InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waning Moon ❯ Comfort ( Chapter 10 )

10. Comfort

Sesshomaru doesn't think it a comfort to find his younger brother being bullied by human children less than half his age; even if the half-breed is the cause of his father's undignified death. The small half-demon is now over twenty years old and he still looks no older than a ten year old child. The demon Lord has expected this; Inuyasha's demon blood wouldn't allow him to age as speedily as humans' do.

His eyes narrow, Sesshomaru had expected Inuyasha's mother to have begun the young boy's training as soon as he turned twelve, yet he can barely throw a punch. He cannot protect himself in the slightest. Again, her actions only prove his views of humans as weak and emotional. Inuyasha may look like a child, but in human years he is an adult. He should have been trained, not mollycoddled.

Sesshomaru frowns from his place behind a tree on the outskirts of the forest. His hair plays on the calming breeze blowing about him. It billows behind him as though it were a silvery cape as he moves towards the children pushing his little brother to the ground, teasing him and laughing. Do they not realise what the half breed is capable of? Sesshomaru hopes to show them.

They're laughter makes his ears burn and a boiling anger bubble in his chest as he approaches them. He is somewhat pleased at the horrified look he receives from one of the smaller boys, the first one of them to realise he is striding towards them. His mouth is left agape and he babbles and hits his friends in order to get their attention, quickly pointing at Sesshomaru.

The demon Lord comes to a halt a mere metre away from the group and he stares silently down on them. He looks menacing and the cold, aloof aura surrounding him keeps the kids scared and unmoving. They are all staring back with wide eyes. It pleases him to see them so afraid, but there is a feeling of disgust in the bottom of his stomach; they are brave enough to hit a child smaller than them, but not a nearly adult demon? Sesshomaru's eyes narrow, making them jump. Their whispering is getting on his nerves.

"T-That's a demon, right?"

"What's it doing here?"

He can hear them as well as he can see that it is day. He does not like being called an `it', more so than being mistaken for a female of any sort. Sesshomaru tunes them out before calling for Inuyasha's attention. The young half-breed still hasn't noticed his presence. That is unusual. It only alerts Sesshomaru to the situation once more.

"Stand up, Inuyasha. You are well." He watches with bored eyes as Inuyasha's head launches up from under his skinny arms and small fists. His ears are standing to attention as he looks around, his wide eyes staring up at Sesshomaru with gratitude and wonder, while his dirtied face breaks into a large grin.

"Sesshomaru!" He jumps to his dirty, small feet, his bruises forgotten as he rushes to his brother's side, "You don't usually come to the village; is there something wrong?"

The demon Lord ignores him, "Do these humans treat you as they were regularly, little brother." He emphasises his last words with an almost caring pat to Inuyasha's white head, careful of his claws and the boy's ears.

The boys look horrified and he hears one whisper, "T-The freak's his b-brother?"

Sesshomaru expects they will not touch Inuyasha again.

Inuyasha spares the humans a glance and takes in their shaking forms, "Not all the time Sesshomaru. Sometimes they let me play with them."

"The games you play are humiliating, Inuyasha; they do not treat you with respect." He allows his long claws to comb through Inuyasha's shoulder length hair once, before it drops to his side, "This Sesshomaru will spare their lives," He says to Inuyasha. The boys look relieved. "Next time they will die." Inuyasha nods and watches sadly as the boys run off, obviously not risking the chance that Sesshomaru may change his mind.

It is silent around them for a moment, before Sesshomaru pivots and starts heading towards the forest again. Inuyasha follows and mumbles, "Where are we going?"

"You are in need of training. This world is not safe for a half-demon."

"You're going to teach me how to fight?"

Sesshomaru continues walking, stopping only when he reaches the centre of a small clearing amongst the trees, it has taken them a better part of an hour.

Inuyasha stops much further behind Sesshomaru. He hides in the foliage, staring around with his ears perked and his eyes wide and shining with curiosity; he hasn't ever been in this place before. He sniffs, only moving to join his brother in the middle of the clearing once he bids it safe.

He stands beside his brother and notices with a frown that he barely reaches the middle of Sesshomaru's thighs in height. Sesshomaru doesn't acknowledge the look of loathing, he knows not what it is directed at, and removes his pelt, placing it gingerly by a tree.

"Have you been taught anything about combat?" He receives a shake of Inuyasha's head, "Then we will start at the beginning."

Sesshomaru moves so that he is standing with his feet shoulder width apart, with one foot forward. He crouches slightly and sets his left hand in front of his chest with his elbow bent, "Copy my stance." He says as he brings his right hand to sit just in front of his chest, his fingers pointed to his left.

Inuyasha does and after a few more commands he has his stance corrected. They are standing side by side.

“Now Inuyasha, I will teach you how to punch.”

Inuyasha's eyes are turned up towards him. Seeing this Sesshomaru slowly moves his right arm from against his chest and to his side, swiftly jabbing it straight forward, with his fingers slightly bent, yet away from his palm. He does it again, much slower this time. Inuyasha attempts to mimic him.

“You're elbow must remain by your side.”

Inuyasha nods and does it again, slower, clumsier than his first attempt. Sesshomaru knows Inuyasha needs a lot of practice.

“Now your other arm. Simply switch each of your arms' positions.”

This continues on for a while, Sesshomaru notices his brother is sweating and his arms sag before they straighten and sag again. His brother is growing tired.

Sesshomaru speaks slowly, “You may rest.”

Inuyasha stubbornly shakes his head. Sesshomaru watches for a few more minutes before he intones again, “A warrior should not push themselves so hard that they are unable to protect themselves, Inuyasha. Rest and you may continue shortly.”

With a pout and a sigh Inuyasha moves so he can sit beside his brother, who has his pelt curled around him. Sesshomaru notices with a small twinge of pride that the boy is trying to hide just how tired he is. He doesn't want to look weak around his brother, around anyone.

Inuyasha forces himself to sit up, with his shoulders and back straight. He wipes at his brow and grins up at Sesshomaru, “Are you going to teach me anything else today, Sesshomaru?”

The demon doesn't answer immediately, and as his lips part he stops his comment and raises another issue, “Inuyasha do not do that.”

The half breed stares up at him with innocent eyes, one of his long nails caught between his teeth. He'd been working hard to bite it off.

“Your claws are also weapons. You do not want them to be disabled; they are your last line of defense.” Inuyasha's hand falls to his lap heavily, “When you are older you may find that you can perform more advanced attacks through your claws.” He raises his right hand.

He flicks his wrist and he sees Inuyasha's eyes widen and his mouth drop open as a long glowing yellow-green whip bursts from his index and middle fingers. He successfully cuts one of the smaller trees surrounding the clearing in half, sending it crashing to the ground as his whip is sucked into his fingers again. He can't help but tip his head back a bit, raising his nose into the air at the look of pure amazement on his brother's face.

“You may not be able to create an attack akin to that, but you may be able create something similar, in the future.”

The half breed's mouth closes before it is working fast, “So I'll be able to do neat stuff like that when I get stronger?” He's on his feet, staring into Sesshomaru's eyes, looking excited and energised. The demon Lord nods, “Then I'm going to practice! I'm going to practice until I become just as strong as you! Perhaps even stronger!”

His young body is quickly placed in the middle of the clearing and he is punching the air again, just as his brother showed him. Sesshomaru's scoff is kept to himself as his thoughts remain on Inuyasha's last words. The half breed will never surpass him.

A few weeks later Sesshomaru is ready to begin Inuyasha's training in order to build up his strength and speed. Inuyasha rushes to greet him, tripping over his feet as he yells, “Sesshomaru! Guess what!” Before he practically skips around his brother's legs explaining how he'd managed to beat the boys who regularly picked on him - and hadn't met Sesshomaru - off him before they were able to do much damage.

Sesshomaru watches with slightly raised brows as again he finds fiery anger swelling inside his chest. It is a comfort, he decides, to have his brother by his side, where he can watch over him.