Entry tags:

chaptered fic: between the devil and ..., fanfic, fanfic: inuyasha, genre: action/adventure, genre: slash, pairing: sesshomaru/omc, rating: r

[InuYasha] The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Pt.7 [R] slash
.
.between the devil and the deep blue sea.
InuYasha. overall rated r. chapter rated g. yaoi/shonen-ai. adventure/action. violence. Sesshomaru/OMC. WIP. chapter ~2800 words. | Summary: A sinister presence troubles the land, and Sesshomaru is trying to find out what or who it is. Friends and foes, old and new, cross his and his companion's (OMC) way, including InuYasha + friends and Naraku.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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*** = scene change
-I- = POV change

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Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,
Part Seven: In the Wind
by Chocolate H.-D.

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How many times can a man turn his head,
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
How many ears must one man have,
Before he can hear people cry?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
- Blowing in the Wind, Bob Dylan

***

Anakin was about to say something – anything, really – when those golden eyes changed. While they were always… cold, distant, they suddenly missed the focus they normally held when looking at him. Like he were looking through Anakin instead of at him. Like he wasn’t there at all.

He shivered. He hated that look. Distant. Here, but not quite. Not really. And so far away. So very far away.

He knows it’s not him, and it still freaks him out.

Seconds later, the youkai’s head snapped up; it’s like this sometimes. Anakin watched in silence as Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowing dangerously at the invisble threat. And it was there, that threat. He knew. But whatever the yukai heard, he didn’t, whatever he saw, he couldn’t; it was impossible to know what was happening. The only thing he did know, was that there was something wrong. Really, really wrong.

Still feeling cold, there was no other way to know but ask.

So he did. Quietly, as not to spook a wild horse.

“It has returned.”

Anakin frowned. Huh? What was back? Oh wait a second. Of course, ‘it’ is that strange thing from before. Well, damn.

Sesshomaru was still not looking at him. “The wind changed yet again, and it brings…”

“…bad news…”, he spoke softly.

Golden eyes were back. Staring. It wasn’t obvious, and it probably wouldn’t have been to anyone else beside Rin, but Sesshomaru was confused. The subtle lift of the perfectly shaped eyebrow gave it away, and he saw the question in that oh so subtle move, too. It drove Jaken nuts. Sometimes.

He fought hard to keep the grin from his face. To grin, or even smile, didn’t seem right right now. Instead, he met cold, golden eyes with solemn, blue ones. “The wind always brings trouble, does it not, my lord?”, he whispered. Not that he expeced an answer or anything, really. It was just how it was. Relative. He wasn’t ecen sure why he’d said it at all. It was just a feeling, a hunch, or whatever one would call it.

Rubbing both hands over his face, he swallowed a yawn. Maybe it was because he was so… sleepy. And yes, that weird dream, he added to himself, didn’t help that feeling either. Not at all. The dream, vision, or whatever, kept a tight grip on him. As strange as it had been, to a point, it was just as familiar. Terrifyingly so. He couldn’t really tell why or how, but there was something. Had to be. Or, you know, what-the-hell-ever.

Terrific. Oh for the love of… Why the hell does this always happen to me?

Just then he remembered Sesshomaru. Right. The yukai was there still, and he was still silent. Which was… odd. Not that he talked much, duh!, but. The look was back. That look and the deafening silence were not a good combination. Most of all, the silence. He hated the silence. It was too long and it was never long enough. Too much time to make up his very own horror visions, too little to prepare for the real answer.

“Indeed. The wind brings… death with him. The scent of blood.”

Well, shit.

The youkai stood quickly, pulling him to his feet.

Too soon, too quick.

Blood rushed in his ears, the world started to spin in front of his eyes, ground, sky, and everything in between, and he sagged bonelessly against Sesshomaru’s side. Weak in the knees, like jello. He was about to pull away when a strong arm came around him, holing him in place. We sleep like this every time you take me to your bed., he thought to himself, frowning in confusion when he realized what he had been thinking moments later.

Wondering where it had come from.

This had nothing to do with sharing a bed. Not even close. So what the heck was going on? Maybe it was the fact that he was feeling kinda fuzzy, everything blurring at the edges of his vision, and the only reason he was still standing, was that Sesshomaru was still holding onto him. And even though he felt like, well, shit, he cherished those moments the most. Not feeling sick, but being close to someone, secure.

Maybe that was where it was coming from. That silly thought. The closest they were when they shared a bed at night.

Or maybe he was just crazy. Sometimes, well, sometimes he believed it, too.

Only then he would remind himself that he was still alive, living in the Palace of the West, being protected. And, above all else, he wasn’t alone anymore. So he couldn’t be wrong about the yukai, could he? No, no, he couldn’t, because there was Rin and, to a certain degree, even Jaken. And even though he spoke otherwise, he took care of them, too. Protected them, just like he did Anakin.

And that was proof enough, at least for him.

It might have been that he blacked out for a moment there or the whole deal about losing himself in his own thoughts, but as he came to his senses again, he noticed they were flying. And the soft fur had replaced the arm around his middle. Even as he looked down he expected to find the dusty ground of the forest right beneath his feet. Only to discover that – of course – there was none.

Nothing, but air.

Oh damn.

When he turned questioning eyes upward, he received a cold stare in return. “I do not intent to stop to wait for you.”

Yeah well, that was… feasible. Somehow. It wasn’t much for an explanation, but it had to do. And despite the fact that he was surprised – or better said, surprised that he didn’t notice, - he liked it. Flying, that was. With An-Un or like this, with Sesshomaru. The yukai didn’t do it often, Anakin knew, not with him, but he took pleasure in it whenever he got the chance. It made him feel free. Secured, but free.

Clenching his burning eyes shut against the ice cold wind, he burried his face into the fur. Yeah, the wind was not very comfy, but hey, it was a small price to pay considering what he got in return. And, seriously, who would complain about such silly things. To his surprise, the fur tightend around him, pulling him even closer to the firm and warm body.

…warm…, he thought dreamily, and maybe he said it out loud too. Only he didn’t care.

Warmth.

Yes, of course, that was the reason, he realized. Had to be. He was shivering. Needing to get warm, and what better way to do it like this? Okay, there was always the phoenix, but maybe, just maybe, Sesshomaru wanted to keep him close. Just this once. Looking up one last time, said youkai had his eyes straight ahead, focussing on the horizont. Something far away, something he couldn’t see and never would.

Blurry eyes fell shut yet again, hiding his face, the soft fur tickling his nose, he knew one thing for sure: There couldn’t possibly be another place on earth where he would feel just as safe.

-I-

It took him a while, but they finally reached the area the wind led him to. Now that he stood here, overlooking the large forest and the plain fields did the youkai lord realize where he actually was. The village of that miko, he thought. The one that banned InuYasha to that tree.

Yes. It was very close, indeed.

Anakin choose that moment to regain conscious.

“Huh? Where are we?”, the human boy mumbled, rubbing his eyes like a sleepy pup. Sesshomaru had to suppress a smirk. He was… cute? Yes. Yes, that was it. He pretended not to notice. When he was sure that Anakin was capable of standing on his own again, he let go.

Pah. Pathetic human, he thought. The notion came to him nearly automatically. By default.

Then why exactly are you bothering with such pitiful creatures anyway?

He ignroed the voice in his head. “The scent of their blood led me here.”

“Oh, right…blood, bad news… got it. But where is here? Exactly, I mean.” Sesshomaru motioned for the village. They should be close enough for human eyes to see. “Oh. Isn't that…the miko’s village? What was her name, uh, Kikyo?”

“Yes.”

“But it doesn’t look like there is or was a battle, does it?”

“You shall rephrase your question then. You did not ask this Sesshomaru about a fight. Only where you are.”

Anakin looked dumbfounded for a moment, then smiled softly. “You’re right. I apologize, mylord. If I may ask about the fight now?”

“The village was attacked. And they stupidly got involved into the battle, blind, a battle they had no chance of winning. Just to assist the villagers.” How foolish. “The youkai that slaugtered the human village is nearby. And it smells of death.” He saw the blue eyes widen with understanding. A dead yukai leading the battle.

A danger to the living and the dead.

Almost bizarre. “Wait, wait, wait. With them, you mean…?”

“The useless hanyou and his companions. Yes.”

“Oh damn.”

“Do not swear, Anakin.”, he spoke sternly.

Now those blue eyes stared at him as if he had been talking in a foreign language. Or, lost his mind. Heh. “You are not serious, are you?”

“Do you recall this Sesshomaru ever making a joke?”

“Um, no…”

“Then I would suggest you keep that in mind.”

“Yes, mylord.” The smile was back again. Almost smirking, really, and the mischief twinkled in those eyes.

Sessomaru barely kept from rolling his eyes. Instead, he turned his back to Anakin. “Let us see what the half-breed has gotten himself into this time.”, he said, calm. For a split second he wondered where Shadow had disappeared to, before he dismissed the spark of worry it alltogether. This was not his concern. Then again, the phoenix would have informed them if anything had happened.

Or, knowing Seraphin, simply bring the mutt there.

He had befriended his mortal after all.

The demon lord heard the sounds of the ungoing battle long before they actually reached the actual battlefield. And that was what it was. A battlefield. Humans and yukai fought side by side, 17 in numbers, everyone alive but one. The rest was alive, and – if he was to trust his ears, not controlled by the mysterious creature wandering the Lands. Yukai and human spat angered curses at his half brother and his little friends.

No, they where not mind controlled beasts. Five yukai among them, quite powerful. The other power he sensed, however, was not that of regular human beings. He had sensed it before, around powerful witches and priests, a sorcerer too. A very… diverse kind of magic.

Of course, they were no match for the Lord of the West.

Neither were the yukai.

But it would get ugly with InuYasha and his stupid little friends right there in the middle, if he decided to intervene. If being the key word. The half-breed was apparently too busy protecting his friend to notice his presence, running around with their father’s sword like a wild animal.

Pathetic.

‘Always be completely aware of you’re suroundings at any time.’

It was the first and most important rule in any battle. Stupid hanyou. Trying to spare the human lifes. There was no such possibility. And they had no idea what they were dealing with. All of them reeked of the malice of that thing. If the half breed would not act so brash, his nose would have told him too.

Anakin gasped next to him as one of the human warriors managed to take the young miko down. The other female in the group hurried to her rescue, taking out two of the attackers with a large boomerang. Not bad, he caught himself thinking, that is, for a mere human, certainly.

“Mylord?”

Anakin, of course.

“Do you plan to assist them? I think they could need a little help...”

“Yes, they most likely do.”, he mused, ignoring the bewildered look he earned in return. Let him muse over this one a bit. “But…why would that be of interest to me if they lived or died? I do not care for his welfare.”

“Why would you… He is your brother!” He narrowed his eyes at the human, but Anakin did not back down. His glare was a very clear warning, but Anakin did not appear to notice. Or he simply ignored it. “Or, if that is not good enough, how about this: you claimed that you would be the one to kill the hanyou. What would it look like if someone else managed to do so before you, mylord? Don’t you think that would be wise?”

Sesshomaru clenched his jaw. How was it possible for him to forget that Anakin could be such a sneaky, little bastard? But… he had a point. It was his right to kill InuYasha. His birthright. And then there was the Lady Kimi and her words. Words he could not shake off. Impossible.

Suddenly there was a hand on his arm and he turned to look at Anakin. The young man was staring at something in the distance, not the battle anymore. “Over there.”, he spoke in a low voice. Barely even a whisper.

Following Anakin’s glance, he froze.

On the other side of the clearing stood? hovered? something.

It was neither human nor youkai, nor was it corporeal at all. It was just... there. Black mist swirled through the low brush-wood, at one point taking the shape of a common human male. It flickered in and out between the trees like shadows in the light of a burning candle during a windy night. As far as he could tell, that thing had no eyes, no mouth, no ears. Still, it seemed to observe the battle taking place before them.

Sesshomaru shuddered.

Yes. This was the presence he had sensed back at the palace, in his ‘dream’ and later the slaughtered village. Or the unnatural cold that had attacked him and Anakin just recently. The hand on his arm tightened abruptly and he could clearly smell the fear that radiated from the human by his side. Anakin was right to fear this thing, though. The taiyoukai had in no doubt that it new they were there by now, it might have known all along – they were simply not important to pay attention to.

Noone dared to treat him with such lack of respect and lived to talk about it.

Noone.

His hand found the hilt of his sword. “Anakin.”

“Yes?”

“Use your poison on the human attackers.”

“But they are not...”

“Do as you are told. Those pitiful mortals will be better of dead by your hand than being enslaved by this thing.”

A pause, then a sigh. It was the only thing to do, the right thing to do. Anakin knew it, too, he might not like it, but he knew. It was enough.

Silently Sesshomaru watched as his lover reached for his weapons, careful of the razor sharp edges of the small daggers, as he pulled them from their hiding place under his clothes. The small vial with an almost colorless liquid followed. The acid scent bit his fine nose. He recognized it as what it was: the poison of a dangerous huge snake, at home in the deep forest of the Land of the West and feared among humans and much lesser demons alike.

A few drops enough to kill a human.

“Do not get involved with the yukai, Anakin.”, he warned, voice low, hard. “You would be merely in the way.” …of danger, was what he did not say.

Anakin didn’t bother to look at him as he answered, preparing for his own battle. “As you wish.”

-I-

The battle was over before it began.


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