"Please, Sesshomaru."
I stared at my half-brother, drenched in the pouring rain, kneeling in the mud. Kneeling at my feet. He looks so pathetic. I glanced at the woman, barely out of girlhood. Her face is pale and she smells of death. Kagome, I think her name was. She's still pretty, even as death is consuming her, but I've always thought she looked better smiling. (Not that I'd let anyone know that.) I can see why Inuyasha loves her so much. Correction- loved her.
I looked back down at Inuyasha. His eyes, so similar to mine, are desperate and pleading.
"Please, bring her back. Bring her back to me. I never told her…I never told her that I loved her."
She wasn't worth your time if she never knew, I am tempted to say. I hate that he is kneeling on the ground, groveling at my feet. His complete submission- it's what I've always wanted, wasn't it? For him to give in to me? But now…I hate it. I hate that he's not being proud. I hate that he's saying "please". I hate that he is not being cocky and smirking, arrogantly insulting me. I hate that he has come to me for help.
Would I have done the same if Rin were dead, and Inuyasha was the only person who could save her? Would I kneel at his feet and beg? If someone would have asked me that before I would have scoffed, but now that I think about it…would a few moments of groveling at Inuyasha's feet be worth it if Rin could live? Absolutely.
I never know when I should use Tensaiga to bring someone back. The dead are supposed to remain that way. It isn't natural to make them live again. How do I know if I'm messing with fate? Or is it fate that I brought a person back?
"Brother, please," I heard him sob. What he says- it hits a chord in me. Yes, that's right. We're brothers. I never thought of it that way. He was always the dreaded half-demon half-sibling, an embarrassment. But…I am an older brother. I should help my little brother, no matter what. Why are these emotions blossoming now?
"Stop your crying," I tell him, in a similar way I tell Rin to, "and get up." Inuyasha's face fills with hope, but there is still a deep sadness and guilt in his eyes. He looks so tired. I know he ran quite a distance to reach me.
I unsheathe Tensaiga and walk over to the girl. Easily, I slice the messengers from the Netherworld. Inuyasha peers at her face in worry and doubt, as if the Tensaiga would fail.
The girl instantly opens her eyes. She saw Inuyasha and beamed at him. "It looks like I'm back!" She said.
"Kagome!" My brother pulls her into a tight embrace and she blushes. "Don't ever do that to me again."
"I'll try not to," She teases. Then Kagome looks up at me. "Did you bring me back?"
"Yes," I reply. She pulls herself up and smiles at me- yes, her appearance is more appealing now, with a smile enhancing her features- and runs into my chest. She hugs me and I stiffen. Inuyasha's face clouds with jealousy, but then he smells Rin, watching us in the trees, hidden.
"Thank you so much, Sesshomaru. I'm not ready to leave Inuyasha yet. How can I ever repay you?" The girl asks.
"Just don't die again, and save me the trouble," I tell her. Kagome looks a little put off, so I sigh and awkwardly pat her back. "Keep my brother out of my hair." I never want to see him fall apart again. It wasn't right.
"Okay," Kagome chirps, "let's go, Inuyasha!" Inuyasha smiles lovingly at her and lets her get on his back.
"Man, do I have a lot to tell you," I hear Inuyasha say when they are almost out of earshot. I guess they will be mates soon, if Inuyasha will stop pussyfooting around and tell her everything he wants to. She has a right to know. I swear, he is such an idiot.
It's funny. On the same day I acknowledge the fact that I have a brother, I realize I have a sister, too. I wonder if I will be an uncle soon.