Salvation

Disclaimer~don’t own any Inuyasha original characters, do own the others.

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 the human,” 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 more 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 his 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.
“Kaichi,” came his lover’s soft voice. Kaichi dared not look away from the threat in front of him. He chanced a glance at Roko.
“Yeah?”
“He’s...my father,” was the soft reply. Now he looked at him fully. It clicked. They looked so much alike because they were father and son. His blue eyes widened at the realization.
“Well then why did he attack us?!” he all but shouted out. Sesshomaru glanced at the human between the boys legs.
Sesshomaru merely looked away, deeming the boy not worthy of an answer. Since Roko had no answer, he stayed silent.
“Why did you attack us?! Answer me!” he shouted. Sesshomaru turned a dangerous gaze upon him. Kaichi’s eyes widened slightly in fear, but he quickly narrowed them in a challenge.
“He is my worthless half-brother. He needs to die.” the powerful demon said quietly. Both of the young one’s eyes widened and they looked at him in disbelief. Kaichi’s narrowed quickly, once again.
“So...you would attack your own blood?!” he spat “How low. What has my father done to you? I’ve never even seen you before.”
“Do you wonder why?” he replied cooly, unaffected by the outbursts. He narrowed his golden eyes at the boy.
“’Cause...he’s...an ass...” Inuyasha’s strained and soft voice came. All eyes shot to the mass of black hair that was slowly rising. Tear tracks were clearly visible in the dust on his face. He sat up with considerable effort, his face etched with pain, and faced his brother. His labored breathing told of how much agony he was really in.
“Father,” Kaichi exclaimed softly. He knelt down and placed an arm around his back to help support him. Inuyasha looked at him and smiled warmly.
“It’s ok Kaichi,” he stammered out. “I’m alright.” He looked back at his elder brother, tears still streaming unnoticed down his face. He blinked, and then the powerful Lord was right before him. He snapped his head back and shoved his son behind himself, not caring how much it hurt him to do so.
“Hmph, fool.” Sesshomaru spat at him. His hand shot out to grip him by the neck and lift him effortlessly. Kaichi was on his feet in the blink of an eye, but he was never allowed to do anything. Roko’s warm arms snapped around him and pressed him against his chest.
“No,” he whispered in his ear.
“Wha-?”
“He’ll only hurt you. He is not going to hurt your father, or he would have done so already.”
“He’s choking him Roko!” he exclaimed in alarm. Sesshomaru pulled his black-haired captive close to his own face. Inuyasha was desperately trying to breath, his hands clutched at the wrist denying him oxygen. More tears streamed down his face, making more dust tracks across his cheeks. He tried to mouth the words ‘please stop’, but he could only try to breath and plead with his eyes. The gentle brown orbs turned red with the lack of oxygen and fluttered. Sesshomaru snarled.
“You are truly worthless.” he growled. His golden eyes were seething with hatred for the being in his grasp. He slowly lowered the man, but still retained his hold on his neck. Inuyasha’s legs still could not support him, so he had to lean upon the very hand that was cutting off his air.
“Help...” he whispered. His wind pipe felt crushed, even though the pressure had been considerably lessened. Sesshomaru’s upper lip curled back ever so slightly.
“Why would you think I would lower myself to such a level as to help you?”
“‘Cause...you...” He couldn’t get out anything more. His wobbly knees gave out and he was forced to, once again, lean against the hand that was causing him so much trouble. The Lord of the Western Lands allowed the human to lean against his arm, but his face still bore a look of utter hatred.
“Your scent makes me sick,” he said quietly. Inuyasha’s face met his half-brother’s chest as the offensive hand that had gripped his throat slid to rest on the back of his neck underneath the mass of black hair. He felt the weakened being cough quietly, and suddenly his sensitive nose was assaulted with the pungent odor of massive amounts of blood. He snorted to rid his nostrils of the offensive smell, that’s when he felt the warmth on his chest and stomach.
“Father!” he heard Kaichi all but scream. His molten eyes shot down and narrowed further upon seeing his entire front splattered with dark blood.
“Shit,” Inuyasha whispered in a grated voice. “Sorry...”he managed to get out before another torrent erupted from his mouth. It took Sesshomaru all of two seconds to throw him away from himself.
“You filthy half-breed!” he exclaimed as he gazed down at his ruined silks. His eyes flashed red as he looked over at the limp form lying a few feet away.
“Father!” Kaichi shouted. He broke away from his lover’s grip and raced to his father’s side. “Father, you need a healer.”
“No...” He had to strain to hear his father’s voice. “Just...water...”
“What? No, you need a healer,” he replied softly. Inuyasha just shook his head the best he could, just before he blacked out once again. “Father? Father!”
“He’s fine,” the Lord growled. “He will wake up in a few hours.”
“Hey! Maybe you failed to notice the bucket load of blood he just spat up, but I didn’t!” he shouted. Roko walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Listen to my father, he-”
“Tried to kill my father!” Kaichi cut in. His hard blue eyes snapped up to golden one’s identical to both their fathers’. “He’s a lunatic! That son of a bitch just nearly suffocated my father for no reason Roko! I’m not listening to a damn thing he says!” Roko closed his mouth and let his hand fall from his shoulder. Kaichi looked at the other demon with a seething hatred.
“Don’t you dare come near my father, or I swear I’ll-”
“You’ll what? Kill me?” he offered. The Lord let out a low, dangerous chuckle. “I dare you to try.”