InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bits From The Big Yellow Bag ❯ Thwarted At Each Turn ( Chapter 8 )

Thwarted At Each Turn

 

Sesshoumaru's father's blood flowed through the hanyou. Admittedly diluted… but family was family, like it or not.

 

Really, his first goal had been to (admittedly unwillingly) locate the Tetsusaiga, be sure it was in his half-brother's hands, and then commence with educating the whelp in the ways of the weapon.

 

He'd been livid when he'd discovered the wretch hanging from a tree. It was an outrage almost equal to his father's blatant disregard for his birthright: the powerful blood of his family left in limbo, unable to face death with honor; alive and yet not.

 

Worse yet - he'd been felled by a miko.

 

The whelp had been snared by a human bitch, just like their father!

 

For once in his increasingly-long life-span, Sesshoumaru hoped he was adopted, similar blood-scent be damned.

 

For the next couple decades, Sesshoumaru kept his ears trained for word from the Musashi region. One day, his father's blood would tell, and InuYasha would be free. At that point, serious re-training would have to commence.

 

Sesshoumaru was understandably unimpressed when he next saw his half-brother, fifty years later… in the company of yet another human girl.

 

InuYasha apparently had a very, very steep learning curve.

 

Sesshoumaru didn't like surprises, and the fact that InuYasha in all his idiotic glory had not only been accompanied, but collared, by a second human female (and worse, one he dared to protect) was just too much to take in.

 

Was it any wonder he snapped?

 

It was easier, Sesshoumaru decided that night, to ignore his father's wishes and simply remove the stain on the family's honor.

 

Somehow, that was easier said than done. Apparently hanyou were a lot more resilient than first thought. Or stubborn. InuYasha's refusal to die at his elder brother's hands built up a surprising amount of grudging respect in Sesshoumaru.

 

His half-brother had shown ingenuity. He had shown he had the capability to learn from his mistakes (very, very slowly). Sesshoumaru would even be willing to admit (in the comfort of his own mind, where nobody else could hear, of course) that InuYasha had surprised him on occasion.

 

He'd never tell InuYasha… but Sesshoumaru knew. InuYasha was not simply a worthy adversary.

 

He was worthy of their shared blood.

 

A/N:

First posted to LiveJournal on April 30, 2009

Took first place at iy_themes community

Word Count: 372

Prompt: “Secret”