Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

I write this story in attempting to try out a new writing style. So far this is my most satisfied version. If you find the writing is confusing, annoying, overly amateur, please know that I am still learning English and I'm only trying to improve myself.

This is a fan-fiction of Inuyasha, starts at the end of the series. You know, when Sesshoumaru flies by and Kagome screeched her greeting of "Onii-san!" that caused both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to look at her nastily. I am aware there is a bonus chapter featuring 6 months later after the end of the cannon by Mrs. Takahashi, but I can't consider that lone chapter was the "true ending".

The Sesshoumaru/Inuyasha pairing is an incestuous relationship between half-siblings, and both of them are males. So if any of the information highly disturb you, please be nice and click on the BACK button. I trust you know what you are getting yourself into if you read the story's overall introduction before clicking on it.

1. Limit

What potions have I drunk of siren tears,
Distilled from limbecks foul as hell within,
Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,
Still losing when I saw myself to win!
What wretched errors hath my heart committed,
Whilst it hath thought itself so blessèd never!
How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted
In the distraction of this madding fever!

— Sonnet 119, Shakespeare

"What are you doing here, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru's voice did not raise however no less demanding. He had no intention to spend his time in companionable silence, no matter how half-welcoming that company truly was. The other unwelcoming half had its root planted way two months back on the day a certain unpleasant priestess called him by the title there was one creature in this entire world held all rights to. Only for being the darling of said creature spared that daring smug face from getting mutilated by his claws, possibly would be revived later by Tenseiga just to live through the process one more time before she was allowed to die for good. The uncharacteristic, albeit momentarily, indulgence in scheming death upon someone he found highly obnoxious just because of her affair with Inuyasha, was more than enough a proof of how high he placed his younger sibling in consideration. In fact, Sesshoumaru could always be himself and help this pathetic human life time of Kagome meeting its epilogue a little sooner and needed not to answer any question after, according to how they all knew about his pure demonic antagonistic personality. That was what the humans believed all demons to be, was it not? And especially Inuyasha, who had witnessed how he attempted murder the girl in front of his eyes once in their Father's Grave before. Sesshoumaru unconsciously flexed his newly regenerated left arm, unable to suppress a smirk that went unnoticed by his companion since he had his back on Inuyasha the whole time, having no reason to change this anytime soon.

It was dusk. Half of the sky had already been swallowed by fast coming darkness, what left of it from the horizon was still trying to reach out for the regal demon. Despite their ability to shine with the intensity of day time had already withered, feeble golden and red lights still possessed enough strength to catch Sesshoumaru's sliver locks fluttering in early evening breeze, outlined his proud frame atop mortally dangerous mountain edge, furthered casting him as the unearthly living being that he was. This was unfair, really. Being born from the same sire yet, even when standing several steps away from each other, one was beyond reach and the other one, himself to be exact, was left starving of affection since the passing of his mother. This also served to remind him how different in reality the both of them were. There was one certain day every month Inuyasha cowered in fear from becoming the prey to be preyed upon by predators that might or might not be his preys on any other days, this day forever marked his life pathetic since birth by other demons who were just as equally pathetic if not more; and Sesshoumaru just walked through another same day without any change of plan at his own pace. That, once upon a time had been a bitter thought from being utterly rejected by his one and last blood relate in the world, now was no more than a dark whisper in the back of his mind. It was still there, dormant, and Inuyasha would still be haunted by it the longer his stubbornness lingered, refused to let himself be moved on.

The appearance of Sesshoumaru in his life was just to ignore him all together and, to remind him of how unneeded his existence was, and yes, let them not forget there was no "Our Father" because there was only "Sesshoumaru's Father". Inuyasha had stopped wondering how someone like Sesshoumaru could do more impact than both Kikyo and Kagome, and his other companions combined. His musing then started a different approach and posed the inquiry of why not. Then that too, led him to a much expected dead end and Inuyasha almost gave up his futile attempt at solving the enigmatic puzzle materialized itself in the form of his half-sibling. There had always been the strange need to be in sight of Sesshoumaru, or somehow found himself in the present of his brother, even if the demon only interested in Tessaiga but not its owner. At least, Inuyasha was enough of a fool to fool himself into believing there was some part of Sesshoumaru, however more non-existence than not, did care for him. And a fool he continued to be, enduring the heartbreaking each time, silenced its weeping into numbness, just to see this demon every chance he got, no matter what the absurdity of his verbalized reasons were.

"Rin seems down lately. Everyone is worry about her. I think you need to know." Rin mattered to Sesshoumaru than anything else living in the human village without a shadow of doubt, that was acceptably legit. However it completely unrelated to the necessity of Inuyasha's personal appearance while Kohaku was fully capable of bringing the information to Sesshoumaru well enough, only the slayer boy would take longer because Kirara couldn't sniff the demon out as fast. And Inuyasha just happened to have too much time for himself when Kaede requested someone go find his half-brother.

He was well-aware of his absent saddened Rin. Sesshoumaru couldn't help feeling pleased in a twisted way. That even when living with her own kin who loved her and showered her with sincere affection, his former little ward didn't forget him and reluctant to move on to find her way out of dependency. Sooner or later, his lessen visiting would distant her attachment, the delaying had nothing to do with recognizing what was best for her however, it issued from the new mess, bred by old grudge back in the time of his Father, that he currently entertained himself with. While the threat itself was laughable for its feeble attempts at vengeance, it did serve a purpose in keeping his mind off thoughts he'd rather not diving in too deep, for now, or until that priestess was about to be out of the picture. As things currently merited his multi-purposes, Sesshoumaru allowed their happenings. That did not mean he had turned a blind eye on Inuyasha's lie. Technically Inuyasha didn't lie to him. But the half-demon, who recently plagued his mind a little bit stronger than before, didn't tell the truth either.

"If you have done what you need to do here, you can go." Sesshoumaru smoothly dismissed his half-sibling without sparing the subject of his musing a fleeting glance. That might be best for Inuyasha and himself the longer time crawled forward with neither making any move to leave. Because Sesshoumaru was more than tempted to test out his newly developed instinct; the one involved pinning Inuyasha into any random nearby inanimate object, helpless and still refused to submit to him.

Sesshoumaru had spent his life uninterrupted by carnal desire until this point, and he needed more time to dwell on the whys and how-comes this was happening now with Inuyasha centered every reflection no matter where he looked. It would be entirely pathetic to stoop so low at mere basic level of animalistic needs no matter how normal and natural it was. And had the truth ever been pathetically so, Sesshoumaru was certain he could face neither his Father nor Mother at the entailing shame. He was educated to be better than that just as he knew he was more than that, and with a tremendous conviction he deemed Inuyasha far worthy to deserve finer than that. Sesshoumaru was unarmed against the assaults of these new feelings and compulsions blossomed beyond his conscious, therefore his only defense was the normalcy of their relationship. Even flowing back to the familiar exchanging of words was greatly distasteful and angered him to the point his vision flared red in responding to his inner conflicts. He used to brush Inuyasha off in more than one occasions and felt little about it. Now, if the half-demon didn't know what best for himself and loitering around any longer, Sesshoumaru might lose it, and lose it happily he would, without any string of remorse ever after. Because no one ever regretted possessing something or in his case, someone, already born belonged to him.

The calmness in which Sesshoumaru took the news unsettled Inuyasha to a point. He himself had two entire centuries of experiencing his demon sibling's cold shoulder first-hand. But the difference was he craved the affection Sesshoumaru had never given him, whereas Rin basked in it up until now to be seemingly ignored in a less hateful manner. Upsetting on the girl's behalf in echo of his own acidic past made Inuyasha raise his voice, looked pass Sesshoumaru's obvious reason of doing so, thundered at the back of that silver crown his long buried piece of mind, inwardly beseeched a reconsidering for the girl's sake more than his own even it torn at his heart to know Sesshoumaru would do everything to ensure happiness of a stranger, while the chance to have it for himself was pitifully zero. Inuyasha jerked his chin with a sneer, "It would degrade your royal highness to let the world know he cares for a human girl, wouldn't it? After all there is no secret about his hatred toward human and no love written in his name." His sudden movement jolted the thing around his neck, which he caught immediately out of reflex to keep its noise down. The Beads of Subjugation.

"She said the word would be 'beloved' and smiled. I immediately knew it was her way to confess her feeling for you because she had never smiled so gently like that for as long as I was with my sister." Kaede told him. "She had never meant to control you."

Averted his eyes toward the shadowed moon, Inuyasha could still see a sliver of its round shape deep in bottomless veil of heaven abyss. Tomorrow would be the day of new moon, tomorrow he would become a human. Kikyo had unknowingly inspired a longing in him, stemmed from her suggestion that he wished upon the Jewel of Four Souls to become a human, freeing her off the duty as a priestess and together, they would live a normal life afterward. Inuyasha had been willing to choose the possibility of leading a new life with someone who loved him, it sounded brighter than anything else he had planned for himself. Because Kikyo would walk by his side until the end, he believed she would, if only Naraku had never found pleasure in separating them. Because there was no warrant Sesshoumaru would accept him even if he became a demon. Plus, Kikyo gave him what he was denied by Sesshoumaru. His fingers unconsciously twisted two beads around themselves, as masochistic as his thought might indicate, carrying Kikyo's memento gave him an odd reassurance to know he belonged somewhere, to someone. As of now, he wondered what his life would have been if he was a human. Would the demon before him ever let him have a taste of what Rin had blissfully been through? Would he ever want it at all, knowing in the end it wouldn't last and left a big hollow in its wake impossible to fill by anyone else after?

Sesshoumaru had turned sharply to glare over his shoulder at Inuyasha's smarting words and almost fell back into the habit of hurling selectively hurtful words at the younger but catching himself at the last second, witnessed Inuyasha's glazed eyes seeing something beyond his own comprehension. Thankfully he didn't have to snap Inuyasha out of it because those same yet different eyes refocused on him. In their golden depth, flicker of something he felt he should recognize but having no memory or knowledge to identify what it could have been, before hardening immediately without hint of what ran in their owner's mind. This aggravated Sesshoumaru more than he bothered to not show. His eyes narrowed. Since when Inuyasha ever learnt to keep things from him. Since when he thought he could get away with it.

"Are you speaking for your jealousy, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru taunted with a curl of his lips, forming the cruelest smirk his character ever used when involving the utmost alchemistic creature composed by his dearly sire and a human princess, the mortal lover of said sire. This one unmistakable emotion from personal familiarity he realized with ease among the mix running rampart in that instant their eyes locked before it could hide. Jealousy, a double-edges weapon, one required the best maneuver so as not to be fallen victim under its own lethal blade. Sesshoumaru tilted his head, strategically let his long fringe shadowed his eyes, "That Rin, someone related to me not, someone belongs to what I detest most, has what you wholly desired to the darkest part of your lonely soul, what should have been yours by birthright?" Acidic. He was not unfamiliar with its vile content but for once, it left far worse aftertaste on the tip of his tongue. A different kind of poison compared to his trademark toxic but no less fatal.

Inuyasha stood rigid at every words hitting home. Sesshoumaru always knew what power he held over him, and the demon abused it unfailingly. Why? Why could Sesshoumaru matter so much to hurt him a new every time he almost done licking the old wounds? How could that kind of power was in his hands since the beginning? Why he could come up with no theory as to when he was stripped off his control to be all powerless against this ruthless demon of a brother? He wanted to turn around and run, to where he was safe away from Sesshoumaru. The greater part of himself forced him to stay, stand proud despite whatever Sesshoumaru had in store to break him further, and picked up the pieces to stand again. That had been the only way he knew of to deal with Sesshoumaru. Because the very moment he was completely broken, Sesshoumaru would acknowledge him no longer.

Time made Inuyasha realize affection was not the only thing mattered. If Sesshoumaru would only hurt him until the last day he drew breath, as long as they stayed in each other's life, Inuyasha was willing to embrace that fate. Because against his better judgement, he decided Sesshoumaru was worth it. There was no point regretting now that it was too late. He was involved whether he wanted this or not, as Sesshoumaru phrased it, by birthright. So, with a renewed determination intensified the vivid golden doorway to his soul, Inuyasha had a stronger grip in the eyes contact to look straight at his vicious brother's icy molten liquid gold orbs to say the two words steadily, "I am."

That had been a statement in the pretentious of a question. His insight was like heaven and earth apart compared to Inuyasha's admission, spoken clearly in the absent of dubiousness could only enforce its truest of truths in the utmost barest form. However the affection he showed toward Rin was nowhere close to the one he had been denying Inuyasha. With Rin it had strictly limited to caring for his property. Presumably being on the same level as Jaken and Ah-Un, Rin was in the gray area where one took great care of what was under one's protection. Sesshoumaru had absolutely no intention to cross that boundary, not back then, not now, not ever. Many times she had brilliantly served as an exposing weak point where all kinds of adversary would notice in plain sight than using their brains to even wonder why and what he was truly hiding. Naraku didn't live long enough to realize he had been manipulated into getting Sesshoumaru involved in his grand scheme against Inuyasha. Until recently it dawned to him that idea was no longer appealing. Now he wanted to keep Rin safe for real and there was no better place than returning the girl to her human companions where Rin originally belonged. Kaede was also who he silently approved of because she was among the collective few who didn't treat Inuyasha like the rest of the humans out there.

On contrary to Rin, Inuyasha was born without the safest sheltering. Sesshoumaru wanted nothing more than keeping Inuyasha close to his heart, inside the walls he had built up over centuries to protect himself from something could cost him his own life and Inuyasha, which was impractical in all aspects. The more Inuyasha was found associate with him, the greater threats would endanger the life of his younger half. What would his and their Father's enemies do with this little information about the treasure he had been carefully shielding from the world in these past two centuries to sharpen it, nurture it, perfect it into his own pride today? Even now that Sesshoumaru acknowledged Inuyasha was more than ready to face off every challenge about to come up, he found himself unwilling to leave Inuyasha on his own device. Even when he knew Inuyasha was no longer in need of his protection the same way Rin needed him, he would still pronounce it in form of a life-long vow, one he wholeheartedly intended to keep. That he wouldn't allow Inuyasha to fall by the hand of any but himself, that he wouldn't let any claim Inuyasha's life but himself.

But.

Those two accursed priestesses had to lay domination on his pride one after another. Now, Inuyasha cherished that collar like a sacred trinket than what it really was. One day, one day, he fully planned to enjoy the pleasure in ripping it off and indulged himself in watching what kind of expression would be on her face then. It was his grave mistake to stir Inuyasha's innermost secret. Because Jealousy was a double-edges weapon. It had embraced him way before he knew what happened. What happened, was now that he had Inuyasha's wrist tightly in his grip, that same hand had been caressing the hateful abomination in longing wistfulness that should not be presented in front of his eyes.

One moment his hand was toying with a random bead, the next that innocent appendage was captured by Sesshoumaru. The several steps distance between them was demonically reduced to nothing when he was flattened against Sesshoumaru. For the first time Inuyasha noticed the absent of a certain armor piece used to glue with Sesshoumaru wherever his brother was, but that was pale in comparison with the urgency in demanding reason for this kind of treatment. Question already rushed to the tip of his tongue only to dissolve in form of a nervous swallow at their current proximity because he could feel his brother's breathing on his skin, literally.

"Let me rephrase my question into something even you can understand." Sesshoumaru lowered his tone, whispered inaudibly against Inuyasha's ears, icy golden eyes narrowed in satisfaction from feeling shivers ran along the length of Inuyasha's spine where his other hand, not busy holding a certain paralyzed wrist, pulled Inuyasha impossibly closer to him by the small of his back. He angled his head slightly so his gaze once again met Inuyasha's, observing, calculating, smirking. "Why are you still here, Inuyasha?" Because this proved more than enough of why he didn't have to wait until Inuyasha outlived that priestess. The wild emotions in those wide eyes was like a screaming declaration of his victory.

Sesshoumaru had no need to recall it anymore, for he had seen and loathed it so long, long enough to forget all together the look in his Father's eyes whenever the name of Izayoi escaped his lips. Those same emotions his Father had never given his Mother, or he might have been too ignorance about their bond to bother looking into it as he should if he was going to doubt what it was between his parents. Especially now, when everything was too late that his eyes opened to a fact his Sire cherished him, the materialization of their Hallowed Unification, to the point of accepting Izayoi in his heart despite fully knowing the outcome of his transgression, so that he could give Sesshoumaru first and foremost, Inuyasha, while leading him to Bakusaiga all these years. Their Father had listened to him in those last moments of his life when Sesshoumaru told his wish to conquer and his desire for power, and realized neither his lands nor Tessaiga and Soun'ga were fitted for his prideful heir. It had taken so long for the aforementioned heir to partly understand his late Sire now that a different kind of power was in his possession, one held in itself more meaning than what he once lusted after.

Sesshoumaru wanted confirmation, as strong if not more than that previous revelation. He selfishly wanted to hear it was himself Inuyasha's heart had chosen over the reincarnation of his former love interest. There was nothing but time about to split Inuyasha and Kagome now. Inuyasha could choose to be with Kagome who had abandoned her time and family for him, to continue his previously disrupted fantasy when Kikyo was still alive with one condition less. Becoming a human had been a crucial requirement for Inuyasha to live with Kikyo so that she too, would become a normal woman. That collar Kikyo left behind had been loud, loud enough to announce her distrustful of Inuyasha's demonic blood. However it was of no significant since the appearance of Kagome for she accepted Inuyasha almost wholly, human and half-demon. That had been the reason his lips hovered over Inuyasha's, their noses brushed, foreheads pressed insistently together and breaths mingled from the proximity in an imitation of what could have happened now.

The gesture had been one last proof to lure Inuyasha into believing this was not another successful plot to send him spiraling toward his own spiritual demise. Why he was forced to wait so long for this moment only once again got denied because this was his brother's way to wordlessly refuse throwing him in the position of a traitorous lover. They had come so close… "Are you…" Inuyasha whispered brokenly then stopped himself, not the right words he was looking for. "Do we…" Words tumbled from his quivering mouth hopelessly, causing fleeting touches on their slightly part lips that only enforced their desperate needs for more. His head shook weakly, unwilling to break any direct contact they had established only moments ago yet. "… about us…" He gave up speaking and closed his eyes with a frustrated sigh, gripping the front of Sesshoumaru's kimono with his free hand like doing so could will his brother to hear what he wanted to say. Only Sesshoumaru breathed against his lips, "We are nothing." The statement sprang his eyes open in bewilderment and disbelief. "There is no us." His vision started blurring in denial.

In reality, that was true. Even with their feelings disclosing toward each other, it could only be addressed so far. Besides Kagome, there were also those who had become too important to his younger sibling, their opinion mattered a great deal to Inuyasha, his recently acquired significant other and soon-to-be partner. Sesshoumaru was far from ignorant about human society to know their relationship was just a mere forbidden love affair in mortal eyes. He knew Inuyasha was strong enough to live through the worst scenario but Sesshoumaru would be damned if he let his beloved went through it alone. However even with him by his brother's side, there was still chance that odds against them, that he couldn't help easing the pain much. He of all would know how hard it was to let go of attachment.

Too wounded for his mind to work properly, Inuyasha struggled to free himself from Sesshoumaru's poisonous embrace. This was too much. He was simply not strong enough to protect himself against this kind of savagery. Why did Sesshoumaru have to go this far to destroy him? Why did he even fall for this? Why was he mourning for the loss of it already? And why Sesshoumaru didn't let him go, he would die slowly now, there was no need to suffocate him. "Let me go!" He pleaded as the first teardrop made its way down his cheek, banged his fist helplessly against Sesshoumaru's solid chest.

Sesshoumaru did let Inuyasha's hand go. The instant it happened, his demonic prowess kicked in, he forced Inuyasha harshly backward against the nearest ancient tree. The impact caused a brief disorientation but more than enough for Sesshoumaru to squeeze his hysterical other half between the tree and himself, his free hands slammed menacingly against the trunk on either sides of Inuyasha's head. When he was certain Inuyasha looked at him, nearer to become his normal defiant self and was about to renew another pointless rebel, he growled warningly, "Be quiet."

Only Inuyasha was anything but obedient and Sesshoumaru didn't give his sibling any chance to oppose him by holding Inuyasha's face with both hands to make sure the fool looked at him and only him before he confessed something Inuyasha alone was entitled to hear. "I gave you many chances to go, but you have stayed. Let us not misunderstand that I granted you permission to go whenever you please, because I didn't, I don't and I never will." Sesshoumaru hissed, his eyes flashed red before narrowing, more in restraining his inner violent tendency than attempting further intimidated the subject of his raw affection. A flick of his thumbs sent the fallen tears to the ground, uncaring of where they went as long they never returned to where they came from. "In your limit language, know that you are forever bound to me. If crying in front of me and being pitiful now were your final effort in begging me to reverse what had happened, I have to inform that you need to try harder."

"But you said…" Inuyasha trailed off, eyes dilated in realization, being rendered speechless at his own stupidity and Sesshoumaru's fancy way of making things sounded too wrong to be decrypted. If his brother had always called him a fool, why could he not just say something even a fool would understand in the first place?!

Glowering darkly at his dramatic sibling some more, Sesshoumaru stepped back to give Inuyasha much needed personal space. Despite the physical distance, his gaze was still pinning Inuyasha where he stood and the younger looked breathless all the same. The sight almost compelled him to draw Inuyasha back in his arms, but he didn't. "Come here, Inuyasha." He beckoned, preferred Inuyasha going to him on his own.

Hesitantly, in reserve more than prudence, Inuyasha complied with red tinted cheeks, his eyes dared not to look at anything else but his sibling. Heart thundered against his ribcages, Inuyasha braced his hands on Sesshoumaru's chest and stood on tip toes, applied moisture on his lips and flicked his tongue along the outer shell of an elven ear. Unable to tell whose heartbeats were quicker but loving those sharp hitches in the uneven breathing pattern of his elder, Inuyasha repeated his action again and again. Until Sesshoumaru snaked one hand around his back, other laced in his hair to guide his head under his brother's chin and held him motionlessly this way for a while. Inuyasha thought he was going to drowse in the sensation, but right then, an unexpected moan was ripped from him when Sesshoumaru returned the favor in full with interest. A soft kiss at the base went first then long lick traced the outline of his triangle shape puppy ear. Inuyasha fruitlessly tried turning his head to escape the pleasure sensation but Sesshoumaru nipped the tip of his ear and tugged it lightly with his fangs, released the appendage shortly after to soothe that tender spot between his lips and tongue. "Sesshoumaru…!" The younger one cried out in raising arousal and leaned more into his elder, unconsciously exposing his neck in silent offering, hands gripped loosely at the outer material of the demon's attire.

The sound of his name passed those lips, more than pure sin, had come very close to his own undoing. In Sesshoumaru's lust hazed mind, cautions were almost annihilated, his mouth had already made its way down Inuyasha's exposing throat, his tongue tasting flesh, and his fangs pressed dangerously over the wild pulse in preparing to pierce skin, hairbreadth away from marking Inuyasha his for eternity. Initiated the Hallowed Unification. Sesshoumaru tensed at hearing the final warning bell went off from the very last of his intellectual remnant and even it was also tethering on the verge of insanity. The demon reeled back, fighting the urge to pull Inuyasha with him. With one finger curled under his younger's chin, Sesshoumaru lifted the glazed face. His baby sibling, eyes unseeing, had yet come to his sense but the forced separation helped his lungs worked steadier and his heart didn't seem to pound against him as much. Like a dream walker Inuyasha protested against their disengagement, incoherent distress voice calling Sesshoumaru's name dribbled from his untouched lips. He made an adoringly bittersweet sight, more like being triggered from centuries of yearning and loving a certain someone unrequitedly than the loss of physical contact.

"Inuyasha." His heart felt heavy from seeing through naked eyes what he had done to the owner of that name, heavier than his ancient tutelage of regretting nothing even if some doings were deadly wrong. Sesshoumaru caressed the flushing cheek with the back of his claws and murmured against Inuyasha's forehead, "My Precious, I'm sorry."

The fog clouding his mind cleared at his brother's voice, Inuyasha exhaled shakily and closed his eyes, savoring the genuine apology with his entire being. At last he laid his head on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, fisting the fabric covered his brother's back, relaxed further when Sesshoumaru places his arms around him, chin propped a top his head between his lax puppy ears. The silence didn't go on for long. Inuyasha nudged his ears slightly along the strong jawline, wordlessly requested Sesshoumaru's attention. The demon straightened up and put a hand on Inuyasha's cheek to tilt his head up so their eyes locked in his quiet way of encouraging Inuyasha to continue. "Why did you stop?" Inuyasha whispered inaudibly as if he was in fear of the question, and perhaps he was.

Sesshoumaru heard the question but he didn't reply right away even when he had his answer. Their emotions proceeded too fast, and almost went too far, and now resulted in making his sibling feel restless. To make matter worse, one of his most dangerous demonic instincts had awaken and shrouded them within his aura, almost persuaded him to claim Inuyasha while trapping the latter within the veil of his seduction. It was something bound to happen as time drew nearer the closer they became. It was also welcoming but Sesshoumaru could not let it happen now. His thumb teased the corner of Inuyasha's mouth then trailed the outline of his lower lip, squashing the urge to invade this alluring cavern.

The sensual quality in that gesture alleviated Inuyasha's anxiety somewhat, but he held his breath in mild trepidation, waiting for what Sesshoumaru was going to say.

"There is silent agreement between you and that priestess, is it not?" Needed not of confirmation for his rhetorical inquiry, Sesshoumaru replaced his thumb with his forefinger in the center of Inuyasha's upper lip. "I will not shame you with my reckless actions until there is closure for your relationship with her." He didn't straight out forcing Inuyasha to end things with Kagome, but he had made it clear as long as the human girl was in the picture, there would be nothing between himself and his brother.

That was really endearing of Sesshoumaru but Inuyasha dipped his head with a sheepish look, his cheeks colored for different reasons.

Perplexed at the reaction, Sesshoumaru could only move his hand to raise Inuyasha's face, but even then his younger avoided looking at him in the eyes. "Inuyasha?" He caressed the name to voice his confusion.

"Actually…" Inuyasha mumbled bashfully, still unable to look at his sibling.

"Yes?" Judging by Inuyasha's expression, this hardly related to their reformed interconnection. Then there was a fact they were talking about Inuyasha's companion. That still didn't give Sesshoumaru enough information to decipher the reason why his brother started fidgeting.

"… They… know…" Inuyasha forced the words out timidly, stealing glances at his brother, who just blinked twice, to gawk his response. And he almost squeaked in a good kind of terror from seeing Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes.

Sesshoumaru was trying his damnedest to not doing something unspeakable to Inuyasha at the moment. He heard him clearly. He knew how his brother was trying to lead him astray at the same time not and most important, what was in the golden plate serving for him by that revelation. Only he didn't want to jump into conclusion all too soon and just maybe Inuyasha wasn't being cleared enough. So he stared at Inuyasha with a ferocity that gave his devious love-to-be a legit reason to shrink more into him for having nowhere left to hide. After a deep growl vibrated in his chest, Sesshoumaru took hold of Inuyasha's chin with his thumb and index-finger to be certain he wouldn't miss a single syllable of truth Inuyasha had to answer him. "Who are they?" He emphasized slowly the last word, pinning Inuyasha in place by the look in his eyes.

Inuyasha swallowed his apprehension at seeing many promises behind that one question and for the first time he was truly afraid of what his brother would unfailingly do to him with a great deal of anticipation. The longer those predacious eyes bore holes into him, the harder it was to start counting names he could barely remember anymore. With his fragile little heart threatening to break free from its confinement at any second, Inuyasha opened his mouth but no word was there to come out.

"Who are they?" Sesshoumaru stressed again, slowly but steadily cornering Inuyasha back to the same tree had fallen victim to their earlier climatic exchange and fated to witness the beginning of another.

Once again flattened between a tree and his regal carnivorous of a sibling, only the current reestablished position carried in itself unlimited fierceness exploded after two centuries long of suppressed raw passion on Sesshoumaru's part, short gasps escaped his mouth in poor attempt at breathing, Inuyasha lowered his lids, starting to feel the familiar pheromone intoxicated him earlier. This time there would be nothing holding Sesshoumaru back, or it was just him begging his brother wouldn't hold back. "Rin…" Inuyasha murmured against Sesshoumaru's nearing lips, catching a brief soften emotion came and went in his brother's eyes. He knew only the girl's thought mattered to his brother. "Before she and Kaede sent me here, she said as long as we are both happy, that's what truly matters." And her opinion was... "Same with Miroku… Sango… Shippo… Kirara… Kohaku…" Inuyasha cracked a smile at Sesshoumaru thinning patient resulted in his wrists being held captive on either side of his head. "Ka—ede…" Inuyasha breathed, Sesshoumaru pressed his forehead against him, rubbing their noses together, lips slightly part. "She was the hardest part but eventually Kagome couldn't win against your little Rin's mindscape and relented. But I couldn't give her any answer because I don't know what I am to you, yet. So Kagome is still waiting for me, waiting to make you see what you are going to mis—mmph!"

Inuyasha didn't know how long he hadn't breathed, but he was aware there was no place in his mouth untouched by Sesshoumaru's tongue. As if to punish him, Sesshoumaru ravished him until he had to use his remaining strength to push his brother away to refill his lungs. But Sesshoumaru only allowed him a gulp of air and he was on him again, not before growling three little words, "You imbecile brat!"

It was dawn of the next day.

Inuyasha was asleep, cushioning his head on his brother's lap. They had talked until early morning instead of exploring each other on more physical level. While the kisses here and there left them hungrier for each other, that was as far as Sesshoumaru allowed while they were out in the open. To rile his far from modest sibling, who once half-undressed himself in the midst of Saimyoshos and Jaken, Inuyasha smartly pointed out his monk friend grasped any round bottom in sight. Sesshoumaru corrected he only lowered his attire enough to inspect the fake human arm enhanced with a Jewel Fragment, courtesy of Naraku, then told his younger haughtily that he was a demon, not a monk. Before Inuyasha could retort no monk did what Miroku did, he was silenced with another face sucking session and hell, what was there to complain? And he was meant to complain about what?

Sesshoumaru had planned to go settling his score with their Father's weak enemies this day and he refused Inuyasha's offer to come along, reminded his sibling it was the day of new moon. So to placate his sulking brother, the demon didn't mind indulge in another kiss with the absent of their stronger passion, it was chaste with promises in the air.

"You will be fine, right?" Inuyasha asked with a hint of trepidation, searching his brother's eyes to know if his opponents were anything to worry about. He knew Sesshoumaru was strong but the insecurity from time and again experienced happiness only to be ripped off of it before he knew what happened had planted seed of fear so deep in his heart.

Understanding where that question came from warmed his heart. Sesshoumaru bestowed Inuyasha a rare curl of his lips, one he did in secrecy and not even Rin had the chance to witness. The smile softened Sesshoumaru's expression to the point of denying the meaning of his namesake and scrapped his destructive capacity into nothingness. It lulled Inuyasha in a disbelieving trance, voluntarily to be trapped in that moment forever. It was gone as soon as it came but Sesshoumaru used the aftereffect to his advantage. He drew the unsuspecting Inuyasha back in his arms to plant a kiss on his forehead and purred in the nearest puppy ear, "Wait for me in the village. There is someone I'd like you to meet the next time I come for you."

Weak in the knees but trying his best to be brave for their upcoming short separation, Inuyasha tilted his head to look at his Sesshoumaru with mounting curiosity. "There is someone else more important than Rin?"

"You." Sesshoumaru answered without the need to think, his face solemn but there was twinkle of amusement in his normally cold eyes.

"Um…" Inuyasha bit his bottom lip to stop the heat crawled up his cheeks, the whole effort proved to be in vain.

"I would prefer you to meet her as soon as possible, but you will turn human tonight." Sesshoumaru frowned in disdain more at the her in question than the fact about Inuyasha's new moon secret. "I don't want to know what she is going to say after I tell her "I do" when she will ask if I plan to eat you."

"E—at… eat me?!" Inuyasha squeaked, turning redder, any more than that would put his fire rat robe to shame!

"I am no monk, My Precious." Sesshoumaru on his part, was loving every moment of this. "I have been starved for two centuries. Would you so heartlessly leave me ravenous for you more than I am as of now?"

"I…! Uh…!" Stuttering at the strangest wording he had ever heard from the stoic owner of his heart, Inuyasha ducked his head and shook madly to clear his scattered mind. "You are messing with my… my…!" He exclaimed indignantly then trailed off, unable to finish his sentence and covered his eyes with his hands to let out a strangle noise from the back of his throat in frustration at his sibling.

"I am not." Sesshoumaru told him, all playfulness dissipated as if there was none in the first place. "I have your heart. In the nearest day possible I want the rest of you become mine, all mine to cherish and more until the end of my time." Sesshoumaru paused to let his words sink in, he pried Inuyasha's hands away to hold the flushing cheeks with his before continuing, "Will you, Inuyasha?"

It took half a moment for Inuyasha to comprehend what was asking of him. When he did, his heart beat so fast, his pulse ran too wild, knots tangled into a tight mass in his throat and he forgot how to breathe. Every fiber of his being heard the same question asking again and again until his vision blurred for the second time in less than a day time. It only took a blink for all his tears to break free, but that was unimportant. He threw his arms around Sesshoumaru's neck, face buried under his brother's chin, mouthing repeatedly one word mattered most to the both of them. "Yes!" Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

One hand clawed at Inuyasha's back, the other dug in his silver mane, Sesshoumaru returned the embrace just as fiercely, willing Inuyasha to melt into him and become one entity with him right here, right now. He pressed his lips against the side of the younger's head, the nearest part of Inuyasha he could access to muffle his own mantra of one name, its owner was the crying mess in his arms, someone he forever refused to let go.

Sesshoumaru detested the look on their faces, especially when they all died laughing at him mockingly as if telling of secrets they knew and he didn't. He swung Bakusaiga again, making certain their faces were to be split in half. They angered him beyond comprehension and forced his mind into the state of foreboding restless. He wanted nothing more than getting this over and done with however, they came more as soon as one group was cut down.

He had enough of them.

Sesshoumaru leaped in the air, gathering demonic aura around him and shredded his humanoid appearance to emerge in his ancient glory form of the majestic white dog demon that he truly was. He wouldn't give the adversaries time to look at him in mixture of awe and fear and hatred and fury, they were to be bathed in his poison pool the moment one of his front paw touched ground.

It was then Sesshoumaru realized his missing target. So the fool had escaped by sacrificing his castle and followers? That dishonored sorry excuse of a daiyoukai. Sesshoumaru had half a mind to turn and leave the rest to his followers, but he stopped at hearing the more insistent warning bell inside his head, enhanced by the greater demonic power he received in this form. He looked around, focused at every fallen enemy to read into their hidden mockery. The longer he stared at their face the louder that noise deafening his mind, until he located its source.

Tenseiga.

Tenseiga was screaming. What was the meaning of this?

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Sesshoumaru jerked his head in the direction his name came from. Myoga?

Myoga latched onto the fur of his long ear in hysteria. "Sesshoumaru-sama! My Lord, please come back immediately!"

The flea demon hadn't been with him. He always steered clear of danger. Why was Myoga here? He had always been with…

Tenseiga was screaming. And Myoga's appearance.

"What happened to Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru demanded in a dangerous tone, already soared through the sky toward the village he had sent his heart back in silent wishing for his brother to be safe.

Myoga gushed in one breath. "Demons attacked yesterday, my Lord! Inuyasha-sama had been fighting them but he turned into human—!"

"Be silent!" The dog demon snarled. He needed to hear no more. What have I done! Sesshoumaru berated himself. He should have known better. His Inuyasha was no longer running away at danger now. His Inuyasha had more than himself to protect now. His Inuyasha was no longer safe in that village now! He should have brought his Inuyasha with him. He shouldn't have let his Inuyasha out of his sight, even for one second was unforgivable!

Sesshoumaru only saw red. A ruthless roar tore from his throat, vowing death upon everything responsible for all harms on Inuyasha. His Inuyasha!

.

.

.

"The Hallowed Unification?" Inuyasha echoed, scrunching his nose in confusion.

"It is forbidden between siblings and dominant partners to perform the Hallowed Unification. Somewhat like human marriage."

Inuyasha scrutinized him closely, and stole a quick kiss. "You don't look like it gives you any problem."

"Indeed." He lifted his chin haughtily, "Do you know what it means to be Royalty?"

"What?"

He grinned ferally, "We don't follow rules because they never apply to us. And what most interesting is, we make them."

O benefit of ill, now I find true
That better is by evil still made better;
And ruined love when it is built anew
Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater.
So I return rebuked to my content,
And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent.

— Sonnet 119, Shakespeare

TBC.

A/N: What to say, hmm. I have fun starting to write this story and it will be done in 2 more chapters. Because while it is a stand alone story, there is some parts relate to another story, too. Because this is still one of my AR in cannon verse, and I don't have many points of view regarding it so the general ideas are same.

Let me know your thoughts would be much appreciated.