InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Centre ❯ Brotherly....love? ( Chapter 19 )
Chapter 18: Brotherly….love
"Souta, what are you doing here?" Kagome asked her younger brother. The teenager dropped his bags on the couch and made his way to the kitchen.
"Mom didn't call you?"
"No."
"Oh. Well, I'm staying here. I got into the high school I wanted but it's too far to commute from home and we can't afford for me to board. Luckily, you only live half an hour away."
Kagome had not moved from where she was sitting on Inuyasha. She was snapped back into reality when Inuyasha's stomach growled.
"Souta, I was demoted. There's no way I can support the two of us."
"How come they get to stay?" Souta asked, pointing at everyone. Shippou had come out, having heard the strange commotion, and was carefully steering clear of Inuyasha who was giving him a dirty glare. Miroku had made himself comfortable on the couch.
"Miroku doesn't live here," Kagome began. "Inuyasha will be leaving now that he is healed and Shippou is just a kid."
Inuyasha was stunned. Leave? Whatever for? Did she really think she would get rid of him that easily? Maybe he should look into getting hurt everyday or crippled somehow. His stomach rumbled again.
"Oi, bitch, can you talk about this while making food?"
Souta's mouth dropped in surprise and everyone took a step away from Kagome. A dark aura was beginning to surround her. Too late for Inuyasha to retract and she was still sitting on him.
"Inuyasha," she said between clenched teeth, the darkness of her voice causing a twinge of fear in him. "Have you listened to a word I've said today?" Wisely he did not answer. "I don't have any money to buy food!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm her temper Inuyasha seemed to constantly spark. Before him she'd been a much nicer person.
"Why didn't ya say something?" He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. "Oi, Souta. How much do you need?" He asked, claws flipping through the cash.
"Hmm, three males, a female with half the appetite and the occasional guests? I'd say about 200 hundred. If you want a little more than the basics that is."
"Right. Here's four, make sure you get whatever Kagome wants and ramen. Lots of ramen," Inuyasha said, motioning toward the list on the fridge.
"And a playboy magazine," Miroku suggested. Inuyasha almost nodded, then stopped. Kagome was amazed at the speed he set her to the side and hit the perverted monk on the couch. Souta was looking down at the list, his face scrunched in a sudden grimace.
"Do I really have to buy sanitary napkins?" he whined. One look from his sister sent him cowering away, sprinting to the store. Anything was better than her wrath.
An uncomfortable silence followed his departure. Kagome was standing there, arms crossed and a dark expression of expectation on her face. Inuyasha felt like a kid who's been told to clean his pig sty of a room.
"What?" he asked.
"First shopping. Now groceries? All that cash? You don't have a job and until last week you were locked up for decades! Where the hell are you getting this money? Did you rob someone!?"
Inuyasha's ears flattened at her tone. Kagome only cussed when she was really annoyed at him. He opened his mouth to answer but a strange smell hit his nose. Brow furrowed, he pushed past Kagome and was one step from the door when they heard a knock.
<Rin's place>
Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes. Feeling no other weight on the bed he rolled over, expecting to find Rin somewhere. Now that they'd consummated the relationship he thought she would have never let him out of the bed. Who knew the four year old he rescued all those years ago would turn into a sex fiend?
He frowned when he did not see her and the frown deepened when he realized her smell had dissipated. She was not in earshot, which was a good six block radius. Was she mad at him? No, she had been all too pleased earlier….well, from what he could remember. Parts were blurry, like a forgotten memory. All that pent up frustration brought the demon in him out.
Oh well. She would eventually show back up. She'd probably gone to giggle over it all with the other two human females. Why women were so talkative was beyond him. Did they really want to know about everything the others had done? Was nothing sacred?
A note caught his eye. Sesshoumaru lifted it, a quick sniff telling him Rin had left it for him some time ago.
<Kagome's>
"Rin?" Kagome gasped as the smaller woman stumbled through the open door. Inuyasha scanned the hallway, nose working furiously. "Rin, what happened?" Kagome lent her an arm, holding her up until they made it to the couch. Rin was breathing heavily, her eyes barely open and her muscles trembling.
"Oi, wench. Why are you here so soon after a marking without your mate?" Inuyasha asked, arms folded as if he was her father or something. Rin did not answer and Kagome looked very confused. Rin managed to pull her shirt down her shoulder, quivering as she did.
"Kagome, I need you…to purify this," she said quietly. Inuyasha's jaw dropped.
"Purify it? What is it?" Kagome asked, barely touching it with a finger. Rin hissed like the touch burned her, tears forming in her eyes.
"Inuyasha," Rin pleaded, unable to explain.
"It's a mating mark. It means Sesshoumaru claimed her as his mate, the only one he will mate with from now on. To purify it is to reject the claim, even though they've consummated it willingly."
"Huh?" Kagome asked, still confused.
"It's like if you said your vows of marriage, had the wedding night and filed for divorce the next day," Miroku supplied.
"You purify that and Sesshoumaru will be out for your head, whether she wants it or not. He will act by instinct to protect what is his and your purification will be a direct challenge to his authority," Inuyasha said.
"Translation, he's going to be one pissed puppy," Miroku said with a sigh.
"I understood that," Kagome retorted.
"Kagome, please…help me," Rin pleaded, her soft brown eyes holding Kagome's in desperation. Kagome looked back down at the woman in her arms. Sesshoumaru was THE most powerful demon. A fight with him, no matter how strong she was, could be her death warrant. After all, he'd killed Kikyou without a second thought. Not only was Kikyou's power level equal to Kagome's, Kikyou had amazing control. The kind of control Kagome only dreamed of having one day.
But Rin was pleading for her help and that was something Kagome could not ignore. Purification was painful, Rin knew, but something had scared her more. If Rin thought it was that important Kagome would trust her judgment…and pray they could hold the full demon back.
"Miroku, if I put up a barrier can you hold it?" Kagome asked.
"Of course," he replied immediately.
"You're all fools," Inuyasha said, whipping around and walking back to the bedroom. Kagome did not respond. Miroku began pulling out several papers and writing seals as Kagome drew a pentagram to protect them. They would need everything they could use. She turned to pull Rin in the middle of the star shaped drawing, surprised to find Inuyasha was handing her over, his eyes burning with intensity. Then she noticed Tetsusaiga at his hip.
"You do what you need to do. I'll protect you."
"But he's your brother!"
"Kagome, when he shows up he will not be able to discern friend from foe. I won't kill him, just keep him occupied. Now hurry up bitch!"
<Rin's>
Sesshoumaru felt a burning sensation. His mate was in severe pain.
It is just the purification process, he told himself. The pain intensified and he dropped to a knee, his breath coming in short painful gasps. His eyes began to flicker red.
No, he thought. I can't….change. This is the way it has to be!
<Kagome's>
Rin had begun to scream the moment Kagome's hand closed around the mark, but she didn't push her away for try to escape. Miroku was beside her, chanting calmly as Inuyasha stood outside the barrier, Tetsusaiga ready.
It was like there was a moment of calm before the hurricane. The door to her apartment suddenly flew off the hinges, barely missing Inuyasha. He barely had time to blink before Sesshoumaru was inside, his red deadpan eyes and stoic face taking in everything. His eyes narrowed a tiny fraction before he began toward the barrier, only to side step from Tetsusaiga. He snarled at the hanyou before him, quickly changing his attack course.
Kagome watched in horror as the brothers battled, turning her living room into a disaster area. Sesshoumaru was fast. Too fast. Inuyasha was going all out and Sesshoumaru looked bored, like a master dealing with an overzealous pupil. He did not like Tetsusaiga swinging around in front of his face.
Kagome looked back at Rin as her scream's volume decreased. The glow around her shoulder was dieing, the purification almost complete.
It all happened so fast. Rin's shoulder stopped burning her. Inuyasha made a lunge at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru came forward instead of moving back and grabbed Inuyasha's sword arm, then thrust poisoned claws through Inuyasha's chest….seconds before his eyes dulled back to their original gold.
Kagome gave a strangled sob, running to Inuyasha as he fell back, his face twisted in painful shock, a gaping hole through his midsection. She looked up at Sesshoumaru, tears in her eyes. Inuyasha had been protecting her. He would die from protecting her.
"Stop your tears, woman," Sesshoumaru snarled lightly. "He'll survive…unfortunately."
"Bastard," Inuyasha said, coughing up blood. "Did you have to do that again? You know how much this fucking hurts? Why can't you just apologize like a normal person?"
"Consider it payback for shopping for your woman on my account."
Our account, moron," Inuyasha retorted, lying back on Kagome's lap. Miroku was already grabbing as many bandages and bandage like things he could find, acting as if this happened every day as the two brothers insulted one another.
"Thanks Kag," Rin said cheerfully. She was rubbing her shoulder but was otherwise fine. "Now what are they fighting over?"
"Something about shopping and an account?" Kagome said uncertainly.
"Oh, that. Sess was an only child for over a hundred years. He doesn't like to share. Especially with a half brother he hates."
"Share? Share what? They look a little old for toys."
"As men get older the toys just get more complicated and expensive. Didn't Inuyasha tell you?"
"Tell her what?" Inuyasha interrupted, looking up from where he lay on Kagome's lap. He attempted to rise but a gentle hand from Kagome kept him down. He would have resisted….except then her fingers gently caressed a fuzzy ear. It had an immediate soothing effect on him and he relaxed against her completely, eyes closed in bliss.
"Their father was the founder of Canis Corporation," Rin said, grinning at the sight before her. She knew of another dog demon who liked his ears scratched. Not that he'd admit it in public like this though.
"Canis Corporation? As in the car, motorcycle, piano and all those other electronics, Canis?" Kagome asked. (A/N: Think alternate universe version of the Yamaha Company. Dude, they make everything!)
"Yep. These two were born with multiple silver spoons in their mouths."
"But that must be billions! Why are you two fighting over something you can easily share?"
"Share?" Sesshoumaru sneered. "Why should I share with a bastard who never once put an ounce of work into the company? Father never even saw the abomination."
Kagome felt Inuyasha growl. In an effort to calm him she rubbed both ears. The growl turned into a moan…a rather pleased moan. Kagome wondered at the strange effect ear stroking had on him.
"Sess, you father still made provisions for his younger son. Tetsusaiga is proof of that. Get off your damn high horse, love," Rin commented. "Kag, ya got anything to eat?"
"Why does everyone come here for food? Souta went shopping." Rin gave her a blank look. "That's my brother. He showed up earlier." When she turned back Sesshoumaru was glaring down at a content Inuyasha. He looked….disapproving?
"That's sexually stimulating you know," he said. Immediately Kagome's fingers froze.
"Cause I would jump her in a room full of people with a hole in my chest," Inuyasha commented, annoyed the pleasurable ministrations had stopped. His brother ruined all his fun.
"Praying mantis males can mate with their heads cut off."
"If I wasn't injured I'd kick your ass," Inuyasha growled.
"I'm trembling," Sesshoumaru replied, flexing his clawed hand.
Kagome weighed her options and decided a slight turn on for Inuyasha was ten times better than wrecking her apartment more.
"Did I miss something?" Sango asked as she stepped around the mess. "By the way, your landlord handed this to me on the way up. I think he's too scared to give it to you personally." She handed Kagome the document, an eyebrow lifted at Inuyasha's state.
"You two and sibling rivalry," she said with a tisk.
"What is it?" Inuyasha asked, feeling Kagome tense under him.
"An eviction notice," she said with a sigh. "Figures with everything else that's happened."
Rin felt an unexplainable tension fill the room. Glancing at the two brothers she frowned. Both of them were relaxed. Kagome was bandaging Inuyasha as Miroku handed her a bowl of water and strips.
Sango, however, was tense, a dark and murderous glare upon her face. Curiously it was aimed at someone slightly unexpected. Miroku. What had he done now?
"Well since everyone is here, I can tell you what I found out today," Kagome said, breaking the tense silence. Either she was ignoring the tension or she honestly hadn't noticed. Rin voted naïve.