InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wild Children ❯ Wild Children ( Chapter 1 )

Wild Children

By Honigbiene

Summary- When Sesshomaru was six, bandits attacked his family's manor, murdering his mother, brother, and Inuyasha's mother. Sesshomaru, three-year-old Kouga, his adopted brother, and infant Inuyasha, were the only survivors. Together, they grew up in the forests of Japan, surviving as best they could without human contact. AU.

Rating- PG-13 for now, because of violence. Later will be raised for incestual lemons.

Author's note- this didn't come out quite the way I was planning it, but I'm pleased. It's my first Inuyasha fic, so be gentle?

Prologue

"Run, Sesshomaru!"

The cry echoed in through the hall of the palatial home, a panicked woman's voice shouting the order. The small child nodded and took off in the other direction, shaggy white hair bouncing off his shoulders as he dashed.

"Kouga Where are you, Kouga-chan?" he yelled as he ran. He had to find the other boy. He had to

He rounded corner after corner, searching for his adopted brother. At six-and-a-half, Sesshomaru was still a small little boy, and his short legs couldn't carry him very far. However, Kouga was only three, and not only that, his half-brother was with the toddler. Inuyasha was only a baby, even smaller than Miroku, his mama's maid's son. And papa would be upset if he came home and saw that Inuyasha hadn't made it out of the house.

"`Maru?" Kouga's thin, piping voice came from a little niche. "Izzat you, `Maru?"

"Kouga Is Yasha with you?" Sesshomaru asked, skidding to a halt and peering into the little hole that was intended to house a statue of Buddha, which on a second glance he saw shoved across the hallway to the other wall.

"Yeah... where mama?" Kouga considered Sesshomaru's mother his own, since he'd been adopted as an orphan. "I want mama "

"Mama is finding Miro and Sango. She'll come." Sesshomaru pulled Kouga from his hidey-hole and saw that Inuyasha, the youngest child in the manor, was asleep, wrapped in blankets. "Yasha's mama is getting papa's things, then we'll be ready to go. We've got to go to the garden. Come on." He carefully lifted the sleeping bundle into his arms and pushed the other boy along with his knee.

"When's papa getting home?"

"I don't know. We're going to meet him at the hot springs, so walk faster, alright?" The six-year-old's voice was encouraging, but shook with fear.

"Alright." Kouga wasn't old enough to understand the terror that encompassed the Inugaki household, but he understood the order to hide, and to take his baby brother with him. So he did it, and waited for someone to come get him.

There was another brother in the home, an older one, who had stayed home to protect the womenfolk and children. His name was Amidamaru, and he came tearing around the corner, screaming at Sesshomaru to hold onto Inuyasha. He grabbed the two children under their arms, lifting them up as he ran. "They're almost here. Mother and Kaede are outside already. Sango already took Miroku and left." He reached the doors to the gardens, where the Inugaki boys' mothers waited with horses. He was heaving for breath. "Mother, take Kouga. Give me Inuyasha." Sesshomaru obeyed, giving his beloved older brother the baby. Amidamaru helped him onto his mare, kissing his forehead as he lifted him up and slung him over the saddle. "Now, take him." He handed the child a spare shirt. "Make a sling for him. I'll be right behind you." Amidamaru handed Inuyasha back. The child started wailing as he was jolted, bright blue eyes that gave no hint of the gold they would become filled with tears as he was woken from his peaceful slumber. "Make him stop crying, Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru nodded and cuddled his baby brother, rocking him gently. At the sound of Yasha's tears, though, Kouga started bawling. He was really scared now; he'd never ridden a horse before, Amidamaru was practically yelling, and to top it off, he could begin to smell the smoke coming from the village nearby as it burned.

"Go " Amidamaru slapped the rump of Sesshomaru's mare Kilala and she started running, galloping out of the garden with the children on her back. Kaede and Kikyou, Sesshomaru's mother, followed immediately after, Kaede pressing Kouga's face into her bosom to muffle his sobs.

Sesshomaru looked back as they reached the gate and saw Amidamaru heading back inside. "Ami-niisan " he cried, trying to wheel his horse around to stop him. "Sesshomaru No " Kikyou caught Sesshomaru's reins and pulled him back around. "No, son, we've got to get out of here. The raiders are almost here He'll be fine." As she spoke, though, her tone gave the lie to her words, and she watched her oldest son disappear back into the doomed manor. "Let's go " She forced herself to turn and kick her own horse into a canter, leading her sister and their children out away from the place and towards safety.

The small group rode quickly, but the bandits soon caught up. Sesshomaru's mare, the youngest and fittest, and least weighed down, pulled ahead, the boy looking over his shoulder and yelling. "Mama Mama, hurry up Kaede " He circled back, intending to fight for his mothers' safety. The women caught up, and Kaede shifted Kouga in her arms. "Sesshomaru, take Kouga as well. We'll try and fend them off. Ride as fast as you can " She lifted the black-haired toddler behind Sesshomaru, kissing both their foreheads. "Keep them safe Keep my son safe " She turned, drew a bow and arrow that was slung on her saddle, and notched the arrow. At her side, Kikyou did the same.

"Ride, my son Go " She fired the first arrow, striking a faster bandit in the throat. Sesshomaru nodded mutely and whirled his mare, kicking her sharply to get her to run to her limits. "Kilala, go faster " he urged, holding the reins in one hand and cradling Inuyasha in his other. The sling around his chest helped, but he still held the baby carefully.

"`Maru, what about mama and Kaede " Kouga whimpered from behind Sesshomaru.

"They'll be alright. Just hold on " The oldest child was heading for the nearby forest, trying to reach a hidden fortress that had been built for Amidamaru when he was a little boy. It still existed, up in the branches of an old oak tree. He spared a glance back, just in time to see his mother fall to the sword of the bandit's leader. Even from a distance, he could see the cruel smirk on the man's face as he cut down the woman, then Kaede. He bit his lip so sharply that blood began to seep down his chin, and he forced himself to turn and continue riding. If he didn't, the bandits would get Inuyasha and Kouga. He said he'd keep them safe. He had to keep them safe.

Finally, he reached the safety of the forest. He hopped down off the horse, gently cradling Inuyasha to protect him from the jolt. He set the baby down on the forest floor for a minute, then turned back to Kouga. The toddler was crying piteously, his big purple eyes welling over with tears as his bottom lip trembled and his face turned red and scrunched up. "Kouga, come on We have to keep going If we don't, the bad men will get us We're going to the treehouse. Come on " He picked Inuyasha up again, tucking him back in the sling. "Stop crying or they'll find us " Sesshomaru ordered, taking Kouga's tiny hand in his own and starting to run. He was careful to go a roundabout way, after slapping the horse's rump to get her to run away. Hopefully it would distract the scary bandits and their leader for a while.

They ran through the forest hand in hand until they reached a well, and nearby the tall oak tree. Sesshomaru looked back cautiously. He couldn't see or hear the bandits yet. "Kouga, go up to Amidamaru's tree house, alright? Be quiet. Don't make a sound. I'll give you a sweet when we get to papa if you're silent." He pushed the toddler towards the tree. "Go "

"But `Maru, I scared " Kouga whimpered, digging his feet into the ground.

"Don't be. We'll be alright if you climb up. Yasha and me'll be in the well, right here." Sesshomaru pushed Kouga at the ladder, and he reluctantly started climbing the rope construction. "Pull the ladder up when you're up there, alright?"

"Uh-huh." Kouga sniffed and continued to ascend, very carefully placing his feet each time. He was out of sight a moment later, hidden by the branches of the ancient tree. Sesshomaru made sure that the child was completely gone, then carefully climbed down the empty well. There were protruding stones that were just big enough for a light little boy to stand on and he reached the bottom in good time, still protecting his baby brother's tiny body. He kept Inuyasha's face pressed to his thin chest, giving him enough room to breathe, but not to cry out. When he hit the dirt floor at the base, he tucked under a small hollow that was there, well out of sight in the darkness of the well.

A harrowing few minutes passed, then voices entered the clearing. "They went this way Over here " The voice was rough and uncultured, accompanied by the sound of cheap, shoddy sandals flapping on the ground and armor clanking. Sesshomaru tucked farther under the enclave, trying to hide his tell-tale white hair from view. He held his breath painfully, waiting for the soldiers to leave. "Man, this ain't no fun. Those women were too easy And the kid at the mansion, he was pathetic, too "

Amidamaru... Sesshomaru thought, tears welling up in his eyes and falling down to splash on Inuyasha's head.

"Shut up and keep looking for the boys," another voice interjected. This one was deep and rich, but so full of malice that both children, above and below, trembled. This was the man who killed their mama. It had to be. "They must be killed, and the infant taken. It will be the supreme triumph to take Inugaki's son as my own. I will raise him to be his father's greatest enemy and my heir..." A cruel laugh echoed through the clearing. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in anger and pain. They wanted to hurt papa, and use Yasha? They were evil Papa would kill them dead. "Now, keep looking you incompetents. I want those three found immediately." The sound of men scattering through the woods came down the well, and Sesshomaru prayed that Kouga would stay quiet in the treehouse and Inuyasha would stay silent in his arms.

After a few more minutes, the men began to reenter the area. "No sign of them, Lord Naraku," was the consistent response.

"NARAKU You bastard " A familiar voice, a beloved, familar voice, screamed. Amidamaru thundered into the clearing on his stallion.

"You again? I thought they'd killed you already. Well, you can barely stand, so it shouldn't be a problem to finish the job. You- kill him." Naraku gave the order off-handedly, and turned to leave.

"No you don't You'll pay for murdering my mother " Amidamaru hadn't dismounted, and pulled a dagger. As the lead bandit turned his back, the nobleman's son flung the knife true, striking Naraku in the back. The man collapsed forward, while his crony used his sword to stab Amidamaru through the chest.

"Nah, you'll pay, whelp That's for stricking Lord Naraku " The man laughed as Amidamaru fell from his horse, eyes rolled back in his head. "Pathetic."

Meanwhile, the remaining bandits helped their fallen leader to his horse, and rode off to get him medical attention. "I'll be back to finish your brothers off," he called back, dripping blood and coughing.

Sesshomaru waited until the sound of hoofbeats had all but vanished before ascending the well. He was white as ash, whiter than his hair, as he did so, in tears. "Amidamaru?" he whispered as he climbed over the edge of the well and seeing his brother lying on the ground. At his side lay his sword, all surrounded by a widening pool of blood. "Amidamaru, are you alright?" He knelt in the red puddle, shaking the older son. "Please, say something Ami-niisan Ami? "

"Sessho... maru... take care of Yasha and Kouga..." Amidamaru rasped without opening his eyes. "The swords... father's swords for you... Tenseiga for you, Tetsusaiga for Yasha... in the saddlebags..." He coughed harshly, blood spilling over his chin. "Kouga can have mine... make sure they live. Find fa... find papa..." His blue eyes opened for a moment, painfully focusing on the weeping child and infant. "Love you both..." he rasped as he lifted a bloodied hand to stroke both boys' cheeks, then his eyes rolled back in his head and a final breath rattled weakly in his chest.

"Amidamaru? Amidamaru Don't die Please don't die Don't leave me " Sesshomaru broke down, sobbing bitterly on his brother's slowly cooling corpse. "Ami "

"`Maru? Can I get down?" Kouga's voice called down tremulously.

"Kouga... yeah..." Sesshomaru looked up and saw the rope ladder come tumbling down. "Amidamaru... he's..."

"Is he dead?" Kouga asked when his feet touched solid ground once more.

"Y-yes." Sesshomaru hugged the small boy tightly, crying into his sweat-dampened hair. "We're all alone now. We're going to try and find papa, though. Alright?" He didn't wait for an answer before standing and pulling Kouga up with him. His white clothes were soaked in Amidamaru's blood, his skin, and even his hair stained red with the stuff. He slowly began walking through the woods, a sleeping baby at his chest and the tear-stained toddler at his side, and just kept walking. They avoided villages unless absolutely necessary, finding shelter in campsites when it was possible, but they kept to the forest that stretched across Japan, always in search of their papa.

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Sixteen years later...

Three brothers stood at the top of a hill, a faint breeze blowing their long hair. The eldest and tallest stood slightly behind the other two, standing protectively. The middle boy fidgeted restlessly, shifting his weight from foot to foot, and the youngest reached down to take his brother's hand, smiling up at the eldest. "Why do we come back here every year, Sess?" the teenager asked, looking back down at the pastoral scene.

"Because this is where we lived," Sesshomaru said, squeezing Inuyasha's hand. "Someday father will be here when we are, and we'll be able to go home."

"But I don't even remember my mother. I don't care about them, I just want to stay with you." Inuyasha was earnest, childlike.

"I'll always take care of you, Yasha. Don't worry." Sesshomaru smiled gently down at the teen. He was twenty-two now, his baby brother sixteen, and Kouga, who looked upon the exchange with derision, was nineteen. "Even if we find father." He kissed the boy's forehead affectionately.

"Why do you keep telling him that we're going to find him? We're not He's dead, Sesshomaru. Father is dead " Kouga glared.

"Shut up, Kouga Father is not dead " Sesshomaru snarled, squeezing Inuyasha's hand. "Father is still alive, and we will find him someday "

"Gods, I don't know why I still stay with you two. You're so stupid." Kouga rolled his eyes and pushed past the brothers. "He's dead, and we're never going to find his grave."

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha demanded, watching his brother walk away worriedly. "We're camping here tonight."

"I'm leaving, you idiot. There's a woman in the last town. I'm going to stay with her." Kouga smirked. "I'm tired of moving all the time. I'll see you around."

"Kouga, don't go " Inuyasha protested. "We can settle down for a while. Right, Sess?"

"Yes, we can. Don't leave, Kouga. We need to stick together."

" `We need to stick together...' Don't make me gag. You two have always been closer together. You don't need me. Kagome needs someone to take care of her. So you two go fuck around and I'll get a real life." With that, the middle brother walked off. Inuyasha tried to follow after him, but Sesshomaru pulled him back.

"Let him go, Yasha. He's been restless for years now, and if he has the chance to be happy, then we have to let him take it." Sesshomaru hugged the boy, stroking his waist-length hair.

"But..."

"Just let him go. It's alright. He'll get sick of her and come back to us. In the mean time, we'll stay here." Sesshomaru kissed Inuyasha's head. "Let's get set up for the night." Inuyasha nodded and returned the kiss, then pulled back.

"Alright." Inuyasha smiled sadly, watching Kouga's receding back. "You won't leave me, will you?"

"No, of course not. Now, get our blankets and I'll make the fire." Sesshomaru pushed Inuyasha towards the packs nearby. The boy nodded and went to make the bedroll, finding a place on the rocky ground that was relatively smooth and sheltered. He set the blankets down, smoothing them out while Sesshomaru used flint and tinder to light gathered kindling, starting the small fire. He located a pot and a flask of water, setting it to boil while he cut some meat purchased from the village nearby. Inuyasha returned to his brother's side, sitting on the ground. Sesshomaru sat beside him, wrapping his arm around the teenager. "Hungry?"

"Always," Inuyasha smiled and leaned against Sesshomaru. "I miss Kouga already, though." He sighed and found some dried herbs to throw in the pot with the meat as Sesshomaru added it, boiling it.

"He'll come back. He's left before, remember? Last winter, he went to join those rurouni, but he came back when he got tired of it." Sesshomaru ran his fingers through his baby brother's tangled white locks, combing out some of the knots. "This girl is just some phase."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Sesshomaru stirred the contents of the pot absently. "He'll be begging us to take him back in a few weeks, so we'll just stay in the area for a while. It'll give us a chance to make some money, too." Inuyasha nodded in agreement.

"Ok." He slid over, sitting between Sesshomaru's knees and leaning back against his brother's chest. Sesshomaru let his hands slide down to cross over the boy's stomach, holding him protectively and possessively. Inuyasha smiled and cuddled back against his big brother, feeling safe. "I love you, Sess."

"I love you too, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru kissed Inuyasha's hair. They sat in silence while the food cooked, the elder untangling the boy's hair. Inuyasha sighed contently, while Sesshomaru pondered his baby brother.

Inuyasha had grown to be a sweet child from the infant he'd carried away from the family manor, and then to a gentle teenager. He was beautiful, with bright amber eyes and flowing silver hair, and extraordinarily innocent. Sesshomaru and Kouga had kept him away from people as much as possible, and he was still childlike in his demeanor. They had been worried about Naraku finding them and trying to kill them, so they had only allowed him contact with people when it was absolutely necessary- that way, if something happened to them, he would at least survive. As a result, he didn't know how to interact with anyone except his brothers and very small children. However, he was fiercely devoted to his brothers, especially Sesshomaru since he'd been the one to take care of him the most. He was completely uninterested in any of the girls they saw in the fields, or even the boys, only in his brothers and finding their father.

Sesshomaru loved Inuyasha just as much in return, and he was extremely protective. He'd broken Kouga's nose when he was ten for hitting Inuyasha over the head with a stick, and when they had spent a particularly bad winter in a small village he broke another boy's arm so badly it needed to be amputated for trying beat up the eight-year-old Inuyasha. He hid his brother away from the world, trying to keep him safe and pure.

But the desire to keep Inuyasha pure was fading before the desire... for him.

Sesshomaru spent some nights, infrequently, with girls of indeterminate virtue, and he had been returning from one such liason when he'd come across a pool near their campsite. Kouga was still in town, since they'd felt the area was safe enough to leave Inuyasha alone for the night. It was a steamy summer night, the humidity hanging in the air and sticking to everything, and he'd intended to stop in the pond to wash the sweat and sex from his skin. Instead, he'd stopped dead in his tracks. Inuyasha stood in the middle of the pond, naked and glistening with sweat. His waist-length silver hair clung to his back like tendrils of clouds, and he was blissfully unaware of his brother watching him. He dove back under the water, long legs kicking up splashes as he cooled off.

Inuyasha stood up again, tossing his hair back and appearing to be a water sprite caught in the moonlight. His back arched gracefully, showing off his slender body perfectly. His whole body was lightly muscled, slender chest tapering down to narrow hips, firm, round buttocks shimmering invitingly. The teenager groaned happily, tumbling backwards and floating on the surface of the pond, his legs spread and his hair floating around him. Sesshomaru bit back a moan of desire. He knew instinctively that it was wrong to want this boy, this beautiful boy who was his own beloved brother, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to possess Inuyasha. From that moment, he hadn't wanted any other. No woman stirred fire in his loins, no youth made him burn with desire. Only Inuyasha made him feel need. Only Inuyasha...

Inuyasha's stomach growling brought his attention back to the real world, away from his memories of his incredible baby brother before they brought about embarrassing circumstances that he would be hard-pressed to explain to Inuyasha. "Is it done yet?" the boy asked, flushing cutely. "I'm really hungry."

"I think so," Sesshomaru said, reaching around his brother to check the stew. "Just a minute more. Get a bowl." Inuyasha grinned and slipped from his brother's embrace to get two bowls from the packs, and chopsticks as well. He returned and snuggled against Sesshomaru, giving him the bowls to fill with stew. Sesshomaru laughed at his brother's eagerness, taking the bowl and dipping it in the hot liquid. "Here. Careful, it's hot." Inuyasha stuck his tongue out and disregarded Sesshomaru. He dug in, `eep'ing when it burned his mouth, then chugging water to cool the pain. Sesshomaru chuckled and more slowly began to eat. Every so often, one of the brothers would reach over to steal a bit of meat, or a preferred herb, and they ate in silence. At the end of the meal, there was only a few leaves of Kouga's favorite spice left, and Inuyasha dumped them back into the pot to keep simmering for breakfast. The sun was setting then, sending rich colors across the sky. Sesshomaru pulled Inuyasha back into his arms, resting his chin on the boy's head. "Do you want to go to bed now, or do you want to go visit the manor?" he asked, rubbing Inuyasha's stomach.

"I want to go explore the manor. Maybe we'll find something that leads to father!" Inuyasha said, grinning. He tilted his head back to kiss Sesshomaru's chin affectionately.

"Alright. He might have come back and left some sign that he was there." Sesshomaru stood and pulled Inuyasha to his feet. Inuyasha took his brother's hand and kicked some dirt over the fire to stop it from burning quite so merrily, since it could be dangerous if a wind came up, and they started off. It was but a short walk to the ruins of the manor, and it took them not ten minutes to get there. Sesshomaru released Inuyasha's hand once they were inside the crumbling outer wall, letting him wander aimlessly. Since the boy didn't remember anything about the place but what Sesshomaru had told him, he didn't seem to feel the spirits that still haunted the place. Sesshomaru on the other hand knew what had happened there, and he entered the home at a slower pace. He wandered the halls, finding the remains of his mother's room, his father's room, the nursery, kitchen, armory... everywhere that he remembered was visited, looking for a sign of his father's recent presence.

"Sess! Hey, Sesshomaru, where are you?"Inuyasha's voice echoed down the abandoned hallways. "I think I found something!"

"I'm coming," the elder brother called back, following the sound of Inuyasha's voice. He found the boy in Amidamaru's room, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He held a scrap of rice paper in his hands, covered in writing. "I don't know what most of it says, but it says Inugaki at the end." He offered his brother the paper, and he took it. His reading abilities were sketchy at most, but he was good enough to decipher the note.

"It's father... He was here last winter!" Sesshomaru smiled and got down on his knees beside Inuyasha, sliding one arm around him as he kept reading. "He thinks we're dead, but he still put where he'll be. He's heading to a campsite near Mt. Hiei, or at least he was a few months ago. He should still be there!" Inuyasha laughed excitedly and hugged Sesshomaru.

"Let's go! We can get Kouga and go find Papa! We can leave tomorrow!" He kissed his brother's cheek, taking the note back and tracing their surname. "I can't wait to meet him!"

"It's going to take us a few weeks to get there from where we are now, I think. If we had horses, it'd go faster." Sesshomaru smiled and kissed his brother in return, squeezing him. "If we steal them, we can get them by tomorrow." He began planning out loud. He was even more excited about seeing their father again than Inuyasha was, since he'd known Lord Inugaki and Yasha hadn't.

"Let's get back to the camp and get ready." Inuyasha was already on his feet, pulling his taller brother after him. They left quickly, running through the darkened forest back to the campsite. Inuyasha babbled happily the whole way back, his smile so bright that it seemed to light up the whole forest. Sesshomaru had to force himself to look away. It made his heart ache to see the beautiful boy so happy. Once back at the camp, Inuyasha quickly packed up what wouldn't be needed in the morning and stripped down to his light hakama pants before slipping between the sheets of their bedroll. "The sooner we get to sleep, the sooner we can see father!"

Sesshomaru laughed, stripping down as well. He slid down beside Inuyasha and the younger boy snuggled against him. "If you don't relax, you'll never fall asleep, and then you'll be so tired tomorrow we'll have to stop early." He gently stroked Inuyasha's back, trying to get him to calm down.

"I know..." Inuyasha laughed and rolled over, his round buttocks pressed against Sesshomaru's groin. "I just really want to meet him!" Sesshomaru forced himself to hold still, lest he become aroused by his brother's close proximity. Inuyasha, however, seemed unaware of his brother's predicament, and wriggled with excitement. He twined his fingers with Sesshomaru's, smiling. The taller boy squeezed Inuyasha's hand in return, kissing his neck.

"Just go to sleep, Yasha. We'll go get Kouga first thing in the morning, so sleep!" Inuyasha nodded obediently and snuggled back against his brother.

"Alright, alright. Love you, Sess."

"Love you too, Inuyasha." If only you knew how much. If only you loved me the same way, my most precious little brother.

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"Inuyasha, slow down We'll have to make camp soon. We'll get there tomorrow" Sesshomaru called after the running boy.

"But Sess, we're almost there. If we keep going, we can get there tonight," Inuyasha answered, turning and beseeching his brother with big, pleading eyes.

"And by the time we get there, in the middle of the night, we'll be so tired that we'll fall asleep before we can actually meet Father. We'll spend the night here, then continue in the morning." Sesshomaru caught up with Inuyasha and caught his little brother around the waist. "Alright? That way, we'll be fresh when we see him."

Inuyasha nodded and hugged Sesshomaru. "Fine... but can we leave before sunrise? I really want to meet Father "

"Yes, we can leave before sunrise. For now, let's stop. We passed a pond a ways back, so lets turn around and make camp there. We can bathe and get ready for tomorrow." He turned Inuyasha around and began leading him back towards the pond and the planned campsite. "After all, don't you want to make a good impression on Father? You don't want him to think that you're a barbarian, do you?"

"No I want him to like me " Inuyasha protested fervently and hurried backwards, suddenly overcome by the desire to be clean and presentable upon the morrow. He pulled out of Sesshomaru's arms and ran back, the older brother following at a more reserved pace.

Kouga had chosen to not come with them to see their father, believing it to be a lie despite the note. He felt that it was an insidious plot by Naraku, whom they knew still to be alive, and had opted to stay with Kagome. Sesshomaru imagined that by that point, the woman was probably pregnant and his brother was itching for his freedom again, but that was his problem. He was more concerned with keeping Inuyasha safe and well-fed by himself. Speaking of who- he'd finally caught up with the boy and saw that Inuyasha had already stripped himself naked to bathe in the shimmering pool.

He was so beautiful, and completely unaware of his allure, which made him even more desirable. For the past month and a half- it had taken them longer than planned to make it to Lord Inugaki, since the people in villages they'd passed had told them he was no longer at Mt. Hiei- Sesshomaru had been fraught with desire for his little brother, who insisted on sleeping with him at night, and usually almost naked at that. Combined with his need for frequent physical contact, Inuyasha had barely escaped ravaging a number of times. However, Sesshomaru forced his body to ignore the sexy boy not ten feet away, nude, standing with his legs slightly spread so his whole body was display. His face was uplifted to the sky, pale skin aglow with the light from the moon that trickled down through the trees, and he spun happily in the cool water.

"Sess, aren't you coming in?" he asked, turning to his older brother, a bright smile on his face. "It feels good " His nipples were hardened into small pink pebbles on his chest, his cheeks flushed softly. Sesshomaru nodded and undressed, joining the teenager in the pond. Inuyasha hugged his brother, nuzzling his neck affectionately. "Isn't it great?" he said, grinning. His body fit with Sesshomaru's perfectly, his head resting in the curve of his brother's shoulder, his slender, lithe frame cradled gently in the older boy's arms.

"It is," Sesshomaru agreed, gently petting Inuyasha's hair. His hand slid down the boy's back, gently caressing his skin. His couldn't resist letting his hand brush over Inuyasha's buttocks, barely there. Inuyasha blushed faintly, ducking his head down against his brother's chest to hide the flush, but he didn't try to pull away. "Get started, alright?" Sesshomaru said after a moment of luxuriating in his brother's nakedness.

"Ok." Inuyasha pulled away from his older brother, letting himself fall back under the water. He scooped up a handful of fine sand from the bottom of the pond and when he rose, began using it to scrub the grime of the road from his skin. His hair clung to his body, impeding his endeavors to clean himself.

"Here, let me help you," Sesshomaru said, reaching down and taking another handful of the sand, pulling Inuyasha's hair off his shoulders and pushing it over to expose his back. He gently scrubbed his brother's skin, the simple action becoming- to him- almost erotic. He pressed his lips lightly to Inuyasha's neck as his hands moved to the boy's stomach. "`Yasha..." he murmured, fingers tracing Inuyasha's muscles beneath the skin.

"Sess? What are you doing?" Inuyasha asked, his voice soft, almost squeaky.

"Do you trust me?" Sesshomaru whispered, his hand slipping down to run along Inuyasha's thighs.

"Y-yes..." the boy answered, nodding slightly. His hands fell to his brother's arms around his waist, resting there.

"You know that I love you, and that I'd never do anything to hurt you, right?"

"Yes, I love you, too." Inuyasha's voice was confused.

"Then trust me now, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru gently turned his brother and tilted his chin up. He slowly leaned in and pressed his lips to the boy's. He kissed Inuyasha tenderly, holding him closely. The boy's hands went to Sesshomaru's chest, but he didn't try to push him away, his eyes open in surprise. The older brother worked at opening the younger's mouth, his tongue tracing along Inuyasha's lower lip. Instinctively, Inuyasha parted his lips, letting Sesshomaru slip his tongue into the boy's mouth and taste him.

Slowly, Inuyasha's eyes slid closed and his arms twined around Sesshomaru's neck. His body arched against his older brother's, their forms complimenting each other perfectly. Their lips met again and again, kissing with pure, unadulterated love. Inuyasha moaned softly and arched against the older boy, bringing his hips up against Sesshomaru's. When they broke apart for air, Inuyasha panted softly. "Sess... what was that for?" he asked, golden eyes shining innocently, but filled with love and the new light of desire.

"I love you, Inuyasha. And I want to show you how much. Is that alright?" It was Sesshomaru's turn to be nervous, worried that his brother would turn down his request. "I will make you feel so good."

"As good as that?" Inuyasha asked quietly, running his fingers through Sesshomaru's hair.

"Better, my love. Better than you've ever felt before."

"A-alright." Sesshomaru smiled lovingly at Inuyasha and kissed him again, letting his love and passion through as he slowly guided the boy back to shore. His hands were lightly caressing Inuyasha's skin, making him gasp lightly. "Ah... Sess "

Gently, Sesshomaru bore Inuyasha to the ground, cradling his slender from in his arms as he kissed the boy's neck and shoulders. "You're so beautiful, my `Yasha," he whispered. His member had hardened and was pressing against his little brother's hip, making them both gasp. Inuyasha's own length was rapidly hardening to match Sesshomaru's. The feeling was still unfamiliar; Inuyasha had come late to puberty, and a small niggling in the back of his mind told him to keep it a secret. So while Sesshomaru had learned about his body's changes from villages, and had passed that gained knowledge on to Kouga when he started showing signs of growing up, Inuyasha knew only what he'd learned himself on nights when he woke, sweating and confused by the stirrings of lust in his body. To have his brother's larger form pressed over him was a shock, but it felt so good, and obviously his body agreed.

"Sesshomaru, what are we going to do?" he asked innocently, wide amber eyes gazing up at his brother. The golden depths were a little clouded with desire, but they were artlessly beguiling as he moaned softly and flushed.

Sesshomaru had taken his share of pretty boys before, but never had one of them been as pure and unknowing as Inuyasha. "I'm going to take you, darling. I'm going to be inside you."

"How?" the boy asked, his hips rocking up against Sesshomaru's. His arms twined around the older boy's neck, fingers tangling in his hair.

The elder's eyes shone with love and tenderness. Slowly, he let his hand slide down Inuyasha's firm belly, past his turgid length, to gently stroke his virgin entrance. "Here, Inuyasha. I'm going to put myself inside you here. It will hurt for a moment, but I promise it will feel better than anything you have ever known." He captured Inuyasha's lips again, kissing him tenderly. "I promise."

Inuyasha smiled, and the expression lit up the whole clearing. "Alright, then." He kissed Sesshomaru's chin sweetly, his hair tumbled around him in a shimmering silver halo. Sesshomaru's own hair, longer and just a shade lighter, mingled with it, rippling in the pale moonlight. As they kissed, each meeting of their lips growing more passionate, Sesshomaru began to press his length into Inyuasha's rosebud. The pearly beads of semen gathering at the head of his manhood lubricated the boy in the most natural, ancient way, as he slowly penetrated his brother's body for the first time. The tiny passage clung to him, trying to force his length out, but only succeeding in making him want more. "Inuyasha," he gasped when his member was nearly half-way into his brother. He then noticed, for the first time, tears in Inuyasha's eyes.

"Sess... it hurts," he whimpered, crystal drops beading on his eyelashes. "It hurts really bad..."

"I'm sorry, my love. My Inuyasha. I promise it will get better. Just wait, Inuyasha. Trust me," Sesshomaru said, keeping up a gentle, soothing stream of reassurances as he wrapped his long-fingered hand around the boy's length. He began to stroke him slowly, teasing his flagging arousal back to fullness as he continued to carefully take his brother's virginity. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Sesshomaru was fully seated within Inuyasha, his heavy sacs nestled against the boy's spread arse. "Oh, beautiful... you are so beautiful, my Inuyasha... you're so tight and wonderful, my darling."

"Big brother... it still hurts..." Inuyasha gasped, though the pain was fading with the pleasure of Sesshomaru's length filling him completely.

"Shh, Inuyasha, you'll feel better soon." Sesshomaru slowly began to circle his hips. His length prodded against the boy's prostate, making him arch against the elder's body.

"Oh, Sess! Wh- what was that?" he gasped, his face flushing while his slender legs hooked around Sesshomaru's to try and draw him in deeper. The last vestiges of pain faded before the intense pleasure, making him eager to have his beloved big brother moving inside him. "Do it again!"

Sesshomaru smiled at the panting teenager, gently rolling his hips again to brush Inuyasha's pleasure spot. "That's your sweet spot, my love," he explained before kissing his little brother passionately. The boy tasted faintly of the sweet rice balls they'd eaten a few hours prior, but his own distinct taste overrode it. He tasted like pure water, clean and fresh, and something that was wholly Inuyasha- sweet and passionate. He could become very accustomed to the taste of Inuyasha's lips. "It feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha moaned, using his strong legs to pull Sesshomaru deeper into him. "Oh, yes!" His lithe body shone with a light layer of sweat and the remnants of the pond, glistening softly in the moonlight. "More, please!"

"Of course." Sesshomaru obeyed the teen's impassioned pleas, letting his own desire set the pace- deep and long, slow thrusts into Inuyasha's body. He began to speed up his thrusts as Inuyasha began to cry out in pleasure, the elder soon ramming his hips into the younger. Inuyasha clung to Sesshomaru, arching and begging for more. Oh, but it felt so good!

Finally, sweat-drenched, Inuyasha trembled beneath Sesshomaru as his body clamped around him and his length spurted out pearly white strands of semen onto their bellies. Sesshomaru roared out his own completion moments after, coating his brother's channel with his seed. "Inuyasha!"

Together the brothers lay in the moonlight, toes still being lapped at by the water as they panted. For a while they were silent, simply kissing and touching as Sesshomaru gently withdrew and lay beside his brother. Finally, Inuyasha spoke, smiling. "Can we do that again?" Sesshomaru just laughed and kissed Inuyasha affectionately in answer.

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After a few hours, full of splashing, kissing, and heated moaning, the clean and thoroughly sated brothers made camp, ate a quick dinner of leftover scraps, and fell into bed. Inuyasha slept more peacefully than he had in months, curled in Sesshomaru's arms, and Sesshomaru stayed awake late into the night to raptly watch his lover sleep.

The next morning, while the sun barely lightened the sky in the east, Inuyasha stirred and woke. "Sess, it's time to go!" he said happily, shaking his older brother gently. "Come on, you promised!" He pouted when Sesshomaru merely tucked his head down, trying to block out the irritation that wanted to wake him before the sun was up. "Sess!" Inuyasha tried again, only to meet with failure once more. Finally, he grunted in displeasure and kissed his brother on the lips. That effectively woke Sesshomaru up and he wrapped his arms around Inuyasha without opening his eyes; his larger body rolled the boy over so he lay atop him.

Finally, they broke for air, Inuyasha flushed and rumpled, Sesshomaru looking as though he hadn't just been woken. "That was a wonderful way to start the morning," the elder boy teased, nipping at Inuyasha's kiss-bruised lips.

"Yeah, but it's time to go!" the younger boy said, squirming out from underneath his brother. "You promised we could leave before sunup, and its almost here!" He stood and began pulling on his clothes.

"Yes, I did, didn't I," Sesshomaru said, almost mournfully. He would have liked nothing better than to stay in their bedroll and make love until the next sunup. "Well, then, lets get going." He said, rising as well. They'd slept naked that night, and he stretched his gloriously nude, beautifully sculpted body without any shred of modesty. Inuyasha blushed faintly, but didn't avert his eyes. Sesshomaru dressed quickly, wrapped up the bedroll while Inuyasha made a quick breakfast, then they shouldered their packs and were on their way; they ate as they walked, sharing bites and kisses on their way to find their father.

Four hours after departing from their campsite, a large encampment came into view, along with the acrid tang of multiple campfires, the snort of horses, and the shouts of men. "Is that it?" Inuyasha asked, looking up at Sesshomaru. His older brother squeezed his hand, smiling.

"I think so. The only way to find out is to ask though, right?" Sesshomaru leaned down and kissed Inuyasha's forehead affectionately. "Let's go." They headed towards the camp, hand in hand.

They were stopped before they got too close. "Hey, who're you?" the soldier demanded.

"Is this Lord Inugaki's camp?" Sesshomaru asked haughtily. "We have business with him."

"Yeah. Who're you, though? He didn't say nothin' about someone comin' to see him..." The soldier obviously was a grunt.

"It is none of your business." Sesshomaru glared down at the man, who cowered. "Now. Lead us to him, now." Inuyasha had cowered behind his brother while he'd spoken with their father's soldier. He didn't like the large number of people and the noise. He wanted to be back in the peace of the forest, safe from other people. The soldier nodded and whistled, bringing another armored man running. "Hey, take my place. Visitors for th' Lord." The new soldier nodded and the old one jerked his head at Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. "Come on. Lord's this way."

Sesshomaru looked imperious as he strode through the camp, keeping a tight hold on Inuyasha's hand as they walked. He didn't like the way some of the men were looking at his pretty little brother, and he glared at all who came too close. Inuyasha was his, and his alone. They reached a large, clean-looking tent after a few minutes. "Here ya are. This is th' Lord's tent."

Inuyasha shyly said "Thank you," while Sesshomaru ignored him. The grunt left, and the elder brother turned to the younger.

"Ready, darling?" he murmured, smiling gently at him. Inuyasha nodded. "Alright, then." Taking a calming breath, Sesshomaru raised the flap of the tent and stepped inside, pulling Inuyasha with him. "Lord Inugaki?" he demanded, looking down at a man, seated on the floor. The middle-aged man was working at a desk, accompanied by a boy who looked to be Inuyasha's age, with black hair tied back in a pony tail.

"Yeah, who wants to know?" the man asked, looking up. His face was marked by a scar through his right eye and a tattoo of a purple moon on his forehead.

"My name is Inugaki Sesshomaru, and this is my brother, Inugaki Inuyasha. We believe you are our father." Sesshomaru spoke firmly, gently guiding Inuyasha forward so he was visible. He could see the resemblance between the young boy and the lord. "Our mothers were killed in a raid sixteen years ago, led by a bandit named Naraku."

"Yeah... ye've got it all right so far, `n I did lose sons then. What was your mother's name, lad?" he asked.

Sesshomaru answered, "Kikyou."

"I wasn't askin you," Lord Inugaki snapped. "I was askin' Inuyasha. What was your mother's name."

Inuyasha looked up at Sesshomaru for support and reassurance, and his brother nodded that it was alright for him to answer. "K-kaede, sir..." he stammered, then sidled behind Sesshomaru again. He didn't like the close scrutiny that Inugaki was giving him.

"And was there anyone else with ye when ye escaped?" The lord demanded. If they knew of Kouga, then they would know more than any of the others that had come, claiming to be his sons.

"Your foster son, Kouga, who was three. Inuyasha was still a babe. There was also another baby, Miroku, with his mother, Sango, but I don't know if they managed to escape or not." Sesshomaru glanced at the other boy in the room, who had looked up at the lord.

"Milord, they have the names, and ages, and the younger one looks like you. Should I get mother? She'd be able to verify any facts they might have about the old manor," he said, his voice soft and modulated. His deep blue-black eyes, however, revealed a twinkle of mischief.

"Yeah. She'll be helpful." The kid rose, bowed, and left. "Sit down, please," Inugaki said, indicating cushions on the floor before him. "Ye understand that I've had fakes before, and that's why ye're gettin' all the questions. Sango'll be able to tell, though, if ye're lying. If ye really are Sesshomaru, then ye'll remember things. People."

The boys sat, Inuyasha slightly behind Sesshomaru, though he held onto him still. A strand of his brother's long hair was being trailed through his fingers, nervously being toyed with as they waited. Inuyasha had not expected questions; he'd innocently assumed that they would be welcomed instantly, with open arms. "Like Amidamaru?" he murmured, glancing quickly at Inugaki and back. "Sess said they... Naraku... killed him when he tried to protect us. In the well by the manor, right? And Kouga was in Ami's treehouse?" He smiled shyly, trying to remember the lessons about their family that Sesshomaru had drilled into him. The older brother nodded gently, approvingly.

"Lord, what are you doing?" A woman's voice sounded in the tent. "You idiot!" Inuyasha and Sesshomaru turned in unison to see a woman in her early forties bustling in to smack the back of Inugaki's head. "Can't you see the resemblance?" She pointed at Sesshomaru. "He has Kikyou's eyes. And that one," pointing at Inuyasha, "looks just like you did when you were sixteen. They both have your hair. And they have your swords. They're your sons, Inugaki."

"Sango, do you have to hit me? I am the lord around here, not you." Inugaki seemed to whine, but it was playful. "Miroku, control your mother." The boy had entered as well.

"No way. I don't want to get hit either. And she's right, by the way. Inuyasha looks like you." Miroku shrugged and sat down beside Inugaki again.

"I remember both of you," Sesshomaru murmured. "You were my mother's maid. And you were born right before Inuyasha." He stroked Inuyasha's hand gently behind their backs.

"Well, if Sango and Miroku are allied against me, then I guess I must accept that you are my sons." The lord spoke teasingly, with a gentle smile that indicated that the three of them joked that way all the time. However, Inuyasha was not accustomed to the style of joking, and looked upset. He thought the lord meant that they really weren't his sons, and he was only accepting them as a kindness to them. "What's the matter, Inuyasha?" the lord asked, suddenly concern as he saw Inuyasha's lower lip start to tremble slightly.

Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha with concern. "`Yasha? What's the matter, sweetie?" he murmured.

"Does he mean we're really not his sons?" the boy whispered, eyes filling with tears.

"Of course not, `Yasha. He's just teasing. It's alright." Sesshomaru smiled. "Right, Father?"

"Uh, of course." Inugaki nodded, agreeing, but privately he wondered what had caused Inuyasha to be so naive. "I believe you are my sons." In a moment of rather awkward affection, the man leaned over and hugged Inuyasha. "You are my youngest son." Inuyasha smiled wanly and released Sesshomaru's hair to hug his father in return.

"I love you, Papa," Inuyasha murmured. Sesshomaru smiled, but he felt a twinge of jealousy. He knew he shouldn't, since the man was their father, but Inuyasha was his. Inugaki responded in kind, then released Inuyasha and turned to Sesshomaru. He could tell that the elder boy was not one to want physical demonstrations of affection, except perhaps from Inuyasha, and personally, he was fine with that. "I love you as well, Sesshomaru."

"And I, you, Father." Sesshomaru said coolly, taking Inuyasha's hand again. "I'm glad that we finally found you. We've been searching for you for years." Inuyasha smiled and nodded. "We found your note at the old manor. We've been following you since summer started." His eyes were bright with happiness, making him even more beautiful to Sesshomaru.

"I've been searching for you as well, but you were never in any of the villages we searched." Inugaki sat back again.

"We stayed to the forests. I overheard Naraku's plan to take Inuyasha and raise him to hurt you, so we tried to hide as much as possible." Sesshomaru said, gold eyes meeting Inugaki's. "We only went to the villages if the weather was horrible, or to get food. And `Yasha waited outside once he was old enough. He's never had much to do with people. Kouga and I decided that was the best way to keep him safe."

"Well, you're both safe now. You'll be living with us now." Inugaki rose to his feet. "Come with me and I'll get you decent clothes and such. You'll have to dress better now. We may not have a permanent home, but we are still one of the noblest and most ancient bloodlines. Now, Sango, will you go get some of my kimonos? Sesshomaru should fit, and we can trim some down for Inuyasha. He looks like he'll grow into them soon anyway." Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stood while Sango nodded and went bustling off to find the boys kimonos. "Come now, while she's doing that, and we'll get a tent for you." The two brothers followed Inugaki, and Miroku went to requisition blankets and food for them as well.

An hour later, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stood side by side, looking each other over. They had new clothes- matching outfits, at that. Sesshomaru had a white shirt and pants, with a pattern of red flowers along the bottoms of the sleeves and collar. Inuyasha's outfit was the reverse- red with white flowers. Inuyasha fidgeted slightly, pulling at the collar. He was used to wearing a short kimono, not these fully covering things that made his neck itch and restricted his movement. "Don't you like it, `Yasha?" Sesshomaru asked, pulling Inuyasha's hands away from his collar and straightening his jacket. "You look wonderful, darling."

"It's weird," Inuyasha muttered, his hands going to his sleeves and tugging them down. "It's pretty, but I like my old clothes better. You look good, though." He smiled shyly, blushing a little. "You look better naked, though..." he murmured, his eyes flicking up to meet Sesshomaru's. The older boy winced a little.

"I think it'd be best if we didn't mention that, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru chastened gently. "Most people don't approve of our kind of love. We might get in trouble." He leaned down and kissed Inuyasha's forehead softly. "Understand?" The boy nodded.

"But we can still sleep together?" he asked. He didn't want to have to sleep by himself. He liked having someone there to hold onto at night. "I don't like being alone."

"Of course. I'll always sleep with you. It'll just be our secret, alright?" Sesshomaru murmured, kissing Inuyasha's forehead again. "We'll have our own tent, and we can sleep together every night."

Inuyasha smiled, nuzzling his brother's neck affectionately. "Alright, Sess."

"Hey, save some of that love for me," a new voice said, as extra light entered the tent. Miroku entered, carrying a pile of blankets.

Sesshomaru forced himself to withdraw slowly from Inuyasha, not jerk away like he was guilty of something. Inuyasha blushed faintly and hid behind Sesshomaru, still shy around strangers. "Does Father need us?" the elder asked, one hand gently taking Inuyasha's.

"Yeah, he's got your tent set up. Come with me, ok?" Miroku said, jerking his head towards the door he'd just come in. He dumped one of the blankets on the floor of their father's tent and headed out, the two brothers following close behind. He led them to the next tent and opened the flap, setting the rest of the blankets on the ground. "Father wanted you next to him. Mother and I are on the other side of this one. This way, if anything happens while we're camped, you're in the center, and protected." Sesshomaru and Inuyasha entered, looking around. The tent wasn't as large as Lord Inugaki's, but it was definitely big enough for the two of them, especially if they shared a bed.

"Thank you, Miroku," Sesshomaru said, and Inuyasha echoed him.

"Supper'll be ready in an hour or so, in the mess tent. It's impossible to miss, it'll be the one with all the soldiers lining up." Miroku grinned. "But you don't have to wait in line. Just go to the head of the line and they'll recognize you as Lord's sons. They'll give you the choice bits. See ya in a while!" He left then, shutting the flap behind him.

Sesshomaru released Inuyasha's hand. "Help me set up the bed, alright?" he said, kneeling down and picking up the thickest blanket for the bottom. He spread it out in one corner of the tent, while Inuyasha nodded and got the next thickest to put over the first. Inuyasha figured out a way to set up another blanket to divide the tent into two rooms, giving them more privacy for their bed and another room for more public use. While the younger brother did that, the older finished setting up the bed for them. Once done, they snuggled together on the bed, kissing gently. Sesshomaru held Inuyasha close, his long fingers twined through his baby brother's hair as he slowly explored the teen's mouth. Inuyasha clutched his older brother's shoulders, meekly and happily submitting to Sesshomaru's lead. They also completely lost track of the time, so that when an hour had passed and the tent darkened, they didn't realize it until Miroku spoke.

"Somehow, I don't think that's what Lord expected his new-found sons would be doing," the teenager said calmly, holding up the flap and staring at the brothers. The two sat up rapidly, Inuyasha blushing furiously and Sesshomaru glaring ferociously.

"If you tell Father, I'll kill you," he growled, holding Inuyasha tightly.

"And why doesn't he deserve to know? Inuyasha is obviously just a child, and you're taking advantage of his love for you. That's wrong, and your father deserves to know." Miroku returned Sesshomaru's glare, but it was no match for the chilling golden gaze that was aimed at him.

"Because I love him, Miroku," Inuyasha whispered, hugging Sesshomaru tightly. "He's not taking advantage of me. I know I'm not really experienced or anything, but I do know I love Sess."

"Sshhh, darling. Let me handle this," Sesshomaru whispered, nuzzling Inuyasha's neck. His gaze had instantly softened when his brother spoke, and Miroku started to question his quick judgement. "We'll be fine, I promise." Inuyasha nodded and snuggled against Sesshomaru, worried. "Inuyasha doesn't know how normal society acts. We had to keep him isolated to protect him, and as a result, he's completely innocent. He is not retarded in the least, Miroku, so it is not that I am taking advantage of someone who doesn't know what's being asked of them." Sesshomaru's glare returned full force, staring at Miroku coldly. However, his arms around Inuyasha and his hands stroking the boy's hair were completely gentle. "I love Inuyasha, and I want to see that he is happy and taken care of for the rest of his life. I am the best one to make sure of that. I would never hurt him or take advantage of him. Do you understand?"

"I think that I am beginning to. You were both raised outside society, so the taboos that most people abide by don't bother you." Miroku calmly gazed back at Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, who nestled nervously in his brother's arms. "Very well. For now I won't tell Lord, but if I think that you hurt him, or abuse him in any way, I will tell him. Trust me. If he finds out on his own, though, then I will not hesitate to tell him the truth, be sure of that." The black-haired teen let the flap fall. "Get up and get down to the meal tent. Lord is waiting, and if you don't hurry, he'll come to get you himself."

He left, closing the tent behind him. After a moment, Inuyasha pulled from Sesshomaru's arms and began tugging his clothes straight. "Sess... what did he mean if you abuse me he would tell? I know you would never hurt me." He looked up at his brother earnestly, gold eyes wide and curious. With kiss bruised lips and rumpled hair, he looked as though he had been thoroughly tumbled, and his innocence made Sesshomaru want to throw him down and have his way with him- tenderly and lovingly, but still, he didn't want to leave the tent with his lover looking so enticing.

"He thought that I might be taking advantage of your trust in me, because it is easy to convince someone that their love is a different kind. I would never do that to you, my darling `Yasha. People like that would continue to take their pleasure from you, even if you asked them to stop, or threaten to stop loving you if you withheld. If you asked me to never touch you again, I would, and I would love you none the less for it. Nor will I ever strike you in anger, or force myself upon you. You are more dear to me than my own life, and to harm you would be to kill me." Sesshomaru spoke softly, but fervently, combing his fingers through the teenager's hair to straighten it out. "I promise, I will never give Miroku cause to tell Father about us. Ever." He kissed his brother gently, who had melted under the sweet, impassioned words and the kiss. "Now, let's go get dinner before Father comes and finds out about us himself."

Sesshomaru pulled Inuyasha to his feet, finished fixing their clothes, then they made their way to the dining tent. "Ah, there ye are, boys," Lord Inugaki said as they approached their father. Miroku stood at his side, and Sango beside him. "Miroku was just informin' me that ye had been sleepin', ye lazy bums. Come on and get something to eat!" He grinned and pulled Inuyasha away from Sesshomaru, draping his arm over the boy's shoulder as he handed him a wooden bowl. The cook ladled the soup into the bowl and handed him chopsticks before doing the same for Sesshomaru. The older boy saw that everyone else had already gotten their meal. "Thank you," he said, bowing his head in thanks to the cook. He turned to his father and brother. "May we eat now? We have had nothing since starting out early this morning."

"Of course, Sesshomaru! Eat heartily. Ye both need some meat on ye. Whatever ye had for trail rations wasn't enough. Ye should both have more weight and muscle. Tomorrow mornin' ye'll start training with my lads, and learnin' to lead, so eat up!" Inugaki led the brothers over to a campfire surrounded by rough-hewn logs. "Oh, can ye both read and write?"

"I can, but Inuyasha can't. I wasn't skilled enough to teach him." Sesshomaru said, sitting down beside his father, who still had his arm around his youngest son. Inuyasha looked uncomfortable, but pushed the feeling aside to eat. He was starving, as usual. So was Miroku, and the others all began to eat as the two teenagers shovelled food into their mouths.

A few hours later, after short, uncomfortable bursts of conversation, the small group (Sesshomaru supposed one could call them a family) returned to their separate tents to rest for the next day. Sango and Miroku spread out their futons and spoke for a while of the new additions to their family, Lord Inugaki spent time praying to his dead wives, thanking them for keeping their sons safe and finally returning them to him, and the two silver-haired brothers curled together under their blankets and fell asleep. Inuyasha's head was tucked into Sesshomaru's shoulder, their arms and legs were twined together, and they were so close their bodies were indistinguishable. Beautiful, moon-colored hair tumbled over their forms, pale skin glowed against the motley of sheets, and the two boys slept unaware of their surroundings and the trials fate held in store for them.

Woah... that got long. I combined the first three parts into one nice long one, so it's decent-lengthed now. Please review, I count on people's responses to keep me inspired. Also, I know Yasha and Sess are a bit out of character here, but I promise, they will go in character later. I have some major angst planned for later!! Hehehe

In the next installment of Wild Children.......

-The beginning of training

-Inuyasha learns that not everyone is as nice as he thought

-Another lemon

-And of course, good old fashioned angst!