Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

In Saving You, I Saved Myself	By : CrimsonStained Category: InuYasha > Yaoi - Male/Male > InuYasha/Sessh?maru > InuYasha/Sessh?maru Views: 9734 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: All names/characters belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi. The only thing I own are my ideas to manipulate her characters to my whims. I make no money from writing this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
Chapter 2 - And Then He Opened His Mouth.
Disclaimer: As much as I wish, I do not own the characters of InuYasha franchaise (tm - Rumiko Takahashi). And though I doubt 99.9% of people do not read these disclaimers (I myself being one of them) I will humour the top dogs and let you know I make no profit from this and it's purely for my own enjoyment.

The next few days, Sesshoumaru refused to speak with InuYasha; preferring to sulk around instead, constantly watching Rin play with Shippou or Kagome. Though, InuYasha had begun to notice Sesshoumaru’s growing dislike for the future Miko and had an idea it was because of the way the woman acted.
InuYasha of course didn’t mind the brash future girl, preferring her to the typically mild-manner females of the feudal era any day – at least Kagome could match him in a fight. Well, maybe not so much ‘match’ as stand up for herself and plant his face so deep into the ground he tasted Hell. But that was beside the point.
The hanyou had also noticed Miroku and Sango watching him closer these days, probably wondering why he stared off into space, or made faces at trees and bushes. He hadn’t told them about Sesshoumaru, he hadn’t really wanted Rin to know and get her hopes up and didn't want his friends to think him crazy, but mostly it seemed Sesshoumaru did not was his presence reveiled. Seemingly, the youkai preferred to let his companions think him lost (or dead) than to know the truth of his situation.
Hell if he knew why.
And so another day came to a close, a flower wreath upon his head –courtesy of Rin. Soon after she ninja'd it on him, he had also found out , to his exasperation and the young mortal’s delight, that Shippou had fox-magicked the damn thing so he couldn’t even take it off until the spell wore away. That had earned the kitsune a few lumps, which in turn earned InuYasha a face-plant.
The most astonishing part of the whole situation? If InuYasha didn’t know better, he would’ve sworn he’d seen a small smile flicker over the youkai’s lips. But that couldn’t have been right; it must’ve been some trick of light. There’s no way his unyielding jerk-off of a brother actually knew how to smile – unless of course it was cruel, bitter or mockingly.
They’d set up camp about two days walk from the nearest village in a secluded alcove. There was a stream a little walk away towards the mountains in the East where the trees thinned slightly, a great place InuYasha could go to get away from the bustle of everything. Adding another kid and the imp to their team (albeit temporarily) was tiring; the children’s unyielding pranks and the toads incessant rants danced on every last nerve that the already-temperamental hanyou had left.
InuYasha glanced around to the sleeping group of friends; the fire had long since died down to embers, glowing in the slight breeze now and then. InuYasha inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of campfire smoke as it permeated the clearing; the smell of burning wood was one of his favorites –well, as long as it wasn’t too strong of course.
Ears twitching, the hanyou meandered off in the direction Sesshoumaru had a few hours earlier, mentally picturing all the things he’d do to torture the youkai if he had left (well, would do, bearing in mind Sesshoumaru’s current predicament).
The trees thinned out as he walked towards the stream, guessing that was where his brother had gone, merely to listen to the soothing trickling of the water. Admittedly, he felt a little surge of pride at having guessed correctly as he caught sight of his brother watching the sky longingly, sitting at the base of a tree.
The inu brothers were bathed in the greys and blues of night, each sat in silence and stared down the other, challenging one to look away. InuYasha conceded, merely because he wasn’t used to staring contests and his eyes began to sting and tear—and hell if he’d look like a crying pussy in front of Sesshoumaru.
“Why do you put up with her?”
“Oh, so NOW you’re speaking with me?”
InuYasha’s glassy eyes sought his brother’s face once more to see a truly interested expression spun over his brother’s face; quite obviously, Sesshoumaru was overlooking his last inquiry in favour of his curiosity.
“The blue-eyed girl, the one who treats you as a common dog. InuYasha, though hanyou you may be, the blood of our father still courses your veins – you mustn’t bend to her will as you do. You teach people how you wish to be treated. This one does not understand… Why you do not just kill her?”
“What do you mean why? Because she’s my friend, of course!”
Sesshoumaru gave him a guarded look, snorting softly and averting his eyes, “Even one such as I would question your definition of ‘friend’.”
The hanyou narrowed his eyes, stepping forward menacingly, “Reeaaalllly, this coming from the guy that has a mindless imp and a young human child for friends; who has no one that could avenge his ‘death’ or help him get his body back. At least I know if I died, my ‘friends’ would avenge the hell outta whoever offed me.”
Startled, Sesshoumaru’s mask slipped, something unidentifiable flickered behind those wine-hued depths- something that looked precariously close to hurt… Surely not though, it was Sesshoumaru. Then it was gone, though InuYasha still felt he’d pushed it too far. There was just something about the youkai that rubbed him the wrong way, “I’m sor—“
“Neither are what you would call friends. One is loyalty-bound, and the other is… a responsibility,” The youkai interjected stiffly.
InuYasha couldn’t overlook the blatant coldness that seeped into the older youkai’s tone, watching as his brother’s mask fell into place once more, “Pfft, yeah right. Loyalty-bound or not, you would not keep that annoying shitrat around for any other reason… And Rin? PLEASE, what do you take me for? You watch the kid like a hawk; get offended what something doesn’t go her way, and get pissed when anything happens to upset her. You can lie to me all ya want, but don’t lie to yourself.”
Sesshoumaru stared at the hanyou, fury and hate still whirling around inside of him at the truth of InuYasha’s. That was fine though, he could figure out a way to avenge himself! Even as the thought pushed through his consciousness, Sesshoumaru admitted it was a falsehood that could not come to pass.
He huffed softly and turned his sun-kissed eyes away from InuYasha and towards the water, tilting his head to rest against the tree trunk behind him.
Once again guilt flowed through the hanyou; how would he feel in his position? Empathetic as he was, InuYasha couldn’t help but project himself into his brother’s shoes. What if Sesshoumaru was the only one who could see and hear InuYasha? What if his friends had no clue what had happened to him, or even where to start looking? He thought of Kagome’s tears, Shippou’s sense of abandonment; Sango’s fury and Miroku’s silent internal strife as he outwardly fought to remain calm for the women.
“I’ll… I’ll help you.”
Sesshoumaru’s ears perked when InuYasha spoke, turning his face back to his brother’s with a cautiously surprised expression, “Excuse me?”
“I said I’ll h-help… But don’t get the wrong idea, or nothin’!! I’m helpin’ ‘cause your friends are… are too weak! And they can’t speak with you, and, and it’s not like—”
“You will aid me, InuYasha?” Sesshoumaru inquired, cutting off the sputtering hanyou who looked to be blushing like a maiden, “I was under the impression you despised this one.”
InuYasha scowled deeply, golden eyes flashing as he snapped back, “I do! What’s not to hate about a half-brother who loaths me for things that are all beyond my control, oh and lets not forget the fact that you’re constantly trying to kill me for a stupid sword you can’t even wield!”
All of the things that could’ve transpired under different pretenses flashed though the hanyou’s mind in that split-second. Sesshoumaru would never know, but when InuYasha had found out he had a brother, he purposefully sought him out; the excitement of having family, of having a possibility of a little happiness, coursed fiercely through his veins. Yeah; that hadn't lasted long. Sesshoumaru mercilessly squashed that idea before it could come to any sort of fruition.
Sesshoumaru chose to keep silent while he thought; he knew if he had ever really intended to kill InuYasha, it wouldn’t have been a problem. And Tetsusaiga was far more than just some stupid sword. But why state the obvious that was clearly being overlooked?
“I don’t have a choice but to hate you.”
Sesshoumaru covered an expression of shock by narrowing his eyes; he would not allow InuYasha to know his words affected him in any sort of way, “This Sesshoumaru does not want your pity.”
“P-Pity?!” InuYasha barked out a laugh in surprise, “Trust me, brother, you’re the second-to-last on this Earth that I feel deserving of pity.”
“Then why?” He was truly a curious youkai, and his brother’s lack of motives to help was currently stimulating his brain. As with everything, after an answer was found he would lose interest; but until then…
“Look, whether I like it or not, you’re the only semblance of some fucked up family that I have in this world. And I refuse to let some… some witch take that away from me. Especially not some wench I’ve never even heard of. As you once said to me, I’ll say to you – You’re mine to kill.”
Sesshoumaru sensed the partial truth in InuYasha’s self-righteous tone, but knew there was more he was not being told. Deciding he’d let the hanyou off the hook, the two locked eyes once more.
“We leave tonight.”
InuYasha scowled, “Takin’ charge already, are ya? Let’s get one thing straight –here and now. I’m not your loyal servant, or friend. I won’t take orders like a slave. We’re equals, or we’re nothing. You decide.”
Sesshoumaru forced the muscles in his clenching jaw to relax, this hanyou was so vexing! He reiterated, “I would like to leave tonight.”
A triumphant smirk crossed the hanyous lips, “Better. Give me the night to come up with a plan; I won’t have my friends risking their lives. Especially for you.”
Sesshoumaru relented, the muscle in his jaw twitched as he ground his back teeth. Though he was very much a patient demon, decades of aristocracy had seen to that, he could not help feeling anxious in this state of helplessness.
“InuYasha.”
“What,” the half-demon glanced over his shoulder, his eyes suspiciously locked onto Sesshoumaru’s.
“Flowers suit you.”
It was then that InuYasha remembered Rin’s wreath still encircled his head. He let out a frustrated noise, his cheeks flaring pink as he tore at the wreath, sending flower stems and petals flying in every which way, “SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS, BASTARD!”
The inuyoukai allowed a small self-righteous smile to grace his lips as InuYasha stomped away, feeling significantly satisfied with his retaliation for InuYasha making him wait.
"Maybe... You should go home for a bit, you know, do that 'school' and 'test' stuff that you like so much."
InuYasha's voice brought Kagome out of her reverie, blinking wide azure eyes at the hanyou. A concerned expression overcame her face as she pulled her lean body to her feet and covered the short distance, raising a hand to lay against his forehead, "How're you feeling, InuYasha?"
The inu hanyou growled, smacking her hand gently away from his face with a gruff, "I ain't sick!"
Kagome gave him a flat look, clearly unconvinced, "What?! I told you! I'm fine!"
"InuYasha... Do you realize in the, ohh four-almost-five years I've known you, you're never once told me to go home without a reason..."
"Uhh… Well, it's just... With Naraku up and disappearin' on us and all, we could... You know, take it easy..."
Scrutinized. That's how he felt, her eyes carefully examining him before she reached forward and grabbed his ear and dragged him behind her to leave the group in search of privacy.
"Hey! Ouch!! Where're you takin' me?! Wench! That fucking hurts!! Kagome!!"
"To talk," she mumbled back, ignoring his cries of pain. She pulled him far enough into the surrounding bush that they needn't worry about the others overhearing their conversation.
"So spill. What's really going on."
InuYasha's ear's turned outward, his gaze averting to the sky as he sniffed, "I don’t know what you're talking about."
"Enough," Kagome said with a sigh, a hand propping on her hip, "I know you waaaay better than that, and something's up, so spill. We aren't leaving this spot until you cut the bullshit."
The hanyou locked his honey orbs on hers, the challenge in her tone ruffling him the wrong way. She patiently stared back in a silent challenge of his authority, waiting for him to speak. It was InuYasha's turn to sigh this time, reluctantly releasing the information he'd hidden for the prior few days, "Sesshoumaru's here. You can't see or hear him, but I can. Some dumb wench stole his physical body and tried to destroy his soul; we think Tenseiga saved him, and now I agreed to help him get his body back."
Blood thumped loudly in his ears and he instinctively knew there was a slight pink tinging his cheeks.
Kagome's jaw had gone slack as he threw out his explanation of why she needed to leave, her mind slowly coming to terms as she blinked, "So... He's dead?"
InuYasha gave an exasperated noise, "That's what I said, but he was all ‘I’m not dead! Blah!’"
Kagome purposely ignored his childishness, "But... He CAN get his body back?"
"He thinks."
"..." Her mind whirled, bright eyes blinking around the clearing, wondering if, even at this moment, he was near them. How long has this been going on? For InuYasha to come to terms with helping his brother, it had to have been a while... right? Where was Sesshoumaru? What actually happened? How did he know he could get his body back? So many questions and no answers; her head was beginning to ache.
"Okay, we'll all help--"
"No! I won’t be putting you guys in danger... I need you to go home, so it gives an excuse for everyone to wait in Kaede's village... I don’t know how strong this bitch is, but for her to take Sesshoumaru down, she must be a helluva foe."
"Exactly! How do you expect to beat her on your own?" Kagome's voice was steeped with determination and a thread of apprehension.
"I ain’t gonna alone... Sesshoumaru will be there - not that he'll be much company mind you, but he's faced her before so he will know best how she operates."
Kagome chewed her bottom lip, worrying the hem of her shirt. Grudgingly, she gave a nod. Holding up a hand when InuYasha went to speak again, knowing what was coming next,

"Yeah, yeah, Don't worry, I won't tell them... Yet."
The hanyou's jaw snapped shut, giving her a soft smirk. He was glad Kagome was so perceptive, he didn't want his friends thinking he was some pansy-ass helping Sesshoumaru out. He conked her head as he passed by, chuckling softly as she turned and playfully punched his shoulder. He mumbled a quiet, “Thanks.”
Kagome huffed softly but smiled none the less, trailing after him, “Yeah, yeah, you owe me one. I want ALL the dirty details later. Including how one so strong as the ‘Great Sesshomaru-sama’ managed to get one-upped by a magic user.”
The journey back to Kaede's village wasn't very eventful, the children played, the toad squawked, the taijiya smacked the houshi for his ever-incessant perverted tendencies, and the miko and hanyou bickered nonstop. Kagome had made a pretty convincing case stating that she needed to go and do these....what were they called... exams? They were like super tests that determined if she went to an even higher level of tests! Stating failure was NOT an option. InuYasha pretended to object to the idea, and be seemingly won over (though his friends were a little suspicious about the ease of which he accepted it), but at last they were nearing the village.
Rin and Shippou sat atop Ah-Un playing patty-cake, some weird new hand rhythm game Kagome had taught them, repeating stupid annoying phrases about baking cakes. Kagome thumped along on InuYasha’s back as he ran, Sango and Miroku atop Kirara flying beside them.
InuYasha peeked out of the side of his eye at Sesshoumaru running alongside him effortlessly, despite the fact he knew the bastard barely ran in his entire life, preferring his gay cloud-lookin' thing to fly along. Determination narrowed the inu youkai's eyes, sharp streaks of magenta that coloured the demon's pale eyelids contrasted all the more with Sesshoumaru’s serious countenance.
The hanyou stared forward again, taking a few long leaps before hitting the ground running; he found he was having a hard time not looking at his bastard of a brother; for some reason his mind always defaulted back to wondering what he was doing, if something changed in the time he looked away; and DAMN if he didn't piss him off.
Sesshoumaru continued on his way to his brother's 'home' village, wishing he could just feel the wind striking at his face as he ran. He found himself perpetually pondering on his half-kin’s actions, and on the people he travelled with.
Clearly, the miko was from far away – hence the abrasive behaviour, especially for a woman of her stature. She kept talking about going home; often losing Sesshoumaru in conversations he couldn’t keep up with for the lack of knowledge about the things she spoke of. It was a surprise enough that to find out she was schooled, but it was all the more infuriating to know the miko was further schooled in things he knew nothing of. He would have to question her when he was back to normal.
But it was InuYasha that had him questioning the most; his brother had no reason to help him. He was under the assumption that Sesshoumaru had attempted numerous times to kill him, and while – yes – Sesshoumaru was still mildly vexed on being forced to relieve his mission getting Tetsusaiga from him, he had never seriously tried to wipe the hanyou off of this plain of existence. He’d, in his own way, been protecting the hanyou by teaching him to fight. Even if sometimes it had left the hanyou mostly incapacitated, it had all be to show him how to survive without anyones help.
The inuyoukai narrowed his eyes; questions were mounting with no answers forthcoming, it was really quite irritating. If nothing else, Sesshoumaru could be described as a being with a morbid curiosity of life; when he had questions, he wanted answers.
“InuYasha… Are you sure?” Sango clenched her hands into fists around the strap of Hiraikotsu.
The dog hanyou shot her a smug half-grin, “I just got some stuff to deal with, nothing you guys need ta concern yerselves with!”
Miroku stepped up behind Sango, placing a comforting arm on her shoulder. Sango glanced at the houshi in concern before looking back to InuYasha, "You know if you are in any trouble, we can help."
"Yes," Miroku agreed; violet eyes locking onto the inu hanyou, "We'll always have your back. It'll be easier if we face this together."
InuYasha scowled softly, "Listen! I already told ya already that I'm fine! I'm not in any trouble!" Sesshoumaru is, he finished silently before giving his infamous cocky smile, "You two look after the two brats and toad and I'll be back before ya know it!"
Sango and Miroku met eyes again, each had a similarly uneasy expression. Miroku shrugged as Sango sighed, “You will come get us right?”
The half demon cocked his head to the side, “Get you?”
“If you need us… If you get yourself into more trouble than you can handle, you will come get us, right?” Sango clarified and reitterated.
InuYasha smiled softly, warmth swirled inside him; he had gone from someone who had nothing, to someone who had almost everything. He could not begrudge his friends for their apprehension, “C’mon guys – You’re mixin’ me up with that clumsy girl. She’s the one you need to worry about getting into trouble!”
The inu youkai watched his brother's friends trying to convince him to accept their support with an odd feeling in his chest. Are all mortals so ready to throw their fragile lives into imminent danger, or is it just a rare few such as these? He pondered softly while InuYasha flashed his friends a fang-filled grin.
"Don't 'cha worry 'bout me, I'm gonna be fine. I've got Tetsusaiga to keep me safe, 'member?" He patted the hilt of his trusty blade before turning on his bare heel and lifting his right hand, "I don't know when I'll be back, but I don't think it'll take long.”
Sesshoumaru stood slightly back from the threesome, suddenly averting his eyes to the ground; he could silently admit to himself that he felt slightly envious of his brother in this moment.
“InuYashaaa,” Miroku drawled, pinching his lips into a thin line until the hanyou laughed.
“Okay! Okay, I promise, I’ll come get cha if I need to, alright? Can I go now, Mom and Dad?”
Sango smiled; a little more relieved than before, “Okay… Then be safe. We’ll be waiting here for you.”

She'd had a suspicion that Kagome knew InuYasha would be leaving and this whole thing was a set up. Something was going on that InuYasha wasn't ready to tell tell, that was fine though. She'd gotten his word that he'd get them if he needed, and if nothing else the hanyou was a man of his word. He would be okay.
“Bye, InuYasha!!” Shippou and Rin’s twinned voices came from over his shoulder as he walked down the path leading away from the village. He raised a hand casually, not looking back as Sesshoumaru fell into step beside him.
Sesshoumaru stared openly at his half-brother, surprised to learn just how little he actually knew about him. Before these past few days, he had never been privy to his joking side, or his embarrassment. He had never seen him smile so often, or laugh so freely as he did with those mortals. Just how much was there to InuYasha?
“You’re staring,” InuYasha stated; his gaze clearly on the road ahead of the two.
“Yes.”
An ear flicked in mild annoyance at his brothers nonchalance, “Do ya got somethin’ to say to me, or what?!”
The inu studied the spirit that blazed in his brother’s honeyed gaze as InuYasha came to a complete stop and rounded to pin him with a glare, waiting for the Daiyoukai to speak.
“Your friends… The show great solicitude for your wellbeing,” He intoned gently, examining the half breed’s face with scrutiny that would have made an artist proud.
“And?” InuYasha huffed as he turned away and continued to tread forward, a scowl marred his face but upon close inspection Sesshoumaru witnessed a bit of colour rising high in his cheeks.
“You should be grateful for such things as care, little brother.”
“That’s hilarious. Coming from you,” though his tone dripping in sarcasm suggested otherwise.
Sesshoumaru cocked his head, pondering what the hanyou meant for a moment before releasing a small sigh, “This one was also young and naïve once too, InuYasha.”
“Yeah. Whatever,” He snapped back, his countenance darkened as he trudged forward with hastened steps.
Sesshoumaru travelled silently beside his half-sibling, his mind lost in thoughts of how they were going to find this magus and get his body back. Or the more immediate problem, how was he going to stay sane while being in such close proximity to InuYasha for Kami knew how long?
Secretly, Sesshoumaru was more than a little proud that his little brother had stepped up to assist him. The youkai eyed InuYasha from the corner of his peripheral vision, scanning his brother's shorter frame. InuYasha truly was pleasant on the eyes when he wasn't constantly spouting inane threats. The Daiyoukai wondered what was so different between the two. He knew from their spars that the hanyou’s body beneath that gaudy red fire rat robe was strung tight with muscle, though still a little lanky; and that he didn’t carry an ounce of extra fat on him.
"Rrr! What're you fuckin’ starin’ at?!" InuYasha's cheeks flushed with irritation at his brother's silent evaluation of him. He hated the feeling of eyes being on him, they were generally the precursor to insulting murmurs, blatant disrespect and fights.
"This one is merely looking," Sesshoumaru answered smoothly, continuing his assessment.
"Well cut it out! You a homo or something?!" The hanyou turned to face him, yellow eyes flaring brightly. He had meant to insult his brother, make him mad, throw him off guard or something.
"I was unaware you were so interested in me, InuYasha," the demon met InuYasha's eyes unwaveringly, "If it so sates your curiosity, this Sesshoumaru does not have a preference, much like many youkai. It is merely humans that come up with those contemptible labels to segregate their own kind into neat little boxes, all the better to belittle one-another. Pleasure is pleasure."
InuYasha's jaw dropped as he staggered to a halt, "Wait… So you ARE gay?!"
"I'm beginning to think those ears of yours are just for show," Sesshoumaru muttered, turning away and walking past InuYasha who continued gaping, once again contemplating how he would retain sanity in his half-brother’s presence.
“Wha-wha—wait up!!” InuYasha scrambled belatedly after Sesshoumaru, a light pink dusting high on his cheeks once more. He fell into step with his brother a moment later, remaining awkwardly silent.
“So… Uh, have you… You know, been with a guy before?” Damn his curiosity! But he had to know, Sesshoumaru couldn’t just leave him hanging after dropping a comment like that!
“Plenty.”
The impassive tone Sesshoumaru used had the hanyou tripping over his own feet, stumbling and sputtering while his youkai brother steadfastly ignored him and continued moving forward.
“H-How can you just!... Just! Say that kinda stuff!” InuYasha exploded, his face having drained to a shade akin with a tomato as secretely his mind filled with more intimate questions on his experiences.
The inuyoukai turned his disinterested gaze onto the hanyou, making him feel embarrassed and unexperienced, “What do you mean, InuYasha? There is no embarrassment in pleasure. You truly have picked up too many of your human counterparts ignominious perceptions. Youkai do not view life in the same manner as mortals.”
The hanyou scowled deeply, speaking softly at first before his ire rose, “How am I supposed to know that… And just whose fault is it that I don’t?!”
Sesshoumaru fought the urge to sigh as his brother brushed past; it seemed another mortal trait InuYasha had picked up on was their penchant for mood swings. He chose to remain silent; both inu knew the question had been rhetorical and implied the answer.
InuYasha huffed, adjusting his back into a more comfortable position as he gazed to the stars from his seat amongst the branched of a great oak. The moon winked at him from the sky, its phase was already half waned.
He and Sesshoumaru had been travelling the past three days together. They bided their time with awkward conversation and small verbal spars here and there. InuYasha missed the fact that their fights couldn’t escalate into anything physical, he was dying to blow off steam.
The day was coming to a close, and the hanyou had pronounced an impromptu stop as their journey lead them near a natural hot spring. Sesshoumaru consented, mostly do to the fact that he could do nothing to prevent InuYasha from halting regardless.
Sesshoumaru trailed silently behind InuYasha as he sniffed his way to the spring, pretending to feign ignorance to his brother’s growing embarrassment as the hanyou looked around for some sort of privacy.
“So what… Ya just gonna stand there and gawk while I bathe? Can’t a guy get some fuckin’ privacy?” The hanyou muttered in irritation as he started to roll his shoulders out of his haori.
“Why InuYasha, I was unaware that you were so bashful,” Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to smirk, taunting him with his tone.
InuYasha bristled, “I ain’t bashful, asshole! You’re just a creepy pervert!”
“Hn.”
The hanyou glared at the Daiyoukai who had made a big show of turning his face to the far side, away from InuYasha. The hanyou would never admit to it, but he hated to take of his clothing. Even in front of his friends the most he’d take off was his top. Secretly, he knew his body was different, deformed in some way from everyone else’s. After all, he was always a ‘filthy, disgusting hanyou,’ that never changed no matter how much he bathed which lead him to believe it must be physical. It was when he figured that out that he tried to stop caring what others thought. Satisfied with Sesshoumaru looking away, he quickly dropped his red haori, tugging his nagajuban from the waist of his hakama.
“So… Uh, have you… You know, been with a guy before?”

“Plenty.”
Heat radiated from his face, his ears pulling back in embarrassment as he peeked at Sesshoumaru, “You ain’t lookin’, right?”
An exasperated suffering sigh finally forced its way unbidden past his lips, “No InuYasha, I am not looking.”
“Good!” He quickly divested himself of the rest of his clothing and scrambled to submerge himself into the steaming pool. A small smile worked onto his lips as he closed his eyes, completely embraced by the warmth. He breached shaking his head wildly, cuneate ears flicking to and fro to rid themselves further of the water that had plunged into his ear canals.
InuYasha sat back against the edge of the pool with a soft sigh, closing his eyes and tilting his face back, ignoring the tickling of his hair that lay plastered to his damp skin.
Sesshoumaru focused his gaze forward again now that he hanyou had hidden himself under the water, looking past InuYasha in thought as the sounds from the springs rushing waters pushed forth old memories.
--A young Sesshoumaru sat beneath the glacial waters from a fall near the shiro; beside him perched his father, the great Inu no Taisho, Lord of all the Western Lands.
The young inu supressed a shiver and opened one eye, peeking up at his father secretly. Even drenched, the lord still looked mighty; the thin white kimono he wore did nothing to conceal the broad shoulders and muscular body enrobed beneath it.
They had been sitting there silently for 30 minutes now, Sesshoumaru was starting to feel more than a little numb, “Father. What is the point of this? My time would be much better spent hunting or sparring. ”
The Inu no Taisho allowed a grin to tug at the corners of his mouth, “Because my son, you need not just train your body, but your mind as well. There will be situations in which your strength shall fail you, times when knowledge will be your greatest weapon. When these times fall upon you, it will take a clear mind to utilize your thoughts properly.”
Sesshoumaru blinked wide golden eyes before scowling in thought, then reverted to pouting, “It still doesn’t answer why we’re here.”
“The purpose is to learn to block out the external elements surrounding you; you’ll need to train your mind to block out not only sound, but physical feelings as well. In this time, you are blocking out the cold; the next time, it may be pain and not gelidity that will impede your judgement. One must be prepared for –not all- but most likelihoods of battle.”—
“—Aru? … Sesshooouuummmaaarrruuuuu…”
The youkai blinked, coming back to himself, his eyes snapping to meet InuYasha’s gaze.
“Welcome back to the world of the living – or rather… I guess not…” He chuckled at Sesshoumaru’s glower, “I was calling your name for a while there; you zoned.”
At the quirk of the inu’s brow, InuYasha elaborated, “You know, got lost in thought? Getting’ lost in yer mind out here will get’cha killed one day – OH WAIT!” The hanyou barked out a hearty laugh at the deadly look Sesshoumaru shot him, getting his kicks at not being the underdog for once.
As his unreserved laugh broke the silence between them, Sesshoumaru realized with a start that he’d never seen InuYasha smile in good humour before now, with his lips drawn wide to display sharp pearly fangs. It was rather… Nice.
“I was remembering… Father,” Sesshoumaru lowered his gaze somberly and frowned gently in thought, “You remind this one of him greatly.”
“I… I do?” InuYasha suddenly focused all of his attention on Sesshoumaru, he ears perked high, a velutinous feeling rising through him, “What do you mean? How so? I mean, not like a care or nothin’, I never even met the guy…”
“You,” the youkai interjected lightly, ignoring the hanyou’s failed attempt at nonchalance, “… You share more of his likeness than I. And more attributes of his personality as well.”
“To say that would imply you have a personality, Sesshoumaru,” He didn’t miss a beat, flashing a cocky joking grin the demon’s way.
“Careful hanyou, should you keep interjecting witty remarks, one might actually mistake you for possessing a brain. This one knows better, for if you did have one, it would keep those insolent lips sealed in my presence.”
“Yeah, yeah, you wish,” The hanyou replied, feeling like he’d won that round of verbal sparring. He reserved his surprise that Sesshoumaru has even responded in kind, not to mention jokingly. At least, InuYasha hoped jokingly,” … The Old Man, huh? What was he like?”
“Father was… Truly a great demon; he ruled his lands justly, favoring neither youkai nor human. He was courageous, never one to turn his head from a battle – though stubborn; his persistence knew no bounds.”
InuYasha looked away, frowning softly in thought as a blush rose in his cheeks. Are those qualities he was comparing to InuYasha? Is that what he truly thought of him? He stood in one smooth motion, the water sluicing rivulets down his flesh and lapping around his hips. Sesshoumaru’s dark eyes flicked to the form of his brother as he abruptly moved, silhouetted in oranges and red of the dying day. The youkai swallowed, his throat feeling suddenly dry; if he had to choose a word to describe his brother in that moment, insufferable personality or not, it would have been stunning.
Water droplets beaded and rolled down tanned skin; each one a semi-precious stone, refulgent with the light of the setting sun. Even his hair shimmered with water and glittered a reddish orange.
“HEY!!” InuYasha now burned red with embarrassment, raising his voice in dignified anger as he curved his spine and crossed his arms, feeling slightly more hidden and a helluva lot more self-conscious, “Mind fuckin’ giving me some privacy?! A goddamn peeper, thats is what you are!”
‘And then he opened his mouth,’ Sesshoumaru thought blandly, apathetically staring at InuYasha a moment longer before he got to his feet and walked from the clearing. He concluded then and there that he’d never be able to adjust to his brother’s uncivilized demeanor, no matter how long he remained in his presence.
A/N: Hey all! Welcome back for the third installment. I hope you guys are enjoying my plot so far! I do still have another two chapters pre-written that I intend to go over and edit throughout the week before posting Sunday (as I did with this one) so that I can leave myself some time to continue with the story and hopefully keep on track of updating once a week. I truly do not know how many chapters this story will end up being, nor do I have the chapters planned out. I just sit down to write and the story creates itself as I go with very loose ideas. That being said, bear with me if I get to the point that it's a bit more than weekly updates.
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In Saving You, I Saved Myself