Intervention Thy name is Bakusen'O!

by lunamist

Determined to undue the damage Sesshomaru has wrought, Bakusen'O takes a dying Inuyasha into his protection until the Lord of the West comes to understand his brother's worth. Centuries later, Inuyasha has been released into his brother's care. Soon Sesshomaru comes to understand, a sibling relationship is not what his Youkai has in mind. Ah, but how to woo a battered Hanyou?

11. Chapter 11

Hello again everyone. Boy, did I get some interesting reviews on the last chapter. Some are afraid Inuyasha's gonna give in too soon and other's want things to hurry up. Some of you like the cold Sesshomaru and some want him to be a bit kinder. Well . . . I love it! Please keep them coming, and for the reviewer who wanted to know if Kouga had a hole cut in his pants to allow for his "tail wagging" I say, you bet. Hopefully this chapter will make it a little more clear how that is possible going out into the "real world".

Previous disclaimers still apply.

So, here's chapter 11. I sincerely hope people are still enjoying reading this. I enjoy writing it, so thanks again for your time :-)

No matter how much his instincts kept telling him to keep an eye on his brother, Inuyasha simply couldn't help his curiosity and so instead of concentrating on the walking threat before him, he found his large eyes wondering over the halls and rooms they passed. No matter how much he may dislike his brother, Inuyasha couldn't ignore the beauty the DaiYoukai surrounded himself with. Clean and simple, the coverings and finishing's the Hanyou's eyes met were comforting, not cold. In fact, Inuyasha was amazed at the odd sense of warmth radiating through the pristine white floors, so much so that when they stopped, he found himself looking down as he wiggled his clawed toes.

"Do you find the warmth in the floors to your liking?"

Whipping his head up, Inuyasha stared into his brother's eyes, feeling at once captivated and embarrassed at having been caught in such a childish act. "Um, yeah, it's pretty nice." Scrunching his face up, Inuyasha's curiosity began overriding his embarrassment. "So . . . why is that?"

"Why are the floors here so warm?"

Inuyasha only nodded his head, his eyes still trained upon his toes.

"I am told there are tubes running underneath the floor through which warm water circulates. The effect is quite soothing."

Unable to help himself, Inuyasha bent forwards, placing the palms of his hands flush against the floor, on top of his head, puppy ears twitched and swiveled. "They don't feel wet, and I don't hear any water moving."

Raising his eyebrows, Sesshomaru once again felt pleased at the Hanyou's curiosity. Although Inuyasha had been to the modern era to visit that priestess, he seriously doubted the miko lived in the lap of luxury. Plus, hadn't Kouga said the woman was dead now? That she'd died of old age? If that were truly the case, then several years had passed since the time period Inuyasha would have visited the then young girl. Clearing his head of such thoughts, Sesshomaru turned his attention to the entertaining Hanyou before him, now laying his cheek to the floor, one ear pressed firmly against the marble tiles. Fighting down a smile, Sesshomaru stated, "I am unsure as to the exact mechanics, but if you wish, one day I could make someone with this knowledge available to you."

With an easy push, Inuyasha stood from his rather dubious position. Head bowed, he tried and failed to push his hands into his sleeve's as the shirt wasn't built to accommodate such an action. Inwardly, Inuyasha's mind was in turmoil. Sesshomaru was being so accommodating . . . so normal acting for a brother. But their relationship had never been anything close to that of normal siblings. Inside, a huge part of him desperately wanted to believe this new Sesshomaru. How Inuyasha had longed to have family, to have Sesshomaru treat him as an equal. Hell, to have Sesshomaru just not wanna rip his throat out would of been nice. But the survival instinct of the Hanyou was well honed and could not be swayed by recent events, no matter how much he might wish it to be true, Inuyasha knew when something sounded too good to be true, it almost certainly was.

As Inuyasha stood, head cast down, his now silken silvery-white hair cascaded over one shoulder, falling forwards in a shimmering curtain - a curtain far too lovely to ignore. "Your hair looks lovely, Inuyasha. It is beautiful when cleaned and combed." Once again, Sesshomaru found his fingers carding through the lengths of hair temptingly dangling before him, totally unaware that his words would flame the fires of anger his little brother kept burning.

Smacking the hand away, Inuyasha turned glaring amber orbs up at his brother. "Not like Kadira and I had much else to do today." Defensive and irritated, he pulled into himself once again, silently fuming about Sesshomaru's earlier comments regarding his appearance.

Confused as to why such a compliment would cause so much anger, Sesshomaru furrowed his brow. "Why does my comment make you so irritated, little brother?"

Gnashing his teeth together, Inuyasha refused to admit how painful Sesshomaru's comments about his hair had been. How every word the DaiYoukai had spoken had been just another reminder regarding the impossible nature of his previous life. How Inuyasha had barely had enough time to keep food in his belly, let alone see to any cosmetic needs. Always pristine and perfect looking, it seemed as if the DaiYoukai never had such problems or concerns. Although to many it would have seemed a frivolous matter, to Inuyasha it was just another example of how he could never live up to the perfectness that was, the Great Lord Sesshomaru.

"-Keh, don't fuckin' worry about it, besides, I thought you were takin' me somewhere to eat."

Eyes still scanning Inuyasha's form, Sesshomaru stood silently for a few moments, trying to figure out the enigma that was his brother. Just when he thought he might be making some kind of progress, he managed to say something that his brother found infuriating. Truly, the Lord of the West thought he hadn't had a more frustrating puzzle laid before him. But, it was certainly a puzzle worth solving. With that in mind, Sesshomaru merely nodded his head and said, "Of course, the kitchens are only a few yards away."

Head down, Inuyasha couldn't make his eyes move from their current position - staring at his feet. One foot in front of the other, he followed his brother down yet another hall as he continued brooding. So concentrated upon his own toes was Inuyasha that he almost ran into Sesshomaru, barely realizing at the last second that the DaiYoukai had stopped. With the center of his brother's back, along with its accompanying fur, almost buried in Inuyasha's nose, all he could do was breath in the intoxicating scent of pure InuYoukai power his brother exuded. Pulling his lips back, Inuyasha sucked in the scent, allowing a small, "Fuckin' hell," through his lips before stepping back and away from the drug that was the Lord of the West. What he didn't know was that very few ever had the opportunity to scent the mighty DaiYoukai from so close, for seldom was any Youkai, Hanyou, or human allowed within such a potentially dangerous proximity and been allowed to live long enough to appreciate the creature before them.

As if it were a drug, Inuyasha began shaking his head in an all out effort to expel the fragrance. Unfortunately, such activity only attracted his brother's attentions and soon a deep, "Inuyasha, what are you doing?" echoed through the room.

Flattening his ears, the Hanyou would be damned before he'd ever fess up to being so affected. Taking a clawed finger, Inuyasha furiously rubbed under his nose while muttering a weak, "That damn fur of yours tickled my nose."

Stoic mask ever in place, Sesshomaru simply walked to the refrigerator. "If you will have a seat, I'll see what the cook has left for dinner."

Taking a gulp of air, Inuyasha breathed in what he considered less tainted oxygen. With the effects of Sesshomaru's scent dissipating, he was finally able to take in his surroundings and found himself to be in a marvel of metal and gleaming tiles. Eyes wide, Inuyasha thought he could remember what most of the equipment in the room was used for, but he was damn sure the ones Kagome had had in her home were paltry cousins in comparison to what Sesshomaru was sporting. Evidently seeing his surprise, Inuyasha was only mildly irritated when he heard his brother ask, "Are you familiar with the modern ways of cooking and keeping food?"

"-Keh, Kagome's place had similar stuff," Inuyasha answered, unwilling to admit how awe struck he was at the things before him.

"Good. Although I do not understand it completely, I am aware that you were able to travel to the modern era in the times when that fowl Hanyou, Naraku still drew breath. I believe it had something to do with that odd priestess who was a member of your pack during that time."

Inyasha felt his back stiffen. Most likely it was an automatic response to his sadistic brother taking an interest in anyone he knew. Mentally he reminded himself that Kagome had already lived her life and according to Kouga, had died at a ripe old age. And if her time had already passed, then Sesshomaru couldn't hold her life over his head. Still, the thought of missing the chance at seeing Kagome once again left a bitter pang of loss in his heart. "I'd rather not talk about Kagome."

Turning from the fridge, Sesshomaru nodded. "As you wish. Now, it appears as if the cook has left - "

Lifting a hand and waving it in front of his face, Inuyasha cut the DaiYoukai off. "I ain't picky about food so whatever's there is fine."

"Would you like it cold or warmed up?"

Still marveling at how polite Sesshomaru was being, Inuyasha was just beginning to answer when the strong scent of wolf invaded his senses and a booming, "Why the fuck would you ask somethin' stupid like that? Of course we want it hot and steamin'," echoed throughout the room.

Turning around, Inuyasha was greeted with a wide grin devoid of fang. "Hey, mutt, good to see ya outta that room," Kouga all but shouted as a firm hand came down, slapping the Hanyou on his shoulder.

Wide amber eyes turning up, Inuyasha couldn't help but think the Wolf King looked a little off. Sure, the perfectly tailored dark gray suit Kouga wore was still difficult to get used to, but it was more than that. Crinkling his brow, Inuyasha blurted, "Where the fuck's your tail? And for that matter, why aren't your ears pointy anymore?"

Bending his head back towards his ass, Kouga stared at his apparently bare bottom. "Oh, don't worry, I've still got it where it counts." With an inward flinch, the Wolf King released the spell creating the illusion of his human form.

"What the - "

"Don't freak out, mutt. I told ya before that Youkai have learned to blend in with humans."

Still gapping, Inuyasha asked, "So what did you do? How come that obnoxious thing you call a tail was gone just a minute ago and suddenly reappeared?"

"This comin' from the idiot with puppydog ears perched on the top of his head."

Almost immediately, said ears flattened into Inuyasha's now pristinely manicured silvery-white hair and soon a low growl erupted between the Hanyou's fanged teeth. "You makin' fun of my ears?"

"Oh for the love of . . . no, although I'm not sure why not." With a deep sigh, Kouga flopped down in the kitchen chair across from the Hanyou. "Forget I said anything, Mr. Sensitive." Ignoring the glowering look directed his way, Kouga swiped an apple sitting in a basket within the center of the table, taking a large bite and spraying anything and everything within his vicinity with its juice. "Anyways, what I was tryin' to get at earlier was that all of us Youkai disguise ourselves as humans when not alone with our own kind." With a glance over his shoulder, Kouga stared at Sesshomaru's dangling fur as a snort left his mouth. "Of course, some of us have more to cover up than others."

As if irritated of its own accord, Sesshomaru's fluff puffed up, looking almost twice its normal size and making the Wolf King snicker. "Sorry, didn't mean to offend." But Sesshomaru simply kept his back to the wolf Youkai, not deigning to give a response. Seeing as how he wasn't going to get a rise out of the Great Lord of the West, Kouga turned his attention back to Inuyasha. "I just forgot to release the spell when I got inside Lord Sesshomaru's pad."

Staring between the two Youkai in the room, Inuyasha was already wondering what his brother looked like as a human. Did Sesshomaru change his hair color? Or maybe those elegant silver locks appeared shorn and trimmed. Inwardly, he grimaced at the thought of the DaiYoukai without his stripes or long flowing silvery hair. No doubt Sesshomaru still looked fabulously regal as a human, but Inuyasha thought there was probably a lot lost in translation. Mentally shaking his head, the Hanyou replayed what Kouga had just said and finally asked, "Spell? What kind of spell?"

Swallowing another bite of apple, Kouga took a minute to scratch his chin with a clawed talon. It wasn't that he was stalling, it was just that the Wolf King wasn't really sure how to answer so Inuyasha would understand. Leaning back in his chair, Kouga threw a glance in Sesshomaru's direction. "Feel free to jump in anytime here."

"I fail to see the need, Wolf. This Sesshomaru believes you are doing an adequate, if not colorful job of explaining things to the Hanyou," the DaiYoukai monotonously answered, his hands never once stopping in their current ministrations.

"Ass," Kouga whispered under his breath, only to hold said breath when all movement from the Lord of the West stopped, it was the DaiYoukai's only indication that he'd heard the insult, but it was the only action needed to convey his displeasure with the wolf's words. Swallowing down his fleeting anxiety, Kouga turned back towards Inuyasha. "Well, I'm not sure how to explain it."

Offended, Inuyasha was quick to respond, "I ain't stupid."

"I didn't say you were." Running a hand through his hair, Kouga's blue eyes narrowed. "Fuck, but you're touchy tonight."

Unaware he was even doing it, Inuyasha's eyes quickly darted towards Sesshomaru's back before turning to the wolf once more. Inside, he thought maybe he should apologize, but whatever he was about to say dried on his lips when he saw the surprisingly understanding look in Kouga's eyes followed by a quick, "Forget it," from the Wolf King.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Kouga sent the core of the now demolished apple sailing across the room and into a nearby wastebasket. "Okay, so it's like this, turns out most full blooded Youkai have enough abilities to change their appearance all on their own - "

"Then why didn't they do that more back in the day? I mean, that woulda made huntin' humans a whole lot easier," Inuyasha interrupted.

"Good point, but you see, most of us didn't even know we could do it," Kouga answered, as if that solved everything.

Unfortunately, it didn't. "I don't get it."

Either he'd finally had enough, or Sesshomaru was simply finished with his current task and now deemed himself free enough to entertain in their discussion, what ever the reason, the DaiYoukai spoke before Kouga ever had a chance. "You are incapable of even the simplest of tasks, Wolf."

"Hey, I - "

Setting down a steaming plate of cooked meats, along with two different types of bread, Sesshomaru seated himself beside his little brother, ignoring the fact that Inuyasha shifted away when he did so. "We may have always had the ability, but we were ignorant of this fact. It was not until the council of elder Youkai gathered to discuss the human problem that the fox Youkai decided to share such knowledge."

Eyes wide, Inuyasha stared across the table at Kouga before turning his attention back to Sesshomaru. "I knew Shippo could change forms, but I thought it was just a fox trick."

Giving a faint snarl, Sesshomaru allowed a rare show of both fang and disgust. "As did we all. But as it turned out, all higher level Youkai had the ability, at least, on some level. While it is true that a fox can truly change from, what we can do is more akin to a cover. Everything we are is still there, only hidden behind a human mask."

"So, they knew? The fox Youkai knew somethin' like that was possible and kept it a secret?"

Rejoining the conversation, Kouga answered, "Looks that way. Once it was decided that the only way to survive the comin' millennia was to hide amongst the humans, the fox's were pretty quick to divulge that little piece of information."

Furrowing his brows even more, Inuyasha thought over what he'd just heard and couldn't help but shake his head.

"Is there something you do not understand, little brother?"

"Naw, not really. I mean it's kinda hard to believe, but mostly I was just wonderin' if Shippo knew that when he was a kit." At the ensuing silence, Inuyasha looked up to find his brother's eyes blank and Kouga shrugging his shoulders. Evidently, they didn't have any more clue than he did, it was a question he'd have to ask if and or when he saw Shippo again. Filing the information away, Inuyasha reached forward and snagged some of the delicious smelling meat. "So, how do you do it?" Turning his head and glaring hard at Sesshomaru, the Hanyou added, "I mean, unless you plan on keepin' me locked up in this place until I rot."

Swallowing hard, Inuyasha knew he'd just taken a big step. He'd been wondering what Sesshomaru's intentions were and found he was sick to death of it. He was well aware that worry and doubt were both sure fire ways of a quick self-destruction. But now that he'd asked, Inuyasha found his heart pounding at a near fatal rate while his skin felt cold and clammy.

Noting the increased anxiety, Sesshomaru had to wonder if Inuyasha truly thought he meant to keep him prisoner here in his home. Although the notion held some appeal, in the end, he truly wanted his little brother happy and living like some caged animal was no way to ensure such a feeling. "As much as it would please me to keep you away from danger, this Sesshomaru does not intend to keep you forever locked away."

Releasing a deep and cleansing breath, Inuyasha felt the constraints around his heart loosen a little. "Good. Not that you'd have been able to keep me here for long."

"Of that, I have little doubt. However, things are not as simple as they may seem."

All of a sudden, that painful pressure in his chest began building again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Swallowing a piece of meat, Sesshomaru stared down at his brother. He had not anticipated having this conversation so soon, but it would have been needed sooner or later and he felt no need to try and deceive the Hanyou. "What this means, Inuyasha, is that there are some things you must understand regarding your abilities to leave this home."

Somehow feeling betrayed, Inuyasha tried reigning in his anger and frustration, knowing that to blow up now wouldn't get him a single step closer to the door outta this joint. Grinding his teeth together in an almost painful manner, Inuyasha stated, "Then maybe you outta explain it."

Nodding once, Sesshomaru turned from his food, fully concentrating on the Hanyou before him. "As you wish. There are two issues, the first of which shall be easily solved."

"Okay, so what's problem number one?"

"I mean no offense by this, because for a Hanyou, you are exceptionally strong. There is little you are incapable of and with the exception of myself, I doubt any full blooded Youkai could best - "

"Oh my gods," Kouga whined, "I know you've been a grade A asshole to the mutt, but enough with the glowin' reviews of all that is Inuyasha. That's not tellin' him anything."

"Wolf," Sesshomaru growled, "you will refrain from further interruptions."

Throwing up his hands in surrender, Kouga pointed out, "All I'm sayin' is that I think he gets the point."

With his attention firmly fixed upon Inuyasha's face once more, Sesshomaru noticed the small coloring marking the Hanyou's cheeks and felt pleased that for once that coloration was not brought about by rage but more due to a kind of pleased embarrassment. Still, he had little doubt that a moments worth of praise could not even begin to make up for a lifetime of belittlement and torture. Watching a strand of soft, silvery-white hair fall over one of Inuyasha's shoulders, Sesshomomaru couldn't help but reach out a slender finger, directing the wayward lock back over the Hanyou's shoulder where it belonged. The fact that Inuyasha merely gave a confused look instead of shrinking back in fear shot a small bolt of hope through the ancient Lord of the West. With a finger under the Hanyou's chin, Sesshomaru raised Inuyasha's head so their eyes locked. "The wolf's point is well taken, but it is important for you to understand that this Sesshomaru no longer views you as inferior, little brother, but as a Hanyou, no matter how strong you may be, it is impossible for you to transform yourself in such a manner without outside assistance."

Blinking, at first Inuyasha barely registered Sesshomaru's words. So mesmerized was he by the closeness of his brother, and not only that, but the near blinding clarity of the DaiYoukai's golden eyes, that all he could do was stare; his mind a pleasant void of blank confusion. In that moment, the tortured Hanyou could have cared less about the motives driving Sesshomaru's odd behavior, only that for the first time in his life, he felt something besides abject hatred emanating from his last surviving family member and it felt more than good - it felt like for the first time in his life, he was home. And with that one realization, all the anxiety and fear Inuyasha had been holding at bay, hit him full force in the gut. No way could this be genuine. No way, no how. No matter how truthful and honest Sesshomaru smelled, the Hanyou simply couldn't believe his brother no longer harbored any ill will towards him. No matter how many centuries had passed for the DaiYoukai, in Inuyasha time, it had only been a little under a week ago that he'd been left poisoned and bleeding to death on the forest floor - all courtesy of the same sadistic bastard now ever so gently touching his face.

Snapping back to reality, Inuyasha pulled his face from Sesshomaru's hand, scooting back his chair as he placed more distance between the two. In that moment, all the Hanyou wanted to do was scream - scream until there was no air left in his lungs. Scream out all his frustrations; all the hurt and anger he felt and with it, try and purge his mind of the confusion littering his entire thinking. But instead of doing all that, Inuyasha simply closed his eyes, willing his racing heart into a more normal rhythm while pushing such thoughts to the back of his mind. Perhaps another day he'd unleash hell upon his brother, but not today. No, today he was still too weakened to mount much of an attack and the fight would surely be over long before it truly got started. Even at full strength, Inuyasha had little doubt he'd be able to inflict much damage upon the powerful DaiYoukai, but if he was going to get his ass kicked all the way to China, then he was damn sure he'd do his best to take a chunk of Sesshomaru with him. Given his current condition, the likelihood of that happening was about the same as Naraku rising from the dead. Besides, if he was to have even a small prayer of surviving in this current time away from Sesshomaru, then he needed all the information he could get and since the asshole in front of him seemed to be in a sharing mood . . .

"What do you mean? What kind of assistance would I need to look human?"

Burying the overwhelming desire to frown at Inuyasha's sudden spike in anxiety, Sesshomaru's gaze fell to his outstretched hand, his fingers curled around a face no longer there, now grasping air instead of tender Hanyou flesh. Had he looked, the DaiYoukai would have seen the worry laced across Kouga's face as he witnessed the latest interactions between the two Inu brother's. As it was, Sesshomaru barely remembered the Wolf King was in the same room as he answered his little brother's question. "It is a simple enough matter. When the time comes when you are ready to leave our home, I shall ask one of the fox Youkai to weave a spell into an object that can easily be worn. You will need only place this object somewhere upon your person and it shall do the rest."

"-Keh," Inuyasha muttered, all the while wondering at the irony that once a month, he well and truly turned completely human - no illusions needed, and yet as a Hanyou, he was incapable of doing it at will. Gods but it seemed like the universe was constantly out to fuck him over. On top of that, he wasn't at all happy hearing Sesshomaru say, when the time comes. What exactly did that mean? "Okay, so that's the first problem, so what's the second?" Staring up at Sesshomaru's face, Inuyasha didn't like the flecks of red dancing around the edges of his brother's eyes. For some reason, that question had stirred up Sesshomaru's Youkai and that was never a good sign.

"This answer is more difficult," Sesshomaru nearly growled, all the while pushing at the mental cage he was trying to force his Youkai back into. Feeling an overwhelming desire to protect that which his Youkai had claimed as their eventual mate, the beast within was pacing with the need to maim and kill those it saw as a potential threat. Unfortunately, many of those on his Youkai's hit list were leading members of the council of elder's. Breathing in the sweet Hanyou scent of his brother, Sesshomaru used his brother's obvious state of relative well being to calm his own Youkai. For now, Inuyasha was safe and by all the gods, Sesshomaru would make sure he remained so.

Once sufficiently calm, Sesshomaru closed his eyes briefly and when they reopened, there was not a hint of crimson reflected within their depths. "Despite the passing years, there are those within pure Youkai society whom do not see the value of Hanyou."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Inuyasha's face became hard. "So what? I can't say I'm surprised, besides, I've spent my whole life dealing with this shit, don't see why it's such a big deal now."

Perfectly still, Sesshomaru weighed his next words very carefully. If they were only dealing with the normal avarice directed towards Hanyou in general, Inuyasha would be more than capable of dealing with the threats sure to come his way. But Inuyasha was Sesshomaru's Hanyou, a distinction the DaiYoukai was sure his little brother would fight tooth and claw. In the end, it mattered not how much Inuyasha denied the fact, others would know how important the Hanyou was to the Lord of all Asia and as such, Inuyasha would become a prime target. Any Youkai with designs on Sesshomaru's position would attack where he was weakest, and that mark was Inuyasha. Somehow, he needed to get his little brother to understand his vulnerability without reveling the true nature of his own desires.

"I have no doubt, little brother, that once your are fully recovered, you could handle any single full blooded Youkai on your own, however, you are no ordinary Hanyou."

Cocking his head to the side, Inuyasha's puppy ears twitched as he tried comprehending Sesshomaru's words. "Why? Because of who our old man was?" The only reason any Youkai had ever paid him much attention in the past was if they figured out his father had been the legendary dog demon general. Thinking more on the matter, he thought maybe other Youkai were after Tessaiga or something, after all, his father's fang was about the only thing of value he possessed.

Considering Inuyasha's response, Sesshomaru could only shake his head. "Perhaps to some, that might hold some importance, but it is more a matter directly related to this Sesshomaru."

"You?" Inuyasha couldn't hide his surprise. "What the fuck do you have to do with anything. I mean, no Youkai before ever cared that you were my brother."

"This is true, but as we both know, in the past my opinion of our relationship was less than familial."

Inuyasha snorted, "That's puttin' it mildly."

"Now that I hold you in . . . higher esteem, there are those whom would seek to take advantage of my affections towards you in their efforts to injure me."

Eyes wide and mouth hanging open, Inuyasha couldn't help but stare. Stunned beyond words, his mouth worked as words fought to surface only to be swallowed back down in silence. " . . . I . . . "

"Shut your gappin' maw before you drool all over the food, mutt," Kouga interjected. "What the bastard is tryin' to say is that he's too powerful to come after directly, so once those jackass Youkai learn that you're still alive, and moreover, that your brother actually gives a shit about what happens to you now, then they'll be all over you like flies on honey."

Standing up, Inuyasha crouched over his sitting brother as he shoved a clawed finger at Sesshomaru's chest. "You have got to be shittin' me! This has got to be some sick, twisted cosmic joke." Moving away from Sesshomaru, Inuyasha felt giddy inside, as if sanity was only a few steps away from a deep, dark cliff. "Congratulations, Inuyasha," the Hanyou sang, "the good news is that your brother no longer wants you six feet under, the bad news is that now every other pure blooded Youkai out for revenge on that brother is gunnin' for your half-breed ass."

Within a fraction of a second, Sesshomaru soundlessly rose from his seat, pinning Inuyasha against the edge of the countertop. Eyes bled red, the Lord of the West's Youkai was unleashed into the small room.

"Sessh - " somehow his brother's full name caught in Inuyasha's throat as he felt the brunt of Sesshomaru's Youkai hit his senses. But instead of frightening him further, he found himself responding in the most bizarre way - instead of a killer aura, the DaiYoukai emitted one of protection, of complete and utter safety. With his emaciated wrists encircled by hands that could crush his bones without the hint of effort, the Hanyou felt his body relax and had the strangest urge to lick his brother's chin, an impulse he furiously squashed.

Grumbling low, Sesshomaru's voice was little more than a deep growl. "You shall never refer to yourself with such a vile term again, nor shall I tolerate such from any other." Moving his face closer, Sesshomaru felt the fur of a puppydog ear dance along his the edge of his nose. "No other shall harm you ever again. This Sesshomaru will eliminate any and all threats."

With his pulse about to jump through his skin, Inuyasha's eyes wildly darted beyond the large chest before him, finally landing on wide, cautious blue eyes. Once that connection had been made, the Hanyou heard Kouga's voice, low and as nonthreatening as possible say, "Do us all a favor and don't fight. Now's not the time. Just . . . just let Sesshomaru do this . . . just stay still . . . "

Inuyasha wasn't sure if Kouga simply didn't know what else to say or if the wolf felt like he'd already conveyed the importance of his message through eye contact alone, but whatever the reason, Kouga's voice dropped off into nothing while his body remained as still as the dead. Realizing that was all the words of wisdom he was going to get, Inuyasha reigned in his courage and lifted his head enough to make eye contact with the crimson orbs of his brother. Always before those eyes had meant only one thing - a shit load of hurt was gonna come raining down on his Hanyou ass. But now Inuyasha saw something different, and just like Sesshomaru's aura, the DaiYoukai's eyes spoke of protection, not pain.

Confused beyond almost all reason, Inuyasha felt at a loss as to what to do. Past instinct told him to bite, claw and chew his way out of being pinned between the toxic creature in his front and the solid surface at his back. But his own Youkai wasn't frightened by what was happening. In fact, if Inuyasha had to place a new label on it, he'd say his Youkai was . . . pleased? What the fuck? Kouga had told him not to fight, and if he was honest with himself, he didn't feel the desire to maim and destroy, instead all he wanted to do was melt into his brother's embrace while rubbing his face against Sesshomaru's skin. That shit was definitely not happening so Inuyasha chose a less volatile path. Snaking an arm free, he pushed a hand forward, palm side against Sesshomaru's chest as he stuttered, "Y-yeah . . . um . . . I appreciate that and all, but, uh . . . y-you don't really have to w-worry about me. I-I'll be okay, and you know . . . stuff."

On the other side of the room, Inuyasha heard Kouga give a disgusted grunt of exasperated breath as he whispered, "Nice goin', Hanyou."

Wanting nothing more than to retort something scathing back, Inuyasha's words died on his tongue as he felt his brother nuzzle his neck. "This Sesshomaru knows you are strong, little brother. But you are mine to protect."

Eyes blinking rapidly, Inuyasha's mouth silently opened and closed a few times before finally sputtering out, "Yeah, okay . . . I think I get it and um, I really appreciate that. Maybe you could back up and give a Hanyou a little bit of space now."

With a final nuzzle, Inuyasha was sure he felt a bit of wetness land on his neck and refused to think about what exactly Sesshomaru had touched him with to cause it. Instead, his face had flushed an attractive shade of crimson by the time the DaiYoukai finally pulled away; eyes still red as he continued staring down at his brother. With a deep breath, Inuyasha felt grateful for the space, woefully small as it may be, but was still wondering just how he was going to get things back to some kind of normal when he heard that annoying little toads' voice. "Lord Sesshomaru, an envelope just arrived - "

Quickly turning, a growl on his lips, Sesshomaru placed his body between Inuyasha's and Jaken's. Rolling his eyes, the Hanyou couldn't help but notice the stance was meant as one of protection. "O for the love of . . . " finally having enough, Inuyasha forcefully pushed himself away from the counter, moving to stand beside and slightly in front of his brother. "For god's sake, Sesshomaru, it's just the little imp. Somehow, even in my weakened condition, I think I can handle him."

"M-my L-lord . . . I did n-not m-mean to interrupt," Jaken stuttered while throwing his body to the floor. Looking back up at Sesshomaru, Inuyasha was relieved to see golden iris's looking disgustedly down on the submissive toad. "Jaken, is there a point to your presence?" And just like that, the DaiYoukai's voice had iced back over into something loathsome.

Still on hands and knees, Jaken pushed the envelope in his hands forwards along the ground. "This arrived a few moments ago and it is marked urgent. I humbly thought you would want to see it as soon as possible."

Standing as close as he was, Inuyasha was able to hear a barely released sigh come from his brother. It was a sound he never imagined hearing from the Lord of the West. "Leave the envelope and be gone from my presence."

"At once, my Lord." Popping up, Jaken gave a nod of his head towards Sesshomaru and then hesitantly his eyes and attention turned towards the Hanyou standing beside his most precious Lord. Curiously staring, Jaken wondered at the latest developments. The kappa had been alive almost as long as his Lord and knew well the signs and scents of a claimed mate, all of which were radiating from the Hanyou whom his Lord had once claimed to detest with unparalleled hatred. He may not understand why, and Jaken sure as hell didn't approve, but he would be masochistic not to see the eminent change in the Hanyou's status. And so, with a short bow, Jaken added, "Good night, Lord Inuyasha," before making his exit from the room.

Kouga's snickering was only overshadowed by a mournful, "What the fuck?" from one very confused Hanyou. Ignoring both, Sesshomaru moved forward enough to reach down and pick up the white envelope lying on the tiled floor. In one swift movement, the DaiYoukai held its contents within a single clawed hand; his golden eyes narrowing minutely at what he read. "Kouga."

Stifling his laughter with a hand, the Wolf King answered, "Yeah?"

"There is a matter to which I must attend. You will stay with Inuyasha and walk him back to his room."

"Hey! I ain't some helpless - "

"I am not implying such, only that I thought you might enjoy further company as you finished your meal. Am I wrong in this assumption?" Sesshomaru asked, one silver eyebrow arching up in question.

Put like that, Inuyasha felt down right juvenile. Huffing and turning to his side so he wouldn't have to stare into his brother's eyes, he stated, "Dog breath can do whatever he likes."

Turned as he was, Inuyasha missed the look the DaiYoukai gave towards the wolf, it was a look which clearly stated Kouga was to do as he'd asked. Shrugging his shoulders, Kouga sat back down at the table. "Food's good enough here, I don't see any reason for goin' back out to get some shitty ass takeout." Noting Inuyasha was still actively ignoring them, Kouga turned a serious look towards Sesshomaru. "Anything you need help with later?"

"Doubtful, but we shall soon see." Returning to his previous position, Sesshomaru placed his body directly in the site line of his little brother. "Most likely this shall take the majority of the night."

"Like I care," Inuyasha huffed.

"No, I did not think you would." Reaching a hand forward, Sesshomaru couldn't help but run his fingers through Inuyasha's hair. "I realize that you are most likely becoming bored, now that you are feeling somewhat better."

"-Keh. Unless you plan on lettin' me outta my prison, I don't see that changin' anytime soon." In the back of his mind, Inuyasha thought about Kadira's willingness to teach him how to read and along with that thought came the realization that he was looking forwards to learning such a skill. However, he had no intention of letting his brother know he couldn't read. As far as Inuyasha was concerned, Sesshomaru didn't need any more ammunition.

"I regret that you feel our home is . . . confining, but your thoughts on the matter are understandable. Soon enough your strength shall be what it was and then we shall see about a life for you beyond these walls. Until that time, perhaps you would care to join me tomorrow on the private rooftop gardens."

Ears suddenly perked to attention, Inuyasha gave his brother wide eyes and Sesshomaru marveled once again at the expressive emotions his little brother's face held. "What do ya mean by that?"

Amused by Inuyasha's open curiosity, along with his obvious excitement, Sesshomaru barely suppressed a smile, but could not completely hide the emotion from his eyes. "Upon construction of this building, this Sesshomaru had a private garden planted upon its roof. The only access point is from the floor of our private quarters."

Cocking his head to the side, Inuyasha couldn't quite grasp the concept of having a garden on the roof nor the fact that Sesshomaru was once again referring to this place as ours. "What? You mean there's grass and flowers and stuff up there?"

"Indeed. But not only small plants such as you mentioned, but full grown trees and a pond. Living in the city does not allow me as much time with nature as I would wish, although not as large as a woods, the space has proven adequate over the years."

Scratching a spot behind his ear, the mere thought of setting his bare feet on green earth sent a thrill of anticipation through the Hanyou. And, not only would there be grass, but if Sesshomaru was to be believed, there would be trees to climb as well. "Okay, sounds good," Inuyasha answered, trying and failing to keep his excitement from his voice.

Finally giving into his impulses, Sesshomaru smiled; a small bit of fang showing through to his bottom lip. And with that smile, Inuyasha's eyes became impossibly wide. On one hand, the Hanyou thought he could count the times he'd seen his brother's lips actually curl up in that direction and following each and every one of those occasions, something had gotten the shit beat out of it - normally himself. But this time the smile seemed . . . dare he think it - happy. With that oddly frightening smile still stretched across his face, Sesshomaru answered, "Then I shall consider it a date."

Blushing from the tips of his Hanyou toes to the roots of his silvery-white mane, Inuyasha bashfully slapped Sesshomaru's hand away from his hair yet again. "Whatever, asshole. Don't you have somewhere you need to be?"

"Unfortunately, you are correct, but this Sesshomaru shall be looking forwards to our time together tomorrow." Stepping away, but completely undeterred, Sesshomaru gave one last glance up and down his Hanyou's body before moving from the room. He did not leave before hearing a muffled, "Freak," coming from Inuyasha's mouth that only caused a light chuckle to sound deep within the DaiYoukai's chest.

Inuyasha stood while Kouga sat, both silent as the seconds turned into minutes before the wolf finally said, "You do know you're blushin', right?"

"Shut it," Inuyasha grumbled before swiping an agitated hand through his hair. Even he had to admit not getting his fingers snagged in hopelessly knotted strands was something of a relief. "I swear, Sesshomaru's lost his fuckin' mind."

Leaning back in his chair, Kouga put one foot up on the table, tilting both his body and chair backwards while teetering on two legs instead of four. "If you ask me, I think the problem is that he finally found it."

Snapping his head around, Inuyasha stared incredulously at his friend. "How in the hell do you figure that?"

Critically looking at his friend, Kouga could only shake his head at Inuyasha's continued naiveté. "Forget it, I think you've had enough excitement for tonight. Let's just finish up this food and call it a night."

Opening his mouth to protest, Inuyasha quickly closed it when his stomach gave a growl of approval at the wolf's advice. He may hate to admit it, but Kouga had a point and Inuyasha was tired of trying to figure out what was going through Sesshomaru's brain, let alone the DaiYoukai's actions. Unable to solve one problem, the Hanyou tackled another – his hunger. Hand almost to the plate of sweet meats, Inuyasha was denied as the dish was pulled from below his hand. "What the – "

"Wastin' so much time talkin' made the meat go cold again. I'm just gonna warm it up."

Slumping back down in his seat, Inuyasha shook his head. "Damn, dog breath, you sure have gone soft with this cushy lifestyle of yours. Back in the day you used to eat it raw and dripping with blood."

"Yeah, well, I'd like nothin' better than a fresh kill, but that don't happen much now a days and I can't stand eatin' the long dead stuff when it's just come outta the freakin' cold box."

"Pansy ass wolf," Inuyasha mumbled, ignoring the reflexive growl coming from near the box Kagome had called a microwave. Soon enough, the food was hot again and Kouga sat his furry ass down on the other side of the table, neither canine wasting much time in devouring the remaining contents. Belly sated and the stress of Sesshomaru gone for the time being, Inuyasha allowed himself a rare moment of relaxation. And in that moment, the Hanyou's mind wandered towards what his brother had told him earlier, that tantalizing carrot the bastard had dangled in front of his nose. "So, you ever seen this garden thing Sesshomaru was goin' on about?"

Using a claw to remove a stubborn piece of meat stuck between his teeth, Kouga nodded his head. "Only once, and that was a long time ago. Most likely it's changed a lot since then."

"Oh. Why just the once?"

"You mean why hasn't the great Lord and Master taken me up there more often?" At Inuyasha's nod, Kouga simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'd wager to say that nobody else but the bastard's been up there in years, maybe decades. Even more than the private residences, that's kinda like his own personal oasis."

Folding his hands in front of his lap, Inuyasha found himself missing the wide sleeves of his Firerat. "But he's offerin' to take me there."

"Yeah, does that still surprise ya?"

"Of course it does," Inuyasha huffed. "Up until a week ago, the jackass was constantly beatin' the ever lovin' shit outta me. Why wouldn't it surprise me?"

Nodding, Kouga could see where the Hanyou was coming from, but Inuyasha was going to have to get over the fact sooner or later and given the little display the Lord of the West had just put on in this very kitchen, he was fairly sure that Inuyasha needed to get on board with the idea closer to the end of sooner. With a heavy sigh, Kouga's blue eyes turned to the side, for some reason unable to stare into those suspicious orbs of amber. "Listen mutt, I understand that it's hard for you to accept how your brother's changed, truth be told, if I were in your shoes, I don't think I could ever forgive the bastard. But, you're not a full blooded Youkai, you're a Hanyou."

"What's your point, Kouga?" Try as he might, Inuyasha couldn't keep the edge of irritation out of his voice.

"My point is that you've got human blood as well as Youkai. In this instance, a pure blooded Youkai wouldn't forgive, they'd avenge. But that's not all you are. You've got as much human blood as Youkai and I've been around humans long enough to know that they have a far greater capacity for forgiveness than a Youkai ever could."

Squeezing his hands into fists, Inuyasha could only glower. "Still missin' your point here," but even as he said the words, he knew they weren't true.

"Okay, simply put . . . you wanna forgive the bastard. It's in your very DNA. Only your stubbornness is holding you back from acceptin' the situation for what it is."

With a swallowed growl, Inuyasha stared down at his hands. His first instinct was to smack the wolf into the far wall, but there were two problems with that. One, unless it was a sneak attack, the Hanyou doubted he had the strength yet to get the job done. Most likely he'd simply make a fool out of himself while trying to beat the wolf to a bloody pulp. Two, well, Kouga might just have a point, a really good point. "I . . . I think it's more like self preservation."

"Understandable, but you gotta hear me when I say that Lord Sesshomaru would dismember anybody and everybody who tries to harm you."

"That's nice and all, but whose gonna dismember him when he finally comes to his senses and remembers that I'm nothin' more than his good for nothin' half-breed brother?"

Kouga could only stare blankly ahead, his mind turning over a conversation he and Sesshomaru had not long ago which all but gave the Wolf King the right to kill the Lord of all Asia should he physically harm Inuyasha again. In that instant, Kouga considered telling the Hanyou about the promise he'd made to the DaiYoukai, but said promise had been made with the utmost of secrecy and Kouga would honor that. So, instead of telling Inuyasha that he would be the one to dispatch the Lord of the West should Sesshomaru ever again seek to harm his little brother, the wolf Youkai only shook his head and stated, "You'll just have to take my word for it – Sesshomaru won't hurt you again, at least not intentionally."

"You'll understand if I have a hard time swallowin' that down," Inuyasha answered, his eyelids lowered and full of disbelief.

"Believe what you want. All I'm tellin' ya is that you'll be a lot happier once you accept it as truth and start trustin' the bastard."

"What I'll be," Inuyasha mumbled, his head turned to the side, "is dead."

Sighing while running a clawed hand through his hair, Kouga decided that there was little he could say or do to convince the Hanyou. At the end of the day, that was Sesshomaru's job, yet another of which the wolf did not envy the DaiYoukai over. "Well, anyway . . . you done eatin' or what?"

Grabbing a final roll and stuffing the bread in his mouth, Inuyasha gave an awkward, stuff-faced smile that in turn made Kouga smirk. "After five hundred years, you've still got the manners of a bar wench."

Gulping down the doughy goodness in his mouth, Inuyasha pouted. "Now you've just gone and insulted a bunch of hard workin' women, not to mention the fact that I haven't been awake to eat a gods damned thing in those five hundred years."

"Excuses, excuses," Kouga muttered while waving a dismissive hand in the air. "If you're gonna be with Sesshomaru, you're gonna gave to learn some proper table manners."

"Who cares how I eat around the bastard," Inuyasha answered, his hackles once again on the rise.

"I doubt Sesshomaru cares much, but he does have a reputation to uphold and bein' the leader of all the Youkai of Asia kind of means he has to go to borin' meetin's and such, most the time with the upper crust snobs of Youkai society. I'm just sayin' you'd fit in better and make less of a scene if you acted a bit more refined. Those jackasses are gonna be lookin' for every opportunity to find fault with ya so why give 'em more ammunition?"

"As if Sesshomaru would ever take his disgraceful Hanyou brother to somethin' like that. Even if I accept that the bastards gotten over all his hatred of me, there's no way in hell I'm gonna believe he'd willingly parade me around in front of a bunch of pure blooded Youkai elite."

Smirking for all he was worth, Kouga stood from his seat. "Let's revisit this topic of conversation in lets say . . . maybe six months." Tapping a claw to his brow, Kouga amended, "Naw, knowin' Sesshomaru, that's too long, let's say more like two months. Yeah, two months from now, you tell me if you still believe that, okay."

Standing up and following the wolf from the room, Inuyasha scoffed, "No problem."

"That confident, are you?"

"Hell yeah, of course I am. All my life the bastard could barely admit I was any kind of relation to him, there's no way he'd willingly claim me in any way, shape or form to his Youkai friends."

"Oh, I never said those stuck up jackasses were his friends," Kouga threw over his shoulder as he led Inuyasha down another corridor.

Stopping, Inuyasha curled his bare toes into the warm, gleaming marble tile below. "What do you mean? They're pure Youkai and he's their leader, aren't they his friends?"

Coming to a halt himself, Kouga turned and regarded his ever naïve friend. True, he'd never deny Inuyasha's life had been little but pain lain upon further pain, but one thing Kouga could say for being born a Hanyou was that Inuyasha had never had to deal with Youkai politics and that was at least some kind of blessing. "Listen Inuyasha, no matter what you may think of your brother's intentions towards you, you must remember one thing – as Lord of all Asia, Sesshomaru has no friends, only acquaintances and allies."

With a scrunched up nose, Inuyasha's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "But what about you?"

Hands firmly planted on his hips, Kouga thought about the Hanyou's question. "I guess I'd go down more in the category of ally. If you gotta call anybody his friend, then Kadira and Jaken might come the closest, but I don't think he really confides in them. Truth be told, I think Sesshomaru's life has got to be about the loneliest of anyone walkin' the planet. Everything comes at a price, Inuyasha, includin' power."

"Are you askin' me to feel sorry for the bastard?" Eyes going wide, Inuyasha had never thought of Sesshomaru as anything but a self-serving, power hungry, perfectly formed pure DaiYoukai jackass. It was a little difficult imagining the being known as his brother as anything to be pitied.

"Hell no. Just, maybe later . . . when things get a little confusin', knowin' that will help you understand."

"I wish you'd stop talkin' to me in riddles. Besides, I really don't think things could get any more confusin' than they are now."

Oh, if you only knew, my friend, Kouga thought, but said nothing out loud. Instead, the wolf took a small detour while heading back towards Inuyasha's room and instead lead the Hanyou to the hall leading towards Sesshomaru's study. No, Kouga wouldn't take Inuyasha into the DaiYoukai's private room without his knowledge, but what he would do was allow the Hanyou to take in the décor along the way.

"I don't think this is the way back to my room," Inuyasha piped up. True, he hadn't been paying as close of attention as he should have when they'd gone to the kitchen, but he thought he'd remember this hall because unlike the rest of what he'd seen, the floors here were inlayed with scarlet red tiles. Looking up, Inuyasha was amazed to see shots of the same color used as decoration throughout the space.

Noticing where the Hanyou's eyes traveled, Kouga said, "If you look around Sesshomaru's residence, you'll notice this theme a lot."

"Theme?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes still wide as he took in the splendor that was a simple hallway.

"Yeah, for some reason, the Great Lord of the West really seems to like the color red."

"-Keh, probably because it reminds him of blood," Inuyasha mumbled, but the flush of pink coloring his cheeks told Kouga the Hanyou wasn't being completely honest.

"You think so?" The Wolf King answered with a smirk. "Cause I kinda got the feelin' it was because it reminded him of somethin' else." Shrugging his shoulders, Kouga turned back the way they'd come. "Of course, you could always be right."

Head down and bangs covering his eyes, Inuyasha thought over the beauty he'd just seen and wondered if Kouga could be right. He found the possibility that his brother had used so much red because it reminded Sesshomaru of him . . . well, that just couldn't be right, could it? His mind lost in thought, Inuyasha barely registered the fact that they'd arrived back in front of his door, the two same imposing guards hovering around the edges of the entrance.

Growling low in his throat at the thought of these two enormous Youkai standing just outside his door, Inuyasha was about to let loose with a good old fashion bitch fest when Kouga sort of beat him to it. "Don't mind ugly and uglier over there, they won't be hangin' around forever. In fact, I'd imagine tonight might just be their last night here."

"Prison guards, nothin' more than that," Inuyasha grumbled while walking through the door to his room.

Stopping short of entering the room himself, Kouga nodded. "Can't much argue with ya there. At least, that's probably their second function." Ignoring the stoic figures still flanking the doorframe, Kouga casually leaned against the wooden structure. "It's been a long day so I'm gonna go get some shut eye."

"You can stay here if you want," Inuyasha answered with a shrug. "I don't mind sharin' the bed."

Gulping, Kouga's eyes shifted towards the large bed along the far wall, remembering waking up with poison tipped claws circling his neck. "Nah, I've got my own room."

Turning and facing his friend fully, Inuyasha cocked his head to the side while contemplating the small tremor he'd caught in Kouga's voice. "Kouga – "

"Listen, if I don't see ya before hand, have a good time on your date with Sesshomaru tomorrow." With a wave of his hand and a smirk on his lips, Kouga just had enough time to slam the door shut behind him before he heard the crashing and shattering of something heavy as it hurtled its way into the large wooden surface. "Damn, that boy's always had a strong arm," Kouga laughed while slapping a jovial hand along the well muscled arm of one of the boar Youkai standing guard. It was a gesture that was not appreciated and the wolf Youkai simply ignored the scowl he'd earned. "Don't worry, big guy. If that throw was any indication, you'll be off door duty in no time."

Ah, another chapter done and posted . . . Yeah! Again, thank you all for continuing to read this story and for all the reviews. They are so very much appreciated and make my day brighter.

As an aside, I'd like to give a shout out to all the Olympians and especially the women athletes this year - are they kickin' some ass or what! Makes me proud to be female. I think my real job is hard and pressure filled, but I've got nothin' on those athletes. And, if there are any Brit's reading this story, thanks for being such a good host country for the summer games. The Opening Ceremonies were beautiful as are the venues I'm seeing on T.V. Thanks so much for all your hard work and for being so accommodating to the world :-)

Thanks again, and until next time . . . lunamist