Hi guys! I know it's been a long time, but now school's over for the summer, so I'll try to step up a bit, though RL is quite a bitch right now. This chapter is unbetaed, since it seems my beta has gone on vacation. I'll replace this with the finished version as soon as possible, but I thought you all deserved something after such a long time. Enjoy!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sesshoumaru stared dumbly, not that he'd ever admit it, after his brother. He'd expected a fight, some foul words and a more quiet night afterwards. Instead he got left alone by a teary eyed hanyou. It was almost enough to make him feel bad, but as he was Sesshoumaru nothing made him feel bad. Except perhaps the set of big teary doe eyes his ward presented him with on occasion, but that's neither here nor there.
Sesshoumaru settled down on the ground, awaiting his brothers' return, content to sit in the dark. He tried to focus his thoughts on Rin, and what was left of the journey to the island where she was kept, but his mind filled constantly with the image of wet golden eyes and an aura of sadness.
He sighed and rose to his feet. Even just sitting and waiting for the hanyou turned out to be impossible. He blamed Inuyasha.
He turned to where he had last seen his brother and started walking. His nose directed him to where his brother was currently located. Suddenly he picked up another familiar smell, one that made his hackles rise and a growl pour from his mouth. He sped up.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Banteki!" Inuyasha was instantly on his guard with a hand on the hilt of Tetsuaiga.
"Oh, Inuyasha, you remembered my name! I'm glad you do." A big grin stretched across his lips, making him look like the predator he was. He took a step closer. Inuyasha backed up.
The dark youkai continued his advance while Inuyasha kept backing up. Until his back hit a tree that is. He drew his sword and kept it at Banteki who came closer and closer. At last the two were nose to nose, only Tetsuaiga keeping them apart.
Feeling bold, Inuyasha poked him with the tip of his sword. He was very surprised when Banteki batted away the sword as if it was nothing more than a pesky fly, irritating him.
"You are surprised at my strength. That is good, a mate should be sure he is protected by the alpha male. But be aware, every challenge you throw at me I will defeat. You will be my mate, soon. And then I can do with you what I wish."
With those words, the youkai left, vanishing through the thick bushes. Inuyasha slid to ground, a feeling not unlike dread rising up inside of him. Not a second later, his brother came into sight. Inuyasha immediately rose and hid his feelings, though judging from the look on Sesshoumaru's face and the way he inhaled all the scents around him he wasn't successful.
"Inuyasha, why are you surrounded in Bantekis scent?" The words were growled, as if the youkai was angry. Inuyasha surmised that it was because the dark youkai had almost hurt what he perceived was his prey.
"Relax, he didn't touch me. And why the hell are you here? You obviously don't want me around. This gave you the perfect opportunity to just let me get out of your hair."
Sesshoumaru glowered at him.
"You forget that while you are able to step foot on the island that holds my charge, I cannot. As much as it pains me to admit, I need you to retrieve her for me."
Inuyasha blinked. It was surprising to hear those words coming from his proud brother.
"There's a fat chance of that ever happening again. All you do is insult me and my friends. I don't care if that is how full blooded youkai communicate, but I refuse to be treated like dirt."
"That is the way you have always been treated, yet when this Sesshoumaru lets you travel with him for a cause which makes you dreary life have a cause, you intend to leave and go back to merely existing once again? I do not understand your intentions, Inuyasha."
While he spoke, the youkai had made his way closer to the hanyou. Now he was within touching range and Inuyasha could see the indignation in his eyes more clearly. He could also see the elegant nose twitch slightly, making his brother look like a sniffing dog.
Inuyashas lips twitched. The likeness was a little too close to home in their case. Being dog youkai he'd had to live with barbs and insults his whole life. He was positive though that his brother had not, being an important lord and all.
"Inuyasha, it would seem that you had very close contact with Banteki a short while ago. His vile scent is all over your person. It almost smells like…"
Sesshoumarus eyes widened minutiously, just enough to recognize it for what it was if one knew him as well as Inuyasha. Suddenly he was pinned to a tree with his hands locked above his head and an insistent nose poking him in the neck.
"What the hell? Sesshoumaru, the hell do you think you're doing?"
He struggled, which was pointless. Sesshoumaru had enough strength in his one arm than Inuyasha had in both of his together. It was even more pointless, seeing as the new moon was only a couple of nights away at most.
Sesshoumaru growled. "Why do you carry the scent of a future mate claim on you?"
"What? I don't know what you're talking about, crazy bastard. Now let me go, damnit!"
Inuyashas persistent struggling yielded him nothing, but he figured it was the principle that counted. How strong Sesshoumaru, or any other youkai, had been, he would still be fighting with all his might.
"A male has made his intent known for all others that he means to take you as his mate. Why?"
He sounded mystified, like he couldn't believe that someone might want Inuyasha for anything other than for kicks. Inuyasha couldn't really blame him, the thought had never even occurred to him.
"I don't know. I didn't even know you could do that. I'm innocent!"
"Yes, I think you are in this particular case, as you say, innocent. Banteki was here moments before me, was he not? Do not bother to answer, I already know the answer. My nose is, after all, more accurate than your own. This scent is clearly his, and so this claim must belong to him as well. Why have you let another mark you thusly?"
Sesshoumaru looked as surprised as Inuyasha felt. Why would the bastard older brother care at all what the hanyou got into? He hadn't cared all those times Inuyasha had almost died. But this seemed to throw him in a different way, one Inuyasha hadn't known existed.
"If you would start listening, you would hear me when I say that it had nothing to do with 'letting' him do anything. How was I supposed to stop him from making something I didn't even know was possible?"
Sesshoumarus eyebrow rose and he stepped back, finally letting go of Inuyashas arms. Inuyasha could feel the blood returning to his fingers, making them tingle. Another sign of the pending new moon.
"It is no matter now. What is done is done. Let us continue on, Rin is waiting to be rescued, and you are to help me."
And just like that, as if the conversation was done and over, Sesshoumaru turned around and started back towards the trail they'd left. Inuyasha blinked, and a thought occurred to him.
"Hey! How am I supposed to get rid of this 'mark' thing? I don't want it."
Without even slight turn of his neck, the youkai continued on. It was quiet for a long while, the only sounds were of the forest surrounding them. Inuyasha figured he wasn't getting an answer from his stubborn-as-hell brother, and since his eyelids kept falling down over his eyes, he probably wouldn't be in any state to hear an answer.
It wasn't until the youkai no longer could hear Inuyasha trailing behind him that he turned around with a faint frown, wanting to get to the island soon. The frown faded when he saw his brother, standing with a hand on the trunk of a tree. With the other hand, he scrubbed furiously at his eyes, frustration clear in his scent.
"Inuyasha, what are you doing now? I need to get o the island."
Inuyasha looked blearily at him, before continuing to rub at his aching eyes.
"You know, while you probably could go on for several weeks without stopping to rest, some of us are not built like that. We've been walking for a long time, and I'm fucking tired, damnit!"
Sesshoumaru blinked. He was used to hearing all kinds of filth coming from his brothers mouth, but accompanied by his behavior, he could see something was bothering Inuyasha. Recalling the hanyous temper the last time they 'discussed' his former pack, Sesshoumaru concluded that the bad temper had remained.
"Inuyasha, if your human side is still upset about our earlier conversation, I advise you to control it before this Sesshoumaru leave you to the vultures." The youkai sneered at the implication that one could have feelings.
"I hate to burst your bubble, but this is a forest, vultures live in the large, sandy and hot as hell deserts, idiot. Frankly, the only thing that could count as a danger to my life here is you."
Inuyasha started to slide down the trunk, looking like he was going to pass out any second. The youkai looked faintly startled. He hadn't thought his brother would ever admit being inferior to the Lord of the West, and was pleased the hanyou had finally come to the realization that Sesshoumaru was stronger in every way.
That feeling of contentment, which he shouldn't feel (why was he feeling it?), didn't last long as soft snoring flooded his sensitive ears from where his brother sat on the ground. Leaning closer, he saw the hanyou had really fallen asleep, just like that.
Sesshoumaru scoffed, inferior hanyou. But he could also use a slight rest, before continuing the next day towards their goal, the tiny island where Rin was located. They would liberate his charge before the next full moon, or Inuyasha was going to be very sorry.
XXXXXXXXXX
"I think we're getting close."
Inuyasha glanced behind him where his older brother walked at a slower pace. The normally neutral face showed an almost invisible sheen of sweat, and one eyebrow was faintly pulled down. All in all, he looked miserable, a look that suited him in Inuyashas opinion.
"Yes, hanyou, I have been feeling the distance minimizing between us and the barrier for a long while. You forget that my senses are much sharper than yours will ever be."
Inuyasha frowned. "Yeah, yeah, don't take your frustrations out on me. I'm here to help, but I might change my mind with that attitude."
No answer was forthcoming, and Inuyasha decided not to push his luck and just continued walking. The silence lasted a long time, then he suddenly heard a sound behind him, like a lightning bolt hitting a tree. Turning around, he saw Sesshoumaru had stopped, frowning openly now. Sesshoumaru stretched out a hand in front of him and got slightly electrified by the barrier.
"Wow, that close, huh. Guess you're stuck on the other side now, asshole." Inuyasha grinned at him, while Sesshoumaru sneered at him, showing all his pointy teeth.
"Well, you can stay there for a couple days, while I go get the kid. See ya!" Inuyasha bounded away, smelling out the village with his fading sense of smell. He snuck right up to see the edge of the village. It was filled with priestesses and children. One of the kids, a female, was having a tantrum, Inuyasha could hear her yelling to be let go to her 'Sesshoumaru-sama'. He grinned, the kid had guts.
Instead of marching right in to take the kid and just make like a tree and leave, he made himself comfortable in a tree. It was close to evening after all, and the kids would soon be sent off to bed. He closed his eyes and rested.
XXXXXXXXXX
The moon was absent when a dark-haired human made his way into the quiet little village. The priestess that met him had a quiet conversation, before leading him towards the children's sleeping quarters. Once there, he looked over all the kids carefully, before pointing out a small girl. The priestess frowned and seemed worried at the choice. The human persisted and the little girl was placed in his arms. The human walked out of the village, as quietly as he'd come, with a bundle in his arms, a sleeping little girl.
XXXXXXXXXX
Inuyasha was looking at the girl as the sun rose over the horizon. So this was his brothers little charge. She didn't look any different than most other humans. He felt a small pang of resentment towards the girl. She got more attention from Sesshoumaru than he had ever gotten and ever get, and he was related to the bastard.
It had probably to do with him being a hanyou. But Sesshoumarus hatred toward humans was well known. Inuyasha wondered what this little one had done to make Sesshoumaru care like this.
He stared until Rin stirred and woke. Her eyelids fluttered open and he could actually fucking see the innocence in those big shining eyes. It was something that he couldn't recognize in himself, and he wondered if he had ever been as innocent.
"Where is Rin? Is Sesshoumaru-sama here? You look like Sesshoumaru-sama, are you his servant? Will you take Rin to Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Whoa, kid, breathe! And ease up on the questions! Sesshoumaru, the bastard, is near here, but there's a barrier that keeps him from getting here. I'm gonna take you back to the bastard. And I'm no servant! Now let's go!"
Inuyasha straightened up and held out his hand. The girl took it trustingly, which was a little silly, he could be anyone, and hadn't Sesshoumaru taught her some basic self-defense? Or at least not to follow anyone that offered her candy? Or in this case Sesshoumaru?
He hoisted the girl up on his hip, since she was too small to keep on his back, she would probably fly off with the first decent wind coming their way. He set off at a quick pace, eager to get away from the place.
It wasn't long before he could see the bastard standing by the barrier, as if knowing just when Inuysha was going to show up. When he saw the girl in his arms, he actually smiled and Inuyasha was taken back at the pain that pulsed through him at the sight.
When he reached the other side of the barrier, he had to put the girl down; she squirmed too much for him to get a good grip.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, I knew you would come and save Rin! Rin is very happy!"
"Yeah, thanks for the credit, kid. Go make Sesshoumaru happy… or at least less grumpy."
Inuyasha stared at his brother and the kid, noticing the tender hand that was laid on the girls head, and the way the hard golden eyes softened the tiniest bit when directed at the small human. He felt a pang inside his chest. The daiyoukai had never looked at him, his own sibling like that, and here he was, giving his attention to a little girl that could keel over any minute.
"Well Sesshoumaru, it's been an adventure. Don't miss me too much when I'm gone!"
With those words, the hanyou set out in the direction of his little village and forest where no one was waiting for him, and a dark, useless well.
"Hanyou, you have this Sesshoumarus gratitude for your help."
Those words must have stung the youkai, but Inuyasha grinned.
"Yeah, I'm awesome. See ya around, or not, asshole!"
He got a growl for that, but nothing more was forthcoming so he continued on his way.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It seemed like an eternity now, the unlikely adventure he'd had with Sesshoumaru. Several weeks had passed since that weird journey. Not that he kept track of the time, there was just noting more exciting happening in his life.
Inuyasha was seated on the edge of the dark well, his eyes cruising the treetops, bored out of his mind. When he came back, he had been met by the cold shoulder. Only Kaede had shown some kind of happiness when he'd popped his head in for a quick hello.
Sometimes, he wondered why he bothered with this. This village didn't need him, or even want him, and he refused to believe Sesshoumarus words about his friends. No matter that the youkais senses were stronger than his and none of his remaining friends never looked twice at him once the battle was over and just disappeared. If the humans in his group didn't like him, he would have noticed ages ago.
His eyes were drawn to the well, as usual. He always ended up here, in the forest or by the well. It seemed fate meant for him to stay here, alone and unwanted by the rest of the world.
The sun was beginning to set when he rose and made his way back to the village. On his way, he decided to go say hi to the old priestess.
He poked in his head while tapping on the wooden wall of the hut. Kaede waved him in without looking up from her task of crushing some kind of hard-shelled beetle.
"What do you want, Inuyasha? It's not often you poke your nose in here anymore."
He sneered, scuffing his feet against the floor.
"I just came to say hi, witch. I thought you might have kicked the bucket, it's been so long since I've seen your mug around."
"I'm getting old, mutt, these old bones of mine haven't the strength to carry me around town that often anymore."
The exchange of friendly insults between the hanyou and the human did nothing to warm the sudden chill in Inuyashas stomach.
The old priestess apparently deemed her beetle to e sufficiently pounded and poured the remains in a bowl, and gesturing for the steaming pot on the fire. Inuyasha grabbed the ladle and filled it with the liquid, tea his nose told him, and filled the cup with the beetle. Kaede nursed the cup in her hands, occasionally taking a sip every now and then.
"Inuyasha, I think you know the townspeople aren't fond of you, and I know you have no lingering feelings of affection for anyone here. I'm the only one here that thinks of you as a friend. The thing is, Inuyasha, my time here is nearly at its end, and I don't want you to remain here with these villagers who want you dead. Your place is not here, you are not supposed to remain here. I'm not sure you should ever have come back once Kagome went back to her time, it's not your destiny. So I implore you Inuyasha, as my friend, to leave this town and find your own place, with people who will cherish you."
Inuyasha stared at Kaede, surprised at her insight. Though he knew this place was not for him, he hadn't been able to bring himself to leave the only place anyone had ever accepted him, first Kikyo, then Kagome and Kaede.
"Old hag, you're one of a kind."
Now Inuyasha did something he never did, and never planned to do again. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against a wrinkled cheek, before he rose to his feet and left.
"It's been nice knowing you! See you around!"
Inuyasha didn't turn around, and thus didn't see the surprised but pleased look Kaede shot him. She knew as well as the hanyou that they would not be seeing each other again. Inuyasha made his way outside the village, never to return. He wouldn't miss the place.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Inuyasha had wandered around for days, not having a purpose, and not knowing of anyone who would welcome him. Miroku and Sango had just started out their life together and he didn't want to be the fifth wheel.
The forest stretched out around him, seemingly endlessly, just like his future. He snorted at the thought. But he knew that however long he roamed the world, he would live long enough to see everything multiple times.
He continued his walking. Even that was boring after going at it for several days alone. Then he smelled something soothing. A hot spring. He grinned. After days of walking and not bathing, he figured his smell alone held youkai at bay for miles. He made a beeline for the spring. After all, his own nose was sensitive enough to the stink of himself.
The spring was steaming when he got there, and it wasn't empty. In the steamy water sat Banteki, the current bane of Inuyashas existence. Inuyasha swore to himself and tried to back of quietly into the forest again.
"My little one, don't hide in the bushes. Come here and enjoy a nice bath instead."
The youkai wasn't even looking at Inuyasha, but Inuyasha knew he was trapped. Like a mouse in a room full of cats. He might not be able to run, but like hell he would get into the spring naked with Banteki.
Inuyasha stood, unsure of his next action, when he felt the air shifting around him. He spun around and stood face to face, or face to chest in this case, with a naked Banteki. The bigger youkai smirked down at the slight flush that appeared on the hanyous cheeks. Banteki didn't miss the quick once-over (right word?) that Inuyashas eyes made before they dragged up to meet the dark eyes.
Inuyasha saw the smile in the dark eyes, and blushed harder. It wasn't the first time he'd seen a naked male, but those had been human, and nowhere near this incredible physique that Banteki displayed. In the back of his mind he wondered if Sesshoumaru looked anything like this.
"I see I must help you into the water."
With those words, the large youkai reached out and ripped the fire-rat robe from the startled hanyou. When he tried to remove Tetsusaiga from Inuyashas hip, the sword let out a zap that had the youkai taking several steps backward. The dark eyes widened comically.
"I'll say, that is a very interesting sword, Inuyasha. Though it doesn't seem to like me."
Inuyasha grinned, feeling thankful that the sword helped him.
"Yeah, this baby is very particular about who it accepts. Not many youkai have come close to Tetsusaiga."
The large youkai sighed, looking disappointed. His reaction told Inuyasha that he hadn't thought of the option that humans had ever touched the sword. It probably didn't even occur to him, since he, like all the other youkai kept himself as far away from humans as possible.
A long silence stretched between the two standing by the spring. Inuyasha felt uncomfortable, he had never been good with silence, the things he blurted out often came back to haunt him. he turned to look for his shirt and never saw it coming.
A big hand suddenly appeared and pulled the hanyou into Bantekis strong chest. A shiver ran through him. He tried to convince himself it was from revulsion. With a spinning motion, the hanyou found himself face to face with Banteki. He was also chest to chest, naked from the waist up. He blushed furiously and struggled to get away. The youkai didn't let go of him, but followed him down when he stumbled over a root and fell with his back to the ground. A grunt escaped him as the full weight of the youkai above him pressed against him.
Then they both heard the sound of a twig breaking, very loud in the silence. Both hanyou and youkai whipped their heads towards the sound. There stood Sesshoumaru, as up-tight and proper as usual. His golden eyes widened as he took in the scene.
Inuyasha wondered how they looked, one completely naked youkai and a half-naked hanyou with aforementioned youkais scent of claim wafting all around. The naked youkai laying on top of the hanyou, legs between Inuyashas. Sesshoumarus eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I see the hanyou has finally found his place, on his back with the youkai scum."
Inuyasha barked out a laugh. Banteki finally moved and let Inuyasha get up from the ground.
"Ha! You think I would get naked like this willingly?"
"The evidence is right in front of my eyes. I would have to be blind to not see the truth."
"Then you're blind as a bat, asshole, 'cause you see nothing! Even when something is right in front of your eyes, you can't see the truth!"
Inuyasha had made his way closer towards his brother, gesticulating wildly. His eyes shot out golden flames. A stray thought ran through Sesshoumarus mind, how beautiful Inuyasha looked like this. He quickly shook the feeling off.
"What truth do you speak about, hanyou? Your assistance was appreciated; however I find I must make a reassessment of you. My esteem (not quite the word I'm looking for…) of you had risen, but now I find you acting like a whore with a barbarian of a youkai. Tell me what I am misunderstanding?"
"You jackass! Can't you see I don't care about him!"
Banteki, who lay on his side with his head supported on an arm, still naked, made a hurt sound. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru both ignored him.
"Then, pray tell, who holds the affection of the great hanyou Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha went cold with anger.
"You have no right. Absolutely no right, to just barge in here and start making assumptions and demanding answers. You might have had a chance, a long time ago, but you cared nothing for me back then, and you obviously still don't give a shit about me, so you can just go to hell, you bastard. It's were you belong."
Inuyasha had delivered the speech in a calm, ice-cold voice. Sesshoumarus eyes hadn't left his and they remained as cold as they always when they gazed at his half brother. They didn't thaw a bit and Inuyasha suddenly couldn't take anymore. He had to get away, from both youkai.
"Stupid me, thinking something had changed. Well I don't care anymore, I'm out of here. Good luck on the mate hunt Banteki. With any luck, I won't be seeing you ever again. Either one of you."
With those words, the hanyou plucked his shirt from ground, slipped it on and walked into the forest. Both youkai watched him go.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm planning to start writing the next one today, or soon anyway. See ya!