With Or Without You
A/n: Sorry it took so long guys, but I got back really late from Omaha last night and didn't have time to update until today. I swear, Nebraska is like the capital for the most museum! Every thirty minutes there was some exit for some museum, lol. Oh well, anyways, here's the chapter! Thanks for all the reviews guys, I'll comment on them in the next chapter:P
Chapter Eight
A Glint of Mercy
>
It had been something like eight years since he had returned to his time and it had been far too long.
Open fields that were non existent in Tokyo were now open to him and the clean, fresh scents of nature were rushing around him. There were no car horns barking in the distance or crowds and crowds of annoying humans bustling about.
Here he didn't have to hide his ears any more and he could carry his Tetsusaiga without having some damn otaku asking him where he got it, or a police officer bothering him about weapons on the street.
The soft incoherent babbling of his ten month year old son accented the happy, rather brash voice of his other son.
He fell back against the soft grass, his older son tackling him. "Gotcha Dad!" he cackled triumphantly.
Inuyasha chuckled softly, catching the wriggling child effortlessly. His ebony bangs fell recklessly into his eyes and Inuyasha caught a trace of Kagome in the boy's expression. It soon fell away to his father's reckless grin, though.
His flawless, youthful skin glowed slightly in the evening's warm temperatures. He was a good looking boy and even if he were only four years old, Inuyasha knew the boy had strength far beyond any children of Kagome's time.
Just as the boy were about to get up, Inuyasha began tickling the child mercilessly. His high pitched laughter squeaked as he twisted and squirmed against his father's unrelenting fingers.
"Dad! Dad! Quit! Stop it!" he sputtered between outbursts of giggles.
It was now Inuyasha's turn to laugh triumphantly.
"Inuyasha! Stop it!" laughed Kagome gently.
Inuyasha glanced to his beautiful mate, her raven mane was pulled back loosely in a ponytail as it was almost all the time now. He supposed it were smarter, considering that the baby within her arms was fascinated with long hair and had to tug, twist and slobber all over it. Inuyasha knew this from personal experience.
He only wished that she would wear it down more often.
"Shut up, Kagome," he muttered idly as he stopped tickling the boy.
The boy continued to sit upon his father's stomach and turned to his mother. "When are we going to go eat? I'm hungry." He paused a moment as if considering his options then added, "How about McDonald's?"
Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged looks before she smiled brightly to the child, concealing a laugh.
"Natsu, tonight we're going to go eat with some old friends."
The boy frowned slightly, glancing to his younger brother before he looked back up to his father. He sniffed the air and frowned even deeper. Whoever that was coming from the woods smelled somewhat like his father...but different.
Just as his son noticed the scent, Inuyasha shot up, clutching the boy to his chest.
'Sesshomaru?'
The scent was strong and so very similar to his.
He looked at Natsu who was frowning. "Who is that, Dad?"
He turned and looked over his shoulder just as he saw his elder brother walking towards him, a smirk gracing his lips that promised trouble.
>
Sesshomaru had to conceal the excitement burning within him. He could hear Jaken finally catching up yards away, but he could careless. His eyes were set upon Inuyasha and the child in his arms. The boy was scowling just as deeply as his father and Sesshomaru had to admit that he was impressed.
He had never met a child with only 1/4 demon in them, but the child appeared to have that sixth sense that only demons possessed.
"You've finally decided to come out of hiding, Inuyasha?" he spat viciously, his eyes sparkling with mirth.
Kagome held her baby in her arms tightly. He was squirming and whimpering, pushing against her, but she didn't notice.
'I thought Sango said he was dead,' she thought to herself.
Sesshomaru glanced to her for a second before Inuyasha spoke.
"What do you want, Sesshomaru?" he asked sternly.
Sesshomaru lifted his head slightly, peering down at his brother in a very snobby manner. "Defensive already?" he questioned. He glanced to his brother's hip, where faithfully, Tetsusaiga remained, then he looked up to the boy in his arms.
"I suppose having mutts of your own will do that," he paused a moment then muttered, "They are only a weakness, Inuyasha. How many times must I tell you this?"
Inuyasha snarled. "So you still think I'm weak?"
Sesshomaru didn't reply, but glanced to Kagome instead. Her eyes were wide with an unhidden fear as she held their second son tightly to her chest.
"You know you're filthy mother was the downfall of our father...Are you ready to give up everything for this wench?"
Kagome glared, but before she could snap back an insult, Inuyasha set down his son. "Take Natsu and Kanaye into the woods."
Kagome turned to him, her heart jolting with fear and concern. "I can't leave you here!"
Inuyasha's eyes flickered with something Kagome had only seen in his eyes years ago when Naraku still lived. "Just get them away from here, Kagome."
She stared at him long and hard, almost making a silent plea, before she took Natsu's hand. She turned to Sesshomaru for just a moment before she retreated into the woods.
Her determination reminded Sesshomaru of Rin, but there was more in her eyes than just determination. There was a silent plea within those big brown eyes. He knew that her maternal instincts were now raging with the birth of two children. He knew how humans worked much better than he led on.
"Get your eyes off of her, Sesshomaru."
He turned back to his brother and his hands clenched his Toukijin tightly. He could feel his palms becoming damp with sweat and he knew that he hadn't been this excited for a fight in years.
Unbeknownst to him, his sibling was almost as apprehensive as he.
Inuyasha watched his half-brother carefully. He knew that most likely, Sesshomaru had grown bored after Naraku's death. Sango had spoken with Kagome a few months ago and told her that she had heard Sesshomaru were dead.
Inuyasha licked his lower lip thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing.
He had always known that his brother were alive. Sesshomaru had lasted this long, nothing minor like a human or demon could take him down. Inuyasha knew that it were only he who could take him down.
For eight years, after defeating Naraku, Inuyasha had gone back to Tokyo with Kagome. There they had been living. At only twenty, after going through some idiotic human ceremony which stated she were his wife, Kagome had given birth to Natsu and then just ten months ago, Kanaye.
She was a young mother, but she was strong.
Inuyasha shook his thoughts of her away, knowing that she were the last person to be thinking of right now. He needed to concentrate. He hadn't had a good fight since Naraku. There wasn't anything to fight in Kagome's time.
Yes, fatherhood had kept him occupied, but still...he was half demon after all and nothing could keep him from practicing relentlessly.
"Did you come here to fight or just stare at me?" asked Inuyasha, smirking just as wickedly as the youkai in front of him.
Sesshomaru sneered. "Don't flatter yourself Inuyasha."
And in a flash, he drew his Toukijin.
>
Kagome led her sons quickly into the nearby woods. Her heart was racing with fear for her husband, but she would not let her boys see.
"Who was that guy, Momma?" asked Natsu as she settled behind some bushes, still within eyesight of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
She turned to Natsu, who was crouching next to her. His small hands were balled up into tiny fists, his dark brown eyes, matching her own, staring intently into hers.
"That is your father's brother, Sesshomaru."
Natsu frowned. "Like Souta is your brother?"
Kagome flinched as Sesshomaru lunged.
"Uh, no. Not exactly."
Natsu ignored the fight beyond the woods and continued to speak. "But he isn't an uncle then?"
Kagome shook her head, her mouth slightly open as she flinched once again. "Yes, he's your uncle, Natsu."
She turned to him and sighed. "Here, play with Kanaye for mommy okay?"
The little boy nodded, but made the mistake of turning just as Inuyasha bellowed out "Wind Scar!"
"Momma! He's fighting our uncle! Go Dad! You can do it!" he squealed, his eyes bright with excitement.
Kagome tugged on the child's belt loop. "Shh, Natsu! You can't bother Daddy right now!"
She turned away from her son and let out a worried sigh.
Inuyasha hadn't fought in years, much less even lifted his sword very often. He had shown it to Natsu on a few occasions, but never to fight someone.
She knew that both of the siblings had grown bored in each other's absence and now that a good opponent were available, they were going to use this opportunity to its fullest.
'I wonder what Sesshomaru's been doing these past few years,' she thought absently.
Then she let out a cry as Inuyasha fell to the ground.
>
Sesshomaru stood over his brother with an evil glint in his eyes, as he stared down the blade of the Toukijin.
"Pathetic half-breed," he muttered.
Inuyasha snarled angrily as he glared at his brother.
'Already? How could I have lost so easily!'
Sesshomaru smirked. He had put everything into this fight. He put every ounce of boredom, every unshakable thought of Rin, every aggression towards humans into it. Now he stood triumphantly above his brother.
But would he do the final blow?
Would he actually kill his little brother before his new family?
Somehow, the thought almost unnerved him, making him even angrier than before.
"Well aren't you going to get it over with!" snapped Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru pulled the blade back slowly, his face far more blank than usual.
"Daddy!"
"Lord Sesshomaru!"
The two cries came from separate directions in unison.
Sesshomaru made the mistake of looking up just as Jaken came racing towards him.
Just as he did, Inuyasha swung at him.
Though he easily jumped back, it now put him on the defensive once again.
"Daddy! Stop it!" came Natsu's cry.
Inuyasha ignored the boy and continued to swing and swing at his brother.
"Damn Sesshomaru! Stop running and fight me!" he growled.
Sesshomaru smirked. "Just face it, mutt. You're too damn weak to beat me."
Inuyasha snarled viciously, but then watched as Sesshomaru stopped dead in his tracks. He pulled up his Toukijin to guard against a few more swings from the Tetsusaiga, but his eyes weren't even on his brother.
They were set upon the small boy, screaming at his father as Kagome came running from behind.
"Don't even think about it!" snapped Inuyasha as he realized what his brother's intentions were.
Sesshomaru and he clashed suddenly, forcing each of their swords against each other. Small sparks began to fly as the metals grinded against each other.
"It wouldn't even take an ounce of energy to do kill him and you know it," he snapped bitterly.
Inuyasha pushed harder, making Sesshomaru take a step backwards.
"Then why bother doing it?" he asked through a strained voice.
Sesshomaru smirked. "Why not?"
>
Rin tapped her nails idly against the windowsill as she stared off into space.
'I can't believe he kissed me,' she thought bitterly.
Her thoughts had been swirling for hours after her fiancee had left for his home.
The clouds above warned of rain, but Rin easily ignored it.
She felt the back of her head, where a small bump still remained. Only two days ago Sesshomaru had held her to him.
She had felt his hot breath upon her as she lay before him. He had been truly concerned for her and yet he had left her.
Why?
If he worried so much for her, he obviously had to care for her right?
Rin let out an angry sigh.
It was all so confusing!
Confusion and Sesshomaru went hand in hand and all she wanted to do was stand outside, screaming at the top of her lungs.
She wanted to tell Roiyaru that she did not love him. She wanted to run away into the woods and search until she found Sesshomaru. If she could find him, she would yell at him and then she'd kiss him.
God only knew she had pictured kissing him countless times...and on rare occasions, late at night, more than just kissing. (Ooh la la...)
There was so much she wanted to do and yet she could do nothing.
This was her life now. Sesshomaru had abandoned her for good. She was to remain in this prison she had built about herself until her days were done. She would live Roiyaru miles away. She would grow fat and have dozens of children. Once she grew old, she knew he would discard her like all men did.
Lady Adzumi was a rare beauty for her age and that was the only reason why her husband had remained faithful to her for so long.
Rin only prayed that Roiyaru would offer her that same loyalty.
Days before Sesshomaru had shown up, she had been somewhat content with simply marrying Roiyaru. Sesshomaru had still been a father figure to her. She had grown up, thinking of him in that sense.
But when she had seen him, new emotions had coursed through her body and she knew that were much stronger than a love for a guardian.
They were passion and lust. They were happiness and excitement. They were so many emotions, wrapped into one tiny, insignificant word...love.
She loved him with all her being and had for years. It had just taken womanhood and final seeing him after years and years of waiting, to realize it.
"Lady Rin?" came Tokiko's voice.
Rin looked up to see her small servant, standing with two other women who held bundles of material in their hands.
"These are the ladies who will be fitting you for your kimono."
Rin frowned, rising from her seat at the window. "Which kimono?"
The two women laughed gently from behind Tokiko.
"The one you will be wearing on your wedding day?" answered Tokiko gently.
Rin's heart sank even further. "Oh yes, that one."
"My, if I were marrying someone as handsome as Lord Roiyaru, I would not be as gloomy as you child," muttered one of the seamstresses. Rin ignored her comment and simply undressed as the women went to work about her.
>
"Natsu!" screamed Kagome as she chased after the boy.
Inuyasha glanced to them out of the corner of his eyes. "Get him out of here, Kagome!"
Sesshomaru shoved hard against his brother and Inuyasha stumbled backwards. It was then that Sesshomaru then charged towards the young boy.
He towered over the small child with a sneer upon his face.
"You leave me Dad alone!" the boy snapped before weakly kicking Sesshomaru in the shin.
Sesshomaru had to repress the laugh that tickled his throat.
It was then that he heard Kagome's footsteps, racing to him. She pulled back Natsu, but kept her eyes locked with Sesshomaru's.
"Leave him alone, Sesshomaru. He doesn't have anything to do with you or Inuyasha!"
Sesshomaru was about to speak, but Jaken came running up, stumbling over his robes in his rush.
"M'lord, there are new reports of the humans advancing in the Western Lands! We must go!" he gasped.
Sesshomaru stared at the cowering three a moment longer, before he turned to Inuyasha, who was rushing towards him, growling obscenities.
"We'll finish this later, brother."
And in a flash, his brother took off into the woods.
>
A/n: Well once again, I am a lil' uneasy about this chappie. Oh well. I'm gonna start on the next one right after I post this, but I hope you guys like this one! Believe me, they will finish their fight later on! I hope to update ASAP, but you never know...Also, in the next chappie, there will be a steamy dream scene! Hee hee, see ya!