Salvation

Disclaimer~don’t own any Inuyasha characters, do own Roko, Kaichi, Kayto, and any others.

Inuyasha felt like he was floating, unable to move and unable to speak. He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear anything. It was silent, peaceful, alluring. He felt like he could stay in this magical place forever, the tranquility was what he had been seeking for what felt like an eternity. There was no pain...nothing to worry about. But something felt...wrong. Something wasn’t right. He was forgetting something important...something-

“Kaichi!” Inuyasha exclaimed. He sat bolt upright, but he immediately regretted it. Searing pain shot up his back from the sudden motion and he cried out loudly in pain. As soon as he opened his mouth, two strong hands gripped his shoulders and pushed him back onto the furry bed he had been laying on. He cracked his eyes open to see what was pushing him back onto the source of his indescribable agony. For a moment, he couldn’t see anything, only bright dancing lights. Then they slowly disappeared and the face of his elder brother appeared in their place.

“Sesh...” he whispered, his vocal chords were nearly spent from all of the yelling and screaming. Inuyasha swallowed dryly and tried again as he lay back on the surprisingly soft fur.
“Sesshomaru, what are...?”
“Quiet,” the Lord replied firmly. His golden eyes studied his injured brother as he carefully rearranged the fur so Inuyasha would be off the ground but still as comfortable as he could be. “Your chords will rupture if you continue to abuse them. So do us all a favor and remain silent.”
Inuyasha glared as best he could at the older inu-yokai. He didn’t trust him. Something was wrong with this whole scenario. Then he remembered.
“Where’s...Kaichi...?” he whispered. Sesshomaru’s eyes found his. Inuyasha watched his eyes travel to a place by the fire where both of their sons were. Roko was holding Kaichi gently, cradling his head to his chest. Alarm shot through the injured demon and he once again attempted to sit up. Once again, his brother’s strong hands pressed him back.
“Kai-” he began softly.
“Is fine. He only has minor injuries.” he explained coldly. “He awoke an hour ago. Roko has been with him ever since. He’s merely sleeping.” Inuyasha’s eyes found Sesshomaru’s again and he just stared at him.
‘What the Hell is he doing?’ he thought. ‘He’s acting like he wants me to get better. The bastard shouda’ left by now.’
Sesshomaru sat back where he had been before his younger brother had sat up screaming. He turned his cold, golden eyes back to the fire he had built. His claws reeked of sick blood and skin, it would take days to completely wash the disgusting filth off.
“Your back will take months to heal. I hope your helpless son isn’t the only source of protection you can depend on.” he remarked coldly. There was no hint of care or concern in his smooth voice.
“No...” Inuyasha whispered tiredly. “I’ll be fine...I can take care-“
”Yes, you’ve more than shown that.” the elder retorted. He continued to keep his cold gaze concentrated on the glowing fire. The sun had set, leaving the fire their only source of light...

“Oh shit...” Inuyasha whispered. There was genuine fear in his voice. Sesshomaru now looked down at the hanyou. Inuyasha was looking up at the pitch black sky, only dotted with brightly glittering stars.
“The moon...”he whispered, more to himself than his brother. “It’s the new moon tonight...” Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes, and why is that such a concern?” he inquired, not really interested in the half-breed’s superstitious ways. As he saw his brother become paler, though, he turned his head to watch him.
“I’m going to die...”he whispered. Inuyasha’s eyes fluttered close as he sank back into the fur he was bedded on. “Shit...I’m gonna...die.”
“What are you going on about whelp?” he asked, now curious. The yokai was obviously convinced he was going to die, which at this rate he wasn’t. Sesshomaru was curious as to why he was so sure of this, even though he seemed to be healing just find. He also wanted to know what the moon had to do with it.

“You’ve...never seen me...during the new moon...have you?”
“I try to see none of you, if I can help it.” he retorted, now annoyed. He caught the scent of fear which was beginning to radiate off the injured demon.
“I...during the new moon, I begin....” he winced and shuddered in pain. Sesshomaru blinked as he watched him. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks, as unlikely as that was, but he could have sworn he just saw Inuyasha’s silver hair dim to a shade of gray. “Oh shit, here it comes!” he yelled. Inuyasha tossed his head back and let out a long, pain-filled cry. Sesshomaru started as the hair, once identical to his own, turned as black as the night sky. The inu-ears disappeared to be replaced by common human ears on the sides of his head.
“What..?” he muttered quietly, too stunned to do say or do anything else. His brother’s yell rose quickly to a scream as his transformation completed. His back arched and his head tilted back. He was clearly in pure agony.
Sesshomaru snapped out of his trance as the scream rose to a painful volume for his sensitive yokai ears. He grabbed the writhing human and clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling the scream.
“Shut up!” he roared over the scream. Inuyasha opened his tear-filled eyes to look at his brother. Instead of seeing mirror images of his own, Sesshomaru now looked into dark brown orbs instead of the melted gold he was so used to. The shock quickly disappeared and he focused on silencing the horrible muffled screams.
Inuyasha watched as his brother let go of his mouth and sharply stood. He shut his eyes against the searing agony, feeling himself beginning to blackout. He could hear his scream beginning to die away as he slipped away from the world. Distantly, he thought he could hear a sword being drawn from its scabbard.
‘Thank God,’ he thought absently. ‘He’s ending it for me. No more pain, no more pain, no...more...pain...’ His will to live had died when he had become human for the new moon. The pain was too much. He had experienced plenty of it in his life, but nothing to this degree. It was just too much.
Suddenly, he felt that same warm, almost pleasure-like sensation come sweeping across himself. It started at his shoulder and descended down to his hip. Then the pain ebbed away, leaving him exhausted and deprived of all energy.
“Ten...saiga?” the human whispered out. He couldn’t find the strength to open even one eye to look at Sesshomaru.
“Yes,” came the cold, almost disgusted reply. “Worthless.” Inuyasha didn’t know if he was talking about the sword or himself, but he really didn’t care at the moment. He was just so happy that the excruciating pain was gone.
Strong hands gripped his shoulders and pushed him off of the furry shoulder wrap he had been laying on. He grunted as his face met the dusty ground.
“What...?”
“I can’t sully up my clothing with human scent.” It was a colder, angrier voice than the one he had been listening to. “I’ve ruined it already with hanyou blood.”
“Sesh...” His dull finger nails clawed the earth as he tried to pull himself up. All he managed to do was bend his tired arms, but he had no strength to sit up.
“A human during the new moon. Shame I did not learn of this ages ago, it would have made killing you so much easier.” he all but spat out. “What a waste of my time.”
Inuyasha wanted to scream at him, to point out that he had ‘wasted his time’ protecting Rin for so many years, to point out that he had just saved his life when he could have ended it much easier. All of this and so much more he wanted to scream at him. He wanted to hit him, claw at him, kill him. But he had no energy. Every breath was a struggle, staying conscious in itself was a miracle, he knew he was on the verge of blacking out totally. It would only be...a matter...

Sesshomaru heard the human’s breath even out and deepen slightly from where he lay on the dirt. He turned away from the crumpled form to gaze at his son. Roko was watching, still holding Kaichi who had merely stirred during all of the commotion. His son was watching him, simply waiting to see what he would do next.
“He will live, unfortunately.” the Lord explained. Roko’s eyes flickered down to the sleeping boy in his arms. Kaichi looked restless in his sleep.
“What about him? What if his father does not awaken for some time?” he asked quietly. Sesshomaru knew what he was really asking, he knew the boy too well.
“You may take care of him. But do not touch Inuyasha,” he warned. Roko nodded obediently, he knew better than to question his father, especially when he was in such a foul mood. He shifted his gaze back down to his sleeping ward. Kaichi’s beautiful face was even softer and serene when he slept. But today, he was not sleeping well. His dreams were filled with troubled thoughts. No wonder, he was thrown against a tree by the strongest demon alive.
Roko bent to place a soft kiss on Kaichi’s forehead. The action seemed to soothe him, for his face softened slightly. He began stroking his cheek gently, trying to further calm him.
“Roko...”he whispered in his sleep. A smile tugged at the corners of the young Lord’s mouth.
“Yes, it’s me.” he murmured. “I’m not letting go. I’m right here.” Without even realizing it, he held his lover tighter against himself. His protective instinct over the boy told him to hold on and never let go. “I love you, Kaichi.” he whispered.
“You had better mean that.” came a soft reply. Kaichi’s eyes slowly opened and his sapphire blue eyes met Roko’s molten gold ones. “Cause if you don’t, I’m not gonna be happ-“
He was never given the chance to finish the sentence as Roko’s head snapped down to kiss him. Kaichi melted against him and kissed back passionately, his arm slipping around his protector’s neck to hold him there. After a long while, they reluctantly broke away from each other. Roko was the first to speak.
“I do. I love you Kaichi.” the Prince said softly. “I would die for you without a second thought. I would do anything to see that beautiful smile you grace me with. I would have you happy until your dying day. I would do all that and so much more for you. I love you.” he declared softly. Kaichi stared at him for some time before he smiled warmly.
“Ditto,” he replied simply. Roko laughed gently and held him all the closer. Kaichi sat up and leaned against his chest. Then he stiffened suddenly and straightened up abruptly.
“My father, where is he?” he asked in alarm. Roko glanced over to the human he had seen his father toss off of his wrap.
‘Could that human possibly be his father?’ he thought. True, he did look like Kaichi, but he was half human. There was no way...
Kaichi followed his gaze. He gasped at seeing his father both human and unconscious.
“Father!” he cried out. He shot to his feet and rushed over to the crumpled form on the ground. He swayed slightly, light-headed from his meeting with the tree, but steadied and knelt beside the human. Inuyasha’s now black hair hid his face from view as he lay face down in the dirt. Kaichi gently rolled him over and brushed the hair away.
“Don’t touch him,” came a cold, dangerous voice from behind. Kaichi whipped he head around to gaze at the demon that had thrown him against the tree and attacked his father. He shot to his feet.
Sesshomaru’s silver hair played gently in the breeze as he calmly watched the boy take a protective stance over Inuyasha’s form. His expensive silks pressed against him with the wind, giving him the appearance of moving when he was actually standing perfectly still.
“You attacked us! You’ve hurt my father and myself! Who the Hell are you?!” he shouted. It suddenly dawned on him that this demon looked remarkably like Roko. They had to be the same species of demon.