DISCLAIMERS: I DO NOT OWN 'INUYASHA'! THAT HONOR IS HELD BY RUMIKO TAKAHASHI!
"The Right Choice"
Summary: Sesshomaru's oncoming heat cycle has left him vulnerable.
What will happen when his half-brother discovers him, alone and weakened?
Warnings: Language, mild violence, Inucest, YAOI (boyxboy) Don't like boy-love? Don't read :)
Some ooc, on purpose!
THIS IS RATED M FOR A REASON!
A/N This is the first fic I ever wrote, and it is the first I've ever tried to post. Please be patient, I'm trying to figure out the process :) For what it's worth, I have written the whole 7-chapter story in my notebook, so I will not leave you hanging.
Chapter 1: Sesshomaru's Dilemma
The Lord of the West was in trouble. He knew his impending heat cycle was going to incapacitate him; he could feel it physically and mentally. Already, his strength was less than half of his usual capabilities. His coordination was wavering, and he felt confused, a disturbing sensation for the demon. His ability to concentrate and focus was slipping dangerously. In the last few hours, the normally watchful youkai had been caught off-gaurd several times. Numerous low-life demons from every direction had scented his approaching heat and ambushed him in attempts to claim him.
The usually expressionless dog demon shivered, realizing just how close to successful some of those attempts had come. Thank the gods, he'd managed to evade every attacker. His weakness made his swords practically useless, leaving him with his poison-acid, and a fraction of his former strength and speed.
Then his nose picked up a familiar collection of scents. Damn them! That half-breed and his pack! Damn!
Oh, yes. Sesshomaru was in serious trouble.
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Less than a mile away, a certain half-demon stopped his pack's progress and tilted his head, nose twitching. There was a scent...a wonderful, intoxicating scent that seemed to permeate the air. It absolutely captivated him. He was sure he hadn't encountered this particular scent before, yet, somehow it seemed familiar in a disturbing way. He felt compelled to follow it to it's source, and for once, his inner demon agreed with him about something. He began following the scent, slowly at first, then faster as the scent got stronger and he narrowed down the direction. He took off, quickly outdistancing his shocked pack.
"Well, what do you suppose all that was about?" Kagome asked her equally shocked companions. Sango shrugged, readying her signature weapon in case it was needed. "I have no idea, but you know we're following him, right? Kilala, let's go!" The adorable bundle of fur lunged forward, flaring into her fierce larger form with a rush of flames. Miroku asked " Do you think he caught the scent of a demon?" Kagome shook her head, frowning. "I don't think so. He looked...content, right before he took off." Shippo, almost awkward with his recent growth spurt, spoke up. "Hey, you guys? I smell something really interesting from the same direction Inuyasha went." Sango asked "What does it smell like?" The fox-child closed his emerald eyes to focus.
"Umm, this might not make much sense, but it smells like...safety. It feels like I'd be safe, no matter what, as long as I was close to the source of this scent." Kilala made an odd rumbling sound, offering her opinion as she anxiously pawed at the ground.
Sango frowned in concern. This sounded like the heat of a demon, a powerful one. A very powerful one, if the reactions of the still-young fox and mature 2-tail cat were any indication. And their aggressive, impulsive Alpha was headed straight for it! "We need to go NOW!" she demanded. The others saw the fierce light in her eyes and did not argue. They all mounted the fiery neko, who took to the air with an unusual impatience. An impatience only Sango noticed as concern for this unknown demon filled her.
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Sesshomaru had finally been forced to stop before he dropped from exhaustion. Eying the area he had stopped in, he saw a spring and a small waterfall that hid a tiny cave behind it. He needed to try to disperse his scent, right now! He leaped into the stream at one end of the clearing, then followed the shallow water up to the cave hidden behind the waterfall. He pulled himself in, then collapsed, panting and shaking. Damn, this wasn't supposed to happen! He was meant to be a dominant! Things had changed, though. Even though the actual onset of this heat phase hadn't quite hit him yet, he was completely drained. For the first time in his life, the Killing Perfection felt a stab of fear for his personal safety. Rin and Jaken were safe back at the Western Castle. He smiled ever-so-slightly, even though his breathing remained ragged.
His sweet Rin and his fiercely loyal retainer; he would not have to protect them when he could not even protect himself. He found himself frowning..he hadn't had a chance to tell them goodbye. Normally, this would be no issue, but now...His body began trembling, his muscles practically vibrating from pain and weakness.
Behind a waterfall in an empty clearing, the proud canine youkai lord curled into a ball, uncertain of his fate...and unaware of a half-demon with almost identical golden-amber eyes racing towards his refuge.
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Inuyasha was still pursuing the glorious scent, when, suddenly, it began to fade. He snarled to himself in irritation, confused and frustrated. "Why is this scent so appealing..why does it seem kinda familiar?" He burst in on a clearing with a stream, sniffing frantically. The scent seemed to fade right around here...just then, he caught a much more familiar, and much less welcome, scent. Well, damn! His stuck-up, glacier-hearted, fucking invincible brother! That frigid bastard was close by!
Delectable scent forgotten, the hanyou snarled viciously and flexed his claws. If this was some kinda trap to try to kill him (yet again) that high-and-mighty prick was gonna have a hell of a fight on his hands! Bracing himself, he called out "Sesshomaru! Quit slinking around and come out! I know you're here, you ice-blooded bastard!"
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Sesshomaru twitched with pain that spasmed in waves under his skin. Trying to distract himself, he lifted one clawed hand to his face and gingerly touched one of the magenta markings that graced his high cheekbones. He hissed in a breath and snatched his hand away. Perfect! His various demon markings had always been rather sensitive, and he'd never intentionally let anyone touch them. Now, though, even a light touch set him on fire.
Suddenly, his nose and ears twitched. "Oh, shit." The elegant phrase fell from his lips as he registered his half-brother's presence in the clearing. Damn. He did NOT want to deal with the hanyou, didn't even want to face him in his current condition.
Inuyasha had every right to want to hurt him.
What's more, in Sesshomaru's heart, he knew his little brother had every right to hurt him, not just want to.
The waterfall was loud, but his ears caught enough. "Sesshomaru!...come out!...ice-blooded bastard!"
Unaware of the whimper his traitorous throat was producing, the youkai started to leave his cave. He instinctively knew the tight confines of the cave were more dangerous than the open. Maybe he could run...
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As Sesshomaru emerged from his hiding spot, the look on Inuyasha's face dissolved from fury into disbelief. What the hell had happened to his proud, unshakeable brother? The youkai's shoulders slumped, his head hung down, and he moved as though every single bone in his body was broken.
"Se..Sesshomaru?" was all he could choke out.
x
The fierce dog demon lifted his head as his shaking hands gathered his long, disheveled sky-silver hair and pushed it behind his back. Sesshomaru met the amber eyes of the hanyou that believed he hated him. Gods, that belief was his own damn fault. "What is it, Inuyasha?"
x
When Inuyasha saw his arrogant brother's beautiful honey eyes, clouded with defeat and pain and so much more than he'd ever believed the youkai was capable of feeling, his fury returned with a vengance. He growled and saw fear flicker in the older male's eyes. "Who did this to you?" Inuyasha demanded. When the demon just stared at him, he practically screamed "Who the HELL hurt you like this?!"
x
Sesshomaru flinched away from the rage evident in every aspect of his brother. His voice..eyes..posture..scent..aura. They all pulsed with a desire to kill. This terrified the weakened Lord of the West. He dropped to his knees, partly from the weakness that made his whole body tremble, partly from an instinctive need to not appear threatening to the pissed-off hanyou. "Nobody did this to me, it's...I..I'm in heat, Inuyasha." The fury faded from his brother's eyes, and Inuyasha stepped closer, looking baffled. "But, why is it affecting you like this? I thought the heat cycle only weakened submissive demons?"
x
Inuyasha realized his brother was no longer meeting his eyes, staring instead at the grass. And the demon lord appeared to be fidgeting! "Sesshomaru?" Only a twitch of those pointed ears indicated he'd been heard. "Sesshomaru!" he snapped, pouring acquired Alpha command into his voice. Sesshomaru visibly jumped, and wide golden eyes lifted to him, still not quite meeting his own.
Realizing for the first time just how afraid his big brother was, and of him no less, Inuyasha asked softly.
"Sesshomaru, are...are you a submissive?"