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 III
"I would have never thought you and Inuyasha were friends by appearance if he hadn't told me as such." Sesshomaru murmured thoughtfully as they sat down on a bench under a large old yew-tree.
Ryuukotsusei laughed that charming little laugh Sesshomaru was finding quite appealing. He leaned against the yew-tree and enlightened whilst looking down at him, "Not many would image we are friends by merely looking at us together. We're very difference yet what links us together is our fascination for life and of course our appreciation for art. But the same can be said of you, my dear Sesshomaru. I find it quite incredible to believe that Inuyasha has the notorious Sesshomaru Takahashi for his brother. He has been very selfish in hiding you from me. I shall have to tell him so later."
A rare smile appeared on those red lips of the young man and added more beauty to his handsome countenance. He was so young and full of life, but in honestly it was not until now that he had heard from this man standing besides him and from seeing the portrait that he was awaken to the truth of his nature. It was true he had seen his reflection countless times in mirrors throughout his lifetime however; he had never cared much for it. That is, before he met Ryuukotsusei and all seemed to change just by his being there. It was as Inuyasha feared.
Outside in the garden they were at liberty to talk all they wanted without having to deal with that claustrophobic-like sensation that one experiences after being confined in a room for too long.
Sesshomaru plucked an amethyst aquilegia that had sprouted from the base of the yew tree and twirled it between his long fingers like a parasol. After some length of silence, Sesshomaru was curious to know more about his new friend and where he and Inuyasha had met.
"Mr. Mori I—" he began, but was cut off short when his new friend interrupted him.
"Please Sesshomaru call me Ryuukotsusei!" the man with the blackish-red eyes cried. "You make me feel much older than I really am. And how I hate to be reminded of how old I am. It not only reminds me of my true age, but how time steals away the youth and beauty of things."
"—Ryuukotsusei, why is it that I have never seen you before at any social gatherings or at any clubs? It's as if you came out of thin air and showed yourself at our doorstep like some phantom. Speaking of which, might you tell me where you and Inuyasha met?" Sesshomaru looked up from the pretty aquilegia and locked eyes with the older man. His inquisitiveness was hard to mistake.
Lord Ryuukotsusei smiled smoothly and with delicacy removed the aquilegia from Sesshomaru's elegant hands and mimicked, "Like a phantom that appeared on your doorstep out of thin air you say, my dear? How poetic! But in some respects you can consider me a phantom if you like. Yes, in fact, I would like that very much if you did." Ryuukotsusei trailed off. Sesshomaru had to remind him of his existence, and once more asked where it was that he and Inuyasha met and why it was that they had never met before today.
"I spend most of my time traveling between London and Paris for business reasons which I rather not bore you with," Ryuukotsusei explained. "As to your inquiry as to where Inuyasha and I met, it was in Paris some years ago when Time was much kinder to us. I remember our meeting perfectly as if I were reliving that moment again. We crossed paths by chance in the Quartier Latin one evening right by the Seine. I found him all by himself by the riverbed with his canvas and tubes of paint. But it looked like creativity had evaded him. I couldn't help but be drawn to him, what with his isolation. Though poets and painters at times do prefer solitude…
"I couldn't help but sneak up on him and enquire what he was doing all by himself with a blank canvas as his only companion. I'm afraid I did take him by surprise because he jumped and swirled around, scraper clenched in hand for a weapon. Even as I recall that pleasant first meeting his expression was to die for. He was as pale as the beautiful full moon that hung above our heads that night yet his eyes were so vivid with so much emotion. Fear and confusion were the strongest that gleamed in his golden eyes at the time.
"When he saw I began to laugh, he quickly interrupted it for mockery and flushed in anger. He looked about ready to use that scraper that was still in his callus hands; I made haste to correct my error and apologized. He grunted something that I'd rather not mention and returned to his canvas, ignoring me completely as if I had never interrupted him. I admit I was more amused then offended for his lack of attention towards me, but I knew it was fair as I had given him quite a fright—unintentionally of course." (Or so he said)
"I wanted to make amends with him so I asked if he would do me the honour of joining me for dinner. My question took him by surprise again and when he turned round to look at me his expression looked as if I had instead offered him poison then to a quiet little dinner. Suspicion was his obvious conclusion for my request, but I begged him all I wanted was for us to get to know one another better over a few glasses of wine, or if he preferred tea or coffee.
"It took some time for him to concede. But when he did and had gathered his possessions, we strolled down the quiet street to where poets and painters and those who live the Bohemian life gather—the Latin Quarters. We selected a café that was one of my frequent haunts. Once we had ordered we fell into a pleasant conversation that covered mostly anything you can think of and all the while we drank and smoked cigarettes all night long. We watched the people who went pass the café and observed.
"We had a pleasant time and even when the café was closing, we still refused to leave. But at last we recognized it was time to call it a night. I paid our bill and we parted with a vow that we would meet once again soon. But before I let him go, I asked him what he had been doing by the Seine by himself. My question surprised him. He soon smiled and said what all painters do—he was looking for inspiration but had found none which was worth his skill to paint.
"With much discretion I ventured to ask if he preferred solitude to the company of others. With that small smile still on his lips, he nodded his head and answered that he did and that he had his art to provide him with all the company he could ever want. Other, less comprehensive persons would have thought his response was one of an exile, but I understood what he meant perfectly—and I still do now. I handed him my card which had my address from here and begged him to come and see me when he had a chance so we could resume our conversation where we had left off.
"He promised me he would call on me when he had a chance when he returned home. And he did keep his promise. We parted after a long and amusing Bohemian night just as the sun rose and chased away the beautiful night. We shook hands and retired to our rooms in different parts of the city. And there you have how Inuyasha and I met Sesshomaru. I hope that answers your question; and that I did not manage to bore you?"
What he heard had satisfied him. Sesshomaru could picture it clearly as if he where standing with this man and his brother on that fateful night in Paris. Inuyasha standing near the Seine with his easel and looking across the Seine to see if any inspiration could be discovered, until he accepted for the time none could be found.
He could see Ryuukotsusei immerging from the shadows dressed in black and approaching Inuyasha and hear his laughter like the ringing of the bells. But with startling clarity he could distinguish Inuyasha and Ryuukotsusei seated in a café smoking and drinking coffee as they observed the people that passed them by whilst discussing art in general and enjoying themselves and being at total ease as if they were the most intimate friends and not newly acquainted stranger.
It had been a very romantic and unique meeting which was not a very frequent way two people meet.
Locking away the information he heard and filing it away into one of the vast chambers of his shrewd mind, Sesshomaru had many more questions to place before Lord Ryuukotsusei regarding his general outlook of life and further enquiry by what he meant when he said he had had the pleasure of experiencing all the pleasures the world had to offer to man. It was the latter and Lord Ryuukotsusei's charms that aroused and attracted Sesshomaru to him more and more as the seconds ticked by and claimed minute proportions of his boyhood and beauty…
"Such beauty and youth… it's a pity it can't last for ever. I hate it when beautiful things wither and die, and leave only their wake memories of how they once were. In some near future—I should really hope not—your beautiful countenance shall suffer under the weight of time and it will cause your skin to wrinkle and deform your perfect physique. That is why I have decided to live life to the fullest whilst I still have some of my youth left. That is also why I see no point in being moral or follow the dogma of our society that most slave over. What for? We should live how ever we want to without having to fear what any other man might think." Ryuukotsusei concluded, smiling cynically.
Before Sesshomaru could think of something to reply, Inuyasha stepped out and shouted for them to come in. They had hardly realized where time—that double-edged scoundrel—had gone. Above their heads the sky had changed from bright blues and whites, to fiery reds and oranges which paved the way for darkness.
Both men stood and returned to the studio. The room was so capacious that their footsteps echoed off the walls and mingled with the conversation which all three men had engaged in.
"How was your trip to France, Ryuukotsusei? I haven't seen you in three months. You've been up to your usual antics haven't you?" Inuyasha muttered as he scribbled something down in his sketchbook.
Ryuukotsusei smiled and looked at Sesshomaru. "Your brother has such little faith in what I do or in my person also. What is it I do, you say Sesshomaru? Oh, what else does a man of wealth and high standing do when he travels to a foreign land? Experience different cultures and pleasures of course!"
Inuyasha grunted and looked up long enough to see the look Ryuukotsusei was regarding his brother with. At once Inuyasha knew that look and he flushed red in annoyance. He had seen Ryuukotsusei seduce both sexes with his charms and now he was endeavoring to do the same with Sesshomaru. Somewhat violently Inuyasha set down his pen and sketchbook on a table and stood up from his place and made both his companions look at him.
"Well it was a true pleasure seeing you again Ryuukotsusei and that your trip went well. And I am much touched that you came immediately to call upon me at once. But I am sure you are tired from your long voyage from Paris to here so I think we shall not keep you a minute longer from your repose as I'm sure you're extremely worn out." Inuyasha injected with a small smile. His intentions were to get Ryuukotsusei before he did anything to tamper with Sesshomaru's mind.
Ryuukotsusei smiled and looked knowingly at his intimate friend, silently informing him through his gaze that he knew his intentions, which Inuyasha did not care that he should know. But even knowing this, Ryuukotsusei knew Inuyasha was sincere when he said it was a pleasure to see him again after three months of absence.
Seeing as it was late and he was not at all tired but was aware Inuyasha was a tad bit…vexed with him, he smiled once more and announced that he was going. At once Sesshomaru frowned and said if he really had to.
"I'm afraid your brother is quite right. It is getting late and I am a bit weary from my long voyage. Now my dear Sesshomaru don't look so melancholy. Why don't you call on me to-morrow around noon and we shall go for a stroll down the Park or anywhere you fancy? There! Smiling befits you then frowning. Leave the frowning to your brother." Ryuukotsusei beamed brightly as he said his words and watched Sesshomaru's frown dissipate and convert itself into a beautiful smile. Already Lord Ryuukotsusei's influence was at work.
"Very well. I shall call on you at precisely at noon. It was true pleasure to meet you, Lord Ryuukotsusei." Sesshomaru inclined his head minutely. Ryuukotsusei returned the gesture and laughed softly.
"The pleasure was all mine, Sesshomaru. Then we shall see each other again to-morrow! Good-night gentlemen." Ryuukotsusei gathered his belongings and as he opened the door, Inuyasha quickly went after him and said, "I will walk you to the door, Ryuukotsusei." The two exited and the door closed gently behind them. Sesshomaru was left by himself with only himself as company.
He approached the stand and gazed at the portrait on himself with a pained expression. He lifted his hand and gingerly traced the portrait's features with his finger. As he did this he spoke in a low whisper, "What I would do if I could retain my youth and beauty and keep it from time from stealing it from me. To think, this portrait shall never experience the pains of ugliness and death. Even when I am long old and unbearable to see, he who is trapped within this canvas shall remain young and beautiful! Oh, how I wish I should be the one to keep what is rightfully mine and this portrait could wither and degrade in my place. Yes…I would do anything."
His long fingers left the portrait and touched his own face. Unable to stand the knowledge much longer of growing old and beauty disintegrating, he spun on his heels and left the room with a heart being weighed with despair. Right as the door closed and the sound of his steps became distant, the portrait and another source of power and great influence grated the foolish boy's wish and gave him what he so desperately wanted without actually knowing what it was which he asked for.