Making It Right

Sesshoumaru sat by his brother's bed and let his youki wash over the pup, and in his sleep Inuyasha felt the reassurance of belonging again. The blackness he had felt in his heart evaporated almost instantly as his own youkai recognised the pack feeling. The boy began to stir and as he brought his hand up to his face, Sesshoumaru gently removed the rabbit carcass and put it away. Golden eyes awoke to meet an identical pair looking down at him before turning away from the piercing gaze.

"Do not look away from me Little One."

"Your face frighted me Shu; you were so angry with me."

"I frightened you? I did not mean to; I was angry and thought that you and Father were playing a trick on me."

"I didn't know it was Papa; I was scared Shu, I thought the youkai would eat me and fight you."

"I know that now and I shouldn't have left you; but did you really think I would have allowed anything to eat you or attack you?"

"I was just feeling sick and frighted and you looked like you would hurt me again."

"Inuyasha I have never harmed you, and as I have told you, I was just angry with Papa, but I was wrong as well and everything is sorted. I understand why Papa didn't show himself now and that both of us had to learn valuable lessons, but I am sorry that I frightened you in my anger. Can you accept that?"

Sesshoumaru was scrutinised by disconcerting eyes that were the same as his father's in intensity and honesty. Inuyasha could never hide what he was thinking or feeling, but he could also discern alarmingly well. Now he could see the warmth in the normally cool eyes of his brother and thankfully none of the ice that indicated his displeasure, and the boy was comforted.

"I understand Shu." Inuyasha said in a soft voice and he hugged Sesshoumaru round the neck; his youkai asking once again for assurance. Sesshoumaru growled low and returned the embrace, glad that Inuyasha was easy to appease, but he had some advice for the boy as well.

"Your mother has said you cannot come to the Palace or go to school until you stop having nightmares." He stated, knowing what the result would be and he hid a smirk. No human woman was going to keep Sesshoumaru from his younger brother, not even the pup's mother.

"Feh! I'm alright, I'm not a baby. I must go to school with the others or they will think me a wimp."

"You must not have nightmares then; I mean it, not only because of your mother's decree but also the other boys will tease you."

"I don't have them because I like them Shu." Was the exasperated retort from the little brother."

"I can teach you how to stop these particular ones if you'd like?"

"Yes please."

"It is simple; you must allow your youkai to convince your human half that it is not in danger. If you can do that, your youkai will stop the dream from starting. It is how we are taught."

"How do I do that? I can't talk to my youkai like you can."

"Papa can do it for you. He can talk to your youkai, he has before." As Sesshoumaru spoke, the boys both felt the familiar aura of their father come towards them and turned eagerly to the door as he entered Inuyasha's room.

"Well done my boys, I see you have made amends, I am proud of you Sesshoumaru; now how is my other son?"

"Well Papa, thank you but..."

"I was just telling Inuyasha that you can help him be free of nightmares Papa."

"Hmm..." Inu no Taishou pondered for a while; "I am wondering if I am the best one to do this. Yes, I think I am" He proceeded to gather Inuyasha into his lap and make sure the child was secure, yet relaxed and at ease with him, that Inuyasha wasn't hiding any fears of his father's youkai.

"Why are you not certain you are the correct one for this Papa; you are his father and alpha, his youkai recognises you as such?"

"That is true Sesshoumaru, but it was you his youkai bonded with instead of mine, only hours after his birth; it is what gives you two a special relationship, because yours also accepted the bond with Inuyasha."

"Does that cause you difficulties Papa?"

"No My Son; I have no jealousy if that is what you mean. Inuyasha is my son by blood and he recognises my love for him, his youkai recognises my authority over it as his Father and Alpha and Inuyasha loves me. Don't you Pup?"

"Yes Papa, of course I love you." Inuyasha was keen to reassure his father, he didn't understand all that was meant with the youkai, but he knew what love was and that he loved his families.

"You see, it just means that I had to consider whether or not Inuyasha would be better listening to your youkai in the matter of containing his nightmares; it was after all you who frightened him the most."

"Don't make Shu cross and unhappy again Papa; he explained and he hasn't frighted me for long."

"Very well Inuyasha, I don't want any of my children upset; I prefer peace and quiet to a moody household." Inu no Taishou smiled at both his sons and ruffled Sesshoumaru's hair in order to annoy him.

"I am no longer a whelp Papa." He objected; to which remark his father smiled.

"A debate you could not win Sesshoumaru." He grinned at his younger son who was finding that particular dialogue very enjoyable.

"Shu is a puppy, Shu is a puppy," Inuyasha sang with evident delight at teasing his older brother who promptly joined in the fun and whisked his younger away from their father and hung him upside down by his feet. The pup was not at all worried and just kept singing as he was tossed over Sesshoumaru's shoulder and playfully spanked and tickled and bounced every time he sang the refrain.

His squeals alerted Izayoi but she could tell it was all in good humour and so she left them to deal with Inuyasha in the youkai way. Inu no Taishou had gently but firmly reminded her that Inuyasha may not be completely youkai but he was not all human either. Therefore when the pup was happy and relaxed even more, his father took him back and tucked him to his chest with Inuyasha's head under his father's chin.

Inu no Taishou rumbled in his throat growling in the most natural of the languages that their youkai understood and called Inuyasha's to come forward. This was only something he was willing to allow himself or Sesshoumaru to do as Inuyasha's youkai was strong and only recognised his alphas at the moment. He was learning to control, but it was harder because his youkai blood was so dominant to his human.

However, Inu no Taishou had no trouble in explaining that his youkai could counter the nightmares by waking the boy up if they started, and teaching his human half to ignore the triggers when it noticed them. It wouldn't stop all his dreams or terrors, but it would learn to differentiate after time. Soon Sesshoumaru too added his voice to convince his brother's youkai that he was no threat either and Inuyasha growled back, allowing his youkai free speech.

He understood and answered that he would try to do as he was asked before announcing that he was hungry and could they prepare his hunt for dinner? This was a tricky one as the poor rabbit kitten was not only very tiny but it was the worse for wear due to being clutched tightly in Inuyasha's hand throughout his morning's ordeal. But it was certainly not fit for consumption. Sesshoumaru held up the small body so that Inuyasha could inspect it.

The pup tried to be brave but it was his first hunt and he had been so proud to have clung to his kill all day, but he was not stupid and could see for himself that there was very little of the rabbit left and it was only skin and bone.

"Your hunt went well Inuyasha, despite the results of today; the rabbit is merely another victim of all that has happened, it does not detract from the fact you have your first kill. But it is not worth the preparation for a meal." Papa was firm about this, despite the bright wet eyes that gazed at him in disappointment. Sesshoumaru too was upset although it did not show in the same way, but he had an idea.

"Will you honour me with your rabbit Inuyasha?"

"Keh! You can have it...poor little bunny, I wonder if its mother misses it." Inuyasha wiped his eyes on his sleeve and gave a great sniff as he brought himself under control, and snuggled against his father who had a comforting smell when things were not right. Sesshoumaru took the rabbit kit and left to go back to the Palace. Inu no Taishou was going to stay with Inuyasha for the evening meal and make sure that the boy's youkai had once again subsided.

As the last week before school came to an end, Izayoi was persuaded by Inuyasha to let him return with the other boys. His nightmares had gone and he wasn't really traumatised in any way. She agreed and so with delight, Inuyasha went to stay to be prepared at the Palace for the last day and Sesshoumaru had a gift for him. It would be up to Inuyasha where he wanted it kept. The elder brother had had the kit sent to the tanner and seamstress; between them, they had saved the skin made a wooden skeleton and then padded it with soft cloth and wrapped the rabbit fur over the lot.

"Now you can be reminded of your rabbit whenever you wish Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru was pleased with Inuyasha's response; it told him that he had made the correct choice. Inuyasha was overjoyed and the rabbit became his most prized possession and on the first day back at school it took pride of place on the teacher's desk when he asked the class what they had done during their break.

IYQ Community; February 2008

"Sometimes the measure of friendship isn't your ability to not harm but your capacity to forgive the things done to you and ask forgiveness for your own mistakes." - Randy K. Milholland, Something Positive Comic, 11-07-05