Hardly Brotherly

Sesshomaru sat in Kaeda's hut, ignoring his growling stomach as he sat next to Inuyasha, Rin and across from the old priestess and the monk. He wasn't happy at all. In fact, he was so unhappy, Inuyasha's ears were flattened almost completely against his head and the smell of fear emitted off him so strongly, the demon could smell it.

They were all eating some stew the priestess and his ward made, but he refused to even try it, feeling so out of place and restrained as it was he just didn't want to give into anything that held him there. The beads on his neck were a bother, and he was still sore from all those damn 'sits' as he was going to call them. Even though the word wasn't used for him, the fact that he and his brother now sported the same beads just made the term appropriate.

He just wanted the damn hanyou in his arms. That was it. And the moment he showed some damn comfort and affection, something he should have shown from the beginning, he got these damn things. They were horrid looking and it was like he was his brother's damn dog or something. And while they were dog demons, he was higher ranked, older, and more qualified in terms of the demonic society to even be considered a hanyou's slave.

That was another issue. Was he the hanyou's slave now? Was that was Inuyasha was to the priestess? Sesshomaru's hands balled into fists and he shoved them into his sleeves. He was no slave! But this would mean he could have more time with Inuyasha and maybe convince him to see him in...a completely different light.

It took him a while to realize he was being stared at and he looked around the group with a hard expression. "What?" He snarled, laying his eyes on Inuyasha who gulped and turned back to his soup. Oh yeah, he definitely was in the worst mood.

"Since you have those beads you're kind of not allowed to leave...according to Kaeda anyway. Plus Rin wants you to stay, right Rin?" Miroku said, smiling down at the little girl.

"Oh yes! Lord Sesshomaru! You should stay!" The girl said enthusiastically with a wink.

Oh...so that was her plan...Sesshomaru sighed and yanked hard on the beads, feeling them heat up around his neck and glow that pink colour again. "I don't have much of a choice..." He growled and then glared at Inuyasha. "But where exactly do you wish me to stay? I'm sure you humans don't want a demon sleeping in your village."

Kaeda's lip curved in a slight smirk before falling back into her usual frown. "Well it would only be appropriate if ye stayed in Inuyasha's hut. Ye two are brothers. It's only right."

Inuyasha spat out the stew that was in his mouth back into his bowl and coughed hard, thumping his chest as he tried to breathe again. Did he just hear the old hag right? The demon was going to stay with him? Was that even a good idea? "The hell you talking about, you old prude!"

"I am saying, that since ye two are bound by blood and magic, it would be proper for ye to stay together." She replied, Rin nodding in agreement, winking at Sesshomaru again. God damn it, why was she doing that?

"No! No no no no!" Inuyasha put down his bowl and stood up. "There is no way he's sleeping in the same space as me! That's what got us here in the first place!"

"I held your hand...and you thought I was molesting you.." Sesshomaru grumbled, grabbing Inuyasha's hakama and yanking him back down into a sitting position.

"You were touching me! And I was having some messed up dream too. It's all your fault."

"Oh shut up, hanyou. You're making things up now!"

"Oh am I?"

"Yes!"

"Well how else can you explain my rape dream?"

"Oh so it went from weird to rape? Are you sure you're mentally stable? Maybe you should just go starve yourself again, You stupid little runt!"

Sesshomaru stood up, turning on his heel and leaving the hut. That bastard! Inuyasha stood up as well, storming out after him.

"BASTARD!"

Thud!

"Scum!"

"Lady Kaeda, do you think that they really actually love each other and are just hiding it?" Rin asked, sipping her stew with a curious expression.

"No way. Those two couldn't get along even if they wanted to." Miroku said, standing up and collecting the bowls.

"Ye be wrong there, monk." Kaeda said, watching the curtain covering the entrance to the hut as the brother's voices got further and further away. "I think that if ye look closely, you'll see that they do in fact hold feelings for each other."

"Whatever you say, priestess." The monk murmured, leaving the hut as well.

"Come Rin. Change into ye night kimono, hn?" Kaeda said, sighing as the the hanyou and demon's voice no longer echoed through the village.

Sesshomaru sat in the corner of the hut, having been banished from sleeping in the only and same bed as Inuyasha. The hanyou seemed to have hogged all the blankets and was sleeping soundlessly in the centre of the futon. It would have been big enough for two, but Inuyasha seemed to dislike having his brother anywhere near him, and even more so, having him cover up Kagome's scent.

So the demon stayed in the corner, clutching Bakusaiga as he shifted with his armour. He should have taken it off, but he didn't know when the hanyou would strike, and what would happen should he have another nightmare. It wasn't that he lived in fear of his own brother, it was more caution. With the beads of subjugation around his neck, he couldn't feel safe at all. Inuyasha could easily "sit" him and kill him. It wasn't a restraint, it was his death.

The demon sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the wall of the hut. He wanted to leave so badly. But Rin was still here...and maybe being this close would help Inuyasha open his eyes and see that things have changed. There was no threat, no jealousy, nothing. It was all gone. It left the moment the journey ended, the moment Naraku was vanquished. It was then that Sesshomaru was freed completely of his hatred.

Golden eyes snapped to the bed and broke the demon's thoughts when he heard Inuyasha moan softly. It was strange since the hanyou had been quiet all night...

"No! No! Get the fuck off of me!"

"You will be no one elses!"

"Stop it! Sesshomaru!"

Inuyasha jolted up in bed, clutching the blankets to his chest. Another nightmare. They were changing. They used to be about the golden eyed figure and brought that earthy scent to his nose, and while that scent was still there, the eyes were gone and all that was there was disgust. He looked around frantically, his mind failing to remind him that he wasn't alone. He yelped as he felt a larger, hotter body join him on the futon, pulling him close.

The hanyou fought at first, but taking in that scent that was so familiar...he couldn't help but sigh and press closer.

"This is a dream..." Inuyasha whispered into the beings chest. " I know this scent...But I can't be you...It can't."

"Hush...You're mind is delusional..."

"But I-"

"Silence, little brother...Your nightmares...they are more frequent now...are they not?" Sesshomaru asked, absently stroking and brushing his fingers through the hanyou's hair.

Inuyasha nodded and pressed even closer, making the demon mentally sigh. This was going to kill him for sure. The younger brother yawned after a couple hours of sitting there, silent and unmoving. Sesshomaru looked down at him, contemplating leaving to sleep in the corner, or staying here. He had even begun to move when he felt the hanyou's hands grip his sleeves.

"Stay..."

"That isn't what you wanted earlier..."

"The nightmare threw me off..."

"Bullshit..."

"Bast-..." Inuyasha stopped himself. "Asshole."

"Hn...And this is how you wish to make me stay?" Sesshomaru smirked, almost loving the brotherly affection.

The hanyou sighed and looked up at the demon, pouting. "Look, I ain't sorry that I tried to kill you or that you got the same beads I do. But I am sorry that you're forced to stay here as it is...but...I'm just freaking out right now okay? Kagome's gone. I have no one."

You have me...You always have, baka! Sesshomaru thought to himself before sighing again and shifting on the bed. He pulled Inuyasha down with him, laying them both on their sides with his brother still secure in his arms.

"If we are caught you will have to explain this." He murmured, finding an ear and experimentally rubbing it.

Inuyasha's hand swatted him away. "Whatever...Just shut up and hold me...asshole..."

"Does this mean you wish for things to be different?"

Silence. The demon looked down and saw that Inuyasha's brow was furrowed as he stared at Sesshomaru's chest. "I...I guess...but I still kind of hate you...Just not in an enemy way. Like...a brotherly way."

"This position is hardly brotherly, Inuyasha."

"Cram it, you fucking jerk."

"With pleasure."

"SHUT UP!"

"Silence!" Sesshomaru hissed, smiling against his will as he slapped a hand over Inuyasha's mouth. "Sleep, little brother..."

The hanyou grumbled into the hand and shut his eyes, making the older demon remove his hand and wrap it around him. This was so strange. The sudden switch was just...odd. Inuyasha didn't know what possessed him to allow Sesshomaru into his bed especially since earlier he had tried to kill him, but he didn't care. This felt...surprisingly nice and he would enjoy it in this privacy. He wouldn't tell a soul.

Things were starting to change, and Inuyasha prayed for the better as he slipped into slumber.

A/N: *throws fluff at you* THERE! Enjoy! *runs off*