Annexation and Surrender

Title: Annexation and Surrender
Author: Reyn
Rating: If you’re underage, you shouldn’t be reading this.
Disclaimer: I have little to no interest in Inuyasha. No money being gained here.
Warnings: Not NEARLY as much action as previous chapters.
Author’s Note: A little post-orgasmic bliss to bring you all down from your highs XD

My writing was also all over the place while working on this, so if it shows, I'm sorry.

Conclusion

Sesshomaru watched calmly as his little brother attempted to hit a tree with a stick a good 20 meters away.

The two had been together for nearly three years, and little had changed since that fateful bath under the waterfall.

Inuyasha still kept to a distance of ten meters when they traveled, he never spoke up to keep conversation or ask questions, and during cold nights, Sesshomaru would have to physically remove the boy from his trees so that they could sleep together to avoid the chill.

But…

There were times the young hanyou would cautiously approach his older brother, a blush splashed across his cheeks and a pleading look in his eyes.

Sesshomaru didn’t know what it was about this look that heated his blood and aroused his senses. He would only manage to keep control long enough to reach out and allow Inuyasha to come to him the rest of the way before something inside of him would snap and devour the pleading boy until the both of them were on the verge of collapse, no longer fully conscious.

The full-blooded inu would never initiate these moments, nor would he attempt to cause such opportunities to rise. He was proud of the power he held over his libido and would be perfectly content if the pup were little more than a wandering companion.

However, over the past few days, his half-sized ‘wandering companion’ had increased his ten meter distance to nearly thirty.

Figuring Inuyasha was growing weary, Sesshomaru chose a field to stop and rest in.

But rather than stagger into the clearing and plop over like Sesshomaru half expected, Inuyasha instead took to exploring the area, sniffing about, and climbing random trees only to hop right down. Really, didn’t this kid understand the concept of gathering one’s strength?

Apparently not, as Sesshomaru observed his little brother give up on attempting to climb one of the trees in favor of running past him to retrieve a fallen branch.

Inuyasha made no move to make eye contact as he hurried by again, carrying the branch over his shoulder on some obvious mission.

The older demon did not mind such behavior. If anything, it was better this way; to hold no pretense of emotional closeness between them. It would make their inevitable separation that much easier.

But when that time came, would they really be able to leave one another behind?

Sesshomaru was no fool, and had long since realized how he had come to rely on Inuyasha’s presence always being there, be it close behind him or by his side. But how did the young demon see things? Was Sesshomaru little more than a mother to the pup?

During the past year, no lessons had been taught, no fighting or hunting skills learned – was Sesshomaru unintentionally making so that Inuyasha would have no choice but to stay by his side as they grew older if he were to have any hope of survival?

Their father would not be happy with such a thing if he were still alive.

Then again, if the old man were still around, Sesshomaru probably wouldn’t be in this predicament in the first place.

He wouldn’t be making periodic love to such a small body, he wouldn’t be sitting here now, contemplating his need to keep his brother by his side…

The demon was interrupted by his thoughts as Inuyasha went streaking across his line of sight on all fours, in quite a hurry.

Blinking, Sesshomaru looked over to where the hanyou had been only moments before under a tree, to see the broken branch that had previously been carried passed, as well as a fallen bee hive, currently being circled by an angry swarm.

Looking back over to the young boy, Sesshomaru then noticed that he was in fact being chased by what was probably the rest of the hive.

That’s why he had fallen behind these past few days? Because he was sulking over a sweet tooth craving?

Sighing, Sesshomaru stood and began walking over to the panicking boy, calling out to him with an arm stretched out, offering safety.

Needing no further incentive, Inuyasha made a sharp turn and ran towards his caretaker, diving into his awaiting arms and burying his head in the pale neck as the older demon banished the evil insects away.

As soon as the buzzing noise was gone, Inuyasha looked behind him to confirm his enemy had indeed been vanquished. He then swiveled his head around to glare at the man holding him, as if the attack had been his fault in the first place.

Sesshomaru’s brow raised. “Is there something you would like to say, Little One?”

White ears flattened as the pup’s gaze lowered, feeling momentarily ashamed over his sudden boldness. Small hands reached out almost hesitantly to rest against Sesshomaru’s cheeks.

“I…I want to know how to fight them myself. I want…” Inuyasha muttered, eyes remaining lowered in submission as he scowled, glancing over to the side defiantly as he mustered up the courage to look his caretaker in the eye for his request. “I want you to teach me.”

A part of Sesshomaru was frozen in shock, not realizing the day he had only just been pondering over would come so immediately.

True, this step in life would be essential to his brother’s survival, but was Sesshomaru ready for such a thing?

Was he ready to take the first step back and watch as the one presence he had come to rely on so steadily in his life continued to grow further and further away with each new conquest over a defeated enemy?

For surely, those skills would induce the same cockiness Sesshomaru had encountered when he was younger, driving him and his father more and more apart until he had decided to leave and see what the world had to offer when no one was there to watch his back and shelter him from the harsh reality.

It had been a rush, acting out in defiance with what he had been taught and carving his own path. Would he be able to tolerate such insolence in turn from the hanyou?

And not only that, but to teach Inuyasha would mean to breach into their past – the history of not only the inu clan, but of their common blood and father as well. How would the young boy react to such information?

Recovering only as he took in the pleading features before him, Sesshomaru knew the beginning of this new journey could only start with the first step. Smiling softly, he acquiesced. “As you wish, little brother.”

Large golden eyes widened in surprise as Inuyasha digested this bit of information before grinning happily and leaning forward, closing the gap between them.

A small tongue brushed against the corner of Sesshomaru’s mouth in thanks, followed by a cheekful of nuzzling as Inuyasha’s arms returned around his neck and his cuddling form began to shift about a bit more provocatively than before, stoking the fires of unbidden lust within the older demon once again.

Perhaps he wouldn’t have to let go so soon after all…

Owari.