InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Nothing of Importance ❯ Segment One ( Chapter 1 )

It was supposed to have been a peaceful walk. He'd told Rin and Jaken to wait for him by the stream while he took a few moments to collect his thoughts. That had been his intention, at least. He wouldn't go so far as to leave Rin completely defenseless - the scent of wolf was heavy in the area, and Rin still feared wolves - that he couldn't get to her in time, but still far enough to get a moment to himself. That had been his intention, at least . . . until Inuyasha showed up, running at a break-neck speed and panting, golden eyes flashing with a burning anger and hatred.

 

Sesshomaru gazed coolly at the hanyou before him, his hand resting on the hilt of Tokijin. So far, Inuyasha had yet to draw the Tetsusaiga, but that didn't mean he was going to be caught off-guard. His brother had a nasty habit of picking a fight with just about anyone. Then Sesshomaru took a closer look at his whelp of a brother. His eyes narrowed almost immediately. Sweat glistened on Inuyasha's forehead, but he detected no illness. Yet, there was something different about Inuyasha, something different in his eyes . . . something he couldn't quite place his finger on.

 

“What do you want, half-breed?” he inquired calmly and to the point. He was not one to beat around the bush to find out what he wanted. “Why are you here?”

 

“I . . .” Inuyasha faltered almost immediately, the anger and hatred disappearing quickly and pain registering on his half-brother's face. Pain from what, Sesshomaru couldn't tell. The scent of blood was absent, even as Inuyasha collapsed to his knees, tears spilling down his cheeks and his gaze averting itself. Sesshomaru stayed where he was, and watched. Finally, Inuyasha spoke again.

 

“I can't do this anymore. I just . . . I can't . . . I don't want to hurt anymore . . . I don't want to believe . . .”

 

“What are you talking about, half-breed?”

 

“You know what I'm talking about, Sesshomaru,” came the whisper. “You were there. You knew what was going on.”

 

“I do not,” he stated coldly, turning to go. “If you have nothing useful to say then leave me be. I have no time for this.”

 

“DON'T ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW!” Inuyasha shouted, rising to his feet, and catching Sesshomaru's attention once more. “YOU WERE THERE! YOU WERE . . .” his voice then dropped, “the one who was responsible for everything that happened . . . after Mother died.”

 

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed once then he was at Inuyasha's side, his hand around the hanyou's neck, and held him in the air, applying pressure. Hands wrapped around his wrist but did nothing to stop him. It was then he felt the heat coming off Inuyasha, could smell the fever that had started to consume his brother. He had weakened considerably and wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his sibling. To fight the hanyou in this condition wouldn't be much of a fight at all.

 

“You are ill, Inuyasha. You are a fool if you came here seeking a fight,” he told him. “Go back to your wench.”

 

He then let Inuyasha drop and started to walk away once more. The hanyou curled around himself, emitting a painful and lost sob. A sob that Sesshomaru couldn't ignore. Something in it reminded him of a time when he, too, had let out such a pitiful sound.

 

`But I had a reason to let out such a sound,' he thought bitterly, as memories he had fought to suppress struggled to the surface. `And he was dead by the time I brought Inuyasha to live with me.'

 

Sesshomaru knelt next to his brother and carefully laid a hand on his shoulder. Even through the fire-rat clothing Inuyasha preferred to wear, Sesshomaru felt the heat coming off the hanyou. He frowned as he did so. If anything, Inuyasha felt warmer than what he had when he'd first grabbed his brother.

 

“Inuyasha . . .” he murmured. The hanyou continued to sob, his body shuddering with each gulp of air he took. “Inuyasha . . .”

 

“Go away,” came the weak whisper. “Just leave me alone.”

 

Sesshomaru fought back a growl and the urge to beat Inuyasha senseless. First the hanyou had come here to confront him about some imagined offense and now he was being told to go away without so much as an explanation? He wasn't about to let Inuyasha get away with it that easily.

 

“No,” he replied sternly. “Not until you tell me what it is that you think I've done.”

 

Inuyasha didn't answer. Instead, he lay there, crumpled up and sobbing, as if someone had broken his spirit. Sesshomaru waited as patiently as his temper would allow but still Inuyasha remained silent. Finally, he rose to his feet.

 

“Have it your way then,” he stated calmly. “I care not. It would be nothing of importance to me anyway.”

 

Sesshomaru strode away, back to where his retainers waited for him, and leaving his brother as a weeping mess on the forest floor.

 

“It never would,” came the soft whisper. Sesshomaru paused then continued. His brother made no sense to him sometimes.