Affliction

Snowflakes of milky white tendrils drifted upon the air as scissors gleamed beneath the fluorescent lighting, Inuyasha grimaced over the drastic decision, forcing himself to realize that it had only been hair and that it would eventually grow back. A gooey substance swirled through the mane shading it an obsidian colour; the hanyou hadn't been fond of such a tint, but straying as far as possible from the hair's original tincture was of the utmost importance. No longer had a field of ivory, with blues and greens, covered upon his head...it was now the same as the sky upon the midnight hour. Miniature discs that were nearly invisible clouded over once golden eyes now giving them an aquamarine hue which was heightened from the new change in Inuyasha's hair. Body decor -such as the eyebrow ring, the tongue ring, and any other piece of metal- had been removed, discarded. Mascaras and eyeliners, dog collars and spikers, all disposed of - even the plaid pants and combat boots. It had been the necessary steps towards recovering and gaining a new perspective of whom one really is...not what is expected of them due to status or standing. Inuyasha took a long, hard gander at himself in the mirror and once again didn't recognize the reflection glaring back at him. Not that it didn't suit him nor made him seem more "presentable", it made him feel not as complete as he had originally thought.

Remodelling one's appearance was one thing, restructuring the soul was completely different. Self-help pamphlets and audio tapes, therapy atleast twice a week, meditation...all alternatives to a more enriched life. But, until one can love themselves, they could never possibly love another and not matter the substances used in achieving such a feat it was ultimately up to the individual oneself in making such a change. Something Inuyasha was reluctant to follow through with; it hadn't been because their was a fear of change or a loss of missing out on something, it was simply fear of the unknown where rejection often laid. Glancing away from the mirror and the unrecognizable figure within the reflection, the hanyou scowled at the self-help kits scattered about. He had almost felt embarrassed by it as if he was unable to cure himself without help from such aides. Inuyasha's expression softened as azure orbs caught notice of the clock upon the endtable - it was nearing time for work. Since his "holiday" from the band, the half-breed had found himself a job as a teaching assistant for a middle school in the area of music; just because he was no longer a punk rocker, didn't mean he would completely snub out the truest thing the hanyou had everknown. Being around children and seeing the world through their eyes had made Inuyasha grateful for the life granted him, made him realize that the world hadn't been such a horrible place after all. And though he would never admit to it outloud, it made Inuyasha yearn for children of his own sometime in the future.

Where leather pants had once been adorned now resided a creamy shade of khaki-esque pants, the metal band shirt now replaced by a cashmere and velour buttondown; Inuyasha mentally shuddered as the image engraved into his mind. If only Sesshomaru could see him now. Wincing from such a thought, the hanyou scolded himself verbally, reminding his being that thinking or even speaking his brother's name was forbidden - or so his therapist continuously reminded him. Inuyasha be damned, for no matter how hard that hanyou tried he simply could not erase Sesshomaru, even though the youkai was the bane of his world. Gelling the ebony locks into a spiked mass, the tips curled upwards slightly earning a frown of disapproval. Even styled, the hanyou's hair was unruly...

Golden orbs thinned as Sesshomaru blankly stared at his sibling's name listed beneath the music instruction selection of the directory. As a snarl wrenched upon refined lips from the laughter of children. Sesshomaru loathed children...Rin had been a rare exception. He viewed them as some disease carrier for they hardly kept clean, a source of swindling money from you for ridiculous things, and they were a burden in general. Widening his gait as he walked into the foyer, Sesshomaru refused to come into contact with such creatures; he would rather bathe in acid with a razor blade. Whimsical sounds floated and swirled among the shell of a pointed ear as the youkai neared the music room, the snarl reforming into a blatant mask of disgust. Peering into the classroom, a brow lofted as Sesshomaru observed Inuyasha interacting with a student. Although his appearance was different, his scent would never change. There had be something else that differentiated Inuyasha from before, he seemed...happy.

Shoulders slouched forward in minor defeat as Sesshomaru steered his glance away feeling dirty for his reason surrounding his debute. It was selfish of him to think that Inuyasha would continue to be an emotional wreck, an entity searching out someone to be it's savior. Pivoting to make an exit, Sesshomaru was brought to a halt as a hand latched gingerly upon a hip, a body caressing his side. Aquamarine orbs wandered curiously into golden ones as Inuyasha drew closer to the sibling; the hanyou hadn't been convinced that this wasn't a mirage. Rotating to face the younger demon, Sesshomaru could only respond with a frigid glare.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you again as well, Inuyasha."

"Heh. What the fleck do you want? Come to gawk and poke fun? If that's the case, leave...now."

A breath hitched within Sesshomaru's breastbone causing a petty twinge of discomfort while the youkai ingested the backlash from the younger sibling. Palming against the trinket box tumbling around in the pocket of his jacket, a hesitant thought trampled through the purebred's mind. Easily he could continue to be inert concerning his emotions that revolved around Inuyasha or take initiative to do what must be done. Presenting the piece before the hanyou on an opened palm, Sesshomaru inclined his head toward the decorative box. Inuyasha's nostril crinkled while failing to see the amusement in the gift and shooed the elder's hand away.

"I want nothing from you."

"You may take the trinket box and discard it after I leave. Atleast be civil enough to accept it first."

"Anything to get you the hell out of here."

Clutching the jewelled case, Inuyasha's knuckles paled from the tightening of his grasp. It would be a lie if he suggested that he wasn't even a bit curious to the contents of the box, but he would never give Sesshomaru the pleasure of knowing such. Swallowing down what pride he had brought with him, Sesshomaru encircled the young demon and nudged his lips to the alcove of the fluffy ear. Moments passed and he had uttered no word nor sound, but the youkai just breathed long and heavy. Unfurling his fingers, Inuyasha trembled as a digit extended outward to trace along the jewelled ornaments that outlined the lid. Pushing against the latch, an almost inaudible chime sounded as the lid drew open.