It shouldn't be like this -- Inuyasha shouldn't be turning away from him, not now, not ever. But as much as he would like to pretend that nothing had changed, that they could go back to the way they had once been ... the reality was that they coudn't. That nothing was the same, and he wasn't even sure if he wanted it to be.
They weren't the same people they had once been -- not only Inuyasha, but he himself had changed, as well, discovering just how much he depended on his younger brother in matters of the heart and inner strength. He had been forced to grow up, to learn to live without a crutch that many would have called a weakness. He had become cold, closed off from the outside world and those who could harm him.
He was afraid -- afraid to open up again, afraid tot ake the chance that Inuyasha would once again hurt him, just like he had all those years ago.
But it hadn't been very long for Inuyasha, had it? Suspended in time for 50 years, those decades had flown by in an instant, and in a blink of an eye, he had been freed from his torment and imprisonment, as if only moments had passed. Not even two years had passed since he had left home, since he had abandoned his brother. It had taken Sesshomaru nearly 10 yeas to finially believe that his younger brother was never comming home -- before that time, he would have welcomed the white-haired half demon home, if not with open arms than with something akin to it.
So much had happened for him, and yet so little for Inuyasha.
Inuyahs apulled himself to his feet, turning away from his older brother to stare unseeing at the oppossite wall, trying frantically to compose himself, to save whatever dignity he might have had left. Sesshomaru merely sighed, leaning back in his seat to watch his younger brother, rubbing a hand across his smooth, pale chin.
Inuyasha let loose a heavy breath, drawing himself up tall and squaring his shoulders, before turning to face his brother.
His eyes gave him away, however, a world of pain hiding behind the golden orbs. Just looking into those eyes made Sesshomaru's gut twist, his heart harden with anger.
Whoever had done this to his younger brother, would pay. They would pay dearly.
And the first one would be the priestess, the girl to whom Inuyasha had given so much of his heart.
Kagome.
(----) (----)
Deep in her heart, Kagome still had trouble believing that this was really happening -- that Inuyasha had really and truly betrayed them, opting to steal her Shikon Jewel fragments, rather than continue their quest togeather. He had tried to kill her! And then had the audacity to come waltzing back in here, acting as if nothing had happened ...!
Kagome was not a gentle, forgiving person. When you angered her, you angered her for a very long time. She had a short fuse, and it took her a long time to get over her true anger. This was a known fact -- she had argued with Inuyasha enough times, and stayed mad at him for days at a time.
This was different, though. This wasn't about Inuyasha not wanting her to return home, or about his not understanding basic human courtesy and manners. This was a betrayal of the worst kind, and she doubted that she would EVER forgive him, no matter what circumstances the future might hold.
(----) (----)
Inuyasha stood stiffly in front ofhis brother, forcing his breathing to become calm and even as he stared at the wall behind his half brother. He had to stop breaking down like this.
"The servants have already bee informed of your return. I have some work to do -- spar with me afterwards?"
Inuyasha grinned at his brother's words, nodding his head sharply in confirmation. That was one thing t h at he hadmissed -- their training sessions, always trying to outdo one another in combat, without the use of their demonic abilities. No transformations, no powers, no special attacks passed down by their father or other other demonic relatives. Only their strength, reflexes, and battle smarts.
He had loved it as a child, and later as a teenager, and he was certain that he would love it now. Dipping down in a small bow, Inuyasha swept from the room, pasuing when the door had closed behind himself to gather his bearings, before heding off in the direction of the kitchen.
He was hungry. Hell, that didn't even begin to describe the gnawing pain in his stomach -- go for so long without food or nourishmment, and pain was almost a given, even for a demon. And he wasn't even a full demon -- his mother's weaknesses still assailed his body, making him so much weaker tha his older brother.
But he wasn't completely weak, now was he? Not only did he have the Tetsuiga, but his own strenth had been steadily incresting, ever since he had first met Kagome. And recently, even when she wasn't there he had been able to hold his own much better than in the past. He was stronger, now. Maybe not as strong as Sesshomaru, but strong nonetheless.
And yet, here he was back at square one. Did that strength really matter, anymore? His drive for acceptance, his quest for strength ... all that it had ever brought him was heartache and despair, a trailof broken relationships and pieces of his heart shattered upon the ground. Was it really worth it?
Watching as his brother swept from the room, Inuyasha loosed a soft sight -- he knew that his brother heard it, but hoped that the full demon wouldn't return to speak of it. He could see the concern in those silver eyes, shining through his stern features as Sesshomaru had stared at his younger brother. It had been there, albeit faint. Some things never changed.
Sesshomaru had never truly tried to kill him. Before, it had irked him that his brother had held back so much, even as he gave it his all, attempting again and again to beat his brother back in their increasing fights. To any outsider, it would appear that Sesshomaru was simply unlucky, or perhaps not as strong as he boasted to be, being beaten by his younger half-breed brother. But Inuyasha knew the truth.
Sesshomaru didn't try hard enough. He didn't come in for killing blows, didn't put all of his strength and skill behind those blows that he DID land. He cared too much, even after all these years. Before, it had annoyed him, this protectiveness. Now, it just seemed kind of cute.
Pushing himself up to his feet, Inuyasha stared around the room for a moment, before his eyes landed on the table still laden with food. Earlier, he hadn't been able tokeep anything down, so filled with anguish over the loss of Kagome -- and, to a smaller degree, his human friends.
Now, he felt as if he would drop then and there if he didn't get some food in to him -- and fast.