The spur of the moment thought was to write a one-shot. In the beginning I intended Aiyone Poison to be a one-short but apparently it isn't going to be. So here is the next part.
Since that day...
Since that day, that day in which they loved so freely, Inuyasha never can look Sesshomaru the same way. And neither can Sesshomaru.
When they sense each other's presence or smell each other's scent, they would try every way to avoid meeting. Nothing is worse than seeing each other if they know they cannot do anything else but see each other. But nevertheless, all Inuyasha wants to do when he picks up his brother's scent is follow it, follow it so that it will lead him to his dear older brother, so that he could see him, so that he can be in his brother's arms, but no. No, that will not ever happen.
But how many times could they do this? How many times must they 'pretend' to hate each other? To fight each other? Will it ever end? In their hearts, they hope that it will, somehow that it will end. Then nothing will matter anymore. Nothing but each other. No more meaningless feuding, no more avoiding, no more pain.
How is it fair? If you are to follow Inuyasha's group, you may not in a million years notice how Inuyasha feels. He acts so normal. Fighting with Kagome, eating, fighting, battling, looking for the shikon jewel. You think Inuyasha's so simple but he is not. He is not simple at all, and Sesshomaru knows this more than anyone. When no one is looking, Inuyasha resumes sadness. He doesn't want to be alone though. He can't. This hanyou constantly acts so rash as to cover up what is inside. He is smart, you know. He sometimes intentionally picks fights with Kagome. He makes the girl mad at him on purpose most of the time--telling her that the Ramen tastes better than her cooking, picking on the weird things that the girl in her time has to do, calling her unkind names, and even being so concerned for Kikyo, all just to make the girl angry at him. He'd risk getting 'sat' to not have the girl love him so much, because in the utmost truth, he can never love her back. He loves him, and that is all there is to say.
Sesshomaru doesn't know how much better he has it, though. He doesn't have to act like Inuyasha does, although he still needs to act. He has been cold and indifferent for as long as he knew how to act. It is not his fault that a demon lord is required to be merciless and emotionless. So instead of talking or being around others, he stays alone. He doesn't want to risk having more emotions than he already have for his brother. Rin was another mistake. He found the girl, or rather the girl found him. Rin was kind and wanted to help the youkai's wounds at the time. Sesshomaru tried to be as cold as he could so she would go away on her own, but she didn't. And then he found her dead. He saved her, and that was when he was attached to her. Rin is so cute and as oddly as it seems Sesshomaru really likes her as a friend, as a companion, as a daughter. So, Lord Sesshomaru has already made mistakes, he doesn't want to make them again, not any. And loving his brother is a mistake.
It's been a while since that day though. And they have met a few times, only because the gods were so unkind to them. And today is like another day, Lord Sesshomaru continues his search for Naraku as Inuyasha does the same. And then dark clouds begin to cover the sun. Winds begin to howl at their faces furiously. Soon distant thundering can be heard.
"Lord Sesshomaru," inquires cute little Rin, "I hear loud noises from the sky."
"Be quiet, you foolish girl, it's thunder," Jaken chastises.
"Is the sky mad, Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asks.
'If it isn't, it mind as well will be.' Sesshomaru looks up at the darkened sky full of heavy gray clouds. His face contorts, just a bit, showing his displeasure. He can sense that it is going to rain. They need to find a place to conceal themselves, for it looks like the rain will be heavy.
Then a drop of rain falls on the demon lord's nose. Damnit!
"Lord Sesshomaru, I think I feel a drop of water from the sky," Rin says cutely.
And before Jaken says another word, rain begins to fall heavily from the dark sky, in big and long drops that it seems like the sky is torn and water is just pouring out from the gash.
Quickly, Sesshomaru picks up Rin and he runs. Where? He doesn't know, but the rain is too heavy. They need a place to hide from this storm.
An extremely loud bang descends from the sky and a bright streak of lightening flashes above. Rin flinches in Sesshomaru's arms in surprise. The youkai takes a second to look at the girl in his arms. His baby would surely catch a cold from this.
Sesshomaru speeds up with Jaken failing to keep up. But the demon lord makes sure that the toad will be able to follow him nonetheless. Sometimes, he doesn't know why he puts up with Jaken.
Powerful winds slashes water against Sesshomaru's concerned face, making it harder to see. But he can still manage to run. He moves quickly. He doesn't where to go but just to run, run so that maybe he'll run into something or run into someplace where they can stay to hide.
Running, running, he can't stop, not until he finds it. And just then he reaches the end of the enveloping trees. There is a cave up ahead. He is glad for a moment, but just a moment, as everything clashes when Sesshomaru sees Inuyasha pop out of the other side of the trees, carrying his wench on his back.
Everyone stops. The rain must have concealed their scents from each other. Inuyasha stares at his brother, his heart pounding front the running and from undoubtedly the shock at seeing Sesshomaru. Kagome looks a bit concerned, wondering if Inuyasha and the other demon would fight again. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, seated on Kirara, stares as well unable to conjure up something to say.
Rin looks at the people whom she has met and thought are kind people. Jaken pants heavily from the exertion. Only Sesshomaru seems to not have a stunned face, but in heart he is.
Why? Why out of all the people in the world did he have to run into his brother? The gods must hate them, they simply must. (Or love them, I don't know.)
A loud clash of lightening and thunder storms the sky and reminds them all of the pouring water. Sesshomaru turns around and makes to leave. He cannot stay.
Inuyasha quickly moves as if to try to stop his brother. There is no other place his brother could stay until the rain is past. And just the thought of his dear older brother soaking wet in the rain makes to squeeze the life out of him.
But it is Kagome who speaks, "Sesshomaru, if you do not mind, can't we stay in the cave together?"
The thought of it troubles the demon lord. He doesn't answer and tries to walk away again.
"No, wait! We'll leave!" Inuyasha calls. Then he adds, "The human girl will not stand the weather too well."
It is now that Sesshomaru gets the thought of his own brother out in this disastrous weather, and it brings unwanted concerns in his heart. He can't have Inuyasha out in the rain, he won't allow it. But then Rin... The demon lord looks at the already shaking cold bundle in his arms. 'Damn it! Why!'
"This weather is too much for anyone to stay out," is all Sesshomaru says as he walks towards the dark cave. He can't have Rin endure the rain any longer.
"I think that means we can all stay," Kagome whispers in Inuyasha's ear, which Sesshomaru's keen ears hear as well.
"Are you sure?" Inuyasha asks looking at her. However, why he asks is just stupid. He knows exactly what his brother is thinking.
"Yeah," the girl replies.
"Kagome," Shippo whines, "I'm getting cold and wet."
"Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome urges, "Or else we'll all catch a cold."
With his heart still beating abnormally, the hanyou walks over to the cave in which his brother has already let the girl in his arms down on the dry ground.
Slowly, they all moved into the cave. It's big enough for them all and more. But just somehow it feels so small for both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, not nearly as big enough to keep their minds from each other. But then, who am I kidding? They think about each other even if they are miles and miles away. So this little cave ain't going to help, not at all.
As they made themselves comfortable by finding firewood and making a fire, Kagome had little Rin change out of her wet clothes and into one of her pink tee-shirts in which she bought just in case she'll need it considering all the things that happen to her. It was large enough to cover Rin like a dress. Kagome herself changed further in the cave and came out dressed in a green tee-shirt and denim shorts. She also has something for Sango which resembled her own outfit, with a purple tee-shirt and white shorts.
But for the guys, however, she has nothing. Well, even if she wanted to bring some guy clothes nothing in her house would fit them. Sota's clothes would be too small for them.
So unfortunately, the guys will just have to make due with taking their haori tops off while sticking to their wet pants. Inuyasha cannot express how he hated this weather, because the sight of his brother half-naked made him unwillingly hard and he can only hope that no sees the bulge in his confined wet pants that are sticking to him. Why did Sesshomaru have to look so gorgeous? He has such lovely pale skin, and his wet hair makes him look even more attractive. It's not fair, not good at all for Inuyasha's frail heart and his hard to control emotions. Sesshomaru looks as good as he has on that day and equally as seductive. 'Damn!' Inuyasha's mind cries desperately.
But if he thinks that he is the only one who is having a hard time then he is mistaken. Sesshomaru yearns as much as Inuyasha does. He is only lucky that he can act and control himself better. But even he becomes abnormally warm and he can sense the tension between him and his brother. And if Inuyasha doesn't notice how much he himself stirs his brother, then he should pay more attention. Even for Lord Sesshomaru, it is hard to tear his eyes away from the half-demon. Inuyasha's ears twitch and move to swipe away the rain, and when he shakes himself like a dog to waddle off the water, the demon lord finds it extraordinarily cute and irresistible. And when Inuyasha flips his hair to dry it somewhat, it is most alluring, his hair silver to the little light they receive from the sky.
Seeing Inuyasha's efforts to dry himself, Kagome gives him a towel. She walks over to where Sesshomaru is too and hands him a towel. Sesshomaru takes it, a little relieved in truth to have something to dry his hair with than to do what Inuyasha was doing. It makes him seem more like a dog, and for no apparent reason known, Sesshomaru likes it and finds it more arousing than anything of the sort.
"You're name is Inuyasha? Right?" Rin asks bouncing up and down around the half-demon.
Inuyasha kneels down to the girl's height. "Yes," he says and from the corner of his eyes, he seeks his brother, wondering.
"Your ears are sooo cute," Rin exclaims cheerfully as if the person she is always with doesn't fight with this demon. "May I touch them?" Rin asks almost shyly.
Inuyasha can see his friends smile, Kagome's smile larger than all, thinking back to when she touched the hanyou's ears without permission as if drawn to the furry things. "Um, sure," Inuyasha says a little embarrassed at being called cute.
Rin carefully reaches up to touch Inuyasha's ears. Her little fingers made their way to touch the soft fur. She giggles when Inuyasha's ears suddenly moves a bit at the touch. They are so soft, and there are no hard bones in it either. The little girl could probably flatten them if she wanted to. They're warm too. It just feels so nice. A little reluctantly, Rin takes her hands back. She smiles sweetly at Inuyasha, "Thank you," she says. "Your ears are softer than Lord Sesshomaru's fluffy thing," she adds adorably.
Inuyasha can feel the temperature of the cave rise at just the mere mention of his brother's name. "You're welcome," Inuyasha manages to say politely.
"Lord Sesshomaru is really nice," Rin says almost out of the blue.
For some reason Inuyasha feels as if he's been put on the spotlight. "Sure," he says to the little girl before looking away to see his friends' reaction to all this.
Just then, innocent little Rin sees something. "What is that?" she asks curiously and points.
Inuyasha turns his attention back to the little girl and the direction her little finger is pointing. Inuyasha freezes. 'Oh, shit! Oh, damn! Oh, hell!'
"What is it?" Rin asks again, looking closer to the mark on Inuyasha left collar bone, interest showing vividly on her cute little complexion.
"Umm..." Inuyasha stammers.
Kagome walks over to Inuyasha and looks at where little Rin is looking. "Hm, Inuyasha, what is it?" Kagome asks too.
Now as everyone gathers around the half-demon to see what it is, Sesshomaru tries to find an excuse.
But the situation only becomes worse when Rin comes over to Sesshomaru and sees another interesting mark. "Lord Sesshomaru," she says innocently. "You have one too. What is it?" the little girl asks inoffensively.
Inuyasha looks at his brother with a 'how are we going to explain this' face. While Sesshomaru only looks calm.
What were they going to say? Up to now, Inuyasha was careful not to let his friends see his mark. And it's all because of the stupid sky, which is still pouring out water limitlessly.
"Interesting," Miroku says as he looks Sesshomaru over.
While Inuyasha finds it's so unnerving to see the monk hovering over his brother and staring so intently. 'Sesshomaru was right, he gets jealous so easily.'
Sesshomaru only tries to think up a logical explanation, undisturbed by the monk, until a sudden outburst took him away from his concentration.
"Would you stop staring at him already, Monk!" Inuyasha yells. He cannot stand Miroku's lecherous eyes on his brother anymore. God, sometimes, he wonders how jealous he can be.
And his sudden exclamation just earned him a cave-ful of curious glances.
"Hm? Inuyasha? What's the matter?" Kagome asks him, finding the half-demon's behavior odder than usual.
"Nothing," Inuyasha huffs, embarrassed with a tint of pink on his cheeks. And when he looks at the moment's excluded Sesshomaru, he can swear that the demon is grinning, probably grinning at how right he was, and Inuyasha cannot stop but turn even redder.
"Inuyasha, are you ok? You look a bit red," Kagome says concerned and places a hand on Inuyasha's forehead.
It is that that gets a low growl from the back of Sesshomaru's throat. Obviously, both brothers are the same.
"I'm fine," Inuyasha replies, "It's probably the rain but I'm fine."
Kagome sighs. And it seems that people has forgotten about the unidentified marks, except for one little one.
"But Lord Sesshomaru hasn't told Rin what this is?" the girl points to the mark on Sesshomaru's right collar bone.
Inuyasha's friends turn back to look at him, their gazes holding the same question.
"It's nothing, Rin," Sesshomaru says and it is all he has to say to the girl, for she just pounced off with a smile, saying, "Ok!" Then she proceeds to torture Jaken. For this, Sesshomaru is glad. Rin is so cute and obedient, maybe that is why Sesshomaru keeps her around?
But for Inuyasha, it isn't that easy. "But, Inuyasha, it's certainly odd. I've never seen something like that," Sango inquires. "It kind of looks like a mark."
Inuyasha is only a little glad that Sango being a demon slayer doesn't know what the mark meant. She slays demons, but thankfully she doesn't know this demon tradition.
"And for Sesshomaru to have one too," Miroku says questioningly.
Inuyasha feels like he's being fried. "It's a birthmark! Alright?" the hanyou exclaims at a second's thought.
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, wondering how his brother got that idea.
"But Inuyasha, I've never seen it before," Kagome says suggestively.
"You just never noticed," Inuyasha says quickly.
Even to Sesshomaru, it is amusing to see Inuyasha come up with this excuse and back it up to equally as stupid proof. If Sesshomaru isn't around these people, he might have laughed out loud.
"Can we just drop it!" Inuyasha growls, irritated with the questioning.
His friends back away a little at Inuyasha's third unusual outburst of the evening. "Sure," Kagome says.
Inuyasha only relaxes a little.
"Well, then, I say we should eat. It's getting dark," Miroku suggests while going over to the fire.
Sango accompanies him on the floor, only to say, "And it's still pouring," and then slapping the monk like she usually does. Anyone can guess what Miroku did, it is only Rin who doesn't know, but by now she is having fun playing with Shippo that she doesn't care.
Kagome sits by Sango and prepares to make some food. Meanwhile Inuyasha catches an amused look on his brother's face. It makes the hanyou feel almost good inside. The only thing that is bad is that he cannot go over to his brother and press himself against the youkai. He is urged to but he knows he cannot do that. Not unless he wants everyone to know about his disgusting, corruptive feelings. That would not turn out well.
So as Kagome makes them all a meal, Inuyasha sits uncomfortably at a corner, a distance away from his brother when all he wants is to be near.
Lord Sesshomaru rests himself near the entrance of the cave and looks up at the now darkened sky, the moon starting to come out through the clouds.
But lightening and thunder still pounds at the sky, coming from different directions, almost shaking the earth. The rain doesn't slow its pace coming down either. But somehow, it doesn't not disturb Sesshomaru, and when Inuyasha looks over at his brother to see that he is staring outwards, he feels the same as his brother. Most storms feel like disasters, like horrible events happening over and over again. Yet, together in this cave, it doesn't feel that way. The sounds are almost like a song. The drips and drops of rain on the earth ground and sudden thunder poundings, while lightening sparks to tell their comings. It's almost wonderful, peaceful, and thrilling. In a way, it reminds them of that one day they were able to spend together. With all his heart, Inuyasha wants to do that again, spend time with his brother. But knowing that it will not happen, he quickly withdraws his thoughts.
Inuyasha eats his meal surprisingly slowly this evening. Kagome sees the reason for this but, of course, it is not exactly what she thinks.
Kagome offered food to Sesshomaru, but he declined. He doesn't eat. (Or I have never seen him eat, so I don't know. It really doesn't matter. He can eat if you want him to.)
Rin was offered a seat next to Shippo and she ate with the group. Jaken refused to be associated with them, so he sat out on the other corner of the entrance.
So while, Inuyasha, his friends, and Rin enjoy their meal by the fire, Sesshomaru rests himself against the cold wall of the cave. He closes his eyes so that one can only wonder if he is sleeping or thinking. And this is exactly what Inuyasha wonders.
The night continues in the next chapter.