Disclaimer: I own Nada and make Nada.
Author's Rant: Here's Chapter 4 ^_^. I'm really happy a lot of you are enjoying the story so far. I promise not to let any of you down as the story progresses on. Thanks for the favs, alerts, reviews, reads, and silent readers. I love you all ^_^. Please excuse grammar mistakes.
Warnings: Violence; Bloodshed, Language.
Chapter 4: Worthiness
Wisdom, experience and cool of honey emerald, gazed down at the fire, bravery and admired stare of two round amethyst eyes. Wonder, shock, amazement of reserved inner surprise at seeing another, kept the two demons from speaking what they felt at that timeless moment.
"I-I can't believe you're real." Inuyasha murmured keeping focus on the enchanting vision above him.
The silver specter only burned his cold gaze at the lad, externally calm as a placid river but internally relieved to have finally found his kin in good health and appearance.
The thumb on his cheek caressed the angled bridge of his jawline, tracing every rise and fall of his face as if mesmerized by the very image standing in front of him. After all these years, the feelings of lonely survival had come to an end the moment he discovered this child's existence. This young diamond in the rough had been hidden well but now that he was within his grasp, there wasn't going to be any letting go. "You're a sight."
Inuyasha blinked out of his reserved gaze, at the smooth tone circling his eardrum. "Um, so are you." He whispered, not breaking eye contact.
This couldn't possibly be the demon that spoke to him before. He looked…almost human. His entire aura seemed normal. There was nothing extraordinary about him. No scales, horns, spikes, nada. Wait, if you don't count his uncommon handsomeness, than yea he was as extraordinary as they came. He knew people who'd kill for clear, creamy skin like this. Don't get him started on that long platinum hair hanging down his back.
Now that didn't look real. The stringy texture glistened and flew in the slightest breeze as if it were weightless. Well never mind about that not being extraordinary bit. His aristocratic demeanor was enough to turn heads.
"Ahem."
The stunned staring moment was interrupted by a cleared throat. "Inuyasha, do you know this man?" Miroku questioned suspiciously looking between the two.
Inuyasha? So that's the child's name. How quaint that the boy should have the name of his ancestors. At least his dam was respectful of their culture to grant him a worthy title.
Inuyasha looked from the mysterious man to his friends. "Um, he's—he's…"
"I am of no concern to any of you." The stranger said pointedly to the others, keeping his eyes on the hanyou. "You, however, must come with me."
"Excuse me?" Miroku said, not pleased. "Listen we don't know who you are, but Inuyasha is not going anywhere."
The demon slowly moved his eyes from his kin to the ignorant fool behind. If it weren't for the chance of drawing attention to himself, he would've killed the wretched human for defying him.
Inuyasha could detect a little trickle of 'don't piss me off' oozing from this guy's posture. If a showdown was established here, Miroku was definitely going to get the raw end of this deal. No way in hell that's going to happen. Demon versus a common human? No contest.
"I detest repeating myself boy. But as a warning I'll make an exception." Came the smooth demon's voice of collected coolness. "What I have to discuss with the child is of no concern of yours. He's to come with me."
"And he's our friend." Miroku emphasized taking a step toward the taller man. "We don't know a damn thing about you!"
"Miroku…" Sango warned softly coming to grab his arm, for him to relax.
"It'd be in your best interests to mind your own affairs." The man warned, dropping his hand from Inuyasha's cheek.
Miroku shrugged off her hold coming to stand protectively in front of the raven head. "Like you I detest having to repeat myself to those who are hard of hearing." He pushed Inuyasha behind him. "He's not going anywhere."
Inuyasha was shocked at his friend's defensive behavior. He'd never witness this side of Miroku before. Sure they shared a brotherly bond but…this was weird. "Hey move it. I can take care of myself."
"No," Miroku said sternly. "Normally I don't mind your irrational behavior but I must step in this time."
Inuyasha shoved the older boy to the side, getting irritated at being treated like a defenseless female. "Look it's not like I don't know the guy."
"Oh? So you do know him than?" Miroku folded his arms, lifting a mistrusting eyebrow at him then the man behind.
"Yea he's…he's my…" Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at the stranger, asking for a little assistance with his eyes.
The demon only closed his eyes, returned his sunglasses to their previous place on his face and turned to walk to his car. "If you want to know what I am to you, than you'll come with me." He commented nonchalantly.
Inuyasha looked between his friends and the only chance he'd ever have at learning more about himself, walking to his car. The building conflict rose in his chest, as confusion of what he wanted to do congested inside. He wanted to stay with his friends where he knew it was safe, but than if he did he'd miss out on the chance of getting to know the only other person in this world just like him. What could he do? How could he decide? God this was so confusing.
He gasped when the car's engine roared to life.
Frantic eyes looked between his friends and then back toward the man looking at him through the window. This was his only chance at getting answers to the questions and secrets about his life. There would probably never be another chance like this again.
Taking a deep breath Inuyasha sighed and started walking toward the car. This opportunity was too great to let go.
Without warning a strong five finger grip laced around his upper arm. "Where are you going?" Miroku growled.
"I-I gotta go with him." Inuyasha stuttered with shifty eyes.
"You don't have to do any such thing!"
"Miroku I know what I'm doing."
"No you don't. This guy could be some deranged psycho path for all we know and you want to discover that the hard way?" The thought of it was too terrible to imagine. "I doubt whatever he wants to discuss with you is honorable."
Inuyasha was getting antsy. His mystery demon could leave at any minute. "Look move out of the way. He's gonna leave—"
"Good. Let him go." Miroku walked around him to stand between him and the view of the mysterious newcomer. "I'm not going to allow this misconception take place Inuyasha. You have no idea what this man is capable of."
"Miroku move. I know what I'm doing."
He shook his head pushing his hands on Inuyasha's shoulders. "Look I'm not getting good vibes from this guy. His intentions may seem interesting but he could be fooling you. Trying to lure you in for his own selfish reasons." There was just something about this man he didn't trust. Granted they'd just met but he was highly protective of his friend because what he was. He'd be damned if someone tried to take advantage of him.
The car revved a couple of times showing the driver's impatience.
Inuyasha peeked over Miroku's shoulder at the man, than back to Miroku, than back to the driver, than back to Miroku. He was never going to get this chance again, but what if Miroku was right and this man was only trying to harm him? Oh god what to do? What to do? What would his mother want him to do?
…She'd want him to stay put with his friends and not go off with some strange, attractive, older gentlemen…
Decision made.
"No Miroku. I just... I gotta know." Inuyasha darted past the surprised friend, hurrying toward the Jaguar. He hesitated when he came to the passenger side with his hand on the door handle. Seconds later he looked at his friends before turning his head away and dipping inside of the car buckling his seatbelt.
The demon stared at the nervous youth sitting beside him. "Wise decision Little One." He said, putting the car in reverse.
Inuyasha kept his eyes low as he heard his name called repeatedly by friends to get out of the car, to come back, not to trust this man, and every other protest imaginable as the car pulled away merging into the traffic and taking him to God knows where.
Miroku shook his head not believing what he'd just witnessed. He couldn't understand why Inuyasha would willingly get into a car with a complete stranger. None of them knew a thing about this man yet he got in as if they were old friends.
Kikyo and Sango watched the car drive away until it was no longer in view and shared a worried glance. "Who is this man?" Kikyo wondered.
Sango shrugged feeling a little worried. "I'm not sure, but if Inuyasha says he knows him than he can't be all that bad right?"
"I doubt that. I know of all the people Inuyasha associates with. I've never seen this one." In other words she made her business to know who each and every person was that tried to get too close to her goal. Now she only had a new target on her list that needed investigating. She wasn't getting positive vibes from this newcomer and she planned on finding out why.
"Miroku I'm worried." Kagome said coming beside him. "Will Inuyasha be alright?"
He sighed. "I'm not sure. I just can't believe he got in that car with some random stranger that we know nothing about." More importantly, he couldn't believe Inuyasha didn't listen to him.
"But I think Inuyasha knows what he's doing. It's not like him to get in a car with someone he couldn't trust…right?"
That was a question he wanted to know himself. He could only hope his friend would be ok with that silver haired devil.
He'll admit that he was a little uneasy, having seen the Stranger Danger videos in school about getting in the car with an unknown adult and possibly risking getting hurt. Not to mention this wasn't just any ole' adult. This was a full blooded demon. Someone more than capable of murdering him and leaving his mangled body tossed in some deserted river. "How do I know I can trust you?" He finally implored steadily keeping his hand on the door handle.
The car pulled around to the left and drove forward merging into the two lane traffic, taking a long ramp exit on the right. "That opinion will be up to you after we have our discussion."
"Are you going to eat me?" The ebony teen blurted rudely. "I swear I'll give you the worst heartburn known to mankind."
The demon didn't reply immediately as he coolly cut in front of a car going to slow for his tastes. "I have no reason to harm you Little One." Promised the driver. "We're the last of a very mighty race. Killing you wouldn't benefit either of us now would it?"
"No," Inuyasha sat back in his seat. "I guess not." This was stupid. He was being overly dramatic because he'd never been in this type of predicament before. Instead of hounding this demon he should be thanking the Gods above they could grant them the chance of meeting one another. It wouldn't have made any sense for this guy to go through all of the trouble of finding him only to kill him? Kind of out of the way right?
The driver pulled off toward a far off section of the city going down a somewhat empty road lined with trees and grass and—err…wait trees? "Whoa, whoa, where the hell are you taking me?" If this asshole planned on killing him he wasn't going down without taking a leg or a hair to hell with 'em.
"Calm yourself. I'm merely taking precaution should we need to take our talk to the next level."
"But why so far out? This is the city's outer district." No one lived out here, save for the few remaining wildlife.
"I think it best that I demonstrate who I am rather than explaining it."
"Fine." He huffed folding his arms. Guess that did make sense. No point in getting riled up over nothing. Yea he was definitely being paranoid. This was a fellow demon for crying out loud. Not to say that all demons are good, but he wasn't getting any misguided vibes from this man. Inuyasha's normally a great judge of character and what he got from his car partner was a sense of balanced insight.
When they were looking into each other's eyes at the parking lot, his emerald eyes were so hard to read. Dark, cold, and distant. There was no hint of a deranged ax murderer looming about in those ancient eyes. There didn't seem to be a shred of peace in there either.
A puzzled thought raked his brain as he stared out at the passing greenery lining the road. If he'd been lonely all this time, had this demon felt the same type of solitude he did or rather used too? Inuyasha discreetly studied his lean profile, noting the firm set of his jawline and standoffish posture. Probably had no friends of his own. There was certainly no family. Maybe that's why his own attitude seems kind of possessive and cold. 'Not many have gotten close to 'em', thought Inuyasha casting his partner a dirty look. 'They'd most likely get frostbite.'
"We're here." The demon finally announced turning off the road panhandle, making a right on an abandoned road through the forest.
The bump and thump tumbling under the car's tires, reminded Inuyasha to stay seated, even though curiosity kept his eyes glued to the window at the passing forestry. Branches, twigs and other such sticks scraped the convertible's exterior in nasty streaks and annoying teeth chattering shrieks. Apparently someone didn't mind the key deep scratches being inflicted on their expensive car.
They twisted and turned with slick ease, traversing through the dense area until coming to an open grassy field nestled in the middle of the forest. The plains were flat, minus the few elevating hills dotting the surface here and there.
The Jaguar pulled to a rough stop near a double tree section of the only entry into this grassy meadow. "Where are we?" He's never been to the forest before. Actually he didn't know this forest even existed.
"Come on." The driver's door opened and the occupant stepped out.
Inuyasha slowly unbuckled his seatbelt, starting to have second thoughts about this whole thing. Maybe he should've stayed with the others…
"What's keeping you?" Said the exited companion.
"Don't rush me alright?" He didn't know this jerk from a grain of rice and he had the nerve to rush him. The creeps had brass balls, he'd give him that. The belt unsnapped and he kicked the door open, not caring about the ill-mannered way he got out. Who cares? The car has enough scratches to map the way home anyway.
Inuyasha adjusted his baseball cap to the side and stuck his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels, waiting to see what would happen next.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Oh look a lady bug. Silence.
Getting kind of hot out here. All this hair isn't going to work really good being stuck to his neck.
"So you gotta tell me where we are or what?" He groused after standing there for five straight minutes in total silence.
The demon started to walk forward till he was about 30 meters from the car. Inuyasha not thinking much of it followed suit coming beside him. They stared off into the clear distance for some time, neither saying a word to the other, listening to the birds chirp and other wildlife communicating to the other in their own language.
The teen pulled his hands from his pants and laced them behind his head, a smirk curving his mouth at the scenery. It was so nice and peaceful here. So quiet, tranquil, relaxing—
"Prepare yourself."
That was the only warning Inuyasha received before a swift punch slammed his face, knocking him flat on his ass.
Inuyasha groaned listening to the bones of his jaw cracking from the sneak attack. "What the fuc—whoa!" He ducked from the next fist, rolling on his side to gain some distance between him and the suddenly crazed demon. He managed to gain his footing to dodge a low kick to his sternum. "What the hell is your problem?" He yelled jumping back from the assault, throwing a long arm punch for the demon's face.
The demon easily avoided the human's pathetic attempt, combating by disappearing and reappearing behind him. Inuyasha had only a split second to lift his forearm up to block the double punch sending him in a wind spin twenty feet away.
Growling under his breath, Inuyasha sat up wiping his mouth of the dripping blood from a broken tooth in his jaw. "So you wanna play like that huh?" He panted, stumbling up to his feet.
The moment he was back up prepared for defense, another sharp punch landed directly in his face, cracking the bridge of his nose. Inuyasha dropped to his knees in a blinded daze as blood instantly began to fill his nostrils suffocating him with his own fluids. He coughed and gagged trying to get rid of the excess, but to no avail. His attacker was quickly upon him again, delivering a hard kick to his jaw, flinging his body to the side like a rag doll in midair.
His body was caught by the lengths of his hair and yanked downward to plunder face first into the ground. The fist jerked the ebony's head up near snapping, earning a gurgled groan from Inuyasha's lips.
"Worthless." The demon said smoothly, winding the wad of hair in his hand like a rope. "You're not what you appear. You're pathetic. As useless as those humans you run after." He pulled the hand back more until the youth's eyes strained to see the piercing frost green staring down at him, disappointedly. "You're no better than a common mongrel." His cold voice reached down stinging something in the pit of Inuyasha's stomach as the hand in his hair gave one more yank before dropping his face to the ground.
Exhaling a disgusted sigh through nose, the demon turned with a swish of his long hair leaving the weak human crumbled on the grassy ground as he threw over his shoulder in the coldest tone, "You're not worthy to be called my kin."
Inuyasha flinched from the muscles screaming with spiked soreness rushing his veins.
No.
"You're nothing but a hopeless half-breed, with abnormal human strength but nothing to match that of a demon."
He wasn't hopeless.
"A pathetic mutt will never be competent enough to earn the title demon."
Inuyasha was good enough. He was more than good…This bastard knew nothing about him.
"And to think I actually assumed you could be considered my equal but I stand incorrect this time."
He's wrong...Inuyasha squeezed the dirt underneath his fingers, digging the dirt through his nails.
"You're nothing—"
"No . . ."
"—but a worthless hanyou."
Suddenly something snapped.
Five claws slashed in golden streaks through the air and the crack of readied bones prepared for revoke. A momentary silence of shock, surprise and impression filled the electricity crackled air.
Blood coated long sharp claws.
The demon smirked lifting his hand to the five long deadly blood flowing slices across his face, lining down toward the arc of his neck. He could touch the inside of his cheek bone through the inflicted wound he never dreamed could ever be inflicted on him by another.
He turned to face the reason for his spilled blood; standing crouched down on all fours. Stalk streams of long hair the color of piercing starlight, flowed in the circling winds of demonic energy, swirling around a six foot two demon with blue jagged stripes, and molten golden eyes boring into his very soul. Two pointed ears twitched from side to side on quickened offense, listening for any or all unseen attacks. Past wounds healed in a stream of sizzling smoke, letting off a burning hiss in the winds. Inuyasha's lengthened fangs glinted in the pounding sunlight, edging through his bottom lip.
"Come on, I dare ya to try that again." The new found demon snarled to its opponent, blasting the winds with his youki influence.
Sesshomaru removed the red stained hand covering his deep gashes and began to walk forward to his challenger, becoming engulfed in his own youki shooting surrounding objects in the atmosphere with invisible force. The sadistic curl of his smiles increased the further he advanced on to his kin. There was no doubt about it any longer.
The delicate arch of his ears took on an upward turn into pointy appendages. Twin maroon horizontal strips graced the pale one's angelic cheekbones. Skin of untouched crystal brightened to powdered ivory blemished by the appearance of a single azure crescent moon on his forehead. One blink confirmed the creation of crimson eyelids, framing long dark lashes covering the flickering liquid gold orbs. And the heated hiss of deep cuts sealed fully mended, surged with no signs of infliction.
Inuyasha looked on a prepared offensive and a sense of admiration of the demon coming to him in the near exact imagine of himself. The once handsome human that came to him was now an exquisite specimen of demonic sacristy in the form of a tall, beautiful dog demon.
Sesshomaru stopped before the young lad and kneeled down to come inches within his face. The tips of his claws reached to tilt the bottom of the hanyou's chin and lifted it up high to face him. "Prehaps, you are worthy to be called my brother."
TBC: Ha it seems we've reached an understanding, even if it was a rough start. Things will get a little more interesting next chapter. ^_^