One of Sesshoumaru's rules in life was very simple. Expect nothing.
While after many years of life certain situations could be very easily predicted, it was never wise to assume anything would happen. But despite this long standing rule, he himself, could not help but be surprised when his hanyou half-brother tore into the clearing ahead of where he had been resting, spewing forth strings of curses that would have had even the most foul of mouths blushing. Even more surprising was the level of destruction the hanyou caused, to say nothing of the speed it was accomplished. It was somewhat impressive, and a little….arousing.
The lord of the west snarled to himself, his youkai was acting up again, had been for months now. Apparently his body had decided it had gone without a mate for long enough, which was annoying, but more annoying still was that every impressive feat seemed to fascinate it, both mentally and physically.
Just a few moons ago, a wise tactical decision by one of his general's during a minor revolt, had his youkai squealing. It had been most troublesome, the attention it had devoted on the demoness. It had been so……unworthy of his time. But now the insult it brought upon him was even greater. His youkai was positively moaning in ecstasy over the show of sheer physical might that was being shown.
"This is inexcusable," Sesshomaru thought. Although he understood the reasoning behind his youkai's delight, a stronger mate meant stronger pups. Stronger pups meant better chances of survival and the continued existence of ones bloodline. His instincts were remarkably simple, which was usually a good thing. The fact that it was a male wasn't a problem. It was rather common among demons after all. Though as a rule Sesshomaru had trained himself not to look at male demon's as possible mates, his youkai couldn't care less, but that it was a hanyou….and half breed, a stain upon not only his father's name and blood, but Sesshomaru's as well.
Still this outburst was quite out of character for Inuyasha, and as the hanyou growled out curses of…"That fucking bitch." and "She has no right. I'm no one's pet", he couldn't help but be curious. It wasn't because he wanted anything to do with the slime, no, no, and it certainly had nothing to do with the hardening of his manhood as the enraged Inu-hanyou began to hurl large sections of earth in all directions, absolutely not. It was only Sesshomaru's will, and besides the hanyou was in his lands, not to mention if he went off on a rampage it could further embarrass his family.
Yes that was it.
Very carefully he made his way downwind of Inuyasha, taking care not to be seen. It was remarkably easy, as caught up in the grip of rage as Inuyasha seemed to be, it was still surprising that the hanyou's normally hypersensitive reactions could totally miss him.
The thought of how vulnerable his little brother was, strangely, left a bad taste in his mouth. Although most demons would eagerly avoid a demon who had displayed such ferocity and power, some would capitalize on the momentary lapse of focus. Why he himself could easily rush forward and rip that smooth…white throat out. Oddly, the thought of anyone performing such an act made Sesshomaru's pulse race and temper flare.
He himself would never think of doing such a thing, it would be dishonorable to attack Inuyasha from behind. No he was a foe that not only deserved to be met head on…..he NEEDED to be met in such a fashion, missing arm notwithstanding.
Sesshomaru had to begrudgingly give Inuyasha's combat prowess respect. Not only was the hanyou far stronger then most demons he knew, he had nearly twice as much experience. But the question still remained.
"What could have possibly angered Inuyasha so?" Sesshomaru thought. The wind blew gently upon the lord of the west's face. Taking a breath he allowed Inuyasha's scent to flow thought him, well not exactly through…no a great deal of it seemed to settle in his now throbbing groin. Gritting his teeth Sesshomaru forced the seemingly siren's call of his baby brother's scent from his mind.
"Ooooh, but he smells soooooo good." His youkai whispered through his mind.
Yes….yes he did smell good, oddly enough, vile little bastard. But wait….Sesshomaru took another, deeper breath. Something was different. It was not the way his brother usually smelled. It vaguely reminded him of the last time Inuyasha's scent had changed. Only it was even different from that. "
Just what is going on?" He couldn't help but wonder. Just then the monk from Inuyasha's little group burst into the clearing. Sesshomaru couldn't help but chuckle as the monk very cautiously made his way over to Inuyasha. Very carefully Sesshomaru listened in, trying to glean what he could from the conversation. Though what he could hear wasn't very useful. Something about a bitch, and having no right. No right to what? Now Inuyasha was telling the monk to send her away.
"One of the women then?" Sesshomaru thought. Well if it was a bitch then it had to be, as stunted and backwards as the hanyou tended to be, he still was an Inu. Focusing in on the two Sesshomaru couldn't help but let out a small gasp. "When did Inuyasha become larger?" he thought. Although still smaller then himself one could clearly see that Inuyasha now towered over the monk. Drawing back into himself as the monk left, Sesshomaru couldn't help but be puzzled.
"Interesting," he thought. "Very interesting." If Inuyasha had nothing but his father's pure blood running through his veins, Sesshomaru would have said the boy was reaching his first level of maturity, which tended to result in a growth spurt. After all, the hanyou was still very young. In fact, he was at an age that most demon children would not be allow out of their parents homes, at least not without guard.
Something about that thought made the ice Lord of the west feel slightly guilty, a feeling he quickly forced down. "Even still, if Inuyasha was maturing, I've never heard of such a sudden spurt in growth." Indeed, both several inches and pounds of raw muscle seemed to have added onto the hanyou, although not bulky by any means, he was clearly larger.
Was this normal in hanyou's? Sesshomaru had to admit, he didn't know. After all, most half-breeds tended to be killed at birth, or shortly thereafter. He had never heard of one actually reaching even two hundred years of life. If this was true and Inuyasha was maturing then that meant…..
"That means he can take a mate!" His youkai suddenly screamed out. Again Sesshomaru snarled, here he was trying to sort out important matters about his baby brother and his youkai, and hormones, were jumping in. Sesshomaru was so annoyed by this that he failed to notice that indeed the hanyou was totally filling his thoughts, not to mention that the usually lowly Inuyasha was suddenly the most important thing on his mind.
"This is ridiculous," he thought. "This Sesshomaru will unravel this new hanyou related mystery." Shoving some foliage aside Sesshomaru made his way into the clearing. "Inuyasha!" he bellowed.
The half-breed whipped around to face him, fury blazing in his eyes. "What the fuck do you want!" Inuyasha roared.
"Why do you smell so strange? What is the cause of this growth spurt of yours?" Sesshomaru asked, his icy tone broached no questions, but as always….Inuyasha never followed as he should.
"What the fuck are you babbling about? Has your brain finally turned to shit asshole?" Inuyasha snapped.
This was unacceptable, not only was he not answering as he should have, he was insulting his betters once again. Once he got his answers perhaps he would show Inuyasha his place. "Do not play coy with me you filthy hanyou, you will answer this Sesshomaru's questions and you will answer them now!" Sesshomaru demanded.
"Fuck you!" Inuyasha shot back.
And then it happened. Something impossible, Inuyasha surged forward, with speed he shouldn't have, catching Sesshomaru against his chest and shoving him backwards, ramming him into a tree so hard the oak cracked and splintered.
"Mmmm, he's strong." Sesshomaru's youkai purred. No one, save his father had ever even come close to manhandling him like this! "Shut up." He thought, snarling at his youkai.
"Who the fuck are you to demand anything from me!" Inuyasha roared, drawing his right hand back and slamming it into Sesshomaru's ribs with such force that three of them cracked as the breath was forced from his lungs.
"This isn't right….he shouldn't be so strong, he shouldn't be anywhere near this strong…" Sesshomaru thought.
"You think YOU can order me around? Its bad enough that bitch thinks I'm her dog, but now YOU'RE ordering me around!? It's my life!" Inuyasha raged.
"I am your elder. Your lord. Your life belongs to me," Sesshomaru spat out.
"Oh, if I'm yours, then where the fuck were you when I needed you? When I was small and needed to be protected?! Where were you when my mother and I needed your strength!?" Inuyasha asked.
"I have no obligations to protect a pitiful stain on our family's name, nor need I protect his filthy human mother," Sesshomaru snarled, his temper flaring. How dare Inuyasha question him?! Just has he was coiling his strength to hurl Inuyasha off, Inuyasha stuck. His fist drilling into Sesshomaru's temple where it couldn't, shouldn't have. Stars filled his vision as pain ripped through his skull.
"UH, UH fucker, that's not how it works! You can't claim someone without taking them under your care. Besides that, you had, and technically still have, an obligation to me! I am also Inu Taisho's son! He was obligated to me and after his death you not only inherited his title and lands, but his debts as well!" Inuyasha screamed.
"That's…..that's hardly…." Sesshomaru sputtered, before Inuyasha stuck him again, this time right above his cheekbone. "Your mother was perfectly capable of caring for you," Sesshomaru stated, voice very unstable. He couldn't focus his thoughts. His head was swimming and unfamiliar and unwanted feelings were welling up within him
"You're an honor less fuck. You are the disgrace on father's name. Or did it make you feel big? Leaving a little child out in the cold," Inuyasha stated. "Maybe your right, maybe my mother could have cared for me all alone, but you still ignored your obligations to me, not only as my brother, but also as the lord of the west. Plus you can't say it's because I'm half human either, because we both know you have a little human girl under your care right now. What, is she so much better then me? Me who has father's blood coursing though his veins while she has none!? Oh, and let's not forget after my mother died, you still did not lift ONE FUCKING HAND TO AID ME!" Inuyasha roared, hurling Sesshomaru away, face first into a tree before leaping off into the distance.
The impact was sickening, blood flowed from Sesshomaru's injured nose and mouth, but beyond the physical pain, a different sort of hurt was forming. Not only had Inuyasha manhandled him, he'd also beaten him down with pure reason.
"Nonsense," Sesshomaru muttered. Just because his father might have been obligated to the boy because he was his son, that didn't mean his heir had to……had to…..it wasn't as if he……just because he was lord……
Sesshomaru's insides froze. It's one thing for someone to insult his honor….but now his own sense of self was tarnished. The fucking hanyou was right, he had totally ignored the debt that had fallen upon him, like it or not. For one of his standing, such a thing was a terrible smear upon his name and clan. Slowly Sesshomaru pulled himself up, "Well then….it's settled. This Sesshomaru will not allow," he spoke out loud. The physical pain was now all but a memory. He would take care of his debt to the half-breed, and he would erase the taint on his own honor. Hatred or not, he would not allow his honor and name to be drug down like this, not by anyone.
Not even himself.
As he began to walk in the direction Inuyasha had went, following the still fresh trail, he failed to realize that the course of action he had just sworn himself to required him to be in nearly constant contact with Inuyasha.
Which was just what his, now grinning youkai, wanted.