Once again, thank you all so very much for all the reviews, they are all very much appreciated. It's interesting to hear your ideas. Someone asked about the beads of subjugation, that's really not addressed in my story, but he doesn't have them. In my head I was thinking that Kagome removed them post the killing of Naraku, but it's never stated, so thanks for that question.

I hope you all continue to read and that you enjoy this latest chapter. It's going to be awhile before Inuyasha truly see's Sesshomaru as anything but a threat, but . . . remember, in my story, no matter what, he never really hated Sesshomaru. He should have, but didn't. Doesn't mean he's still not royally pissed though.

All the previous disclaimers still apply. This chapter is slightly longer than the last so I hope that makes some of you happy!

Now, on with Chapter 7 . . .

Given his still very fragile condition, Inuyasha wound up sleeping well into the next sunrise and when his eyelids opened, it was Kadira he found beside his bed.

"Ah, I see you've finally awakened. How are you feeling today?"

For a moment, Inuyasha could only stare dumbly into the miko's eyes, his own mind confused as to what exactly was going on; where he was. But soon enough the recognition of his brother's heavy scent hit him, along with the memories of the previous night. Growling in frustration, he brought the palm of his hand to his forehead. "So, it wasn't just a nightmare."

Frowning slightly, Kadira asked, "What are you speaking of?"

"Last night. I thought maybe it was just a nightmare that I'm stuck in the bastard's house. But there ain't no mistakin' that scent."

"Indeed, you are still in my Lords home." Reaching out a gnarled hand, Kadira wrapped her arthritic fingers around the Hanyou's, ignoring Inuyasha's attempt to pull away. "Perhaps I'm not aware of all your history, and I know you've reason to doubt Lord Sesshomaru's motives, but I speak true when I tell you that there is nothing to fear here."

At this, Inuyasha could only laugh, the sound on the verge of hysterical. "Lady, you don't know shit about my asshole of a brother and just for the record, I ain't scared of Sesshomaru."

Patting the top of Inuyasha's hand before pulling her own away, Kadira could only respond, "You are very brave, young one, but we both know it is a lie when you say you do not fear your brother." Kadira only paused for a moment at the low growl erupting from Inuyasha's throat. "Don't interrupt an old woman. Now it is true that I may not know all the facts of your past, but you would be sorely mistaken to assume I know nothing of it."

"-Khe, you sound just like old lady Kaede."

At this, Kadira only beamed. "Although not meant as a compliment, I shall take it as such as she was a very distant relation."

Turning his head, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed while he gave the miko a more critical eye. He had no idea how many generations had passed, but now that he'd taken the time, there was something about this old woman that reminded him of his long lost priestess. Perhaps it was her age or maybe the set of her jaw. Perhaps it was simply the way the woman presented herself or her no nonsense way of speaking. Whatever the reason, Inuyasha felt compelled to believe that this Kadira really was a distant relative to Kaede. Nodding his head as best he could given his current position, Inuyasha gruffed, "Yeah, I can see the resemblance."

He'd thought maybe he was insulting the old hag, but in the end, Kadira only gave him a pleased smile. "Thank you. What a wonderful thing to say."

"As if that's the way I meant it."

"It matter's not how you intended the statement, only how it was received."

"God's be damned, now you're channeling the old hag."

"You should not speak so of your elder's." But the laughter echoing through Kadira's voice negated the scolding nature of it. "Well, if you're done appraising me, I would like an answer to my earlier question. How are you feeling this morning?"

Without the immediate threat of Sesshomaru, Inuyasha allowed himself the time to fully take stock of his current physical condition. Of course he was still in a tremendous amount of pain, but found it not nearly as all encompassing as it had been upon his first awakening. Truly all his major wounds had been mended, but his strength was woefully low. He felt no stronger than a pup and possibly even more debilitated than that considering the amount of energy a pup normally held.

Glancing back up at Kadira, Inuyasha debated his next words. He may not see the miko as an immediate threat, but her actions last night let him know she was squarely on his brother's side. In the end, he decided on a brief, "Better than last night," before arduously pulling his body into a sitting position. The action of which left him panting and dizzy with its effort.

"I suppose that's all the answer I'm going to be getting."

"You're a damn miko, somethin' tells me you know more about what's goin' on in my body than me," Inuyasha growled.

Frowning slightly, Kadira wondered if the Hanyou would ever see her as anything other than the enemy. Or if not the enemy, someone whom wasn't to be trusted. In her heart, it made the miko sad, but she well understood the reasoning behind it. Kadira only hoped she lived long enough to change the Hanyou's perceptions.

Shaking off the bitter taste of Inuyasha's obvious mistrust, Kadira asked, "I would imagine it's been awhile since your last meal."

"Yeah, somethin' like five hundred years, if the bastard is to be believed," Inuyasha mumbled.

Blinking her eyes in rapid succession, Kadira questioned, "Five hundred years? Even a full blooded Youkai couldn't go five hundred years without eating."

Now that the room had once again ceased spinning, Inuyasha found he could glare at Kadira without seeing three of her instead of one. "I suppose that depends on where you've spent that time." Then thinking better of his answer, Inuyasha amended, "Or maybe not exactly where, but how." Finally shrugging his shoulders, all the Hanyou could do was reply, "Hell if I know all the details."

Not for the first time, Kadira wondered just where Inuyasha had been all these years. In the modern era, most if not all of the surviving Youkai had gone into hiding, most of them choosing to do so in what amounted to plain sight. Lord Sesshomaru himself was the epitome of this. For the more powerful Youkai, it was simply a matter of weaving a not so complicated deception around themselves. Something they could turn on and off at will. For the less powerful ones, spells and castors were employed. All of which was provided for by the ruling Youkai for it was in all their best interests to keep their ultimate identities hidden from the human world. But given their seemingly limitless life spans, many of the most successful and wealthiest individuals were actually concealed Youkai. In the eastern lands, no one was more powerful in both money and prestige than the elusive Lord Sesshomaru.

Given the nature of the need for both discretion and concealment within the Youkai world, there were few to none whom lived outside the sphere of the rulers of any given land. Knowing this, Kadira had to question exactly where Inuyasha had been. Surely he couldn't have kept himself hidden all these years by himself. That, more than any other reason, was why those who knew of the Hanyou's existence had long ago assumed him dead. Indeed, it was a mystery she'd love to know the answer to and yet did not feel it her place to question the Hanyou further. Suffice to say, Inuyasha was alive and, maybe not well, but he was on the mend. In the end, that's all the old miko needed to know.

Shaking her head as if to dispel the questions from it, Kadira turned her kind brown eyes to the mistrustful ones looking back at her. "Well, if it's really been that long, then you must be starving. I'll have the cook prepare something at once."

"-Keh, go ahead, but if you think I'm drinkin' any more of that damn tea, then you got another thing comin'."

Getting up from her seat, Kadira only smiled once again while patting Inuyasha's leg on her way to the door. Once again, the Hanyou found himself straining to hear what was being said, but the hushed voices were too distant. Still, one thing was pretty clear, judging by the aura coming from outside his room, there were at least three pretty powerful Youkai within a fairly close proximity. Even if he could get passed Kadira, he knew he'd never have the strength to make it through the rest of them, at least, not yet.

Returning to the room, Kadira found Inuyasha still sitting up in bed, his arms folded across his chest with his hands tucked within the sleeves of his sleeping gown. Head slightly bent, Kadira could not see the Hanyou's eyes for all the silvery-white hair floating before his face. But even so, the miko could see Inuyasha was deep in thought over something, so much so that when she spoke, he jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. "The food will take a few minutes to prepare. Do you think you feel well enough to bathe on your own in the meantime?"

Looking up, Inuyasha scowled. "You sayin' I stink?"

"No. But you've not had a proper bath since Lord Sesshomaru bathed you over four days ago."

Now, that did get the Hanyou's attention. "Wait . . . what?"

"That's when my Lord brought you home."

Cheeks coloring a lovely shade of pink, Inuyasha felt a whole new sense of unease slipping down his spine. "Are you tellin' me that my bastard of a brother bathed me?"

Nodding, Kadira answered, "Yes, I believe that is what happened."

"Oh gods, I think I'm gonna be sick." And truly, Inuyasha thought he might just vomit at any moment. "Oh, fuck no." This was just a new and completely unjustified form of humiliation for the Hanyou. To have been in such a vulnerable position . . . to have been at the mercy of the one being on this planet who'd love nothing more than to flay his Hanyou ass twenty ways to Sunday . . .

"Inuyasha," Kadira's voice was laced with worry at the green cast the Hanyou's face had taken.

Looking up, Inuyasha's eyes were large and round. "Don't you get it? I was unconscious and . . . and that fuckin' asshole, he could of done . . . "

"Could have done what? What exactly are you so concerned about? Lord Sesshomaru is your brother and he was simply cleaning - "

"He is not just a brother! Brothers don't beat the shit outta each other. Brother's protect, they don't . . . they don't . . . " Placing his head in his hands, Inuyasha felt the exhaustion pulling at him once again as his mind recalled Kagome and Souta's relationship. Sure, they bickered and fought with one another, but at the end of the day, there was love. Kagome never would have called Souta half the vile, poisonous names Sesshomaru had spouted out over the years. She'd never have made her little brother feel as if he wasn't good enough to breath the very air around them. And she'd never have truly tried to hurt him. No, if he'd learned anything from Kagome and Souta's relationship, it was that older siblings protected their younger ones. They sure as hell didn't try and tear them limb from limb. Reaching a hand around, Inuyasha subconsciously began rubbing the area where Sesshomaru's fist had found its way through his body, not once, but twice. No matter how well the flesh healed, the wound would always remain.

Knowing that Sesshomaru had been the one to bathe him made Inuyasha feel incredibly dirty and he knew that no matter how pained and exhausted he may be, neither heaven nor earth would keep him from the bath now. Raising his head with determination, Inuyasha ignored the concerned look in Kadira's eyes. "Forget I said anything. Just . . . yeah, a bath sounds good."

"Are you sure you're strong enough? I don't want you taxing yourself too much just yet if you're not ready."

"I'll be fine."

Nodding once, Kadira shuffled off towards the bathroom and soon enough, Inuyasha heard the sound of falling water. With the miko off starting his bath, Inuyasha grit his teeth while inching his way towards the side of the bed. By the time Kadira got back, he'd managed to swing his thin legs over the edge, unfortunately, it appeared as if Kadira had multiplied once again and instead of seeing one old miko, three hazy forms of her now appeared before his spinning head. Still, Inuyasha was not to be deterred and soon enough, his feet were firmly planted on the plush carpeting below while his body swayed precariously above.

"Please, let me help - "

Batting away Kadira's outstretched hand, Inuyasha growled a warning. "I said I'm fine. I don't need no help walkin' across the damn room."

Raising disbelieving eyebrows, Kadira only scoffed. "Is that so? Then why don't I just have a seat and enjoy the mockery you're about to make out of yourself."

"Why don't you just do that wench!" and without further preamble, Inuyasha took his first step and with it, almost found his fragile Hanyou ass sitting on the floor. Only Kadira's hands grabbing his shoulder kept him upright and panting with effort. "Foolish Hanyou, at this rate all you'll accomplish is prolonging your healing."

Inuyasha wanted to pull away again, but he had to face the bitter fact that he just wasn't stable enough yet. Looking over at the ancient woman yet again, he simply couldn't believe he'd been reduced to hanging on to an old woman simply to walk across a room.

Inuyasha's skeptical look was not lost upon the miko and Kadira gave a humorous laugh as she pulled his body tighter towards her own. "I can't say we'll brake any speed records getting to the bath, but at least you'll wind up there in one piece."

"Yeah? Or maybe we'll both fall down and I'll land on your decrepit old ass."

"Truly, I don't look forward to a broken hip at my age, so we'll both just have to be a little careful." Tightening her grip on Inuyasha's frame, Kadira allowed the Hanyou to lean into her own body, acting like a counterbalance to her charge's swaying form.

It might not have been pretty and it might have seemed like an eternity to both of them, but eventually, Kadira delivered the Hanyou safely to the bathroom, sitting his shaking frame down upon the edge of the tub before straightening her stiff back. Glancing skeptically between the panting Hanyou and the steaming water, Kadira asked, "Do you want any help getting in?"

"Get out, ya old pervert. I can manage gettin' undressed just fine."

"If you insist," Kadira huffed, "but just so you know, I'm going to leave the door cracked to make sure you don't wind up falling asleep and drowning yourself." At the Hanyou's round eyes, Kadira could only sigh. "I promise I won't look in on you, so stop your worrying."

Pulling his eyes away, Inuyasha's blush only deepened from one of embarrassment to shame. He'd never been comfortable with nudity in front of others. In a world where he felt constantly under attack, being in the buff made him feel even more vulnerable than usual. The current dilapidated condition of his body only made the situation worse. Besides, who'd really wanna see a Hanyou's body on their best day, let alone now?

Feeling how uncomfortable the silence now seemed, Kadira made to leave. "If you need anything, I'll be in the next room. I placed a fresh set of clothes on the sink for you when you're done." Seeing how Inuyasha still kept a tight grip on the cotton shirt he wore, Kadira knew he wouldn't make a move to undress until she'd left the room and so with nothing left to say, she did just that, leaving the door open a crack as she moved back into the bedroom to sit and wait for the Hanyou's food to arrive.

Once he heard the barely audible creak of the bathroom door, Inuyasha finally allowed his eyes to rise from the marbled floor. Then, and only then, did he look around the beautiful bathroom he was sitting in, and, if he hadn't believed Sesshomaru's story before, he did now. Inuyasha had been a frequent visitor to Kagome's time and had been shocked and awed by what he'd seen. To simply be able to turn a knob on a wall and have both hot and cold water come out. Not to mention the toilet. At the time, he hadn't known enough to be embarrassed when Kagome's mom had come in and told him in no uncertain terms that he had to stop pressing the lever to flush the contraption or else their water bill was going to be sky high the following pay period. Still, he'd loved peeing into that round object, if only to flush it and watch as the water swirled and drained away. Where it went, Inuyasha didn't have a clue.

Now, as he sat on the edge of a pool of steaming hot water, Inuyasha's shaky, tattered claws began unbuttoning the shirt he'd been stupidly clinging to only moments before, all the while his large, amber eyes scanned the marvel that was this room. "-Keh, figures Sesshomaru would have the fanciest pissin' spot around," Inuyasha grumbled as he finally undid the last button, only to grunt in pain while pulling the piece of fabric from his body. Sucking in a deep breath, the Hanyou rested a moment before tackling the pants, which surprisingly were easier to remove since he only needed to lift his hips slightly and the things fell off of their own accord.

Fully naked and somehow standing on his own, Inuyasha took a final glance at the partially cracked door before turning to get into the bath. But as his body moved, his eyes caught on the large mirror spanning the opposite side of the room. With a hushed gasp, he could only stare at the unrecognizable figure it reflected. The bruising and healing wounds he'd been expecting, what he hadn't though was just how thin and bereft his figure had become. As gently as possibly, Inuyasha raised a hand to his chest, feeling each and every rib as it poked through flesh that seemed barely thick enough to cover the bone beneath. Looking down past his emaciated waist, the Hanyou could easily see and feel each and every bone comprising his pelvis and hips. Not an inch of fat or muscle left to his name after the months of torture his beloved brother had put him through prior to the final assault upon his body.

Clenching his teeth, Inuyasha fought back the tears that had been threatening to fall ever since waking up in this nightmare. God's, and the bastard expects me to believe he doesn't wanna hurt me anymore, Inuyasha bitterly thought. Shaking away the pain clenching at his heart, he turned his eyes from the mirror and began the arduous climb into the steaming water below. Once seated, Inuyasha gave himself a moment to regain his senses before relaxing into the soothing warmth. Finding a washcloth and soap nearby, the half-breed began carefully lathering his skin, all the while his thoughts centered on his perfect brother. This has to be some kind of trap, Inuyasha mused, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out just what his brother hoped to gain by it. Well, besides the obvious choice of mentally torturing him further. Perhaps that was it. Maybe Sesshomaru had gotten bored with constantly beating the crap out of him and decided that it would be infinitely more fun to earn the stupid Hanyou's trust only to betray him later. Placing his head in his hands, Inuyasha thought that didn't really fit with Sesshomaru's personality either. His brother may be an ice-cold bastard, but for the most part, he was pretty direct about what he wanted; Inuyasha beaten and bloody. Also, there was the fact that Bakusen'O had promised that he wouldn't release him until Sesshomaru had changed. But could he really trust a demon tree he'd just met? Then again, the tree had kept him for five hundred years, so could you really say that he'd just met Bakusen'O?

Throwing his head back, Inuyasha let his hands fall into the water, creating a loud splash as he grunted, "This is too damn confusing."

"Inuyasha, is everything all right?"

Rubbing his temples, Inuyasha inwardly groaned, of course the old bat had heard his little outburst. The wench might be old as the hills, but evidently her hearing was just as spry as ever. "Stop your fussin'. I'm fine."

Beyond the door, Inyasha heard the muffled sound of another voice and swiveled the ears upon his head to listen closer, only to feel the blood freeze within his veins as he realized Sesshomaru was just beyond the door having a small disagreement with Kadira.

"You left him alone?"

"My lord, I believe your brother could use a little privacy, he seemed more than capable - "

"He is still badly injured," Sesshomaru's voice lowered with his displeasure, making Inuyasha unconsciously scoot further down into the water. "He is not yet strong enough to be left by himself."

"My lord, please don't - " But Kadira's words fell on indifferent ears as Sesshomaru pushed the door to the bathroom open, his tall, lean form striding confidently towards a now nearly hysterical Hanyou.

"Inuyasha - "

"What in the hell do ya think your doin'!" In a move that betrayed every pained muscle in his body, Inuyasha fairly threw himself to the opposite side of the bath, as far away from his menacing brother as possible. At the same time, he pulled himself down into the water, pulling his knees up to his chest as his chin barely skirted the surface. Ears tucked deep into his soaking hair, Inuyasha's wide and fearful eyes stared up towards Sesshomaru.

For the DaiYoukai, it wasn't so much the Hanyou's words, but the fear lacing them that stopped all forward motion. And it wasn't just the fear in Inuyasha's voice, but the near terror being produced by the boy's Youkai, the air was pungent with it and Sesshomaru had absolutely no idea why.

Keeping his voice as calm as possible, Sesshomaru asked, "Inuyasha, what has upset you so?"

What kind of a question was that? The fucking asshole was standing in front of him while Inuyasha lay naked in a pool of water. What part of that scenario was he supposed to be okay with? But all Inuyasha managed was a brief, "Get the fuck out!"

"I fail to see - "

"I'm fuckin' naked in here! Get out!" Shit, Inuyasha felt like he'd just sliced open his chest and laid his soul out for his brother to stomp all over.

But Sesshomaru really did fail to see the importance of his little brother's outburst. "I do not see what the big deal is. I have seen you in only your flesh before. Although you were unconscious at the time, we bathed together when I first brought you home only a few days ago."

Sure, Kadira had said as much earlier, but hearing how nonchalantly Sesshomaru spoke about Inuyasha being so completely exposed and vulnerable to whatever his vicious brother had in mind . . . "You think that makes this better?"

"What I think is that you have nothing I haven't already seen before and that you are in no condition to be left in such a precarious position without some type of supervision."

Now shaking with anger and frustration, Inuyasha could only glare. "I am not a child. I've lived through worse shit than this and I can damn well take care of myself!"

"My Lord, Inuyasha's food has arrived. Perhaps we could give him a bit of privacy so that he can get out of the bath and dressed once again." Poor Kadira could see the Hanyou's dismay, why couldn't Sesshomaru?

Ignoring the major meaning behind Kadira's words, Sesshomaru chose to latch on to the fact that the food had arrived. "Lady Kadira is correct, it is time to get out and eat."

"Fine, I'll get out when you leave."

Unfortunately, Inuyasha wasn't the only one getting frustrated. "Cease this at once. Your body is not strong enough. You could easily slip and fall only to injure yourself further. Do not be so proud as to not ask for assistance when you are in need."

Inuyasha was incredulous. "You think this is all about my pride?" Letting out a heartbreaking laugh, he could only shake his head. "I ain't got enough pride left to worry about, Sesshomaru."

"If not pride, then what is it?" Again, the DaiYoukai found himself at an utter loss.

"What part of, I AM NAKED, do you not understand?"

"Foolishness. Utter foolishness. Now, come closer to the edge and I will help lift you out."

He hadn't thought it possible in the warmth of the water, but Inuyasha felt his body temperature drop and soon he was shivering uncontrollably, his voice barely above a whisper as he responded, "No way in hell."

Narrowing his eyes at what he saw as sheer stubbornness, Sesshomaru began walking closer to the tub. "If you do not come to me, then you force me to come to you."

Inuyasha never had a chance and his body froze as he watched his brother raise one leg and then another as he stepped into the bath, the water moving out in small waves and ripples as Sesshomaru closed the distance between himself and the unmoving Hanyou before him. Reaching down, the DaiYoukai's clawed hands began making their way towards Inuyasha's frail body and it was only when he felt the skin of his brother against his own that Inuyasha realized the full horror of the situation. "Don't touch me!"

"Inuyasha, I warned you - "

"Don't you fuckin' touch me!"

Steeling his grip, Sesshomaru ignored Inuyasha's demand and began pulling his brother out of the water, only to have the Hanyou begin thrashing and kicking like a wild beast. "Inuyasha, you must stop - "

But Inuyasha wasn't listening; couldn't listen. All he could feel was utter terror. As far as the half-breed was concerned, his body was under attack. Without thought, Inuyasha began clawing and tearing at the thing he feared, his own tattered claws barely marking the surface of the DaiYoukai's skin with anything more than a small, indented line. And yet, it mattered not what little damage he was inflicting; only the deep, instinctual need to protect himself.

Sesshomaru stared on in disbelief as Inuyasha splashed too and fro, heedless of his own injury or safety. Already he could see deep bruising settling in where his own hands clamped down upon his little brother's skin. Knowing that if this kept up, Inuyasha would inevitably wind up breaking something, or worse, Sesshomaru pulled the Hanyou completely out of the water, wrapping his arms around Inuyasha's body in an attempt to still the boys rising panic. But all that did was make Inuyasha feel even more trapped and near feral screams of terror were soon piercing both Sesshomaru and Kadira's ears as the sound echoed through the bathroom.

Rarely had the Lord of the West ever felt so utterly helpless. No amount of soothing words nor assurances of safety seemed to have any affect whatsoever on the Hanyou still thrashing within his hold. Afraid to let go lest Inuyasha try and run, hurting himself further, Sesshomaru's mind scrambled for an answer only to hear his inner Youkai roaring within his own head. In an instant of clarity, he shut down his mind, letting his instincts and Youkai take over. Earlier, in an attempt at calming his little brother, Sesshomaru had pushed down his Youkai, suppressing its power to appear less threatening, but now he let it loose. Only this time it did not sing with hatred or malice, but calming protection. It was the same power he'd radiated only a day before when Inuyasha had first begun stirring from his long slumber.

Growling low in his throat, Sesshomaru waited as the seconds ticked by and as each one passed, slowly did the Hanyou's movements still, his muscles easing until the frail body hung limply within the DaiYoukai's grasp. Soon, the howls screaming from Inuyasha's throat turned into whimpers of submission - soft cries of painful distress unconsciously begging for help. Inwardly, Sesshomaru's moment of prideful success at having settled Inuyasha vanished into fresh waves of guilt. This had been his fault, all of it. He'd ignored the Hanyou's wishes and failed to fully comprehend the depth of Inuyasha's distrust and fear. Once again, he'd hurt his brother.

Growling at his own stupidity, Sesshomaru felt Inuyasha tense at the anger his Hanyou self felt radiating from the DaiYoukai. Instantly, the Lord of the West pushed his own private thoughts aside, focusing on keeping both his Youkai and voice nothing but comforting. Lifting Inuyasha's body up further, Sesshomaru cradled the small from within his arms, heedless of the soaking wetness he carried with it. Turning, Sesshomaru began making his way from the bath, only looking up to see Kadira's stunned form as he placed his feet firmly on the marble floor below.

"Lady Kadira, I require a towel."

Peeling her arthritic hand away from the doorframe it was currently clutching, Kadira took a deep and cleansing breath, ignoring the powerful aura Sesshomaru was emitting. "Yes, my Lord," was simply said before the miko shuffled forwards, grabbing a large, fluffy towel. Without further command, she reached up, running the towel over the Hanyou's soaking hair before grabbing a fresh towel to pat along the flesh she was able to see. With that done, the miko moved towards the bedroom, turning down the fresh sheets in preparation for Inuyasha's return.

Ignoring his own soaking clothes, Sesshomaru carried Inuyasha into the bedroom, all the while continuing to make soothing growls from deep within his body; all things geared towards Inuyasha's baser instincts. Laying the dazed looking Hanyou down on the bed, Sesshomaru quickly pulled out a fresh pair of pants and dressed his little brother, all the while hearing small whines from the limp form. Only when this was done did the DaiYoukai attend to himself; stripping off his clothes, heedless of his own nakedness in front of Kadira as she stood off to the side, holding a fresh robe in her hands. Offering no words of thanks, Sesshomaru wrapped the fabric around his lean form before returning to Inuyasha's side. Staring down at the body lying within the bed, it was easy to see the physical damage already forming on Inuyasha's limbs. Deep purple splotches covered the Hanyou's biceps while blood leaked from claws that had been further ripped in their futile attempt at injuring the DaiYoukai.

With a heavy sigh, Sesshomaru sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers carding through wet strands of silvery-white hair as he pushed it from the Hanyou's face. "What am I to do, little brother?"

In all her years of service to the Lord of the Western Lands, Kadira had never heard his voice sound so defeated. "My Lord - "

Stiffening, Sesshomaru schooled his face back into an icy mask of indifference, all the while internally scolding himself at having forgotten that Kadira was even still in the room. "Yes miko."

"My Lord, it is imperative that Inuyasha eat something. I fear he is too weak and this earlier outburst has done nothing to improve that situation."

Glancing back at his nearly comatose brother, Sesshomaru could only nod in agreement. But in order to do that, he'd need to wake Inuyasha from the state he'd placed him in. And in that waking, Sesshomaru had no guarantee that the Hanyou wouldn't become distressed all over again. Even so, he was tired of Kadira's presence. "Leave us."

Staring from her Lord to the Hanyou laying in the bed, Kadira's response was slower than Sesshomaru would have liked and his eyes were just beginning to narrow when the miko finally answered, "As you wish, my Lord. Inuyasha's food is here in the corner. The soup should still be warm and he needs to eat as much of it as possible." Feeling like she'd done just about as much as she could, Kadira bowed and began making her way out of the room, her body sagging with stress and age as she shut the door behind her. A brief glance at the sated faces of the guards in the hall let Kadira know the Hanyou hadn't been the only one to feel the power of Lord Sesshomaru's Youkai.

With the old miko gone, Sesshomaru began pulling back his Youkai, drawing it deep within his soul while sitting motionless on the bed beside his brother. Briefly, he had thought about standing on the other side of the room so as not to distress Inuyasha by his proximity, but if the Hanyou began thrashing about once again, Sesshomaru wanted to be near enough to prevent further self trauma. And so, the Lord of the West sat, his body still as the grave while his golden eyes remained fixed upon those of his little brother; watching for any signs of distress as the boy came back to his senses. Thankfully, as awareness began filtering into Inuyasha's eyes, sanity was there as well.

Once again, Inuyasha felt as if he were awakening from a deep fog. Only this time, it wasn't complete blackness his mind was stirring from, but a thick blanket of peaceful gray. Blinking, Inuyasha's heavily lashed eyelids fluttered, his mind drawing into sharp focus as it tried recalling what exactly was going on. And just like before, flashes of memory blinked through the Hanyou's mind in rapid succession, bringing with it all the fear and anxiety the original scene had. Only this time, there was a lingering feeling deep within his soul, a feeling of safety, of protection. It mattered not that his brain told him the emotion had to be false, only that it was deeply rooted within the very fabric of his bones. And as such, the feeling combined with the utter exhaustion and physical pain to create a state of sated lethargy. In short, Inuyasha didn't think he could raise a single finger, not even if his very soul depended on it. And, looking up into the stony eyes of his brother, the Hanyou imagined that was exactly what was at stake.

Opening his mouth, Inuyasha tried saying something - anything, but he found his lips barely moved and only a small panting passed through their narrow opening.

"Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru questioned. The Hanyou appeared to be fully awake, but unable or unwilling to make even the slightest of movement. But Sesshomaru had seen the fleeting emotions sweeping through Inuyasha's eyes, telling him that his little brother did not suffer any form of memory loss. "Inuyasha, are you well?"

Inside his head, the Hanyou scoffed at his brother's question. Am I well? What kind of shit was that. Of course I'm not fuckin' well! If I were, do you think I'd still be sittin' here? But all that proved too much for Inuyasha to relate and instead he merely panted, "W . . . what did y-you do to m-me?"

Everything in Sesshomaru's being was telling him to reach forward and comfort his brother, but he refrained, unsure as to how Inuyasha would interpret such an action. And so, he remained, unmoving as he answered, "Tell me how you feel."

Bastard, answerin' a question with a question. On reflex and sheer principal alone, Inuyasha wanted to immediately tell his brother to go to hell. But upon closer inspection, he had to wonder exactly how he did feel. To be sure, he felt exhausted and there was a dull pain radiating from almost every part of his body. But at the same time, Inuyasha felt a deep and overriding sense of peace and calm. Something he had no conceivable right feeling given his current location and predicament. After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha finally concluded that even if he'd been capable of uttering more than a few words, there was no way he could place those feelings into any context that sounded right. And so, in the end, all the Hanyou uttered was a quiet, "Tired."

Sensing there was more, but knowing he'd already pushed his little brother beyond his limits, Sesshomaru simply nodded his head. They could discuss what happened in the bath and the underlying reasons behind it later, when Inuyasha was in better condition. For now, Kadira was right, the Hanyou needed to eat. Glancing towards the tray in the corner, Sesshomaru asked, "Can you eat something?"

Without permission, Inuyasha's stomach gave a deep growl at the idea of food. Unfortunately, the rest of his body wasn't in as much agreement. Managing a small shake of his head, the Hanyou managed to say, "Can't lift arms."

Not saying a word, Sesshomaru stood and made his way to the waiting soup. Inuyasha had said he couldn't lift his arms, not that he didn't want to eat. Grabbing the bowl, the DaiYoukai walked back towards the bed, sitting further up and within arms reach of the Hanyou's head and mouth. By now the soup was at best, lukewarm, and soon Sesshomaru was pushing the edge of the silverware against Inuyasha's pink lips, all the while receiving a glare which could only be termed incredulous.

Ignoring the Hanyou's disbelieving eyes, Sesshomaru only stated, "You need to eat," before pushing the spoon through narrowly parted lips, depositing the nourishing fluid into Inuyasha's mouth. "Now, swallow."

Feeling the silverware clink against his teeth before pulling out, Inuyasha closed his lips, ignoring the fear that this too could be drugged, he swallowed the warm fluid, struggling not to cough as it ran down his raw and scratchy throat.

As soon as Inuyasha had swallowed the first spoonful successfully, he found another at the ready and mechanically opened his lips, greedy for another taste of the delicious brew. All the while, neither spoke and Inuyasha remained blissfully ignorant of what the scene was doing to his brother. In the end, it was a testament to the DaiYoukai's amazing ability to conceal emotions. Although his outer appearance was one of bored apathy, internally Sesshomaru was anything but. Inside, his Youkai was howling with a need he had never felt before and the Lord of the West was positive that feeding his little brother should in no way increase the flow of blood to his more private regions. The innocent motions of the Hanyou opening his mouth, exposing those slight fangs, and then watching as the muscles of Inuyasha's throat worked to move the fluid ever downwards should absolutely not be making his heart race.

In no time at all, the soup was gone. With a full tummy, the stress of the day took its toll on Inuyasha and soon his eyelids fluttered closed for the last time. With no one to witness, Sesshomaru let his exterior shell crack, the sheer look of want clearly echoing through his golden eyes. Had the young Hanyou been awake, he'd have surely shrunk away from the intense emotion shining within the DaiYoukai's orbs.

Setting the now empty bowl upon a nearby table, Sesshomaru continued staring at the peaceful face before him, all the while trying to reason through the continued thrumming of his heady pulse. Keeping a steady ear and eye towards the Hanyou's breathing and heart rate, he let his hand wonder; lightly skimming along a thin jaw before ghosting down Inuyasha's long neck. Underneath his fingers, Sesshomaru marveled at the baby soft skin. In the past he'd often thought his brother's penchant for getting maimed a sure sign of weakness, but the perfection of the Hanyou's healing abilities spoke to an inner strength many pure blooded Youkai would kill for. Turning his hand over, the Lord of the West's knuckles brushed along the hollow of his little brother's neck, his claws lingering ever downward until contacting a smooth nipple which quickly hardened under Sesshomaru's continued ministrations. Only upon hearing the slightly quickened pace of the Hanyou's heart did he stop, reluctantly pulling his hand away as he reached down, retrieving the blankets huddled around Inuyasha's waist and bringing them up to nestle below the half-breed's chin. Soon enough, Inuyasha's heart rate settled back down into deep slumber.

As the hours ticked by, Sesshomaru remained where he was; eyes fixed on the steady rise and fall of his little brother's chest while his own Youkai settled contentedly within his soul. Never in his life had the Lord of the West felt so at peace, and yet at the same time, so very uncertain. Inuyasha was an enigma in every way possible. His little brother was a half-breed and yet held more strength than Youkai three times his age. Yet despite that strength, there was an underlying fragility and Sesshomaru was only now beginning to understand how very breakable the Hanyou was. Loud, brash, unapologetic, determined . . . all this and more described the being before him, and all of it wrapped in one of the most tempting packages the DaiYoukai had ever seen.

By the time dawn was once again threatening on the horizon, Sesshomaru had come to a conclusion that should have both disgusted and frightened him in equal measure, and yet, the idea conjured no such emotion. Instead, the realization that he wanted much more than a brotherly relationship with one of his last remaining relatives gave the DaiYoukai an odd sense of completeness.

As easy as that, Sesshomaru came to terms with what he wanted, but the same question remained; how to go about getting it? Forcing the Hanyou was absolutely out of the question. Sesshomaru was tired of Inuyasha fearing him all the time. There was a delicate balance to willingly submitting and doing so out of abject terror. True, he was drawn to the Hanyou's strength, but Sesshomaru also wanted Inuyasha to come to see him as his protector, to trust that he would be there if and or when the young Hanyou got in over his head. In short, Sesshomaru wanted Inuyasha to need him - him and no other. But through his very own actions, the Lord of the West had set the Hanyou's life up so that would be nearly impossible. Inuyasha had grown up learning that he could count on no one but himself.

Frowning, Sesshomaru had to finally concede that there simply was no conceivable scenario where Inuyasha depended on him and him alone, at least not in the foreseeable future. To get the Hanyou's trust, he would have to let him go, at least a little.

Deep in his own thoughts, Sesshomaru barely heard the gentle knock on the door, however, Jaken's Youkai was impossible to mistake and soon he found himself uttering a simple, "Enter."

With his eyes still fixated upon Inuyasha's sleeping form, Sesshomaru only listened as Jaken spoke. "Pardon me for intruding, my Lord, but the guards have informed me that Lord Kouga is waiting to speak with you."

With his bulging eyes firmly settled upon the floor, Jaken missed the lightening quick spark of an idea as it flitted its way across the DaiYoukai's face. "Lord Kouga is here?"

"Yes. Please forgive me, I told that worthless wolf that you were busy, but he insisted - "

"Silence. Wake Lady Kadira at once and have her come into this room. Kouga can wait in the study."

"O-of course, Lord Sesshomaru. Your faithful servant will do - Ouch!" Standing upright, Jaken began rubbing the quickly forming lump on his head while an empty soup bowl rolled to a halt nearby. Scurrying from the room, Jaken's voice faded but continued its simpering cadence, "Yes! At once. Jaken will take care of . . . " Sesshomaru let the voice fade from his consciousness, a new smirk forming upon his lips. True, he didn't really like the idea of sharing his little brother with anyone, but perhaps allowing the Hanyou someone he thought of as a friend, someone whom was already mated and therefore posed no true threat to the claim the DaiYoukai was making. With his smirk threatening to form into an all-out smile, Sesshomaru reached a clawed hand forward, stroking his brother's still bruised cheek. "Do not worry, Inuyasha, this Sesshomaru will do what is necessary."

Another chapter done! Yeah! I hope you all enjoyed that next tidbit. If you liked Kouga's character, he will feature heavily in the coming chapters. Just so everyone knows, I've been writing a lot on this story. Your reviews have kept me going and boy, is this sucker a long one. Thanks again for the support and as always, if you've got the inclination, reviews are most welcome.

Until next time . . . lunamist