Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu Yasha and related stuff. She is widely adored by rabid fangirls around the world for her work.

Author's notes:

Thanks so much to all who reviewed!

Oh, against my own instincts, I'm going to use the word "pants" because I still don't know the proper term. It makes me cringe to use this very crude word for anything adorning the body of Sesshoumaru, but I'm afraid I'm limited to my own vocabulary. Please, if anyone knows the proper term, I will be ever so grateful if you'd let me know, because this isn't the first time it has come up, and probably won't be the last.

I actually don't know what's going to happen in this chapter. O.O That worries me. Worst come to worse, I'll just start over. (giggles) then again, most of the last chapter caught me off guard, maybe today will be like that. Hope so.

Also, I'm sure you know this by now, (or you're really confused if you didn't figure it out within the first 7 chapters) but:

"Speaking"Sesshoumaru's thoughtsInu Yasha's thoughts

(A/N added mid story) I really like the word "silence". I use it a lot in this story, I noticed. I'm starting to get a little self conscious about it, actually, but the word "silence" is so much stronger, so endless and deep and absolute that I really can't replace it with something as temporary and shallow as "quiet" or "without speaking".

Ch. 8- Tears and Silence

How on earth does he do it? All that clothing, that ridiculously ornate outfit, all those ties and layers, all with one hand? I was sure he had help, he has to, there's no way he'll do the sash on his own. That thing has to be a pain in the ass even with both hands!

Sesshoumaru slid into the fine silk of the fresh garment, pulling it up over his waist, and, with skill he simply should not achieve one handed, it. Leaving the upper garments for later, sat at a small vanity and let down his hair, carefully moving his fur out of the way. He then grabbed a brush and started to brush his hair.

"Did you need something?"

"I don't get it. You won't even open a door for yourself-"

"Inu Yasha, opening the door is a matter of status, tending my own grooming a matter of practicality. Besides, I do not allow servants to touch me."

Prick.

Sesshoumaru turned to face the door, and inhaled almost imperceptibly.

Blood. Rin.

Sesshoumaru stood, and flipped his hair so it hung nearly brushing the floor. In one swift, complicated motion, he twisted his hair around his wrist, pulled it through the loop formed, and tugged it into a topknot.

Wow.

Sesshoumaru walked away, slipping on his upper garment as he went.

"Where-"

"Rin is injured."

"What? I don't smell-"

"Don't compare your abilities to mine."

"It can't be too serious, if I can't even smell it."

Sesshoumaru didn't respond. He simply kept walking. The brother's soon passed a room that screamed "Daddy's little angel", whose doorway was right before a stairway. It was at the bottom of the stairs that they found Rin, eyes tearing up slightly, clutching her head. She looked up at her Lord, who did not speak, merely tilted his head, gazing at her.

"Just a bump, milord." Sesshoumaru knelt down beside her, and inspected her, taking in her eyes, the bump, the small scrape on her forehead, and her coordination. Satisfied that she didn't require a healer, he turned to leave.

"You know not to play near the stairs."

"Yes Milord, it won't happen again." He could hear the smile in her voice.

The pain must already be lessened. A good sign.

"Weird kid. Didn't make a peep."

"Rin does not whimper as many coddled pups will. She is strong. Either she requires help healing, or she does not. If she can heal herself, she will not bother another with her injury."

"Scary." Inu Yasha muttered. Then, seemingly as an after thought, "Did you ever cry?" Even as Inu Yasha asked, Sesshoumaru swept into his room, landed a little too elegantly on a chair beside his vanity, and let down his hair, before returning to the rather unnecessary task of brushing his hair.

"Yes." Inu Yasha waited eagerly for the explanation, which didn't come. In it's place, silence. And Inu Yasha, being Inu Yasha, didn't like it at all.

Ok, gotta be still. I know that face. That's the 'I'm Sesshoumaru and I'm a prick who doesn't talk about the past' face. If I move too much I'll scare him off, so I gotta-

"Inu Yasha, is all that twitching necessary?"

"When was the last time you cried? Why were you crying?"

"I cried when my mother died, because I missed her, and I blamed myself for her death."

"Oh. What happened?" Sesshoumaru diverted his attention to a very interesting invisible spot on the wall, before returning his gaze to his brother's.

"We were out picking flowers to give to my nurse, who was ill at the time, and my mother was attacked. The attacker was a servant, who was acting out of desperation. I never found out exactly what his situation was, but he was following someone else's orders. I had blamed myself for not saving her, even though if I had tried, it would only result in father being left with no mate, and no heir, it bothered me that I had not tried."

"So you cried?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Two days and two nights."

"That's it? How old were you?"

"Slightly over seventy-five."

"That old?"

"I age more slowly than you, half-human. I was significantly smaller than Rin."

"Wow. And you only cried for two days?"

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I was only given two days."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean, I was given permission to grieve for two days."

"What would have happened if you didn't stop after three days?" Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"I probably would have been beaten. But it is irrelevant. It was necessary that I stop, so I did."

"Why was it necessary?"

"It simply was. My father commanded that I be moved to his fortress, in the center of his lands. It would take two days to prepare for the trip, and my sensei said I could mourn in whatever way I saw fit, while we were here, but when it came time to leave it was necessary that I not let my sorrow show in any way."

"There's no way, who would say that to a pup? What did he say, exactly?" Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, thinking back. When he spoke, it was in a gruff, rasping voice.

"You're mother is dead, now, master Sesshoumaru. There are no other sons to take your father's place. You're father is not immortal, Sesshoumaru, you must always be ready to take your father's place, should he fall. We leave for the fortress in two days. You're father insists that you be allowed to grieve without restraint until then. However, when I come for you the morning of the third day, you must show no signs of weakness. Do not allow even your eyes to betray your sorrow, or you will be punished. Is that clear? You are the Dog General's only son and heir, and so help me you'll act like it."

"Wow. Cold bastard."

"Hm."

"Must have been tough."

Sesshoumaru set his brush down, and turned to Inu Yasha. That's when he noticed it.

That hair. It's a disaster. If he doesn't brush it now, it will only get worse. Sesshoumaru tilted his head, as he continued to scrutinize his brother's hair.

"What are you looking at?"

"You're hair."

"What?" That's when he noticed Sesshoumaru reaching for the brush again. "Oh hell no!" Inu Yasha tried to run, but didn't make it two steps before he was pinned to the ground, under his much faster older brother. Sesshoumaru grabbed Inu Yasha by the ear, and dragged him over to the chair, where he forced the hanyou to his knees by simply pulling down on his sensitive ear. Inu Yasha continued to struggle, even kneeling on the ground.

"Hold still, or it'll only take longer." Inu Yasha growled, but stopped struggling. Sesshoumaru proceeded to gently comb out the now hopelessly tangled hair.

This is kinda… nice. Not that I'll ever tell HIM that.

…End Chapter…

Author's Note: Much shorter, I know, but still, I like it. Although (grins) last chapter is still my favorite.