Never mind, I'm back to haunt you! If you're happy thank DmonXtrmN8r for telling me I should do another one… now I'm really not sure how long this is going to last! I can tell you they'll all be oneshots, like the last two have been, and not part of a much bigger story.
And wow! Reviewer responses!
Anime Freak Slayer- All right! All right! All right!
Moonmagicks- Thankees!
Laughingstockstables- I bet they were. In fact it's very fun to draw them when they're little twerps.
DmonXtrmN8r- Here, I have a leftover cookie just gotten from the Head Cook. gives cookie
RurouniMarionu- devours cookie Wait... I already replied to you! XD Oh well!
"Rin likes Sesshoumaru-sama's story," Rin said happily. "Will Sesshoumaru-sama tell Rin another?"
"You really should go to sleep," Sesshoumaru said at once, having cooked up this excuse just in case.
"Please?" Rin asked pathetically. "One more story for Rin? Rin can't get to sleep without story."
Sesshoumaru wondered vaguely when she had ever stayed awake for lack of a story. But just one more couldn't hurt, could it? He shook himself inwardly. What was he saying? He glanced down at the small girl, who had scooched all the way out into the moonlight. She was looking adoringly up at him.
"One more. That's all."
Something came flying through the window to bounce off of the leg of Sesshoumaru's chair. It was a small green apple, now bruised from its rough landing. He stood up with a resigned sigh and went to the window. Sure enough, there was Inuyasha, now about fifty human years old, but still a pre-teen in demon years.
"Come outside," he called up. "Get some sun!"
"Why?" Sesshoumaru called back, voice carrying easily down to his half-brother.
"Because I feel like a little training!"
Sesshoumaru actually got a little excited. "You mean you feel like getting clobbered again?"
Inuyasha waved a hand indifferently. "Just because you're older doesn't mean you always have to win!"
"I always have."
"Not today!"
"Will too."
"Prove it, then!"
Sesshoumaru threw the apple back at him, striking a solid blow on the side of his head. "You're on!" he called, turning from the window.
"Come on, Maru, is that all you've got?" Inuyasha asked about five minutes later. Both were breathing a little harder than they had been.
"I thought I told you not to call me that," Sesshoumaru replied, and they went at it again.
"You said (block) not to call you that (block) in public. There's (attack) nobody around (block) so it's not (block) in public!"
Sesshoumaru shook his head hopelessly, striking at Inuyasha's feet. His half-brother jumped over his blade, coming in quickly for a swing of his own, but Sesshoumaru dodged and managed to hit Inuyasha in the shoulder. Although they were using wooden practice swords, the hit would probably leave a bruise. Inuyasha used the momentum from his previous swing to come all the way around, sweeping under Sesshoumaru's defense and landing a hit on his side. This attack had left his left side horribly open, and Sesshoumaru tapped his sword against Inuyasha's neck.
"I win!"
Both sat down, wooden weapons discarded.
"Aww, how come you always win?" Inuyasha grumbled.
"Because I'm older and I've trained longer than you have," Sesshoumaru explained automatically. He said the same thing every single time. Inuyasha shook his head and looked up at the sun.
"Hot today," he said.
"Yep."
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yep."
Both jumped to their feet.
"Race you to the lake!" Inuyasha shouted, already taking off. Sesshoumaru shot after him.
Having longer legs, Sesshoumaru won by a long shot. This didn't seem to faze Inuyasha as both peeled off their tops and charged into the blessedly cool water. Inuyasha sighed in relief.
"This feels so good," he said. "Nothing like swimming after getting beat up."
"That's beaten up," Sesshoumaru corrected.
"Whatever," Inuyasha agreed. "Who worries about grammar on a sunny day like this?"
"Me."
"Never mind. It was a rhetorical question anyway."
"Good."
They relaxed in the water, Sesshoumaru staying stoically silent while his little chatterbox of a brother rambled on and on about their former exploits. He let the wind cool his face and listened with half an ear, not really paying attention. He started when Inuyasha spoke his name.
"Maru?"
"What?"
"I don't want things to change. I'll be happy if we didn't get any older and we could hang out like this for the rest of our lives."
"Really."
"Would you like that too? Just staying like this forever?"
Sesshoumaru pondered the question very seriously, gazing at his brother.
"As long as the weather cools off," he said at last. "Then I'd like it."
"I knew it!" Inuyasha crowed jubilantly. He splashed Sesshoumaru, who scowled and sent a wave speeding towards him. Soon they were engaged in a playful splash war, both laughing their to their heart's content and enjoying what little time they had here.
Yes, what with cookies, candies, and swimming (so far), life is good. Please to review?