Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

A Heat to Overcome	By : Sparrowhawk Category: InuYasha > Yaoi - Male/Male > InuYasha/Sessh?maru > InuYasha/Sessh?maru Views: 31292 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the associated characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic. All other characters not associated with the original manga or anime, however, are mine.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
Hey peoples, I is baaaaaack!! Lol, this is one of my favorite chapters. Hope ya'll like it, too, but first, reviews!
RoseWolf: Well, not quite mated. There's a little more to that kind of commitment mating than having sex, but I'm also glad for Fuyuki now that they've got all that figured out and Bishamon finally pulled his head out of his ass. Oh, don't worry, Inuyasha gets his revenge in this chapter *evil laughter*
Vyperbites: Thanks, I'm so glad you like it! Here's the update (:
Merely Truth: Well, you get to find out how Bishamon reacts to what he's done in this chapter. Hope you like it (: I'd reply in French, lol, but I'm afraid I don't know any French beyond bonjour, oui, and merci. It's a good thing you know English (; Thanks for the review, I'm happy you're enjoying it.
Moonlight Vampiress: Oooooh, thank you! The beginning is a good place to start, I agree (: Lol, yeah, Bishamon's an idiot, and so is Fuyuki, to a lesser degree, but still. Yes, Suzu and Bishamon's friendship is awesome! And Suzu was SO right to hit him. Seriously. He he, I also like that Sesshomaru takes on that fatherly role. I don't even know if he realizes he does it. Maybe with Rin, but I don't think he notices he's doing it with Fuyuki. Grrrr! I so wanted that to happen, too, but Sessh is too concerned with how Inuyasha would react to more violence, so he doesn't. But don't worry, that will be rectified in this chapter ... kind of. Bwahahaha! Long live dual evil parenting skills!! Hmmm ... I could've totally made that work, but then the awesome stuff that happens in this chapter wouldn't happen anymore, and Inuyasha needs the progress he makes in this chapter, so no breaking character for Sesshomaru or Inuyasha, sorry (: Although, Sessh saying it was his instinct to protect him would be true. When he didn't, he was actually fighting against his instincts so he didn't distress his submissive. Lol, Fuyuki being all over Rei was rather hot, if I do say so myself (head swells arrogantly). No, no, I totally understand. I think the only reason it wasn't truly rape was because Fuyuki still really wanted it. Sounds like you were on an emotional rollercoaster in the last chapter *grins evilly* Hopefully, this next one will be received just as well (: (: Thanks so much for the awesomely long and insightful review, I love it!! Enjoy the next chapter!
Warnings for anyone who hasn't realized these things are gonna be in my chapters yet: more kitty goodness (yes, that's sex between two males), some small amount of dirty talk, profanity, nasty leopard demon nobles who won't be nobles much longer, Suzu being Suzu with a glass cup (lol), some blood and gore, a lot of awkward moments between our favorite inu, awesome flirtatiousness over food (bloody, gory food, but *shrugs* they're inu, what can I say?), fun bonding moments, and ... yeah, I think that's it!

Chapter Twenty-Two
Fourth Night: Isn’t That Love?
Bishamon awoke with a groan as the intense searing in his veins and burning under his skin caused by his heat drew him out of unconsciousness. He blinked around at his room, wondering exactly how he had ended up there. His mind was fuzzy, the memories of the afternoon before … or was it still that afternoon? Frowning, he rolled over to peer out the window by his bed. The sun wasn’t in his window, so it wasn’t morning, nor was it dark outside. Judging by the smells in the air and what sounds he could hear, it must have be a little before dinnertime. Dinner didn’t sound like a bad idea, he thought as his stomach gurgled and growled in demand of food.
“B-Bishamon … are you … awake now?”
Fuyuki? His brows furrowed. The leopard youkai sounded … like he was in pain, his voice choked and his breathing heavy with tears. Had he done something to the boy? He knew he had been angry that afternoon—angry and jealous that Fuyuki would try to seduce another male cat demon while ignoring him. Oh fuck … had he done something? Immersed in his youki and driven by rage and his heat, had he unintentionally hurt his submissive? Had he … Had he raped him? His stomach churned nauseatingly at the thought.
Dreading what he would see, he sat up and turned to face the diminutive snow leopard demon. The neko was naked, curled into a fetal position, tail tucked up between his legs, knees drawn up to his chin, arms pulled in close to his body, head bowed, and face tear stained. Bishamon could smell blood and sex and aggression in the air still, but both smells were several hours old. Whatever wounds he might have caused the younger neko, they seemed to have all healed. Not that that made his rage-driven actions any better, but … was that what was causing him such distress?
“Bishamon …” Fuyuki spoke again, his voice weak, but filled with relief and hope now that his dominant was awake.
“Yuki,” Bishamon responded softly, barely able to meet those large, vulnerable blue eyes, made even more blue by the tears swimming in them. “Are … Are you all right? D-Did I … hurt you?” He let out the breath he’d been anxiously holding when the younger neko shook his head in answer. So the blood was just from their rutting. He knew rutting while in heat was often violent, but he also knew had he been angry enough while rutting with the smaller and more fragile cat demon, he could have caused some serious damage.
Though he couldn’t remember much, his youki assured him Fuyuki had submitted to him, essentially giving his consent. From the way Fuyuki was acting, though, he also knew something else must be wrong.
“Turn this way please, Yuki,” Bishamon requested gently.
“Can’t …”
“Why not?”
“I can’t. If I do … I’ll let go.”
The tiger demon’s brows wrinkled. “Let go? Let go of what?” He blanched when Fuyuki let out another quiet sob. By now, he was really starting to worry. What was his submissive hiding from him? If he didn’t rape him, then what happened? “Yuki, turn over.” When the snow leopard shook his head again, he felt his youki raise its head. He was still in heat and it was harder than ever to control his instincts. Growling, he crawled over top the smaller cat demon, grabbed his arm and flipped him onto his back.
“No, Bishamo—Ah!” Fuyuki yowled as his hand was ripped away from the base of his swollen and purple cock. He squeezed harder with his other hand, tears silently leaking from his eyes.
“Fuyuki,” Bishamon murmured, eyebrows shooting up in surprise as he recalled telling the submissive cat demon that he was not to let go until he told him to do so. Deeply touched by the snow leopard’s obedience even after he had fallen asleep, he let out a rumbling purr and leaned down to lick away his submissive’s tears. “It’s all rrrright now, Yuki. You can let go.”
“Can’t …” Fuyuki whimpered.
Bishamon cocked his head. Why was the younger cat demon refusing him? Wasn’t he in pain? “Why not?”
“My hand … it’s all cramped … hurts.”
Smiling in understanding and relief to know he wasn’t refusing him, the tiger general crawled down the smaller cat demon’s slender body until his mouth was just above his submissive’s straining sex and shaking hand. He glanced up, his purr deepening even further as he watched his adorable Fuyuki watching him with wide, tear-filled eyes. “Shh, Yuki,” he whispered huskily. “You’rrre all rrrright. Let me take carrrre of that forrr you.”
He cried out when Bishamon began to pry his fingers away from his erection with gentle, but persistent fingers. “B-Bishamon!” he gasped as his hand came away, back arching in pleasure when the tiger demon took him into his mouth and swallowed him down to the root. He screamed as his orgasm finally overtook him, his vision going dark and fuzzy around the edges when the tiger demon sucked hard, drinking down every last drop of seed he had to offer.
“Betterrr?”
Panting, in a haze of post-orgasmic bliss, Fuyuki wetted his lips and nodded. “Hai … arigatou.”
“Dou itashimashite,” Bishamon purred, his smile turning predatory as he shifted his submissive’s legs, bending them up toward his shoulders. “Arrre you rrrready to take me again, Yuki?” Trembling in anticipation and slight trepidation, Fuyuki moved his hands down to encircle his hardening member, but Bishamon grabbed his wrists and moved them away, pinning them to the bed. “None of that, my little snow angel. Yourrr punishment is overrrr. Now I’m going to make you cum until you have nothing left to give.”
“You’re unexpectedly perverted, Bishamon,” Fuyuki giggled, leaning up to lick at the dominant male’s chin.
Beyond relieved the snow leopard wasn’t holding his behavior in thrall to his heat against him, Bishamon raised a single eyebrow. “You don’t like it?”
“Iie, I like it,” the slender leopard demon replied, blushing. “I was just surprised. You didn’t really … seem the type.” He flushed deeper when the older tiger youkai gave him a strange look. “I-I mean … you always treat me so … so tenderly. It seemed like you’d be the type to go for … the more regular … slow and tender lovemaking … than—”
“Than a fast and rough fucking?” Bishamon inquired with a glimmer of amusement. “Yuki … I am not a virgin.”
“I know that!”
“Do you?”
Discomfited, Fuyuki averted his eyes from that of his dominant. “I know. We—um … sex slaves, that is—learn how to … tell the difference after a while … by the way we’re held. You’ve had a lot of experience.”
“I am quite a bit older than you, Yuki.”
“ … yeah.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Mmm … not really. You make me feel good. Safe. I’ve never really felt that before. It’s … a good feeling. I love you, Bishamon.”
Bishamon purred deeply at that confession. “Is that so, Yuki?”
“Hai … very much,” Fuyuki responded breathlessly, accepting the gentle kiss the tiger demon leaned down to give him. He parted his lips when he felt the other male’s tongue, accepting it into his mouth with a lusty moan. It was strong, large, and moist and so, so warm. His body thrummed with the pleasure of it. As a sex slave he had been held by many men, so many he had lost count. Not all of them were good, but not all of them were bad either. There were even some that were so good he could cum simply from the way they kissed. But it was all just physical. This, what he had with Bishamon, fulfilled him not only physically, but emotionally as well. His heart felt so full, filled almost to bursting. It was pleasure like nothing else.
“I love you, too, Yuki,” Bishamon purred when they separated, wiping away a strand of saliva that clung to the corner of the submissive cat demon’s lips with his thumb.
“Really?”
“Rrrreally. And you arrre mine.”
“Yessss …” Fuyuki hissed, arching up against his dominant’s hard body as the other male’s hand fondled his erection and slid downward to roll his heavy balls between his fingers. “Please, Bishamon … come inside me. I want to feel you.”
“Of courrrse,” Bishamon murmured, positioning his proudly standing member at the snow leopard’s orifice. He released his submissive’s wrists, rubbing his erection across the smaller demon’s already moist hole that was still leaking semen from their last rutting. “Put your arrrms up around my neck, Yuki, and hold on tight. I’m going to make you scrrrream.”
“Gods, Bishamon,” Fuyuki groaned as he felt the tiger demon’s cock breach his ass and slide inward, helped by the semen left in him from their last bout of rutting. “I love you so much … hnngh!”
“Fuyuki,” Bishamon panted, voice low and rough when his length was fully sheathed, pausing in order to give the smaller neko a chance to acclimate himself to his girth.
Fuyuki pushed himself upward, looping his arms around the older demon’s neck and rocking his hips a little, pulling an aroused growl from the dominant male that he quickly devoured as he sealed their lips together in another hungry kiss. When he broke away briefly, his blue eyes were wide, desperate.
Bishamon smirked at the reaction and began to grind his hips in slow circles as their lips connected over and over, their tongues twining together in a slick, erotic dance, breath mingling hotly between them.
On the other side of Bishamon’s chamber door Suzu lounged against the wall, smiling softly to himself.
“Eavesdropping, Suzu?” Sesshomaru inquired with a raised eyebrow, pausing with his sibling on their way to the formal dining hall for the evening meal.
“Not exactly,” the peacock demon responded, pushing himself away from the wall, approaching the two inu lords and gracefully bowing. “The rooms are soundproof after all.”
“Too bad it ain’t smellproof, too,” Inuyasha grunted, cheeks flushed in embarrassment at the smell of sex emanating from the room the young snow leopard demon and the tiger general occupied.
“That is, perhaps, the reason there is an entire wing of the palace allocated to the royal family.”
Inuyasha blushed even deeper at that and Sesshomaru growled protectively. “You would do well to refrain from such crass comments, Suzu.”
Suzu bowed his head, still smirking, “Forgive me, Lord Inuyasha, I did not mean anything by it. You look stunning, by the way.”
Inuyasha snarled, the annoyed sound startling the bird youkai into looking up. He had thought the comment quite innocent. He shifted enquiring eyes from the irate inu hanyou to his elder brother, whose gaze was overflowing with humor.
“Do you have any idea how many fucking layers I’m wearing?!” the hanyou griped. “Seven! Fucking seven heavy-ass, hot as hell layers! You better be grateful it’s the middle of winter, Sessh, cause if it wasn’t and I passed out from heat exhaustion, when I woke up again I’d kill ya!”
“Then I will be certain to inform Kaito and Yuudai of your intentions come spring, ototo,” Sesshomaru responded, chuckling when the younger inu glowered at him.
“You don’t think I’d kick their asses?”
“Not yet, little one,” the daiyoukai murmured truthfully. “You have much training to do in order to best any of this Sesshomaru’s chosen bodyguards.”
Inuyasha snorted, but didn’t argue. They had had little time to practice in the dojo, and he was still only on the elementary katas. He knew very well how greatly his imprisonment had weakened him. He huffed impatiently and grabbed his sibling’s hand, pulling on it insistently. “Can we go now? I want to get this over with as fast as possible.”
“Of course, little one,” Sesshomaru agreed easily. “Come along, Suzu. Leave Bishamon and Fuyuki to their intimacies without the indecency of knowing they’ve had the misfortune of attracting the attention of a most ill-mannered degenerate.”
Suzu gave the daiyoukai a look, which Sesshomaru ignored, and then raised his eyebrows at Inuyasha and mouthed, “Ill-mannered degenerate … really?”
The inu hanyou giggled behind his hand, adopting an innocent face when his elder brother glanced at him. He cleared his throat noisily and called, “Ya coming, Suzu?”
The peacock youkai smiled his gentle, mischievous smile and answered, “Yes, Lord Inuyasha, I’m coming.” Together, they moved toward the formal dining hall.
Inuyasha looked sidelong at the petite bird demon. “I thought you were supposed t’bring someone … to these sorts of formal functions.”
“Suzu elects to attend such functions alone and mingle and flirt as much as possible through the night,” Sesshomaru responded before his general could say anything.
“It’s easier to move about without someone hanging off my arm,” Suzu said, giving his Lord a cool look. “Not to mention, having a partner would deter others from flirting back, now wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, but … you don’t have anyone you’d want to go with?” Inuyasha wondered, a little awkwardly. He colored slightly, gazing up at his elder sibling and swallowing back the awe he felt at the older demon’s statuesque beauty. “I mean, I know since I’m ‘Lord Inuyasha,’ I have to attend this thing with Sesshomaru, but … I also only want to attend it with him. I wouldn’t want t’go with anybody else.”
The general smiled somewhat sorrowfully at the young inu hanyou and patted his shoulder. “Not all of us have your good fortune in partners, my Lord. For the time being, I am content being unattached.”
Inuyasha frowned at that and lowered his head, mumbling, “Ya don’t look content.”
“Worried about me, my Lord?” Suzu asked teasingly. “I’m flattered.”
“O’ course I’m worried about ya! Ya act like there’s nothin’ wrong while you’re fuckin’ lookin’ like a bird that’s been caught in a cage with no where t’go. Y’know, I may not know you that well, or your past or anythin’ like that, but … I know y’can’t let what happened to you in the past rule you. It makes y’miserable.”
“Are you miserable, Lord Inuyasha?” Suzu wondered, genuinely curious.
Smiling faintly, Inuyasha shook his head. “Not all the time. When I’m with Sesshomaru I’m not. It’s only when I have flashbacks or when what happened to me makes me flinch from somethin’ I never woulda flinched from before that I get depressed.”
Outwardly impassive, the listening daiyoukai was nevertheless ecstatic. His baby brother needed him, if only to not feel miserable all the time and to feel safe. He thought of that night that seemed so long ago when the pup had been talking in his sleep. Aishiteru, he had said, but to whom and under what circumstances, he knew not. He tried to convince himself it didn’t matter, tried to convince himself he didn’t need or want more than the hanyou’s juvenile affections, but he knew it was a lie. He wanted everything. All the inu submissive had to offer. But for now, keeping him close for the purpose of keeping him safe and happy would be sufficient.
They arrived at the formal dining hall at the same time as General Roka and General Saniiro. The turtle youkai gave them a courteous bow while the elderly raven youkai sneered slightly at Inuyasha before bowing to his older brother.
“San-chan,” Suzu called sweetly as the other general turned away. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
The dark haired, black-eyed demon turned back with contemptuous twist to his lips to regard the flirtatious bird general. “And what, pray tell, might that be?”
“You are playing a dangerous game, Saniiro,” Sesshomaru warned, not in the mood to bandy words with the stubborn old general. “My brother is your Lord, whether or not you approve of his heritage. You will respect him.”
“Respect is earned, Lord Sesshomaru,” Saniiro replied, tone dangerously close to impertinence. “So far, that pitiful excuse for an inu has done nothing to earn my loyalty. I will be civil, if you ask it of me, but I will not accept someone as weak as a hanyou that must hide behind his brother’s full youkai might and power as my Lord.” Bowing again to the inu daiyoukai and ignoring Inuyasha, he turned on his heel and entered the formal dining hall with one last condescending look at Suzu.
Sesshomaru growled and turned his attention on his younger brother, whose head was bowed, bangs covering his eyes and masking his expression. He squeezed the young inu hanyou’s shoulder reassuringly. “He will come around.”
Startling him, Inuyasha shrugged his hand away, though he was sure the gesture was not meant as a deterrent for him. In fact, he was detecting irritation in the pup’s normally insecure scent, irritation at Saniiro it seemed. Irritation … and perhaps even anger.
“Inuyasha?”
Taking a deep breath, the younger inu lifted hard golden eyes to meet his brother’s gaze, saying shortly, “I don’t need him to come around. I don’t need his respect. I’ll work and regain my strength for myself. I have nothin’ to prove to him, or anyone else.”
That was the Inuyasha he knew from before. Stubborn. Independent. Unwilling to bow to anyone. He had his own manner of pride—different, perhaps, from that of his sibling, but just as strong. No, he decided, besides physically Michio did not weaken his little brother. He would recover, and he would be stronger for it, of that Sesshomaru was certain.
When they entered the formal dining hall, Inuyasha felt his previous confidence slip. The room was packed with demons. All wore formal clothing; all moved with an unconscious regal grace that only someone who had grown up in court could know. They seemed to glide, rather than walk, from place to place, women stopping to chatter and gossip with other women, men standing in circles or sitting around the dining table sipping wine and discussing the latest political maneuverings of such and such person. The atmosphere was quite different from that afternoon. More formal. More tense. Now when they entered the dining hall each and every demon came to attention, standing respectfully, as did Inuyasha’s pack who were seated at a separate, guest table from the demon nobility. Only Shippo sat away from them, to the immediate right of where Inuyasha was to sit for their meal, just as Rin sat to Sesshomaru’s immediate left. As wards of the Lord of the West and soon to be Secondary Lord of the West they were afforded the most prominent positions near the head of the table where Sesshomaru presided.
Then his eyes were drawn to the center of the room where there were no tables. The two noble leopard demons, Lord Botanmaru and Lady Kumiko knelt there, their hands bound before them, Sesshomaru’s bodyguards standing watch just behind them. He swallowed when the piercing yellowish-green eyes of the male leopard youkai glanced his way and then locked with his. His lungs constricted, as if that heavy, iron collar was back around his neck, chains weighing him down. He could feel his body beginning to shake, but could do nothing to stop it. The demon smiled, and he recoiled, ears flattening against his head. Vulnerability welled up in him. There was loathing in those eyes, a deep loathing mingled with some twisted form of desire Inuyasha didn’t understand, but found severely disturbing despite not understanding. That look of carnal hunger was the same kind of hunger he had seen in the slavers’ eyes when they ….
Suzu touched Inuyasha’s arm, noticing the young inu’s distraction. “Lord Inuyasha, are you well?”
“Hn?” Inuyasha grunted, looking over at the smaller demon, the question and concerned tone bringing him out of the paralyzing fear that had begun to wrap around him.
The peacock demon peered around his young Lord and narrowed his eyes at the offending leopard noble. Lord Botanmaru flinched at the murderous gleam in the general’s eyes and quickly lowered his gaze to the floor. Satisfied, Suzu turned back to Inuyasha. “Lord Sesshomaru will take care of them. You have nothing to fear. They will not be able to hurt you again.”
“Maybe,” Inuyasha agreed doubtfully, “but you know others will. I need to get stronger. I need t’learn how to defend myself better. Easy as it might be t’let Sesshomaru protect me—and I know he would—I cannot always stay beside him. I have t’be able to stand on my own two feet again. That old raven bastard is right. Earnin’ respect from demons that hate and despise half breeds like me might well be impossible, but … I won’t earn anything at all if I don’t work for it.” He paused, looking at the former assassin uncertainly. “You’ll help me, won’t you?”
“Of course I will.”
“Then … with assassination techniques, too?”
“Are you still worried about that?” Suzu asked, surprised.
“Well … Sessh isn’t exactly the best at askin’ people for favors, so …”
“You needn’t worry about it, Lord Inuyasha. I am perfectly willing to help you learn and well aware of your brother’s inability to ask nicely. You are not at fault.”
“Ototo,” Sesshomaru interjected, taking his sibling’s arm. “It is time for us to be seated.”
“Kay,” Inuyasha replied, butterflies taking flight in his stomach.
“It’ll be fine,” Suzu comforted him softly. “Lord Sesshomaru knows what he’s doing.”
Reassured by that, Inuyasha allowed himself to be guided to his seat. Protocol for this formal dinner having been briefly explained to him, he waited for his elder brother to sit before seating himself. Once they were both seated, Rin and then Shippo took their seats as well, after which the rest of the court resumed their own places at the tables.
“Before we are to begin the evening meal,” Sesshomaru stated in a regal voice, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in attendance as his cold eyes flicked over Lord Botanmaru and his mate before sweeping the rest of the room, “there is some business that must be resolved forthwith. Yesterday evening it was this Sesshomaru’s great honor to introduce to the members of the court, Lord Inuyasha, the younger sibling of this Sesshomaru and youngest son and heir of the West’s first great ruler, Lord Inu no Taisho. This Sesshomaru determined, from recent events, that it was time he be brought home to the Western Palace that he may take his place at this Sesshomaru’s side. Though he and this Sesshomaru are but half-brothers, Lord Inuyasha carries the blood of the shiro inu clan and is, therefore, subject to the laws and customs of the shiro inu regardless of his human heritage. He is this Sesshomaru’s submissive. As such harm inflicted upon his person will be avenged as is dictated by inu law.”
All the demons in the hall broke out in whispers at that pronouncement, most knowing alphas of the white inu clan were entitled to kill whomever dared harm their submissive, whether that submissive was a mate or family or simply someone they had taken under their protection. Lord Botanmaru’s mate paled while the male leopard demon hissed angrily, accusing eyes resting on Inuyasha who forced himself to sit up straighter, forced his eyes to remain fixed straight ahead. He would not cringe in front of that bastard. He would not act weak. He was Sesshomaru’s submissive and he would act accordingly.
Sesshomaru held up a hand, noticing and appreciating his brother’s fortitude in dealing with the whispering demons and the—often less than friendly—attention he was receiving. “Let it be known that, had not this Sesshomaru’s brother spoken against such action, death would await the Lord and Lady Botanmaru. Their words and actions toward this Sesshomaru’s submissive were hurtful and more than inappropriate toward one of his rank. Therefore, Lord Botanmaru and Lady Kumiko are henceforth stripped of their rank, titles, and lands, which are to be passed on to their eldest son and heir. For the duration of their visit to the palace, they shall be imprisoned within the lowest dungeons—that reserved for murderers, rapists, war prisoners, and traitors to the West—until such time as their heir chooses to depart. They shall then work as servants in their heir’s household for a period of ten years, upon which time their case shall be revisited and reviewed by this Sesshomaru and his younger brother. At that time, should we determine they have thus repented of their wrongs, they shall be free to build their own life as common demon citizens of the West. However, should we determine that they have not sufficiently repented, they shall continue to work another ten years in recompense and another after that until such time as it is determined by this Sesshomaru and his submissive that the former Lord Botanmaru and the former Lady Kumiko have repented adequately.”
“My Lord?” one of the assembled members of the court called, standing up so he could be recognized.
“This Sesshomaru recognizes the Minister of Demon Heritage and Cultures, Lord Tajimaru,” Sesshomaru responded with a polite inclination of his head, to which the demon in question bowed.
“I do not intend to excuse Lord Botanmaru and Lady Kumiko’s behavior toward your submissive and, by association, your Lordship, however … I cannot but wonder if their punishment is … too harsh. I feel I must point out to my Lord that his half-brother, inu or not, is hanyou.”
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at that, a warning note in his voice as he responded in clipped tones, “This Sesshomaru is well aware of that fact, Lord Tajimaru.”
“Yes, my Lord,” the minister acceded, lowering his eyes subserviently. “The reason I have brought up your brother’s blood status is not to dispute his rights as your sibling, submissive, or the youngest son of your father. It is simply this: Have you taken into consideration the fact that hanyou are regarded as abominations by most demons and even, I might add, by humans? I say the punishment is perhaps too harsh because this mindset will not change overnight, my Lord, even with your acceptance of Lord Inuyasha back into his ancestral home.”
“You make a valid point, Lord Tajimaru,” Sesshomaru conceded coolly. “However, this is not a trial. This Sesshomaru did not ask for the opinion of the court nor does this one need justification. The fact of the matter is, Lord Botanmaru and Lady Kumiko brought harm to this Sesshomaru’s submissive. It is, therefore, within this Sesshomaru’s power and rights as an alpha to pass judgment upon them. If any present care to pursue the matter of Lord Inuyasha’s heritage any further, they are welcome to join Lord Botanmaru and Lady Kumiko in their punishment.” He narrowed his eyes challengingly, but of course none were brave enough nor foolish enough to defy him directly.
“My Lord …”
Or so he thought. His eyes narrowed further at the speaker, the mate of the Minister of Communication, a submissive male butterfly youkai.
“This Sesshomaru expects that you will choose your words carefully, Lord Sachio, should this concern this Sesshomaru’s younger brother.”
“It does, my Lord,” the butterfly demon replied, glancing down at his dominant mate for support. “I mean no disrespect to you or your sibling, Lord Sesshomaru, but the court may be under the assumption, considering your relationship with Lord Inuyasha and the rumors that have recently begun to circulate, that your judgment is biased.”
“What rumors, Lord Sachio, are you referring to?” Sesshomaru asked calmly, eyebrows raised in question, though he was quite sure he knew which rumors the butterfly demon was talking about.
“It has been whispered among the palace staff that you intend to take your sibling as your mate, my Lord."
The dining hall fell into a hush. Most of the demons present had heard the rumors concerning Lord Sesshomaru and his half-breed brother. Some wondered if it might be true after witnessing their Lord’s behavior toward the young inu hanyou the night before; others discounted it as the usual rumormongering of lesser folk with too much time on their hands, but it was clear all were curious as to what their Lord’s answer would be to Sachio’s question.
“This Sesshomaru sees not what such a rumor has to do with the pronouncement of the former Lord and Lady’s punishments. If this Sesshomaru’s submissive was not hanyou, would this Sesshomaru’s decision be called into question for reasons of bias? No, such would not be a concern then. It is because this Sesshomaru’s brother and submissive is hanyou that you speak so. Had Lord Inuyasha been full demon, this court would have no issue with my perceived bias. This Sesshomaru could have ripped Lord Botanmaru to pieces for no more than a scratch to a submissive full inu youkai of Lord Inuyasha’s rank, for no other reason than that Lord Botanmaru insulted him, and this court would have nothing to say on the matter. Is that not so?”
“But Lord Sesshomaru—”
“Sit down, Lord Sachio. You have had your say. This Sesshomaru’s patience with this farce wears thin. Lord Rei, son of the former Lord Botanmaru and Lady Kumiko, as heir to their rank, titles, and lands, have you any objections to this Sesshomaru’s judgment?”
“None, my Lord,” the eldest of Lord Botanmaru’s children answered firmly as he stood, head held high. “Any who were unfortunate enough to share a close acquaintanceship with my father and mother can testify to their greed, cruelty, and prejudice as rulers and would agree that they are unfit to retain their noble rank.” He bowed respectfully to both Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, saying quietly, “It would be my honor to take their place as Lord of their lands, to serve both my Lord Sesshomaru, daiyoukai and firstborn son of Lord Inu no Taisho, and my Lord Inuyasha, hanyou, second born and heir to the West.”
“Very well,” Sesshomaru responded with a gracious inclination of his head, somewhat surprised at the support received from the eldest of Lord Botanmaru’s children—not only for his decision concerning the leopard youkai’s mother and father, but also Inuyasha’s reintroduction to the palace and Lordship. The other members of court, he noted with satisfaction, were quite taken aback and had begun whispering amongst themselves once more. “Yuudai, Kaito, take the former Lord and Lady to their cells.”
Clapping fists to hearts, the bodyguards each took hold of the arm of one of the ex-nobles and lifted them to their feet, marching them toward the formal dining hall’s double doors. Lord Botanmaru spat on the floor as he passed the table where Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were seated, glowering hatefully between them. “I have done nothing wrong! All of pure demon heritage know that hanyou are disgusting abominations never meant to exist in this world. That … mutt, is no different. It should have been drowned at birth. You, yourself, used to have the same opinion, Sesshomaru! Everyone knows you left the palace when your father informed you of his human whore’s conception of the ugly creature. How did the slut seduce you to change your mind so thoroughly? He must be a fantastic fuck. You should have heard the way he whined for me. Begging to be touched. That whore would spread his legs for anyone—”
Snarling, Sesshomaru stood, golden eyes tinted with demon red, but before he could do anything more, there was a resounding crash as a glass cup came sailing out of nowhere and struck the male leopard demon in the side of the head. With a startled cry and a scream from his mate, the disgraced noble crumpled to the floor, groaning in pain. Startled enough by the sudden violence to be released from his instinctive fury, Sesshomaru glanced around, wondering where the object came from.
I should have known, he thought upon seeing Suzu’s expression of vindictive pleasure. The glass at the table before him was missing.
The bird demon in question looked over, smiled, and winked. “Forgive me, Lord Sesshomaru, my hand slipped.”
“That is quite all right, General Suzu,” Sesshomaru responded tactfully, glancing down at his sibling to gage his reaction to what had been said. He frowned, his senses—greatly attuned to the pup’s emotions by now—picking up … nothing. Not fear. Not anxiety. Not shame. Not even anger. Was he in shock? Concerned, he reached out, but at that moment the younger inu raised his head, eyes glittering, and shook it vehemently. Ah, so that was it. He was suppressing his emotions. With the court watching their every gesture and facial expression, he didn’t want them to see what could be perceived as a weakness. Nodding minutely, the daiyoukai turned back to his general with a cold smile. “Nothing important was broken.”
“My MATE!!!” the female leopard demon wailed, kneeling down by her mate who continued to groan. “What have you done to my mate?!” Having not seen from which the glass was thrown, she rounded on Inuyasha with fangs bared. “You bitch! How dare you do this to us! How dare you think you can just come in here and—”
“And what?” Inuyasha demanded in a soft voice, causing the entire hall to fall into a hush, most of them having not heard him speak before. Slowly, he got to his feet, braced his hands against the tabletop and leaned toward her, eyes narrowed, ears pricked aggressively, fangs bared in return. “What could a mere hanyou do that would distress you so? Surely you don’t feel threatened by my presence?”
“Threatened?” the demoness repeated with a scornful laugh. “The only thing I feel toward you, you stupid mutt, is disgust! Coming in here, seducing our Lord away from the only suitable candidates to be the next joint ruler of the West. It’s revolting! The lengths you’ll go to to gain power and status you could never hope to gain on your own is so utterly ridiculous I’m surprised Lord Sesshomaru puts up with it at all! He’s becoming just like his human-loving father because of you, just as weak, just as foolish, throwing away his demon lord pride for a being who’s not even worth as much as the mud on his shoes. He’ll come to the same end as Inu no Taisho, mark my words, you filthy hanyou! You’ll bring about the West’s downfall in your greed. If your brother knows what’s good for him, he’ll kill you and send you straight to hell where you belong!”
“If his brother knew what was good for him,” Sesshomaru said icily, “he would have done this long ago.”
Kumiko sneered, turning her nose up. “You would have done well to mate one of my progeny rather than soil yourself with a body that’s been corrupted with human blood.”
“Yet he chose me,” Inuyasha growled, eyes narrowing, “human blood and all. Face it, Kumiko, Sesshomaru is mine. He was my brother from the day of my conception, my alpha long before he was even aware of your existence, my territory, my heat partner, my dominant, mine! He has had years in which to choose from among the youkai nobility, yet in all that time he has not mated. If I am so disgusting, weak, and unworthy of him as you suggest, where is the demon who thinks himself better than me? I have fought the Lord of the West, fought against him, fought with him, but never have I seen another battle him for longer or with greater skill than have I. I may not have grown up here in the palace, but just as Sesshomaru was trained by his father, his alpha so that he may inherit the Western Lands upon Inu no Taisho’s death, so have I been trained by Sesshomaru. He trained me to survive even when all odds were against me and that, it seems to me, is far more important a quality of a Lord of the West than the purity of his blood.” The leopard demoness opened her mouth again to retort, but Inuyasha cut her off. “Insult me or my brother again and I swear I’ll rip out your tongue.”
“You can’t order me, dirty little cock-sucking—”
Snarling, Inuyasha rose, marched over to the whining bitch, grabbed her by the throat and, reaching into her mouth as she gasped for breath, seized her tongue between his claws, and yanked. With a sickening ripping and sucking sound, the muscle came free. The leopard demoness gave a strangled, gurgling shriek and collapsed to the floor when he released his hold on her throat. Wrinkling his nose at the mess, careful not to get any of her blood on his formal clothes, he took hold of the front of her kimono and shoved the severed flesh down inside.
Then, flicking the excess blood from his claws, he turned to the rest of the room, which had fallen deathly still, his eyes smoldering dangerously. “If I hear anyone else insulting myself or my brother after what I’ve just heard, you can expect the same treatment. I may defer to Sesshomaru, but that does not mean I’ll let others walk all over me. Don’t mistake me for anything less than an alpha inu. I have only one alpha, and that’s Sesshomaru. If you don’t want to get hurt, I suggest you remember that.” Blowing out an irritated breath through his nose, he turned toward his brother with a respectful tilt of his head. “Forgive me for my behavior, aniki, but I think I’d rather go hunting for my own dinner tonight. May I be excused?”
Quickly composing himself from his shock at his ototo’s actions and how elegantly and succinctly he had spoken before the court, the daiyoukai nodded. “Of course, Inuyasha. If you will wait a moment, this Sesshomaru will join you.”
Nodding curtly, Inuyasha resumed his seat, arms crossed defensively in front of him as the pointing and whispering started up again in earnest.
Sesshomaru gestured for his bodyguards to finish removing the disgraced nobles from the dining hall. Acknowledging the non-verbal command with a nod, Yuudai dragged the female leopard demon out by the back of her kimono while Kaito hooked his arms beneath the demoness’ mate and hauled him backward out the double doors.
Once that task was completed, Sesshomaru stood and the hall again fell silent. “This Sesshomaru’s younger brother has expressed his intent to go hunting this night and, as his alpha, this Sesshomaru will excuse himself from the court and from the presence of the guests that have been invited to attend the evening meal to accompany him. This one shall leave it to his ward, Lady Rin, and Lord Inuyasha’s ward, Lord Shippo, with General Suzu as advisor to direct this evening’s meal in this Sesshomaru’s absence. This Sesshomaru bids you all a good evening and asks that the court and guests enjoy the meal prepared by this Sesshomaru’s exceptional head cook, Chef Marise.” Turning to his ward, he lowered his voice. “Rin.”
“Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?”
“Help Lord Shippo. He does not know the ways of court yet.”
“Yes, Sesshomaru-sama. Have fun hunting with Inuyasha-sama!”
Smiling slightly, he placed his hand briefly on her head and then moved toward his brother, holding out the same hand to help him stand. “Shall we go, ototo?”
“Un,” the hanyou replied, looking up from beneath white bangs meekly as he slid his hand into that of his elder brother. “Thank you, aniki.”
He smiled, more for the benefit of the court than anything else, and helped the younger inu stand, hooking his arm possessively around his waist. It was a smile and gesture that said, “Yes, this hanyou is important to me, he will be staying, and I don’t give a damn what you think.” Leaving the members of his court whispering and speculating on whether or not he intended to mate with his younger sibling, Sesshomaru led him from the dining hall.
He stopped them at his chambers so they could change before going out—hunting was messy, after all—and watched complacently as Inuyasha retrieved some clothes from the collection Taree had procured for him. When Inuyasha noticed him watching, he flushed and gave the daiyoukai a questioning look. “What?”
“You handled yourself well in confronting Kumiko.”
“Yeah, well, she’s a bitch. ‘Sides, she’s female. It’s … easier for me to talk to women that way. I couldn’t say nothin’ when it was her mate talkin.’”
“Nevertheless,” Sesshomaru responded gently, “you are making progress. Your behavior tonight has made me exceptionally proud. I have not heard you speak in such an elegant manner before, though. Where did you learn such language? Your mother?”
Flushing, Inuyasha dropped his eyes to his feet, mumbling in embarrassment, “A-Actually … I just kinda … imitated you wh-when you’re in one o’ your … stuck-up, spoiled pureblood dog demon fits and y’expect the whole world t’fall at your feet.” He flicked his eyes up uncertainly at the surprised inu youkai, noticing with relief the glimmer of humor in his sibling’s gaze. “I wasn’t too … uh … confrontational?”
“Not at all. By my own decision, Botanmaru and Kumiko were already condemned. Their own actions and words against you only further condemned them. In any event, you outrank them severely now that they no longer retain their noble titles. They are commoners while you are a Lord of the West. The court may not wholly approve of your actions because of your heritage, but they have no basis upon which to object.”
“But … But I ripped out her tongue!”
“Yes, and she should consider herself grateful that that is all you ripped out. If she had said such things to me, I would have ripped out not only her tongue, but her entire throat and left her to bleed out on the floor. She deserved nothing less for how she treated you. In fact, in my estimation she deserved far more.” He softened his tone, hard golden eyes melting into warm amber. “But let us not speak of such things. I have not yet had the privilege of hunting with you. This is an occasion that should not be overshadowed by such unpleasant thoughts as these. Come, let us finish getting changed and we will go.”
“N’kay.” Smiling to himself contentedly, Inuyasha turned his back to the daiyoukai as he slipped off his obi and the outermost garment of his formal clothes, but then hesitated over the rest. To be honest, he wasn’t sure how it all came off since Sesshomaru had been the one to dress him, and he didn’t want to damage it. Despite it being the hottest set of clothes in Japan, maybe even in the entire world, they were quite beautiful, and no doubt expensive. Coarse as he was, he wasn’t boorish enough to deliberately destroy something so elegant. “Sessh?”
“Do you need help?” the demon lord asked before his little brother could say anything. “Forgive me, I had forgotten. Usually I would have called in servants to remove such elaborate garments from my person and had not thought that you might need help also.” He held out his hand in invitation, enjoying the trust his ototo showed him when he came without hesitation. By now, the younger inu was more or less used to being naked in front of him because of their grooming sessions in the bath. He had no doubt that the pup would still balk at any kind of sexual intimacy, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.
Within a few minutes of careful disrobing, he had the hanyou naked before him and though he was sorely tempted to touch that bare skin outside of the bath, he thought it might be too soon to try something like that. Perhaps in another couple of days. They had time. Not much, but it was better than nothing. And then Inuyasha was moving away, taking the temptation with him, and climbing into a white kosode, black hakama, and dark red hitoe with intricate designs done in black velvet along the hems of his sleeves, the back of his collar and down over his left shoulder. His baby brother looked stunning in those colors, he noticed. In fact, he was quite certain any dark color would suit him. Perhaps he could persuade the pup to wear colors like that more often.
“Sessh,” Inuyasha called, eyebrows raised.
“Hn?”
“You’re staring. Aren’t you gonna get changed, too?”
“Ah, forgive me. You looked so stunning I forgot myself for a moment.” Smirking at the blush that swept across the younger inu’s cheeks, Sesshomaru turned toward his wardrobe, disappearing behind the translucent partition to change. As per usual, he wore white. It was a mark of the Lord of the West. Although, he reflected, his Lord Father only wore white when he intended to go into battle. It may be time he also expanded his wardrobe.
What color would Inuyasha like to see him in, he wondered? The red the hanyou generally wore suited the pup just fine, but it was far too garish for Sesshomaru’s taste. Yellow was okay, but only in small amounts. Gold was fashionable, but mainly as trim. Silver would blend in too well with his hair. A dark, forest green perhaps? Or midnight blue? Where was that outfit Suzu had procured for him during the last winter festival? If he remembered correctly, it had been a dark, royal blue with gold trim and patterns of white stars on a field of black across the sleeves, down along the right side under the chest and arm. The pitch black obi, also with gold trim, sported a white crescent moon in the same shape as the demon crest on his forehead. He hadn’t thought it appropriate to wear at the time, but with only Inuyasha there and with what he had planned for later that night after their hunt … well, it might just be perfect. He’d have to thank Suzu for the ensemble since he finally found a use for it.
“Sessh, ya ready yet?” Inuyasha called through the partition impatiently.
Yes, Sesshomaru decided as he slipped out of the layers upon layers of formal wear, it would be well worth setting aside his usual colors to see how Inuyasha would react to Suzu’s choice of non-traditional garb. Especially given that the clothing was far tighter and far more revealing than he would normally deem proper. This would be interesting indeed.
“Sesshomaru? Ya comin’ or am I gonna have to go alone while you primp and admire your fuckin’ narcissistic self?”
“Patience, ototo,” Sesshomaru responded as he stepped out from behind the partition, flipping the parasitic youkai up over his shoulder in its usual manner. “I was simply retrieving an item I needed for later.”
Tilting his head curiously, all impatience forgotten, Inuyasha took a small step toward the inu youkai. “What item?”
“That, little one, is a surprise.”
“Che,” Inuyasha grunted, looking away discontentedly. “Fine. Can we go now?”
“Of course,” the daiyoukai answered with an indulgent smile as he held out his hand to his sibling’s back. “Come here, ototo. Travel will be faster if I take us.”
“I like traveling on foot,” Inuyasha retorted, stubbornly keeping his back turned.
“Yes, but I have a certain destination in mind, if you will humor me. Trust me, little brother, you will not be disappointed.”
Curious again, Inuyasha turned slightly in the older inu’s direction, held tilted, ears at attention. “What are we hunting?”
“Anything you would like. Where we are going there is more than enough wildlife to choose from—deer, boar, bear, snow monkey, if that is to your taste, tanuki, sable, serow, marten, weasel, a variety of wild fowl, whatever strikes your fancy.”
“Ja … I guess … we can travel your way.”
“Then come here.”
Looking slightly apprehensive, Inuyasha did as he was told, coming to stand directly in front of the inu daiyoukai with his head bowed slightly and his ears nervously swept back against his head. Those ears were quite convenient, Sesshomaru thought. He had no need to guess his baby brother’s mood with his ears announcing it to the world. As long as you understood inu body language anyway, which he, of course, did being an inu youkai himself. Even without the ears, the pup didn’t know how to hide the subtle scent of upset emotions very well. Unless, like in the dining hall, he was completely suppressing them, not allowing himself to feel anything at all. All the better for his elder brother, though. It made it easy to offer comfort when comfort was what the young inu hanyou needed if he wasn’t able to hide them from him well.
“Put your arms up around my neck, Inuyasha. We are going to be traveling quite fast and I do not want to lose you halfway to our destination.”
“O-Okay.” Tentatively, the hanyou again did as he was instructed, clasping his hands loosely behind Sesshomaru’s neck.
He lifted his head to ask if the position was okay, but froze, eyes wide when he came face to face with the demon lord, their lips nearly touching. His eyes flicked downward when he felt the demon lord’s moist breath on his mouth. “ … even a kiss is impossible.” A kiss. He could do a kiss, couldn’t he? It wasn’t that hard. And Sesshomaru was right there, so close all he’d have to do was push himself forward a little to bring their mouths together. I can do it, he told himself firmly. I can kiss him. I’ll show him I can do it.
“Tighter,” Sesshomaru admonished sternly.
Jerking back in surprise and then catching himself, Inuyasha cursed his cowardice, a heaviness settling in his chest as he moved back a fraction and the daiyoukai continued to speak.
“I am serious, ototo. If you do not hold on tightly enough, you may fall.” The younger inu’s grip tightened marginally, but not nearly as much as the daiyoukai thought necessary. Holding back the sigh of exasperation, Sesshomaru slipped his arm between Inuyasha’s arm and side, around his back and grasped the opposite arm. He then directed the parasitic youkai lying across his shoulder by means of his dominant youki to twist down around the pup’s legs, lifting him up and holding him securely against the demon lord’s chest.
“Sessh!” Inuyasha protested, though he didn’t struggle to get down. “I can hang on by myself, y’know!”
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at him in his typical superior manner and intoned dryly, “Indeed.” He smirked when Inuyasha huffed in feigned irritability and laid his head against the older inu’s shoulder. Wasting no more time, Sesshomaru let his youki surround both himself and his brother, condensing their physical forms into a ball of white light.
Inuyasha gasped at the strange, warm, tingly sensation of his brother’s youki manipulating his body, pouring into him, filling him up and changing him. While it was strange, it was also familiar, as if he had done this before. He felt his own youki stir in response, swirling inside him in a manner he had never felt before. It was … content. He had only ever felt it angry.
And then they were moving and he had no more time to ponder the reaction of his demon blood to the invasion of Sesshomaru’s dominant youki. Sesshomaru wasn’t kidding when he had said he would have fallen if he didn’t hang on tight enough. They were moving so quickly, the ground passing by in a blur that gave only vague impressions of rivers, forests, fields, and mountains before they had passed. Then they were descending in a rush, the cold night air kept at bay by Sesshomaru’s protective youki. He gasped when it retreated from around him, shivering after the warmth of that ephemeral cocoon of demonic energy. Landing silently, Sesshomaru gently set the other inu on his feet, reaching out to help steady him when he wavered as if to fall.
Once he had his feet under him properly and he was sure he wasn’t going to fall on his face, Inuyasha raised his head to look at their surroundings. It looked pretty much like any other forest in Japan, thick trees bunched together against the darkening sky, leafy undergrowth, a stream bubbling and gurgling somewhere nearby, insects buzzing, birds chirping, all comfortably familiar. Smiling softly, Inuyasha crouched and then leapt, landing atop one of the higher branches in a sturdy tree some ten paces from where he had been standing with his older brother. He breathed in deeply, taking in the scents of fresh earth and air, water and sunshine, plants and animals. The branch dipped slightly, and he turned his head lazily to gaze at his elder brother. “Where are we?”
“Near the southern border of our territory,” Sesshomaru replied, also inhaling. Much as he enjoyed staying in his Lord Father’s palace, nothing could compete with the natural habitat of his inu youkai blood.
“Our territory,” Inuyasha repeated quietly, still gazing over at his brother’s dark clad form, marveling at how easily those words spilled from the icy demon lord’s mouth.
Sesshomaru looked at him when he heard the soft repetition, some unreadable emotion in his eyes. Then the emotion melted away, becoming a smile so breathtaking Inuyasha felt his heart almost jump clean out of his chest. Being that fucking gorgeous should be a crime, the hanyou thought. Really, it should. And those clothes the daiyoukai was wearing should be banned, too. And so should his pretty ass face, long and silky and fucking dazzling hair, those sinfully long legs, trim waist, and … and … well, just everything! Sesshomaru should be banned. Gods, he was going to have a fucking hard time concentrating on the hunt tonight. Where the hell had Sesshomaru even found clothes like that?! He had only ever seen him in his usual Lord of the West, prince-assery get-up. That, in itself, was sexy enough. But these clothes … his hitoe was tighter than normal, far better to show off his trim waist and broad shoulders. The cloth hung loose around his chest, the ties crossing lower than was normal, showing off not only his throat and collarbones, but also a pale expanse of chiseled pectorals. The hakama was also more snug than normal, hugging his waist and hips and ass in a way that made the hanyou swallow dryly whenever the daiyoukai moved.
“Shall we hunt, ototo?” Sesshomaru finally asked, drawing the younger inu’s attention away from his internal musings, his predatory smile causing Inuyasha to shiver involuntarily, though not from fear. It was damned sexy, just like every other part of the bastard.
He nodded silently, not trusting his voice to come out properly if he was to answer verbally.
“I will lead,” Sesshomaru said commandingly, “you will follow.”
Again Inuyasha nodded, swallowed, and answered submissively, “Yes, alpha.”
That predatory smile was gone, replaced by an expression of affection and approval. “That’s my little one,” the daiyoukai murmured, reaching out to caress his baby brother’s cheek. The hanyou leaned into his touch and inhaled, eyes closed, and while he did so, Sesshomaru flared his youki, reaching deep into his sibling’s core and tugging at his demonic energy, drawing it to the surface.
Startled at the sudden burst of his youki from inside him, Inuyasha’s eyes shot open and he drew back, gazing up into his elder brother’s eyes anxiously. “Sessh, what are you …?”
“Trust me,” Sesshomaru said quietly, simply. “Your demon half is nothing to fear.”
“B-But what if I—”
“Trust me, Inuyasha. That is all I am asking of you now. Trust that I will take care of you.”
Biting his bottom lip, Inuyasha slowly let his eyes fall closed again. He felt his elder brother’s youki plunge inside him once more and tug at his own youki. It stirred sluggishly, almost as if it was only just waking up. Having never before felt the stirrings of his youkai blood so clearly, Inuyasha shivered, wondering what would happen when it was fully awakened. Would it take him over again? Would it try to hurt Sesshomaru? What if it was thirsty for human blood, what then?
“Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru said firmly.
Taking a steadying breath, Inuyasha whispered apologetically, “Sorry. I’m just nervous. I’ve never been able t’remember what happened after I went all … berserk.”
“This is natural, ototo.” The younger inu opened his mouth, but Sesshomaru interrupted sternly, “Even for hanyou. You are half human, but you are also half demon. Your demon blood is a part of you. It is something you must learn to accept, even to the extent that you let it have free reign once in a while, as does your human half on the night of the new moon. Do not fight it. I give you my word, little brother; it will not hurt you or anyone else. All it wants is to run free.”
Inuyasha felt the tightness in his chest loosen at that reassurance. If he did lose control, Sesshomaru would be there to control him, even to stop him if need be. It was okay to let go. It was okay for him to give up control. There was no one out here he needed to protect, anyway. Sesshomaru was a full inu daiyoukai and an alpha inu; he could take care of himself.
At the exact moment when he accepted that, he immediately felt the warm, almost hot surge of demonic power flow through his entire body, helped along by Sesshomaru’s guiding youki. He gasped, clutching onto the arm Sesshomaru held out to brace him. The uncomfortable heat lasted only moments, but when it subsided, he could already feel a difference in his body. He felt lighter, stronger, more in tune with the wilderness around him, and so full of energy he was sure he’d be able to run around the whole of Japan without getting tired. Aside from that, his five senses had also grown sharper. Besides being able to smell his brother’s musk more strongly, he was also able to feel his youki more acutely, which only made him that much more aware of how powerful his alpha actually was. He could also sense another demon, far weaker than Sesshomaru, moving somewhere to the west of their position. It wasn’t close, though, so he dismissed it from his mind. With the added power of his demon blood, such a weak youkai was no danger to him even if Sesshomaru hadn’t been there to protect him.
Then the wind shifted and he was assaulted by the most delectable smell. His hunter’s instincts came alive with an eager growl. Prey. A small herd of prey animals. Five adults and a couple young. His mouth watered, his head swiveling in the direction the smell had come from. Whatever it was, he was sure he’d never eaten it before. It couldn’t be deer. Even if they were in a different region, he didn’t think the West contained any species of deer he’d never hunted before. They were hoofed animals, though. Serow, perhaps? He’d never gone after those before. Their fur was thicker than that of a deer. To be honest, he simply didn’t want to take the time to skin it properly. On deer, he just removed the thickest patches of fur and then ate the rest, fur and all. His nostrils flared and he took a step in the general direction and then paused, remembering the presence of the alpha inu and his admonishment that he was to follow. Cocking his head slightly to the side, ears sliding back in a questioning manner, he turned to face the daiyoukai with pleading eyes.
Once he had felt his little brother’s youki fully envelope the young inu hanyou, saw the demon crests bleed onto his cheeks—though his eyes remained beautifully golden and fully alert—Sesshomaru watched him closely. The pup had continued to cling to his arm as he breathed in deeply through his nose, taking in the scents around him, eyes wide and full of a child’s wide-eyed interest and wonder. His ears twitched and swiveled in every direction, taking in the slightest noises from the forest around them, head turning minutely with each scent and sound he uncovered.
Then, as suddenly as the wind shifted, Inuyasha’s body went rigid and he whipped his head around to the east, pupils dilating, ears pricking forward, a growl escaping his throat. Sesshomaru could feel his muscles trembling slightly, taut on the verge of exploding into motion. The demon lord didn’t try to hold him back when he took a step toward the herd of serow, wondering if the pup might try to take off without him. But in the next moment Inuyasha had stopped, head turning back toward him, an unmistakable question in his body language, asking permission to take off in pursuit of the prey he had scented.
Sesshomaru smiled and felt his youki hum in agreement, pleased. “Let’s hunt, ototo,” he murmured.
Inuyasha grinned and started forward again, ducking his head slightly as Sesshomaru passed him to take the lead. He fell into step behind and slightly to the left of him, unconsciously covering for his alpha’s missing arm. If Sesshomaru noticed this, he made no mention of it. Both inu knew he could fight just as well without it. Hunting would be no more difficult and, in all probability, a lot simpler than a battle.
The birds in the trees fell silent as they sensed the intention to hunt from the two inu passing below their hidden perches. If the serow were smart, they’d notice the advance warning they were being given. If not, well, both inu enjoyed the act of stalking and ambushing prey just as much as the chase.
Halfway to their destination, they lost the scent, the wind shifting a different direction. Inuyasha paused uncertainly. He hadn’t hunted prey like this often, and they had always been animals he had come upon while in the trees, where they were less likely to see him and bolt and where he could come at them from close quarters. Sesshomaru continued on confidently, though, glancing back once to shoot his sibling another of those predatory smirks that made his body tighten in places low down, though it never became full arousal thanks to Tamae’s potion. Had to give his body points for trying, though. Right now, with the confidence of his youkai blood flowing strongly inside him, he wasn’t sure he would have even minded having that arousal with his brother there to take care of him.
In the next instant, though, Inuyasha shook the thought away. That was his youkai blood talking. He wasn’t ready for that step yet, even if he was more comfortable with his sibling and the non-sexual intimacy he initiated between them.
He felt more than saw the signal from Sesshomaru that they were close, and slowed, moving more cautiously. He could smell the serow again; they were less than thirty paces from where he and Sesshomaru crouched, concealed in the undergrowth of the dense forestry. Without being told, he began to move around in front of them, knowing he would be downwind from them and unlikely to alert them to his presence. But Sesshomaru’s youki flared in warning, stopping him in his tracks. When he looked back, the elder inu flashed his fangs. He was alpha. Honor of first kill was his.
Quickly understanding and feeling no resentment toward the more powerful daiyoukai for the assertion of his dominance, Inuyasha fell back to his side, accepting the hand that squeezed the back of his neck in reproach peacefully. Sesshomaru leaned over to nip his ear briefly in appreciation for his obedience and then moved to head off their prey. Inuyasha slowed, watching the serow as his brother disappeared from view. He almost expected the demon lord to use his poison whip or even one of his swords to bring down the serow, but of course, this wasn’t a battle, it was a hunt. A hunt called for claws and fangs.
There was a moment when one of the serow seemed to have noticed that something was off, for it paused, head up, ears alert as it turned its head quickly from side to side, scanning the trees for danger. The rest of the herd also stopped, the adults alert to danger, the young crowding nearer to their mother. Although he would have liked to take the large billy, obviously the leader of the herd, he knew that was not the way. They would leave the billy and the nannies to breed healthy young for more prey in years to come. The young they could take, but Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru was more likely to go after the lame nanny straggling at the back of the group. It looked like it had recently broken its hind leg. It wasn’t a bad break and would likely heal in time, but the nanny would always have a limp and even if he and Sesshomaru didn’t take it down, another predator would.
He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw a flash of white in the darkness, Sesshomaru’s hair and the parasitic youkai on his shoulder as he leapt out from concealment, over the heads of the other serow, to the injured one at the back of the group. His claws sank into her shoulder, his fangs into her throat, warm blood gushing out to cover his mouth and chin and slide down his neck onto his clothes. Inuyasha’s heart beat hard in his chest. The sight of his brother, mouth covered in blood, fangs buried deeply in the struggling serow’s neck, his pupils dilated with hunger and the excitement of the hunt, all of it served to send Inuyasha’s blood pumping through him hotly, thickly. Without conscious thought, he surged out of his hiding spot and leapt atop the injured nanny alongside the elder daiyoukai. The other serow had long since scattered into the surrounding forest, sensing their herd mate's impending doom and running for safety lest the two inu who attacked her were still hungry for serow blood and flesh.
Growling, Inuyasha latched onto the back of the serow’s neck with his teeth and wrenched his head sideways, attempting to break her spinal column. Weakened from loss of blood and the prolonged struggle to stay alive, the nanny’s legs finally folded as she gave in to the inevitable. Inuyasha wrenched again at the same time as Sesshomaru jerked his head back, tearing a substantial portion of her throat out with the motion. A snap was heard as her neck broke, and the hunt was over.
Inuyasha drew back licking his lips, hearing the same rumble in Sesshomaru’s chest as was in his own, a growl of triumph and pleasure at the taste of the fresh, warm blood of their prey, taken down together. He moved back in deference to his alpha. It was his right to eat first; Inuyasha, as his submissive, would eat after he was done.
But that was not the way it worked, and Sesshomaru knew it. Other submissives might have to wait, as he had to wait when he had been submissive to Inuyasha, but Inuyasha would not need to wait because Sesshomaru was courting him. He intended that the hanyou be his mate and since he intended that, it was only natural that he take care of the submissive inu first and see to his needs second. Still, he appreciated the gesture.
The daiyoukai bent and sliced away a section of fur with a practiced motion and then began to slice away strips of flesh from the tender belly, amused by the way the younger inu licked his lips in anticipation, but still kept a respectful distance. Once he had stripped away the fur and muscle into the gut, he plunged his hand deep inside, searching. When he found what he was searching for, he withdrew his hand, the dark liver organ clutched in his hand, blood dripping off it enticingly. “Come, little one,” he beckoned encouragingly. “Eat before it goes cold.”
Inuyasha looked at the organ held in his elder brother’s grasp and shifted confused eyes to stare into said elder brother’s open face. The liver was the best, the richest piece of meat; it should have been Sesshomaru’s as the alpha. Nevertheless, he took an uncertain step forward, his youki urging him to accept the offering. The gift. He blinked at that thought. That’s what this was, a gift. A courting gift.
That’s right, Sesshomaru was courting him. He didn’t know why that fact hadn’t sunk in until just now, but it hadn’t, and now he reached out to take the proffered piece of meat from the demon lord with wonder in his eyes. This man, this powerful, magnificent, beautiful demon wanted him for a mate. “Sessh,” he said softly, suddenly overwhelmed. “I ….” He stopped, unsure what he meant to say just then and finished with a lame, “Thank you.”
“You are welcome, little brother,” Sesshomaru replied, before crouching to continue skinning their kill.
Inuyasha looked down at the liver, steaming hotly in the cold evening air, and then back to his brother. He tilted his head as he considered what he wanted to do, and then shrugged and decided to just go ahead and plunge in. What did he have to lose? Carefully slicing a good-sized piece of the liver away from the rest, he held it out the the older inu. “Um … Sessh? Do you … uh … do you want some?”
Sesshomaru looked up and tilted his head in the same manner as his brother, giving the piece of meat a contemplative look before getting to his feet. Inuyasha held it a little higher, almost at chin height and Sesshomaru took a couple quick steps toward him and then ducked his head to take a bite of the sweet flesh directly from the younger inu’s fingers. Blushing, Inuyasha had the urge to step back, but managed to curb it as the daiyoukai looked up at him from beneath long lashes, licking the blood from his lips with a sensual tongue.
“H-How is it?” the hanyou wondered, cursing the unsteadiness of his voice and the heat that flooded his face.
“Not poisoned, if that’s what you were checking for,” Sesshomaru answered, straight-faced, though there was an obvious tone of humor in his voice. He took another bite, letting his tongue swipe across the backs of his sibling’s fingers as he withdrew. Rolling the meat around in his mouth for a moment to savor the rich flavor, he swallowed and then finally answered the question Inuyasha had posed. “It’s very good, little one. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“Y-Yeah … you’re welcome,” Inuyasha responded breathlessly. Embarrassed, he turned back to the piece of flesh in his hand and took a bite, moaning softly when it seemed to melt on his tongue. Serow was definitely his favorite prey animal now. He’d have to hunt for them more often.
Hearing the sound as he was about to turn back to skinning the remaining fur from the serow, Sesshomaru froze, pupils dilating in arousal. Slowly, he twisted to face the hanyou again, watching his eyes close in unbridled ecstasy. His loins tightened traitorously and, enthralled, he took a step toward the younger inu. He stopped a short distance away, reaching out his hand, still bloody from their kill, to caress the pup’s cheek. Golden eyes flashed open, peering at him questioningly.
“You are a tease, little brother,” the daiyoukai whispered, though his voice wasn’t accusing.
Uncomprehending, Inuyasha pulled off another piece of the liver and offered it to his sibling. “You … want more?”
Smiling slightly at the naivety of his baby brother, Sesshomaru took the piece between his claws and then pressed it to Inuyasha’s parted lips. “Eat, little one.”
Tilting his head, Inuyasha moved back a little to speak. “You don’t want anymore?”
Sesshomaru shook his head. “I am content with what you have already given me. Now, eat.”
Hesitating only a moment, Inuyasha ducked his head down to take the proffered flesh from his aniki’s fingers, just as Sesshomaru had done before. Again, an involuntary moan of delight escaped him and he flicked out his tongue without thinking, chasing that delicious flavor across the pads of the demon lord’s fingers, down toward his palm, and between each finger where the warm juices had dripped down in dark rivulets.
A quiet, tormented groan had him looking up into eyes darkened with lust and his eyes widened just a little before he withdrew, wiping his mouth, trying to hide behind his hand in embarrassment. “Sorry,” he mumbled, biting his lip and averting his eyes.
Taking a deep breath and then slowly letting it out, Sesshomaru slid closer to the younger inu, watching him meticulously for signs of stress beyond the initial embarrassment. There was a flutter of anxiety as he invaded the other inu’s personal space, but nothing more. He reached up and caught one of those nervously flicking ears between his fingers, rubbing it reassuringly. “It is all right, little one. My control is not so fragile that you need be wary of me.” He gestured toward the meat that still sat in the hanyou’s hand. “Once you’re finished with that, come join me. I’ve almost finished skinning the rest of our kill.”
Nodding once, Inuyasha returned his attention to the cooling meat in his palm as he watched the daiyoukai crouch down by the serow and flip it over to skin the other side. His heart still beat quite loudly in his ears and his cheeks were still warm with embarrassment, but—and he tilted his head in consideration of this fact—there was no fear. Anxiety, yes, but it wasn’t a bad kind of anxiety. Rather it was the kind of anxiety he used to get around Kikyo, and even, to an extent, Kagome—the butterflies in the stomach and gut tightening, fluttery kind of anxiety. The kind he associated with being at least physically attracted, if not also emotionally and instinctively. If this was the influence of his demon blood, as he suspected, it was a good influence. He liked that he was less afraid, that he was able to look at his aniki, smell the arousal on him, and not recoil from it.
Finishing the rest of the liver in a few large bites, he shuffled over to crouch beside Sesshomaru. The daiyoukai glanced over at him before slicing a large piece of meat from the whole and handing it to him. Inuyasha took it with a slight smile, rather enjoying being taken care of. Sesshomaru really was an ideal alpha. Not perfect, perhaps, but ideal for him, and that was what was important.
Sesshomaru ate in-between feeding Inuyasha until the carcass was reduced to little more than bones, which he took pleasure in watching as Inuyasha snapped them in half to suck out the marrow. “Have you eaten your fill now, little brother?” the daiyoukai wondered when the pup finished.
Licking his lips and setting the last bone aside, Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. You?”
The demon lord chuckled. Most submissives wouldn’t ask that, but that’s what he got, he supposed, for having a submissive who was also an alpha. “Yes, Inuyasha, I have eaten enough.”
“Then … uh … should we head back?”
“Not just yet. I did not bring you here simply to hunt, little one.” He stood and walked a little ways into the dense forestry, then paused and turned back, beckoning the younger inu toward him. “Follow me. There is one more place I wish to go this night.”
Ears flicking in curiosity, Inuyasha followed his sibling into the forest. Once he had caught up, Sesshomaru slipped his arm around the hanyou’s waist and used his youki to float them up above the treetops. Inuyasha gasped at the sudden lift into the air and clung a little tighter to the arm around his waist. He was in no way afraid of heights, but that didn’t mean he relished a fall into the hard ground either. “Where are we going?”
“A place I visit often when I need to think or when I am simply feeling nostalgic. Our father used to take me there on nights he wanted to spend with just the two of us. His scent may still be there. It is not a place other demons or animals can visit easily.”
The “place” Sesshomaru was referring to, it turned out, was a natural hot spring hidden within a cave halfway up a mountain where the ground dropped away for a few hundred feet in a sheer cliff. The spring itself was deep inside a twisting collection of caves that tunneled deep into the mountain’s heart, created, so Sesshomaru explained to him, by lava flow when the dormant volcano had been more active. As the daiyoukai had promised, it could not be easily accessed unless one had youki powerful enough to allow them to fly, or they were a demon or animal with natural wings. Even then, the spring would be difficult to find as the path to it twisted, curved back on itself, diverged, joined with other tunnels and caves, and pretty much became a maze to anyone who didn’t already know the way to the spring. Of course, having been there many times before, Sesshomaru led Inuyasha through the maze without a hitch.
The hanyou’s eyes widened upon entering the natural cave, taking in the large, steaming pool of water, the softly glowing crystals around the edges, in the walls and ceiling, and even, he noticed, in the pool itself. Off to one side was what he assumed was another cave, curtained off by a fur hung over the entrance. “Is that … a den?” he wondered nervously.
“Our father’s den,” Sesshomaru responded, brushing his hand against the younger inu’s knuckles comfortingly. “I thought you might like to see it.”
“O-Oh … um, yeah … I guess,” Inuyasha answered, the anxiety fading as quickly as it had arisen.
Guiding his sibling around the edge of the sunken pool, Sesshomaru led him over the white fur that acted as a door, pulling it aside to allow the hanyou to duck inside, following him in on his heels. He inhaled deeply once inside the warm interior, taking in the familiar spread of numerous furs from various demons his Lord Father had slain in the course of his years, the bones and fangs and claws decorating the walls between the softly glowing crystals, the wooden rack toward the rear of the cave where he would have lain his swords, another wooden rack for his clothing and armor, a section of fur bearing Sesshomaru’s scent, that of his mother, and even a kimono he knew had been gifted to him from Lady Izayoi so he could keep her scent with him.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched his baby brother move further into the den, ears and nose twitching as he breathed in the scent of his sire in strength for the first time.
The younger inu turned on him, an unnameable emotion in his eyes. “You smell like him.”
“Do I?”
Inuaysha nodded, turning back to study the den, a touch of confused longing rushing through his chest in the form of a quiet ache. “You do. I mean … it’s different, but … similar. You both have dominant scents, both powerful, both … both strong male inu …”
“Both family?” Sesshomaru inquired gently.
Swallowing, Inuyasha nodded again. “Un … both family. The scent … both yours and the old man’s scent … calm me, make me feel safe.”
“As they should.”
“Mmm … but … yours is still best,” the young inu hanyou muttered, more to himself than to the daiyoukai. He glanced up, as if afraid Sesshomaru would be angry and explained awkwardly, “I … I never knew the old man. He’s just been … just been a name and a vague image most o’ my life, so … it’s just different. You’re real. You’re here. And you’ve been there, even if it hasn’t exactly been as a … as a brother or even …”
“As someone who is not an enemy,” the demon lord finished for him.
“Yeah.”
Taking the pup’s hand, Sesshomaru pulled him back out of the den and toward the water’s edge. “We should wash before exploring further. We are both still covered in blood from our kill.”
“But—” Inuyasha looked back at the den longingly.
“Come, little one,” Sesshomaru said, coaxing him further toward the edge of the hot spring. “I would have you sleep here in our father’s den with me tonight. If we are to do that, though, I would prefer it if we were both clean.”
Surprised, Inuyasha’s brows furrowed as he turned back to face his brother and let himself be pulled away from the den. “You don’t need t’go back tonight?”
“Suzu will take charge while I am away. This is not the first time I have been away from the palace overnight, little brother. They will survive one night just fine without this Sesshomaru to supervise matters.”
Inuyasha chuckled, recalling just how often he had come upon the demon lord in the wilderness far from the Western Palace. “I guess that’s true. Can we hurry, though? I want t’see more o’ the den.”
“As you wish. We will do a quick wash tonight then, rather than the entire grooming process, if that suits?”
Inuyasha shrugged in answer and began to remove his soiled clothes. He felt his sibling’s eyes on him while he stripped, but was less concerned with it than he might have been if his demon blood hadn’t been running freely throughout his body. It told him it was his alpha’s right to view him—clothed, naked, covered with blood or otherwise, it didn’t matter.
“You seem quite calm tonight, ototo,” Sesshomaru commented, their thoughts apparently running along the same lines.
“S’my youki,” Inuyasha muttered.
“Ah,” the daiyoukai murmured understanding. “Because we’re family.”
Biting his lip, the hanyou shook his head, turning to face his sibling with a disconcerted expression. The demon lord was still fully clothed, he noted, flushing a bit as he met intense golden eyes. “S’because you’re my alpha. My youki l-likes bein’ looked at by you.” The smirk arching across the daiyoukai’s mouth reminded Inuyasha uncomfortably of the predatory smirk he had seen while hunting the serow, and he looked away, unable to hold his elder brother’s gaze any longer.
“You mean,” Sesshomaru corrected him, the smugness in his voice causing the younger inu to scowl, “you like being looked at by me. Your youki is not a separate part of you, ototo, as much as you might like to believe it is.”
Grimacing, Inuyasha slid down into the water, wincing at the tingling, itching burn that raced across his skin before it became accustomed to the high temperature. He was soon joined by his sibling who found a stone a short distance to his left to sit on.
Inuyasha took a deep breath and turned to face the demon lord who was leisurely washing the residual blood from his skin. Lying would do him no good here, he knew. “I do like it when you look at me, Sessh, but … without my youkai blood runnin’ through me so strongly … bein’ looked at while I’m … er … naked makes me feel … uncomfortable.”
“Understandable.”
“But frustrating,” the inu hanyou grunted, knowing it must be for the alpha inu. “I mean … it’s only natural that your submissive should … enjoy bein’ watched by you, but I’m—”
Shaking his head, Sesshomaru stood and approached his distressed baby brother, sliding his hand across his cheek to cup his face reassuringly, tilting his head up until their eyes locked once again. “Hush, little one.”
Noticing how close they were again, Inuyasha froze, the desire to lean up and kiss those firm, yet still soft lips so very, very strong.
Unaware of the younger inu’s struggle, Sesshomaru continued, “I know you are not like other submissives, and not just because of what happened to you, but because you accept no other as your alpha. You are not accustomed to being looked at when you are so vulnerable. I know this. Believe me, I do, and just as your discomfort with bathing with me and allowing me to groom you has faded somewhat and will continue to fade over time, so will that discomfort.”
“Will it?” Inuyasha breathed unsteadily, chest pained by their closeness and his own inability to act on his feelings.
Sesshomaru nodded obliviously and moved back to continue washing himself. “It will.”
Taking in a shaky breath, Inuyasha turned his attention to his own stained skin and the dried blood in his claws. He rinsed and scrubbed himself quickly, aware the whole time of the demon lord’s gaze on him at various intervals, sometimes just a glance, sometimes a prolonged stare. Those eyes continued to watch him as he climbed out of the water and shook himself, sending water droplets flying in all directions. Sesshomaru exited the water soon after, removing one of the furs from inside their father’s den and wrapping it around his submissive’s shoulders and then taking one for himself, discreetly bending to retrieve an item he had tucked into a hidden pocket within the voluminous sleeve of his soiled hitoe.
Inuyasha followed him into the den for a second time, watching as he crossed the furs to sit against the wall, the large demon fur covering his nudity from his neck down. “Come, sit with me, ototo,” he beckoned. “There are matters I wish to discuss with you.”
Hesitating only a moment, Inuyasha shrugged and picked his way across the mound of furs. It reminded him, uncomfortably, of their time together in the den Sesshomaru had made for them, but at least here he was sure he was safe. Sesshomaru had his memories and his full powers. No one would be sneaking up on them this time.
Reaching up, the daiyoukai took hold of Inuyasha’s hand, drawing him down to kneel in front of him, his other hand clutching the fur to keep it in place. “I told you once before, ototo, that when I proposed to you in order for us to become mates it would be in a more private setting. I have brought you here so that I may propose a mateship to you.” He squeezed the younger inu’s hand to stop him when he saw him open his mouth to speak. “Let me make it clear to you, you have every right to refuse. Whether or not you become my mate, you will still have a place in the palace and I will still aid you when your heat comes upon you again. This is entirely your decision.”
“Wh-What kinda mate are you talkin’ about? Y’never did tell me … which kind y’want me t’be.”
“That, too, is up to you, little one. Whether you wish for a political mating, a pack mating, another type of mating, or should you desire to try for a soul mating, it is your choice as the submissive. This is not a decision I can make for you.”
“O-Okay, I get that, but … I still want to know what kinda mate you want me t’be, Sessh. Tell me what you want.” When the demon lord still hesitated, he added quietly, “Please?”
Sighing softly, Sesshomaru complied. “It is my desire, little one, that when we mate we do so as soul mates.”
Inuyasha sucked in a sharp breath. He wanted it so badly. But Sesshomaru … did Sesshomaru really want to bind them together that way? It seemed impossible. There’d be no backing out once the commitment was made. Even should he get tired of him one day, he wouldn’t be able to take another. The soul mating bonds of inu youkai were eternal. It wasn’t just life long. When they died and were reincarnated, they would still be connected. From birth, they would always inevitably seek one another.
“Sessh … uh … are you sure you’ve thought about … what that means?”
“I have thought long and hard on this ever since the night I foolishly allowed you to almost drown, Inuyasha,” the daiyoukai replied softly, but firmly. “Nearly losing you a second time … was intolerable. Knowing you had been taken from me, taken and embraced by another—even though I know it was against your will—makes my chest ache and burn with jealousy. I do not believe I would be able to withstand it if someone else were to take you from me, ototo, in any capacity. I want you, but not just for a short time, and not just in part. I want all of you, for as long as you will permit me to remain by your side.”
“Sessh, I wo—”
“It is not in my nature to commit myself halfway,” the elder inu continued, not allowing his sibling the opportunity to interrupt. “Whether or not you choose to enter into a soul mating with me, I have already chosen. You will be my mate, in heart if not also in body and soul, for as long as I draw breath and ever after.”
Hearing that, the breath seemed to catch in Inuyasha’s throat. For so long he’d chased after his brother, hoping, praying that the icy demon lord would look at him, would see him and acknowledge his presence, the strength he had acquired over the years, more than his dirty half human blood, more than a blemish on his bloodline. Every time they had come together, every time they had fought, there had been that glimmer, that tiniest speck of hope inside him that that day would be the one that his sibling would truly look at him. It had been a confusing, contradictory feeling when the Lord of the West had insulted him, driving his cruel words, like spikes, into his heart. Now the older inu was telling him he wanted him to become mates with him, and not just any kind of mate, but a soul mate. It was more than he’d ever dared hope for or dreamt of. Sesshomaru wanted him. Not just as a lover. Not just as a mate. Not just for life. He wanted to bond with him as soul mates, to be together for this life and all their lives after.
Sesshomaru waited as patiently as he could for an answer, watching and smelling each emotion passing through his baby brother. Doubt was chief among them, but there was also confusion and … pain. Was it too much to ask for that the hanyou would wish to have him in the same way? Still, he waited, growing more and more uneasy as the minutes passed with no answer. His chest hurt, his heart clenching when the hanyou finally looked up and his face closed off. He doesn’t want me that way, he realized with some amount of incredulity and anger. Swallowing, he pushed those emotions aside. He had promised himself he would not influence the younger inu’s decision, and he meant it. He would accept the rejection and move on.
“Sessh,” Inuyasha began, finally managing to find his voice and gain some control of the bewildering conglomeration of emotions racing through him, “I—”
Mistaking Inuyasha’s long silence for discomfort, he touched the hanyou’s lips, stopping him. “I understand. If you should ever change your mind, though—itai!” he grunted, jerking back the bitten digit. “What was that for?”
“Will you stop talking over the top of me thinking you know what I’m gonna say and just listen? I wasn’t rejecting you. I was just surprised, is all. I didn’t think you would … want me that way. A purely political mate or a lover, sure.” He shrugged offhandedly. “A lover you can dump when you get tired of them and a political mating you can dissolve, but a soul mate is for …”
“Forever,” Sesshomaru finished for him. “Indeed.”
“Then …” Inuyasha swallowed, his lips dry as he tried to form the words he wanted to say, “… do you … love … me?”
Sesshomaru looked troubled—an expression rarely seen on him even as a child. “How am I to answer that?”
Inuyasha’s heart sank. Of course Sesshomaru didn’t love him like that. As a brother, maybe, but as a mate …?
“I want to protect you. I want to possess you. My youki sings for you. My body melts for you.”
Frowning at those four phrases, repeated from that time that seemed so long ago when Sesshomaru had lost his memory, Inuyasha raised his eyes.
“I enjoy being with you,” Sesshomaru continued, discomfited enough to keep his gaze averted from his brother. “I enjoy having sex with you, talking with you, sitting silently with you, waking up in the morning next to you, caring for you when you are ill, watching you sleep, eating with you, having you there by my side, a constant presence. Your existence brings color and passion and excitement into my life. All this I am able to say because I know them. They are undeniable truths. But love … that is a concept I do not comprehend. Besides my Lord Father, our father, I do not know how to love another, so I cannot say it, nor can I promise it to you if you accept my proposal.”
Staring, slack jawed and stunned, Inuyasha was at a complete loss for what to say. Wasn’t that a confession? All those things he listed, didn’t they amount to love?
Sesshomaru’s brows drew together as he noticed the way Inuyasha was staring at him, as if had suddenly grown three tails and a pair of horns. He resisted the urge to look to see if he had, indeed, grown extra appendages, and instead, touched the hanyou’s thigh to gain his attention. “Ototo?”
Inuyasha shook his head, focusing on his brother’s concerned face. Ah, what the hell, he thought, what do I know about love anyway? If it’s not love, what does it matter? I love him. I want to be with him. He wants me to be his mate. And that’s enough for me.
He felt a smile tugging at his lips as he came to his answer—the only answer as far as he was concerned. Before he could think better of the action, he leaned forward, grasped the back of the daiyoukai’s neck, tugging him toward him until their mouths almost touched and whispered, “I will be yours, Sessh. I will be your mate.” Then, staring deeply into those startled golden eyes, he breached the short distance between them, laying a soft, gentle kiss upon his sibling’s lips.
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Definition of Terms
Dou itashimashite - you're welcome

Tajimaru - silver and yellow color
Sachio - fortunately born

A/N: There it is, another of my favorite chapter! As usual, please read and review if you've got the time/desire!
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A Heat to Overcome