Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inuyasha manga, anime, characters, storyline, etc... The only thing I own is my love for the characters.
This is a small one shot I decided I wanted to do for Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. Normally I keep the characters 'in character' but I'll make an exception this time. Sesshomaru is of course in his usual older form but Inuyasha is three years old. So I hope you enjoy the cuteness.
Bath Time Little Brother
The evening was slowly descending upon the castle grounds as all the servants and royalty began to settle down for the day. Lord InuTaisho was in his study looking upon the usual documents needing his attention. The lord was growing tired of all the boring documents and wanted to spend more time with his sons but alas this had to be done.
"Father? Aren't you tired? You've been at this for hours." Spoke the lord's eldest son Sesshomaru. The young demon strolled casually into his father's study to glance over his shoulder at all of the documents. The wording made his eyes cross. "Father what of Inuyasha? Is it not time for his bath?" He asked curiously.
"Indeed it is my son. But as you can see I'm up to my neck in paperwork and foreign issues. Perhaps you should do it this time. The boy is quiet taken with you and enjoys the times you spend with him.
"Very observant of you Father, considering the boy is only three years of age. How could you possibly know what goes through his mind?" Sesshomaru asked with a lifted eyebrow.
The elder demon lord chuckled. "My son surly you cannot be that naïve. Whenever you enter your brother's chambers he squeals and giggles with enormous sounds of blissful joy. His big eyes brighten enough to light the darkest rooms. Tell me you are not able to notice that?"
Sesshomaru never actually took the time to notice such things. He never paid any mind to the baby's reaction to him. But now that he had that bit of information he was going to see for himself. "Well I have not been as forth seeing as you Father. But I shall look into this further. Farewell." The demon bowed respectfully to his father and left the study.
InuTaisho chuckled once more in his low rumbling tone and returned back to his work.
Sesshomaru knocked softly on his younger brother's bedroom door and opened the door slowly. The entire room was surrounded with many stuffed animals and brilliant designs of bright colored patterns. His eyes search the entire vicinity until he found the small hanyou child playing on the floor playing and mumbling with his toys. Sesshomaru smiled a rare ghostly smile. He loved his little brother with all his heart. The child's innocence was a breath of fresh air to him whenever they were together. Not wanting to startle the child, Sesshomaru walked in and called out his name. "Inuyasha?"
Tiny triangle shaped ears perked up at the sound of his name and he turned his head letting out an excited child like scream. "Sesshy!" Inuyasha called out. He pushed himself up with his hands and clumsily walked over to his elder brother.
The young demon smiled. It appeared father was right, he thought happily. Sesshomaru stride to meet the little boy half way and bent down to bring him up in his arms. He inhaled the child's innocent scent and signed. The pup's scent was so fresh and new to the world around him. His whole being was simply refreshing. The tiny hanyou wrapped his little arms the best he could around his elder brother's neck and kissed his cheek.
"Hello Inuyasha what have you been up too this evening?" The elder asked his younger brother.
"Pwaying with teddies Sesshy." He answered in his sweet baby voice.
"Are you now? Show your elder brother what you were playing then."
Inuyasha giggled as his brother carried him back to his assembly of playthings and placed him gently back on the floor. He gathered all of his plushies in a pile and held up one to Sesshomaru. "Sesshy pway too?" Inuyasha questioned with his big golden eyes starring up at his brother.
"Not right now little brother. I shall play with you after your bath."
Inuyasha gasped and clapped his hands wildly. "Bath time!" He giggled kicking his feet around. "Bath time, Bath time, Bath time!"
The elder shook his head slightly grinning. The little hanyou loved his bath time. He would always be submerged in bubbles and bath toys to preoccupy his time. "Come. Let me prepare you." he told the laughing bundle of innocence.
"Papa bath time too?" Inuyasha asked eagerly pushing himself up once more to have his silky white and blue puppy style kimono removed by his elder.
Sesshomaru began to unclothe the child, again shaking his head. "No little one. Father is busy with his work. He won't be joining us tonight."
Little plump lips poked out in disappointment. "I want Papa too." He whimpered.
"I know. Maybe tomorrow he'll join us like he always does."
That wasn't much, but it was enough to settle the boy down. Sesshomaru placed the young one's robes in the laundry container and went back to retrieve him. Inuyasha held his hands up to his older brother and filled the room with heart melting laughs as Sesshomaru tossed him into the air to be caught safely in his loving embrace.
"Do you love your elder brother Inuyasha?" He whispered against the child's snowy mass of soft, plush hair.
Energetically nodding his head up and down, Inuyasha granted Sesshomaru another precious kiss on his cheek. "Yasha love Sesshy whole bunchies." He opened his arms wide to emphasize just how much he loved his big brother.
"I love you too little brother. More then you'll ever know." The elder whispered bestowing his own kiss against a chubby rosy cheek. Turning to leave the room, he closed the door shut, then proceeded down the hall toward the bathe chambers for his nightly cleansing.
Inuyasha was surrounded in a mountain wonderland of soft lavender scent bubbles and floating chewies for his incoming fangs. He was viciously attacking one such toy as his brother ran a warm wash cloth over his body.
"Grrr…Grrr…Grrr…" The child growled cheerfully shaking a rubber ducky in his mouth. "Grrr...Grrr...Grrr…"
Sesshomaru had removed his upper suikan and under layer to avoid getting soaked by his brothers unintentional splashing tactics. He was bent down on one knee bare chest against the large tub washing the hanyou. "Inuyasha what are you doing to that poor piece of material?" He asked in a amused voice.
"Grrr…Grrr… Sesshy. Grrr…" Inuyasha held the toy up with his mouth and shook it wildly.
A thunderous laugh sounded in the bathroom startling both the brothers. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha turned to see their father lending against the door frame with his arms folded. "That's my boy. Already ready for the kill. Grr…Grr…" He mocked in his deep voice.
"Papa, Papa, Papa" Inuyasha stood up from the bath holding his arms up to his demon lord father.
"Hello my little one. I see Sesshomaru is giving you a nice bath." He hugged the child tightly and placed him back in the tub. Then he shifted his eyes to his eldest son. "Did you remember to wash his hair and behind his ears?"
"I was getting to that Father before you nearly lunged us both into a state of unconsciousness." Sesshomaru said snippily.
"Don't be so touchy my son. I merely wanted to join our nightly ritual of bathing your brother." InuTaisho waved his son's attitude away like an annoying fly. "Now grab the hair minerals. I shall wash the boy's head tonight.
"But Father you did it last night. Tonight shall be my turn." Sesshomaru complained in a calm tone.
"Nonsense boy. Your memory is worst then my own. You washed his hair last time. Its my turn." The lord rolled up his kimono sleeves ready for the fun of washing the child's hair.
"Father my memory is just fine. Its yours that needs reassurance."
"Are you making fun, you brazen child!" The demon lord bellowed.
"How dare you refer to me as a impertinent soul!"
"I only speak the truth my son."
Inuyasha clapped happily splashing around in the tub and ducked underneath the water.
Lord InuTaisho and Sesshomaru were both busy arguing until they noticed that the sounds of soft growls or splashing were now silent. They turned their heads and nearly die from a heart attack.
"INUYASHA!" They both yelled and scrambled in the water searching madly for the young hanyou.
"I have him father!" Sesshomaru pulled up a coughing and snorting Inuyasha. The boy didn't seem to be harm or frightened as he laughed and clapped as though he were tickled pink.
The older demons signed relieved.
"Have a care for my blood pressure Inuyasha. I'm not as young as I used to be." Lord InuTaisho mumbled racking a hand over his worried face.
"Little brother do you want me to have my hair plucking from the roots?" Sesshomaru put the boy back in the water this time keep a firm grip on him.
They shared a look and smiled. "Perhaps we'll both wash his hair." The demon lord stated.
"Yes I think that would be a better plan. What do you think Inuyasha?"
"Grr…Grr…" He growled.
Both demons laughed and began the task of washing the little hanyou's white tresses.
The demon lord watched from the doorway as Sesshomaru tucked his brother into bed for the night. He loved peaceful moments like these. It did his heart good to see eldest son love his younger brother with such tender care.
"Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru whispered.
"Hmmm…?" He answered laying comfortably on his puffy pillows.
"Do you love your elder brother?"
"YES!" He yelled delightedly.
"How much do you love your brother?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Whole bunchies." Inuyasha spread his arms out in a huge circle. He crawled from under his sheets and hugged Sesshomaru's neck tightly. "Yasha loves his Sesshy lots and lots." He pulled his head back to look into his older brother's blazing amber eyes. "Sesshy love Yasha too?"
Sesshomaru brushed a warm tender kiss on his younger's squishy cheek. "More then you'll ever know little one."
InuTaisho turned his head to brush away a single tear that threatened to slide down his face. He wouldn't ever show his only weakness of the tender moments between his children. Each time was treasured deeply in his heart. Making sure his composure was back to its dominating stance he strolled inside of his hanyou son's room and bent next to the bed. "Inuyasha, do you love your father?"
"YES!" The little child yelled. "Yasha loves Papa!"
"How much do you love your Papa?"
"This much Papa!" He opened his arms again in an exaggerated circle.
The lord nodded his head satisfied. "Your Father loves you too my son. Now come and give me a hug goodnight."
Inuyasha wiggled himself free from his brothers' embrace to snuggled deeply in his father's arms. The lord's heart swelled with the love he had for his boys. He wouldn't change a thing about them or trade them for anything in the world. He inhaled his younger son's scent just as Sesshomaru had and exhaled heavily. The child's scent was like a sweet drug. So full of life and purity.
Releasing the boy, he tucked him under the thick covers, Sesshomaru turned on his night light lantern, and they ease their way toward the door.
"Good Night Little Brother." Sesshomaru said softly.
"Sweet Dreams my son." Lord InuTaisho said whispered.
"Night night, Papa. Night, night, Sesshy." Inuyasha gave a cute yawn, cuddled up with his pillows and fell asleep to have sweet dreams of his father and brother playing together in the gardens.
A/N: I know what some of you are thinking. Where's his mother right? The hell if I know. I just love the idea of these bonding so I'm not bashing his mother or anything. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this adorable little event with baby Yasha, his father and brother. Because I almost melted myself. Review your thoughts.