Sesshoumaru Wept

The Art Of War

In spite of Sesshoumaru's sense of urgency, he fell into a hard sleep on Fukinmaru's lap. The elder had Kagome fetch spring water, and he carefully cleaned the blood from himself and the sleeping lord. When his task was done, he bid all who were going to follow them to the West to pack and be ready for the journey-haste was of the utmost importance. Because InuYasha's pack were used to setting up and breaking down camp quickly, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kagome were ready faster than Fukinmaru anticipated, earning them a pleased nod. When everything the demons had brought was packed, Fukinmaru holding Sesshoumaru, Ah-Uhn with Jakken, and Kirara carrying the humans and Shippou took to the sky. InuYasha leapt after them with Kagome on his back.

"I am sorry, InuYasha," Kagome said as they followed the silver cloud trails from Fukinmaru.

"I know," he said, turning his head so she could hear him.

Kagome threw her arms around his neck, smiling like a fool. "I will make it up to you!"

InuYasha choked and she quickly loosened her grip with a muttered 'sorry.'

"S'alright, wench," he muttered, smirking and showing an ivory colored fang. "Just... listen to me next time, okay?"

"Okay," Kagome replied, sharing a smile with him. She glanced up as InuYasha's elder brothers flew by overhead and distractedly asked: "Do you know where the Western Castle is located?"

InuYasha snorted. "Of course I do. Any and all inu demons know where it's located. Even 'filthy hanyou' like myself."

"Don't call yourself that!" she growled at him. "You are amazing, InuYasha."

"It's no more than what Sesshoumaru thinks of me," he sighed.

She leaned closely to his ear. "What if he's telling you the truth?"

His ear flicked back as her warm breath caressed the soft fur. It took him a moment to collect himself to formulate an answer due to his cock's reaction to her breasts pressed against his back when she leaned forward. He growled, then cleared his throat.

"If he's telling the truth and my memories aren't accurate... I-I don't know."

Kagome hugged him as best she could while he ran. "If he's telling the truth, it means Kikyou has lied to you."

She could feel the sadness rolling off of him and regretted speaking of Kikyou for his sake. Her heart lifted when she heard a mournful "I know" come from him. Quickly thinking of a way to distract him from the misery she'd just caused, she pressed herself closely to him again and giggled. He gave her a questioning look.

"Well, if you know where the castle is, we can't let your brothers beat us there," she said conspiratorially.

InuYasha grinned back at her, picking up speed.

From above, Fukinmaru smiled at the interaction between InuYasha and his young bitch. He wasn't a dog to eavesdrop-it was far below his station to do so. However, when Sesshoumaru's name was mentioned, he couldn't help but listen more closely, and he found himself pleased with the way she handled the pup. And with the way InuYasha's body reacted to her, Fukinmaru determined he would speak with Sesshoumaru about mating her as well. It would please the young male, of that he was sure. Fukinmaru's face grew serious when he glanced at his burden. Sesshoumaru was pale and sweat was beading on his skin, a worrisome situation considering he was supposed to have demonic healing abilities. Though he recalled a letter wherein Sesshoumaru explained his body no longer healed at a typical demon's speed, Fukinmaru didn't realize how bad it actually was for the lord. Leave it to Sesshoumaru to understate a problem, he thought irritably, looking down into Sesshoumaru's sickly pale face. A feeling of dread welled in Fukinmaru's chest as his younger brother's breathing got shallow.

The younger alpha male began to thrash and struggle suddenly in his arms. Fukinmaru fell from the sky, catching himself only when they were mere feet above ground to land smoothly. In a flash, Sesshoumaru leapt from his arms, landing on his hands and knees, panting in the dirt as the group of humans quickly circled, concerned. Fukinmaru was wary as Sesshoumaru thrashed and clawed at the ground in pain, his luminous golden eyes now blood red. With his two moko, he pressed the humans back behind his own body, just in case...

Sesshoumaru stopped fighting, and his head snapped up as the most ungodly howl tore from within. The sound of ripping flesh and clothing had the humans turning their eyes from him. InuYasha watched in morbid fascination as the Lord of the West, who never would utter a sound of pain, howled as if he were being tortured. Tears of blood rolled down his pale cheeks, and it seemed as if something were crawling around beneath his clothing. InuYasha was about to take a step forward when Sesshoumaru's haori ripped apart, his back a writhing mass as his skin stretched taut in unnatural ways.

Silence descended. It was only a moment, but a moment InuYasha would relieve in nightmares for years to come-the culmination of stark terror that he was losing Sesshoumaru and the deep fear of being alone. Their eyes met for the briefest heartbeat before the full demon all but exploded into his true form, waves of youkai billowing outward like a spiritual tsunami, bowling over ancient trees and large boulders. The monstrous white dog threw his head back and howled, a great and terrible sound that had the humans and lesser demons cowering behind the rather pleased-looking Fukinmaru. As the echo of his cry died, the demon dog's head swayed back and forth, as if looking for something or someone, staggered and collapsed onto his side. The furred body began to shrink and contort, forcing the animalistic form back into Sesshoumaru's humanoid shape.

Only when Fukinmaru approached the lord's prone, bloodied body and gently began cleaning him off did InuYasha realized a second moko had grown from Sesshoumaru's left shoulder. The new moko shivered and shook the bits of flesh and blood off of itself without conscious effort from Sesshoumaru. Fukinmaru glanced at InuYasha's approached and smirked.

"It would seem our Sesshoumaru has finally grown up."

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Hideyoshi couldn't believe his luck. Sons of Touga who were more than happy to betray their kin to further his agenda! Hiding his rising excitement from his face and soldiers (but not from the sensitive noses of the three inuyoukai), he nodded casually.

"I see," he replied to the larger male's explanation. Hideyoshi glanced around the lip of the valley, and the inuyoukai felt a distinct change in the air, one the non-magical humans would never have sensed. The lesser alpha, tucked behind his alpha mate, smirked wickedly.

"Come and let us speak of our alliance," the human said and turned.

A heartbeat too late, Hideyoshi felt the rising aura of foreign demons, and the sky was suddenly lit up with streaks of glowing pink arrows. They rained unerringly down on his sorcerers, whose soldier uniforms didn't fool the miko with the weapons. Each fell dead without so much as a whimper escaping. Sayoko felt the chaotic auras rise around her, and then the scent of Haku, the younger, less dominant twin, and his venom. In moments, she was free. Her mind returned but the bloodlust was thrumming deeply inside. She lifted her head, scenting the wind. Her mind recognized the males who were formerly her pups: Haku, Kon... pack. She turned and attacked the wall of human soldiers rushing the three dogs.

"You should have trusted your intuition, human," Kon snarled. He took a defensive stance, stretching out his arms and releasing two venom whips from either of his fingertips.

The first flick of his wrists contacted with a number of soldiers. Heads and upper torsos fell to the ground with little blood as the burning green whips cauterized the wounds before they could ooze red. The scene played out so quickly, it took the soldiers and Hideyoshi several shocked moments to comprehend they were being attacked. Haku joined in with his own whip, and Sayoko ploughed through the mass of human flesh as the army scattered in abject terror. Kon walked slowly toward Hideyoshi, his two mokomoko rising behind him like scorpion tails, poised to strike.

"To think we would betray our pack for you is the height of arrogance," Kon's harsh voice raked over the Daimyou. "And it will be the last of your sins against this country and its people."

Kon punctuated his statement by impaling two men on either side of Hideyoshi with his moko. They coughed up blood, gurgling and sputtering, tainting the pristine white fur with streaks of red. He tossed them casually over his shoulders, and they fell hard, the crunch of bones causing Hideyoshi's face to turn green from the morbid sound. Their eyes met. Hideyoshi shook his head-in denial of his fate or in supplication to the enraged god of war standing before him, it was not known. His head separated from his body as Kon's whip sliced cleanly through his flesh and bone.

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InuYasha couldn't stop staring. If Sesshoumaru was beautiful before his maturation, he was positively ethereal now. His hair hadn't grown but it was more... more... more what? he thought. Shinier? Thicker? He sighed to himself. Even the bastard's scent was more rich somehow, more enticing. Since his transformation, Sesshoumaru had gone around without a haori since his old ones wouldn't fit, and his hakama were closer to his knees than his ankles. And he'd never seen Sesshoumaru without shoes! He never thought clawed toes could be so... attractive. However, the real issue for InuYasha was the inability to look away from his elder brother's muscular chest and the four dark magenta stripes on either side of his body. They originated from one large stripe down his spine and wrapped around his rib cage, following the line of his body, all pointing downward diagonally on his stomach. InuYasha couldn't recall ever seeing so many vibrant markings on one single demon, which could only mean one thing: Sesshoumaru was one highly venomous motherfucker.

InuYasha contemplated this as he sat distanced from the group. It had been less than a day since Sesshoumaru's maturation, and InuYasha couldn't concentrate on anything but the large inu's form caressed by the flames of the small bonfire in the middle of camp. He was jarred out of his thoughts by Shippou's small body hopping into his lap. The kit turned around once and settled in to listen to Fukinmaru's stories. They watched the group's responses to the dreadlocked dog, and InuYasha marveled at the way Fukinmaru seemed to be able to put all of the humans at ease with his boyish half-smile and tales of countries and people so very far away. InuYasha glanced across the fire to see Sesshoumaru's unwavering, intense gaze on him. It sent a shock of awareness through his body and soul, and he looked down quickly, not able to withstand the stark possession he saw there. InuYasha handed the kit to Kagome, earning a curious look from her as he disappeared into the underbrush.

InuYasha's emotions were running riot. His heart was beating painfully, and he was aware of every thorn scratch and nettle burn on his skin as he bolted. Thunder rolled in the background, and it began to drizzle. InuYasha ignored the budding storm and continued running. He felt himself being pursued, which fueled the adrenaline dump in his body, and he leapt, clearing the canopy of ancient trees. He knew it was dangerous to be out from the shelter of the trees in a thunderstorm but didn't care-his heart was aching, and he didn't know how to stop it. He expected to be overtaken quickly but it didn't happen. The pursuer was simply following and not attempting to attack or overrun him. As the rain began to pour, a rage boiled in InuYasha the deeper they went into the forest until he needed to face the demon. He leapt one last time and flipped so he was looking back the way he came, his naked feet leaving long skid marks in the mud. He pulled Tessaiga and waited. His breath hitched as Sesshoumaru calmly walked out of the darkness like a shining white deity.

"What do you want, bastard?" he snapped, holding white-knuckled to the transformed fang.

Sesshoumaru held his hands up slowly, a gesture of peace. "I wanted to see if you were alright."

"Yeah? Why the hell do you care?"

"InuYasha-"

"You know something, I don't care," the boy interrupted. "I can't trust anything you say!"

Sesshoumaru felt as if he'd been struck and was surprised when InuYasha swung the sword at him. He jumped backwards, out of the way of the blade.

"InuYasha, I didn't come here to fight!" he entreated as the young male took another running swing at him, forcing him to retreat again.

"Of course you did!" he hissed, swinging wildly. "All you ever DO is fight with me! So draw your damned sword and FIGHT me, you son of a bitch!"

Sesshoumaru had a mere moment to decide what to do, and he followed his instincts. He knelt in the mud and rain, opened his arms to InuYasha and bared his throat. The action stopped InuYasha where he stood, recognizing the submission in the gesture.

"What are you doing?"

"If you need to kill me pup, I can do no less than allow it," Sesshoumaru explained, his voice neutral.

InuYasha's harsh breathing was muffled by the storm around them. They stared at each other, Sesshoumaru attempting to communicate through his body language what InuYasha would not hear him say. He knew he'd won this round when InuYasha lowered the sword, rested the blade on the ground. Sesshoumaru's gut clenched. The pup appeared so very young and so very lost. Without thinking, he stood and pulled him into a tight embrace. InuYasha resisted, his body tense, but when his skin met Sesshoumaru's, he realized he was cold. The warmth of the elder was a siren song, and he melted into Sesshoumaru's arms and moko.

They could have remained entwined for minutes or hours: the embrace seemed suspended in space and time. When the need for connection had passed, the brothers walked back to camp. InuYasha's arms remained around Sesshoumaru's waist, needing the physical touch. Sesshoumaru's arm gently held him close. At camp, Sesshoumaru wouldn't release InuYasha and curled around him on one of Kagome's sleeping bags laid out under an enchantment protecting the surrounding area from the rain. Shippou peered over Miroku's shoulder, rubbing his eyes sleepily. When he saw Sesshoumaru and InuYasha, he stepped on Miroku's face-earning a muffled "ooof!" from the monk-for leverage to get to the brothers. As soon as he was curled up with them, Fukinmaru also lay down behind InuYasha and added his warmth and moko to the familial pile. For the first time in InuYasha's memory, he fell asleep with the scent of pack heavily in his nose.