Part 2: CANDY!

"We'll stop here and carry on tomorrow."

Groaning with relief, Shippou flopped down on the grass, followed instantly by Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha began to climb the hill beside them, and Kagome followed after a few seconds.

When he reached the single tree at the summit of the hill, Inuyasha sat against it and relaxed in the shade. He closed his eyes. Kagome stood awkwardly nearby, watching him.

"What are you thinking of?" she asked at last, sitting down next to him and leaning against the tree as well.

"Nothing really," Inuyasha lied. She peered at him suspiciously through narrowed eyes. Seeing the dangerous glint in them, Inuyasha hastily added, "Just… old times."

"Ah," Kagome said, somewhat satisfied. She let her gaze wander into the leafy boughs above. "Old times with Kikyou?"

Inuyasha's sharp ears caught the slightly hurt tone in her voice.

"Not Kikyou," he answered honestly. "Just… thinking back."

"On your childhood?"

Inuyasha nodded. Kagome surveyed him, cocking her head to one side and looking very much like a squirrel.

"That was a while ago," she said, impressed. "Demons have long memories."

"We have to," he explained. "We live so long that with a human memory span too much would be forgotten."

"Like family?" Kagome said slyly. Inuyasha growled quietly.

"You could say that," he grumbled.

They sat in silence. Inuyasha leaned his head back and closed his eyes, clearly lost in thought. Kagome sighed and became very interested in her shoelaces. She could hear Miroku, Sango, and Shippou talking at the bottom of the hill, and laughing. She wished Inuyasha would talk to her some more.

A sudden chuckle made her jump and look quickly at the hanyou. He was smiling broadly, probably at some memory or another.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied instantly. She glared at him.

"Tell me or I'll 'you-know-what' you."

"You wouldn't dare," Inuyasha challenged, eyes snapping open.

"Sit, boy!"

"Gaah!"

Inuyasha slammed into the ground face first. The talking from down the hill stopped.

"Sit boy! Sit boy! SIT SIT SIT!"

Inuyasha hit the ground several more times before he finally cried, "OKAY! I'll talk! I'll talk!" He sat up dizzily, face covered in dirt. Shippou scrambled over the rim of the hill.

"Come here," he called back down. "Inuyasha's going to tell us a story!"

"No I'm…" Inuyasha balked at the murderous look on Kagome's face and inched slowly away. Miroku and Sango joined them, sitting down and staring expectantly at Inuyasha. The hanyou glared daggers at Kagome. "You're going to pay for this," he growled.

"S…"

"No!" he yelped. "All right, all right! Just don't interrupt me, okay?"

Inuyasha bounced happily along, chattering nonstop to his brick wall of a brother, who didn't seem to be paying attention. They were wandering the back halls of their castle home, looking for something to do.

Personally, Inuyasha thought Sesshoumaru was taking life way too seriously. He hardly ever smiled, let alone laughed. In fact, Inuyasha had never seen his brother show any emotion at all unless his little brother pestered him. Apparently this was supposed to be good training for later life, when his brother would inherit the Western Lands. Inuyasha wasn't sure what this meant, but it was obviously something important because the servants always did anything Sesshoumaru asked. If Inuyasha asked for a cookie, he'd have to put on his best pout to get it. Sesshoumaru just looked at them, and they practically handed him the entire basket. Inuyasha just didn't get it.

"Want some candy?" Sesshoumaru asked abruptly. Inuyasha was ecstatic.

"Yesyesyes! Candy! Where!"

"Quiet. There's some kids up there with a whole pile of it."

"I get it. You distract them and I'll steal it," Inuyasha whispered. Sesshoumaru gave him a withering look, and Inuyasha shrank down a little. He was beginning to understand why the servants were so afraid of his brother. He was a very intimidating person.

"On second thought, I'll distract," he squeaked, ears perking. Sesshoumaru nodded and they peered around the corner. Sure enough, there were three of the servants' children, sitting around a hoard of candies. Inuyasha's sharp nose picked up the scent of the sweets easily, and his mouth watered.

"Meet back at my room when you've lost them. Go," Sesshoumaru muttered. Inuyasha skipped around the corner and headed for the kids. They clumped defensively around their candy.

"Tag?" Inuyasha asked, flashing them a smile. "Bet you can't catch me!"

As predicted, the three jumped up and scampered towards them. He hung back for a moment to keep them hooked, then shot of into the labyrinth of halls, which he knew by heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sesshoumaru slink out from behind the corner towards the candy.

It was the work of a few minutes to lose the servants' kids in the halls. Giggling, Inuyasha scurried to Sesshoumaru's room and hopped up onto the bed, letting the door shut behind him. His brother was waiting, the candy in front of him. They dug in, reveling in their success.

"Father still won't let me use his swords," Inuyasha complained after sampling a particularly delicious morsel. "Not one of them."

"Even I can't use Father's swords yet," Sesshoumaru agreed in his smooth voice. "He always says 'maybe when you're older.' I get older every day, and he still won't let me try them."

"At least you get to fight," Inuyasha growled. "I don't get anything. He always treats me like a baby!"

"You are, compared to him," Sesshoumaru said, raising an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean I can't handle it!"

"Calm down and eat your candy."

They snacked in silence.

"We're so going to be busted," Inuyasha said after a while.

"No we aren't."

"I'm not going to be able to eat a thing at dinner!"

"So? Life's short. Enjoy it while it lasts."

"In other words, you don't get candy every day?" Inuyasha asked. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Life is good," he said, raising another candy.

CANDYCANDYCANDY! Wouldn't you know it, it's barely up for half an hour and it gets a review! Thanks to RurouniMarionu! I know it's uncharacteristic, but who knows what they were like as little squirts, eh? That's it for this story, I think. I've had my fun. Please to review?