• *within asterisk= sound effects* • Italicized= thoughts • Chichi-ue= archaic, polite form of "father"
~~The evening~~
The boy has changed their bandages; they've eaten. Sesshōmaru is sitting by them, "What were you complaining about earlier?"
They look up at him. How to communicate…? They play dead with their tongues sticking out.
"Uh…? Why are you playing dead?"
The left one *Gaah!* He returns to playing dead.
Sesshōmaru cocks his head to the right, "You're going to die?"
*Naw!* The left points at Sesshōmaru with his nose, then he points at his brother who's playing dead, *Gahhn*
"When I found you?" He shakes 'yes'. "Okay, what about it?"
He points at his brother again, and then plays dead. "Do you mean… you mother? I'm sure you know she's dead." They nod. "What?"
They point their snouts at him. *Nwan?* "Me? What?"
They play dead, then 'revive' and point at him. "Wait… are you asking about my mother?"
*Nyaah!* *nod, nod*
"Oh, I see. You're curious about why you haven't seen her around, aren't you?" *Gnah* "Well…"
Thinks, then with absolute indifference, "Years ago, my father and she, well, actually I don't know the details behind the why, but I do know that they are no longer mates. My father though… he reconciled with her, and, apparently, they're on good terms with each other now. He's just like that, I don't really see the point in that kind of stuff, but he tries to deter feelings of animosity, or some such thing.
"Nonetheless, after that we moved and father had this house built. It's not a mansion or anything; it's simple – just for the two of us, and a few guests. It's like 6-8 homes of an average villager combined."
*Gah* Sesshōmaru blinks a little, looks at the dragon, then covers his face with his right hand, "Why am I talking to you? I, I can't believe that I wasted my time and breath to some lizard who probably couldn't even comprehend half of what I just said." *Dah!*
He lowers his hand a little to look at them. *Sta-a-are* In a swift movement of his right hand- *Bwap!*
He hit the left one, *Nwaah! N-nwaah!*
*Tok, tok, tok, tok* From the right side of the outside door appears Taishō, "Sesshōmaru, what did you do?"
"What? Me – nothing."
He walks over to him- *Smak!*
Taishō kneels to the dragon, pets it, "There, there." Sesshōmaru rubs the back of his own head.
Taishō looks at Sesshōmaru, "Bad. Bad puppy. No." He continues to comfort the dragon, "There… it'll be alright."
An aura of shame envelops Sesshōmaru. His father glares at him. The aura of shame intensifies and Sesshōmaru starts to scoot away.
~~Outside, at the side of the house~~
Sesshōmaru is on his knees with his back bent, "Gggh…" He's pulling out weeds with his bare hands. He grabs fistfuls of them and pulls them out, all the while muttering under his breath.
"Stupid little vermin. Rotten… has me out here pulling out some damn weeds…"
"Ahh-Hem."
Sesshōmaru looks to his right: his father is standing there and he has the little dragon in his arms, "Keep that up and I'll have you digging for worms in the woods."
Sesshōmaru stays quiet, *sweatdrop*
*Gahn!*
Sesshōmaru, from his ribcage- *Grrr* he then turns around sharply and continues to yank the weeds out.
He grabs a weed that's firmly attached to the ground, he pulls, and pulls, and he tugs, and tugs, and then, "Gah!" The weed breaks free of the soil, roots and all, and pieces of dirt fly out and unto Sesshōmaru's face.
He squeezes his eyes shut as the dirt flies into his face. Damn, rotten, retched, dirty, annoying little brat-lizard-thing…
He keeps pulling at the weeds.
~~Two days later~~
The little dragon is in his bedding again. No one else is in the room. They recall that the boy, apparently, went to 'work' yesterday before the sun went down. He dressed in the same black outfit that he was wearing when he found them – his 'uniform' it seems. The man showed an expression of concern as his son left. It must be a risky job, they guess. Speaking of which, he just came in.
Taishō kneels down again and proceeds to change his bandages. *Naahn*
"What?" They stare at him and cock their heads to the right, *Gaahn*
They see the outer corners of the man's eyes lower and he presents a faint smile, "Sesshōmaru will come back, okay?"
What does this boy do? He shouldn't be worrying him like this – not someone as kind as he.
~~The next day~~
Taishō is leaning against the door that leads to the outside, just as he was the last time Sesshōmaru returned home. The little dragon looks on from his bedding.
After a while of this they see Taishō shiver. His eyes widen, he bites his lower lip, his hair stands and the next thing he's out the door. Soon enough, they find out why.
Taishō reappears carrying Sesshōmaru in his arms whose eyes are closed in pain – he's bleeding.
The little thing's eyes widen and they cry out with a succession of anxious chirps.
Taishō sets him down and opens his shirt. He has what looks like stab wounds.
Sesshōmaru opens his eyes, "Chichi-ue… I'm sorry…"
"There, there. These wounds are not fatal. You'll get better in just a few days, so there's no need to apologize."
The dragon can see that he's being sincere: the boy is going to be alright, but still, they can still see the pain etched in his face from having to see his child hurt like this.
He cleans the wounds and puts healing ointment on them, which are mostly in the sternum area, yet all the while in sotto voce, the boy apologizes over and over despite his father's reassurances that's its all right.
~~Later on~~
Sesshōmaru is lying in the futon; chest and upper left arm bandaged.
*Naah* Sesshōmaru turns his head to the right toward them, but says nothing.
*Gnnn* Sesshōmaru just blinks.
*Step, step* Sesshōmaru turns his head to the left; it's his father and he has a cup in his hand.
Taishō kneels down, puts his right arm under Sesshōmaru's shoulders thus placing his hand on Sesshōmaru's right shoulder, and then he lifts up his upper body a little.
"Chichi-ue," Sesshōmaru blushes a bit, "You, you don't have to… really. Chichi-ue…"
"Shh, just rest." He puts the cup to Sesshōmaru's mouth and he drinks.
He finishes and Taishō pulls the cup away and lays him down again. Right before he gets up, he brushes Sesshōmaru's bangs with his right hand. He leaves.
~~That night~~
The dragons look on. Sesshōmaru is on his back and to his left is his father who's lying on his right side facing Sesshōmaru.
They see Sesshōmaru open his eyes; he turns his head to the left and looks at his father whose sound asleep.
His eyelids droop as if he's sleepy, but that's not why…
Why it is, they do not know.
Sesshōmaru bites his lower lip and turns his body a quarter to the left.
Taishō reacts a little; he shifts closer to him actually.
Then, it's just quiet.
To be continued...