Author's Note: Yes, I am bad about updating. And for that, you have my sincerest apologies. I personally hate writing fight scenes, which is probably why I stalled this update for so long. Anyway, painstakingly I am bringing this chapter to you, now please enjoy it, and please don't kill me for the overly-long wait. At long last, you've reached the end of this fanfiction, I hope the ending isn't disappointing, and I hope that the fic was good up to this point. Thank you dear readers, for being so patient.
Sesshoumaru was soaked in blood, his stance slightly wider than normal as he panted heavily, glaring at the pair before him. Not to mention all of the cuts on his clothing, the grip on his demonic blade shaking while formerly silver hair clung onto the wounds on his face, chest, and back. Kouga really did a number on him...
"I'll finish this once and for all," Inuyasha mumbled as he got to his feet, bolting to grab the fallen Tetsusaiga as Sesshoumaru began his pursuit once more, "Prepare to meet our old man, Sesshoumaru!"
With that, he raised the Tetsusaiga into the air, slamming it down against the ground with a mighty cry, "Wind Scar!"
It looked like it was all over, for the wind scar struck his elder brother dead on, he could see it...but, in shock, he could also see the wind scar being deflected at several angles and being diverted to the trees behind him, Sesshoumaru standing within the clearing dust, a smirk tugging at ivory lips menacingly, "It will take more than that to defeat me, even in my current state, little brother. Now, let me show you the true meaning of power!"
With that, both Tokijin and Tenseiga were abandoned by their master, Sesshoumaru's eyes beginning to glow red as the horrific transformation began. Inuyasha could only watch, wincing as the winds blew around the monster that was his elder brother, the steadily growing beast that was snarling and bearing its teeth at him, unable to do anything but hold his own Tetsusaiga steady against the winds of his foe. Now, it was going to get rough.
"Yeah yeah yeah, quit your growlin' you damned monster," Hissed Inuyasha as he tightened his grip around the hilt of his father's fang, narrowing his eyes in great hatred of this beastly foe before him, "Your breath stinks anyway, are you planning to kill me using the stench of your mouth?"
He couldn't help but smirk as Sesshoumaru roared at him, right before the other moved to strike at him. But, Inuyasha was ready this time, having faced this foe before. And one thing he knew about this beast form was that Sesshoumaru was a hell of a lot slower than when he took on a humanoid appearance.
However, the dog demon's knowledge was proven faulty as he was swatted rather suddenly by a giant, alabaster paw, a cry of pain tearing itself out of Inuyasha's throat as he was sent flying, his back slamming into a nearby tree within seconds. A groan left him, but he had almost no time to recover as Sesshoumaru lunged at him again. His legs pinned down by the overly-large dragon claw (that melded perfectly into the fur of the great demon), Inuyasha just barely had the strength to push Sesshoumaru's mouth far enough away so that he wouldn't get bitten in half...but, he did not escape that scrape with death without injury.
"AH! D-damn..." Barely managing to keep a groan suppressed, he couldn't help but wonder how his arm hadn't been torn right from the socket as dark red substance began to pour out, it's scent rancid to him. Sesshoumaru probably wanted to make him suffer again...he'd tear his arm off soon if Inuyasha couldn't get the other's fangs out of it! "You sick jerk!"
A surge of satisfaction came to him as he saw Sesshoumaru being repelled by the Tetsusaiga slash across his brother's nose, a white paw being raised to rub the wound, "Serves you right, you weak b-"
"Oiy! Mutt face, we're getting out of here, now!" Kouga shouted while holding his hand out to Inuyasha while his other gripped the back of the familiar three-eyed cow, Totosai on its back as well while they stayed an arm's reach above him, "We can fight pretty-boy later, you have to get out of here!"
"What? No! I'm kicking his-!"
"Osuwari!"
The cry of pain tore itself from his throat as Inuyasha was forced onto the ground, right before he felt his hand being grabbed and his body being lifted into the air, fear beginning to build as he saw the giant demon that was Sesshoumaru pursuing them. Finally, he sheathed the Tetsusaiga and combined his own effort with Kouga's to get onto the back of the cow, and before he knew it, Sesshoumaru was out of sight, the only remainder of their battle in his mind being his wounds and the frustrated howl of his older brother.
"Nnhn...that hurts, damn it," Grunted Inuyasha as Kouga continued to tightly wrap bandages around his arm, he could feel his eyes going into a wince as the other continued, "Damn it...why didn't you let me stay and fight? I could have killed him and ended that once and for all!"
"Don't be a fool Inuyasha, it would have been you who was vanquished in the end if your friend hadn't stepped in," A glare was shot at the old man as he spoke, and although a growl rumbled in Inuyasha's throat, he knew that the sword smith was right (and that in turn annoyed him to no end), "The Tenseiga would have prevented him from dying, even by your hands, Inuyasha. You should know that from the last time you almost 'killed' him."
"Give him a break Totosai, he did his best," The wolf demon intervened as he continued to work on Inuyasha's bandages, which turned Inuyasha's attentions back to the person before him, his cheeks beginning to feel heated as Kouga spoke, "Besides, he was already weakened from his fight with Bankotsu. Right now, he needs you to cleanse that sword, or did you forget that?"
It was some time before the old man finally left towards his volcanic home again, and as soon as the man was out of sight, Inuyasha turned to Kouga, his eyes narrowed slightly while blush was probably still evident on his cheeks. He couldn't be mad at the other, but that wouldn't stop him from trying to act like he was, "You pulled me out of that battle because you were worried, right? I don't need your pity-"
"Being worried and taking pity on you aren't the same thing, Mutt Face," Blinking as he was interrupted, Inuyasha looked at Kouga's eyes, feeling absolutely speechless the moment he saw the other's crystalline eyes. They were so warm, and full of emotion, "Yeah, I was worried, but I'd never pity you. Love you too much to ever do that to you."
"Kouga..."
"Don't you start," Warningly did Kouga say those words, although he was smiling as he said them. It was at that moment that Inuyasha noticed how small the gap between their faces was, and how it was starting to become smaller...
"...why do you smell like you've been rollin' around with a human?"
The dog demon was unable to help but feel confused as he blinked at Kouga, and at the jealous look in the other's eyes. 'Rollin' around with a human'? What in the hell was he...oh. It wasn't that night, was it! A sigh left him before he closed his eyes, his head bowing while he shook his head, causing the word 'what' to leave Kouga's lips underneath his breath, "It's...that night."
"What night? What is that supposed...to..." The other trailed off in his tracks, Inuyasha opened his eyes to look up at Kouga...only to realize that the sun was setting right behind the one in front of him. Well...damn. He almost impatiently sighed as the wolf demon gawked, knowing that this was the first time Kouga had seen him actually go through the transformation (although he knew only all too well that Kouga previously knew about his little weak period), "...damn. It's the night of the new moon already?"
"Yeah, I guess it is," Grumbled the dog demon before he turned to move back towards the hut. However, he felt Kouga gently grip his injured arm, which caused him to wince before his sight was forced back onto Kouga once more, the sky darkening behind him, "What? I'm not allowed to rest?"
"You...you can get the sacred beads off now, with the lady Kaede's assistance," Inuyasha blinked as Kouga looked away, his eyes half lidded, "So...I guess this is where we part ways..."
"You're an even bigger idiot than I thought, wolf," A small grunt left him as Kouga hit him on the head, that had almost rattled some tears out of him. He forgot how prone his human body was to pain, he'd have to be careful, "Like hell we part here, we haven't even gotten to fight Naraku together yet. Besides...I'm not abandoning a loved one, not this time."
"Yeah...and I'd never abandon a mate no matter what, Inuyasha...and, well, you're mine..." Kouga smiled weakly before pulling Inuyasha into his arms, blush burning onto Inuyasha's cheeks as he gazed into the pitless blue eyes before him. They were so close, was he going to...?
Everything stopped the moment their lips pressed together, the hanyou completely losing his sense of the world as he felt a warm rush speeding through his body and causing it to shake lightly. Then, before he knew it, his eyes closed, Inuyasha having ended up completely surrendering to Kouga within their embrace of lips, he felt so disappointed when their kiss was broken, "I love you, Inuyasha. And no matter what, I'm gonna stick by you."
"Same here," He replied, a smile tugging at his lips before he felt them being kissed again. It felt so good, this must have been what Heaven was like...
Once again, their kiss was broken, a look of utter affection from Kouga was turned onto him, he almost melted at the sight, it was just...it was a perfect moment, "Come on...let's get that necklace off of you, Inuyasha. I'm sure you're annoyed with it by now."
"Actually...I think I'll keep it."
Kouga blinked down at him as he started to seem confused, that only amused Inuyasha as he continued, "These beads...now, they're showing our bond. And you've used these beads to save my life before...if you think I'm gonna take the necklace off now, you're saying that you don't want me to care anymore."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Quickly, Kouga darted in to kiss Inuyasha again, almost immediately Inuyasha melted in the taller demon's arms as a reaction.
"Nhhn...I'm sore," Inuyasha grumbled as he lifted himself off of the ground slightly, feeling a stronger hand push against his back and back onto the ground before he turned back to Kouga, "What? Can't I at least wash up?"
"Don't get up, you can wash up in the morning. Right now you need rest Inuyasha," A thoroughly satisfied Kouga smirked at him while ruffling his hair, causing a shade of ebony to temporarily blind the dog demon before he grumbled and moved the hair to look at the one beside him again, "Besides...if you're attacked now, we won't be able to finish off Naraku."
"You know, it's really getting annoying."
"What is?"
"The way you're right all of the damned time," Having the nerve to laugh with Kouga as he said the words, Inuyasha looked back out onto the moonless night outside of the hut, a small smirk on his lips. They must have scarred the villagers for life, with all of the racket they made, "But...we'll get him. Whether it's today, tomorrow, or in a hundred years...Naraku will pay. And we'll beat him, together."