InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shadowed Nights ❯ Learning to Get Along ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Behold the all powerful goo! Things start to really heat up in our wonderful cave of Mysteries. What is the real story behind the warded cave? and what is that smell coming from the kitchen?

---Err, I tried to edit so that all the paragraphs are separated, however I got 2-4 fixed but 5 for some reason is being a complete pain! I will keep trying! If you don't want to wait, I also have this archived on AFF and FF under Black Dragon Queen--

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Shounen / Angst / Romance / Hentai / Comedy / Adventure | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 08.29.2007 | Updated On: 09.26.2007 | Pages: 8 | Words: 19.0K | Visits: 782 | Status: Completed

Shadowed Nights By The Black Dragon Queen Co Authored by Kallipso Pairings, Summary, Disc---- Well you all know them by now… no use beating a dead Hanyou… Inuyasha: “HEY!” er… horse. NOTE: A note about the silk kimonos. I swear I looked at ALL my silk clothing and they all said the same damn thing. “Dry clean only”. By the time Kallipso said it was Warm water not cold, I had already posted… and was too lazy to change it. It’s the feudal era; everything runs backwards, at least in my world. And Sesshoumaru is eaten by rats. Okay maybe not, just a little gnawed. A note: I’m so SORRY! I know I said I was going to update more often, but then my court dates kept changing (Speaking of, my Thursday Court appearance was changed AGAIN) and if that wasn’t enough, our dogs got FLEAS! So as a result we have been bug bombing the whole house for a MONTH! And then! Just when every last flea was smoothed by the silent silver fog of DOOM-the gods decided to laugh at me and make it rain. So we had a flood…and not just ANY flood! This was the flood of Noah’s capacity! I mean really! The waters flowed over the banks and our horse trailer rose like a rusting silver ghost from its peaceful resting spot under the pine tree, and proceeded to crash through our fence (much to our horses delight)! The barn was underwater and I’m not even going to mention the garage! Kallipso’s place faired no better as three sump pumps wrecked havoc on her sleeping habits by keeping her up at night while they carried the small lake away from her humble abode. Dedications: More like death threats. ALL ATTACK KALLIPSO WHO HAS STOLEN MY FF7 CLOUD PLUSHY! Throws random Sephiroth plush to distract. Kallipso: Grabs Sephiroth’s and runs laughing maniacally. Hahahahah! I have them both! BDQ: Stares Shrugs’ Cuddles Vincent Kallipso: Returns and dangles Reno in front of BDQ BDQ: Drools Kallipso: Snatch and run! I WILL NEVER SURENDER! BDQ: What the? Fonts: “Speaking”… ‘Thinking’… ‘Mind Speak!’ o NOW (finally) ON TO THE STORY! Part Five-- Learning to Get Along: Chapters 25-30 Twenty-Five : Kuufuku! The Amazing, Flying Rat! Kuufuku was having the time of his life. He went up; he went down. He could go left or he could go right. He could even do tricks! How many people in the world could say they’ve seen a rat perform tricks? Let alone a flying summersault on his new trampoline? The rat continued his bouncing providing much needed entertainment for the two younger people in the cave as he gave off another particularly hard jump from the soft springboard. Kuufuku obviously didn’t care what anyone thought of his antics. The trampoline was just what the doctor ordered to stave off the boredom and routine of everyday life in the cave. It was so plushy and springy that it made for the perfect toy for the hyperactive rat. This worried Inuyasha. The fact that Sesshoumaru had completely zonked out after his return to the cave to the point where even a rat bouncing on his person didn’t wake him… well, it was defiantly a cause for concern. Although Kuufuku seemed to have no problem with it since it enabled him to combine his two favorite activities of playing around and annoying one, certain youkai. However, it seemed as if the young lord was not going to cooperate at the moment, but that didn’t stop Kuufuku in his efforts. He would just have to try harder. So the rat put an extra spring in his movements and actually managed to get a good three-foot high bounce going. Inuyasha shook his head as he wondered just how he would go about waking his prick of a brother in time for the evening. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the Youkai’s return and Inuyasha was actually beginning to panic. He had tried everything! From shaking the jerk to a bucket of water, until he finally had to search out the rat playing with the children and gave the animal free range over the comatose man. And amazingly, Sesshoumaru was still out for the count. Inuyasha frowned before he looked out the door and at the fading light that marked the passage of time. ‘Fucking bastard! He’s doing this to me on purpose.’ Inuyasha growled as he glared at the sprawled youkai. ‘When he wakes up, he’s dead.’ Dusk was starting to fall and he knew that he alone would not be able to protect the inhabitants of the cave once the new moon rose. While he had yet to come across some of the more dangerous of youkai, he knew that even the most harmless of demons were still ten times more powerful than the young kit and little girl. ‘Then again, if anyone show’s up I could always sick Kuufuku on them,’ he thought amusedly while continuing to watch the enthusiastic rat hop away. The animal had actually started performing some acrobatic summersaults and Inuyasha sweat dropped before he shook his head in defeat. “Welcome to the circus that is my life,” he muttered as the rat performed a rather interesting back flip. Sesshoumaru nevertheless dozed on, blissfully oblivious to the goings on of the bounding rat and everything else for that matter. He was in the middle of a glorious battle. The sound of steel meeting steel, it was so exhilarating! His enemies were nothing. He could defeat them easily. His sword mowed them down as if they were nothing more than harmless blades of grass for all the fight that they were putting up. ‘Or maybe I’m just that good,’ Sesshoumaru thought smugly. The enemy was pathetic. The enemy was weak. The enemy was gone. He had won. ‘As if there was any doubt,’ he thought triumphantly as he gazed about the battlefield. Naraku was defeated. His army of demon followers crushed and his towering palace engulfed in flames. It had been a long and horrendous battle full of oozing blood, smoldering husks of burned out bodies and various severed body parts scattered across the battlefield. Sesshoumaru had never felt so alive. With the weight of Tokujin in his hand he watched as Naraku’s body smoldered, flame licking up the spider body and the creatures severed head dripping down the ceremonial pike. The kind of weapon that Sesshoumaru always saw hanging in the weapons room of the Lord of the East. Even had the talent of making Sesshoumaru’s hair stand on end. Creepy guy, that. Now Naraku, he had been a total pansy. The creature had been a complete push over and an utter waste of time. ‘Couldn’t argue with the results though,’ he thought as he looked down at the other comforting weight that leaned against his other side. The dark head was pressed against his body, golden eyes looking up at his adoringly. There was something that wasn’t quite right about all this, but as his youki was celebrating the only thing that Sesshoumaru could think of was ‘who cares?’ as he reached down and dragged the small body even closer to him. Smiling down he ran his fingers down the raven tresses as the small cupid bowed mouth curved upward as the head leaned into the touch, the silver ears twitching on the top of the silky locks. He smiled as he moved his hand to the back of the boy’s head as he leaned down, bringing that mouth closer to him. Oh Kami, this is what he fought so hard for. This was the reason he went to battle. This was his reward for doing well. This was what every red blooded creature in the world craved. Sought out with hunger. Fought for with need. The lips neared his own and emanated a harsh snarl. His instincts suddenly screamed “wrong!” at him and he reared back, pushing the boy away from him and stepped back as he watched in utter shock as the creature in front of him began to change. To shift and change as the dark black hair suddenly bleed lighter. It did not turn silver however. It was shifting into a light brown, shortening into soft tough fur. His eyes widened when suddenly there, standing in the boy’s place, was one of the Shika. Sesshoumaru gripped the hilt of his sword as the animal snorted threateningly, moving a step forward towards him. His automatic instinct was to step back as a sudden surge of fear spiked within him. His body was poised for flight. It was a feeling that Sesshoumaru had never really felt before but at the moment, it was not something that he cared about. The large rack of horns lowered threateningly and Sesshoumaru moved back as other shapes began to step out of the darkness. The fallen bodies of the battle suddenly rose from the ground. The sickening sound of bones cracking resonated across the air as the bodies twisted, shifting and realigning themselves. His breath hitched as the forms became clearer, his eyes widening in disbelief as the whole herd of deer stood before him, eyes glowing red, teeth bared and horns aimed threateningly. “Oh Shit!” Sesshoumaru yelped as he turned and started running. Some part of him was in complete shock that he would run away instead of turning to fight, but Sesshoumaru found that his feet had a mind of their own and they continued running. Passing blurs were the only thing he could fathom of his surroundings. He could hear them behind him. They were coming closer and closer with each passing moment. He tried to run faster but it was as though each step was dragged through deep mud, he couldn’t get away from them any faster! The deer were gaining on him. He couldn’t run fast enough. ‘If I get out of this,’ he thought sourly, ‘we’ll eat nothing but venison for a year.’ He ran faster, the hot stench of their foul breath right behind him. ‘Make that decades.’ Suddenly the landscape changed. Open fields became dense forest. The mounds of bodies he had so easily defeated were now boulders that blocked his way. He tried to look for an escape but none presented itself to him. He couldn’t turn, couldn’t dodge, couldn’t do anything but run and run in a straight line. It was then that he saw it, straight ahead, the cave! Sweet mother of mongrels, there it was! Safety at last! He glanced over his shoulder to see exactly how close the deer were to him when he nearly faltered in his steps and crashed head first into a tree. It wasn’t deer behind him. It wasn’t the deer’s foul breath he smelled. It wasn’t the deer’s glowing beady eyes that bore holes into him. It was rats. Hundreds and hundreds of rats. With that blasted pet of Inuyasha’s leading the charge. “Fuck!” he screamed and made for the large hole that was the entrance. But something was wrong. The cave was closing. “NO!” he screamed as he threw his arm forwards, reaching for his any chance of freedom as it slowly closed before him. As the last glimmer of black faded so too did his resoning. He crashed into the wall at full tilt and immediately clawed at the rock face “Let me in! Let me in NOW!” He shouted. It had been the first time that anyone dared to disobey him. There had never been a time that his every demand was not heeded. He banged against the rock wall. He knew that they were in there. Inuyasha was in there, ignoring him. He, as well as Rin, and that annoying kitsune- all of them were laughing at how pathetic he was running from rats. He whirled around as he watched the horde of enlarged vermin still coming right at him. Teeth bared and glowing red eyes all pointed straight at him. “Oh Kami, I’m going to die,” Sesshoumaru murmured as his eyes squeezed shut in fear… …Only to snap open again to the sight of a small grey fur ball. A small grey fur ball that was rapidly getting larger by the second. “…ep.” The small rodent landed with a happy squeak right on top of the Inu-domo’s surprised visage. Silence. Sesshoumaru’s eyes went cross as he stared into the dark beads of the animal’s own eyes while Kuufuku gave another squeak of “hello,” and showed just how much he had missed his archenemy with a welcome home nip to Sesshoumaru’s nose. That was all it took for the almighty Lord of the West to finally crack. “KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAA!” Inuyasha was sitting at the little table; his head balanced in his hand had just about fallen asleep when the scream startled him into full awareness, losing his equilibrium and nearly clonking his head on the table’s shiny surface. Jumping to his feet, his golden eyes snapped towards the pallet where the other Inu Youkai was housed just in time to see the taller man snap his body upright and propelling the family “pet” like boulder from a catapult off of his face. Kuufuku hit the side of the cave with an “erk” and slid down the dark surface almost as if in slow motion. It didn’t take the hanyou long to figure out what happened as he watched Rin move to the animal’s aid. It had appeared that Kuufuku, who had been having so much fun bouncing up and down on the unconscious youkai’s stomach, had somehow miscalculated his latest jump and fell with a rather happy squeak right on top of his brother’s face. Inuyasha wished briefly that he had caught the whole thing with one of those Cam-E-rah’s of Kagome’s just so he could watch it again and again and again. Sesshoumaru’s current expressions were quite amusing as well. “I’ll kill that rat!” Sesshoumaru roared as he lurched to his feet and fumbled for Tokujin. Kuufuku was anything but stupid and knew danger when it was looking at him with eyes that were dangerously turning red. The ever-remorseful rodent turned tail and ran to the nearest safety zone that was available to him. Inuyasha squawked in surprise as small claws dug into his legs and torso as the rat climbed up his body as if he were a ladder and came to rest on his shoulder, burrowing his head under the silky locks of his hair, tail twitching sporadically in fear. “Do you mind?” he snapped indignantly at the animal as he saw his brother was still advancing. “Hey!” Shippo cried from the floor angrily. “What do you think you are doing you rodent!?” Inuyasha gapped as the small kitsune suddenly surged forward, and he felt the abrupt pain of small sharp little needles of this kits claws dug into his abused person as the child followed Kuufuku’s earlier example and climbed the hanyou like a tree. “That’s my spot!” Shippo called out as Inuyasha winced as the nails met the tender flesh of his thigh. “Only I,” hips, “can sit,” stomach, “on the baka’s,” chest, “shoulder!” Shippo made a lunge for the creature. “Get down!” “Both of ya’s get down you pests!” Inuyasha bellowed as he started to whirled about the cave in an effort to catch one of the elusive vermin that were running circles around his shoulders. Shippo snarled as he made a grasp for Kuufuku’s tail only to be grabbed by sharp teeth instead as Kuufuku tried to climb even higher under Inuyasha’s darkening hair to the top of his very scalp. Shippo was right behind him. “Get off!” “Will ya both get OFF!” Inuyasha screamed as he tried to grab the small fox kit that was losing his footing while still attempting to reach his other occupant and was currently sliding down his robe. Leaving stinging claw marks in his wake. “I ain’t ya treehouse! Get off!” “Can Rin have a turn later?” “What? NO!” Rin pouted as she sat back down at the table and continued to sip her tea as she watched the antics of the so-called “adults”. “Go away!” Shippo yelled. “Drop Dead!” Inuyasha screamed. “Squeeeeee!” Kuufuku squealed. “Grrrrrrrrrr.” The three froze. “Uh-oh,” echoed off the cave, in stereo. This was not good. Chapter Twenty-Six: The Wonderful World of Goo <hr width="100%" size="1" noshade="noshade">‘Must kill rat! Must kill rat! Must kill rat! Must kill...’ There wasn’t a single youkai in all four kingdoms that could not say that Sesshoumaru was anything but determined. Whenever the Inu decided on a course of action, come hell or high water he would see it through. If an annoying lesser demon annoyed him, he would have it executed. If a fellow lord of the four kingdoms’s pissed him off, he wouldn’t so much as kill him as make his life a living hell. Sesshoumaru was a headstrong demon that would follow through on his every threat… Unless of course there was one hanyou turned human standing in his way. The youkai’s mantra of mental thought didn’t as much as stop as much as change direction. ‘Protect mate! Kill rat!’ So when the moon fully rose and the strange powers of his youki were released the Inu Taishou couldn’t help a toothy grin. The reaction to his enlarged presence was immediate. “Sesshoumaru! Stop drooling! You’ll ruin the rushes!” The great dog froze in utter shock at both the ferociousness and the complete absurdness of the shout. Hell, even the rat stopped gnawing on the kitsune’s collar and gave Inuyasha an odd look at the explosion. Too bad for Sesshoumaru, however, that the human wasn’t done with his tirade. “Watch your tail! I don’t want any of the furniture broken- SESSHOUMARU YOUR TAIL! Sesshoumaru froze as a familiar pungent odor filled his nostrils. One of smoke and burning hair… ‘Oh FUCK!’ Kitsune and rat went flying as Inuyasha rushed forward determined to put out the youkai’s flaming tail. Grabbing the tea kettle that hand been simmering over the flames, Inuyasha used all of his limited human strength to fling the hot water. Sesshoumaru had never before had tears in his eyes as a full Youkai Inu, but the scalding water had practically thrown him from the fire into the pot! His fur had at least kept the flame from reaching his most tender flesh while the water just drenched it. Letting out a painful yelp, Sesshoumaru instinctively moved away from the source of the …ahem… trauma, much to Inuyasha’s irritation, and immediately started to lick his wounded pride as well as his tail. “Oh for crying out loud,” Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the large animal’s antics. “It’s just water!” Sesshoumaru whimpered in response. Rin started crying in dismay as she rushed forward towards the youkai with only the thoughts of offering comfort to her beloved lord. Inuyasha was slower as a full human; however he was quick when it counted. He darted forward and grabbed the girl, quickly pulling her away. It was just in time too as sharp fangs and deadly drool pierced the area where the girl had been standing. “SESSHOUMARU! BEHAVE!” Inuyasha shouted angrily as he eyed the bubbling puddle of melting rock and sizzling rushes. Sesshoumaru actually managed to pull an apologetic look and brought his head down letting out a mournful woof. Inuyasha sighed in relief that Sesshoumaru had been able to regain his senses as he turned to the distraught little girl and motioned for Shippo to come over to join the conversation. “Rin, I’m sure that Sesshoumaru or Jakken… wait, scratch that, just Sesshoumaru has told you before that you are never, never, never to approach a wounded youkai. No matter if they are the closest person to you.” “Yeah,” Shippo piped up. “Survival Instincts take over and if you’re not careful, you become lunch.” Inuyasha stared at the little Kitsune before brought down his fist over the foxes head. Shippo yelped in surprise and darted in little running circles as he began rubbing at the now forming bruise. While the kit’s antics were normal, Inuyasha’s were not at the human just froze up after hitting the small kit. Sesshoumaru and Rin looked curiously at the boy before Inuyasha seemed to snap out of whatever daze he had been in, cleared his throat and turned back to the little girl. “Do you understand?” he asked gently. “Sesshoumaru didn’t mean it.” And to affirm Inuyasha’s announcement Sesshoumaru leaned forward and gave another gentle woof. “But…But… Sesshoumaru-Sama is in pain.” Rin whimpered. “Rin just wanted to help.” “And I’m sure that you did, and I’m sure that Sesshoumaru is grateful that you are concerned about him,” Inuyasha said soothingly completely ignoring the slight huff from behind him. “But you have to remember Rin,” he continued, “Youkai heal a whole lot faster because they have their youki to help fix everything quickly.” Inuyasha cringed again but forced a smile. “Do you understand now?” Rin hiccupped but nodded. “Okay then,” Inuyasha stood up. “Then why don’t you two go fetch your futons and you two sleep in the back caverns tonight?” “What? Why?” Shippo demanded irritably. “Why can’t we sleep out here in the main cave like always? Why do we have to sleep in the back?” Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the boy. “I’m human dork. If anything gets past Sesshoumaru, I won’t be able to stop them so I want you two safe, alright?” Shippo puzzled over that logic but shrugged as Rin had already gathered her pillow and covers and started to head towards the “Ningen Clubhouse” as Inuyasha had named it after the little girl had gone in to explore a while back. Shippo had been very upset that there way a place that he couldn’t go but some dumb girl could. Inuyasha watched as the two children and rat disappeared into the darkness and stood silent for a moment or two until he was sure that the children had traveled far enough into the back tunnels that they wouldn’t hear him. Then flood gates opened. “FUCKING HELL! OW! OW! OW! OW! OH DAMN IT HURTS! WATER! WATER! WATER!” Inuyasha dashed forward so quickly that Sesshoumaru wondered briefly if he had regained his youki in the two point six seconds he blinked. The dark haired human had raced forward and shoved his arms all the way to the elbow into the barrel of reserved water they kept for cooking and such. His disturbingly flat teethe were gritted and bared as he stood completely still for a moment before his body went completely limp and Inuyasha collapsed to the floor. Sesshoumaru wasn’t worried about his younger brother. He didn’t care for the brat at all. Not a bit. Youkai never “worry” about anyone but themselves. They just become curious. ‘WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?’ Sesshoumaru dashed forward and began to obsessively nose at the limp human. ‘Inuyasha!<stron g> You better not be dead!’ Sesshoumaru continued his “inquisitive” demands. ‘Or I’ll be having Kitsune for breakfast!’ “IR 17;m not dead…” Inuyasha moaned as he pushed against the large wet nose from his side. “And don’t underestimate Shippo… he’s a right pain in the ass.” The human sat up. “Besides, I would think that Kuufuku would be your top priority if I kick the bucket.” ‘Midnight snack.’ Inuyasha smirked as he allowed Sesshoumaru’s prodding demnads and rolled onto his back, both hands now shoved between his knees. “Oh god,” he groaned. “Tell me you have the all powerful Goo.” ‘Why do you need the blasted Goo?’ Sesshoumaru demanded. ‘What did you do now? What the hell is wrong? And why do you insist on using my Goo? I only have a little bit left you know.’ “Ungrateful mongrel,” Inuyasha growled as he rolled to his feet and belly crawled towards Sesshoumaru’s pack. He shook his head at the demon’s attitude as he rolled his eyes. ‘Damn, it’s going to be a long winter,’ he thought irritably. ‘Where do you think you are going?’ Sesshoumaru demanded as he tried to pick his way across the now completely furnished cave with out setting his tail or any other needed appendages alight. “Where do you think? I’m getting The Goo.” ‘Yes, I see that,’ Sesshoumaru drawled. ‘WHY are you getting The Goo?’ Inuyasha gave Sesshoumaru a piercing glare. “That kettle was over the fire you know.” Sesshoumaru paused as he thought about it. Inuyasha had grabbed the closest thing to put out his tail. The closest thing had been the simmering kettle of water. Inuyasha had not stopped to pick up a potholder. Sesshoumaru growled as he finally reached his human companion and peered at the damage with his piercing red eyes. ‘Stupid human’ “I heard that!” ‘What were you thinking you stupid little creature? Why did you have to grab the kettle?’ Inuyasha scowled as he continued searching through Sesshoumaru’s possessions for the all-powerful Goo. “There wasn’t really much time to stop and smell the roses let a lone think, ya know?” Sesshoumaru scowled as he nudged the red clad figure. ‘That’s your problem,’ he scolded,‘you<str ong>don’t think.’ Inuyasha turned his back pointedly towards the youkai and ignored him for all of two seconds. “Should have let you burn to a crisp.” ‘I heard that!’ Sesshoumaru snapped. “Well be a little grateful you jerk!” Inuyasha whirled back around. “You could at least say ‘thanks’ you self centered-” ‘Yes, yes,’ Sesshoumaru interrupted. ‘I do understand that you did… save me…’ Sesshoumaru immediately began smacking his lips as if there was a foul taste in his mouth. ‘And I do owe you a… oh Kami…’ Inuyasha waited patiently. He knew that this was hard for the older youkai but damn it he wanted to hear it from the Inu’s own mind. ‘… … … … thanks. There I said it.’ “Technically, you thought it,” Inuyasha smirked. ‘What& lt;/strong>? You snotty little-’ “Just kidding.” Sesshoumaru frowned as much as a Demon Dog could frown and watched as Inuyasha methodically tore through all his non-chewed possessions. ‘Must you toss my things around in such a careless manor?’ he asked as he watched yet another of his prized combs thrown gracefully across the cave. ‘It’s not like the rat left me with much.’ “You know,” Inuyasha huffed irritably, “you could help me find it a lot faster if you just tell me where the stupid thing is!” Sesshoumaru had the decency to duck his head in a somewhat contrite manor. ‘I forgot where I put it,’ he admitted. Inuyasha started in disbelief. “How could you not remember where you put a whole pot?” he asked in amazement. Sesshoumaru frowned. ‘I never have to remember where I put things,’ the Inu snuffed haughtily, ‘that’s what servants are for.’ Inuyasha paused as the sudden image of Sesshoumaru sprawled out in a winged back chair decked out in a pink-feathered robe and red painted toenails as Jakken brought him his fuzzy bunny slippers and a martini popped into his head. Sesshoumaru cast a curious look at the sudden burst of laughter but Inuyasha waved him off. ‘I have got to stop looking at those damn fashion magazines that Kagome leaves everywhere.’ He moved one of Sesshoumaru’s now Kuufuku’s robes out of the way and shouted in triumph as he spotted the earthen jar of wonderful, glorious Goo. Sesshoumaru watched as a look of pure enrapture stole over Inuyasha’s features and wished wistfully that it was because of him that such an expression on his beloved’s face and not some mixture of sticky leaves and Kami knew what else. ‘Are you just going to sit there fondling the thing or are you actually going to put any on it on?’ he asked after a long stretch of silence. Inuyasha huffed as he pulled out the stopper and rubbed the precious Goo into his acing hands. Sesshoumaru began an intense inspecting his scorched tail but in truth it was just a ruse for watching Inuyasha with out it being known he was watching Inuyasha who was inspecting the red lines across his palms. ‘I do wish you wouldn’t act so stupidly,’ he sent to the human quietly. Inuyasha jumped after having his blissful peace of watching the first winter snow beginning interrupted and whirled around to face the Youkai. He had had enough! Enough of all the glaring and the snarling and insults when he had done nothing at all to deserve them! “God DAMN it! What the hell is your problem? You leave for days on end and why you finally do come back you have to criticize and dictate every little thing that I do! Well fuck you!” Sesshoumaru ducked as an unidentifiable knick-knack flew towards him and he cringed as he heard it shatter against the wall. “This is MY cave!” Inuyasha shouted. “I live here! I’m the one who allowed you to live here!” ‘Now see here-’ “Oh no!” Inuyasha interrupted Sesshoumaru’s protests. “I could have made a huge fuss when you declared you were going to live here, hell, before Shippo came I could have just booked it but I have been nothing but courteous and have listened to all you sneers and insults and I’m not talking about the ones about my heritage but of the way I live my life!” Sesshoumaru stared in shock at the gasping human before him in shock. He hadn’t realized just how upset those comments he made in passing almost with out though had hurt the younger man. He wasn’t about to interrupt however as Inuyasha whirled away from him and continued his tirade as he made a wide sweeping gesture towards the accommodations. “I’m so sorry if my standard of living is below par to your royal senses, but I’ll have you know that this cave has been the most elegant and the very first stable place I’ve ever lived.” He turned and sharp bronze eyes glared at him and Sesshoumaru felt any words he would have said die in his throat as he stormed towards him. “I am not going to stand here and listen to any of this anymore. I am sick of how you criticize the way I live. When all I’ve ever lived in were trees, while sleeping where I could when every demon and crazy human wants me dead!” Inuyasha’s eyes turned to pure ice as he stared directly into the crimson eyes. “And it’s you who wants me dead most of all!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “I’ve done what was needed to survive and if you think that living in a cave is such a sacrifice you can very well GET OUT!” The two stared at each other; Inuyasha’s chest heaving and Sesshoumaru had actually managed to squeeze his massive girth into the smallest corner of the cave in an attempt to retreat from the angry ningen. “Um…” The two turned towards the antechamber’s entrance and at the two wide eyed children standing there. “Dose this mean I can have the bigger futon?” Shippo asked while Rin simply held Kuufuku like some odd stuffed animal with large tears running down her cheeks. Inuyasha cursed under his breath and Sesshoumaru felt himself sag in relief at the interruption. Something told him the conversation was far from over and the Inu wondered how in the world he was suppose make the hanyou fall in love with him when it seemed that he was the last person in Inuyasha’s life who deserved it. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Small Spaces “Is Sesshoumaru-Sama going away again?” Rin asked in a high, trembling voice. Inuyasha let out another curse as he made his way to the girl. “No sweetheart, no one is going anywhere.” “But you told him to get out!” Shippo exclaimed. “So why hasn’t he left yet?” “Shippo!” Inuyasha glared as he carefully picked up the still crying girl, careful not to use his hands too much or get any of the Goo on her clothes. “Rin doesn’t want to leave Inuyasha-Sama!” Rin continued wailing as she buried her face in Inuyasha’s neck. “Rin-chan doesn’t want Sesshoumaru-Sama to leave and never come back.” Inuyasha bounced the girl slightly in an attempt to calm her down. “It’s all right,” he repeated over and over again. “No one is going to be leaving the cave; we’re not going to leave you behind.” Sesshoumaru cringed as he heard the answering hurt in his brother’s voice as he tried to silence the girls fears and knew that for all those years when Inuyasha was a pup, that all anyone ever did was leave him. ‘Kami, how did I fuck up so badly?’ Sesshoumaru wondered sadly as he though about all the hardships Inuyasha had to have faced growing up and knowing that with one word on his part, Sesshoumaru could have changed Inuyasha’s life forever. His attitude towards the halfling hadn’t really been any crueler than any other demon when he confronted and humiliated Inuyasha, so why did he feel like such a royal screw up? There was an angry squeak at his feet and Sesshoumaru looked down to find an angry rat running and attacking his massive paws, biting and clawing with a look of pure murder in his eyes. Sesshoumaru felt a surge of triumphant glee sizzle through him at the though of bringing up his giant paw and squishing the rodent into a gray paste before suppressing the happy thought. Inuyasha was pissed off enough as it was and it was amusing to watch the animal bounce off his rather large toes. Inuyasha never noticed his self appointed guardian’s attempt to regain his honor as he glared at Shippo’s newest declaration that if Sesshoumaru wasn’t going to leave then the kit would make him go. Sesshoumaru apparently heard however as the walls of the cave reverberated with the force of his growl. Squeaking in terror, the small kit dove towards Inuyasha’s futon and burrowed himself under the worn comforter. “Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha started in exasperation only to start when the rumbling instantly ceased with out Inuyasha having to say more. He glanced at the creature but Sesshoumaru’s eyes gave not impression as to what the youkai was thinking. Thanking his lucky stars instead of analyzing what his older sibling was thinking with this latest show of compliance, he turned to the girl who’s gasping cries had turned to exhausted sobs. “Rin, it’s okay. We were just mad at each other. We didn’t mean anything by it.” “But,” the girl hiccupped. “Inuyasha-sama told Sesshoumaru-sama to leave.” Inuyasha sighed in defeat, knowing full well how closely to the conversation Sesshoumaru was actually listening to. “I was just angry I didn’t mean it seriously.” “But Inuyasha-sama said-” the girl trailed off, wide eyes staring up pleadingly at him. “Sometimes adults say stupid things when they’re angry. I was just mad at Sesshoumaru and I just didn’t want to deal with him at the moment.” “You always angry at me and tell me to go away all the time and you never not mean it!” Shippo’s muffled shouts emerged from the mound of covers. Inuyasha groaned as he realized he had a lot more to deal with than just Rin’s insecurities. “Shippo,” he began only to have the kitsune spring from the covers like some angry deranged jack-in-the-box. “No! You yell at me all the time and you always mean it! Why should it be different when you’re yelling at Sesshoumaru?” Inuyasha could feel a headache coming on and Sesshoumaru’s innocent quire of whether or not he should eat the brat was not helping. “Shippo, there is a lot of difference from telling some one to ‘go away for the moment’ and to ‘go away forever’.” Inuyasha tried to explain. “You should realize that I really never mean it when I shout at you to leave, it’s just that sometimes people just like to be alone.” “Then you must really love being alone ‘cuz you tell me to go away all the time!” Inuyasha set Rin down and slowly moved to the angry youko. He was no fool. Shippo may be just a child, but he was still a kitsune through and through. “Shippo,” Inuyasha started to try with yet another explanation when the hurt and anger that shown in the child’s eyes finally did him in. “I’m sorry, okay? I never really considered your feelings and I should have.” Shippo gasped. Sesshoumaru gasped. Rin managed to fall asleep standing up. And Kuufuku, seeing as his valiant attempts to do Sesshoumaru bodily harm were having no effect whatsoever, dragged yet another robe out the door. Inuyasha looked around the cave warily. “What? I’m telling the truth.” “But you admitted it,” Shippo gapped in awe. Inuyasha frowned at the statement before rousing Rin and picked the sleepy girl back up. ‘Never show weakness,’ Sesshoumaru’s voice floated through his mind. ‘Youkai<strong&g t; are never raised with stupid human emotions. Only the strong survive. The kit should realize that, were he still being raised by his clan, he would be subjugated to much worse things than being scolded and sent away. ’ “Yeah well incase you hadn’t noticed, I am a human.” Sesshoumaru gave him a bale stare. “For the moment anyway,” Inuyasha huffed. “What?” Shippo looked puzzled at Inuyasha’s sudden declaration of being human. Any idiot could see that right now he was human. Inuyasha shook his head. ‘We’ll talk later,’ he sent to Sesshoumaru unwittingly sending the Youkai into shock that he responded in mind speak. “I’m sorry that our argument woke you up as well,” Inuyasha continued as he took the small kit’s hand to lead them back to bed. “We didn’t mean to wake you.” “But you didn’t wake us,” Shippo announced and Inuyasha looked at him curiously. “Then why were you two awake at such a late hour?” “We wanted to ask you where the tunnel went.” Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha glanced at each other in confusion. “It’s just a roundabout passage,” Inuyasha told him. “You know that.” “Not that one,” the small whisper came from the ningen’s shoulder. “The other one.” Both of the brothers stopped dead as they stared at the little girl. Inuyasha looked down at the girl, fear starting to creep upwards from the pit of his stomach and he could feel Sesshoumaru standing up and making his way around the furniture to his side. “What other one?” Inuyasha asked through the growing lump in his throat. “The one in the clubhouse.” “WHAT</strong&g t;?” Two voices shouted simultaneously. ‘I though you told me that there was nothing in that cave!’ Sesshoumaru shouted as he stormed past the small group and tore through the tunnel. “THERE WASN’T!” Inuyasha shouted back. Both children now wide awake stared at Inuyasha. “Don’t ask,” Inuyasha frowned as he took the children and followed the stampeding demon. It wasn’t like there was much that Sesshoumaru could do being youkai and all but it was comforting that Sesshoumaru was taking their safety seriously. ‘It’s the brink of paranoia but I’ll take it.’ They came upon the oldest youkai frantically pacing back and forth in front of the smaller cave as close as the anti-demon wards would allow, peering into the glooming darkness lit only by Rin’s little night torch. Setting down the girl Inuyasha asked if she would show him this new tunnel. Grinning, the little girl skipped past her mentor and right though the barrier much to the hanyou’s amusement and the Youkai’s irritation if the mental grumbling was anything to go by. Passing the irritated Inu and moving smoothly through the barrier with much more dignity Inuyasha couldn’t help but flick his head slightly tossing his hair in childish manner. Sesshoumaru was not amused. ‘Very funny,’ he groused. ‘Care to focus for once in your life?’ Inuyasha tossed an impish glance over his shoulder and added an extra spring into his step. He figured after the emotional hurricane the youkai put him through, he could be a little childish. When he got through the wards however his face turned serious as he moved over to where Rin was waiting for him. He stopped and glanced around quizzically for any sign of a tunnel. “Um Rin…” The child giggled. “It’s down here silly!” She said as she pulled her little nest of blankets away from the wall and pointed to spot. Inuyasha frowned at the cave wall. True that the spot was a little darker but the wall still looked solid and whole. Rin huffed and taking a hold of his hand and pulled the hanyou down to the floor. “You can’t see it from up there.” Brows furrowing, Inuyasha allowed himself to be pulled down to the floor watching the spot critically and gasped in amazement as the wall suddenly shimmered and just disappeared. “Did you find anything?” Inuyasha jumped at Shippo’s sudden called. ‘What’s there?’ came Sesshoumaru’s voice right after Shippo’s question. ‘Is there another tunnel? Can you see where it leads? How big is it? How many-’ Inuyasha huffed out an irritated breath as he purposefully tuned out the irritated demands of the youkai. “If you would give me a moment to breathe!” Inuyasha called out, “I can tell you that there is another tunnel.” Inuyasha blinked in surprise at the multitude of swearwords bombarding his mind. Some even he had never heard of. He shook his head at the mantra and began to study the little tunnel. And it was little. A small tunnel that perhaps only Shippo and maybe Rin could wriggle though. It was obvious that this was no natural or animal made tunnel. The walls of the tunnel were too smooth, to rounded. And the fact that it had an illusion spell placed on it so you could only see it at a certain angle was a very large clue. He squinted but couldn’t see very far in the darkness. Cursing his weekend human eyes. “Rin? Can you see down this tunnel in the day time?” he asked. The little girl shrugged. “Rin just found it tonight.” Inuyasha nodded. “Of course you did,” he murmured absently. Kuufuku appeared beside him and darted past the surprised Inuyasha and disappeared into the murky darkness. “Kuufuku! Damn it! Come back here!” He turned back to look down the tunnel and his eyes widened when he realized what it was he was seeing. Sesshoumaru, meanwhile, was still pacing in front of the cave. ‘What is taking him so long?’ he thought irritably. How long did it take someone to check if there was a hole in a wall or not? He scowled at the entrance, a heighten feeling tingling down his spine. Every one of his senses were on alert for something. Sesshoumaru would say it was almost like his feeling before going into battle but the angry Inu was ignoring all his feeling instead focusing on the cave entrance and the ningen that was still on the other side. The kitsune was clearly just as agitated, but still kept a full four feet between himself and the agitated Youkai. An amazing achievement considering Sesshoumaru’s body took up a good three quarters of the chamber and the food supplies and other items filled the rest. Sesshoumaru snarled slightly at the kit but it was more a habit than true annoyance at the creature. He hated feeling that he was helpless should anything hostile emerge from the new threat. His senses were pushing to the forefront incisively and Sesshoumaru actually had to give pause as to wonder what it was his youki was trying to tell him. “SESSHOUMARU!” The shout shook the youkai to the core as he moved as close to the barrier as he dared when Inuyasha’s for appeared in the touches light. Sesshoumaru could not see anything chasing him but the look of pure fear on the boys face and pleading look for help in his gold turning eyes was all that it took for Sesshoumaru to realize the situation! ‘INUYASHA</e m>!’ he shouted before his own transformation took hold of him. It was in horror that he watch Inuyasha just reach the warding spell when he realized that dawn had completely appeared and Inuyasha was only half way through when the spell took hold. A scream of pure torment shook the cavern when the wards flared to life, bolts of electricity shot out from where the now returned hanyou was trapped and Sesshoumaru dodged the flying bolts of light even as he tried to reach Inuyasha’s side to pull him to safety. To have Inuyasha with in reach and still unable to help him tore at Sesshoumaru more than the pain of the reacting wards. Suddenly the lights died and all Sesshoumaru could see was the form of his youki’s chosen mate collapsing in a heap on the floor. …On the other side of the still humming wards. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Side Effects “INUYASHA!” Shippo wailed despairingly as he surged forward towards the unmoving figure. Sesshoumaru cursed and grabbed the kit’s collar, hauling him back just as another streak of lightning shot out from the pulsating force field. “Let me go, Kisama!” Shippo struggled against Sesshoumaru’s hold as the Inu pulled the flailing child to his chest to further restrain the boy, his eyes never leaving Inuyasha. Even with only one arm, the kitsune could not break the youkai’s hold and Sesshoumaru snarled at him. “Shut up and let me think!” Shippo only struggled harder. Sesshoumaru ignored the child as his mind desperately tried to think of a way to get Inuyasha through the wards back onto the main side. If the hanyou was still alive… ‘No!’ he quickly suppressed the though. ‘You can see that he’s breathing.’ And he could see Inuyasha’s chest moving rapidly up and down as he struggled for breath. “Oh Kami,” Sesshoumaru whispered and prayed that he was not about to watch Inuyasha die right in front of him while he could do absolutely nothing. Inuyasha belonged to him, damn it. He wasn’t going to allow any one or anything to take his precious otouto away from him! “Sesshoumaru-Sama!” Sesshoumaru’s head jerked upward from the fallen boy to the now hysterical little girl that was running to Inuyasha’s side and desperately shaking his shoulder in an effort to wake him up. “Sesshoumaru-Sama! Help!” the girl continued as she continued her attempts to wake him. “Rin!” Sesshoumaru cried, “I need you to come through the wards for a moment. Youko!” Shippo stopped his struggling in surprise that Sesshoumaru was actually addressing him. “Go get a damp rag from the main cave and some snow.” Shippo didn’t even bother arguing with the Inu as he darted to fetch the needed items. The kit on his mission, Sesshoumaru turned back to the still sobbing girl. He tried not to allow any of his fear onto his face and struggled to maintain his blank visage but his insides were tearing apart at the seams with worry. “Rin, we need to wake Inuyasha up and you’re the only one who can do it, alright?” “But,” &# 8220;Rin! We have to wake him up, it’s not good if he stays asleep!” Sesshoumaru knew that their time to wake the hanyou was getting shorter. He may not be a healer, but he knew Spell wards and though this one was not one he had ever seen before he knew of one of the effects. A spell to tear apart a Youkai’s mind from the inside out and drove them insane while trapped in their comatose state. Shippo returned just as quickly as he left but much more carefully under the weight of the bowl full of snow. Taking the item from the boy he thrust the bowl towards Rin. The girl trembled as the bowl was shoved in her hands. “Rin,” she looked up at the sound of Sesshoumaru’s voice full of determination. “You have to be strong. You’re the only one who can pass through the wards and help Inuyasha.” “Please,” Shippo’s voice added to the mix. Rin looked between the two males, both full youkai and so much stronger than her and yet she was the only one who could help Inuyasha-sama. Nodding, she turned and with determination went back into the cave and immediately started wiping Inuyasha’s brow with the cold snow all the while talking to Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru watched intently for any change, any sign of movement that would show that Inuyasha was still just unconscious and not pulled into the poison dreams the wards would cause hoping that they were not too late. There! There was a sudden twitch of Inuyasha’s ear. “Inuyasha!” He suddenly shouted causing the two children to jump. “Damn you, you brat! Wake up!” Rin frowned as she continued to place the cold snow onto the now shivering hanyou. Sesshoumaru didn’t even realize that he was biting his lower lip in his worry, an old habit from his school days. They had to get Inuyasha to wake up. That was the most pressing matter at the moment. He would worry about everything else later. Such as what the wards may have done to him physically. There was no possibility of a healer anywhere close by and if Sesshoumaru left to get one, even on his spirit cloud that took him straight back to the palace, there was no grantee that he could bring them back to the cave in time if he could get back to the cave at all. Worse case scenario would be he would have to take Inuyasha on An and Un but he was hesitant to move the younger man. He had heard that there was a risk in moving a person incase of internal damage. It was even twice as harmful to move a youkai whose youki was damaged. Sesshoumaru cursed the fact that he never bothered listening to the old healers teachings. Not that it mattered even if he did know a thing or two about healing a youkai’s inner powers if they couldn’t get Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru through the pulsating wards to the other’s aid. “Inuyasha!” He shouted again. The ear twitched at the sound of his voice but Inuyasha stayed stubbornly unconscious. Sesshoumaru cursed again. They continued for what seemed like hours, Shippo running back and fourth retrieving more and more snow as it melted on Inuyasha’s hot flesh. “Rin!” he called to the child and she jerked in surprise. “You need to take off Inuyasha’s haori and put the snow on his chest. We need to get him awake now! Rin nodded and began pulling at the fire rat robes furiously; exposing the hanyou’s chest and she up righted an entire bowl of snow onto the exposed body. Inuyasha gasped and jerked. “Inuyasha!” ̶ 0;Inuyasha-sama!” “BAKA! GET UP NOW!” Rin poured more snow on the motionless body in front of her before she frowned in thought. They were almost there! Inuyasha was almost awake. Just a little more and he would be all right. Of only she could figure out a way to wake him up! There was something else that she had to do! They were so close. Thinking back, she remember something someone once told her to do if a man ever attacked her. Hoping it would somehow help, she put her plan into action. Taking a deep breath, she took a huge handful of snow and sending up a prayer that Inuyasha wouldn’t kill her if this worked, grabbed the hem of the fabric with her free hand and shoved the entire snowball right down his pants. Sesshoumaru’s shout of astonishment and Shippo’s yelp of surprise was drowned out by Inuyasha’s deafening scream of shock. He tried to jump to his feet but the fact that his body wouldn’t cooperate gave Inuyasha only one option as he desperately tried to scramble out of his pants. “Inuyasha-sama!” Rin shouted happily, glad that her idea had worked. “Inuyasha!” Shippo cried with relief to see his idol wasn’t going to die. “RIN!” Sesshoumaru shouted angrily. “Just what did you think you were doing?” Rin frowned confused. She had woken Inuyasha-sama up, hadn’t she? “Sesshoumaru?” Golde n eyes swiveled towards Inuyasha who was staring at his surroundings in and at his companions on the other side of the glowing wards. “Wha-What happened?” he stuttered. “Later,” he snapped. “Tell me. Are you feeling dizzy? Dose anything feel out of place? Have you sustained any injuries?” Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he began to realize what had happened and immediately began taking stock of all his appendages. Sesshoumaru had to mentally slap himself upside the head as he watched the trail of melted snow flow over Inuyasha’s muscular chest and tried to force himself to stop staring and search for injuries. Inuyasha sighed in relief that other than being cold and the slight prickling of numbness in his legs, everything seemed to be working all right. His head was pounding though and he could feel the dark grip of unconsciousness threatening to take hold of him once more. “DAMN IT! DON’T FALL ASLEEP!” Sesshoumaru roared as he saw Inuyasha’s eyes threatening do close once more. Inuyasha jerked his head up and tried to focus on his brothers tall form but it was so easy to just close his eyes and let it all go. “Damn it,” he heard Sesshoumaru curse again. “Rin!” There was a second before a fresh clump of snow was thrown right in his face. “Gyaa!” Inuyasha sputtered and glared at Sesshoumaru unable to punish the girl for simply following orders. “Fuck, the wards still have some hold over him.” Sesshoumaru cursed again when a thought occurred to him. “Inuyasha! What about that new tunnel? Is it possible for you to get out that way?” Inuyasha shook his head. “Could barely fit my arm inside let alone crawl through it.” Sesshoumaru growled as he searched the walls carefully for any possible way that they could get Inuyasha out safely. If not for the wards, then Inuyasha could just stay in the cave until the next night of the new moon; able to have meals curiously of Rin but the wards ongoing threat to consume Inuyasha’s Mind and youki completely obliterated that idea. “Hell, Inuyasha!” Another squawk sounded as Rin threw another pile of snow on him. Sesshoumaru frowned. “See if you can stand yet, perhaps moving around will keep the ward’s power at bay for a little while longer. Inuyasha nodded as he struggled to get to his feet. Rin moved forward to help, allowing Inuyasha to use her small body as a brace and pull himself to his feet. Sesshoumaru released his held breath and continued to search for any possible answer to get his mate out of the latest hopeless situation he had gotten into. “Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha whimpered. “I don’t think that there’s any way for me to get out of here!” “Don’t say that!” Sesshoumaru snapped. “You’ve found your self in and have gotten out of worse situations before.” He paused and glanced down at the distraught youko. “Hasn’t he?” he couldn’t stop from asking. Shippo nodded and Sesshoumaru was surprised to feel the child climb up his left side and clung to his shoulder just above his empty sleeve. He glanced at the child but Shippo refused to look at him. Nodding in understanding, he continued to try and come up with a plan that would save the one they both cared for. Inuyasha on the other side of the wards was glad to see that Shippo and Sesshoumaru were now, if not friends, at lest tolerating each other. He was glad that they had found common ground. Granted he wished the common ground wasn’t trying to save his sorry hide from being killed by anti-demon wards that he had lived with for months now but who was his to complain? He only hopped that if he was killed by this absurd situation that Sesshoumaru would see to Shippo’s upbringing. He laughed slightly at the stupidity of it all. All those youkai, ningens, Naraku, hell even Kagome out for his blood and here he was, done in by an old ward placed centuries before he had even been born! “Damn it! It’s not fair!” he shouted. The other three looked at him with worry but he simply laughed. Sesshoumaru was frightened to hear a slight edge of hysteria in that laugh. Inuyasha was no fool. He new it was only a matter of time before sleep and then the wards would overtake him. It was inevitable. “Damn it, hanyou! Don’t you fucking give up now!” Sesshoumaru shouted at him. “We didn’t go though all the trouble getting you up only to have you pass out now!” “You can do it!” Shippo shouted encouragingly as well. Inuyasha sighed, knowing that as long as they wouldn’t give up, they would not allow him to do so either. “Inuyasha-sama?” Rin asked hesitantly. “It’s okay,” he assured her. “Let’s just keep walking.” Rin nodded as she tried to shift Inuyasha into a more comfortable position. Inuyasha tried to alleviate some of his weight off the small girl but it proved to be his undoing as his limited balance was thrown off and he stumbled forward. Sesshoumaru could feel his heart stop beating completely as he watched Inuyasha wavered and began falling. Rin cried out in dismay and tired desperately to pull Inuyasha back towards her but it was to late. Sesshoumaru’s heart didn’t just stop beating but froze completely as Inuyasha fell forward straight for the wards. “NO!” Three voices shouted in despair at the sight before them. Sesshoumaru cried out in pure fear as Inuyasha’s body reached the wards… …And passed right though them into Sesshoumaru’s surprised embrace. “Fuck!” Sesshoumaru cursed again as he tied to balance Inuyasha’s dead weight barely noticing Shippo fall off his shoulder with a dull thud. Inuyasha moaned in pain. “Sesshoumaru?” he slurred, “what?” “No clue,” Sesshoumaru bit out as he hitched Inuyasha over his shoulder and carried Inuyasha back to the main cavern and as far away from the wards as possible. Inuyasha had a very nice view of the Taiyoukai’s ass before darkness finally swallowed him whole. Chapter Twenty-Nine: Lemons Abound (originally “Bedside Manner” but all my readers have been asking for it) Forty-Eight hours later Inuyasha was still passed out on his futon and Sesshoumaru was ready to kill the kids if they so much as looked at him funnily. It didn’t help that between the three of them, none of them knew the slightest thing about cooking and when Inuyasha woke, he would find his food stores supporting a rather large dent. The first twenty-four hours after the terrible night the children hadn’t so much as moved from Inuyasha’s bedside. Something Sesshoumaru couldn’t fault them for as he had sat right along side them But by day two, Sesshoumaru had determined that since Inuyasha had survived the first day, that he should have been past any danger points and was merely now in a healing sleep. With that announcement and the weight of worry for the hanyou lifted from their tiny shoulders, the two children’s pent up energy began to build to the surface and nether of them could sit still for more that four minutes. Glaring at them had worked for the first few hours but in the shared worry for Inuyasha, he had to admit that he and the youko had come to some sort of understanding. Sesshoumaru absently rolled a small round object as he considered the young kitsune. Shippo knew an opportunity when he saw one and was now beginning to talk back to the older Youkai. Granted it wasn’t like his daily goofing around with Inuyasha but Sesshoumaru had to admire his gumption to stand up to him. It was pride that would get the kit killed if he didn’t cut it out but still Sesshoumaru had to admit that boy was less wary around him now. He wondered if, after Inuyasha was awake, he should begin to terrorize the kit more than usual to put the fear back into those eyes but quickly dismissed it knowing it would take some burden off Inuyasha if he and the child got along. He didn’t have to like it, but for Inuyasha’s sake, he would endure. It helped that Shippo spent most of his time with Rin and mostly left him alone. He bit into his snack he had scrounged from the back stores, one of the few things that didn’t require cooking, and continued his vigil over the younger man. He didn’t know how soon it would be before Inuyasha awoke, but he was determined to be there when he did. Inuyasha and he had a lot of stuff to discuss starting with how he had fallen through the wards. It had been so odd. Neither Sesshoumaru nor Shippo had felt any shift in the wards but Inuyasha had clearly been able to pass right though them and with out the accompanying light show. A slight moan turned his thoughts back from their wandering as he watched Inuyasha’s arm move to rub his forehead. “Oh god, what ran over me?” Inuyasha groaned as he forced his eyes to open slightly. Allowing his eyes to adjust before focusing on the person next to him Inuyasha groaned in dismay. “Fuck,” Inuyasha moaned as he rolled over away from Sesshoumaru’s blank visage. “Tell me it was all just a dream…” Sesshoumaru frowned and taking his glass of water poured the entire contents over his chosen’s head. Inuyasha sputtered in shock as he stared at a smirking Sesshoumaru. “Are we awake now?” Sesshoumaru inquired. “You prick!” Inuyasha growled as he shook the water off and tilted his head to get the liquid out of his ears. “Why thank you.” Sesshoumaru said in all seriousness. “I do believe that is the nicest thing you’ve said to me yet.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he threw his damp pillow aside and bundled up a corner of his comforter. “You’re insane,” he told him. “I do try.” Inuyasha could help himself as his lips quirked upward at Sesshoumaru’s antics. “You enjoy torturing me don’t you?” “It’s my mission in life.” “Brilliant, dose this mean I’ll never be rid of ya?” Sesshoumaru felt a surge of hope build but at the same time dread filled him as he tried to determine how to broach the second item he wanted to speak to Inuyasha about when the two terrors arrived in their standard loud fashion. “Inuyasha!” R 20;Inuyasha-sama!” “Hey!” Inuyasha yelped as he was tackled from both side in a tight hug. “You’re okay!” Shippo told him. “Well, I’m better than I was,” he confirmed as he gently pushed the two off of him. “Inuyasha-sama! Rin is so glad that you’re better!” Rin smiled at him happily as she threw her arms around his neck. Sesshoumaru made a pointed cough and Rin’s happy veneer dimmed somewhat. “Um, Inuyasha-sama?” Inuyasha turned from his questioning look at his sibling who was completely ignoring the situation as he fluffed up a new pillow for him when the girl climbed into his lap and leaned forward towards one of his ears. “Rin is sorry for shoving snow down your pants,” the child whispered. Inuyasha couldn’t help but release a roar of laughter at the girl’s apology as he hugged her tightly before trying to fix her inside out robe. “Well, I suppose I can’t fault ya for it,” he told her. “It did get the job done.” Rin smiled proudly and held out a small slice of food. “Would you like some?” she asked politely. Inuyasha stared at the offering before shaking his head politely. “You finish it honey,” he told her as he glared at Sesshoumaru. “Why don’t the two of you go out and play in the snow some more.” The two children nodded obediently to Inuyasha’s suggestion and Sesshoumaru frowned at the level of respect that Inuyasha had managed to get out of their ungrateful little hides. “Sesshoumaru!” The youkai snapped to attention as he looked at the irritated man. “Just how long was I out for and what the hell have you been allowing the children to be doing?” “Allowing?” Sesshoumaru shouted at him as he kicked aside yet another runaway sphere. “I haven’t been allowing them to do anything! They’re quite able to do whatever they damn well want. I’m not their bloody babysitter!” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, “dare I ask what you’ve been eating?” Sesshoumaru shrugged, “whatever doesn’t require to be boiled, fried or cooked.” Inuyasha huffed as he collapsed back down again. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.” They lay in silence for a while watching as Kuufuku ran past them chasing yet another rolling item. Inuyasha shook his head at the sight again and turned to ask Sesshoumaru something when the question died in his throat. For the first time since he awoke, he could see just how haggard Sesshoumaru really was. His normally pristine hair was a tangled mess and hung in long clumps around his slouched shoulders. His clothes were almost as wrinkled as his brow and the dark circles under his eyes were deeper than Inuyasha’s had ever been on those sleepless nights on the run as a child. Inuyasha reached forward and placed his had over the tightly clenched fist on the Taiyoukai’s knee. Sesshoumaru looked up and Inuyasha gave him a full smile. “Thank you for saving me,” he whispered. Sesshoumaru’s face immediately donned a haughty look as he sneered down his nose. “Well don’t get used to it. I can’t let you die,” Inuyasha waited for the standard “only I am allowed to kill you” line when Sesshoumaru surprised him by finishing with a “you’re the only one who can keep those brats under control.” Inuyasha stared at him in surprise before allowing a smirk to cross his features. “Ran you ragged huh?” “How do you keep them under control?” Sesshoumaru demanded. Inuyasha grinned. “Bribery. Lots and Lots of bribery.” Sesshoumaru stared in shock. “What, no death threats?” “Only pushes them to try harder.” Sesshoumaru thought about it for a moment. “I think I’m beginning to understand what all those ‘loans’ I always see my councilmen accepting is about.” Inuyasha laughed. “If there was anything I learned from my human relatives is that no one is below a bit of bribery.” Sesshoumaru blinked in surprise at Inuyasha’s announcement. He had never before spoken of his mother’s people. “Bribe the cook for more sweets, did you?” Inuyasha laughed bitterly. “Hell no, never would go near that harpy in a million years. She’d soon as kill me as to look at me for tainting her kitchen. No,” Inuyasha frowned. “I saw a lot of different things hiding in the shadows.” Sesshoumaru frowned, a bit distraught and disturbed by the conversation but didn’t want to point it out to Inuyasha. They sat in silence just listening to the two children playing outside as Sesshoumaru continued eating his fruit. “So how did you get me through the wards?” Inuyasha finally asked. Sesshoumaru’s head whipped around to stare at Inuyasha in disbelief and Inuyasha felt a surge of panic begin to swell. “It was you who got me out, right?” he demanded. “I mean- I figured you managed to deactivate it or something.” Sesshoumaru shook his head. “The wards haven’t so much as twitched let a lone change that I could see.” “But, then how did I get out?” Inuyasha demanded. Sesshoumaru lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t know.” “But that’s impossible,” Inuyasha murmured in astonishment. “Isn’t it?” Again a shrug, “I have learned that when it comes to you, Inuyasha, even the heavens can rain food from the skies. Nothing is impossible.” Inuyasha frowned as he rolled another brightly colored fruit off his futon and watched as Kuufuku balanced himself onto of yet another one as he rolled it around the room towards an ever-growing pile. “Well,” Inuyasha cleared his throat nervously as he picked up one of Kuufuku’s run-a-way’s. “There defiantly enough of these laying about aren’t there?” Sesshoumaru frowned in annoyance. “Those things just keep appearing. I can’t for the life of me figure out where the children are getting them.” Inuyasha frowned. “I don’t think the kids could find these if they wanted to,” he told him as he eyed Kuufuku’s two-foot tall pile. Sesshoumaru took another tentative bite of his own slice, “Just what are they?” he asked curiously. “They don’t taste like any fruit I’ve ever eaten before and it certainly has never been served in the palace.” Inuyasha smirked. “From what Kagome told me, they’re from a foreign country and the juices are mainly used with sugar to make a sweetly sour drink. Let me think,” Inuyasha paused. “I think they’re called lemons.” And while Inuyasha was explaining to Sesshoumaru the different uses of lemons and laughing at the Inu’s sour expression as he ate the bitter fruit. (A simple lemon farmer stared in disbelief at all his denuded lemon trees while a frustrated author banged her head in complete frustration at the complete denseness of the two happily oblivious youkai’s.) AN: Don’t tell me you didn’t ask for it! Runs from a sword swinging Kallipso after she manages to recover from her face plant. Chapter Thirty: A River of Feeling Later, Inuyasha watched intently as Sesshoumaru tried to follow his directions on how to make dinner and sighed as yet another cloud of smoke rose from the Youkai’s direction. “Tried” was the key word. Inuyasha couldn’t believe what he was seeing as he watched Sesshoumaru bungle yet another simple dish. He had assumed that since he always saw Sesshoumaru traveling as he always did, he had obviously assumed that the Youkai possessed some cooking skills seeing as how he was still breathing. Obviously, Inuyasha assumed too much. This would make attempt number four as Inuyasha bemoaned his three destroyed pots and one surprisingly dented frying pan. Who knew that Sesshoumaru could be so clumsy in the kitchen? As the taller man struggled to make something decent, or at least edible, the children were busy slurping down their lemonades and giggling as Sesshoumaru waved the smoke away from his face. “What the hell is wrong with this thing?” Sesshoumaru demanded pointing an accusing finger at the pot as if it was some how the cookware’s fault. “All it dose is smoke!” Inuyasha frowned as he made his way out of bed to make his way to the fire and laid claim to the saucepan. “Lord of all you see, ruler of over a hundred lands and yet the great taiyoukai is done in by the simple task of boiling water.” Sesshoumaru frowned. “You shouldn’t be out of bed so soon,” he criticized. “Let me think,” Inuyasha huffed. “Get out of bed risking strain on my injuries but have a full stomach or stay in bed and waste away by starvation.” he paused dramatically and Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes as the children snickered. “Hmm, that’s a tough one.” Sighing, Sesshoumaru threw up his hand in defeat. “Okay, I surrender. It’s all yours.” Inuyasha smiled triumphantly. “Gee, if I knew that all it took to bring you down to your knees was a simple home made meal I could have defeated you ages ago.” Sesshoumaru watched as Inuyasha delicious rump moved about the room. ‘That isn’t the only thing to bring me to my knees.’ Dinner was quick work for Inuyasha and soon the cave was filled with vibrant chatting as the children scrambled to tell Inuyasha all he had missed over the past two days. Sesshoumaru’s first instinct was to yell at the two to pipe down but for once, bit his tongue and allowed the children their time with Inuyasha minus any of his usual biting retorts. As he watched Inuyasha’s happy face a feeling of pure contentment filled him Everything was all right and it was enough for Sesshoumaru as he tucked into his delicious, albeit charred, supper. He would never admit to how badly a scare the warded room had caused him. He couldn’t believe that he had nearly lost his youki’s chosen mate before he himself had even realized let alone admitted his feelings. It was quite humbling actually. He had always heard of the expression “not knowing what you have until it was gone”. Always having things handed to him on a silver platter, Sesshoumaru had never before felt such a deep fear. Shaking the thoughts out of his head he concentrated instead on picking off the chard pieces of his food and continued to finish dinner. Never once did he notice Inuyasha’s multitude of worried glances as the younger youkai wondered just what it was that had happened to Sesshoumaru to cause him to be so silent. Later that night, Sesshoumaru sighed gratefully as he burrowed down in his blankets after listening to Inuyasha taking such a long time tucking the children into bed. They had both demanded two stories each before finally allowing themselves to go to sleep and Sesshoumaru had to suffer through all four of Inuyasha’s crazy idea of stories. It was grateful to finally be able to just relax and allow all his worries to drift off. “Sesshoumaru?” -If only for a moment. “What are you doing out of bed?” Sesshoumaru demanded without turning over. He could feel Inuyasha behind him and could smell the scent of squeezed lemons from the hanyou. ‘Fuck,’ he cursed as his youki perked up very intently at the presences of the answering youki. He could hear Inuyasha fumbling behind him before he felt a sharp breeze of cold air until something large, warm and incredibly tempting slid in behind him. Sesshoumaru nearly bolted right then and there. “INUYASHA!” he hissed loudly as he turned to glare at the man behind him. “What do you think you are doing?” “It’s cold,” Inuyasha said simply, “and we have a lot to talk about.” Sesshoumaru frowned and decided the best course of action was to completely ignore the tempting creature behind him. “You are not getting out of this by ignoring the situation!” Inuyasha told him. ‘Oh believe me, I can’t ignore this!’ Sesshoumaru thought in frustration. He wondered absently if he could smother himself with his own pillow before he tackled the oblivious koinu. “Sesshoumaru, why did you demand this truce? What is there for you to gain?” Inuyasha frowned as Sesshoumaru stayed stubbornly silent. “I’ve thought about it and thought about it and since when do you ever care about your image? Or what anyone else thought?” “I do care about the Image the Family of the Great Inu Taiyoukai presents.” Sesshoumaru finally spoke up and mentally groaned at himself for his weakness in giving in to the rapid questions. “Great!” Inuyasha growled in exasperation. “Do you mind sharing this wonderful information or are you just going to leave me wandering in the dark as usual?” “You wouldn’t understand,” Sesshoumaru snapped as he tried to bury his over excited youki under a rather large mental rock. Inuyasha frowned at the broad back before him. “And just what won’t I understand?” Sesshoumaru growled but refused to elaborate his thoughts turning inwards onto events he thought long buried. He hadn’t thought of his childhood in ages. The whispers the eyes full of loathing knowing that he could very well be their next lord and master as he walked the halls. The multitude of scathing remarks at how unworthy their current lord was. That there was a rumor he took a human for a mate and that she was breeding. The looks that he would be just like his father and become weak. Sesshoumaru had vowed that he would never be weak. “Damn it, Sesshoumaru. Talk to me!” Inuyasha whispered furiously in an attempt not to wake the children. “Things are beginning to happen and I think that there’s got to be a reason for it! There always is!” A golden eye peered over his shoulder to look at the determined hanyou. “What on earth are you talking about?” “Everything!” Inuyasha scowled. “It’s just like before when I knew that mother was dying and that I was in danger if I continued living in the human lands.” Sesshoumaru twitched. “Or when I first came across the legend of the Sacred Jewel and that led me to meet Kikyou. Or when I met Kagome after she released me from the tree and that damn well…” ‘Well?R 17; Sesshoumaru wondered absently. “Just what are you blabbering about?” “Damn it Sesshoumaru, I’m being serious.” Inuyasha shoved his shoulder angrily. “You can’t tell me that you coerced me into this little arrangement on a whim. There’s something going on!” Sesshoumaru frowned at his unwilling but very tempting bed partner as he thought about the things that had led them to this point. It was true that things had moved from the strange into the land of complete bizarre rather quickly. Worried about his youki and succumbing to his more primal needs where Inuyasha was concerned had taken the fore front of his mind but as he thought back, it had seemed rather odd that very first night in the cave, damp from the autumn rain and the strange realization that his own locked transformation occurred on the same night as his brothers. “Then what do you think it is?” Sesshoumaru demanded. “Some demented demon out there playing havoc with our lives?” “Well how the fuck should I know?” Inuyasha demanded. “I’ve spent my entire life just surviving. I never stopped to learn the finer points of my demon heritage.” Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as turned over onto his back and glared at him. “Couldn’t you have thought of a better time to have this discussion?” Inuyasha shrugged, “didn’t want the kids to wander in on this. I don’t know about Rin, but Shippo can be smart.” He paused. “Well, when it comes to keeping secrets from him at least.” Sesshoumaru scowled at that thought. “I doubt that.” Inuyasha glared at him but decided not to argue about Shippo for the moment. “So what do you think? There has got to be something going on.” “What? You think someone knew that we would find out about each other on the moonless nights? That some one knew that we would find this cave? That some one knew that we would end up living here and warded the cave before hand?” Inuyasha shrugged. “Possible…” “Hah! I’ll have you know that those wards are at least five hundred years old if not more. This was probably a safe haven from some long ago war.” “Everything is a battle to you,” Inuyasha stated. Sesshoumaru waved his hand absently as he rolled back around away from the enticing man in red. “’S what I’m trained for.” Inuyasha’s curiosity peeked, but he said nothing. They laid there in silence for a few moments. A cloud of tension steadily starting to creep upon the two and Sesshoumaru scowled as Inuyasha continued to lie beside him. “Don’t you have your own bed to return to?” he demanded. Inuyasha was silent for a beat. “Your’s is closer to the fire.” “Great,” Sesshoumaru scoffed and tried to inch a little further from the hanyou. ‘I should get a fucking medal for self restraint.’ His youki was annoying the hell out of him as his instincts chanted ‘mate’ merrily over and over again. ‘Fuck.’ Inuyasha, oblivious to Sesshoumaru’s inner turmoil sighed at youkai’s very unsubtle attempt to move but didn’t mind it anymore. It was actually quite nice hunkered down in front of a fire on a cold winter night and he wasn’t in a hurry to return to his own, cold bed. Much nicer having an extra warm body too, more heat generated. “So…” Inuyasha finally broke the quiet. “Where were you for all those days?” Sesshoumaru’s eyes snapped open and he mentally cursed Inuyasha’s inquisitive mind. ‘Was it to much to hope that he had forgotten that particular fact?’ “Out,” he replied cryptically. “Okay, I’ll bite. ‘Out’ where?” Inuyasha pressed. “Oh, what does it matter where I was? I’m back now aren’t I?” Sesshoumaru argued. Inuyasha mulled his statement over for a moment. “I suppose you’re right…” Sesshoumaru sighed in relief that Inuyasha was willing to drop his unscheduled jaunt in the forest. He had just closed his eyes, determined that he would fall asleep this time when Inuyasha piped up again. “So why did you run out in the first place?” Sesshoumaru’s temper began to boil and fear that he would not escape from Inuyasha before the hanyou pulled out his secret. “What business of it of yours?” he snapped. “Well maybe because you ran out right in the middle of our conversation?” Inuyasha asked sarcastically. “What did I say? Why did you suddenly run out of the cave? Was it something I did or something?” Sesshoumaru’s idea of suicide by pillow was beginning to look really tempting, but he couldn’t let Inuyasha think that his actions had been the result of his own stupidity. “No, it wasn’t anything you did.” “Well something had to have happened for you to bolt out like that.” Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha would not allow this line of questioning to drop, especially now that he had managed to get something out of him. “I just realized something, all right? Now can we drop it?” Inuyasha was quiet for a whole second. “What did you realize?” Sesshoumaru swallowed heavily. “Nothing.” “Nothing?” Inuyasha repeated. “Oh for the love of- just spit it out? Will you?” Sesshoumaru was undone. His youki bouncing around like a mad rabbit, the scent of Inuyasha so close behind him, demanding to know the very thing he dreaded telling him in fear of the hanyou’s reaction. If Inuyasha wanted to know what troubled the Inu Taishou of the west so badly he would tell him. Or rather show him. Sesshoumaru whirled around, shoving Inuyasha flat on his back as he towered over him. “Sesshoumaru, what-?” Inuyasha managed to get out before Sesshoumaru shocked him with the last thing Inuyasha had ever suspected. Sesshoumaru leaned down and covered Inuyasha’s mouth with his own. The smaller youkai froze under the feeling of firm lips upon is own, pressing demandingly against his own, a sharp fang bit harshly into his soft flesh and he shuddered as Sesshoumaru’s hand came upward from his shoulder to gently stroke a thumb against his cheek. Sesshoumaru was starting to finally relax when suddenly he found him bodily thrown half way across the room and slammed into the wall with enough force to knock the air from his lungs. His vision beginning to blur, Sesshoumaru nursed his bruised jaw and watched as a red blur ran out the cave into the whiteness beyond. “Well that could have been worse,” Sesshoumaru muttered. “he could have had Tetsusaiga.” TBC Shor t AN: Well there you go. We’re starting to move along. Very slowly but we’re getting there. There is no… ahem… lemon yet for a while according to my outline BUT DON'T HURT ME! Things may changes as I go. We Will be introducing a new character that is not a cannon character but a new person that has popped out of the dredges of my odd little brain. There actually has already been a hint in previous chapters as to this person's identity. If any one can figure out who this new character is gets a cookie and a short Kuufuku tortures Sesshoumaru side story dedicated to them!