Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
"Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows." ~John Betjeman, Summoned by Bells
Touga's father crooked a wry brow as he watched his son and the dragonling sprawl across the wooden floors of the pavilion. Ryuukotsusei seemed at peace with himself, his usual rigid posture and tense shoulders replaced with a lethargic puddle of a dragon, basking in the warmth of his friend's company.
Touga too had forsaken his usual look of determination and confidence for something resembling tranquillity, his silver hair loose from its usual restrictive topknot. He lay on his back next to the dragon lord, completely unconcerned about trivial things like status away from the prying eyes of intruders.
The boys were friends. And he marvelled at the fact. Childhood really was a release from the confines that society would soon enough infringe on them. The West and the North were in a slightly tentative alliance, if one dignitary put one foot out of place, they would be at war. Enemies.
A shame considering the total trust and companionship that existed between the lordling and his whelp. As general of the West's great and powerful army, he knew all too well that this peace balanced on the edge of a katana. But he couldn't help but think that it would be fine if children were in charge of peace treaties.
The whelps didn't see the differences between themselves, had no concern over status, cared little for land boundaries and politics. They cut straight down to the crux of any peace treaty. Trust.
The whelps trusted each other implicitly. Trusted the other to have their back.
If it was down to his son and the dragonling, the West and the North would never be at war.
But, as he slipped unnoticed out of the pavilion, he sighed soberly.
Everyone has to grow up. The freedom of childhood would be warped. Irreparably.
A/N: This is the expanded version of a drabble originally written for iy_unsung_heros prompt Enemy and was first posted on February 9th 2011. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this enough to offer a review!