InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Suffer The Fray ❯ Brotherly Love ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I hold no claim to InuYasha...Rumiko Takahashi does. Bummer.

A/N: Reviewer Acknowledgements- LadyCash, unistar, twistedsister, QTpie, meghannnn, InuyashasBiggestFan, Sassa, susieraye, blackr0s3, & Lucifer Spades. Wow, so many awesome reviews! I really appreciate all your support and comments. I value your opinions above all else, so continue to let me know what you think. It is Sunday(although very early...I have work), so here's your update! Enjoy!

Reux

"Put your weight behind it and remember to use your hips. Otherwise you'll have no power."

Shippo nodded. "Okay." He set his paws about shoulder width apart and bent slightly at the knees. "Like this?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha sank down onto his haunches and held up both of his hands, palms facing the kitsune. "Now hit me."

Shippo hesitated. "You're not going to hit back are you?"

The hanyou sighed. "Do you want to learn to fight or not?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Then hit me."

The fox kit clenched his much smaller fists tightly and threw them into Inuyasha's open palms. The impact made a quiet smacking sound, skin on skin. The punches were light and steady, first the right then the left. His auburn brows were knitted with concentration as he focused on his target. He pulled back his left and shot out with the right. This time it stung up his wrist when he hit his mark. "Ow!"

Inuyasha took hold of his cradled limb and ran his fingers along the joint to feel the bones. "You gotta remember to keep your wrist straight. It'll break if you aren't careful." He rubbed the tender spot when Shippo winced. "You just jammed it a little. It'll be fine in a few hours."

Shippo took his hand back and flexed his fingers, grimacing. "Have you ever broken your wrist before?"

"A few times when I was younger." He shrugged. "I didn't have anyone to teach me, so I had to learn the hard way." He stood up. "Pain is always a good teacher."

"I hate it."

"It's good for you. Fighting causes pain and if you don't sweat the small stuff, the big stuff isn't so bad." He watched Shippo soak in what he'd said and process it.

He was staring downward, but he turned his deep green eyes to glance up at him. "Speaking from experience?"

"Hell yes." Inuyasha slid his hands into sleeves and shut his eyes. "Pain is always honest and will never let you pass your limitations. It's an ally to you."

Shippo sighed. "I'll never be a good fighter."

"What?!" The hanyou glared down at him skeptically. "You did fine."

"Yeah, fine. Not great or even good."

"You've only been training for one day. You can't be an expert overnight. It takes practice."

He looked up almost shyly, which was odd for Shippo. He was anything but shy. "I want to be as strong a fighter as you." He grinned. "And you know what they say..."

Inuyasha snorted. "No, I don't."

"The student will one day surpass his sensei."

"Feh." He started walking along the riverbank. "That'll never happen."

Shippo trotted alongside him. "You don't think I could take you?"

Inuyasha peeked out of the corner of his eye. "Not in a million years."

The kitsune laughed. "Alright. I accept the fact that I'll never be competitive against you because you're so much bigger, but size had nothing to do with skill." He rubbed his hands together. "I'm pretty sure I can become a more adept fighter than you."

"There are different kinds of fighters, Shippo. There are those that rely on instinct alone and others that rely on dedicated training. It also depends on the kind of experience you've had and how much." Inuyasha bowed his head. "Every fighter has their own style too. The more styles you're exposed to, the better you'll get."

"You sound like you really know what you're talking about." Shippo scooped up a rock and tossed it into the river.

"I would hope so. Fighting is the one thing I know how to do." He'd been fighting ever since his mother had died, and that had been a very long time ago. It was all he really knew until he met Kikyo, but even that had resulted turmoil and death. Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and even the squirt beside him had shown him that there were better ways to solve problems than with violence. Despite the fact that violence brought us all together, we never battle against one another.

"That's for sure. When you're not using your fists, you use your mouth."

The hanyou swiped at his head, but the fox ducked out of reach. He growled softly. "Watch it, bub. I could give you a real fight and knock your funny, little block off."

Shippo chortled and danced just out of his range. "Aren't we sensitive today?"

"I don't have to teach you anything if all you're gonna be is a pain in the ass. Have Miroku or Sango teach you if you want to be that way." He crossed his arms and ignored him.

"If I wanted to learn from them, then I would've asked them, but I don't." His small face grew serious. "I want you to teach me."

"I thought my way was too aggressive and unorthodox. You're always telling me to use my head more."

He shrugged. "I only said that when you fought with Kagome. She didn't deserve to be attacked all the time."

"I never attacked her!"

Shippo continued as if he hadn't spoken. "And I always approved of your battle strategies. The only one who didn't was Sesshomaru, so it must be his voice you're hearing."

"Look!" He latched onto the back of his chestnut-colored fur vest. "I don't need you psychoanalyzing me!" He shook him until the kit's ears rung and tossed him back the ground. I do enough of it on my own.

Shippo straightened out his clothes. "You're right. That was out of line."

Inuyasha forgave him with silence and continued following along the riverbank. Nothing he'd said wasn't at least partially true, so who was he to complain? He took a cursory scenting of the air and cast a puzzling glance at the kit humming to himself beside him. Had he added scents to his illusionary repertoire? If he had, it made for a very cruel joke considering the remark he'd just made. The hanyou broadened his perception and caught the physical wisps of Sesshomaru's aura. So the squirt wasn't playing tricks.

He proceeded like nothing was amiss and waited for the Inu-youkai to show himself. Knowing Sesshomaru, it would be dramatic with a hint at snobbery. At least that's how it always felt like to him. Sesshomaru never passed up the chance to prove his superiority as a full-blooded youkai, but his tongue-lashings had lost quite a bit of their sting when he'd given up on becoming a full-fledged youkai. He just accepted his half-blood status as well as he could manage when his elder brother showed his face. It kept all the barbs from digging under his skin and festering. The only reason he insulted him was because of his half-blood and Inuyasha knew that if he had been a true youkai there wouldn't be any insults to begin with.

If he had been a full-blooded inuyoukai, the relationship between them would be that of true blood brothers and not the dysfunctional one it was now. The knowledge only made him dislike Sesshomaru more.

The dirt path ahead veered away from the river to cut through the forest. Following it would take them south to skirt past the youkai-taijiya village. From there they'd make to Miroku and Sango's little wooded homestead, which sat almost exactly halfway between the taijiya village and Kaede's village.

Shippo bounded ahead of him and he almost shouted a warning, but thought better of it. He didn't need Sesshomaru to think he considered him a threat. His brother's scent was stronger now; he was just around the curve waiting for them. Inuyasha clenched his jaw and suffocated a growl of frustration. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his annoyingly enigimatic sibling, but Sesshomaru wouldn't just allow his presence to be ignored. Inuyasha wasn't fooled by his reclusive behavior. The youkai enjoyed being the center of attention more than he'd ever admit to.

"Inuyasha!"

The hanyou didn't increase his pace at Shippo's anxious call. He knew well enough that Sesshomaru only had a bone to pick with him, not his kitsune companion. If something was about to go down, it would just have to wait for him to get there. Inuyasha smirked. A little waiting won't kill the bastard. He retained the smug expression as he turned away from the babbling riverbank and went around the bend.

Shippo hadn't gotten any further than the first line of trees. He glanced back at him. "It's Sesshomaru."

He nodded slowly as he approached his brother. "It is Sesshomaru, isn't it?" He didn't try to hide his sarcasm. The youkai stood with all his regal glory and managed to make his rich amber eyes stare coldly. Inuyasha exaggerated a lean to gaze behind the ruff of fur and raised a brow in mock curiosity. "What? No entourage?"

Sesshomaru regarded him tiredly. "I see that you have not lost your pettiness."

The hanyou gave a Gallic shrug, giving away nothing. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your ugly mug?"

"Do you honestly have no suspicions as to my being here?" His tone was slightly accusatory, with a hint of disbelief.

Inuyasha dropped his amused act and glared at him. "Of course I have my suspicions. Most have me dead at the end."

That brought a wickedly warm smile to his brother's face. "True, but killing you is not my purpose this time."

"Well, lucky me." He rested his hands at his belt, the left resting lightly on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

Sesshomaru didn't miss anything. "Have I ever lied to you?"

"You would consider lying unbecoming and dishonorable. So, of course, I know you're not lying. You may be an asshole, but you're never dishonest." He smirked. "But just because you haven't come to kill me doesn't mean you haven't come for something else."

"You surprise me, Inuyasha. I would not have thought you capable of utilizing that brain of yours." He shut his eyes as he spoke.

The hanyou couldn't restrain the growl from rumbling out of his throat. "If you have some other purpose than to bust my balls, then get to it."

The youkai ran his hand along the thick fur of his stole. "Still crude as well."

"When you've lived the kind of life I have, then I might allow you to pass a fucking judgment, but until then I suggest you keep them to your Kami-damn self!" The bitter anger in his words radiated in the air and had Shippo ducking behind him. Inuyasha took a step forward and pointed into his brother's face. "You came here to say something, so fucking say it."

The flat, whispered tone caught all of Sesshomaru's attention and all the amusement faded from his calculated features. Inuyasha had always been painfully blunt, but trivial complaints always seemed to cloud his attention before. His half-breed brother had managed to, partially, ignore his barbs. Perhaps he was finally maturing out of his destructive phase. There would only be one way to truly tell. Jab at the deepest wound. "It seems you've finally been able to focus now that your little miko has left you."

He went utterly still; to the point that even his very aura seemingly disappeared. Inuyasha went so motionless that Sesshomaru had a brief moment of unease. Only the dead were this silent and unmoving, and he doubted his words were enough to kill the hanyou- death was the one thing he stauchly refused to succumb to.

The stillness was short-lived. By the time he'd taken a breath the hanyou's aura vibrated the air so violently that it started to scrawl into the dirt and rip the leaves right off the branches. He would've thought it impossible for a half-breed to be so powerful, but Inuyasha always proved to be the exception to the rule. He regarded him blandly as his canine ears flattened menacingly. And despite the raging exterior his voice was relatively calm. "For a long time I considered you to be the biggest fucking scumbag I knew in existence. How completely fucking asinine of me to think you had ever changed." He quieted a bit, hair floating back down to its usual length. "That was a low blow, even for you. It's something I'd expect from your sniveling little servant."

"Jaken's indulgence for insults was the reason I came alone. His negative interference was not needed." Though he gave away nothing, it grated on his last nerve to be compared to his idiot of a servant.

"Ha!" Inuyasha cackled harshly. "Seems you've done a bang-up job all on your own." He stopped laughing abruptly and glared mischieviously. "But two can play that game." He slid his hands into his sleeves and closed his twinkling amber eyes. "You never answered my question earlier." He cracked one eye open. "What happened to Rin?"

Sesshomaru was actually caught off guard and blinked with surprise. "That's none of your concern."

"Oh, I think it is considering I spend most of my time protecting the weak ningen population from fuckers like you."

"Do not compare me to filth you slay."

Inuyasha ignored him. "So, did your hatred of ningens finally get the best of you? Hm? Did you finally cut her down with that big, bad sword of yours?" He raised a suspicious brow. "We both know she'd follow you to gates of hell and smile the whole fucking time. Did she smile when you cut her pretty little throat?"

"Enough." Sesshomaru glared so coldly it had Shippo shivering behind Inuyasha's leg. The hanyou was overstepping his bounds, yet he made no move to reprimand him. The memories were too strong inside his head.

Flashback-

"Where are we going?"

He regarded the bouncing ningen sprite beside him a moment before returning his keen gaze on the village down the hillside. "To that village."

Her lively skipping gait halting in the tall grass as she balled her hands against her chest. "A village?"

The stark fear thrumming through her normally lightsome voice stilled him. He'd known from the start that she wouldn't go willingly, but this deep-rooted fear was unanticipated. It was an alien feeling, to be unnerved, and he continued to face away. "Yes."

Her bleak whispers brought on an uncanny wave of dread. "Why?" She dashed towards him and wrapped her small fingers into the thick white fur of his stole. "Why Lord Sesshomaru? Do you no longer want this Rin?"

Though his expression was calmly neutral, he didn't heed the speed with which he turned to look down into her crying eyes. The sight of her elicited emotions he didn't want to name and in his anxiety, his language grew harsh. "Cease your caterwauling. You are to stay in this village."

She pulled on the heavy fur. "My place is with you!"

Her mulish attitude only succeeded in testing his patience. "You would disobey this Sesshomaru?"

The bite of his words stung and she stepped away in shock, releasing her grip and backing away in fear. "No. This Rin will not disobey her Lord Sesshomaru." She bowed her head in the fashion befitting of a servant.

The possessive use of his title struck a chord within him and his tone softened. "In the past I have allowed you to do as you please, but the time has come for you to return to your own kind." He watched as her tears stopped and her face brightened again. "Your place is there now."

Though no longer sad, she didn't smile. She glanced down the hill at the village and all its occupants, and then returned to stare at the ground before her feet. He knew without a doubt that she was remembering the attack that had left her an orphan. Not a victim of a youkai, but of bandits- her own kind. It was these memories that fueled the strong fear of villages and her fellow ningens. She let out a soft sigh and nodded. "I will stay in the village, but know that this Rin would rather be with her Lord Sesshomaru."

Though no such words would ever pass his lips, he was immensely proud of the girl standing before him. He looked past her and watched the elderly woman Jaken had commissioned to care for Rin, striding slowly up the lane towards them. The girl noticed his line of sight and whimpered almost silently at the sight of her. "You need not worry Rin. You will be safe here."

His words of comfort shocked them both and she smiled. "I believe you, Lord Sesshomaru." Her blind faith in him had him nearly smiling.

Nearly.

They regarded each other silently until the woman stopped beside her and bowed deeply to him. She addressed him bravely. "This is she?"

"Yes." His tourmaline eyes flicked back to the young girl in the vermilion and white kimono. "Rin, you will be staying with this woman."

She studied the woman's fragile build and nodded. "Yes."

Now wanting to prolong this parting anymore, he turned away and started back up the path from hence he'd come.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

"Will you come back for me?" She'd jumped forward, eyes heavy from anxiety.

"No."

She dropped her outstretched hand and stared at the ground. It wasn't what she'd wanted to hear, but it could be no other way. Pulling his eyes away, he resumed his trek very much aware of the woman trying to usher her down the hill. Rin fussed until she was released. "It doesn't matter! When I'm old enough I will leave to find you! This Rin belongs with her Lord Sesshomaru!" And with that she turned away and allowed herself to be taken to the village.

-End Flashback

Sesshomaru turned his eyes back to those of his brother. "Your point has been made." He glanced at the kitsune that stared at him with bewilderment. "I have come to inform you that Naraku has awakened and plotting once again."

Inuyasha was now the one blinking with astonishment. "Naraku's awake?!" That meant the jewel had awakened as well. Kagome was coming back and he suddenly didn't feel as elated as he thought he might. His gaze narrowed. "Why would you warn me? You wouldn't care one bit if he killed me."

"That is where you are wrong." He turned until he was perpendicular to the hanyou. "I am the only one with the right to end your miserable existence. I do not need you dying because you do not keep yourself updated in the affairs of the youkai world." Sesshomaru wasted no more time on his sibling and left them standing side by side in mutual shock.

Shippo was the first to recover and proceeded to dart around his companion like a hummingbird. "She's coming back! She's coming back!"

Inuyasha only vaguely registered the kitsune's crazed excitement. Kagome's returning. That knowledge changed some things and he wasn't quite sure how to handle it. On one hand he was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing her, touching her, smelling her- but meeting her face-to-face knotted his belly with apprehension. What if she was a totally different person? What if she no longer cared about any of them, even Shippo?

What if she'd fallen in love with someone else?

Anger raced up his spine like a wildfire. Just the thought of another male's hands on her was like dealing with Koga all over again. He breathed out through his teeth. "Thank Kami he isn't a threat anymore."

Shippo paused in his antics. "You're not talking about Sesshomaru, are you? I'm pretty sure he just said he'd kill you."

"Feh." Inuyasha crossed his arms. "He's all talk and no walk. He could've done it right then, but he's too in love with the sound of his own voice to shut up and do it."

The kitsune frowned. "I can recall a few times when he'd come pretty close- Ow!" He rubbed the newly formed knot on his head "Whatcha do that for!"

The hanyou dropped his fist. "So you learn to keep your opinion to yourself." He whirled on his heel and stalked down the path in the same direction his elder brother had taken. "Let's go."

Shippo scampered after him. "We're still going to Miroku and Sango's right?"

"Yes."

"Good. I haven't seen Kirara in ages." He caught up and managed to keep pace with his comrade's much larger stride. "I bet Miroku and Sango will be ecstatic about Kagome coming back. Don't you?"

"Of course they will" There weren't any issues between them that could potentially destroy their friendship and Inuyasha couldn't hide the bitterness in his voice.

"You don't sound too happy, Inuyasha." Shippo gazed at him worriedly. "I thought you'd be racing back to your forest to meet her."

"What do you mean? Of course I'm happy." He cursed. He sounded anything but happy. In fact, he sounded downright miserable. He should be pleased that his friend was coming back. Kagome wasn't just a girl he felt strongly for; she was also the closest person he had to a best friend next to Miroku. The kind of friend that was unwaveringly loyal and dependable. He relaxed a bit and decided to try and take the good with the bad. His friend was returning, which was good, but he'd very likely broken her heart, and that was bad.

A/N: I am a lover of both of the dog brothers, and I like to have a few minor plots around the main one. That's why I decided to throw in some Sess/Rin angst. Believe me, it won't take away from the Inu/Kag storyline...but add to it. Comments from the peanut gallery are warmly welcomed. XD.