Together

Sesshoumaru was surprised at how much his brother's unwillingness to reconcile with him hurt; did the pup not trust in him anymore? That thought wrenched at his youkai, deep down in the older brother's gut, almost making him feel as though he wanted to heave. It also made him angry; what right did Inuyasha have to feel such betrayal, the human child was not his. But the answer came quickly; it was not so much what Sesshoumaru had said to Makoto, but that he had known Inuyasha wouldn't agree and had offered to do the deed behind the pup's back. Sesshoumaru sighed, he knew how he would have felt, and had to concede that he completely understood his brother.

As he reached the boundary he paused, missing the yell of Inuyasha who had always called to him before he left the property to say goodbye. However as he was temporarily lost in thought, the guard came and stood by him waiting to be acknowledged. Sesshoumaru turned to him and nodded his head indicating that he was listening.

"I do not mean to presume Your Royal Highness."

"Go on."

"It is my Young Lord, your brother. Do you intend to leave immediately?"

"You question me?"

"Not from impertinence Your Royal Highness; but Lord Inuyasha seems bewildered and somewhat distressed Sir. I...I feel a responsibility towards My Young Lord and it motivates me to implore you to reconsider. I know that Lord Inuyasha misses you greatly My Prince." There was no arrogance in the guard's tone, nor deceit in his scent; he was an older youkai who looked after Inuyasha with a fatherly eye and had wide experience with pups.

"Explain."

"Lord Inuyasha is often out at night with the human pup; he walks around and talks to the child all the time. He tells her of his life at the Palace and his family there. You figure prominently in his tales My Prince and he has been very lonely without your companionship. I cannot help but be privy to these, his deepest thoughts when he speaks at night. My Prince I know what transpired between you, but please do not think that My Young Lord does not need you. He just cannot express what he wants very well and if you err on the side of caution in dealing with him it may result in harm for you both."

The guard waited; he was the very picture of respect and Sesshoumaru pondered over his words, recognising the unhidden paternal overtones. Sesshoumaru turned and walked back silently to where he could see the pup's profile clearly; Inuyasha still stood by the corner of the paddock, his head down and his chin trembling. Occasionally the small boy swiped across his eyes with his sleeve and Sesshoumaru could scent his sadness, apart from feel the sympathetic pull of his own youkai. He moved towards his brother, but Inuyasha didn't look up.

"It is inappropriate to use your sleeve Pup."

"What's you mean Shu?"

"I mean it is not a proper use of your clothing to wipe your eyes and nose Inuyasha."

"Oh...I's not got a hankie."

"So I see: what has caused your sadness Little One?"

"I isn't sad."

"That is a bare faced lie Inuyasha; I don't even need to have my superior senses to know you are crying."

"No I isn't." The pup stated, ashamed he'd been found out; but his blush further gave him away, so he tried to turn his sorrow into a form of anger. "You just comed and nows yous goin' again...are you still cross wiv me?" Inuyasha sniffed loudly and wetly and Sesshoumaru handed him a silk hankie just in time. He decided once again to ignore the baby talk, realising that it would change as Inuyasha grew more secure.

"I thought you were cross with me Inuyasha?"

"I is...but I misses yous and I still dunno why you was goin' to...to do what yous was goin' to do when I was gone."

"Will you hear me now Inuyasha?"

"Alright."

"My intention was not to deceive you but to spare you from thinking I was causing the child pain. You were already attached to her...fond of her. I had hoped you would think she had just died."

"You'da lied to me?" Inuyasha was aghast at that thought and Sesshoumaru was quick to deny any such notion.

"No, I just thought you wouldn't ever know."

"Corse I'd know; you is being stupid Shu."

"Inuyasha you will cease reviling your older brother."

"Well yous is if yous thinks I'd not know. I'd smell it on Hanako and even if not, yous can't keep that sorta thing secret...not from me. I knows a lot about yous...I knows how yous scent when you is keeping secrets or lying Shu." Inuyasha asserted strongly, once again surprising Sesshoumaru with his forthright attitude apart from just what he said. The elder brother had never considered before that Inuyasha might understand him just as well as Sesshoumaru did the younger boy.

But as he considered, Sesshoumaru supposed he should not be astonished; Inuyasha had been linked to his older brother constantly since his birth and the traumatic time that had caused the bonding of their youkai. Added to that Inuyasha was far from stupid and they had shared in many escapades since then; Sesshoumaru became aware that he had underestimated the pup. Yet the knowledge warmed him instead of making him wary. Inuyasha may only be a very young boy yet but he would grow, and Sesshoumaru could see the potential in having his little brother as a friend, even if at the moment that friend was speaking in annoying baby talk.

Suddenly Sesshoumaru was impatient for that time, he realised that he had led a quite lonely puphood; for even though he had many friends and acquaintances, he had allowed no one in to the depths of his heart. Except for Inuyasha, the whelp claimed to know him best of all and Sesshoumaru had no doubts that he did; and was the only one who fully understood the stoic young Lord apart from his father and possibly his mother. The older brother found he was excited at the prospect and impatient for the time that Inuyasha would be more his equal in age.

But these things couldn't be rushed; youkai aging was a slow process in comparison to human development. Sesshoumaru had never thought of it before; time was relative in any case, but it would still be a long time before his little brother could converse or spar at the older sibling's level. And the way it was at the moment with the baby talk, that day seemed further away than ever; it seemed more that Inuyasha would be content to float through his life instead of taking steps to grow up and reach adulthood.

A soft sniff drew Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts and he realised guiltily how selfish he was being, even if in his own head. It was obvious that Inuyasha had taken on more responsibility than a pup his age should be required to do. Inuyasha was the only safety his baby sister had and yet he carried the burden with no complaint, even when many of the humans despised him and were just waiting for him to fail. He had already lived with the open derision and hatred of his step-grandmother, but it hadn't changed him into a human hating creature; Inuyasha had accepted maturely that not everyone would like him.

A wave of protective love flowed through Sesshoumaru for his tiny yet strong little brother and his perspective changed drastically. Angrily he thought that Inuyasha shouldn't have to grow up faster than normal for anyone else; he shouldn't have to act any older than he truly was. He had the same right as Sesshoumaru had to a normal puphood, developing at the normal rate for however long it took. It was not fair that the boy's journey through life should be accelerated by experiences that could taint his whole development. A pup should be carefree and not care about growing up too soon.

Sesshoumaru went and knelt in front of Inuyasha and gently brushed the hanyou's fringe from his wet eyes and made the boy look at him. When he did, Sesshoumaru smiled at him and wrapped his tail around both Inuyasha and Hanako, and then as he was not rebuffed, he pulled the pair close and was relieved when Inuyasha snuggled into his arm accepting the older boy's embrace. Sesshoumaru knew he'd been forgiven and petted Inuyasha, letting the small boy cry without remonstrance until he fell quiet.

"I promise that I will help to look after Hanako as well Inuyasha; will that make you happy?"

"Do you mean it Shu? I will see you again soon?" The baby talk was gone and that was all to the good in Sesshoumaru's opinion.

"Of course, I told you that I only stayed away because Papa didn't want me upsetting you and making us fight."

"You will protect Hanako too?"

"Yes, I have said so, haven't I?"

"I've been so lonely Shu: I missed you so much." The tears started again and Sesshoumaru held the pup close.

"I too missed you greatly; but Papa was wise, he knew that it would only cause harsh words if we saw each other before we understood what it would be like to miss each other."

"I s'pose."

"You must go back to bed now Inuyasha and I will come to visit you every day, alright?"

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now come, I will make sure you are tucked up." Sesshoumaru took Inuyasha back to the house and silently put his brother and the baby back to bed. He stayed until the pup was asleep, Hanako wrapped up under Inuyasha's sleeve and then nodded goodnight to the watchful Izayoi who had awoken as they returned. As Sesshoumaru flew back to the Palace and his own room, Inu no Taishou came out of the forest grateful that his boys had made their peace.

IYQ, November 2009; Week #1: A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.-Lao Tzu