Fanfiction #8 for me – first non-humor (mostly) it's my most serious one as of date. Enjoy!

• *within asterisk= sound effects* • Italicized= thoughts • ^^within these=flashback^^ • Ane-ue= archaic, polite form of "older sister" • Chichi-ue= archaic, polite form of "father"

• "-kun"= used at end of boys' names, expresses familiarity/endearment; used among friends/addressing someone younger/lower • "-chan"= used to express endearment, mostly toward girls. Also used for lil boys, pets, even lovers; sense of childish cuteness; like English "-y/-ie" • "-sama"= confers great respect; like "Lord/Lady"

This takes place after Kohaku decides to follow Sesshōmaru, so it's after that whole thing with Sess'Mother and the Meidō, but it's before he gets his arm back, so before Bakusaiga, but it's after Sess' fight with Inuyasha where Tenseiga breaks (which repairs itself) To fully clarify: Sess still has one arm; Tenseiga is at his hip with Meidō Zangetsu-ha removed; Tokijin and Bakusaiga NOT at his hip; and he has another little one following him (Why do the little ones like him? Next thing you know, Shippō'll be following Sess too).

Inuyasha's group has come to join Sesshōmaru's because Kagome sensed Kohaku's shard, and she felt it would be nice for Sango to see her little brother, so she pestered Inuyasha (with some "Sit" threats) until he agreed to go in the direction of his big brother.

Sesshōmaru is sitting with his back to a tree; right leg bent with wrist resting on knee; left leg laid out flat before him. Ah-Un is in front of him, a little to his left. The two-headed dragon is within the shade of the tree, resting. Rin, Jaken, and Kohaku are at the left-adjacent side of the tree to Sesshōmaru. They're sitting, talking, essentially resting. Another tranquil day.

Then from afar, Kagome: "Kohaku-kun!"

Sesshōmaru closes his eyes- Damn. I was hoping that they would just pass by… hmph, they must be stopping because of Kohaku's sister. He sighs on the inside. He knew that they were near – no mistaking that half-demon's stench and those of his human companions.

As Inuyasha gets closer, with a smiling Kagome on his back, and Sango, Shippō, and Miroku on Kilala at his right, he can't help but think- Dammit! He definitely knew we were coming - why didn't he get up and leave? Now I'm gonna have to - -

Kohaku gets up, he's dressed in his Demon Exterminator outfit, "Ane-ue!"

Kilala stops in front of him; Sango gets off, "Kohaku." She's in her pink kimono and green skirt.

Inuyasha stops; Kagome, Shippō, Miroku all get off of their respective carriers; Kilala transforms to kitten size again- *meow* All of the humans start chatting amongst themselves, even the fox and complaining toad. Only the fair-haired pair keep a distance from the crowd, both with their heads turned the other way.

Sesshōmaru still in the same position as introduced; Inuyasha standing with his hands in his sleeves, his ear- *flik*

Both think to themselves, This is going to be a long afternoon.

Everyone settles, all are sitting, even Inuyasha, albeit he's at the opposite side of Sesshōmaru; he's sitting criss-cross with his arms the same as before.

Kagome: "Kohaku-kun, why are you following Sesshōmaru anyway?"

Kohaku, who's sitting next to Sango, pauses to think of an answer. "Um... well, the thing is - -"

Shippō: "Is it because you like him?" Shippō thinks about his statement, "Why would you like him? I mean, I can see why he'd like you and Rin, well I'm not sure about him liking Jaken - -"

"Hey!"

"But why follow him?"

"Uh…"

Rin, somewhat defensively, but still innocently, "Why wouldn't he want to follow Sesshōmaru-sama! Sesshōmaru-sama is a kind person and has a good heart!"

Everyone stares awkwardly at Rin; Inuyasha (-_-) "What the hell…?" He turns to Sesshōmaru, "What kind of crap have you been putting in this kid's head?"

Sesshōmaru doesn't even turn around, "I have not put anything in Rin's mind. She has come to those conclusions on her own."

"Right…"

Sesshōmaru turns to Inuyasha, *glare* "Inuyasha. Understand this: Rin, Kohaku, and Jaken, have chosen to follow me completely of their own accord. Why would I want them to follow me?"

"Well…" Inu thinks about it, then turns away, "Keh! Screw this, I'm gonna stay outta your guys' conversation, just make sure to leave me out of it." Sesshōmaru also turns away and sighs quietly.

Kagome and the others try to change the topic; Rin stays quiet, just looking at Sesshōmaru, thinking.

After a few minutes of everyone talking and catching up, Rin turns to the group again haven finished thinking. In the time they were talking, Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru have since fallen asleep, but very lightly; light enough that they're alert and ready to spring into action at any moment, but also enough that they can rest. Ah-Un is also asleep, still in the same spot as in the beginning.

Rin: "Jaken-sama?" Jaken turns to her, with brow furrowed, "Yes, Rin?"

"All of us have chosen to follow Sesshōmaru-sama, right?"

"Yes, Rin. Were you not paying attention when he said that?"

"Jaken-sama, do you think that Ah-Un chose to follow Sesshōmaru-sama too?"

Jaken pauses, he's never thought about that before.

Kohaku: "Jaken-sama, you mean you don't know?"

"Well, when I began to serve Sesshōmaru-sama many decades ago, Ah-Un was already with him."

Miroku: "You mean he's been around longer?"

Kagome: "I wonder how long he's been following him?"

Rin looks to her sleeping master and his sleeping beast-of-burden, "I bet Ah-Un has a good reason to follow Sesshōmaru-sama just like the rest of us."

Sango: "Kagome-chan, we should keep quiet now. Maybe we can eat?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea."- Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru have been through a lot lately: the Meidō Zangetsu-ha; their swords; Shishinki; their father's true intentions; and to top it all off, Naraku – they should- need to get some rest.

Rin: "Kagome-sama?"

"What is it, Rin-chan?"

Rin looks over to Ah-Un; she smiles, then looks up at Kagome, "Do you think that Ah-Un is dreaming right now?"

"Uh… yeah, I'm sure he is."

"What do you think he's dreaming about?"

"Well…" she thinks, "Maybe, Ah-Un is dreaming about the old days." Rin nods, content with that answer.

Rin looks over to Ah-Un again, "I wonder why he chose to follow Sesshōmaru-sama?"

"I'm sure it's probably the same as yours and everyone else's." Rin nods.

Ah-Un's heads are on the ground resting. You can see that his eyes are moving beneath his lids.

A young, slim Sesshōmaru is walking through the forest. He looks like a 13-year-old. He has black boots on; black poofy-hakama; a black Chinese-top: it has a high collar, long sleeves, the cuffs of which reach just above his knuckles, but it has an open slit on the inner side of his hand (at the thumb) and the slit reaches a little past the wrists, the shirt buttons to the left, the collar creates a 90 degree angle a little under his collar bone, the shirt is fringed in yellow, it reaches past his waist and is tied with a thin, black sash. His hair at the longest reaches just above the collar bone in the front, at the shortest it reaches half of mid-neck at the back; it slopes forward diagonally; the hair's edges have a scruffy tease to it.

He's pulling off a pair of black gloves.*sigh* For how much longer should I keep this up? The job's simple and it is helping me refine ways to kill quickly and silently, but… Chichi-ue would prefer that I do something else - - *nwaah*

"Huh?" He looks around. *nwaah! nwaah!*

*sniff* "Blood… and a corpse." He continues walking- This is none of my concern. *Nwagh!* Sesshōmaru notices that the smell of blood and the corpse is getting stronger. Hn, the source is along my path.

Sesshōmaru continues along the same course; he's not going to take a longer route just to avoid that. Srew that, he just wants to get home already. As he gets closer, the cries get louder. *Naah! Nwaa-agh!* He keeps walking. *Nwaugh – waah!* Is there two of them? He walks for a few more minutes, then he comes across 'that'.

His eyes widen slightly. In a pool of blood lies some kind of reptile – it's as big as a horse. A tree to Sesshōmaru's left is broken in half. The body has its back against a tree. Above the body, the tree has four large claw marks – the tree is splashed with blood, as are the bushes surrounding the body, some of which are completely uprooted. Branches broken, dragging tracks, claw marks in the dirt.

Whatever did this, the other didn't go out without a fight, but apparently - -

He looks at the body again. The tail of the beast is at Sesshōmaru's right. At the hip, near the base of the tail and under the base of the inner thigh of its left leg, there are deep puncture-like wounds – about five – as though, whatever did this held the reptile down so that it wouldn't be able to escape. The entire abdominal cavity, with all the organs, is gone; only the spine remains of that area. The left ribs have been broken off, gone, with the major organs of the chest cavity missing too. The right leg, below the elbow, has been torn off. Above the shoulders – it's just plain gone. No head, no neck – nothing.

*Nwaah! Nwaah!* Sesshōmaru turns to his right, then tilts his head down and squints a little. Partially under an uprooted bush is a small reptile – no bigger than a cat. He looks at it. It's all bloody and… has two heads?

They both cry with their heads toward the sky. Sesshōmaru tucks his gloves into his sash and he kneels on one knee but doesn't touch the grass. He reaches out his right hand, the left head flinches back and Sesshōmaru reflexively retracts his hand back. He tries again and touches the little demon's left side. It cries *Nahh!* So, some of the blood on its body is its own, huh? He moves his hand away; the little thing looks up at him and cries. Sesshōmaru, face emotionless, closes his eyes, "Hmm…"

~~ At the edge of the forest is a house; at the door, someone waits~~

The one waiting is tall and is leaning on the door. He has white, poofy-hakama, which is tied by a red sash into a bow at the front with the long ends reaching down to his knees; the tips of the ends cut diagonally with the lower edge on the inside; the end's tips are purple, then a red line, then another purple one. He has a white kimono on that has a blue stripe followed by a much thinner blue stripe beneath it, the design begins at the collar and ends at the shoulder. He has a red under-kimono; arms crossed; and long, white hair tied into a high ponytail with two blue ribbons and jagged, split bangs that reach past his eyebrows.

He turns his head to the forest. *Nwah! Nwaah!* Sesshōmaru steps out of the trees and bushes, in his arms is the reptile. Sesshōmaru's eyes look down at the creature, then looks straight ahead, "Chichi-ue…"

His father blinks his red-stripped eyelids, then keeps his golden eyes wide open, "Sesshōmaru…"

The little thing looks at the new man. He looks like the boy, but he doesn't have a crescent on his forehead and his cheeks have only one line; it's wide and jagged and is a darker shade than the boy's two stripes.

Its eyes droop as the boy walks over to the man. Its cries get weaker. The man goes over to the boy. This boy – Ses-shō-mar-ru… it blacks out.

" – maru, why do you– " All sounds distort away to nothing.

~~Later~~

The little thing opens its eyes and both pairs of eyes look around. It's in a blanket which is set up in a doggy-bed kind of way. Both heads look at each other. They're clean. They both look around. The right head looks at where they are and the left inspects their body - *Awgh!*

The right one looks too. Their stomach is bandaged…

*Kl-klak* They look at the door across the room. It's the man. "Oh, you're awake?" He smiles warmly, "That's good." *Ahhnn!*

He walks over to them and then kneels with both knees. He gently puts his right hand on the left one's head, "You're going to be okay." *Ahhnnn!* they both go. "Uh… what is it?"

The right head nudges the left; it turns to face the other who is motioning at the corner of the room at their side. There's a tossed piece of black clothing. They point their noses at it *Aahhnnn!* The man looks, then at them, "Do… you want to see my son? The boy who found you?"

So, the man is the father of the boy…

They sort of nod. "Um …" He puts his pointing finger to his chin, "Well, the thing is - -"

^^Inu no Taishō (Great Dog General) took the creature out of his son's arms an placed it at the left wall to the door of outside and began to clean it up and tend to its wounds. "Sesshōmaru, why do you have this dragon with you?"

Sesshōmaru walked inside, and took off his bloody black shirt, and then tossed it in the corner. He has a short-sleeved, button-down, white Chinese shirt that reaches to his waist. "I found it in a pool, of what I think was its mother's blood. It was crying."

Taishō smiled as he pulled out bandages, "And you, you… brought him here?" Yes. Even if it's just to a small demon, it's a start, that's progress, yes, indeed, he, he's showing some com –

"Don't think I did it because I cared." Sesshōmaru scratched his head with his left hand.

Taishō- *sweatdrop* "Then why did you?"

Sesshōmaru interlaced his fingers, palms faced away from him, and stretched his arms out, *Sigh* "It was annoying me." His right shoulder popped.

"Because… it was annoying you?" His head dropped to his right shoulder *disappointment* There's still some hope…

Sesshōmaru walked over, put his hands on his hips, bent his waist a little and hovered over his father's left shoulder, and blankly asked "Why does it have two heads?"

Taishō looked up at him, "Because the mother had two heads?" Sess met his eyes and matter-of-factly stated, "There was no head when I got there."

Taishō closed his eyes, smiled, and haven finished bandaging and cleaning the little dragon- *boop* his left hand on Sesshōmaru's head, "Why don't we make something for lunch?" Sesshōmaru, eyes opened slightly, "Alright."^^

Sesshōmaru: "Why are you talking to it?"

Taishō looks behind him to see Sesshōmaru with his right hand on the door. "Why not? It's a cognitive being, and it did just experience something traumatic."

The dragon's look. It's the boy again. *Aughn!* Taishō: "Look. I think they've wanted to see their savior."

Sesshōmaru gives a complaint-ful grunt. He walks over to his father, kneels, and wraps his arms around his shoulders. He grasps his left wrist and leans his head on his father's right shoulder.

All four of the dragons' eyes widen and stare silently.

Taishō puts his right hand behind him and places it on Sesshōmaru's head. "Odd… usually when you show me some bit of affection and there's someone else watching you push yourself away." Sesshōmaru closes his eyes and buries his face into his father. He doesn't want to be reminded of those 'other moments'.

The dragons tilt their heads to the left, *Agh!* Sesshōmaru tenses up, unwraps his arms and pulls away from his father. Taishō: "Ah – wait!" He turns around; Sesshōmaru is walking away; he reaches his hand out to Sesshōmaru. "Wait! Forget what I said about it being cognitive! – Sesshōmaru! It's probably not going to remember – it's lost too much blood! Besides, it can't even speak!" He stands up, "Puppy!"

Sesshōmaru stops, hair stands a little. He keeps walking and his father hastily follows, "Wait!"

The dragons stare confused. Did the boy leave because we said something? They rest their heads and conclude to themselves that they are interesting.

~~That night~~

They wake up; it's the dead of night. They hear shifting and tossing and try to peer into the darkness. They see the dad is in his futon facing them; his arms bent and out in front of him. He turns his head over his shoulder and sleepily, "Sesshōmaru… stop fidgeting… go to sleep… "

Sesshōmaru whines and sits up, and looks at the door that leads to the outside, which is cracked open a little letting in the moonlight. He has a dark kimono on now.

Taishō, without getting up, grabs Sesshōmaru's right shoulder and pulls him down. *Bwoop!* Taishō turns around completely, his back now to them, and seems to hug the boy. "Sleep." They hear more shifting, then *sshhh*

They look at each other… the right one rests his neck on the left one's. They sleep.

~~The morning~~

Weird. That feels weird… they open their eyes. Oh… The man is bandaging them. He's just in kimono now, hair down too. They blink. He looks to be in his late 30s.

He finishes and pats both of them on both heads. He gets up and they see the boy. He's still asleep with his limbs spread out. He has a dark-blue kimono on.

Taishō looks down at the little dragons, "You're getting better."

Sesshōmaru's eyes- *ding* He sits up, then looks to his right, "Morning."

Taishō: "Sesshōmaru, you're going to take care of him today, okay?"

" 'Him?' Wait, why? – are you leaving?"

"No, no, it's not that."

"Then what for?"

"Did you forget? You are the one who brought him here." He turns and walks to the door across from the dragon.

"Father, where are you going? I thought you weren't leaving."

"I'm just going to make breakfast." He turns left.

Sesshōmaru looks over at the dragons *glare* Closes his eyes, "Dammit." *An!* He opens his eyes, "Shut up."

~~After Sesshōmaru eats~~

Sesshōmaru is sitting by the dragon and has a piece of meat in his left hand, "Come on, eat it." The heads whine and with mouths sealed, turn away from the meat. Sesshōmaru grunts and pulls his hand away, "Fine then. Die."

"Sesshōmaru!"

Sesshōmaru looks behind him, his father is leaning on the door, pouting.

"It doesn't want to eat. It's not my fault," he mumbles, "I am trying… "

*Sigh* Taishō walks over to Sess. *Naahngh!* He kneels down, "Maybe… it doesn't eat meat."

Sesshōmaru stares at him like 'you kidding' "It's a dragon. Why wouldn't it eat meat?"

His dad shrugs. Sesshōmaru turns away. His father puts his hand on Sesshōmaru's left shoulder, "Just try it."

Sesshōmaru goes outside; a while later comes back with some long grass. He kneels down and puts the grass to the dragon's mouth. The left one takes a bite. *Gulp* He looks at the right, *Gah* Then the right one takes a bite too *Gulp*

Taishō: "Look at that, it does it grass."

Sess: "O - - kay… "

~~The afternoon~~

Sesshōmaru is changing the dragon's bandages. *Neee!* The left head tries to bite Sesshōmaru's fingers. "Watch it. I could break your little necks if I wanted." The heads grunt. He pressed the wound too tightly. He finishes.

"There." The dragon's star chirping- *Ah. Ah. Ee. Negh*

"What? Are you hungry again?" They shake 'no'. *Nawh!* They continue this.

Sesshōmaru's eyebrow- *twitch, twich* "Stop 'Nawh'-ing at me already! What the hell do you want!"

The dragon slinks back a little, *Gan* "Damn it! What!" They stretch their necks out toward him, *Gaahnn*

Sesshōmaru leaps to his feet, "Augh!" Legs in fighting stance, left arm bent, right claw above his head- *K-kra-ak, Kraa-akk* Fangs bearing, brow furrowed, face pissed off. The dragons tremble. He brings his claw down- *SMAK!*

Sesshōmaru's body is bent over slightly, his face looking down. To his left stands his father with left hand on waist and right bent in a 'v' to his side, the palm facing forward. "What do you think you're doing?"

Sesshōmaru places his right hand on the back of his head *rub, rub* He turns his head to his dad and straightens his back. "Ow."

The little one's look. The man has poofy-hakama on now and his hair is tied again. Sesshōmaru fully straightens himself. They see that Sesshōmaru stands at about 5 feet (about 153 cm) and his father is a full foot (about 32 cm) taller, a little more actually, so he reaches mid-stomach.

Taishō puts his hands in his sleeves, sighs, then – "Aah!" *Bwoof!*

Sesshōmaru is face down, arms before him, and his dad's foot on the small of Sesshōmaru's back. Sesshōmaru lifts up his head, puts his hands under him and tries to push himself up. He lifts his stomach half an inch off the ground.

"That's not how it works, Sesshōmaru." He applies a little more pressure and Sesshōmaru- *Bwoof*

"You don't kill the thing that you just saved the life of."

Sesshōmaru's hands are in fists, "Chichi-ue! What're you - -" A little more pressure on his back and his limbs start flailing.

"Nngh!"

"Why were you trying to kill it?"

"Augh! It was annoying me!" Arms flailing wildly.

"That's not a good enough reason. Besides, it's technically a baby."

"Faatheerrr! Naugh!"

*Sigh* "Look, the only reason to kill what you have saved is unless they have done something very wrong, which he hasn't -"

"Aa-ah!"

"Or after they have repaid their debt to you for saving their life. A life for a life, Sesshōmaru."

Sesshōmaru tries to lift himself up, but… he fails. *Blop!*

"Do you understand that?"

"Nngh-hnn."

"Good boy."

The dragons stare on. The man has authority here. Absolute authority. *Naah* Sesshōmaru looks at them, "Quiet! –Aww!" Face on ground, "Okay, okay… I'm sorry. I apologize. I, I'll, I'll be good to it."

Taishō looks down at him; Sesshōmaru turns his head to his left shoulder, "I am really sorry." He reaches his left arm behind him and towards his father. Taishō takes his foot off and grasps Sesshōmaru's left hand with his own. In one tug of his arm he has Sesshōmaru to his feet. Sesshōmaru puts his left hand on his back, and then his father places his left hand at the side of Sesshōmaru's hair and cheek, and leans over to him, Sesshōmaru blushes faintly at the corners of his cheeks.

"You don't usually treat you pets so harshly."

"I, I don't plan on keeping it, Chichi-ue."

The left head gently nips at the lower jaw of his brother. They are all they have left. The right rubs his cheek with his brother. They're alone in the world now. The left's eyes seem to be watery, but reptiles can't cry. The right one places the other in the crook of his neck, who closes his eyes. The right looks at them. Although, the boy is – Sesshōmaru has his hand on his father's – he doesn't want them. The right one closes his eyes too.

They're all they have left…

To be continued...