A/N – So, I've decided to write a little bit more on this theme. This time, from Inuyasha's perspective, so remember he's not aware of his brother's very mixed feelings towards him. It's quite extraordinary, trying to keep Sesshoumaru as much in-character as possible, while exploring a situation I'm sure he would have deplored.

Disclaimer – I am merely borrowing these characters. Don't sue.

II.

Inuyasha watched the youkai from the corner of his eye. There was no doubt he was youkai; apart from the obvious physical differences, no human would ever manage to project that kind of sheer superiority and indifference.

Nothing would ever touch him – not disease, not frailty, not even time itself – because he was not fully part of this world, as humans were. This white, ghostly figure who called himself his half-brother would never die, never weaken, and never fail…

Perhaps he should have been afraid. He could feel the power radiating from him, and he could see the claw-tipped fingers, but somehow they reassured him, made him feel safe. Inuyasha held up his own hands, looked at the small, still slightly chubby fingers and the miniscule claws, and then looked across to see the other watching him.

"They will grow," said that deep, emotionless voice.

He flushed. The youkai watched him for a while longer, and then looked away. It happened often, this quiet puzzlement, as if he did not quite know what to make of him.

They had stopped for the night in a small clearing in the forest. There was a small fire burning between them, more because Inuyasha had never before been alone in the forest at night than for any need for warmth and security. He had tried not to show his unease as the darkness fell and the unfamiliar sounds began, but the youkai must have sensed it somehow, and had started the fire without a word.

"When I grow up," Inuyasha began tentatively, "will I be like you?"

Those flat golden eyes turned back to him, reflected firelight making them glow hellishly. Inuyasha swallowed nervously, but made a point of raising his chin and staring back defiantly. Never let them see your fear, Inuyasha…

His mother had told him that, when the village children had taunted him, calling him a demon, six of them attacking him at once because they were too scared to come at him individually – and so they should be. He may be young, and very small, but he still had claws and fangs, and had been forced to learn how to use them.

"Like me?"

"Strong," he explained. "The other children used to call me a demon and throw stones at me – and I couldn't do much about it, because I'm too small." He drew in a breath and looked up at that blank face, and the old hurts came pouring out. "And I couldn't protect my mother because the healer would not come to our house – if I was older and stronger I could have forced them…!" He clenched his fists. "I want to be strong, so strong that no one will ever pick on me again, so strong that I can force others to do what I want! Strong like you," he said, his voice quiet and vulnerable now.

Something flashed through the youkai's eyes. It might have been amusement, or empathy, or even pity. Whatever it was, Inuyasha couldn't stand it – he got to his feet and prepared to throw himself across the fire, aiming to smash that patient inscrutability, but the youkai held up a hand, staying his movement.

"Your mother was human, and you are a hanyou." He said flatly. "You will never be as strong as I." Inuyasha's face fell and his eyes widened, huge and betrayed, but one of those striped, claw-tipped hands reached over to him and gripped his chin, forcing his eyes up. "But you are the son of the Great Demon of the West. Hanyou or not, his blood, his strength, runs through your veins –"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "It's true, then? My father was the Inu no Taishou? My mother always said so, but I never…"

"It is true."

Inuyasha's voice was very small as he continued, pressing cautiously on an old, old wound. "And did he…want…me? The villagers always said that my mother was one of his discarded whores and I a forgotten bastard…"

The youkai grunted. A small frown appeared between his brows and his eyes darkened fractionally. "Fools. He died protecting you and that woman. Of course he wanted you."

He seemed upset that Inuyasha would ever have believed something so dishonourable.

There was a slight, fraught pause, and then once more, he pinned Inuyasha with his glowing eyes. "You will be worthy of his faith in you, Inuyasha. I will make sure that you were worth his sacrifice."

A/N - I will not try and rewrite Inuyasha's life on this premise, but I might add occasional vignettes and one-shots.