Disclaimer: You know what we own and don't own, so I don't think I need to say it anymore.
Making his way to the rock covered in their clothes, the hanyou placed his brother on the ground beside it. He wanted to dress himself first, to cover his body. Especially since he knew Sesshomaru had no qualms about looking at him. But instead, he grabbed his brother's kimono and shook it out before tossing it to the sitting lord. As he did the same with his own clothes and began pulling the slightly damp and chilly fabric over his body, he glanced down at the youkai. "..How're your legs?"
Sesshomaru caught his kimono and slipped it on, covering his bare chest. As he pulled up his hakama, he could somewhat feel the fabric glide over his skin. "They are beginning to regain sensation." The black of the rope marks were fading as well. "But they will not yet move."
"Well, its better than nothin'." Nodding and smoothing down his clothing, Inuyasha moved back to the lord's side. As he knelt down, it felt like second nature to wrap his arms around the youkai and pull his body close. Skin slightly chilled by the river and his clothes, Inuyasha was grateful for the warmth provided by the lord's body as he stood and started back to the tree settlement. He'd never admit such a thing though.
By the time they'd returned to their appointed hut, activity had died down around the settlement. They ate their evening meal as the last traces of light left the sky. The hanyou had returned the youkai lord to the bed of hay. The cool, evening air was doing nothing to dry Sesshomaru's damp garments. Without warning, the youkai slipped them off once again and tossed them over to the chair. "Do not be alarmed. I simply wish to refrain from spending the night in damp clothing."
Inuyasha glanced at the clothes then back to his brother before averting his eyes. "Oh, yeah..." The youkai had pretty much told him to look, but he couldn't bring himself to. Even if he was just the slightest bit curious. He stared at the wall beside the lord instead and fiddled with the hem of his haori. He didn't want to be in cold, damp clothes either but if he followed suit... They'd both be naked. And that was not something Inuyasha particularly wanted. Even if they'd just bathed together.
The straw was scratchy on the youkai's bare skin. He grabbed his length of fur and wrapped it around his waist, alleviating the irritation in some places and covering his nudity. He worked on returning his legs to normal capacity. Now, he was able to lift them off the floor. They would not hold up for long though.
With a sigh, Inuyasha shucked off his haori and wasted time draping it over the chair before he turned around. Like Hell he would take off his hakama though. As he moved closer to his brother, the hanyou kept his eyes on the lord's legs. "Gettin' better?"
"Hn."
With a huff, the hanyou sat down on the edge of the straw and eyed the lord. "So... We both gotta sleep here?"
The youkai quirked a brow. "Currently, I am in no condition to force you to sleep outside."
"I'm not some dog you can just kick out," Inuyasha muttered before laying down with his back to his brother. "I'm gonna sleep."
Sesshomaru was not yet tired. And once again...the hanyou was this close. If only the youkai's control could be executed in his sleep. Inuyasha would hear every word if he spoke in his sleep again. Once, quite some time ago, he had cried out in his sleep. And he was heard by a servant. Without pause, he'd ripped the tongue from the male's mouth.
Inuyasha barely had time to close his eyes and get comfortable before his youkai decided it had waited long enough. The sun had set some time ago, but he had waited patiently within the confines of the hanyou's mind. He was anxious to see his mate though, to touch and be assured the youkai was truly okay.
With stripes flaring to life along his cheeks and a murderous red, softened in the presence of his mate, encircling his now blue irises, the hanyou sat back up and twisted around to look at the lord. "Mate?" Voice riddled with concern, Inuyasha looked at his brother's abused legs, brows furrowed.
"You showed yourself today without my permission. You disobeyed me."
Ears falling backward, the hanyou lifted his gaze to meet his mate's. "..Protec—t you."
"I do not need protection," Sesshomaru snapped. "You were exceptionally close to suffering the same fate as this," he gestured to his legs. "Or worse. Your interference is a hazard. You are too rash in your decisions." The youkai frowned. Was he angry because the hanyou had disobeyed him? Or because the hanyou is an apparent danger to himself..? They would not have gotten anywhere today if the hanyou had gotten himself hurt, that was for certain. And they had made quite the substantial bargain. How dare he break it.
"Didn' mean.. To." Inuyasha's brow creased as he looked at his mate and inched closer. "..Scare—d." His instincts had screamed at him to intervene. So he had. A glance back at the youkai's legs said he had been too slow though. Gently, the hanyou placed his hand on the lord's thigh. "You.. Hurt.."
Sesshomaru sighed. Irritatingly, his desire to pummel the hanyou had dispersed. Sesshomaru's displeasure would likely never get through to him anyway. Trying to convince the hanyou's youkai that he did not need him—was like trying to convince a tree to pull its own roots from the ground. "I am fine."
The hanyou shook his head fervently. His mate was obviously not fine. Not in his opinion. Taking advantage of the lord's weak legs, Inuyasha maneuvered them apart enough so he could move between them and settled near the youkai's ankles. Leaning forward and placing both hands on his mate's thighs, the hanyou slowly drew his hands down. His claws didn't press into skin and his fingers were gentle in their curious prodding as they slid over the injured areas.
Sesshomaru furrowed his brows and flicked the hanyou's ear. "What are you doing, imbecile?"
Inuyasha ignored the lord though his ear twitched obnoxiously, trying to get away from the quick sting of pain the youkai's abuse brought to it. Leaning down, he focused on his mate's right leg as both hands made their way to the lord's striped ankle. His gaze flicked to Sesshomaru's briefly before returning to the slightly textured flesh laid out in front of him. Tongue descending, the wet muscle slid along the darkened and depressed lines where rope has scalded his mate's skin as his hands roved the rest of the lord's leg, one pushing up the underside of a pale knee to get the limb to bend. The hanyou's fingers pressed into and massaged the corded muscles up and down the youkai's leg, mindful of his claws as he went. Inuyasha moved slowly, unsure if his mate could feel what he was doing. The contact was soothing him and assuring him of his mate's safety, even if the desire to maim the one who caused the injuries was growing.
Sesshomaru could feel what the hanyou was doing but his legs would go nowhere while within the his brother's grip. Though surprisingly enough...the hanyou's tongue on his wound was soothing. As was the pressure applied to his muscles. "...Do not think that your actions will coax me into permitting sex."
The hanyou glanced up with a light shake of his head as he continued his ministrations. Sex hadn't even crossed his mind. Making sure his mate was well came first. Once satisfied with the work he'd done on the lord's right leg, Inuyasha moved to the left and licked his lips before repeating the laving and massaging.
"That is quite enough." Sesshomaru placed his hand on top of the hanyou's head. "Your other half would be displeased that your mouth has been on any part of my body, as I am sure you realize."
Inuyasha shrugged and continued for a few more moments before reluctantly removing his tongue, though his hands lingered. Sitting up and moving closer, his ears perked forward as he looked up and down the rest of the lord's body. "Oh... Kay?"
Sesshomaru nodded, eyes softening. "Yes." Still, he could not understand his brother's youkai. Though unwarranted, the hanyou's care was genuine. Sesshomaru had been unprepared for it. Like a hoard of mindless moths to a brilliant flame, the daiyoukai was a beacon for respect. But care... He simply did not receive it.
The hanyou smiled and leaned forward, moving his hands to the length of fur draped across his mate's waist. His fingers curled into the softness of it as he watched the youkai. "Talk?"
Talk? Sesshomaru scoffed inwardly. Even Rin, whose company the youkai had actually chosen, did not receive nearly as much reciprocated conversation as Sesshomaru had given lately. But in the moment, he did not particularly mind. "...I suppose. Is there something you wish to discuss?" And there they went again with the frivolous conversation.
Briefly, Inuyasha's brow furrowed as he thought. His face lit up moments later as he grinned when the answer came to him. "You."
Sesshomaru blinked. Me? "How can I be the topic of conversation when I am right here? That seems counterintuitive."
The hanyou shook his head lightly, try trying to think of something more specifc he want to know. "You... Like?"
"You want me to tell you...what I like?" Sesshomaru looked at the hanyou incredulously. Is this what beings of lower caliber did to pass the time? "What is the point of telling you this?"
"To know." Inuyasha looked pleadingly at his mate. "Pleasse?"
"Alright." The youkai's gaze shifted as he thought about the question. 'Like' was a relative term. Sesshomaru hadn't ever thought about something and decided he *liked* it. Was there a correct answer to this question? "I enjoy order." That was a start. "Fighting. Maiming. Beheading." He supposed he enjoyed those things. He did them often enough that they were second nature to him. But what else? What contented him? "I enjoy things that are soft and warm. And things with a pleasing scent." He tapped a finger against his jaw. "Fresh, raw meat, for example." Viewing his surrounding was agreeable as well. There was much to see. "I enjoy things of beauty. I have come to realize recently that the male figure fits into that category." That particular thought caused the youkai's mind to wander. His brother's body was the only male figure he had seen lately. "But I still despise h-" Hanyou. Sesshomaru stopped himself with a hard look. For some incomprehensible reason...this did not seem like the time to say such a thing.
Listening with rapt attention, Inuyasha stroked his fingers through the lord's length of fur. It was soft, which his mate liked. And he was male, so that must mean his mate liked him too. The hanyou smiled to himself, pleased. At least until he heard something he didn't understand. Tilting his head, Inuyasha's brow crinkled as he tried to puzzle out what his mate meant. "Dis... Pise?"
"...Yes. To hate."
He gave a slow nod; he hated things. Like his mate being hurt or the things that hurt his mate. Sometimes he hated his instincts too. "Hate.. What?"
Sesshomaru's forehead creased as he slowly shook his head. When did those wide, crimson eyes cease to be menacing? Vaguely, they reminded him of Rin's. Innocence. In Inuyasha's youkai's case, however, his consciousness was so tainted, it was almost pure. Did Sesshomaru understand so little about hanyou? No. He understood perfectly. But he had not known that there were any unfairly manipulative side-effects of witnessing the interworkings of a hanyou for this long. "It does not matter."
Inuyasha sighed. Knowing what his mate liked was good enough for now. Still, he wanted to continue talking. The hanyou liked the sound of his mate's voice. So he stared at the lord and waited for him to say something more.
Sesshomaru stared back at the hanyou in thought. Ever since Inuyasha was born, he had avoided the hanyou for the most part. They hadn't really begun their violent fights until the hanyou had grown old enough to become a thorn in his side. Often times, whenever he saw the young Inuyasha, he masked his presence. And he never remembered seeing this side of him. There was always a reason for its emergence, he supposed. Danger, perhaps. Anger. And lately...Sesshomaru. "I do not recall this side of you. Why do you come out so frequently now?"
The hanyou thought about it for a moment. He remembered having freedom within this body, unhindered by anything and able to take control whenever he was needed or whenever he wanted to. For a long time it was like that. Simply him and his other half. He'd fight the battles the other part of him couldn't and when he was unable to do that, he would steal away the memories that haunted the hanyou in the night. For so long, he had protected and shielded his other half.
But then... There was the miko. She didn't like this side of the hanyou, his pure youkai side. He'd tried to let his other half be happy and withdrew into a deeper section of the mind they shared. He didn't know how long that had lasted. Then he could remember nothing but a searing, white-hot pain and darkness. One hand unconsciously found its way to his chest where the wench had launched the arrow. It was as though he could feel the phantom pulse and burn of the spiritual energy that ravaged his being, even after the arrow had been removed. The youkai had kept that from his other side too, as well as he could. Somehow, that pain dulled and he became aware of his other side being active again, but he could do nothing. He was hardly able to see the new memories being created. When he finally had the strength to claim the shared body again, there was another miko and he could not force his other half away. Something was suppressing his power and over time, he realized it was the sword made from the fang of the youkai whose blood he carried. He was not meant to be caged and bound, yet he was. With a growl rumbling in his chest at the memories, the hanyou gestured to his hip. "Tetsu... Saiga. Stopp—ed... Me." Then he gave one reason why he had begun to take control more often: "Now—want... You."
The absence of Tetsusaiga... Of course. The fang aided in his control. Without Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha's youkai gained consciousness and was able to exact its desire to mate that came with Inuyasha's maturing body. "Once you reclaim Tetsusaiga, you will never be able to take control?"
Inuyasha's ears flicked slightly and he looked away with a shrug. He hadn't been able to overcome the sword's oppression yet, he'd simply gotten lucky when it was knocked from his other half's grasp.
"I see." The creation of hanyou truly was against nature. It was unsettling to know that it was the youkai blood, the superior blood, that had to be suppressed. "You must wish you had been born a separate being."
The hanyou stared down at the fur between his fingers, wondering if that was what he wanted. Everything he did was for his other half... What would he be without it? That human side he had lived with since his time in the world had started. Slowly, Inuyasha shook his head. Even if he was to be subjected to captivity within a hanyou mind, he couldn't imagine himself any other way. He had to protect his other half after all.
Sesshomaru raised his brows at the shake of the hanyou's head. Fool. Who would ever want to live with such confines? "That is not acceptable." No mate of mine would be content with this— The youkai expelled a short growl. He needed to stop referring to the hanyou as his mate. It was true in theory. But the hanyou was not his mate.
Inuyasha looked at his mate with narrowed eyes. "Why?"
Sesshomaru turned his head away, irritated. "A real youkai does not lie dormant. He fights."
Inuyasha glared at the lord's head with a growl. "I.. Protect."
Sesshomaru whipped back to the hanyou, face clearly angry. "Why does it not bother you that human thoughts and blood hold precedence over your own."
"Have.. To." The hanyou didn't care what his mate thought about his human side—he needed it. And it needed him just as much. "Protect."
The youkai groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It is impossible to deter you."
Inuyasha huffed. Why couldn't his mate understand? The human side was just as much a part of his being as his own blood. And that without it, the youkai felt he would lose himself completely. "...Hate hu—mans?"
"Yes. And any abominations that are mixed with them," Sesshomaru ground out spitefully. His eyes fell on the hanyou's before him and his mark throbbed.
With a clenched jaw, Inuyasha shook his head. "Lie." Even though he'd heard every scornful word that a hanyou could, from his mate, the sting of the insult was that much worse. He would bear it though, just as he had everything else. "Girl?" How was his mate able to claim hatred for the very species that he let live with him?
"She follows me of her own accord," said Sesshomaru evenly. "She does not cause problems for me."
Inuyasha looked down at the fur again. He could not argue or defend his human side; he didn't have enough of the right words. There was so much he wanted—needed—and he didn't know how to ask for it. The hanyou sat another moment, completely silent. He couldn't ask. He had to take. Inuyasha pushed the youkai onto his back, perhaps more roughly than he had intended, and dropped his body over his mate's. Nose buried against the lord's throat, his hands gripped silver hair like a lifeline. A well of emotion swirled within him; anger, sadness, fear, and everything else he had ever felt. His mate couldn't hate him...
The daiyoukai's breath hitched as the hanyou's body covered his own. His stomach clenched—not from the weight atop it—but because Inuyasha seethed anguish. Sesshomaru was determined to strike him. To punish the hanyou for all that had happened and for all the liberties he had so avidly taken. Inuyasha was long past due for his punishment for being the cause of this entire damned mess!
Sesshomaru's tensing hand found the back of the hanyou's head—and held his brother's face firmly to the strong pulse of his throat. Without realizing it, he had tried to wrap his other arm around his brother's back, forgetting for a moment that it was no longer there.
He needed validation and confirmation the youkai didn't hate him—the hand in his hair, the way his mate held him, gave it to him. Closing his eyes, the hanyou felt the tension slowly begin to leave his body in quivering waves. His hands tightened in the lord's hair and he drew in deep breaths of his mate's scent. It was as soothing as the warmth of the youkai's chest pressed against his own. Inuyasha could feel the lord's pulse against his lips and he gently pressed his tongue against the throbbing vein.
Sesshomaru closed his eyes. Warmth and a wet tongue. Out of all the things the lord had been met with lately, these were clearly some of the most prominent. His hand stroked over the back if Inuyasha's head before trailing down to nimbly swipe ashen hair out of the way. Awkwardly, Sesshomaru's palm rested along the hanyou's cheek while his fingers threaded through hair where the hanyou's ear would be if he was a full youkai. To do something so pointless without giving it a second thought... "If you tell him about this, you will never touch me again."
Inuyasha nodded and ran his tongue up the lord's throat, needing to taste his mate. His mouth lingered at the youkai's chin and he pressed his nose against a striped cheek. "...Pleasse?"
"'Please' what."
His tongue swiped across the corner of his mate's lips, "Kiss."
Sesshomaru snapped, biting one of Inuyasha's ears harshly. "I already told you 'no.' Either accept what you have—or get off."
Inuyasha gave a short whine, ears flicking and laying back dejectedly as he cast his eyes down. He didn't understand why his mate wouldn't agree, but he also didn't know why he wanted to kiss the youkai as much as he did. It didn't seem as intimate as having sex, but the hanyou remembered when the lord had kissed him in the forest and he remembered how much he'd liked it. He wanted it to happen again, but he had a feeling it would be best to wait until his mate agreed—surely it would be better if the youkai enjoyed it too.
"Imbecile," Sesshomaru growled as he turned over, pulling the hanyou over with him. Their bodies remained pressed together and the swiftness of the motion pressed the hanyou's face back into the youkai lord's neck. Sesshomaru snuck his hand in between them to rest it against Inuyasha's shoulder. "That is enough. Sleep."
The hanyou gave a low hum as he nuzzled his face against warm flesh. But.. There was one thing that he didn't like about the position. Reaching both hands down, Inuyasha loosened his hakama before somehow managing to wiggle his way free from them. Nude, and much more comfortable, he intertwined his legs with his mate's and rested a hand on the lord's chest in contentment.
Sesshomaru sighed. No wonder Inuyasha had problems with being naked around him. Half the time, he did not remember getting naked around him.
Inuyasha gave a low, drowsy groan as he shifted in his sleep, hips rolling forward. As consciousness began trickling back to him, he repeated the motion eager for the friction against his erection. He didn't know what it was he was rubbing against, but it felt good and he couldn't bring his sleepy self to care.
Slowly, his senses were coming back to him and he gave a moan, one hand gripping something warm. His eyes remained closed as he inhaled deeply. The scent was comforting and he wanted to press closer to the thing that exuded it. The hanyou slowly opened his eyes to see what this warm thing was that he as pressing his hips into.
He froze. Shit. His brother was.. Kami. And he was naked—they both were. On top of it all, he just had to wake up with a hard-on. If he freaked out, the lord would wake up and who knew what Sesshomaru might say if he saw... Maybe... If he was quiet, he could take care of his problem without his brother even knowing—the lord said he had done it after all. Hoping that the youkai was miraculously still asleep, Inuyasha disentangled himself and sat up. He refused to look at lord and scooted to the edge of the straw bed with his back to his brother. After a tense moment, the hanyou curled his hand around his hardened length and began to jerk himself off.
It had not taken long for Sesshomaru to wake to the scent of arousal. Once he'd noticed the hanyou's rising cock grinding into his thigh, it had taken quite some effort to keep his own sex from responding naturally. This problem only occurred with Inuyasha, it seemed.
Sesshomaru remained still as Inuyasha moved to the end of their straw bed. Only the hanyou's back was in the youkai's line of sight but it was not overly difficult to discern from the way he panted, the way his arm moved in a rapid motion, and the way his body shuddered—that Inuyasha was indeed masturbating. Sesshomaru had awoken to worse things.
Inuyasha dug his teeth into his bottom lip, trying to stop the moan that wanted to escape as he tightened his grip and stroked himself faster. It didn't take much longer before his eyes closed tightly and he bent forward, releasing into his hand with a groan. The hanyou slumped, panting as he tried to catch his breath and not think about what he just did and who was sleeping behind him.
Sesshomaru's eyes were adhered to Inuyasha as he reached completion. Now fully awake, he furrowed his brows. He'd nearly touched himself... Having been stiff in his position while staring at the hanyou, he shifted in the straw.
His ears flicked backward before he turned around, eyes wide as his embarrassment burned brightly on his cheeks. Inuyasha glanced away briefly before his eyes returned to meet the youkai's gaze and he snapped at the lord. "What?"
Sesshomaru blinked, shrugging with his eyes. "Nothing. I did not wish to disturb you, so I remained in place."
Inuaysha groaned and turned back around. The world must hate him—of course his brother had to be awake. He knew he should've checked first...
Sesshomaru sat up and moved closer to his brother. "What ails you? One would think you might feel better after that."
"Well yeah-but I.. It's fucking weird." Especially now that I know ya watched.. The hanyou shook his head, not wanting to look at his brother. He could still feel the heat in his cheeks.
The lord sniffed at that, removing the pelt from around his waist and shaking bits of hay from it. "Hardly. If anything is 'weird,' it is your youkai."
Inuyasha looked over his shoulder. "What did it—" They were both naked. Just like every other morning they woke up after his youkai had fucked his brother. "Damn it! Stop letting it fuck you!"
There was a sharp, eager knock at the door to the hut. A mere moment later, mistaking the noise coming from inside as a reply, Akira slid open the door and strode inside, not fully prepared for what his eyes and ears were greeted with first thing in the morning.
"We did not have sex, Inuyasha," an annoyed Sesshomaru growled without caring to acknowledge the boy's presence.
An ear swiveled and Inuyasha glanced toward the door before returning to glare at his brother. As he opened his mouth to retort, he realized what he had seen. "Akira!" The hanyou made a quick, frantic grab at something to cover himself and ended up pulling his brother's fur into his lap to conceal his crotch as he looked at the kid in alarm and embarrassment. "What the Hell!?"
"AH!" Akira yelled frantically, flailing his arms in response to the sight of the naked brothers and Inuyasha's angry outburst, quickly slapping a hand to his face to cover his eyes. "Sorry! So, so sorry!" His scrunching face flushed bright red beneath his fingers. "I thought it was okay, and—and, I didn't think you two would be doing anything first thing in the morning..."
Sesshomaru leaned back on his hand with an annoyed crease in his brow.
"We weren't doing anything!" Inuyasha tried not to growl at the kid who was now blushing even more than himself. His fists clenched in the length of fur secured over his lap as he realized he had been doing something—he was just grateful Akira hadn't walked in on that.
Turning back to his brother, he didn't hold back the rumbling in his chest. "You better tell me why the fuck I'm naked if my youkai didn't screw you."
"When your youkai sleeps with me—and there is nothing I could do about that, this is not exactly a vast sleeping area—it prefers to sleep naked," spat the glaring youkai.
"Um..." Wondering if the brothers minded that he was listening to this, Akira had no idea what to say. He was having trouble remembering exactly what he wanted to tell them in the first place.
Inuyasah realized that he should probably take what he could get and be grateful that they hadn't screwed last night. "Okay, fine—whatever." At least he hadn't slept in his hakama, which he knew were still damp when he had gone to sleep. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, forgetting he and his brother were not the only ones in the room.
"What do you want." Turning his attention away from the hanyou, Sesshomaru addressed Akira with icy superiority. "One does not waltz into a lord's chambers."
"Oi," Inuyasha glared at his brother. "I'm here too, bastard. The place ain't just yours."
"Hn."
"Uh, I just..." Akira swallowed. "I wanted to tell you that we know of someone that can probably help you...he should be returning soon. You will be able to speak to him then."
"And why should we trust any of you to help us?" Sesshomaru asked evenly. "Aiding us in our travels will do nothing for you."
Akira shook his head. "It's not like he'll take you the entire way, he's just going to get you out of this area and point you towards your best bet." He shrugged. "Kurama described it as 'getting the fucked up brothers out of our hair.' We can't very well kill you both now. Well, we could, but Onii-san is not like that and would not allow it. Despite the fact that you annoy him and weird him out."
"Keh. He weirds me out," Inuyasha muttered as he crossed his arms. "When's this person supposed to get here?" The sooner they got on their way and the sooner his brother's arm was found, the sooner they could be done with being around each other. And that was something the hanyou couldn't wait for.
"Well... Dunno. It is never certain when someone might return after completing a commission. The delay can vary from days to months. But this guy is apparently fairly punctual. A week or two, maybe."
The hanyou huffed but nodded. There wasn't exactly a way to make the guy hurry up.
"And if we do not remain here to wait for such a time?"
"Kurama will have you arrested and held prisoner for conspiracy. This guy can sense whether you have had any dealings with the Blue Spirits so we can know for certain before we send you off. If you have no problems with being read for that reason, then you will have to stay until then." Hand still covering his eyes and feeling a bit foolish, Akira bowed at the waist. "Sorry for the inconvenience, er... Great Lord of the West."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the title. What did he get? Absolutely nothing. The hanyou looked back at Akira, even if the kid still had his face covered. "Oi, what the Hell are the 'Blue Spirits'?"
"Oh." Akira frowned minutely. "Well, like I was telling you before, beings, whether they are from the mortal world or originally from here, stay here until they are allowed to move on to their final resting place. It was not always this way..." Distracted by his recollections, Akira removed his hand and sat cross-legged on the floor. "It is supposed to be that whenever we die, we are to be able to move onto our final resting places when we're ready for it. The only dictation is supposed to be whether we receive eternal suffering, eternal happiness, or something in between. In this world, we're allowed to exist for however long we choose. If one comes here from the mortal world, it is like a second chance at life. But it has a catch. If we are killed here, our souls disappear." He shook his head, jaw clenched." The Blue Spirits. They are a dictatorship that has somehow gained a lot of power in this world. Evil always does, really," the boy admitted grimly. "They deny people their passage onward. It has become increasingly difficult to find passage to eternal rest on your own. That task is nearly impossible for human souls like me. Sure, if something with power served under them and kissed their asses, that creature would be allowed passage. They even help those who are destined for eternal suffering to remain here forever at an unspeakable price. Sick bastards. " Akira sneered, disgustedly. "And since they have relative access to the final resting places, they also have access to the mortal world. They have the power to banish us to the mortal world, doomed to be an unseen and unheard wandering soul. Some souls don't even make it here from the mortal world."
Inuyasha just tilted his head, wondering if he was understanding everything. The spirit world sure seemed like a fucked up place. He wasn't exactly looking forward to staying here, or coming back once he'd died. And he still wasn't quite sure how Kurama, Akira, and their little group of oddballs were up to. "So... You guys don't like the blue things.. What're ya doin' though?"
Akira looked the hanyou in the eye and shook his head. "Whatever we can." He took a small glance at the lord who was returning his his look with a hard stare. Funny. He hadn't noticed the lord was missing an arm.
Inuyasha nodded as they lapsed into a silence. After a few moments of looking around somewhat awkwardly with his ears flicking occasionally, the hanyou looked back to Akira. "Was there somethin' else?"
"Ah—no." He looked down shyly. "That's it. Feel free to do whatever you'd like. Hope to see you around." He smiled at the both of them and then got up a little quicker than usual, leaving them to themselves.
The hanyou sighed as their door was once again closed before he flopped back onto the straw, throwing his arm over his face. One or two more weeks of this? Sleeping on the same bed—probably naked—with his brother. Who knew if they would end up fucking; his youkai was apparently 'weird.' "Oi," Speaking of his youkai, Inuyasha still wasn't sure exactly what went on the night before. "So we just slept? Anything happen 'fore that?"
"No. Nothing." Sesshomaru stood, having to brace his hand on one knee for a moment. His calf muscles were stiff and sore as though they had been clenched for along period of time. But they worked. He breathed a mental sigh of relief. He would not need to rely on his brother any longer. It wasn't as though he had actually needed the hanyou anyway. It would have been easier on his pride if the hanyou had left him on the wet, malodorous swamp bed to recuperate alone.
Ears perked towards the sound of shifting straw, Inuyasha removed his arm from his face and pushed himself up on his elbows. Moments later he wished he hadn't. His brother's ass was right there. He wasn't sure what to do—Sesshomaru claimed to have looked at him. He didn't want to though... But in all honesty, his eyes remained glued to the lord, trailing over his pale, unmarked back to the contours of an equally pale ass. Which he could vaguely remember clenching around his length as he pounded into his brother. "Damn—" Tearing his gaze away and trying to fight the blush raising to his cheeks, the hanyou realized his cock had nearly hardened again. "Uh," He had to think of something to say now to stave off the embarrassment that came with staring at his brother. "Your legs! Uh, they good now?"
"They are fine. I needed only rest." The youkai straightened, taking a moment to comb his fingers through his hair for remnants of hay and absently contemplating the hoards of filthy common-folk he may be required to pass if he were to venture beyond the privacy of their appointed hut. Their predicament was strange. They were not quite prisoners here. And it would be appalling to consider themselves guests in this arrangement. Apparently, since they had been placed in a secluded hut without supervision, they were not considered a threat. They think me weak, thought Sesshomaru. They had managed to get the upper hand yesterday, but they could be damned if they thought they could ever try something like that again. These people were either stupid, overconfident, or they had not yet tasted the bitter heart of war. If they had, they would realize that everything on the inside, everything in full view, is not actually in full view. They would look through the clearest glass as though it were a thick slab of impenetrable steel.
Like everywhere else in this wretched place, this settlement and those involved, felt off.
"Well good. I don't wanna have ta carry your ass around all day." Still not looking at his brother, Inuyasha contemplated getting up and dressed. The youkai's obnoxious length of fur was still covering him and it was soft against his skin. He didn't particularly want to get up. As he lay, the hanyou noticed his brother wasn't responding to him. Not like he always did anyway. With a roll of his eyes, Inuyasha decided at least one of them needed to be clothed. He was tempted to bring the fur along with him as he stood and donned his hakama. He refrained, leaving it on the hay instead.
The hanyou moved around his still brother and finished dressing before turning back to face the nude youkai. "Oi, whatdya doin'?"
Thoughts rudely disrupted, Sesshomaru blinked, turning towards Inuyasha and brushing past him to dress himself, deciding he would rather be anywhere besides this hut. Lastly, he secured the armor and mokomoko that he had done without on their way to the river the previous day in order to lighten his weight, he assumed. Disgracefully passive, he had been. He would not allow himself to rely on the hanyou again. Face appropriately schooled, Sesshomaru made towards the door.
"Baka, I asked what you were doin'," Inuyasha stepped after the youkai with an annoyed frown.
Hand on the small groove in the sliding door, Sesshomaru stopped without sparing a glance. "We must remain here for a time. This does not require me to continue wasting it with you." Whisking back the sleeve of his kimono, his slid open the door and closed it fluidly behind him.
"Bastard." Inuyasha glared at the door and wondered why in Kami's name his youkai chose Sesshomaru, of all people. It was stupid, but with any luck, they'd be done with the mating thing soon.
Taking a page from his brother's book, the hanyou decided he ought to get out of the hut for a bit too. The lord's scent lingered, as well as his own. But it was his brother's whose was the most prominent. Shaking his head as though it would clear his nose of the scent, Inuyasha slid the door open and stepped into filtered sunlight and fresh air. After quickly closing the door, he took off.
In need of exercise that didn't involve lugging his brother around, the hanyou jumped onto a wide tree branch and tried to avoid other huts as he roamed the canopy. He liked the heights and was rather fond of this new place. Everything was so high. It made him feel safe and free. He wasn't sure when he had started to see a tree as a safe haven, but it probably had something to do with his human night. And his inability, as a child, to properly defend himself. The hanyou had learned quickly though; how to fight and how to hide. The latter wasn't his method of choice now, it certainly had been his only option at one time though.
Inuyasha shut his eyes briefly. Now was not the time to let memories of the past wash over him. It was too distracting and h—"Crap!"
The hanyou flailed, feet sliding against the wood of the path he'd found himself on and toenails scraping the surface as he tried to stop himself from running into the person who appeared before him. His valiant efforts failed and he collided with the creature, limbs tangling as his momentum tumbled them both over. Inuyasha's head was bashed into the path as he and the other person rolled a distance before finally stopping with a chorus of groans. "What the Hell..."
"Sonofa bitch..." growled a mildly whiny voice. Rubbing her rump, a remarkably short woman expelled a stream of curses. Her striking violet eyes squinted with discomfort. "Watch where you're going, moron!" She looked around with knitted brows, her ruined bun flopping around as she moved her head. "My parcel!" She nearly shrieked, turning a cross gaze on the hanyou. "You've made me drop it."
"Kami, shut up wouldja?" Inuyasha grumbled and sat up, one hand moving to rub the back of his head.
The woman shot Inuyasha a dirty look and staggered to her feet. "Don't you speak to a lady that way, you damned twit." She dusted herself of with a huff. "If you don't find me my parcel, you won't know what hit you."
"Keh." Inuyasha stood as well, realizing how much he had to look down at the woman. Did she really intend to threaten him? "Get it yourself."
"See here, you red-ass, pansy-eared-" The woman blinked as she looked Inuyasha up and down, stilling her shaking fist. "Who the Hell are you?"
"Keh," Inuyasha turned away slightly and stuck his hands into his sleeves. "None a your business, wench."
"Fair enough," grumbled the short woman as the brushed bangs out of her face. "I don't care who you are, anyhow. You smashed into me when my hands were full, this was your fault. I bet it fell into the muck down there..." She gaze down into the inky swamp water. "It was a gift for my son." Her eyes softened for a brief moment before they sharpened again and returned to the hanyou. "You are going to pay me back for that."
"Like hell." The hanyou rolled his eyes as he glanced at the woman. How would he even pay her back? He didn't have money. He didn't even know if these people used some type of currency.
Crossing her arms, she stepped forward to stare him in the face, paying no mind to his size. "Men with an able body and time on their hands are out clearing trees to build more huts here. It is dangerous work. Trees and branches falling. Vicious creatures. Muck deep enough to suck you right up." She narrowed her eyes. "I don't know why you're here but you'll learn soon enough that no one gets by here without pulling their fair share. They want my son to go out and work." Her eyes shone with worry. "He is too young. And—and the men do not take kindly to him because—" She cut herself off, shaking her head. "They'd turn a blind eye if something happened. My son. They'd let him get sucked up by mud." This woman was clearly at her wit's end. "I want you to take his place."
Inuyasha's ears crept backward slightly as he stared down at this vehement woman. She reminded him of Kagome—but more articulate and didn't resort to shouting 'sit' every time he disagreed. And of Kaede; the old hag was always trying to get him to help around the village. He'd normally relented too. But the more he looked at her and the more she spoke of her son, the more the hanyou began seeing his own mother. She'd given so much for him and placed his needs before her own. So few people had helped her... Now, Inuyasha was faced with the opportunity to do what no one had done for him or his mother. "Kami, shut up." He didn't know anything about this woman or her son, but he shrugged lightly. "...I ain't gonna stay here ya know. One, maybe two weeks."
The distraught woman nodded slowly, but with hope still in her eyes, ignoring the Inuyasha's brash order of silence. "With a new face like yours, they might forget about him, at least, for a little while. Whoever you are..." She studied him for a moment. "You might be rude and clumsy, stranger, but you've got a nice face. And you look strong. Those men probably wouldn't do anything to you, even if you managed to get on their bad side. Just...just until you leave?" Her violet eyes were tired but wise with a mother's keen intuition.
Inuyasha huffed, but the woman's compliments went straight to his ego, inflating it beyond its average size. The insults, he'd heard before and there wasn't anything he was going to do to change himself—but he was not clumsy. She just got in his way. Yeah, that was it. Nodding to himself, the hanyou's train of thought returned to the woman's demand. Working would just take up time—but, it wasn't like he had much else to do. It would give him a reason to get away from his brother, though it wasn't like the youkai would stick around him anyway. "Oi, I ain't doin' this for you, ya know."
"Of course," she released tension in her shoulders and breathed a sigh of relief, taking the hanyou's hand in both of hers with gratitude. "Morning 'till late afternoon or early evening is when they are off doing what they can to support this rickety place. You can come by everyday, if you like, for a meal." Her previous distress behind her, she gave Inuyasha a warm smile. "And you can call me Hana. Is there something I can call you? If not, I think 'Pansy-ears' might still do."
The hanyou glanced awkwardly at his hand clasped within the woman's, wondering what he was getting himself into by helping her. "Feh, the name's Inuyasha." Snatching his hand back, he scratched at the collar of his haori as his mind focused on Hana's mention of food. "Wheredya stay? Can't come for food if ya don't tell me."
"Just over there." She pointed to the hut nearest to them. She had just been leaving, apparently. "That there yellow cloth around the tree is your landmark. It can be hard to recognize even your own place when they all look almost the same."
Inuyasha nodded, eyeing the piece of fabric. It'd be easy to remember. Just as long as someone else didn't have the same idea and used the same color.. This place was just confusing. "Where'm I supposed to work?"
Hana looked at Inuyasha with a strange light in her eyes before placing a hand on her hip. "Inuyasha...huh. You're really serious about this," she marveled. "Aren't you."
Head tilting slightly, the hanyou frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Hana chuckled dryly. "Decency...can be scarce these days."
"Ain't that true." Inuyasha nodded, but decency had always been hard for him to come by. At least until Kikyo then Kagome, Sango, and Miroku. Even now, not too many people were keen on the idea of a hanyou hanging around though. It was something he'd inevitably gotten used to. "Well, I need somethin' to do—that's why I'm takin' your kid's place for a bit."
"Thank you," she said, mouth creasing as she smiled. Hana crossed her arms with a tilt of her head. "Hm... You must be one of the boys Kurama picked up."
Shrugging, his gaze narrowed slightly. "What about it?"
"No way I could have missed seeing you around. So I figured you to be one of them." Hana shrugged in turn. "But your business is your business. Guess you want to know where to go, hm?"
Inuyasha nodded, deciding this woman wasn't all bad. "It's the only way I'll be able to work." At least she didn't seem disgusted about what had been going on with his brother and himself—if she knew. If she didn't.. Well, the hanyou saw no reason to tell her.
Hana nodded, grasping the sleeve of his haori with a small tug to get him to turn around. "You can see it from here, a beaten path. Down that way is where they are working right now. The kind of work changes depending on what is needed the most around here. But since you won't be here very long, it should all be the same tree work." She gave him a pat. "Don't forget to come by later if you're hungry, you hear?"
The hanyou nodded. "I hope ya make good food," He said with slight smirk before pulling his sleeve free and starting in the direction she'd pointed him in.
"My cooking will not accommodate lip, young man," Hana called after him with a smile, watching as he traipsed from the tree structure to the ground and onto the beaten path.
Inuyasha glanced back briefly, lifting a hand with a smile before he turned back and resumed his venture. He walked for some time, until his surroundings begun to show evidence of abuse and thinning. Stumps stood at varying heights and thicknesses, the debris from fallen trees littering the ground. Splintered pieces of wood threatened to pierce the hanyou's bare feet, but his soles were calloused enough to prevent most damage.
Other scents were beginning to permeate the air around him. He assume it to be the other men, the ones Hanna had said were working. Inuyahsa wasn't exactly sure of what he'd be doing, but he'd rather be busy than succumbing to boredom and anything his mind might conjure.
Many men halted in their work to spit thickly and stare at Inuyasha as he passed, sweat dripping from their brows. One of the larger ones stepped forward with an axe hung over his shoulder and a twig protruding from his mouth. "State your business."
Inuyasha looked the male up and down, crossing his hands into his sleeves nonchalantly. It was second nature to compare himself to this person and size him up. To observe the bulging biceps that the male was undoubtedly tensing as show, the clenching hand around the hilt of the axe, and the thick brow dotted with sweat; proof of the intensity of the labor the hanyou had agreed to do. "Work. Ain't no other reason to come down here and smell all a ya sweatin' like pigs."
"Work," the male expelled a long, wheezing laugh. "Why the Hell'd you come here to work, sick bastard. Not your choice to be here and you choose to work? If it were upta me, I'd force you into labor. Probably be happy, forced or not. You'd get to be around men all day." There were a few snickers from some of the surrounding males, but mostly, a lot of confused glances.
Ears flicking back and cheeks heating with both embarrassment and anger, Inuyasha took a step closer to the man with a growl. His fists were clenching restlessly at his sides as he spoke, "I'm here 'cause I'm doin' a favor for someone. So gimme a damn axe and shut the hell up."
With a crooked smirk, the large male snatched an axe out of the hands of another and tossed it to Inuyasha. "I catch you doing anything weird, I'll hang you from a tree faster than you can scream for your crippled brother."
Axe in hand, the hanyou scowled at the man, lip curling slightly as he gave another growl. His brow wrinkled minutely before he realized he was probably the only who knew his brother's legs had healed. It didn't matter to Inuyasha if these men thought less of his brother or not, so he made no comment to defend the youkai. Besides, if he did jump to the lord's defense, who knew what ideas it might give these men. "I don't scream for anybody, bastard."
Raising an eyebrow, the large male turned on his heel with a sly smirk. "We'll see about that." He walked over to another large male and clapped him on the back, leaning in just enough to whisper something in his ear, coaxing a smirk from the both of them, before trudging off to continue his work.
This new male, more prominently demonic than the first, made his way over to Inuyasha with a grin. "Don't you listen to him," he jabbed a thumb in the direction of the previous male. " He's just talk. It was good of you to come, I've got your back."
Inuyasha quickly noted the differences between the two men. This one, though still muscular, was not as brawny as the other. His hair was shorter, brushing the bottoms of his ears—which the hanyou saw were pointed—rather than his shoulders. It was darker too and slicked back with sweat. His face, sharp with a prominent jaw, was more welcoming than the bastard from before. Unable to stop himself, Inuyasha glanced at the rest of the male's body. His tanned skin was covered in a sheen of sweat and muscles flexed as he shifted slightly. There were claws tipping his fingers and Inuyasha realized the guy was slightly attractive. Hearing the Thing growl at his thoughts, the hanyou's gaze returned to the other male's. "Yeah, just tell me where to start."
"Heh, that's the spirit. Start over there. Stay away from the small trees. Drag the ones you cut over there so they can be made into materials. The bees in these parts are a bitch. Get to it." With a large smile that creased his eyes, he returned to work.
Inuyasha nodded and headed in the direction the male had pointed him in, axe resting on his shoulder. He ignored the glances he got from the other workers and found a suitable tree. The first few swings were off the mark, the blade glancing off the trunk and he could hear a few snickers. But the only time he'd used an axe before was when Kaede needed firewood chopped. Needless to say, the hanyou was more than a little rusty.
As he continued and grew more comfortable with the tool and confident in his abilities, his swings steadily became more fluid and the blade was wedging deeper into the wood, chipping pieces away. The work was hard and Inuyasha put his entire body into it, turning as the axe swung, following through, and jerking the blade free. Before long, sweat was beginning to soak through his haori. Without a second though, he shucked it off, along with the thinner one he wore beneath it. Both articles were tossed to the ground and the hanyou jerked his middle finger up when he heard someone whistle and another holler at him.
"Assholes," He muttered as he picked up the axe and resumed working. Inuyasha wasn't sure how long he worked, chopping trees down and dragging them to the steadily growing pile. He wasn't even sure how many he did. The work was monotonous and straining, but it kept his mind occupied enough.
"Alright men, good work! Go get yourselves some grub and report back here in the morning!" There was a murmur of exhausted 'yes sirs' before they all began stalking away with their chests held high. One of them spit in Inuyasha's general direction.
Tempted to heave the axe at the departing crowd in hopes of hitting one of the bastards, Inuyasha gripped the hilt tightly and growled at them instead. After a moment, the hanyou swung the axe into a tree and wiggled it to make sure it would stay before turning, grabbing his shed clothing, and following the other men. It had been some time since he'd felt the tightness in his muscles as he did now. Maybe his brother was right; maybe he did need to work more—Inuyasha paused. No. He did not just claim that the youkai could be right.
Noticing the growing distance between himself and the other men, the hanyou started walking again. By the time he was back on he raised wooden bridge, the others had all dispersed. His eyes immediately found the yellow cloth waving in the breeze and made a b-line to the hut, his mouth watering at the thought of food as his stomach rumbled it's needs. "Oi!" One hand rapped on the door as Inuyasha used his haori to wipe sweat from his face and chest. "I hope ya got some food, Hana."
"Let yourself in."
Inuyasha hesitated a moment before he slid the door open and stepped inside, turning slightly as he closed it behind him.
Hana was kneeling beside two pots that hung over a fire, stirring the contents of one of them. She put on the lid and folded her hands in her lap to look up at Inuyasha. "Phew, you really did your part. I can smell you from here."
"I still smell better than half the guys there," He said with a slight smirk. Lifting his nose and trying to get a whiff of what was cooking, the hanyou moved beside closer. "Whatcha cookin'?"
"Rice. And stewed vegetables with a good, hardy chunk of meat. You look like a boy who appreciates meat. Have a seat." She gestured towards a hide on the floor. "Hope they didn't give you too much trouble."
Inuyasha nodded and took a seat, grateful to be off his feet. Legs crossed and still bare chested, he set his haori beside him and leaned back on his hands, wondering if there was an underlying meaning to the woman's words. Apparently, the men knew about his relationship with his brother, so he wouldn't put it past Hana to know as well. "Nothin' any worse than what I've dealt with before."
Hana took a large bowl she'd had set aside and filled it with rice, vegetables, and a large slab of meat, passing it to Inuyasha with a curious look in her eye. "Oh?"
Eyes lighting, Inuyasha eagerly took the bowl and started eating. If what he was doing could he called eating—he was simply inhaling his food, pausing briefly to chew a mouthful once or twice. He used the time he was stuffing his mouth to contemplate what to tell Hana. She either knew and was being nice, or didn't know and might kick him out once she did. His ears flicked slightly. He'd only just met her today, but she seemed okay—she was the only person other than Akira who'd been kind to him.
After devouring most of the rice, maybe a quarter of the vegetables, and tearing a few good chunks from the meat, the hanyou finally paused for breath and looked at the woman. "Hah. That is some damn good food." Anything probably would've tasted good to him right now, as hungry as he was. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Inuyasha scratched at the base of one of his ears before speaking again. "Hana... How much do ya know about me.. And my brother?"
Hana smiled smugly at the food comment and rested her chin in her palm, shaking her head. "Not much. Probably the only people that know anything about you two are Kurama, Youta, and the men Kurama chooses to defend this place. All I know is you two got too close. And Kurama believed you to be in league with the Blue Spirits. Now that I've seen you with my own eyes, I don't believe it."
Inuyasha nodded, more focused on what she knew than what others might. He looked down at what was left in his bowl and ate a few more bites. It really was quite good. But he was only stalling now, trying to decide what to say. Maybe if he changed the subject, she wouldn't ask about him and his brother.. "Where's your kid?"
"I didn't want him to be cooped up in here all day. He gets nervous when a lot of Kurama's men are around here at once. So do I. I sent him to gather some berries, just outside. He should be finished soon and you can meet him." Her smile wavered. "Well, you probably want to be on your way."
With a humorless chuckle, he shook his head. "I oughta meet the kid I'm workin' for. 'Sides, you two are gotta be better company than what I have ta deal with." Inuyasha finished off the meat in the bowl and mixed the remaining bits of rice with the vegetables. "This food is too good to leave anyway."
She laughed heartily, taking Inuyasha's bowl to refill it. "You, at least, are not bad company, Pansy-ears. Oh. And you can tell your brother that he is just as welcome as you."
Inuyasha laughed at that and rolled his eyes. "We're too 'common' for the bastard. If he ever did lower his ass to come eat, I'd have to share the food." Smiling, he shook his head. "I ain't too good at that."
Hana raised a scolding finger. "Oh come now, if he agrees, I will just have to make some more." She slid his bowl back to him. "You aren't going to be here for long, after all. Not too often does a woman like me get to speak to a couple of handsome young men," she chuckled placing a hand on her hip.
Muttering a 'thank you,' Inuyasha made a nice dent in his second serving before licking his lips and turning his gaze back to Hanna. "If ya wanna meet the asshole, I'll see if he'll come by. I wouldn't count on it though; he can be a real dick."
Hana made a thoughtful sound. "He can't be too terrible if the both of you are traveling together."
"We don't have a choice," Inuyasha groused, picking at some vegetables and scooping more rice into his mouth.
Hana raised a brow, but before she could inquire about it, the door slid open. A boy with ginger hair, and eyes as violet as his mother's, walked swiftly inside with his head down, dropped a bundle of berries beside his mother, and disappeared behind the curtain that covered the sleeping area.
The hanyou watched the kid until he moved behind the curtain and then turned and frowned at Hanna. "What the hell was that about?" Not saying something to a stranger, Inuyasha could understand. But the kid didn't even say anything to his mother.
Hana sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. He's very shy around strangers." She turned toward the curtain with a frown. "Keiji! Come say hello to Inuyasha. It's about time you've had your supper too."
Slowly, the ginger-haired boy poked his hand out to draw back the curtain just enough to see Inuyasha with a single wide eye. His mother gave him another stern look which sent him stumbling over to sit next to her. He worried the fabric of his pants. "Hello..." Keiji met Inuyasha's golden eyes for a split second before quickly looking down again, hiding his eyes under his hair.
"Hey kid." Nodding to the boy, Inuyasha poked at his food some more and tried to figure out how old Keiji was. Hanna said he was too young to work, but maybe that was just her opinion as his mother. From the hanyou's perceptive, the kid certainly didn't seem like the type who could do the work he'd just done.
Hana handed the boy his food so he would have something to focus on besides Inuyasha. "So. What's it like back where you come from? A woman? Kids? If not, I bet you're quite the catch."
Glancing back down at his own food, he shrugged. "Nah, none a that." Not too many people were keen on the idea of having a hanyou as their long-term partner. Kagome only was because she was human and from another time. She didn't understand the stigma that followed him. "I got a small group and we travel. Fight youkai and shit."
She nodded her head, brushing a leaf out of her son's hair. "Does it ever get lonely?"
Ears flicked and his jaw clenched briefly before he answered. "No." Inuyasha resorted to eating the vegetables left in his bowl, even though he didn't like them that much, so he wouldn't have to talk anymore. He was lonely a lot though. Miroku and Sango were practically together. Shippou was just a kid—an annoying one at that. And Kagome wanted things Inuyasha couldn't give her. He felt like an outsider at times; just there because they needed someone with enough muscle to take down the stronger youkai and to protect them if something went wrong.
Hana bit her lip and knitted her brows, hoping she'd not asked too much.
Finished with most of his food, Keiji glanced up from it to look at Inuyasha, worrying his pants further against the urge to keep his head down. "U-um... I-Inu...yasha?"
An ear swiveled and the hanyou turned his gaze to the kid as he swallowed the last bit of food from his bowl. "Hm?"
"...Thank you," he said sincerely with a small smile, then hid his eyes in his hair once again.
Inuyasha tilted his head in confusion. "Uh, what for?"
"F-for...taking my place," Keiji said quietly with a slight blush. "And for...making my mother smile."
"Ah, well..." Looking around a bit awkwardly, the hanyou tapped a claw on the edge of his bowl. "It's nothing, kid. Don't worry about it."
Clearing her throat, slightly embarrassed, Hana took Keiji's bowl and reached for Inuyasha's. "Do not forget to tell your brother that he is welcome."
Pushing the bowl toward her, Inuyasha heaved an exaggerated sigh. "I already told ya, he won't come. He's too pissy."
Hana waved him off with her hand. "Take advantage of what you have, young man. It might not be there tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I believe there will be some fresh, seasoned fish involved," she goaded in a melodic voice.
"Damn it, I won't wanna leave if ya feed me the good stuff." Slowly, Inuyasha stood and stretched, getting a whiff of himself. "Ugh, I oughta soak in the river for bit.. I'll see ya tomorrow—ya better make plenty a fish too!"
Hana crossed her arms. "Watch that mouth around Keiji. I can tell he already likes you enough to pick up some habits." She shook her head with an amused smirk, trying to picture her son actually finding the courage to cuss around his mother. "See you tomorrow, Pansy-ears."
"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and made a quick wave to the mother and son as he headed for the door. "See ya."
After sliding the door shut behind him, the hanyou took a breath of the evening air and tried to locate the river. His tired limbs could use a good soak in the cool water. It would help get rid of the stink too. Inuyasha made the trip there as quick as possible and tried not to linger. He wanted to sleep, with his stomach now full, he was more than ready to rest.
By the time he was heading back to the hut he shared with his brother, the sun had sunk even lower into the sky, just a few linger patches of sunlight brightened his path as the shadows grew longer and darker. He walked bare chested with water still dotting his skin, his damp hair sticking to his back, and his haori thrown over his shoulder. Following his nose, the hanyou easily found his way to the hut and slid open the door with a relieved sigh.
Sesshomaru stopped before the entrance to their appointed hut and frowned. He had meant to stay away. A night alone would have done wonders for his sanity. But somehow...he found himself right back here to this confounded place. Inuyasha's youkai would emerge soon as well. Brilliant. Suppressing a groan and realizing his brother had likely already smelled him, Sesshomaru entered the hut.
An ear flicked lazily toward the door. Inuyasha lay sprawled on his back on their straw bed, arms beneath his head which was turned toward the entrance of the hut. Since his brother had not been there when he arrived, the hanyou had claimed the middle of the bed. His haori was dropped carelessly on the floor, still damp from the brief scrubbing he'd given it in the river. His hakama were thrown off as well, near the foot of the bed and he lay comfortably nude. One eye cracked open as he looked at his brother. But it wasn't the hanyou's normal golden hue that gazed at the youkai. Crimson shone in the dying sunlight as he gave a slow smirk, pleased his mate had finally come.
Silently and without sparing the hanyou a glance, Sesshomaru removed his pelt, armor, and swords, setting them neatly on the provided chair. After a moment's internal debate of reluctance, the youkai moved to sit beside his brother who was clearly not entirely conscious. Inuyasha's youkai half had taken over. And it appeared lively and blithe. Since the hanyou had been with traveling with him, Sesshomaru had not seen Inuyasha's youkai slash, dismember, or maim anything. Then again, the only others he had been around besides Sesshomaru were Kurama and his soldiers. Sesshomaru had been able to stop him from charging... Would he have the consciousness to make such coherent decisions if Sesshomaru was absent?
Hm. That was a lot.
Seems like they are finding their ground. The calm before the storm...
What do you think of the new characters? I wonder how important they will be in getting the brothers on their way. And what the Hell is up with the blue spirits?
Questions, comments, and suggestions! ^^
P.s.
If you haven't noticed, we have been updating every week on the weekends with pretty substantial chapters since we started writing the story.
Ja ne.
