Chapter 3, getting to the heart of the story, Sesshoumaru is hurt, Inuyasha is his only hope...bad for Sesshoumaru, great for us! Will Inuyasha help? Will Sesshoumaru let him?
Yeah...and I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just havin' a bit of fun!
The Spring, The Moon, This Night
Chapter 3
He was barely conscious now. Could hardly see. But even still he could hear a ridiculous racket coming from the wood a few feet from where he lay. And he could smell it. The hanyo. So familiar. So much of his father. And disturbingly so much of himself he could smell, and something else. Something foreign. Weakness, he decided. The human side of it. He refused to say the ridiculous name his father spoke of.
Inuyasha.
If he could manage it he'd shake his head in disgust, as it was a smirk was all he could muster. The rustling became louder and it emerged. So small. Still only a pup. He listened as it walked over to him. "Se-ssSeshoumaru? Are you Sesshoumaru?" said the tiny all-too-familiar smelling thing. He couldn't see him very well, but he knew this was him. He refused to address him. He couldn't ask for help. What the hell was he supposed to do?
"Don't worry, I'm real fast, I'll go and get help!" and he was off through the woods again. Surprisingly fast for such a small child. Even demons that age didn't move so quickly. He caught himself. "Filthy hanyo" he muttered. But still he carried his blood and that of his father, the least he could do is be quick on his feet. He did not want to admit it, but the sight of the child running towards his home caused him to relax himself. He knew that it would not take long for him to reach his home. And that once there he would not fail to bring help to him.
This Sesshoumaru. Helped, by a filthy hanyo and his disgrace of a mother. The very thought caused what blood he had left in his body to heat, his face grew hot. He knew that his anger and shame were clearly displayed there. Even at this tender age, barely adolescent, he did not show his emotions. Ever. This could not be, he would not allow it. But he couldn't get up and leave. He could barely move. Shame, anger, frustration and loneliness. They all fell on him, all at once. "Oh, gods please…please… don't let me…I can't. I won't" But he would. He felt his eyes begin to sting. His sight becoming blurrier than it had been. Thankfully, before it could happen, just as the sound of many men hurrying through the woods came to him, he felt his consciousness slip away.
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It scared him. When he got back and saw him his eyes were closed. And his face was all grey and blue. He's dead, he thought. He'd let his brother die. He was too slow. If he was a real demon he'd have been faster. What would his father say? Would he be mad? Would he hate him?
He barely knew his father.
When father was here he spent all of his time with his mother, although he liked that 'cause it meant that all the servants would be busy attending HIM and he could run about and do what he liked for a long time. He just had to remember to stay clean for when he'd have to go in to him.
He was so big. And wide! His hair was long and heavy and silver. Almost like his. He wore armor and huge swords. He was a warrior, a great lord. He was scary, but he smiled at him and pat his head and asked if he had behaved himself. He always said yes even if he'd gotten in trouble that day. But he didn't lie very well and he always turned red when he did. But father didn't hit him or yell. But he'd always say in a stern solemn voice, "Inuyasha, you are the son of demon lord and a beautiful human princess, you must always remember this and behave accordingly." Then his voice would soften, and he'd pull the tiny boy closer to him and say, "You must take care of your mother when I am not here, Inuyasha, try to make her happy. She deserves happiness. And I cannot…"
He'd never finish. And when Inuyasha looked up at him he'd be staring down at him. His eyes were gold, just like his. But just then they'd always be sad. They'd be just like his mother's when she cried over him when she thought that he was asleep. Did this big demon lord love him? Just like his mother did. He could hardly wrap his head around it. But it felt good, even though he didn't like it that it made his father sad. One day he'd make them both really proud and really happy. They'd never have to look at him with those sad eyes ever again. He hated sad eyes.
But now what would happen. He cried when he saw him as he came to the place he'd left his brother. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't make his father sad. He couldn't. But he heard him take a breath, and then another. He was breathing! He was still hurt real bad, he didn't heal yet, but he was alive. The men of the castle put a pallet on the ground beside him and gingerly eased him onto it. As though they were afraid to touch him. Inuyasha knew that some of the men hated him for being half-demon. He couldn't imagine how they felt about his brother. But he knew that they would do whatever his mother asked. They loved her, no matter whatever else they felt they would never disobey her.
He ran ahead of them to tell his mother and the other servants that they would be there soon. As he ran he began to remember something. It had happened when he was very little. He'd climbed into a big big tree in the deep part of the forest. He'd stolen something from the kitchen and was afraid of getting his ears pinched by the cook again. Then that smell came to him. His father's smell. And something else, like it, but not exactly. He looked in the direction of a hill just outside the village. He was there. His father. And someone that looked a lot like him only smaller, a child or maybe a little older.
"I will not." Said the smaller one. His eyes narrowed when his said it, his feet were spread wide apart, as though bracing himself against something.
"It is your duty as my eldest son and heir to see all of your younger siblings, Sesshoumaru. Would you refuse such a responsibility? Would you allow these feelings to sway you from what is the honor and the right of the son of the Lord of the Western Lands?"
"A duty that is not mine, a right which I decline and an honor", here he laughed "which I deny. He is hanyo, only half demon. I will not soil my name by acknowledging his. I will not do this, father."
"So, you would defy me?" his father said, his eyes hardening, narrowing, looking so much like the smaller one's. "Deny your duty and defy your father, and still you want my lands, my title and my sword." At this the smaller one gasped, just slightly.
"I have never done so, but, in this I cannot obey you, father". Then, his chin lowering only a very little he said, "A filthy hanyo will never be counted as my brother. I will not have him. How can I accept as mine something so foreign, so different?" He turned then, and looking back, "I am sorry father, I will nott"
His father was facing the other way and didn't watch the other leave. After a long time he looked up and in his direction! No way, he couldn't see him! But he could not look away. His father, he seemed so sad, and worried.
So, they were talking about him. That boy was his brother, his older brother. And he called him "filthy hanyo". He sighed. He was used to it, even now. It hurt, but he wasn't worried about himself. He'd never seen his father look like that before. So tired and sad. He'd hurried down the tree to greet him when he got to his house. He'd show him the things he'd done since he'd been gone, and the servants would have to admit that other than stealing the cake that morning (he'd almost forgotten!) he'd been extra good. He knew it would make him smile. And he didn't need any brother to accept him. Not at all, not one bit!
He blinked as the memory played out in his mind. So, this demon that he'd saved, his own brother thought that he was a filthy hanyo. He hadn't expected it to, but this hurt him. His own brother would not see him. Not see that he wasn't stupid, or ugly, or bad. All he'd see is a "half-breed", a disgrace. Inuyasha felt his anger growing, "if he wouldn't accept him then he would not accept this "brother" either. But, he would not allow his father to be sad about him. He would help make sure he lived. That he was alright.
And that he got the hell out of his house. Soon.
Hmmm, already a temper on that boy! What's gonna happen, well...at this point even I'm not sure! We'll see!
