand from his Lord. Fact was….as far as Sesshomaru was concerned the man was terminated, he just didn’t know it yet. Sesshomaru already had another in mind for the position, at least temporarily. All he needed to do now was decide what new position the ex-manager would be enrolled and then write up the order.
Hmm….they could always use extra manpower in waste management. Refuse shoveled…that was the ticket.

Still…maybe it was time for a little shake up, things did feel a little stagnant in the market. Perhaps a merchant fair was in order, let the old timers know that they couldn’t just sit on their asses and stop being innovative, stop serving the people like they were supposed to. He had noticed that when some merchants got comfortable they tried to get sneaky, tried to pull things to line their pockets with extra gold.

Father had hated that kind of attitude. Sesshomaru didn’t care much for it either, it was demoralizing to the public, and their well-being had to be taken into consideration along with everything else, in fact…they were more important. Sesshomaru had noticed that powerful people tended to forget, but it was rather simple. The masses made all the wheels turn, they kept things going. It was a balance, they make it work, Sesshomaru saw to it that it worked properly. It was his job to keep the nation together, that’s what made him so important because yes, if left to their own devices the masses could clump together and end up tearing each other apart. He had always tried to instill into the people a great deal of nationalistic pride, not just to keep everyone moving together, but because he knew that people tended to become loyal to their homes, their towns. That could be dangerous…because unfortunately people were stupid. A person was smart, but start grouping them up…and something just took over and down went the intelligence.

So perhaps a infusion of new blood was in order, just to get things moving again. The market was one place where Sesshomaru didn’t mind new things, he delighted in it in fact.

Not to mention….Sesshomaru chewed lightly on his lower lip as he turned another corner in the castle. Maybe it would help with Inuyasha, he could invite his brother to sit with him as the collective merchants gave their little pitches. Include the boy in the process and let him have a say in how things would go. Yes…that sounded just like something that would appeal to his lower baby brother. To have authority, to effect real change and SEE the results.

Just the thought had Sesshomaru smiling as he pictured a positive reaction from Inuyasha.

However his mirth quickly disappeared when he heard a very rare, yet always greatly upsetting sound. Rin was crying.

It took just about all his willpower not to break into a full on run, though the speed of his footsteps did increase.
When he entered the room all he saw was Rin, fur pulled around her in the middle of the bed, sobbing. Inuyasha was no where insight, his scent lingered but it was not fresh.

Coming to sit down on the beside Rin he gently eased her chin up so that she would look at him.

“Are you alright Rin?” Sesshomaru asked. Inside his chest his heart was thundering painfully. Had something happened to Inuyasha?! It certainly did not help his anxiety to remember that the last time he saw Rin this upset was right when Nefrume’s vile plan had gone into motion.

Wiping her eyes Rin sniffled.

“Oh…Lo-Lord Sesshomaru…I didn’t know…you were back”

Sweet child….trying to be polite even now.

“What has happened Rin? Why are you so upset?” Sesshomaru asked gently. But even with that a new wave of tears burst forth from Rin. Sesshomaru waited patiently, reminding himself that she was just a small child, she did not have a fraction of the control an adult would. He just waited, rubbing gently at her back.

“Lord…Lord Inuyasha hates me!” The girl suddenly blurted.

A wave of relief rushed over Sesshomaru. A simply misunderstanding then, something probably drew Inuyasha away and in a fevered state of mind Rin took it the wrong way.

“Why do you say that Rin?” It wouldn’t take long to clear this up. He just needed to know the source.

“He said so! He said, I hate you Rin.” The child sobbed. Sesshomaru froze.

“…What?” He asked quietly, unwilling to believe he had heard that right.

“He…he said…he’d like to crush my head….” Rin supplied.

“What?” Sesshomaru near-snapped, a bit of anger creeping into his tone. It was hard to believe that Inuyasha would say such a thing, but Rin wouldn’t lie to him either. Perhaps Inuyasha wasn’t being serious, he was prone to inane threats when he became annoyed or angry. “Tell me what happened Rin.”

“We-well…I-I woke up and he was standing over there. Um…a lit-little while later I asked him if he would…if he would tell me a story. He said he only knew one and it wasn’t very happy.” I said-” The girl paused as another coughing fit struck her. After she had finished hacking up more of that foul crap Sesshomaru handed her, her glass of water. She accepted it and began to gulp it down. Personally Sesshomaru was grateful that Daigon had had the foresight to have several jugs of water left in the room.

“Anyway…I said it was ok, so he told me the story of the Boy and his brother, and it was so sad!” Rin sobbed. Sesshomaru continued to gently rub her back for comfort, but still….Boy and his brother? He did not like the sound of that. “After he finished he said he was leaving, I felt lonely, I didn’t want him to leave, and he seems lonely too, so I asked if he would stay. He said no, I asked him why and he got this….funny look on his face and said it was because he hated me. He hated me and every time he looked at me he wanted to crush my head.”

Rin started to cry again, but softer this time.

“He said the only reason I was here was because of you and that he hated you too. I got so scared….cause he looked so mad. But then he said that he wanted me to know that even though he wanted to do it, he wouldn’t ever hurt me, because he wasn’t you. I didn’t understand….then he said that I should be careful because after you got something from me you would hurt me. That made me mad so I told him you were a good man and would never hurt me. Then he said something I couldn’t understand and jumped out the window.” Rin fished.

Sesshomaru stomach churned with anger, how could Inuyasha say such things? To a child no less?

The story title itself didn’t ring a bell…but….

Sesshomaru waited patiently for Rin to regain her composure before he asked.

“Rin…do you think you could tell me this story?”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sesshomaru anger grew with every step he took as he plowed through the forest. The hanyou had done nothing to conceal his cent, following it was child’s play, and for some reason that only made Sesshomaru even more angry.

He could handle Inuyasha’s mistreating him, he could handle the boy’s temper and mood swings, he could even tolerate the runt’s foul mouth. But he could not tolerate Inuyasha taking their history out on his young ward. He understood the boy’s anger, his pain, but Rin had nothing to do with any of it.

“You can’t do this like this….you have to calm down” Sess-youkai stated. Calm down? His little brother terrorizes his ward, a small child, and for what? Some bullying notion that he would be getting back at Sesshomaru? It was childish and the boy should know better. “Damn it, I’m telling you that if you go into this angry, if you yell at him, you will destroy everything you have worked so hard for!”

Yes had had worked hard, very hard. But where had it gotten him? He had not made one stitch of progress, Inuyasha was just as angry and bitter as he had ever been, maybe even more so. Sesshomaru had been kind, and it had done nothing. He had allowed Inuyasha almost free rein and it had done nothing. He had tried to show his little brother affection, something he thought the boy desperately needed, and it had done nothing.

Well now it was time for something else, a punishment was in order. Inuyasha had no right to treat Rin like that.

But Sesshomaru’s determined stride suddenly came to an abrupt halt, almost as if his feet were suddenly glued to the ground.

“You are being bullheaded. Didn’t you understand the story he told? Didn’t you get the point? You can’t defend her and attack him….” Sess-youkai snapped.

“Yes…it is all about how I am the biggest piece of slime in the world. Now let me go.” Sesshomaru snarled as he tried to move his legs, only to fail.

“NO! Geez….that girl turns on the water works and you get so worked up that your not even thinking straight. Think about the end of the story, as smashed together as it was, and think about yesterday.” Sess-youkai lectured. “To hear him tell it, your going to kill him one day, he’s practically accepted that.”

Did it know something he didn’t? If it did then why didn’t it just come right out and say it?

Confusion over his youkai’s words began to fight with his anger. He was so preoccupied with this thoughts that be was almost surprised when his legs began working again. After that it was not long before he found Inuyasha.

The hanyou was sprawled out lazily in a tree, his head rolled to the side to stare at Sesshomaru after he had stopped near the boy’s resting place.

“I was wondering if you’d show up.” Inuyasha muttered. Sesshomaru’s anger bubbled back to the forefront and he was about to begin scolding the runt when his youkai’s voice rang out in his skull painfully.

“Please don’t…if you have never listened to me before then listen to me now. Don’t do it. You’ll just turn him against us and I don’t think we will EVER get him back.”

Sesshomaru didn’t like it, but considering the fact that if he had listen to the stupid thing all those years ago then none of this would have come to pass…damn it….might as well give it the benefit of the doubt. Forcing his voice as cool and neutral as he could Sesshomaru spoke.

“I’m rather disappointed in you Inuyasha. Bullying a child like that.”

“Never stopped you.” Inuyasha countered.

“She has nothing to do with us, your issues with me are just that, with me.” Sesshomaru said, keeping hi voice like ice, as if he were merely discussing business. He had a thought, when father would do that it had always hurt the most, more then being yelled at, for then there was at least some emotion. But to be scolded like it was just something that needed to be done had always pounded the point home harder. Perhaps Inuyasha was the same.

“Whatever you say Sesshomaru….your so full of it.” Inuyasha spat. “Is that all you wanted? To tell me how disappointed you are? I’m so crushed believe me.”

Sesshomaru opened his mouth, but something stopped him, he had the odd feeling he was being baited.

“I would ask you not to do it again. I would also like you to apologize to Rin.” Sesshomaru replied. There, that sounded reasonable didn’t it?

“Noooot going to fucking happen. And I do what I want.” Inuyasha shot back.

“Why would you wish to verbally abuse a child, one who has never done a thing to you?” Sesshomaru asked. He couldn’t even believe he was having this conversation, especially not with Inuyasha of all people.

“Why did you? Course you did more then just verbal abuse.” Inuyasha retorted.

“Is that it Inuyasha? Is that what this is? Some bizarre revenge against me? Are you going to try to harm her just to hurt me?” Sesshomaru snarled, making his disgust that Inuyasha would even think of doing such a thing known.

“No. I’m not going to lay one finger on her stupid little head. I told her that, I’m not you Sesshomaru, I don’t get my jollies beating people.” Inuyasha said. Sesshomaru resented that, but pushed it aside.

“Then what is the point of your behavior?” Sesshomaru asked.

“I hate her, I felt she should know that, kid or not I’ve never been one to hide how I feel. I’m not going to start now, and I want her to stay the fuck away from me…maybe now she will.” Inuyasha growled.

“She is perhaps the sweetest child I have ever met, how can you hate her? She has done nothing to you. She would probably adore you if given half the chance.” Sesshomaru replied.

“I was a pretty fucking sweet kid….before it got beat outta me. You didn’t care about that kind of thing then.” Inuyasha growled, pulling himself up to crouch on the tree branch and glare at Sesshomaru.

“Inuyasha…I…”

“ Why are you defending her? That’s why your came here right? To protect her. You know…you once told me that human’s were nothing more then bloated, festering, worthless maggots. Well she is a maggot Sesshomaru…so why do you care?” Inuyasha interrupted.

“She is my ward.” It didn’t seem like a good answer, but it was all he had.

“Why? Why is she your ward? Why do you care about her, why did you chose her, but not me?” Inuyasha rumbled.

“Inuyasha…I did not..” Sesshomaru began.

“Yes you did!” Inuyasha roared as he jumped down off of his perch. “You made a very clear, concise decision to take her in and a very clear, concise decision to abandon me. Why? Why chose her over me?”

“She had no one.” Sesshomaru whispered.

“I had no one!” Inuyasha screamed.

“Inuyasha, I have admitted that what I did to you was wrong, that I was wrong to do it. I-”

“What is so god damn special about her? She’s useless. I would have fought for you, stood by you, I would have done ANYTHING for you. So why did you leave me? Your brother! Your father’s son! You leave me to die yet take in some brat who shares NO blood with you!” Inuyasha spat.

“I have never given…it much thought.” Sesshomaru admitted. Tears were beginning to leak from Inuyasha’s face, but the hanyou didn’t even look like he realized it.

“She doesn’t deserve it! It was mine and you took it from me, took it from me and gave it to her. Why?” Inuyasha shouted before he rushed at Sesshomaru. Catching a hold over his collar Inuyasha drove Sesshomaru back against a tree hard enough that Sesshomaru could hear the wood cracking. “Tell me! Tell me why!” Inuyasha demanded.

Sesshomaru took a moment to gather his thoughts, but apparently that moment was to long for Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru’s cheek exploded with stinging pain as the sound of flesh colliding tore through the air. It took a few seconds before he was able to figure out what just happened, and when he did his temper exploded.

Inuyasha just slapped him!!!
Sesshomaru locked eyes with Inuyasha, preparing to deliver a swift and painful retribution onto the hanyou for daring to inflict such an insult, when he saw the expectant look in the back of Inuyasha’s eyes. Something clicked in his mind and he stopped.

He then realized just what Inuyasha was trying to do, the boy was trying to pick a fight, to goad Sesshomaru into attacking him.

“Tell me…” Inuyasha growled. Sesshomaru said nothing, there was nothing he could say that could justify what he had done, nothing that would satisfy Inuyasha.
And they both knew that.

It was very possible that Inuyasha truly did want an answer, something monumental that he could latch on to and say “That was why.” But there was nothing…it had happened on the whim of a spoiled, stupid, stubborn brat and Sesshomaru could admit that. HAD admitted that.

Out of the corner of his eye Sesshomaru could see Inuyasha’s left hand cocking back. Locking his jaw Sesshomaru decided there was only one thing he could do to further his agenda in this situation. He just had to grit his teeth and bear it.

“Tell me!”

SMACK!

“Tell me!”

SMACK!

“Tell me!”

SMACK!

“Tell me! Tell me!! TELL ME!!!”

SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!

Sesshomaru̵ 7;s whole body shook with repressed rage, his stomach bottoming out form the indignity of such an insult.

Finally Sesshomaru whipped his hand up to catch Inuyasha’s wrist. Leaning in to brush his battered cheek against Inuyasha, Sesshomaru placed his chin on the boy’s shoulder.

“There is nothing I can say Inuyasha….and I will not fight you little brother.” Sesshomaru whispered with calm he did NOT feel. No one had ever laid a hand on him like that.

Releasing his collar Inuyasha attempted to pull away, but Sesshomaru held the hanyou’s wrist firmly. The boy glared at him sideways

“Calm yourself Inuyasha. I told you…there is nothing we can not discuss rationally. If there is a problem then let us work through it.” Sesshomaru said, taking something of a perverse pleasure at how calm he sounded.

“Oh FUCK your rationally!” Inuyasha roared, swinging at Sesshomaru with his free hand. Sesshomaru easily sidestepped the blow, Inuyasha’s fist rocked past him, plowing through the tree Sesshomaru’s back had just been against.

Sesshomaru took a few steps back for precaution as Inuyasha removed his arm from the tree.

“There will be no fight between us Inuyasha. There is noreason to fight. It is over brother, our feud is over….let it go.” Sesshomaru soothed.

“You don’t just turn it off!” Inuyasha shouted, pointing at Sesshomaru accusingly.

“Calm yourself Inuyasha…I know it is hard, I know this will take much work, but….why can lay our past to rest, I know we can.” Sesshomaru stated. “Please…let us return home, get you something to eat to help calm you do-”

“I don’t have a home!” Inuyasha protested, at the top of his lungs at that, his eyes red, his cheeks stained from his tears. But in a way…Sesshomaru was happy to see those tears, to see that Inuyasha was not just holding everything inside of him. “And I can feed myself just fine these days. I don’t’ need you anymore.”

“Maybe so, but I am certain your culinary skills leave much to be desired.” Sesshomaru said, he meant it has a joke, but Inuyasha just bared his fangs at him.

“You pampered brat. Food is food. It keeps you from starving, something you know NOTHING about.”

Again Sesshomaru had the distinct feeling that Inuyasha was trying to provoke him, trying to get him to attack and admittedly at one time…he would have already torn into the boy.

“Hmm….I have not been called a brat in longer then you have been alive….still…you need not worry about such things anymore. Our home as everything you will need, all you-”

“-There is no -OUR- there is yours, and mine.” Inuyasha snapped. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his yes, would Inuyasha interrupt him every time he spoke? “Yours.” Inuyasha said as he turned around in a circle while holding his arms out. “Mine.” He snapped as he held his Fang up by the sheath. “And you even tried to take this!”

“What is your point Inuyasha?” Sesshomaru asked as compassionately as he could.

“My point is that you don’t care one bit about me, only what you can get from me. I didn’t see you for years and when you finally showed up it was because you needed the pearl in my eye to get to Tetsusaiga.” Inuyasha growled. “Not that not seeing you was a bad thing, those years were almost sorta peaceful.”
Sesshomaru’s heart ached slightly, was that why Inuyasha was trying to provoke him? To prove to himself that Sesshomaru had not changed? That he did not care? It was strange logic, but any fool could see that Inuyasha was a least a little crazed at the moment.

“I have shown you affection little brother, I have been kind, and I will show you so much more if you will only cease pushing me away.” Sesshomaru said softly.

That was all he wanted, more then anything else in life right now, he just wanted his brother and himself to come together.

“It’s a lie.” Inuyasha whispered, sounding more like he was talking to himself then Sesshomaru. “If you really cared…you would…” Inuyasha trailed off.
He would what? What was it that he needed to do to prove himself? He wanted to prompt Inuyasha, to ask him. But he was worried that his voice would push Inuyasha back into anger.

“Just like yesterday. You played it so smooth.” Inuyasha said as he started to circle Sesshomaru, gesturing dramatically with his right hand. “I almost believed it, believed you. For a moment I….” Inuyasha stopped, both moving and speaking, his voice faltering as he clutched at his heart, his eyes clenching from some unspoken agony.

Inuyasha’s body shook for a moment, almost as if he would fall, but the boy quickly steadied himself. Sesshomaru’s heart went out to Inuyasha; he looked as if something precious had been torn away from him. Maybe it had…

“So I thought I’d maybe give you the benefit you know? Dangerous as that is. I told myself, I wasn’t going to judge you for the moment, that I would let things, play out. I told myself, I would look at you…with…eyes unclouded so to speak.” Inuyasha continued, waving his hand in front of his eyes.

Well…that was what Sesshomaru wanted, for Inuyasha to see what he was doing now and not look at him through the filter of their past.

“Oh and things started out so well.” Inuyasha chirped, nodding vigorously. “But then what happens? That little bitch shows up.” A mocking humor creped into Inuyasha’s voice as he held his hands out as if to say -hear it is!-

Sesshomaru disapproved of the title Rin was given, but he said nothing. He was gaining information and perhaps he would discover just what the hell went so very wrong yesterday.

“And she’s all, Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru! Look at me! I’m so cute and small!” Inuyasha spat, prancing around in a child like manor. Any other time such a sight would have had Sesshomaru on the ground, laughing until it hurt. But this made him…uneasy. It had a macabre taste to it.

“I’m think, okay, no problem, just a kid right? But the next thing I know you just leave my side.” Inuyasha gestured with his right hand. “To follow that girl. That hurt, but maybe I misunderstood, I totally admit that I thought it meant something. Though you were trying to say, look brother, we are equals, and I will walk beside you through life just like I always should have.”

Well yes….that had been his purpose, he was glad Inuyasha realized it. At least the thought he should be glad.

“But you left me behind…to follow that girl. But I thought, no…no…he’s just trying to keep her out of trouble, kids are such fucking trouble.” Inuyasha growled. “But you stayed away from me, just like you always had, looking back every once in a while like, yep…he’s still there. So you’re with her, and I’m alone….people looking at me…” Inuyasha sneered with disgust. “Like I’m a walking pile of shit.”
Sesshomaru bristled slightly, whether Inuyasha was upset with him or not Sesshomaru would make it very clear that his baby brother was NOT to be disrespected, even if he had to drill it into the public’s heads himself.

“It’s a hanyou thing, you wouldn’t understand.” Inuyasha added. “But you were getting attention left and right, people really like you.”

Yes….well he was their Lord, and he did a damn good job of doing his job.

“So then I think, well maybe he is trying to keep all the people always from me. I don’t do well in large group, they make me very nervous. So maybe that’s why he walked away from me.” Inuyasha continued, acting both flippant and upset at the same time. “So I wander into a little shop, and I’m just looking around. There’s stupid shit here.” Inuyasha gestured with his left hand. “Stupid shit here.” Repeat with the right. “Bunch of jewelry and crap like that. But then….I DO find something I want, something I feel I need. But I can’t have it if my brother isn’t there. But then you are there! You touch my shoulder and I start to feel better, you came to me after all. You ask me if there was something I wanted and I said yes. Then I’m thinking to myself that I finally get something I want, it’s a big deal to me you know. Every other time I have ever tried to buy something I have been beaten and robbed, and when I got older I just said fuck it. So I turn to tell you just what it is…and you’re gone!!” Inuyasha stated, sounding surprised at the end.

“Where did you go?!” Inuyasha exclaimed, spinning this way and that, as if he were looking for something. “I mean you were just here!” Inuyasha stopped, pointing as if he had found what he was looking for.

“Ah there you are! On the other side of the road, and who is that you are with? The bitch of course. You left me. Again. To go to her. Strange though…I didn’t hear her call you; guess you must have just known she needed you. Because lo and behold you very promptly buy…something for her. Now I’m thinking, okay, kinda rude to just leave me like that, but you’ll be back in a moment….yup…just one moment…Oh look you’re leaving.” Inuyasha narrated. “You just up and walk away, without even one glace in my direction. Now I can’t very well buy what I wanted myself, you didn’t leave any money with me, and I must admit it is times like that that really drive home how little I have. I mean there is NOTHING to my name, I have no….” Inuyasha waved his hands in front of his face. “…assets, is that the word I’m looking for? I think it is. I don’t know why it hurts…but it does.” Inuyasha confessed.

Sesshomaru bit down to keep from informing Inuyasha that yes, he did have assets, and he had an entire private account that had never been touched, among other things. Of course on that day Sesshomaru was going to allow Inuyasha the use of his own private account, he wasn’t going to have Inuyasha spending his own funds until Sesshomaru had the chance to tell him that they existed. He was also cursing himself, he had totally forgotten to tell Inuyasha that all he had to do was fill out a little slip and the item would have been his, the bill would have been sent to the castle.

“So obviously because I can’t do anything without you, which was pretty humiliating, I left the shop, leaving the thing I desired so much behind, to go after you. Seems to be a theme for us huh? Me chasing you.” Inuyasha continued. “But you weren’t anywhere I could see, I had to walk about seven minutes jut to find out. You left me again. Yet again. When I do find you I am a bit upset, a little angry. But what I see next really tops it all off. She coughs.” Inuyasha made a small, mocking cough. “And almost instantly you are on high fucking alert, your down on one knee, checking temperature, looking her over. Did her eyes pop out? Lung come up? I mean you’re intense at that moment.”

Once again Inuyasha’s tone became sarcastic, which made Sesshomaru feel a little indignant. So what? He was showing concern for his ward, had he not show concern each time Inuyasha was under duress lately?

“Now I really don’t know why but suddenly I am reminded of a time where I was very sick. I mean very…VERY sick, and I had to struggle with it all by myself. I nearly died. NO joke, I was just a hairsbreadth away from being a corpse rotting in the sun, and I had been about her age really. But you weren’t there for me, no one checked my temperature, no one took me to get any kind of help. It was luck that saved me, pure blind luck. I came to realize that you would not have cared one bit if I had died back then, but yet here you are, fretting over a maggot.”

Sesshomaru really did not like how Rin was being described, but what he really hated was that Inuyasha was using his own words against him. It made it impossible to argue.

“Needless to say, but I’m going to say it anyway, I became more then a little angry, its hard for me you know, to see things like that. SO I decided right then and there that it is time to end the day, because lets face it….it had SUCKED. I figure I should let you know, don’t’ need you bothering me later. So finally you notice me, I give you the little come here signal, because I sure as fuck am not coming to you again. It felt good in a way, you coming to me, course you had to bring the girl didn’t you? Anyway…I let you know that I am leaving, being polite and all that and you act…shocked, like you can’t believe I just said that. Then you ask your little question, one that I can’t believe you ask, heh see…we shocked each other, so I ask my own question. You answer by saying that you don’t remember anything important.” Inuyasha growled.
Huh….well at least he knew what it was he had forgotten. Who knew that a near breakdown rant from Inuyasha could be so informative?

“So you forgot what I said, even though it was important to me.” Inuyasha near sobbed, his voice breaking, which had Sesshomaru feeling very uneasy once more. “All your words, all that supposed kindness….oh it all went right out the window, just as soon as that girl showed up. She appears and BAM! I don’t exist anymore.”

Sesshomaru didn’t know what to say, part of him wanted to ask if that was what all of this was about, that Inuyasha was upset because he wasn’t getting enough attention. The rest of him wanted that part of him to shut the fuck up and die, because it was stupid and would get him in even more trouble.

“So I leave, and I’m in a real bad way. I’m angry, my feelings are hurt, and I can’t believe how stupid I was. So of course because I want to left alone I have to run into EVERYONE. Now I generally like my group, don’t get me wrong. But they have questions and I feel like I’m about to freak out. So I find something safe, my little kit and the toy he is playing with. I focus on that, its nice and safe right? But to make a long story short I find out that the two was meant for me! They are all mine!! MINE!” Inuyasha spat, each word deliberate, then glaring at Sesshomaru before laughing a very disturbing laugh.

“I mean why the fuck not right? She got everything else. She got every. Single. Thing you took away from me. I realized that that she is important to you, why I don’t know, but she is and I’m not. It was tough…coming to grips with the fact that someone could steal everything out from under you without even trying.

Sesshomaru wanted to dispute that, it wasn’t true. But Inuyasha had begun to circle him again and he had that dangerous look in his eye once more.

“That’s when I knew….just how full of shit you really are. That’s when the lie came out into the light.” Inuyasha snarled, but tears were still leaking from his eyes, he looked more crushed and worn down then angry. “How could someone profess to care for you, say all the things that have been said. But then ignore you at the drop of a hat? Simple…they can’t, not if its real. You can’t just switch back and forth like that. See I know…I’ve cared for people, it doesn’t just shut off not matter what happens. It takes a lot for it to die, or be beaten out of you. So that’s what gave you away dear brother.” Inuyasha mocked. “The switch…it clicked over when she came. But have to admit once more….you really had me going. Yeah…” Inuyasha muttered distantly.

Sesshomaru’s heart hurt so damn bad he could hardly stand it, he could almost see the pain Inuyasha was positively raw with. It made sense to him now, Inuyasha’s feelings about Rin.

Inu as a people were extremely territorial. Inuyasha clearly saw Rin as a threat, something that could, and in Inuyasha’s own mind had, steal his family. In a way Inuyasha saw Rin just as Sesshomaru had seen Inuyasha all those years ago.

A replacement.

Inuyasha had gone silent, distant. His head was down, face in his hands. The boy was shivering, badly, but it was not from cold.

Their father had once told Sesshomaru that if an Inu went without family for long enough, they would simply melt down. Sesshomaru had laughed at the time, his father had been grinning when he said it, and just chalked it up to the family minded Inu-Taisho’s quirks. But what he was witnessing right at this very moment, closely matched his father’s words.

The rapid changes in mood, the near manic outbursts, the sheer searing pain that Inuyasha seemed to be struggling with. If it wasn’t a meltdown, Sesshomaru didn’t know what was.

Father had theorized the breaking point would be about twenty years without any contact. Inuyasha had been alone without so much as an embrace from Sesshomaru for over two hundred and fifty years. Was it any wonder that his baby brother was hurting so much?

Sesshomaru took a few steps towards Inuyasha, who was now making small, choking, gasp like noises, as if he were trying to sob, but couldn’t, or wouldn’t allow himself to do so.

Inuyasha needed his family. He needed to be held, to be able to touch, to breath in the scent of one of his own. Sesshomaru knew this, he wasn’t sure how, but he did, something inside of him, not his heart, not his youkai, but something told him, loud and clear, that Inuyasha needed him.

He wasn’t about to argue, so without any thought at all he knew what he needed to do. He would wrap his arm around the boy, pull him in tight against his body, he would encircle his baby brother in his fur. He would just be there, he would lie down with Inuyasha of the bare earth if he had to and if Inuyasha wanted to go somewhere else then Sesshomaru could carry him.

He also had the incredible urge to massage his brother’s body, to rub oils into his skin, just to make him relax and feel good. Not an easy task with but one hand, of course he was THE Sesshomaru, he would succeed regardless.

However just as he neared Inuyasha and began to reach for him, the hanyou raised his head, and for a moment Sesshomaru saw hope in Inuyasha’s eyes, a clear needy desire for exactly what he was offering. Again Sesshomaru just knew this to be a fact.

But the moment faded, Inuyasha’s eyes hardened and Sesshomaru found himself stumbling back from Inuyasha’s forceful shove.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” the hanyou roared.

Inuyasha wiped at his eyes disdainfully with his palms, rocking his whole body from side to side as he growled, before shaking his head violently.

“You think you can just….fucking….arrragh!” Inuyasha growled low and deep, and Sesshomaru could see him shove everything away in a brutal display of willpower.

But he also saw one other thing in Inuyasha’s eyes the moment before it disappeared. Fear. Inuyasha was afraid of something…but what?

“Oh yeah….before I forget….you know how you mentioned waiting until your human got better before we left? Not happening. I’ll keep my word and go with you but you will keep yours. You said we would be ready by tomorrow at the latest, so if your not here by noon tomorrow. I’m leaving, I’m taking my group and I’m outta here, and I’m never coming back.” Inuyasha declared “So if you were be so kind, which will be very difficult I know, as to send my party out here, that would mean a lot to me.”

“What do you mean?” Sesshomaru asked, his fist works in quite a while.

“I’m not going back in there, and if you try and make me go in there after them, I’ll tear that whole shit hole down around your fucking ears.” Inuyasha answered spitefully.

Sesshomaru’s temper rose, their home was certainly NOT a shit hole!

“Inu-” Sesshomaru began. There was no reason for his bother to remain in the wild, not with their home so close.

“No. There is no discussion here. Tomorrow. Noon. Or that’s it. This time we do things my way….or we don’t do them at all.” Inuyasha glared at him for a moment. “How’s that feel?” The cocky tone in Inuyasha’s voice almost made him roll his eyes, but at the same time he could see confusion in the boy’s own. Interesting…

“Very well.” Sesshomaru said. “But for future reference….do not lay your hands upon me in such a manner again, especially not in public. I will have to punish you if you did. It is beyond rude, disrespectful and barbarous. You are better then that, you are not a heathen and I will not allow you to act like one.”

The confusion in Inuyasha’s eyes only grew, but with that Sesshomaru turned and left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After he entered the castle Sesshomaru rubbed at his sore cheeks, he still could not believe Inuyasha had done that. Still….a little bit of tenderness in his face and a grave insult seemed a small price to pay for the information he had just been give. He wondered if Inuyasha had any idea how much he had just given Sesshomaru. Or maybe somewhere deep down it was just that, a desperate cry for help.

He had made a grave miscalculation and overestimated Inuyasha’s maturity. It was hard to remember at times that Inuyasha was still technically a child. A emotionally scarred child at that. He had thought to treat Inuyasha as an adult, and repair their bond that way, but now he realized that, in short, he needed to treat the boy like a needy child, without letting Inuyasha realize he was being treated like a child to keep from prodding his hypersensitive pride.

It was an oversimplified thought, but it seemed true. Inuyasha needed affection, praise, all of the things a budding child needed to mature healthily. Inuyasha had never received any of that, and it had begun to show.

It also seemed that not only was Inuyasha fighting his pain, his loneliness, but he was also fighting what his body told him he needed.

Stubborn brat…

But more importantly Sesshomaru had just learned that even though Inuyasha had said he knew Sesshomaru’s actions to be a -lie- his behavior indicated he was not totally convinced. The boy wanted to believe.

Sesshomaru had a feeling that was why Inuyasha had tried so hard to provoke him, he was trying to confirm what he thought in his mind. Whether he knew it or not Inuyasha seemed extremely reluctant to let go of what he wanted so badly. Perhaps there was a part of Inuyasha that felt Sesshomaru was being sincere, and the hanyou wanted to quell that.

A beating from Sesshomaru would probably have done just that. Clearly that had been what had confused Inuyasha, the fact that Sesshomaru had not matched what he knew in his head. It was somewhat ironic, that his lack of words and actions may have just furthered his cause more then anything else he had said or done.

“See…this is hwy you should always listen to me.” Sess-youkai preened.

“Quiet.” Sesshomaru replied.

He had had much planning to do. Inuyasha was breaking, that much was certain, all Sesshomaru had was wait for the boy’s will to weaken, then be there for him. But at the same time he had to make sure he did enough to keep the hanyou stable. He couldn’t let him just shatter.

Despite everything that had happened, Sesshomaru felt oddly hopeful. He had made progress, and now he had a plan that had evidence to back it up.

“You almost thought you had a family, that was what you were about to say wasn’t it Inuyasha? Well then…I will show you that you do.” Sesshomaru vowed.

“Does this mean we will cuddle him?” Sess-youkai asked.

“….Yes…..yes it does.” Sesshomaru answered.

“Fuck. Yes!”

Sesshomaru smiled, gods…it was so surreal to agree to that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha growled, gods his head was so fucked up right now, he felt like he was going crazy. It didn’t help that ever since Sesshomaru had left a few hours ago the stupid tug in his heart had become so bad that he wanted to claw at it.

Fucking Sesshomaru….so god damn….argh….

He really needed to get the fuck away from this place. Noon….noon tomorrow he could leave and never look back.

He was so confused and he had not clue what had come over him earlier, he had not planned on doing any of that, but he had just…freaked out.

But what was up with Sesshomaru? Inuyasha had thought for sure the ass was going to give him shit about the girl. Yet Sesshomaru had not really done anything but list some of her supposed positive qualities.

What was he up to?

Suddenly heavy footsteps began to approach him, far to many to be his group and he could hear armor clinking together. Inuyasha turned over in his tree just in time to see Sesshomaru, Daigon, Atrius, Retsu riding on top of a cart that was being pulled by that dragon thing of Sesshomaru’s, and about fifteen other demons approaching him.

They started to pass him without a word, which was weird, though Retsu and Atrius gave him a friendly smile and wave.

“Come Inuyasha.” Sesshomaru ordered.

“Where the hell are you going?” Inuyasha asked.

“To our meeting with the other Lords. I believe it was you who was eager to get on the road yes?” Sesshomaru answered.

Inuyasha’s jaw almost dropped, but the group continued, never even stopping as they gained distance on the tree he was resting in.

“Wait! Where is my group?” Inuyasha shouted.

“They can not come with us I’m afraid, it would cause an major uproar should they make an appearance, for the destination we are slated for no human has ever set foot in. They will remain in the castle, enjoying my hospitality I might add. Now hurry, you are falling behind.” Sesshomaru shouted back.

“Now wait…” Inuyasha started.

“Less talk more walk young Lord.” Diagon chirped cheerfully.

“Oh fuck you man-boy!” Inuyasha roared as he leaped out of the tree, before stomping after them.

“He is correct Inuyasha, you should be at the front at my side, unless you need to be carried. I suppose there is room on Retsu’s cart.” Sesshomaru chuckled.

“Double fuck you to you too Sesshomaru!”

“Dear gods….its not going to be like this the entire way there is it?” Atrius muttered.”

Hey I did it! Short chapter! Wooo! I know its silly but I’ve been killing myself with some of these longer chapters, and I really didn’t think the subject matter in this one, warranted a long chapter.

I tried to do a lot of things in this chapter, including show how Inuyasha starting to have a breakdown, not sure if I succeeded. I also wanted this chapter to end on a light note….so I hope everyone enjoys it!


PpAllen2772: There was a lot I wanted to do in that chapter, the fight was something I was worried about, at first I was going to have it go back and forth from Imalia’s point of view and Inuyasha’s. But then I realized that not everyone has the same fighting background as I do, so they would end up not knowing what the hell I was talking about. So I switched it to Sesshomaru just to help explain some stuff.

Snowfall: I know some people might think Inuyasha is going a bit far, but at the same time he’s going through so much, its hard for him to keep a lid on everything. Sesshomaru is trying very hard, but then again he’s also not paying attention to things he should. I knew the thing with Rin was probably going to be controversial. But in almost every other Inu fiction I have ever read, her and Inu always get along, and often she is the thing that helps or makes Inuyasha let his past go and accept Sesshomaru. Which always confuses me….so I put myself in Inuyasha’s shoes and I decided that you know what? Man I’d HATE that girl…I really would. So….there you have it. I think you’d have to, even though she did do anything.

Isis191: Well that’s the thing isn’t it? Even though they have known each other for so very long, they don’t really KNOW each other, especially with Sesshomaru’s changes. Its confusing for them.

c-loke: Well, I liked I’ve said I just put myself in Inuyasha’s place, to me it makes sense for him to harbor resentment and jealousy towards Rin. Even though yes she didn’t do a thing to him, it would still be hard to look at her having everything he should have had and not hold it against her.

Psht, is mad: Nope not done, though I think I might be….almost half way? Maybe?

Izzanami: I dunno, maybe it has something to do with me being a guy. But I just got annoyed how Inuyasha gets treated in fan fiction and how he just….allows it. He never really seems to stand up for himself, never seems to have any pride. He always…backs down at some point.

Eastsidegeorgiaboy: I loves me some boy readers hehe. But yeah…man I hate when good stories just get abandoned. So very annoying…they always leave you hanging. Its my goal to never do that.

There were more comments, and I’d like to get to them all….but I’m wicked tired. I was up all night finishing this and I need sleep.

So special thanks to

The Reaper
Ashlan
hyperactive pup
Bibi11
gen50
Yashas_Sis
ginger7 5125
Annalist
princesssirenity2000

With an extra special thanks to Bibi11 for the really wonderful piece of Art, of the Mating marks on Sesshomaru and Inuyasha that was given to me.