Author's note: And at last, I finally get around to writing this chapter. Sorry for the delays, folks! However, there is one thing I must mention before I continue any farther.

This story is shounen ai. Meaning, romantic love between a boy and a boy. More specifically, between brothers. Now I know this is going to send a lot of you into a rage of fiery hatred of me, and yes I'm expecting plenty of flames for this. Honestly, I don't really give a proper good damn.

So this is your only warning. If you ignore it, it's not my problem. Thank you and have a nice day.

**

Of Dogs and Dragons

***

Almost everyone was starting to get tired of this trip. It was long, it was hot, and there were too many distractions along the way. It was just little things that got in their way; minor demons of no consequence, problems at the villages they stopped in that Kagome insisted they stayed the night to help with. A few times there would even be pretty girls in the villages, in which case Miroku would also insist it was their duty to stay and sort out whatever problem it was for however long it took.

Inu-Yasha was getting pretty sick of all of it, as he repeatedly told Kagome. Kagome would always promise it would just be this one stop, then they could continue on their way. Then the moment they needed new supplies, the next village they stopped in would need their help.

Sesshoumaru had to agree with Inu-Yasha; the delays were tiresome. Irritating as well, for more often than not Kagome would 'stay' him outside the village. He wasn't allowed in the villages, but they didn't want him abandoning them either. So while the others enjoyed the hospitality of the village, Sesshoumaru got to sleep outside, with only Jaken for company. Jaken was never really much for company.

But aside from the side trips, the journey wasn't so bad on a whole. Sesshoumaru spent much of it studying the hand signal conversations between Inu-Yasha and the others. With Kagome's translations, he started to pick up some of the silent language. He never practiced when anyone could see, but after a few weeks Sesshoumaru was able to hand-sign some basic sentences.

It was just to keep from getting bored, he assured himself. It wasn't as though he was really interested in communicating with his brother.

At last they were getting nearer to the river that the shadow demon Ion had spoken of. Sesshoumaru could smell the scent of fresh water the closer they got to it. They were camping in the woods that night, relaxing around a campfire. They'd wasted three days at the last village, repairing the houses damaged by a demon's rampage (seven pretty girls in that village, by Miroku's count).

Inu-Yasha was trying to scent for anything else that might be in the area; after getting nearly dragged off by Ion, he was a little more paranoid than usual. However, all he could really smell at the moment was his own stink. When was the last time he'd washed?

He made a few quick gestures to Kagome, standing and heading into the woods toward the small pond they'd come across while looking for a campsite. Kagome nodded and returned to tending the fire.

Sesshoumaru watched his brother leave, having not understood Inu-Yasha's rapid signals. "What did he say?"

"Hmm?" Kagome blinked at him. "He said he couldn't smell a damned thing over his own stench, and he's going to take a bath."

Sesshoumaru blinked. A bath did sound like a good idea. It was so hot during the days, and dried sweat during the night was itchy and uncomfortable. Maybe when Inu-Yasha came back, he'd take a bath as well. Then again, why should he wait for however long Inu-Yasha decided to take? He stood up, ignoring the confused glances of the others, and headed in the direction his brother had gone.

"…should we follow them?" Kagome wondered aloud after a moment. "He might try to hurt Inu-Yasha if I'm not there to stop him."

Miroku shook his head. "I don't think so. Both Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru would be pretty annoyed if they caught us spying. Inu-Yasha may not be able to smell much when he's so filthy, Sesshoumaru would smell us for sure."

"What about Kilala?" Shippô asked, petting the little two-tailed cat-fox-creature's head. "If they smelled Kilala, they wouldn't think she was spying; Kilala is just a little animal. But she'd be good protection if Inu-Yasha needed it."

Sango nodded. "At least long enough for us to get there to help." She smiled at her little pet. "Go follow after them, okay, Kilala? And make sure Sesshoumaru doesn't hurt Inu-Yasha."

Kilala made a soft mewl, standing up and walking into the forest after the two boys.

**

Sesshoumaru found Inu-Yasha's glaringly bright red garments draped over a tree branch as he approached the small pond. Faint light glistened over the ripples in the water, and moments later Inu-Yasha surfaced, his gleaming wet hair sticking to his bare back and shoulders. He dunked his head back, using his fingers to scrub the dirt out of his scalp.

And for a while Sesshoumaru just watched from the bank as the water glistened on Inu-Yasha's bare skin. His brother hadn't noticed him yet, looking perfectly content swimming and bathing in the chilled water.

Inu-Yasha ducked under the water again, swimming a short ways. Finally, just a relaxing moment away from everyone. He had to admit a lot of the time it was kind of useful to have his companions about, but sometimes he wished he could go back to the time before he'd met any of them.

But there was hardly any getting rid of them now. It wasn't so bad all the time, and it was actually a lot easier with Sesshoumaru traveling with them. Sometimes Inu-Yasha felt left out of the group, all those softhearted humans and sweet Shippô. Always there was that dormant blood-thirst waiting just beyond Inu-Yasha's human side, and none of his companions would ever know that taste, not for a moment. It wasn't in their blood.

But it was in Inu-Yasha's blood, and more so in Sesshoumaru's, he knew. But Sesshoumaru was always calm, always controlled. Only in the most extreme moments did he crack, and let the hunger show. Sesshoumaru too, for reasons of his own, held back his fiery inner-demon. And sometimes Inu-Yasha would allow himself a moment of envy over his brother's perfect control.

Inu-Yasha smiled faintly as he swam toward the surface again. He and his brother may not get along, but they were more alike than either chose to admit aloud, and it was nice to have someone around that would at least understand what it was like to hide what was writhing inside.

He took a breath of the sweet air when he came to the surface, brushing back his water-slicked hair. But in that breath was another scent, somewhat surprising Inu-Yasha. He turned around, to find Sesshoumaru standing on the shore, watching him.

Sesshoumaru tried to remember some of the hand signals he'd learned, hoping they were enough to convey his question as he signed to his brother. "May… join you?"

Inu-Yasha stared at him so long Sesshoumaru felt surely something had been lost in the translation. But then Inu-Yasha nodded, signaling that Sesshoumaru could stay, then diving back under the water, giving his brother a little privacy while he shed his clothing and hung it over the tree branch.  

Sesshoumaru shivered a little as he stepped into the cold water, walking out until it was deep enough to submerge himself completely. After he resurfaced, he started to wash out his hair, not noticing his brother watching him until Inu-Yasha reached out to touch him.

He froze, glancing down at wear Inu-Yasha's fingertips brushed over the scar tissue that encircled his upper arm, actually holding his arm on. It wasn't his arm; Inu-Yasha had cut his arm off a long time ago. Sesshoumaru had to take them off other demons, temporarily attaching a stolen arm to his own body until it finally rotted and he had to replace it again. The pain was renewed every time he had to rip the dead limb off to put another one on.

Inu-Yasha made a gesture that Sesshoumaru didn't recognize. But he made sure to memorize it, so he could figure out what it was later.

Realizing that Sesshoumaru hadn't understood him, Inu-Yasha tried for something else, gesturing slowly, "…wash my back?"

Sesshoumaru didn't know if the request was because Inu-Yasha trusted him not to stab him in the back, so to speak, or because some silent truce had been called in honor of the hushed, chilly night. But he moved behind his brother to comply, brushing Inu-Yasha's hair to one side so he could wash the parts of Inu-Yasha's back he hadn't been able to reach so well on his own. Partway through the washing became a slow massage, then an exploratory caress. So much damage had been inflicted on Inu-Yasha, some of it from Sesshoumaru, and yet the skin always healed flawlessly. It was… perfect.

Inu-Yasha shivered slightly as Sesshoumaru's finger trailed down his back, turning partway around to look at his brother. Sesshoumaru didn't know which was more surprised- Inu-Yasha or himself- when their lips met in a soft, fleeting kiss.

Moments later the perfect peace was broken as Inu-Yasha shoved his brother roughly backward, water splashing everywhere as he tried to make a hasty escape to the shore. The scream of a wildcat further pierced the night, followed by a second flurry of splashes as Kilala leapt into the water, in full saber-toothed fury, between the two brothers.

Sesshoumaru was swept back a little by the resulting current, having to watch over Kilala's shoulder as Inu-Yasha scrambled up onto the shore and grabbed his clothing off the branch. The way the saber-toothed creature blocked his way, Sesshoumaru could only guess the animal thought he'd tried to attack Inu-Yasha and had come to his little brother's rescue.

Somewhere in the woods, Inu-Yasha's startled shriek made it clear it was not Sesshoumaru he needed protection from. The night came alive with the sounds of sudden fighting, and the sharp scent of blood. With a whoosh of giant wings, a great scaly beast leapt out of the concealment of the trees and into the sky. Sesshoumaru only caught a glimpse of the creature, but that was enough to confirm that the dragon had been the victor of the sudden scuffle, and was carrying his little brother off in its claws.

Commotion on the shore caught his attention, to where Kagome and the others were rushing from the campsite to see what the matter was. Sesshoumaru didn't even have to tell them that they were too late.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru murmured quietly, making the gesture Inu-Yasha had signed to him that he hadn't understood. "What does this mean?"

"Wh-what?" Kagome was half-hysterical. "What just happened here? Where's Inu-Yasha?"

"What does it mean?" Sesshoumaru asked again.

Kagome blinked helplessly, absently copying the gesture. "That one? Er, that one's 'I'm sorry'…"