Ears

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of his friends and Taptai has decided that after reading fox child that I look much better with a rosary and matching dogtag. If someone knows how to remove enchanted rosaries please help.


Golden eyes returned to the gray haired hanyou sleeping quietly under his tree. Closing them in anguish he felt the familiar urge burn in his belly, the humans in his group would be unable to detect the change in him and the young fox wouldn’t understand, but what would the other hanyou do when he began to sense his change. Opening his eyes as he reached his decision, he gently leapt down to stand by the cat-demon.

‘After this, he won’t want to stay with us anymore’

Coming to stand next to him, he nudged him not so gently with one clawed foot.

“Come on lazy cat- you said you wanted to train.”

To his satisfaction the cat stretched lazily then rolled to his feet, looking none too happy to have been awakened hours before sunrise. Looking up to see the form of his new master standing over him Taptai merely stood and stretched as he followed his new master to field far enough from the camp to not disturb the rest of the group.

‘Lazy cat, he won’t even last an hour with me, he’ll be crying to go home, then I want have to worry about dealing with him anymore’

Looking back to notice his apprentice stretching as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, Inuyasha couldn’t resist taunting him.

“What’s the matter, don’t tell me you need your beauty sleep.”

Reaching the clearing without a response, Inuyasha pulled his sword as he watched Taptai pull his belt from his waist and flipping it transformed it into a bo staff. Not waiting for preliminaries Inuyasha jumped up and swung his sword overhead in a vicious strike aiming straight for Taptai’s head. Grass green eyes locked on his in shock, then closed as Inuyasha brought his sword down, sending Taptai sprawling to the ground as he knocked him with the flat of his blade.

“Get up”

Watching Taptai struggle to his feet, Inuyasha couldn’t but resist a grimace. The blow he had just delivered would have killed a human, and he had to be feeling it but he still struggled to his feet, grasping his staff for support.

“What’s wrong, does the baby want to go home to his mama now?”

Watching for the moment the other hanyou looked back up to him, Inuyasha swept his feet from under him, sending him back to the ground.

“So, giving up yet?”

Pulling himself back to his knees, Taptai looked up to his new master, realizing now what his father had meant, none of his human trainers would have been like this. His thoughts were interrupted when a flash of pain burst through his side as Inuyasha sent him sprawling to the ground with another well placed kick.

“Just go home.”

Coming over to squat on his haunches in front of the prone cat-demon, Inuyasha grabbed his chin with his clawed hands, leaving small scratches as he brought their faces together.

“Give up, I know that you can’t cut it.”

Looking back up at the golden eyes in front of him, Taptai came to the realization that he would have to prove himself to his new master.

“Master, I will learn whatever you are willing to teach me.”

Inuyasha’s only response was a noncommittal Keh as he dropped Taptai’s face, then spun on him to attack again. This time Taptai had his staff in place to block, even if the blow sent him stumbling backwards.

For the next several hours the two hanyou faced off in the clearing, Inuyasha sending Taptai sprawling to the ground most of the time but Taptai also managing to block more of his attacks as the day progressed. Finally Taptai reached the point where he was blocking most of Inuyasha’s attacks, his greater speed enabling him to keep himself from the attacks, even if he could not respond yet.

Pulling back to glance at the sun which had now risen above the trees surrounding their clearing, Inuyasha called for a halt. Looking over his pupil he had to give him a grudging respect. Taptai was covered in dirt and from the way he was leaning on his staff he probably had a cracked rib or two, his face was almost black on one side from bruises and he shook slightly as he stood watching his new master, even now staying alert for another attack.

‘Good, maybe he has actually learned something’

“Come on, I think there’s a hot spring near here”

Turning he left, expecting Taptai to follow behind as he had been all yesterday, and sure enough he could hear the gray haired hanyou as he came to follow his master. Swiveling his ears back Inuyasha was slightly disturbed as he heard the cat-demon let out a clenched teeth hiss as the pain of movement wracked his body. Turning back with another scathing remark on his lips Inuyasha froze for a moment as he took in Taptai’s expression.

His ears were plastered to his head in obvious pain and his lower lip was bleeding where he had pierced it with a fang, obviously trying to hold in his pain. Inuyasha was at a loss as to why the other hanyou was putting himself through this torment.

“Why are you doing this, you obviously aren’t a warrior. What are you trying to prove?”

Taptai almost broke under his harsh gaze, as the pain of their training session crashed down on him. Why was he doing this? His father had sent him to train, but did that hold him here? As he thought his mind flashed to his friends in the village, the human children he had grown up with- now young men and women. His friends who despite their differences had always been there for him.

“I have someone I must protect, I will be strong for them.”

“Who, who could be worth this?”

“My village, I will learn to protect them just as you protect your friends.”

“I don’t protect them, I’m just travelling with them so I can get the shikon jewel and become a full demon.”

Having become decidedly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had headed, Inuyasha spun on his heel and resumed his trek to the hot spring, Taptai following painfully behind. What had the cat meant by his remarks? He wasn’t traveling with his group to protect them, they had just started following Kagome and him. Did Taptai actually believe that he would fit in somewhere if he could become strong enough? Didn’t he realize that hanyou’s would never belong anywhere, that they were despised just for being alive?

Inuyasha felt his mind running down familiar corridors as images of his past came unbidden to him. The loss and pain he had suffered at other’s hands merely because he was different, because he was a hanyou. He had become strong out of necessity, he had never given up even if he would never fit in either world of his parents.

Taptai though was different, he just seemed too- naive. Inuyasha was surprised the cat hanyou had even managed to survive long enough to find him. He fought just like so many of the humans he had defeated, stylistically perfect, his form could have come straight from a training manual- but face them with a real fighting situation and they couldn’t cope. Their textbook maneuvers placed them perfectly exposed to someone who knew what to look for, and knew how to counter their moves.

But still he found himself giving the other hanyou a measure of respect, he had not given up. He had even managed to defend himself despite the obvious pain he was in and had maybe even learned a little. Thinking back to the sight of the green eyed hanyou helpless on the ground before him he felt his thighs stir. It had felt good to dominate him- and Inuyasha knew why.

He was approaching the time of year that he hated the most, when the youkai in his body begin to cry out for him to take a mate and he was afraid. He knew he couldn’t ask Kagome about this, even though he wanted to so much but he could see he expression as he tried to explain, her contempt for him boiling to the surface as he explained his weakness, and the steps he would need to end it. No, it would be best if he didn’t tell her, or anyone, he would disappear again and only come back once his urges had returned to normal.

Reaching the hot spring, Inuyasha shrugged out of his clothes quickly letting out a small grunt as he raised his hands overhead.

‘Damn, he couldn’t harldy hit me, but I’m still sore. Guess I haven’t swung my sword around for that long since- well ever I guess’

Slipping into the warm waters he allowed a sigh to escape his lips as he felt his knotted muscles begin to relax under the warmth of the softly flowing spring. A soft moan brought his attention back up to Taptai, who was still working himself out of his robes. Inuyasha had to hold in a gasp as his eyes widened when he took in the now nude form of his servant. Taptai’s side and upper legs were a mass of black and blue marks with slowly weeping scratches covering the rest of his body from where he had landed. Averting his gaze as Taptai entered the spring Inuyasha began to feel slightly ashamed of himself, he knew that Taptai would heal easily enough, his demon blood would see to that, but he had some idea of just how much pain he would be in to be so badly bruised up.

‘No wonder my arms are sore, I’m surprised he’s still standing.’

Two clawed hands reaching onto his shoulders brought Inuyasha out of his reverie, tensing momentarily he was surprised when the hands began a smooth strong massage of his neck, helping him relax.

“Um, Taptai- what are you doing?”

“Sorry master, I thought you would enjoy this after the morning’s exercise.”

Feeling the hands pull away from him Inuyasha reached up and held one of Taptai’s hands in place with his own. Wondering at his own reactions to this touch, and even why would Taptai do this for him after he had almost beat him to a pulp, Inuyasha turned to peer straight into the other’s green eyes.

“Why?”

Pulling away at his question, Inuyasha stopped Taptai as he placed a clawed hand under his chin, pulling their faces together.

“Why didn’t you give up? Why are you treating me like this?”

Inuyasha knew his heat was coming on, but it shouldn’t be evident yet. Confusion simmered in his mind as he tried to reconcile his conflicting needs. His body called for hind to take the green eyed hanyou, his nearness calling to him but his mind knew that he was only interested in him because of his upcoming heat, right?

“Master, I am sorry, I thought that you would enjoy my touch, I did not intend to offend you.”

“My name’s Inuyasha”

“Master?”

Placing a finger gently over Taptai’s lips, Inuyasha leaned in as he felt his fear and his minds concerns melt away in the innocent green eyes locked uncertainly on his. Leaning back as he placed Taptai’s hand on his neck Inuyasha knew he could take the gray haired hanyou now- satisfy his need but in this, like in all things he refused to give up. Pushing his demon side down he muttered.

“I want you to call me Inuyasha, not master, ok?”

Sensing the fear coming from the hanyou behind him Inuyasha reached a clawed hand back up as he worked to negate his fear.

“Nothings wrong, I just think you’ve earned the right for us to be on less formal terms.”

Hoping that this was a good sign, Taptai begin in earnest to attack the tension in Inuyasha’s neck and back his strong hands turning the other hanyou into a happy puddle under him. He could sense the tension melt away from his friend, as well as something else just bubbling under the surface. Working his way forward he tentatively started on Inuyasha’s pecs and abs but pulled away when he felt the muscles tense under his touch.

“No, please- don’t stop it felt- good.”

Placing his hands back on Inuyashas toned stomach Taptai started to work the muscles underneath in small circles while Inuyasha laid his head back on Taptai’s shoulder. Pulling a hand away he reached up and begin to work one of his own favorite spots, gently kneading the base of Inuyasha’s ear. He was greeted by a soft moan from the dog boy’s lips as Inuyasha gently moved his rear backward, brushing against Taptai’s semi-erect member and bringing it to full hardness.

“Master- I’m sorry- I didn’t”

Taptai’s words were cut off as Inuyasha reached one hand up to caress Taptai’s ear while his other hand guided Taptai’s to cover his own pulsing member.

“Hush, it’s ok- I’m enjoying it too”

Unsure of quite what he was expected, but hoping that at the least if he could get Inuyasha into good spirits he would be a little easier on him in the next training session, Taptai began to gently stroke the inu’s manhood while massaging the ear still in his hand. Soft whimpers coming from Inuyasha’s helped convince Taptai that he had chosen the proper action for his master.

The sound of snapping twig brought both hanyou out of their pleasurable reverie as they turned to find the smirking face of the monk.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

Quickly rising from the water with a very irritated growl Inuyasha jumped out of the clearing barely even taking time to grab his clothes as he yelled at the monk.

“What’s your problem monk!”

Taking in the retreating form of his friend with a raised eyebrow, Miroku turned back to Taptai as he started to remove his robes.

“Mind if I join you?”

Looking up to see an almost nude Miroku Taptai shrugged, it didn’t seem like his permission was really needed by the monk anyway. Leaning back to rest his head, Taptai tried to sort through the conflicting needs running through his mind. Why had Inuyasha allowed himself to be touched like that, Taptai had no problem with being with a guy, actually that had all he had ever been with, but Inuyasha was a dog and had seemed to be less than happy with him during the training. And then there was the training, even with his demon powers he could tell he was lucky to still be standing, so why was he treating the dog nicely, surely he didn’t have to offer him the massage. Luckily Taptai’s confused thoughts were brought to a halt as Miroku settled himself into the same spot that Inuyasha had recently been occupying, his rear gently brushing against Taptai’s rapidly enlarging shaft.

“I am sorry for any disturbance my appearance may have caused, but would like to know if I could get some of the same treatment you were giving Inuyasha?”

Taptai’s wide eyes and incoherent stuttering prompted Miroku to continue with a smile.

“That’s ok- I understand if that was something special between you and Inuyasha.”

“No- I mean yes- uh, I we had been sparring and Inuyasha had said he was sore and so I had and then, and I was just giving him a massage.”

Glancing over his shoulder to take in the sputtering hanyou Miroku had to bite his lip to hold in a chuckle. As much as the two hanyou may resemble each other in appearance their demeaners were almost exact opposites. The gray haired hanyou behind him had drooped his ears, his frustration painfully evident in his posture. Leaning in closer Miroku breathed gently in one of the furred ears, delighted to watch it flick in response.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind some of your “Massage” for myself, if that’s ok with you.”

Glancing back at the smiling monk, Taptai thought over what Shippo had told him of the overly amorous holy man. Letting a smile creep into his features he brought his eyes up to lock with the violet ones waiting for a response. Yes, he had been beaten today by Inuyasha, and he was upset over his actions earlier and their unresolved issues, but he was not going to just let this perverted ningen just walk all over him. Leaning forward he took one of the monks ears in his mouth, nipping the lobe just hard enough to draw blood.

“So monk, do you really think you could handle one of my massages, you are only human, after all.”

Miroku quickly realized that his little jest may have just backfired on him as he felt two strong hands grasp his neck then begin to slowly work at the strings of muscle underneath.

“You know you don’t have to do this you know.”

“It’s ok monk, but there is a price I will ask of you.”

Feeling his spirits droop as thoughts of the unintended mess he had placed himself firmly in, Miroku begin to hope that maybe Inuyasha would come and save him from this hentai hanyou, who would have ever thought that the lecher monk would be hung by his own petard, so to speak.

“I want you to tell me everything you know of Inuyasha.”

Feeling hope spring to his heart, Miroku relaxed into Taptai’s talented hands as he told the hanyou everything he knew of the dog-demon.