A/N: Also known as Pore Part 2. (Or it should be.)
Although not tagged, like the last one, this can also be seen as brotherly/familial love.
"Please don't leave me behind, Lord Sesshomaru!"
Jaken wailed as Sesshomaru took to the skies, his body transforming into a blistering orb of light. Following the scent of carnage, he flew northwards to the southern border of Hitachi and Musashi. Below him was a gruesome trail of gutted horses and decapitated bandits, mercenaries, and hired swordsmen. Hovering over them all was a thick youki—clearly a power struggle between two feudal lords that was tipped over by a hungry demon. One that seized an opportunity when it saw it.
And at the heart of the slaughter was Inuyasha, dismembered corpses, the remains of what had been a giant weasel, and Kagome, thrown off to the side, a sword in her bleeding chest, next to their father's fang. As he suspected, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were nowhere to be seen; there was no one around to stop him. Less for the few stragglers left and more because Sesshomaru would not accept his brother losing himself unless by his hand, he descended in a nearby puddle of blood and flared his youki, silently challenging him. Like the beast he was, Inuyasha took the bait.
Sniveling, snarling, back hunched and claws extended, his red-eye glare settled squarely on Sesshomaru before he wildly charged forward. His swipes were dull, his movements slow, too predictable. Driven by animalistic rage, Inuyasha's dependence on brute strength made him even weaker than the cocky half-demon that once severed his arm.
There was no spark, no shiver that tingled the base of his neck, no thrill from fighting him. For Sesshomaru, there rarely was, but there would always be a certain amount of bloodthirst between them. Victory was inevitable, but acquiescence was not, and he was partial to Inuyasha's defiance almost as much as his death.
Like this, his life was right there for the taking, but Sesshomaru wouldn't be satisfied with such an easy win.
"I tire of your antics," he said, and without warning he grabbed Inuyasha's throat, dug down until his windpipe caved in, and threw his writhing body near Tetsusaiga. Ignoring Inuyasha's violent heaving, he regarded Kagome and slashed Tenseiga above her head. Death was overwhelmed by a pungent, earthy ozone.
Like a healing balm, his miasma covered Kagome's warming body and seeped into Inuyasha's open wounds. She was of good health and Inuyasha was not, but Inuyasha was the first to regain consciousness, and he immediately darted in-between Sesshomaru and Kagome, shielding her from him. There must have been something that clicked, though, because Inuyasha's stance faltered, and his caution gave way to perplexity. Sesshomaru shot him a derisive look.
"Fool. As if you could harm me in your sorry state." Then, noticing Kagome was coming to, he entrusted Inuyasha's well-being to her. "Take him to the next village," he instructed coolly, "and find an isolated hut to the east. They will offer their assistance."
Ignoring her gratitude, Sesshomaru left as quickly as he came.
Now half-dead but alert, Inuyasha's vision cleared, his eyes trailing after his brother.
And for a moment, his youki humbled and caved in.