AlexandriteSky: Many thanks to Devilgirl4, lilithblood, xadren, LoveInTheBattleField, ShadowXMoonlight, write more soon, Guest, FireCrackingShrimpEater, HiddenFaces, and Sabu-chan for your lovely reviews! Once I saw your feedback I immediately went and wrote this next chapter!
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Chapter 2
"Half-breed. I require your assistance."
Inuyasha almost shot out of his chair at the sound of his brother's voice, so shocked was he to see Sesshomaru leaning against the doorway to his room. At home, there was an unspoken agreement to ignore each other's existences, having been established after their parents had threatened to castrate both of them should they have to pay for one more broken wall/window/door.
"Bastard." The hanyou snarled reflexively, before backtracking upon realizing that no insult had actually been made. "Sesshomaru." He greeted again with forced cordiality.
No matter how much he despised his brother, Inuyasha couldn't resist the overwhelming curiosity that consumed him.
It wasn't often that the 'great' Sesshomaru stooped down to the level of asking for his help. Inuyasha was more than willing to stifle his animosity for the greater goal of seeing what kind of monstrosity was capable of troubling his older brother.
"What's up?" he asked awkwardly when his brother continued to do nothing but stare at him with narrow, calculating eyes. With a glint something came shooting at him, and it struck him between the eyes with pinpoint accuracy.
"WHAT THE FUCK, ASSHOLE!" the hanyou roared, rubbing the sore area and snatching Sesshomaru's choice of weapon off the floor, which was revealed to be a deadly…
…hairband?
Not only was it a hairband, but it was the ugliest hairband Inuyasha had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.
Was that supposed to be a cat?
Just why was such a thing in his brother's possession?
Sesshomaru took great pains to be a perfectionist, and it was in his nature to immediately incinerate things that did not please him ("MOM. SESSHOMARU BLEW UP MY FUCKING CAR AGAIN!). The fact that this hairband was still intact was an entire mystery in itself.
"Um…" Inuyasha began, rage subsiding due to the need of an explanation for this newest development. "So…what the fuck is this?"
"…" Sesshomaru stared down at him.
"…" Inuyasha glared back.
"…"
"…"
"…It's a hairband."
A vein throbbed in Inuyasha's forehead. "I KNOW THAT, ASSHOLE!" he screeched.
Sesshomaru's brow rose. "Then why ask? Foolish half-breed. You have the mental capacity of the chair you're standing next to."
Inuyasha forced down the fist that had subconsciously been formed to punch the other in the face.
"I'm ignoring that comment because I've made the conscious decision to be mature." The hanyou ground out, inwardly complimenting himself for his self-restraint. He had really come a long way over the years! "But I'm not doing jack-shit for you until you explain to me what this is all about."
A rare look of uncertainty flashed across Sesshomaru's face and Inuyasha concealed a grin.
Yup, this was definitely going to be worth the torture of being in his brother's presence.
"…It's a hairband." The older brother attempted again, but was instantly shot down by a curt wave of Inuyasha's hand.
"Nope. I'm not asking what it is, I'm asking why you have it."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…I don't have all day to wait for you to finish your inner conversation with your pride, jackass."
Sesshomaru's youki flared, but Inuyasha was unimpressed. Though his older brother presented a rather intimidating image, having to face him every day had allowed Inuyasha to build up immunity to his death glares and murderous aura.
The fact that their parents were downstairs helped a bit as well.
As the silver-haired youkai continued to mull over the dilemma of how to present his situation, Inuyasha took the time to finally take a good look at the hairband he had previously dismissed. It was as obnoxious as he remembered it to be, but something about the cat's grouchy expression now struck a chord of familiarity in his mind. He leaned over it with a frown, willing himself to remember where he had seen such a hairband before.
"Ah!" he exclaimed, caramel eyes widening in surprise. "Isn't this Kagome's? I'd recognize that weird cat…thing…anywhere! Why the fuck do you have this!?"
With a gust of wind Inuyasha found himself alone once again, the hairband he had just been holding now absent from his hand. The door slammed loudly signifying Sesshomaru's exit, leaving the hanyou behind in a mess of confusion and irritation.
"SESSHOMARU YOU BASTARD!" Inuyasha's voice rang throughout the house, shaking its very foundation. "GET BACK HERE AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF, YOU ASS!"
Downstairs, their parents smiled at each other as they delicately sipped their cups of tea.
"It's great to see our boys getting along." Izayoi commented amiably.
"That it is." Her spouse agreed, and they clinked their cups together.
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AlexandriteSky: Thank you so much for reading, and please leave a review! Seeing your feedback is the greatest motivation to get these chapters out quickly!
