InuYasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Poor InuYasha was still sulking in the far corner across from Kagome, glaring daggers at everyone who dared come near. Across from him, sitting in the old sofa in the living-room, sat the human girl. Arms crossed and an exasperated sigh escaping from her lips every now and again. Somehow she had found an old t-shirt lying in her bedroom – better known as storage room – and had draped herself in the far too big cloth.
Sesshomaru sighed dramatically and shook his head. "What in the world did you try to make the ningen do, little brother?"
As predicted the halfling perked up and changed directions for his daggers. "What do you mean "what did you do"? I didn't do anything!"
"Oh, please," the girl immediately retorted, her eyes flashing dangerously, "You know very well that that is not something to do in the same room as a girl."
"Who's a girl? The one who dressed herself in my old shirt that has splotches everywhere and are ready for the tip? The only one in this room who even slightly resembles a girl is Sessho-"
"Finish that sentence, little brother, and I will silence you in the worst way possible for a man." The older brother glared right back at the younger, until InuYasha turned away his face with a jerk. Satisfied with the show of subordination he leaned back once more in the armchair that the girl – Kagome – had been sitting in the day before. It felt like ages ago, but truthfully it had only been some mere hours since he had told her about his and his brother's heritage.
He threw a glare at the girl and asked once more, in a more serious tone of voice. "What did he do?"
She was blushing all over; from embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell.
"He- he-" she took a new breath, then tried again, "He- I- He took- oh God, I can't say it!"
"Then don't! What good would it be to let that bastard know about it anyway?" said the little brother from his corner. "It's not like he will do anything about it anyway. He wouldn't even care if you suddenly went out and married someone!"
"But now I CAN'T get married!" she suddenly shrieked, flying out of the sofa and standing up, glaring murderous at the boy. "You," she ground out, pointing with a trembling finger at InuYasha, "take responsibility."
"I take what?"
"You heard me. Take. Responsibility."
"Like hell I will!"
She stomped her foot in the ground like a child. "Yes, you will!"
"Will not!"
"You will!"
"Not!"
Sesshomaru sighed. "However how hilarious I think this ordeal is, I believe we have gathered here for a whole different reason. Isn't that so, little brother?"
The other two were breathing heavily, but, thankfully for Sesshomaru's delicate ears, they had stopped shrieking at each other. He found, as he had said, this exchange of words between the two a great deal of entertainment, but they had other things to think about; like what to do about the girl.
He fixed his gaze at Kagome. "You can't stay here."
Blue eyes gazed back at him, the fire that had been there slowly dying down to a slight flicker. "I know," she replied quietly.
"You have to return to your home."
She turned her eyes away from him. Instead she fixed her blue gaze on the old floorboards. "I know."
He nodded to himself, pleased that she was so easy to agree to what he said – although it was a little unsettling as well. Wasn't it her that had been arguing so fiercely with him only yesterday? The change from a advancing lioness to this helpless kitten almost made him growl with confusion. However, Sesshomaru was not one to show any of the few weaknesses he had – if any.
"Then," he said and rose from his seat, "I will take you home now. Come." With that, he walked past her in the armchair and stopped in the doorway as the girl made no move to get up. "Girl-"
"It's Kagome! Christ, you would think that two days in the same dump-of-a-house would actually start using an appropriate name!" the girl exclaimed while getting to her feet. Silence stretched as the males watched her; one with a blank look on his face and the other with a bored yet slightly amused eyes.
"Sorry," Kagome said and wiped at her eyes. "But, can't I stay here?"
"Whuh?" came the intelligent proclamation from InuYasha. Sesshomaru stood motionless, regarding the girl silently as she whirled to meet his eyes.
"W-well, I want to help… you know, with the house," she hurried to explain and looked down at her feet. Any fool – except InuYasha – would have noticed the nervous stance she had, the weighing from one foot to the other, the worried knitting and unknitting of her hands. Any fool – except his brother – could see that in her; she wanted to stay. But why, he had no idea.
"Why would you do that?" he questioned aloud. She snapped her head up and looked at him for a second, before hurriedly looking back down. "And more importantly; what makes you think that we would let you?"
"That…"
Cocking an eyebrow at her Sesshomaru sighed. "Again, not thinking through your actions. What would you do about your mother then?"
The mention of her little family worked; she lifted her head and stared at him. Her eyes seemed to storm in their deep blue depths as different feeling filtered through; anger, depression, and many others fought for an expression.
"That's what I thought. Now, come." Again he turned, and again her voice stopped him.
"I can help you… with that."
Before the last word had left her mouth he had her pinned to the wall, his claws at her throat. "You cannot, and you will not." He sneered at her. His claws tightened around her tender neck as he talked. "You know nothing, and so it will remain. Do you understand that?"
Giving her a slight push Sesshomaru let go and took some steps back as Kagome slowly slid down the wall. She coughed and rubbed at her throat, but soon raised her gaze to lock with his again.
"I can and I will," she said hoarsely. "I know, and that will remain. Do you understand that, Sesshomaru?"
An immensely irritated half-dog choose this moment to remind them of his presence, as he jumped in between the two and shielded the girl protectively with his body. InuYasha bared his fangs at his brother and growled.
"What are you talking about that you aren't telling me?" he murmured. When Sesshomaru didn't reply, only simply glaring at his sibling, InuYasha glanced at Kagome. "What are you not telling me?"
None of them said anything however. They continued to share their silence with each other, using it like a wall to keep InuYasha outside. The boy growled loudly once more, before scoffing.
"Fine, don't tell me. Keep it to yourselves for all I care." He didn't glance at Kagome as he began to leave; he didn't care that he bumped into his older brother's shoulder and causing Sesshomaru to trip slightly. When he had moved out of sight he called to them. "Oh wait; I don't care."
A loud bang as a door was slammed shut, and the silence engulfed all.
-o-
InuYasha was boiling on the inside. Anger, hurt or whatever; he was boiling, and it was all because of those two. He slumped against his bedrooms door and slid down all the way, until he was sitting against it. There he leaned his head back and sighed heavily.
Needless to say, he knew his brother. At least most of him. When his brother was taunting and smirking with a mixture of boredom and amusement it often meant he was somewhat glad. Not happy as some would say; just slightly more happy than an icicle. When nothing other than a cold stare and silence were presented, then it was something he didn't want – or care, for that matter – to tell. Or do.
But Kagome…
InuYasha stared up at the dirty roof and recalled her laugh as he tickled her, all over. Somehow he had imagined that such a laugh with the kind person she was wouldn't, couldn't, be associated with lies and silence. It didn't fit her to be quiet about something like this; not if it made two parties out of three to be silent.
As that thought passed he suddenly snapped back to reality. 'That's right,' he thought, 'it isn't like her to stay quiet!'
He stood up silently and turned around cautiously, careful not to make a sound as he turned the doorknob.
—o—
"You must tell him, you know." Kagome still sat on the floor where Sesshomaru had discarded her. Red marks had started to appear on her throat, her voice was a little raw and it hurt to use, but she would live. That was something she had been certain wouldn't have been the case if InuYasha had not jumped in. Now she gave Sesshomaru looks that told him just how much she hoped he would finally listen to reason.
Sesshomaru however, was oblivious. "I must not do anything. You however must go home."
"Well, mister," she scoffed, "I do not. If I did that now, my mom would notice one particular thing that isn't quite right with me for the moment."
The werewolf glared at her while teasingly raising an eyebrow. "Only one thing?"
Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. "Ha, ha. No. Notice my new tattoo on my throat? It is only red right now, but soon it will turn blue and purple." she brushed a few stray strands of her hair out of her face as she smiled wickedly. "Which, as you may know, is called 'bruises'. Fancy, don't you think? I wonder what mom would say if she saw that, right after I had been gone for several days."
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Using extortion against me now, are you? You almost make me laugh."
"Yeah… right. Sure, see it as an extortion of sorts. But seriously," her smile slowly died on her lips," you need to tell him the truth. If you don't, who knows what might happen? One thing is for certain though; the sooner you tell him, the faster he will forgive you." When only silence answered her Kagome sighed heavily. "He can't hate you, you know? You are his brother-"
"Half-brother," he corrected her.
"Sure, whatever. You still have to tell him what he is and what you have done to protect and help him." The look she got from the werewolf made her throw up her hands in an angry gesture. "It's true! And sure, he will hate you for a while, but it will pass - because you are half-brothers."
The room grew quiet, only the steady tick-tocking from the grandfather clock disturbing it. Sesshomaru sat in the armchair with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in front of him; if she didn't know better, Kagome would have said he was in a deep prayer – which somehow didn't really fit Sesshomaru. In her mind's eye she saw the werewolf, dressed up in black robes and a priest collar around his neck. She put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop the furious giggling from running free-laps around the room. Somehow, she suspected that a certain person would not appreciate being laughed at, especially not if he knew about what she laughed.
"Are you certain that such is a wise choice?" he asked her quietly. The unsuspected noise made her jump from her position on the floor.
"Huh?" she asked. Damn, had he been talking for a long time?
Sesshomaru glared at her. Oops, it seemed like he had. "I have asked you if it is wise to tell my little brother about the deeds I have done for his and your race's safety. Now I begin to wonder if it is wise that I ask you of these things."
Before she could reply there was a clatter behind Sesshomaru. Kagome tilting her head and Sesshomaru turning around, they both gazed upon InuYasha who was frozen in place. His hands was outstretched and his back crouched, as if he had attempted to catch the huge pile of old videotapes. Upon seeing that he was exposed he straightened and hunched his shoulders. Pointing a clawed finger at them he scowled.
"You. Tell me. Now."
Sesshomaru didn't glance at Kagome, but she had a feeling that if he could he would have done so. Now however, he stared straight ahead and met his younger brother's gaze.
"InuYasha." Sesshomaru drawled.
"Tell me, or I swear by God, I will rip your guts out."
Kagome sighed heavily, stood up and dusted herself off. "It seems that you boys have some things to clear up. Please excuse me." She strode past Sesshomaru, and without a look at the other boy she left the room.
Sesshomaru smirked slightly. "Godness, had I known I only needed you in the same room to get her to leave, I would have done so sooner."
The comment didn't hit home. His little brother looked as sour as ever as he made his way around Sesshomaru and stopped where his brother had all but strangled Kagome earlier. Without ceremony he plopped down with his legs crossed.
"Speak," he said.
—o—
It was the year of 1874. The dim dusk of the east coated the small Russian outlook in a warm gold. To the left of the tower was a huge and eerily forest, that seemed to loom in ominously over the small clearing. The right however, sported a lake that glinted and sparkled as it caught the last sunrays on it skin. Small breezes whirled up clouds of dust that seemed like gold flecks whirling about. These "gold flecks" did little however to the slightly irritated young boy who stood with an even smaller child by his side, as both of them sneezed and coughed out the irksome things.
Both of them had silvery hair and golden eyes, that shone with the help of the setting sun. Clad in dark cloaks that did little to nothing to hide their appearances, it was easy to tell that these were not normal.
The older boy tugged on the smaller one. "Come little brother. Our father's friend is just ahead."
"Big brother," the child yawned hugely. Two tiny fangs glinted before he closed the mouth. "I'm tired. Will that old man have warm blankets for us?"
The older boy smirked coolly and scooped up the boy. "Yes, InuYasha. I'm sure he does. After all, we are father's children – only the best is good enough."
InuYasha yawned again as he struggled to stay awake. "The best? Then he should have mother and father there too." Suddenly the boy perked and stared at his big brother. His tiny ears stood straight up with excitement. "Maybe they are! That Myoga are maybe hiding them in a closet! Right? Right?"
Sesshomaru said nothing to that; such childness was something he could not associate with. However, he did understand his young brother's will to forget and imagine that everything was alright; that they weren't running for their lives, that their father and InuYasha's mother hadn't been killed in front of their eyes.
"Maybe," he concluded. "Maybe.
-o-
"So," Sesshomaru said quietly to the small elder across the table," what do we do now?"
Having been in the same little tower for over an year, the young lord's patience was finally running short. It teased him to madness that he had not been able, or allowed, to seek out whatever evil it was that had exterminated Sesshomaru's and his little brother's family.
The elderly man jumped and stared wide-eyed at the boy. "I do not know, my lord. Forgive this old man and servant of your father, but I cannot advice you about what to do now."
The little man started sweating, Sesshomaru noticed. His white thinning hair lay plastered by his ears; the wrinkles around the long nose seemed deeper than usual. Had Sesshomaru not known better, he would have said that the low-class vampire had gotten older. Which in any case was impossible for any child of the night.
"There is something that you are not telling me, Myoga," the youngling said.
The old man jumped with a start and tried on a smile at the boy. Which seemed so strained that Sesshomaru didn't know if he should feel offended by the grimace. "Whatever made you think that, my lord?"
In a sensation the boy didn't know was his own he simply stared at the vampire before letting his aura show around him. He let it stretch out toward the shaking blood sucker, until he visibly saw the sweat starting to show on the elder's brow and the pale on the paleness. He smirked.
"I believe you do, vampire vassal."
Suddenly the man seemed to shrink in on himself; his small shoulder's closing in on his small body, his arms twisting around his body as if he tried to keep it intact. His head was ducked so close to his chest that it seemed he had none. Myoga started to make whimpering noises and his small frame started shaking itself.
"Please, no! I beg you, no, no, no!" Myoga cried, while rocking in his chair. Back and forth. Back and forth, like a strange and eerily dance.
Sesshomaru hadn't moved an inch since the outbreak, but he couldn't help but stare with wide and slightly scared eyes at the broken man, as Myoga continued to wail higher and higher.
"Sesshomaru? What's going on?" a sleepy voice asked by his elbow. Looking down Sesshomaru saw his little brother, eyes heavy with sleep but a determined and scared expression on his face.
"Oh Gods, no!" Myoga cried, casting his head up and revealing his bleeding eyes to the two boys. "Please, my lord, kill me now! For if you don't, he will find you!"
"He? Who?"
Myoga shook his head jerkily. "Please my lord! For if he do, he will be here in all but a second! I beg you; end my life so you and your brother can live on!"
"I cannot do what you ask of me!" To his dim surprise Sesshomaru noticed that he was screaming right back. Now standing, his little brother shuffled behind his back, he shouted to the vampire. "I promised father that I would protect us; that I would protect you!
Myoga smiled then, a grim act as droplets of blood poured down from his eyes and now his nose. "Then do so, my lord; by taking my life I shall find peace, and in this act so will you and your brother. Take the life that has always belonged to your family!"
"Grandpa Myoga? What's happening, brother?" Little InuYasha tugged on his big brother's sleeve, but was pushed away as Sesshomaru closed his eyes briefly.
"InuYasha. I command you as head of the family and as your brother to go out of here."
"But-"
"Now, InuYasha. Do not make me repeat myself." The heated glare his brother sent him was almost enough to make the little boy wet himself, but he obliged without doing so. He scurried out of the room and left the older men.
Sesshomaru sighed heavily. Regarding his elder, he drew his sword Tokijin. "My apologies, old friend. This was nothing I wished upon you."
Myoga only smiled thinly with closed eyes, the drips of blood somehow seizing somewhat in their path. "Thank you, my lord. Thank you."
-o-
The first time for InuYasha was when he was fourteen years old, 1885 in England; ten years after the incident with Myoga. Sesshomaru, now twenty one, had first been perplexed by the little pup that had jumped at him and whined. It had scratched, licked and made an complete fool out of Sesshomaru, who didn't know what kind of creature it was.
"Get off me, you stupid little creature," he growled at it, shoving it of his stomach. It whined and whimpered when it thudded into the ground. The white puppy managed to stand up on four shaking legs, but when it tried to move a few steps forward its legs skidded under it and it fell down. The whining got higher until Sesshomaru could distinguish three words.
"Help me, brother". InuYasha's deformed voice sounded from it. Sesshomaru sat on his bum, staring at the puppy as the same three words repeated and repeated in the strange language of dog.
"InuYasha," he said dumbfounded. Then he slowly smiled and started to laugh. "Now this is very interesting."
People passing by in the avenue turned to stare at the handsome man, who was currently talking with a dog. But as soon as Sesshomaru shot a glare at them, they hurried on with their own businesses.
-o-
InuYasha got better with his troubling form when the night became day – every hour the sun was out the boy would turn into a snow white Akita-inu, and at night he returned to being a boy again. With the little concern of loss of clothing that is.
This night was different somehow; it had been nearly a month since his first turn and the moon was out. The full moon.
It was normal in Sesshomaru's family, since ancient times, to gather together, transform and then sing together in a eerily beautiful song. But now, since it was only he and the strange on-off-transforming half-breed left, such a thing was not possible.
This night Sesshomaru had decided to go alone; it was nothing for someone who was part human to participate in. Of course the boy had protested, although he didn't know why.
"Why can't I join in? We are brothers!" InuYasha had cried. "All that is yours are mine, are they not?"
"This one is not," Sesshomaru had murmured as he prepared to go out; a long afternoon cloak and a top hat on his head. Clothes that was easy to slip into and hide would the need arise. Such a situation seemed to have come, when large gold eyes – so alike his own – stared at him pleadingly.
"Why are you so stubborn, Sesshomaru? This is the only thing that we have left from our family, yet you don't want me in on it; why is that?" The boy crossed his arms and pouted.
Had it not been for the twinkling in the boy's eyes, Sesshomaru might have obliged – God knew he was weak for his brother. But something in Sesshomaru told him that if he did let the boy come with him, then something was bound to happen. In Sesshomaru's own pup-years, when he had participated, he had seen other full-bred werewolves run berserk with the intoxication of the Wolf-spirit. As a child he had seen blood and heard cries, as a werewolf teared it's victim in two. Those werewolves had his father been pushed to execute came morning – because once a were tasted blood in it's true form, it would hunger for more. Such a risk could Sesshomaru not take with his young brother.
He smirked coolly. "No, half-breed, you cannot. You would only just be in the way with your oh so clumsy self."
When he saw his brother's twinkling slowly die down, he furrowed his brow. Leaning closer he growled, "Don't you dare follow me for God knows I will not let you away unharmed. Is that understood?"
The boy glowered at him and his ears was pinned down along his head. Sesshomaru let a growl crawl up his throat and out of his mouth, before he had the boy's throat in his hand.
"Is that understood, Omega?" he asked. The last word dripped out of his mouth before he could stop it; the name on the member with the lowest rank. He saw immediately when his slip of tongue hit home. The boy stilled under his hand and his bangs hided his eyes.
"Yes. Alpha." He mumbled, not without a great deal of anger.
The recognition of rang stung, but Sesshomaru couldn't let it show. He was, after all, the one to take care of them now. He let the boy go, sat down the hat on his head and walked out the door without a backwards glance.
-o-
The boy couldn't control himself. Sesshomaru had done what he could with all the chains and ropes he could find, but the boy thrashed around in his confines and snarled and spat as soon as Sesshomaru showed himself. If InuYasha continued doing so, his hands would most likely fall off from his arms – that bad was the wounds around his wrists.
"Omega, I command you! Stop that this instant!" The same words, the controlling words his father had taught him, seemed old by now. The boy simply continued to howl and thrash. His blood red eyes was eerily alike those of the vampire retainer who had met his fate so many years ago, with the slight difference that he wasn't crying blood or writhing in pain. The evil smile on his face was proof enough.
"Omega, Omega, Omega. Please, say something else; your ranting is making my poor, poor ears suffer," the boy once known as InuYasha cackled. He grinned with wild amusement as he saw Sesshomaru's baffled expression. "Sesshy, Sesshy, always the head of the snake. Drip, drip, drip says his whip, whip, whip which he hit, hit, hit until a back splits, splits, splits!" With each word of the boy's dark poetry his voice rose to a crescendo, bouncing off the walls and echoing throughout the house. The eerily and pure evil gleam in the boys eyes sent shivers through Sesshomaru's very bones – although the full-breed werewolf never would admit to anything of that sort.
Having come home late in the morning from his lonesome singing, he had found their house, if not the outside but the inside, in ruins; claw marks adorned the walls from one side of the room to the other, paintings was split in two, flowers, food, even the chandeliers in the ceiling hadn't escaped the wrath. First Sesshomaru had only stood there, in the middle of the hall, and stared, as if the tatters could somehow explain to him why they were in such a disarrange. That was when he heard the thump coming from the garden.
Hurrying outside he had caught sight of a huge shadow by the willow tree; it seemed to tremble and pant as if in a lot of pain. Or as if it was eating on something. Sudden rage had made Sesshomaru fling himself, teeth and claws bared, at the thing currently trespassing on his land.
The thing, as it became known, was a certain InuYasha. The boy had snarled and caught Sesshomaru by the older man's wrists and hurled him away from the snarling boy – at least, that was what it looked like. Sesshomaru had twisted slightly and the "throw-away" part had become a "landing-on-top". Pinning the boy's hands down by one of Sesshomaru's hands and placing his knees on InuYasha's legs, he took a good look at the boy.
Remembering the sight of the fur and blood on and around his little brother's mouth, Sesshomaru shivered slightly. Never before had he seen anything that even resembled anything like the lunatic he had seen earlier that morning. Now InuYasha smiled at him knowingly, as if he knew what Sesshomaru was thinking about.
"Sesshy, Sesshy, always the sensible one; 'To care about what has been will do naught for now'. Wasn't that what you said, brother, when mother and father were killed?" Somehow his little brother's face seemed lighter, almost glowing. Glancing to his side and out of the little window he noticed two particular things; that the glowing in fact was the sun rising. The other was that his little brother hadn't turned into a dog yet.
InuYasha, following his big brother's movements with the cold prediction of an insect, smiled. "Surprise, surprise, Sesshy."
Indeed, it was.
-o-
"Wait. You are telling me that Myoga, someone I can't even remember, was possessed? And that I turned into some kind of… monster?" InuYasha, now sitting on the floor that Kagome had occupied earlier, had his head in his hands, knees propped up. "Then why can't I remember anything like that? I'm pretty sure I would."
"You didn't because I made you forget," Sesshomaru replied calmly.
InuYasha peeked at the other male from between his fingers. "Why would you do that? Don't you hate me?"
"I do." Sesshomaru quieted and watched his little brother flinch. "And I do not."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Sesshomaru stood from the armchair and strolled over to the dirt speckled window. Attempting to peek outside and failing miserably, he leaned against the windowsill against his hip and crossed his arms. "Just what it is; I do and I don't. Sometimes I really wish to strangle out that air which is unnecessary in your lungs since your brain do not need the oxygen. Then again, you are the only living family I have left – without you I'm the last one, which is not a very pleasing title."
Ignoring the glare he continued, "Myoga was possessed, yes, and monster you were. Sometimes I can see that same lunatic watching from your eyes, but since that night you haven't let him come lose. A great success on your part – feel proud."
"How… why didn't I turn into a dog that night?"
Sesshomaru cocked his head and thought carefully before answering slowly. "Your… blood wouldn't let you become weaker."
"My… blood? Do you know how crazy that sounds?" InuYasha let out a deep sigh and rubbed his temple. "Man, I don't think how much more I can take."
"Oh, suck it up. There's more to come."
Both of the males looked up, equally surprised and irritated, at the girl that had appeared at the door. She looked tired with her tousled hair and wrinkled clothes, as if she had been asleep until a minute ago. Kagome's sad expression as she leaned against the doorframe sent cold shivers down InuYasha's spine, but he took a deep breath and attempted to calm himself. Turning to Sesshomaru again, who was watching Kagome intently, he took another calming breath.
"What did you do to make me… me again?"
Sesshomaru didn't seem to hear, but when InuYasha was about to ask again the werewolf answered:
"I sealed it."
Oh man. I'm soooooo sorry for such a laaaaate updaaaaate *doing dogeza*
I feel pretty f****d up right now, with having a stomachache for a couple of days (and, no, not from every little girls happy week), having, what is it called... something like end-term-exams?... coming up next week, there are tests, difficulties with a writer's block and, oh this is fun, a friends birthday coming up. Soooo! If you've read this far I will say 'sorry' again, hoping/praying you'll understand my reasons and that a looong time of the keyboard will come up again.
So this looong chapter is my excuse to ya'll - the longest I've ever written. Hopefully, there'll be more, but for now - please accept this long, and hopefully explaining, chapter!
Can't believe I'm asking you guys this after my long abscence, but... please, review?