Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Fraternal	By : BlackberryPatch Category: InuYasha > Yaoi - Male/Male > InuYasha/Sessh?maru > InuYasha/Sessh?maru Views: 23079 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 7
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8
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Learning

The night was grey around the horizon as the demon knelt before the one he called lord, his forehead touching the ground. The rustling and soft chattering of an army sounded from behind him; a sense of unease rose from them- they did not enjoy seeing their own lord kowtowing to another. Particularly this other...

Baikal stood tall, a slender silhouette against the not quite black sky. "Oh stop whining and groveling, Chernobog. You are useless to me. I'd remove you if I thought your army would be at all loyal to me." His voice was casual and offhand, as if he was discussing a change in the weather rather than the possible end of his subordinate's life.
"My lord," Chernobog bowed one last time before rising to a kneeling position before Baikal. "You discredit them. My army fights for you as it does for me."
Baikal snorted. "They fight for you as they did for your mother. Not for me. Ah well, it can't be helped." The demon flexed long, clawed fingers as he narrowed his eyes at Chernobog. "I hope you have given up on any foolish thoughts that Ros might come back to you. She is a traitor, and must be dealt with immediately if you ever set eyes on her again."
"Yes, my lord," was Chernobog's flat reply.
Baikal grinned; tapping his claws against Chernobog's cheek he suddenly grabbed the other demon by the chin and pulled his face closer. He scanned the depths of Chernobog's eyes, searching for something. He seemed to find it, for he released the other demon and gave a satisfied smile. "Now, to plan for the attack. Your battalions are ready?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Very good."

--

Inuyasha blinked himself slowly awake. He momentarily forgot where he was; the soft bedding beneath him was like nothing else he could remember ever having slept on. But a quick inhalation and the scent of Sesshomaru filled his nose, and he turned slightly to look over at his brother, pale predawn light drifting in through the window. He'd rolled away from Sesshomaru slightly during the course of the night to wake up sprawled face down across the bed. In comparison, Sesshomaru had barely moved at all; he still lay on his side, his arms before him where they had been wrapped around his brother. Inuyasha looked at him for a long time, taking in every detail he could of his brother, reposed in the dim light. His face, relaxed in sleep, still looked remote but was somehow... softer. The marks where Inuyasha had clawed him were faded and almost gone, his demon healing having made short work of the cuts. His skin looked soft, like velvet draped over the hardness that was the muscles beneath it. Inuyasha reached out a hand and touched his brother lightly on the cheek, allowing his fingers to slide across the skin until they cupped that cheek. Sesshomaru's breath was soft against the underside of his wrist and his eyes twitched under his lids as he turned toward Inuyasha slightly. He seemed to be dreaming, and as Inuyasha watched he could tell from the change in his brother's scent that it was not a good dream. Sesshomaru snarled softly and the skin around his eyes tightened as he fought whatever dream assailant disturbed him, but then he turned his face more toward Inuyasha's hand and Inuyasha was certain he heard his name in the stifled whine that escaped Sesshomaru's lips.

"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha called, taking his brother's shoulder and shaking him. "It's a dream. Wake up."

--

It was Her. She was there again, tormenting him, and Inuyasha was crouched beside him. And it was just like it had been, except that she ordered him to touch his brother and it struck Sesshomaru that he had two arms when he reached out to the half breed. But he couldn't resist her any more than he had been able to before, and he reached out to run a hand down Inuyasha's side. His brother's eyes were empathetic and Sesshomaru thought he could read them better than he ever had before. "I forgot," they said, "I forgot that there are things which overcome strength." Sesshomaru frowned; no, those had been his words. Inuyasha met his advances without any prompting needed, and that was when she laughed darkly and told Sesshomaru to kill his brother.

"No," the demon thought, but he was already obeying her and his hands were wrapped around Inuyasha's throat. "No!" he protested again, his eyes flashing dangerously as he fought her harder than he ever had before. Dammit, HE was going to kill Inuyasha, and not because some stupid bitch told him to... And he turned to look at her and she wore his mother's face.

"Kill him," his mother said, calling to him softly. "He is your father's betrayal. Kill him." Sesshomaru stared at her. He wanted to comply, he wanted to resist... but it didn't matter what he wanted because he was doing it anyway, his long fingers tightening around his brother's throat, Inuyasha gasping soundlessly, his eyes red and insolent, his claws wrapped around Sesshomaru's wrists defiantly. "Kill him," his mother said again, her voice smooth and hypnotic. "Kill him."

"Inuyasha..." The scent of his brother filled him, and Sesshomaru thought that that, perhaps, was what decided him. He couldn't smell his mother anywhere, and he remembered her scent so well...

"No," he said, calmly, defiantly, and he tore his hands from his brother's throat.

The action jerked him awake to find Inuyasha, hand on his shoulder, leaning over him concernedly. "Sesshomaru?" he said, and the demon responded by bowling him over and burying his face against the half breed's neck.

"Inuyasha," he said, inhaling deeply. Yes, this scent...

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha reached a hand up and touched his brother's shoulder worriedly. "What's the matter?"

Sesshomaru raised his head and looked at Inuyasha. "Nothing," he said, but Inuyasha's eyes darkened.

"Something's wrong," Inuyasha insisted. "I can smell it on you."

The demon turned away slightly. Inuyasha growled warningly, reaching up to grab a handful of Sesshomaru's hair and pull his brother's face close to his.

"Nothing is wrong," Sesshomaru said flatly. "It was a dream... so, nothing is wrong." Inuyasha searched his face, but released his hold and turned away from his brother. Sesshomaru sighed and rested his face on Inuyasha's shoulder. Turning slightly, he kissed his way down across the half breed's back. "Come with me."

Inuyasha looked at him, ears still flattened in ill humor. "Where?"

In response, Sesshomaru rose and tossed him a light robe, pulling one around himself and slipping out a narrow door near the head of the bed. Grumbling to himself, Inuyasha dressed and followed after his brother.

Behind the door was an even narrower staircase that lead up steeply and sharply to the left. Following it for awhile, Inuyasha found himself coming around one last bend to find a door before him that lead out to the side of the mountain, to a small balcony carved into the stone. The balcony faced due east and the sun was rising swiftly in the uninterrupted sky. Blinking at the light, Inuyasha came to the edge of the balcony and stood beside Sesshomaru as they watched the sun rise impatiently over the horizon as if it could no longer wait to fill the sky. Colors changed across the sky, from dark purple to red and blazing orange to soft blue.

"She told me to kill you."

Inuyasha glanced over at his brother, startled for a moment but then realizing that Sesshomaru must be speaking of his dream. And there was no need to ask who he meant by She- there was only one thing in the world that both of them referred to in that tone of voice. He stayed silent, waiting for Sesshomaru to continue.

"When I looked again she was my mother. She also told me to kill you."

Inuyasha stopped breathing for a moment as his eyes rested on his brother. He was suddenly aware of how very far away the ground was, and even more intensely aware of how much Sesshomaru respected his mother... "And?" he prompted, his tone surprisingly indifferent, when Sesshomaru didn't continue.

The demon looked over at him. "You woke me up," he said impassively. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at his brother, but Sesshomaru continued, softly, "I could smell you. You were there... She wasn't."

Inuyasha nodded, turning to watch the sunrise. He felt warm, and he was fairly certain it wasn't just from the sunlight. He glanced over to find Sesshomaru watching him. He flattened his ears and looked away, trying not to blush. "Well no wonder, I probably stink to the heavens." He sniffed derisively. "And you're not much better," he confided to his glowering brother.

"Charming as ever," Sesshomaru muttered. He reached over to snag Inuyasha by the back of the neck and roughly guided him back into the narrow passageway that had led them up to this sun-porch. Inuyasha growled at his brother half-heartedly, ducking out from under his hand to run lightly back down the stairs to the bedroom before turning to look at Sesshomaru. The demon had followed after him and now preceded him, leading him down another set of stairs which brought them to a cool stone chamber with high windows that faced west. A depression in the middle of the chamber was filled with clear water, its source becoming obvious as Inuyasha picked up the sound of running water and glanced over to see the water entering the chamber from an underground stream on one side and departing the same way from the other side of the pool. Sesshomaru shed the robe he had been wearing and walked into the pool; Inuyasha didn't hesitate before following suit.

The water was surprisingly warm. Inuyasha ducked his head under the surface and came up shaking water all over. Sesshomaru glowered at him, then tackled his brother and shoved him back under. Inuyasha retaliated by kicking the demon's legs out from under him and they both collapsed in a heap, going under the water. Coughing up water, Inuyasha pulled himself half out of the water, pausing a moment to catch his breath. He glared over at his brother, the effect somewhat lessened by his current state of tousled dampness. Sesshomaru merely smirked, sliding further into the water to move closer to Inuyasha, and took a hold of his brother's leg, pulling his body against him. The half breed turned to face his brother, leaning up against him, his legs coming to rest lightly wrapped around Sesshomaru's hips and his arms draped over the demon's shoulders. Sesshomaru looked at him deeply, tracing his fingers back along Inuyasha's muscular arms until his hands reached the main portion of his brother's body. Taking Inuyasha by the shoulders, he leaned the half breed back until his head touched the water, then he proceeded to work his fingers through Inuyasha's hair. Inuyasha's eyes closed in bliss as he felt his brother's fingers massaging his scalp and he lay back, floating on the water.

Several minutes later, Sesshomaru's fingers slid down over Inuyasha's shoulders, still kneading the skin, working at the muscles underneath. The half breed peered at his brother from under half-closed lids, but didn't react as the hands started moving down over his chest; however, when they paused and his brother rubbed his thumbs over taut nipples, Inuyasha inhaled deeply, his legs tightening their grip on Sesshomaru's hips and his spine arching, pressing his body into his brother's touch. He caught Sesshomaru's half-smirk from under his half-closed lids, as the demon slid his right hand down to lay it gently against Inuyasha's stomach. The left one trailed over to the side, sliding down over to the small of Inuyasha's back to match its partner and they held the half breed between them.

Feeling Inuyasha's warmth between his hands, the half breed's scent filling his nose, Sesshomaru closed his eyes. His right hand drifted downward as he traced the lines of his brother's body as if committing them to memory. He could feel Inuyasha watching him, and he heard the half breed's sharp intake of breath as his wandering fingers stroked against his brother's length. He explored with probing fingers, feeling Inuyasha's body respond to his touch as he passed over the stiffening length to rub his fingers against the skin underneath and the sac there. Cracking his eyes open, Sesshomaru looked down at his brother. Inuyasha's breathing had quickened and he watched Sesshomaru almost warily from slitted eyes. Moving his right hand back around to join his left one on the half breed's back, Sesshomaru slid them both down to cup Inuyasha's ass. He lifted his brother's body up by the pelvis, Inuyasha half-instinctively wrapping his legs around Sesshomaru's arms and shoulders for balance as his head and torso fell back over Sesshomaru's hands and his hair dangled in the water, so that the half breed's groin was displayed before his brother like a dish. The demon pressed his lips to the inside of Inuyasha's thigh, dispelling the scent of unease he could feel start to radiate from the half breed, and then turned his head to lick his way up the edge of his brother's length, stopping to blow a soft breath over the sensitive skin.

Inuyasha shuddered, a gasping moan escaping from him as his hands clutched convulsively, searching for something to hold onto. He was amazingly helpless in the position he was in now; the thought entered his brain that should Sesshomaru wish to reinstate their feud at this moment he could disembowel his opponent before Inuyasha could possibly make a strike. But, Inuyasha thought, why would he think such a thing? He knew Sesshomaru better than that, and the way he had come to know him in these most recent days proved to him what he had always known about his brother- he was strong, in body but most especially in his principles. Even supposing the demon still harbored the desire to eliminate his brother, he would not attack someone to whom he had offered the sanctuary of his home. Inuyasha shuddered again as his brother's tongue darted over his skin, as if tasting him in preparation for a meal. And, indeed, after the tongue seemed to have touched every part of his groin, Inuyasha felt it retreat and warm lips swallow him whole.

Inuyasha thrust up against that warmth, but the violence of his motion almost unseated him so he merely hung from his brother's hands and moaned as Sesshomaru swirled his tongue around Inuyasha's flesh and swallowed experimentally. But the half breed couldn't take it for long; one moan turned into a growl of exertion as he tensed his muscles and pulled his body upright so that he leaned over his brother. Sesshomaru's grip faltered and he started to drop his brother, but Inuyasha's legs clamped down around Sesshomaru's body, pinning his arms to his side. Sesshomaru glared at the half breed and blew on his erection in annoyance. Inuyasha growled; grabbing Sesshomaru by the hair he pulled the demon's head back. Eyes narrowed in irritation, Sesshomaru made the mistake of opening his mouth to form a protest, and Inuyasha plunged his tongue in roughly as Sesshomaru tried to free his arms.

Growling deep in his throat, Sesshomaru deliberately folded his legs, sending them both splashing into the water as the demon tried to regain the upper hand. Inuyasha, seeing an opening, took it, and, releasing Sesshomaru, maintaining only his grip on the demon's hair, kicked his brother in the stomach to keep him under the water while Inuyasha switched his position, straddling his brother from behind. Sesshomaru arced up out of the water snarling, reaching behind him to grab at Inuyasha but the half breed stuck to him like a burr. The demon glanced over his shoulder, still snarling, but Inuyasha only reached up and licked at the side of his brother's neck. Sesshomaru froze; he closed his eyes and the defiance seemed to melt out of his frame as Inuyasha nibbled softly at his ear. He sighed softly, turning toward Inuyasha, and the half breed kissed the side of his mouth before easing the grip of his legs around Sesshomaru's stomach and sliding down so that his aching erection was closer to the demon's entrance. Sesshomaru leaned forward, bracing himself against the side of the pool, as Inuyasha nudged his legs farther apart and slid hands along the cleft of his ass, spreading him, easing the half breed's entrance. His eyes slipping closed as he reveled in the sensation of his brother inside of him, Sesshomaru felt Inuyasha's hands stroking his back before the half breed reached forward to wrap slender fingers around Sesshomaru's stirring length.

The demon reared back against his brother's body, pushing Inuyasha more firmly into him, and reached a hand back to tangle it in the half breed's damp hair. Inuyasha was licking his ear lightly, tracing the edge of it up to the tip then blowing gently on the sensitive skin, and Sesshomaru shivered, growling softly at the sensation, turning toward his brother who ran his tongue over Sesshomaru's cheek, tracing the stripes there. Sesshomaru turned further, trying to look at his brother. Inuyasha, leaning on the demon's shoulder, reached a hand up and traced the crescent on Sesshomaru's forehead with the tip of one clawed finger. The demon shivered again and leaned closer to Inuyasha, pressing eager lips against his brother's mouth, as if searching for something.

Inuyasha broke off the kiss, leaning back slightly to search Sesshomaru's face. He moved against his brother; at Sesshomaru's expression of pleasure he dropped his head and trailed kisses across the demon's shoulder. He flicked Sesshomaru's long hair to the side and kneaded the muscles of his back with one hand, the other resuming its interrupted work of stroking his length as he continued to move against the demon who shivered under his touch. The pair moved slowly, languidly, without much of the fire that had marked their previous encounters. Rather than concentrating on achieving a goal, Inuyasha focused on simply touching his brother, feeling his body and the way it moved, the muscles twitching under the skin of his back. He thrust against Sesshomaru, stroking him from underneath as well. The demon growled low in his throat in response; Inuyasha's hand against his brother's back could feel the sound vibrating through his body.

Sesshomaru leaned back against Inuyasha, reaching his hands back to grasp his brother by the hips and pull him closer. Inuyasha quickened his pace, his longing becoming more focused, the water rippling away from them as both their bodies moved faster. As if they had somehow planned the move, Inuyasha released his brother's length and lifted one hand to run his claws lightly over the soft skin of Sesshomaru's stomach while raising the other to brush it along his chest until his thumb stroked over a nipple and caused Sesshomaru to shiver again, while at the same time Sesshomaru's hand came around to replace Inuyasha's on his length, his other hand sliding over the half breed's thigh to the small of his back where his fingers stroked down across Inuyasha's ass in rhythm to his thrusting, and the demon's head laid back softly on his brother's shoulder.

Inuyasha turned his face toward his brother's neck; his ears were pinned back flat with the strength of his desire as a deep growling moan leaked out from between bared teeth that he pressed to the side of Sesshomaru's neck. Something was building in him, something different than the usual heat of passion such activities caused, and he needed some release... He opened his mouth, the points of his fangs touching against the smooth skin of his brother's throat. And suddenly he felt Sesshomaru's hand in his hair, pulling his face down and to the side, guiding his fangs to the fleshy junction of neck and shoulder, and Inuyasha bit him there, hard. The half breed heard Sesshomaru snarl, the sound full of desire, and the demon's body bucked up against him as the fingers of Sesshomaru's other hand tightened in Inuyasha's hair. Inuyasha's own ferocity surprised him; his desire had always seemed fueled by a sort of aggression, but he had never lost control of it so completely. His brother didn't seem to be at all surprised; in fact, the hand in Inuyasha's hair released him to drop down and dig claws into the half-breed's thigh as the demon moaned in longing. Inuyasha's eyes flashed and he bit down harder, thrusting faster and harder, the need for completion almost driving him crazy. And, with one final thrust, he came, the tension mounting and then releasing, pouring out of him, so suddenly it left him shaking.

Moaning softly, Sesshomaru felt his brother come, but he felt his own climax still outside his reach. He growled, his fingers tightening around his throbbing length as he sought to partake of his own release. He felt Inuyasha's hands suddenly, over his, then drifting down to grab his balls, twisting and squeezing mischievously, Sesshomaru's blood on his lips as he turned to kiss his brother under the chin. Thrusting into his hand one last time, the demon came with a wild scream of triumph and desire, his body a rigid arc of muscle as his seed poured into the water.

They were both breathing hard as they collapsed sideways into the water, lying half in and half out on the bank of the pool. Inuyasha raised a hand to touch the back of his brother's neck softly before turning his head and gently licking the blood from the bite marks he had made. When he was finished, Sesshomaru turned toward him and kissed his lips tenderly before pulling the half breed up out of the water to sit on the bank so that he could reach the wounds he had made, licking his tongue healingly over the jagged claw marks in Inuyasha's thigh. Inuyasha rested his hands on Sesshomaru's head and his brother turned to look up at him, smiling softly.

"What was that?" Inuyasha said, glancing down at his brother apprehensively. "I wanted to hurt you."

"That is normal," Sesshomaru responded, his voice just as low as Inuyasha's had been. "It is your instincts. Desire is linked to the hunt. Strong desire demands blood."

A speculative look crossed Inuyasha's face. "So, you think Dad ever bit..." He realized who he was talking to and dropped his eyes, flattening his ears, before continuing, "...my mom?"

"He probably bit his own arm, to protect her from the full force of his need."

The half breed glanced up at his brother. "You think so?" he said softly. He cleared his throat. "What about your mom?"

Sesshomaru grinned, a distinctly feral expression. "She bit him right back." Inuyasha grinned as well. "Come," Sesshomaru said. He rinsed off in the pool then gathered up his robe from where he had dropped it and pulled it around him before heading back to the bedchamber.

Inuyasha followed him. Exchanging the lighter robes for slightly heavier, and more comfortable, yukata, Inuyasha glanced at his and Sesshomaru's clothes lying on the floor. "Your clothes will be cleaned," Sesshomaru said, noticing his glance.
"Yeah, don't you have servants around here to do stuff for you?" Inuyasha questioned distractedly as he tried to pull his fingers through a knot in his hair.

"Some. Since I am not much in residence, I do not keep many servants. Jaken will have informed them of our arrival by now." Sesshomaru sniffed the air experimentally. "Indeed, I believe that would be breakfast."

Inuyasha sniffed too. "Yeah. Smells good." He frowned at his hair; that was the last time he let Sesshomaru mess with it if this was the outcome...

Sesshomaru came up behind him and touched his shoulder. "Come," he said, motioning Inuyasha to sit on the edge of the bed. After he did, Sesshomaru went over to a dressing table and lifted a long silver comb from its surface. He glanced at it hesitantly, then turned resolutely and, going to Inuyasha, began to pull it through his hair. The stubborn knots seemed to part like magic for its slender silver teeth, and when Sesshomaru was finished Inuyasha turned and looked at the instrument with interest.

"Wow, that thing works really well." He looked up at his brother, an ear flicking at an irritating dust mote.

Sesshomaru looked down at the comb, his eyes following the intricate pattern of flowers and leaves etched into its surface; a pattern he had memorized centuries ago. "It was my mother's."

Inuyasha was silent. After a moment, he reached out to take the comb from his brother and motioned for Sesshomaru to turn around and sit before him on the bed. Kneeling on the bed behind his brother, Inuyasha reached the comb out and drew it through his brother's hair. Sesshomaru closed his eyes. He sat still as Inuyasha brushed out his hair, and hundreds of years seemed to slip away and he could almost forget who and where he was, and he was a child again and the woman laughed, humming that familiar tune softly as she combed through his hair...

Sesshomaru opened his eyes and realized he could hear humming. No... it was singing, but so muffled he could make out only the tune, not the words. The tune was intimately familiar to him, for all that he had not heard it in centuries. His mother had loved that tune, had claimed it was a particular favorite of her family. Her family... Ros. He frowned. It must be Ros singing.

Inuyasha drew the comb through Sesshomaru's long hair one last time. "There," he said to no one and for no reason in particular. Sesshomaru started softly, as if he had been elsewhere during the process, but he turned and looked at his brother, his eyes warm. He raised a hand and placed it against the half breed's chest, feeling his heart beating. Inuyasha was so slender, so delicate looking... but so strong. Much like Sesshomaru himself. It was their father's strength. He looked up at his brother.

"Come," he said again. "After breakfast, I will show you around."

Inuyasha grinned and nodded.

--

"Well, what do you think?" Ros sat down and took a long drink. Her throat was parched after that last song- it was a long one.

"Truly you have a lovely voice, lady!" Jaken gazed at her approvingly. "And your choice of songs is beautiful as well."

"They are old songs, sung often by my family and the people of my lands." She was wistful a moment, thinking of her brother. "It is difficult- I have been with Chernobog, at his side for as long as I can remember. I feel... unfinished without him."

"I feel the same about Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken confided. "Without him there to dedicate my service to, I am incomplete. But, surely Lord Sesshomaru also commands your loyalty. He is also of your family. You said before that your father was more important to you than your mother. Should not then his family be more important to you?"

"True," she admitted. "But my father died a long time ago. Chern has always been there for me." She frowned thoughtfully. "Father taught me that last song. He said it was a favorite of his sister's."

Jaken paused, glancing around to make sure his lord was not present, then leaned closer to Ros. "What do you know of my lord's mother? He does not speak of her much."

Ros smiled. "I did not know my aunt personally. I have been told that she was a most gracious woman, but with a temper like a summer storm- wild and intense while it lasted, but the sun was never long gone from her eyes. Also, she loved music but she had absolutely no voice for singing. My father said she had married well and that she truly loved her husband, but he spoke little of his sister; by the time I was born, she had already passed on."

Jaken nodded. "She sounds to have been a most remarkable woman. Truly a fitting mother for one such as Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Indeed," a voice said flatly from the doorway. The pair lingering over breakfast jumped slightly and turned to find the last subject of their discussion standing in the doorway, Inuyasha to one side of him, arms folded, smirking slightly.

Torn slightly between attempting to smack that smirk off of that damn half breed's insolent face or prostrating himself before his lord in apology for a perceived offence in discussing his reverenced mother in such a casual way, Jaken chose the more familiar road. "Forgive me Lord Sesshomaru!" He jumped down from his chair and ran to his lord. "I did not mean to discuss your dear mother in such a careless manner!"

"Jaken," Sesshomaru said, effectively cutting off any further self-denouncing diatribe, "where is Rin?"

"She is still abed, my lord," the demon answered him. "I believe she was more tired from the journey than even she suspected."

Sesshomaru nodded, letting his eyes drift to Ros. She bowed her head to him- acknowledging the lord of the house, but making no further obeisance. Jaken narrowed his eyes at that, but his lord did not seem perturbed. In fact, Lord Sesshomaru seemed to have been surrounding himself with exceptionally rude creatures of late... Jaken caught himself glaring at Inuyasha's back as the half breed moved past him to get food from the table and quickly glanced over to see if Lord Sesshomaru had noticed. He appeared not to have, but then his lord often knew things Jaken didn't think he could... Jaken excused himself from the room, saying was going to check on Rin. Sesshomaru barely glanced up as he left. On his way to check on the girl- he would never lie to his lord- Jaken had a few thoughts to reconcile.

Sesshomaru hated his brother. Had hated him, had been trying to kill him, for as long as Jaken had been in his lord's service. But that appeared to no longer be the case; not only had Ros confirmed it after Sesshomaru's surprising invitation of his until recently despised brother to his home, but the pair had been together every moment since they had arrived. Jaken had hated Inuyasha for so long, on his lord's behalf, that it was almost unthinkable to be living under the same roof as the half breed. But by inviting Inuyasha into his home, Sesshomaru had effectively ended his blood feud with his
brother. Jaken tried to think about Inuyasha not in terms of trying to find ways to steal the Tetsusaiga or kill him, and found it nearly impossible. It was such a sudden change in his lordship's manner... what had caused it?? Jaken wasn't sure. Perhaps Lord Sesshomaru was sick?? That was next to unthinkable. His lord was never ill. And he did not appear to be adversely affected by anything...

Come to think of it, Jaken suddenly remembered Sesshomaru's restiveness of the past several months. He hadn't said anything, but he had been slightly worried about his lord. He never slept, that Jaken saw, and his temper had been even shorter than usual. But then one day he had disappeared for over a week and when he had returned he had Inuyasha and Ros with him. And he looked... better. He no longer looked as if he hadn't slept in years or as if he might kill every living creature in a mile radius at the slightest of provocation. He looked... more at peace with himself. Was this Inuyasha's doing? Somehow... whatever had caused the reforging of their brotherly bond had also given Sesshomaru something, some connection that he could not find elsewhere and which he had needed desperately. Jaken frowned; it was going to be difficult, reforming his entire thought process concerning that despised half breed... that was to say, Inuyasha. But he was going to have to do it, for his lord.

Decision resolutely made, Jaken glanced up and noticed his surroundings for the first time. Lost deep in his thoughts, his feet, having no conscious instructions, had lead him to the highest part of the fortress, and he was standing on the top of the mountain, looking out over the vast countryside and nothing between him and a rather long drop. Blinking curiously to himself, Jaken turned to go back inside.

"Well, well, and what have we here?"

The small demon turned around to find himself face to face- or rather, face to shin- with an extremely terrifying looking demon; it was bald and its skin was shriveled, but it moved with strength. "W-who are you?" Jaken demanded, somewhat shakily. "What business do you have, trespassing in the domain of Lord Sesshomaru?" He gathered courage as he invoked his lord's name.

The creature laughed. "Tell your lord that I have no respect for his reign. Oh, wait..." His eyes narrowed cruelly. "I had another message for you to deliver. One that does not require your speech."

He reached out a hand, and Jaken shivered, putting his hands out in front of his automatically as if he held the Staff of Two Heads, but he remembered, too late, that the Staff was in his chambers and would do him no good here. He closed his eyes and the only thought in his mind was, Lord Sesshomaru...

Something grabbed him by the back of the neck and suddenly he was pulled against a body as a loud snarling filled his ears. His eyes snapped open to see it was Inuyasha who had grabbed him. "Baikal," the half breed snarled, his ears flattened and his fangs bared to the root. He pushed Jaken behind him protectively. "Sesshomaru told me about you."
"Indeed? And where is 'his lordship'?" Baikal inquired mockingly. He jumped at Inuyasha, the half breed avoiding the blow. But that had been only a test, and Baikal lunged again, catching Inuyasha square across the jaw, sending him flying backwards to smash into the wall, his shoulder hitting the stone with a sickening thud. He sat up slowly, shaking his head. Jaken shrieked in warning as Baikal swiftly closed again, intent on finishing his opponent, but as the demon raised his arm to strike the half breed, it came down across a shining arc and the impact resounded with a familiar clang. Baikal hissed in displeasure, but Sesshomaru was not impressed; his eyes were red and his fangs bared as he twisted Toukijin around and brought it in an arc to remove Baikal's head. Baikal blocked the blow with his arm, as Toukijin had blocked his own blow at Inuyasha, and he darted away. "Now is not the time, 'great one.' But soon, very soon," he taunted as he disappeared.
Sesshomaru stared after him, growling under his breath. He glanced at Inuyasha but the half breed was picking himself up from where he had fallen, and so Sesshomaru shifted his gaze to his underling. "Jaken?" he asked.
Jaken froze. Was Lord Sesshomaru... inquiring as to his well-being? He smiled broadly. "I am well my lord." He glanced over at the rather disheveled looking half breed. "Inuyasha protected me," he said, some of his amazement creeping into his voice.
"Feh, yeah only cause I hate his ugly mug worse than yours," Inuyasha grumbled, wincing as he rolled a bruised shoulder in its socket and turned to go back inside.
Jaken stared after him. A pebble clunked against the side of his head. He glanced up at Sesshomaru, startled, but his lord did not appear to have moved from where he stood looking after the departed Baikal.
"He will most likely return," Sesshomaru said softly, almost to himself. "I will seek him out first." He glanced at Jaken. "Stay with Rin."
"Yes, my lord." Jaken bowed.

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