Prompt used- Hold My Hand

The ride home was quiet. Haru could feel the agitation rolling off Inuyasha and wisely decided to keep his mouth shut. The journey took longer than Haru could remember and he almost gave a sigh of relief when he reached the mansion. Haru was still concerned about the fact that Inuyasha was still highly intoxicated. Something about it really worried Haru. As he came to a stop in garage, Haru made a mental note to mention it to Sesshomaru.

Before the car came to a complete halt, Inuyasha was out the door. Bounding into the house, for a moment, Inuyasha contemplated confronting Sesshomaru. However, the woozy feeling from drinking made itself known. Swaying, Inuyasha struggled to remember if he had ever felt this way from drinking before.

"Fuck it!" He thought and headed up the back stairs to his suite. Once inside, he kicked off his shoes and lay across the bed. He could feel the swirl of alcohol through his blood and he allowed the booze to feed his anger.

"If Sesshomaru wants me, he'll have to come to me!"

ooOOoo

Haru reported to Sesshomaru's office, still worried about Inuyasha.

"The young master is here."

Sesshomaru looked up from his papers. "Good." Haru turned to leave but then turned back to Sesshomaru.

"My Lord, you should know. Inuyasha is drunk and angry. I believe he has had a large amount of demon liquor."

A slight frown marred Sesshomaru's brow. "Explain, Haru."

Taking a deep breath, Haru began. "He and his human friend were drunk when they arrived at the apartment. The human had to be carried in by Inuyasha. I'm no expert but Inuyasha should not still be intoxicated by human drink. The ride from the shore took at least 30 minutes. From the apartment to here was another 30 minutes. By now, his demon blood should have metabolized most of the alcohol. He still smells as drunk as he was still drinking."

Sesshomaru sighed. Signaling Haru to sit, he called Jaken. After getting list of the five clubs the group had visited, he was able to narrow down the source of the demon liquor. He wasn't sure how they even wound up at the particular club because it was a darker, seedier club that Sesshomaru would expect them to socialize. Turning his attention back to Haru, he gave him instructions to call their private physician and to collect Miroku and bring him back to the mansion as well.

After Haru left, Sesshomaru placed a call to Kuro Yoshida. After apologizing for the lateness of the hour, he explained what transpired with the group's night out. Yoshida immediately understood and quickly left the line. Sesshomaru stood and walked out to his balcony. Recalling what he could remember about demon liquor, he knew the humans would eventually be violently ill or worse, depending on the amount they had drank. A tincture could be given to ease the symptoms and leave them with no more than a hangover.

For full demons, the liquor worked similar to regular human alcohol. They could get drunk and hung over if they consumed too much. What worried Sesshomaru was the effect it could have on Inuyasha. With his hanyou heritage, there were too many wild card variables. Knowing he couldn't avoid this particular confrontation, Sesshomaru decided to check on Inuyasha.

ooOOoo

Inuyasha couldn't remember ever feeling the way he did now after drinking. The bed was spinning and he felt lightheaded. Hearing the click of the door, Inuyasha didn't open his eyes but he smelled Sesshomaru entering the room. After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you going to say something or are you going to just lurk?"

Sesshomaru approached the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. Sniffing the air, he immediately agreed with Haru's assessment. The demon liquor was strong in Inuyasha's system.

"I was just checking on your wellbeing. Haru told me you were intoxicated."

"Intoxicated." Giving a snort, Inuyasha replied. "Fancy word for drunk. What do you want, Sesshomaru. Your pet is home. You should be pleased."

"Inuyasha, you have never been my pet."

Sitting up in the bed, Inuyasha's head swam before he could respond to Sesshomaru.

"What do you call the order to come home? What do you call sending your driver to retrieve me like a wayward child?"

Sesshomaru took another step towards Inuyasha but was greeted with a growl. "Stay the fuck back, Sesshomaru! I can't deal with you right now."

Halting, Sesshomaru studied Inuyasha's flushed visage. "Little brother, I think the alcohol you consumed tonight is making you ill."

Giving a mirthless chuckle, Inuyasha quickly stood, swaying dangerously for a moment.

"Maybe dealing with you is making me ill. You can't dictate my life to me, Sesshomaru. I'm starting to think maybe Kouga was right all along."

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red. "That mangy cur? What lies did he use to try and fill your head?"

"How do I know they are lies, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked as he unsteadily moved towards his brother. "How do I know I'm not only a convenience? How do I know that you don't have a hidden agenda towards me?" Stopping in front of Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's eyes dared him to dispute Kouga's claims. "How do I know I'm not just a play thing for you? I'm a secret, a secret you've been keeping!"

"This is not a conversation for now. You are drunk, more so than you even realize." Sesshomaru replied, his gaze unwavering from Inuyasha's face. He watched as Inuyasha's face contorted with anger. It was his voice, however, that broke Sesshomaru's heart. Inuyasha's voice came out broken and needy, a far cry from the belligerent hanyou only moments before. It reminded him too much of the broken hanyou he had found when he was merely following his father's wishes.

"Who am I to you, Sesshomaru?"

Before he could stop himself, Sesshomaru reached out and cupped Inuyasha's face. Stroking his love's cheek, Sesshomaru was stunned to feel a tear roll down his hand. Pulling Inuyasha close, Sesshomaru was thrilled to feel the hanyou's arms snake around his waist as he stroked his ears. They stood like that that until soft knock on the door intruded.

"Enter." Sesshomaru called out, refusing to release his hold on Inuyasha even as he felt the young man try to pull away. Haru came into the room, with a small man trailing behind him.

"Sir, the doctor is here to see the young master."

Before Sesshomaru could respond, Inuyasha spoke. "Doctor? I don't need a doctor! I'm drunk, not sick."

Sesshomaru looked down at the man in his arms. "You and your companions have been drinking demon liquor. The doctor has something for you to take so it doesn't make you violently ill."

Inuyasha scowled at Sesshomaru then scowled at the doctor. "Well, will you let me go so I can get this over with?"

Reluctantly, Sesshomaru released him and watched as Inuyasha wobbled towards the bed. Nodding at the doctor, Sesshomaru stood with Haru as the doctor asked Inuyasha a few questions and examined him. Haru relayed the information about Miroku. The doctor had given him the tincture and he was sleeping in the guest room on the first floor. Sesshomaru nodded, never taking his attention away from the doctor and Inuyasha. At last, the doctor finished and leaving instructions for Inuyasha to drink the tincture and sleep, he left with Haru.

Inuyasha sat on the edge of the bed, cradling the bottle the doctor had left with him. The moments before the doctor came comforted and confused Inuyasha. So much had been happening between him and Sesshomaru and now he was torn.

"You need to take the tincture. The doctor says it'll help." Sesshomaru said as he sat on the bed beside Inuyasha.

Scowling slightly, Inuyasha uncorked the bottle and turned it up, surprised that it taste faintly pleasant. He placed the now empty vial in Sesshomaru's outstretched hand and gazed at his face.

"You didn't answer my question."

Sesshomaru took Inuyasha's hand into his own. "I am sorry that I even allowed the wolf to plant this seed of discontent. I assumed you understood what you meant to me."

Inuyasha blushed. "It's been so long. You've buried yourself in work and..."

"I've been neglecting you." Sesshomaru finished. A ghost of a smile appeared as Inuyasha tried to stifle a yawn. Standing up, Sesshomaru gently pushed Inuyasha back on the bed.

"We'll finish this conversation tomorrow. For now, you need to rest." Sesshomaru leaned over and gently kissed Inuyasha's lips. Turning off the lamp, he turned to walk away, stopping when Inuyasha called out to him.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

There was a pause and for a moment, Sesshomaru thought Inuyasha had fallen asleep but his tired voice carried in the dark.

"What Kouga said was not true, right?"

Sesshomaru frowned, unseen by Inuyasha. "What did he say?"

Again, it took a moment before Inuyasha answered, the medicine slowing knocking him out. "About the benefits you could get from me. I don't have anything, what could he be talking about?"

Squeezing the door handle tightly, Sesshomaru worded his answer carefully. "The wolf is clueless, Inuyasha. He only said the things he said to agitate you." Opening the door, he gently ordered. "Now, sleep."

Hearing no other sounds, Sesshomaru closed the door. Once back in his office, the normally unflappable daiyoukai took a shaky breath. Logging into his computer, he opened his private files and looked specifically at the one labeled 'Inuyasha'. He wondered how much Kouga truly knew about the instructions of his late father and wondered what else had he shared with Inuyasha. The wolf was turning into a bigger problem than Sesshomaru had anticipated. He knew there would have to be another meeting with the wolf, this time on neutral territory. He considered burying the file, knowing the information it contained would have the power to heal them both or destroy them completely.