Alpha by Lyra

Power

Drabble Collection Alpha

CXXIII

Prompt From Priestess Skye’s Bi-Weekly Challenge

Power

Inuyasha looked at his brother’s anger and saw hurt behind it; the same hurt he himself bore. For, after all, what would it mean to have a father, if that father was never there?

If something else was always more important?

If you were an afterthought -

If you were...not even that?

Against that pain, how could pride measure? How could promises? How could another hundred, another thousand years, make up for that first agony?

And Inuyasha felt a sudden flicker of guilt that was utterly disturbing to him, because it came on the heels of this...compassion, this moment of empathy with his brother.

It occurred to him that his own thoughts contained the reason for Sesshomaru’s envenomed hatred of his life. After all...he had been told, he knew, that the Inu no Taisho had died in the defense of his mother...of him. He had been one of those things more important; an incitement to resentment.

His father had died for his sake; he had not lived for his eldest son.

The truth hit Inuyasha with all the force and subtlety of a blow to the head, and he sucked in a deep breath. He ignored the presence of Naraku over his shoulder, and all his attention focused on his father now; there was interest in his features, and challenge.

“I will bargain with you, Sesshomaru, as I would with a wary ally. I will fight you; if you win blood, I will leave your future at your own discretion.”

Inuyasha’s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. A fight? That was how his father chose to win the affection of his son?

But having never seen him before these moments, having never looked into his eyes except for a solitary instance on the night of his birth, the Inu no Taisho still knew Sesshomaru; knew him well. Perhaps it was the blood they shared; perhaps it was merely a part of being youkai.

All Inuyasha saw was that for the first time, there was a smile on his brother’s face.

It was not an expression of happiness, it was not a sharing; it stole, and in the face of it their father looked momentarily uncertain...and then his features hardened, and he struck out in violence towards his son.

His claws missed their blow, as Sesshomaru dodged with quiet and unearthly grace, and Inuyasha saw surprise on his father’s face. The second blow, a closed fist, connected, but Inuyasha saw the glare of fury in his brother’s eye and knew that it had hit because Sesshomaru had allowed it to.

He went flying, smashed his way through the side of a small gallery and left a gaping hole in the wall beyond it. Unmoved, the Inu no Taisho stood still, and watched, and waited.

“Well, Sesshomaru? Stand! Attack me. Show me the power I can feel; give your anger voice!”

White with stone-dust, Sesshomaru stood, and shook rubble from his robes, and stepped toward his father. His eyes narrowed; Inuyasha read a darkness of intentions and memory there, and winced. Fresh in his memory were the wounds Sesshomaru had inflicted on his own mother; he had not held back then, and years had passed since...how much had his strength grown? How deadly was his nature now, when it had been lethal before he was thirteen years old?

A green glow of dokkasou woke at the tips of Sesshomaru’s claws; with movements blindingly swift, he darted towards his father and forced him to block; he had gone for the throat, for a death-blow and not a mere wound.

Blood streamed down his father’s arm, stained his sleeve crimson and dripped slowly to the ground. The Inu no Taisho chuckled, pleased and surprised, and then took two steps back from his son.

“You have won your reprieve, Sesshomaru. What will you do with it?”

Sesshomaru appeared to be contemplating, unsure of whether or not to share his secrets with his father, his father...who he did not know.

“I will grow stronger; I will learn. I will match great power with great control, and when the time comes – when the time comes...”

But he did not finish his sentence.

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A/N: 700 words...mwaha! I gave up on tokens, and so instead, more chapter, dedicated to r0o, who always reviews, how glorious! Next up, we will see what Sesshomaru has been doing in his attempt to control his power and make his own path...dangerously. Also, Naraku Makes Some Noise...which is not heard in the manner he wanted by our half-departed hanyou. :D

Revisions complete! Onward!

Please Review!