Reconstruction

Reconstruction
Chapter 1:: The fight that broke him.


Blood.

It was everywhere.

On his clothing, in his hair, under his fingernails…
It was filling up his senses; his nose flooded with the overwhelming scent. Even his vision bled red. This wasn’t supposed to have happened. Naraku was dead, it had been Inuyasha himself who had killed him. Not many demons where stupid enough to attack him, especially when he traveled with the miko who had assisted greatly in Naraku’s downfall. But it was here and it had happened.
And now there was blood everywhere.

His clawed hands were shaking violently as he pushed blood-soaked hair from her cold cheek. He was only vaguely aware of the villagers gathering around them in a tight circle, could only barely smell the salty scent of tears, not enough to realize that they were his own. His golden eyes searched desperately for the spark, the fire to ignite in her eyes, not the lifeless, unseeing stare watching him now. He thought he heard someone calling his name, might have felt a hand lay heavy on his shoulder, but he was solely focused on wiping away the red splatters from her cold cheeks. She hated blood, hated it against her skin, hated knowing it was there.

“She’d hate it…” He whispered in a voice that didn’t sound like his own.

“Inuyasha…” his name again. The voice shaking and breaking. Who was it? The shuddering uncertainty… Was it her? Maybe he’d been mistaken. He turned and met Sango’s eyes, tears streaking the dirt on her face. Miroku held her close but was watching the hanyou, eyes concerned and fearful.

“Inuyasha, she’s… she’s gone.” Gone? The word didn’t seem to make sense. He spoke it softly out loud, rolling it over his tongue, attempting to grasp the concept. He looked back down at the body in his arms, brushing her hair away from her face more gently than he ever had before. Gone. Her eyes explained it to him, broke down his walls and he was suddenly drowning. No. No, not gone. She couldn’t be gone. He needed her. Needed her back. Needed her here. He bit down on his lip hard enough to break the skin. He needed her… she couldn’t leave him. He felt like he was being pulled down, down into turning currents and rapid waters. He needed her here…

A realization dawned upon him and he gasped oxygen into his lungs. It seemed so logical, made complete sense to him. It was the only way, the only choice. Inuyasha gently set down the girl, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, silently promising to be back shortly. He’d get her back. He knew how.

Ignoring the calls of his name, Inuyasha tore into the woods as fast as he could, feet pounding on the ground. Branches tore at his face and hands and hair, but he hardly noticed. He followed his nose, pushing the scent of blood--of her blood-- away and followed a scent so familiar… yet dangerous enough to send chills down his spine. Through the night he ran, never stopping, not even as sweat broke out across his skin. No time for rest. No time to wait. The scent began to grow stronger and his legs began to move faster as if being pulled in a direction that every single one of his instincts screamed not to go in. But he had to, for her he had to. He broke through a clearing and landed almost direction in front of the tall figure of his brother just as the sun broke out over the horizon. The two brothers locked gazes and Inuyasha saw Sesshomaru tense, hand twitching just slightly over his sword. Sesshomaru could move no more before Inuyasha dropped to his knees in front of the youkai. Sesshomaru’s eyes widened just barely, the only sign of his shock. He didn’t say a word, eyes watching the hanyou carefully. Inuyasha dug his claws into the grass, eyes never looking up, pride forgotten.

“I-I… I need your help.” Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, his hand falling from his sword.

“My help? Why?”

“There… something has happened. W-we were attacked out of nowhere. Kagome… she’s… I-I need you to use Tenseiga. I need you to bring her back.” Silence stretched out between them, Inuyasha’s head still bowed and his eyes squeezed shut. Sesshomaru eyed his brother carefully. His expression blank, unmoving before his lips pulled into what was almost a scowl.

“Off your knees, Inuyasha. Father’s blood deserves more respect than to be eye level with the earth.” Inuyasha bit his lip and stood, eyes flickering to his brother’s. Sesshomaru watched him still, eyes narrowed. The scrutiny made Inuyasha feel uncomfortable, but he did not back down, did not look away. He couldn’t.

“Why would this Sesshomaru waste time saving a miko that means nothing to me?” Inuyasha flinched back at the clipped tone as if he’d been slapped. He couldn’t let it stop him, he had to help Kagome.

“Please, Sesshomaru. I wouldn’t be asking if I had any other choice. You’re… the only chance I’ve got. I can’t let her die, please. Please help, I-I’ll do anything.” A deal with the devil, Inuyasha was sure of it, but he had to do it for Kagome. He had to, and he knew that Sesshomaru wasn’t stupid enough to pass up a deal like this. The Youkai shifted his weight and looked upward, before leveling his gaze at Inuyasha with the same hard look as before. He seemed to take in everything about Inuyasha’s state before he nodded slightly, more to himself.

“I promise nothing. However, I will see your miko. We shall see, Inuyasha.” Inuyasha figured it was the best answer he was going to get and nodded excitedly, backing up and watching to make sure the youkai was following, before turning around and sprinting towards the village. Sesshomaru kept pace with him as if it was simply a brisk walk through the forest. And where Inuyasha got torn and dirty, Sesshomaru remained immaculate, not even a hair out of place.

Sesshomaru watched Inuyasha, noticing from the moment he laded in the clearing that something was wrong by how beat up he looked. Blood caked his cheeks and hair, his clothing torn, breathing labored. The attack must have been something big, must have been from behind. Cowardly, Sesshomaru was sure whatever beast it was deserved the brutal death Inuyasha was sure to have put it through. As he studied the hanyou, however, he took note of the fact that he was running close to exhaustion. He needed to take a break, and soon.

“Inuyasha.” The older of the pair called out, stopping his movements all together. Inuyasha dug hid heels into the ground to stop, spinning around to stare at Sesshomaru.

“What? We have to go! Why are you stopping?”

“It is dark, we have been traveling all day. We shall stop here for the night and leave first thing in the morning.” He sat down before Inuyasha could really protest, easing his back up against a tree.

“You can’t be telling me you’re actually tired! We can still keep going! I know you can see just fine!” Sesshomaru leveled Inuyasha with a hard stare, his hands folded in his lap.

“This Sesshomaru would not tire so soon. You, on the other hand, are about to collapse.” Inuyasha huffed, flopping down on the ground, still glaring at the youkai.

“I’m fine. I need to go though, we need to go.”

“Corpses do not get up and walk away, Inuyasha. Your miko will still be there. We will leave at first light. You are worthless if you run out of energy.” Sesshomaru rested his head back against the tree, letting his eyes slide shut, but only pretending to rest. He listened closely to his brother’s breathing, waiting for it to even out before he cracked an eye open, verifying that Inuyasha was asleep. He let out a small sigh, watching the sleeping form of the hanyou and the obvious signs of fatigue. The stupid hanyou, pushing past his limits like always. It was a reckless way to live. Was the ningen really that important?

Sesshomaru could only vaguely remember the miko, in all honesty. He could see her cowering behind his brother, and at times making her presence known with that loud, unpleasant voice of hers. All in all, the youkai couldn’t discern what was so special about her. But perhaps she was to Inuyasha as Rin was to himself. The thought made him pause for a moment, imagining if Rin were killed and what he would do. Would he rush to the only aide available as Inuyasha had done to him? Would he make such a foolish deal? The youkai shook his head, hands folded inside his sleeves. Inuyasha was rash, mindless in his actions. However, Sesshomaru thought that perhaps, given the grievous loss the hanyou seemed to be experiencing, he could do what had to be done in order to bring the miko back.

Inuyasha was up before the sun rose and immediately wanted to leave. Sesshomaru complied, deciding not to be as stubborn as he would have liked to be They made quick work covering the rest of the distance between them and the village, back to the sounds of humans and chatter and the smell of fire and herbs. They were close, and an anticipation that nearly made him giddy filled his chest. She’d be back. Sesshomaru would help. Kagome would be okay. Time passed by slower than before and Inuyasha wanted to go faster, pushing himself to move. The scenery became familiar, his heart pounded in his chest and within minutes he was in the village, looking around wildly for Sango or Miroku or even Kagome. The villagers paused to stare, more at Sesshomaru than the wild mess Inuyasha was. No time to worry about that, he had something to do.

He spotted Miroku and Sango outside their hut on the other side of town. He jogged over to them, ignoring their gasps of surprise at Sesshomaru behind him.

“What is he doing here?!” Sango shrieked, causing the hanyou to flatten his ears. “And where have you been? We’ve been looking for you.”

“He’s here to help. Sesshomaru is going to bring her back. Where is she? Where is Kagome?” An odd silence fell upon the group; a strange look was exchanged between Sango and Miroku.

“Inuyasha… it’s… it’s too late.” Sango muttered, her voice raw. She wouldn’t meet the hanyou’s eyes, instead looking intently at her clothing. Inuyasha watched her, confusion evident in his stare.

“What? What do you mean?”

“She’s been cremated, Inuyasha. Her funeral was held the night you left. We didn’t know… where you had gone. Or if you were coming back…” He was stunned. Chills ran down his spine, but he didn’t feel cold, he felt numb. Over whelmed with the sudden onslaught.

“W-why?” he whispered, lungs seeming to lose oxygen. The world was blurring in the corners, melting together. Miroku seemed at a loss for words, his eyebrows knitting together, mouth opening and closing a few times as his eyes searched the hanyou’s.

“Inuyasha, we couldn’t keep her forever. You left with out a word. We didn’t know when you were coming back… or if you ever were. We had to do something…” Inuyasha tugged at his hair, claws digging into his scalp. No… it couldn’t be too late, he… he had brought Sesshomaru. It was supposed to be okay. He should have moved faster, he was too slow. If he’d gotten there sooner, if he’d been a little earlier. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched and he spun on his heel, facing his brother with a growl.

“This is your fault! I told you we couldn’t fucking stop, I told you there wasn’t time and you wouldn’t fucking listen!” He lashed out with his claws; teeth bared and out for blood. Sesshomaru glided backwards and out of Inuyasha’s range but the hanyou leapt forward, striking out at him again. The youkai took small steps and leaps backwards, carefully avoiding the hanyou’s razor sharp claws.

The pair made their way into the forest, Sesshomaru never once striking out against his brother even as Inuyasha attacked again and again. The youkai could tell his brother was near hysterics. His movements were rash, even for the hanyou’s untrained style of combat. He wasn’t even using his sword, simply lashing out with his claws, gnashing his teeth and growling obscenities at his brother.

“Could have saved her… could have her back… would have been fine!” Sesshomaru dodged another attempt, his brother’s fingers nearly getting tangled in his hair. Sesshomaru fought against his instincts, knowing that his brother was grieving and he supposed that after all that Inuyasha did in the defeat of Naraku, he deserved this at the least. Inuyasha’s attacks were growing faster, but wilder; more and more sloppy. Still, Sesshomaru had to hurry to keep from being hit. That’s when the scent of tears, strong and sudden, hit his senses and he faltered, taken aback by the salty scent. A blinding pain hit his neck down to his chest, white exploding in his vision suddenly. He brought a hand up to press against his chest and drew it back soaked in blood. Blood. Inuyasha had hit him and had he been just a fraction of an inch closer, he would have ripped the youkai’s throat out. Sesshomaru lifted his eyes to Inuyasha, watching carefully as the hanyou’s face went from victorious to broken in a matter of seconds. His eyes looked down at his claws, dripping in Sesshomaru’s blood and he fell to his knees sobbing. His shoulders were shaking violently, arms wrapped around himself and his fingers gripping his haori. Sesshomaru swallowed the blood he felt in his mouth, pressing his hand against the gapping wound on his chest again before addressing the kneeled man.

“Inuyasha… your ningen acted rashly, not taking you into consideration, blinded by their own grief. Even if we had not stopped, your miko would still be gone. There was nothing we could have done for her.” Inuyasha looked up at him, tears streaking through the dried blood on his cheeks, clearing away the evidence of the fight that broke him. His eyes watched carefully as the youkai turned away and began walking away from the village, the small pool of blood and his sharp scent the only evidence he was even there in the first place.