InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mark of Brotherhood ❯ Part Four ( Chapter 4 )

The first rays of morning hit Sesshomaru directly in the eyes, causing him to shut his eyes tighter than what they already were. He was exhausted and he couldn't even think as to why. Next to him, a female moaned and shifted, moving closer to him. His eyes flew open as he recognized her scent, the warmth of her bare flesh bringing back memories of the night before and he stiffened momentarily, though the urge to kill her never came. Carefully, he looked at her.

In the early morning light, he saw the dark circles under her eyes and listened to her soft, steady breathing. They had fallen asleep only a few hours ago after spending the entire night mating with each other, but it was enough rest for him. Sango, however, was another story. Being human, her body needed more time to recover. How she had managed to keep up with his stamina, he wasn't sure but it still pleased him nonetheless. Sesshomaru smiled slightly as he pulled away from her and dressed himself then her.

Sango. A demon slayer. Someone sworn to exterminate his kind when called upon, someone now his willing partner to save his brother's life. He shook his head. How things had changed in so little time. A familiar scent approaching caught his attention and he raised his head to see Inuyasha walking towards them, his expression unreadable. He stopped in front of them. Sesshomaru smiled inwardly to himself. His brother's injuries were gone. The boy was still pale and appeared to be a little shaky, but nothing marred that beautiful face. Inuyasha would live.

“Sesshomaru . . .”

“Inuyasha,” he nodded.

“Need some help?”

Not waiting for a reply, Inuyasha knelt down and scooped Sango up in his arms. Calmly, quietly, he turned away and headed back to where they had been camping. Sesshomaru watched his brother walk away, his back straight and proud. He rose to his feet once more and followed, almost immediately catching up with his brother.

“Inuyasha . . .”

“Yes?”

“I think . . . perhaps that we should talk . . .”

“About what?” the younger demon inquired quietly.

“Many things,” Sesshomaru replied. “Father, your mother . . . your station.”

“My station is that of a half-breed,” Inuyasha murmured. “I know that, Sesshomaru. Beyond that, there isn't anything for me. What's there to discuss about that?”

“Actually, Inuyasha . . . you are Father's intended heir,” he stated. “Always have been.”

“Is that why you hated me for so long? Other than the fact that I have human blood in me?”

Sesshomaru paused for a moment. He had never really thought about the reason why he actually had hated his brother. Sure, Inuyasha was a half- demon, having been born to a human mother, and Sesshomaru had never really cared for humans. But Father intending for Inuyasha to inherit the Western Lands had never once crossed his mind.

“No,” he answered.

 

“Then why?”

“I don't know, Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru replied. “I truly don't. If I were to guess, I would have to say that I was probably jealous.”

“Jealous? Jealous of what?” Inuyasha paused, his eyes meeting Sesshomaru's.

“Father had been excited by your birth, Inuyasha. He had two sons, something any father would want. And I guess . . . I just hated the fact that I would have to share Father with you. It had always been the two of us just traveling wherever, until he met your mother and you were born. I didn't want to give up what I already had.”

“Oh. I see.”

'And it never occurred to me that you would never get to know him, not even after his death,' Sesshomaru added silently. He couldn't find the words to say that, even though they were right there. 'For that, I am truly sorry, Inuyasha. You are so much like him, more than what you will ever know.'

Even though he hadn't spoken those words, he somehow knew that his brother had heard him. A soft, furry ear swiveling his way and a slight smile on Inuyasha's face told him as much.

They entered the small clearing, where Inuyasha set the sleeping woman next to the neko-demon. The miko and monk were resting as well, the kitsune curled up with the young girl. Rin was curled up next to Uhn and Ah while Jaken slept on the dragon's back. Sesshomaru smiled slightly. It appeared that everyone had settled into their normal routines on both sides. After Inuyasha had finished, he went to the big yellow bag that the miko always carried with her and began to rummage through it.

“Are you sure you should be doing that?” Sesshomaru inquired lightly. Inuyasha duly ignored him, pulling out some strange containers and a bag that made too much noise when Inuyasha picked it up.

“I'm hungry,” the half-demon grumbled, finding a place to sit then opening everything he had taken out. “I haven't eaten in days.”

“And the miko won't get upset that you went through her stuff?” He sat next to his brother. Inuyasha handed him one of the smaller containers and shook his head. Sesshomaru heard something fizzling from the inside.

“No. She brings it for us to eat anyway. She practically insists that we do.”

Slowly, Inuyasha began to eat but unlike how he used to. His physical wounds had healed but Sesshomaru knew that there were other wounds. Wounds that Inuyasha would carry for the rest of his life. And he had caused some of those wounds, he knew.

'Stop it,' he told himself, averting his gaze. 'What's done is done.' He stared at the container in his hand, unsure he wanted to take a drink of the liquid that was inside, even after Inuyasha had drained his and packed up. Sesshomaru frowned. From the corner of his eye, he had watched his brother, noting that, though he ate, he had eaten very little. Not even enough to feed a bird.

“Inuyasha . . .”

“I'm fine, Sesshomaru. I'm just not . . . as hungry as I thought I was. And there's nothing wrong with that drink. They're called sodas. They always make that noise after they're opened. They're quite good . . . once you get used to them.”

 

“You need to keep your strength up,” he pointed out, not bothering to question how his brother had known what he was going to ask. 'Probably knew I was watching him,' he surmised.

“I know,” came the sigh. “I just . . . don't feel hungry.”

Sesshomaru nodded. “Your appetite will come back with time, I'm sure. Give yourself some time.”

They fell silent, Sesshomaru becoming absorbed in his own thoughts. Tentatively, he took a drink of his soda, absently noting the acidic texture to it and the unusual flavour. He had told Inuyasha that they had needed to talk and what about but there had been more. Inuyasha's attack had also been on his mind. He wanted to know how Madame Yagu had gotten a hold of Inuyasha and exactly what had happened.

'If any of the demon lords had a hand in it,' he mused, 'it's cause for war. Father wouldn't care. Inuyasha is his son as much as I am.'

“Sesshomaru . . .” Inuyasha's voice was barely above a whisper.

“Yes?”

“What was he like? Father, I mean. What was he like?”

Sesshomaru motioned for Inuyasha to sit closer to him, which the younger demon did without hesitation. Much like Rin did whenever she wanted a story from him, Inuyasha rested his head in Sesshomaru's lap, his ears twitching every so often as Sesshomaru launched into every memory of their father that he had, including the day that Inuyasha had been born and a few events that had happened by the time Inuyasha had turned three. When he finished, the soda had been drained completely and the only sound coming from Inuyasha was his soft breathing. He looked down to see if his brother had fallen asleep. Inuyasha's were open, slightly glazed over, but open nonetheless.

“I don't remember any of that,” he commented softly.

“Inuyasha, you were three when Father passed away,” Sesshomaru murmured quietly. “No one expects you to remember everything.”

“I don't even remember his face . . . I wish . . . I wish I could just remember his face . . . that would be enough for me.”

 

As he spoke, tears formed in the hanyou's eyes, and Sesshomaru felt a pang of sympathy for the boy. He, too, knew what it was like to miss a parent he'd never known. His mother had died when he was little, after all.

“Inuyasha, you were three . . . That's to be expected . . . If it's any consolation, however, you look very much like him.”

“I do?” Ears perked at his words as a small amount of hope interlaced itself into Inuyasha's voice.

“Hai,” he nodded, allowing a warm but rare smile to grace his features. “You do.”

He was sure Inuyasha would have smiled at that. What child wouldn't want to hear that they looked like a parent that they hadn't known? But Inuyasha's body tensed suddenly and he pushed himself up, a low growl emanating from him as a slight breeze picked up. Not that Sesshomaru blamed Inuyasha once he had detected what the boy had.

 

On the wind was the scent of wolf.