A/N: The last chapter *dun, dun*! I hope you enjoy the ending to the first book in this new series!
When Inuyasha woke, he was confused as to why he was so warm. Golden eyes flickered open, and after a moment of adjusting to the sudden light, Inuyasha began to gaze around him. He was in a small clearing in the forest, but it was not the one he fell asleep in. This one had a hot springs to the left and a thick patch of tall grass to the right. It smelled different too. He could not smell the scent of his pack or see them. Something shifted behind him and his head bent backward, peering at the disturbance. An enormous, scaly youkai was curled around him, answering his question about the warmth. He squeaked, leaping away from the dragon and landing right on his bum. The reptile, which he now saw had two heads, shifted, its eyes opening to peer at him questioningly. Inuyasha, who was now slightly panicked, backed away from the youkai, not knowing if it was friendly or not. More movement in the corner of his eye peeled his attention from the dragon. A toad, from the looks of it, was now waking up, its large, buggy eyes pinning him on the spot. The toad seemed confused and enraged at the same time.
"What are you doing here?" it demanded, standing and grabbing a creepy staff that was leaning against the tree he was resting against. Inuyasha scurried farther away, trying to distance himself from the odd beings. He was a Hanyou in an unfamiliar place, with potentially hostile creatures around him. Inuyasha stood and sprinted from the clearing, wanting to get as far way from that place as possible.
Sesshomaru was currently following Rin to a place she said had delicious berries that she wanted to show him. Sesshomaru had left Inuyasha with Jaken and Ah-Un, not planning on being away for long, but Rin seemed to have forgotten where the berries were. He inwardly sighed as he followed the young human through the forest.
"I know they are here somewhere, Sesshomaru-sama," she huffed, looking around and trying to spot the blue speckled bush. Sesshomaru remained silent, letting the girl try to figure it out. Not for the first time, Sesshomaru pondered his actions the night before. He decided that it was his youkai's anger and annoyance with him that made him take the pup, but knew that he was lying to himself. He had taken the pup because he had wanted to. After bringing the pup back to the clearing he was currently occupying, he had put him beside Ah-Un who had curled protectively around the pup. He had then taken up watch in the trees and listened to Inuyasha and Rin sleep. Somehow he had become the caretaker of two children. He, the Great Lord of the West, was a babysitter for a human and his Hanyou half brother. He was pulled out of his train of thought by the hurried and nearly silent patter of tiny feet. He turned toward the sound, moving beside Rin in case the thing that was making the sound happened to be a threat. He was surprised to find a sudden weight push against his shins, barely moving him. Inuyasha, was sprawled out on the ground, dazed from running into the unmoving wall that was Sesshomaru. He shook the dizziness from his head and quickly scuttled back, terror blinding him from who was standing above him. Sesshomaru was confused as to why his brother was racing through the woods and seemed to be frightened out of his mind. He crouched before Inuyasha who moved further back.
"Inuyasha?" he questioned. Inuyasha froze, head snapping up and his moist, amber eyes filling with relief. He flung himself at Sesshomaru who easily caught the pup.
"Aniki!" Inuyasha cried. Sesshomaru's youkai was demanding that he comfort the distressed Inu, but Sesshomaru was at a loss, not knowing exactly how. Sure, he had dealt with a crying Rin after she woke from a nightmare, but his brother was different. Sesshomaru had spent most of his life despising the Hanyou, but here he was trying to figure out to comfort him. His demon sighed in his head and sent out a wave of soothing youki and wrapped it around Inuyasha's own ruffled demon. Inuyasha's quivering body stilled and the pup pressed his face into mokomoko-sama, snivelling, but otherwise fine. Sesshomaru was surprised to find himself growling, a deep, comforting rumble that vibrated through his chest. Inuyasha's sniffing ceased and he could feel the youth's youkai begin to settle and doze off. After a few moments, Inuyasha was fast asleep, his early morning stress taking its toll on the young child. Sesshomaru stood, pressing Inuyasha firmly to his chest. Peering over his shoulder, he ordered a simple, "Come, Rin," and the trio was off, heading back towards the clear patch forest.
"Sesshomaru-sama! You will not beli-" the toad was silenced by his shock at finding his stoic Lord walking towards him, two children cradled to his breast. Sesshomaru death-glared at Jaken, his amber eyes cold and daunting.
"Jaken, what happened here?" he asked, his voice sending shivers up Jaken's spine. Jaken fell to his knees, bowing low.
"W-Well, you see my Lord, when I awoke I found your Hanyou brother sitting in the middle of the clearing. I thought you would be displeased to find him here, so I sent him away," Jaken explained, his voice quivering.
"Do not attempt to assume what I think, Jaken. I would not be displeased by finding the Hanyou here, for I was the one who put him there," Sesshomaru said, his voice hard.
"O-of course My Lord. Please forgive my foolishness!" Jaken cried, pressing his nose to the ground and deciding it was best not ask why his Lord had put the Hanyou there, or why the said pup was a child. Sesshomaru ignored his retainer, stepping on Jaken as he made his way over to Ah-Un who still laid curled up.
"Ah-Un," he ordered, watching as the dragon stood and his two heads eyed him. Sesshomaru stepped beside the youkai and placed the napping children on the dragon's back, adjusting them to ensure that they did not fall. "We are leaving." With that, he transformed into his youkai form and lept into the sky, running through the clouds with Ah-Un by his side. He adjusted his direction so that he was facing the west, soaring towards his home.
Wide golden eyes took in as much of the castle as possible, head and ears swiveling to examine anything and everything. Sesshomaru watched as Inuyasha gazed about curiously, realizing that this was the pup's first time seeing his-their, his youkai reminded-family's castle. Jaken and Rin followed behind him, Rin running about and annoying the small youkai.
"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru addressed the pup. Once he was sure he had the child's attention, he said, "This is where you will be living from now. This my-our-family's estate." Inuyasha's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ours?" he asked softly, a small smile on his face.
"Ours," Sesshomaru agreed. The pup beamed up at him, joy and...and love glowing in his eyes.
"Thank you, Aniki!" the Inu flung his arms around his aniki's shoulders, holding tightly. Sesshomaru could feel moisture on his neck and smell salt. He gently pulled Inuyasha away, examining his tears.
"Why are you crying?" he asked, pushing down the urge to wipe away the tears. Inuyasha wiped them away himself, shrugging.
"I don't know, they just started," he sniffled. Rin skipped up beside them, peering up at the youkai and hanyou.
"Maybe it's because Lord Inuyasha is happy to have a family!" she cheered, smiling up at them. Sesshomaru, although he did not show it, was surprised by the human child's suggestion to Inuyasha's tears. Tears of happiness? How...human. For some reason, the idea did not disgust him as it used to. Instead he felt...endearment? He inwardly shook himself. He had no need for such useless and weak emotions. Stopping a nearby servant, he held Inuyasha out to the lizard youkai.
"Take them," he pushed Rin forward, "to her room." The servant nodded, although casting a slightly disgusted look at Inuyasha.
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama," the servant began to lead the children away, leaving Sesshomaru with Jaken.
"Jaken, I will be in my study. Do not let anyone disturb me," Sesshomaru ordered, striding to the stairs that lead to his study.
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken squeaked. Sesshomaru slid the shoji door to the study open, stepping inside and gliding past the desk and over to the door leading to the veranda. The courtyard below had a tinkling fountain in the middle of a walkway of cobblestone. Cherry Blossom trees surrounded the walkway, glowing an unearthly pink in the moonlight. Bounding nimbly from the patio, Sesshomaru landed in the courtyard. He sat on the side of the fountain peering up at the moon, his face as stoic and sinfully gorgeous as always, although on the inside there was turmoil. Why was he experiencing such human emotions? Why was his youkai so protective and caring of Inuyasha? Why did his chest feel warm when his brother smiled? Were these the reasons his father laid with a human? Why did Inuyasha affect him so much? He let a sigh of frustration escape his lips, enraged that he did not have answers to any of his questions. He stood, giving the moon one last glance before leaping back into the study and sitting in his chair. Might as well get some paperwork done while I'm here, he thought, picking up his quill.
Inuyasha twisted in his sleep, mumbling incoherently. Thunder boomed outside and lightning bathed the room in light. Rin rolled over in shiki-futon, the raging storm failing to wake her. Inuyasha's eyes snapped open and he bolted upright, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings before realizing he was in Rin's room in his aniki's palace. He jumped as another growl of thunder sounded outside. He whimpered quietly, his ears flattening against his head. An image of a storm and running feet flashed through his head. Clawed hands clutched at his skull, the memory bringing a spear of pain with it. He got shakily to his feet, stumbling to the door and clumsily sliding it open. After taking a minute to gather himself, Inuyasha sprinted through the halls of mansion, his step faltering every time a rumble of thunder would pass over. He followed his nose, trying desperately to find his aniki's room. He came to a stop at a door that smelled heavily of his brother and pushed it open without another thought. A grand, puffy shiki-futon decorated with royal golds and purples took up most of the room, accompanied by a dresser or two. Sesshomaru dozed in the middle of the futon, his hair fanned out around his head. His usual kimono and fundoshi were traded for a snowy yukata, his armor set to the side on a mahogany dresser. Inuyasha, although still panicked from the thunder, crept stealthily towards the bed. He did not want to wake his aniki, just wanted to be in his comforting presence. He sat on the edge of the futon, laying down slowly, his eyes fixed on his brother's face to watch for any signs of him waking up.
"Inuyasha," Inuyasha jumped, startled by his brother's voice. A golden eye peered at him, causing his ears to press further into his head with shame and embarrassment. "What are you doing?" his brother asked, sitting up and pinning him with his gaze.
"I-It's nothing," Inuyasha murmured, turning to leave.
"Inuyasha," his brother stopped him. Turning so that Sesshomaru could only see his face, Inuyasha said, "Sorry."
"Tell me," Sesshomaru ordered, ignoring the pup's apologie. A few seconds of silence passed before Inuyasha finally spoke up.
"I-It's the storm. The thunder scares me," Inuyasha explained timidly. Sesshomaru raised one elegant brow. Inuyasha came to him because he was afraid of thunder?
"Why?" he asked. Inuyasha was caught off guard by the question, looking up questioningly at his brother. "Why are you afraid of thunder?" Sesshomaru reiterated with an inward roll of the eyes. Inuyasha's dark brows furrowed.
"I don't really know, but I had a nightmare about running through a storm with people chasing me, an-and I was attacked by a youkai, who's growling I thought was thunder. I woke up and there was thunder and it felt like I was being watched, and I just...just panicked," Inuyasha babbled, looking up at him with frightened eyes. The nightmare sounded familiar to Sesshomaru. He racked his memory, trying to figure out his sudden sense of deja vu. Then, it hit him. Many, many years ago, a guard had come to him, reporting that one of the servants had found a silver haired child in the forest. The child appeared to have been attacked by a rogue youkai. It was the morning after a horrible storm when he was told. At the time, he had just brushed the information aside, finding it unimportant. The guards had not told him it was his hanyou brother that was attacked. Would I have even cared? Do I care now? Sesshomaru pondered the questions. No, I would not have cared, but...he peered at Inuyasha, who was now shaking slightly, and thought, but I do now.
"Inuyasha, cease your crying," He ordered as gently as he could, reaching forward and wiping away the pup's tears. Inuyasha looked up at him, his face displaying his confusion.
"You're not mad?"
"Of course not. Why would I get mad over such a trivial thing?" Sesshomaru responded.
"W-Well I woke you up," Inuyasha said.
"I was merely dozing. Youkai do not need to sleep as you do. I knew you were there when you stopped at my door," he informed. Inuyasha blushed in embarrassment.
"I thought I was being quite."
"You were, but my ears are trained to pick up noise like your footsteps," he said, deciding to give the boy a small amount of praise. Inuyasha beamed up at him, but the smile quickly disappeared when another peal of thunder sounded. Sesshomaru found his arms occupied by a quivering Inuyasha before he could blink. His youkai prompted him into action, reminding him of the terrified child. He began to rub slow, calming circles into Inuyasha's back. Growling softly and practically smothering the child with his strong youki, Sesshomaru layed back down, pulling Inuyasha tight against his chest.
"Aniki, you won't let the youkai get me right?" Inuyasha asked, referring to the monsters he believed to hide in the thunder.
"Of course not, Inuyasha. Sleep reassured," Sesshomaru comforted, tucking Inuyasha's head beneath his chin.
"'Kay," came the sleepy voice. Once Sesshomaru could hear Inuyasha's breathing slow into a sleeping pace, he settled to doze off again. Thunder boomed once more. Inuyasha's ears twitched, but he did not awaken. Tell me, Sesshomaru, do you have someone to protect? His father's words rang through his head, clear as a bell. Perhaps. We will have to see. Sesshomaru thought, curling his body around Inuyasha's sleeping frame. Perhaps. A small, almost nonexistent smile flashed across the stoic face.
A/N: And that's the end. *bows* This is the first fanfiction I have ever completed, even though it's short! Alright, on to some important news. I am currently working on the sequel, but it will be longer and take longer to post because I do not post stories until they are complete, so don't hold your breath for it. Thanks to everyone who read this tiny little story and reviews. Favs and reviews are always appreciated. If you have any suggestions for the sequel, let me know while it's still a paragraph long! Once again, thank you for reading! Until next time! BYE! :D
