Chapter twelve : I'm here now...
Sesshomaru's POV
Sesshomaru jumped. Had his brother just said his name ? He was about to answer when the hanyou asked again with a weak and trembling voice :
- Sessh... Sesshomaru ? Is... is it you ?
Just speaking seemed to drain all of Inu-Yasha's strengths. He was breathing with difficulty, his voice hoarse from the lack of use. He was gripping Sesshomaru's haori, waiting for his response... who came with a relieved tone :
- Yes, it is me. You remember ?
His only answer was a distressed hanyou throwing his arms around him, crying even more, repeating his name like a healing mantra. He was shaking violently, from fear, exhaustion and relief combined, holding on to his big brother like it was his life line. This one never drawn back. He held Inu-Yasha protectively, rocking him back and forth. He could see that his little brother was totally traumatized. Who wouldn't be after the sort of treatment he had been through ? And the worst was, Sesshomaru probably didn't know half of it, if not more...
Looking down at the shaking bundle in his arms, he felt more love than he had ever felt before. It was almost painful. His brother was counting on him, he needed him. He was hurt and broken. He needed Sesshomaru to help him... "And I will" he told himself firmly. It was time to repay him for all those years they had lost... Time to be the big brother he should have been...
The trembling voice of Inu-Yasha brung him back to the present :
- Sesshomaru... Sesshomaru... you're really there !... I don't believe it !... Big brother... Is it a dream ?... Oh please don't let it be a dream...
Sesshomaru tried to appease him :
- It's not a dream, Inu-Yasha. I'm really here. You're safe now...
The hanyou raised his head to look at him. But of course, with his eyes burnt, he couldn't see him... And so he panicked :
- Sesshomaru ! I can't see ! I can't see anything ! The monsters... they'll come back again ! They'll take me away and torture me like before ! I don't want to, I don't want to !... I can't defend myself ! I tried and I couldn't ! And I can't even see them ! Sesshomaru...
He held his brother with all the strength he had left, pleading miserably :
- Don't let them take me ! Don't leave me ! Please... please... I don't want to be tortured anymore... I can't stand it anymore... It's so horrible... Please, don't let them take me... please...
He was whimpering softly, his voice getting weaker. He was obviously on the verge to collapse. He was in such a bad shape... But still, he was trying with all his might to stay conscious, afraid to fall into darkness... afraid to wake up chained to a stone again. Waiting for the next torture.
Sesshomaru's heart was hurting for his younger brother. He was so sorry for what had happened to him, and so furious against those who had hurt him. He wanted to make them pay... But right now, his priority was Inu-Yasha. He held him tightly and said with a reassuring voice :
- Shhh... Don't worry, Inu-Yasha... Nobody's gonna take you away... I won't let anyone lay a hand on you... I promise. You believe me ?
The hanyou nodded slowly. Sesshomaru pursued :
- That's good. No one will hurt you anymore... I'll make sure of that. I'll protect you.
- Then... you won't leave me ?...
Sesshomaru stroke his brother's hair, never loosening his hold, and answered :
- Not a chance. I'll stay with you whatever happens. And if someone doesn't like it... then it's to bad for them.
He could feel the hanyou relaxing at his words. His grip on his brother's kimono loosened. He was very weak, physically and emotionally, and probably a lot more than it seemed... Sesshomaru rose, bringing Inu-Yasha with him. His brother wavered on his feet and almost fell to the ground again, but Sesshomaru held him back. The hanyou could barely stand, let alone walk... Without an hesitation, Sesshomaru passed an arm under his brother's knees and lifted him from the ground, supporting his shoulders with his other arm. It wasn't hard. Not just because he was strong, but also because Inu-Yasha was as light as a feather. "Too light..." he thought with a frown.
Then something else caught his attention : his glowing Tenseiga, still lying at their feet. Now that could become a problem. How could he hold his brother and his sword at the same time ? After a moment of thinking, he finally got an idea.
Releasing his brother's legs, he put him down again. This one yelped, gripping his arm. Sesshomaru didn't understood why right away... Had he hurt him ? But when he saw the terrified and desperated expression on the hanyou's face, it hit him : "He thinks I changed my mind and that I'm gonna leave him there..."
Kneeling beside him, he hugged him and said :
- Don't be scared, little brother. I'm not going anywhere without you. I told you, remember ?
Inu-Yasha hugged him back, grateful. Sesshomaru smiled and moved back a little. He reached for his sword and took it. Then he gently took Inu-Yasha's hand and put the Tenseiga in his grip. The hanyou was a bit startled. The older demon put his own hand over the sword, and then he said :
- That's my Tenseiga, little brother. It has helped me a lot to find you, and it can protect us in this realm. It will keep us safe on our way back. I'll have to hold you, so would you mind holding the sword for me ?
Inu-Yasha clenched the sword's hilt, feeling its appeasing power. He asked hesitantly :
- Will it... will it really protect us ?
- Yes.
- Then I... will hold it tightly...
Smiling again, Sesshomaru took his brother back in his arms cautiously. The hanyou leaned against him, holding the Tenseiga firmly in one hand. The blade glowed a little brighter, as if sensing its new holder's distress. Determined, Sesshomaru walked outside the construction.
Demons and damned souls were waiting for them. Hundreds of them, and maybe more... Hell demons were on the front, each holding a different weapon, ready to charge them. Sesshomaru growled at them. Inu-Yasha became nervous, taking the Tenseiga with both hands. He couldn't see what was going on, but he could hear and smell. When the Hell demons growled back at Sesshomaru, he panicked ; he knew that kind of growl all to well, it was always followed by a painful torture... He was terrified, and the Tenseiga reacted consequently, wanting to protect its new master...
It's blue aura begun to grow, taking all the colors possible before stopping at red. Not a dark and unsettling red like the flames, but a soft one, almost pink. The light surrounded Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha, creating a barrier around them. The demons stepped away, worried. However, two of them were stupid enough to try and attack them anyway ; the moment they touched the barrier, they were rejected and thrown into the air before landing painfully many feet away. The other Hell demons looked with wide eyes at their now inconscious companions, and then at the two people inside the red barrier. Sesshomaru glared back. They freezed. Those ones would not make any moves toward him and his brother now, thought Sesshomaru. Checking on the hanyou, he noticed that the poor thing had buried its face in his chest, still holding the sword whit two hands, shivering with fear. He softly spoke into one little puppy ear :
- That's OK, Inu-Yasha. We're fine. The Tenseiga made a shield around us. They can't enter. But even if they had, I would've not let them touch you. Don't be afraid anymore. I said I would protect you, and I intend to do it. Just trust me...
Inu-Yasha calmed down and nodded. It was hard for him to just forget his fear. He had felt it for such a long time... But he would try. He would be brave and strong, just like his big brother.
Sesshomaru noticed the change in his brother's attitude, and felt proud. It was good to know that there was still a bit of the stubborn Inu-Yasha he knew in the fragile bundle he was holding. Of course he knew that his brother couldn't just erase all what he had been through and forget about it. It wasn't possible. But it was great that he was strong enough to continue to fight despite all of that. He held him a little tighter and begun to walk.
Once again, thanks to his sword and its barrier, people were moving away to let them pass, not daring to even look at the light. It was a good thing, but... Sesshomaru didn't have any idea where he was going. He was waiting for his father's sign... "Come on, dad, we're ready" he thought, "I found Inu-Yasha, now get us out of here !"
Suddenly, he heard a huge "BANG!" just behind him. He whirled round to see what it was ; there, shattered on the ground, just where he was a moment ago, was an enormous black rock. He looked up and saw who had thrown it : a Hell demon, of course. He was pitch black with glowing red eyes, had five horns on his head and was holding a big sword in his right hand. In one word, he was scary. Must've been the leader. He threw himself at them and lowered his sword. Sesshomaru expected their barrier to reject him, but when the sword begun to slice through it, he qickly jumped back. Pure reflex, but it saved their lives. Their barrier exploded and the Hell demon, who saw he had missed them, came running at them again. Sesshomaru couldn't fight back with his brother in his arms, but he didn't want to let him go either... So, he did the last thing he could do : he ran. Fast. The black demon came after them, his sword high in the air, moving through the crowd by punching whoever was unfortunate enough to be in his way. But Sesshomaru was a lot faster. After a while, he looked over his shoulder to see if they were still followed. He saw nothing except a bunch of damned souls observing them with apprehension.
Deciding that it was time to take a short break, he walked over a construction made of black metal. He stopped just before it. Everyone who was there moved back, leaving a large empty space. Such cowards, he thought. He put Inu-Yasha down so that the hanyou would be sitting with his back to the wall of the rusty construction. Then, he sat down himself beside his brother. He gently took Tenseiga from Inu-Yasha's grasp. The sword gave a blue glow that made the souls step back even more. Sesshomaru then passed his other arm around his brother, bringing him close. He could feel that the hanyou was trying madly to suppress his shivers and his urge to whimper. He laid his little brother's head on his chest and softly rubbed his ears, saying :
- Everything's fine, Inu-Yasha. The demon is gone. We lost him. Don't be afraid... I'm here now...
The hanyou relaxed, snuggling in his brother's hold, a very small moan escaping his lips. He whispered :
- I'm sorry... I'm s... so pathetic... Shiv... shivering like a c... coward... You... you should just l... leave me here... and go on your own... I'm just s... slowing you down...
The desperate strength with which he was holding onto his older brother's kimono was denying his words. Sesshomaru got a bit angry. He tensed and said with a firm voice :
- Don't you dare say things like that. You're not a coward and there's no way I'm leaving you here, little brother !
Inu-Yasha laughed a little at his brother's indignation. Sesshomaru raised a brow, pleasantly surprised. So, his younger sibling could still laugh... That was the best news he had heard in his whole day... But suddenly, Inu-Yasha stopped laughing and said with a serious tone :
- Thank you...
Sesshomaru was about to ask "For what?", when the hanyou continued :
- Thank you for coming here... for saving me and... for staying with me. Thank you for... everything... big brother...
He timidly reached for Sesshomaru's hand and took it hesitantly. The older demon was speachless. But after a while, he smiled and squeezed his brother's hand.
- You're welcomed, he simply answered softly.
And that's when the world exploded all around them.
A/N : Ah... That was sooo sweet ! They're cute ! Of course I wouldn't tell them that... (I want to live) Well, see you in the next chapter !