Brother My Brother

It was deep into the night before
Inuyasha returned to the storehouse. He had gone to the forest to look
for herbs he remembered Kagome using on fevers before, though it had
taken him longer than he had liked considering it was dark and he
really had no idea of what he was looking for. He stepped quietly into
the storehouse and found his brother laying exactly where he had left
him. He moved to Sesshomaru’s side and set the bouquet of herbs on the
floor as he placed a hand to the demon’s forehead.

“Still warm,” he said quietly. He reached for the bowl of water that
Kikyo had given him before, but drew his hand back when he felt
something pinch the base of his neck. His hand slapped his neck and he
heard  a faint grunt. He removed his hand and the small form of
Myoga the flea fell to the floor before him.

“Well Myoga, what brings you here?” Inuyasha asked, raising an eyebrow
at the small insect.

“My greetings, Lord Inuyasha,” Myoga said as he stood up. “I sensed
that something was amiss and came to investigate it myself. It appears
that indeed there is something strange here.” He jumped from the floor
to land on Inuyasha’s shoulder and looked down at Sesshomaru’s
motionless form. “Is it possible that Lord Inuyasha and Lord Sesshomaru
have come to pleasant terms with one another?”

Inuyasha watched his brother’s ragged breathing. “Looks that way,” he
replied. “Myoga, he’s sick. He was poisoned by a possessed centipede
demon. What am I supposed to do?”

Myoga regarded Sesshomaru curiously. “Poisoned by a centipede demon?
That does not sound like it should have had such an effect on one such
as Lord Sesshomaru.”

“Tell me about it,” Inuyasha said, dipping the rag Kikyo had left into
the water. “I don’t understand it. He shouldn’t be this sick.” He laid
the rag on Sesshomaru’s forehead, seeing his brother cringe slightly at
the cold contact. “Why the hell is he so sick?”

Myoga examined the demon carefully, then leapt from Inuyasha’s shoulder
onto Sesshomaru’s chest. “My lord, where is the fabled healing sword?
The Tenseiga?”

Inuyasha pressed the wet cloth to his brother’s forehead. “It was
stolen. Naraku has it now.”

“Oh my, that’s not good at all,” Myoga said, shaking his head. “With
that sword, Naraku might be protected against offensive attacks, just
as Lord Sesshomaru was once protected against your Wind Scar.”

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. “I know.”

“That’s it, my lord!” Myoga exclaimed, leaping into the air.

“What’s it?” Inuyasha inquired, turning to look at him.

“The Tenseiga! Lord Sesshomaru’s body must be used to counting on the
Tenseiga’s powers to heal itself. Without it, his body must once again
learn how to heal on its own. That’s why Lord Sesshomaru is as ill as
he is.”

“I get it,” Inuyasha said, turning to look at Sesshomaru again. “His
body isn’t used to healing on its own so it’s taking longer than it
normally would for him to recover.” He stood up, placing a hand on the
helm of Tetsusaiga. “Well, in that case it seems that I gotta get his
sword back myself.”

“But Master Inuyasha, didn’t you say that Naraku had stolen the
Tenseiga?” Myoga questioned. “You cannot go and face Naraku alone.”

Inuyasha eyed him. “What else am I supposed to do? Sit here and do
nothing while Sesshomaru suffers?”

“No, instead you should remain here and care for Lord Sesshomaru until
he recovers,” Myoga replied.

Inuyasha looked down at his brother. “I was hoping you could take over
in that department for me.”

“Me? Why me?” Myoga questioned. “My lord, I don’t think that would be
such a wise decision.”

“Inu… Inuyasha…” Sesshomaru had opened one eye and was reaching with a
trembling had toward his younger brother. “Don’t… Don’t you dare think
about facing Naraku alone. I will recover from this and you and I shall
face him together.”

“Sesshomaru.” Inuyasha dropped to his knees at the demon’s side. “Don’t
talk. Save your strength.”

The demon closed his eye as Inuyasha took his brother’s hand in his.
The hanyou felt Sesshomaru’s fingers wrap tightly around his hand.

“I will not allow you to do something so reckless and dangerous,”
Sesshomaru went on. “Otherwise you’ll get yourself killed. Besides, I…”
He lowered his voice and turned his head away.

“You what?” Inuyasha inquired.

Sesshomaru’s grip tightened slightly. “I need you here.”

A moment passed before Inuyasha was able to convince himself of what he
had heard. Then a slight smile spread across the hanyou’s face as he
squeezed his brother’s hand.

“Okay,” Inuyasha said. “Okay, I’ll stay with you.”

The tight grip Sesshomaru had on his brother’s hand lessened as he
slowly drifted off to sleep. Inuyasha remained at his side, every so
often dipping the cloth into the bowl of water beside him. Myoga
perched himself on the half demon’s shoulder to watch the proceedings.
It was early morning before Sesshomaru awoke again, hesitantly opening
his glowing golden orbs. Inuyasha let out a silent sigh of relief.

“How’re you feeling?” the hanyou asked.

“Improved,” Sesshomaru replied.

“Good,” Inuyasha said. He offered a bowl filled with fresh water to
him. “Thirsty?”

Sesshomaru pushed himself into a sitting position and nodded slowly.
“Yes, thank you.” He took the bowl from his brother and drank it.
Inuyasha watched him drink the very last of it, then took the bowl b as as Sesshomaru stretched his stiff muscles.

“How long till you’re back to full strength?” Inuyasha inquired.

“Soon,” Sesshomaru replied. “Tomorrow, the next day at the very latest.”

“Then we’ll hunt down Naraku?”

“Yes,” the demon acknowledged. “Then we’ll hunt down Naraku. Together.”
He leaned back and returned to a laying position on the bed. As
Inuyasha watched him, he closed his eyes and settled back down on the
pillow. Yawning, Inuyasha laid his head on his brother’s chest, using
him as his own pillow before drifting off to sleep.