Allo! Thank you, thank you, thank you for those of you who still read my random updates that come far & in between & an even bigger thank you for those who still review! In the upcoming weeks my updates might get sporadic & far again since I have state exams coming up & I have to study & I'll be job hunting like a feign. I'll still work on the next chapter when I get a chance. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up =]
They didn't have much. What they did have barely kept them alive & for that, Inuyasha was very grateful. There were many nights he didn't know where their next meal would present itself but they never went to sleep hungry, thank Kami. Most of the time they got pretty lucky in an almost comfortable, safe, warm place to sleep so for that, Inuyasha was also very grateful. & most of all they had each other which is more than what the other hundreds of homeless people they passed had. But Sesshomaru being Sesshomaru...was upset that he wasn't...as presentable as he was used to being.
Inuyasha roused to a strange sound, almost like someone was yelling with their teeth clenched. He sat up immediately, saw Sesshomaru was not beside him & bolted outside to find the inuyoukai staring at his reflection in the creek, his robes loose & stretched out in his limp hand. "Sessh, what is it?"
"How could one such as I fall to such a low that I would dare emerge from my place of sleep like this?" Sesshomaru asked in an awed whisper, his eyes wide & unbelieving.
"How could one such as you leave behind the life of a prince?" the hanyou responded half jokingly.
"You think this is in jest, Inuyasha? Look at my robes! Look at my hair! I look lowly & common! I haven't even brushed my teeth since the day we left!"
"I've noticed..."
Sesshomaru whirled around, eyes lit. "You think this is laughable. This is not a joke. I do not look nor feel like myself"
"But why do you care how you look?"
"Any man with pride is always sure to keep himself groomed!"
Inuyasha crossed his arms & smirked. Was he witnessing a meltdown here? "It's not a big deal. 'S not like we run into people everyday"
"But today could be a day we run into someone! & they'd see me like this!"
"Well you don't exactly want to be recognized-"
"But I don't want to look like I'm harboring a disease either!"
The hanyou outright laughed at that. "Sessh, you look fine. Just...wash the drool off the side of your mouth ther-"
Sesshomaru turned away quickly. "How dare you mock me!"
"You can't help your fancy clothes are ruined but you could at least wash your face-"
The demon stomped {gracefully of course} into their temporary home, grumbling the entire way & could even be heard into the cave where they'd slept last night. Inuyasha chuckled & shook his head. This was something he pretty much expected from someone like Sesshomaru. He knew eventually the inuyoukai was going to miss being served hand & foot, miss his lavish clothes, miss his luxurious baths with his expensive body washes, miss feasting like royalty & sleeping in his ridiculously comfortable bed...hell, even Inuyasha himself missed being in the palace from time to time but he knew he wouldn't live the rest of his life there. It was in his blood to move often. It was how he stayed alive.
"Sessh, c'mon. We have to keep moving, not to mention we need to get breakfast"
"I'm not leaving until I have decent attire!"
Inuyasha sighed. If this is what it would be like having a kid he never wanted to become a parent. "So it seems to me you're ok with not eating until you get better clothes"
There was no outright answer, just mumbling & growls as Sesshomaru slowly emerged from the cave again, his arms crossed & his pretty mouth set in an irritated frown.
The hanyou wrapped one arm around his shoulders & kissed him on the cheek. "Look at it this way: at least when you get blood & guts on this outfit you won't care"
The inuyoukai gave him a sideways glare. "No it'll mean my only outfit will be covered in filth & I'll smell like a dead animal"
"Way to keep it positive, babe"
...
Inuyasha was serious about not hunting for Sesshomaru. Not for any other reason except he wanted the demon to know how to get his own food. It didn't seem to be something Sesshomaru couldn't handle: he had no problem snapping a rabbit's neck or ripping through the jugular of a deer for dinner. He just always had a problem with the skinning part.
"Skin it"
"I'd rather not"
"Skin it or you won't eat unless you plan on chewing through all that fur"
"I'll just have some of yours"
"Negative. I did my part for mines now do yours"
"I demand you give me some of your share"
"I demand & suggest you learn how to skin animals..."
The glare Sesshomaru sent his way made him shudder in fear but he resisted the urge to please the demon & instead bit into his portion of elk leg. He had to be strong, he couldn't keep spoiling the dog. That would make him soft (softer than he already was) & if Inuyasha was unable to be there he had to be sure Sesshomaru survive on his own. Knowing Sesshomaru's stubborn ass though he'd risk being spotted & hauled back to the palace because he went into town for a snack.
When the hanyou deemed his elk leg finished he licked his fingers & glanced up at Sesshomaru who was staring almost sadly at the elk that was still not skinned. If he didn't hurry up & cook it it was going to spoil but Inuyasha chanted in his head to be still, don't do anything & most definitely do not just skin it for him. He had to learn. He had to learn.
After a few moments of staring Sesshomaru finally poked at the carcass...then he started testing the joint to see how much energy he would have to use to take the leg off...then he braced himself & snapped the leg off, tensing when blood splattered onto his arms & neck. His face remained calm though & he wasn't complaining so Inuyasha remained perfectly still. So far, so good.
After a few minutes Sesshomaru peeled the fur back almost in a bored way, as if he was doing it absentmindedly. It was such a slow process though Inuyasha was fighting the urge to get up & walk away. If he moved the spell might be broken...or...Sesshomaru might get this done a little faster. Some children {not that he was calling Sesshomaru a child} do better in their chores when they aren't being supervised. It might work...so Inuyasha stretched & stood.
"Where are you going?" Sesshomaru asked, not looking up.
"To piss"
"Would it hurt you to not be so crass?"
"Oh I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I'm going to shake the snake & drain the main in the wood a ways. Is that ok with you?"
The inuyoukai made a slight sound of disgust as the hanyou walked off, chuckling to himself. He thoroughly enjoyed teasing the ex-prince. It was then he noticed he actually had to use the bathroom so he did his business in the bushes, shook twice & headed back to camp. He just wanted to see if Sesshomaru had made any progress-
Inuyasha froze & his jaw dropped when he spied their camp. Sesshomaru had already finished skinning the leg, had it roasting & was currently halfway through skinning the rest of the carcass. The hanyou had only been gone all of about five minutes! How the hell had he gotten all of that done?!
When he was finished skinning it, Sesshomaru began cutting the meat off & laying it on a nearby boulder for elk jerky. Inuyasha was still in so much shock he hadn't realized he was breathing hard.
"Are you going continue to stand there like some demented pervert or are you going to sit & eat some more?" Sesshomaru asked.
The half breed chuckled awkwardly, mentally shaking his head at himself for forgetting Sesshomaru's superior sense of hearing & went over to sit across from the inuyoukai. "Nice. We have enough meat for a few days"
The demon nodded. "As long as you don't get greedy"
Inuyasha watched as Sesshomaru placed the boulder that the jerky was on into a pit of hot embers, separate from their camp fire. Amazing how much the demon knew from only watching the hanyou do it once or twice. They ate in mostly silence, enjoying the sounds of the night creatures [mostly cicadas] & patted their stomachs in satisfaction when they were done.
The hanyou stretched, yawned & put one arm around the inuyoukai's shoulders as they reclined in a smooth curve of a rock that had been weathered smooth. "That was really good. I'm proud of you"
Sesshomaru made a noise in the back of his throat.
"You're welcome, by the way" Inuyasha said, chuckling.
He vaguely noticed Sesshomaru's hands constantly fidgeted with his clothing, tugging on his sleeve or picking at his hamakas. It was his only outfit from the palace. By now it was worn & dingy & stretched out & though it would still sell well in the markets Inuyasha realized how much of a culture shock this must be for the demon. To go from living in luxury to living off the land. But it seemed Sesshomaru had no regrets. He never talked of returning, he never said he missed anything about home [though that does mean he did not complain...cause he did]. So maybe he felt he made the right decision in running away with a servant.
Inuyasha smiled to himself as he ran the back of his fingers across Sesshomaru's shoulders.
"I'm glad I ran away with you too..."
...
Sesshomaru awoke with a sigh, still groggy & fog-headed from not getting a decent night of sleep. He sat up & stretched the kinks out of his tired body. One day they weren't going to be living like this, sleeping in these uncomfortable shelters...one day-
His train of thought was interrupted when he saw Inuyasha's silhouette enter the cave with something in his hand. Judging from the shape it most definitely was not breakfast which Sesshomaru had been hoping for. Since the fire had gone out he still couldn't really tell what it was when Inuyasha walked close to him.
"Hey sleeping beauty. Ready to go hunt?" the hanyou asked, putting the object to his right, out of Sesshomaru direct line of sight.
"What is that?"
Inuyasha chuckled. "You don't know what a hunt is? You've done it so many times"
"No, what is that in your hand?"
He looked down at his hands, turning them over several times. "Uh...nothing, babe"
Sesshomaru's facial expression must have convinced Inuyasha quickly enough that he was not in the mood for these antics.
Inuyasha took a deep breath & nervously ran his hands up & down the thighs of his hamakas. "Sorry. I was hoping you'd still be asleep so I could surprise you but I guess I should've left a bit earlier. Anyway I wanted to...do something nice for you since you've been by my side for however long its been since we ran away. You've been learning & you've made me proud & I know you like to look good...so I just got you something kinda nice"
He jerked his head towards the entrance of the cave & they both walked outside where it was morning & the rising sun provided more light. Inuyasha held up a gold & red robe with simple but nice black lotus flower designs on the sleeves & lightweight black slippers. It was a far cry from anything Sesshomaru would usually wear: this looked tacky & obnoxious. He wasn't very keen to the color yellow. But he slowly took off his old, worn outfit, enjoying watching Inuyasha blush furiously, before he gently took the new outfit & slipped it on. It was very comfortable & breathable, more like a summer yukata but he really liked it.
He looked up at Inuyasha who seemed to be hesitant like he got the feeling he made a mistake. "It is very nice. I like it. Thank you, Inuyasha"
After the initial look of awe Sesshomaru could have sworn he saw unshed tears in the hanyou's eyes before he looked down in bashfulness. "Ah ya welcome...figured ya wouldn't like it cause you've always liked soft colors but...yeah...glad ya like it"
Sesshomaru put a hand on Inuyasha's cheek & kissed him deeply. Someone who cared enough to get you something when they basically had nothing as far as money, not to mention he'd been paying attention & knew Sesshomaru did not like loud colors, deserved the world. He couldn't give Inuyasha anything near that expensive, oh, but if he could...
"I love you" he said instead.
Inuyasha smiled, a few tears escaping. "I love ya too"
"Now..." Sesshomaru said, taking a few steps back & smiling mischievously, "Take it off of me"
Suddenly Inuyasha's tears dried up & he returned the devilish smile. Next thing he knew Sesshomaru was looking at the ground as he was slung over the hanyou's shoulder. He sighed. They had to work a little more on the romantic thing.