Sunset

By Breshcandra

Sesshoumaru was sitting in his favorite spot with his back leaning against a large evergreen. He was looking out across a valley. With the turning of the leaves, it always left him in awe.

“Sesshoumaru?” A familiar voice called breaking him out of his thoughts. He waited patiently for his father. It didn’t take his father long to find him. Sesshoumaru could sense his father standing behind him but continued to look at the scene in front of him.

“Its time to go, Sesshoumaru.” His father finally said, breaking the quietness of the moment.
Sesshoumaru let out a sigh. “Do I have to? Father.”

“Yes. You do.” The demon lord turned and started walking. The only sound that he made was the crunching of fallen leaves under his feet. Sesshoumaru stood up and with one last glance at the scene before him followed his father.

“Hold still.” A woman was trying to get a small white haired boy into his white birthday haori. She managed to get an arm through the sleeve only to have her son race to the window. He had to stand on the tip of his toes to peer over the ledge. The small dog ears that rested on top of his head were turning every which way trying to catch the sound he had been waiting for all day.

“Mom, They are not here yet.” He whined.

“Be patient” she laughed. While he had his attention on the outside his mother quickly finished dressing him. She had just finished tying the sash when his small white ears stopped and faced forward. She watched as her son’s face light up.

“Their here!” He exclaimed.

“Don’t forget your…” the sound of the door opening interrupted her before she could finish. “shoes.”

A white blur shot out of the house and tackled the older of the two men.
“Happy Birthday Inuyasha.” Laughed the man as he swung his younger son around in circles.” He set Inuyasha on the ground. The young boy looked up at his dad.

“How old are you today?” Asked the man.

Inuyasha looked at his right hand, with his left hand he curled his pinkie and thumb down, leaving up three of his fingers.

With a triumphant grin he held up his hand for his father to see. “This many.”

Sesshoumaru hmphed, “so my little brother can count to three.”

“Sheshy!” Inuyasha forgot all about his father when he noticed his big brother. He ran to him and hugged his leg. He looked up into the scowling face of his brother. He remembered suddenly that he was never ever to touch his brother and stepped back quickly.

“Sowey” He mumbled.

His nose twitched as an awful stench came from one of his brother’s hand.

What’s that?” Inuyasha pointed to the red fur that was giving off the smell.

“This, is your birthday present. Your mother can make a haori for you.” Sesshoumaru explained.

It was at that moment that Inuyasha’s mother came out to greet the father of her child. Sesshoumaru took the opportunity to give the pelts to the boy’s mother.
Inuyasha knew that his brother would want to get that smell off of him as soon as possible.

“Mother, can I show Sheshy, to the lake?’

The woman looked down at her son, then at the young man. “Yes. But you stay with your brother.”

Forgetting once again that he wasn’t suppose to touch his brother, he grabbed his hand and ran toward the lake, pulling his brother along with him. The two adults watched them for a few seconds then headed toward the house.

Inuyasha waited patiently as his brother finished washing the smell off his hand. His brother finally looked up from his task. “We should go back.”

Sesshoumaru started to walk back to the house when Inuyasha tugged on his brother’s sleeve to get his attention.

“Don’t touch me!” Sesshoumaru growled. Inuyasha quickly let go.

“Can I show you something?” Inuyasha asked.

“No.” Sesshoumaru started walking again.

It wasn’t long before he began to smell his little brother’s tears. Looking down at the little half demon walking beside him he noticed that he was trying his hardest not to cry. But the fact that he kept rubbing his eyes gave him away.

“What is it you wanted to show me?” Sesshoumaru finally asked. He, like his father, could not stand tears.

“It’s something pretty” Inuyasha answered as he quickly wiped the remaining tears from his face.

Sesshoumaru sighed. “Show me.”

Inuyasha grinned and ran toward a small cliff that rose up next to the lake. Sesshoumaru followed as dignified as he could. When Sesshoumaru finally reached the top he found Inuyasha sitting on the ground staring out over the lake. His birthday suit was a mess. It was no longer the pristine white it had been. Instead there were patches of brown on his knees and the cuffs of his sleeve. There were several tears were branches had grabbed at the little half demon as he ran to get to the spot.
Inuyasha’s ears moved to catch the sound of his brother as he came to stand beside him.

Inuyasha looked up. “See it’s pretty.”

Sesshoumaru couldn’t argue with the pup. The scene before him was breath taking. In the center of the lake was a small island. The trees on the island had started to turn making it seem as though the island was on fire. The sun was setting and was throwing the last of its rays out over the lake, bathing it in orange, and reds. Making it seem like it to was caught on fire. The two brothers watched as the sun slowly slid behind the mountain. Inuyasha knew that this was going to be the best birthday he would ever have. And promised to himself that he would never forget the time that he and his brother spent together watching the sunset.