Well, here's chapter II! Thanks to those who reviewed and told me I should continue. I hope you enjoy and that you will kindly take the time to give me your opinion on this story. Until the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or The Picture of Dorian Gray. They belong to their creators, respectively and I mean no offense at all.
Chapter II
With one final stroke of the brush his masterpiece, no his legacy that would make him a great artist, was complete! But it wouldn't last long, this feeling of great accomplishment. Because today he was a painter and tomorrow his role in life was still unwritten and indescribable and unknown to even him. Inuyasha took a step back to admire his work and a sincere smile touched his thin lips and his amber eyes glimmered quietly. It was absolutely the best thing he had ever done in his life as an artist.
His eyes stayed on the portrait and he called out distantly to his brother, "I'm done. You can get up and leave now."
Sesshomaru came to life and got up from the settee and strolled over to the portrait that had been made of him.
"Aren't you going to invite me to see my own portrait, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru said coldly.
"I didn't think you would want to waste any more time with me and my art Sesshomaru. But you're right, this is your portrait that I painted and I think you have a right to see it." Inuyasha muttered, taking a step aside to give him a clear look of the portrait.
A soft gasp of astonishment escaped passed the red lips of the beautiful lord as his eyes locked with those golden gems that were captured for ever in paint. Inuyasha had depicted his lounging languidly on the red settee just as he was a few moments ago, only he had deliberately added a touch of mirth in those eyes that were almost like his own, but not quite identical.
The posture of his body, the slight exposure of his long pale neck and the placement of his hands, and the background of the room all added to the reality of it and made it appear more marvelous then what any photograph could ever capture. This portrait of incessant beauty had managed to capture and imprison the very soul of Sesshomaru. It revealed to them both that he was beautiful and that his beauty should be more praised then it already was.
Inuyasha watched his brother's expression experience various emotions before at last he settled for his custom indifference and nodded his head. He would incapable of ever recognizing something Inuyasha had ever done of extraordinary talent and would say nothing.
Sighing, Inuyasha pushed Sesshomaru out of the way. He lifted the paint brushed and dabbed it in some paint and signed his name in the corner of the portrait and smiled. Now it was complete. At that exact time the clock chimed the hour and informed them it was already five o' clock. There was a knock and one of the maids entered the room to inform Sir Inuyasha he had a guest. When asked who, she answered that it was Lord Ryuukotsusei Mori who wished to see him.
And all this time Sesshomaru remained quiet and kept his eyes on his portrait.
Inuyasha waved his hand and said, "Show him in Kikyou. And bring us more tea." She bowed and left the room. Moments later the door was opened and Ryuukotsusei entered in his flamboyant manner both in dress and in character. It was odd that he and Inuyasha should be friends, but they were, even if their friendship could be considered perplexing.
"Ryuukotsusei, I wasn't expecting you so soon. I thought you beat it to the Continent or something like that." Inuyasha murmured as he cleaned his brush and started to put his things away.
"I just came back not an hour ago. I came here directly to see how you were doing. Hm, and who is this Inuyasha?" Ryuukotsusei asked cryptically as he saw Sesshomaru. Finally acknowledging there was another inhabitant in the room and was asking about him, Sesshomaru tore his eyes away from the object of his engrossment and stared at his brother's most intimate friend, Ryuukotsusei.
"This is my brother Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru this is Ryuukotsusei. There, you're introduced." Inuyasha muttered.
Ryuukotsusei inclined his head and Sesshomaru returned the gestured somewhat stiffly. There was something that unsettled him yet fascinated him about the way Ryuukotsusei was staring at him with those black, almost red eyes of his.
"Have I intruded at a bad time Inuyasha?" Ryuukotsusei asked.
"No, you've come at a perfect time. Tell me what you think of my latest piece of art. Sesshomaru was my inspiration." Inuyasha directed him to the portrait and waited.
Ryuukotsusei's eyes rested upon the portrait and immediately he fell in love with it, both portrait and its model.
"You've out done yourself this time Inuyasha. You must have this displayed somewhere where will it receive the proper admiration it deserves." Ryuukotsusei implied with a small smile.
The painter shook his head and replied, "No, I can't do that. This thing belongs to Sesshomaru. It's beyond my power to make that kind of decision."
"You will coincide to have this displayed in an art gallery, will you not Mr. Takahashi? That is where it belongs so the entire city and the world can gaze at its beauty and sincerity, and idealize it." Ryuukotsusei persuaded, curious to hear the beautiful boy's reaction.
Sesshomaru lifted his twinkling eyes and returned, "I'm sorry Mr. Mori, but I have no intentions of having this displayed anywhere other then in my drawing room."
"Will you part for it at any given sum you might place?" Ryuukotsusei enquired, sincerely wanting the portrait of this exceptional creature of outstanding beauty as his own.
Sesshomaru shook his head and said, "No, I won't part with."
A subtle smile spread across Ryuukotsusei's lips and he slipped his arm through Sesshomaru's and said, "I don't blame you at all for not wanting to part with such a beautiful portrait. It does more then captures your beauty, but your very soul. Will you join me for a stroll out in the gardens Sesshomaru? Yes, well come along. Inuyasha you'll join us, won't you?"
"No, you both go on ahead. I have to make sure it dries properly or else the paint will smear. But don't believe anything Ryuukotsusei says, Sesshomaru. He has a very bad view of life and he'll persuade you to follow his ways if you're not careful." Inuyasha warned gravely after them.
Ryuukotsusei laughed melodiously and cried, "My dear Inuyasha, you only say that because you've never experience the pleasures of the world. You're always hiding behind the walls of this house and never dare to wander past the threshold to confront the world and commit every sin offered to man."
"And I have good reason not to, too." Inuyasha mumbled.
"The pleasures of the world… You mean to say you have committed all the sins and pleasures that this world has to offer Mr. Mori?" Sesshomaru questioned, intrigued at the turn of the conversation.
Again Ryuukotsusei laughed and remarked, "I dare say I have my dear Sesshomaru. With youth and beauty all pleasures and sins are more tantalizing. Youth is the only thing worth having in this world, that and beauty of course. And you are blessed with both virtues. All other things such as morality and intelligence are a waste of time and a bother."
Inuyasha frowned and grunted, "That's because you are an immoral individual who thrives from corruption and scandal."
Ryuukotsusei heard Inuyasha's comment and smiled. "You're undoubtedly right Inuyasha, I have no time to even think about moral things when there is so much one has to experience before one's youth withers and leaves one old, ugly and dried up. That is why we must live each day to the fullest! Are you of the same mind, Sesshomaru?"
"You make it sound as if we haven't much of a choice, Mr. Mori in choosing that sort of lifestyle. But yes in certain respects I do agree with you." Sesshomaru observed with a soft frown whilst staring Ryuukotsusei directly in the eyes. "I find your philosophy of life rather intriguing and enthralling. Will you tell me more, please?"
"I would love to my dear boy. Since your brother wishes to remain here in this stuffy room, let us go outside for a stroll and I shall tell you everything you wish to know. I shall return him in a while Inuyasha!" Ryuukotsusei cried over his shoulder as he led Sesshomaru out into the luxuriant gardens.
When they disappeared, Inuyasha clenched the box that contained his paints and brushes tightly in his hands. He was worried Ryuukotsusei would be a bad influence over Sesshomaru and change him. Ryuukotsusei had never had any power over the painter because he had his own philosophy of life already established and it was almost impossible for anyone to waver it.
Sadly the same thing could not be said for Sesshomaru. Although he was the oldest and held the title of lord after their father had passed, his outrageous life of scandal and insanity made it hard for the young lord to form his own solid ideas of life. And it worried Inuyasha despite his not wanting to.
Inuyasha sighed quietly and proceeded to clean up. He put everything back in its proper place and returned to the portrait to see if the paint had dried and that no blemishes had appeared. As he allowed his eyes of sad amber to scan over it, he couldn't help but feel heat creep up his face and paint his cheeks a delicate red. Ever since his birth and when the light of common sense had been ignited, Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru was beautiful and that he was trapped within his charm reluctantly.
He looked away and searched for one of his sketch books to begin working on a frame for the portrait. When he found it under the clutter of clothes, he sat down on the same settee Sesshomaru had been seated in and began to create, all the way wondering what nonsense Ryuukotsusei was filling Sesshomaru's head with. Nothing good, that was a very sure thing.