Remember
Chapter 9
Masochist...?
Flashbacks
'Thoughts'
(Inner Youkai/Deity/Spirit)
"I wish you and Sesshomaru wouldn't fight…" Rin said, the tone of her voice sounded dejected. The human stood next to Hitomi, who was looking at the hanyou with the same expression. They were in one of the many rooms dedicated to the healers, watching one of the youkai smear a type of green salve on his wounds.
"Keh, if he wasn't such an asshole, we probably wouldn't." The hanyou winced when the ointment touched his wound, his nose scrunching up. "That stuff smells like crap." The healer rolled her eyes and continued her work.
The young woman frowned at Inuyasha's tone, and she couldn't help but think the same in a way. She knew there was a kind, caring being under all the armor he wore but he was almost impossible to get to. 'Why are you so against it, Sesshomaru? What happened to you?' She recalled long ago Touga making a comment that Sesshomaru's behavior was his own fault, but never said more. 'I need to ask him…'
"Inuyasha, stop being a baby!" The falcon said, holding down the hanyou so the healer can continue applying the treatment.
"It stings a lot, okay?!"
Hitomi sighed, "Yet you had no problem being completely slashed apart by your brother—"
"Hey! I hit him!"
"Once by the looks of it." The falcon pointed out.
"Yeah, and left him bleeding like a pig. Bastard deserved it."
"Sesshomaru is hurt…?"
"Uh…" Inuyasha blinked, as if he had forgotten she was nearby. "Well, yeah." His eyes then narrowed, "Of course he's hurt. We had a battle. Does no one think I can hit him!?"
Rin rocked on her heels, looking at the floor with her hands clasped in front of her. "Sesshomaru is really fast." She shrugged, "Inuyasha is sometimes not so fast." It was the nicest way she could think of putting it.
"Uh huh." Inuyasha's tone told her that he was still offended regardless.
"Where is Sesshomaru?" Rin asked and the hanyou shook his head in response.
"I don't know, my father stayed back with him."
"They might have come back by now." The falcon chimed in, "Perhaps you can check?" Rin nodded, she had planned to anyway. The human quietly slipped out of the room and began walking down the hall until one of the many doors opened, revealing a familiar face.
"Hiyoshi?"
"Rin! I knew I heard you."
"What are you doing here? You were injured?" Rin noted his bandaged face and arms.
"You don't know…? Oh, Rin…"
His expression made her heart drop, his eyes filled with hurt and anger. "Hiyoshi… What happened?"
./\.
Touga hefted his eldest son over the bamboo mat, his former mate watching with concern flickering in her gaze. Sesshomaru had lost consciousness sometime between the short trip back to Katsumi's home and carrying his son back into his room proved to be quite a challenge. "When did he get so heavy?"
"Don't let him hear you say that." Katsumi remarked, setting down a jar of purple ointment that smelled a bit flowery next to the mat. "Have the girl come in and treat his wound."
The older daiyoukai shot her a quizzical look, "Why can you not?" He told himself that the reason he didn't want her in here was because he did not want Rin to see Sesshomaru in such a state.
"There is something I must attend to. The girl is fully capable of treating his wound." The female daiyoukai raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Is there a problem, Touga?"
"No, of course not." There was no problem. He had no issues with the woman putting her hands all over Sesshomaru's bare upper body. None. Suddenly, Katsumi burst into laughter with a mocking edge to it. He growled at her as she made her way to the door, "What is so funny?"
She wiped away a tear before sliding open the door, "Nothing at all. Do get her in here quick though, we don't want him to get an infection." His eyes shifted back to his son and his shoulders slumped. He was a bit paler than usual, due to his extreme blood loss, his breathing was irregular, and his face was tight with pain. His irrational jealousy was quickly forgotten, 'Hold on, Sesshomaru.' Touga exited the room and quickly found the young woman, speaking to the panther, Hiyoshi. Her eyes were glazed over with shock and unshed tears as she listened to the young man's story.
"Rin." The daiyoukai interrupted, silently cursing himself for not telling Rin sooner about the attack on her caretaker's village. Both of them turned around to face him; Hiyoshi bowed as much as his injuries would let him. "I apologize for interrupting, but I need to borrow Rin for a bit."
"We will talk later?" The young panther asked the human, and she nodded slowly but stayed standing. Touga carefully grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him as he made his way back to Sesshomaru's room.
"Katsumi has a team of men searching for survivors, Rin." He smelt the salts of tears intensify and he quickly pulled them into the room. He turned to face the woman and cupped her face in his hands. "Don't cry." He wiped off her tears, "Such a sad face does not suit you."
"She was there because of me. If I hadn't—"
"Rin, this is not your fault—"
"I took her there and now's she gone—"
"We don't know that." Touga brought her close, petting her hair. He sighed, "I need you to take care of Sesshomaru right now, we can talk about—" Her eyes suddenly widened.
"What's wrong with him?" She rapidly pulled away, and looked behind him to see his son lying on the floor. The human gasped, running over to him. She kneeled beside him next to the pot, going to work on treating his wound without another word. Touga blinked at her sudden movements before turning around and standing beside them. He watched her clean and treat the wound, using the salve with careful hands. "Why do they fight…?" She whispered, a frown marring her face.
The daiyoukai had a vague idea why from the small hints Inuyasha let out during their conversations. The hanyou was deeply hurt over his brother's indifference and blatant disregard towards him when he was a child, and hid his pain with snarls and curses. Sesshomaru did not take Inuyasha and Izayoi in after his death, but he suspected this would happen. The lands fell into a civil war that Sesshomaru needed to control and until then, it would be no place for a human mother and her royal new-born son.
Why did his eldest not take them in afterward was when things started to blur. Inuyasha blamed his hanyou heritage, but Touga did not recall Sesshomaru harboring a specific hatred of humans before his demise. He thought nothing of them, like he did with most. His hatred must have manifested afterward, though Katsumi did not bring up anything to support that.
He knew his son was deep in his uncaring nature at the time, but he had hoped it wouldn't go so far as to shun his baby brother. It appeared that despite trying to counter the visions he was unintentionally shown in their last true battle many years ago, his plans had ultimately failed... A short grunt interrupted his thoughts.
"Sorry!" Rin said in a hushed tone to the fallen youkai, before continuing her work. 'Perhaps not completely failed.' After all, Rin was here, proof of Tensaiga's successful test. "Touga, can you help me lift him so I can dress his wound?" He nodded, crouching down to lift his son's upper body from the floor. Halfway through the bandaging, he noticed a slit of gold appear under magenta lids.
"You're awake." Touga announced, causing Rin to pause her actions for a second to smile up at Sesshomaru.
"Hi! I'm almost done." The younger daiyoukai did not protest as he usually would when someone would touch him, but Touga put that on his current weakened state. He observed his son who seemed to be very concentrated on Rin's movements. "I'll go and make some green tea for you, unless you wish to rest…" She said, finishing her work. Sesshomaru gave a short nod, and the woman hopped to her feet before hurrying out of the room.
./\.
Rin halted just before she reached the kitchen doors, hearing whispers on the other side of the door. "… the garden then?"
"… Yes."
"Whe…?"
"B… atroc… quince."
She knocked before sliding open the door, being met with the surprised eyes of Masaru and one of the servants. "Hi, I wanted to make some green tea for my lord…" She said with an unsuspecting smile.
The servant started, "Oh, I'll take it up for you—"
"He isn't feeling well; I think it would be better if I brought it up for him."
"Well, alright, give me a minute." The servant began grabbing the items needed while Masaru walked to the door. 'Weird…' Rin thought, watching the black-haired youkai leave the room.
./\.
It was mid-afternoon. The injured brothers were already up on their feet, the specialty cream seemed to help accelerate their already rapid healing. Natsuko, Hitomi, Inuyasha, Rin, and Sesshomaru sat in the dojo, watching Lady Katsumi and Touga spar. Rin was having difficulty following their inhuman moments, while the others provided commentary, specifically Hitomi and Inuyasha…
"Kick his butt, Lady Katsumi!"
"Pfft, she can try."
"And she will."
"Against the old man? Doubt it."
"I am not an old man!" Touga snapped, before dodging one of Lady Katsumi's kicks.
"You're oldest here!" Inuyasha responded back. 'I wonder how old Touga is…' Rin thought absently, 'Or Sesshomaru... Even Inuyasha!'
Hitomi whispered into her sister's ear, "…And courting the youngest, kind of pervy when you think about it."
"Hitomi! They can hear you!" Natsuko groaned softly, dropping her face into her hands. Rin saw Touga's insulted face before one of Katsumi's gloved punches hit him square in the jaw, and couldn't help but laugh. Inuyasha, however…
"UGH! What did I say about talking about that?!"
"You said not to talk about it while eating." Hitomi replied, a soft smile playing on her lips as she poked the hanyou's arm.
"Let's change that to never. Let's never talk about it."
The falcon pouted, "Where's the fun in that?"
"Fun!? You think it's fun?! Sesshomaru, help me out here!" The younger daiyoukai raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
Rin giggled and looked up at the inuyoukai, "I think it's too much fun to bother Inuyasha, right Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Hn."
"You back-stabbing little—"
A loud thud interrupted their moment, and Touga was on the floor, blinking in shock at the ceiling. "You're getting distracted." Lady Katsumi circled the fallen youkai, "How boring. The hanyou was more fun than this."
Touga suddenly had a wicked smirk, "Experimenting already, Katsumi? He's only been here a few days…" Lady Katsumi's face contorted from bruised dignity as the older daiyoukai effortlessly got back on his feet, and their match continued. Rin noticed Lady Katsumi's attacks were much more ferocious this time, and Touga's smirk and mischievous eyes were openly mocking her.
"What was that about?" Natsuko mumbled to her sister.
"I don't know." Hitomi tapped a clawed finger on her chin, her eyes looking upward as if trying to recall a memory. "Maybe he meant Lady Katsumi was testing Inuyasha for… stuff…" The last part was said so low, Rin barely caught it. Of course, that meant everyone else heard it, judging by the sudden stillness from both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
"She was doing WHAT?!"
"Don't flatter yourself, hanyou!" Lady Katsumi bit out before Touga managed to low kick her to the floor.
"You're getting distracted." Touga teased, using the same bored tone she had used earlier as he looked down on her.
"You irritating, overbearing, perverted dog!" Lady Katsumi snarled as she rose, surprising everyone in the room except Sesshomaru and Touga, the latter chuckling at her insult.
Rin leaned a bit towards Sesshomaru, "Is this normal for inuyoukai families?" The former couple's sparring match seemed to escalate to something more deadly from Lady Katsumi's end, noting the poison that melted the ends of the padded gloves. Touga, on the other hand, was evading all her attacks with a wide grin on his face.
"Only this one." Was the soft reply. Rin glanced at the younger daiyoukai, who was watching his parents. She saw the tiniest of smiles twitch the corners of his lips before it completely disappeared.
"Your family is so strange, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said, giggling right when Touga dropped Lady Katsumi again, leaving the female sputtering curses that were very un-ladylike. The falcons had their hands over their mouths to stop from outright laughing.
"Don't put me with their lot." She blinked at the response from Sesshomaru; his tone was almost… playful? 'Is he…?'
"HEY! What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha butted in, "You're the one always wanting to fight and hurt people and shit."
"Yet you continue to approach me."
"Pfft, yeah! I ain't scared of you!"
"He left you with a dozen gashes." Hitomi said, rolling her eyes at the hanyou. "I think you're the one looking for fights to lose."
"Hitomi and Lady Katsumi have bested you quite a few times…" Natsuko chimed in.
"And you would do things that Kagome would 'sit' you for even though you knew it would happen." Rin also added into the pattern.
"Tch, so?!" Sesshomaru made a curious noise at Inuyasha's response but said nothing. This further irritated the hanyou, "What is it?!"
"I was not aware of your masochistic tendencies." The proclamation was enough to stop the dueling demons, though the words flew over Rin's head. 'What's masochistic?' She thought, adding another question to the list she would have to ask to Touga later.
Lady Katsumi was the first to laugh, chuckling behind her hand, "Is that why you dragged out our match for so long, Inuyasha?"
"And why you keep getting Sesshomaru to slash you up?" Touga added.
Hitomi asked next, "And why you totally let me drag you in here to kick your butt repeatedly? Aww, you like it!" But Inuyasha said nothing to any of them, looking at Sesshomaru with a confliction of surprise, horror and anger. Rin also looked over at Sesshomaru curiously, and found she could not look away. It was the closest to 'relaxed' she had ever seen him be around so many people. His eyes were actually sparkling with amusement, and that tiny smile made its way to his lips again.
The moment was over far too soon, when Commander Tsukiyou burst into the dojo. "M'lady! Lords! Please come quickly!" The three daiyoukai and Tsukiyou were out of the room before Rin could blink.
"Wonder what's going on…" Natsuko said, resting her chin on her hand.
"They'll tell us later, I'm sure." Hitomi responded, standing before grabbing Rin's hands and pulling her up as well. "While they mess around with whatever political crap is probably going on, how about we practice? I'm sure Inuyasha will enjoy the temporary peace."
"Go to hell." The hanyou growled, thoroughly annoyed at everyone.
./\.
"How did they get so close?!" Katsumi snapped at all the guards currently present in the gardens. "This is unacceptable!" Touga stood next to his son, both examining the bodies dangling dead from the trees. They were Katsumi's men who were sent days ago to the south, the wounds that littered their bodies were still fresh.
"Wolves." His son stated. He had smelt it as well. Whoever killed and hanged the bodies did not have a single care to mask their scent. He did not recognize the scent, but had a feeling his son knew exactly which pack did this.
"This was on one of the bodies, addressed to you, Lord Sesshomaru." Commander Tsukiyou handed a sealed scroll to Sesshomaru. Touga watched his son open the letter, his cool eyes running up and down the paper. The older daiyoukai opened his mouth—
"It is none of your concern." Sesshomaru cut him off before he spoke as he closed the scroll. He directed his attention to General Tamotsu, "Who is your fastest flyer?"
The hawk youkai replied, "That would be either Hitomi or Natsuko, my lord."
./\.
"Like this?" Rin punched Hiyoshi's chest, the youkai chuckled on impact but did not move an inch. The panther joined them moments after the others left.
"Kind of, your form is good but the goal is to hurt him, not tickle him." Hitomi said, a hand on her hip while the other rested on one side of her face.
"I don't want to hurt Hiyoshi." Rin replied, holding her hands in front of her.
"Like you can if you tried." Inuyasha remarked, lounging on the floor a few feet away from the three. "He's youkai, he's not made of glass."
"He's right. I can take it, Rin." Hiyoshi smiled at her. Rin tried again, but she couldn't bring herself to put any true strength behind her fist.
"It's not in her nature, Hitomi." Natsuko commented, holding back her laughter at her sister's frustration. General Tamotsu entered the room, and the falcon sisters immediately bowed.
"Hitomi, come with me."
"Yessir."
./\.
Hitomi carefully stuffed the scrolls from Lord Sesshomaru in her bag, before bowing to him and leaving the room. 'Oh man… this is bad.' She knew what they were. 'Preparations for war… and we have a traitor or three in our mists.' Normally, the thought of action on the horizon would excite her, but this time she only wanted to stay at the castle and make fun of Inuyasha all day. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the body in the hall until she crashed directly into its chest.
"Hey!—Oh, it's only you." Hitomi said with a smile, looking up at a much friendlier set of gold eyes compared to the ones she just had to endure.
"Tch, watch where you are going." Her sharp eyes caught his nose twitching and his quick glances to her bag. "What did my brother want?"
"I have to deliver some messages to his men in the West." The falcon replied, unable to give away too many details.
"You're an errand girl now?"
"No more than you are a masochist." She responded back without missing a beat. The reaction was absolutely priceless. Inuyasha had the best shocked and insulted faces in the world and the way his face reddened to match his firerat robe was beyond adorable.
"Shut up! I'm not one of those!"
"Of course not." She made sure her to keep her tone as neutral as possible, knowing it would annoy him more.
"I hate you." He grounded out, his teeth grinding together with fists clenched. The angry face didn't match with his embarrassed flush or the mirth in his eyes.
"I love you too!" Hitomi said cheerfully, throwing the hanyou off. She used his shock to her advantage, grabbing the two thick locks of his hair that always fell over his shoulders and gently pulled his face down towards her. She tiptoed and pressed her lips against the ones of the stunned hanyou. It was meant to be a quick peck and she would run off before he would protest…
She did not expect him to kiss back, or his arms to wrap around her waist and pull her body flush against his. "I-Inuyasha?" She breathed when he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.
"You're coming back soon, right?" Something was wrong. Gone was the laughter and the blushing face, his lips were pulled into a frown and his eyes were half-lidded, the gold pooling with emotions she couldn't describe. He was never so serious with her…
"Of course, silly. Who else is going to harass you and fulfill your… 'masochistic tendencies' properly?" Hitomi giggled, trying to lighten his mood.
"I'm holding you to that." He smirked as his eyes returned to their smug gaze, a fang pepping out and resting on his bottom lip. It was now her turn to flush, though for completely different reasons. Yes, she thought the hanyou was attractive… but she never knew he could do that. She swallowed thickly, cursing her thundering heart that she knew Inuyasha could hear. "Something wrong?" He questioned, with that tone that said he can hear and smell every one of her current reactions and—oh gods, did she need to get away now.
"None at all." Hitomi tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go. She pouted, not liking how the tables had turned. "Inuyashaaa—"
He cut off her protest with a quick kiss, before completely letting her go. "Don't make me go looking for you."
"Pfft… you wouldn't make it out of the castle grounds." Hitomi said with a wave before making her way out of the mansion.
"The lands are more than likely under attack already when you arrive. This will not be easy for you." General Tamotsu repeated, standing next to her as Lord Sesshomaru finished writing the last order. "You must finish the assignment before dawn. That is when the rest of us will roll out to the West."
"I understand, sir."
The daiyoukai handed her the stack of scrolls, "Say your farewell to the hanyou before leaving." It was the only words Lord Sesshomaru had said throughout the entire meeting and it left her in a state of confusion and heavy unease.
./\.
"Lord Raiden." A lower-class dragon youkai bowed to the daiyoukai. "All units are in place with their shards."
The daiyoukai smirked, "Wonderful. Such wonderful news." His claws held a quarter of the stone, the rest scattered to his allies. "And the message?"
"It has been delivered on the corpses of Lady Katsumi's men."
"Good." Raiden turned to face the youkai, "They should move after the sun sets. Catch and kill his men while they are unaware. Sesshomaru nor any messenger they send will get there in time… Has that panther king been found yet?" Raiden asked, sipping a bit of his sake.
"No, my lord, but our men believe he and his human mate are taking refuge in the reviving demon slayer village."
"What a bother." The tip of his claw traced the rim of his cup, "I do not like leaving things unfinished…"
./\.
"How long have you two been standing there?!" Inuyasha yelled, when he turned the corner of the hall, finding a smiling Rin and his father with half a skewer of dango in his mouth and small box of them in his hand.
"Around the time she called you a masochist." Touga responded honestly before cleaning out the wooden pick. Inuyasha exhaled, shaking in rage.
"I like Hitomi! I think you two will be good for each other… But how does a doggy-bird look like? Is it called a chick or a pup? Wait, do bird youkai lay eggs? Would it still be an egg if the dad is Inuyasha? Would it have wings or dog ears or both?!" The two males tensed at the sudden assault of questions they would much rather avoid… "Oh, and what's a masochist?" The human eyes darted between both of them.
"I'll show you later." Touga replied in a teasing tone. Inuyasha looked as if he was about to yell, but suddenly stopped and took two steps back. The older youkai looked at him, puzzled, before his senses picked him a rather angry aura… He turned to see Sesshomaru approaching them, and he didn't look too happy. "I was simply joking, Sesshomaru…"
Sesshomaru's anger, Inuyasha's smugness, and Touga's nervousness only confused Rin more. "If Lord Sesshomaru doesn't want Touga to show me, then can Lord Sesshomaru show me what it is?" Her question caused the daiyoukai to freeze, and Inuyasha to howl in laughter. 'I guess he won't show me either… That's right!' Rin thought, remembering another one of her questions. "And Touga…" She clasped her hands in front of her, on her chest. "You still haven't told me how babies are made before marriage…!"
The exclamation brought a rather eerie silence on the small group. Touga appeared he wanted to disappear into the wall behind him and the other two—
"And why…" Sesshomaru started, a deep, threatening growl rumbling off his chest. She heard the sound of Inuyasha cracking his knuckles. 'Why are they getting so angry?' "…were you discussing that with Rin…?"
"You both have the wrong idea!" Touga replied. Rin wondered if she would have to get in-between them as it seemed they really wanted to hurt the older daiyoukai…
"What are you three doing?" Lady Katsumi appeared when rounding the corner of the hall, her tone dry as ever. She must have felt the sparks of youki. "You will not fight in my domain." 'Maybe…'
"Lady Katsumi…?" Rin began. The female daiyoukai looked at her and nodded for her to continue. "They won't answer these questions I have about babies, and marriage, and youkai…" The human thought nothing about the widening smirk appearing on Katsumi's painted lips. "…and what a masochist is…"
"You poor girl, come her…" The older woman said with a sympathetic tone and wrapped one arm around Rin's shoulders, "How rude of them to not answer your sweet, innocent questions." She looked at the three males and wagged a clawed finger at each of them, ignoring the strange looks they gave her. "Shame on all of you."
She directed her attention back to Rin, and encouraged her to walk beside her as they left the three males behind. "I will answer any question you have… any. And if you have any questions about Touga and Sesshomaru, I can answer those too! For example, did you know that Sesshomaru is ticklish and Touga has a stripe on both hips?"
"He is!?" Rin would love to try tickling Sesshomaru, but she knew he would never let her. "And I knew about the stripe." She squeaked, the memory of his bare torso flashing in her mind. She missed Lady Katsumi's surprised look…
And Touga running away from both of his enraged sons.
End of Chapter 9
Author's Note: Oops. I didn't think it would take another chapter for me to move away from this. It's just too much fun to write all of them together! :D
Serious bad guy stuff in the next chapter. Super serious, this time it will happen! It's all set up, so I can't avoid it. Lol.
Thank you all who reviewed, you are all so super awesome for keeping up with me here! I'm sorry the chapters are taking longer to be put up but I'm trying to keep going!
I have a new story up and I'm hoping it having these two to work on will help me continue writing, instead of stopping and giving up.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, have a great weekend guys! :D
