InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waning Moon ❯ Jealousy ( Chapter 15 )

15. Jealousy

Inuyasha's nerves have been grated to their roots and he is finding it extremely hard to remain where he is seated. He is sitting in on his first meeting between Sesshomaru and another Lord of Japan. This Lord Ta - Te - Er - Inuyasha silently snorts and gives up trying to remember what the jackass' name is. All Inuyasha is able to remember is that the Lord rules over the Northern lands and that his hand is continuously inching closer to Sesshomaru's.

It seems the Lord isn't just after Sesshomaru's proposed trade agreement, but his hand as well. Inuyasha has to withhold a tremendous growl; Sesshomaru is his and his alone. No one but him is allowed to lay a hand on him.

He finds himself caught in yet another glaring contest with the Lord as his brother explains the trade agreement he's proposed between their lands. Inuyasha has no doubts that Sesshomaru knows of their actions, and is humouring them enough to allow it, but he wishes he were sitting just a bit closer to Sesshomaru. Perhaps then, the bastard would understand his place within the castle.

“I apologise for having to ask you this, Lord Sesshomaru,” The other Lord says, his tone dripping with fake remorse, “But this half breed is stinking up the room. Are you sure it is necessary for him to be present for our meeting?”

Inuyasha growls quietly, annoyed with the Northern Lord's nerve. He isn't just Inuyasha, half-breed and Sesshomaru's brother, not anymore. He won't have his mate being talked to in such a dishonest way!

“He is my mate,” Inuyasha feels himself tingle with sadistic mirth as the Northern Lord's eyes widen and his mouth falls agape. Sesshomaru's tone remains level, “He will remain by my side. And I suggest, Lord Tatsuya, that you show my mate the same respect you show me.”

Inuyasha is surprised by the look of complete disbelief on the Tatsuya's face, and the way his lips twist into a snarl. “What?” He bellows, and slams his fists against the table in front of them, making it quake, “You took this disgrace as your mate, Sesshomaru? Where are your marks? Why can I not feel them?”

Inuyasha scowls also, his golden eyes filled with rage as they narrow, “What's that supposed to mean? Sesshomaru has the right to have anyone he wants as a mate!” And besides, Inuyasha continues in his head, he could have taken worse mates; like Kagura or that wimpy wolf, Kouga. At least he was able to defend his mate in times of crisis.

The Lord releases a ferocious hiss, one that reminds Inuyasha of an angry geyser, “You aren't worth anything! You're a worse choice in mate than that human Izayoi was!”

Inuyasha stands abruptly, causing the table to shake, and attempts to loom dangerously over the Northern Lord, like he's seen his mate do so often, “Don't you insult my mother, you jacka-”

“Enough Inuyasha, calm yourself. I will not have blood spilt inside my home.”

The half-breed glares down on Sesshomaru, “He just insulted my mother!”

“To us, that is what she is.” Sesshomaru reasons, only angering Inuyasha more, “Calm down. Do not make me stand.”

Inuyasha casts both Lords an angry glance and takes in Sesshomaru's emotionless face and Tatsuya's disgusted look with a huff. He seats himself down in an ungraceful flop to his mate's right again. He doesn't feel at all comforted when Sesshomaru nods.

He hears a hissing chuckle come from Tatsuya, “Well, at least you've trained him, Sesshomaru.” The dragon demon comments as he flicks his wrist, showing off his sharp, green claws. “But that does not change your choosing to take this filth as your mate. Where are your marks? Explain yourself! Immediately!”

Inuyasha snorts, and opens his mouth to retort, “I do not appreciate anyone disrespecting my mate, Lord Tatsuya.” Inuyasha's jaw snaps shut instantly, his ears at attention as Sesshomaru continues; he doesn't think he'll ever get tired of hearing Sesshomaru talk or defend their relationship, “As my mate he is my other half, and thus he is also a Lord of the Western Planes.” The demon's eyes narrow, “Respect him, or do not rely on this Sesshomaru's help should you find yourself in battle.”

There is a pregnant silence, as Sesshomaru and Tatsuya stare the other down. Inuyasha doubts Tatsuya knows what he's gotten himself into; Sesshomaru is capable of staring without blinking for hours.

“You will extract yourself from my lands, immediately.” Sesshomaru orders as the Lord hisses again and looks away; defeated.

Tatsuya's emerald eyes narrow to slits, like that of a careful cat, before he stands and glowers down on Sesshomaru. Inuyasha knows that Sesshomaru does not approve of his actions, but he has his left arm is now pressed against Sesshomaru's right, as he attempts to prove their claims without taking his mate into his arms. Or perhaps it is to comfort them both. Somehow Inuyasha doesn't feel that Sesshomaru's surprised by the Lord's anger.

“You will regret this, Sesshomaru.” Tatsuya says, before he starts to stride towards the door, then outside where he lifts himself from the ground in a purple and midnight blue ball of lightning.

Inuyasha snorts and turns to his mate, wrapping an arm around Sesshomaru as he does, “We can defeat him. Easy, no problem.”

“I do not wish to start a war, Inuyasha.”

“Keh! He started it. What he said was uncalled for!”

“There was no need for you to challenge him.”

“Hey!” Inuyasha exclaims, his right hand holding Sesshomaru's wrist, his left tugging Sesshomaru's waist, pulling him close, “He started it! He was making eyes at you and you can't tell me honestly that you didn't notice what his hand was doing! I'm not going to allow my mate to be flirted with! He came here for business!”

Sesshomaru regards him with cool eyes, despite their fiery colour, and Inuyasha feels a familiar burning in his chest. He hates it when Sesshomaru will not talk to him, he prefers his mate being whiny (though Sesshomaru never is and he doubts he ever will be) to being silent.

“Your jealous streak astounds me, Inuyasha.” Sesshomaru says, quietly, soothingly. “I have eyes for only one creature. Lord Tatsuya's and the other council members' flirting falls on stone ears.”

The half-breed grins, and pulls Sesshomaru down and closer to him, so that his mate's head is resting against his red clad chest shoulder. He allows his claws to flow through his mate's silken strands as Sesshomaru shifts into a more comfortable position: his right shoulder against Inuyasha's firm chest, his nose nuzzled against Inuyasha's thin neck.

“I am no child Inuyasha. You do not need to treat me as such.”

“You know you like it.” Inuyasha says with a smirk and a mischievous slide of his hand. Sesshomaru shivers minutely as Inuyasha warms the magenta markings on his left cheek.

Inuyasha's eyebrows furrow and his stomach knots as he recalls the Northern Lord's demands. He runs his hand through Sesshomaru's fringe, careful of Sesshomaru's moon marking and his claws, “Hey, Sesshomaru, what marks was the jackass talking about? We haven't marked each other.”

Sesshomaru remains silent, and it angers the half-breed the Lord is resting against; he knows he is not asleep, his heart is still beating fast and his breath is puffing onto Inuyasha's chin at a steady, yet too fast, pace. Inuyasha frowns, and carefully turns his brother's face up to his own, “Oi, bastard, I'm talking to you.”

The Lord's eyes blink open, and settle on Inuyasha's own, “He is talking about our mating marks. They are bites each mate will give the other, usually on the neck or on the shoulder, though some demons, such as snake or dragons will mark each other's torsos. It finalises and allows other demons to feel that each mate belongs to the other.”

“You mean to tell me we aren't mates?” Inuyasha asks loudly, his claws braced on either side of Sesshomaru's face. “You haven't stopped me from calling you my mate, hell, you just said I was your own! We just told that jackass that we were mates and we aren't?”

Sesshomaru simply blinks up at Inuyasha, his breathing becoming labored. Inuyasha removes his hot palms from his brother's cheeks, realising his mistake. “You better let me mark you tonight. Then you can mark me.”

Sesshomaru doesn't react for a moment, before he speaks softly, “You will not be marking me, Inuyasha.”

“Why the hell not?”

His brother regards him for a moment, his eyes locked on Inuyasha's before he starts to speak, “Our roles during intercourse influence the aura that will surround us should we mark each other. I am beta, and as such, every demon that we should meet will know.” Sesshomaru finishes his explanation by closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Inuyasha looks bewildered and asks rudely, “So?”

“I will not be respected or be seen as a fit ruler should the other council members know about my role within our relationship. It is likely that many Lords will challenge my role as Lord of the Western Planes in order to gain more power and land.” Sesshomaru takes a calming breath and Inuyasha can swear he can see sadness, or perhaps anger in his brother's eyes. Inuyasha isn't sure; there are few emotions Inuyasha recognises within his brother; Sesshomaru does not share his feelings freely.

“The Lord that wins, should the other council members agree, would then seek to break our mating bond. He would then kill you and take me as his mate to legitimise his position, should he not already have one. Within that mating, I will be beta.”

Inuyasha thinks he understands, and his realisation only causes a boiling anger - or was it another form of jealousy? This time directed towards Sesshomaru's people and land. - to bubble within him. Sesshomaru doesn't want to be seen as weak, he doesn't want to lose his lands, nor lose his position as the ruler of them. Sesshomaru doesn't want to take a risk for him, for his mate.

He allows Sesshomaru to sit up and then, a moment later, stand. “It is enough that this Sesshomaru acknowledges you as his mate." The demon reasons softly, "You will not mark me.” Sesshomaru repeats before he begins his walk towards the golden brown, sliding door.

Inuyasha watches him go, and his heart sinks painfully, as his hands fist tightly and his knuckles whiten. Inuyasha knows he cannot compare to Sesshomaru's appearance as a Lord within Japan. Sesshomaru's role within society will always be his brother's biggest priority. Not him.

Inuyasha will always come second.